Monday, May 10, 2010
VineMan Day Camps
Monday, November 2, 2009
What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Body
Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.
Soft drinks are hard on your health
Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.
A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet
Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!
Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.
Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.
The health effects of diet soda
You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly.
Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.
Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.
Carbonation depletes calcium
Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.
Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.
Skip the soda and go for:
• Fresh water
Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system, click here.
On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.
• Fruit Juice
If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.
• Tea
Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.
Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.
If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness, click here. Drink up!
I hope you find the ways and means to avoid soft drinks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
Monday, October 5, 2009
MCT Swim is very unique
Tides affect this race swim just as much if not more than the Escape swim. Race day and start time is determined by when they will be optimum for the race. As water is filling the bay it creates a right to left current. Swim starts just south of main parking lot. During the race it is very important to follow instructions of the race director and follow the paddle boarders leading each wave out. Last year I was on the lead paddle board taking out each wave to the first marker to get swimmers on course. Even strong swimmers were having trouble making the first marker if they didn’t aim correctly. You really need to aim far right of the first buoy and let current move you towards it. Once around the first marker relax and enjoy the ride. Current speeds can be as fast as swimmer. Sight often so you don’t overshoot last buoy. I think the best description is if you are jumping into a river and getting swept downstream. Once you are out of the current you will swim in calmer water protected by the cove. During the race there will be a lot of safety kayakers and paddle boards. We also have coast guard and fire department showing off their boats and jet skies. I do not recommend doing the full course swim on your own. This should only be attempted by some who knows bay tides and currents very well. TRIMORE will be hosting two more MCT Swim previews before the race on October 17 & 18. If you do want to swim at McNears I suggest swimming off the beach in front of the recreation center with a buddy. From here you can practice sighting, see the current and get in a good swim. Please check tides first!
Coach Neil
Head Coach, Owner
Direct- 415.515.4786
Fax- 650.898.1531
askthecoach@trimorefitness.com
www.trimorefitness.com
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Cranky? It's normal!!
It's a VERY common thing. Triathlons are very emotional things in general, you're pushing your body and your mind into new territory. No matter what your experience level, there is always a sense of "I wish I had one more week to train", or a fear that you just haven't gained enough ground in one of the three disciplines. Often there is a frustrated sense of prolonged anticipation, almost as if it were Christmas Eve...but for a whole month. Your race is all you can see, think, dream about -- and even you are getting a bit tired of it!
So if you find yourself cranky, moody or grumpy - don't struggle with it, don't fight it, don't spend a lot of energy trying to figure out why - just roll with it. Let it wash over, and through you. It's just your body's way of dealing with the increased intensity of your training and the anxiety of knowing that your race is a little over a week away. Relax, and let it happen.
The best way to manage through it is to visualize dealing with an extremely over-tired 2 year old. Yup, you guessed it - you can't really manage an over-tired 2 year old. The best you can do is to manage the situation that the 2 year old is in -- and take steps to prevent the 2 year old from becoming over-tired in the first place! Same thing with your triathlon moods.
Below are a few ideas and thoughts that will help to save your sanity (and therefore sanity of your loved ones) during the final week to 10 days before the big race:
1. Give yourself some extra "quiet" time - cut down on your social and work-related committments
2. Make sure that you're "banking" sleep this week and next (lights out at 10pm)
3. Focus on eating well (protein, carbs, the right portions)
4. Explain to the folks around you that your race is coming up - and that your a little hyper-focused on it (as a way of asking for some space, or even forgiveness depending on just how bad your pre-race crankies are!)
5. Get a massage (but no later than 5 days before the race, you don't want to massage any sooner to a race)
6. Put the TV and electronics away. Sounds crazy, but find a peaceful place and open up a book. Reading is one of the best ways to get your body calm, centered. TV, computer and music often "over-stimulates" your brain..which is exactly what you DON'T need right now
7. Go for a swim, or a run outside - but leave the heart rate monitor /watch off. Get yourself outdoors and let nature apply her magic. Instead of focusing on your RPE or heart rate levels, look at the sun bouncing across the pool and smell the fresh air. Don't think about form or function, just enjoy the feeling of moving through the air. Remember why you started doing triathlons and focus on having fun again!
And most of all...give yourself a break. :-)
You're about to go do an amazing thing, and you are READY! You've done the training, you've worked really hard. Have faith in yourself and in your training. It's going to be a GREAT!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Fast Transitions
Fast Transitions
How many hours of swim practice would it take to lop two minutes off your swim time? Probably hundreds, maybe even thousands. How many hours of transition practice would it take to lop two minutes off your transition time? Maybe only one!
Many triathletes are so focused on swim, bike and run splits that they forget the clock is still running in the transition area. Every second counts. Transition practice isn't as fun as running, but it is a good investment of your training time.
Triathletes looking to win need to shift their entire mental focus and integrate the transition seamlessly into their race. The transition is not a rest area but a place to speed in and out of, in the fastest time, with the least energy.
Top 10 tips for a fast transition
1. Practice your plan
Have a plan of exactly what you are going to do and practice it over and over again until you are fast with no mistakes. Practice it physically several times in training and then rehearse it mentally several times on race morning. By the time you are in transition on race day, you should be moving on autopilot. Never try something new on race day.
2. Be a minimalist
The fewer tasks you have to do in the transition area, the faster you will go. Skip the socks and get rid of anything you don't absolutely need. Clutter will slow you down.
3. Bike shoes in the pedals
Coasting down the course at 15 mph while you put your feet in your shoes will move you far ahead of your buddy sitting on his butt in T1 doing the same task. Set your bike up in the transition area with your shoes attached to the pedals and rubber bands looped between the heels and frame, holding the shoes horizontal. On leaving T1, pedal with your feet on top of your shoes. Once you are cruising at speed, coast and slip your feet into your shoes. Keep your eyes ahead on the road, not down on your feet. On the return, slip your feet out of your shoes before you reach T2. Learn this skill first on an indoor trainer before taking it out on the open road.
4. Run with your bike
The distance from rack to mount line can be considerable at large triathlons. By running safely and quickly with your bike, it is easy to fly over this distance. Run upright with good form on the left side of your bike, holding your seat with your right hand. Your left arm swings by your side. Hold the bike upright to go straight and lean it to the side to turn. Practice in an empty parking lot.
5. Speed over the mount/dismount line
Learn a cyclo-cross mount and dismount to cruise over this line without losing any momentum. In the race you will be doing this in bare feet but initially learn and practice this skill wearing running shoes.
6. Attach your stuff to your bike
Handling small items sucks up time. Everything you need on the bike course should be attached to your bike. Tape gels to the frame, water bottles should already be on board, sunglasses looped to a cable, spare tube in a seat pack and CO2 cartridge taped to the seat post.
7. One outfit for all occasions
Start the swim with your full bike/run outfit under your wetsuit. A one piece tri-suit is ideal. Any clothing changes will add lots of time.
8. Navigation
Have you ever come out of a different mall door at Christmas time and had trouble finding your car? You can have a similar experience in a large transition area. Note where your rack spot is and how to find it from the swim exit and bike entrance. From your rack, know where the bike and run exits are and the quickest route to them.
9. Speed laces and baby powder
Tying your running shoe laces in a bow takes time. Eliminate this step using lace locks or speed laces. To help your feet slide smoothly into your running shoes, prime them with a sprinkling of baby powder.
10. Grab and go
In T2, grab what you need and go. Put on your hat and fuel belt while you are running. It is always faster to complete your tasks moving down the course rather than standing in front of your rack.
