NEWSLETTER: I’ve had a few people ask lately if I am still doing my newsletter. I appreciate that someone noticed their absence and I apologize that it has been more than a month since my last edition. Much of my time lately has been spent studying for a more advanced certification. Still, I apologize. I enjoy writing these newsletters and hope you gain something from them as well.
FALL TRANSITIONS: Fall is an important time of renewal, much more so than the New Year in my opinion. Fall is the time that nature dictates we take a break, a moment’s reflection, and then make a new plan for ourselves. Fall is a big time in indoor cycling because it is then that we come back indoors and begin to work on our craft.
The start of October reminds me that the road season for cycling is coming to an end. If you compete, your schedule of races is winding down. If you're a fitness cyclist, it is beginning to become more difficult to get rides in. Decreasing light and decreasing temperatures make fitting rides in more challenging. Nature seems to be reminding us that this is the time of year to allow your body and mind to rest up and refresh from the cycling season.
As usual, nature is right. Your body can use a break and so can your head. Training is mentally hard and your mind can use a break as much as, or even more than, your body does. The harder you train, the more you need a break at the end of the season. If you've been training at a more moderate level then the need is less.
But how do you take a break without overdoing it?
∙ Rest but not too much. In general, I'd say cut back but don't stop. Back off on both the road mileage and the intensity. It's actually a time to enjoy the fitness you have gained with some fun recreational riding. Ride for the joy of riding and not for any specific training goal. Get out and enjoy the fall weather.
∙ Change up your aerobic. Do whatever works for you to give yourself a change. It can be anything including weights, running, basketball, swimming, or almost anything else you can do to get exercise. It can also be alternative forms of cycling such as cyclo cross or mountain biking.
∙ Be sure to recover from any injuries you may have developed.
∙ Watch your weight. This is not the time to get sloppy about what you're eating. People generally consume a couple hundred calories a day more around this time of year. Combined with possibly less intense activity, it's dangerous to not be more conscientious of what you're eating.
Serious work in Spinning is ahead. You should get ready. Don't stop, but give yourself a break if you've been going hard. And then be ready for some great Spinning classes as the season changes.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF INDOOR CYCLING: I ran across this list of Indoor Cycling sins by instructor Juliet Underill. Enjoy.
∙ Thou Shalt Not Hover! It doth not work thy glutes, it doth not mimic mountain biking but you shall be cursed with an aching back!
∙ Thou Shalt Not Performeth Isolations! This move offends thy knees and helps not in strengthening. The burn you feeleth is from the Devil himself and makes you no faster, no stronger, no cooler and no wiser!
∙ Thou Shalt Not Spin Like a Hamster who Smoketh Crack! Super high cadence with little or no resistance will surely causeth thy Lady Parts (or thy Boy Bits) to feel as if they are being scourged by demons! Lo, though some sinners think they looketh cool with feet that fly, they surely will burn from the fires below (if thou knowest what I mean).
∙ Thou Shalt Not Overload thy Resistance and Grind Slowly! Do not burden my peoples with an overload of Resistance that would surely cause them to have to strain and clutcheth the handlebars. They will surely suffer from multitudes of joint problems.
∙ Thou Shalt Not Performeth Push Ups on thy Handle Bars! This doth not work thy Pecs and doth surely decrease the number of teeth in thy head if thou slippest.
∙ Thou Shalt Not Dip Thy Shoulders Down! Cornering or contrived upper body movement doth nothing to improveth thy upper body and doth taketh away from the true aerobic training of Spinning.
∙ Thou Shalt Not Sucketh in Thy Core! Thy core shall remain supple and thy people shall be commanded to do deep diaphragmatic breathing. Thou shalt work thy core in Pilates Classes.
EXERCISE MISTAKE #2 IGNORING STRENGTH TRAINING: You may recall that in the last issue I addressed a common exercise mistake, a lack of variety in many people’s workouts. Today, I will address a second common mistake, ignoring strength training.
I am a huge fan of aerobic workouts. But strength training is absolutely necessary, and not just for bigger muscles. A proper strength training program will improve your core stability, neurological balance, ability to generate and control force in all three planes of movement, and your ability to move with speed, agility and quickness. It’s not just for people who want big muscles. It is a necessary part of staying healthy.
And despite all these other benefits, building muscle is also important. As we age we lose muscle every year. The only way to fight this trend is strength training. Studies show that exercisers who combine cardio with a high-intensity, total-body resistance routine lose more body fat than those who follow a cardio-only plan.
The answer, strength training two or three times a week in addition to two or three aerobic workouts. A certified personal trainer can help you design a program for your needs.
HAPPINESS: I often write about the integration of health and fitness to our overall lives. In that regard I liked the succinctness of this comment. "Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product,” Eleanor Roosevelt.
FINALLY, A GRIPE: Okay, this is small but let’s remember to do a few things to keep the gym nicer for us all. Most of try to do these things but none of us are perfect. Let’s rededicate ourselves to some basic courtesies. This is especially important when we have the nicest facility in the city.
∙ Clean up after yourself. Wipe your sweat off your Spinning bike, and other gym equipment, when you are done. Working out in someone else’s sweat is just gross.
∙ Share equipment. If you're doing multiple sets on a machine, it's common courtesy to let others work in during your rest periods when you can. And while you’re at it, put your weights away when you are done.
∙ No cell phone. We’re in close quarters at the gym. Others don’t need to hear your cell phone call.
∙ Pick up after yourself in the locker room. Don’t leave towels or trash on the floor or benches. And close your locker door when you leave.
MY YMCA INDOOR CYCLING TEACHING SCHEDULE:
∙ Monday's 5:45PM
∙ Friday’s 6:10AM
RESOURCES:
Recent past issues of this newsletter are available at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
Thank you!
Bill Roach
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
bill.roach@mchsi.com
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
TRAINING NEWSLETTER #4 — Watch “Younger Next Year” On IPTV Saturday.
PLEASE TRY TO TUNE IN: The book “Younger Next Year” is nearly required reading for my personal training clients. It discusses some simple strategies – including daily exercise – to improve our quality of life as we age. In effect, the book describes simple ways to fight the problems normally associated with aging.
I am very excited that IPTV is presenting a program by Dr. Henry Lodge, one of the authors of the book. On the show, Dr. Lodge explains the biological impact of exercise on the body and the brain.
The program “Younger Next Year” broadcasts Saturday at 6:35pm on Channel 11.3 or Mediacom Channel 119.
Please be sure to watch. Record it if you can. I cannot recommend this material strongly enough.
RESOURCES: Recent past issues of this newsletter are available at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
Thank you!
Bill Roach
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
bill.roach@mchsi.com
I am very excited that IPTV is presenting a program by Dr. Henry Lodge, one of the authors of the book. On the show, Dr. Lodge explains the biological impact of exercise on the body and the brain.
The program “Younger Next Year” broadcasts Saturday at 6:35pm on Channel 11.3 or Mediacom Channel 119.
Please be sure to watch. Record it if you can. I cannot recommend this material strongly enough.
RESOURCES: Recent past issues of this newsletter are available at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
Thank you!
Bill Roach
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
bill.roach@mchsi.com
Monday, June 27, 2011
TRAINING NEWSLETTER #3 — Gratitude; Sugar, New Workout, Logging, Variety.
GRATITUDE: I try to read as much health and fitness content as I can and then use this newsletter as a way to summarize which of that I think might be of interest to you. Usually that material is a fitness tip, or new scientific study but another article recently caught my interest because it says something important about happiness, a key component of wellness. A recent article by Yoga writer Frank Jude Boccio talks about the importance of gratitude in our lives.
I have been thinking some lately about how a sense of entitlement can grow into a pervasive anger at not getting what we want in life. Boccio suggests that a key ingredient in happiness is gratitude for what we do have, and most of all for the vast and complex interconnectedness of life that provides us with so much.
He says, “On the surface, gratitude appears to arise from a sense that you're indebted to another person for taking care of you in some way, but looking deeper, you'll see that the feeling is actually a heightened awareness of your connection to everything else. Gratitude flows when you break out of the small, self-centered point of view—with its ferocious expectations and demands—and appreciate that through the labors and intentions and even the simple existence of an inconceivably large number of people, weather patterns, chemical reactions, and the like, you have been given the miracle of your life, with all the goodness in it today.”
It is easy, as Roger L'Estrange, the 17th-century author and pamphleteer, said, to "mistake the gratuitous blessings of heaven for the fruits of our own industry."
It is easy, human, for us to notice what goes wrong more often than what goes right.
The path to happiness may be in paying more attention to what we do have than what we don’t and then reflecting our gratitude for those blessings.
I want to tell each of you that I am grateful to you for the pleasure, inspiration and energy you bring me each day. Thank you. /Bill.
SUGAR: Some long time ago, I made a commitment to reduce fat in my diet. I actually did pretty well at it but as kind of a psychological trade-off, I gave myself a break on sugar. At the time, I though, “Really, what harm can it cause?” Well, it’s increasingly clear that sugar is really bad:
∙ Sugar can create a reaction similar to an addiction. Excess consumption of sugar can make you want more.
∙ Sugar (carbohydrate) is your body’s preferred fuel so if you have an excess of sugar, your body will burn it as fuel instead of fat when you exercise.
∙ Sugar in excess stores as fat.
∙ Sugar is not filling, and can easily lead to the consumption of excess calories.
∙ Sugar calories replace needed nutrition.
∙ Sugar suppresses the immune system.
∙ Sugar promotes inflamation.
∙ Sugar suppresses human growth hormone, muscle growth.
∙ Sugar creates toxic compounds which advance the aging process.
∙ Sugar raises insulin levels, causes your pancreas to overwork, and can result in diabetes. Eating sugar increases your blood sugar level causing the pancreas to release insulin which clears the sugar from the blood. Overusing this system can cause the pancreas to just give up.
Some amount of sugar (carbohydrate) is needed by your body as fuel. But it is best in the form of complex carbohydrates and in moderation. Avoiding simple, processed, sugar is part of a healthy diet.
A NEW WORKOUT:
∙ Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.
∙ With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.
∙ Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags.
∙ Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.
∙ After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.
FOOD LOGGING / MY FITNESS PAL: Two of my readers took up my suggestion to try MyFitnessPal.com and wrote to me to report on their experience. See what they said...
“Thanks for the suggestion in your newsletter. I have tried some other online food journals, and they are not as user friendly (and free!) as this one. Also, it has an amazing amount of food selections and nutritional information already built in. It is very seldom that I eat something that I need to build in. Even if I have restaurant food, I can usually find something already entered in that is close enough. I couldn’t believe that even the local yogurt I eat was already in there! The exercise portion is not as nearly built up, though.”
Thanks Christine and Kevin. Your experience very closely matches mine and I appreciate you sharing. If you haven’t given MyFitnessPal a try yet, I suggest it.
VARIETY: One of the most common mistakes I see in the gym each day is to recognize the same people doing exactly the same thing day-after-day. I applaud the persistence of these people but I wish they’d find some variety. That kind of repetition is boring for both your body and your mind. Doing the same thing over and over leads to staleness, fatigue and failure to sustain an exercise program. Our bodies adapt to repetitive exercise. As they become more efficient, they burn fewer calories doing the same thing.
Properly designed indoor cycling classes provide different kinds of work at different times with cycles rotating throughout each year and month. During some periods we emphasize more base building, in others more interval type intensity. Doing the same thing all the time - whatever it is - only leads to staleness.
In addition to variations made within the context of your indoor cycling program, you should also change up your cardio workouts by adding other cardio activities, add running, or some new class.
Also, don’t just do cardio. Add some strength work several times a week.
RESOURCES: Recent past issues of this newsletter are available at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
Thank you!
Bill Roach
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
bill.roach@mchsi.com
I have been thinking some lately about how a sense of entitlement can grow into a pervasive anger at not getting what we want in life. Boccio suggests that a key ingredient in happiness is gratitude for what we do have, and most of all for the vast and complex interconnectedness of life that provides us with so much.
He says, “On the surface, gratitude appears to arise from a sense that you're indebted to another person for taking care of you in some way, but looking deeper, you'll see that the feeling is actually a heightened awareness of your connection to everything else. Gratitude flows when you break out of the small, self-centered point of view—with its ferocious expectations and demands—and appreciate that through the labors and intentions and even the simple existence of an inconceivably large number of people, weather patterns, chemical reactions, and the like, you have been given the miracle of your life, with all the goodness in it today.”
It is easy, as Roger L'Estrange, the 17th-century author and pamphleteer, said, to "mistake the gratuitous blessings of heaven for the fruits of our own industry."
It is easy, human, for us to notice what goes wrong more often than what goes right.
The path to happiness may be in paying more attention to what we do have than what we don’t and then reflecting our gratitude for those blessings.
I want to tell each of you that I am grateful to you for the pleasure, inspiration and energy you bring me each day. Thank you. /Bill.
SUGAR: Some long time ago, I made a commitment to reduce fat in my diet. I actually did pretty well at it but as kind of a psychological trade-off, I gave myself a break on sugar. At the time, I though, “Really, what harm can it cause?” Well, it’s increasingly clear that sugar is really bad:
∙ Sugar can create a reaction similar to an addiction. Excess consumption of sugar can make you want more.
∙ Sugar (carbohydrate) is your body’s preferred fuel so if you have an excess of sugar, your body will burn it as fuel instead of fat when you exercise.
∙ Sugar in excess stores as fat.
∙ Sugar is not filling, and can easily lead to the consumption of excess calories.
∙ Sugar calories replace needed nutrition.
∙ Sugar suppresses the immune system.
∙ Sugar promotes inflamation.
∙ Sugar suppresses human growth hormone, muscle growth.
∙ Sugar creates toxic compounds which advance the aging process.
∙ Sugar raises insulin levels, causes your pancreas to overwork, and can result in diabetes. Eating sugar increases your blood sugar level causing the pancreas to release insulin which clears the sugar from the blood. Overusing this system can cause the pancreas to just give up.
Some amount of sugar (carbohydrate) is needed by your body as fuel. But it is best in the form of complex carbohydrates and in moderation. Avoiding simple, processed, sugar is part of a healthy diet.
A NEW WORKOUT:
∙ Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.
∙ With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.
∙ Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags.
∙ Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.
∙ After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.
FOOD LOGGING / MY FITNESS PAL: Two of my readers took up my suggestion to try MyFitnessPal.com and wrote to me to report on their experience. See what they said...
“Thanks for the suggestion in your newsletter. I have tried some other online food journals, and they are not as user friendly (and free!) as this one. Also, it has an amazing amount of food selections and nutritional information already built in. It is very seldom that I eat something that I need to build in. Even if I have restaurant food, I can usually find something already entered in that is close enough. I couldn’t believe that even the local yogurt I eat was already in there! The exercise portion is not as nearly built up, though.”
Thanks Christine and Kevin. Your experience very closely matches mine and I appreciate you sharing. If you haven’t given MyFitnessPal a try yet, I suggest it.
VARIETY: One of the most common mistakes I see in the gym each day is to recognize the same people doing exactly the same thing day-after-day. I applaud the persistence of these people but I wish they’d find some variety. That kind of repetition is boring for both your body and your mind. Doing the same thing over and over leads to staleness, fatigue and failure to sustain an exercise program. Our bodies adapt to repetitive exercise. As they become more efficient, they burn fewer calories doing the same thing.
Properly designed indoor cycling classes provide different kinds of work at different times with cycles rotating throughout each year and month. During some periods we emphasize more base building, in others more interval type intensity. Doing the same thing all the time - whatever it is - only leads to staleness.
In addition to variations made within the context of your indoor cycling program, you should also change up your cardio workouts by adding other cardio activities, add running, or some new class.
Also, don’t just do cardio. Add some strength work several times a week.
RESOURCES: Recent past issues of this newsletter are available at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
Thank you!
Bill Roach
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
bill.roach@mchsi.com
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Training Newsletter #2.
GREETINGS: It’s been too long since my last newsletter but I have some good stuff to share so let’s get going.
FOOD LOGGING: Last time I urged you to log your food and activity. Logging provides you with insight, discipline and accountability. How’s that going? Is it time to rededicate yourself to having something you can measure? Remember that logging can be as simple as you’d like it to be. Let me know how you are doing.
FREQUENCY OF EXERCISE: Frequency of exercise (four to six times a week) is important for the best cardio benefit and fat loss. A recent study divided exercisers into three groups who respectively worked out less than twice a week, 2-3 times per week, and four or more times per week. All groups lost fat on average but the highest frequency group lost13 pounds. This exercise should be a mixture of strength and cardio.
Strength training is part of the equation. It builds muscle, burns fat and addresses body imbalances by improving balance, flexibility and core strength. And it consumes calories.
The other part of the puzzle is aerobic exercise. Generally we want to alternate aerobic days with strength days. Aerobic work is characterized by
∙ Non stop for at least 12 minutes (in order to get fat burn)
∙ Breathing deeply at about 65-85%MHR
∙ Generally needs to involve big muscles such as thighs and butt.
This aerobic work lowers your resting heart which is good because the less your heart has to work on a constant basis the better. Aerobic work also increases blood volume which improves capillary density, oxygen transport and lung function.
And cardio burns fat. In shorter efforts, the body uses carbs/glycogen as its primary fuel source but at about 12 minutes the body begins to shift to using fat as fuel. The ratio continues to shift towards fat as the duration increases.
There are different strategies for mixing cardio and strength training. Most commonly they are performed on alternate days, but sometimes they can also be combined effectively.
IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP: Rest is important to health and fitness performance and - in the world of rest - sleep is our best friend. The book “Sleep for Success” ( James B. Maas, PhD, Rebecca S. Robbins) suggests that inadequate sleep can result in up to an 8% decline in VO2 max and a 14% reduction in anaerobic power. On the other hand, well rested athletes are typically 20% faster at performing physical tasks than those who are not. During workouts we are stressing soft tissue. The repair of that tissue - resulting in more muscle - takes place best during sleep. Maas and Robbins suggest 7 ½ to 8 ½ hours a night.
Other studies are showing that getting less than six hours of sleep can cause fat gain. Certain hormonal responses don’t occur until after the sixth hour. Recommendations vary from 6-9 hours nightly. More than 9 is also considered problematic.
RECOVERY DRINKS: I am always amused at the sale of expensive exercise recovery drinks which claim to have just the right ratio of ingredients to promote recovery after exercise. Generally speaking those ingredients are available - in the same ratios - in milk. And at a fraction of the price.
Many of these products tout the benefits of whey as a kind of miracle muscle rebuilder. Whey is great at getting to your muscles quickly after a workout but it burns up fast. Casein, on the other hand, also rebuilds muscles but sustains the process longer than whey. Both are important. But most whey drinks contain no casein. And many Casein drinks contain no whey. The ideal is a combination of whey and casein - and a great way to get both together is, yes, milk.
Some studies even suggest that chocolate milk is particularly good as a recovery tool as long as the sugar content is not too high and that it is about 1% fat. So avoid the expensive trendy drinks and just have some milk. But be sure to figure those calories and fat grams into your daily food budget.
While on the subject, the best thing to drink during workouts under an hour is still water. For most workouts, muscles need water more than any of the fancy, and expensive, fluid replacement drinks.
FATTER THAN WE THINK: Several thousand Americans were surveyed to report their weight and height along with their perceived category of weight. Choices were underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. Their perception of their weight category was then compared to their actual body mass index (BMI) based on their reported actual weight and height.
Result: We think we’re thinner than we are.
∙ 30% of those who were overweight thought they were normal weight.
∙ 70% of those who were obese believed they were just overweight.
Researches noted that a 5-10% weight loss results in significant health benefits regardless of whether a normal BMI is reached. So giving up because the task seems too monumental is a cop out. Start out trying for a 5-10% reduction and then go on from there.
EXERCISE HELPS DEPRESSION: Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have concluded that just one workout can achieve immediate mood altering results - even for people with serious depression. While depressed people often turn to alcohol, tobacco or over-eating, exercise gets the best results. And low to medium level exercise is enough to gain this effect. A hormone-like substance, Endorphins, are released during exercise and they have a drug-like effect to decrease pain and improve mood. If just one session can get immediate results, then why not make it a habit for even better results?
INDOOR CYCLING CLASS: Come join me at my indoor cycling class at the Y. It’s a new class, held every Friday at 6:10am. Indoor cycling is my first passion. I’ve been teaching indoor cycling for several years now and it is a particular passion of mine due to my background in long distance bike racing. Please come join us.
This is a time of year when indoor classes focus less on base building and more on improving speed, strength and power. Classes should give you options to work on these areas but still give you the option for a base building or recovery ride. My point here is to emphasize that you are in charge of the workout you get in class. You should decide before class starts how you feel that day and what you are capable of doing that day.
Some days you feel good and are ready for a big challenge. Others, not so much. Maybe you went hard the day before, maybe you’ve got a small cold, maybe you’re stressed at work or maybe you are new. Whatever the reason, on some days judgment is more important than dedication. The good thing about Spinning is that a well-designed class should give you the choice. You can either go hard, or back off a bit. It is always your ride.
RESOURCES:
Check out your Y at http://www.ymcahealthylivingcenter.com/
All editions of this newsletter can be viewed as a blog at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
QUOTE: "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't." - Jerry Rice.
Bill Roach
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
bill.roach@mchsi.com
FOOD LOGGING: Last time I urged you to log your food and activity. Logging provides you with insight, discipline and accountability. How’s that going? Is it time to rededicate yourself to having something you can measure? Remember that logging can be as simple as you’d like it to be. Let me know how you are doing.
FREQUENCY OF EXERCISE: Frequency of exercise (four to six times a week) is important for the best cardio benefit and fat loss. A recent study divided exercisers into three groups who respectively worked out less than twice a week, 2-3 times per week, and four or more times per week. All groups lost fat on average but the highest frequency group lost13 pounds. This exercise should be a mixture of strength and cardio.
Strength training is part of the equation. It builds muscle, burns fat and addresses body imbalances by improving balance, flexibility and core strength. And it consumes calories.
The other part of the puzzle is aerobic exercise. Generally we want to alternate aerobic days with strength days. Aerobic work is characterized by
∙ Non stop for at least 12 minutes (in order to get fat burn)
∙ Breathing deeply at about 65-85%MHR
∙ Generally needs to involve big muscles such as thighs and butt.
This aerobic work lowers your resting heart which is good because the less your heart has to work on a constant basis the better. Aerobic work also increases blood volume which improves capillary density, oxygen transport and lung function.
And cardio burns fat. In shorter efforts, the body uses carbs/glycogen as its primary fuel source but at about 12 minutes the body begins to shift to using fat as fuel. The ratio continues to shift towards fat as the duration increases.
There are different strategies for mixing cardio and strength training. Most commonly they are performed on alternate days, but sometimes they can also be combined effectively.
IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP: Rest is important to health and fitness performance and - in the world of rest - sleep is our best friend. The book “Sleep for Success” ( James B. Maas, PhD, Rebecca S. Robbins) suggests that inadequate sleep can result in up to an 8% decline in VO2 max and a 14% reduction in anaerobic power. On the other hand, well rested athletes are typically 20% faster at performing physical tasks than those who are not. During workouts we are stressing soft tissue. The repair of that tissue - resulting in more muscle - takes place best during sleep. Maas and Robbins suggest 7 ½ to 8 ½ hours a night.
Other studies are showing that getting less than six hours of sleep can cause fat gain. Certain hormonal responses don’t occur until after the sixth hour. Recommendations vary from 6-9 hours nightly. More than 9 is also considered problematic.
RECOVERY DRINKS: I am always amused at the sale of expensive exercise recovery drinks which claim to have just the right ratio of ingredients to promote recovery after exercise. Generally speaking those ingredients are available - in the same ratios - in milk. And at a fraction of the price.
Many of these products tout the benefits of whey as a kind of miracle muscle rebuilder. Whey is great at getting to your muscles quickly after a workout but it burns up fast. Casein, on the other hand, also rebuilds muscles but sustains the process longer than whey. Both are important. But most whey drinks contain no casein. And many Casein drinks contain no whey. The ideal is a combination of whey and casein - and a great way to get both together is, yes, milk.
Some studies even suggest that chocolate milk is particularly good as a recovery tool as long as the sugar content is not too high and that it is about 1% fat. So avoid the expensive trendy drinks and just have some milk. But be sure to figure those calories and fat grams into your daily food budget.
While on the subject, the best thing to drink during workouts under an hour is still water. For most workouts, muscles need water more than any of the fancy, and expensive, fluid replacement drinks.
FATTER THAN WE THINK: Several thousand Americans were surveyed to report their weight and height along with their perceived category of weight. Choices were underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. Their perception of their weight category was then compared to their actual body mass index (BMI) based on their reported actual weight and height.
Result: We think we’re thinner than we are.
∙ 30% of those who were overweight thought they were normal weight.
∙ 70% of those who were obese believed they were just overweight.
Researches noted that a 5-10% weight loss results in significant health benefits regardless of whether a normal BMI is reached. So giving up because the task seems too monumental is a cop out. Start out trying for a 5-10% reduction and then go on from there.
EXERCISE HELPS DEPRESSION: Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have concluded that just one workout can achieve immediate mood altering results - even for people with serious depression. While depressed people often turn to alcohol, tobacco or over-eating, exercise gets the best results. And low to medium level exercise is enough to gain this effect. A hormone-like substance, Endorphins, are released during exercise and they have a drug-like effect to decrease pain and improve mood. If just one session can get immediate results, then why not make it a habit for even better results?
INDOOR CYCLING CLASS: Come join me at my indoor cycling class at the Y. It’s a new class, held every Friday at 6:10am. Indoor cycling is my first passion. I’ve been teaching indoor cycling for several years now and it is a particular passion of mine due to my background in long distance bike racing. Please come join us.
This is a time of year when indoor classes focus less on base building and more on improving speed, strength and power. Classes should give you options to work on these areas but still give you the option for a base building or recovery ride. My point here is to emphasize that you are in charge of the workout you get in class. You should decide before class starts how you feel that day and what you are capable of doing that day.
Some days you feel good and are ready for a big challenge. Others, not so much. Maybe you went hard the day before, maybe you’ve got a small cold, maybe you’re stressed at work or maybe you are new. Whatever the reason, on some days judgment is more important than dedication. The good thing about Spinning is that a well-designed class should give you the choice. You can either go hard, or back off a bit. It is always your ride.
RESOURCES:
Check out your Y at http://www.ymcahealthylivingcenter.com/
All editions of this newsletter can be viewed as a blog at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
QUOTE: "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't." - Jerry Rice.
Bill Roach
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
bill.roach@mchsi.com
Saturday, April 2, 2011
#1 --- What the heck is this?; Food Logging, “Younger Next Year”.
WELCOME: There is so much great information available about health and fitness that sometimes I wish I had a better way to communicate with my personal training clients, Y indoor cycling students and interested friends. This modest and occasional newsletter is my own attempt to do just that, to share that random thought, or interesting piece of research, with everyone simultaneously. I’ll probably just send something when the spirit moves me, but in general it’s my hope to send you a page or two about once a month. Maybe more often. Maybe less. If you’re not interested, just let me know and I’ll take you off the list. Otherwise, please let me know what you think and what questions you might like to see addressed. It’s my hope this can be one more way to create a little bit of community around what we do together. You are always invited to reply with any questions or comments.
FOOD LOGGING: For those of you with weight loss goals, I want to encourage you to log your food and activity. Logging provides you with insight into your daily habits. You can note food or activity tendencies that you may want to adjust, i.e. late eating etc. It can also inform you about the calorie content of some foods that you take for granted. Knowledge is power for you. And even short-term sharing of that information allows me to better help you reach your goals. There is accountability in just needing to write it down, not to mention showing it to me. It’s your choice, but I encourage you to log your food and activity and to share that log with me. Help me do a better job for you.
Logging can be as simple as you’d like it to be. You can do it in a small notebook or on a 3x5 card if you like. Or you can use one of the many online programs designed for that purpose. I use myfitnesspal.com which has a pretty simple and logical interface and a good food database. Another advantage is that it can also be used from your Android or Apple smartphone. Feel free to talk with me about this anytime.
YOUNGER NEXT YEAR: My neighbor is a Physician who insisted that I read this book and I now commend it to you. “Younger Next Year”, and “Younger Next Year for Women” are companion books that address the role that daily physical activity plays in improving the quality of our lives, especially as we age. (We all are.) Authors Chris Crowley and Dr. Harry Lodge remind us that our bodies are still like those of our primitive ancestors and that they need daily activity in order to survive. The creation of our modern society – where most of us sit at desks – is a new development in evolutionary terms. It has only happened in the last one hundred years or so of the millions of years of human life. Our bodies have not caught up to this recent development. In that regard, our culture may have outsmarted itself by making our lives so physically easy. The book addresses some simple steps – and a good explanation of the scientific reasons – for a lifestyle that likely will increase both the length and quality of our lives. Said another way, if you want to be sure to live through today, stay in bed. But if you want to be sure to live a long and healthy life, get out there and do something! It’s not a “great” book, but it’s a practical book with an important message. I encourage you to take a look at it and let me know what you think.
STUFF TO LOOK FOR AT THE Y: The following classes are held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in April at the HLC YMCA. I recommend you take advantage of all the great content available at the Y in part due to its unique partnership with Mercy Hospital.
April 5: Diabetes and Exercise, Carolyn Stephan, ARNP
April 12: Screen Time and Healthful Lifestyles, Cynthia Bowen, MA, CTRS
April 19: Mindful Eating, Diane McIlhon, RD, LD
April 26: Inner Dimensions of Healing, Lance Kinseth
INDOOR CYCLING CLASS: I now have my first indoor cycling class at the Y. It’s a new class, held every Friday at 6:10am. Indoor cycling is my first passion. I’ve been teaching indoor cycling for several years now and it is a particular passion of mine due to my background in long distance bike racing. Please come join us.
RESOURCES:
Check out your Y at http://www.ymcahealthylivingcenter.com/
All editions of this newsletter can be viewed as a blog at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
QUOTE: "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't." - Jerry Rice.
Thank you!
Bill Roach
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
bill.roach@mchsi.com
FOOD LOGGING: For those of you with weight loss goals, I want to encourage you to log your food and activity. Logging provides you with insight into your daily habits. You can note food or activity tendencies that you may want to adjust, i.e. late eating etc. It can also inform you about the calorie content of some foods that you take for granted. Knowledge is power for you. And even short-term sharing of that information allows me to better help you reach your goals. There is accountability in just needing to write it down, not to mention showing it to me. It’s your choice, but I encourage you to log your food and activity and to share that log with me. Help me do a better job for you.
Logging can be as simple as you’d like it to be. You can do it in a small notebook or on a 3x5 card if you like. Or you can use one of the many online programs designed for that purpose. I use myfitnesspal.com which has a pretty simple and logical interface and a good food database. Another advantage is that it can also be used from your Android or Apple smartphone. Feel free to talk with me about this anytime.
YOUNGER NEXT YEAR: My neighbor is a Physician who insisted that I read this book and I now commend it to you. “Younger Next Year”, and “Younger Next Year for Women” are companion books that address the role that daily physical activity plays in improving the quality of our lives, especially as we age. (We all are.) Authors Chris Crowley and Dr. Harry Lodge remind us that our bodies are still like those of our primitive ancestors and that they need daily activity in order to survive. The creation of our modern society – where most of us sit at desks – is a new development in evolutionary terms. It has only happened in the last one hundred years or so of the millions of years of human life. Our bodies have not caught up to this recent development. In that regard, our culture may have outsmarted itself by making our lives so physically easy. The book addresses some simple steps – and a good explanation of the scientific reasons – for a lifestyle that likely will increase both the length and quality of our lives. Said another way, if you want to be sure to live through today, stay in bed. But if you want to be sure to live a long and healthy life, get out there and do something! It’s not a “great” book, but it’s a practical book with an important message. I encourage you to take a look at it and let me know what you think.
STUFF TO LOOK FOR AT THE Y: The following classes are held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in April at the HLC YMCA. I recommend you take advantage of all the great content available at the Y in part due to its unique partnership with Mercy Hospital.
April 5: Diabetes and Exercise, Carolyn Stephan, ARNP
April 12: Screen Time and Healthful Lifestyles, Cynthia Bowen, MA, CTRS
April 19: Mindful Eating, Diane McIlhon, RD, LD
April 26: Inner Dimensions of Healing, Lance Kinseth
INDOOR CYCLING CLASS: I now have my first indoor cycling class at the Y. It’s a new class, held every Friday at 6:10am. Indoor cycling is my first passion. I’ve been teaching indoor cycling for several years now and it is a particular passion of mine due to my background in long distance bike racing. Please come join us.
RESOURCES:
Check out your Y at http://www.ymcahealthylivingcenter.com/
All editions of this newsletter can be viewed as a blog at http://billstrainingandfitnessblog.blogspot.com/
QUOTE: "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't." - Jerry Rice.
Thank you!
Bill Roach
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
bill.roach@mchsi.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)