Have you mastered the art of intensity

Intensity is an important part of your workout. But how do you know when it’s appropriate to increase the intensity so you’re getting the most benefit while still being efficient?

To increase your intensity is really about progression. You will want to apply intensity in the areas where you really want to see fitness improvement. With cardiovascular fitness, you will see progression in the increased speed or distance of travel.  In strength, applying further resistance so the muscle is challenged, then allowed to rest and recover, will create a greater intensity. This is usually accomplished through adding additional weight. Adding intensity with endurance involves adding more reps, which will increase your performance. And with muscle mass, increased intensity is achieved through greater volume, which should be added over time. A few areas where it does not make sense to increase intensity include mobility, balance, speed, and agility.

To evaluate whether you should increase intensity in your workout, the key is to benchmark yourself to get a clear picture of where you are right now from fitness perspective. Early on in your program, you may see great strength gains. Know that you can add incremental weights of two to five pounds over time and see progress.

Are you worried about overtraining? Your body actually gives you feedback to help prevent this. If you have much pain after a workout or feel weaker at your next performance, it may be an indication that you need more rest. If you’re not sleeping well, this may indicate that your body is not recovering well. Having blood work done is also a good way to get feedback on how your body is responding to your training.

With adding intensity, it’s important to remember to get plenty of rest and maintain your form. This will help in avoiding injury. Have a goal in mind of what you’d like to achieve and occasionally rotate your program to allow your body to destress. Following these steps will ensure that you are successfully able to master the art of intensity.

How much is enough?

The 80/20 rule

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Defining success in health and fitness

How do we define health and fitness success? It’s simply about being better than you were yesterday, though a life-altering change may occur as a result. This is clearly seen in the success of previous guests.

Take, for instance, Todd from Episode 15. Todd experienced a phenomenal change when he lost 300 pounds solely through altering his diet and nutrition. Mike from Episode 30 is another great success story. Mike began biking and hiking to increase his fitness. In the process, he developed a deeper passion for those activities, as he is now able to share them with his son. Patty from Episode 35 was determined to not only lose weight, but also quit smoking. She chose to lose the weight and then attacked her smoking habit. While she did gain some weight as a result of quitting her smoking habit, she has improved her health tremendously. Finally, in Episode 55, Mel described her transition from couch potato to running enthusiast. Now in her 50s, Mel is set to run an ultramarathon. Her progress is incredible and truly opens one’s eyes as to what is possible at age 50 and beyond.

While many begin with a goal to lose weight, this is not the goal that will sustain progress. It can even be discouraging when it becomes difficult to lose that last bit of weight. There will always be a plateau. The body will eventually get to its set point, will want to stay there, and will fight you to go any lower.

This is why it is important to have deeper goals with what you want to achieve in regards to your health. Remind yourself about your “why.” Why are you doing this? Family matters or key relationships are often a driver and can help to push you forward in your health and fitness journey. Figure out what drives you and keep that in mind to help propel you to health and fitness success. Don’t limit yourself based on what you see around you. Know that anything is possible with patience, persistence, and progression.

How to maximize your functional fitness

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Learning to run, running to learn

A recent meta-study entitled, “Neuromodulation of Aerobic Exercise: A Review” revealed interesting findings on how aerobic exercise such as running can affect the brain. First, running and aerobic exercise can help to regulate cortisol, a stress hormone. Engaging in running or another aerobic style of exercise can also trigger the release of endorphins. This is often seen when runners are able to achieve the “runner’s high” and experience a relaxation effect. When this is coupled with cortisol regulation, it creates a great opportunity to reduce the individual’s stress.

The study also revealed that aerobic exercise increased brain-derived neurotrophic factors. When the brain is in a beta state, it is highly alert and poised to deal with high-stress situations. However, you don’t want your brain to be in such a situation for long. In the alpha state, the brain is still alert, yet this is more of a flow state. The mind and body know what to do and are able to relax as they complete their functions. This is the state that is achieved.

It was also found that aerobic exercise prompted production of serotonin, which affects emotion and memory. The serotonin is actually converted to melatonin, which aids in sleep. This may help the brain in its ability to recall memories or information. Additionally, dopamine was also increased, which has benefits with short-term memory, motor control, and cognition.

The benefits of aerobic exercise are clear, but how can you find the right level of intensity for you? Find the happy medium of where you can say a few words while running or exercising, but yet you can’t comfortably carry on a conversation. The key is to monitor how you are feeling. Of course, you will want progression, but it is important not to overdo it. An enriched environment is also beneficial to your results, as it can lead to greater longevity, according to one study. In the end, adopting running or other aerobic exercise has great health benefits and is certainly worth consideration for inclusion in your fitness routine.

The tao of running | Gary Dudney

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Plant-based diet | the plant trainers

In this episode, we talk with Shoshana and Adam Chaim who are “Plant Trainers” on a mission to improve the quality of life through nutrition and fitness.   They will walk us through their personal journey of transitioning to a plant-based diet.

Their journey to a plant-based diet began after a health scare.   In the process of researching his health issue, Adam became intrigued and eventually inspired by the plant based lifestyles he was reading about.   He decided to make an immediate transition.

Shoshana’s transition to a plant-based diet was not as immediate.   And while her path was different, eventually she and Adam began expanding their knowledge base on how plant-based nutrition would be the appropriate route for them and their family.   The end result was soaring energy levels, weight loss, glowing skin and other benefits.

Today, Shoshana and Adam Chaim host “The Plant Trainers Podcast.”   They are actively involved in providing personalized plans focusing on nutrition, motivation, fitness no matter what lifestyle you choose.   Learn more about The Plant Trainers and plant-based diets via their website: planttrainers.com

The end of heart disease | Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Stepping it up

In this episode, we are stepping it up with John and Tammy.

John discusses his exercise program, which includes walking about 15,000 steps per day.   He has been working on his squats and is making improvements to his form.

We introduce the concept of Tabata to his workouts. The premise of a Tabata is a series of rounds where you move as hard as you can with an exercise for 20 seconds, in this case squats, jump squats or even push-ups.  Then you take 10 seconds of rest.   The cycle is repeated for a total of 4 minutes.    If you really want to step it up, you can walk a lap or two when the first cycle is finished, then repeat another cycle with a different exercise.

There are apps that you can find that are Tabata timers or interval timers which work well with this concept and guide you through the on and off cycles.   It provides a fantastic workout in a short period of time, while increasing your cardiovascular endurance.

Stepping up your exercise routine with Tabata or interval training will give you a good metabolic kick. We will continue to follow John and Tammy as they continue their health and fitness journey.

Do you have patience, persistence, and progression

Tammy success and lessons learned

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Fat 101

I received a request on Facebook to discuss body fat in more detail. Consider this Body Fat 101. Body fat can be complex, as there are different types of fat and various reasons for it to be stored. Specifically, there are two types of body fat. The first is white adipose tissue, where energy is stored as fat. The second type of fat is brown adipose tissue, which generates heat. Brown adipose tissue is something you will want to have.

It’s also important to consider where the body fat is stored. Visceral or abdominal fat is packed between the organs. This is a bad fat. Abdominal fat is linked to insulin resistance, heart disease, and inflammatory disease. It is more common in men, but as women get older, their bodies may shift toward a tendency to store more body fat in the abdomen. Subcutaneous fat is located under the skin and muscles. This type is not as dangerous as the abdominal fat. If you are in good shape, simply try to keep your body fat in a reasonable, healthy range.

It’s important to note that eating dietary fat does not give you body fat. In fact, it is the insulin response to blood sugar that causes fat storage. When you eat simple carbohydrates and processed foods loaded with sugar, your blood sugar and insulin will spike and lead to a gain in body fat. This is why it is important to eat sensible, real food and avoid processed foods.

Contrary to popular belief, the scale is not an accurate way to measure body fat. Great ways to get an accurate body fat measurement include being evaluated by a professional or using a DEXA scan. The DEXA scan will not only measure body fat, but also indicate your bone density.

To better understand your personal Body Fat 101, be sure to take measurements of your body and use tools at your disposal to estimate your body fat. For more information on health and fitness measures, visit http://older.fitness/measures to obtain a helpful guide.

How to of strength and mass

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music

Deanna gets momentum

Deanna is a homeschooling mom of six who lives a very busy lifestyle. However, she’s also a runner who has gained momentum and improved her health and fitness. She wasn’t always this way though. In fact, she used to feel as though she was in a rut. She didn’t get out of the house a lot and wasn’t involved in anything. She felt frumpy and lacked motivation.

Over the years, she would work out on and off. She would walk every day or do fitness videos, but nothing really stuck. At the beginning of 2013, Deanna didn’t want to be a “frumpy hermit” anymore. She logged into My Fitness Pal and the rest is history. Since then, she has logged into My Fitness Pal each and every day. She had always known what she needed to do, but never really set her mind to it until 2013.

She started running and doing strength training. Deanna also did the Couch to 5k program. She remembers it as being difficult to run for one minute. If one week of training was too difficult, she repeated it. She felt it was important to listen to her body. She didn’t want to overtax herself and risk injury, so she took it slow. Though she continued to wonder—what else can I do? Her positive momentum and drive to succeed was still pushing her forward.

For Deanna, it all started with a decision and commitment. She pushed through and continued to challenge herself with a progressive program. She has seen fundamental changes in her body composition and health as a result. Though she never imagined this level of fitness, she knows it is a lifelong pursuit. She advises others to find something they’re passionate about. Try different fitness routines until you find what you like. Have patience and persistence, and soon you will create a momentum that will lead to progression. To connect with Deanna, send her a message on My Fitness Pal as RunningForeverMama.

Mel goes from couch to infinity

Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music