INTENSITY-by Lou Haskins

If you have read any previous posts, you've seen there's a lot of info about getting motivated and exercising regularly. 

If you've gotten to that 5th phase of behavior change; maintenance,
Congratulations!
It has not been easy, but you're now at that point where if you don't follow your schedule or miss a session, it nags at you. GOOD!

So, it seems only fair that I discuss what comes next after you've gotten fit.

An important point here: Your body adapts to whatever you're doing with it, or to it, good or bad

Adaptation has taken place; if you continue what you're doing, you'll maintain the level of fitness, strength and aerobic capacity you've worked so hard to achieve.

That's a good thing!

However, let's say you're really enjoying your new body, and you want to explore your maximum capabilities.
Maybe you have set a goal, such as a 6 minute mile, or a 300Lb dead lift, for example, but can't get there.

You've hit a plateau. 
 

To get the results that propel you into the elite category in whatever sport or exercise you engage in, you must do two major things:

1. Exercise with enough vigor to cause your body go into  acute hormonal expression.

Example; Resistance training- Click here on intensity to see an abstract of a scientific study that shows just how complex this issue is.

 Here's a picture of me leg pressing 1270 lbs. This degree of intensity keeps me healthy and fit!

Not bad for a 71 year old geezer!

 If you really want that intensity level, you'll need to educate yourself.
Not with commercial internet sites, or companies trying to sell you products, but by gaining a scientific knowledge base that allows you to make these changes.

Example:Running- improved times require increased VO2 max, Maximal Oxygen Uptake 
Click here on  the highlighted Maximal Oxygen Uptake for a definition and related articles.
 A way to get the needed intensity after warm up,  is to run at a comfortable pace, then SPRINT for 30 seconds, just as fast as you possibly can go!! 
 Then, throttle back to  to an easy jog for about a minute. Repeat this cycle at least eight times, or until you are totally exhausted! Note: if you can do this more than eight times, you're not working hard enough during the intervals! (Or, you're a genetic freak!)
During these peaks, you should NOT be able to talk; you SHOULD be gasping for breath!

You will see improved performance! 
The most popular name for this is called interval training.
It requires requires both aerobic and anaerobic systems of your body to adapt to the high demand.

                                 WARNING!!!                                  
      These methods are NOT for the faint hearted!  You should be fit before you try this!

OR, see a qualified trainer whose profession is helping you get results. For example, Body by Design Studio, sponsor of this blog!

2. Give your body enough time to recover and repair the microscopic damage caused by overloading the engaged muscles beyond their normal capacity.
This is an often overlooked componant of training.
If you train in these ways too often, your body doesn't get time to make the changes you're trying to acquire.
Fatigue, lowered immune system and lack of motivation can result. 

So, you have to know your body and have spent enough time to be at a good fitness level, before these methods will produce favorable results.
Good luck and GOOD TRAINING!

How to Squeeze in That Last Ten Minutes of Exercise by Lou Haskins

If you read the last post, you've upped your metabolic rate and have done some beneficial exercises in the car on the way home.

Instead of feeling sluggish and wanting to rest, you're ready to do something more!

The key here, is to fit some body motion into what you need to do for the rest of the day.

Exercise should not be considered a disruption, but rather a integral part of your routine.

A simple way to do that is with a stepper.

 They are: small, inexpensive and have many variations. Some have a stand up handle bar instead of bands. They have counters and timers.

If you're busy with family, preparing a meal, or doing chores, you're expending energy.  If not, jump on the stepper.

Almost everyone watches TV, so put it behind a couch or favorite chair.
It's a great way to get moving if you want to watch the watch the tube.

Keep a chart and record the minutes.
This IS doable!
You'll be piling up exercise minutes before you know it, without wrecking your routine.

Need Exercise? by Lou Haskins

That 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise each day, recommended  by the experts, seems impossible to many of us.

That is, until you remember it can be broken down into ten minute segments.
By spacing it out throughout the day, it gets more manageable.

Previous posts gave some suggestions for morning and noon time, here are some ideas for the time after work.
First, get ready for some activity when you get home by priming your body during the drive home.

Just remember to be safe and use common sense.

  

 During drive time, you can do more than just sit at traffic lights.

You can use the steering wheel to flex your arms and shoulders.
Squeeze as hard as you can and relax.
Push and pull on it. The steering wheel can take it.

Twist your trunk in the seat. Core strength and flexibility is the benefit.

Have you ever heard of a doctor named Kegel? Look him up.   .
Once you start doing Kegel exercises, you may consider him your best friend!
Women and men can strengthen connective tissue and internal muscles (especially the pubococcygeus) in the pelvic floor. .
Among the benefits; improved sexual function (that's always a biggie for me) and increased  support for all those internal organs that require strong connective tissue.

Biggest benefit -  for  many, incontinence is greatly reduced or eliminated!
It's easy to do, so what's not not like?
You can do hundreds of these exercises during drive time, all you have to do is bear down as if squeezing off your urine flow.

Your legs can benefit too! Just flex your butt, thighs  and calves when your stopped.

But! You have to REMEMBER to do them! Visual cues in your car really help.


Put up a picture of some kind, or a chart you can check off, or a reminder.
    Edison had it right.

What's all this doing for you?
Glad you asked! All this in the car provides muscle warm up, raises your metabolism and gets you mentally ready to be active when you get to your destination.

No more feeling exhausted and flopping with a snack! You'll want to move! 

And you thought you were too busy to exercise!

Time for Your Nooner, by Lou Haskins

How can you squeeze in a few minutes of exercise during the lunch hour?

Glad you asked!                               You have to plan for it! 

Walking is wonderful!

We are made for it.
         
We're so worried these days about the least little hint of perspiration, or scent of an exercised body! Don't be!

A quick cleanup and changing your top gets you back at the desk smelling like, well, you!


What about lack of opportunity or space?

Got stairs? Stair climbing is a great way to build and tone your butt and legs. Get creative. There's a lot of ways to do steps. Lots of calories get burned and legs get slimmer!

Try standing up while you eat. The right type of lunch will make this easy and you burn calories and strengthen the little stabilizing muscles while standing.






Before you know it, you'll be a shadow of your former self!

A Kicked Up Veggie Stir Fry for Your Spicy Side

Who says healthy recipes have to be boring? I know that when you hear "Veggie Stir Fry," some people (wrongly) assume the dish will be a boring combination of overcooked, soggy vegetables. But if you do it right you'll be making room in your regular recipe rotation for this spicy dish.

But be warned: this stir fry is s-p-i-c-y! Of course, you are at liberty to tame it down to your liking by using sweet peppers instead of red peppers and less cayenne and chili pepper seasonings. Although fall is just around the corner, which means you might be in the mood for something to warm you up on those chilly evenings.

One of the best parts about this recipe, aside from the bold taste, is all the nutrition packed into each serving thanks to the veggies. And with six different spices in the mix, you get a chance to really make use of your spice rack. The other great thing about Spicy Veggie Stir Fry with Noodles is that if you know your way around your kitchen, it all comes together in less than half an hour.


Now here's how to "Satisfy Your Spicy Side"!

    * 1 package Japanese (Udon) Noodles
    * 1 cup snap peas
    * 3 green onions chopped
    * 1 red pepper sliced
    * 1 cup baby corn

Dressing

    * 2 tablespoons sodium free beef bouillon
    * 3/4 cup warm water
    * 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
    * 1 teaspoon molasses
    * 1/8 teaspoon Ginger
    * 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns, ground
    * 1 1/2 tablespoons Chili Powder
    * 3/4 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
    * 1/4 cup Sesame Oil


Boil Udon Noodles uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.

Dressing: in a bowl and add 3/4 cup warm water and dissolve the beef bouillon. Once dissolved, add red wine vinegar, molasses, ginger, garlic powder, ground peppercorns, chili powder, cayenne pepper and sesame oil. (For a milder version, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper and substitute sweet peppers for the red peppers.)

Pour the dressing into a skillet and heat until it starts to bubble. Add the fresh vegetables and sautee them for approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the Udon noodles and mix until coated.

Servings: 4



Nutritional Breakdown (per serving):



This dish is a little high in carbs, so I would reserve it for post-workout times, or occasion when you know you'll be needing energy in the following three hours.

Calories 407, Fat 17 grams, Protein 12 grams, Sodium 700 mg, Carbohydrates 56 grams, Fiber 6 grams

Don't Give it All Back While You're Away!

That vacation you've been planning or the business trip you can't get out of can sometimes have a negative effect on diet and your fitness routine. In fact, sometimes it takes several days or a week to get back into the normal routine and feel like your self again. Although you're away from home and it's more difficult to follow your normal routine, you still shouldn't go all out and blow all the progress you've made. Try to get a little exercise everyday and limit the high fat and high calorie foods. Every little bit you can do for fitness really does help.

Surprize - Obesity a Big Contributor to the Energy Crisis!

How surprised would you be to learn that the increasing obesity in this country is a significant contributor to our energy crisis? And no,  I don't mean energy crisis in the sense "I just don't have the energy to work out", I mean our fatness is burning up a billion extra gallons of gasoline each year!

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report on obesity and found that there was a 1.1 percent increase (an additional 2.4 million people) in the self-reported prevalence of obesity between 2007 and 2009, plus the number of states with an obesity rate over 30 percent has tripled to nine states. In 2000, there were no states that had an obesity rate of 30 percent or more.  This obesity has caused more people to buy larger vehicles, which increases gasoline consumption in the U.S. and fuel consumption increases with more weight in cars from people.

A detailed study published in 2006 at Entrepreneur.com analyzed the amount of additional fuel consumed due to heavier drivers. One key finding was that almost 1 billion gallons of gasoline per year can be attributed to passenger weight gain in non-commercial vehicles between 1960 and 2002--this translates to .7 percent of the total fuel used by passenger vehicles annually. Researchers also estimated that over 39 million gallons of fuel is used annually for every pound gained in average passenger weight!

A 2009 study by the non-profit company Resources for the Future looked at the link between obesity and vehicle demand and found that from 1999 to 2005, a 10-percent increase in overweight and obese drivers reduced fuel economy of new vehicle demand by 2.5 percent. The study noted that as the overweight and obesity rates increased, so did the percentage of vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks purchased from 16 percent in the early 1970s to recently more than 40 percent. (Of course, other factors helped drive this market change, such as those crude, commercial-type vehicles becoming more refined and better tailored to commuter duties.)

These findings are sensible yet still surprising, and they drive home the point that the problems associated with obesity in the U.S. can run far deeper we ever realized.

(With thanks to Consumer Reports and the CDC for this information)