“John what is THAT?” Amy was looking at me with a very disapproving look on her face.
“What's what?” I responded as I straightened up from filling the back tire of The Bus – our Tandem bicycle – with 120lbs of air.
“Over the top of your bike shorts… you have a muffin top!”
“I do not!”
“You do too! And I expect you to do something about it, and quick.”
Once I got over my initial defensiveness, I admitted to her (and myself) that after 17 years of being pretty disciplined about both my training and eating, I've allowed myself to slide a bit. OK, maybe a little more than a bit. But hey – I'm 51 years old… don't I get to back off at some point?
“No!” was Amy's response. “You have a lot of people who look to you as an example who will be as disappointed as I am, that you are backing off.”
She was right, as usual… but what to do? As I rode along I realized I had both a short term and long term problem to solve.
Short term – disguise my muffin top ASAP
Long term – re-introduce John to something called self-restraint 🙂
Enter Bib Cycling Shorts; a man's equivalent to Spanx – control top pantyhose! Wasn't there a Seinfeld episode about this?
Secure that I had at least the short term issued solved, I jumped online to see what was available at Pearl iZumi and ended up buying two pairs of their $150.00 ELITE LTD Bib Shorts. Except I didn't pay $300.00. Using my ICI/PRO 40% discount they were only $90.00 each… which saved me more than the cost of a full year's subscription to ICI/PRO.
So if you find yourself facing a similar situation that could be solved (at least in the short term) with some new cycling clothes, join ICI/PRO as an annual member and you get access to everything Pearl iZumi makes at a 40% discount + 12 months of the awesome premium content we've become famous for.
My buddy Randy sent me a link to this fun video below. He's our MS150 Team Captain and a regular on the Sunday AM rides Amy and I lead. Randy knows me all too well; whenever we get to a rest stop I'm making a bee-line for the PB&J's. The awesome volunteers at one stop even cut off the crusts – making them just like my mom did.
Peanut butter is a staple in my diet and you'd need a lot of facts and figures to dispel my belief in PB&J's as the hands down best rest stop food… period 🙂
So here you can learn how to make the perfect PB&J
Fitness and health overlap but sometimes need to be considered separately. You can be fit but not healthy. How often have we seen that with pro athletes? You can also be healthy but not fit. We may see this with our students.
This post focuses on health because teaching our students is typically fitness-oriented. As instructors, we know our health matters, and that just staying fit may not address health issues that crop up as we work hard, feel stressed, get older.
Probably everyone agrees that what we eat affects our health. Nutrition approaches to health are varied. Some people focus on organic foods, some on raw foods, others on herbs, phytonutrients and colorful pigments. There are low-carb, macrobiotic, and Ayurvedic diets, as well as a lot more.
One key, but often overlooked, factor in staying healthy is prostaglandin production. Prostaglandins are short-lived, hormone-like chemicals that are produced by the body’s cells and move from cell to cell, rather than through the bloodstream. They regulate all kinds of cellular activities.
Inflammation has become a hot topic in medicine. More and more research indicates that all disease begins with some kind of inflammation. As it turns out, inflammation is caused by a specific type of prostaglandin. And foods influence prostaglandin production.
There are three types of prostaglandins, made from different fatty acids.
Series 1 prostaglandins control factors that most people recognize as beneficial. They dilate blood vessels, reduce blood pressure, inhibit unnecessary blood clotting, decrease risk of autoimmune disease, improve T-cell function, improve insulin sensitivity, decrease pain, decrease inflammation, decrease the need for sleep, alleviate depression, and much, much more.
Series 1 prostaglandins are made from dietary fatty acids in the omega-6 category. These include black current seed, flaxseed, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, walnuts, borage oil, evening primrose oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, and more.
Series 2 prostaglandins do basically the opposite of all of the Series 1 functions listed above (as well as the unlisted Series 1 functions). Series 2 prostaglandins promote pain and inflammation, making them a prime culprit in disease.
Series 2 prostaglandins are also made from omega-6 fatty acids. However, high levels of insulin secretion will cause a different enzyme to act on the omega-6 fats, resulting in production of Series 2, rather than Series 1. As mentioned in previous posts, foods that trigger high insulin include sugars, processed carbs (like white bread), saturated fats, alcohol, and others.
Series 3 prostaglandins reduce the negative effects of Series 2. They decrease inflammation and enhance immune function. Series 3 are made from omega-3 fatty acids, which we hear about often these days because of their anti-inflammatory benefits. That anti-inflammatory property is one that can reduce what is presently considered the cause of all disease.
Omega-3 fatty acids include dark green leafy vegetables, fish, black currant seed, flaxseed, hemp seed, walnuts and pumpkin seed.
The easiest way to “bottom line” this and get the benefits is to:
Consume omega-3 fats. You’ll note that many of them also contain omega-6s, so you’ll get the precursors of both Series 1 and Series 3 prostaglandins.
Avoid junky carbs and limit alcohol. Both trigger high levels of insulin, which lead to Series 2 production.
Avoid all-carb meals or snacks whenever possible. Eating protein and healthful fats every time you eat can modify insulin secretion.
Reducing the insulin impact of your diet can reduce the incidence of Series 2 prostaglandin production. This in turn may decrease the incidence of both serious diseases and inconvenient ones, such as colds.
Everyone’s idea of a healthful diet is somewhat different these days. Never before has there been so much information on nutrition or so much disagreement about it. Protein is important for a number of reasons.
The functions of protein are varied. The first eight below are in hierarchical order.
– Formation of dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine
– Immune support
– Formation of hormones
– Insulin receptor site turnover
– Reproductive demands
– pH balance
– Fluid balance
– Formation of enzymes
Other protein functions, in no particular order, include wound healing; tissue growth, repair and replacement; and the formation of neurotransmitters, transport proteins, blood proteins, visual pigments and nonessential amino acids.
Energy use is at the bottom of the hierarchy, although protein is the body’s second largest store of energy. In times of stress, energy use becomes more important, and amino acids are converted to glucose to a greater degree.
Protein stimulates the release of glucagon. Glucagon is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. Its effects essentially oppose those of insulin, another hormone made by the pancreas. For example, insulin converts glucose and protein to fat for storage, while glucagon converts protein and fats to glucose and moves them into the bloodstream for use as fuel. Insulin increases the production of cholesterol, while glucagon decreases it.
Glucagon is typically released under two circumstances — when we exercise and when we eat protein.
Protein also promotes the release of CCK (cholecystokinin), a powerful satiety hormone that makes us feel full and also reduces the desire for carbohydrates. It was mentioned in an earlier post on sugar cravings that a low-protein diet is one reason people may crave sugar.
Protein is a significant mood enhancer because it increases levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. Protein provides tyrosine and phenylalanine, the amino acids used to produce these chemicals. As they told us in 7th grade biology, amino acids are “the building blocks of protein.”
Dopamine is our ultimate brain reward chemical, an alertness and feel-good chemical that, incidentally, is triggered by every addictive drug.
Norepinephrine is also associated with alertness and a feeling of brain reward. It has antidepressant properties. In fact, the earliest antidepressant drugs targeted norepinephrine levels. It’s also an analgesic.
Protein provides tryptophan, another amino acid. Tryptophan is the amino acid that the brain uses to make serotonin. Serotonin makes us feel relaxed and calm. It’s an antidepressant with anti-anxiety properties, as well. It, too, is an analgesic.
At high levels, serotonin can make us lethargic and sleepy and even bring on an early desire to quit endurance efforts. This has to do with the way tryptophan is transported to the brain. Carbs make that happen, but too many carbs raise serotonin levels too much. Protein can block that effect.
(BTW, Prozac and Zoloft target serotonin levels. The newest antidepressants target both serotonin and norepinephrine. You may have seen magazine ads or heard ads on radio or TV that say, “Depression hurts.” Depression doesn’t cause pain. But because it’s associated with brain chemicals that are also analgesics, low levels of the chemicals may exaggerate pain that’s already in the body.)
Protein provides the B vitamins (thiamin, niacin, B6, folate) that are catalysts in the synthesis of dopamine, norephinephrine and serotonin.
With so many key actions by protein going on, it seems obvious that the body/brain needs substantial levels of protein. Nutrition recommendations sometimes underplay protein, which may reflect under-emphasis on protein’s neurochemical effects.
A general protein recommendation for endurance athletes is to divide body weight in pounds by 2.2 to convert to kilograms, and multiply by 1.2 to 1.4 for daily grams.
High-protein foods include fish, poultry, beef, lamb, shrimp, crab, eggs, cottage cheese. If you’d like to use yogurt as protein, the only two brands I know with significant protein are Fage and Trader Joe’s nonfat Greek-style yogurt. Don’t get “just any” Greek yogurt. Many of them have much more carb than protein, and the flavored ones contain lots of sugar.
Several foods are considered protein but actually aren’t. One is cheese, which is primarily saturated fat. Nuts are another; they’re primarily unsaturated fat. A third is quinoa, a whole grain that’s primarily carb/starch.
These foods do have protein, but almost every food offers a combination of protein, carbs and fats — or at least two out of three. Using the example of quinoa, a food that’s 70% carb with the remaining calories equally divided between protein and fat will have a completely different neurochemical effect than a food higher in protein.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t eat these foods; just don’t confuse them with — or use them as — protein.
For many years, I’ve recommended a “plate” format that the USDA’s brand-new, Food Pyramid-replacing plate resembles. I steer away from the USDA version because it overemphasizes fruit.
Instead, cover half of your plate with vegetables and divide the other half equally between protein and complex starches (quinoa, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grain pasta, etc.). Add healthful fats (nuts, oils, seeds) in moderate portions. If you want to eat fruit instead of vegetables, say at breakfast, have a serving, rather than half a plate. One serving is a medium-size fruit or half a cup.
My main suggestion is to find high-quality protein foods that you like and include some with every meal or snack. The plate format should make it easy to do.
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By Team ICG® Master Trainer Joan Kent
Lance Armstrong’s strength and conditioning coach, Peter Park, developed a series of core strengthening exercises that he calls Foundation. The focus is on the posterior chain of muscles, such as the glutes, hamstrings and lower back.
Peter Park describes this as “redefining the core” because the emphasis is shifted from the abs to the larger muscles in the back of the body. Because it was developed in this way — and with a world-class cyclist in mind — it’s no surprise that it gets indoor cycling students sitting better on their bikes. The improvement in my students has been remarkable. Their posture is completely different as they cycle.
I learned about this strengthening program from Jim Karanas, who had bought Peter Park’s book but hadn’t yet had time to go through it. I read the book and started doing the exercises. Some of the changes were noticeable right away.
The most fortunate part of this for me occurred in a somewhat unfortunate way. Only weeks after beginning this program, I crashed my bike and broke my pelvis in three places. My doctor told me not to do any type of “crunch” or abdominal exercise. Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to skipping my core training and watching my strength in that area deteriorate over the twelve weeks he said it would take to heal.
But I could do these Foundation exercises because they didn’t stress the abs. They kept my core strong throughout the healing — and possibly even shortened the healing time. I was OK in just over five weeks. I continue to do the exercises five to seven times a week and genuinely enjoy the first exercise, the Founder, in particular.
The book is called Foundation by Dr. Eric Goodman and Peter Park. The beginner’s routine consists of five exercises on pages 86 to 107. The entire sequence is short and can be run through two or three times in a row. The book also includes photos and descriptions of a moderate routine and an advanced one. The Founder exercise itself is short enough to fit at the beginning or the end of an indoor cycling class.
Here are the videos of the Founder sequence, taught by Eric Goodman.
I hope the Founder and the other exercises in the routines are helpful for you and your students. If you try them, please let us know how they worked for you.
Training and nutrition go hand in hand. The more we train, the more questions may arise about what to eat. The questions matter to indoor-cycling instructors because our students come to us for answers.
Food cravings are one of the more interesting things that may occur with increased training. A craving is an intense urge or desire to eat a specific type of food. A common craving is for sugary foods. Some students can indulge their sugar cravings without repercussions. For others, giving in to cravings repeatedly can undermine their training or even lead to health issues — weight gain, high cholesterol, mood swings, diabetes, and more.
Below are some causes of sugar cravings to help you answer questions from your students.
Low glucose. This is probably the one we hear most often. The theory is that sugar cravings are caused by low blood glucose, which might occur if someone hasn’t eaten in a long time, or has skipped breakfast to take an early class. Evidence supports this. In fact, sugar cravings occur in response to how fast glucose drops, rather than how low. This could also mean that the student is eating junky carbs, which trigger lots of insulin and are fast “glucose-droppers.”
Biological need. Some sources think cravings express a biological need and should be answered with a “dose” of the craved food. Salt cravings are usually the example and seem to corroborate this viewpoint. Many people crave salty foods after hard trainings, so I’m inclined to think that salt cravings could indicate a biological need.
Evidence doesn’t support this explanation with respect to sugar cravings, though. Sugar has been shown to be addictive. A drug addict will get cravings for that drug, but the cravings don’t indicate a basic biological need and might suggest withdrawal (see below).
Too little fat. Research documents a sugar/fat seesaw (as one decreases in the diet, the other increases). Sugar cravings can definitely result from a diet that’s too low in fats. A previous ICI/PRO post (Controlling the Sugar/Fat Seesaw) explained that specific hormones and brain chemicals are involved. Eating healthful fats is a helpful solution.
Withdrawal. Another factor is withdrawal if, say, a student has recently quit drinking alcohol. This involves the chemicals affected by the original substance. Alcohol stimulates three brain chemicals that are also stimulated by sugar. The similarity makes sugar a short-term substitute for alcohol when cravings occur and explains why people in recovery from alcohol (or drugs) crave sugar and may eat it frequently or in large quantities. That can backfire due to priming (see Triggers below).
Triggers. Triggers may be external (seeing or smelling an appealing food) or internal (eating a small amount of a trigger food). Internal triggering is known as “priming”, and a small amount makes us want more. It’s the result of a specific brain receptor for the chemical dopamine. Some people are more susceptible to priming than others.
Chronic stress. While short-term stress tends to decrease appetite, chronic stress can stimulate appetite, alter brain chemistry, and result in mood changes and a preference for sugar.
Dysphoria. Dysphoria refers to bad moods. Any bad mood can trigger a sugar craving. Sugar alters brain chemistry in a way that changes mood, at least temporarily. Unfortunately, it can make things worse in the long run.
Serotonin disturbances. Disturbances in the chemical serotonin may occur in depression, seasonal affective disorder, PMS, menopause, chronic alcohol use, or insulin resistance. Any of these may result in sugar cravings. Serotonin is made from tryptophan, an amino acid. Insulin resistance can reduce serotonin production by keeping tryptophan from getting to the brain. Insulin resistance in 
turn may be caused by lots of things: genetics, obesity, chronic stress, or a diet that’s too high in fats, junky carbs, or fructose, the sugar in fruit.
Other craving triggers include a low-protein diet (this is a big one), or B-vitamin deficiencies, which tend to occur in clusters, rather than individually.
As I recommended in an interview with John several months ago, the fastest and most effective way to eliminate any craving is to take a teaspoon of TwinLab Super-B Complex. The B vitamins are co-factors (catalysts) in the formation of several key brain chemicals. When the chemicals are at optimal levels, cravings stop and don’t recur for up to 24 hours.
If your students are serious about eliminating cravings more permanently, you might suggest that they eat protein with virtually every meal or snack. Protein provides the amino acids for the brain chemicals that stop cravings.
My colleague Jim Karanas claims that people may lack awareness of cravings. He says we may disregard feelings about a food when our desire for it is unnaturally strong and justify eating it unconsciously.
Maybe that’s true. A final point, though, is that eating sugar can and will prime cravings, so the less sugar a student eats, the better. True, that’s easier said than done for some, but protein, healthful fats, and liquid B-complex can help.
By Team ICG® Master Trainer Joan Kent
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