Challenge Your Heart

We have been told for decades now that the way to get healthy, lose weight, and be good to our hearts is to do 3-4 hours of cardio workouts each week.  If you are anything like many other people, the thought of this is…um…well, boring!  “It takes too long” is often a major complaint as well.

What if I was to tell you that this 3-4 hours of cardio workouts does not actually strengthen your heart?  When you work out at a moderate intensity for long periods of time you actually condition your body to expect moderate activity all the time. 

Let me elaborate a little bit.  Long workouts mean that the best energy source your body can have is fat.  Yes, you burn fat if you work out long enough but you also signal your body that fat is your preferred energy source and the body will be very kind and provide a ready supply of fat for you to use.  This means that it is very hard to lose fat pounds while doing cardio workouts!  It also means fat pounds increase when you stop cardio workouts.

Long workouts at moderate levels also condition the body for endurance and while this sounds like a good thing, what the human body really needs is strength.  During normal life we have times of exertion that require more strength in the heart and lungs than endurance.  Examples:  picking up a heavy box, moving groceries, lifting your children/grandchildren, cutting wood, shoveling snow, some gardening, and even love making.

To build heart strength, as well as other muscles and lungs, the body must be challenged.  I have read articles and books from two medical doctors that have been recommending this type of exercise for years and have seen wonderful results.  Dr. Al Sears calls his method PACE (Progressively Accelerating Cardiopulmonary Exertion) and Dr. Mercola calls his method Peak 8.

Both techniques have a tendency to copy nature.  Instead of long workouts at a moderate intensity, the workouts are short intense bursts of activity followed by recovery.  Have you ever watched a cat chase a squirrel?  They first watch for the ideal moment, and then spring into action trying to catch the squirrel.  Within about 30 seconds or less it is over…the cat has either caught the squirrel, or, as often in my backyard, the squirrel has again gotten away.  The cat then sits and rests and then moves on.  I have never seen a cat run a marathon!

Working out at an intense level for short bursts signals your body to increase muscle strength and build lung power so that you have the oxygen and energy needed for these activities in the future.  It also tells your body that fat is a very poor source of fuel as it takes too long to burn for energy and will start to store more energy as glycogen in the muscles.  The body will actually burn more fat after the workouts and then stores less fat later.

The other really nice thing about this workout strategy is that it requires much less time!  You can use this technique with walking, jogging, biking, swimming, jumping rope, squats, tennis…the list goes on!  A key to this type of workout is the intensity.  An example of high intensity would be if you can only do 30 seconds at that intensity and then get out of breath.  After the short burst, let your heart rate and breathing return to normal before your next burst of energy.  Hours of exercise can be done with only 10 minutes of exertion.

You can read more on this exercise by going to www.Mercola.com and searching “Peak 8” or you can read more on PACE in the book P.A.C.E: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution by Al Sears, MD or search more online at www.pacerevolution.com.

February Healthy Tip

To get the greatest benefit from exercise in the least amount of time, do short bursts of exercise that cause you to be out of breath within 30 seconds to a couple of minutes.  Once winded, rest until breathing and heart rate have returned to normal.  Build up to 8-10 minutes total of exertion-to-exhaustion time; it does not have to be done all at once...and you get to rest in between each burst!  High intensity exercise 3 times a week will build heart and lung power.

Get Out of Your Rut

Many of you may know that my dad is a minister.  He had an excellent sermon on New Year’s Day entitled, “Get Out of Your Rut.”  I thought I would share the basic outline (originally from Rod Farthing) with you this month with some of my own insights.  

1. Assume responsibility for your own life.  No one can make a change except you.  Once you assume responsibility you can break out of the rut and start making improvements.  This includes your health and fitness, as well as your social life and spiritual life.

2. Believe that you can change.  If you don’t believe you can change, you won’t.  While simply believing won’t actually make those changes happen, they will not happen without that belief.

3. Clarify what you really need.  Take time to find out what you would like to see happen this year.  Actually sit down and write out your personal goals.  You can also make goal list for work as well.  Remember, it doesn’t have to be something fancy.  You may need to write down sub-goals.  For example, weight loss is a common goal.  If you need to lose 20 pounds, make sub-goals of 5 pounds and as you reach each of those smaller goals it will give you the motivation to keep moving towards the larger goal.  This can even work for something like house cleaning or organization.  Have a smaller goal of cleaning/organizing one area at a time.  Hitting small goals spurs you on and keeps getting you out of that rut.

4. Stop worrying about what other people will say.  We worry too much about what others say and think.  You know that exercise is critical for a healthy body.  Don’t let others intimidate you into staying out of the gym.  You know that a diet high in veggies and fruit is critical for a healthy body.  Don’t let others sabotage you into eating poorly (believe me, they are out there!).  There are people out there that want to keep you in your rut because then they know what to expect!

5. Stop waiting for ideal circumstances.  The following short article appeared back in 1985 in the LA Times:  "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me a slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician.  His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion."

          Don’t wait for the ideal circumstance—begin now to get out of your rut.

6. Do something bold and dramatic.  There is a slogan that says, "We’re going to try something so big, that if God isn’t in it we are destined to fail." That kind of faith honors God.  Sometimes this bold and dramatic move is sharing a goal with those who will ask you about it later, keeping you accountable.

7. Make your move now.   There is no time like the present.  And remember, God calls and stands by ready to help... but we must take the step first.

Author James Herriot writes the following about the difficulty of getting out of a rut that kept him from beginning his writing career: "After talking about writing a book for a long time my wife finally said,  "Jim, you are never going to write a book." She said it kindly, but nevertheless, I was aghast. "Whatever do you mean?" I said. "Well," she replied, "You have been talking about this book for twenty-five years.  Don’t take it to heart, Jim. You are only one of thousands of people who think they are going to write a book, but they never do it." "But I will, I will," I protested. She smiled again with a touch of sadness. "You must realize that is impossible. Old vets of fifty don’t suddenly start writing books." That did it. I went straight out, bought a lot of paper and got down to the job.”

May God bless you in 2012. May this be the day that you break out of whatever rut is holding you hostage.  Make this year an unforgettable year.  Live this year.

January Healthy Tip

It’s here again, the time we make resolutions.  Consider this year making a one word resolution.  Then take that word and apply it to your life and what you want for the coming year.  For example, “simplify.”  This might mean paring down what you own and donating to others in need, eating more whole veggies and fruits, getting  back to the basics and spending time with family.  Find your word and go from there!