Day 90...Workout of the Day

Hey all, just rolled in from great ride!  The best part about it is the fact that I nearly turned around about 1-mile into it.  I've learned (the hard way!) that with mountain biking, if you don't feel good about your riding skills on a given day, or if things just didn't go smoothly preparing for the ride i.e. forgot to bring your shoes, left your helmet at home, forgot gloves...things like that...your chances of crashing that day are much higher.  I have had my share of pretty bad crashes over the years, and as I looked back at the hour or minutes prior to my ride, something has always gone wrong...either I just didn't feel like I was riding good, or I forgot something.

Today started out bad...right out of the gate.  Normally, it takes me about 15-minutes to get ready, load the bike, and head out to ride.  Today however, I was trying to mount my video camera on my bike to give all of you another view of riding.  I struggled to get it to work...45-minutes later I was heading out.  I got on the trail, and realized that I had forgotten to swap over the magnet for my cycle computer from my training wheel to my real wheel.  Strike two.  About a mile into the ride, the camera fell off...and I just didn't feel confident about my skills.  I was picking bad lines, and I had to put me foot down twice during a relatively easy technical climb. 

I got off my bike, put my camera in my backpack and argued with myself about just turning around, heading home, and hopefully avoiding leaving skin and blood out of the trail today.   The proud side of me won, and I kept going.  Things got better, I started feeling good, and I ended up riding nearly 18 miles.  I only know how far I rode, because I have tracked it before.  My heart rate monitor was working, so I had an idea of my energy expenditure, which showed 1386 kcal.

I made it home safe and sound!  Thank you God!

Day 90...Let's Get Back to Nutrition!

Ok, I'm ready to get back to our nutrition discussion...but with a caveat or two.  Remember, I am not a nutritionist, dietitian, etc.  The field of nutrition is so vast, and can be so complicated, that I dare not delve into the majority of it, and how it relates to anything but performance...and only performance for those who lie outside of the special population groups.  What do I mean by this?  This means that what I write in this blog about nutrition is focused solely (for the most part) on improving athletic/sport performance for healthy individuals...not people with disease processes such as diabetes, thyroid complications, morbid obesity, and the likes.  It's not that I don't want to help these people, it's simply that I am not professionally qualified to do so, and it is outside my scope of practice as a Fitness Professional to do so.  My area of expertise is sports performance, so it is within the confines of that arena, that I am legally allowed to provide nutritional information.

So...that being said, let's talk a little more about carbohydrates, and their role in performance.  I think we have covered, for the most part, the role that CHO play in not only sport performance,  but our daily lives.  CHO provide fuel for the body...fuel that supports our activities, as well as our brain function.  So really, all we have left to discuss (from a performance standpoint) is how much CHO, what kind of CHO, and when.

I know these types of posts can be pretty boring, so I'll do my best to keep your yawning to a minimum.

Let's start with how much.  To understand how much CHO is needed to support sport related activities, we need to have an understanding of how much energy CHO really provides us.  We'll discuss aerobic activities first.  Depending on how long this post gets, I may choose to cover glycogen usage during anaerobic activities on another day.  Those of you who participate in endurance (aerobic) activities such as running and cycling, recreational tennis, etc. might like to know that muscle glycogen provides roughly 50% of total energy needs.  Yep that's right...not ALL energy comes from CHO stores.  There is some degree of 'bleed over' where the use of proteins and fat also contribute to meeting the energy needs of the activity.  Realize however, that this is true only during moderate intensity exercise, which the National Academy of Sports Medicine defines as activity that is performed at an intensity of 60% VO2 Max.  VO2 Max...what the heck is that?  Those of you who have had your VO2 Max identified know what I am talking about.  Those of you who haven't...don't worry.  There is another way that you can monitor exercise intensity...the RPE scale.  RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion...in other words, what is your perception about the level of intensity of your activity?  There are a number of RPE scales that can be used, some more detailed than others.  I use a simple scale of 1-10.  The number 1 represents a level of activity that is not very physically demanding...think of something easy like carrying in groceries, or taking out the trash.  BTW...while zero is not represented on the scale, it represents the level of intensity equal to that of sitting on the couch, watching TV.  Ten, on the other hand, represents an intensity that you would equate to the hardest work you have ever done.  This should be something that requires you to put forth every ounce of energy you have, to perform the task.  Got it?  Good.  So...an activity that you would rate as a 6 out of 10 would (roughly) represent a work capacity of about 60% of your max.  This can be loosely (good enough for weekend warriors or fitness enthusiasts) related to 60% of VO2 Max.  BTW...VO2 Max is a measure of cardio-respiratory fitness levels.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is high-intensity aerobic exercise.  Activities of this sort are often the same as those that I listed above however, these intensities are are usually achieved by those who are competing or training at a higher level than the typical weekend warrior.  High intensity exercise is defined as activities performed above 79% VO2 Max...or an 8 out of 10 on the RPE scale.  These are the activities, or the performance level of those activities that leave you breathing hard, sweating, and unable to hold a conversation while performing them.  During activities performed at this level of intensity, muscle glycogen (stored CHO) provides nearly 100% of the energy. 

The next thing you should know, is that CHO contain 4kcal per gram.  Fat contains 9kcal per gram, so why wouldn't we want to consume more fat than protein...I mean, come on...fat has nearly twice the amount of energy per gram than CHO!  Here's the deal...first of all, remember that glycogen is used more readily therefore, shoveling in more fat would simply result in greater storage of unused calories...fat.  Second, increasing fat intake actually results in lower glycogen synthesis...or use.  So don't fall into the trap of thinking that fat is actually a better fuel due to its calorie denseness.

Okay, this is getting a little long, so I'm shutting it down!  I'll talk about anaerobic exercise and CHO use another day.

Thanks for reading!

Day 88...A very busy day!

Hello everyone!  Today has been a very busy day...in fact, the past two weeks seem to be somewhat of a blur.  I have noticed that the frequency of my blog posts has slowed somewhat, and I have not been keeping up on my friend Scott's blog the way I was before.  Sorry Scott!  I promise I will catch up!

It is amazing at what can take your focus off of things that seem important...until something else pops up that is obviously more important, that needs to be given higher priority.  I know that many people (including myself) struggle with that same thing when it comes to staying healthy through proper eating habits and regular exercise.  Now wait a minute...I'm not saying that staying healthy is not important...hear me out.  What I am saying is that there are situations, and special circumstances that often require our immediate attention, and as a result, tend to 'win out' when a choice needs to be made.  This is real life folks, and these are the hiccups that I referred to in an earlier post.  Just so you know...I have had the hiccups for a little while now, and just like the real thing...they're a little tough to overcome at times.  So what is the fix?  Tenacity...yep, that's right, good 'ol fashioned tenacity.  The kind that makes you pick yourself up by your bootstraps, and get back in the saddle.

Tonight is a great example, and one that I am happy to say that I overcame...thanks to good 'ol tenacity.  I am on duty today, and we have been very busy running calls.  So busy in fact, that we had run our 15th call by 8:00 pm.  That's a busy day!  Aside from the call load, the day also presented me with some other stressful situations that I had to deal with.  So...to say the least, I wasn't real keen on the idea of riding on the trainer for an hour.  I knew however, that if I simply blew it off, would just make it that much easier to make some lame excuse the next time I just didn't feel like doing it.  So I hopped on the bike at around 9:20 pm, hammered out an hour ride, burning nearly 800 kcal over 19.46 (stationary) miles.  I felt great afterward...like I had stepped up and accomplished something.  What was the lesson learned?  Like the Nike slogan says...Just Do It!

Until next time.

Day 86...Take a Ride With Me!

The last couple of days haven't been very productive in terms of training.  Easter was a day of rest, that turned into a day of feasting!  Enough said about that.  Yesterday I was pretty busy all day long at work, so I wasn't able to get in a very good workout, without getting interrupted.  To make matters worse, my nutrition wasn't very good yesterday either!

The good news however, is that today is a new day!  A day to put the past two days bad habits behind me!  So...am I off to a good start?  

This morning I got off work at 8:00 am, and by 8:30 I was lying on my back, on the therapy table, trying to hold back the tears.  Yep...deep tissue massage of the forearm and triceps muscles...much pain.  I have decided to do a garage/trainer ride this evening after my last training appointment, so that I can give my forearm and elbow some rest after the beating they took this morning.  Tonite's ride is only scheduled to be an hour, so it wont be as much of a mental challenge as my last trainer ride (nearly two-hours).  I'll let you know how it went when I post tomorrow.

I put together a little video of my last ride, and I thought you might enjoy watching it.  For those of you who watched my last video (Porsche racing), I am sorry...the music is the same.  I didn't want to take too much time to search for some new music...so I just re-used the same track.  

This video was taken using an HD GoPro video camera, strapped to my chest.  So...the perspective is pretty much what would be seen by a mouse who had decided to take a ride with me...in my pocket!  I hope you enjoy it.  The majority of it was ridden at what I refer to as a race-pace.  Unfortunately, this camera angle does not do justice to the steep grades of the climbs or descents.  Hope you enjoy!

Day 84...Resurrection Sunday of rest!

Most of you are aware of my Christian faith, and therefore, understand that today is a very special day for me...it's not just the normal Sunday, day of rest.  In fact, it probably wont be very restful at all!  We have a good size group of family coming over to celebrate Easter with us this afternoon, and there are still some last minute things that need to be done around the house...not to mention Church at ten.

Yesterday I was able to squeeze in a short ride after I got home from work.  I knew I only had time for a short one, so I figured I'd run it at 'race pace' to get the most out of it.  I felt good as I set out on the trail at full speed, hammering in the big-ring right off the line.  Before I knew it, I was at the quarter-way point...in 7-minutes and 4-seconds...my fastest time ever to that point on this particular trail!

I reached the halfway point, only to find that the pickup for my cycle-computer had loosened up again, and was no longer reading time or distance.  I think it is time to get a new one...I have had so many problems with it!  I stopped briefly to adjust it, tightening the set screw that holds it at an inward angle, towards the spokes on my rear wheel.  Once it was tight, I was off again, hammering back down the same path I had just come up.  Then suddenly, I heard something hit my wheel and immediately felt something hit the back of my left calf.  I knew I had just lost the pickup that I had just tightened.  Now I had to stop, turn around, and backtrack to find it.  I should have just left it out there and bought a new one!  There it was...sitting right in the trail...just begging to be rescued.  I picked it up, stuffed it in my pocket, and rocketed home at full speed.

Without a working cycle-computer I had no way of knowing how long it took me to complete the ride, at 'race pace'.  I do know however, that the trail I rode is just over six miles, and I think I completed it in just under 40-minutes...including my two stops...so not too bad.

To make things even better, when I got back to the house, Donna told me that someone had called to say that they found my keys...the one's I lost a couple days prior!  My keys have a little plastic tag on them from the fitness center we belong to.  The guy who found them called the fitness center and got our number.  I'm a little concerned that they would give out my number so easily...but at least they didn't give out our address...but it's nice to know that someone would go through the trouble of tracking me down to get my keys back to me.  That's the 'brotherhood' of mountain bikers!

Happy Resurrection Sunday to all!

Day 81...Workout of the Day...somewhat of a disaster

I had a pretty good ride this morning, but my elbows are paying for it now.  Oh...did I say elbow(s)?  I sure did...both of my elbows are hurting now! It's just one thing after another these days.  Oh well...just part of the deal I suppose.  What started out good, ended in disaster...okay, maybe disaster is too strong of a word...you be the judge.

Today's ride was short but hard.  Just over ten miles with quite a bit of technical climbing on loose, slippery, off-camber terrain.  I actually need to do more rides like today's to improve my technical riding skills.  Time on the trainer builds stamina, strength, and power, but there's nothing like the real thing when it comes to training for mountain biking.

I forgot to wear the chest strap for my hear rate monitor, so I don't have an accurate count of my caloric expenditure...not a disaster, but a stupid mistake.  The ride began with me feeling pretty strong, and being able to make some tough, short technical climbs with ease.  In the past, these little sections have given me some trouble, but today I cleaned these sections with ease!  As I was nearing the halfway point, the Boulders (as I call the spot), I noticed some movement in the brush off to my right.  Not wanting to take my eyes of the narrow, cactus lined single-track (for fear of crashing into a cactus again), I wasn't sure what was moving around. 

This is what happened the last time I took my eyes of a narrow, cactus-lined trail...ouch!

These days, the majority of the riding I do is performed alone...for two reasons.  My riding partner Mike, crashed hard a couple months ago, fracturing his left scapula...that's right, his shoulder blade!  It takes quite a bit of force to break your shoulder blade.  The second reason...I'm training, so I have specific things in mind that I need to do when I ride these days.  Its no fun for anyone to ride with me right now, because I leave them in the dust!  I'm not trying to be cocky or arrogant about that (although that does come naturally for me), I'm just saying that most of the people who I ride with regularly, haven't been training like I have, and ride at a pace that is enjoyable...a non-training pace.  So it's not that I'm that much better than them...I just need to ride harder and faster right now.

So anyway, when I'm riding by myself, its a little unnerving to see something relatively large moving around in the brush right by me.  I'm only a few miles away from houses on this particular ride, but I have seen deer, javelina, bobcats, free-range cattle, etc.  My belief is that where those animals roam, so too do mountain lions.  I've never seen one out there, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.  So needless to say, movement in the brush puts me on alert...somewhat. 

It turned out that what I was hearing, and now seeing, was a pair of javelina running around.  Actually, they were trying to run away from me, having sensed my long before I had seen them.  For those of you not familiar with Javelinas, they are a type of wild pig...blind as a bat, and sometimes as mean as a snake.  They have been known to charge when they feel threatened, so I fully intended to give them some space.  I did however, want to see them a little more closely so I could take a picture of them.  Having ridden this particular trail many, many times, I knew exactly where they were going, and knew that I would intersect them in a few hundred feet if I hurried.  I didn't want to hurry too much though, as I didn't want to come around a blind corner, and run right into them.  I had done this before, a couple of years prior...but with a big 'ol cow!  I had to slam on my brakes to keep from running into him, and it actually happened on the same section of trail, probably within just a few feet from where I figured I run into the Javelina.  Amazingly, it is the same area that I witness three big mule deer, crossing the trail, making their way into the rocky mountain that I was traversing.  So...as I was saying, I didn't want to come up on them in such a way that might threaten them....

Look closely in the middle of the picture...that's a Javelina

But that is exactly what happened...not the threatening part...just the part about coming up on them right around a blind turn in the trail.  It was almost the exact same spot the I had almost broad-sided the cow, and seen the mule deer!  As I came around the turn, there they were...surprised to see me (remember, they have horrible eyesight).  I grabbed a handful of brake, and skidded to a stop, as one ran through the brush to the left, his hooves clicking on the rocks.  The other, darted of to the right, but came to a stop not too far from me.  It was as if he was trying to stand very still so that I wouldn't see him.  "Funny" I thought, "He must think my eyesight is as bad as his!"  Actually, that's really not far from the truth, but fortunately I had my contacts in!

I looked left, to make sure his buddy wasn't sizing my up for an attack, but didn't see him anywhere.  I slowly removed my hydration pack, and pulled out my iPhone to take a quick picture.  I was able to snap a couple shots of him before he realized that I could actually see him...then he darted off.  I actually felt bad for the little fella, and wondered how hard it would be for the two of them to meet up with each other after I had left.  Oh well...I'm sure they figured it out!

The remainder of my ride was pretty much, unremarkable...until I returned to the car.  As I took my pack off to grab my keys, I noticed that the small mesh pocket where my keys are usually stashed...was unzipped and empty!  That's right folks...somewhere out there, on that ten mile loop that I rode, were my car keys...unhappiness set in rather quickly!  

It's always humbling to have to call your wife to come pick you up, or bring your spare keys to you...and it's happened a number of times.  Thankfully, I have an amazing, supportive wife, who also happens to work from home quite regularly!  Thanks for always being there...well, except for that one time when I had to hike my bike home about three miles :)  Every other time though...you've been there.  I'm the professional rescuer, yet you seem to rescue me quite often...thanks, I love you!

Disaster or not?   You decide.

Day 81...Here Comes the Pain Again

Nutrition will have to wait again...

Yesterday started much like many of my days have in the past...key word...past.  Once again, I was lying on a well padded treatment table at my favorite physical therapy clinic.  Yep...that's right, the elbow is hurting once again (and boos and hisses were heard from the crowd).

I began noticing just a smidge of discomfort a couple of weeks ago, and it has progressed to a point that is now painful.  The look I received from my friend Al, the Physical Therapist was priceless!  That little crook of the head, raise of the eyebrows, and slight little smirk, as if to say "I thought you might be back"  My response..."I know, I know...now let's get busy getting me back on track!"

After the usual evaluation, Al got right to work on the deep tissue massage...at least I thought it was deep tissue!  Apparently I was more tender than I had thought, because the pain was pretty intense, and he was barely applying pressure...not a good sign.  The pain, while intense, wasn't as bad as before....I had caught it before it had progressed too far...that is a good thing.

So it looks as though I will be spending some more quality time with my good friend Al for a few weeks.  We have decided that once the pain is relieved again, I will continue to come in for regular treatments until after the World Police and Fire Games are over...then it's time for some serious rest to let my elbow heal completely.  Oh well...playing hard keeps you young right?  Hmmm....

Alright...how about some good news?  I have some new numbers today...and they are good!

Today's weight...186 lbs

Today's bodyfat..12.6%

Fat weight........23.43 pounds 

Lean weight.....162.57 pounds

So here's the breakdown...

Since my last weigh-in on 3-24-11, I have lost just over 1-pound of fat, and gained about 2-lbs of lean muscle.  I'll take that!

More soon...

Day 78...Hydration Strategies

I have decided to take a small detour from the carbohydrate path that we have been traveling down.  "Why?" you ask...because it's my blog...so there you have it :)

The real reason is that we are coming into the warm season...soon to be followed by the hot season, depending upon where you live.  Yesterday I was going back and forth with one of my faithful followers regarding her weekend sporting event...tennis.  She was playing in a two-day tennis tourney in the Southern California area, and the weather was warm.

She mentioned that she had 'crashed' in her afternoon matches, both physically and mentally.  I always tell my athletes that whatever sport they are playing, is much more dependent upon mental clarity, then physical prowess.  I tell them that 90% of their performance is mental, while only 10% is physical.  Obviously these numbers are subjective, arbitrary figures that I use to make a point however, I have a sneaking suspicion that I am very close.  My point?  If you can maintain mental clarity and toughness while you are becoming physically drained, you can still perform at a high level.  It happens every day in sports, at all levels.  Don't believe me?  Do some quick research on sports imagery and sports psychology...it's a very lucrative business, even in this economy.

So anyway...of course nutrition plays a huge role in both physical and mental performance.  I have a feeling that my faithful follower may not have consumed enough calories prior to, during, and after her match.  You see, she had back to back days of tennis...so her ability to create a surplus of calories following day-one of her tourney, would have/could have had a profound effect on her performance on day-two.  

Today however, we are not going to talk about what she should have eaten, or even what she did eat...nope, today we're talking about what, and how much she should drank to ensure optimal performance...both physical and mental.

Does anyone know what the Law of the Desert is?  Desert...not Dessert!  You got it...Hydrate or Die!  I make sure that each of my athletes memorizes this law.  Not that they will actually die during their sporting event (although that is always a possibility)...for them, to die means to bonk...to run out of energy, to lose mental toughness and acuity.  Sure, calories play a huge role in this, but so does hydration.  So today we talk water!

This next part really refers to those of us who live here in Arizona, and those who are in other desert or high-desert places.  Those of us who have lived in Arizona for any length of time know that summer temps often exceed 110 degrees F.  As the thermometer rises, so too does the amount of sweat lost to evaporation...the process by which we cool our bodies during times of activity.  Athletes must replace this lost fluid in order to meet the demands of their sport (or in my case, my sporting hobby), and maintain a level of high-performance.   Successful athletes prepare themselves for competition through repetitious practice, training, proper nutrition and hydration.  Do you know how much to drink?  Do you know what to drink, and when?  DO YOU HAVE A PLAN?  

Without a plan, you are setting yourself up for failure...even health risks.  Athletes, professional and amateur, need to address their hydration needs far in advance.  Hydration strategies need to begin the night before an event, that you know, will result in a great deal of sweating.  How many of you wait until you are thirsty before you drink?  Thirst is a sign that the process of dehydration has already begun.  Did you know that dehydration of just 2% of your body weight can have a profound effect on your physical and mental performance?  The human brain is roughly 80% water.  When the brain becomes dehydrated, brain tissue actually shrinks, causing small voids within the tissue.  These voids ultimately result in decreased brain function, as the network of nerve cells becomes somewhat altered.  Decreased brain function can, and does affect both mental acuity and physical performance as the process of neuromuscular communication becomes depressed.  What does that mean?  

Let's say you were playing tennis...and you are a little dehydrated.  Your opponent rips their first serve across the net, playing it wide so as to force you to move laterally to reach the ball.  As your opponent is beginning his serve, you are watching his body, looking for the smallest bit of information that would lead you to know where he was planning on hitting the ball to.  A slight twist in his torso to the left (right handed player) might indicate that he was planning on hitting the ball down the left side.  A tiny rotation of his feet to the right during his toss, might indicate that he was looking to serve an ace right down the middle.  A well hydrated brain would have a much better chance of identifying these subtle hints, and communicating potential physical movement patterns to the muscles.  But since you are dehydrated, this lightning-fast process of communication is delayed, as is the ability to contract the appropriate muscles, in the appropriate sequence.  The result?  A slow shuffle step to your right, causing you to have to make a last ditch crossover step to reach the ball, which ultimately takes you out of your power and balance zone to hit that forehand return with power and accuracy...you lose the point.

So what kind of plan should you follow to ensure that you are at your best performance...both physically and mentally?  On my website (scisport.net), you can access a bulletin on hydration that I  provide each of my cients. The protocols found on this bulletin are the ones that I use to ensure optimal performance for myself.  Click here to access the page. Once you reach the page, you can click on the image of the bulletin to download your own copy.

I hope this information is helpful to you all.  Remember...hydrate or DIE!

 








 

Day 77...Day of Rest and Recovery!

Yesterday, I was working, and didn't have the opportunity to post...other than to answer a comment (thanks Teresa for your interest and great insight...and for keeping me on track).  Today is the day that I look forward to every week...recovery day.  My old (and little) legs get very tired throughout the week, and Sunday recovery is just what the doctor ordered.

My last 'Workout of the Day' post talked about my most unpleasant ride into 20-25 mph headwinds.  That day was supposed to be a low intensity ride, but turned out to be most brutal, indeed!  I didn't realize it until yesterday...when I was scheduled to do a 2-hour medium intensity ride.

To make matters worse, I was on duty at the fire station yesterday, which meant I had two, maybe three options...get up at 4am and ride in the dark with my lights (kind of creepy by yourself), get up at 430 and ride in the garage, or take all of my stuff to work, and pray that I would be able to get in a 2-hour ride between calls.  I chose work.

I finally 'saddled up' on the bike/trainer combo at 730 pm.  I was outside on the apron...oh sorry, let me explain.  I was wearing an apron...the apron is the area just outside the apparatus bay at the fire station.  Okay, let me explain further...the apparatus bay is a huge garage where the fire trucks are parked, ready for action.  So I set up my bike on the apron, facing east, looking into the night sky...it was pretty cool actually...not so much temperature wise, but ambiance-wise.  The temperature was actually pretty warm, as it had reached 96 or 97 degrees during the day....summer is here apparently.

Two-hours was my goal...no fun right from the start.  I am sure there are few things more boring than riding a trainer, by yourself, at the fire station.  Being committed however, I knew I needed to get the miles in, so off I went...well, sort of.  I really wasn't going anywhere!

Immediately, I began to feel the effects of my ride the day before...this was going to be tough!  I hunkered down, pumped myself up, and kept on pedaling.  I swear I had to talk myself out of quitting at least ten times!  I knew I had bitten off more than I should chew, so I decided to break the ride into small, attainable goals...because believe me, two-hours actually seemed like an unattainable goal from the outset! I would get through 15-minute intervals, evaluate how I felt...call myself a whining little girl (no offense ladies), then push another interval.  Before I knew it, I had made it through the first hour...no problem...yeah right!

I cannot tell you just how badly I wanted to shut it down at one hour!  It was a huge mental struggle for me...one that I was able to overcome thanks to accountability.  I made sure to let my guys at work know that I had a two-hour ride planned, so if I backed out...well, it just wouldn't look good.

At and hour and a half, my legs were feeling very heavy and tired, and my butt was aching from being seated on the saddle for 90-minutes!  That's one big difference between mountain biking and road cycling...on a mountain bike, you are up and down, in and out of the saddle.  On a road bike, most of your time is spent with your butt firmly planted in the saddle.  Once again I contemplated stopping, and once again I argued my way through it.  At one-hour thirty-nine minutes, we were dispatched to a call.  As I hurried to get my cycling shoes off, and peel my completely sweat-soaked shirt off, I thought "Thank God!"  That thought however, was immediately replaced by a feeling of failure...a feeling that I could have finished...that the finish line was in sight, and all I had to do was hammer those pedals for twenty more minutes.  Almost as quickly as those thoughts rushed into my mind, I thought "Oh well, I'll have plenty more chances to do it again!"  Then we were off to save a life...or lift someone off of the toilet...I forget.

All in all...1:39 minutes, 25.86 miles, 978 kcal.  Today I rest!

Day 75...Workout of the Day

On the agenda for my workout today was an hour and forty-five minute mountain bike ride...nothing to intense, just a light to medium intensity ride on relatively flat terrain.  I was looking forward to hopping on the bike this morning, as I had just changed out my wheelset yesterday, to a slightly more stiff set.  You see...I purchased a set of wheels for my bike nearly two years ago.  Not just any wheelset, mind you.  This is a set of Mavic Crossmax 29er wheels...very slick...and very expensive.  

Check them out...

A pretty amazing wheel...the Mavic Crossmax 29er

These bad boys are very light...only 1750 grams per set, which equals a mere 66.7 ounces!  It's funny how much things cost that are extremely light though.  In the bike world, and others, the lighter...the more expensive.  These wheels go for roughly $800 a set, brand new.  Now, I would never pay that much for a wheelset, so I did what alot of people do...I bought a used set on Ebay!  I paid about half the price of a new set, and they were in extremely good condition.  Anyway...these wheels are super light...maybe too light for the terrain that I ride on regularly.

Like I said, I've had them now for about two years, and they have been worked on numerous times.  I probably should have just kept them for racing, and let some other, less expensive rims take the pounding and abuse that I put them through...oh well, live and learn right?

Lately, these wheels have been feeling a little 'sloppy'.  This means that when I am moving pretty fast, and making quick, agile movements over and around stuff, they feel like they are flexing laterally...way too much.  So yesterday, I swapped them out with my 'back up' wheelset which is not as light, and feels much stiffer.

I awoke early this morning, posted my carb blog, and got ready to head out.  As I looked outside, I noticed that the wind was blowing...not too bad...just blowing.  When I arrived at the parking area where I access the trails however, this is what I saw...

A stiff wind blowing this morning!

Flags standing straight out is not what any cyclist...mountain or road, wants to see.  Wind like this means the day will be all work and no play!  To say the least, today's ride was far less enjoyable than any recent ride that I can remember...any ride for that matter!

I hit the trail, and was immediately overcome with a strong desire to turn around, pack it up, and try it another day.  After arguing with myself for a moment or two, I decided that I was not a quitter, therefore, I would not give in to a little wind.  a little wind?  At the halfway point, I checked weather.com on my iphone and found that there were winds gusting at 20-25 mph...not good!  To make a long story short...the ride was outside of the light to medium intensity guidelines set forth in my training program!  At one point, I was heading directly into the wind for nearly 6 miles...trudging along in a pretty easy gear...at nearly five mph...I walk at nearly 5mph! 

I completed the ride, logging 18.9 miles in one hour, thirty-eight minutes...it felt like 30 miles!  In my efforts, I burned off roughly 1200 kcal...not too bad for two hours of work!

Have a great weekend!

Day 75...Carbohydrates and Weight Gain

So let's talk facts here...

Have any of you heard statements like these before..."Carbohydrates make you fat" or "Americans are getting fatter despite lower fat intakes"?

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you should know that it is NOT carbohydrates that make people fat...nor is it fat...or protein.  It is the creation of an excess amount of calories that make people fat.  

So here are some 'fat facts' that really shouldn't surprise you...

A nutritional study was conducted in America which revealed and cataloged U.S. nutritional patterns between 1988-1991...the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).  NHANES III showed that while fat intake had decreased slightly among American diets (34% from 36%), data also showed increases in total energy intake.  Now this wouldn't be so bad if there was a corresponding increase in caloric expenditure through regular exercise huh?  Data published in 1996 however, showed that 60 percent of American adults are not regularly active, and that 25% participate in no physical activity whatsoever!

How many of you have heard about the Glycemic Index?  Can you explain what the GI is?  The GI is the rate at which ingested CHO raises blood sugar levels and affects insulin release within the body.  The GI scale is 0-100. Foods that are lower on the GI are considered to be 'good' sources of complex carbohydrate, while high GI foods are considered to be simple carbohydrates, often void of fiber and overall nutritional value.  While the GI has proved to be a useful tool in determining the quality of CHO, it can also be used improperly to simply categorize foods as 'good' or 'bad'.  It is important to remember that weight gain (or loss) is related to total energy intake, not the source of the food eaten.  Therefore, those using the GI as a 'measuring stick' for CHO quality should be aware the GI of a given CHO can be altered by a number of factors.  One of these factors is the combination of other foods.  Let's face it...our plate is typically not comprised of just CHO right?  Every other 'food' on your plate plays a role in the overall GI value of a particular food.  For example...if you were to ingest both a simple CHO and a complex CHO (low and high GI) the overall GI value of the two foods is the 'load' that your body truly sees.  This is why there are truly no good or bad carbohydrates...just good or bad combinations...does that make sense?

Another factor that can alter the GI of a given food is timing...yep timing.  When you eat, and how often you eat is very important in the role of nutrient utilization vs. nutrient storage i.e. fat storage.  A great deal of research has been performed on the subject of nutrient timing...specifically the timing of carbohydrate ingestion.  One of the leaders in this area of research is Dr. John Berardi, Chief Science Officer of Precision Nutrition.  Dr. Berardi has a PhD in Nutrient Biochemistry...so he's kinda smart when it comes to nutrition...and the subsequent manipulation of nutrients for human performance.  In my next post, I'll do my best to share some of his thoughts and research about timing carbohydrate intake for both performance and weight modification.

Thanks for reading! 

Day 73...Sorry, had to edit Day 72

Hey all, I just noticed that when I posted my blog yesterday, some of the important stuff got left out...creating a really strange story.  I'll be fixing it this morning...so please check back and read it.

Thanks.

Day 72...Carbs continued

"How many carbs should I have in my diet?"  If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked that...well, you know the rest.  You should see the looks I get when I answer the question...usually different than what the person asking thought he would hear...or wanted to hear.  

I know, I know...right now you are thinking "So how much carbohydrate should I have?"

To be honest with you, this is not an easy answer.  Your CHO intake is really dictated by your level of activity.  Take for example, athletes...their CHO intake is going to be based on a number of factors such as current body weight, total energy (kcal) needs, the specific metabolic demands of their sport, stage of training, competition schedule, etc. 

Now can you see why it's really not a 'cut and dry' answer?

Remember, the primary role of CHO is to provide energy to the cells...especially the brain.  The RDA (recommended daily allowance) of CHO is at least 130 grams per day for adults and children.  This amount is based on the minimum amounts of glucose utilized by the brain.  So you see...CHO are really brain foods!  Additionally, the AMDR for CHO for males and females above the age of nine years old is 45-65% of total daily calories.  This is the answer that I usually give people when they ask.  And this is the answer that usually causes them to cock their head to the side, and smirk like they think I have no idea what I'm talking about.  Then why ask...right?  The problem is that most people think that CHO are just bread, pastas, and rices.  Of course you wouldn't eat a diet that consisted of 45-65% pastas and breads...well, I wouldn't anyway!

Okay...so maybe you're not an athlete...an elite one anyway, but you still play sports such as tennis and golf, or you are a tri-athlete.  Maybe you are like me...a weekend warrior who rides, and occasionally races, bikes.  You might be wondering how much CHO should your diet consist of.  I will try my best to answer that question now...

Lets take a look at endurance sports.  I chose this because I feel that most sports that us 'weekend warrior types' participate in, are truly endurance based.  Obviously cycling is...golf somewhat...triathlon for sure...tennis, you betcha!  A good rule of thumb to help sustain energy and allow for optimal performance during your sporting event is to consume between 6-10 grams per kilogram of body weight, per day (6-10g/kg/day).  BTW...to determine kg, simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2...or 2 to make it even easier.  Using myself as an example...185 / 2.2 = 84.09 kg.  Using this method, I should consume a range of CHO daily between 504-840 grams.  This amount will allow me to sustain optimal energy levels throughout the day, train at the appropriate intensity, and provide proper fuel for the brain so that I can sit down and blog.  More importantly, it will allow me to make split-second critical decisions at work, that my fellow firefighters and the public rely on.  

WARNING-PERSONAL OPINION-WARNING!!!

Lets stop to think about something here for a moment.  The Atkins Diet...and every other spin-off, suggests that eliminating all but about 5% of your daily CHO intake is healthy.  What is the brain's source of fuel?  That's right...glucose.  Where do we get glucose from?  Right again!...carbohydrates.  What happens when we forget to put fuel in our cars?  Simple...the engine stops working.  

If we are not fueling our brains correctly, then our brains will not operate correctly.  Low-carb and carb-free diets were very popular within the fire service in recent years, and still are.  Lets take a peek into my day, in order to make a point...you with me?

My shift begins at 0800...that's eight in the morning for you civilian folks :)...it ends 24-hours later.  During those 24-hours, I participate in some pretty physical activity running calls, training, working out, etc.  All the while, my body is burning up CHO for fuel.  Today however, I begin a carb-free or low-carb diet to lose a little weight.  For the first few days I don't experience any problems...I have plenty of energy thanks to muscle and liver glycogen stores.  But like any store, if I don't restock the shelves...you get where I'm going right?  Okay...it's four or five days later now, and I am back on duty performing the same things throughout the day...only today I feel a little tired...even weak.  I push on, realizing that this is where the process of gluconeogenesis (more on that later) is supposed to be providing energy from the breakdown of protein (btw...my muscles are made of protein), and my fat stores are supposed to be being used for energy in place of my glycogen. 

Now, its 0200 and I am awakened by the lights coming on in my bunk room, and the sound of the emergency tones.  I wake up, have no idea where I am, and wonder who turned on my lights.  I finally realize that I am at work, and I scramble to get my clothes on and get out to the truck...wondering just how long it took me, and if my entire crew is waiting in the truck for their fearless leader.  I m ake my way to the truck, check the mobile command terminal (laptop) to see what kind of call we are going  on...chest pain...no problem, I've been on so many chest pain calls in my twenty year career, I could run them in my sleep...we'll see.  We arrive at the house to find an elderly woman complaining that her heart is pounding and she is having chest pain.  We attach a 12-lead EKG to her and find that she  is experiencing a serious cardiac arrhythmia...supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), and her heart is beating over 200 beats per minute.  She too is burning up glucose like its going out of business!  So now it is time for me to determine what to do...should we medicate her, or shock her out of her rhythm?  Okay...let's shock her.  I can't remember how many joules I should be shocking her at because my brain is not functioning correctly.  Oh crap...maybe we should be medicating her!  But wait...I can' think straight enough to do the drug calculations in my head!  Before I know it, she has become unconscious, and her heart has entered into a fatal rhythm...now what do I do!?

Pretty scary huh?  Usually those decisions are made in an instant...due to the correct amount of glucose circulating through the brain...allowing for optimal brain stimulation and processing...but not tonite.  How would you like that to be your mother or grandmother?  That is the danger that lurks behind carb-free and low-carb diets.  It doesn't have to be me either...think about all of the critical decisions that are made every day, by ordinary people, that involve the lives of other people.  I know, you are thinking "But I don't deal with other people's lives."  How about the simple task of driving your car?  Critical decisions are made every time you get behind the wheel.  Think about it.

Okay enough for today.  Check back, and we'll talk more about carbs.

Day 71...Workout of the Day

Almost forgot to post my workout today....

Today was spin-up day on the trainer.  Spin-ups are low intensity intervals that are designed to fire up the neuromuscular system, through short rounds of high RPM spinning.  I began with 10-minutes of warm-up...basically to get the blood flowing, and wake up the nervous system.  Once the warm-up was over, it was time to get spinning.  The workout consisted of 10 rounds of 30-second 110 RPM spins, followed by 2 1/2 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity pedaling.  The workout, if done correctly, should not cause the heart rate to become too elevated, as fatigue is not the desired outcome.  What is the desired outcome you ask? Improving the neuromuscular pathways.  You see, when fatigue sets in it is difficult to recruit fast twitch muscle fibers...you know, the ones that are used for bursts of power, like sprinting, jumping, and pedaling really, really fast.  By limiting the amount of fatigue within the muscle, the neuromuscular pathways can actually be trained to perform more efficiently, ultimately allowing for longer periods of sustained, explosive power output.

So that was my workout today.  Tomorrow...time to hit the weights!

Day 71...More on Carbs...but first...my bike!

I wanted to share with all of you the great news I received on Friday.  I got confirmation that my request for sponsorship through Ellsworth Handcrafted Bikes was a GO!  So here's the deal...

Ellsworth gave me a $2000 carbon racing frame!  Early on, the thought was that they would donate the frame, and sell me the components at 40% off retail price.  I was given a couple of different component package options, and settled for what would be considered the better choice, in a good-better-best selection.  The process has been long and slow, but as I was looking to get something for free, I didn't want to push my luck by rushing them.  My patience paid off, as I was informed that the deal was going to happen, but that Ellsworth had decided to deck out my bike with the absolute top of the line components...all carbon...and only charge me for the lower level that I had ordered!  I was actually speechless when they told me.  Of course I had to ask why...I mean come on, I'm no pro rider!  Their response was that they felt bad that the process had been drug out for so long, and that I had been very patient and kind.  They also said "You can't race on X9!"  X9 being the line of components that I had originally selected..."You need X0 if you're going to race."  X0 is the top of the line componentry made by a company called SRAM.  So needless to say, I feel very blessed to have received this level of sponsorship from a company like Ellsworth.  The bike is paid for, and should be on my doorstep early May...just in time for the hot summer training months!  So thank you all for following this blog, as I know it had something to do with my level of sponsorship.

My beautiful Ellsworth Carbon Enlightenment 29er...thanks Ellsworth!

Now let's talk nutrition...

We've all heard of fiber, and that consuming high fiber foods provides a variety of health benefits...but what is fiber?  I know of quite few fibrous materials out there...do I have to eat stuff like that to get fiber in my diet?  

So let's first look at what fiber is, and where we get it.  Fiber is simply a complex carbohydrate...now there's a play on words...get it?...simple, complex...no?  Okay, I'll stick to writing and let the comedians get all the laughs.  Anyway...fiber is a complex CHO found within plants...specifically, within the cell walls of plants.  Most fiber can not be digested by the human body, and therefore is considered to provide no caloric or CHO value when consumed.

There are two types of fiber...soluble and insoluble.  They get this classification based on...you got it!...their ability to dissolve in water.  Soluble fiber is found primarily in foods like oats, barley, legumes, and a few fruits and veggies.  Insoluble fiber is found primarily in whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and veggies.

Alright...now we are up to speed on what fiber is, so let's take a look at how much fiber we should be shoving into our body...okay, maybe not shoving...how about shov-el-ing?

The AMDR (acceptable macro-nutrient distribution range) for fiber is as follows:

• 25 grams per day for women 19-50 years
• 21 grams per day for women over 50 years
• 38 grams per day for men 19-50 years
• 30 grams per day for men over 50 years

Here's the kicker though...the average American consumes only 10-20 grams of fiber per day!  Hmmm...do you think that has anything to do with the amount of good ol' fashioned fast food that has become a staple in our western diet?  

Okay...moving on...time to take a look at the benefits of fiber - that most Americans are missing out on.  Fiber provides a host of health benefits, just look... 

• provides bulk in the diet...helping to increase the satiety of foods, making you feel fuller, with less food
• prevents constipation and helps to keep us regular..if you know what I mean :)
• helps to retain the health and tone of the muscles within the digestive tract...sort of like working out your GI muscles :)
• Can help reduce the chance of infection to the appendix, thus reducing the chances of appendicitis
• has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer
• has also been shown to reduce blood serum cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of coronary artery and heart disease
• works to help regulate the body's absorption rate of glucose 

So there you have it...a short, quick, basic lesson on fiber...just what you've always wanted to know...huh?

Okay, enough for today.  Tomorrow we'll cover how CHO affects performance...how much CHO should you consume in your diet, and we'll even cover the FACTS about carbohydrate and weight gain...note the word FACTS.

Day 69...Workout of the Day

Short ride...9.8 miles in the rain, sleet, and snow.  Ok, you got me...just rain and wind.  Kinda fun, and kinda miserable at the same time, but come next week...I'll be wishing I was riding in the rain!  I was supposed to get in an hour and fifteen on the bike today, but I only got 45-minutes in due to the heavy rain, and the strong winds that almost blew me over twice!  Fun stuff!?!?  I guess I should have just sucked it up and spun on the trainer in the garage...oh well.  Roughly 300kcal burned during this good wet weather practice session.

Day 69...Carbohydrates Part 2

A snooze button huh?  Alright, I warned you people...there's some science behind nutrition...and besides, I'm kind of a science geek.

Moving on in the world of CHO...

Complex Carbohydrates - These CHO are made up of many sugar molecules often linked in very long and complicated carbon chains.  There are oligosaccharides and polysaccharides...and that's all I've got to say about that.  I don't want to put you to sleep!

Complex CHO that are found in foods are referred to as starches.  We know 'starchy' foods as white rices, potatoes, breads, etc.  Are starches bad?  Well...there are good sources of starch and not-so-good sources.  Glycogen is a form of starch, as well as being the storage form of CHO in the human body.  So let's take a look at Glycogen...

Glycogen is also referred to as animal starch.  It is not found in plant foods, and it is a readily available source of energy for muscles, and is critical for fueling performance while performing moderate- to high-intensity exercise.

So there you have it...some very basic science...and I mean basic...behind the carbohydrate.  If you are truly wanting to understand how to eat properly, then it is necessary to know some of this relatively boring stuff.  But now let's move on to the effects of CHO in our bodies, and how they impact our performance.

But before we move on...I want you to try a little science experiment.  It never really pays to learn scientific 'stuff' unless you can put it to some form of practical use...right?  This little experiment will help you understand the boring stuff you have just learned.  Are you with me?  Good.

We are going to experience the digestion of a starch into sugar.  Oooh...sounds exciting huh?  So go grab a plain saltine cracker...you know, the ones that you used to eat with soup.  Do your best to brush off some of the salt, then take that cracker and chew it up...don't swallow yet...keep chewing until it actually begins to taste a little sweet.  The digestive enzymes in your mouth have begun to break down the long chains of sugar molecules into simple sugars...glucose, and the highly stimulating maltose.  I know, its amazing huh?  

Ok...enough fun...let's get back to work.  Oh sorry, that was the teacher in me sneaking out.  What are the functions that CHO play in our bodies?  How do they affect overall health?  What role does fiber play in the body?  What do 'Low Carb' and 'Net Carb' mean? What is the Glycemic Index?

If these questions sound intriguing to you, then you are in the right place.  If not...this is a good time for you to 'X-out' and sign back in another time.  

Some of you may have heard me say this before..."Fat burns in a carbohydrate flame." What that means is that CHO must be present to metabolize fats at the rapid rates required to support the caloric demands of exercise and sport competition.  Fat stores provide significant amounts of energy for the body...but they cannot be used (oxidized) without the presence of CHO...they have an interesting relationship.  Yet, many fad diets recommend reducing or eliminating CHO from the diet to stimulate the utilization of fat by 'tricking' the body into burning greater quantities of fat.  What I want you al to understand is that those practices are not sustainable, nor are they healthy.

Sorry, I got off on a little tangent there.  Let's get back to the functions of CHO.  CHO are the only macronutrient that can provide energy during anaerobic activities such as sprinting and many forms resistance training.  So how do we know if we are operating in an anaerobic state?  If you are exercising, and cannot hold a steady conversation with your 'treadmill neighbor' then you are likely anaerobic at that time.  It is during those bouts of exercise that fat plays a minimal, and often times, non-existent role in energy production...CHO is King!  Last but certainly not least..CHO are the primary source of energy for the nervous system.  This means that if you want your nervous system to operate efficiently, CHO must be present in your diet.

Ok, that's enough for one day.  In my next post, I will address how CHO affect overall health, and also talk a little about fiber.  

Sound good? 

Day 68...Workout of the Day...and CARBS!

Hey everyone, today's workout took place on the mountain bike...on the mountain.  Now most people don't actually ride their mountain bikes on a mountain...well, at least not big ones.  A great majority of mountain bike riding actually takes place on trails that are, for the most part, relatively flat.  Many of my training days are spent on relatively flat terrain, with a few little steep climbs mixed in.  Today however, was not one of those days.

Today was a climbing day.  I rarely look forward to climbing days, and today was no exception.  If I never climb another steep climb on my bike, I will be content for the rest of my days.  But this is the real world folks...mountain bike racing requires riders to actually climb hills...steep ones.  This being said, a good portion of training must be spent climbing steep, technical terrain...the type of terrain that makes your legs feel like they are going to explode, either right before, or right after your lungs!  Today was that day!

In terms of mileage, today's ride was pretty short...just over seven-miles.  Roughly six of those miles however, were spent climbing...steeep climbing.  And yes, I know I put three e's in steeep...it was for emphasis :)

So all in all, I turned about seven-miles, achieved a max HR of 191, and burned off about 600 kcal...all in roughly 53-minutes.  

So now let's turn our focus toward nutrition.  Those of you who have been reading for a while now, should be able to answer this question.  "What do you think the primary source of energy was for my ride today...carbohydrate, protein, or fat?"

And everyone says...carbohydrate.  Very good!  Remember, stored muscle glycogen is the primary energy source for activities such as mountain biking.  Unless of course, you are merely gliding along, or barely pedaling...then the primary source is fat, but in very small amounts (kcal).

So what the heck are carbohydrates anyway?  Unfortunately, many people believe carbs are the Devil!  We can all thank Dr. Atkins for that...RIP.  

SCIENCE ALERT...SCIENCE ALERT!!!

Carbohydrates are a class of organic molecules, which contain a carbon (C) backbone, of which atoms of hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are attached.  From here on I will use the standard abbreviation of CHO for carbohydrates.  There are two classifications of CHO...simple and complex.  For those of you who took chemistry at some point in your life, you will remember that  various chemical structures are often made up of chains of molecules.  CHO are no different.  Simple CHO, or simple sugars are comprised of only one or two sugar molecules linked together.  Complex CHO however, are made of longer and more complex chains of sugar molecules.

A complex carbohydrate chain

I think it is probably safe to assume that nearly all of us have heard the terms simple and complex carbohydrates...yes?  Assuming that is true, let's dive a little deeper into these two types of sugars.  Simple sugars are broken into two groups; monosaccharides and disaccharides.  A single molecule of sugar is referred to as a monosaccharide, while disaccharides are made up of...yep, you got it...two sugar molecules.  And you thought chemistry was hard!  There are a number of monosaccharides that exist, but the three simple sugars that  serve as nutrients for the human body are glucose, fructose, and galactose.  

Glucose molecules..simple sugars

Glucose is the most abundant simple sugar found in nature, and as we learn more about CHO, we will learn that glucose is used as a reference point by which all other CHO are classified, or indexed.  Within the human body, glucose supplies energy to our cells, and is considered the primary fuel for the brain.  As a paramedic, I run countless calls on diabetic patients who have difficulty maintaining a proper blood glucose level.  If blood glucose levels drop too far, the brain becomes starved of its fuel, and fails to operate properly.  This process is often cascading, meaning that as levels begin to drop, a persons brain function will slowly decrease until it can no longer process information properly.  At this time, unconsciousness occurs, which can ultimately lead to death.  So you see, sugar is actually necessary in our bodies...even simple sugars!  Remember though...simple sugars are not just table sugar!

Galactose is rarely found alone in nature, or in foods.  It commonly bonds with glucose to form the disaccharide lactose...or milk sugar.

Fructose occurs naturally in fruits and a variety of vegetables, and provides the sweet taste within these foods.  A common sweetener used in many fat free foods these days is high-fructose corn syrup...which we will discuss another time.  

We will end by looking briefly at the disaccharides; Sucrose, Lactose, and Maltose.  Sucrose is table sugar, and is made up of one glucose and one fructose molecule.  We have all heard the term refined sugar, right?  Sucrose is a refined sugar.  It is manufactured by extracting natural sugars from sugar beets and sugar cane, to produce granulated sugar.  Has anyone ever driven through Spreckles, California?  I know there are at least a couple of you who have.  I am not sure if they are still processing sugar there or not, but when they did...man it stunk bad!  To the best of my knowledge, they processed sugar beets in Spreckles...but it sure didn't smell sweet!

We have already mentioned the disaccharide lactose, made up of glucose and galactoselactase.  Many over-the-counter digestive enzyme products contain lactase, or you can by it individually.

Last but not least...maltose.  This disaccharide is comprised of two glucose molecules, and seldom occurs naturally in foods.  Maltose is often formed when long chains of starches are broken down by digestive enzymes within the body.  Maltose is said to have a bland taste, although it is still considered a sugar.

Well now, there you have it.  You possibly know a little more about CHO than you did ten minutes ago.  If not...stay tuned.  Tomorrow (hopefully), we'll act like enzymes, and break down those complex carbohydrates!

Day 67...Workout of the Day

I know, I know...you were all expecting something on carbohydrates...but that doesn't start until tomorrow.  This post is for me!  It's all about accountability, right?  I have decided to post my Workout of the Day...everyday.  This will (hopefully) be in addition to, or combined with my nutrition posts, and anything else I might be blogging about.  Also...this may be of no interest to you, but it will serve as another form of accountability for me.  If I know that there are people out there who be reading my WOD posts, then I will be more likely to get them in, and then write about them. 

So...here is today's Workout of the Day:

Today I performed some ESD training intervals.  It was short, sweet, and very demanding...oh yeah, and EFFICIENT!

1.  Versaclimber Intervals  10 second sprint-20 second rest  10 sets  (max HR was 178)
2.  Rest 3 minutes
3.  Versaclimber Intervals 10 second sprint-20 second rest  10 sets (max HR was 184)
4.  Rest 3 minutes
5.  Rope Undulations (medium intensity)  30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest  10 sets (max HR was 168)
6.  Rest 2 minutes
7.  Rope Undulations  (high intensity)  15 seconds on, 15 seconds off  5 sets (max HR 170)
8.  Rest 1 minute
9.  Rope Undulations (medium intensity)  1 minute on, 30 seconds off 5 sets (max HR 182)
10.  DONE!  512 kcal of high quality, ESD training!

Don't forget...tomorrow we dive into the Carbohydrate (CHO)!

Day 66...Part two

Very short one here everybody...just wanted to share today's workout.

I had a relatively easy day today on the bike...just a short 8.2 mile ride, burning up roughly 400kcal.  The weather here is nearly perfect for riding today.  Overcast, mid-seventies, with a little bit of wind.  I could do without the wind, but the temp is perfect!

Need to do a little strength workout today as well.  

Day 66...Let's Talk Nutrition!

I know much of the content of this blog has centered around nutrition, but I felt that it might be helpful if I dove a little deeper into the subject.  After all, if the information in this blog helps just one person to become healthier, or more fit...well, that makes it a success in my book!

Is this confusing to you?

There are so many nutrition myths out there, that it makes it hard to know what is right and what is wrong.  The subject of nutrition is sort of like automatic transmissions.  Over the years, people have been made to think that automatic transmissions are the most specialized, mysterious pieces of machinery on the planet...when in fact, they are simply pumps, that direct fluid into valves, that control clutches, that turn gears.  

The mystique around nutrition has become similar to that of automatic transmissions.  Sure, there are registered dietitians and nutritionists who specialize in this field, but believe me...you don't need to have a degree in nutrition to understand the basics.  Does it help?  Sure it helps, but if you are simply looking to have a better understanding of what types of food you should be putting in your body, a degree is not necessary!  There is plenty of sound information available...you just need to know where to look.  Oh, by the way...wikipedia is not a sound source!

I am not a dietitian...nor am I a nutritionist.  I have taken a number of undergraduate and graduate level courses in nutrition however, so I have a pretty good understanding of the subject.  This is what I would like to share with each of you.  I know I have discussed some nutrition principles in previous posts, and I promise to do my best not to duplicate what I have already shared.  Some of it however, will inevitably be duplicated...but we'll just call it review! :)

So here's my plan.  I kind of borrowed it from my friend Scott, who writes a travel blog called "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles".  You see, Scott is sharing his journal entries from a particular trip that he took with some friends a few years back, and is breaking up the trip into multiple blog entries.  I wont be sharing any journal entries, but I will be breaking up the topic of nutrition into three separate categories, over multiple days.  Thanks for the idea Scott!

There are three macro-nutrients that must be present in our diets (in the correct amounts and types); Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat.  I will spend the next few days breaking down each of these macro-nutrients, quite possibly providing more information than you want!  But hey...information is power, right?  Rest assured that what I type about this subject is not merely personal opinion, but information backed by research.  When appropriate, I will list my references so that you can know for sure that the information is sound.

My goal here is to help some of you (or all of you!) get a better grasp on the principles of nutrition, and to help provide advice on how to use your new found knowledge in your daily struggles with food.  Oh...you don't have daily struggles with food?  Then maybe you should write this instead of me, because the Lord knows that I certainly have mine!

Stay tuned...we will soon begin our discussion on what is quite possibly, the most misunderstood macro-nutrient out there...the dreaded carbohydrate!

Day 64...Fitness Testing Day

Well, I made it through fitness testing today at work.  I really wasn't worried...but you just never know at my age!  I have been asked often, what our fitness test entails.  Those of you who are interested...read on.  Those who could care less...read on!  Just kidding!  This post will be chock full of information about our annual firefighter fitness evaluation, and why we include some of the tests that we do.

I should first remind you that the fitness program within the fire department that I work for, is my program.  I implemented a structured fitness program within our department back in 1999.  Since that time, I have sought out education in personal fitness training, athletic performance enhancement, kinesiology and injury prevention.  Along the way I have recevied numerous certifications, a Bachelor's degree in Fitnes and Wellness, and a Master's Degree in Exercise Science.  I am not telling you this to toot my own horn, but rather to let you know that the fitness program I have designed for my fellow firefighters, is based on a great deal of education and personal experience working with firefighters and athletes.

It has been my quest for over ten years to change the way firefighters train, and believe me...it's been a long and rocky road.  The 'business' of firefighting is steeped in tradition, and collectively, we are very stubborn and somewhat resistant to change.  If it aint broke, dont fix it right?  Wrong!  Firefighter injuries across the country reached peak levels in recent years, and departments/cities were feeling the financial hits which occur with every injury sustained by a firefighter.  Insurance rates were rising sharply, as were payroll expenses due to the cost of covering an injured firefighter's shifts. 

Some time back, the IAFF (International Association of Firefighters), the IAFC (International Association of Fire Chiefs), and the Justice Department collaborated to develop fitness testing protocols that would be used by departments nationwide, to help reduce firefighter injury rates and the associated costs.  In 1999 I was tasked with implementing this program within our department.  Twelve years later, our department has one of the most progressive and advanced programs in the country. 

For some time now, I have been on a soapbox preaching that firefighters should train like athletes...because, in a sense, we are athletes.  Emergency Response Athletes.  I have, over the years, broken down various tasks associated with firefighting and the delivery of other emergency services offered by fire departments.  Many of these tasks utilize similar movement patterns, and require similar physiological abilities as those required by athletes.  With this in mind, I set out years ago, to help develop more effective methods by which firefighters could enhance their performance while simultaneously reducing injury potential.

Currently, our firefighters are performing a variety of tests that, until recently, were used solely on elite level athletes.  Annually, our members are evaluated in the following categories:

• Cardio-respiratory fitness levels (VO2 Max and Ventilatory Threshold levels)
• Muscular Strength
• Muscular Endurance
• Flexibility
• Muscular Imbalances and Movement Asymmetries
• Anthropometric Measurements (Body Fat, Circumference, Height, Weight)

While many of these categories have existed since the inception of the program, the manner in which we perform the tests has changed dramatically, as I have learned more about performance enhancement and injury prevention over the years.

So how did I do?  I am happy to say, that at age 46 I am still in the top 95th percentile for all firefighters across the county, and the 99th percentile for firefighters my age...now I'm tooting my own horn!

Day 63...Recovery Day

I know what you are thinking!  "Recovery...from what!?"  Yesterday's ride beat me up!  Just kidding...well sort of.  Yesterday's ride did beat me up a little, due to the heat here.  It was 97 degrees here yesterday, and my my body hasn't had much time to acclimate to the heat, as it came on rather suddenly.  I have already heard from a few people, about how they would much rather have the 'dry' heat of 97, rather than 80 degrees with midwest humidity.  They obviously don't ride!  Yeah, humidity sucks for the most part.  It makes it hard to stay dry, and you have to be more aware of hydration, but I would rather have humidity.  Why you ask?  Evaporative cooling!  God's air conditioning.

You see...when you are riding, the increased perspiration helps to keep you cool as the wind created by riding evaporates the sweat on your skin.  The dry heat is worse (in my opinion) because your sweat production is typically less, and the evaporative process is short lived...thereby decreasing the cooling effect.  You just need to make sure you are drinking more water. 

Here's an interesting fact about hydration/dehydration...

Dehydration of less than 2% of your body weight can have a profound effect on performance levels.  Yep, that's right just 2%.  For me that is under two-pounds...that's it!  It is easy to lose two-pounds of water weight when exercising...especially in the heat or high humidity...even in the cold!  So stay hydrated!

Tomorrow will be an early day for me, as I need to get in a ride on the trainer before work.  Just a short ride though...I am scheduled for my annual firefighter fitness evaluation tomorrow, so I don't want to use up all of my energy on my bike.  I am anxious to perform this test, as it includes body fat measurements and lactate threshold testing.  I am curious to see my numbers this year compared to last year.  They should be significantly better!

I'll share those numbers with all of you once I get them.

Day 61...Back on the Bike!

Would you believe that today was my first time back on my bike since my race on the 19th?  That's 14-days too long!  As you may remember, my bike was out of commission for a little while following my race.  Since getting it back, I have not had the opportunity to ride.  I have been training...just not on the bike.

What does my training consist of when I'm not on the bike you ask?  Well...in a recent post I shared with you one of my strength training routines, and today I will share with you a 'cardio' routine that I do when I'm not riding.  First of all, I hate the term cardio.  I hear people say things like, "Today is cardio day" or "I do cardio on Tuesdays and Saturdays", etc.  I know this may tick some people off, but hang in there with me while I explain.

Exercise that focuses on improving cardio-respiratory fitness levels (i.e. improved VO2 max, and increased anaerobic threshold) should include high intensity exercise.  Yet when I ask most people what they do for cardio, they say something like "I walked on the treadmill for 60-minutes" or "I was on the stepper or the elliptical for about an hour".  That's great...don't get me wrong...I am happy that people are getting exercise.  The problem however, is when these same people don't see any progress, and quit.  I have explained the EPOC effect in a previous post, so I wont beat it up again today.  All I want you to know is that greater caloric expenditure, and greater amounts of fat mass loss are gained through interval training that includes relatively high intensity exercise.  Here's the real cool thing about it...it doesn't take anywhere near as long!  In 15-minutes of interval training, I can burn almost as many calories as the person who walked or jogged on the treadmill for a hour...and I am elevating my metabolism and creating greater fat mass loss through the recovery process...and I still have time to get in a full strength training session, thus burning even more calories, and keeping my metabolism cranked up for even longer! 

It's just more efficient...and there's a ton of research to support this!  

So...the type of 'cardio' training that I do is often referred to as ESD or Energy System Development training.  It is called this because this type of training actually serves to develop all three primary energy systems within the body...rather than just one.  Yesterday's ESD session was done at the fire station, took about 20-minutes, and burned off 650 kcal of energy!  Pretty amazing huh?  

So what the heck does that kind of training entail?  Check it out...

Versaclimber Sprint       1-minute

Rest                                30-seconds

Medicine Ball Slams     30-seconds

Rest                               30-seconds

Battling Ropes              30-seconds

Rest                               30-seconds

Versaclimber Sprint        1-minute

Rest                               30-seconds

Medicine Ball Slams     30-seconds

Rest                               30-seconds

Battling Ropes              30-seconds

Rest 3-minutes, then repeat two more times

Total work time.............13:30

Total Rest........................7:30

I have attached some videos of these exercises for you to watch.  Now remember...this is not your run of the mill cardio training!  This will max out your heart rate, have you sweating like never before, and hurt a little.  But its all over in 20-minutes, and you get 7 1/2 minutes of rest inside that 20-minutes of work!  Obviously, this type of exercise should not be performed if you have health issues like, heart problems, respiratory illness, etc.  A routine like this should be built up to.  When I first began this type of training, I was only performing a single set...not three.  I just wanted to show you the benefits of this type of training.

Check out these videos...


VersaClimber Sprints







Battling Ropes (Rope Undulation)






Medicine Ball Slams






By the way...today's ride...15.6 miles, 1hour 26 minutes, 854 kcal.


Thanks for reading!