Hey folks! In this week\u2019s Ask a Health Coach, Erin is answering your questions about how to fuel on race day, why overdoing cardio is linked to burnout, and how to squeeze more (effective) exercise into an already busy day. Post your questions over in the Mark\u2019s Daily Apple Facebook group or down below in the comments.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Dean asked: It\u2019s never a good idea to try something different on your event day. This is the day you\u2019re putting all your hard work to the test, so don\u2019t be tempted to introduce anything new. That goes for what you put on your body and what you put in it.<\/p>\n Sure, there\u2019s tons of info about fat-adapted athletes who follow the train low, race high school of thought. The difference is, they\u2019ve practiced it before they get up to the starting line. These athletes know how different sources of fuel feel in their stomach, if it makes them nauseous once they start moving, or if it makes them feel energized.<\/strong> They\u2019re definitely not grabbing a few dates or a pack of almond butter on their way out the door, crossing their fingers, and hoping it works.<\/p>\n If you typically exercise fasted (and are fat adapted), eating before your race may decrease performance.<\/strong> And really, seeing as you\u2019ll be moving at a low-ish intensity, I\u2019d doubt that any kind of carb-protein-fat mix would move the needle too much anyway.<\/p>\n But the bigger question here is, if you\u2019ve trained fasted and with fuel, why wouldn\u2019t you choose the method you\u2019ve found works best for you? Why would you totally discount something you\u2019ve tried \u2014 and seen the real-time results \u2014 in lieu of advice that may or may not work for your body?<\/p>\n Maybe you\u2019ve seen others carb-it-up before a race and constantly crush their goals. Or they swear by slower-burning sources of fat or protein. Deep down, you know what your body requires. You might not think you do, but you do. And usually, when you doubt your own inner knowing, it\u2019s because you\u2019re comparing yourself to other people and questioning your own ability to live up to the challenge at hand.<\/p>\n A certain level of self-doubt can be healthy though. It indicates that you understand what you need to improve upon to reach your goal<\/strong>, whether it\u2019s getting a PR on your 10K or moving away from the Standard American Diet. But too much self-doubt can derail you. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to trust yourself and your decisions. Check the negative self-talk (that we all have, mind you), and start reinforcing your strengths. For instance, here are three things I already know to be true about you:<\/p>\n Focus on your strengths and do whatever makes you feel most confident. If you\u2019re happy with what you\u2019re doing in your training, stick with it. If you think you\u2019ll get a little boost \u2014 even a mental one \u2014 with fuel, add some in. Just make sure it\u2019s something you know your body can handle.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Anette asked: Chronic cardio, in my book, can be a recipe for total burnout. And it\u2019s not just because it goes against the principles of the Primal Blueprint. For decades, we\u2019ve been force fed the idea that the more cardio we can do, the more calories we\u2019ll burn, and the *healthier* we\u2019ll be. This wisdom, unfortunately, has created a generation of overtrained, immune-compromised exercise-aholics. I was one, so I feel qualified to say this.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I love that it\u2019s been a stress reliever for you in the past, but when it starts to bring on more stress than it relieves, it\u2019s time to rethink your exercise strategy. Because now, instead of reducing cortisol in your body, you\u2019re encouraging it. ??An increase in cortisol can lead to all sorts of fun stuff like:<\/p>\n Getting past the idea of what chronic cardio used to do for you is key here. While it was your go-to stress-busting method, it\u2019s no longer serving that purpose. As a seasoned health coach, I see this fairly often. Clients clinging to how things used to be \u2014 a number on the scale, a pant size, the \u2018calories burned\u2019 displayed on their cardio machine-of-choice.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not saying you should give up spinning; just change up your routine. It\u2019s possible to get leaner and more fit with higher quality, more explosive, and less physically taxing workouts that are easier to recover from.<\/strong> Short, high-intensity intervals can actually provide more benefit with less burn out and risk of disease. Physiologically, you\u2019ll notice an increase in VO2 max (that\u2019s the max amount of oxygen your body can take in and use), and mentally, you won\u2019t feel so drained.<\/p>\n Benefits of interval training include:<\/p>\n Try this basic 30-minute interval workout next time you\u2019re on the bike:<\/p>\n The low resistance parts aren\u2019t meant to be a workout, they\u2019re designed for recovery, so make it easy and comfortable. Remember, rest is a major part of fitness, so don\u2019t forget to take time off in between sessions. Your days away from the bike are the ones when your body is doing the most growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Samuel asked: Conventional wisdom says we\u2019ve got to do more to get the desired results. More reps. More steps. More time at the gym. But your new schedule (and your lack of free time) might actually work to your advantage.<\/p>\n What if you could get fitter, stronger, and leaner by doing less? The researchers in this study found that shorter bursts of exercise, like 15 minutes\u2019 worth, was enough to double the endurance capacity of participants.<\/strong> And another study showed that three 20-second sprints at an almost-all-out-effort, three times a week could boost aerobic capacity by 15%.<\/p>\n Even the pros are figuring out that they can train less and reap bigger rewards, learning that pounding the pavement day in and day out won\u2019t necessarily make you faster, but it will make you more fatigued.<\/p>\n Nearly everything you do on a daily basis can be classified as exercise (running back up the stairs because you forgot your coat, bringing groceries in from the car, pulling weeds in the garden). When you start tuning into the fact that every kind of movement delivers a health and fitness benefit<\/strong> \u2014 that\u2019s when the magic happens.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a huge fan of these essential movements: planks, push-ups, pull-ups, and squats.<\/strong> These four simple exercises are movements humans have performed for millions of years. Millions. And you know what? They don\u2019t take hours to do \u2014 you can likely crank out a set or two while your coffee is brewing. They also don\u2019t require a trip to the gym. See this post for tips on proper form.<\/p>\n If you desire more structure, look into microworkouts.<\/strong> These are quick strength moves you do throughout the day. And honestly, they don\u2019t feel like much when you\u2019re doing them, but the effects compound over time. They can take a few seconds or a few minutes and can be done anywhere.<\/p>\n Think calf raises every time you walk by the stairs, holding a plank while you\u2019re waiting for the next Netflix episode to load, cranking out tricep dips on the corner of your desk after each Zoom call. You get the idea. The key is to fit them into your day instead of carving out an hour before or after work. Now that your schedule is changing, there\u2019s no better time to shake up your workout routine.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s your turn. Do you agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts below.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m walking a 10K a week from today. I can do it fasted, and have so before, but is there any benefit to having some carbs, protein, or fat before my event?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nHere\u2019s Some Food for Thought<\/h3>\n
Why We Don\u2019t Trust Our Gut<\/h3>\n
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\u201cI work out 5-6 days a week and do a lot of cardio, mostly spin classes. This is usually such a great stress relief for me, but I notice myself feeling more run down lately. Got any advice?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nThe Curse of Chronic Cardio<\/h3>\n
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Why Intervals Work<\/h3>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re going back into the office in a few weeks, so I\u2019ll have less time for my usual workouts. What exercises will give me the biggest bank for my buck, so to speak?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWork Smarter, Not Harder<\/h3>\n
Exercise Essentials<\/h3>\n
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