If you’ve done stomps in your cycling workouts, you may think I’m crazy when I say this, but I’ve always liked them. They’re extremely tough but appeal to that twisted part of me that enjoys hard training. (I know: you’ve got that part, too.) If you haven’t done stomps, they’re designed to increase power in the saddle. I believe Chris Carmichael is generally given credit for the training, but his
The Best Part of Your Day by Jay Duplessie
Something amazing happened to me after class this week. Somebody came up and said “thank you for the motivational story you told during class. I came in here down in the dumps, but I’m leaving in a much better mood and feeling grateful for what I have instead of what I don’t. Thank you.” I have no doubt that every instructor reading this right now has experienced this at least
Healthy Candy: Looking For a Sugar Loophole (In All the Wrong Places)
Several months ago, an author known for being a strong proponent of healthful eating wrote an article about a new line of “good” candy bars. You know: organic ingredients, no preservatives, that sort of thing. The author took an if-you-can’t-beat-em-join-em approach. Candy isn’t going to go away, so let’s make better candy. Who makes these healthy candy bars? A company aptly named UnReal. Their idea was to duplicate the top-selling
The Benefits Of Rotten Food (And I Don’t Mean Sugar!)
My college roommate used to turn down yogurt, saying, “I never eat rotten food.” Now, there may be reasons not to eat yogurt, but the fact that it’s rotten isn’t one of them. Maybe a better term for “rotten” is fermented. Fermentation is highly beneficial for the digestive system, and we’ll get to that. Meanwhile, how do we know if we should eat rotten foods? Problems with bloating, gas, acid
No Room For Willpower in Sugar Addiction
As a nutritionist who coaches many clients with sugar addiction, I find myself talking about willpower frequently and thinking about it a lot. I used to take a hard line against willpower – or rather, against people’s view of it. On behalf of my clients, I resented those who smirked when the clients reacted to sugary temptations with vulnerability and conflict. “You don’t have to eat it,” they would smirk.
Sugar Craving “Cures” That Just Don’t Work
Sugar is big nutrition news these days, and sugar addiction is getting the attention it deserved a long time ago when only a few nuts (like yours truly) were talking about it. I searched recently for the mainstream “wisdom” on getting rid of sugar cravings. The suggestions I found display a poor understanding by the various authors of what makes us crave sugar. Below are some of those suggestions, and
Days Off From Workouts and Sugar Addiction (Starring Everyone Else’s Wisdom!)
“I don’t stop when I’m tired. I only stop when I’m done.” It surprised me to learn that the above quotation came from Marilyn Monroe. How many times have we heard those words in connection with athletics? In the training and weight loss program I taught for 14 years, participants would sometimes wish for a day off, or even several days. They’d tell that to the strength-training coach, for example,
The Sugar Made Me Do It: Is Grazing a Type Of Binge Eating?
It’s New Year’s resolution time again. For some of your participants, that may mean weight loss goals. Don’t worry; there’s no list of weight-loss tips below to pass along to your classes. But I have been thinking about eating behaviors. Grazing is one eating behavior that can impact weight significantly. I’m convinced that grazing is a type of binge eating, and that sugar may prompt it. Grazing is characterized by
New Year’s Resolutions: A Sugar Addict’s Survival Guide
New Year’s Resolutions are upon us, but that doesn’t mean clear sailing. Things that can waylay resolutions are everywhere. Christmas candy will be on sale till early January, when the Valentine candy goes out and will be on display till February 14. February 15 it goes on sale. That brings us to March, when the Easter candy appears – even in years that Easter is late in April. And so
Losing Weight To Increase Power
As a nutritionist, I hear many clients say they want to lose weight – to look better, have more energy, improve their health. But losing weight can also help you increase your power on the bike. Ratios intrinsically provide two ways to improve the ratio – by manipulating either variable. The results of improving both variables can be dramatic. As covered in a previous post, efficiency – the ratio of
Why Your Students’ Cycling Technique Matters
The word “technique” intrigues some and makes others yawn. But there’s much to be said for technique. It’s the foundation for all athletic performance features. Technique involves improved skills. In the broadest, most general terms, that means eliminating unnecessary movement; making movements in the correct directions; applying the necessary power, but no more than that; using the right muscles for the activity; and using optimal speed if time isn’t a
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