I don't very often regurgitate an article in my blog but this one I found particularly poignant. This information applys to more than just cyclists. It is important for people to know that their workout routines do not need to be a "sufferfest" as the columnist points out but creating an individual program around your individual fitness level using a heart rate monitor is key to success. This applies to any fitness program. I'm a huge advocate of using personal trainers to get you to the individualized, progressive level that a person really needs to make progress. I love classes for a change of pace but each person should have a fitness plan that helps take them to the next level based on their individual starting place. Fitness is all about moving and moving in the right direction. Whether you are training to ride your bike next summer or you are training to just get generally stronger. It requires a plan and a trainer or a gym who is there for you to put that plan in action. Make your plan today!
Q: Will an indoor-cycling class at my local gym help me in the winter?
By Chris Carmichael
This is a perennial question, and for good reason: Every gym or health club has some form of indoor cycling class, and in the dead of winter it's tempting to jump in rather than face the elements or slave away on a trainer alone in your basement. There's nothing inherently wrong with these classes, but it's important to find one that will actually improve your performance on the bike. I encourage athletes to evaluate classes based on how well they address the core principles of training: overload and recovery, specificity, individuality and progression. I address each of these below.
Overload and Recovery Classes generally fall into two categories: sufferfests and structured workouts. Both have their merits, and I understand the psychology of the sufferfest fan's desire to reach the end of a class exhausted, but as a coach I prefer the latter approach. Though a sufferfest might feel excruciatingly difficult, your actual power output may be too low to improve your fitness due to inadequate recovery periods. Check in with the instructor: If the primary feature of the workout is that it's ridiculously intense, but he or she can't identify what you'll get out of it, find a different class.
Specificity The fact that you're pedaling is a step in the right direction, but some classes have very little to do with actual cycling performance. And that's okay— I'm all for classes that burn calories and get people sweating. But if you're looking to improve your performance on the road or trail, you need workouts that target the energy systems and power demands of actual cycling. These classes can be harder to find because effective interval sets are often not the most entertaining, crowd-pleasing kind. The intensities are consistent and repetitive instead of all over the map, and while you may do some pedaling out of the saddle, no cycling-specific class will have you doing push-ups on the handlebar.
Individuality This is where technology comes into play. The absolute best indoor cycling classes use power meters, whether that's in the form of CompuTrainers, power- equipped stationary bikes or personal bikes with power meters. And the best ones also set individual power-training ranges for each athlete. The next-best scenario is a class that uses heart-rate monitors and individual training intensities. The self-selected "turn the knob to the right" method is fine, but not optimal.
Progression Progressive classes are pretty rare, and to find one you'll most likely need to go to a cycling performance center. To address the progression principle, a class needs to be designed with the idea that the same people will be coming back week after week, and that the workload will thus take into account the developing fitness of these participants. In the standard gym model, in which classes are accessible to anyone anytime, the programming tends to be static. (This is also partly why these classes often are sufferfests.) In a progressive class, some of the workouts may well be more moderate in intensity, and while that's good from a long-term training perspective, it's not as appealing to the intermittent class user.
Then Again... Incorporating indoor classes into your winter training need not be an all-or-nothing proposition. There's nothing wrong with an occasional—even weekly—sufferfest. Even cyclists following well-structured, scientifically based, progression-driven indoor programs sometimes should forget the numbers and just open the throttle.But if all you do all winter is pummel yourself, your progress will be blunted.
The best option: Follow a scientifically based program, but incorporate some "hard for the sake of being hard" classes, just for fun.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Calorie intake with Exercise
As previously discussed it was important for everyone to calculate their BMR for basic caloric intake to maintain your weight. The Harris-Benedict equation has additional calculators for someone who incorporates exercise. To maintain weight you take the basic caloric calculation discussed in the previous blog (655 + (4.3*your weight in pounds) + (4.7* height in inches) - (4.7* age in years)) and apply the following factors:
- Sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR *1.2
- Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days a week): BMR * 1.375
- Moderate activity (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days a week): BMR *1.55
- Very Active (hard exercise 6-7 days a week): BMR *1.725
- Extra Active (very hard exercise/sports + physical job or 2x training): BMR * 1.9
Whoohoo...sounds great, right? So in the previous example the 5 ft 7 in lady who is 150 pounds and 45 years old gets the basic BMR of 1403 * 1.2 which equals 1684 calories a day....to maintain her weight. But it's not all about the scale is it? It's about getting fit and while she may be a good weight for her height, without exercise the fat could be building around her organs and making her unhealthy. And if she wanted to lose weight, and not exercise, she would have to only take in 1184 calories a day to lose 1 pound a week. Not a great plan!
If she incorporates moderate level activity into her week she can increase her caloric count to (1403 * 1.55) 2175 to maintain. If she wants to lose weight then the caloric intake becomes 2175 - 500 = 1675. WOW...she can continue eating the same caloric intake but with moderate exercise, lose weight and fat!
Obviously the results have to be customized for the individual and their goals but this basic principle applies to all women. Without exercise, your chances of being healthy diminish so knowing the numbers and incorporating exercise is putting your best foot forward to a lifetime of healthy living. Take the first step today!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Getting Fit for the Holiday
It's time to take matters in my own hands and teach others the basics of a good aerobic fat burning exercise session. We all need a little help getting to that next level and my mission is two fold....One to help other learn the "acceptable" level of a good fatburning session and to make sure I stay focused during the hardest time of the year! Oct-Dec is the hardest time of year and weight gain can be achieved easier than any other time of the year. Those extra pounds that we aquire and never seem to loose the rest of the year. Now is the time to take a stand. I've enlisted 5 participants to engage in a physical fitness program that is designed to teach them how to make the most of their aerobic activities. It's NOT a group fitness class but it is an educational, motivational program designed to teach those participants to make the most fat burning strides when working out.
Week 1 begins next Monday, November 2. 5 participants will commit to 2 aerobic sessions with instruction and commit to further aerobic and fitness activities outside of these two sessions. My mission is to provide the proper guidance to make each participant self sufficient beyond the program and actually lose weight during the time of year that most GAIN. What a wonderful concept and what a wonderful time to engage in this type of program. Jan 1 and beyond is easy...there isn't anything easy about losing weight now!
I will be tweeting almost daily about a new method or new thing to introduce and you can follow along as well at www.twitter.com\womengettingfit. The tweets will start next week so even if you aren't part of the program this time around, take advantage of the motivation and advice provided during the 6 week program. It's going to be enlightening and I'm looking forward to reaching the next level myself so get your blinders on and lets stay focused together....
Week 1 begins next Monday, November 2. 5 participants will commit to 2 aerobic sessions with instruction and commit to further aerobic and fitness activities outside of these two sessions. My mission is to provide the proper guidance to make each participant self sufficient beyond the program and actually lose weight during the time of year that most GAIN. What a wonderful concept and what a wonderful time to engage in this type of program. Jan 1 and beyond is easy...there isn't anything easy about losing weight now!
I will be tweeting almost daily about a new method or new thing to introduce and you can follow along as well at www.twitter.com\womengettingfit. The tweets will start next week so even if you aren't part of the program this time around, take advantage of the motivation and advice provided during the 6 week program. It's going to be enlightening and I'm looking forward to reaching the next level myself so get your blinders on and lets stay focused together....
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Calculating your way to weight loss.
Do you know how to calculate your caloric intake for a day to maintain your weight? Everyone burns calories a little different throughout a day and your basal metabolic rate is the term used to define the basic calories your body burns through normal activities. Just breathing takes a specific amount of energy and burns calories but don't hold your breath hoping to lose weight! It takes a plan and committment to change your life each and every day.
To calculate your BMR using an unscientific approach as a general rule of thumb, you can take your current weight x 10 to derive the basic number of calories you should take in a day to MAINTAIN your weight. That means if you currently weigh 150 pounds then you can consume 1500 calories in a day and maintain your current weight of 150 calories. Of course there are other variables that go into it. For example if you consume a high carb diet with lots of refined sugar, your body will take the excess sugar and store it as fat so even though you may be within the caloric intake you can consume, you may actually gain weight! Shame on the 100 calorie packs as they only serve a wildly intelligent marketing plan and underserve the consumers. Wow this can be complicated.
A more accurate way to calculate your BMR is to use the women's Harris-Bennedict principle for calculating your caloric intake to maintain weight.
655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Using this calculation and using a 150 pound woman who is 5 ft. 7 inches and 45 years old you derive a calorie count of 1403.
Now that we know what it takes to maintain our current weight, it is necessary to know how much deficit we must create to LOSE weight. Rule of thumb is a deficit of 500 calories a day below your BMR for 7 days or a total of 3500 calories per week. Clearly using this example with no exercise you must only consume 903 calories a day to lose just one pound a week. While this might get you the results on the scale you seek it still lacks a fully healthy approach to fitness and nobody should be eating less than 1200 calories a day.
A better approach is to incorporate exercise to create some of the deficit that you seek to lose weight. Burning calories through exercise can create added benefits, like increased muscle that will help you burn more calories in a day and maintain your strength and endurance. Cardio and heart healthy exercises reduce or eliminate diabetes tendancies or high blood pressure that can lead to more severe conditions. The good news is, if you have any of these conditions currently, you don't need to throw in the towel...it's reversable through a healthy lifestyle.
It's all about making choices and understanding the basic principles of weight loss! Here's to a healthy lifestyle and calculating a plan to lose the weight that might be holding you back from your goals.
To calculate your BMR using an unscientific approach as a general rule of thumb, you can take your current weight x 10 to derive the basic number of calories you should take in a day to MAINTAIN your weight. That means if you currently weigh 150 pounds then you can consume 1500 calories in a day and maintain your current weight of 150 calories. Of course there are other variables that go into it. For example if you consume a high carb diet with lots of refined sugar, your body will take the excess sugar and store it as fat so even though you may be within the caloric intake you can consume, you may actually gain weight! Shame on the 100 calorie packs as they only serve a wildly intelligent marketing plan and underserve the consumers. Wow this can be complicated.
A more accurate way to calculate your BMR is to use the women's Harris-Bennedict principle for calculating your caloric intake to maintain weight.
655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Using this calculation and using a 150 pound woman who is 5 ft. 7 inches and 45 years old you derive a calorie count of 1403.
Now that we know what it takes to maintain our current weight, it is necessary to know how much deficit we must create to LOSE weight. Rule of thumb is a deficit of 500 calories a day below your BMR for 7 days or a total of 3500 calories per week. Clearly using this example with no exercise you must only consume 903 calories a day to lose just one pound a week. While this might get you the results on the scale you seek it still lacks a fully healthy approach to fitness and nobody should be eating less than 1200 calories a day.
A better approach is to incorporate exercise to create some of the deficit that you seek to lose weight. Burning calories through exercise can create added benefits, like increased muscle that will help you burn more calories in a day and maintain your strength and endurance. Cardio and heart healthy exercises reduce or eliminate diabetes tendancies or high blood pressure that can lead to more severe conditions. The good news is, if you have any of these conditions currently, you don't need to throw in the towel...it's reversable through a healthy lifestyle.
It's all about making choices and understanding the basic principles of weight loss! Here's to a healthy lifestyle and calculating a plan to lose the weight that might be holding you back from your goals.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Simple Strategy for a Healthier YOU
Most of us ladies wake up on a Monday morning with the left over euphoria of the weekend past. Perhaps there is guilt of eating too much and exercising too little and the weeks upcoming tasks staring us in the face. Making lists, planning our weeks accomplishments based on what didn't get done last week, and looking forward to the next weekend as we look bleary eyed in the mirror. We make a pact with ourselves that "this week will be different"! We'll stay more focused, spend more time on our health and fitness, and get more done. Problem is, nobody injected more time into our week. In fact it seems as we gain maturity, father time seems to continually rob us of what we seek....more time to take care of ourselves.
Here's a couple of ideas to steal the time you need and keep you on track. First of all, make a pact with yourself to give up one of your food temptations this week. Write it down and keep it in your purse, on your refrigerator, and at your desk. When you go to bed at night, remind yourself of that one accomplishment and how well you did that day. Second, take an hour every evening while watching one of your favorite shows on TV to exercise. Kiling two birds with one stone will give you back the time and motivation you need. Even if you've exercised already that day, take time while watching TV to relax doing a few yoga moves or some sit ups. Two things will happen, you'll burn more of those calories you had for supper and you'll feel less likely to snack later that evening as exercise naturally curbs your appetite. Next, drink 8 glasses of water each and every day. Get rid of those impurities in your body and feel the effects of what a fully hydrated system can do for you. Finally, make a meal plan for the week, make a list and stick to the plan. Even when things don't go as planned, get back on track and fix the meal that you had targeted for the day. Pack the leftovers for lunch the next day when cleaning up your evening meal and you will quickly have the bases covered.
Make these small changes and it will make a huge difference. Do it a week and it will soon become a habit and second nature. Each week, make additional small changes and before you know it, it becomes a lifestyle that you can't live without. Isn't that what it's all about anyway?
Here's a couple of ideas to steal the time you need and keep you on track. First of all, make a pact with yourself to give up one of your food temptations this week. Write it down and keep it in your purse, on your refrigerator, and at your desk. When you go to bed at night, remind yourself of that one accomplishment and how well you did that day. Second, take an hour every evening while watching one of your favorite shows on TV to exercise. Kiling two birds with one stone will give you back the time and motivation you need. Even if you've exercised already that day, take time while watching TV to relax doing a few yoga moves or some sit ups. Two things will happen, you'll burn more of those calories you had for supper and you'll feel less likely to snack later that evening as exercise naturally curbs your appetite. Next, drink 8 glasses of water each and every day. Get rid of those impurities in your body and feel the effects of what a fully hydrated system can do for you. Finally, make a meal plan for the week, make a list and stick to the plan. Even when things don't go as planned, get back on track and fix the meal that you had targeted for the day. Pack the leftovers for lunch the next day when cleaning up your evening meal and you will quickly have the bases covered.
Make these small changes and it will make a huge difference. Do it a week and it will soon become a habit and second nature. Each week, make additional small changes and before you know it, it becomes a lifestyle that you can't live without. Isn't that what it's all about anyway?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Holiday's Mean Eating Outside the Box
Someone told me today that most weight gain happens between the months of October through December. Halloween candy dancing around our heads and our waist, tempting us at ever corner. Those evil offices and retail stores that offer a jar or bowl of candy for their patrons and employees aren't doing us any favors. And those bowls of sweet temptations don't go away at the end of October, they just turn into full meals of carbs and no-no's. December is the worst with marrying sweet candies and cookies with full winter stuffed carb meals to make us "fat" for our natural need to stay warm in the winter. Feeling full yet?
These months are all about portion control! Now is the time to start to cut back. If you've been changing your diet along the way you may be less tempted to step outside of your newly developed lifestyle but if you haven't changed your way of life up till now, then now is the best time to focus on changing how and what you eat on a daily basis. Don't beat yourself up if you sneak a piece of candy or have stuffing with that turkey on Thanksgiving BUT restrict those times as an exception and not the norm. There will always be temptation and you need to reward yourself each day that you stay focused and on track. At some point, it will become a way of life! And really, isn't that your goal?
Don't fall into the eating trappings of the season and stay your course. You can reward yourself in January for a job well done while others are frantically assessing "What did I do to myself?"
These months are all about portion control! Now is the time to start to cut back. If you've been changing your diet along the way you may be less tempted to step outside of your newly developed lifestyle but if you haven't changed your way of life up till now, then now is the best time to focus on changing how and what you eat on a daily basis. Don't beat yourself up if you sneak a piece of candy or have stuffing with that turkey on Thanksgiving BUT restrict those times as an exception and not the norm. There will always be temptation and you need to reward yourself each day that you stay focused and on track. At some point, it will become a way of life! And really, isn't that your goal?
Don't fall into the eating trappings of the season and stay your course. You can reward yourself in January for a job well done while others are frantically assessing "What did I do to myself?"
Thursday, September 10, 2009
If I had 5 cents.....
If I had 5 cents for every time I heard the phrase, "I just don't have time to workout", I'd be rich. If I could collect a nickle each time someone said that to themselves or others, I could fund the health care reform! All this talk about health care reform and the money it's going to take to fund the ability to care for the uninsured. Just start collecting from those who don't find the "time" to take a preventative step towards better health. I listened to the TODAY show this morning talk about the "fat acceptance" movement and I was amazed at how the simple act of taking time to exercise would solve all these issues. I tend to agree that we all can't be paper thin and we have to accept our body image no matter what we were blessed with and just because you might be overweight does not mean you are unhealthy. Exercise is about getting and staying healthy! It can correct diabeties, heart disease, bone density issues, and stimulate heathy cells in our body to fight disease to name a few. In combination with a healthy diet you can achieve any goal you set for yourself. Health care wouldn't be an issue, if we just took the time to take care of ourselves first! Set your priority and take 30 minutes each day to exercise. It could save your life so you have time for all the other important things that fill your day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
