The Fitness Guru

If your goal is to lose weight and improve your health, what’s going to be better for you, walking or running? Like most fitness-related questions, this one takes me back to a joke I heard in third grade:

What weighs more: a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks.

Just as you may be tempted to shout “bricks” (as I would often do right up through eighth grade, when the subtleties of this riddle and “no soap radio” were finally explained to me), you may be tempted to assume that running is the greater “burn” of the two exercises. And, like all questions in fitness, I remind you that nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

Let’s break it down.

Calorie burn is based on energy consumption over a period of time, and the best way to gauge that energy consumption is by monitoring your heart rate as you exercise. But heart rate itself is based on oxygen consumption. In other words, as your body increases its need for oxygen due to exertion, the heart has to pump more oxygen rich blood to the extremities and the heart rate goes up. One of the main reasons that the heart rate is elevated in running is that, ever time your foot hits the ground, that little bit of impact puts pressure on the diaphram, the main muscle that controls respiration, making it slightly harder to take a full breath. So as your foot strike knocks a little bit of wind out of you, the heart is trying to play catch-up and pumps harder to get the oxygen to the muscles that need it. Plus, depending on your running style, that repeated impact can lead to injuries down the road.

Walking is, by nature, low impact: there is significantly less impact as the foot hits the ground and, consequently, the lungs have a greater opportunity to provide the much-needed oxygen. Therefore, the heart rate does not get as high with walking.

But that’s the linear thinking I hate.

I love watching runners, real runners, because they make it look so effortless. Even sprinters try to relax their bodies as much as possible so that they may put the effort where it will best suit them and not energy is wasted through worthless tension. Running mid- to long-distance is, ideally, an opportunity to use gravity and and momentum to your advantage. It takes time and practice to get used to, but once you understand the effortless form, running becomes relaxingly meditative.

Walking can be a wonderfully leisurely pass time. Go for a stroll in the park, pause, watch the birds, pause, stroll some more. Certainly the calories burn is there, and, if you have been inactive it is a GREAT way to get started in an active lifestyle. But the burn is not as significant as running for the same period of time.

But let’s take a look at race walking. There is nothing low key about race walking and trying to maintain a rapid pace over a period of time and/or distance. Quite the opposite: the body has to work extra hard because, instinctively, we tell ourselves to break into a jog or a run when moving that quickly. The muscles of the legs, the glutes, the (gulp– help me) core, as well as the chest, arms, shoulders and back all have to work to create the momentum to move at such a speed. Increase the incline that you’re walking on and you will increase the exertion level. Increase the amount your work your arms, and again, the level of exertion, and consequently your heart rate and calorie burn go up as well.

A few of important things to keep in mind:

• Always warm up before you start race walking for exercise. You might think “walking….what’s the big deal?”. But it is a big deal and you should warm up to get the blood flowing.
• When you walk, think about standing as tall as possible, lifting the base of the skull to the sky and not the chin. Your chest should be lifted and your jaw should be nice and relaxed.
• As you walk, take small quick steps. Let the heel of each step fall just in front of the toe of the previous step. This will give you a much smaller, faster stride.
• Use a heart monitor to gauge your exertion level. If you want to increase your heart rate, try an incline, faster steps, or greater arm movement, even working to take the arms over head as you walk.
• If you are just starting out, be conservative. Try the small step, quick pace idea but move a little slower than you might like. You’re going to feel a whole bunch of muscles you never knew you had and you don’t want to shoot yourself out of a cannon.

Questions about all of this? Shoot me an email: michael@fitnessgurunyc.com

Rock on!!

Didja know?? Dinner plates are about a third larger than they were back in 1960, encouraging us to fill our plates with almost 30% more food, according to Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. Wansink also points out that we are perfectly willing to finish off at least 92% of the food on our plates regardless of the size. That means we are consuming many more calories than our Kennedy administration counterparts.

So what do we do?

Change plates. Instead of using the huge platters that the local housewares store calls “dinner plates”, try eating off of salad plates. The plate will look full (very satisfying psychologically) and you will still probably eat 92% of the food you serve yourself.

Oh and hey!! Skip the square plates! Quick geometry: a 10-inch square plate has about about 21 square inches more surface space than a 10-inch round plate. Stick with the round!!

People always ask me what’s the best activity for weight loss. Whatever you are going to do consistently, I respond. After they punch me in the arm, perhaps deservedly so, I explain that even the best calorie burned isn’t worth a damn if you aren’t going to actually partake in the exercise.

That said, here is a very long list of lots and lots of exercises and the calorie burn for one hour of activity. Please note that these are estimations for a 155 lb. person and that results may vary person to person. Also, a heavier person is more likely to burn more calories while a smaller person will burn fewer.

This is not an endorsement of calorie counting or obsessive behavior of any kind. I just thought that you would like to get a relative sense of how the body works.

Enjoy!!

Aerobics, general Aerobics, high impact Aerobics, low impact Archery (non-hunting) Automobile repair Backpacking, general Badminton, competitive Badminton, social, general Basketball, game Basketball, nongame, general Basketball, officiating Basketball, shooting baskets Basketball, wheelchair Bicycling, <10mph, leisure Bicycling, >20mph, racing Bicycling, 10-11.9mph, light effort Bicycling, 12-13.9mph, mod effort Bicycling, 14-15.9mph, vigorous effort Bicycling, 16-19mph, very fast, racing Bicycling, BMX or mountain Bicycling, stationary, general Bicycling, stationary, light effort Bicycling, stationary, moderate effort Bicycling, stationary, very light effort Bicycling, stationary, very vigorous Bicycling, stationary, vigorous effort Billiards Bowling Boxing, in ring, general Boxing, punching bag Boxing, sparring Broomball Calisthenics pushups, sit-ups vigorous Calisthenics, home, light/moderate Canoeing, on camping trip Canoeing, rowing, >6 mph, vigorous Canoeing, rowing, crewing, competition Canoeing, rowing, light effort Canoeing, rowing, moderate effort Carpentry, general Carrying heavy loads, such as bricks Child care: sitting/kneeling- feeding Child care: standing-dressing, feeding Circuit training, general Cleaning, heavy, vigorous effort Cleaning, house, general Cleaning, light, moderate effort Coaching: football, soccer, basketball Construction, outside, remodeling Cooking or food preparation Cricket (batting, bowling) Croquet Curling Dancing, aerobic, ballet or modern Dancing, ballroom, fast Dancing, ballroom, slow Dancing, general Darts, wall or lawn Diving, springboard or platform Electrical work, plumbing Farming, baling hay, cleaning barn Farming, milking by hand Farming, shoveling grain Fencing Fishing from boat, sitting Fishing from river bank, standing Fishing in stream, in waders Fishing, general Fishing, ice, sitting Football or baseball, playing catch Football, competitive Football, touch, flag, general Frisbee playing, general Frisbee, ultimate Gardening, general Golf, carrying clubs Golf, general Golf, miniature or driving range Golf, pulling clubs Golf, using power cart Gymnastics, general Hacky sack Handball, general Handball, team Health club exercise, general Hiking, cross country Hockey, field Hockey, ice Horse grooming Horse racing, galloping Horseback riding, general Horseback riding, trotting Horseback riding, walking Hunting, general Jai alai Jogging, general Judo, karate, kick boxing, tae kwan do Kayaking Kickball Lacrosse Marching band, (walking) Marching, rapidly, military Moto-cross Moving furniture, household Moving household items, boxes, upstairs Moving household items, carrying boxes Mowing lawn, general Mowing lawn, riding mower Music playing, cello, flute, horn Music playing, drums Music playing, guitar(sitting) Music playing, guitar band(standing) Music playing, piano, organ, violin, Paddleboat Painting, papering, plastering, scraping Polo Pushing or pulling stroller with child Race walking Racquetball, casual, general Racquetball, competitive Raking lawn Rock climbing, ascending rock Rock climbing, rapelling Rope jumping, fast Rope jumping, moderate, general Rope jumping, slow Rowing, stationary, light effort Rowing, stationary, moderate effort Rowing, stationary, very vigorous effort Rowing, stationary, vigorous effort Rugby Running, 10 mph (6 min mile) Running, 10.9 mph (5.5 min mile) Running, 5 mph (12 min mile) Running, 5.2 mph (11.5 min mile) Running, 6 mph (10 min mile) Running, 6.7 mph (9 min mile) Running, 7 mph (8.5 min mile) Running, 7.5mph (8 min mile) Running, 8 mph (7.5 min mile) Running, 8.6 mph (7 min mile) Running, 9 mph (6.5 min mile) Running, cross country Running, general Running, in place Running, on a track, team practice Running, stairs, up Running, training, pushing wheelchair Running, wheeling, general Sailing, boat/board, windsurfing, general Sailing, in competition Scrubbing floors, on hands and knees Shoveling snow, by hand Shuffleboard, lawn bowling Sitting-playing with child(ren)-light Skateboarding Skating, ice, 9 mph or less Skating, ice, general Skating, ice, rapidly, > 9 mph Skating, ice, speed, competitive Skating, roller Ski jumping (climb up carrying skis) Ski machine, general Skiing, cross-country, >8.0 mph, racing Skiing, cross-country, moderate effort Skiing, cross-country, slow light effort Skiing, cross-country, uphill, max effort Skiing, cross-country, vigorous effort Skiing, downhill, light effort Skiing, downhill, moderate effort Skiing, downhill, vigorous effort, racing Skiing, snow, general Skiing, water Ski-mobiling, water Skin diving, scuba diving, general Sledding, tobogganing, bobsledding, luge Snorkeling Snow shoeing Snowmobiling Soccer, casual, general Soccer, competitive Softball or baseball, fast or slow pitch Softball, officiating Squash Stair-treadmill ergometer, general Standing-packing/unpacking boxes Stretching, hatha yoga Surfing, body or board Sweeping garage, sidewalk Swimming laps, freestyle, fast, vigorous Swimming laps, freestyle, light/moderate Swimming, backstroke, general Swimming, breaststroke, general Swimming, butterfly, general Swimming, leisurely, general Swimming, sidestroke, general Swimming, sychronized Swimming, treading water, fast/vigorous Swimming, treading water, moderate Table tennis, ping pong Tai chi Teaching aerobics class Tennis, doubles Tennis, general Tennis, singles Unicycling Volleyball, beach Volleyball, competitive, in gymnasium Volleyball, noncompetitive;team Walk/run-playing with child-moderate Walk/run-playing with child-vigorous Walking, 2.0 mph, slow pace Walking, 3.0 mph, walking dog Walking, 3.5 mph, uphill Walking, 4.0 mph, very brisk pace Walking, carrying infant or 15-lb load Walking, grass track Walking, upstairs Walking, using crutches Wallyball, general Water aerobics, water calisthenics Water polo Water volleyball Weight lifting or body building, vigorous Weight lifting, light or moderate effort Whitewater rafting, kayaking, or canoeing

422 493 352 246 211 493 493 317 563 422 493 317 457 281 1126 422 563 704 844 598 352 387 493 211 880 739 176 211 844 422 633 493 563 317 281 844 844 211 493 246 563 211 246 563 317 246 176 281 387 176 352 176 281 422 387 211 317 176 211 246 563 211 387 422 176 246 422 281 141 176 633 563 211 246 352 387 281 211 352 246 281 281 844 563 387 422 563 563 422 563 281 457 176 352 844 493 704 352 493 563 281 457 281 422 633 493 387 176 141 281 141 211 176 281 317 563 176 457 493 704 281 774 563 844 704 563 493 598 844 669 704 1126 1267 563 633 704 774 809 880 950 985 1056 633 563 563 704 1056 563 211 211 352 387 422 211 176 352 387 493 633 1056 493 493 669 985 563 493 1161 633 352 422 563 493 422 493 493 493 352 563 246 493 704 352 422 844 422 246 281 211 281 704 563 563 704 774 422 563 563 704 281 281 281 422 422 493 563 352 563 281 211 281 352 176 246 422 281 246 352 563 281 493 281 704 211 422 211 352

Here’s one for discussion…..

Want to lose weight? Some experts suggest eating a meal naked in front of a mirror. The idea is that if you see yourself feeding a heavy body, you’ll be less inclined to have that extra helping of mashed potatoes.

Maybe that might lead to greater portion control but, personally, I think the best part will be the look on the restaurant manager’s face……

Didja know??

According to Japanese scientists, vinegar may help in the battle to lose weight. The main chemical componant of vinegar, acetic acid, may help to switch on genes that produce fat fighting proteins, thus winning the battle of the bulge.

So?…..What are you putting on your salad for lunch?

Did you tire of your heart monitor last year? Is Wii Fit leaving you a wee bit cold? Well, then…..have we got something for you….

Meet Autom, the fat fighting robot. Designed by Cory Kidd, MIT graduate and now-CEO of Intuitive Automata, the “socialable” robot provides feedback and encouragement for dieters who enter their nutritional information.

“It draws heavily on human psychology — so understanding how we as people interact with one another,” Kidd said. “It relies on cues that people use in everyday communication.”

Right now Autom relies on a touch screen on his belly, but next year, Kidd is hoping to release a version with voice recognition, so that you can talk to the little fella. Right now, users tap in information regarding weight, diet, exercise regime and goals in response to Autom’s spoken questions. Autom will then offer advice and tailor that advice over time to user’s strengths and weaknesses.

Kidd says that, in a Boston study, 15 people who used Autom were able to stay on their programs for an average of 51 days, whereas people keeping track on a paper journal only lasted 27 days.

I just keep flashing to “2001″:

“Open refrigerator door, HAL!”

“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

If you have ever tried to start a weight loss program, you have probably found that after some initial success, you hit the dreaded “Plateau”– that period of time when the scale just won’t budge.

The Plateau is very common but that doesn’t mean that it is any less irritating. It’s like some sort of great cosmic prank……that somewhere, someone is giggling at your expense.

Well, if you want some answers to stop all the giggling, check out this brand new Podcast. And remember, if you have any questions, ideas, frustrations, or just good ol’ observations, shoot me an email at michael@fitnessgurunyc.com.

Rock on!

The Fitness Guru

 

www.fitnessgurunyc.com

The Fitness Guru

 

www.fitnessgurunyc.com

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that sleep deprivation led to increased calorie consumption. What does that mean exactly? It means that as you deprive yourself of a full night’s sleep, the result can be that you will eat more the following day.

The reason is not as simple as “well, I have a little more time on my hands, maybe I’ll grab a bite.” Sleep deprivation plays with two key hormone levels: leptin and ghrelin. Grehlin is a clever little hormone that increases your hunger. Skip those extra couple hours of shut eye and your grehlin levels increase, convincing your body that you are hungrier that necessary. And leptin, a powerful little hormone that tells your body its full and shuts your mouth, drops dramatically. In other words, your appetite will increase and there won’t be the usual shut off valve.

Interestingly, among the test subjects, the activity level of the people who slept fewer hours was much higher than the activity level of those that had a full night’s sleep.

But most of the activity was going to and from the refrigerator. And they were very grouchy and humorless.

So? What to do?

Get your 8 hours of sleep. If it is an issue for you, try a White Noise Machine (it will drown out all the annoying sounds that can wake you up before your time) or even the Olde School Sleep Mask.

The key is to remember we are talking about biochemistry here. You may think that you can get away with fewer hours and just try calorie restriction, but in the end, the hormones will get the better of you. That’s what they are there for.

So sleep up!……and rock on!!

Now is the time, my people.

Run for the hills! Or run down the hills! Or run around the hills! Honestly, it doesn’t matter if hills are even part of the equation, just run!!

Running is quick, it’s simple and you carry it with you. Getting out and running allows you to avoid the dreaded Health Club Monster, it gets you out in the fresh air. And, heck, it may even get you socializing with a bunch of people that you never get to spend much time with.

“But Guru,” you say, “I am not a runner. That’s just not me or my body.”

Hesh your face, I reply. We’re all runners. I’m 6’2″, 200 lb. If anyone shouldn’t be running, it’s me. The only difference between those that run and those that don’t is……well……running.

The very WORST part of starting a running program is, without a doubt, starting a running program. Taking those first few steps when your body is rusty and out of practice has the potential for misery. Your mind will tell you not to, your body will ask you quite urgently to stop.

But once you get into the habit of running, the benefits are aplenty:

• More energy and productivity in all areas of your life
• Greater sense of self-enpowerment (if you can go from zero to 60 in your personal running life, seriously, what’s going to stand in your way
• Stronger immune system and less illness
• Weight loss and increased muscle tone

But, right, I forgot, running isn’t for you. You’re not a “runner.”

About 14 months ago my friend Kane asked me if I would help him train for the NYC Marathon. As I recall, he had never run more than two or three miles at any one time at any point in his life, but he had a calling and, dammit, he was going to run the marathon. If you have kept up with the blog, you know that Kane, as well as half a dozen other Gurites, successfully completed the marathon. And I just passed Kane the other morning as he was going out for his run. How far ya going, I asked. “I don’t know,” he said “Five or six miles.” And he took off with a big smile on his face.

Running changed the way he sees himself and it changed the way he attacks life.

And you could have the same wonderful experience.

So here’s how you begin:

1. Spending money: Don’t. You don’t need fancy sneakers or $200 running pants. You are just starting. Throw on some old sweat pants and sneakers and hit the road. The only thing you should be buying from Nike at this point is their slogan: Just Do It!
2. The important thing is to get out there and move. I suggest setting a time rather than a distance for yourself. Start with 20 minutes. Try alternating between running and walking. Walk for a minute, then run for a minute. Or whatever timing you like. It’s your run, not mine. Make it work for you. Slowly over time, you can go further, longer, and take more of the time as a run. But get out there.
3. Track your progress. Keep a chart of your time, your distance and how you feel afterward. See how your mood changes as you progress over time. This way, you have a very definitive record of your progress.
4. Stretch when you are done. The worst thing that you can do when you are just starting a program is finish the run and go right into the fetal position in your favorite chair. Your body will rebel on you. Not good. Stretch: stretch your calves, hamstrings, quads, even your upper body. Stretch it all out. And take your time. If you run for half an hour, take five to ten minutes AT LEAST at the end to stretch out.
5. Find some friends who would like to do this with you. Many folks enjoy the solitude of a good run. But, if you are just starting out, you may find that having a community around you for support offers a great deal of added motivation.
6. If you’re not into running with friends, put together a great music mix that will lift you up and inspire you to keep moving (though be careful: sometimes I take that a little too far and find myself dancing in the middle of the street…..bit embarassing….)

Lastly, enjoy yourself. Don’t beat yourself silly. Go out and get some fresh air and see your community.

Rock on!

(once you get going, start working toward Badwater…….130 mile run across Death Valley…….let’s DO IT!!!)

What works to burn fat and build muscle? Cardio cardio cardio? Light weights and heavy repetitions? Heavy weights and light repetitions?

The list goes on and on and on……

I was out to dinner on Saturday night and the table next to me was quite boisterous. They were talking about everything, from apartment searches to Tiger Woods to the state of health care. And in an hour and a half, I was amazed that they didn’t discuss fitness at all. My theory is that, if you eavesdrop on any restaurant conversation in New York, at some point, and relatively quickly, the talk turns to fitness. And these two couples hadn’t mentioned it at all. They must have been from out of town.

Then it started…..

Back and forth, back and forth they went. “This is the best exercise.” “No, this is the best exercise.” “Well, this will burn fat and build muscle.” “Ha! Well not as good as this does!!!”

“What’s the BEST exercise?” people ask me. The one that you are going to do regularly, I always respond. But, in terms of firing up the metabolism, nothing gets the fires going like some weight work.

Ok, you say, then what kind of weight work?

Like anything exercise oriented, you have to be present and aware of what you are doing and how you are doing it: mindfulness in exercise. I recommend that you use heavier weights for fewer repetitions. Find a weight with which you can complete from 8 to 10 repetitions. That last rep should be tough to pull off……tough but not impossible. And your focus should be on form every second of the exercise.

Now some of you might fear heavier weight and fewer reps. You’ve heard that you will bulk up using that method. Bulking up takes a great deal of focus, hours of work and extreme calorie consumption. If you are working out three or four hours a week, you won’t bulk up from heavier weights.

And, according to a study in 2002, your energy expenditure and metabolic boost will be far greater from working with the heavier wieghts than the lighter weights.

Metabolic boost? That’s right: read FAT BURN!

Not sure what to do? Check out Wini Linguvic’s Lean, Long & Strong or The Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises. And, if you’re looking for some space saving home equipment, check out Stamina Adjustable Dumbbell. They are dumbbells that are adjustable from 5 to 25 pounds in 2.5 pound increments. I have a pair under my bed for those moments late at night when I am overwhelmed with a desire to do delt raises.

So the next time you wander into the gym or a body sculpting class or just pull out the dumbbells to work at home, try increasing the weight load. You’re going to love the results.

Rock on!