Zone Intensity Training

Part 2/2

Now that you have ready Part 1 in the Training Zones series, Amazing Energy Systems, and you now have an understanding of how the body creates and spends energy it is time to look at how you can tailor your training sessions to make these energy systems stronger...so that you can do all of your favourite things faster, longer and without as much fatigue!

Enter... Zone Training.

The purpose of Zone Training is to make the most efficient use of your training time by ensuring you are training the correct energy system at the right intensity and dose.  Zones are different levels of intensity and can be created based on heart rate, pace, power (bike) or perceived exertion.  Zone training will ensure that you are training with a purpose during each and every workout and getting the most bang for your training buck.  

Numbers and watches and gadgets and gizmos can be very helpful tools for your training toolbox.  When following accurate zones, training with pace, power or heart rate can help you stay at the correct intensity for the correct length of time, thereby helping you train the correct energy system for that workout. Numbers, however, can never be fully relied upon, as they are static, while you are a dynamic being.  Heart rate is very finicky and can be effected by fatigue, stress, caffeine, illness and more.  Pace zones can be meaningless when training on technical, undulating or mountainous terrain.  All zones can quickly become outdated as our training adaptations kick in, making us faster and stronger than our zones give us credit for.  Frequent zone testing sessions will minimize these errors, but they will always be part of the mix.  This is why learning to train with perceived exertion and honing your intuitive training ability is extremely important.  Learning your bodies signs and signals is the key to dynamic and effective intensity training. Intuitive training can take time to master, however, so using zone training can be a great way to help us learn what it 'feels like' when we are training at or close to each zone.  By using a HR monitor or GPS for pace, you can reflect on your perceived exertion and use these tools together to help you become a more intuitive athlete.  

Zone training helps athletes avoid the two biggest mistakes during training sessions:

• Training too hard during low intensity, aerobic workouts.

• Not training hard enough, during high intensity, anaerobic interval workouts.

You will remember from the Energy Systems post, that in order to transform your bodies aerobic energy system (for all events lasting more than 2.5 hours this is critical), you must train at a low enough intensity to stay below the aerobic threshold.  Most athletes push above this threshold (darn ego!) and they never reap the amazing benefits of aerobic training.  Same goes for those Anaerobic threshold workouts- most athletes don't push hard enough to get up to the lactate threshold and never realize the potential from these powerful workouts.

How to determine your Training Intensity Zones:

1.  Blood Lactate Testing: the gold standard.  This is the big daddy of zone prediction.  All other tests are measured against this method which takes actual lactate readings from your blood to calculate your training zones. 

2.  Lactate Threshold field tests.  Completing a LT field test, following specific protocols, can be very accurate.  The pro's are you can do them on your own anytime with little or no equipment.  The con's are ensuring you are able to push yourself hard enough to find your true LT.

How to complete a Lactate Threshold Field Test:

After a 15-20 minute warm up, complete a 30 minute time trial on a flat course, track or treadmill set to 1.5% incline (running) or on an indoor trainer with set gearing (biking).  Go as far as possible in 30 minutes.  After the first 10 minutes, start your heart rate monitor/select a new lap.  Record the Average Heart Rate for the final 20 minutes of the Time Trial (TT).  This is your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR).  Record your 30 minute TT distance to determine your pace per km and to compare over time.  Cool down for at least 10 minutes at an easy pace.

How to Calculate Your Own Intensity Training Zones based on your Anaerobic (AKA LT) Field Test

One you have your LT data you can calculate your own 5 Zones using the following percentages of your LT heart rate and pace.  You can use this chart (or the “Wild Seads Coaching Training Zone Calculator” - spread sheet tool) to determine a 5 Training Zone method for your Heart Rate and Pace in conjunction with your RPE (See Rate of Perceived Exertion below)..

See the Wild Seads website for more detailed information in the form of manuals & event specific Training Plans.

Training Zones are calculated based on percentages of your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate or Pace (or Power for those using power meters on the bike).  Some methods use 5 zones and others use 6 or 7 which break down the zones further. Your zones change over time and are a result of your genetics and your training program.  It is important to complete LT testing on a regular basis, every 8-12 weeks, to ensure your zones are current.  

When training with Zones, always use RPE along with gadgets and digits to become intuitive in your familiarity with your self, your zones and your body - and please don't be a slave to the numbers.  Learn to listen to your body and adapt your training using your intuition AND your digits in tandem.

ZONE 1: Aerobic.  Feels like a 2-4/10 RPE.  The lower level of this zone is used for base aerobic training and recovery and feels very easy.  The upper level of this zone is for improving aerobic endurance and increasing the Aerobic Threshold (AT).  When you train just below this point you will develop your aerobic endurance base most effectively.  It feels comfortable and conversations are possible. By training at this zone you will increase your Aerobic Threshold and improve your performance in events lasting 2 hours and beyond.  “LSD” long slow duration pace 30-90mins+.  Should feel VERY easy.  No deep breathing, no burning legs.  Slow down if you are unsure. Be conservative!  Better to be too low than too high and miss out on the Z1 benefits.

ZONE 2: Tempo. Feels like a 5-6/10 RPE.  Some call this the junk zone- but not if you are training for middle distance events.  You aren't getting pure aerobic OR anaerobic benefits in this zone BUT you are training for the specific demands of events lasting approximately 2 hours.  Pace and breathing is moderate, a bit harder to hold a conversation.

ZONE 3: Lactate Threshold.  Feels like a 7-8/10 RPE.  The lower level of this zone is known as ‘sub threshold’ and feels as if you are reaching a one hour all out pace.  The upper level of this zone is known as ‘super threshold’ and feels moderately uncomfortable, with some mental focus required.  When you train within this zone you will bump up your Lactate/Anaerobic Threshold and increase your ability to sustain a faster endurance pace without becoming fatigued.  Training this threshold is often the key to improving performance in events lasting 1-3 hours.  Z3 training can be done as 'Steady State' (begin with 5minutes and build to 30) or  ‘Over Under’ intervals of working at the top of this zone (supra threshold) and then at the bottom (sub threshold) for a series of work:recovery intervals.  Hard pace.  Very challenging.  Heavy, but controlled breathing.  Burning legs at the top of this zone. Be aggressive!

ZONE 4: Feels like 9/10 RPE. Pace will be very hard but sustainable for 15-30 minutes at the lower level of this zone.  Train to improve Aerobic Capacity (VO2max) at the very top of this zone with intervals of 1- 6 minutes. *Note: Heart Rates are not an accurate way to monitor intensity in this training zone as the heart rate will not have time to raise to the zone level.

ZONE 5: Maximal exertion and Anaerobic Capacity/Power Training. Feels like 10/10 RPE.  Your max speed not only determines how you perform at events lasting 2-5 minutes long BUT IT ALSO can limit your other 2 thresholds- aerobic and anaerobic by squishing up all your zones.  Train this zone with maximum speed intervals lasting 30s-2 minutes tops.  Accelerate for 30s-2 minutes, recording the distance traveled.  Recover with double the time then repeat trying to match your original distance covered.  Start with 4 or 5 repeats and build up to 10 over time.  If you can do more than 10 you are not working nearly hard enough.  *Note: Heart Rates are not an accurate way to monitor intensity in this training zone as the heart rate will not have time to raise to the zone level.

Looking for a Training Plan to put those training zones to work for?  Check out my Self Directed Training Plans on the Training Peaks Store!

Train smart and have fun!

Cheers,

Sarah Seads

Amazing Energy Systems!

Part 1:2

Next up in this series : Zone Intensity Training & How You Can Create Your Own Training Zones!!

The human body is an amazing machine! We have multiple energy systems within our bodies that provide fuel for our activities so that we can run, spin, jump and play at a range of speeds and durations. Although we are always using a combination of energy systems to move our bodies, there are two main methods that your body uses to produce ATP (energy currency of the body!) Aerobic and Anaerobic. The actual processes involved to create energy so that we can move our bodies, are highly complex, but this overview will give you an idea of what your body is up to on those runs and rides;)

Aerobic: means “with oxygen”. This energy system fuels your lower intensity, long duration, endurance workouts. The lower the intensity and the longer duration, the more it becomes fueled by the aerobic energy system. While you are sitting there reading this you are primarily using your aerobic system. The aerobic system is efficient and at low intensities you can go on and on and on without running out of steam (in theory). The aerobic system is fueled primarily by fat and research tells us that, in theory, we have enough stored energy in the form of fat to run, on average, 26 consecutive marathons!

Anaerobic: without oxygen. This is your higher intensity, short duration, energy system and it is made up of two systems: Lactic and Alactic. Too fast and too intense for the aerobic system to keep up with your energy requirements, these system use glycogen (carbohydrates stored in muscle) and other substrates as their fuel source. These fuels are finite and produce by-products that will build up and leave you feeling fatigued with increased effort so that you can only maintain high intensities for a limited period of time. Activities lasting less than 10 seconds are fueled predominantly by the Anaerobic Alactic system, where those lasting 10-60seconds are Lactic system driven. Beyond this the percentage begins to shift to greater and greater support from the Aerobic system. With an effective training program, the body actually learns to process and use these bi-products to produce additional ATP (energy) so that you can tolerate higher intensities and longer durations of high intensity work.

More Terms:

Aerobic Threshold. AKA Top of Zone 1 in a 5 zone training intensity system. The point/pace at which the body shifts from near pure reliance on the Aerobic energy system as it requires additional support from the Anaerobic system. You get what you train, and when you spend significant time training below your aerobic threshold (Zone 1 upper limit), some amazing adaptations occur in your body! Consistent Zone 1 training results in: increasing capillary networks, improving the bloods oxygen carrying capacity, increasing mitochondrial activity (energy producing factories in our cells), improving fat utilization and much more. The more effectively you train your aerobic system (below Z1 intensity), the better your body will become at using fat as a fuel source, allowing your muscles to spare precious, limited glycogen for your endurance events. WOW!

If you are training for an endurance event lasting more than 2.5 hours, training your aerobic system correctly is critical for your performance. In fact, 80-90% of your weekly training time should be spent in this Zone, below your Aerobic Threshold (yes, you read that right, total up your minutes and avoid wasted training time above Z1 in the 'grey zone'). Unfortunately, many athletes train too fast and end up training at too hard of an intensity during their Z1 workouts and therefor they will never reap the powerful, transformative benefits of true aerobic training. It can be hard to relate running and riding slower with getting faster, I get it. But man oh man, when you feel how transformative aerobic training is for both your endurance AND endurance pace, you will be a convert. Note: BE CONSERVATIVE during Z1 training so that you don’t mistakenly run above your aerobic threshold. No heavy breathing, no burning legs, should feel ‘easy’. Run slower if you are unsure and train on your own to avoid pushing too hard. 2-4/10 for intensity on the Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale.

Lactic Threshold aka Anaerobic Threshold. AKA Top of Zone 3 in a 5 zone training intensity system. A heads up that lactic acid has a bad wrap. Despite the rumours, it is not, in fact, lactic acid that creates fatigue in our muscles with sustained high intensity efforts. It is actually, hydrogen ions that create an acidic environment resulting in muscle fatigue. Lactate (it is not an acid) actually comes to the rescue and acts as a buffering agent to decrease this acidosis. As the effort increases, lactate floods the bloodstream to buffer the acidosis. Eventually, the production of hydrogen becomes greater than the bodies ability to process it and acidosis sets in. This is known as Lactate Threshold or Anaerobic Threshold, which correlates with an increased breathing rate, heart rate and burning sensation in the muscles. If this threshold level is exceeded, you will only be able to sustain the pace for a few minutes. Lactate Threshold usually correlates with the pace and average heart rate that you can sustain at hard effort for approximately one hour. 7-8+/10 on the RPE Scale.

VO2 MAX. This is the maximum amount, or volume, of oxygen that you can use at one time. We all have genetic potential/limitations but VO2max can be improved through training. Amazing adaptations occur in the cardiovascular system as the result of VO2max training, which contribute to a higher VO2max, speed at VO2max, improved endurance and the potential for a higher lactate threshold. WOW! 8-10/10.

Next up, let's chat about how to create and use Heart Rate, Pace and Power Training Zones!

Need a training plan to go along with all that new exercise physiology knowledge? I'm here for ya!  Check out my Self Directed Training Plans on the Training Peaks Store!

Train smart and have fun!

Cheers,

Sarah Seads

Top 3 Reasons Endurance Racers Fail to Cross the Finish Line and How to Avoid Them!

The more mistakes we make in a race, the more we learn...but that is a hard way to learn! It is much more enjoyable to learn from the mistakes of others;). After two decades of endurance racing, I have seen (and made) nearly every mistake in the book. And through all of them, the same 3 issues float to the top year after year in all disciplines of endurance racing.

The human body is an amazing machine.  With a strong driver at the wheel (mental strength-another topic!), it will literally keep moving forward for an infinite length of time so long as we support it optimally.  So, what do we need to do to achieve relentless forward progress?  Read on to learn the top 3 reasons racers fail to cross the finish line in endurance events and my tips to help you avoid them!  *Note: These tips apply to any endurance event- not just races- such as big day hikes, paddling adventures or any other event lasting more than 2 hours.

TOP 3 REASONS ENDURANCE RACERS FAIL TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Absolutely anything can happen on race day and there are no guarantees, but there are few major ways you can blow your race experience. Don't fall prey to the most common endurance traps and you will increase your odds of success exponentially. These issues are big enough to end your race and torture you in the process but the solutions are so simple!

#1: Blowing Up.

Failure to pace appropriately is one of the top reasons racers fail to finish (or finish strong) in endurance events.  Starting too fast for the distance and your fitness is a recipe for disaster in the mid to later stages of endurance events.  Adrenaline and ego are a terrible combination for many racers and it takes discipline, logic and experience to overcome these influential tyrants. Your training will determine your race pace and you should know what pace/intensity you can compete at by the time you reach the start line. Follow your race plan and run your own race.Put your ego aside, respect the distance and 'let them go'. Many people get caught up in the sensation of being 'left behind' at the start of a race.  That's just ego and adrenaline talking.  You have no idea if other racers are pacing appropriately and you cannot control the fitness of others around you.  With optimal pacing for a strong finish, you will likely pass many jack rabbit starters as wounded soldiers later in the day! Here are some guidelines to help you with pacing for a strong finish, while you are learning more about your body:

• Race in Thirds. This is a must do strategy for new endurance athletes while you are learning how your body responds to new distances. In fact, all endurance athletes will benefit from using this strategy! This applies to kms of single day events and days of multi-day events as well. Don’t blow it all on the first day!

1. First 1/3, go slower than you want to. The pace should feel too easy. If you think you are going to slow, go slower lol;) Hold back and follow your pacing per km plan for guidance if need be- because adrenaline will try to trick you.  The easier you start, the stronger you will finish. I promise. Trust me on this one. It is going to be a long day/week.

2. Second 1/3 should feel just right, comfortable and steady- a pace you could imagine continuing for the duration of the race.

3. Final 1/3, should feel challenging-you are running an ultramarathon/riding a marathon/doing an ironman! Push yourself to hold this pace and even ramp up the intensity as the kms tick down-  and finish strong.  But DON'T lay down the hammer until you can hold it all the way to the end!

• No heavy breathing and no burning legs in the first 1/3 of the race other than short climbs (a few minutes). Unless you are an experienced endurance athlete and know your body inside and out while competing at the distance, this strategy is a must. Avoid pushing your body into anaerobic training zones- otherwise you will build up bi-products early on that create fatigue and slow or stop you in your tracks in the later stages of the race. If you still have juice in your legs in the final 1/3, then you can consider gradually ramping up your pace as you get closer to the finish line. But never never never push your pace into the red line in the early stages of an endurance race. It just doesn't work. This isn't a 10k or a half marathon. You need to stay aerobic and well under that red line to finish strong. Did I mention, it's going to be a long day?

• Push your strengths and pace your weaknesses on race day and you will race within your abilities and finish strong.

• Know the pace times you will need to make race cut offs- even if you don't think you will need them. Things happen. Plan B or Plan C may take effect and you may be working hard to make cut-offs. Know what pace you need to maintain in order to stay under the wire.

• Respect the distance

#2: Bonking.

Another top reason racers fail to cross the finish line (or finish strong) is failing to follow a strict nutrition plan.  The first hours of an endurance race are critical in regards to nutrition as you cannot make up missed fueling in the latter stages of the race.  We tend to not feel hungry during the first hours due to adrenaline and pre race fueling, so it is important to set and follow a schedule right from the start of the event.  In later stages, many people lose their appetite or feel nauseous and stop eating which is a disaster waiting to happen. Experimenting with a variety of foods and consistencies during training will prepare you to tackle your nutrition with 'plan b and c' during your event.  Practice eating on a schedule during your long training sessions and experiment with solids, semi-solids, liquids, sweet, salty etc.  Eat early, eat often, be strict about your fueling schedule and caloric intake per hour- but be flexible about your choices. If you 'don't feel like eating' you likely need to. Slow down, get your gut under control and get those calories in before pushing on.  Do not skip fueling times- get those calories/electrolytes in every hour.

• Follow your fuel/hydration guidelines-bring what you are used to and anything that you think you might crave. Sweet, salty, hard, soft, liquid, solid- variety. Stomach's can be fickle during endurance racing after hours of continuous movement, your taste buds may surprise you. Be open minded, browse aid station tables to see if a craving strikes you. 'What' you eat during an endurance race is much less important than 'when' you eat.  Get the required calories, electrolytes and water into your body, on schedule, in any form you can. Set a timer and NEVER skip or miss your scheduled time for fueling.  Eating and drinking early and often will keep you strong until the very end. Once you fall off track with your fueling schedule, the rest of your race can fall off the tracks.  The following guidelines are a starting point but need to be personalized for the athlete and conditions.  This is what training is for!  You are an experiment of 1.

  30-90grams of carbohydrate or 200-400calories per hour in any form

  1-3 cups of fluid per hour

  200-400mg sodium per hour 

• If you don't 'feel' like eating, it usually means you need to. And when you stop eating, the crazies can get in the way of reasoned thinking. Low blood sugar, exhaustion and mental fatigue can prevent you from making sound decisions which will then send your race further array. Not following your fuel plan (that means calories, water and electrolytes) can result in nausea...which can cause you to consume even less...which can eventually lead to additional stress on the system and vomiting...which leaves the body further depleted and potentially unable to rally. Do not drink plain water- be sure you have electrolytes (especially sodium) to go with it every hour to avoid diluting your body fluids and making the situation worse.

#3. Falling apart.

Self care is the glue that keeps an endurance athlete together. As soon as you notice something isn't quite right, stop and take care of it right away. Self care is how you stop small problems from becoming big issues or stop signs. Blisters, hot spots, wet feet, hunger, cramps, nausea the list goes on. These are the small things that can blow up into big things and end your day. Spending a few minutes taking care will save you many more minutes or hours of suffering later in the day. Stop, I promise it is worth it.

Taking the time to tend to little issues early on can prevent major show stoppers in the later miles. I call this Self Care and it really can make or break your day during endurance racing. Optimal fueling/hydration and pacing within your abilities are critical during endurance racing, but self care is the glue that holds it all together in the end.

Try to anticipate what 'could' go awry out there and put a plan in place to remedy each situation. Even if you have the perfect day, knowing you have a plan in place can bring much needed peace of mind on race day. As soon as you feel an ache in your leg, a pinch in your foot or a stone in your shoe...stop.  Stop and address all small issues so that they do not turn into big problems.  Taking a few moments for self care will always pay you back multiple times in the end.

RED FLAGS

• Blisters and Hot Spots - stop, assess and fix with clothing adjustments, tape/lubes etc

• Chafing - stop, assess and fix with clothing adjustments, lubes etc.

• Nausea- slow down, assess nutrition intake, correct, take ginger gravol

• Hunger - eat!

• Heartburn - medication, water

• Too hot - cool off!  Rivers, ice, cooling sleeves

• Too cold - warm up!  Gloves, hat, windbreaker

• Wet feet - change socks/shoes or apply cream

• Cramping - slow down, assess nutrition intake, correct

• Sleep monsters- caffeine!

• Low motivation - bag of tricks!

• Pain...HA!

Have you made any or all of these 3 mistakes?  You are not alone!  The goal is to avoid making them again!  Train hard but race smart and you will reach your endurance racing goals!

Cheers,

Sarah x

How To Transform Your Body

You have body composition goals.  I am here to help.  Step 1: Education.  Step 2: Action.  Step 3: Patience.  Let's get to work on Step 1...

Gaining Muscle

Gaining muscle takes work. In order to build muscle, the body needs an overload stimulus, sufficient calories, optimal protein and carbohydrate macro ratios, nutrient timing and adequate recovery. Gaining muscle not only increases muscle tone and strength, but also improves metabolism so that we are burning a higher amount of calories every minute of the day. Strength training itself also burns a great amount of calories and results in a significant ‘after burn’ of increased metabolism for the hours following a training session. This combined increase in metabolic rate results in an improved body composition (as more fat is lost). If you want to lose fat- don’t underestimate the power of pushing hard in the gym- cardio alone is NOT the best way to do it. 

Gaining muscle takes time, consistency and patience – months and years (not weeks and days). Genetics play a role of course, women usually have significantly less testosterone than men and things get even crazier with menopause, which makes building and keeping muscle more challenging. Initial gains in strength (first few weeks weeks) come from neuromuscular co-ordination, or ‘smarter’ muscles. The neural pathways become stronger, the number of muscle fibres being recruited increases and the synchronicity improves first. Once this has been accomplished, muscles begin to grow (6+weeks) by increasing the size of the muscle cell fibres. Here are some tips to work on when your goal is muscle gain:

• Calorie budget – if you are at your ideal weight but want to lose fat and gain muscle, work with a maintenance budget. If you have signficant weight to lose, work with a moderate caloric deficit budget (-250-500 calories per day). If you are at or close to your ideal body fat percentage and only want to put on muscle then you need to create a calorie surplus of +250-500 calories per day along with optimal levels of protein grams/timing.

• Macros – hit those protein targets daily no matter what your goal is and aim to get 20-30 grams with each main meal (see Creating Your Own Nutrition Budget post to determine your own targets). Next, focus on your nutrient TIMING , because when you eat, not just how much, can make big differences in your gains. Women in particular (and older women even more so) should focus on getting a mix of protein (15g) and carbs (30-60g) before hard workouts to ensure there are adequate amino acids (protein building blocks) and energy ready to go. Nail your post workout refuelling window (within 30 minutes) – 15-25grams of protein mixed with 30-60 grams of carbohydrate in a liquid form if possible. Whey is more easily utilized by the body to build muscle - if you are vegan, you will want to aim for MORE protein or add BCAAs to your fuelling. Have a good carbohydrate snack or meal before your workout so that you can work HARD and make those gains. Research has shown that eating 10-15grams of protein before bed, can increase protein synthesis and help you get those gains (while you sleep! as long as you are doing the next step..).

• Get consistent- strength train 3 days per week and include exercises for all of the major muscles, focusing on compound exercises that use more muscle mass. Include exercises for each major movement 3 days per week- Hip extension (single and double leg exercises) Push (chest and shoulders), Pull (back and shoulders), Rotation (back/core) Extension (back) and Flexion(core). Variety can be beneficial to access different muscle fibres and in different movement patterns- so long as you include exercises for the entire body and add extras for the areas you want more gains in.

• Train smart - muscles are stimulated to grow through protein synthesis when they are challenged in a variety of ways: mechanical tension (muscular force ie GO HEAVY), metabolic stress (maintain constant tension on the muscles ie PUMP), and muscle damage (eccentrics, superslows, deep ranges). A variety of repetition ranges have been shown to effectively increase protein synthesis and muscle growth using the methods listed above. If you are working on creating 'tension' the reps will be lower and the weight higher, vs 'stress' the reps will be higher but no breaks between lift and lower vs 'damage' the reps will be mid range, but focus ondeep range of motion and/or slow lowering (eccentrics).

• Work hard- log your resistance training workouts and aim to beat your last workout numbers each week. It may not happen every time, but it will happen often, especially if you are new to consistent/smart strength training. Reaching to the next level = overload = adaptation = gains. This reaching can be accomplished by increasing reps or increasing weight or decreasing rest etc.

• Be patient! If you are pushing to fatigue/failure, completing multiples sets over multiple days and following optimal macro nutrition timing, you will see results. But including these techniques will cover all of the basis. Everyone responds differently to strength training, however, and so you need to experiment to find out what works best for you.

And for those of you who need help adding calories to make those gains...

• Tips For Increasing Calories In:

• Boost the calories in your meals by adding healthy fats (nut butters, homemade dressings, dairy, avocados).

• Increase portion sizes slightly and add min-meals containing protein and carbohydrates as snacks.

• Consume a meal containing 50-100grams of carbohydrates combined with 15-25grams of protein within 30 minutes of your workouts to assist with recovery and protein synthesis.

• Add healthy ‘liquid’ meals to boost daily calories – smoothies with fruit and yogurt or skim milk/natural protein powder. Add milk, juice and healthy liquid calories to your daily menu.

• Create your own calorie and macronutrient budget using the steps in this post or call me and I can do it for you (Nutrition services!)

Losing Fat  

Losing fat takes time, consistency, time and consistency and time.  We know that lasting results come from gradual weight loss over the long term.  We know that dramatic changes and drastic caloric restrictions rarely result in long term weight loss and maintenance.  And that IS the ultimate goal. In fact, the slower it comes off, the longer it usually stays off.

We also know that there are just as many health risks associated with being underweight as there are with being overweight.  Learn what a healthy body weight and body composition is.  Learn how many calories and nutrients your body needs to thrive and perform the way you ask it.   If you haven't already, be sure to read this post about weight management, healthy body composition and creating your ownnutrition 'budget' to reach your goals in a safe and healthy way.  When focusing on fat loss through nutrition and exercise, there are a few keys things to work on: 

• Calorie budget- eat a little bit less each day and each week, over the long term. Too drastic a deficit and the changes will not be sustainable.  You must be able to maintain this budget a year from now...and beyond.  Start with a small caloric deficit andsee how your body responds when followed consistently (2 weeks).   A 250-500 calorie deficit per day is a good place to start. If you have more to lose, you may be able to create a larger deficit but if you have only a small amount to lose you will need to be careful not to cut your calories to low (see the risks of caloric restriction in this post).

• Macros – hit your macro’s. Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates are the foods we eat that provide us with calories, energy, buildingblocks and more.  Again, read this post to find out how to do this.  Make sure you are consuming enough PROTEIN and eating real, quality food 80-90% of the time to stay within your budget and get as much nutrient density as possible. 

• Do the 'YOU' Diet.  I don't write meal plans or recommend rigid diets for my clients.  The key to long term success is learning to include portions of the foods that you and your family enjoy within your budget. Use a food log to learn the caloric and nutrient value of the foods you commonly eat- you may be suprised.  Find a balance that works for you and learn to include portions of the foods you LOVE within your budget.  

• Work HARD in the gym. Read about the benefits of strength training in regards to body composition, above. If you want to lose fat and keep it off over the long term, pushing hard in the gym/home with your strength routine is one of the secrets to success.

• Move – how many minutes you spend sitting versus moving every day will have a great impact on your caloric expenditure. Get a FitBit. Track your steps. Get up every 30 minutes from your computer. Get a stand up desk. Avoid sitting for hours on end. Go for a coffee walk rather than sitting down with a friend. Make more time for movement and park as far away as possible. Any time you are not sitting is a good use of your time.

Tips for decreasing calories in: 

• Follow the Nutrition Keys daily and weekly. Set a daily intention and visualize the nutrition keys that you will use each day.

• Log your food ‘live’ as the day goes, rather than waiting until the end of the day. Or, even better, enter your meals before you eat them, to see how they will fit into your budget

• Increase the size of your breakfast and lunch-never skip or skimp on these meals. Research repeatedly shows that this will prevent overeating later in the day.

• Choose high protein snacks, quality (natural) fats and fibrous fruits and veggies to keep you feeling full longer.

• Use most of your carbohydrate calorie budget for the meals before (and during endurance sessions over 2 hours) and immediately after your workouts to make the most of this fuel. You will be able to work harder during your training sessions and see even greater results with correct nutrient ‘timing’.

• Limit ‘liquid’ calories- alcohol, lattes, sugary drinks and sports drinks and choose water, herbal teas or whole fruits and vegetables alongside protein for snacks.

• Emphasize nutrient rich food choices and plan your meals around lean protein and vibrant, colourful vegetables and fruits-5-10/day.

• Decrease the amount of empty calories in your diet: limit processed foods, fast foods, junk food and alcohol. This is one of the the easiest ways to create a deficit (or surplus!). Eat 80-90% REAL food every day.

• Keep the ‘non real’ foods that you enjoy in your diet in the 10-20% range rather than cutting them out entirely (it won’t work long term, I promise). Learn to choose smaller, snack sized portions of these foods so that they fit within your budget. Cutting them out entirely is a sure fire way to set yourself up for ‘breaking’ and failure down the road. Enjoying them in small amounts, takes away some of the lure and doesn’t make them seem so ‘special’ and tempting. Finding a healthy balance over the long term is the secret to success, happiness and ‘guilt free’ eating!

• Focus on portion control: Avoid overeating by eating slowly, using smaller plates, and starting with a smaller serving size. Put your fork down between bites and pay attention to the taste and smell and experience of eating your meals. Do not eat until you are full, eat until you are no longer hungry.

• Set yourself up for success: Plan healthy snacks that contain protein and fruits and veggies to avoid overeating later (busy days, on the road etc). Yogurts, cheese, hard boiled eggs, bananas, mandarin oranges, cut veggies, home made energy bars etc.

• Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluid per day- water, herbal tea, soups etc all count as fluid. 

• Pay attention to ‘why’ you are eating, as part of your logging. Are you hungry? If so, how long has it been since your last meal? Did you eat a good sized breakfast and lunch? Did you have enough protein, fruit & veg and water? Are you eating because you are tired? Stressed? Emotional? Food is for fuel. It will not solve problems, although it may seem like a remedy in these difficult moments. Create a list of healthy alternatives to help you move beyond emotional eating habits - so that you can nurture your body AND mind and feel good about your choices in the future. Emotional? Practice mindful breathing, take a 5 minute walk outside, pour a hot bath, call a friend or do a 15 minute yoga practice. Leave the kitchen and go outside if you need to. The more you practice these alternatives, the more they will become automatic choices. 

Ultimately you are in charge of the nutrition and activity choices you make each and every day and you can choose to stay within your budget or go over or under it, any day you like. No stress needed, at all.  You are in charge and no one says you have to be a slave to your nutrition or your fitness plan.  But do please remember that YOU are making choices every day that effect the direction, speed and ultimately the destination of your health journey.  The more frequently you choose to take actions are inline with your nutrition and training plan, the faster you will reach your weight and body composition goals. But you don't HAVE to do it every single day.  It really is, up to you.

PS: I often hear people saying 'It isn't FAIR' that so and so can eat XYZ and reach their body composition goals'...or 'so and so NEVER works out and...' or ' I used to be able to eat XYZ and I had no problem.'.  Don't waste your energy, time or emotional resources comparing to others or the past.  Get clear on your goals, look to the future,  figure out your current budget and take consistent steps to stay within it.  Focus on YOU, and what you can do each day to work towards your personal health goals.  Because, you really can reshape your bodyby personalizing your nutrition and training plan...to YOUR needs.  Forget about what everyone else is doing...DO YOU.

Let me know if I can help!
Cheers,

Sarah x

Key Training Principles: “Overtraining”

You have been rocking your workouts and adding extra training sessions to your week, just because you are feeling so damn great!  You almost feel invincible!  Now is the time to find out what you are capable of and push even further, harder and faster, right?

You have been doing all of your training sessions but you felt slower on your last couple of runs/rides.  Easy pace didn't feel easy and your heart rate is too high.  You couldn't get your speed up to target pace during your last couple of interval sessions.  You are training so hard but your performance is stale or getting worse.  Now is the time to push further, harder and faster, right?

You are beyond stressed out at work and home life is just as crazy right now.  You can't get to bed before midnight but you still have to get up early and do it all again tomorrow. You feel like you are burning the candle at both ends and man, now your throat is a bit sore. You missed your key workouts last week because of 'life' and exhaustion.  Now is the time to make up those workouts and push yourself to squeeze even more in, right?

Wrong!

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you?  If you are human and training for an event to reach your goals, then I'll bet you can relate to at least one of them, in some way.  These are all examples of straddling the fine line between Overload and Overreaching, the gateway to Overtraining.  And when you find yourself on this fine line, you are in a very serious position.  Push beyond the limits of your body's adaptive capabilities and you risk diving into the serious condition known as Overtraining.  One thing is for certain, when you cross that line and don't back off to give your body the recovery time it needs to adapt, then your body will just go ahead and do it for you. 

Overload is a good thing. Challenging our body bit by bit over weeks and months and years, is how a good training plan works. Coupled with adequate recovery, progressive overload is the way that we adapt, grow stronger and nail those PRs.  And, ultimately, adaptation is the goal of any results based training plan.  

Overreaching is different.  This is the delicate place between overload and overtraining.  Overreaching can be a very good thing or a very bad thing.  Peak weeks, breakthrough workouts and setting PR's are all examples of Overreaching. These training sessions have a high risk/reward ratio.  Respond with adequate recovery between these sessions and the rewards are massive.  Failure to adhere to an optimal recovery plan between these sessions, however, and the risk is also massive.  Cross that line and enter the land of overtraining.

Overtraining: Also referred to as staleness or overstress. Overtraining is caused by a loss in the body’s adaptive capabilities. This can occur after chronic high-volume training or ‘too much too soon’, when the work/rest ratio is not sufficient to allow for adaptation. Remember, it is not just 'training' that contributes to 'too much too soon', but the accumulation of all sources of stress in our lives.  Stress is stress in the body and too much too soon may come from home, work, illness, poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, injury etc.  Failing to create the optimal balance between total stress and recovery sets the stage for Overtraining.

Some fatigue is a normal part of every training plan and you are not going to launch into Overtraining at the first sign of mild aches pains and fatigue.  There are normal signs of fatigue following a progressive overload training session- sleepy or tired for the rest of the day or the next day after a big endurance run or ride, tired or tight after a speed or hill work session, moderate muscle soreness for 24-48 hours after a breakthrough workout at the gym.  

How do you know if you are getting close to the line? The first sign that you are straddling the line between Overload and Overtraining is an increase in the duration, intensity or frequency of these normal training symptoms.  You shouldn't be bagged or sore for a week after your hard workouts.  And your symptoms should get better, not worse as the days go on.  Additional signs that you may be pushing your body's limits include frequent illness (why am getting sick so often?), injury (why do I keep getting these injuries?), excessive fatigue (why am I always so tired?), irritability (why am I emotional?), change in sleep (why can't I sleep?  or why am I sleeping for 10 hours and still tired when I wake up?) and the big one- decreasing performance.

Once you cross the line into Overtraining land it can be a long journey home.  

True Overtraining Syndrome is a comprehensive disruption of the body's systems and can require months to rebound from. Hormonal, neurological, musculoskeletal, mental/emotional imbalances need time to return to homeostasis.  The fatigue associated with overtraining is very different than that resulting from a hard workout and the body does not bounce back from this state with days or weeks of recovery. Once overtraining status has taken hold it can take months or even years to dissipate. Symptoms of Overtraining Syndrome include:

• Inability to sleep or excessive sleep 

• Loss of energy/lethargy/apathy  

• Loss of appetite or increased appetite

• Weight loss or gain 

• Chronic muscle soreness  

• Chronic fatigue 

• Frequent illness, injury, poor healing time

• Declining performance 

• Increased resting heart rate 

• Irritability 

• Depression 

• Anxiety

Everyone experiences different warning signs that they are pushing beyond their limits- but you can be sure they are always there. Overtraining does not happen overnight. That is the good news. When we listen to our body's feedback and respond to the early signs of breakdown, we will have plenty of time to modify our stress/recovery balance. But that is the trick. We must listen and we must respond by adding more recovery time and decreasing stress, in order to support our body and to allow it to adapt and grow stronger.  

Keep a journal of your training, note how you are feeling and respond to these changes and you will stay well ahead of any risk of Overtraining.  Identify and remove any unnecessary stressors that you can control, in your life.  Check your Ego at the door, and give your body the respect it deserves- it is an amazing machine, but you must work within your limits of adaptation.  Patience, persistence AND flexibility are the keys to reaching your fitness and performance goals feeling strong, healthy and stoked!

If you want support with your training and recovery so that you can rock your goals feeling healthy and stoked this year, I'd love to help!  Check out my Online Training Plans and let me know if you have any questions:). 

Happy Trails!

Sarah x