Physical Fitness

I am working on today’s blog from my seat on the plane. I do not think I am supposed to try and go on line, so I will write about some things that I just read in the Wall St Journal and not add any additional research points.

Yesterday’s post mentioned the need to lower energy intake to lose weight and suggested eating low calorie foods to do so.

In the paper today there were side by side articles referencing a physical activity routine and a calorie expenditure gadget. The routine was interesting and note worthy as it was that of New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. He notes that since his time as a marine many years ago he has made weight training a significant part of his life. In fact, it has been said that his commitment to his routine borders on addiction. It is something that he has to do to feel right. Amen to that. He does work out for about an hour a day four days a week. He spends about 30 minutes of that time in cardio activity. He walks and runs, on a treadmill. He certainly dedicates a lot of time to his weight lifting and does many more sets than I would ever do, but he does vary the number of repetitions based on the pounds he is lifting. He made a good point, an iteration of one made here, that there is a difference between lifting to build and lifting to maintain. It is his current goal to maintain and to also to do functional exercises. Functional exercises help you do the activities of daily living, or ADLS. Working your legs to maintain your ability to take the stairs, doing core work so that your back and abs are strong and perhaps most importantly, adding balancing exercises to prevent falls.

He also eats a low fat high produce diet.

I have never watched the TV show the Biggest Loser but a certain device was used on the show that is supposed to help people track their calorie expenditure. These devices are somewhat less accurate than ones used in research studies and could cost you up to 200 dollars, but are certainly more on target than ones embedded in say, a treadmill or elliptical machine. Laura Johannes mentioned a few of these accelerometers in the paper today. The one used on the TV show has been involved in several studies. The studies were small and that certainly dilutes their validity but interestingly the gadget underestimated calorie burn, only slightly, which is far better than over estimating it. We do that without the help of an accelerometer! Anyways, it would be consistent in it’s under estimation and could still be a helpful tool for a person.

My Garmin Forerunner GPS tells me time, distance, pace and calories too and I can see when I run further I burn more, but it does not take into account when I sweat or shiver more, so I don’t think it is high in accuracy for calories. I do not wear it for that, so it is okay.

Lastly, there was a small note that got my attention. A large research study is to begin soon which will track users of vitamin D and fish oil capsules over time, to see if the purported health benefits, Drs. Willett and Cooper, will prove true and also to see if these benefits hold with blacks who will make up 25% of the study population. As you know I take Vitamin D and recently began the fish oil, so this is very exciting stuff!

Okay, that is enough I think. I am freezing to death on this plane.. and I am not alone, many people are digging out their jackets. That is just dumb.