Blog
The Good and Not So Good
Sunday, January 24, 2021 · Mike Davis
Good morning
How do you measure the success of your weekly workout goals? We use multiple tools to measure weekly progress of clients, such as Myzone Effort Points (MEPS), our online training log and our very popular marble jars. Each of these are great ways for our clients (and us) to look back at the week and tangibly see whether it was a great or not so great week. I have found either Friday or Saturday nights offers another great indicator of the success of my personal weekly fitness goals.
Every week I read various science studies on subjects such as: behavioral science, healthy aging, diet and weight loss, fitness news and relationships Understanding the politics of study findings, I am careful to look for corporate bias and weed those out. I also try to be discerning, knowing studies can be contradictory because of the variables being used. All and all, I find science studies and findings a valuable tool in helping our clients in the gym, at home or in their running shoes.
Sadly, in many of the health related studies there is a similar goal: How to replicate the benefits of exercise, without actually getting off the couch.
The harsh reality is, society would like a pill or some type of procedure to accommodate us in areas where we are not willing to help ourselves. I am no less guilty, if someone offered me a pill which would allow me to eat endless amounts of chocolate chip cookies without gaining a calorie, I would be all over it! Science is trying to discover away to accommodate my weakness(s), but it has proven the best solution for me, is not to buy chocolate chip cookies.
This past week I read a study which encouraged me (and should you as well), but also discourages me. Here is some of the summary and a link to the study:
Title
See how they run: 'Exercise protein' doubles running capacity, restores function and extends healthy lifespans in older mice
Summary: “A new study shows that humans express a powerful hormone during exercise and that treating mice with the hormone improves physical performance, capacity and fitness. Researchers say the findings present new possibilities for addressing age-related physical decline.”
The good
Exercise may help with age-related decline.
The discouraging (from my perspective)
These findings my lead to finding a way to replicate the effects of exercise within our mitochondria cells.
Please do not think I do not understand the importance of helping people. Not everyone has the capability of exercising and I want all people to have the benefits derived from exercise. However, many of us have the capability and yet we do not choose to embrace the opportunity or accept the responsibility. Waiting on a science workaround for my addiction to chocolate chip cookies (or most any sweets), is not the wise strategy.
One of my strategies for combating chocolate chip cookies is by exercising. If science eventually eliminates my need to exercise in-order to devour a chewy CC cookie, I may get a break from exercising, but I will have lost other important benefits of exercise. Exercise plays a large role in calorie burning, but also plays an important role in strong bones and a healthier aging process. Discovering a way to work around exercise may be of some benefit but ultimately not beneficial.
My Scientific Findings…
Friday night when I did my weekly laundry (exciting I know), I had to pair up a large number of ped socks. This rather boring chore conclusively told me I had a really good week of exercise and fitness! While it may be a chore to match up sox, I was pleased with the root cause and conclusion.
This week I continue my journey (training) to the White Mountain Milers Half Marathon in September. If you are following along in the training, here is our training for this week:
Run #1: Run @ conversational pace (cp) or run/walk 40 minutes
Run #2: Run @ CP or run/walk 40 minutes
Run #3: Run @ CP or run/walk 45 minutes
If you want to join us next Saturday (January 30) for run #3, we will run from the NFLF Center at 8:30. Please send an email to me if you want to join us.
Have a great week and stay positive!
God Bless
Mike