-
Do you measure your year-on-year fitness?
Based on the data, with continued specific activity, most people can increase their fitness levels until age 28. They can maintain this level of fitness until the age of 35 and then experience a decline of up to 3% between the ages of 40 and 50, if they continue doing specific activities. However, after the age of 50, the fitness level tends to decrease naturally by around 1% per year, provided one continues to engage in regular physical activity.
Fitness testing: Please make sure to perform a repeatable, accurate, and reliable test. It would be best to use numerical measurements to record the results.
Some reasons to test yearly!
✅ Motivate action.
✅ Highlight (ill) health.
✅ Influence future activity.
✅ Entertainment.
Some year-on-year tests could be.
⏱️ The time walking around your block.
⏱️ Time taken to mow your lawn.
⏱️ Park run,
⏱️ Walking up Mount Kosciuszko.
Or, can you still perform; 10 push ups, 5 chin ups, 60 second wall squat, & broad jump your height?
Here's my bi-yearly stationary bike test for the last 20 years, which I hate!
Time: 20 minutes.
Assessing: Average Watts.
Protocol: Progressively warm up for 15 minutes before throwing out maximum effort for 20 minutes. This gives me my functional threshold power.
🚴 The bike ergometer offers exact testing every time.
🚴 My latest result: 351 watts = Funtional Threshold Power (<354 - 2023).
🚴 My goal is to limit my aging decline by less than 3 watts per year.
Knowing my FTP, I plan to do 90% or more of my training at 78% of this number, which comes out to 273 watts. I've been working in exercise physiology for 35 years, and my experience tells me that the sweet spot for producing healthy results and avoiding over-training symptoms is between 78-83% of your maximum 20-minute effort.
Please let me know if you need assistance setting up your most fitting test.
-
Bitter 'SWEET' Symphony!
Do all sugars respond similarly? If not, what sugar should be avoided?
Two varying responses to sweet food are;
1. Regulation of volume and,
2. Calories stored (as fat).
🍭 Sugar is a carbohydrate that yields four calories per 1 gram.
🍭 When we consume more calories than we burn, our body stores the excess as fat.
🍭 Flavour and the addition of manufactured flavour can impact calorie intake.
🧁 Sweet foods are typically composed of a combination of glucose and fructose, creating sucrose together.
🧁 If one consumes more fructose in their diet, the body is more likely to store the excess energy as fat.
🧁 Additionally, metabolism is influenced by genetics.
Here’s a sweet experiment testing the influence of fructose and flavour.
Subjects: My four nieces & nephews (all 8ys).
Testing: Without knowing what they were drinking, what drinks would they naturally favour?
Drinks: Authentic honey & water, Table sugar & water, Apple Juice, Orange flavoured soft drink.
Each child received all four drinks @ 150 calories per drink served in 300g plastic bottles. They were then left to watch TV for two hours.
Drink
Honey
Sugar
Fruit Juice
Soft Drink
Authentic organic honey right off the hive with water.
Plain old white table sugar with water.
A typical commercial apple juice.
A popular orange-flavoured drink.
40% fructose
50% fructose
75% fructose
100% fructose
Average volume consumed.
10%
15%
50%
100%
Soft drinks commonly contain high fructose corn syrup or alternatives, which can lead to excessive consumption due to its fast (est) energy storage.
Thoughts: Although excessive sugar consumption in any form may negatively impact our health, it is vital to consider the type of sugar and its flavour, especially when it is manufactured. I avoid all soft drink (including zero, low cal etc) and I see little value in fruit juice, particularly commercial choices. The effects of sugar consumption may vary from person to person.
-
Join me! 12 minutes daily every day in March!
Why?
Your posture could do with a little straightening. Free up your back, You sit lots, You haven’t exercised for a while, You hate gyms.Hit the YT link and rotate through all five (12-minute) sessions @ 1 session a day for 31 days.
Or, knock out #5/5 now.
-
Cool, breathe, sleep for Australia!
The 2023-24 summer has challenged my quality of sleep.
I understand that not getting enough sleep can leave me feeling mentally drained, increase my cravings for sugary and caffeinated foods, lead to fat storage, and weaken my immune system.
Solution: (pre-sleeping) Cooling & Breathwork = Quality sleep.
My favourite pre-sleeping practice.
...................................................................................................................................
Bhramari Pranayama is a breathing exercise that involves covering your eyes (and sometimes, ears) while producing a humming sound.
1. Cover your eyes with a reusable [gel] ice pack (wrapped in a towel).
2. Inhale through your nose and feel your stomach expand, then exhale through your nose while making a humming or buzzing sound. Do this for 3-5 minutes. It may feel a little strange at first, but the rhythm of this exercise can really help to calm you down.
...................................................................................................................................
4-7-8 breathing is a deep rhythmic breathing technique based on pranayama practices. This breathing exercise involves inhaling, holding the breath, and exhaling.
1. Cover your eyes with a reusable [gel] ice pack (wrapped in a towel).
2. Nasally inhale for 4 seconds, opening up your rib cage.
3. Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
4. Exhale for 8 seconds.
5. 5 cycles.
...................................................................................................................................
Breath Coach is my favourite (free) App - featuring an easy-to-follow 4-7-8.
-
Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Pumpkin WINS!
Just under 400 people practised the 2024 Reboot. Some followed the meal plan precisely, while others customized their meals (including me), but all maintained the three-phase principles.
MVP: Tennille (see pics).
Results proved that it is nearly impossible not to boost daily energy, improve mental clarity, sleep quality, and lose unnecessary weight. Data shows many will benefit following the Post-Reboot Practice (21 days) - CLICK HERE
The favourite meal for the 2024 reboot was Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Pumpkin, as featured by Delish (US). This delicious meal provided lean protein, healthy fats, natural carbs, and no added sugar or additives. With just a small serving, your appetite could be fully satisfied."