Friday, December 19, 2014

Can a Vitamin Deficiency Lead to a Bad Mood or Depression?

Recent research has linked Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD: the winter-time blues) to vitamin D deficiency. Get some sunshine or supplement with vitamin D3, just to be sure.

On a more general note, lack of vitamins, minerals, phyto-nutrients, and polyphenols can all play a role in mood as can a calorie restricted diet. The mental depression that accompanies a slow down in metabolism is an evolutionary link that restricts activity in the presence of potential starvation.

Also, the blood sugar roller coaster of a high carb diet can play havoc with your mood.

Always keep your macros appropriately balanced to your activity level. Don't overly restrict calories. Always eat plenty of vegetables and fruits.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Should I do Cardio and Weight Training on the Same Day?

The bottom line is that it really depends upon your goals and where you are now in reaching your long-term objectives.

Very recent studies have shown that for the average person it really doesn't matter, after a "break in period of a couple of months.  Both strength and cardio health indicators improved to a statistically similar degree, whether you did one or the other first or whether you did them on different days.

Most successful "natural" bodybuilders will do their cardio either on an empty stomach, before breakfast, or after completing their weight lifting.  The theory being that once the muscles are depleted of glycogen, you're more likely to burn fat during your cardio session.

I personally do 15-30 minutes of cardio after each of my four weekly weight room workouts, in order to manage my body composition,  as well as several short walking and stair climbing sessions, during my weekdays at the office.

At the same time, because I am a multi-sport athlete, I also tend to do sport specific cardio, either steady state or HIIT on the other three days of the week. I don't find this to be onerous because for the most part, I'm doing activities that I love, either on the bike, one the road, on the slopes, or in the water.

Do what works for you.  Both cardio and strength training are important for overall health and sports success.  And unless you're working at an Olympic or pro sports level, it really doesn't matter. 

Monday, February 10, 2014

46 and just getting started - what do I do?

Success breeds success. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Although these adages are cliche, they are very true. So I'm going to build briefly on those thoughts rather than give you a prescription of various strength and endurance building exercises and muscle building and fat loss diets.

Even if you have only five minutes a day, do something.  A couple of sets of strength building exercises, a few calisthenics or a short jog or bike ride.  The fact that you actually did something will activate the reward system in your brain making you more likely to do something tomorrow. As you get that reward day after day, you'll also start to see progress in the amount of weight you lift, the speed that you run, the miles that you bike and the feelings of accomplishment and reward will grow. 

Likewise for making one small improvement in you diet, like drinking a glass of water instead of one of your cans of coke.  Do that for a few days,  then drop a second can of coke.  Keep making small improvements as your motivation and sense of reward increases.

Stay consistent and make small improvements.  What you can do in a five or ten year period, by making daily and weekly micro-improvements will astound you.  Avoid trying to do too much at once.  The body and brain do not like abrupt or massive change and you will ultimately stop.

Leverage your brain chemistry to work harder and harder and eat better and better, over time.  Soon you'll find that where you once had only five minutes a day, you're now making room for an hour a day and you progress is going through the roof.

Don't get overly complicated. Learn about diet and exercise as you go. And as the great Winston Churchill once said, "never, never, never, never give up."