there is no finish line...enjoy the ride...

Four Common Diet and Exercise Myths Dispelled

Is it any wonder why so many North Americans are frustrated with the barrage of mixed messages regarding their diets and the roll of exercise?   It’s my attempt to provide some clarity to many of misconceptions that guide people to their lifestyle choices, and as a result I write about and often share other articles that I feel assist in making informed health decisions for yourself and your families.

That being said, I came across an excellent article by Dr Mark Hyman that exposes four myths about health and lifestyle choices that I’ve written about in the past, but has consolidated them into one article.  Dr Hyman dispels the following common myths:

Myth 1: Diet Soda and Diet Drinks Don’t Make You Fat or Cause Type 2 Diabetes

Myth 2: Eating Fat Makes You Fat

Myth 3: Being Overweight Is Your Fault

Myth 4: Exercise Your Way to Weight Loss

As I’ve often said, “Knowledge is Power, but Action flicks the Switch.  Dr Hyman has provided clarity to 4 of the most common myths about diet and exercise, and after reading this; it’s up to you to put this information into action.

Enjoy the Ride....Rob

 

How Diet Soda Makes You Fat (and Other Food and Diet Industry Myths)

By Dr Mark Hyman, MD

How do you lose weight? Substitute diet drinks for sugary drinks. Eat low-fat foods. Just eat less of the bad foods -- it's all about the calories. We are told, "Just have more willpower."

These ideas are false. They are food and diet industry propaganda that make and keep us fat and sick. Lies by the food industry combined with bad government policy based on food industry lobbying are the major cause of our obesity and diabetes epidemic. Now, more than 35 percent of Americans are obese, and almost 70 percent are overweight. This is not an accident but the result of careful marketing and money in politics.

We are told it is all about making better choices. If we all took more personal responsibility, we could stop this obesity and diabetes epidemic. We have been told there are no good or bad foods, that the key to weight loss is moderation. And, of course, if we all just exercised more, all of us would lose weight. These myths hold us hostage. So, what doesn’t the Food and Diet industry want you to know?

Myth 1: Diet Soda and Diet Drinks Don’t Make You Fat and Cause Type 2 Diabetes

Diet soda DOES makes people fat? Really? How does that happen?

If losing weight were all about the calories, then consuming diet drinks would seem like a good idea. That's certainly what Coca-Cola wants us to believe in their new ad highlighting their efforts to fight obesity. They proudly promote the fact that they have 180 low- or no-calorie drinks and that they cut sugared drinks in schools by 90 percent.

Is that a good thing? In fact, it may be worse than having us all drink regular Coke (and the other food giants making diet drinks also push the same propaganda). A new 14-year study of 66,118 women (supported by many other previous studies) found that the opposite seems to be true. Diet drinks may be worse than sugar-sweetened drinks, which are worse than fruit juices (but only fresh-squeezed fruit juices).

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, discovered some frightening facts that should make us all swear off diet drinks and products.

1. Diet sodas raised the risk of diabetes more than sugar-sweetened sodas!
2. Women who drank one 12-ounce diet soda had a 33 percent increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, and women who drank one 20-ounce soda had a 66 percent increased risk.
3. Women who drank diet sodas drank twice as much as those who drank sugar-sweetened sodas because artificial sweeteners are more addictive and are hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than regular sugar.
4. The average diet soda drinker consumes three diet drinks a day.

You might say that people who are overweight and just about to get diabetes drink more diet soda, but they scientifically controlled for body weight. And they found the artificial sweeteners increased diabetes independent of body weight!  This and other research shows how diet sodas make people fat and sick.

And that diet drinks may be even worse than regular sugar-sweetened sodas! How does that happen?

• Artificial sweeteners are hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than regular sugar, activating our genetically-programmed preference for sweet taste more than any other substance.
• They trick your metabolism into thinking sugar is on its way. This causes your body to pump out insulin, the fat storage hormone, which lays down more belly fat.
• It also confuses and slows your metabolism down, so you burn fewer calories every day.
• It makes you hungrier and crave even more sugar and starchy carbs like bread and pasta.
• In animal studies, the rats that consumed artificial sweeteners ate more, their metabolism slowed, and they put on 14 percent more body fat in just two weeks -- even eating fewer calories.
• In population studies, there was a 200 percent increased risk of obesity in diet soda drinkers.

I love Taylor Swift. I met her last summer. She is a wonderful person with great integrity. I don't think she knows about this research, and I hope someone shares it with her so she can save millions of children and fans from drinking Diet Coke because she endorses it.

Bottom line: There is no free ride. Diet drinks are not good substitutes for sugar-sweetened drinks. They increase cravings, weight gain, and Type 2 diabetes. And they are addictive.

Myth 2: Eating Fat Makes You Fat

The diet and food industry has brainwashed us to eat fat-free foods, which seems like common sense. Eating fats makes you fat. Right? But the science tells us otherwise -- not all calories are created equal. And even though fat has more calories per gram (9 calories vs. 4 calories of carbs and protein), eating fat can help you lose weight.

This low-fat idea was based on bad science. Our government told us in the 1970s to go on a low-fat diet and to eat 8-11 servings of rice, bread, and pasta a day. And unfortunately, we listened. This was the beginning of our obesity and diabetes epidemic. The food industry happily created a flood of fat-free foods.

But the science has proven that eating fat doesn't make you fat -- sugar does. And it is sugar, not fat, that raises your cholesterol despite what people and most doctors still believe. A 20-ounce soda is fat-free, but that doesn't make it a health food. If cookies were fat-free, then you can eat the whole bag, right?

But the fat is replaced with flour and sugar, and the result we now have is one in two adults with diabesity -- that's pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes -- and almost one in four teenagers with pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes. We did a 10-day sugar-free detox with our online community, and 600 people lost more than 4,000 pounds in 10 days!

So why does eating fat free make you fat and diabetic?

In a recent Harvard study, Dr. David Ludwig found that in two groups eating exactly the same calories, the group that had the low-fat diet (which means higher in sugars and starches) burned 300 calories less per day. Their metabolism was slower than the group eating the higher fat and higher protein diet.

If you ate the higher-fat, higher-protein diet (of exactly the same calories), it is the equivalent of running for one hour a day. In other words, if you just swap out sugars and starches for good quality fats and protein, it will be like you added an hour of free exercise a day to your life without any change in calorie intake!

Bottom Line: The key point here is that all calories are not the same. Swap out sugar and starch for good fats such as nuts, avocados, olive oil, and grass-fed animal products or wild fish. Be a "qualitarian." Focus on quality, on real food, and the rest takes care of itself.

Myth 3: Being Overweight Is Your Fault

The food industry would have us believe that controlling our weight is about personal responsibility. Tell that to a 200-pound 5-year-old with diabetes and liver failure. Our taste buds have been hijacked by the food and diet industry. We are programmed to like sweet, salt, and fat tastes.

And those slick combinations of sugar, fat and salt in junk and processed food have hijacked our taste buds, our brain chemistry, and our metabolism. These foods are biologically addictive. We are held hostage by the food industry and we blame ourselves. This is food terrorism!

How does food addiction happen?

New research shows that industrial food full of processed sugars, fats, salt, and chemicals are powerfully addictive. And sugar is the worst culprit. One animal study found that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. When rats were given the choice between mainline cocaine right into their veins or sweetened water (in fact, they used an artificial sweetener), they found that sugar was eight times more addictive than cocaine. Even the rats already addicted to cocaine switched over to diet drinks!

And what's even more interesting is that while cocaine and heroin activate only one spot for pleasure in the brain, sugar lights up the brain like a pinball machine. If these foods are addictive and drive overeating, then the whole idea of moderation just doesn't work. Hey, just have that one line of cocaine or that one hit of heroin.

We can't stop eating, but we can stop eating junk and sugar! So we have to take back our taste buds, take back our brain chemistry, and take back our bodies from the food and diet industry. How do we do that?

Bottom Line: By eating real food -- chicken, fish, veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, and a little whole grains will reset your taste buds and your brain chemistry automatically.

Myth 4: Exercise Your Way to Weight Loss

The food industry and diet industry push exercise. Even Michelle Obama's childhood obesity initiative focuses on exercise in its name, Let's Move. But it should be really called Let's Eat Real Food.  Here's why. Sugar-sweetened drinks make up about 15 percent of our calorie intake every day. But you have to walk 4.5 miles to burn off one 20-ounce soda, which contains 15 teaspoons of sugar.

You have to run four miles a day for one week to burn off one supersize meal. If you have one supersize meal everyday you would have to run a marathon every day! You can't exercise your way out of bad diet -- except if you run a marathon every day.

Drinking 32 ounces of Gatorade after a workout is a dumb idea, unless you run around like Kobe Bryant on the basketball court for 48 minutes. There are better ways to replenish your energy and electrolytes than colored sugar water with a few minerals sprinkled in. To paraphrase my friend Bill Clinton, "It's the food, stupid!"

Bottom Line: Exercise is critical to long-term health and weight loss, but you can't exercise your way out of a bad diet.

Thankfully, science is shedding light on the ideas that keep us fat and sick. Unfortunately, scientists don't have billion-dollar marketing budgets. But we as a community of thinking people wanting real information can speak out, can spread the word and turn the tide of obesity and chronic disease together.

Believe ‘A Calorie is a Calorie’? Coke says it is....Think Again!

I read the following article today by Dr Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF, and President of the Institute for Responsible Nutrition. 

I’ve shared Dr Lustig’s research and information in the past and given Coca Cola’ latest slick new 2 minute ad – Coming Together on YouTube suggesting to their consumers that a Calorie is a Calorie, thereby implying that it’s the fault of the general public for the obesity epidemic because they offer reduced and low calorie options (claiming no culpability on their part) is reprehensible, but predictable.

 

Dr Lustig’s research below is certainly timely given this slick piece of marketing and something every person that cares about their health and the health of their families should know and understand. 

Let's be clear, companies like Coca Cola, PepsiCo, and others that market processed foods are no friends of yours, mine or our families when it comes to selling products that are harmful to our health and the health of our families. They care only about revenues at the expense of a healthcare system that are struggling and on life support, while giving little consideration for their customers that are addicted to their unhealthy products.

Think about your health the next time you reach for the “Real Thing”, because you're not only paying for their products, you're also paying for a dying healthcare system.

I’ve copied the full article written by Dr Lustig for your convenience below.

Enjoy the Ride....Rob

Still Believe ‘A Calorie is a Calorie’?

By Dr Robert Lustig

If you do, you fly in the face of mounting and incontrovertible evidence that some calories -- in particular, "sugar calories" -- are jeopardizing both your and your family's health. Physicians and politicians who cling to the dogma that "all calories should be treated equally" imperil our country's health care system, food supply and standing in the world for the next hundred years.

A calorie is a measurement of energy (a matter of physics), not a value judgment on where that energy goes (a matter of biochemistry). As my book Fat Chance explains, you get sick from inappropriate energy storage (in your liver and muscle), not defective energy balance (bigger love handles). Nonetheless, "a calorie is a calorie" continues to be promulgated by the food industry as their defense against their culpability for the current epidemic of obesity and chronic metabolic disease. But it is as dishonest as a three-dollar bill. Here are just four examples that refute this dogma:

1. Fiber. You eat 160 calories in almonds, but you absorb only 130. The fiber in the almonds delays absorption of calories into the bloodstream, delivering those calories to the bacteria in your intestine, which chew them up. Because a calorie is not a calorie.
2. Protein. When it comes to food, you have to put energy in to get energy out. You have to put twice as much energy in to metabolize protein as you do carbohydrate; this is called the thermic effect of food. So protein wastes more energy in its processing. Plus protein reduces hunger better than carbohydrate. Because a calorie is not a calorie.
3. Fat. All fats release nine calories per gram when burned. But omega-3 fats are heart-healthy and will save your life, while trans fats clog your arteries, leading to a heart attack. Because a calorie is not a calorie.
4. Sugar. This is the "big kahuna" of the "big lie." Sugar is not one chemical. It's two. Glucose is the energy of life. Every cell in every organism on the planet can burn glucose for energy. Glucose is mildly sweet, but not very interesting (think molasses). Fructose is an entirely different animal. Fructose is very sweet, the molecule we seek. Both burn at four calories per gram. If fructose were just like glucose, then sugar or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) would be just like starch. But fructose is not glucose. Because a calorie is not a calorie.

Up until now, scientists have shown that sugar is "associated" or "correlated" with various chronic metabolic diseases. For instance, the increase in sugar consumption over the past 30 years paralleled the increase in obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Areas that drink more soda (e.g., the American Southeast) experience higher prevalences of these diseases. But correlation is not causation.

Which direction do the data go? Does sugar cause obesity and metabolic disease? Or do obese people with metabolic disease drink soda? You can't tell, because you only have one point in time -- the snapshot, not the movie. In the February 27 issue of the journal PLoS One, my colleagues Dr. Sanjay Basu, Paula Yoffe, Nancy Hills and I put this issue to rest, because we now have the movie.[1]

We asked the question, "What in the world's food supply explains diabetes rates, country-by-country, over the last decade?" We melded databases from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAOSTAT), which measures food availability, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which measures diabetes prevalence, the World Bank World Development Economic Indicators, and the World Health Organization Global Infobase. We assessed total calories; meat (protein); oils (fat); cereals (glucose); pulses, nuts, vegetables, roots, and tubers (fiber); fruit excluding wine (natural sugar); and sugar, sugarcrops, and sweeteners (added sugar). We controlled for poverty, urbanization, aging, and most important, obesity and physical activity.

Bottom line -- only changes in sugar availability explained changes in diabetes prevalence worldwide; nothing else mattered.

Total caloric availability was unrelated to diabetes prevalence; for every extra 150 calories per day, diabetes prevalence rose by only 0.1 percent. But if those 150 calories per day happened to be a can of soda, diabetes prevalence rose 11-fold, by 1.1 percent (and Americans on average consume the added sugar equivalent of 2.5 cans of soda per day, so that's 2.75 percent!). And this effect of sugar was exclusive of obesity; controlling for body mass index did not negate the effect. Even more important, we showed that the change in sugar availability preceded the change in diabetes (that's cause, not effect); and we showed directionality -- those countries where sugar availability rose showed increases in diabetes, while those where sugar availability fell showed decreases in diabetes. This is a very robust signal, with little noise. While epidemiology can't prove scientific causation, the data allow for objective inference. Sugar drives diabetes worldwide, and unrelated to its calories.

When you do the math, fully one-quarter of the world's diabetes is explained by sugar alone.

The food industry has contaminated the American food supply with added sugar to "sell more product" and thereby uphold their Wall Street mandate to increase profits. Of the 600,000 food items in the American grocery store, 80 percent have been spiked with added sugar; and the industry uses 56 other names for sugar on the label. They know when they add sugar, you buy more. And because you do not know you're buying it, you buy even more.

The outcome: By the year 2050, one-third of all Americans will have diabetes. Trustees of the Medicare program predict that Medicare will be broke by 2024. No health care for you. Yet just six weeks ago, Coca-Cola had the temerity to introduce its two-minute ad "Coming Together," in which they say: "All calories count" because a calorie is a calorie; if you're fat, it's your fault (they claim no culpability); and because they make non-caloric drinks, they're part of the solution. The problem is that a calorie is not a calorie; if non-caloric drinks are the solution, then by inference they're saying that caloric drinks are the problem.

Sugar in excess is a toxin, unrelated to its calories. The dose determines the poison. Like alcohol, a little sugar is fine, but a lot is not. And the food industry has put us way over our limit.

The food industry will summon their spin doctors. They will yet again argue that the statistics are wrong, the interpretation is too broad -- but they will not be able to effectively refute the science. They haven't yet, and they won't succeed now. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and it's shining brightly on the food industry's practices. They will continue the propaganda, and try to sow the seeds of doubt. But they will be on the losing end of this battle. The UK and Australia have just this past week laid down stricter guidelines for sugar consumption. The people and scientists of the United States are onto them as well. It's just a matter of time before the politicians follow.

Robert H. Lustig, M.D., is Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF, and President of the Institute for Responsible Nutrition (responsiblefoods.org), at which the Doctors' Food Project is the first campaign. He is currently getting his Masters in Studies of Law at UC Hastings College of the Law. His YouTube lecture, "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" has been viewed over 3 million times. His book, Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease (Hudson Street Press, 2012), is in bookstores now.

You think you’re a healthy weight, think again?

Ask someone about their weight and you'll get varying degrees of resistance and truth to the question.  I read a statistic the other day that over 66% of women lie about their weight.  I suspect for the same reasons, men also lie about their size and weight, but that’s a topic for another post. Today, I want to talk about the importance of understanding your bodyfat as a percentage of overall weight.  We often use BMI or weight/height charts as an indicator of healthy weight, and I guess it’s not a bad guideline, but only to a certain point. 

A much better way to measure your weight and general fitness is to have a good understanding of your bodyfat content, not just your body weight.  By monitoring your % bodyfat in combination with your weight regularly, there are many things you can learn about your fitness and general health as time passes by.

The Basics of % Bodyfat and Body Composition

Your body is made up of many components; the major ones are muscle, bone, organs and fat.  And fat seems to be the one everyone is concerned about when we think of appearance, health, fitness and longevity.

Unfortunately, you can’t simply look in the mirror, stand on a scale and look up a BMI chart to tell if you are over-fat or under-fat.  Height/Weight charts are only averages and about 50% of us conform to the averages on these charts.  The charts have no way of determining what your muscle development is, or isn’t, and most people don’t know if they fit into the small, medium or large frame types.  No, the only way to determine your % bodyfat is to measure it. 

Being able to measure and monitor your % bodyfat will provide you with important information about the changes in your muscle tissue over time.  By knowing your % bodyfat, you can determine your % muscle, bone and organ mass.  For example, let’s assume a man weighting 160lbs has 20% bodyfat, then 32lbs is bodyfat and everything else is “lean mass” or 128lbs.  Of the lean mass, the component that you have most control and can change is muscle tissue.  By monitoring your bodyfat, you will have better insight into the changes of your muscle tissue.  And your muscle tissue will increase or decrease depending on your diet, activity, exercise and general lifestyle.

Unfortunately, North Americans as a population don’t get enough exercise or eat a healthy diet, which results in gradually losing their muscle tissue as they age.  So a person may actually weigh the same in their 50’s as they did in college and have significantly less muscle and more fat on their body.

A study by Brozek and Keys determined that the average male at 20 years of age has 10.3 % bodyfat and by the time he reaches 55 years, his % bodyfat increased to 25%.  This implies that a man weighing 160lbs at 20 will only have 16lbs of bodyfat and the same man at 55 will have 40lbs of fat.  That’s a loss of 24lbs of muscle, bone and organ tissue and a gain of 24lbs of added fat.  To be of healthy % bodyfat at the age 55, this individual should only weight 148lbs and carry 19% bodyfat.  It would have been better that he exercised throughout his life and maintained his muscle, bone and organ mass.  This example is for a man, but the same concept holds true for women.

This kind of change doesn’t happen to everyone.  People that have active lifestyles, exercise daily and eat a healthy diet do not lose muscle tissue or gain bodyfat throughout their lives.  In fact, people over 50 years of age can gain back muscle and lose bodyfat through a proper diet and exercise program. 

The Application of Bodyfat Information

It’s important to note that body composition changes start as early as 18 and by 25 most North Americans have already lost lean mass and gained body fat.  And that’s the ones that have maintained their correct weight.  It’s even worse for those that have gained weight.  If people monitor their % bodyfat early and often, they will see the changes and be able to make the correct changes before the weight challenge become serious and a lifelong struggle.

Another important reason to know your % bodyfat is to monitor the affect of a new diet or exercise program on muscle tissue and fat development.  Research has shown that a people that go on one of the many fad diets will generally lose muscle tissue and not fat, but in the absence of actually taking regular bodyfat measurements the dieter will never know the harmful effects if all they rely on is their weight scale.

The most effective way to reduce the proper weight is through exercise and eating a well balanced diet, while monitoring your % bodyfat to ensure the weight loss is fat and not muscle tissue.  As I train and prepare for the Haute Route bike race this August from Geneva to Nice, I’m following this process myself, as I have to reduce my total body weight while maintaining my muscle mass to ensure I have the optimal power to weight ratio to power my lighter body over the 68,000 feet (21,000 meters) of climbing during the 7 days of racing.

Yet another important use of bodyfat measuring regards people that are the proper weight, or even a little underweight according to BMI and other weight/height charts and may even look healthy, when in fact they’re actually “under muscled” and “over fat”.  The fact that their small muscles weigh so little they are often given the false impression that they are a healthy weight, when in fact they are over fat and require an exercise program to gain muscle tissue while losing the unhealthy fat.

Like the example above, the opposite is true for a person that’s particularly muscular with low bodyfat.  According to the BMI and other weight/height charts this person is considered overweight, when in fact they’re actually quite lean and if they went on a diet, they would only lose muscle tissue.  So, only by measuring their bodyfat will they know they’re of a healthy weight.

Finally, when a person decides to take action and commits to a well planned exercise program, combined with a nutritious and well balanced diet, they may actually see a weight gain for the first few months as they gain heavier lean muscle tissue while losing the lighter bodyfat.  Seeing their weight increase may be discouraging to the individual causing them to give up on their new healthy lifestyle.  By measuring both weight and % bodyfat, they will see the improvements and continue with the program with a sense of encouragement.

How do I measure % Bodyfat

There are a two common methods and devices to measure % bodyfat at home. These are the Skinfold Calipers and Bio-impedance devices.  I have both and of the two, the skinfold caliper is the more accurate method.  The down side of skinfold calipers, is they generally require a second person to take the measurements.   That said, I have become a master of measuring myself after only a few tries and the readings are very accurate.

So if you really want to understand your true healthy weight, don’t just rely on your weigh scale and the BMI chart as your guide, as this method may provide you with incorrect information.  Purchase online a set of enexpensive Skinfold Calipers and take the time to make weekly, or at a minimum monthly bodyfat measurements to ensure you maintain a healthy body composition throughout your life. 

And most importantly, taking corrective action once you know your body’s composition is the key to a healthy future.       

Enjoy the Ride....Rob

Calories are NOT Created Equally

I’d like to share with you an article I recently read in Bicycle Magazine that’s excellent “food for thought” (pardon the pun).  And not just for cyclists, but for anyone that’s interested in maintaining a healthy weight.  It's often suggested that it doesn't matter if the calories you eat comes from a donut, or an apple, because a calorie is a calorie and the body doesn’t know the difference.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Let’s start with some basics.  There are 3,500 calories in every pound of body weight and when you exercise you burn a varying amount of calories depending on your activity and intensity. For example, I zap around 9 to 10 calories every minute when I’m riding my bike, which means a guy weighing 159 pounds like myself will burn between 500 and 600 calories on a typical one hour bike ride—roughly the calories in a 6-inch Spicy Italian Subway sub. (If you're heavier, you shed more calories; if you're lighter, you lose less.)

Most people that exercise generally overestimate how many calories they’re burning up during their workout.  And if they eat an energy bar and drink a sports drink, they’ve effectively cancelled any calorie burn.  According to Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, “Surveys show that many exercisers overestimate the calories they burn by nearly double and unless every morsel has a food label, it's difficult to know how many calories are consumed and even harder to know how much you're burning."  And it goes without saying that your average couch potato has no clue what they’re consuming and unfortunately they couldn’t care less.  In fact, the only time they take an interest is when they’re told they have heart disease, cancer, or diabetes.

As mentioned above, a calorie is a measurement of the energy in food. And for years we've been told a calorie is a calorie. According to Bonci, "Foods close to their natural state, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean, whole cuts of meat, require energy from your body to chew and digest them. They create a thermic response, which means you burn calories just processing them."

Bonci and other experts partly blame the preponderance of "lazy calories" for the current obesity epidemic. "Our food is so heavily processed, it's practically predigested," she says. "That fast-food burger you eat from McDonalds has gone through so much pulverization, you barely have to chew. We're losing the ability to burn calories as we naturally would during the eating and digestive process." And many of these same foods are calorie-dense, so there's more for your body to store.

Neither Bonci nor I suggest counting calories as it takes the joy out of eating and ends up a futile venture. Instead, fill your plate with active calories, like those found in fruits and vegetables. Such foods possess more fiber and water, which means you digest them slowly, feel satisfied longer with longer-lasting energy.  Consider them as, "free foods" and eat as many as you want.

By simply changing the composition of your plate, you will lose weight without worrying about hunger pangs, counting calories, or bonking episodes if you’re a cyclist like me. Below shows what a "high performance plate" should look like. Structuring your meals this way will allow you to fill up without filling out.

The Performance Plate

• One-quarter to one-third of your meal should consist of active and semiactive calories from protein such as lean meat, skinless poultry, fish, eggs and low-fat dairy.
• One-half should be active calories from fruits and vegetables (for the fill-and-chew factor).
• One-quarter should be active and semiactive calories from whole-grain starches: brown rice, whole-wheat pasta.
• Couch Potato calories should be consumed sparingly; and if you are overweight (BMI greater than 24.8) try your best to avoid them completely.

Active Calories

• Lean meat, fish, poultry
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Leafy greens
• Whole grains
• Beans and legumes

Semiactive Calories

• Fiber-rich cereal
• Whole-grain bread
• Low-fat dairy
• Soups

Couch Potato Calories

• Pastries, cookies, pies, cakes
• Fatty processed meats
• Chips, pretzels, snack foods
• Fast food

So being mindful of foods that are not only nutritious, but require energy to digest, you won’t have to starve yourself on one of those crazy diet programs that force you to count every calorie while depriving yourself the enjoyment of eating for pleasure as well as nourishment. 

Enjoy the Ride....Rob

Resolutions that Stick

Two weeks ago I wrote an inspirational blog post about how Peter LeClaire made a significant and lasting change to his lifestyle, resulting in a new found health unthinkable a few short years ago.  That single post drove more traffic to this blog site than any other post I've published since I started blogging over 2 1/2 years ago.  Not everyone has what Peter has to make a resolution stick, so this week, I'm please to have back my resident guest blogger, Dr Les Davidson to provide clear, actionable steps that may help you make the kind of change Peter LeClaire is committed to.

Enjoy the Ride….Rob

 

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS - make them happen anytime.

As a health-care practioner, I often ask my patients if they have specific resolutions or fitness goals for the New Year. Some patients say there is nothing magical about the fact that planet Earth has made yet another successful trip around the Sun; they never make New Year’s resolutions. Others, however, are excited and resolve that 2013 will be different.  

For the ever-hopeful resolvers, their chance of success, unfortunately, is limited. Most of the conditions I treat in the clinic, for example, could be avoided or at least ameliorated with lifestyle change. The creation of healthy habits is critical in achieving true health potential —but creating habits is difficult. It’s not that we want to suffer; it’s that we keep doing the same thing while expecting different results. Remember the definition of insanity? Most of us are guility of insanity in at least one area of our lives.

THE SCIENCE OF CHANGE

In Changeology: How to Bring Your Resolutions to Fruition, author John Norcross describes the steps to creating change. Most of us already know the missteps. Missteps have led us to believe that:

1. People can’t change on their own.
2. Most resolutions are trivial.
3. Change requires only willpower.
4. It’s all in my genes.
5. I can’t change; I have tried.

The truth is that three-quarters of those who change do so on their own; changes can be life enhancing, if not life saving; and those who rely solely on willpower fail at a greater rate. There is a difference between genetic determination and genetic predispositon and change is easiest if you have a strategy in place. In other words, if you have tried and failed, don’t give in to over-generalization or fear of failure.

MOTIVATION

First, it is important to establish your Reason for change.

1. Recognize how bad habits are contributing to your over-all health challenges. If you have a daily doughnut habit, recognize what it does to your glycemic levels. Then stop driving through the drive-through until you can drive through without auto-pilot-ordering a double chocolate with your double double!  
2. Research. In recent years evidence shows that things we once viewed as health promoting are detrimental to your health. We ate margarine that was high in trans fats and for heart health we avoided all fats not realizing that we needed to have more Omega 3 fats ( Science, Medicine and the Future Omega 3 fatty acid and cardiovascular disease. British Medical Journal 2004: 328: 30-35). Another example is the amount of research supporting resistance training for health. Do your homework or talk with your health-care provider or fitness trainer for the latest research.
3. Respect changes in life circumstances – injuries, intolerances to certain foods, or the one I can most relate to, getting older.
4. Rediscoveryour passion.  People often lose their way when they live without something they love to do.

Learn how simple, clear and actionable steps from my resident guest blogger, Dr Les Davidson will help us all make the kind of positive lifestyle change that stick.

IT’S NOT JUST A LACK OF WILL POWER

Most of us already have some good habits; we automatically buckle our seat belt, we brush our teeth, and (if we are a guy who lives with women) we leave the toilet seat down. The more autopilot habits we have, the more energy we have left over to exert self-control in the areas we still need to work on. Self-control requires energy and is, therefore, a finite resource. When we are using energy to face fears, project a certain image, manage limited financial resources, it is no wonder we have little energy left to exert self-control!

In their book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, Chip and Dan Heath use the anology of an elephant and its rider to describe the two independent systems operating in our brain. The elephant is emotional, instinctive, and in search of instant gratification. The rider is rational, goal oriented, but often over-analytical and struggles to make decisions. In order to make lasting change, you have to appeal to both to the rider and the elephant.

THREE STEPS FOR LASTING CHANGE

1) Direct the rider

Successful change requires a translation of ambiguous goals into concrete behavior. Clone past successes and script the critical moves. Rather than saying you want to eat better, determine what eating better looks like (your destination or goal) and then decide what resources and strategies you need (a nutritionalist, a shopping list, an online food diary, or an accountability partner). Pick a day to begin.

2) Motivate the elephant

Find the feeling behind the reason. Knowledge isn’t enough to change behavior. (We have all met crazy shrinks, obese physicians, and divorced marriage counselors.) If you used to love to ski, get to the gym/lose weight/get healthy so you can once again experience the thrill of shooshing down the hill. If you have fifty pounds to lose before you can fit into your ski pants, shrink the change. Break the weight down into five-pound increments. You want early wins. Small wins raise perceived skill level. Big changes come from a succession of small wins. Start a vision board with lots of pictures and words that capture the feelings and emotions associated with reaching your objectives.

 3) Shape the Path

Remember the rider who struggled to make decisions? In Paradox of Choice, author Barry Schwartz states that the more options we face, the more we become overloaded. Choice then no longer liberates but debilitates; the rider loses control and the gratification-seeking elephant seeks the bag of potato chips, the remote control or the Haagen-Dazs. Before that happens, limit your options by tweaking your environment to make it easy to choose the activity that moves you to the goal. For example lay out your workout clothes the night before. Bring a thermos bag of food to work so you aren’t tempted by the treats. Environmental tweaks beat self-control every time.

Pre-decide that each time you walk into the TV room, you’ll do ten pushups; pre-decide that whenever you drive to Safeway, you’ll phone Mom and ask her if she needs anything. Since habitual behavior is free (it doesn’t take decision-making energy), these “action triggers” can create instant habits.

There is nothing magical about making New Year’s resolutons. Your decision to change can begin on any day – an anniversary, a birthday, even Valentine’s Day. The most important thing is to start. Are you continuing to change and grow? If not, consider this: What could you change and how would that improve your life, your health, and your relationships! Start Now!

Adding Life to Your Years….Dr Les

Lance Armstrong...he is the best and worst of all of us

I’m not sure if it’s my last name or that I’m a cyclist, or both that makes me a target for opinion on this whole Lance Armstrong thing and I, like so many others couldn’t resist watching the Oprah interview to see what he said.  I struggle every time someone asks me the question, “so what do you think of Lance Armstrong”?

Externally my answer is pretty clear, although internally I have mixed opinions. 

You see, the integrity part of me hates the bastard for all the bullying, cheating, and lying over these many years.  I watched him race and speak directly into the camera that he didn’t cheat and he would attack anyone that challenged his word.  He ruined the lives of many people whose only fault was telling the truth.  He represents everything I despise in a person, so of course I hold him in great distain.

I’m also a competitive cyclist and I respect his drive, dedication, discipline, athletic capabilities (without the drugs), and his all out, never say die attitude that’s required in all high performing champions. I wish I had more of that.  So I respect the guy.

Wait a minute; a second ago you said you hated the guy.  Come on Rob, you can’t suck and blow at the same time, you either hate him or you respect him, you have to pick a side. But in the case of Lance Armstrong, you can suck and blow at the same time.

Lance has this polarizing effect on the public.  He contains the personality traits we respect and hate, all embodied in the same individual. It's why some will respect him, while others hate him passionately.  It just depends on the dominating characteristics each of us possesses whether you're a "Hater" or "Believer".  He is the best and worst in all of us. 

The next time you get into a heated debate over the details of why you feel the exact opposite to someone else about Lance, remember that your personality traits are different to theirs and they may respect and value certain aspects of Lance's character and overlook the traits that you passionately distain. There’s no right or wrong answer, only shades of grey.

So here’s my new answer that I’m borrowing from my friend Matt Young as it summarizes him best.

Lance Armstrong is a cancer survivor, legend, icon, son of a single parent, father to 4, boyfriend, ex husband, womanizer,  white, American, overachiever, athlete, role model, spokesperson, Olympian, team mate, captain, charismatic leader, businessman, above average hypocrite, me-centric, ego centric, ass-hole who’s now a scorned product of a society that loves to feed off his great story and then revel in the downfall, skinny, dork, really fast cyclist who cheated to reach a level of infamy we all dream of – but could only get to if we cheated and had his natural ability.

So basically in many ways, he’s like you and I.....only on steroids.

Enjoy the Ride….Rob

I'm Not the Man I Was...I'm Healthy Now

I usually write a blog that coincides with the 1^st of January when people set their New Year’s Resolutions.  The number one Resolution people announce has something to do with their health. I generally explain the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and describe in detail the risks associated with the unhealthy alternative. This year is different.  I intentionally held off writing the same old message. 

First, I decided to write a post mid way through January, because according to statistics, 70% of all people that make New Year’s Resolutions have already abandoned their commitment to a new lifestyle and retreated back to their favorite couch in front of the TV while eating unhealthy food and washing it down with soda, beer or a glass of wine. 

Second, instead of “preaching” the benefits and risks associate with lifestyle choices, I decided to share a story written by Peter Leclaire.  I coached Peter last year and he finishing one of the hardest single day cycling races in the world.  What’s most impressive is when I started coaching Peter he weighed around 245lbs, and after 10 months of committing himself to a healthy lifestyle, Peter dropped his weight by 80lbs, to 165lbs and has become a lean, mean cycling machine.

It’s my hope that by reading Peter’s transformational story, you too will be inspired by what’s possible when you take action and make this Year’s Resolution the one that sticks for the rest of your life. 

Enjoy the Ride....Rob

 

My Journey to Health - by Peter LeClaire

Ever since Robert (AKA: Coach) asked me to write my story describing my transformational journey soon after racing Etape du Tour back in July of 2012, I’ve been struggling how to best write this. I had many ideas floating in my head where to start my story, how to fill in the middle and provide an ending with a call to action for those who like me were sitting on the sidelines.  Below is my story and I hope it inspires you to make the lifestyle changes I embraced, regardless of your age, your gender or starting weight.

My life, like many of yours, is fairly ordinary. I’m a 50+ year old guy that has time commitments of work, family, friends, etc.  I’m not an overachieving “AAA” personality with a strong take-charge mentality, but I am a passionate individual who generally loves what he does and sticks to it once started. This is especially true when people support and believe in me. This is where my story starts.

About 5 years ago I registered for my first charity bike ride, a back to back metric century (100km) in support of the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, one of the largest charity rides in Canada.  At this point I had never thought of a bike ride in terms of distance, only in terms of time. I was excited about being part of something bigger than myself and raising money for a great cause in addition to joining over 4000 cyclists with the same goal. What I didn’t realize was how hard it was to get my fat behind (and I mean fat) out the door and actually do some training. I had no real game plan except to put some time on the saddle. I was quite overweight and considered obese even though I was reasonably active in other sports, but it didn’t take me long to realize just how out of shape I was when I began climbing hills I found myself gasping for each breath by the time I reached the summit feeling the negative effects a poor cardiovascular system and carrying so much extra body fat. I’m happy to report that I can laugh at those days now, but at the time it was not only painful, but provided a view into my general fitness level.

I completed that first charity ride that spanned over a weekend and besides having fun, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment I immediately signed up for the next year’s event. This is when I realized the importance of setting a major goal for myself each year and cycling was the “vehicle” for me. Although I was still overweight, I participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer four years in a row with the last two events being back to back 160km rides.  I erroneously felt that since I was doing all this riding I could reward myself with over abundant meals that were for the most part, unhealthy.

I think I can say that my real transformation started two years ago when I was in France on vacation and had the opportunity to ride with Coach’s step brother Gerry Patterson who has been blogging about his cycling adventures and guided tours throughout the South of France. I contacted Gerry through his blog and we scheduled a guided day ride. The only thing I knew about our outing was that we were going for an 80km ride in the hills behind Nimes. I mean really, how tough could it be. I had a vision of a pleasant cycle through the rolling French countryside, but the reality was a far cry from what I had imagined in my head.  How naive was I? As much as I struggled that day, and I mean struggled as it was probably the hardest physical thing I had done in my life up until that point, it was an epiphany. Gerry was telling me about completing his first Etape de Tour race, or riding up the famous Mont Ventoux and it dawned on me that I would love to do a big mountain climb like that one day. I couldn’t believe I was actually thinking this because I’m the same guy that hated climbing any hill and used to ride out of my way just to avoid them.

The biggest part of my transformation was to set a big goal, and after listening to Gerry talk about his riding and racing adventures I proceeded to sign up for what would become the biggest physical challenge of my life, the L’Etape du Tour 2012 – Act 2. For those who don’t know, this was an actual Tour de France stage, but for amateurs. This particular race was 202km and located in the high Pyrenees Mountains.  It was the hardest stage of that year’s Tour de France.

It would be an understatement of colossal proportion to say this was a huge undertaking and probably something in my physical condition that bordered on impossible.  In fact, there were many times I thought to myself that I must be nuts to attempt such a physically demanding event. I knew I couldn’t do this alone and needed some guidance and structure to my training if I was going to accomplish this monumental task, and I had no idea how I was going to get it. Talk about setting an audacious goal.

It was at this time that I was introduced to Robert Armstrong by Gerry. Robert was looking for someone to train as he often does from time to time.  Gerry mentioned that I had signed up for the Etape du Tour race and recommend I contact his step brother for some training tips, as he coached him to his first Etape de Race.  Well be careful what you wish for, because I received more than a few coaching tips.  I think it was when I mentioned my weight to Rob that he realized I needed more than just a few coaching tips.  In fact, my challenge was a total life makeover.  Rob didn’t want to kill my dream of participating in this great race, but he said there was no way I could finish in my current condition and he was genuinely concerned for my long term health.  Rob didn’t charge me for his services, so he spent a long time qualifying my interest and personal commitment to the transformation plan and it wasn’t an easy process.  He told me that most people fail because they embark on these journeys for all the wrong reasons.  I basically had to convince him that I was worth his time, and I must have done a good job, because he took me on.  So as I said above, be careful what you wish for, because although Coach was supportive, he showed me no mercy.

Even though his training program was communicated via email, because he lives in Calgary and I’m in the Toronto area, I felt his encouragement every day. If this was to work he said, there has to be complete honesty between the two of us. Coach sent me new dietary principals that I had to follow without question and he expected I follow it to the letter before we even started on the cycling training program.  He told me things about myself that were hard to hear, but it was the wake-up call I needed.  Commitment to my general health, given I was obese was far more important than riding a bike in some race in France.  But cycling was also the catalyst to get me to the end point. He explained the many health reasons why getting my size under control from my current weight of 245lbs back to my senior high school weight of 170 lbs was important.  I just thought he was nuts when he suggested I could lose 80lbs in 9 months.

Changing my diet was difficult at first because it was based on the healthy foods I rarely ate, like Vegetables, Fruits, Salads, and a healthy balance of Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat.  He also said no alcohol until I was back to a healthy weight.   These were tough choices indeed.  Changing from a lifetime of self abuse based on bad food choices and avoiding sugars like soda pop & concentrated fruit juices, processed convenient foods, as well as simple carbohydrates was very difficult. These were all the foods that contributed to my weight gain and provided me with the comfort I desired.  This was a significant change, but after his big speech about commitment to each other, it was tough to let him down, but more important, I wasn’t about to let myself down.

The next step was making exercise a daily priority. Coach set up my program in 4 week periods. It started with approximately 7 hours of structured training per week, which progressively got harder and longer as the winter season wore on.  This was not to say that I didn’t grumble to myself more than a few times and that I was exhausted and tried to convince myself that couldn’t do this.  Every time that happened I focussed my thoughts knowing the big picture goal: a new me with a new healthy body with a newer outlook on life. Many of my friends witnessed my transformation right in front of their eyes as the excess fat started to melt away. As much as I was seeing and feeling the positive effects of Coach’s training program and dietary principles, I still remained focused on the big goal ahead, which was getting scarier by the minute as the Etape de Tour got closer and closer.

Since reducing a significant amount of body fat by the time the outdoor season arrived (by March/April I was weighing around 180), my overall riding significantly improved and my ability to climb hills was easier than I ever experienced. In addition to my new found energy, my wife was tossing out all my oversized clothes.  I had gone from a size extra large in everything I owned, to a size medium. I couldn’t remember the last time I wore a medium in anything, but there I was wearing a new skin tight cycling kit 2 to 3 sizes smaller than I did a short 6 months before. I finally started to look like a real cyclist.  That being said, the other challenge I had to get used to was accepting my own self identity.  Every time I pasted a mirror or caught my reflection in a window, I didn’t recognize the skinny guy looking back at me.  And it wasn’t just me, many of my long time friends that I hadn’t seen for months didn’t recognize this new person that remotely looked like the fat guy they once knew. 

I found it strange that when I was obese, no one ever told me I was too fat, but now that I’m a very healthy size, with a BMI of 24, people will tell me all the time that I’m too thin.  I think we have so many overweight people in our country that used to look like me, we’ve lost track of what a healthy person should look like, because having a healthy weight is no longer “normal” in this country and people feel it’s ok to point out that you don’t look like the rest of the fat population.

2012 was a big year for me. In late 2011 I finally met the woman of my dreams whom I was to marry in July prior to going to France for Etape. It wasn’t a bad way to spend a honeymoon and do some cycling at the same time. My wife got to proudly watch me complete my goal of competing in Etape de Tour and only 3 days later climb the epic mountain of Mont Ventoux with a new friend John who was gracious enough to open his home to us for a few days. Thanks to Gerry for taking me out on that ride a couple years ago for without that single act of generosity, who knows who I would be today. You never know where that turn in the road takes you.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s imperative to set goals to keep yourself motivated. I love my new life of opportunities and I plan to stay this way.  I continue to train under the guidance of Coach Rob and have already seen further improvements in my fitness levels.

So what’s on my agenda for 2013?

I’ve signed up for another stage race in France which takes place in Lac Annecy on July 7th. I’m going to climb the epic mountain of Alpe D’huez (13.7km, 8.1% grade, 21 switchbacks, 1071 meters of climbing).  And if that isn’t enough, I plan to ride the famous mountain in the heart of Provence, Mt Ventoux, not once, but three times in the same day from the three different start towns. And finally back home I’ll do a couple 160km+ races. 

I share the list above not to brag, but to highlight the opportunities that are available to me now that I’ve taken control of my health and made it a priority in my life. I can truly enjoy my passion for cycling. I’ll never go back to my unhealthy self.  Take it from a guy that was obese and take control of your life, set a goal that scares you to hell, build a plan that includes someone to support and motivate you and most importantly, take action.  As the Nike slogan goes, “Just do It”.  Coach would often say to me,“Knowledge is power, but action flicks the switch”.  Well, I think by now most everyone knows what’s required to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s not rocket science.  Flick your switch and you too can enjoy an exciting life that isn’t held back by any physical limitations. 

Best of health.....Peter LeClaire.

A Simple Trick That Fights Holiday Weight Gain

Eggnog, shortbread cookies, gingerbread, fruitcake, turkey, so good, but so fattening and it’s everywhere during the holiday season.  And although we all know a little extra exercise could blast away a few of the extra calories, few of us can spare the time to exercise more, given our family commitments.  

I’m no exception, in fact this year my wife and I will be travelling to London England to spend Christmas and New Years with our daughter who lives there permanently.  And she’s already begun baking all my favourite holiday treats, and I fully intend to enjoy the fruits of her labour.  Given my ambitious 2013 training plans to race in Haute Route, the hardest cycling sportive in the world, watching my weight from now until August 2013 will be a full time job and I don’t intend to get behind the eight ball before 2013 even begins.

It’s no mystery why the average person puts on about a pound or two of permanent weight gain every year between Christmas and New Year’s, according to research.  And come spring, when that third serving of bread pudding is a distant memory you’ve still got that extra holiday weight on your butt or gut.  Now, one to two pounds may not sound like that much to worry about, but when you consider it happens year after year for decades, those extra pounds rapidly accumulate over time.

That’s why what I’m about to tell you could make the difference between adding to your waistline, or maintaining your current weight even as you enjoy the extra calories, fat and sugar associated with holiday feasting.  And the best part is it won’t even take up any extra time. You only need to rearrange your daily schedule so you exercise when your body naturally burns more fat.  

And that magic time is…just before breakfast.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH    

This very valuable advice comes from a study that was conducted in Belgium. For six weeks, all of the healthy participants were put on a high-calorie, high-fat diet that included 30% more calories than they usually ate, with half of those calories coming from fat.  The study contained three control groups

1. Group one: exercised vigorously (biking and running) for 60 to 90 minutes four times each week after consuming a carbohydrate-rich breakfast…and they drank a carbohydrate beverage during their workouts.
2. Group two: followed the identical exercise regimen, but they worked out before breakfast and they drank only water while exercising. (To keep calorie counts identical between both groups, the before-breakfast exercisers ate that same carb-rich meal and consumed that same carbohydrate drink later in the day.)
3. Group three:  followed the same diet but did not exercise at all.


Results: After six weeks, the non-exercising control group members gained an average of nearly seven pounds, while the group that exercised after breakfast gained about three pounds. However, there was no significant weight gain among those who did their exercise before breakfast.

The before-breakfast workout also had other important health benefits. At the start and end of the study, the researchers tested participants’ levels of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity —indicators of how well the body is able to use insulin to pull glucose from the bloodstream into the cells for use as energy. Poor glucose tolerance and reduced insulin sensitivity are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Again, at the end of the study, the before-breakfast exercisers showed significantly better results on these tests than the non-exercisers and after-breakfast exercisers—and they also had less fat stored in their muscle cells.

FAST TO BURN MORE FAT

Karen Van Proeyen, PhD, the study’s lead author, explained why the pre-breakfast exercise group did so much better than the post-breakfast exercisers even though everyone was following the same poor diet.

She said that during exercise, the body responds to the physical stress by changing the levels of hormones involved in the use of energy, including adrenaline and insulin. Adrenaline stimulates fat-burning, while insulin has the opposite effect. According to Dr. Van Proeyen, when exercise is performed during fasting—e.g., before you’ve eaten anything for the day—adrenaline levels are about two times higher and insulin concentrations are about 10 times lower, as compared with the same exercise performed after eating. This improved ratio between adrenaline and insulin allows the body to burn more fat during the workout.

THE BOTTOM LINE

During holiday feasting season, set your alarm clock a little earlier and hit the gym before breakfast, or on days when that’s not possible, I suggest, you let about six hours pass between your last meal and your workout—for instance, by eating lunch at noon and then exercising at 6 pm. By making a few simple changes to your schedule, you will be able to enjoy the holiday treats without fighting the battle of the bulge for the remainder of the year.

Enjoy the Ride....Rob

Alzheimer's - don't let it steal your life

Last week my uncle died and his funeral was held on Monday.  He lived in Edinburgh Scotland, so I wasn’t that close to him as I’ve lived in Canada all my life and we’ve only met a few times.  Even still, it was a sad day when I received this news.  I was further saddened when I heard my Aunt wasn’t able to attend his funeral because she suffers from Alzheimer’s and it would have been too confusing for her.  Alzheimer’s seems to run in my family, as two other Aunts of mine, who have both since passed away, also had this disease. 

When it’s all said and done, life is nothing more than a collection of experiences and memories.  All your worldly possessions don’t add up to much when you can’t recall the life you lived.  This horrible disease robs people of their most precious asset...their mind.  For me, the most frightening consequence of aging is the possible loss of my mental faculties. Utter the phrase “Alzheimer’s disease” – especially to someone like me who’s seen three family members touched by it – and people’s expressions tend to get a bit strained.

Although Alzheimer’s can affect younger people, it’s the most common cause of memory loss among the elderly. With the first baby boomers reaching age 65 in 2012, healthcare experts are predicting that many citizens will spend their final years either suffering from Alzheimer’s or caring for loved ones who have it. 

Alzheimer’s is currently the only condition among the top ten causes of death that cannot be prevented, cured or even delayed. While death rates for other major diseases like stroke, heart disease, HIV, and several cancers – have declined in recent years or at least remaining constant, those with Alzheimer’s continue to climb at an alarming rate. Despite this grim trend, in 2011 the National Institutes of Health spent about one-tenth as much for Alzheimer’s research as it did on cancer, heart disease and HIV/AIDS. 

Given the lack of focus and funding for this mental health illness, it’s going to be a while before any meaningful treatment for Alzheimer’s is forthcoming.  Like I’ve said many times before, what you do today has a profound impact on your health in the distant future, and this doesn’t only apply to your physical health, but also your mental health.  So you might want to take care of your brain today to avoid being a statistic in the future.  I suggest the following:

1. Avoid unhealthy brain habits: Stop smoking, avoid recreational drugs and limit alcohol consumption to a maximum of one (women) or two (men) drinks daily. Smoking damages the blood vessels that feed your brain, and substance abuse including social alcohol consumption destroys neurons that simply cannot be replaced.
2. Eat a healthy diet: When planning your meals, rely heavily on vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts. These foods contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other compounds that are essential for neurotransmitter synthesis, healthy nerves and robust circulation. Limit red meats, which can be artery-clogging and increase oily, cold water fish, which is excellent for normal brain function.
3. Exercise your body: 60 minutes of exercise daily not only protects your heart, strengthens your muscles and builds strong bones; it also helps delay the onset of dementia like no other medication. You don’t have to take up triathlons either, simple walking will do.  Walking improves balance, aerobic conditioning and cerebral blood flow.
4. Exercise your brain: A 2009 study in the journal Neurology demonstrated that people who read, write, learn a new language, do crossword puzzles, play board games or cards, play musical instruments or regularly participate in group discussions are less likely to develop dementia. The study’s authors reported that every mentally stimulating activity you undertake will delay the onset of dementia. Besides wanting to retire to the South of France where the ability to speak French is necessary, learning this language to exercise my brain is the second reason I picked up the Rosetta Stone program.  Who knows if I’ll be able to speak French fluently, maybe not, but it sure is fun learning and like physical exercise helping my heart, I know learning French is helping my brain.
5. Address your medical issues: If you have high triglycerides, high blood pressure, high lipid levels, or diabetes, or if you’re packing on more body fat than you should, see your doctor or medical provider to get these problems addressed immediately. Uncontrolled hypertension or chronically elevated blood glucose or lipid levels wreak havoc on your brain and contribute to memory loss. Studies show that people who are obese during their youth and middle age are 40% to 80% more likely to develop dementia than their healthy-weight counterparts.

More of us are living longer these days, and there’s no reason to believe you won’t be one of them. Making smart lifestyle choices right now just might keep you sharp-witted well into your twilight years.  Don’t let poor lifestyle habits today rob you of the only thing of true value in your future....your lifelong memories. 

Enjoy the Ride....Rob

Good information, Wrong interpretation

A good friend of mine once said that people can only hear the information that supports their own belief systems.  We see this all the time.  It’s why there’s polarizing opinions when it comes to topics like politics, or the existence of a God.  Regardless of the information, people will only hear what justifies the continuation of their own beliefs, even when the actual facts beg to differ.

I thought about this as I read the results of a recent study published by the British medical journal, “Heart”. This study was recently featured in articles within the Wall Street Journal and the Globe and Mail.  The study suggests that people that run too fast, for too far, for too many decades, may find themselves running to their early and ultimate “finish line”.   

My 87 year old father running in Greece

In the shadow of a national health crisis, where overweight and obese people represent the majority of the population, and citizens with chronic illnesses such as Diabetes, CODP, Cardiac Disease and various forms of Cancer are reaching epidemic proportions, I’m concerned that a health illiterate public will interpret the results of this study as an excuse NOT to exercise.  They will read the headline in the paper that says, “One Running Shoe in the Grave”.  As a result, this will fuel the belief system of many that if daily exercise isn’t good for runners, so why bother exercising at all. 

In actual fact, the study involved 52,600 subjects that were followed for three (3) decades, but what was glossed over was the fact that the runners in this group had an overall 19% lower death rate than the non-runners, and within the running group only the runners that ran longer than 40kms/week and faster than 13km/hour lost their mortality advantage. 

We’ve seen the impact of this kind of reporting from the past.  A study from a few decades ago suggested drinking a glass of red wine a day is good for your heart health.  Now we have a culture of social alcoholics who justify two to three drinks a day because it’s good for their heart health, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth.  Let's be clear, alcohol should not be part of a person's health habbits.

We live in a world where people have limited attention spans and are bombarded with catchy buy lines and punchy sound bites; the headline of this running report should have read, “Long term study suggests that life-long runners enjoy a lower death rate than non-runners”.  Just like the headline of the wine report should have said, “Study finds that consuming more than one drink a day for women and two for men, leads to negative health consequences”. 

We now have a population that takes little to no interest in their personal health until they’re told by their doctor that they have a serious, possibly life threatening chronic disease and that's the moment they decide it's time to practice positive health practices.  And the sad part is many of these situations are entirely preventable. 

How are we supposed to motivate our children to be active and make healthy life choices when they watch their parents make poor choices?  Media that report the findings of studies like this recent running study have a responsibility to be mindful of the role they play in the health of the public.  Our hospitals and long term care facilities are full of people that got there because they were inactive and made poor lifelong health choices. 

This study contains valuable information for a very small number of aging runners that push the performance envelope in their training and racing.  These runners should consider the consequences of these findings and adjust their running programs accordingly. 

Finally, I’d like to report that my father who is pictured above turns 88 next year and has been walk/joggng 8kms to 10kms every day, (or about 56+km a week) for years and only stopped racing marathons when he turned 79.  While he stills enjoys excellent health, most of his friends and family that lived a sedentary life, are either ill, immobile, or dead.  I guess he and the many seniors like him are the exceptions to this study.

Enjoy the Ride....Rob