Enough Already!

You all have seen it, heard about it or have even been guilty of it yourself. It's unavoidable for some because their level of passion is simply off the charts. Some are amateurs; some are professionals. You know what I am referring to, don't you? Over training.

When I first began competing in triathlons in 2006, my dear husband would often remind me to take a rest day. I was so excited about discovering that I could be a mom AND an athlete that my zeal overtook my common sense at times.  All I wanted to do was train and perform well but at times, I must confess, I am prone to this syndrome. Those of us with strong Type A personalities continually push harder, set new goals and strive to attain them - even to our own detriment. 


Here are some signs to look for - even if you don't think you are overdoing it. 
- lethargy
- increase in injuries
- loss of enthusiasm for your sport
- muscles sore in general
- muscle soreness to the touch
- lack of desire to train
- moodiness
- joint aches / pain
- problems sleeping
- drop in performance level
- decrease in appetite
- lowered immunity level (getting and keeping colds or allergies)

- headaches

- elevated resting heart rate

- compulsive need to exercise

Just as with traffic signs these physical, emotional and psychological and signals are put with us to keep us safe; we are wise to take heed. Should we choose to ignore the message our body is sending us not only will we risk injury but almost certainly we will take a step backward in our training which is counter-productive to what we know we really want. Do you find yourself in this list somewhere? Check back next week we will review how to prevent over training.

Sources:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/overtraining/a/aa062499a.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/350412-signs-symptoms-of-overtraining/ 
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/overtraining-topic-overview

Power Bar Review - the Dr. Will Bar

One of the main questions I get as a personal trainer in the world of athletes is “What should I eat while I train?” Despite the good intentions of some of my cycle buddies, a run to the Donut King is not my standard reply!

There are gels, bars, powders, mixes and potions galore to choose from. What I have noticed is that it appears that many casual athletes choose their training nutrition based on three criteria:

-           - What their friends or favorite athletes eat

-           -   Taste

-           -   Price

Perhaps it’s too much trouble to do the research or that the selection is just too broad. Could it be that some just really do not know what it is their bodies need? Perhaps so!

The main fuel source during a training session that is 60-90 minutes long is glycogen that is stored in the muscles. Another source of energy that is liver-stored glycogen. Thirdly, blood glucose fuels our bodies and our brains. Have you ever felt fatigued, fuzzy brained and flat out mentally drained on an extended training session? Blame it on the low blood sugar levels that often follows a short-lived spike in energy from some of the products on store shelves.

The Doctor Will Bar as created by Dr. Will Harden who also happens to be a competitive cyclist and nutritionist. He grew tired of the standard bars on the shelf that had high concentrations of sugar that often led to a bonk in his training. His bars are a favorite of mine because it not only tastes great, has all of the right ingredients to fuel an endurance event but also because I spoke with Dr. Will in person about them at length in Portland a couple of years ago. I was thoroughly impressed with his knowledge. I was even more taken with his passion about cycling, training right and proper nutrition. You can read more about Dr. Will on his site: http://www.drwillbar.com/

This is one product that not only tickles the palate but provides the proper ratio of slow-release sugars as you train.  Because of the careful mix of protein, fats and sugar you will have a steady flow of energy rather than a spike in your blood sugar (which crashes just as quickly as it rises). You can order a box from the site above for a just $36.00 for 24 bars.

Why not give it a try?

A General Pain in the Butt

While growing up in the South, my mother did not allow me to use the word “butt” unless in the context of a cigarette or gun; she thought it was tacky. Of course, times have changed and we have probably all used this phrase in one form or another. It can refer to a multitude of things: a literal injury in the gluteal region, a person who is on your last nerve or a circumstance that is simply not something that you care to deal with at the present time. Today we will look at this little grouping of words in the literal sense.

Piriformis Syndrome is caused by an overly tight piriformis muscle. It lies underneath the gluteus maximus and extends from the sacrum to the iliac crest (outer bone of the hip). It can spasm due to sitting for prolonged periods of time and can cause pain in the fanny and lower back. To learn more, click here.

Sciatica is a general term for pain that emanates from the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is often caused when lumbar nerve s L4 or L5 are compressed or when there is sacral nerve compression (S1, S2, or S3). Additionally, a general term for pain referred to as “sciatica” is when there is direct pressure on the sciatic nerve itself from a number of sources (including bulging disks, bone spurs, inflammation of the region and so forth.)

Saddle Sores come in a variety pack. Causing intense discomfort, they can show themselves as abrasions, cysts, ingrown hairs, lacerations, hematomas or contusions. Prevention is the best medicine but should you experience this woeful injury, this site has some good recommendations for treatment. 

The very best way to avoid the above ills is to get a proper bike fitting. Don’t go cheap on a saddle as you will pay for it in the long run.  Don’t stay locked into your saddle for extended periods of time but rather stand up and pedal for 15 seconds or so every few miles. Most of all don’t be a pain in the butt to those around you. Your mother may not approve of that either!

Sources:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/hip_groin/a/hip4.htm

http://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/viewFile/268/268
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciatica

http://www.teamjudson.com/articles/sores.htm

Oh, This is Juicy!

Credit: Google Images / Joe Cross

Recently I had a couple of hours to relax and home in the evening. Television is not a big draw to me but on this particular night I felt like viewing a documentary so I got my Netflix home page up and found an interesting sounding program: "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead." Wow! That title alone grabbed my attention. I was transfixed for an hour and a half. While author and star of the documentary, Joe Cross, went on an extreme juicing diet (60 days of nothing but juiced fruits and vegetables under doctor's care) it spurred my thinking. It goes totally against my grain to advocate any sort of "diet" so I am not saying to do what he did, but I am suggesting that you take a few minutes to hear his story and check into juicing for yourself as a possible way to ward off disease, energize your mind and body, and to get your RDA of fresh fruits and veggies into your daily nutrition plan.

This charming, Australian gentleman started his juice fast while taking a concoction of nine prescription medications for an auto-immune disorder that wreaked havoc on his overweight and unhealthy body. His quest was to test his body's ability to heal itself from within using raw, natural foods and a juicer. He is now 100 lbs lighter and off of all medication. You can read his story here: 

 http://www.jointhereboot.com/index.php?option=com_zoo&view=item&layout=item&Itemid=719&lang=en

So – a great story, but what's in it for you? Consider what juicing one drink a day can do for you:

* By adding fresh micronutrients to your daily nutrition you will greatly increase antioxidants in your system

* Your body will begin fighting inflammation that results from free radicals' assault on it

* Your energy level will increase

* Your desire for sugar will be reduced

* Your digestive system will be cleansed and rejuvenated

* You will also begin healing from the inside out at a cellular level, even targeting cancer cells and destroying them

The link above has several different juicing plans and options to try. I encourage you to do so; my family and I are going to. Let's toast to juicing!

Cranberry Citrus Juice

·  1 cup cranberries

·  1 orange, peel removed

·  1 organic apple

·  1 cup butternut squash, cubed

·  4-6 leaves collard greens (about 1 cup, packed)

_________________________

Sources:
http://www.naturalhealthbuzz.com/juicing.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/13/benefits-of-juicing.aspx
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/benefits.html

Do You Believe?

Source: http://bikereviews.com

You're planning a big ride today. As you fuel your body with a carb-loaded breakfast for the upcoming demands, you also begin feeding your mind with anxious thoughts: "I hate hills... this is going to hurt... I don't know why I'm doing this... if only I can keep up with the others..."

Do you see that you're setting yourself up for a miserable time before you even get your socks into your Sidis? This posting isn't about simply thinking positively - it is about self efficacy, which goes much deeper than mantras, cliches and cute little quotes that you might use on your buddy to help cheer them up. While those are fine and dandy, it is the belief in your ability to achieve the task before you that will get you through the obstacle on your horizon.

Albert Bandura, a world-renowned British Psychologist, describes self efficacy as "“the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations." 

Do you believe that you will conquer the hill? Or that you can push through the pain of your quads on fire? Are you sure that you will finish that 1000m swim? Can you get to the end of your training session no matter how much your mind says to quit?  Are you physically and mentally capable to get through this? What do you really believe about your ability?

While I do not completely subscribe to the saying "If you can dream it, you can become it", I do personally know how much our mind affects our matter. Success comes from the belief that you CAN. Self efficacy comes from the belief that you WILL. This runs much deeper than lip service; it is derived from your very heart and soul. It is this belief that will see you through to the end. 

What do you truly believe about yourself in regard to your fitness goals? It's time to dig deeply, set yourself up to succeed, build your confidence in your abilities and GET BUSY!

He knew he would!  ERIC GAILLARD / REUTERS

Care to share? Feel free to comment with an experience of your own where you overcame some obstacles to succeed in an endeavor. You never know who you might encourage.

Sources:
http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/self_efficacy.htm