THANK YOU! Classes have been great fun the last few weeks and I want to take a moment to say thank you. I believe so very strongly that these classes are about more than hard work and exercise science. Both are important of course. But, just as much, I think classes are best when we acknowledge that we are little communities of people working for common goals. One of my new students has been reminding me that the metaphor of sports is a great tool for dealing with the challenges of life. (Thanks Andrea!) Embracing that understanding makes our little community even stronger. This is what makes teaching so much fun for me and I want to thank you for what you bring to class every week - your hard work and your sense that we are part of a larger community where we all receive support and encouragement.
STUDY: WOMEN SHOULD EXERCISE AN HOUR A DAY TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT, IF THEY DON’T DIET. I often tell my classes that there are two simple rules to fitness: (1) Do something physically hard almost every day, and (2) Make every bite you eat an informed choice. Of course, there is a lot more, books more, of information and advice out there. But sometimes I think there is value in boiling it down to the absolute basics.
A new study, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, affirms that advice. In short, it says that normal weight women should work out 60 minutes a day, seven days a week, to maintain their weight over their lifetime without dieting.
The finding is a little controversial. Previous findings talk about a half-hour a day seven days a week. Either way, it’s a large amount of activity. The alternative is to cut calories significantly and over a long time." [Other recommendations talk about even less activity but usually they are referring to other health benefits besides weight maintenance. So don't take this study as a reason to give up if you can't get an hour a day of exercise. There are aerobic and other benefits to whatever you do.]
The study does not prove that this level of exercise alone is the only factor in maintaining a normal weight. More physical activity often lead to other lifestyle improvements such as healthier eating, and stress reduction. On the other hand, exercise can be used as an excuse to overeat. In the final analysis, it is still calories in versus calories out. A very small difference each day can add up to a lot of pounds over time.
Whatever the best number of minutes of daily exercise, the results of this new study highlight an important truism for me. We are still animals that require daily activity to survive and thrive. It has only been in the last one-hundred years that we have been allowed by technology to lead basically sedentary lives. Our bodies haven’t gotten the memo. They still demand the ancient daily activity of hunting, gathering, planting and working - or the modern equivalent. Evolution has moved slower than technology, so we need – need – to create exercise for ourselves.
Exactly how much is probably still a bit of an open question. But, as this new study suggests, it is probably more than most of us would like to think.
PERIODIZATION THEORY: It is the time of year that I will begin incorporating some small amount of interval work into our Spinning classes. You may recall that I plan your classes according to a periodization plan. Periodization is the multi-month framework for a training plan.
We cannot "just go hard" all the time. In order to improve, we need to stress ourselves, rest and then come back stronger than before. In order to get this training effect, we vary the FIT: Frequency, Intensity and Time. That theory works in developing your weekly training schedule but it also applies when you look at your calendar on a multi-month basis. At the end of each five-part cycle, you return to the beginning but at a higher level of fitness.
Through the winter we have emphasized endurance base building. In Spinning this is done mostly at 65-75% of maximum heart rate (MHR). This period is especially critical for persons who are just starting Spinning. It is, in effect, building the physiological foundation upon which the rest of your work will sit. New participants should continue to work at this level and we will all continue to spend significant time there.
Next we added strength work at 75-85%MHR. For the last month or so, we have been adding significant time adding more effort and resistance to get up into this zone.
Now is the time that we will begin to add some power work by incorporating intervals into our classes. Endurance and strength work continues but intervals are added. The intervals increase your ability to recover from and repeat hard efforts. The intervals can raise your training heart rate to as high as 92%MHR.
Spinning classes are planned using this theory of periodization but not everyone is necessarily in the same period at the same time. This is why it is important for you to know your own goals and plan so you can adjust your ride to make it your own. This is also why it is important for instructors to have some knowledge of the goals of the students in their classes. We can then try to adjust classes to the largest numbers of our students while also teaching the adjustments that need to be made for those with different plans. Be sure to talk with me if I can be of any help to you with your individual plans.
CARBOHYDRATES: You may recall that last issue I discussed a new movement in nutrition that stresses having a better attitude towards food and more knowledge about it. In that regard, I thought I'd take that a step further by providing some good information about food in "bite size" pieces. What I am trying to do here is to sort through a lot of information, and some misinformation, into a handy "take away" message that you can use. Today, carbohydrates..
I recall the days when we would go eat a huge pasta meal the night before a big bike race to "carbo load". More recently carbs have been made the villain in various fad diets. So which is it? Simply, there are good carbs and bad carbs and we need to know the difference. Carbohydrates are important to us because they are a major source of fuel for exercise. That, and our brains would not function without them!
The Good: We can benefit from good carbs by choosing carbohydrates full of fiber. These carbs absorb slowly into our systems, avoiding spikes in blood sugar levels. These good carbs include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans. These plant foods are the way to get fiber into our diet. Fiber is the part in plant foods that humans can’t digest. Even though fiber isn’t absorbed, it does slow down the absorption of other nutrients. This slowing down helps prevent peaks and valleys in our blood sugar levels. Some fibers can help lower blood cholesterol. And fiber serves a kind of "house cleaning" function helping to eliminate waste from our bodies. And finally they can help us feel full.
The Bad: We need to eat fewer refined and processed carbohydrates, such as white bread and sugar, because they strip away beneficial fiber. These sugars, added in processing or at the table, supply calories but few or no nutrients. Oftentimes sugar is added to foods when fat is removed. In general, the more refined, or "whiter," the grain-based food, the lower the fiber.
The Take Away: Eat your fruits and vegetables (Mom was right). Include beans in your diet. Pick whole grains over white. Reduce your intake of high sugar foods.
Bill Roach
Star 3 Lifetime Certified Spinning Instructor
Aspen Athletic Clubs
bill.roach@mchsi.com
Nice, Beel. But I was mistaken, that's me on the far left.
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