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Posts Tagged ‘cardio’

HIIT Kicks Cardio’s Butt

March 16th, 2010

I like to visualize Ben Johnson crushing Carl Lewis when I do my HIIT sprints

So, there I was.

I had just finished a set of killer HIIT sprints….when the Lance Armstrong clone to my left asked me “what’s the deal with that workout”?

I think I croaked something about anaerobic this and EPOC that…and was about to hop off the bike when he said…

“that’s just a fad..like Atkins. If you want to get fit, you HAVE to do cardio”

Arrrgggghhhh!

Stifling my hulk-like rage, I asked…

“What do you mean I have to do cardio?”

From there, he proceeded to tell me why cardio rocks and why high intensity training (HIIT, HIRT, resistance training) sucks.

Double arggghhhhh!

Hulk (me) was getting mad.

But, instead of smashing, I flipped him one of my business cards (along with a certain finger) and suggested he read the following study which shows (once again) how HIIT kicks cardio butt

And here’s the study.

According to the researchers, high intensity interval training (HIIT) is better than traditional endurance training for improving:

Athletic performance
Metabolic performance
Molecular adaptation to exercise

According to researcher Martin Gibala…”doing as little as 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously.”

We have known for years that repeated moderate long-term exercise tunes up fuel and oxygen delivery to muscles and aids the removal of waste products. Exercise also improves the way muscles use the oxygen to burn the fuel in mitochondria, the microscopic power station of cells.

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Running or cycling for hours a week widens the network of vessels supplying muscle cells and also boosts the numbers of mitochondria in them so that a person can carry out activities of daily living more effectively and without strain, and crucially with less risk of a heart attack, stroke or diabetes.

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But the traditional approach to exercise is time consuming. Martin Gibala and his team have shown that the same results can be obtained in far less time with brief spurts of higher-intensity exercise.

Take that Mr. Lance Armstrong clone.

But wait, it get’s better.

One of the main complaints about High Intensity Interval Training is that it’s…well, too intense.

Sure, it gives you a great workout, but it will probably give you a heart attack.

Not according to Dr. Gibala.

The main purpose of his study was to prove the performance, metabolic and molecular advantages of a more practical model of low-volume HIIT.

The new study used a standard stationary bicycle and a workload which was still above most people’s comfort zone (about 95% of maximal heart rate) but only about half of what can be achieved when people sprint at an all-out pace.

Seven men performed 6 HIIT training sessions over 2 weeks.
Each session consisted of 8-12 x 60 s intervals (at ≈100% of peak power) separated by 75 s of rest.
That’s a total of between 17 and 26 minutes per workout or 2 ½ hours over 2 weeks

So, how does this workout compare to traditional cardio?

According to the doc, to achieve the same performance, metabolic and molecular benefits with traditional endurance (cardio) training, you’d need to complete over 10 hours of continuous moderate bicycling exercise over a two-week period.

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Hmmmmm…let’s recap.

HIIT

2 ½ hours per week

Cardio

10 hours per week

And I won’t even mention the fact that HIIT workouts make you look like this:

while cardio workouts make you look like this…

your choice.

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High Intensity meets High Tech

November 24th, 2009

do-your-tabatas

It’s no secret – I love High Intensity Interval Training.

I love that it’s great for melting body-fat
I love that it’s great for improving aerobic fitness
I love that it’s great for improving anaerobic fitness
And I love the fact that I get all of these benefits without having to spend hours on a treadmill like some kind of human/gerbil hybrid.

BUT, one thing I don’t like about HIIT/Tabata Training is that intensity is highly subjective.

When I tell a client that I want 100% on a set of interval sprints, how can I know that they are giving 100% effort.

How do we measure intensity?

Well, up until now, here’s what I have been doing (I will use HIIT bike sprints as an example)

After an adequate warm-up, I set the exercise bike at the appropriate level of resistance.
Then we start banging out 10 second sprints going as fast as possible
I help things along by “encouraging” my client to go faster.

I also ask the client to track the number of revolution one leg makes during the 10 second sprint.
For example, a new client recently tested out at 25, 27, 28, 28, 29, 27 and 24 revolutions per leg per 10 seconds. (bike resistance set at level 7 of 10)

This means that their maximum speed at resistance level 7 was 29 revs per leg per 10 sec.

This is also the number we now use to judge performance.

If they pedal slower than 29 rev @ level 7, then they are either fatiguing, not working hard enough or just having a bad day.

It’s not very high tech, but it has worked pretty well…up until now.

Now, I want to get my hands on some of this technology.

These new pieces of technology (Pulse Oximeters, portable ECGs and Activity Monitors) are being used right now by elite level athletes and in research settings to determine how to make exercise more efficient.

And when you consider that every IPhone and Google Android phone comes equipped with a built-in accelerometer, a proximity sensor and is bluetooth ready, it is highly likely that in the very near future, you are going to be able to ramp up the efficiency of your workouts by at least 25%.

And where did I get that 25%, you might ask?

And the answer is…from this study.

Without going into all of the highly technical details, researchers used some of the technology mentioned above to collect performance data while putting their test subjects through a modified Tabata workout.

data set Then they took that data, combined it with the data collected via a medical survey questionnaire and plugged it into a data mining decision tree.

I told you it was technical.

The upshot is that after all of this data was crunched, the researchers were able to design optimized interval training programs personalized for each and every test subject.

And, as a result of those optimized programs, the test subjects were able to improve their performance by 29.54%

What do you think of that!!!

29.54%

I can’t wait to get my hands on some of this technology.

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What does Healthy Look Like?

November 19th, 2009

According to research out of the UK, the color of a person’s skin affects how healthy and therefore how attractive they appear.

And since the color of a person’s skin is directly influenced by the quality of their diet, the researchers concluded that your diet may be crucial to achieving the most desirable complexion and therefore maximizing your attractiveness.

So, it’s true…you are what you eat.

Or, in this case, you’re as attractive as you eat.

Note - Researchers were looking exclusively at Caucasian test subjects. The research was not concerned with racially differentiated skin colors.

The Study

Using specialist computer software, a total of 54 Caucasian participants of both sexes were asked to manipulate the skin color of male and female Caucasian faces to make them look as healthy as possible. They chose to increase the rosiness, yellowness and brightness of the skin.

“Most previous work on faces has focused on the shape of the face or the texture of the skin, but one of the most variable characteristics of the face is skin color,” said Dr. Ian Stephen who is now at the University of Bristol.

“We knew from our previous work that people who have more blood and more oxygen color in their skins looked healthy, and so we decided to see what other colors affect health perceptions.

Skin that is slightly flushed with blood and full of oxygen suggests a strong heart and lungs, supporting the study’s findings that rosier skin appeared healthy. Smokers and people with diabetes or heart disease have fewer blood vessels in their skin, and so skin would appear less rosy.

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The preference for more golden or ‘yellow-toned’ skin as healthier might be explained by the ‘carotenoid pigments’ that we get from the fruit and vegetables in our diet. These plant pigments are powerful antioxidants that soak up dangerous compounds produced when the body combats disease. They are also important for our immune and reproductive systems and may help prevent cancer.

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They are the same dietary pigments that brightly colored birds and fish use to show off their healthiness and attract mates, and the researchers think that similar biological mechanisms may be at work in humans.

“In the West we often think that sun tanning is the best way to improve the color of your skin,” said Ian Stephen, “but our research suggests that living a healthy lifestyle with a good diet might actually be better.”

Melanin, the pigment that causes the tan color when skin is exposed to the sun makes the skin darker and more yellow, but participants in the study chose to make skin lighter and more yellow to make it look healthier.

Conclusion

Beauty = Health

And until all of us start carrying our health records around with us, we will have to rely on our ancient “lizard brains” to determine if another person looks healthy and therefore attractive.

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Researchers Find the Answer to Senior Citizen Heart Health

October 26th, 2009

Researchers have discovered a cutting edge technique to help senior citizens improve the elasticity of their arteries – thereby reducing their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Led by Dr. Kenneth Madden, the researchers were able to reduce arterial stiffness by 15 to 20% in only 3 months time.

But wait, it gets better.

Unlike most cardiovascular treatments, the cost of this new cure-all is…….nothing, zero, nada, rien…it’s free.

It’s free because the treatment is:

Exercise

Wow!!!

Exercise instead of drugs…who would have thought of that???

The Study

Dr. Madden divided his test subjects into two groups.

The first group performed one hour of vigorous physical activity for one hour, three times a week for three months.
The second group continued to live a sedentary lifestyle.

Subjects were classified as sedentary at the beginning of the study but gradually increased their fitness levels until they were working at 70 per cent of their maximum heart rate, using treadmills and cycling machines. They were supervised by a certified exercise trainer.

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And after three months, the exercise group was healthier, while the sedentary group wasn’t.

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So, as a public service to all of my 65+ readers (and those readers with friends & family who are 65+), I will be posting “no equipment necessary” workouts geared toward trainees who are boomer age and older.

Enjoy

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BTW, this post is for my Dad…who should be outside right now getting some exercise

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The Lazy Man's Guide to Getting Ripped

September 8th, 2009

A few weeks ago, I was talking to a potential client. He told me that he would love to get fit, but he just doesn’t have the time.

He’s just too busy with work, kids, internet porn, etc…

B.S.

He’s not busy…he’s lazy.

And he’s not alone.

According to the WHO, there are 3.6 billion lazy guys sitting on couches all around the world.

And the trainer who can help those lazy buggers transform their lazy asses from….

…is going to be rich.

Filthy…Stinking…Rich

So, here we go. The lazy man’s guide to getting ripped….or as I like to call it – My ticket to becoming filthy, stinking rich.

(BTW, this story is based on a real client. We have been training for one week. He has already lost 5 lbs.)

DIET

Meal # 1 – Breakfast

1 Tbsp of Fish Oil
3 medium sized Apple or Pears
3 fried or hard boiled Eggs
Water or Tea
5 grams of Leucine

Meal # 2 – Morning Coffee Break

My client works in an office. Each morning, he has a mandatory group meeting. Coffee & pastries are served.

1 Coffee (with cream)
15 Almonds (brought to work in a little Ziploc baggie)
Water

Meal # 3 – Lunch

Big Salad – consisting of

Salad Greens (pre-washed, pre-chopped)
1 can of tuna or salmon, or 3 more hard boiled eggs, or leftover meat from last night’s dinner
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice or Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
5 grams of Leucine
Water

Before our hero goes to bed at night, he rips open the bag of greens and dumps it into the tupperware container. Same goes for the protein. In the morning he pours in the oil, lemon juice & salt and pepper. Come lunch time, he shakes the container and presto he has his Big Salad

Meal # 4 – Afternoon Snack

1 Coffee (with cream)
15 Almonds (brought to work in a little Ziploc baggie)
Water

Meal # 5 – Workout Nutrition

1 serving of Biotest’s Surge Workout Fuel, combined with
5g of Creatine, and
1 serving of Progressive Nutritionals VegeGreens
1.5 liters of water

Meal # 6 – Dinner

Another Big Salad or steamed vegetables prepared with a microwave steaming bag
BBQ – steak or chicken or fish or pork or lamb or….
5 grams of Leucine
1 Tbsp of Fish Oil
Water

TRAINING

I have designed a training program specific to his needs, injuries, muscle imbalances, etc…

But the basic design of the program is:

3x per week total body HIRT workouts
2x per week HIIT/Cardio workouts on his stationary bike
1 x per week active rest – long walks with his wife, soccer with the kids, etc…
Dynamic stretching at each workout designed to correct imbalances & prevent injuries

THE RESULTS

As I mentioned above, the client has lost 5 lbs in the first week.

And while that certainly is good news, what really excites me is the fact that he has been perfect on his meal compliance.

He said that it was easy…EASY!!!

But, that was the first week. Let’s see how he does this week. I will report back on Sunday.

BTW, if anyone needs some help setting up a plan like this one, I would be glad to help.

[contact-form]

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Your Omega 3 Prescription

September 4th, 2009

By this point, you should already know that you need more Omega 3 fatty acids into your diet.

The question is: how much?

A teaspoon of fish oils?
A tablespoon?
3 pills?
or a great big slab of smoked salmon?

Well, according to this study, researchers believe that “a 200 mg dose of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems, such as those related to aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes”.

This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health.

The Study

To determine the optimal dose of DHA, the researchers examined the effects of increasing doses of DHA on 12 healthy male volunteers between ages of 53 and 65. These men consumed doses of DHA at 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg per day for two weeks for each dose amount, with DHA being the only omega-3 fatty acid in their diet. (No EPA)

Blood and urine samples were collected before and after each dose and at eight weeks after DHA supplementation stopped. The researchers then examined these samples for biochemical markers indicating the effects of each dose on the volunteers.

They found that supplementation with only 200 mg/d DHA for 2 wk induced an antioxidanteffect.

They concluded that “low consumption of DHA could bean effective and nonpharmacological way to protect healthy menfrom platelet-related cardiovascular events”.

Conclusion

If this study is correct, you need only 200 mg of DHA per day to reap the cardiovascular benefits of the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA.

And how do you get 200 mg of DHA?

1/2 tsp of fish oil
2 of these kiddie chewable DHA supplements
5 Krill capsules
2 oz of fresh/frozen salmon or tuna

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Better Than The Biggest Loser

August 24th, 2009

This post is for all of those people out there who watch The Biggest Loser.

STOP! x-weighted xweighted x weighted

TBL is BAD. biggest loser

But, luckily for you, I am here to help.

I am here to tell you about…

X-Weighted is such a perfect example of the difference between Canadian and American television programming.

Where The Biggest Loser is about quick results, X-Weighted is about long term success.

Where The Biggest Loser is about sound bites and perfect hair, X-Weighted is real.

And where The Biggest Loser is a worldwide ratings success, X-Weighted exists in relative obscurity.

Like most other weight loss reality shows, X-Weighted follows one or two people through their transformation from fat to slightly less fat.

The trainees receive help from personal trainers, nutritionists and various other medical personnel.

Unlike other shows, the stars of X-Weighted are followed for 6 whole months.

6 Months….enough time to make some real changes in your life.

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Real people getting real results.

And if that isn’t enough for ya, you are going to love the host/celebrity trainer, Paul Plakas.

Personally, I don’t agree with all of his training/diet ideas. But, what I do like about Paul is that he is a real person. When I watch the show, it feels more like a documentary than a reality show, and Paul is a big part of that.

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So, please…switch off The Biggest Loser and switch on X-Weighted

Here’s a link to X-Weighted episodes online.

Enjoy

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13 Training Mistakes You Need to Avoid

August 4th, 2009

Fitness training isn’t rocket science.

Good training & nutrition decisions produce good results.

Poor training & nutrition decisions produce poor results.

So, how come when I go to the gym this afternoon, I can pretty much guarantee that I am going to see a lot of intelligent, well-educated, gainfully employed people making some pretty stupid training decisions?

Maybe fitness training is rocket science?

Maybe I am some sort of fitness training genius.

So, as a public service to all of the non-fitness-training genii out there, here is a list of some of the training mistakes I will probably see at the gym today.

Try and avoid them.

Doing Cardio Training before Resistance Training
Doing Static Stretching before Resistance Training
Training Core before Legs
Chugging a Gatorade while reading a book on the Exercise Bike
Thinking that the Inner Thigh (Adductor) Machine is going to work some sort of magic.
Ignoring your Weaknesses and over-training your Strengths
Believing that Core Training is all about Crunches & Planks
Training Body Parts instead of Body Movements
Believing that you can Out-Train a Bad Diet
Making chronic neck & shoulder pain worse by ignoring your postural muscles
Thinking that Resistance Training will make you too big
Thinking that Cardio training will make you too small
Performing a one size fits all type of fitness program

And if you see yourself on the list and want to change your evil ways, feel free to comment.

I or one of your fellow readers would be glad to lend a hand.

Addendum

I just received an email from a quasi-famous strength coach/trainer to the stars telling me that I was an idiot for believing that cardio prior to resistance training is a bad idea.

Personally, I can’t believe that he took the time out of his day to tell me off via email (wouldn’t a comment have been quicker?) but I would like to thank him because it helped me come up with another fitness training mistake:

Dogma

Believing that one way of training is the 100% right and that all other methods are 100% wrong.

Whether it’s hardcore cardio junkies or Crosfitters or bodybuilders of Yoginis, being close minded to different training methods seems prety stupid to me.

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America's "Official" Obesity Solution

July 29th, 2009

According to Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the US medical system spends around twice as much treating obesity related illnesses than it does on cancer.

Obesity Related Illnesses: $147 billion

Cancer (all types): $93 billion

And how, you may ask, is that $147 billion being spent?

Prevention…….Nope
Drugs & Surgery…….Yep

But, not anymore.

A few years back, the CDC initiated the Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project (aka the Measures Project).

The goal of the Measures Project was to identify and recommend a set of obesity prevention strategies and corresponding suggested measurements that local governments and communities can use to plan, implement, and monitor initiatives to prevent obesity.

The Measures Project process was guided by expert opinion and included a systematic review of the published scientific literature, resulting in the adoption of 24 recommended environmental and policy level strategies to prevent obesity.

This report presents the first set of comprehensive recommendations published by CDC to promote healthy eating and active living and reduce the prevalence of obesity in the United States. This report describes each of the recommended strategies, summarizes available evidence regarding their effectiveness, and presents a suggested measurement for each strategy that communities can use to assess implementation and track progress over time.

Translation: This is the first big gov’t approach to obesity prevention through lifestyle modification.

And here are the 24 strategies.

Strategies to Promote the Availability of Affordable Healthy Food and Beverages

Strategy 1

Communities should increase availability of healthier food and beverage choices in public service venues.

Suggested measurement
A policy exists to apply nutrition standards that are consistent with the dietary guidelines for Americans to all food sold (e.g., meal menus and vending machines) within local government facilities in a local jurisdiction or on public school campuses during the school day within the largest school district in a local jurisdiction.

Translation: Stop selling junk food in schools & public facilities

Health Habits Comment: What constitutes healthy food? Who determines what is healthy food? CDC? USDA?

Strategy 2

Communities should improve availability of affordable healthier food and beverage choices in public service venues.

Suggested measurement
A policy exists to affect the cost of healthier foods and beverages (as defined by the Institute of Medicine [IOM]) relative to the cost of less healthy foods and beverages sold within local government facilities in a local jurisdiction or on public school campuses during the school day within the largest school district in a local jurisdiction.

Translation: Healthy food subsidies

Health Habits Comment: What is healthy food?…again

Strategy 3

Communities should improve geographic availability of supermarkets in underserved areas.

Suggested measurement
The number of full-service grocery stores and supermarkets per 10,000 residents located within the three largest underserved census tracts within a local jurisdiction.

Translation: City planning, taxation & bylaws (ex. LA has banned new fast food restaurants in low income neighborhoods)

Strategy 4

Communities should provide incentives to food retailers to locate in and/or offer healthier food and beverage choices in underserved areas.

Suggested measurement
Local government offers at least one incentive to new and/or existing food retailers to offer healthier food and beverage choices in underserved areas.

Translation: Taxation & bylaws

Health Habits Comment: How do you pay for healthy incentives? Tax McDonalds?

Strategy 5

Communities should improve availability of mechanisms for purchasing foods from farms.

Suggested measurement
The total annual number of farmer-days at farmers’ markets per 10,000 residents within a local jurisdiction.

Strategy 6
Communities should provide incentives for the production, distribution, and procurement of foods from local farms.

Suggested measurement
Local government has a policy that encourages the production, distribution, or procurement of food from local farms in the local jurisdiction.

Translation: Locavores are happy

Strategies to Support Healthy Food and Beverage Choices

Strategy 7
Communities should restrict availability of less healthy foods and beverages in public service venues.

Suggested measurement
A policy exists that prohibits the sale of less healthy foods and beverages (as defined by IOM [Institute of Medicine]) within local government facilities in a local jurisdiction or on public school campuses during the school day within the largest school district in a local jurisdiction.

Translation: Junk food bans

Health Habits Comment: How do you stop kids from buying junk food off-campus?

image: Jeff Parker - Florida Today

Strategy 8

Communities should institute smaller portion size options in public service venues.

Suggested measurement
Local government has a policy to limit the portion size of any entree (including sandwiches and entrée salads) by either reducing the standard portion size of entrees or offering smaller portion sizes in addition to standard portion sizes within local government facilities within a local jurisdiction.

Translation: The opposite of Super-Size Me.

Strategy 9

Communities should limit advertisements of less healthy foods and beverages.

Suggested measurement
A policy exists that limits advertising and promotion of less healthy foods and beverages within local government facilities in a local jurisdiction or on public school campuses during the school day within the largest school district in a local jurisdiction.

Translation: Media bans on public property

Strategy 10

Communities should discourage consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

Suggested measurement
Licensed child care facilities within the local jurisdiction are required to ban sugar-sweetened beverages, including flavored/sweetened milk and limit the portion size of 100% juice.

Translation: Replace fruit drinks with fruit juice and chocolate milk with plain milk or even…water

Strategy to Encourage Breastfeeding

Strategy 11

Communities should increase support for breastfeeding.

Suggested measurement
Local government has a policy requiring local government facilities to provide breastfeeding accommodations for employees that include both time and private space for breastfeeding during working hours.

Strategies to Encourage Physical Activity or Limit Sedentary Activity Among Children and Youth

Strategy 12

Communities should require physical education in schools.

Suggested measurement
The largest school district located within the local jurisdiction has a policy that requires a minimum of 150 minutes per week of PE in public elementary schools and a minimum of 225 minutes per week of PE in public middle schools and high schools throughout the school year (as recommended by the National Association of Sports and Physical Education).

Strategy 13

Communities should increase the amount of physical activity in PE programs in schools.

Suggested measurement
The largest school district located within the local jurisdiction has a policy that requires K–12 students to be physically active for at least 50% of time spent in PE classes in public schools.

Strategy 14

Communities should increase opportunities for extracurricular physical activity.

Suggested measurement
The percentage of public schools within the largest school district in a local jurisdiction that allow the use of their athletic facilities by the public during non-school hours on a regular basis.

Translation: Schools become free public health clubs

Health Habits Comment: Increased taxation required for the extra employees, utilities, insurance, etc?

Strategy 15

Communities should reduce screen time in public service venues.

Suggested measurement
Licensed child care facilities within the local jurisdiction are required to limit screen viewing time to no more than 2 hours per day for children aged ≥2 years.

Health Habits Comment: How about 0 hours of tv? How about reading a book to the kids, or arts & crafts, or playing a game. Sheesh!

Strategies to Create Safe Communities That Support Physical Activity

Strategy 16

Communities should improve access to outdoor recreational facilities.

Suggested measurement
The percentage of residential parcels within a local jurisdiction that are located within a half-mile network distance of at least one outdoor public recreational facility.

Translation: Fitness Alfresco

Health Habits Comment: No question…love this idea

Strategy 17

Communities should enhance infrastructure supporting bicycling.

Suggested measurement
Total miles of designated shared-use paths and bike lanes relative to the total street miles (excluding limited access highways) that are maintained by a local jurisdiction.

Strategy 18

Communities should enhance infrastructure supporting walking.

Suggested measurement
Total miles of paved sidewalks relative to the total street miles (excluding limited access highways) that are maintained by a local jurisdiction.

Strategy 19

Communities should support locating schools within easy walking distance of residential areas.

Suggested measurement
The largest school district in the local jurisdiction has a policy that supports locating new schools, and/or repairing or expanding existing schools, within easy walking or biking distance of residential areas.

Health Habits Comment: Does this mean the end of busing?

Strategy 20

Communities should improve access to public transportation.

Suggested measurement
The percentage of residential and commercial parcels in a local jurisdiction that are located either within a quarter-mile network distance of at least one bus stop or within a half-mile network distance of at least one train stop (including commuter and passenger trains, light rail, subways, and street cars).

Health Habits Comment: How does public transit directly affect fitness/obesity?

Strategy 21

Communities should zone for mixed use development.

Suggested measurement
Percentage of zoned land area (in acres) within a local jurisdiction that is zoned for mixed use that specifically combines residential land use with one or more commercial, institutional, or other public land uses.

Translation: Create self sufficient “villages” within a community. This way you can walk to the grocery store instead of driving to the mall. Livable city concept.

Strategy 22

Communities should enhance personal safety in areas where persons are or could be physically active.

Suggested measurement
The number of vacant or abandoned buildings (residential and commercial) relative to the total number of buildings located within a local jurisdiction.

Translation: In urban areas, walking at night can be a very real threat to your health.

Health Habits Comment: Violent crime is not a quick or simple fix. No idea how they plan to enhance personal safety in dangerous neighborhoods.

Strategy 23

Communities should enhance traffic safety in areas where persons are or could be physically active.

Suggested measurement
Local government has a policy for designing and operating streets with safe access for all users which includes at least one element suggested by the national complete streets coalition

Translation: Automobiles give up some space to pedestrians, bikes & transit.

Strategy to Encourage Communities to Organize for Change

Strategy 24

Communities should participate in community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity.

Suggested measurement
Local government is an active member of at least one coalition or partnership that aims to promote environmental and policy change to promote active living and/or healthy eating (excluding personal health programs such as health fairs).

Translation: Big federal programs won’t work. Grassroots is the way to go.

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Well, there’s the plan.

Now all we need is some of those big federal health care dollars to come rolling in.

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Today’s Workouts – June 16, 2009

June 16th, 2009

Alan Ariail racing his NoCom - Photo: Dan Glatch

Tuesday’s Workouts

Workout # 1

20 min of HIIT sprints on the bike – 100% intensity (10:50 / 15:45 / 20:40) w 5 min warm-up & cool-down

Workout # 2

60 min of steady state cardio at intensity 6/10
10 min of stretching
20 min of meditation (approx time as time ceases to be linear in the meditative state…..ohmmmm

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Posted in Exercise, fat loss, fitness, health, obesity, weight loss

Tags: aerobic anaerobic bike cardio Exercise fitness health heart high intensity interval training hiit obesity recumbant bike sprints weight loss workout

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Health Habits

Posts Tagged ‘cardio’

HIIT Kicks Cardio’s Butt

.

Related Posts

High Intensity meets High Tech

Related Posts

What does Healthy Look Like?

.

Related Posts

Researchers Find the Answer to Senior Citizen Heart Health

Exercise

Related Posts

The Lazy Man's Guide to Getting Ripped

DIET

TRAINING

THE RESULTS

.

Related Posts

Your Omega 3 Prescription

Related Posts

Better Than The Biggest Loser

Related Posts

13 Training Mistakes You Need to Avoid

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Related Posts

America's "Official" Obesity Solution

Strategies to Promote the Availability of Affordable Healthy Food and Beverages

Strategies to Support Healthy Food and Beverage Choices

Strategy to Encourage Breastfeeding

Strategies to Encourage Physical Activity or Limit Sedentary Activity Among Children and Youth

Strategies to Create Safe Communities That Support Physical Activity

Strategy to Encourage Communities to Organize for Change

Related Posts

Today’s Workouts – June 16, 2009