The pain of regret

Hey all  ----

It has been a couple of weeks since i checked in

--- I am  happy to report that, although i dont have as much time to write, It is because i am busy roaming the backroads of Oklahoma and Kansas taking care of the needs of people affected by the many many little insurance related storms that have cropped up in the late spring

      I have been attempting to put my money where my mouth is, and stocking my cooler with fresh fruit , deli turkey, mineral water and an occasional shot of liquid zip (caffeinated pre-workout powders like NO-Xplode) - to get me through long days in the saddle

       -- What do i do when i get to the hotel and find that the local motel only has a treadmill in a 8' x 10' room with a tv and mockingly calls it a "workout center" ?
   Thats easy ---
    Planks, pushups to failure, then granny pushups, followed by wall sits and air squats ---- any thoughts of doing real beneficial work to increase my VO2 max or anything cool like that fly out the window when i am on the road    --- if its just a few days, its all about getting a good stretch - breaking a minor sweat, and keeping moving
       My job involves some moderately physical things that are at times performed during 90-100 degree heat during the summer  --- my take on this is such work related activity normally only serves to wear people out, without doing anything substantial at all to help anybody's fitness and wellness
 
         As i have mentioned many times, i am currently an insurance adjuster, -- and my early writings are geared towards juggling schedules and maintaining fitness and sanity on the road -------  I have to tell ya, -- climbing 5 or 6 steep roofs in 100 degree heat , (your roof is actually 35-40 degrees hotter than this too) - will wear you out - , but its the type of fatigue that makes you want to reach for a cool something or other and a channel clicker and just watch sports center until its time to go to Applebees   - a bastion of late night Heartland America dining
       This type of activity is not doing you any good -- if your resting pulse is 75-80, climbing a roof might raise it to 110 for a very limited period of time --- the heat is beating you up and wearing you out, but its not giving you a workout no matter what others may think to the contrary

      Stay hydrated ! -- stay out of the sun as much as possible unless you are actively engaged --- I use a Camelback on claims if its a big commercial job or a larger residential deal too ----
   -- use some sunscreen occasionally --- too much sun also serves to wear you out and your semi weekly workout will suck as a result

              ---- What is my case study?  -- My brother operated a roofing business --  to do this, he runs several crews of men in busy seasons  ----
            A roofing crew typically consists of 5 - 7 guys , mostly all hispanic in this region, - and they bust their ass -- i have witnessed guys carry 2 bundles of shingles up a ladder at a time (160 lbs or so) - and then dance across a steep ridgeline like Peter Pan, -- all while carrying a 30 pound gut from beans and beer ---
 --- How can you carry any extra weight while doing such strenuous activity ?
   Your body becomes accustomed to the work, especially sub-maximal loads  -- If it didnt , these roofers would be capable of running marathons on their off-weekends

        My opinion?     Repetitve low intensity work  will work you into an early grave --- you may be able to carry 80 lbs up a ladder 40 times a day,  but may not be able to push-press 225 even once.
     It is not an athlete's lifestyle    ---   and if your a busy claims adjuster who is wearing themselves out everyday in the heat, --- you are also flirting with those sub maximal loads that just wear you out but do nothing for you ---- in fact, if you add in the ankle and knee stress, -- are more detrimental for you than anything
   -------   you may be saying -- "So what do you recommend, big timer?"  -
  I'd honestly recommend throwing in a few high heart rate interval sessions perhaps twice a week to go along with another couple of moderate intensity workouts

The term "Interval Session" -- that sounds cool, - like we're Ben Johnson preparing for the '88 Seoul Olympics or something --- shootin' a little dope and running sprints

      The reality is,  Interval training is not nearly that exotic ---
 Take your hotel treadmill for instance, start out on that at a solid pace -- maybe a fast walk .   After a 12 minute warm up --- turn it up a few notches -- your walking even faster .
   Turn the pace down to a recovery walk for two minutes, -- then turn it up again  for a minute --- thats an interval.  
      At a certain point , you will be transitioning from  a fast walk to a full sprint for a minute, and then back again --- but the volume depends on you - so does the recovery period

     Blast off with 4 intervals for your working set and see if you dont feel like a winner when you trudge up the stairs to get to hit the showers
         This is applicable to anything you want to use to torture yourself, treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, -- or maybe a local high school track after hours

   If your knees are garbage , you may be able to hit interval heart rates just fast walking too ---

Yes  --- it will hurt at first   --  but i truly enjoy the saying   "The pain of regret hurts worse than the pain of effort"


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Now, i wish to give back a little , --- i dont personally respond to every single email, but you can guarantee that i still read every one



Lindsey S., thanks for the kind words --- you will lose those last 15 and get that 8 minute mile !   Just keep up what your doing ---

Craig T --- stay the course- your program is working well, and i was glad i could give you some sound advice to enhance your already good work

John D --- you need to  give me a call ---- your at a sticking point and i have a couple different ideas for you

Claire F --- LOL - stay away from "Plexus" and the rest of the fad diet schemes and keep up your high protein lower carb regimen and i am sure things will be right on !

Jennifer J --- I appreciate your input - both negative and positive.  take from my writings what you can use -- the rest , file away for a rainy day  :)  --

Theodore, my Crossfit disciple --  i admire your enthusiasm -- at a certain point you will have to get a bit more sport specific to go sub 2:30 on a short course,  but for now, keep up the good work

Orlando, -- stay strong and focused --- you reached the top in college -- i know you have faced setbacks, bro, but you can rise to new heights -- stay realistic, - dont expect too much right away , but you might be pleasantly surprised at what you still have left in the tank


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To my readers who read this every once in a while -- thank you

I am not selling anything (yet  ;)  ---  I thank you for the increased patronage to the site and the increasing amount of questions ---
   Questions show me that you are invested -- that you are thinking a little --- not just nodding your head and accepting what the latest info-trainer is spouting

      ____________________________________________________________

 Just a quick reminder, if you like what you read, forward this email to a friend, or use the little tab at the bottom to link it to your facebook page.  

 Thank you very much in advance for your support and send me an email at   Dougmcbride@fitclaimspro.com   to be added to the hard subscriber list

---- Doug

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disclaimer:    The information contained here is not intended to replace the medical advice of your physician and is not intended as medical advice.  This newsletter/blog is a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the staff of Fitclaimspro.com and professional colleagues unless otherwise noted

June 1 - back to business !

Anyone who actually reads this little column will have noticed that the last couple of posts haven't been specifically about health and fitness

I have written a little about stereotypes and images ,  and a Memorial day tribute to some folks----  that actually meant a lot to me to get out into the open

But its June 1st and its time to get back to business so to speak


I have a couple  things i want to talk about today --- List making, and beer consumption





   I have said all along that for many people who are already active, diet can be the key to taking things to the next level

How do you start?

Do you just saunter over to BArnes & Noble and pick up the latest book from Bob Greene, Bill Phillips, or Jillian Michaels?
    You could , but it would probably be just as productive to pick up a Guy Fieri book -- at least he has cool cars !

        For those not familiar with Guy Fieri,   he's a  stocky guy who dresses like a cross between an Ed HArdy model and Sammy Hagar, --  and although he's fortyish, he still goes around fist bumping everybody and saying irritating things like ---

     "Thats Off the hook Bro ! "   (usually in reference to something deep fried)

Guy Fieri doesnt do anything to promote clean eating from what i can see, but at least a book from him may provide some entertainment ------   he looks like  a fun guy 

But seriously  ----------   

The place to start is with pen and paper --  try to recall everything you have eaten in the last 3 days, - all the way down to that opportunistic handful of potato chips or the donut left in the employee break room

Why backtrack?   --- because i'm thinking we are physchological creatures, -- and if we start list making just on items going forward -- we will start eating like Ghandi for a short amount of time

  

Sure, you can survive on a cup of rice a day for quite a while, just like Ghandi,  --- but do you want to look like Ghandi?    (note: -- Ghandi is a champion for non violent resistance and i admire the man's body of work )

      For that matter, do we want to look like Guy Fieri?   ---  If someone told me they were going to sprinkle some pixie dust on me and  i could  either have a physique like Ghandi's, or like Guy Fieri's --- choose one

 --- That would be a very tough thing to choose from , wouldnt it?

So backtrack as many days as you can -- i'm thinking most have the mental capacity to go back 3 days - maybe even 5 if we really wanted to stretch our memory a bit ---

  MAke a list   ----- then take a look at it

Visualize one of these  "fitness trainers" - picking apart your list  ---    What are the items you would be embarrassed to have on there when you show it to these people?    

    Cutting out those items is a good place to start    ---   immediately, you dump the Taco Bell, Slim jims, old HAlloween candy, fried chicken and cheesy lasagna, - not to mention sodas and beer (if you dont completely cut out soda and beer, its a good idea to bring the consumption down to a dull roar at least)

----- Now start making your list again ---   Mentally, you will be "On the program" , so you will make better choices ---  you will be eating in a way that you perceive to be much healthier 

  -- This next list may require some interpretation after a couple of weeks --- i assume you will be striving for a favorable mix of protein to fats to carbs

          Some items are not as "in your face" with being blatantly bad for you --- white rice, whole wheat bread, cereals, pastas ----- in fact - 25 years ago, these were almost considered cornerstones in healthy eating  back in the low fat dieting phase that was popular  in the 80's and early 90's

                                                   

     There is not a universal diet trick that is right for everybody----  if you are eating sizable portions of those type of foods and experience symptoms like  bloating , or sleepiness after meals, frequent hunger, or needing to take in caffeine just to make it through the day,   you may be flirting a bit with "carb intolerance"

     I hate that phrase, --- but  any symptom like that would be a sign to phase out or greatly reduce your consumption of these products and replace them in your diet with more veggies,  and lower glycemic food choices, as well as higher percentages of lean protein

Fast forward 2-3 weeks  --- your body can be  stubborn and true change doesn't always start to manifest itself immediately -- but how do you feel in 2-3 weeks?  Better?  --- i'm predicting most will feel a little better and start to feel like they have more long term , sustainable energy

     A few of you won't though   ---- If your still feeling sluggish -- cycle back in more of the higher glycemic carbs 

----  I'm not talking about heaping plates of fettucine alfredo  with a side of crusty italian bread ---  ( but maybe a small saucer full would be more in keeping) 

     

What does a small plate of pasta look like?  

Something like this -- and no, i am not kidding --- the plate above it , with the bread , on the other hand , has enough calories to get a lot of people through a whole day , --- but i have seen just as much on dinner plates at popular Italian restaurants --- pasta packs a big nutritional punch 

The thing that jumps immediately to mind is a sweet potato , or some variety of yam,  even half a white potato occasionally

  

Stay away from the cinnamon and sugar on the sweet potatoes,   - and a white potato doesnt need a pound of butter and cheese on it -- instead try some salsa --or a greatly reduced portion of just plain ol , regular full fat butter   ---                                                                                           

I'm not talking about a lot of these ---  this is not a weight loss strategy either ---  this is an energy management strategy ,    but if we manage our energy more effectively, our body is using the calories it takes in more efficiently --- and it is wasting less and storing less,  - 

Its hard to muster up the energy for a 45 minute workout when you feel so tired its hard to hold your head up

Again --- energy management is the key,    ---  get it right and you will feel great , -  get it wrong and you may not have the extra energy it takes to slip an old Jazzercise record onto the turntable   in your parents basement                   

   

If any of you are following this advice and after 6 weeks still feel like garbage ---  (time enough to kick out some carbs , and then slide some high glycemic carbs  back in ) ---  send me a personal email 

If i cant help you -- i know some folks who can

The idea is simple ----  so to summarize

• make a list , 
•  cut out the embarrasing stuff --- proceed another week or two -  research the difference between high glycemic foods and low glycemic ones --- we've covered it in this blog too, but its easy to google it as well
• -- then strip out even more of the higher glycemic stuff --
• - proceed another week or two ,  - if you feel worse - add in  more carbs in incremental amounts  until your energy starts to come back up a bit ,     -- if you feel great, stay the course 
• If you feel good ---- keep up the good work -- by this time you've been "In the program" for 3 or 4 weeks and you should be reaping the benefits
• Rome wasn't built in a day --after 6 weeks - if you've tried the strategies i've briefly outlined above and your energy levels are still in the toilet - give me a call or email

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BEER

A word about beer

                                               

There's a reason its called a beer gut

Why specifically though?  A beer doesnt have many calories -- 95 -110 for the lighter varieties , and carbs are minimal too (5-8 grams per serving X how many "servings" you partake in throughout an evening ---- still, a plate of pasta has much much more )

Big answer #1   -    

•       Alcohol has to be processed immediately after consumption  ---- fat burning activities are ceased while processing alcohol
•   A once a month pool party? - Not a big deal  --- but 3 or 4 times a week of imbibing at college frat boy levels would mean you have complete days when you are not utilizing your nutrients you take in very efficiently at all.

Big Answer #2  --  

• While your body is processing alcohol,  you still may be busy yourself processing nachos, pizzas, chicken wings, or bratwurst's  ----  

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•     Even if your not eating things like that --- even a seemingly smart food choice, like some sashimi, or grilled chicken , or a lean steak --- can be stored as fat as you are missing the deadline to use these calories properly  --- all because your body is processing alcohol

Big Answer #3 --

•  Estrogen !   ---  Hops contain huge amounts of plant based phytoestrogens  -
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• - with a society that is seemingly obsessed with increasing male testosterone for guys over 40  --- rgeularly consuming too much liquid estrogen is probably not helping advance that cause much
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• Blame the Germans -- they ordained the beer purity laws in 1516 stating only water, barley and hops could be used to brew beer   ---- before that, concoctions called Gruit were regularly consumed , and made with herb mixtures like sage, rosemary, or bog myrtle --- these have a shorter shelf life than hops based brews, but they also dont turn men into girls either
  

I cant speak personally for the Gruit, but i'd like to try some if i can find it 

I readily admit i like beer and have had episodes where i drink too much , and occasionally - way too much     --- so i am not only writing this for you, but as a reminder to me  as well

In keeping with that   ------ I'll close it out by sharing some pics of some small Bud Light enthusiasts though

   

Thanks for reading !

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  Just a quick reminder, if you like what you read, forward this email to a friend, or use the little tab at the bottom to link it to your facebook page.  

 Thank you very much in advance for your support and send me an email at   Dougmcbride@fitclaimspro.com   to be added to the hard subscriber list

---- Doug

_______________________________________________________________________________

disclaimer:    The information contained here is not intended to replace the medical advice of your physician and is not intended as medical advice.  This newsletter/blog is a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the staff of Fitclaimspro.com and professional colleagues unless otherwise noted