June 4, 2014

Wayne's World (of Fitness!)

 
Today, I'd like to introduce to you my good friend Wayne.  

Not only is he a great guy, but he is quite knowledgeable in the area of fitness. As you read his article (below), I think you'll discover fitness can be fun as well as rewarding. Enjoy!            
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Wayne's Fitness Tips and Tricks

May 2014  Volume 3,
Issue 5

For Runners: The Joy of Running

         We all learned to run shortly after we learned to walk, and we loved it!  So why do some of us stop running?  Several reasons: cars, the internet, raising a family, and desk jobs.  Then, if we try to resume running, it hurts!  And, as adults, we tend to sabotage the joy of running by setting goals.
         How can we rediscover the joy of running?  First, make goals much less of a priority.  When you go for a run, try leaving your watch at home.  I met a woman recently who has done the Pike's Peak marathon 17 times.  She trains from home on a five mile loop “although I'm not sure it's exactly five miles because I've never really measured it”, she told me.  She doesn't know what her normal running pace is because she doesn't time her runs.
         Second, run playfully.  Stop and enjoy the scenery if you are running a trail.  Pick your training runs by what sounds like fun, instead of by how long it is.  Break out of your routine by running someplace new and different.
         Finally, find a different way to get in some miles.  Take a hike instead of a run.  Or ride your bike, especially if you haven't ridden one in a while.  Rollerskate or rollerblade or try skateboarding.  These different self-powered modes of locomotion will also work leg muscles you don't use as much when you run, and that's a good thing, too!
         If you run, you know that you feel better after the post-workout shower, food tastes better, and you sleep better.  You manage stress better.  Like toddlers, you know the pure joy of simply running...


Everything In Moderation...

         I am going to do something this issue that I haven't done before, and I apologize ahead of time: I'm going to indulge in some sarcasm...
         Recently, my wife called me into her home office, “Would you like to see something really depressing?”  That should have been my first clue to run the other way!  She had pulled up on article on the internet entitled, “The Worst 20 Things You Can Eat And Why”.  (If you like being depressed, here is the link: http://healthyliving.msn.com/nutrition/the-20-worst-things-you-can-eat-and-why#21 )  Her parting comment was, “Doesn't that just take all the fun out of eating??”  By the way, for some reason, bananas didn't make the list!  (See the March newsletter...)
         So here's the sarcasm: “Wayne's List of 8 ½ Things You Should Not Eat And Why”...

         1. Rocks.  Although high in essential minerals, rocks are extremely difficult to chew and digest.
         2. Lumber.  High in fiber, and low in fat, but there is a very high risk of getting splinters.  In extreme emergencies, the cambium layer of trees, just beneath the bark, can be eaten.  (True!)
         3. Air.  There is absolutely no nutrition in air.
         4. Bricks.  (See “Rocks” above)
         5. Automobiles.  Full of artificial ingredients, and gasoline is toxic.
         6. Bugs.  People in other cultures actually do eat bugs, but in this country, habitual bug-eating will cause you to lose all your friends.  Besides, the furry, leggy, squirmy ones tend to stick in your throat...
         7. Aliens.  Never ever, under any circumstances should you eat an alien!  If you've seen the movies, you know what happens, and it's not pretty.
         8 ½.  Elephants.  Even half an elephant has way more calories than you'd need in an entire year.

Seriously, here's a simple guide to healthy eating:

         1. Don't eat too much junk food.  A little bit of fast food occasionally is okay.  McDonald's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is not okay.
         2. Everything in moderation!  Water is essential, but too much can literally kill you.
         3. “Variety is the spice of life.”  Eating a wide variety of foods pretty much guarantees you will get all of the nutrients you need.  If you feel you need to, take vitamins and/or protein supplements.
         4. Personally, I would avoid restaurants as much as possible.  My wife and I stopped going out almost completely when the recession hit.  Now that we go out occasionally, I am shocked at the size of the portions!  I almost always take half of my food home to eat later.
         5. Eat your bananas!
Sarcopenia

         As we age, we tend to lose muscle mass, and the fitness industry even has a term to remind us of our unavoidable physical decline: sarcopenia.
         Is loss of muscle inevitable?  Probably, but it can be slowed considerably through exercise, especially resistance training, and proper amounts of dietary protein.  Here are some suggestions for maintaining/gaining muscle mass:

         1. Lift weights.  Just one day a week of resistance exercise will help you maintain muscle mass.  Even 90-year-olds have tripled their strength in 10 weeks by lifting! Basic guideline: three sets, 5-10 reps on each set.  If you can do more than 10 reps, use heavier weights.

         2. Keep track of your protein intake.  If you are exercising without adequate protein, you will not get stronger because your muscles cannot rebuild themselves. Basic guideline: at least ½ gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.

         3. Include some aerobics/cardio/endurance exercise to balance out the strength training.  Basic guideline: 30-45 minutes of cardio at least three times per week.

         4. Finally, do some isometrics.  Full-body muscle tension builds strength and keeps muscle groups balanced, and you don't need a gym or equipment to do isometrics.  Basic guideline: 5 minutes of isometrics three times a day.

Quote of the Month

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

-Confucius


Yours for better fitness,
Wayne
my.trainer.wayne@gmail.com
720-628-2009 (voice/text)


Some of my favorite places on the 'net:

General fitness:
                       
                        Snap Fitness: www.snapfitness.com/gyms
                        Livestrong: www.livestrong.com
                        Wayne's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/WaynesFitnessTipsAndTricks

Nutrition:
                        Susan Drake's nutrition: www.I8Gr8.com
                        Food and exercise journaling: www.myfitnesspal.com
                                                                           www.livestrong.com/myplate/
                        Information on glycemic index: www.glycemicindex.com
                        Good eating: www.yesiwantcake.com
                                                www.hungrygirl.com

Running websites:

                        My free race website: www.wayneruns.weebly.com
                        Shoes, running gear: www.roadrunnersports.com   
                                                            www.runnersroost.com
                                                            www.boulderrunningcompany.com
                        Racing calendar: www.racingunderground.com
                        Marathon training: www.jeffgalloway.com            





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