Surviving vacation

'Tis the season for vacation For many-----

It's summer time, people have a few weeks saved up and need to get ready for that big fourth-quarter push at work coming up soon

So it's a popular vacation time---except for me, I am lucky if I get a " staycation "

I have spent a lot of words on advice on dietary considerations, rest, and other things like that-----  in addition to finding time to train.
    For most, a lot of these thoughts fly  out the window when it's vacation time

In the midst of trying to relax, we may eat more, get even less sleep, be more harried, and ignore our training for a while

You don't have to ignore the training-sometimes it can be as simple as a walk or jog down the beach, or if you have the luxury of being able to bring a bicycle, a nice ride through whatever town you're staying in can be a way to at least get in a little exercise ----  Most hotel gyms range from bad to merely okay,   but a larger hotel or resort may have a passable fitness facility ---   it's better than nothing,

The above pic is more the rule than the exception,- useless old cardio machines on the verge of falling apart    -- if your hotel gym is like the one below, consider yourself very lucky and enjoy 

 But even then ---------  doesnt jogging on the beach sound a little more "vacation-ey" ?

Better yet !  ---  Take a vacation that revolves around fitness ---
  Who wouldnt want to ride their mountain bike through the slickrock trail in Utah?  Or Fruita Colorado, or any number of different places, -- Tsali trail in North Carolina if you like humidity

I'm a fan of getting out and doing something, rather than just lying around a Sandals resort in Jamaica and pampering yourself with strong drink -----


------ Sounds good so far right?


What about the grub?  -- Far too often we treat ourselves to the worst nutritional choices ever on vacation --- and not just on vacation -- maybe entertaining friends , or having a 3 day weekend -- its not hard to slip off the rails a bit

     When it comes to going off the rails , i can do it with gusto, same as anyone else -- and often in spectacular fashion





If your in New York , -- you gotta stop by a pizzeria or 3

 

 Pizza is hot, fresh,  thin crust and usually served up on paper plates as they shuffle you out the door quickly to make room for the many other folks in line for this stuff ------
 
         
And any particular day, you may end up at a breakfast diner

While i've long advocated that there's not much wrong with a couple of eggs and a serving of bacon, - maybe with some  whole fruit ,  when you start adding in the hashbrowns, biscuits , fruit juice,  and pancakes -- you can go into carb overload pretty quick and the chances for a mid morning energy crash are good

            When its not pizza night,  --- who knows, you may stumble into another staple of the cheat meal,  Mexican food !

Here's what a real mexican taco looks like ----- honestly, probably not going to set you back too far from a nutritional perspective  --- but face facts, unless we are in Mexico or San Diego , how many people  ever get real mexican food?    This is 2 corn tortillas (no gluten) - and some steak with onions and cilantro tossed in -- simple !   Calories? - less than 200 apiece,  150 if you go chicken in lieu of beef  -----  so your meal is directly proportional to how many you eat with few surprises

Most people  mistakenly think these things are "Tacos" also 

 And where do Taco's come from? Taco BEll, naturally

     And when  people go to a "Mexican " restaurant, it usually is a "Tex-Mex" style of place that is heavy on the cheese and sour cream based sauces,  and served up with a healthy portion of rice and refried beans  --- as if the carbs you get from a big plate of chips, salsa and the corn tortillas your  food is made with arent enough --- mmm - dont forget the 8 Dos Equis's and the Sopapilla to round it out !

Good stuff, huh?    ---    There are dietary workarounds  at the breakfast place and the mexican places --- the pizzeria, not so much -- the only "workaround" there is to limit how much you eat ----  eat 1.5 slices of NY pie, not 4 , for instance  ----------
       But a lot of people are of the mindset that they are not on vacation unless they loosen the belt and indulge a little bit


  Here's the Tri-fecta ------  Wake up at the crack of ten because you were out til midnight the night before,  -- amble down to the diner for a  big breakfast,  ---  get your day started, and by mid-afternoon, that old familiar feeling starts again, so you pop into a pizzeria for 2 slices of pepperoni and cheese and 3 beers
   ------  Then , after the day's vacationing and conviviality is almost done,  retire to a Tex Mex place for more adult beverages and 2000 calories worth of enchiladas, rice and queso !

Sounds like a wild day?   ---  It happens  ---   and trust me, if you are on a road trip with a bunch of hard training athletes, - a typical day might include all this plus a mid day trip to a all you can eat spaghetti place, and a bushel full of fruit  ---------    but thats for people who train 3 hours a day and sleep 10 hours   ----  not a vacationer from the midwest


How do you re-set the internal clock and bring yourself back to the road to wellness?

Easy -----  chances are you didnt kill yourself, or your efforts with 2 or 3 days of over the top vacationing  ----  If your body is not used to processing that much food -- then it will not process that much food .   I'd prefer this column to be light hearted , so i wont go into the biological details,  ---- but a temporary eating spike may cause some gastro distress, but is not going to hurt most people long term

               So how do we counteract the forces of evil?



1)  - continue taking your vitamins and any other supps or medication that you need to keep you regulated -- its shocking how many people rush off for a trip without their pills

2)  Find a market and make it part of your vacation plans , -- checking out some of the local sights, -- whether its an open air NY street vegetable market like this, or an organic produce stand in California -- or local fruit and veggies if your travelling elsewhere ------

Push comes to shove, you can find a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's about anywhere these days too

And for every horrendously bad nutritional day, have a clean, light day with minimal excess --- just fresh fruits, veggies, an occasional protein or meal replacement shake of your choice, and maybe some lighter fare for dinner

So in the end, in one week , you had 3 clean days, 3 blowout days and a day or two of travel thrown in ---- get back home and get back on point !

If you take my advice and go on an active vacation , to Moab or Tsali (you won't -- the intention may very well be there, but most people have spouses, significant others, and maybe even kids to think about ) --- then you most likely will have to pack your food in, so eating properly comes naturally   --- plus, few would want to take on the Slickrock trail the morning after a Mexican or Italian blowout dinner 

Eating there will be about surviving the next day --- and i like that  ---    And i hope someday you all get to take an "active vacation" like that,  -- whether its recreational mountain biking or  kayaking somewhere cool, or entering an epic race , like the Leadville 100, or Dirty Kanza 200 --- or learning how to scuba and taking a dive vacation on some old shipwrecks -------- its all good stuff

             --------  And to me, trips like that certainly sound a lot more interesting than going to Disney Land  ,  laying around a hotel pool ,   or jack assing around at all the other tourist haunts the world has to offer  ----  although there is something to be said for traipsing around Key West and pretending to the modern reincarnation of Ernest Hemingway for a day or two

Thanks for reading ---- Live long , live well , and prosper !

--Doug

In closing i'd like to give a RIP to Robin Williams  - he was a lifelong cyclist in addition to being a comedian

-- my favorites are the somewhat obscure role -  "The Survivors" , and also "The BEst of Times"  ----   Obviously the man had his demons , and they eventually won,    but he left behind a huge body of work that crossed all genres     ---   

Regarding his mental state, this is more proof that money alone is not the key to happiness, as i am sure he had as much as he ever wanted -----    I do believe though that good health and wellness can go  a long way towards happiness regardless of our finances 

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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

Hey honey! I'm doing a marathon next month !

                         

            Yep ---- they will --- and they'll tell complete strangers when they're training for them too






Goals can be intimidating, . So don't focus on them for a couple of weeks . 
Focus instead on taking consistent daily action. 

What are the daily activities that need to be done to hit your annual overall goal this year?

Focusing on just your actions is like walking through a pitch dark room, when you know the exit is straight ahead, just 10 feet away. Even though you can’t see anything, and you’re basically moving forward blind, you KNOW that if you take those 10 steps straight ahead, you’ll reach the door. So you don’t focus on where you’re going – you just focus on taking those 10 steps in the right direction, and you WILL get there!

Boom. You got this.



 There is a flip side

In the course of my job duties as an insurance man, i was speaking to a middle aged gent  (50ish) -- just making conversation while i looked at his house -----   He had a nice backyard pool so i said 
    "Looks like a nice place to relax after a tough day "   -- no big deal

He had to interject and add ---- (paraphrasing a bit) - "Yes , but i can't enjoy any cold gold, i'm training for a marathon ------ Just started!"

     I continued my inspection of his home , but when i was closing up , we spoke again and i wished him well on his marathon goals ---

 -- nice guy -- 

He had to keep going though (and thats fine) -- we talked about the hot weather , etc.  and how he was bringing his wife's elliptical down from the old gameroom for training  --
  -- At some point , he mentioned he had been riding his mountain bike on the street to acclimate himself to the heat and exertion ---   and when i left, he closed with saying,  

   "yep , about to take the bike for another spin around town , --- push it a little today "
 --- 
   -- I told him to keep himself hydrated and carry a bit of water on a 95 degree day in August

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With the very being of my existence ,   i wanted to shake this man and ask him ---

--- "How the hell is gallavanting around town square on an ill fitting budget priced mountain bike going to prepare him for 4 -5 hours of exertion on foot?  "

Short answer--- its not   

Why isnt he out running?  Or at least jogging?  --- Even running some gassers at the local high school track? 

This is the equivalent of walking through a pitch dark room, --- but unlike my first example --- not knowing where the he-double toothpicks  you are going and continuing to bump into walls and doors

------------ bro,  your wife's 9 year old elliptical that only has 2 hours of use on it is not going to prepare you for 4 hours of war -----   neither is riding the 'ol Roadmaster up to Starbucks for a bit of sun on the veranda

   The way to prepare for a running contest is to run -- not "cross train"    -----  lay down a month or two of slow and steady base mileage --- evaluate your equipment  (you dont want to be 7 miles in and have a hot spot from your shoe)  -- slowly increase your speed, and then twice a week try to increase your distance 

You wont look like this ------ 

But this should be do-able    

     -----  You dont have to run the whole 26 -- you can use the event as your Coup de Grace ,  but you should at least be able to cover 22 or 23 miles in training if you expect to make 26.2 on game day

Whats the difference? ----  The difference between 22 and 26.2 is 4.2 flipping miles ---   sadly most reading this would have some issues with that  --- but im not trying to train marathon runners , merely pointing out how one can have a fantastic goal ,  but then fall short through lack of specific focus, or lack of knowledge


 ------

I will never suggest one of my pupils' go run a marathon --- because i dont see any value in it ----   but if you wanna go -----   Rock on, cowboy !  I want to see you succeed!
   Succeeding at something like that doesnt involve watching Friends re-runs while you pound out an hour on the elliptical

       And let me take an ingratiating stab at what i define marathon success  ----  success would be finishing hard --   I mean,  you should be whipped,  but if you prep right, you will begin to falter and fail within sight of the finish line,  -- not 12 miles before
       Success means finishing in what i would call a decent time  -----  i'm not going to make anybody angry by sharing my idea of a decent marathon time , because it is a very wide range,  ---- but suffice to say, if anybody has to do the math and ask themselves - "Could i have walked it in that timeframe?"  ---  then your too damn slow !!!    (ask me about fartlek and how we can improve your leg speed )




Granted , some people love the mental challenge ,   but most of us exercise because we want results === which result would you rather have?

BTw ---- here is what you get for finishing the Missoula Montana MArathon   ------  knock yourselves out !~        

I was having a bit of fun tonight,  my running friends  ----  i do envy your endurance  a bit, but i dont want to chase the same goals as you

That said,  -- if your gonna do it,  do it right ---  and by all means , try a couple of 5 and 10k's first before committing yourself to the company marathon squad at work --- might save embarrassment


------  But thank you for the effort anyway

Phoning it in !

This week's entry, may on the surface seem to have little to do with training or sweating or any of that business

And it is true I do not have time for any original content right now-------  (i am, as the title implies - "phoning it in" - LOL,  but wait, --- i'm more versatile than you think

 I do have time to share some good reading

One is a Rudyard Kipling poem I came across while reading the pre-face to a  moto publication, META,
   
       I have long been a fan of Kipling, along with Jack London, Hemingway, Joseph Conrad and many many others

            Regarding training principles-I also firmly believe that training begins with the head and works its way down -------
    in today's times of idiocy, I think it is more important for a modern man or woman to adopt a Renaissance lifestyle and be familiar with the works of the greats in literature amongst many many other skills that generation X and generation Y, as well as the millennial's,  seems to take for granted

     I'm not here to tell you how to hunt a deer, or select the proper dinner music when you are entertaining the Lt. Governor,  or anything like that  ----   but I thought I would introduce you to a very good poem from Kipling as well as introduce the man a little bit in case it's been a while
   
Everybody knows about the Jungle Book, You may have read it in grade school-
 

-- Kipling was born in India to British parents and spent his formative years in London but went back to India and later settled in the United States--------   in other words, he was a globetrotter


At a very young age he also was accepted into Freemasonry--- this meant he had a lot of conservative viewpoints which even then were considered stodgy and old-fashioned--- this was a detriment to his career

However, he was thought highly enough to be offered a Knightship, a Poet Laureateship, and the order of merit---- all of which he turned down
       in 1907, he did accept the Nobel Prize for literature   (kind of a big deal)
 

As I said, training begins with the  brain,  -- when our brains are conditioned, we can begin work in earnest on becoming Bigger, stronger, faster (or in some cases smaller)  -- we can increase our VO2 Max, our reaction times, our ability to perform at lactate threshold, Perform under stress, And improve our ability to own our situations

------- but we don't have to be dullards --- with our sole purpose in life being to eat, train, sleep

Embrace literature, embrace the arts , eat good food, drink good wine(within reason) - impress your date or your loved ones and convey upon them the importance to do the same !
       Its very easy to get caught up in day to day living --- keeping our heads above water at work, paying bills, being parents, running small businesses, and attempting to train right, eat right, and get plenty of rest  ---  Just remember that we are still citizens of the world and we should put aside a little bit of time each week to become better humans


Thanks for reading --- But in the short term, please enjoy this poem from Kipling   ------   and for God sakes people continue keeping yourself squared away-
LOL

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If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

 if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or, being lied about,
 don't deal in lies, or, being hated, don't give way to hating, and yet don't look too good nor talk to lies;

 if you can dream--and not make dreams your master;

 if you can think--and not make thoughts your aim; 

if you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same;

 if you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch  the things you gave your life to broken, and stoop to build them up with worn-out tools;

 if you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch and toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings and never breathe a word about your loss;

 if you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone, 
and so hold on when there is nothing in you 
except the will which says to them  Hold On 
 if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings--and not lose the common touch;

 if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; if all men count with you, but none too much;

 if you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run--yours is the earth and everything that's in it and--which is more--you'll be a man, my son!

-- Rudyard Kipling


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Check out the man's sizable bibliography   ---  and if Kipling doesnt do it for ya ,  maybe Poe , or Dickinson, or Brante is more up your alley

Kiplings Wikipedia bibliography


Have fun, --- read well, live well, train well and love lots !

Thanks again for reading



_________________________________________________________________________

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

Don't eat poo - plus lessons from the Canadian Air Force !

Was making breakfast this morning, -- 3 egg whites and 1 egg scrambled together,   2 oz of chicken sausage and 2 pieces of spelted rye bread

It has occurred to me before,  "Why bother?"    - its much easier to just dump 3 or 4 whole eggs in a pan , fold in a couple of ounces of shredded cheddar, then add in some delicious pork sausage and fluffy buttery Texas Toast  and let the good times roll !

Is that really a good time though?    Hardly.   Sometimes eating clean  has a couple more steps involved than eating in a wild, blown out fashion,  - but your body will thank you for it



I already have feedback from otherwise well meaning individuals stating that my philosophies are too complicated to follow -- that the average guy or gal just wants to be told what to do.
   
    My holistic approach that treats the body like a system that starts with the brain and goes down  is too complicated for some --- i guess the fluffy flocks of sheep (and getting fluffier) - really want a guy with a free email newsletter to open up the whole bag of tricks and lay out a 6 week daily, meal by meal diet plan along with one simple can't fail exercise plan that works for everybody

Its not happening --- because there is not a perfect daily exercise plan or workout that is right for everybody - and it is not complicated

What if i have a high intensity workout scheduled for you , -- but you stressed yourself out doing sport specific training in the sun 2 days before , havent been able to sleep right, - and today your resting pulse rate is 81 when it should be 65?

--- Then you dont need to do a high intensity workout today.     You need a lower intensity alternative that day, and you need to have the self awareness to recognize when you need to change gears

 -   I dont care how "hardcore" somebody wants to go any given day --- all that matters are results and that comes from systematically working the numbers in your favor and paying attention to signs your body is giving you

If thats too complicated --- then step right up for some P90X and some Weight Watchers --- if paying attention to your heart rate and recovery rates is difficult, --- try managing some hokey points system for your food

     Go for the  cup full of magic beans , then call me in 8 months when that initial few pounds you lost is coming back with a vengeance,  or if it seems like you are back sliding with your sport specific results   because you either  1) couldnt continue at a high enough level after a certain point to see more results,      or   2) pushed yourself until you got hurt      or   3) pushed it just hard enough to burn out and lose motivation
 -- or a combination of all 3


        Everyday , the teeming masses are spoon fed hefty bowls of  dog poo , not realizing its dog poo because its processed, sprinkled with a little "lemon zest" or strawberry essence to disguise the objectionable smell, and presented in attractive packaging  -- maybe somebody famous even endorses it !
          Don't be the type who blindly eats dog poo.            just because it looks good on the surface, - smells good on the surface, and goes down easy --- its still Doody
     


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Interestingly enough ,
   I do have a workout suggestion for the day, and it was one that was brought up to me by a former member of the RCAF

       5BX is a program developed over 50 years ago for pilots in remote locations who didnt have access to facilities who still needed to stay fit
   As it also incorporates either running or walking, its a stand alone system that actually delivers on my premise of incorporating full body movements into the schedule of a busy professional as well in a time frame that  is appealing  --- 11 minutes of calisthenics plus either 1 or 2 miles of running/walking
       so basically this is a MAX - 45 -50 minute workout even if you can only walk 2 miles at a fairly sedate pace,  but 11 -12 minutes of  the main workout

As i mentioned, this system can stand alone, or be used as your baseline program for the day ---- where you would knock 12 minutes out in the morning to maintain flexibility and a base, minimum level of fitness -- then add to it later in the day with sport specific training, or another activity you are interested in

Personally, i dont have much practical experience with this yet, but after looking at it, - the movements are sound ,  and more recent versions of the program even advocate substitute exercises for the situp , like the plank or crunches,  if situps are not do-able for your back

click on the link below and check it out for yourself  ------ this is a no b-s basic program from your granddad's era that is proof that everything old is new again  --- it may be a fun alternate day exercise system for you,    --- but the levels  and numbers in the 6th chart are tough enough to challenge anyone

Try it out  :)

RCAF 5BX exercise program





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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

July 4 2014

Hope everyone is having a safe and fun July 4    ----

I am trying to do the same

---  I realize my blog submissions have gone from twice a week to twice a month now that we are deep in the summer season,  but i do pledge to continually keep answering my emails in a timely fashion and i thank you for your support

A question came up regarding last blog submission regarding training in the heat  --- i had a personal conversation with a reader where he evidently misunderstood the tone of the post

My post was specifically directed towards my colleagues who put in long work days in the 90- 100 degree temperatures   who may feel like you got in a workout because you are tired and sore ---
  -- sadly , you probably didnt
My suggestion, in review, was to introduce some short interval drills that can be accomplished in 15-20 minutes to elevate your heart rate above your average daily working heart rate ----  mine is about 100  when actively engaged (carrying ladders, climbing roofs, etc)  -- and yes , i strapped on an HRM one day recently while i ran 6 claims in 98 degree heat  -- then when i get back in the truck, its right back down to around 65 or so

a heart rate of around 100 is about what i can expect to achieve pushing a loaded shopping cart around the mall ----  its not work , and its not a workout --  but yes, - it wears you out due to the conditions
    Just sit in the sun for 2 hours drinking Summer Shandy's and Lynchburg Lemonades may wear you out --- it doesnt mean you are working out
    If you are trying to improve yourself in any way -- you need more than that

If you have athletic pursuits you are interested in --- you have to do some workouts in the heat or you wont survive your event
      Hydration is the most important thing but acclimating yourself to the discomfort is right up there
  The 3 largest amateur motocross national events are held in late July and early August in Oklahoma and Tennessee

      Both places are hot that time of year, but it doesnt negate the need to wear 25 pounds of safety equipment  to participate ---- if these are the things you do, you have to adjust , or suffer the consequences --- those races run all day, so you may be lining up for a 4:30 pm sufferfest  

A short course or Olympic length triathlon on the other hand -- if the start gun goes off at 8:30 in the morning,  -- you may very well be done before heat really becomes a factor unless you live in Arizona or something
 

But for the purposes of my intended audience ---   recognize that you are going to need supplemental work to keep making strides forward ---
       Solution may be as simple as waking up 30 minutes early to hit the hotel treadmill for a session, or pound out some time on the sidewalk ----  if you do not feel like you can take another step  after a 12 hour day in the heat




Get it done early  if its a real factor,  and if we have no real reason to be out running coolies and gassers in 5 pm heat
       Personally, unless im training for some hot weather event, i'd rather spend the majority of my after work  time in the summer staying cool
 

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To close , i'll paraphrase --  Jay-Z (i think it was Jay-Z ?-)

He said ,    "I'm not a businessman -----    I am a business,  man "

I couldnt have said it better

In my case, i very much am the business --- i'm not in business , not a businessman either --- I am the business--- a self contained micro-business

And if you are employed in a profession similar to mine -- you are too.    What business would you rather fraternize with?  One that runs efficiently , with good structure, and that stays on top of things?   ---  Or the type of business that is housed in a rundown building in the bad part of town and employs morons who always lose your order and cant get anything right

My legs, lungs, feet, ankles and hands are all necessary business equipment and if i have a failure with any of these systems , -- the business gets shut down.     And its the same with many of my readers,  whether we are amateur athletes or  independent contractors running our own micro-businesses

---------  take care of yourselves  and have a great 4th !