This is an unpleasant topic, but one that cannot be ignored. I have been trying to fix these unpleasant buggers for about a week, as they result in an extraordinary amount of pain while cycling. The hard thing to do it to get rid of them while maintaining a workout schedule.
Keys to NOT getting saddle sores:
Wear clean cycling shorts (with flat seams) - If you are cycling often, try to get about 3 to 4 pairs of shorts
Alway shower after riding
Use a hard, smooth saddle (prevent unecessary friction)
More info here and here
I have recently acquired a new road frame that I will have the extreme pleasure of building up over the course of the next few chilly months. I AM SO EXCITED!!
This new bike is of some consolation to me because some scum of the earth stole the cyclocross bike that I had pictured here in December.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Continuing Weight Loss
In 1999, I lost 135lbs in 11 months by sticking to a workout routine that involved weight lifting and cardio. I have now re-established that type routine and the results are great. I am down over 20-lbs since my new fitness focus that began in mid-december.
I have found the following articles represented in my earlier weight-loss efforts (that is, before I lost 135lbs and before I began my current regimen) :
THE FAILURE CYCLE
Conventional diets don't work because they are fauldy in design. They are based on weight-loss instead of fat-loss. You restrict yourself to a very low calorie diet or liquid diet and think you are reaching your goal because you are losing weight. But, because the diet is not designed to lose fat, you are mainly losing muscle weight. Consequently, upon resuming normal eating habits, you gain the weight back. So, as the cycle goes you start the same method all over again-only to fail again. It's called yo-yo dieting.
BUILT-IN SURVIVAL
So why do we retain body-fat? The answer goes back thousands of years. Early man ate anything and everything he could. He instinctively did so because it might be weeks before he found another meal. To survive, his body stored as much fat as possible to be burned as fuel later. We have not evolved from this state. We still are efficient fat-storing machines.
The built-in survival mechanism is strong. You body continually makes instinctive adjustments to stay alive. Dieting is no exception. In your mind you know you are simply dieting - however, your body believes you are starving to death - and instinctively seeks high calorie food in order to store and hoard fat.
YOUR BODY'S DEFENSE MECHANISM AGAINST DIETING OR STARVATION
1)Dieter Lowers Caloric Intake
2)Bodyweight Falls
3)Body tries to regain original weight by becoming energy efficient and slowing metabolic process.
4)Body senses reduction in body and perceives diet as starvation
5)Sensing starvation from lowered caloric intake, body slows metabolic rate; hoards fat for survival, and learns to function on fewer calories
6)Body begins to look for alternative source of fuel for energy
7)Body adapts by burning muscle for fuel, which in turn lowers metabolic rate
8)Dieter becomes tired and lethargic. Craving sweets and fats, body tricks dieter into increasing caloric intake
9)Body has learned to function on reduced calories. Any increase in calories will be stored as fat. Dieter regains all lost weight - and more.
I have found the following articles represented in my earlier weight-loss efforts (that is, before I lost 135lbs and before I began my current regimen) :
THE FAILURE CYCLE
Conventional diets don't work because they are fauldy in design. They are based on weight-loss instead of fat-loss. You restrict yourself to a very low calorie diet or liquid diet and think you are reaching your goal because you are losing weight. But, because the diet is not designed to lose fat, you are mainly losing muscle weight. Consequently, upon resuming normal eating habits, you gain the weight back. So, as the cycle goes you start the same method all over again-only to fail again. It's called yo-yo dieting.
BUILT-IN SURVIVAL
So why do we retain body-fat? The answer goes back thousands of years. Early man ate anything and everything he could. He instinctively did so because it might be weeks before he found another meal. To survive, his body stored as much fat as possible to be burned as fuel later. We have not evolved from this state. We still are efficient fat-storing machines.
The built-in survival mechanism is strong. You body continually makes instinctive adjustments to stay alive. Dieting is no exception. In your mind you know you are simply dieting - however, your body believes you are starving to death - and instinctively seeks high calorie food in order to store and hoard fat.
YOUR BODY'S DEFENSE MECHANISM AGAINST DIETING OR STARVATION
1)Dieter Lowers Caloric Intake
2)Bodyweight Falls
3)Body tries to regain original weight by becoming energy efficient and slowing metabolic process.
4)Body senses reduction in body and perceives diet as starvation
5)Sensing starvation from lowered caloric intake, body slows metabolic rate; hoards fat for survival, and learns to function on fewer calories
6)Body begins to look for alternative source of fuel for energy
7)Body adapts by burning muscle for fuel, which in turn lowers metabolic rate
8)Dieter becomes tired and lethargic. Craving sweets and fats, body tricks dieter into increasing caloric intake
9)Body has learned to function on reduced calories. Any increase in calories will be stored as fat. Dieter regains all lost weight - and more.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Home Exercise Routine
I met with Coach Cassandra again to develop an exercise routine that I can do at home. The nice thing about the exercises that she recommended is that they require a minimum of equipment. The equipment needed is as follows:
65cm resist-a-ball
4lb medicine ball
Dumbbells: 8lb, 15lb, 20lb, 30lb
14" high box
The exercises are as follows:
1:Planks- 30 seconds front, 20 seconds lateral (2 reps) - During the Front Plank exercise you hold your body flat in a push-up postion, except you are supporting yourself with your elbows. During the Lateral Plank, you support your body with the edge of your shoe and elbow. The opposite are rests on your hip.
2:Supermans (12 reps)- While lying on your stomach with arm raised above your head, raise opposite arm and leg and hold for 2-3 seconds. Focus lift on the lower back during the exercise and imagine you are trying to reach the walls with your outstretched are and leg.
3:Squats (12 reps)- Place feet shoulder width apart, sit back as if sitting in a chair. Extend arms in front for counter balance on way down, and bring arms to chest when standing upright. Hold the medicine ball to increase resistance.
4:Pushups (10-12 reps)- Keep hands 2-3 inches outside of chest. Modify by going to knees to complete the set.
5:Split Squats (10-12 reps)- Stand with feet shoulder width apart and separated so that when you drop for the squat, so that your knees do not bend to an angle less than 90 degrees.
6:Low Row (12 reps)- Use 20 or 30 lb dumbbell. Keep a wide foot stance with knees bent, bend and waist approximately 70 degrees, and place one arm on bench and keep your body weight over that arm. Keep shoulders parallel to the floor and lift weight vertically.
7:Step-ups (10 reps)- Start by standing on the box, drop on foot to the ground approximately 18" behind the box. Ensure that you land on the ball of your foot in a controlled motion, and don't allow your heel to touch the ground. Using the leg on the box, lift yourself so that both feet are on the box. Arms extend on descent and pull in on ascent. Finish tall on each rep.
8:Reverse flys (10 reps)- Stand in a split stance with a slight lean forward. Hold 8lb dumbbells in outstretched arms at shoulder height. Horizontally sweep dumbells from directly infront to the midline of your body (90 degree sweep with each arm)
9:Hamstrings (8-10 reps)- Place the resist-a-ball against the wall, and dig your heels into the ball. Keep a 90 degree bend in knees/hips. Roll hips up as high as possible by rolling hips up "one vertebre at a time".
These exercises seem to be mostly easy calisthenics, but my body is trashed after doing two circuits of this exercise schedule yesterday. These are basic "core muscle building" exercises, and I can't wait until my body feels warmed up after finishing this routine, versus feeling entirely exhausted.
65cm resist-a-ball
4lb medicine ball
Dumbbells: 8lb, 15lb, 20lb, 30lb
14" high box
The exercises are as follows:
1:Planks- 30 seconds front, 20 seconds lateral (2 reps) - During the Front Plank exercise you hold your body flat in a push-up postion, except you are supporting yourself with your elbows. During the Lateral Plank, you support your body with the edge of your shoe and elbow. The opposite are rests on your hip.
2:Supermans (12 reps)- While lying on your stomach with arm raised above your head, raise opposite arm and leg and hold for 2-3 seconds. Focus lift on the lower back during the exercise and imagine you are trying to reach the walls with your outstretched are and leg.
3:Squats (12 reps)- Place feet shoulder width apart, sit back as if sitting in a chair. Extend arms in front for counter balance on way down, and bring arms to chest when standing upright. Hold the medicine ball to increase resistance.
4:Pushups (10-12 reps)- Keep hands 2-3 inches outside of chest. Modify by going to knees to complete the set.
5:Split Squats (10-12 reps)- Stand with feet shoulder width apart and separated so that when you drop for the squat, so that your knees do not bend to an angle less than 90 degrees.
6:Low Row (12 reps)- Use 20 or 30 lb dumbbell. Keep a wide foot stance with knees bent, bend and waist approximately 70 degrees, and place one arm on bench and keep your body weight over that arm. Keep shoulders parallel to the floor and lift weight vertically.
7:Step-ups (10 reps)- Start by standing on the box, drop on foot to the ground approximately 18" behind the box. Ensure that you land on the ball of your foot in a controlled motion, and don't allow your heel to touch the ground. Using the leg on the box, lift yourself so that both feet are on the box. Arms extend on descent and pull in on ascent. Finish tall on each rep.
8:Reverse flys (10 reps)- Stand in a split stance with a slight lean forward. Hold 8lb dumbbells in outstretched arms at shoulder height. Horizontally sweep dumbells from directly infront to the midline of your body (90 degree sweep with each arm)
9:Hamstrings (8-10 reps)- Place the resist-a-ball against the wall, and dig your heels into the ball. Keep a 90 degree bend in knees/hips. Roll hips up as high as possible by rolling hips up "one vertebre at a time".
These exercises seem to be mostly easy calisthenics, but my body is trashed after doing two circuits of this exercise schedule yesterday. These are basic "core muscle building" exercises, and I can't wait until my body feels warmed up after finishing this routine, versus feeling entirely exhausted.
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