"Not Quite Right Yet"

Despite the challenges of doing an Ironman there are a lot of amateurs that try to do two in one year.  It seems reasonable that if you achieve such a peak of fitness, that after a bit of rest you should be able to climb back up there without too much effort, and maybe even do better the second time.  Au contraire!  I have personally met a couple of people that have done the second one within 2 months of the first and they both spoke of the horrible shock that they got.  I understand now how that must feel.  It has now been 17 days since my event and I am still tired, as crazy as that may seem.  I tried to do a half marathon today and had to start taking walking breaks at 15 kms.  I need to remain very patient with my recovery, especially I think in light of the tough race I had.  I have of course committed to this marathon but I am determined to go into it under trained if necessary, as opposed to going into it hurt.  After all I can always walk  :)

So how many calories did I burn?  That depends on how you define that.  According to various online calculators I burned somewhere between 1600 and 1800 calories.

The problem with many of these calculators is that they don't specify if that is the amount of calories you used just from the exercise, or does it include the calories you would have burned over the same period of time sitting on the couch.  They are so subjective based on speed, weight, age that at very best they give you an approximate.  The only accurate way it seems to actually measure the calorie burn is to get hooked up to a machine.  From what I read it seems that every litre of oxygen used amounts to 5 calories burned.

But all that aside it is clear that exercise is absolutely critical to losing fat, and then to maintaining a healthy body composition.  I did a fairly complex calculation called the Harris-Benedict equation to calculate the amount of calories my body needs just to maintain it's functions, and the number came up to 1600.   That does not include getting up to walk to the bathroom or the refrigerator, and furthermore it can change significantly depending on your BMI.  Interestingly enough overall weight is a big factor and although it seems contradictory people that carry a lot of fat actually have a higher resting metabolic rate.  But there in lies the secret!  When you start losing weight through dieting the reduced weight actually slows down your metabolism!!  The one and only way to counteract this and to have any chance at achieving and maintaining your ideal body composition is to combine diet with exercise!!!  There can be absolutely no doubt!!  Dieting slows down your metabolism....and exercise speeds it up!!

So the next obvious question I suppose is what kind of exercise and at what intensity.  I can tell you that there are a myriad of theories out there but I have yet to read one that seems definitive.  One of the most popular that has been around as long as I have been running is that long, slow activity is the key to burning fat.  I always wondered that if this was true why then do the guys/girls that finish earliest and run the fastest barely cast a shadow, and the long slow runners at the back of the pack seem to carry most of the weight??  

Like I say I've read them all and I have come to my own conclusion.  Do some of everything.  Aerobic, anaerobic, fast, slow, cardio, strength, etc etc.  After all, what you are after over and above the actual calories burned while exercising, is increasing your metabolic rate, and I believe that a good blend of various levels and types of exertion is the best way to do so.  Or you could start smoking which also works quite well.  Conversely, it seems that alcohol slows down your rate.  Damn!!

By the way, yesterday I consumed 3500 calories which initially scared me.  After my bit of research today I believe that I am using up close to 2500 of them just through my basic metabolic rate, and walking to the refrigerator.  I can generally use up the other 1000 with my workouts.

And my food tip of the day.  Presidents Choice Italian Style Blue Menu lasagna.  It tastes great and is reasonable in both calories and fat. (280/7 per 283 grams).  Or alternately you could choose their vegetable lasgana which is probablky even better for you eh?  NOT!!!  430 calories and a whopping 22 grams of fat in the same 283 grams!!  Holy Shit!!  I would be willing to bet that many, many people pick up the veggie type thinking they are doing themsleves a favour.  

(run 21.1 kms)

"With my sunglasses on, I'm Jack Nicholson. Without them, I'm fat and 60."---Jack Nicholson

Love

Peter