Simple Truth Fitness: Recent Episodes
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Are New Yearโs resolutions worth putting in place? Iโll answer this question in todayโs Simple Truth Fitness Minute. ๐ฅณ In the video I talk about OUTCOME goals, PERFORMANCE goals, how they need to be SMART and backed with a killer WHY. ๐ฅณ EXAMPLES - Outcome goal: Lose 35# in 18 weeks - Performance goal: Eat at least one vegetable a day at least six days a week. ๐ฅณ SMART ๐ฏ S-pecific ๐ฏ M-easurable ๐ฏ A-ction based ๐ฏ R-ealistic ๐ฏ T-ime sensitive ๐ฅณ Wishing you a better 2021! ๐ฅณ To learn more about my program: WEB: http://Lifestyle180.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/LLUniversity IG: https://www.instagram.com/llu180/
Is food logging overkill, a waste of time or even detrimental to your weight-loss goal? Iโll answer this question in todayโs Simple Truth Fitness Minute. ๐ฝ With my program we don't log food forever. But if you're new, or if you're stuck, or if you're not getting results? 1๏ธโฃ Log at least until you hit your first goal. 2๏ธโฃ Log any time you get stuck. 3๏ธโฃ Log any time you're starting again. ๐ฝ For research supporting self-monitoring with dietary-record keeping check this out to start. https://bit.ly/3mLHsCT ๐ฝ To learn more about my program: WEB: http://Lifestyle180.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/LLUniversity IG: https://www.instagram.com/llu180/
Research says long-time weight losers and maintainers do better when they weigh about once a day most or all days of the week. โ According to the National Weight Control Registry, which follows individuals from every walk who have lost substantial weight and kept it off, they weigh themselves "frequently." Frequently translates into most days of the week and for most it's once a day every day. โ Weighing daily can show you daily trends in your body's response to your weight-loss plan rather than relying on one "glorious" day a week to hope with fingers crossed that the scale behaves. What if you weigh yourself only on Mondays? Your Monday weight was 205# then Tue:204.5#, Wed:204#, Thurs:203.5#, Fri:203#, Sat:202.5#, Sun:205#, Mon:205# Welp, I guess you did poorly and didnโt lose any weight this week. Not true. You were doing great and then you had your splurge meal Saturday night and popped up 2.5# of water but since you only weigh once a week you get a discouraging report card on Monday. Weighing once a week doesnโt give a true picture of whatโs going on. โ Through education you can become the โscale whispererโ and no longer fear it - ever again. Only through education and understanding can this occur. We fear what we don't understand. If we don't understand why the scale is "misbehaving" it's mysterious and we fear it. Once we have the education we can master the scale and no longer fear it. We understand the science of water-shifts (water fluctuations) and realize we have the power and control to manage it! โ I've got five simple rules for weighing yourself each day. โ 1. Weigh one time a day 2. At the same time 3. In the same place 4. In the same "nude" condition or close to it 5. With the same scale โ To see some of the research about self-weighing and weight loss โก https://bit.ly/3g9y3mb โ To learn more about my program and how you can lose the excess weight one more time for the LAST time: WEB: http://Lifestyle180.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/LLUniversity IG: https://www.instagram.com/llu180/
What is the Rockport Walk Test and how can we use it to measure our cardiorespiratory fitness? I'll answer those questions in today's simple truth fitness minute. โฅย โ For this test you'll need some way to time yourself for your 1-mile walk and a way to get an accurate heart rate at the end. I recommend a heart-rate chest strap for the most accurate reading - much moreso over any of the fitness watches which are notorious for giving erroneous readings. (see Polar models if you've never owned one) ๐ฅค๐ญ Because the test measures heart rate it's important you are well hydrated and rested, that you avoid tobacco and caffeine for 3 hours prior and alcohol for 12 hours prior. Also, if you take a beta blocker or any drug known to slow the heart rate your V02 max score will not be as accurate because the drug will artificially slow the heart rate - thus improving your V02 max score. However, if you work on your fitness and you retest AND you are on all the same meds then retest measures would still be valuable to show that your cardiorespiratory fitness is holding steady, improving or declining. ๐ฌ Once you've completed the test just visit this link to open messenger and I'll give you the page where you go to enter all your data.ย https://m.me/SimpleTruthFitness?ref=w10459391
What is health-related physical fitness and why does it matter? Iโll answer these questions in todayโs Simple Truth Fitness Minute.
๐ฅ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธโ There are two general types of physical fitness: 1). health-related and 2). sport- or skill-related which includes agility, balance, coordination, power, speed and reaction time. This episode is about the first one. ๐ฅ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธโ Youโre lean. Great. But are you fit? Youโre strong. Wonderful. But are you fit. You can run like the wind. Fantastic. But are you fit? Youโre hyperflexible. Nice. But are you fit? ๐ฅ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธโ To achieve physical fitness we must engage in exercise, which is a form of physical activity. Those with the highest levels of physical fitness tend to have maximized their exercise training. ๐ฅ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธโ Itโs not uncommon for regular exercisers to spend most of their time training only one component of physical fitness, for example, frequent long-distance running. This person, who may be thin, is also often considered โphysically fit,โ and indeed may be in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness alone. However, this person is also likely below average in terms of muscular strength and flexibility. ๐ฅ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐งโโ๏ธโ Likewise, someone who performs high levels of resistance training as the sole form of exercise and appears to be quite muscular will be viewed as physically fit, and indeed may be in terms of muscular fitness. However, similar to the person who runs a lot, this person is also likely to be below average in certain areas of fitness, including cardiorespiratory fitness and flexibility.
Source for some: American College of Sports Medicine
What is flexibility and why is it included as one of the five health-related fitness components? I'll give you these answers in today's Simple Truth Fitness minute (STFM).
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Something I couldn't fit in the minute but wanted to say is flexibility is something we lose as we age unless we spend a few minutes most days of the week working on it. The good news is even if you've lost flexibility you CAN get most or all of it back with some consistent daily stretching. I'm sorry but stretching once a week just won't do it. We need daily to really make headway on improvement.
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In other STFM I'll discuss the difference between mobility and flexibility, static, dynamic and fascial stretching, the benefits of soft-tissue work, and a variety of tests to measure flexibility.
Okay, you've had your body fat tested. How much faith should you put in the results? I'll answer this question in today's Simple Truth Fitness minute (STFM).
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See my STFM on why body composition matters http://bit.ly/2pDnUZe -AND- see my other STFM for which body fat test I say is "best." http://bit.ly/34CqTQh
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In no particular order the big five methods are:
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Underwater weighing; hydrodensitometry
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Skinfold with calipers
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Bodpod
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DXA; dual energy x-ray absorptiometry
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BIA; bioelectrical impedance analysis;
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Regardless of the method all body fat tests are estimates and only as good as the instrument operator, the calibration of the device and whether the recommended testing protocols were followed.
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At the boots on the ground level, if I were you and I wanted to know my body composition for the sake of assessment of health and fitness (a good idea by the way) I'd get a quality home bath scale that also measures body fat. It'll use the BIA method. I'd follow the instructions for getting the most accurate reading (i.e., not right after showering, or right after eating, or right after working out etc). I'd step on it daily at the same time of day in my same condition (nude) for 7 days. I'd see if the numbers are reasonably close and if not I'd eliminate the really high and the really low one. Then I'd average the remaining 5 and call it a day.
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But! If after doing that I was pretty sure something was way off? Like I've got solid six-pack abs and it says I'm 40% body fat? Then I'm going to find a place that offers DXA and get a full scan done. You can search for DXA scan locations here --> http://bit.ly/2Jup8fO
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DXA could still be off depending on a host of factors but it is the research gold standard and it's likely I'll get a relatively accurate reading. Plus, as a bonus, I'll know my bone density and have a more accurate view of my skeletal muscle mass, not just fat-free mass (which includes bone and everything other than fat).
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If I couldn't find a DXA location then I'd probably find an InBody location. Their high-end scales are also BIA based (like the home bath scales) but the sensors are both at the feet AND hands and, at least anecdotally, word-on-the-street, they are more reliable than a home scale. Find an InBody location starting here ย --> http://bit.ly/
What are the five methods of checking body fat you should know and which one is best? I'll answer these questions in today's Simple Truth Fitness minute. Here is some more info I couldn't quite fit in my one-minute summary. โจ Underwater weighing - Also known as hydrodensitometry. It CAN be very accurate but makes you blow out all your air while under water for 30 seconds. Not fun, easy or cheap and finding a place to do it can be a pain. โจ Next, a skinfold test. Using calipers, most often a trainer will measure skinfolds at one or more locations on your body. Skinfold is highly dependent on the skill of the person holding the calipers and also how heavy the test subject is. The more fat you have the less accurate skinfold is likely to be - it's just harder to pull the skin and fat to get an accurate reading. โจ Bodpod - with a bodpod you simply sit in an egg-shaped chamber for 5-8 minutes. Using air displacement technology it'll tell you your weight, fat mass, fat-free mass and lung volume. โจ DXA - dual energy x-ray absorptiometry is what researchers all use and is considered the gold standard for body composition testing. Dexa is the only method that'll provide fat mass, fat-free mass, and bone density. You do it fully clothed, lying on your back and it takes about 10 minutes. You can search for DXA scan locations here --> http://bit.ly/2Jup8fO โจ BIA - or bioelectrical impedance analysis is what most home scales use if they include body fat testing. BIA circulates a small, safe, electric signal throughout the body. BIA is thought to be more accurate when the device provides both sensors in the foot plate and handles you grip. BIA will tell you your water content, fat mass and fat-free mass and it takes just a few minutes. For a good BIA test start with InBody here --> http://bit.ly/2PB4rmz โจ Regardless of the method all body fat tests are estimates and only as good as the instrument operator, the calibration of the device and whether the recommended testing protocols were followed.
Body composition, what is it and why does it matter when evaluating fitness? I'll answer these questions in today's simple truth fitness minute (STFM).
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Body fat percentage is superior to body mass index (BMI) for assessing your weight health. BMI is a quick-math calculation, based only on height and weight, that determines whether someone is normal-weight, overweight, obese or morbidly obese. It's good to know your BMI but it's even better to know your body-fat percentage.
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You could be at a "normal" weight but still be too fat due to the loss of muscle (sarcopenia), which is another STFM here --> http://bit.ly/2m38f3f Or you could be considered "overweight" by BMI but actually have a very healthy body fat. Ultimately? IT'S YOUR BODY FAT THAT MATTERS.
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In another Simple Truth Fitness minute I discuss BMI here --> http://bit.ly/2lY8Jra
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In a different STFM I'll discuss the best ways to get your body fat tested but I'll at least mention them here: DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan is THE gold standard. Second best would be BIA (bio-electrical impedance analysis) but only the kind that has you standing barefoot on a scale AND holding onto sensors with your hands - BOTH.
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You can search for DXA scan locations here --> http://bit.ly/2Jup8fO and for a good BIA test start with InBody here --> http://bit.ly/2PB4rmz
What is muscular fitness and how does it impact quality of life and health? I'll answer these questions in today's Simple Truth Fitness minute.
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The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for ย Americans, put out by the Department of Health and Human Services says โฆ Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity and that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefts.
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And remember, walking or any general cardio will NOT save the loss of muscle as we age - only strength training will. See my other Simple Truth here about sarcopenia http://bit.ly/2m38f3f
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You might have heard the phrase "Muscle weighs more than fat." But does it? I'll straighten this myth out in today's Simple Truth Fitness minute. ๐ช This reminds me of the old gotcha question of which weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of gold. Some are inclined to say feathers but the reality is they are equal because a pound is a pound, regardless of what you're measuring. โ Some other fun facts: 1๏ธโฃ) Two people may be the same height and weight, but the person with a substantially higher body fat percentage will wear a larger clothing size. 2๏ธโฃ) Muscle tissue will burn 4 to 8 calories daily per pound, while fat burns 2 to 3 calories daily per pound. 3๏ธโฃ)A just-started-training man MIGHT add 1-2 pounds of muscle a month, most will add far less. A woman might, MIGHT, add half that. ๐ฑ Whether man or woman, if weight loss is the goal and the scale isn't dropping? It's not because of ALL the muscle you've added.
So you're trying to do good by getting in a workout but somewhere along the way you feel sick to your stomach. Why does that happen? I'll give you the answer in today's Simple Truth Fitness minute.
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In this episode I discuss the three primary reasons for exercise-induced nausea: 1). Food and the gut, 2). Hydration, 3). Too vigorous for your present condition.
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Food and the gut: Nearly all sources will say that fatty foods and foods high in protein (the ones that are slower to digest) are more likely to cause problems than lower-fat, lower-protein, real-food options. Also, it makes sense that if you just finished an entire pizza and you decide to, 30 minutes later, hit the hardest CrossFit workout known to man - get ready to hurl. Of course. But for some people NOT eating before a workout may cause nausea. Is it related to low blood sugar? Could be. Could be other things too.
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The bottom line with the gut? Most people do well NOT eating for 2-3 hours before a hard workout but with respect to nearly everything here for the gut - your mileage may vary and you'll have to play with it to see what works for you.
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Hydration: Most people are dehydrated if there's a nausea problem but drinking TOO much water before a workout or during can cause problems too.
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Workout intensity: If you're trying to truly improve fitness you may work out with an intensity that bumps up against nausea or flat out causes you to hurl. Even so, this should never be a goal. In time, as your fitness improves and your lactate threshold rises, you'll be able to push harder, with shorter rest, for longer periods, without feeling nauseous.
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Fitness freak or weekend warrior, you can adjust your intensity, rest periods, heart rate and duration so you never feel sick - or at least 95% of you can.
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Medical issues: If you get sick to your stomach doing even low-intensity exercise you should at least see your doc and talk about it. If you get other symptoms besides a bit of nausea or the nausea persists also see your doc for at least a looksee.
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Rhabdomyolysis: Although rare, at least google it if you are one to workout especially intense or long and hard.
Body mass index (BMI). What is it and why should we care? I'll answer this question in today's simple truth fitness minute.
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As sick as I am of BMI being demonized because of all the supposedly thickly-muscled freaks throwing off the BMI calculation, I absolutely believe BMI gives TOO much credit to all skinny-fat people, especially the middle-aged and elderly.
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There are FAR more middle-aged/elderly people who are skinny fat than there are humans of any age who are thickly muscled. BMI misses calling out the skinny fats, assessing them as a "healthy weight", because BMI only looks at height and weight, not what your weight is made of (fat and muscle).
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And, because BMI wasnโt designed to measure fitness, only fatness, BMI completely misses MOST aspects of fitness (i.e., muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and aerobic capacity).
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Even so? BMI does its job and you likely do NOT have so much muscle you're throwing off the measurement. It gives a basic assessment of fatness. And if your BMI is above 30 and you aren't a professional athlete? Ya, you're probably carrying around too much body fat for health or to be called completely fitโฆ and I don't care what your mile run time is or how much you can squat or bench.
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Now, even if your BMI is 30+ does it mean you aren't a human being deserving of living your own life any damn way you want? No. Of course not. Live and let live. But I'm NOT going to jump in the pool of delusionals and say that if your BMI is 30+ all is good - it's likely not, not health wise or fitness wise.
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I say in the video BMI needs two friends to help clarify what's going on. They are:
- A body fat measurement
- A waist-to-hip ratio (requiring a waist and hip measurement)
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You can learn more about the various body-fat measure methods and how to do a waist-to-hip ratio here. โก http://bit.ly/2mrdvOl
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Check your BMI here ร http://bit.ly/2kAjQ9z
I don't watch his program. I heard about it from a friend and then the news. So I first watched it entirely because I don't trust any news source (and neither should you, not even mine) to see what he really said. This simple truth fitness minute is my take on the overarching message I got from the 7 minutes he took on this. ๐ฝ
Here's the clip on Youtube ร http://bit.ly/2lWzfBq
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In my video I state he doesn't know what fat, overweight and obesity mean. He uses those terms essentially interchangeably which they should not be.
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Fat - ย " (of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh.)" But the U.S. standard that defines if we humans are "fat" is body mass index (BMI). โ
Check your BMI here ร http://bit.ly/2kAjQ9z โ
Overweight - If you have a BMI of 25-29.9 you are overweight. I'm 5'10" tall. I am "overweight" by BMI if I weigh more than 175. Does Maher really think that if I weigh 176 I have a "large amount of excess flesh?" I'm fat? I cost everyone more money? I suffer from the health issues as those who are obese and morbidly obese may or do? Like I said, he doesn't know what fat is nor what overweight is. So what about obesity?
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Obese - again, by the U.S. standard of BMI, you are obese if your BMI is 30-39.9. And you're morbidly obese if your BMI is 40+. Here's the deal. Do most of the health, disease, health-cost, productivity issues, missed work issues and more occur for the obese with increased risk the greater the BMI (a.k.a., the more obese one is)? Yes. Yes, it's true. There's a ton of research to support this fact. โ
Obesity IS Costly Research ร http://bit.ly/2koJNsy โ
As I said in the video - fat shaming is NOT the answer. I get that part of what he's saying is obesity has somewhat become normalized even though the high percentage of us who are obese is only a couple decades old phenomenon. ๐ช๐ซ๐จโ๐ฌ๐ฉโ๐ฌ The obesity epidemic needs an all-hands-on-deck approach with education beyond calories in, calories out, a redefining of what food is, lifestyle and behavior modification, addiction treatment, government intervention and more. Obesity is a complex problem at the societal level. ๐ "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
Worry is an inborn gift you have. Wow, a gift? Yes, gift. You need worry. Worry has a specific function -- to get you to take SOME ACTION within your control. But the gift of worry is overused by approximately 100% of humans. ๐ THREE BIG CONTRIBUTORS OF WORRY โจ 1๏ธโฃ). Trying to control the uncontrollable You can't control everything - none of us can. If you have no control over it? Let it go. I state the serenity prayer in the video. It's gold for keeping perspective over what you can control and what to do about what you can't. 2๏ธโฃ). Procrastination If action is what is necessary to quiet your worry there is NOTHING you can do to replace that action other than DOING THE ACTION. Stress/worry GROWS if you ignore it. It's YELLING at you to DO SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE DOING NOW! And if you ignore it? It yells louder and louder and it can make you feel like the world is coming to an end because you aren't DOING anything about it. 3๏ธโฃ). Mistaking the purpose of worry Many people mistakenly believe: A). If I worry, I'll never have a bad surprise. B). It's safer if I worry. C). I show I care by worrying. No, remember, worry serves one true purpose - to get you to take action in some way about something you can control. โจ Take ACTION--do all you can, do the ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT THIS MOMENT AND DO IT WITHOUT DELAY--and then let worry go since it truly serves no purpose beyond taking actions within your control.
Great achievements come from great states of mind. Sounds good. But is it true? Iโll give you the answer in todayโs Simple Truth Fitness minute.
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Once you follow the advice in the video a next common question is "But what if I don't know HOW to get what I want?" That's okay. You don't have to know how. How isn't the first priority. Focus is.
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When you apply the power of FOCUS the HOW will come. When? When it's supposed to. That might not be instantly. It might not be in a day or even a week. But if you keep applying the power of focus the how WILL come.
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It's natural for the brain to keep distracting you with worrying, upsetting or disturbing thoughts. You aren't flawed or broken because this happens. When it does just keep asking yourself "What do you want?" and then keep focusing on what you want, not on what you fear or don't want. It works. It really works.
I CAN'T jump over a building. That's true. But for so many things in our daily lives it's not a matter of CAN'T. It's WON'T. "I can't seem to get in my veggies." Bull. You WON'T get in your veggies. "I just can't fit in any exercise." Bull. You WON'T fit in exercise. "I can't afford it." Bull. You WON'T afford it.
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Can't you? Or won't you? This "simple" one-word swap could be a difference maker in your health, life and career success.
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What does this have to do with fitness? Everything. Taking action as we are capable is how we get or stay fit. Even basic, reasonable fitness requires us to put away excuses, be courageous in taking responsibility for our actions without blaming others, and being willing to step up and do what we CAN, even when it's not popular and we don't feel like it.
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We are all more capable than we let on. Remember too, none of us is perfect. I don't do everything I CAN. No one does. So be honest with yourself, be self-aware, but keep the baby in with the bathwater. What does this mean?
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Keep the baby in with the bathwater means we all have some dirt (imperfections) floating around us but it doesn't mean we all of a sudden become wholly bad because of the dirt, therefore needing to TOSS OUT our good just because of some flaws.
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You can fail, have flaws and not do all you CAN and still be an amazing, quality soul. So apply the swap of WON'T for CAN'T any chance you can, don't blame, forgive yourself if you don't, and work on getting better each day.
The keto diet was originally designed not for weight loss, but for epilepsy. In the 1920s, doctors realized that keeping their patients on low-carb diets forced their bodies to use fat as the first-line source of fuel, instead of the usual glucose.
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In the early 2000s Atkins popularized the diet. I did the ketogenic diet back then to see what it felt like and how it worked. I guess thatโs one of the reasons Iโm so blown away at how keto has regained such popularity again. Itโs a been there done that. If it was the answer or greatest thing since sliced bread, we would have adopted it in mass 20 years ago.
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So is there anything good about it? Yes. As I say in the video, universally itโs good that it forces people to pay attention to labels and at least understand the macros, carbs, proteins and fats. ย It also is good in that it can help people find foods that are low or no sugar. For some it can blunt appetite and because itโs so low in carb it can reduce blood sugar and thus, the insulin response.
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I do not subscribe to or promote the ketogenic diet though because it's generally not sustainable, you have to be cautious if you have diabetes or other medical conditions because of the shift in hormones and overall chemistry, itโs often heavy on red meat and other fatty, processed and salty foods that are notoriously unhealthy, once carbs are reintroduced the rebound is significant, it often ends up with the follower eliminating whole food groups, and in the end, itโs not better than a balanced eating plan.
Lactic acid causes exhaustion, the burn you feel in your muscles during high-rep sets, and the pain you feel in your muscles a day or two after a hard workout right? I'll answer this in today's simple truth fitness minute.
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This one surprised even me when I dug into the research. There's tremendous complexity when you start looking at the biochemistry responsible for making sure we have the right type of energy for whatever idiotic exercise or athletic endeavor we've decided to do. AND that we don't kill ourselves in our endeavors to get more fit.
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The main points I hope you can take away from this one are:
1๏ธโฃ). We don't produce lactic acid so it's impossible for it to build up.
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2๏ธโฃ). See #1, therefore, we don't still have it in our muscles hours and days after the workout. How could we? We don't produce it. The myth of wanting to get a massage or whatever to "flush it out" is also not sound - again, we don't even produce it. A massage can be good for blood flow and fascia health and it just plain feels good but not for removing lactic acid or any other acid.
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3๏ธโฃ). We do experience increased hydrogen ion production during exercise, especially intense exercise. Hydrogen ions are acidic and do cause some of the muscle burn and muscle fatigue we feel while we're doing it and for a short bit after.
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4๏ธโฃ). Lactate is produced all the time, but at an accelerated rate while exercising to REDUCE the acidic environment of increased hydrogen ions. Lactate good. For increased fitness, or if you're a competitive athlete who needs aerobic or strength endurance, no matter your age, training to improve what's known as your LACTATE THRESHOLD is smart. Think about that term - lactate threshold. Hopefully it makes a little sense. It essentially is training your body to get BETTER at producing and clearing lactate so that the hydrogen ions don't cripple your performance.
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There's a lot more to say of course but I'd really like it if my viewers were the smartest people in the room so hopefully this helps.
I recommend you use your phone's built-in health APP and track your steps every day for a week. See where you are.
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Most of us do need to sit less and move more. But do we need to hit 10,000 steps? Consider this.
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Time is a precious and limited resource. A mile of walking is about 2,000 steps and most people will burn 75-100 calories per mile walked. 10,000 steps is about five miles.
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Every 2,000 steps you walk will take you 15-20 minutes. An average Jane or Joe might walk 3-4 miles per hour.
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So here's my thought. There's good research http://bit.ly/2k2n7xY to support that if you get in even 4,400 steps a day you may be able to acquire, keep or improve your fitness.
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Once you're in the range of 4,400+ steps a day, since every extra 2,000 steps will take you 15-20 minutes, I'd suggest you consider any of the following INSTEAD of walking 2,000 more steps (15-20 mins):
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- Shop for, prep or prepare healthy, wholesome food. You'll get more health bang for your buck taking the extra time above 4,400 steps to eat better rather than walk more. No one can outwalk what they can eat.
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- Get in 15-20 minutes of strength training. Even bodyweight air squats and on-your-knees pushups would be good. Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle as we age. Strength training (not walking) is the only way to prevent this. http://bit.ly/2m38f3f
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- Consider rowing, stair climbing, cycling, elliptical etc. and ramp up the intensity over 15-20 minutes. Not only does this spice things up a bit but you'll burn more calories than walking and you may improve fitness even more due to the increased intensity.
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*Run ANY remotely vigorous exercise program past your physician before starting. Get a green light first.
The YMCA step test is a submaximal measure of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Submaximal means it won't require a maximal effort to do it.ย โ Don't do this test unless you have clearance from your physician that it's safe to do so. ๐ญโ๐บ Because the test measures heart rate it's important you are well hydrated and rested, that you avoid tobacco and caffeine for 3 hours prior and alcohol for 12 hours prior. Also, if you take a beta blocker it'll invalidate the test because beta blockers are known to slow heart rate. ๐ฆ STEP HEIGHT 12 inches โ DURATION 3 minutes ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ METRONOME FOR STEP PACING 96 bpm:ย http://bit.ly/2NuY032ย โ At the end of 3 minutes sit down and count your heart beats by checking your pulse at the wrist or carotid for 1 full minute. โค WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR MEASURED HEART RATE ๐ฌ Just visit this site http://bit.ly/2lWm7vP and you'll be able to see your cardiorespiratory fitness score. ๐ถ Is this test the end all be all and should you count on whatever your score is as the Gospel of your fitness? No. Even so, it's still a start into assessing your CRF and if you complete the test, then begin a proper regimen to improve your CRF, then retest every 90 days you'll have a decent idea of whether your CRF is improving.
The Queen's college step test is a submaximal measure of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Submaximal means it won't require a maximal effort to do it. โ Don't do this test unless you have clearance from your physician that it's safe to do so. ๐ญโ๐บ Because the test measures heart rate it's important you are well hydrated and rested, that you avoid tobacco and caffeine for 3 hours prior and alcohol for 12 hours prior. Also, if you take a beta blocker it'll invalidate the test because beta blockers are known to slow heart rate. ๐ฆ STEP HEIGHT 16 ยผ inches โ DURATION 3 minutes ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ METRONOMES FOR STEP PACING 88 bpm for women: http://bit.ly/31ZMaC7 96 bpm for men: http://bit.ly/2NuY032 โ Check your pulse for 15 seconds immediately at the end of the 3 minutes. Multiply your pulse X 4. ๐ ESTIMATED V02max ๐ฌ Plug your heart rate (15-second) into the formula on this page http://bit.ly/2L4jFwb to get your estimated V02max and an idea as to whether your VO2max is poor to excellent. VO2max - the maximum volume (V) of oxygen (O2) that your heart and lung systems can deliver to muscle. ๐ถ Is this test fair for those who are super short or super tall? No. Is it fair for those who are morbidly obese? No. Even so, it's still a start into assessing your CRF and if you complete the test, then begin a proper regimen to improve your CRF, then retest every 90 days you'll have a decent idea of whether your CRF is improving.
Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is also referred to as aerobic fitness so CRF and aerobic fitness are synonymous.
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CRF is one of five major fitness areas and part of an umbrella called health-related physical fitness.
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Fun Fact: Although CRF is now recognized as an important marker of cardiovascular health, it is currently the only major risk factor not routinely assessed by physicians.
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In future STFMs I'll cover what self-tests you might be able to do to check your CRF and also what kind and how much activity is necessary to improve CRF. I'll tell you now - if you are in bad shape? It's a lot LESS activity than you might think.
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The American Heart Association feels VERY strongly that CRF should be checked by physicians regularly. Check out their "Importance of Assessing Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Clinical Practice: A Case for Fitness as a Clinical Vital Sign: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association" position paper - http://bit.ly/33QMHIq
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Do not attempt any CRF self-tests unless your physician has given you a green light to exert effort at the level the test requires.
This STFM was prompted because I was asked recently about some professional athlete touting his intermittent fasting (IF) plan, that it boosted his testosterone (T). So I went and watched the Youtube video. Yep, it's a world champion athlete who said he was doing IF, that prior to starting it his T was in the 400s (a normal range is 300ish to 1000ish) but after doing IF for however many weeks/months his T went up to over 800. ๐ช And here's the part that hurts viewers the most - he said the ONLY THING HE CHANGED WAS DOING INTERMITTENT FASTING. Bullshit man! Bulllllllllll shit. You have NO idea what has changed. All you can THINK of that you changed was the IF but there are so many life, supplement, nutrition and training variables you just have NO idea what all has changed.
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So then I decided to see what other IF zealots and ignorants were saying about IF and T. Wow. What can I say but WOW.
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I believe a few things about the misinformation spreaders:
1๏ธโฃ). They may be lazy, ignorant or both. They might just be parroting some alleged guru without doing their own homework.
2๏ธโฃ). They include a link to a piece of research because they KNOW it will fool you into thinking they are legit or you won't click or you won't understand it if you do.
3๏ธโฃ). Follow the money. It might not be obvious but it's often there. It might only be that they know the subject is hot and if they write about it, early, they might get more eyeballs on their page.
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Real researchers almost NEVER say something is certain. They almost always use caution in their language NOT to read more into their ONE study than you should, that there's more research needed, that there could be flaws in their results etc etc. But bloggers? Misinformation spreaders? They state things as FACT, no equivocation - "Intermittent fasting boosts testosterone" and they often misquote research.
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Fun fact: Testosterone in men is naturally highest in the morning after waking up and lowest about 12 hours later. Is that because you fasted while sleeping? Probably not. Why do I say that?
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Because there are lots of studies which show that being fasted, even for 12 hours, can lower testosterone, and that refeeding after a fast boosts it.
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Check this study out. "Responsiveness of the reproductive axis to a single missed evening meal in young adult males" Testosterone and our reproductive system is SO sensitive to nutrients that even after one night of fasting (since 4pm the night before) young men had a drop in their morning testosterone. Also, contrary to the fools saying our T goes down when we eat, as we'd expect, when these young men ate at 11am their T went up, not down. http://bit.ly/2NtF8Sl
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I swear to God it's getting to the point where you can read most blog articles and just think "What's the opposite of what they said?" Whatever that is it'll probably be the truth.
๐คฅ Here's the link to the 1989 study I referenced in my video that many of the misinformers are quoting as PROOF that IF boosts T. http://bit.ly/2HjBSor
Think you got it? Take the Quiz. http://bit.ly/2ZlQe22
If you're like me prior to about two days ago, you probably have never even heard the word autophagy. That's okay, no one had heard it prior to 1963 when it was named.ย ๐ฌ But boy oh boy if you scour Google and search intermittent fasting and autophagy you are GOING to get an eye and ear full from zealots and ignorants claiming the two go together like peas and carrots. ๐ฆ I'm not shitting on intermittent fasting. It CAN be a way to set boundaries on your eating. It MIGHT help you to control calories for weight loss (although no better than other strategies). It MIGHT help with cellular health, insulin sensitivity and longevity. MIGHT.ย โ But come on, let's not mistake correlation for causation and let's not put the cart in front of the horse here. ๐ซ One fun fact - In 2016 a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Yoshinori Ohsumi for โdiscoveries of the mechanisms for autophagy." ๐ Researchers are BARELY starting to get their arms around autophagy. The most solid research doesn't claim jack squat about it and they all say more research is needed - especially on humans - since almost all the research to date is on animals and in test tubes. ๐ญ Think you got it? Take the quiz.ย http://bit.ly/2ZjhqhU
Why do you want to lose weight and get better fit? "To get healthy." Sorry, I gotta call bullshit. Come on, it is.
"To get healthy" is a top answer given when that question is asked. Now, this doesn't mean health isn't ONE of the reasons. It doesn't mean someone's given much thought beyond health as the reason but health is NOT usually the main, REAL reason someone wants to lose fat and get better fit.
And I hate to break the news to ya - with rare exception - if health IS the main reason? It's probably not going to work. Why? Health is too generally indescript, it's something that can always be addressed "later" or "tomorrow" or "soon." And it does NOT get the juices flowing.
One of the main reasons people go with health is it's a quick, lazy answer OR it's a safe answer OR it's what's on their mind because there really are some health issues going on or ones they are genuninely concerned about avoiding in the future OR some combo of all of the above.
What does a simple truth on vanity have to do with fitness? A lot. It deals with the area of emotional fitness and emotional fitness is the elephant, everything else is the tiny rider on the elephant.
But the bottom line on this? Well, the bottom line I give in today's simple truth fitness minute on the misconception over vanity.
Two questions today: Do we lose muscle as we age? And if we do can we prevent this loss by just being active? I'll be honest, this one was sparked by me reading for the thousandth time someone giving their two cents by telling someone they could keep muscle by all the walking their were doing.ย ๐ Check out today's Simple Truth Fitness video for the scoop.
Exercise or clean eating? Which one matters the most when weight loss is your goal?ย
The research AND real-world experience are in agreement that nutrition beats exercise for most people when they are actively engaged in weight loss. Now, when it comes to weight maintenance? Yes, nutrition is still more important, however, those who engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week do maintain their weight loss far more than those who don't exercise.ย ย
In my 30 years of in-the-trenches work with weight fighters I've observed people struggle FAR more with their emotional fitness related to nutrition than they do physical activity. What this means is the nutrition decisions made are more on par with how a toddler chooses behaviors. "I do what I want in the moment - damn the long term consequences!" This is not to say people are generally immature. No. In every other area of their life they might be the most mature, wise adult we could imagine.
So even though I'm talking about nutrition vs exercise in this episode it's really emotional fitness vs exercise because before we eat the wrong things we THINK the wrong things - allowing that temper-tantrum throwing two year old in us to rule the roost. And even this is over-simplified but it'll have to do for now. Until emotional fitness is fully addressed exercise, impacting caloric output, can't even come close to touching nutrition, impacting caloric input, for successful weight loss.
Jason Fung, a medical doctor and author of the Obesity Code, says that a caloric deficit equals no weight loss. Is he right? ๐ฝ In this video on YouTubeย http://bit.ly/2JZDFAOย Fung repeatedly states that a caloric deficit equals no weight loss.ย ๐ One study he cites to support his claim is this one from the New England Journal of Medicine.ย http://bit.ly/2YzG3q0ย You won't find any mention of calories or deficit in the study above. ๐ถ You'll find the study was on 10-17 year olds and the researchers were looking to improve their A1C (glycated hemoglobin) values. An A1C test measures average blood glucose over the past two to three months.ย ๐โโ๏ธ I have a question because I don't get it. Why do so many, with such a massive podium to speak from like Fung, misinform to make the case for THEIR "diet" approach - in this case Fung's pitch (if you watch the video) for intermittent fasting? Use facts and make your case - it'd be a lot more effective if they did. ๐ Give this episode a whirl for the simple truth on this issue.
How important is gratitude to living a happy, peaceful and content life? Concentration camp survivor Dr. Viktor Frankyl says "To live is to suffer; to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.โ
Gratitude, is a key to finding meaning in the suffering. Whatever you are proactively grateful for grows stronger. The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more things you will have to express gratitude for.
ONE MORE THOUGHT: Why include an episode on gratitude? What does this have to do with fitness? Although not as easily measured, emotional fitness, is unquestionably a huge part of being fit. I'd go so far to say that if we aren't at least reasonably, emotionally fit the rest doesn't matter.
Gratitude IS the anti-dote to everyday low-level woes and poor-me thinking. From Biblical times onward, every single philosopher and thought leader embraces the power of gratitude for improving our mindset, attitude and abundance, regardless of the amount of material abundance in our lives. It's that important to living a fulfilled and happy life.
Thank you for watching. By the way this "Thank you" is a reactive form of gratitude. You did something and I thanked you. It's genuine but still it's reactive. PROactive gratitude can be even more powerful - that is when you give thanks to yourself, someone else, the universe not for what has been done FOR YOU but just for being.
Welcome! Simple Truth Fitness. What is it and why should you care?
Simple truth fitness exists to educate you with bite-sized, easily-digested simple truths, about not only what fitness is but how we measure it, why itโs important for everyone, and how we can make strides toward improving it even though we donโt all want the same level of fitness.
Thank you for listening.ย