Lisa Sabin’s - Running And Being

I’m down to my weight goal for Boston. Originally, I wanted to drop 5 lbs to help me increase my speed and make running easier on my body. A few less lbs to carry up the hill was the idea. Now the trick is to maintain this weight. I may drop a couple more, through the training. The miles are starting to add up so it could happen without to much effort. We are cleaning up the junk food around the house, because Phil is in training for Mt. Shasta. He wants to drop some weight too. The only problem is when the teenagers come over they want pizza and ice cream. It takes a lot of discipline to resist indulging in that stuff!

Here is how I did it:

I have increased my mileage through my training, so I’m burning more calories. I cut starchy carbs and simple sugars from my diet. That means no chocolate, no deserts etc. I reduced the amount of latte’s by about 50%. I’ve been eating organic oatmeal, a protein shake with banana or ezekiel bread with a poached egg in the morning. Lunch is usually a salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, with some pecans and goat cheese or some form of protein. Dinner has been sockeye salmon and broccoli, asparagus or spinach salad. If I am hungry I throw in an organic apple or banana. I’m also drinking about 48-64 ounces of water. I love San Pellegrino. The day before a long run or race I eat more carbs. I include a multigrain bagel and some whole wheat pasta. This seems to be working for me.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 02/27/2008
• Time: 16:00:00
• Total Time: 00:34:20.00
• Average Heart rate: 158
• Max Heart rate: 169
• Calories: 300
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 8:35.02/mile

Not everyone burns calories at the same rate.  Some of us lead active lives and have faster metabolisms, as a result.  Mothers of small children, or people with active jobs burn more calories than those who sit at a desk all day.  Determining RMR, resting metabolic rate is the first step to figuring out how many calories you need to maintain your weight.  Nancy Clark, MS, RD, is America’s leading Sports Nutritionist.  Her book Sports Nutrition Guidebook gives us a formula for calculating calories.  This formula is fairly accurate for healthy people.   

What is Resting Metabolic Rate?

Resting metabolic rate is the amount of calories that your body needs to live at rest.  That does not include activity.  Resting metabolic rate is how many calories are needed to survive if you laid in bed all day.

To Estimate Your Daily Calorie Requirement:

1. Determine your estimated RMR by taking your body weight and multiply by 10.

  Example 125 lbs x 10 = 1250 calories (RMR)

2. Determine how many calories you need for purposeful exercise. 

  Example jogging for 60 minutes at 6.0 mph burns 4.2 calories per pound of body weight.  125 x 4.2 = 525 calories

3. Determine how many calories are needed for activity level APART from purposeful exercise.

  Example 1250 (RMR) x 30% = 375 calories

• If you are sedentary add 20 - 40% RMR
• If you are moderately active add 40 -60% RMR
• If you are very active add 60 - 80% RMR

4. Add the answers to steps 1, 2 and 3 to determine today’s daily caloric requirement. 

  Example 1250 (RMR) + 525 purposeful exercise calories + 375 daily activity calories =  2150 calories.  If this person jogged for only 30 minutes then she would only burn 262 calories in purposeful exercise.  Then her daily caloric requirement would be 1887 calories.

You may have a sedentary job, but burn a lot of calories through exercise.  You may have an active job, like a firefighter or a construction worker and have a high caloric requirement because of your daily activities.  Balancing the amount of calories taken in with the amount expended is the key to maintaining a healthy weight. 

  Sports Nutrition Guidebook, By Nancy Clark, MS RD

 I have to admit that I love my morning coffee. I’ll drink coffee in just about any form, latte’s, mocha’s, cappuccino’s, you name it, all nonfat of course!

Occasionally, I clean up my diet and eliminate coffee, sugar, white stuff and wine. I usually drop a few pounds when I do this. I drink more water, when I eliminate the coffee, plus I am saving a few calories from latte’s, which creates a calorie deficit.

As a runner, I am interested in improving my performance. I want to run faster. I also want to maintain a healthy body weight, that will make it easier to run.

Is Coffee Good or Bad?

Pros:

Antioxidents - The key is moderation. Some studies have found that small amounts of caffeine may help prevent cancer because of the antioxidants it contains. On the other hand, large amounts can cause heart palpitations and other circulatory problems.

Athletic Performance - Primary among caffeine’s benefits is its effect on free fatty acid metabolism. When frees fatty acids are used for fuel they spare glycogen, glucose and amino acids which would otherwise be metabolized at a faster rate. The net effect of this is increased availability of glucose for use as muscle fuel. In other words, higher blood sugar levels for longer periods of time. This is also why coffee is popular among students. The brain functions exclusively on glucose, and higher blood sugar levels facilitate thinking. The most popular effect of caffeine is not physical, but mental.

This stimulation, in the form of motivation, can be an advantage to an occasionally undermotivated athlete but be careful not to become too hyper before a race or ride. Excess stimulation can impair the ability to ride safely and intelligently.

The amount and type of caffeine consumed are significant determinants of its effectiveness. There are large qualitative differences between coffees, even though the total amount of caffeine might be similar. Better coffees are lower in acid, higher in caffeine and have a longer lasting effect. Ground coffees are generally preferable to canned or instant. Sodas are all basically similar except for taste, Coke and Mt. Dew (and Snapple) being the most popular among cyclists. Diet sodas are a good choice because of their fluid to caffeine ratio, taste, and lack of sugar. Tea is a popular choice among Europeans. Some pros drink a bottle full of Earl Grey and but, don’t drink anything but water off the bike.

Increases metabolism temporarily - Caffeine can HELP you drop small amounts of extra weight with the proper diet and exercise and in proper doses. but always be sure to drink alot of water, because most of the weight at first will be WATER WEIGHT and if you over-do the caffeine you can easily dehydrate yourself. Also remember, while caffeine speeds up you metabolism temporarily, it also can speed up your appetite. but as a whole it can be very helpful to boost energy while dieting and help you lose a few pounds or at least help you get started.

Cons:

Addicted - Caffiene causes a short-term elevation in your metabolism, which gives you a burst of energy. Like any addiction, however, as your body becomes accustomed to caffiene, it begins to compensate. Used over the long term, caffiene actually reduces your metabolism. . . you come to need increasing amounts of caffiene just to stay alert. The slower metabolism actually causes you to gain weight on less food. This makes Diet Coke the perfect product, since it is actually helping to create the problem it’s trying to “cure.”

Increases cortisol levels - It raises Cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that is responsible for fat storage in the body.

Spike in blood sugar - After caffeine begins to wear off your blood sugar plummets. This causes you to crave sugar. In other words you think your hungry when you’re really not. This is obviously counterproductive to your weight loss goal.

Fatigue - After caffeine wears off youare tired. Then you have more caffeine. Then you are tired. Ect… By the end of the day most people who drink coffee are exhausted and they dont know why. This fatigue makes it difficult to exercise which is a one of the most important ways we should be getting our energy.

Pesticides used on coffee crops - Coffee is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee might reduce or eliminate the exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers.

Like anything else, moderation seems to be the key. I’ve been drinking more green tea lately. I also bought some new organic coffee from Milestone that I like. I continue to drink coffee and not drink coffee in spursts. There are times when I need the boost, especially when I am riding a century, or running a marathon. I don’t like to be addicted and sometimes I fall into that category. That’s when I take a break from it.

Sources:
http://www.mercola.com/2002/aug/17/coffee_tea_stress.htm
What_is_good_or_bad_about_caffeine_when_you_are_trying_to_diet”>http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_good_or_bad_about_caffeine_when_you_are_trying_to_diet
http://www.bicyclesource.com/body/nutrition/caffeine.shtml

I did the Bikram class today at Hot Yoga of Kirkland. There is a new instructor there named Glenn. This is the second class I have taken from him. He’s pretty good.

The Hot Yoga gang has posted a challenge to go one month without complaining. They are gathering signatures of people to stop negative talk. I think it’s an awesome idea. I signed of course!

I mentioned to Linda, the owner that we ought to put up a new challenge in June of giving up processed sugar. I have been making some changes in my diet, which include giving up sugar, processed foods, coffee drinks etc. I’ve lost about 6 pounds and I feel really good. I didn’t realize how much junk I was actually eating. Now I notice that I feel bloated and puffy when I eat stuff like pizza or icecream. I am not saying I will never eat the stuff again. I am just noticing the contrast and I am committed to feeling better and taking better care of myself.

Workout:

• Type: Flexibility
• Date: 06/01/2007
• Time: 09:30:00
• Total Time: 00:01:30.00
• Calories: 400

 Magical Oats

Oats are high in soluable fiber.  What that means is that oatmeal acts like a sponge which absorbs cholesterol and removes it from your system.  3 grams of fiber has been shown to reduce cholesterol, specifically LDL, which is low density cholesterol.  This equates to about 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal a day.  RDA recommends 5-10 grams of soluable fiber every day. 20-35 grams total.

• Dietary fiber consists of nondigestible carbohydrates and lignin that are intrinsic and intact in plants. This includes plant nonstarch polysaccharides (for example, cellulose, pectin, gums, hemicellulose, and fibers contained in oat and wheat bran), oligosaccharides, lignin, and some resistant starch.
• Functional fiber consists of isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans. This includes nondigestible plant (for example, resistant starch, pectin, and gums), chitin, chitosan, or commercially produced (for example, resistant starch, polydextrose, inulin, and indigestible dextrins) carbohydrates.
• Total fiber is the sum of dietary fiber and functional fiber. It’s not important to differentiate between which forms of each of these fibers you are getting in your diet. Your total fiber is what matters.

You may also hear fiber referred to as bulk or roughage. Call it what you want, but always remember that fiber is an essential part of everyone’s diet. While fiber does fall under the category of carbohydrates, in comparison, it does not provide the same number of calories, nor is it processed the way that other sources of carbohydrates are.

This difference can be seen among the two categories that fiber is divided into: soluble and insoluble.

• Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance. Sources of soluble fiber are oats, legumes (beans, peas, and soybeans), apples, bananas, berries, barely, some vegetables, and psylluim.
• Insoluble fiber increases the movement of material through your digestive tract and increases your stool bulk. Sources of insoluble fiber are whole wheat foods, bran, nuts, seeds, and the skin of some fruits and vegetables.

There is some evidence that “bulking up” could lead to slimming down. In a recent study of more than 1700 overweight and obese men and women, those with the highest fiber intake had the greatest weight loss over 24 months. Results from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) from 1994 -1996 also supported the relationship between a high-fiber intake and lower body weight. One of the reasons that fiber may have an impact on body weight is its ability to slow the movement of food through the intestines. The gel-like substance that soluble fibers form when they dissolve in water causes things to swell and move slower in the intestines. This increase in time that foods stay in the intestines has been shown to reduce hunger feelings and overall food intake. It has also been shown to decrease the number of calories that are actually absorbed from the ingested food. One study showed an increase in the number of calories that were excreted in the stools when high-fiber psyllium gum-based crackers were given in comparison to low-fiber crackers. Whenever fewer calories are taken in, or more are excreted, weight loss will generally occur.

Fiber for controlling diabetes

A high-fiber diet may be just what the doctor ordered to get your blood sugars under control. Keeping our blood sugars stable is a goal that we would all benefit from. If you don’t have type 2 diabetes, this could be the way to prevent it. If you do have it, this could be the way to keep it under control. The best time to address type 2 diabetes is before it has developed. Research has shown that high-fiber diets can help prevent this form of diabetes. The most recent study on done on overweight and obese men and women without diabetes showed reductions in blood sugar and insulin with the use of a high soluble fiber supplement. A German clinical trial reported that eating fiber-enriched bread for only three days improved insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese women by 8%. If a diet intervention this small can have that great of an impact, you can imagine what years of following a high-fiber diet, filled with vegetables, fruits and whole grains would do. The good news for those with diabetes is that increasing your fiber now can also prevent long-term complications from diabetes. Soluble fiber has been found to produce significant reductions in blood sugar in 33 of 50 studies testing it. In clinical intervention trials ranging from two to 17 weeks, consumption of fiber was shown to decrease insulin requirements in people with type 2 diabetes. If you have ever had to inject yourself with insulin, you can appreciate how much easier and less painful it would be to increase your fiber intake to avoid the need for insulin injections.

There you have it, oatmeal is a power food that can help you lose weight and improve your health.   I like it because it’s nice to have something hot in the morning, especially during the Winter.  I don’t always have time to make the old fashioned steel cut oats, but I still get the benefit.  I buy Nature’s Path Instant Organic Hot Oatmeal.  I get the convenience of instant oatmeal that’s a great source of fiber.  Each packet has 4 grams of fiber and range from 150 to 200 calories per serving. 

Sources:
Betty Kovacs, MS, RD, MedicineNet.com
R. Morgan Griffin, Webmd.com
Marin Gazzaniga, Healthmsn.com

Knowing your Max HR, will help determine your individual training zones. I think we all want more effective workouts. Using training zones will help you reach your fitness goals faster.

Some facts about training zones:

• Training zones have names that correspond with their benefits.
• Training zones have a floor and a ceiling, a range.
• Training zones are sports specific.
• Training zones use different fuels, depending on current fitness level.
• Different amounts of calories are burned in each zone.
• Different ratios of carbohydrate and fat are burned in each zone.
• Training zones change if you are at altitude(Max HR drops).
• Training zones are affected by medication and drugs.
• Training zones are relative to individuals.

Zones

Zone #5 - Redline

• 90-100% Max HR
• Mostly Carbohydrates burned
• Approximately 20 Calories per min (150 lb person)(600 Calories for 30 min.)
• Maximum Effort: Sprinting, high speed intervals
• Benefit: Improved lactate tolerance (Great Improvements in Speed and Performance)
• Lactate Concentration: >8mmol/l
• VO2: 86-100%
• Rating of Perceived Exertion: 7-10
• Description of R.P.E.: Very, very hard to Maximal, Can’t talk except for short phrases

Zone #4 - Threshold

• 80-90% Max HR
• More Carbohydrate than fat burned
• Approximately 15 calories per min (150lb person)(450 for 30 min)
• Hard Effort: Time trials, intervals, tempo, hill work
• Benefit: Improved anaerobic capacity, lactate clearance (Improve Speed and Performance)
• Lactate Concentration: 4-8 mmol/l
• VO2: 73-86%
• Rating of Perceived Exertion: 5-7
• Description of R.P.E.: Hard to very, very hard, can still talk, but not comfortably

Zone #3 - Aerobic

• 70-80% Max HR
• Nearly equal amounts of carbohydrate and fat burned.
• Approximately 10 calories per min (150lb person) (300 calories per 30 min)
• Endurance and steady state
• Benefits: Improved aerobic capacity, optimal cardiovascular training (Improve Fitness)
• Lactate Concentration: 3-4 mmol/l
• VO2: 60-73%
• Rating of Perceived Exertion: 4-5
• Description of R.P.E.: Somewhat hard to hard, Very aware of breathing, still comfortable to talk

Zone #2 -Temperate

• 60-70% Max HR
• Mostly Fat Burned
• Approximately 7 calories per min (150lb person) (210 per 30 min)
• Long Slow Distance, recovery and regeneration
• Benefits: Improved fat mobilization, basic cardio training (Maintain Fitness)
• Lactate Concentration: 2-3 mmol/l
• VO2: 48-60%
• Rating of Perceived Exertion: 2.5-4
• Description of R.P.E.: Easy to somewhat hard, Comfortable talking, but aware of breathing

Zone # 1-Healthy Heart

• 50-60% Max HR
• More Fat Burned
• Approximately 4 calories per min (150lb person) (120 calories per 30 min)
• Warm up and cool down, rehabilitation
• Benefits: Improved self esteem, stress reduction, blood chemistry(Get Fit)

Example: My Max HR for running is 200

• Zone 5 - 180-200 (Racing!)
• Zone 4 - 160-180 (Racing or tempo runs)
• Zone 3 - 140-160 (Most of my time is spent here)
• Zone 2 - 120-140 (Recovery)
• Zone 1 - 100-120 (Warm up & cool down)

Example: My Max HR for cycling is 190

• Zone 5 - 171-190 (Racing, triathlon!)
• Zone 4 - 152-171 (Long difficult rides, hill climbing, spin class intervals)
• Zone 3 - 133-152 (Most time spent here)
• Zone 2 - 114-133 (Recovery rides)
• Zone 1 - 95-114 (Warm up and cool down)

Things to Consider:

Spending a lot of time in zone 3 helps develop a good cardiovascular base. Once a fitness base is established, improvements can be made by targeting 1 or 2 workouts per week in zones 4 and 5. Be careful not to have all your workouts in zone 4 or 5. The risk for injury and burnout are greater in these zones. Spending too much time in zones 2 will not yield the desired results for weight loss or performance even though a higher percentage of fat is burned. The total amount of calories burned is significantly lower than in zone 3.

A sound training program uses all 5 zones. Remember to warm up and cool down each work out. Build your base and add in some key work outs. Watch your fitness improve!

Sources:
Sally Edwards, Heart Zones Training
Sally Edwards & Sally Reed, Heart Zones Cycling
Edmund R. Burke, PHD, Precision Heart Rate Training

I think about what I eat every day and try to eat heathy grains, lowfat dairy products, lean meats etc. I try to avoid sodium. The RDA recommends keeping sodium intake below 2,000 mg per day. It’s amazing how much sodium is in everything! I will weigh a few pounds more the day after eating out or having pizza. It’s a challenge to keep it all in balance. I am trying to get a little leaner and still have energy to work out and maintain my busy lifestyle.

I was reading a case study in CompetitorNW The article is about Sean, a 27 year old competitive swimmer who started gaining weight after he quit competing. As a law student his schedule is busy, despite this he still manages to get in some swimming, rock climbing and cycling. His goals are to maximize energy levels and encourage fat loss and enhance performance. Isn’t this what we all want?

Kim Mueller, MS, RD, Sports Nutritionist noticed that Sean’s calorie intake was too low. (1,635 calories) His carbohydrate intake was too low as well as his protein intake. This would explain low energy levels and poor recovery from work outs.

Calorie and carbohydrate restriction can lower the amount of glycogen stored within the muscles and liver, which can lead to reduced power output and decreased endurance capacity. High protein, low carb diets have this same effect. It’s like putting the wrong kind of fuel in the engine.

Sean’s other problem was too many calories at the end of the day. Instead of eating 3 larger meals, it’s better to eat 4-6 smaller meals through out the day.

The solution for Sean:

Increase calories to 2100, focusing on adding more carbohydrates to help him recover from his work outs. At the end of 12 weeks Sean lost 10 lbs, and increased his lean body mass by 3 pounds, which equates to a 7% increase in metabolic efficeincy.

I read this article and started analyzing my diet. My calorie intake is not bad. I am in a recovery cycle right now, which means I am not burning as many calories. I notice that I am tired sometimes and that I come up short in the fiber department. I am not much of a fruit eater. I also need to drink more water.

New diet goal: Add 2 fruits per day. Drink more water. Try not to go over 5 hours with out eating something.

To lose fat, there must be an energy deficit. Energy expended exceeds energy intake. Weight loss occurs by decreasing the amount of calories consumed. This method tends to have a rebound effect with a regain of fat weight when the person returns to a normal diet.

To understand how resistance training effects metabolism, it’s helpful to think of the effects of exercise over a 24 hour period.

Thermic Effect of Activity, accounts for about 15-30% of energy expenditure, Thermic effect of feeding accounts for about 10% or energy expenditure, and resting metabolic rate accounts for 60-75% of energy expenditure.

Strength training doesn’t burn as many calories during an exercise bout as aerobic exercise. However, strength training or resistance training causes a gradual increase in muscle mass which increases the basal metabolic rate (the calories required to maintain basic body functions throughout the day or night). As the metabolic rate increases, more calories are needed to perform daily functions.

EPOC, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, refers to the calories expended (above resting values) after an exercise bout. This is the amount of oxygen the body is utilizing to return itself to its pre-exercise state. (Borsheim and Bahr, 2003) Studies have found that the magnitude and duration of EPOC is dependent on the intensity and duration of exercise. It can take 15 minutes to 48 hours for the body to recover to a resting state.

For every liter of oxygen consumed, approximately 5 calories are burned. EPOC was significantly longer following the highest intensity exercise. i.e. Cardiovascular training at 70-85% VO2 Max has a higher EPOC than exercising at 60-70% or 50%.

EPOC for resistance training was also longer following intense exercise bouts. In a study by Gilette et al. (1994), resistance training (5 sets, 10 exercises, 8-12 reps at 70% 1-rep max) elicited a greater EPOC response when compared to aerobic exercise (50% VO2 for 60 minutes) Circuit resistance training elicits an even greater EPOC response.

Although, there are variations in individual responses, additional caloric expenditure following exercise can have a positive effect over time and may contribute to long-term weight management. Cardiovascular training at or above 70% VO2,(almost every day) along with strength training or resistance training twice per week will have a positive effect on decreasing body fat and increasing lean body mass.

Rob Parker, Resistance Training and Fat Loss, PT on The Net, Sept 1999
Murphy, E. and Swartzkopf, R. 1992 Effect Pf standard set and circuit weight training on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. Journal of Applied Sport Science Research, 6(2), 88-91
Chantal A Vella, Ph.D. & Len Kravitz, Ph.D., Exercise Afterburn: Research Update

I woke up this morning and found 6 boxes of girlscout cookies on the dining room table. They weren’t there when I went to bed! A friend of ours has two daughters who are girlscouts. Apparently, Phil didn’t know about my pact with my sister to give up sweets for lent! Either that or he just couldn’t resist a couple of cute kids.

They are in our freezer right now, out of sight, out of mind right? I feel like the guy in the movie “What It Takes.” He doesn’t keep any food in the house, so he won’t cheat.

The cookies are calling me! Should I keep my word? or support the scouts?