In This Issue

• Bicycling For Exercise
• Liquid Fasts
• Add Power to Your Exercise
• HDL Too Low?
• Exercise Corner - Reverse-Grip Pressdown
• Questions And Answers

Exercising Couldn't Be Better
BY: Ryan Dombrowski

As a kid, riding a bike was the way to do things. To go to the store to buy a soda, to get away from your older brother, to cruise around when boredom set in, to race your buddies, to try out the dirt ramp by the creek, or to see where the neighborhood trails would lead. Riding a bike was fun, and it kept you in shape. But using your feet for transportation became gradually replaced with automobiles, escalators, and other devices that have made inactivity a more favorable lifestyle. While people tend to lose interest in bicycling as age increases, cycling remains an enjoyable, safe sport with great health benefits to those who ride. While bicycling can be a high-endurance activity, riding can serve as an aerobic exercise. It is often suggested to overweight and elderly people, and frequently prescribed as a treatment method for athletic injuries. This is in part because bicycling is a non-weight bearing exercise [or can be depending on terrain, gear used, intensity, etc.] that has little or no impact on joints that are disturbed in activities such as jogging, tennis, or basketball; yet maintains the ability to increase strength and stamina, decrease stress, and burn calories.

Establishing a bicycling routine can reduce body weight by increasing metabolism and burning fat. A 30-minute cruise can burn more than 250 calories, and provides a full cardiovascular workout, which allows oxygen-filled blood to enter the working muscle groups. In addition, bicycling strengthens the lungs and heart, as well as the legs and other muscles.

Not only does bicycling offer health benefits, biking is also fun. Cyclists explore new bike trails, set goals to ride to new locations, beat their best time, and even run errands while getting exercise. A cyclist can travel down a peaceful wooded path, in the rugged mountains, or even along with traffic. Often bikers are at peace and stress free when they are riding. Whatever the case, bicycling is self-gratifying exercise enjoyed by people of all ages and genders.

Bicyclists find that they enjoy the social atmosphere that is common among riders. Cyclists ride together and share common interests. They discuss new riding experiences and attend bicycling events. They meet members of other bicycle clubs and participate in community events. They make their best effort to make exercise fun. Additionally, traveling with partners becomes a social event and a group effort, allowing cyclists to travel further distances and at a greater pace without much regard.

Bicycle clubs and groups can be found almost anywhere. A major city will typically have several clubs with different interests, agendas, and ages. Some are community and environment oriented, some are extreme sport and health minded, some watch bike movies, while others petition to increase bicycle privileges. Whatever the case, there are likely to be bicycle groups and events that fit all interests.

So, where do you start? Go to local bike shops and inquire about clubs, they likely sponsor any organizations in the area. Visit metropolitan or state parks in the area and ask for trail maps and guides. Search the Internet for tips and resources. A useful website is www.cyclery.com. Finally, do it today.

Cycling is a self-rewarding exercise with social, health, and entertainment benefits that are too great to be left behind with childhood. It remains a safe exercise that can be practiced at nearly any age and skill level, and it can bring satisfaction not found in other forms of exercise. Biking in the fresh air is a great way to relax, relieve stress, and stay in good shape. Exercising couldn't be any better.

Liquid fasts seem to be having somewhat of a renaissance these days, even though they have been discredited long ago. The current pitch is that they help rid the body of toxic pollutants, in addition to the old stand-by - weight loss.

A woman can now go to a spa (see Note 1 below), where she will fast for anywhere from three days (a weekend) to a week or more, and lose weight (maybe lots of weight), and purify her body as well. And how exactly will she do this, you ask? (I don't mean to be a misogynist, but it is likely to be a woman who will get into one of these liquid fast programs, and the spas seem to target them specifically.) What else? Depending on the spa, she will be put on a liquid fast - vegetable juices and teas, maybe some "soup," blue-green algae, maybe some wheatgrass juice, if you are lucky, but not much else. And, of course, the lucky woman who patronizes these spas gets to pay a small fortune for the privilege - something like $750 for three days, or $2250 for a week. The total calorie intake for a day will be about 200. In addition to drinking your meals, you may want to get a massage, a facial, or chit-chat with other "guests;" but don't expect to exercise - lifting your juice glass is about it.

The liquid fast concept has been around to some degree or other since the '50s with peaks and valleys in popularity. The only new twist is referring to them (spas, or whatever) as a detoxification center instead of a fat farm.

Much of the weight loss is water and muscle, neither of which is what you want to lose. The water weight lost comes right back, of course, and the muscle loss causes a reduction in your metabolic rate.

It seems that some fashion models are big fans of juice fasts, and like to sign-in at one of the many available facilities before a show, so they can look even skinnier (some already look like AIDS patients nearing the end of the line). For normal people, many of them will start gaining whatever they lost before they even get home - you know, a stop at McDonald's or Burger King along the road. For the vast majority any weight loss will be regained rapidly because there has been no effort to make life-style changes, nor has exercise been added to the mix.

So, what is a realistic outcome for most patrons - a very short-term weight loss and a thinner wallet. As far as detox goes, Janet Walberg Rankin, Ph.D., a professer in the Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise department at Virginia Tech says there is no evidence that fasting increases cell renewal (e.g., detoxification). She says that a fast would, in fact, slow down the recycling process because of the resulting metabolic slowdown. [As you may or may not know, the cells of the human body are routinely recycled (replaced) during the course of a person's lifetime.]

Aside from that, the low calorie diets consumed during some juice fasts (sometimes as low as 200 calories per day, as previously mentioned) can set off an alarm in your brain - "hey, this woman is trying to starve us, so go into survival mode." Consequently metabolism is lowered, as is body temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate.

This juice fast fad may not be such a great idea. For example, let's take a hypothetical, healthy 35-yr-old woman. She loses about four and a half pounds of water weight in a day or two, and her body starts producing ketones, which turns her blood highly acidic, which leaches calcium from her bones. She also loses some muscle, may become constipated (hence many liquid fast spas recommend colonics), but also burns about four pounds of fat. She has now lost eight and a half pounds. But, as long as the fast is short, no significant permanent damage is done; or benefits either. But frequent fasting can permanently lower one's metabolic rate by significantly reducing muscle mass. Rankin also points to potential calcium loss, and resulting bone density loss. [Can osteoporosis be just around the corner?] This is not happy news.

The bottom line, as I see it, is that juice fasting makes no sense. It produces a short-term weight loss, but in the long run can result in a less-healthy body, especially if the fasting period is long, or frequently repeated. The bottom, bottom line is that fasting has no permanent benefits, can be expensive, and can lead to reduced health.

______________________________
Note 1 - You don't necessarily have to go to a spa for a juice fast. It can be done at home alone, or there are a number of places (private homes) where the program is available -- sort of like "speakeasies," I think. Maybe because their legitimacy is questionable.

Add some speed and power training to your exercise program? Have you been exercising for awhile and now feel like you're in the exercise doldrums? Well, maybe adding some power/speed moves will bring you out of them. Some of the following information comes from an article in a recent Health magazine, and is written for women, but can apply to anyone - male or female. It is really about plyometric exercise, but without using that label. Plyometrics is an exercise mode aimed at increasing speed and power.

Plyometric drills/exercises are often used in sports training, but can also benefit general fitness training as well. Anyone can use a little extra speed and power for those little bumps in the road - you know, like grandma lifting a car off of little Mikey.

Plyometric exercise focuses on fast twitch muscle fibers, which are primarily used for quick and/or powerful actions; as opposed to slow twitch fibers which are primarily for slower, less intense activities (e.g., walking, working at a computer, even sleeping).

The speed/power exercise mode is useful for kick-starting an exercise program in which you are losing enthusiasm, or it can simply add a new dimension to your program. In addition, there is a condition, sarcopenia, which is an age-related condition characterized by loss of muscle and strength. It is one of the realities of aging, although it can be slowed down by exercise. As we age our fast twitch muscle fibers "shrink," thereby increasing the proportion of slow twitch fibers, consequently we slow down and get weaker at the same time.

Strength training (weight training in particular) is the best weapon we have against the inevitability of sarcopenia, and helps in the fight against conditions like osteoporosis, and loss of mobility and balance from weak muscles.

So, another benefit of aging is to get to do more to stay the same, or as close as we can get. Most people (everyone?) find that it takes more time and effort to walk the same course and distance as in the past. One strategy to offset that inevitability is to walk (if walking is your preferred exercise mode) at a faster pace for short intervals - short bursts of increased speed mixed with your normal pace. Your goal, to improve your fitness level, is to increase the speed of your normal pace, and to increase both the length and speed of your intervals. Another way is to add some specific speed/power moves, such as power walking - big arm swings along with a faster overall pace; skipping - you remember, just like when you were a kid, bounding - like a deer when it senses danger and jumps into the air and glides until it contacts the ground then repeatedly jumps/glides until it feels safe to stop. Other options are bunny hops - bend your knees slightly, lower your hips and spring up by using your feet/ankles as you straightten your knees/hips; frog hops - squat down until your buttocks nearly touch the ground and with your arms/hands to help steady yourself, then explode up; mini-jumps - jump forward 3 or 4 times on one leg, then switch to the other side. Other options are cone jumping, and rope jumping.

You can also do power/speed moves using free weights or machines - options include using a fast/slow technique with flexion/extension. For example, do shoulder presses by raising the weight quickly, and then lowering the weigh very slowly; or use a lighter than normal weight and do a high number of quick repetitions.

Then there are helpful "toys": balance balls, medicine or plyo balls, torso trainers, etc. But, whatever method you choose, add it to you workouts to both infuse new life into them, and to help offset sarcopenia.

Is your HDL level too low? You know - HDL is that cholesterol component that is called "good," as opposed to LDL "bad." It is important to have a higher ratio of HDL to LDL - maybe more important than total cholesterol. If you don't know what your HDL level is, get your doctor to find out.

If your HDL level is too low, here are some strategies to use for raising it:

1. Exercise more - aerobic exercise increases HDL, and the longer and harder you go, the more the benefit.
2. Lose weight if you are too fat, and doing it by exercise and diet, which is more effective than dieting alone.
3. Don't smoke. This is a no-brainer because smoking causes so many health problems. Smoking lowers HDL by an average of five points, as well as increases total cholesterol. And even secondhand smoke seems to lower HDL.
4. A drink a day? Maybe. Alcohol seems to raise HDL, but there are other issues associated with this approach. Talk to your doctor.
5. Medication? This is another option to discuss with your doctor.

In this issue, Exercise Corner describes the Triceps Push-down exercise.

This exercise will need to be done on a high pulley in a gym, unless you happen to have one in your home. You also need a short straight bar, or an easy-curl bar. You can also do this exercise with one arm at a time if you have the proper attachment.

To perform this exercise, stand up straight facing the weight stack, and grip the bar with your palms up (supinated). Tuck your elbows into your sides, and keep them there throughout the exercise. Your hands should be inside shoulder width; then extend (straighten) your elbows and hold for a second or two. Lock your elbows, but don't snap them into position. You want to maximize contraction of the muscle - squeeze it. Now, under control, bend your elbows until your forearms are roughly parallel with the floor, or you can raise your hands up toward your chest as high as you can without moving your elbows. Follow a normal breathing pattern: inhale when your elbows are maximally flexed, and exhale at full extension.

The triceps brachii (at the back of the upper arm) is the primary muscle used during this exercise, although the anconeus muscle (small and not very strong) moderately assists. The triceps brachii attaches below the elbow, and then separates into three "heads." They are like three separate muscles with a common attachment at one end, and are identified as the medial, lateral, and long heads. The lateral head works hardest during this exercise, but the medial and long head come into play as increased force is needed.

Now that we are entering the year 2002 and you have all started an exercise program for your New Year's resolution, don't quite by February. KEEP IT UP.

(Q) As usual during the Christmas and New Year holidays, I splurged and gained a few pounds. Does an occasional eating binge carry any health liabilities other than gaining a few pounds?
A. R., Reno NV

(A) You might guess that the only consequence would be a few extra pounds, but it turns out that just one high-fat/high-calorie meal can have negative consequences for your heart. A high-fat meal increases something called Factor VII, which increases blood clotting, which of course increases risk of a heart attack. If you are healthy, the risk is low, but if you already have an increased risk (being over-fat, for example) one big splurge can be serious.

(Q) Is chromium picolinate safe to take, and is it effective?
O. P., Santa Rita, CA

(A) The manufacturers claim that it aids weight loss, builds muscle, and cures diabetes. While there is some anecdotal evidence for some of the claims, they don't seem to be supported by scientific evidence, except perhaps in the case of chromium deficiency. It (the chromium) is required by the human body, but only in very small amounts (it is a trace mineral); consequently, chromium deficiency is rare in the U.S. And there is some evidence that it may be harmful to cells. Furthermore, it is recommended that diabetics should not take it without medical approval.

(Q) I like to use a sports drink when I run, but they are kind of expensive. Do you know of anything comparable that is less expensive?
A. B., Junction City, OR

(A) Here is a recipe for a do-it-yourself sports drink from Nancy Clark's "New York City Marathon Cookbook" that should work well: In a glass, dissolve 1 tbs sugar and a pinch (1/16 tsp) of salt in a bit of hot water. Add 1 tbs orange juice or 2 tbs lemon juice and 7.5 oz ice water. That is comparable to commercial sports drinks that contain 4 to 8% carbohydrates, and some sodium and potassium.

(Q) How long do I need to exercise to become fit? The numbers seem to change, making a reasonable goal hard to set.
R. B., Wanganui, NZ

(A) The problem is that the goal has been set in the U.S. A few years ago the experts said at least 20 minutes of fairly strenuous exercise (cycling, running, etc.) should be done at least three times a week for cardiovascular fitness; but it has been discovered that only about 16% of Americans met that goal - presumably too difficult. So, what to do? It's obvious - change the standard - make it easier. The guidelines (as of 2001) are as follows:

• Lower exercise intensity has some benefits - it may reduce risk of heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity. The bottom line is to move more to achieve some health benefits, and the more vigorously the better.

  It is assumed that it's easier for people to maintain a fairly easy exercise program that can provide a base for increased activity.

• Short exercise sessions have a cumulative effect, so you can break your efforts into shorter bursts (e.g., instead of 30 minutes at a shot, you can do 10 minutes of exercise at three different times in a day) and achieve similar results.
• Of course you get more out of longer sessions, including an increase in HDL cholesterol. Do a minimum of 20 minute sessions done three times a week.
• Add strength training (two or three times a week) to further improve your fitness.
• Include stretching for 10-20 minutes, two or three times a week. [That is in addition to stretching exercised muscles after each set. Remember that the components of physical fitness are muscle strength and endurance, cardiovascular fitness, body composition, and flexibility.]

(A) You probably aren't allergic to Santa, or even his reindeer; but, a Christmas tree gives off pollens and molds that can be a problem, especially when your tree dries out. You also may be allergic to terpene, which is a chemical in the tree's oil. Maybe an artificial tree is in your future.

(Q) I have a cold, and am producing lots of thick, greenish mucous. Do I need an antibiotic?
Santa, N.P.

(A) Actually, probably not. Colds and flu are caused by viruses. not bacteria. Consequently antibiotics are useless since they only kill bacteria. The yellowish or greenish tinge of the discharge you may see comes from the immune cells that respond to a cold/flu. Some people routinely request antibiotics from doctors, who frequently prescribe what the patient wants just to keep him/her happy, but an antibiotic should only be prescribed after a bacterial infection is confirmed.

_____________________________________
Send questions or comments to Michael Fenner: e-mail to Mike Fenner
To see the MAF FITNESS NEWSLETTER archives, go to http://www.dinc.com/maf/