Princess Health and2014 Re-Fridgee-8er.Princessiccia

Princess Health and2014 Re-Fridgee-8er.Princessiccia

Gusty 20:06 Add Comment

The 2014 H+P race season has officially begun!  We had a great time kicking things off at this years' edition of the Re-Fridgee-8er.  

Before we get started, a huge thanks goes out to Julie Schmidt of the Waterloo Running Series for the photography! 

There were a number of impressive performances and surprises for the team.  Here is how we did:

 

Team Results:

In the team categories (8M and 8K open teams) we managed to place 1st overall!  True, there were not very many other teams..but our goal was to have a quick average pace for our top 5 runners..and we did just that:

In the 8K, our top 5 athletes averaged under 30 minutes, an average pace of about 3:43mins/K.  

In the 8M, our top 5 athletes averaged just over 51 minutes, which is about 4:00mins/K.  

A huge pat on the back goes out to Dave Rutherford, who surprised everybody when he placed 2nd on the 8K team- not bad for 50 years old!  Also, a massive congrats goes out to coach Gill who, out of the 10 athletes who scored points for the teams, was the only female to do so!

Individuals Results:

8M:

Ahmed Ahmed had an awesome H+P debut, placing 2nd overall, 1st among all males, and averaging 3:46/K

Luke Ehgoetz crushed the course, coming in just behind Ahmed for 3rd overall, and winning the masters title!

Aaron Mailman had a breakthrough performance, coming in over 2 minutes faster than last year, winning his

AG and placing 5th OA!

Nick Burt, like Ahmed, also impressed in his H+P debut.  He not only placed 7th OA, but also won his AG!

Gillian Willard was next in line from the team.  She had a huge PB, placing her 2nd overall for females (only beat by elite Canadian Marathoner Krista Duchene), and winning her AG!

Emily Hunter had a breakthrough performance, coming in about 5 minutes faster than anticipated, and placed 2nd in her AG!

Dragan Ball-Z continues to improve, crushing his goal of breaking 5mins/K, as he placed 4th in his AG.

Heidi also had a great race, beating her time from last year and winning her category!

Oscar had an amazing H+P and racing debut-coming in significantly ahead of schedule!

8K

Coach Sean came in 2nd place with a time of 27:54.

Dave "the ageless wonder" Rutherford destroyed the course.  He placed 2nd on the team, was the first masters athlete, and placed 7th OA!

Brendan showed lots of heart- a 2x winner of this event, he knew coming in that he was not even close to as fit as he has been in the past.  He also puked during the race.  Despite that, he never gave up, fought to the bitter end, and placed 3rd on the team and winning his AG.

Coach Dyce also showed heart as he struggled with a significant illness the week leading up to the race.  Despite the lack of training and not being 100% on race day, he still beat his time from last year, cracked the top 10 OA, and placed 2nd in his AG!

Mike Piazza was next on the team.  He really impressed, doing everything he could to chase down Dave.  He took well over 2 minutes off his PB,  and placed 3rd in his AG.

Graham Dunn, for some reason, decided that he should run something like 20K on top of what he was racing.  No matter- he still came in with a time of 32minutes, placing him second out of all masters athletes. 

Vicki-Z was the first H+P female athlete to come in with another huge PB and winning her AG!

Payton also came in with an awesome time just behind Vicki, and placed first in a very competitive AG!

Candice and Ed both had awesome performances in their respective races despite missing training throughout the months leading up to the race.  They both still cracked the top 10 in the AGs, way to go!

And last but not least, Mark "can't commute to practice from Hamilton" Potvin, had a great race for the team- great to have you with us again Mark!

Onward to another great year of racing!  Up next for the team: The Chilly Half and Around the Bay!

Princess Health and Food Reward Friday. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Food Reward Friday. Princessiccia

Food reward Fridays

Gusty 04:00 Add Comment

This week's lucky "winner"...  Kirkland Signature Cashew Clusters!!

 

 

?

WHS reader Brad Dieter mentioned these on Facebook the other day:

Nutrition tip of the day. Do not buy Cashew Clusters from Costco. You will eat an entire bag in one fell swoop. Sweet, salty, crunchy, and calorie dense, the perfect storm in Stephan Guyenet's model of overeating. I have n=1 data as proof.

n=1 quickly turned into n=6 as other people chimed in, including myself.  I can attest to the fact that Cashew Clusters are like crack.  Here's more evidence from their Amazon reviews:

"Addiction with less guilt!"  These things are SO freaking good!!!... I'm eating some right now and I am having trouble keeping my hand out of the bag long enough to write this review!

"Delicious".  I gave this as a gift to my girl friend... She loved it ! Heard there wasn't much sugar either. Seems the nuts were crispy and the clusters were very addicting, in a nice way. It lasted only for 6 days. [SG- each bag contains 4,800 calories]

"Buy these and you will be hooked for life!"  One word "NUMMY!"...  Very addicting.

Cashew Clusters are only about 11 percent sugar by calories, with the other 89 percent of calories coming from whole nuts and seeds.  They're probably a healthy snack if you can eat them in moderation.  Can you?

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Princess Health and Snacktime in My Kitchen. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Snacktime in My Kitchen. Princessiccia

real food

Gusty 15:10 Add Comment

Here is a photo of all visible food in my kitchen:?

 

 

Along the back wall, we have glass containers of raw nuts, unsalted roasted nuts, grains, and legumes.  It's easy and attractive to organize your dry foods using inexpensive 2 quart Ball jars.  They also have the advantage of being moth-proof.  On the left, we have fresh fruit and a few onions.  On the far left in the background is our hand-cranked conical burr grinder, for occasional coffee (Skerton).

 

If I walk into my kitchen between meals, the only food available to eat without doing any cooking or reheating is unsalted nuts and fresh fruit.  There is no other snack food in the kitchen.  No chips, cookies, bars, popcorn, snack mix, candy, or anything else that's tempting and easy to grab and devour. 

 

When it's mealtime, we eat good home-cooked food.  When it isn't mealtime, we don't have anything available that we would eat without feeling genuinely hungry.  If we do feel genuinely hungry, fresh fruit and unsalted nuts make a satisfying snack.

This is the way of my people. 

What's the point?  Eliminating tempting food cues from our surroundings and creating small barriers to food consumption decreases the quantity of food we eat while increasing the quality.  Engineering a food environment that discourages eating for reasons other than hunger helps match food intake to the body's true energy needs, favoring leanness and health.

 

Princess Health and Why Do We Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Why Do We Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective. Princessiccia

Food reward overweight presentations

Gusty 16:15 Add Comment

I just posted a narrated Powerpoint version of my talk "Why Do We Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective" to YouTube.  Here's the abstract:

In the United States, the "obesity epidemic" has paralleled a gradual increase in daily calorie intake.  Why do we eat more than we used to, and more than we need to remain lean-- despite negative consequences?  This talk reviews the neurobiology of eating behavior, recent changes in the US food system, and why the brain's hardware may not be up to the task of constructively navigating the modern food environment.

This is the same talk I gave at the University of Virginia this January.  I had a number of people request it, so here it is:

 

Why Do We Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective

 

This is one of my favorite talks, and it was very well received at UVA.  If you find it informative, please share it!

 

 

Princess Health and Mindless Eating. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Mindless Eating. Princessiccia

book review overweight

Gusty 15:56 Add Comment

You think you're in control of your eating behavior-- but you aren't

In 2005, Brian Wansink's research group published a remarkable study that demonstrates the powerful unconscious influence of the food environment on our consumption (1).

Volunteers were invited to a test kitchen to eat bowls of tomato soup for lunch. Each person was given a bowl containing 18 ounces of soup-- but there was a catch. Half the volunteers were given custom-made soup bowls that partially refilled as they ate, such that the soup level dropped more slowly.

Read more �

Princess Health and 5 Easy and Effective Ways to Eat Less. Princessiccia

Princess Health and 5 Easy and Effective Ways to Eat Less. Princessiccia

overweight

Gusty 13:52 Add Comment

Why do we overeat?  Why is it hard to lose fat once we've gained it?  Is there a way to comfortably and sustainably eat less and lose fat? 

 

I recently did an interview with Armi Legge of Evidence Magazine that gives an overview of my thinking on these topics-- based on a large and compelling body of research that rarely reaches popular media sources in useful form. 

 

At the end of the interview, Armi asks me to list my top five tips for reducing calorie intake.  Enjoy!

 

5 Easy and Effective Ways to Eat Less

 

 

Princess Health andAthlete Spotlight: Helen Broom.Princessiccia

Princess Health andAthlete Spotlight: Helen Broom.Princessiccia

Gusty 18:04 Add Comment

Here it is-the 3rd edition of our H+P Athlete Spotlight.  For this installment, we had the chance to sit down with longtime H+P runner, Helen Broom.  She has been with the club since day one, and has really shown an impressive level of improvement over the last few years.  To top if off, her hard work ethic, dedication to the team, and kind demeanor has earned her team MVP honours two years in a row!  Here is what she had to say:

H+P: When did you first start getting into running?

HB: I started running in the summer of 2007. A friend of mine had just run a half marathon and convinced me that running was a fun thing to do.  I joined a 10K group from The Running Room and ran my first race, The Oktoberfest Run, that fall.

H+P: You are, by far, one of the most consistent H+P runners. It doesn't matter how early, or how cold a practice may be, you always show up. Where does this drive to train come from?

HB: My drive is my love for all the H&P athletes!!!!! I think it�s also because I rely on running to ground myself.  My days are pretty hectic, but if I make time to get a good workout in I�m more able to tackle the stress of the next day.  I also feel there is a huge incentive to running with the group.  I am way more likely to push myself when there are people cheering me on.  I�ve seen a huge improvement in my speed these past 3 years and so that makes me more addicted to practice.

H+P: Since you started running, you have come a long way. What were your first runs like? How far were you able to go, what was the pace, and what did it feel like? 

HB: When I started training for my first race, I remember thinking 8K was a really long run.  The first run I did, I wore flat tennis shoes, thinking all �running shoes� were the same. I ended up losing a layer of skin of the bottom of my foot and wasn�t able to run again for two weeks.  But once I recovered and bought proper shoes I worked my way up to 12K over the course of a few months.  My first 10K time was a little over 54 minutes.  Since then I�ve worked myself down to running a 10K in about 48 minutes.

H+P: Since that time, you have had an number of amazing performances. Which one are you most proud of? 

HB: Probably most proud of my Oktoberfest Run (Fall 2013), it was a PB by almost 2 minutes.

H+P: You come across as a very polite, calm and soft spoken person..and yet you have this drive to keep pushing yourself and you never seem 100% satisfied with your performances! Are you secretly a super competitive person? Have you been able to make sense of this seemingly contradictory nature of yours?

HB: Well I�m definitely competitive with myself. I�m a bit addicted to improvement and can be pretty hard on myself at times.  This can sometimes be a good thing but is also something I struggle with too.

H+P: While it may surprise some (since you are so consistent with the club), you have faced a number of injuries and health issues over the last few years that really have kept you from performing at your best. Would you be willing to elaborate at all? What mistakes do you think you made, and what tips would you offer to other athletes?

HB: I think the biggest mistake I made was treating the running/cycling training as the most important and really only component of training.  Since childhood I�ve dealt with allergies that make my diet pretty restrictive at times, and I�ve never been a huge meat eater.  This was never a problem with I was just running casually, but once I started training more consistently I became anemic.  It took me a long time to discover that something was wrong, as I thought I was just tired from long days at school and the intensified exercise schedule.  For about a year I struggled with getting my red blood cell count back into a normal range. It was extremely frustrating to feel myself losing energy with each week and to see my pace slow, while at the same time putting in more hours running than I ever had.  I have now made it a priority to eat the right kinds of food so that my workouts can be more effective.  Although it may be so obvious to most, I have a much greater appreciation for the importance of eating right.  I figure that since I spend so much time running, I should also find time to make sure I�m getting the right balance of carbs/protein/fat, and in particular red meat so that I can maintain a normal red blood cell count.  I also continue to regularly get blood work done to insure I�m not slipping into anemia again.    

H+P: What do you like most about training with H+P?  
HB: I have met so many awesome people these past few years.  Everyone has different running experiences and is at different levels but at the end of the day we�re all there to cheer each other on.  It�s been amazing to see everyone get faster with each race!

H+P: What are your goals for your running in 2014?

HB: I�ve committed to running 30K Around the Bay, but my main goal is the Scotiabank Marathon this year.  This will be my 3^rd marathon and I�m hoping that it will be the one that convinces me that I like running 42K�we�ll see.  I�d also like to run the Sulphur Springs Trail Run and maybe a few others.

Princess Health and The Best Exercise For Losing Weight. Princessiccia

Princess Health and The Best Exercise For Losing Weight. Princessiccia

Gusty 11:56 Add Comment

As a fitness instructor, the first question I usually receive from a new customer is: "Is this the best for losing weight?". Or: "What's the best for toning up: Pilates, Yoga or Zumba?"

The truth is that these questions can not be answered in two sentences. If I only wanted to make money out of my fitness business, I would say that Zumba is the best for losing weight. But that would be a lie. On the other hand, if I say: "No, Zumba is not the best for losing weight." - that would sound as if I was my own enemy, sending customers away.

What I want to say is there is no 'one size fits all' type of 'best exercise'.

Unfortunately many fitness businesses, gyms, do not refrain from giving misleading information to people, only to create more profit. Few month ago I rang one of the gyms in Dublin, being so revolted by their flyer I received through the door saying: "Aerobics exercise will make you fat." - They said this only because their business was only focusing on weight training. It is a shame that businesses will not only focus on highlighting what they are good at, they rather choose to lie to people about other types of exercise they are unable to provide.

But wait, you are here now because you want to find out the big truth:

Which is the best exercise to lose weight?

The answer: All of them and any of them. As long as you enjoy it and can stick to it. At least for a while, and then you can feel free to try out something else. But if you start something and don't enjoy it, if you find it boring, you will simply stop doing it after a short while.

Exercise cannot be a burden. Ideally working out should be something you look forward to, the same way as spending your evening with family, or going out in the weekend with friends. Or at least something you don't hate and don't immediately cancel if the weather is not perfect, or you feel a bit down, or a friend wants to chat with you. Your exercise should give you a great feeling afterwards, and that feeling should make you looking forward to your next workout. It is also possible to find a form of exercise you enjoy while doing it, not just the feeling afterwards. And that's the main point when trying to find "the best" exercise.

I'll tell you another "secret": After finding only one type of exercise you enjoy, and you stick to it and work out regularly, you'll soon be enjoying other types of exercise too.

Losing weight is a recipe with many ingredients. The key is food, then the second important ingredient is regular exercise. Adequate sleep and water intake, as well as detoxifying your body are also important elements in the process of getting rid of unwanted pounds.

The worst thing what people do is that they think that whatever food they have eaten can be "worked off" in the gym. Our body is not a plain math though: you had a chocolate bar which had 300 calories, then your app shows that you worked 300 calories, so you think your job is done. Well, that's the worst you can do. With that 300 calories chocolate bar you did not give any nutrient to your body. No fuel. While 300 calories of plain nuts or seeds, or a healthy salad or smoothie will provide so many beneficial nutrients, that they will not only feed your body, but help your body get rid of unwanted fat.

Can I gain weight after starting a workout program?

Yes, you can. That does not mean the problem is with the workout program. There are two reasons this can happen.

One of them is that you allow yourself some extra food or extra treats, saying that you deserve it because you've worked hard at the gym, or you just ran for 30 minutes, or you just finished your Zumba class. It happened to me in the past. I basically ate more because I thought I could do that without any consequence. If you start to eat more (especially unhealthy, sugary snacks), you will put much more calories in, then the amount of calories used while working out.

The other reason: once you start working your muscles and creating some lean muscle, while also getting rid of the body fat, the scale might show higher number. Don't worry, scale should not be your main reference, because muscle is heavier than fat. So the best is if you look at yourself in the mirror, put on your tightest cloths, or bikinis, and that's where you should see the positive results.

Conclusion: Exercise is extremely important, mainly for your overall health, and also for losing weight as well as maintaining your weight. You should aim for exercising 5-6 times a week, half of these days being cardio/aerobic type of exercise, and half of them strength exercise. This way you will see results, achieve the best your body can, have fit and firm body, and most importantly feel good about yourself. Keep in mind though, that if you start now, it is okay to start with one day a week, then gradually increase it until you get to the 5-6 days a week. Don't rush, that will only put you off, and that's not the goal, am I right?

The best exercise is the one you enjoy and becomes your habit!

Princess Health and Mysteries of Energy Balance and Weight Loss. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Mysteries of Energy Balance and Weight Loss. Princessiccia

overweight

Gusty 16:09 Add Comment

How to Lose Weight Effortlessly

You've probably seen this claim many times: a pound of fat contains 3,500 kilocalories (kcal). A slice of toast is 80 kcal. All you have to do is forego one slice of toast per day-- just a few percent of your total calorie intake-- and you will lose 8.3 lbs of fat per year. Fat loss is so easy!

This reasoning is extremely common both in the popular media and among researchers. Here's an example from the otherwise excellent book Mindless Eating, by researcher Brian Wansink:

...the difference between 1,900 and 2,000 calories is one we cannot detect, nor can we detect the difference between 2,000 and 2,100 calories. But over the course of a year, this mindless margin would either cause us to lose ten pounds or to gain ten pounds. It takes 3,500 extra calories to equal one pound. It doesn't matter if we eat these extra 3,500 calories in one week or gradually over the entire year. They'll add up to one pound.

This is the danger of creeping calories. Just 10 extra calories a day-- one stick of Doublemint gum or three small Jelly Belly jelly beans-- will make you a pound more portly one year from today. Only three Jelly Bellys a day.

According to this reasoning, if I reduced my calorie intake by 80 kcal per day, I'd become skeletal in two years and vanish in a puff of smoke within 10 years*. All from a meager 3 percent reduction in calorie intake!

What's wrong here?

Read more �

Princess Health and Deirdre: "The First New Year�s Resolution I Kept". Princessiccia

Princess Health and Deirdre: "The First New Year�s Resolution I Kept". Princessiccia

Gusty 15:52 Add Comment

My sister and I first attended Lily�s Zumba class in Jan 2012 as our new year�s resolution, I was dubious about going to a dance class with my Irish rhythm but once we got in the class we discovered it doesn�t matter if you are doing the steps right or not but once you attempt to follow Lily you will sweat ALOT. We had a good work out and we were smiling throughout � 2 things that I have never said about circuits/spinning!  That was 18 months ago, I attend Lily�s classes each week because I continue to see the benefits including toned muscles � both arms & legs due to Lily�s creative dance moves � more energy, distressing and an effective workout.

Lily�s enthusiasm is very motivating which makes me push myself that bit more.  I recommend Lily�s Zumba to anyone that wants to get a good workout and enjoy both the class and the results you will notice both physically and mentally. Be warned you may re-enact the dance moves you learn in your bedroom/kitchen/nightclub when you hear �one of the Zumba songs� - this however is not a bad thing ;)

Dee Power

Princess Health and NutriScience Seminar in Lisbon with Lindeberg, Fontes, and Bastos. Princessiccia

Princess Health and NutriScience Seminar in Lisbon with Lindeberg, Fontes, and Bastos. Princessiccia

Gusty 10:52 Add Comment

My friend Pedro Bastos has asked me to spread the word about a seminar he's organizing in Lisbon titled "Evidence and Evolution-based Nutrition".  It will include Staffan Lindeberg, Maelan Fontes, and Pedro Bastos-- three quality researchers in the area of evolutionary health-- I'm sure it will be interesting.  Here's the flier: