Tag Archives: metabolic efficiency

The Scary Health Impacts Of Prolonged Sitting

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By Tina Paymaster, PHASE IV Functional Nutrition & Health Specialist

**Is sitting really that bad for you?**

A 2015 study in the Annals of American Medicine found that over 50% of the average person’s waking hours are spent sitting, watching TV, commuting, working on the computer or some other sedentary activity. Other studies have said as much as 70% of the average adult’s waking hours are spend sitting. This amounts to 13 hours of a 16 hour waking day.

The Annals study examined 13 previous studies of sitting time and physical activity levels and found that those people who sat for more than 8 hours a days with no physical activity had a just as high of a risk of dying as people who were obese or smoked.

Another study conducted by Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS), observed 7,985 black and white adults, 45 years or older over the course of 4 years and found that those who sat for 13 hours a day had a 200% greater risk of death compared to those who sat for 11 hours a day. In addition, those participants who sat for less than 30 minutes at a time had a 55% lower risk of death compared to others who sat for more than 30 minutes at a time.

Research has continuously linked sitting for long periods of time with many serious health conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, increased waist circumference, high cholesterol levels, heart disease, dementia and death.

There are some studies that show at least 60 minutes of moderately intense exercise a day can counteract the negative effects of sitting but there are other studies that say daily exercise can’t diminish the negative effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time.

However, some research reveals that people who sit for less than 30 minutes at a time have the lowest risk of early death.

Why do we sit so much?

Researchers in a 2010 MayoClinic article shared, “From an evolutionary perspective, humans were designed to move—to locomote and engage in all manner of manual labor throughout the day. This was essential to our survival as a species. The recent shift from a physically demanding life to one with few physical challenges has been sudden, occurring during a tiny fraction of human existence.”

Humans are not designed to sit for as long as we do, yet the demands of our every day lives make it really difficult – working long hours at a desk, driving the kid’s to soccer practice, meeting friends for a movie or dinner, flying across the country for another wedding or business meeting…

Even though we know that sitting and low physical activity have negative implications on our health, there is limited research into exactly how they affect the body.

What does sitting do to the body?

Sitting utilizes fewer skeletal muscle contractions which may result in less metabolization of triglycerides, blood glucose and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Remember, physical activity requires energy and the body will burn up fat and carbs in the form of glucose and triglycerides to support your activities.

This negative impact on sugar and fat metabolism has been linked to a myriad of serious health conditions as noted above. That’s why at PHASE IV, we specialize in programs that are designed to boost your metabolism and fat burning potential. To learn more contact us here.

However, taking regular breaks from sitting or lying down during waking hours has been shown to have a positive effect on waist circumference, body mass index, triglyceride levels and 2-hour glucose levels.

What can you do?

The current guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week. That’s about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. This is in addition to two or more strength training workouts each week.

Based on the findings of these studies, researchers also say to make sure to take a break every 30 minutes you’re sitting to get up and walk briskly or stretch.

What this comes down to is that while regular daily aerobic and strength training are important parts of getting and staying healthy, being active throughout the day is even more important.

Here are some other ways you can get more active throughout the day:

Use a standing desk
Take stretching breaks every half hour
Workout or walk during your lunch break
Have walking meetings instead of meetings in a conference room
Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator
Park farther away from your destination
Stand up, stretch or do some light physical activity during commercials while watching TV
Go for a hike with friends instead of do the bar or movies

Interested in learning more about our Metabolic, Strength and Nutrition training programs? We work with people of all ages, fitness levels and professions, and make getting healthy enjoyable, rewarding and fit seamlessly your lifestyle. Call us at (310) 582-8212 to schedule a complimentary consultation today.

Hormone Response To Exercise: Cortisol

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By Shelby Stoner, PHASE IV Exercise Physiologist

Previous articles in the Hormone Series:

Hormone Response To Exercise: Insulin

Hormone Response To Exercise: HGH

Hormone Response To Exercise: Ghrelin

Hormone Response to Exercise: Leptin

ROLES OF CORTISOL IN THE BODY

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is released into the bloodstream by the adrenal glands and plays an important role in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism in the body. More specifically, cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis, which is the fancy way of referring to the conversion of noncarbohydrate sources (usually in the form of amino acids) into carbohydrate within the liver. It also helps facilitate fat breakdown, allowing fatty acids to enter the bloodstream and be used for fuel. This is important because by freeing up fatty acids for metabolic fuel, our precious glucose stores are spared for feeding the brain.

Another primary role of cortisol is serving as one of the body’s stress hormones, released as part of the fight-or-flight response. An example of this includes shutting down less critical functions like reproduction and immunity to focus on fighting immediate physical threats. These particular functions of cortisol are supposed to be immediate and short lived, just enough to see off any physical challenge. This may have been great back in the day for cavemen fighting for their lives-but less ideal in modern times when stress can be psychological and consistent.

PROS AND CONS OF CORTISOL

Cortisol has a vital physiological role. By raising plasma glucose levels at times of stress, cortisol provides the body with the energy it needs to face bodily attacks from injury, illness or infection. However, too much cortisol for too long can have serious, negative effects. The tissue breakdown, reduced protein synthesis and conversion of protein to glucose can decrease musculature and increase abdominal fat, not an ideal result! In addition, excess cortisol levels decrease the usage of glucose and increases blood levels where in more serious cases can lead to diabetes. With this in mind, it is important to make sure we are actively controlling our circulating cortisol levels for optimal health and well-being.

EXERCISE AND CORTISOL

Exercise is perceived as a form of stress by the body which stimulates the release of cortisol. In general, as your fitness improves, the better your body is at handling and dealing with the physical stress. As a result, less cortisol will be released during exercise and in response to other emotional or psychological stresses.

It’s important to remember that the TIME and INTENSITY of exercise can affect levels of cortisol release. When it comes to exercise, more may not be better.

REDUCING CORTISOL IN THE BODY

Although exercise is considered a stressor and raises cortisol levels in the body, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of exercise without skyrocketing cortisol concentrations and wreaking havoc on our metabolisms. Following these general guidelines can help ensure you’re reaping the benefits of your training without over-doing it:

Incorporate proper recovery into your training regimen. Take regular breaks from intense training and listen to your body. Proper recovery determines strength gains and weight loss, the physical adaptations we all seek. Not to mention, it prevents burnout and fitness plateaus. Make sure you are getting at least one FULL day recovery each week, with active recovery after hard workouts to help promote blood flow to the muscle and eliminate toxins.
Eat right to fuel your body and workouts. Check out this article to learn more about this.

Follow the hard/easy principle. The principle states that one or two days of hard training should be followed by one day of soft or easy training, which allows the body and mind to fully recover and prevent overtraining. The hard / easy principle is a crucial component of all periodized training programs. Periodization is the gradual cycling of specificity, intensity and volume of training in order to achieve peak levels of fitness.

Sleep! It’s our body’s natural way of recovering. All of your hard work towards reaching your goals will be unproductive if you aren’t getting enough sleep. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night helps control the release of hunger hormones and allows the body to detoxify. This helps curb harmful inflammation in the body that leads to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many other health conditions. Make it a habit to get to bed by 10 pm each night, and away from distractions. Replace technology with breathing techniques and other forms of relaxation in order to help reduce stress.

Whether your goals are related to weight loss or improved performance, PHASE IV science has the answers. Call us to schedule a complimentary 30-minute health and fitness consultation at our facility in Santa Monica. 310-582-8212

2 Months To Mont Ventoux: Part 2

By Ron Berry P.T., PHASE IV Director of Rehab Services

Create Confidence.

Self confidence can be very powerful when working towards a goal. Recently, I recall listening to students talk about their final exams. The students who seemed to be prioritizing their school work throughout the school term had more confidence going in to finals week, and no surprise they were the students who came back saying that they did well. This is a similar situation as when one prepares for a challenging athletic event. Do your homework it will make you feel good!

For the past 2 months I have been preparing for a week long bicycle tour in France put on by the bicycle tour company, InGamba. The tour culminates with an ascent of Mt. Ventoux on August 4^th. The week will have 5 days of climbing more than 3600 feet. The final day up Ventoux will have 5200 feet of climbing. This is much more climbing than I’ll have ever done in a week. It was daunting initially but recently I have been developing confidence that I’ll be able to really enjoy the week of riding. It’s a confidence that I feel I’ve earned and it feels good.

What led to this confidence? Good preparation and following a plan based on science has helped me see several signs along the way that I’m getting ready. Last week I entered the build phase of my training in which I’m putting in multiple days of significant climbing. On the second ride of the week with 3200 feet of climbing in 30 miles, one of the signs that buoyed my confidence revealed itself. I was able to climb one of the more challenging climbs in the Santa Monica Mountains, Latigo Canyon, in a time that I hadn’t done in several years. For the past few years I’ve tried to make it to the first summit, the driveway of the big copper dome roof, in the same time as my age. It’s been a very reasonable goal for my level of fitness the past few years. I made it in 42 minutes last week, 8 minutes faster than last year. And, even more important, I felt great the rest of the ride, and that evening, and the next morning. It was a nice bump of confidence going into another week of building climbing strength and endurance, per my Phase IV training plan.

My PHASE IV Training Plan

My Phase IV training plan started with a VO2 Analysis which gave me a heart rate zone to ride in during the earlier phase of my training. Even though I was working towards a goal with many miles and feet of climbing, my initial rides were 18-20 miles and mostly flat and in a relatively low heart rate zone, per my VO2 analysis . This allowed me to train my body to access my fat as my primary fuel source. Trusting that riding slow and flat was a good strategy to achieve my goal of becoming a climber was like doing homework, not especially fun and exciting and at times difficult to trust. I was also doing strength training exercises to improve my core and hamstrings consistently. Doing my homework in the base training phase has allowed me to feel confident now in my build phase. My physiology has been prepared, my legs and spine are stronger and I have grown accustomed to being in the saddle for over 2 hours, so my training plan will progress my rides to be longer and with more climbing. The training plan will also include pre determined short periods of rest and recovery.

It’s the confidence that I’ve developed in my riding and the trust and confidence that I have in my training plan that will allow me to appreciate the recovery days, not always easy to do when you feel the goal is fast approaching.

Confidence is a beautiful thing and definitely helps lead to success, especially when it’s a confidence born of putting in good work that is based on scientific analysis. Like Stephen Curry shooting thousands of jump shots in the offseason allows him to throw up ridiculously far 3 pointers knowing they’re going to go in, I intend to arrive in France feeling confident that I’ll have done what I need to do to have a great week long tour of challenging riding.

For more information on Phase IV training plans, strength training for cyclists, and effective recovery methods please contact Phase IV. For more more information on bike tours put on by InGamba go to ingamba.pro.

Cycling For A “Younger” Metabolism

By Shelby Stoner, PHASE IV Exercise Physiologist

Did you know that the month of May is recognized as National Bike Month? It’s a time to celebrate bikes, cycling, and most importantly a reminder to dust off those bikes sitting in your garage! A great way to get involved in the festivities of bike month include National Bike to Work Week or Bike to Work Day, occurring the third week and third Friday of May, respectively.

With the growing awareness of health and disease, cycling has been recognized on a large scale for its sustainability and as a solution to many health concerns including but not limited to; obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. Still need another reason to start cycling?

Recent studies of recreational cyclists as reviewed by the New York Times showed that remaining physically active as we grow older helps keep our muscles and immune systems strong. Although the act of aging is inevitable, there are countless things we can do to help slow the effects of aging on our bodies. This is what lead British Scientists to take a deeper look into the immune systems of recreational male and female cyclists between the ages of 55 to 79, none of which were competitive athletes. Researchers found that the group of cyclists had better reflexes, memory, balance and metabolic profiles than their sedentary counterparts and resembled those of 30-year-olds! The scientists concluded that the older cyclists are not like the rest of us.

“They are healthier. They are biologically, younger.”

Just ask 106-year-old Robert Marchand, a French cyclist who still enjoys leisurely rides on his stationary bike at his apartment in Paris. Marchand is most famously known for creating and setting the world record for distance traveled in an hour for amateur cyclists over 105. Granted, he didn’t have much competition, but the feat still proved to be a huge milestone for cyclists and sparked the interest of researchers in exercise science. Science suggests that it is difficult to significantly improve aerobic fitness after middle age. In general, your VO₂ max, a measure of how well your body can use oxygen and indicator of fitness, slowly begins to decline after about age 50, even if we frequently exercise. Marchand however, set the record straight. With a 5 foot-115 pound stature, he stated he had not exercised regularly during the majority of his working life as a truck driver, gardener, firefighter and lumberjack. After retiring, he began cycling most days of the week on indoor trainers or on the roads in suburban Paris. After setting the one-hour record in 2012 for riders age 100 and over, Dr. Billat, a professor of exercise science at the University of Evry-Val d’Essonne in France approached Marchand and implemented a new exercise regime with 80 percent of his rides at low intensity (about the equivalent of a 12 or less on a scale of 1 to 20, with 20 being almost unbearably strenuous according to Marchand’s judgment) and the other 20 percent of his rides were performed at a difficult intensity of 15 or above on the same scale.

Marchand followed this program for two years before attempting to beat his previous own one-hour track world record. First, however, Dr. Billat and her colleagues remeasured all of the physiological markers they had tested two years prior, and the results were astonishing. Marchand had improved his VO₂ max by a whopping 13 percent, and was comparable to the aerobic capacity of a healthy 50-year-old. Unsurprisingly, his cycling performance subsequently also improved considerably. According to Dr. Billat, these data strongly suggest that “we can improve VO₂ max and performance at every age.”

Just as the British group of cyclists and Mr. Marchand proved, fitness and metabolism can be improved at virtually any age. Whether you’ve been an avid cyclist for years or just looking to get back on the saddle, there are many great benefits that come with cycling (not to mention it helps keep the knees young[er]!).

Kick off National Bike Month by scheduling a VO₂ bike test to get personalized heart rate training zones and make EVERY workout effective! (Can be performed on your personal road bike too!)

Looking for personalized exercise and training guidance?

At PHASE IV we create customized daily training plans that are designed to boost performance and optimize your metabolism. Call us to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation at our facility in Santa Monica. 310-582-8212

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