Going too hard, too long with Lennard Zinn

Lennard Zinn is a professional frame builder, bike designer, and co-author of a new book entitled, The Haywire Heart. This new book examines the potential impact on the heart when pushing one’s self too hard during the course of exercise.

Though exercise is often viewed as a key to living a healthy life, research has indicated that we can actually go too far during exercise. At a certain point, there is potential for exercise-induced disease, especially concerning the heart.

A competitive cycler, Lennard explained that during one particular race, he noticed his heart rate was extremely high. He decided to get it checked out later in the day and was instructed to go to the ER. Though he was in denial for some time about the issues with his heart, he continued to train and race. Eventually these incidents became so frequent that he needed to stop.

Lennard was experiencing arrhythmias, which is an electrical problem of sorts with one’s heart, that causes an irregular or abnormal rhythm. Symptoms encompass a wide variety, ranging from a racing heart rate to general uneasiness. The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, which can present as a strange feeling in the chest or an erratic heartbeat. This can persist for hours or days and may require medical intervention. Anything that seems out of the ordinary should be evaluated by a medical professional.

To encourage heart health, Lennard recommends adding magnesium to one’s diet, as it is critical for the function of the heart. Other beneficial supplements include CoQ10, baby aspirin, hawthorn, L-carnitine taken with alpha-lipoic acid, and iodine.

To connect with Lennard Zinn or purchase The Haywire Heart, visit www.zinncycles.com.

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11 Health and fitness biohacks

There are four main tactics to employ when trying to lose weight: eating well, movement, quality sleep, and managing stress.  But if you're looking to find some incremental advantages, you can add some health and fitness biohacks.  These practices/foods won't move the needle, but they may be something for you to consider as you go on your health and fitness journey.

Health and Fitness Biohacks:

1. Cold – Submerging the body in cold water boosts the metabolism and helps to reduce body fat and inflammation.
2. High-intensity interval training – HIIT builds endurance and enhances your metabolism. Be sure to fully recover during recovery periods and between workouts.
3. Intermittent fasting –This keeps the body in fat burning mode for longer. One method involves eating during an eight-hour period and fasting for the other 16 hours each day.
4. Ketosis – Ketones in the blood can be used to fuel the body’s energy, which leads to fat loss.
5. Hormone management – Aging often leads to a lowering of estrogen or testosterone, which causes the body to store fat in different ways. Maintain good hormone levels through diet, exercise, and possibly supplementation under a physician’s care.
6. Treadmill desk – Do normal work while walking one to two miles per hour. This increases your activity level and improves core strength and balance.
7. Warm lemon water – Consuming this in the morning jumpstarts the metabolism, digestive track, and energy levels.
8. Apple cider vinegar – One tablespoon before bed each night can have a positive effect on lowering blood sugar.
9. Elimination diets – Added weight can be caused by inflammation from certain foods. Elimination diets will help you determine which foods cause you inflammation and should be removed from your diet permanently.
10. Manage your water – Flushing water from the body is one way to drop a few pounds fairly quickly.
11. Long, slow distance – This stress-reducing exercise keeps the metabolism going and allows you to stay in a fat burning mode.

While these health and fitness biohacks should not be used as a primary method of weight loss, they may be able to supplement the main four tactics.

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11 Foods you should be eating

There are several healthy foods you should include in your diet.

1. Avocado – Has good fats, tastes great, and is a great source of potassium without the sugar.
2. Fish – Should eat at least three to four times per week. Mix varieties and choose wild fish, if possible.
3. Leafy greens – Great source of fiber and nutrients. Choose a large salad with kale or spinach.
4. Nuts – Another source of healthy fats and contributes to brain health. Choose an in the shell nut and crack them open as you eat them.
5. Variety of colors – Choose colorful foods like beets, bell peppers, blueberries and vary the colors of the food you eat regularly.
6. Offal – A great source of nutrition, but difficult for many to eat. Find ways to mix liver or kidney in with other foods you eat.
7. Berries – Those ripened on the vine will have the most nutrition and antioxidants.
8. Dark chocolate – Varieties that are 85% cacao will be lower in sugar. Consume small pieces.
9. Flaxseeds – Choose ground varieties and mix it in with any food.
10. Turmeric – Has many health benefits, including anti-inflammation properties. Eat it with black pepper to improve body’s ability to absorb the nutrients.
11. Water – Drink regularly to stay hydrated and flush toxins out of the body.

Be sure to incorporate some or all of these healthy foods into your regular diet to see a real improvement in your overall health.

Becoming a firebreather with Greg Amundson

Greg Amundson is known as the original firebreather in the CrossFit world. In his new book, Firebreather Fitness, Greg defines a firebreather as one who embraces the trials and tribulations of a great physical challenge and maintains an optimistic energy.

The term firebreather has less to do with the physicality of an athlete, but is more related to his spirit or heart. Both novices and seasoned athletes can embrace the spirit of a firebreather.

In the book, Greg includes exercises with visual representations and written cues. The movement patterns are broken down into four basic sets including:

Open – a full extension of hip and body (example: overhead squat)

Close – at axis of hip (example: crunch)

Push – (example: push up or burpee)

Pull – (example: pull up)

These movements are complementary and can be combined, such as with open and push movements, for example. Greg explains that the movements involve multiple joints and use body weight moving through the same patterns. Elite levels of fitness can be accomplished with just moving our bodies.

Greg also discusses the concept of virtuosity, meaning to do the common uncommonly well. This involves finding one’s self completely aligned and integrated between mind, body, and spirit. Other important concepts include intensity, intention to do one’s best, and consistency. Maintaining fitness is meant to be a lifetime lifestyle. To encourage ongoing forward movement, goal setting can be helpful.

Greg also points out the usefulness of the zone diet. This diet quantifies the food we’re eating in a specific way, which complements the physical exercise. The diet involves sectioning off one’s plate, with a high-quality protein source making up 1/3 (about the size of the palm of your hand) and fruit and vegetable carbohydrates making up the remaining 2/3.

To learn more about Firebreather Fitness, visit www.gregoryamundson.com or www.firebreatherfitness.org.

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Nobody’s Perfect

As I near my 51^st birthday, I have spent some time thinking about myself and my life. One of the biggest areas I have struggled with is self-inflicted stress and anxiety. I’m a perfectionist, so I’m always striving to be the best I can be.

The trouble with this mindset is that it often leads to comparison. It’s easy to look at colleagues in the industry, compare myself to how they look or what they have accomplished, and feel as though I am falling short.

What I’ve realized is that nobody is perfect. We all deal with this internal struggle. However, I have come to several realizations in determining how to prevent this negative mindset from taking over.

1. Me versus me. We must stop comparing ourselves to others. The only person you should be competing with is yourself. Continue to make small efforts today and you’ll be better off tomorrow.
2. This is a journey, not a destination. Keep working toward your goals each day. You may take a step back here and there, but you’re not out of the race.
3. Seek joy. Don’t be all work and no play. Plan more activities or vacations. Take time to rest and enjoy life.
4. Focus on your why. My why is to be here for my unborn grandchildren and family. It’s not about being the best in the industry or achieving perfection. Don’t let comparison confuse you about why you started in the first place.

We are human. We all have good days and bad days. As members of the 40 Plus Fitness Community, we can support each other throughout the journey.

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