DeHaan Fitness and Weight Control

Three Running Safety Tips for Sidewalk Training Runs

2015-03-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I committed three of the classic blunders against safety during my sidewalk training runs. Yet I knew that sidewalk running requires a focus on personal safety, both for the runner and the surrounding pedestrians. Let's turn my mistakes into safety tips for running.

"Walking the Dogs on the sidewalk" image by Luca Masters under CC license Halifax Harrier

Running Safety Tip #1: Avoid Dogs

Sidewalk training runs involve passing other pedestrians, including people walking the dog.

The first safety tip is to pass on the side away from the dog. Normally that's easy; just spot the hand holding the leash, and pass beside the person.

Last weekend, I passed one couple out walking the dog on the sidewalk. There was lots more room on the "dog side", nearer the curb, rather than on the "two people" side near the storefronts. The small dog was on a short leash. For once, I broke this safety tip: I began to pass on the curb side, with plenty of space for the dog.

Just then the pooch lunged out to sniff the utility pole, which was close to the curb where a car was parked. The leash was tight, and too high for me to hurdle... which would have sprinkled even more stupid on top of my mistake.

I managed to stop before colliding with anything, although I was leaning on the utility pole for balance (and the extra braking power). Being Canadians, we all apologized quickly and went on our separate ways.

My safety tip for runners is to pass the person, not the dog.

Running Safety Tip #2: Avoid Indecisive Pedestrians

Normally I'm good at guessing which way another pedestrian will turn, and get around easily and safely. If I'm not sure, I make an even wider swing around that person.

Last weekend, two different people fooled me. One was walking along, taking his parking permit from the machine to his car; I didn't expect him to step further into the middle of the sidewalk. Maybe he had parked a long way down the street from where I saw him buy the permit.

Another's body language clearly said he didn't plan to walk much further along the sidewalk. But he did not head for the curb where it would have been safe to cross the street; and we were approaching the entrance to a lot. "That's probably where he's going", I thought, as I began to pass on the curb side.

No, that was just a feint. He turned towards the curb, but I had enough room to dodge behind him.

Years ago, I had to put a hand on a man's shoulder as I ran behind him. He was backing up across the sidewalk to frame his photo of his family with Toronto landmarks in the background... and kept backing up even though he'd stopped briefly and seemed set to take the snapshot.

My safety tip for runners is to cough loudly before you overtake someone who might be unsure of his next step; and then leave twice as much room as you think you need when you do pass him.

Running Safety Tip #3: Watch for Uneven Sidewalks

Usually I glance down to scan the sidewalk before running over it. That does not take long; most of my attention is on the scenery, the other people, and how close is the next intersection.

But last weekend I didn't notice the uneven sidewalk. One foot landed on the gap, and my ankle started to twist before I could adjust.

Now that I'm developing some reflexes for that situation, I managed to avoid causing any serious damage... that time.

Once I did sprain my ankle by stepping on a soda can.

Both times, I realized that I'd been distracted. Last weekend, I glanced back to check on someone following me. In the soda can incident, I'd been looking for some landmark or other.

My safety tip for runners is to quickly scan the sidewalk as you run. You don't need a lot of time to notice uneven pavement, litter or other obstacles. "Don't run distracted".

Stretching These Three Running Safety Tips

The first tip has lots of variations, with the general theme of "slow down and leave extra space" for situations like parents pushing prams or taking their toddlers for a walk; for shaky seniors; and for people with parcels.

The second tip should include people who swing their arms, or are carrying brooms, or are window shopping, or texting while walking.

I held tightly to my third tip all through the winter, when I had to judge whether each step would land on ice, snow, salted pavement or dry sidewalk. It seems I'd let down my guard once we had clear sidewalks after a few days of above-freezing temperatures.

Thanks for reading these safety tips for safe running on sidewalks.

Two Cold Weather Running Tips from Two Frigid Days

2015-02-23T18:52:00.002-08:00

This winter I've logged a few long runs with the note "cold weather" or "wind chill". Here are two cold weather running tip based on my last two runs.

"A Halifax Harrier (UK) Demonstrates Cold Weather Running" image by AdamKR under CC license

The Joy of Cold Weather Running

Perhaps the best part of running in the cold is the camaraderie among "us runners". I always wave to other runners; I even acknowledge the cyclists and roller-blade enthusiasts who share the trails.

The other day, I waved to a younger chap as he passed me; but caught up to him at the red traffic light. He turned and said, "I didn't realize it would be this cold".

I looked at him before answering. Since he seemed to have enough gear, I didn't really know what to say. He went on, "I should have worn my goggles". I wished him well as the light changed and we resumed our runs.

What I refused to say was, "Didn't you check a weather report?" because I thought it would sound unkind. Yet it would have been the most helpful thing for him to consider.

Before selecting my cold weather running gear for that session, I already knew the temperature, wind chill and wind direction. That told me how many layers to wear, as well as the route that would start me into the wind and put the wind at my back for the return leg.

Today I went for a run after checking the conditions. Yes, I did dress properly; although the wind chill felt like a shock at first, I warmed up after about 20 minutes and was fine for the rest of the hour.

Just search online for "cold weather running tips", "running tips for cold weather" or "running in the cold". You will find many pages of "tips for running" from very reputable running magazines, clothing manufacturers and enthusiastic bloggers. If you're just beginning running, you need to learn what makes for good cold weather running gear for your conditions. Learn to dress in layers; to temper your enthusiasm for sprint repeats if you're running on snowy or icy patches.

Two Running Tips for Cold Weather

But after a reading a handful of articles I did not see this one cold weather running tip: check the weather report first. Specifically look for:

Temperature.
Wind chill.
Wind direction; run into the wind at the start, and the run home will seem warmer.
Precipitation (snow or freezing rain?); although often sunshine means it's really cold.
Road conditions or recent weather (Icy patches? How much snow fell recently?)

Here's my second cold weather running tip: keep a log, to help you remember:

What layers of clothing did you wear?
Were you too cool at the start? (That's a good thing).
Were you comfortable once you ran a few kilometres? (That's even better).
Did anything stay cold... your nose and cheeks? Hands? Feet? (Then learn how to deal with that problem).
Did you get hot and sweaty during your run? (That's bad, especially if you take walk breaks and start losing heat).

You can adapt to the conditions, if you have the right gear and know what to use under those conditions. But if you don't check the conditions first, you have no chance adapt for running in the cold.

The Tortoise and Hare Approach to Running Pace

2015-01-12T13:10:00.002-08:00

Today my 7Km training run provided a welcome reminder of "the tortoise and the hare" approach to running pace. No, the approach is not "Don't take a nap after warming up"; it is "Start slow to finish fast".

"Rabbit foraging in Alabama" image by Stephen Kirkpatrick, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service at http://photogallery.nrcs.usda.gov/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=catalog&template=detail.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=721417&site=PhotoGallery .

Running Pace is Not a Tortoise and Hare Fable

Everyone remembers Aesop's fable, "The Tortoise and the Hare". The moral of that story might be "Don't count your chickens before they hatch" or "Consistent effort yields better results than last-ditch heroics". Today, my point is "Start your run a bit below your goal pace, but speed up towards the end".

So it would a stretch to say that we're really going to learn much from Aesop. But what did I learn today?

Generally I start my moderate-distance training runs at a comfortable pace; one that I would expect to maintain for the whole session. (Except for stopping at red traffic lights!).

Today there was a bit of new snow on the ground; a change after a couple of early winter weeks with bare pavement. With more snow in the forecast, most folks hadn't yet cleared their sidewalks.

So my starting pace was slower than normal, to compensate for the slightly slippery conditions. Running on snow takes a bit of learning to keep a short stride and not push off too hard, lest the foot slip on planting down or taking off.

On the way home, I found some stretches with no snow. Three cheers for folks who get this job done; and for the city of Toronto to mark off bike lanes. (By the way: I stayed on the sidewalk when I saw the cyclist coming in the distance; they have it tough without runners getting in the way!).

Where I had firm footing, my pace increased. Of course I had to slow down for slippery sections. This training run turned into a Fartlek session as I adapted to changing conditions.

On the home stretch, I realized that I felt a lot better than the last few times that I took this route. I figured, "Well, it's probably going to be my worst time, especially with the snow". But at the end, I'd shaved a minute off my best for the course.

"Red-eared turtles in wetland environment in Iowa" image by Lynn Betts, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service @ http://photogallery.nrcs.usda.gov/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=catalog&template=detail.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=3919&site=PhotoGallery.

Select a Running Pace; Neither the Tortoise nor the Hare

Knowing myself after years of running, I know that my pace discipline needs work. I'm much more likely to run at a pace that feels good, than to start slow like the tortoise so I can finish like the hare. You may need a running pace chart to help plan your session. But try it for a few training runs, and decide whether you're better off running like a tortoise than a hare.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.

Resuming Hill Training with Gentle Uphill Running

2014-12-26T18:45:00.000-08:00

I took a break recently from a few years of leading Running Room 10Km clinics. One discipline went AWOL: to do hill training for four weeks out of every ten. Last week I followed part of one of the routes from the clinic... a long, gradual uphill climb. Now that was a refresher course!

What are the benefits of hill training, especially of running uphill on gentle slopes?

"An uphill run" image by Dawn @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/dawn-pinkchick/2316760531/in/photolist-4wJ1c6-7Ptkni-p7fK9T-38zHhc-8r2mSx-4wJ3hp-74mNuJ-62Z2VG-ieLfci-aC6BuW-8r2h8K-oPLAxZ-8r2kTc-af9zvR-goEo9K-8r2gFt-8r2g6c-8r2fyB-5G1oUz-5GoVD6-5EQmNj-5GfP7G-5GfKDY-5G5b5E-6uvUTE-HxiLZ-5EUEqe-5EUuFB-5Gp3TP-9X9fBT-HxiM8-5EKS1B-5GtS61-5GtvQ7-5EL9yr-5GoYk4-5EQv27-5EQxAW-5EL53c-5EL7gk-5EKWCR-5EQunC-5EQiRC-5EKRsP-5EKJkM-5EKFhH-5Gpfkx-5Gpc66-5EKLHv-5ELiJP .

What was my Gradual Uphill Climb?

Part of last week's run followed about 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) of the clinic route that has a gradual climb, with a few dips or flat spots to keep it interesting.

At the far end, I went north a few blocks, then ran back on a parallel road. That disguised the downhill aspect because it led to higher ground than my starting point - until I finished the rectangle with a brief downhill section.

Obviously if you run a pure out-and-back course, you change elevation exactly in reverse on the return portion. If you start with a gentle climb, you end with a gradual downhill slope.

Our Running Room clinic group would include that section in our 8Km route. We actually ran it two weeks in a row, reversing direction from one week to the next. In the first week, we'd take a different parallel road, climb a steep hill, then cruise downhill for the 2.5Km. In the second week, we'd run the route in reverse, with the gradual uphill climb followed by a steep downhill and a fairly flat return. Then we'd ask, "Which did you prefer: the steep uphill or the gradual climb"? We got mixed responses from the groups.

How was my Gradual Uphill Climb?

Last week was really slow and difficult for me, especially compared to my memory of running that route with my clinic members. I was really glad that they weren't watching me!

Training Benefits of Intense Hill Training

Any hill training gives your heart and lungs - your cardiovascular system - a heavier workout than running at the same pace on a flat route. That's because the fast-twitch muscle fibres in the legs have to work harder to haul your weight uphill. The more intense the work, the more carbon dioxide (CO2) you have to clear from your bloodstream.

Intense hill intervals alternate between the uphill and downhill sections; loping downhill is the rest period between climbs. Like any interval training, the rest periods allow you to catch your breath and clear most acidity from the muscles. Intense hill training teaches your body to clear out the acidity and CO2 more quickly and efficiently. Your muscles also gain strength, so you can run faster on the flat with less effort.

Intense hill intervals may involve three to ten repeats of a few hundred metres (up to about a quarter-mile). If you can talk while running uphill, you should speed it up a bit. Your breathing should recover by the time you're at the bottom of the hill again.

Gentle Uphill Running Benefits

A longer but more gradual uphill climb is not as stressful as a steep climb at a higher pace; but it is more work than a flat section. Even at a conservative pace, I found that my legs began to ache and my breathing rate increased.

Those symptoms indicate that the benefits of gentle uphill running include endurance and stamina, more than speed and recovery from intense bursts of effort.

So let's admit that even "a gentle run uphill" is more intense than a comfortable pace on the flat.

Final Tips for Intense Running

The Running Room is emphatic that a clinic should only run an intense training session once per week; and only for about half of the 10-week or 14-week program. As well, you'd better be able to run farther on the weekly long, slow run than the distance you cover for the intense session. On the other hand, Running Room is fine with including gentle hills in the long slow runs and the medium-length midweek tempo sessions.

Any intense session, whether speed intervals, hill repetitions or a slow gentle climb, should begin with some mild dynamic stretches, to put your body through the range of motion you will use. Then run at a gentle pace for at least ten minutes, to be sure your body is ready for the intense workout. Finish with a ten minute cool-down run, and stretch to remove tightness in your tired muscles.

If you include gentle uphill running in some of your long slow runs, you should find greater stamina to be one of the main benefits of running uphill.

Disclaimer: I have not received products or compensation from any brands for promoting them in this article.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice. DISCLAIMER:

My End of 2013 Resolution Run after a Bad Training Week

2013-12-30T11:09:00.003-08:00

Three days ago, I wrote about "My Worst Week of 5K Training for the Resolution Run" and promised an update after the event.

Can This Cat Run after a Week with a Computer?

"A Running Cat" image by pelican from http://www.flickr.com/photos/85936780@N00/2270380761/.

Before the race ever started, I followed my plan closely. The only glitch was a nagging stiff muscle in one hip. That may have been due to nearly slipping on some ice the day before; possibly from my enforced "couch potato" lifestyle during the week in which laundry was impossible and showers a rare luxury. So I warmed up carefully, working through my range of motion.

I'd also checked parts of the road that we would use as the race course. The centre of the lane was dry and free of ice. The gutter and curb areas were slippery in places; so I decided that I would never try to round corners tightly.

Nonetheless, I started as planned: slow and careful. The stiff muscle wasn't a problem. My pace increased to the point where I felt most comfortable. My rate of breathing met the benchmark I'd envisioned: fairly deep breaths but not laboured or gasping.

Somewhere around the 2Km point, my legs began to say that they hadn't planned for quite this much work. "Pshaw", replied my brain, "we can do this". Soon my legs won the argument, that we all could use a quick walk break. Ten to twenty deep breaths while walking quickly, and I resumed the run.

We ran two loops of the 2,500 metre course, so it was easy to check the time at the half-way mark: 13 minutes and some seconds that I didn't read too closely since I needed to check for ice on the road.

The second half was a bit slower, but I finished exactly 28 minutes after crossing the start line. That was a "positive split", meaning that the second half was a bit slower.

Was I pleased or disappointed? I'd fully expected to be slower than my personal best, partly due to the terrible week leading to this Resolution Run. I'd have been quite disappointed to take more than 30 minutes for the run; that would take me back more than a decade to my very first 5Km race. I've improved a lot since then! (And I haven't aged a day... ahem).

Running Home after the Resolution Run

I'd warned my wife I would rather run the 11Km home, than take transit. After having a cookie, banana and some coffee supplied by the Resolution Run organizers, I began a slow run home.

I've done this before, and fully expected to be more tired than I'd normally expect for that distance. The lesson I'd learned was that an early fast pace destroys any hope of continuing for twice that original distance. So I wasn't concerned by my tired legs or reduced energy levels.

The Coup de Grâce after my Worst Fitness Training Week

Remember that our house was borrowing just enough electricity from our neighbour to keep the furnace running. I'd already arranged to walk to my son's apartment for my post-race shower. No sooner had I taken off my shoes and socks at home (to change into boots and dry socks for that walk) than a Toronto Hydro truck parked out front. I pulled on my running shoes and went out to chat.

The crew was indeed dispatched to reconnect our electric wires. Joy! They moved the fallen wires to a safe spot and began clearing the branches that had clipped the lines. My neighbour and I helped drag the brush away so the crew could put up a ladder and access our houses.

It only took them about half an hour, but by then I was chilled right through. I'd learned a new lesson: don't imitate a lumberjack as your cool-down after a long run; especially not in cool weather. Even a great season of fitness training would not make up for getting cold and not stretching after a long run.

I felt stiff and sore the rest of Sunday. Today it's eased a bit. I moved the wood that had been tossed onto my front lawn, for easier removal by those with fireplaces (or by the city clean-up crews).

Conclusion: My Plan for the Resolution Run Worked Well

In conclusion, my approach worked for this 5Km running event. I knew I had the endurance for more than just the 5Km; that does not disappear in one short week. However, I also didn't have the stamina for a faster pace throughout the 5Km. So a slower start and more conservative pace throughout allowed me to run a respectable time, compared to my best and worst finishes at this distance.

Have you succeeded despite poor final fitness training? Leave a comment, and thanks for reading about my end-of-2013 Resolution Run.

My Worst Week of 5K Training for the Resolution Run

2013-12-27T17:17:00.000-08:00

Why write about "my worst week of 5K training", which came just before the New Year's Resolution Run? Because you might need to apply these strategies sometime in your running career.

During My Worst Week of 5K Training

So what did I do for my worst week of training? I sat on chairs, worked on my computer, but mainly waited for the electric utility company to restore power to my home.

"Cat Using Computer" image by Julay Cat from http://www.flickr.com/photos/38335258@N04/5345712165/.

What had happened?

I had been a group leader in Running Room 10Km clinics for several years; certainly in good shape for a friendly 5Km run event. I'd signed up for the Resolution Run to close 2013, and planned to get in some extra hill training in the final week.

Then an ice storm broke a lot of tree branches just before Christmas 2013, knocking out power lines throughout Toronto and the province of Ontario. In particular, one branch broke the wire from the utility pole to my home.

After our street's power was restored, but not ours, my wife and I arranged for a trickle of electricity from a kindly neighbour. Then our furnace could heat the house. But there was no extra power for the computer, and certainly no hot water for showers or washing clothes.

So I went elsewhere to continue my freelance writing. But there was no way to schedule running and washing up; we were too busy in "survival" mode for the rest of the week.

I truly went from 10Km runner to couch potato. So much for my fitness.

My Strategy for the Upcoming 5Km Resolution Run

So how will I approach the upcoming 5Km Resolution Run?

I'm going to run it at a moderate pace, rather than the usual heavy breathing that I'd expect for a 5Km. My ego is not so fragile that I need to set a personal best in every race.

It's much the same strategy I would use when recovering from an injury that kept me from training well. I would run carefully and within whatever ability I have at the time. Fitness can improve with effort and training; and this coming weekend need not be the worst race of my life.

Afterwards, I expect to update this article with the results for my race time as well as how I feel about it.

Follow-Up after my 5Km Resolution Run

As promised, here is my follow-up report "My End of 2013 Resolution Run after a Bad Training Week".

More on the Annual Resolution Run

I wrote more about the Resolution Run in my DeHaan Services post, "5K to Couch in One Bad Training Week". That also explains the "5K to Couch" reference.

As well, I created a writing tip from this experience; see my "Lemonade versus a Week of 5K Training".

How Would You Cope With a Bad Final 5K Training Week?

What would you do? Or have you had to make some similar adjustment already? What did you do, and how did you feel?

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Avoids SMART Goal for Fitness

2013-11-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford announced a new fitness goal for himself. Between mid-November 2013 and perhaps mid-May 2014, Mayor Ford will become noticeably leaner and fitter.

How does this compare with the Ford brothers' "Cut the Waist Challenge" of 2012? Does either fitness target qualify as a SMART goal?

"Toronto Mayor Rob Ford campaigns with puppet in 2010" image by Shaun Merritt.

What are SMART Goals?

The SMART acronym sometimes has different interpretations, but I use:

S: Specific: name the particular goal.
M: Measurable: there is an objective way to determine success or failure.
A: Achievable or Attainable: it is indeed possible to achieve this goal.
R: Relevant to you personally, or an important stepping-stone in your career or life.
T: Time-bounded: you've set a target date by which you will achieve the goal.

For example, "I want to earn an MA in Canadian History from the University of Toronto by June 2016" would be a SMART goal for someone with a BA in History and a career goal of teaching that subject:

It is specific: "an MA in Canadian History".
It is measurable: either the university grants it, or not.
It is achievable (assuming previous good grades, financial resources, the timeline, etc.).
It is relevant to an aspiring history teacher.
It is time-bounded to a particular date.

The "MA in history" is not a SMART goal for me. It is not relevant to my life; I doubt that I have the prerequisites to enter that course of study.

How SMART are Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's Fitness Goals?

Let's compare his 2012 "Cut the Waist" goal with his current fitness goal, against the SMART criteria.

Specific Goal

The 2012 goal was a very specific and measurable target: to lose 50 pounds of body weight. Both Mayor Ford and his brother, Toronto City Councillor Doug Ford, submitted to a weigh-in at the start, and several more during that campaign and at its conclusion.

What did Mayor Ford promise in 2013? Read "Cops still tailing us: Ford brothers". From interviews televised on Nov. 18, 2013, Don Peat and Shawn Jeffries quote Toronto Mayor Rob Ford: "If I'm not down 30-40 pounds in the next six months then I can eat my words. I haven't touched a drop of alcohol, I'm dealing with a team of professionals. I'm getting the help for, sometimes, sometimes my excessive drinking. Guys, I think this is getting blown out of proportion".

His 2013 goal to appear trimmer by "30 to 40 pounds" is not quite as specific.

Measurable Goal

Since Mayor Ford did not submit to a public weigh-in during Nov. 2013, it will be impossible for the public to verify the measurement of weight loss. Perhaps we will see the difference in Rob's figure.

Achievable Goal

The goals are achievable, although losing 50 pounds in 6 months is quite a challenge. The Dr. Bernstein Diet, for example, suggests it is possible for a 300-pound man to lose about 100 pounds in roughly that time frame. (DeHaan Fitness expresses no opinion about the safety or effectiveness of the Dr. Bernstein Diet plan, but you can easily find their web site and run the calculation yourself).

Relevant Goal

Clearly Mr. Rob Ford's weight and physical fitness are vitally relevant to his health. The 2012 brand name, "Cut the Waist", was relevant to his recent political campaign to cut the waste in spending at Toronto City Hall. It is less clear whether improving his personal physical fitness is relevant to Mayor Ford's political future after the allegations and admissions in 2013 about his use of alcohol.

Time-Bounded Goal

Both the 2012 and 2013 fitness goals are time-bounded, with six-month deadlines. "Cut the Waist" had a more specific date, but "see a change in six months" gives a reasonable time boundary.

SMART Goal, or Not?

In my view, the 2013 goal does not quite meet the SMART tests for Specific, Measurable and Relevant. Mayor Ford could have tightened up the wording; started with a public weigh-in; and explained the relevance to make this a SMART goal.

Final Notes on Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's Fitness Goals of 2012 and 2013

I'd covered the 2012 "Cut the Waist" challenge because Toronto Mayor Rob Ford had launched it very publicly, but out of concern that the mainstream media would not record his ongoing struggle with weight loss. My "Weight Loss Risks for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford" also began with my view that he might actually risk his health by trying too hard.

Read how "Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Ended One Cut the Waist Challenge" in 2012. He did indeed lose weight, but he did not reach his target.

One major difference between 2012 and 2013 is that, in 2012, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford did not hire a coach or trainer.

In 2013, he announced vaguely that he had a team. It's difficult to verify whether the truth of the claims made by a personal trainer as related in "Rob Ford fitness consultant a convicted steroid trafficker, banned from coaching in Canada". In this Nov. 13, 2013 article, reporters Josh Visser and Adrian Humphreys explain that Valerio Moscariello, who owns Team Body Pro Athletics, had Tweeted that "Toronto Mayor Rob Ford...to get in shape" with his company. They also report that Moscariello's Twitter and Instagram accounts were deleted, but the reporters add that, "However, in an earlier telephone interview Wednesday, Moscariello was enthusiastic about training the mayor, who was sweating it out on a treadmill the night before, weighing in at 336 pounds".

Both in 2012 and 2013, Mayor Ford approached losing weight with a combination of diet and exercise. For the sake of his health, let's hope that the 2013 attempt will be crowned with ongoing success in his personal life in 2014 and beyond.

Run Races to Keep Motivated for Winter Running

2013-11-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

How can you stay motivated to run during the winter? Spice up the chilly weather with races. Let me give six examples from Toronto, Canada, and explain how you can find your own. Official links are at the end of this article.

"A Halifax Harrier (UK) Running past Snow" image by AdamKR.

The CFL Playoff Run in 2013

Better known as "Pinball" as a CFL (Canadian Football League) all-star player, Mike Clemons now heads up a charity. This year the Michael "Pinball" Clemons Foundation has added the fundraising "Playoff Run" in Coronation Park, Toronto on Saturday Nov. 16.

Pay $31 online to register. Spend the rest of the week soliciting donations. Pick up your kit at 9am on Saturday at Coronation Park, then run the 5Km race at 10am. You should be done and dusted by 10:30 or so.

Coronation Park is at 711 Lakeshore Blvd West in downtown Toronto, east of the Princes' Gates at the CNE. I'd take the 511 Bathurst streetcar south from the subway and exit when it turns west towards the CNE grounds.

The Holly Jolly 5Km Fun Run in the 2013 Toronto Santa Claus Parade

Another newcomer to the winter running circuit in Toronto for 2013 is the Holly Jolly 5Km Fun Run on Sunday Nov. 17, 2013. Introduced by the Toronto Santa Claus Parade organizers, the $100 entry fee helps defray the cost of the parade.

You won't find a more supportive crowd in Toronto, I predict, because so many families will have staked out their spot for the parade. This 5Km run starts at noon, using the route which the parade will follow beginning at 12:30pm.

The route is from Christie Pits, on Bloor St. just west of Bathurst. Yes, take the subway to Bathurst. Your checked baggage will magically become available near the finish line.

I've already written about this in more detail in "Toronto Santa Claus Parade 2013 and Holly Jolly Fun Run", but I will repeat the official link below.

The Hamilton Hannukah Hustle Competes with the Holly Jolly Run

The Hannukah Hustle has a longer tradition. Head to Hamilton for your choice of 5Km or 10Km races, also on Sunday Nov. 17.

You will note that the link, below, goes to the Running Room registration page. Running Room registers, if not organizes, many races across Canada throughout the year.

The Centre 55 Tannenbaum Run in Toronto

The Tannenbaum seems to be a Toronto-only 10Km race. Centre 55, a local community centre, is the charity partner. It's the winter goal race for the Running Room 10Km clinics in Toronto, using the Eastern Beaches boardwalk and park area. This was my first 10Km race, and an important lesson about selecting my pace to suit the distance.

The Santa Shuffle in Toronto and Across Canada

Another long-standing annual winter event is the Santa Shuffle. (Am I the only one who detects a bit of friendly rivalry between the Shuffle and the Hustle)? The Salvation Army is the charity partner for this winter running race.

The link below points to the Santa Shuffle in Toronto on Sat. Dec. 7, but Running Room offers this race in many cities across Canada. Check your province and city for the date, but it's very likely to be in early December.

I remember fondly running the Santa Shuffle as my second 5Km race. There was a steep climb past the stables towards the finish, in Toronto's Sunnybrook Park. It was a lesson in planning my pace!

The 2013 Resolution Run in Toronto or Canada

This year I've entered the 2013 Resolution Run, a 5Km race on Dec. 29 in Toronto but on Dec. 31st or New Years Day in most of Canada. Let me admit, I'm racing for the swag: a nice running jacket is included for the entry fee.

How to Find Your Own Winter Races

If you're not plugged in with a group of neighbourhood runners, use Running Room or the Canada Running Series to find races for the dates and locations that suit you. Or type "5Km in [your city]" into your favourite online search engine and see what they offer.

Dress for the Weather

I'd covered this topic last winter, in "Four Sports Clothing Tips for Winter Running Gear". Just remember that you need some dry layers to cover up after a race. I prefer checking whether they offer a change room so I can actually towel off and dress in all dry clothing.

Official Links for these Winter Races

Here are the official links for these six winter races:

Click on The Playoff Run in Toronto for Sat. Nov. 16, 2013.
Click on the Hamilton Hannukah Hustle for Sun. Nov. 17, 2013.
Click on the Holly Jolly Run of the Toronto Santa Claus Parade for Sun. Nov. 17, 2013.
Click on the Tannenbaum 10Km Run in Toronto for Sun. Dec. 1, 2013.
Click on the Resolution Run in Toronto for Dec. 29, 2013.

Thanks for reading about using races to stay motivated for running in the winter.

Discover Your Running Pace for the Long Run

2013-09-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

Recently I rediscovered my running pace for my long training runs. How did I do that? Why had I lost the pace?

"African Spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata)" by cliff1066™

The Goal Pace in a Long Training Run

In training for distance running, the running pace for a long run is one that lets you cover this distance without drastically slowing down before the finish. Pace yourself like the fabled tortoise, who eventually beats the hare who stops for a nap when he gets tired.

Interval training and hill training are quite different. In those training sessions, you want to run at a higher intensity, slow down to recover, then repeat the high-intensity workout. You might do Tabata intervals, where one repetition has a 20-second high-intensity sprint and 10 seconds of recovery. The set has 8 repetitions; but be sure to warm-up first and cool down afterwards! Other interval patterns include intense 400m or 800m repeats, with either the same time, same distance or half distance for a slow run as recovery.

Over two years ago, I'd noted that a slower pace helps avoid injuries in "The Tortoise Said Slower is Wiser".

How to Discover Your Running Pace for Long Training Runs

The Running Room advocates the "talk test" for your long runs. Run with a friend, and carry on a conversation. You should be able to speak fairly freely; at least 4 or more syllables with one breath.

My own "talk test", which is really suitable for solo running, is whether I can "inhale through the nose" for several consecutive breaths. When I'm comfortable with that low intensity of breathing, rather than gasping after a couple of inhalations, then I'm at the right pace for a long run.

Another approach is to buy and use a heart rate monitor. Running Room suggests that the talk test corresponds to 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate.

To be sure, run your longest training distance while being aware of your breathing or heart rate. Did you get to the end of that session at an even pace? Congratulations, you've discovered your running pace for the long run.

How to set a Consistent Running Pace

Once you've figured out what works for you, you could buy a watch with a built-in running pace calculator. The best use an internal GPS (global positioning system) to determine how much terrain you are covering, and the watch's timer knows how long you're taking. Voila: there's your pace. If you had not already bought a heart rate monitor watch, you can get both functions in one device.

My cheapskate approach is to remember to pay attention to my breathing during my training runs.

How I Lost and Rediscovered my Pace

I've been helping out with a Running Room clinic for a few years. As a plucky sidekick, my tasks include encouraging the paying clinic members to complete their training runs. As a result, I tend to alternate jogging with slower newbies versus trying to keep up to experienced runners. Simply put, I rarely made the effort to check my own breathing; I was too busy watching out for the other folks.

Since I rarely ran on my own, it became difficult to judge my pace. A comfortable turnover cadence for my legs was difficult to sustain for longer runs. This was discouraging, since it didn't fit well with my self-image as a distance runner.

Recently I re-discovered my own long run pace on a group training run. This person was a bit slower than most; but then I took the time to check my own breathing during the session. Ta-da! I could chat comfortably, and inhale through my nose. Best of all, we caught up to a couple of "rabbits" from our clinic who had made a quicker start. When I checked our time at the end of the training run, the pace was in my "good long run session" range.

When Your Pace Changes

Remember that your pace will improve if you either maintain the distance (rather than stretching it out week by week), or add high intensity intervals (or hills) to your program.

If you do either, then your long runs will seem easier at your current pace. Adjust by speeding up gradually. Either your heart rate monitor or your breathing will tell you that the pace is becoming easier to maintain.

So discover your own running pace, that you can sustain for your long training runs, with the "talk test" or a fancy sports watch. Then enjoy covering your distance.

Hot Weather Exercise without Overheating in Four Steps

2013-07-15T11:37:00.001-07:00

Outdoor exercise fits with summer like road trips on weekends: great times if you take a bit of care. In summer, there's no chance of frostbite or slipping on an icy patch of sidewalk.

Still, the hot summer has a few hazards for us; so take these four steps to stay healthy when exercising in hot weather.

Four Steps to Avoid Overheating in Summer Outdoor Exercise

"Stroller Moms Exercise Outdoors" image by Serge Melki. Their children are protected from the sun!

Here is my quick list of tips to avoid overheating during outdoor exercise:

Wear sun protection: clothing and sunscreen lotion.
Exercise wisely.
Drink well to stay hydrated.
Pay attention to your body.

Let's see what these tips mean in practice.

Wear Sun Protection Against Overheating and Sunburn

Protect yourself from the sun and its heat with what you wear.

Start with a baseball hat; the best have a light mesh rather than thick fabric. I prefer a dark underside to the brim; it's more restful to my eyes than a light colour.

Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet (UV) light; they help keep your eyes young. Thank yourself in your old age for taking care of your eyes now.

Wear a light-coloured technical fabric that wicks sweat away from your skin. You will feel cooler and more comfortable.

Use sunscreen lotion. Sunblock should have a high SPF (sun protection factor), and should screen your skin from both UV-A and UV-B radiation. If you wear too little sun block lotion, or don't apply it often enough, you will get a sunburn. Sunburned skin does not regulate your temperature as well as healthy skin. "Preventing melanoma" explains more about SPF 50 versus SPF 15; how to apply sunblock; and has lots of other tips on how to minimize your risk of skin cancer (melanoma).

Exercise Wisely in Hot Weather

In hot weather, train in the sports that help you cool down. Swim rather than cycle; or ride that bicycle rather than run. You can raise your heartrate and burn calories with many types of exercise in the summer; pick something cool if it's in your range of activities.

Don't push for a personal best result, or "personal record", when conditions are against you. Running faster or farther than usual will increase the amount of perspiration and make you more likely to overheat. Take it easy during hot weather exercise; you're still getting a workout.

Our recent "5 Outdoor Activities to Help You Stay Fit" suggests several summer sports.

Drink Well: Stay Hydrated to Avoid Overheating

Drink some extra water before, during and after exercising outdoors in the summer. Your body perspires to try to keep you cool; give it the water it needs.

Sports drinks give you water plus electrolytes and some carbohydrates. Some electrolytes leave your body along with your perspiration; replenish them when you rehydrate with sports drinks.

Drink plain water to hydrate yourself. Doctors keep writing about the over-abundance of salt in the typical North American diet, so that's one electrolyte you probably have in good supply. Your body will try to hang on to electrolytes if you start running low; so drink plain water rather than waiting for ideal sports drinks.

I'd avoid the caffeine in energy drinks (and coffee) before exercising in hot weather. Caffeine is a diuretic; you piddle away more water and electrolytes. Also, if you get an artificial energy boost from those drinks, you might miss your body's warnings to slow down and take a break...

Pay Attention to Your Body during Hot Weather Exercise

We often try to overcome our body's warning signals in order to make the most of our training sessions. I've often thought that training for a marathon is an obsession rather than a hobby.

But it's important to pay attention to your body's signals about health, especially during hot weather exercise. Heat illnesses are dangerous; learn to prevent or treat them.

If you feel any of these symptoms: reduce the intensity or stop exercising; drink some water; and get into the shade (or an air conditioned building!). If you can, pour some cold water over your wrists to start cooling your blood. If problems persist, get medical attention.

What is Heat Stroke?

In "Heat and exercise: Keeping cool in hot weather", the Mayo Clinic lists heat stroke third, as the most severe heat illness we are likely to face from summer exercise.

Their first problem is "heat cramps", which mainly affect skeletal muscles like the calves or quads. The muscles may be stiff and rigid, or painfully clenched.

Next they list "heat exhaustion", with an elevated body temperature, and possible nausea, hot flashes or cold chills, weakness and feeling faint.

The symptoms for full-blown "heat stroke" include: very hot skin; you might stop sweating; headaches, dizziness and weakness are likely; and you may be confused or irritable.

Other Heat Alerts from Your Body

In hot weather, exercise becomes more difficult. We might start off feeling pretty relaxed and loose, but then breathe more heavily and feel weaker than normal. It can be harder to cover the usual training run for distance or pace.

Those are normal warning signals from our bodies that it's too hot to go through our usual training routines. So pay attention to yourself!

Conclusion

It's still perfectly possible to maintain a fitness and training program in the hot summer, but you have to avoid overheating. Outfit yourself in the right clothing; wear SPF 50 sunscreen; pick your exercise; drink lots of water to stay hydrated; and pay attention to any warnings from your body.

5 Outdoor Activities to Help You Stay Fit

2013-07-02T14:55:00.004-07:00

Let's thank Alexandre Duval, a blogger for Le Yéti, for today's guest post about summer fitness activities. Le Yéti is a Montreal bike boutique that sells cycling equipment as well as camping and trekking accessories; the site is written en français. Since Alexandre's work involves bikes, here's "Old School Vintage Road Bicycle" photographed by Ha-Wee (Howie Le).

Summer is back and with it come the daily opportunities to get out there and exercise under the sun. So let’s leave the gym behind for the nicest months of the year, if you will: there are plenty of things you can do outdoors in order to maintain or improve your overall fitness… and get some vitamin D! Here are five outdoor activities that will help you stay fit throughout the summer without costing you a fortune.

1. CrossFit training

Although you may already be doing crossfit workouts at the gym, city parks should be your new best friends for the summer! Generally speaking, most parts of the routine you perform indoors can also be performed outdoors, assuming you have access to a minimum of public infrastructure. Therefore, there is no reason to keep going to the gym on the hot summer days, unless you absolutely cannot do without air conditioning!

Crossfit training, as you probably know it, is one of the most demanding forms of workouts as it mixes cardio training with muscular training by having you perform series of exercises and movements with little or no pause. Getting your whole body involved is possible without your gym’s machines: find a nice park with grass, trees and if possible a running track. If there are benches and other structures you can use to work out, that’s even better. Think about brining a yoga mat as well as an elastic band. With just this, you can do everything from sprints to pull-ups and push-ups! Make up a new routine every time you go to the park in order to do your crossfit training and you will have a summer of guaranteed pleasure!

2. Tennis

You may never have played tennis before, but learning it will probably get you addicted to the game! As an anaerobic sport played in high-intensity bursts of effort, tennis won’t only have you work out muscles you didn’t know you had, but it will also get your heart pumping. This stop-and-go activity will make you burn tons of calories and will almost inevitably improve your overall physical condition, assuming you do not allow the ball to bounce twice!

The good thing about tennis is that you will need a partner, meaning that you will always be working out with somebody else. For many people, this is an important factor of motivation. In effect, scheduling a game or training session with a friend will probably prevent you from skipping your workout: no only do you absolutely want to avoid standing your friend up, but you will want to get on the court even if your primary motivation lies in the social aspect of tennis! You may want to take a few group lessons before you get going on your own: learning and mastering basic skills will both allow you to improve faster and to work out harder.

3. Yoga

Putting yoga on this list of five outdoor activities that will help you stay fit may come off as weird, but it is not. Many sports addicts completely omit to take care of their flexibility which can cause stiffness problems later on in life. Stretching after an intense workout certainly is good, but taking the time to perform an actual flexibility training should not be neglected. Yoga can help you do just that while working on your body’s overall stability. Some yoga teachers give group lessons in city parks throughout the summer at very low costs: look out for the opportunities and take advantage of the hot season to improve your flexibility!

4. Inline skating

Here is an activity that will not only be good for your legs and heart, but also for your butt cheeks! If you do not feel like going for your daily run, put on your skates instead: you will certainly have to go more kilometres before you burn the same amount of calories, but you will enjoy the feeling of the breeze and the slightly different nature of the muscular effort it calls for. Whether it is to discover a new part of town or to skate on a biking lane that goes along a body of water, inline skating is your perfect alternative exercise to running.

5. Walking

The last but not the least! Walking is often underestimated and yet, it can help you burn more or less three hundred calories for every hour of workout (depending on your body weight). The idea is not to replace your sports activities by daily walks: it is rather to avoid using your car when possible and take a little more time to go from point A to point B. Not only will you burn calories, but you will enjoy the warm summer sun and set your mind free. Walking can also be challenging: if you make it to national parks and do trekking there, you may find yourself enjoying walking way more than you ever thought you would!

Merci, Alexandre. Let me add how important it is to find your own favourite fitness routines. Most of us like to alternate among several, whether on a weekly or seasonal basis.

(Added July 8, 2013): Inspired by Alexandre's final point, I wrote "Burn Calories by Walking or Hiking for Summer Fitness" in my DeHaan Services blog. It does point back here, but puts the focus on hiking or walking as outdoor exercise. I've publicized both articles in "A Guest Invited Us to Walk Outdoors", which includes a four-fold writing tip based on these articles.

How to Turn a Business Trip into a Fitness Trip

2013-05-02T15:02:00.001-07:00

Today's "How to Turn a Business Trip into a Fitness Trip" is a guest post by Mike Manning, who combines a passion for fitness with experience in injecting fitness into his business trip itinerary.

"Passenger Airplane in Vienna", image by viZZZual.com.

How to Turn a Business Trip into a Fitness Trip

Your upcoming business trip is not an excuse to enjoy unlimited fried foods from the airport food court and ditch your workout routine.

You will be amazed how even a couple of days of overeating without exercise can sabotage the hard work you have already endured.

The most important thing you can do is to make sure you do research before your trip. On a recent trip to San Francisco I was able to book a hotel with a 24-hour gym by looking through a travel reviews site beforehand.

Here I was able to click through the San Francisco hotels and see which ones had the best gyms.

If you think of your upcoming trip as a fitness trip, you can return to your daily life feeling fit and proud rather than bloated and ashamed.

Make Appointments In Advance of Your Business Trip

There are personal trainers, boot camps, and Zumba classes in most large and mid-sized cities. Which ones will you use? How will you find them?

Use the Internet to find fitness authorities in the cities you will visit, and book appointments in advance. Some hotels may offer classes in their facilities or discounts to local facilities. (Mike DeHaan adds: "Also check whether your home gym membership will by honoured by anyone in your destination city").

Once you arrive at your destination, you simply treat those appointments as you would any other appointments on your itinerary. If you are a frequent traveler, you may end up with a personal trainer or preferred boot camp in several cities that you frequent.

Use Your Technological Resources

It is a great idea to plan your hotel according to the quality of their fitness center and nearby fitness facilities, but you are not limited to working out indoors while traveling.

Use the Internet to discover the locations of all state and national parks in the state you are visiting, and find a hotel that is close to a park with walking trails. You may also locate ski resorts, horseback riding facilities, and other exciting fitness options.

Some cities are perfect for walking tours, so you can explore a new city and exercise simultaneously. (Mike DeHaan adds: "Book your hotel within walking distance of your work location: you'll use your feet twice a day during your business trip. Or make it a point to walk back to your hotel after dinner").

You can also use apps on your cell phone to find walking or running routes wherever you may travel. A good example is the WalkJogRun iPhone app which is loaded with more than a million running routes from all over the world. This app allows you to plan your route before you board the plane.

Planning ahead is the key to turn your upcoming business trip into a fitness trip. Give yourself something to look forward to beyond greasy food at the airport.

Final Notes on How to Stay Fit during a Business Trip

Mike DeHaan adds: "Decades ago, I'd read one consultant's trick: attach a reminder note to your business travel credit card. It might not save you from your first calorie-rich meal, but if it says That's it for over indulgence! or Now get to the gym!, you have a fighting chance for the rest of your trip".

Thanks, Mike Manning, for those great fitnesss tips!

I really recommend walking as your minimum fitness activity during your business trip. Just wear your casual outdoor clothing and there's no extra packing. Swim laps in the hotel pool; you only pack the swim gear, which will hang-dry in your bathroom. If you plan to run or lift weights, you may need an air-tight bag to store your less-fragrent gym clothes for your flight home.

There's no end to the ways you can maintain fitness despite business travel.

Possible Atherosclerosis Risks from Fat Burning Carnitine

2013-04-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

For quite some time, scientists have linked eating too much red meat to a higher risk of atherosclerosis, which leads to strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure and other health problems.

Recent research pins the blame on digesting carnitine, which is also found in some energy drinks and muscle building supplements.

Sound the Alarm about Carnitine and Atherosclerosis

"Energy Drink with L-Carnitine" image by Coolm36 (Marcelino Rapayla Jr.).

My suspicion is that people who eat meat would also increase their risk of atherosclerosis even more by taking carnitine supplements.

My previous article, "Another Kick at the Can of Soft Drinks and Soda Pop", berated soft drinks and energy drinks for their high sugar content. Since some energy drinks include carnitine, there's one more reason to avoid those high-priced drinks.

So what's the basis for my alarmist attitude towards carnitine supplements?

Recent Research on Red Meat, Carnitine and Atherosclerosis

Bacteria living in our intestines metabolize carnitine into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO promotes atherosclerosis, which in turn may promote to strokes and heart attacks. Increasing the carnitine in our diet encourages a higher population of the specific gut bacteria that produce carnitine.

Is red meat bad for you and your long-term health? What about the leanest red meat you can buy or trim?

Vegetarians and vegans normally have lower TMAO than omnivores. Even vegetarians and vegans who ate carnitine supplements did not produce significantly more TMAO.

"Ed Whitlock at Paradiso Restaurant" image by susayoun237 (Susan Young). Run marathons all your life to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

What is Carnitine? What is L-carnitine?

Carnitine is a natural nutrient that was first found in meat. We also produce it in our liver and kidneys.

Like many other molecules in biology, carnitine has two forms, "left" and "right". L-carnitine, or Levo-carnitine, is the left-handed molecule which is the only biologically-active form. (D-carnitine is "right handed". The 'D-' is from the same root word as "dextrous"). This article always refers to L-carnitine except in this one paragraph.

What are Carnitine Benefits?

We need carnitine to help our muscles burn fat for energy. A lack of carnitine impairs our fat burning energy capabilities.

Do Some People Need Carnitine Supplements?

Yes, carnitine supplements may be prescribed for people with specific heart conditions or vascular problems, including atherosclerosis. Carnitine might help people with numbness or pain due to diabetic neuropathy.

The University of Maryland article lists a number of other reasons why doctors might prescribe carnitine supplements.

Why Do Some Healthy People Take Carnitine Supplements?

Some athletes use carnitine supplements to improve energy levels and athletic performance. Dieters may take carnitine supplements to increase their muscles' fat burning.

The University of Maryland article says there is no scientific evidence of those benefits to either the athlete or the dieter.

What is an Essential Nutrient?

An essential nutrient is one that our bodies cannot produce, but is essential for life. Vitamin C is a familiar example of an essential nutrient. People without a dietary source of vitamin C will eventually develop scurvy. In general, a lack of an essential nutrient causes a "deficiency disease".

Some nutrients are not essential. By sunbathing, our bodies produce vitamin D. However, most of us also need vitamin D from our diet.

"Vitamin D Supplements with Calcium" by szlea. Vitamin D may also be considered a conditionally essential nutrient.

Is Carnitine an Essential Nutrient?

No, it's not an essential nutrient.

"Carnitine is termed a conditionally essential nutrient, as under certain conditions its requirements may exceed the individual's capacity to synthesize it. ... In general, healthy adults do not require dietary carnitine as carnitine stores are replenished through endogenous synthesis from lysine and methionine in the liver and kidneys". (From "Carnitine: The Science behind a Conditionally Essential Nutrient")..

What is Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis describes the medical condition in which your arteries have, in my words, "scabs" of hardened infection sites and/or cholesterol deposits.

Atherosclerosis is a precursor for high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.

Conclusion for Atherosclerosis Risks from L-Carnitine Supplements

The research indicates that gut bacteria change dietary carnitine into TMAO, which may increase the risk of atherosclerosis. As omnivores, we obtain most of our dietary carnitine from eating red meat. The more red meat we eat, the higher the risk.

Some energy drinks and all L-carnitine supplements include carnitine. Logically, consuming them would increase the risk of atherosclerosis.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.

"Energy Drinks with Caffeine: Von Dutch, et al" by "{* ferris!".

References for Carnitine, Red Meat and Atherosclerosis:

"Researchers discover new link between heart disease and red meat". Medical Xpress. (2013-04-07). Referenced 2013-04-07.
"Carnitine (L-carnitine)". U of Michigan Medical Centre. (Rev. 2011-03-31). Referenced 2013-04-07.
"Carnitine: The Science behind a Conditionally Essential Nutrient". (Summary of a conference paper presented 2004-03-25 and 26). Referenced 2013-04-07.

Another Kick at the Can of Soft Drinks and Soda Pop

2013-03-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a new health sciences report forces me to take another kick at the soft drink, soda pop and energy drink can. Medical research on death due to obesity and diabetes, when both are linked to soft drinks and excess sugar, has that effect on me.

Who Reported What about Soda Pop, Diabetes, Obesity and Death

"Canada Dry Ginger Ale in a can" image by jon_a_ross (Jon Ross).

The American Heart Association released "180,000 deaths worldwide may be associated with sugary soft drinks" on March 19, 2013.

They report that a 2010 study linked some 25,000 deaths that year in the United States to "sugar sweetened beverages". These range from soda pop and soft drinks through energy drinks and even fruit drinks.

Worldwide, about 73% deaths were due to complications from diabetes; about 24% from heart disease; and roughly 3% from cancer.

The researchers were convinced that drinking too much sugary soda pop supplies excess calories, which convert to fat and contribute to metabolic disease symptoms including obesity and diabetes.

Links from Soda Pop to Obesity and Diabetes

Other reports had suggested several reasons why sugary drinks can easily lead to obesity and adult onset diabetes:

Soft drinks do not make us feel "full" or satiated, as we might with solid foods.
If we don't eat proteins or fibre while drinking soda pop, the sugar is digested very quickly. Then blood sugar spikes, causing insulin to be released which helps store those calories as fat.
These rapid blood sugar spikes may contribute to adult-onset diabetes, especially if other metabolic disorders, such as obesity, are present.

Certainly a diabetic diet requires careful monitoring of sugar consumption, including whether extra calories are coming from a can of soda pop.

Why Mention Energy Drinks along with Soda Pop?

Often energy drinks have similar amounts of sugar as a serving of soda pop. The sugar does help boost energy, at least in the short term.

If you use sports drinks when you're not exercising, then they fall into the same category. Go run a marathon if you want an excuse for a sports drink; you're burning up more carbohydrate than you're consuming. Actually, I figure that I would burn the 110 calories in a typical energy drink by running less than 2Km (just over a mile).

Recommendation on Soft Drink Consumption by the American Heart Association

Let met quote: "The American Heart Association recommends adults consume no more than 450 calories per week, from sugar-sweetened beverages , based on a 2,000 calorie diet".

Have you read the label on a can of soda pop? The Canada Dry Ginger Ale can in my basement has 140 calories; I'd reach the Heart Association's limit with three cans of soft drinks per week.

Look at soft drinks in a daily diet: 140/2000 = 7% of the day's calorie allowance. Drink 14 cans of soda pop and you've taken in 98% of the calories you would burn to stay alive; with none of the vitamins, minerals, protein or other nutrients.

Let me add that regular exercise also plays an important role in your health, fitness and weight control.

Final Notes on Sugary Soda Pop and Soft Drinks

The study was written by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, (M.D. & Dr. PH) et al, and funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

I'd written about sugar in soft drinks before, particularly because high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was implicated as more likely to cause problems than the sucrose from cane sugar or sugar beets.

In 2011, "New Risk Found for Soft Drinks with High Fructose Corn Syrup" was my first article on HFCS in soda pop.

More recently, "Corn May Be an American Dietary Nightmare" continued the message with a great infographic. Corn is the raw material for HFCS, of course.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.x\\

Thanks for reading about the health risks from sugary soda pop and soft drinks.

Hot and Cold Therapy for Pain Treatment after Exercise

2013-03-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

Exercise is a vital part of fitness, and can contribute significantly to weight control.

But exercise can lead to muscle pain that lasts beyond the workout. Here are great options for pain treatment after exercise; choose the right one based on the cause of the pain.

Two Pain Problems from Exercise

"Rest, Ice and Elevate an Ankle" image by pjohnkeane (John Keane).

You should, of course, warm up and cool down before and after exercising. That should include light dynamic stretching before the workout, and static stretches afterwards. Warm-up and cool-down are preventative measures; they should help keep you healthy and free of injury.

Let's be clear that we're not talking about very temporary pain during exercise. The cause might be lactic acid buildup, but it's short-term and does not require special therapy.

This article deals with therapy acute versus chronic injuries; these need different pain treatments.

The first type is an acute injury, such as a torn muscle, pulled hamstring or sprained ankle. It's a sudden injury; you can pinpoint the moment when you did the damage. Most of us are smart enough to defer exercising for a while, to give this injury time to heal.

The second is a chronic injury. You might feel stiff or sore for longer and longer periods after exercising. You may need a longer warm-up to prepare for the next session.

Therapy for an Acute Injury from Exercise

The usual immediate first-aid therapy for an acute injury caused by exercise is PRICE:

Protect the injured tissue.
Rest those muscles.
Ice the injury: use a cold therapy.
Compress the injury.
Elevate the injured limb.

Protection can be as simple as "don't put weight on the sprained ankle". You would cover an open wound with a dressing; but even wrapping a jacket around a sprained joint is a reminder to protect it by not using it.

Rest means that you avoid exercising the injured muscles.

"Ice" refers to any cold therapy. Gel packs are easier to manage than a plastic bag filled with crushed ice. Most homes have a bag of frozen peas that can serve as a cold pack.

Compression helps minimize swelling or internal bleeding...which shows up as bruising. This also helps protect the injury, by making it harder to move the joint.

Elevating the injury reduces blood flow to that area. Again, this helps minimize swelling.

Note that heat therapy for an acute injury should only begin some three to five days after the injury.

Cold Therapy for an Acute Injury

Why use a cold therapy as pain treatment for the first days after an acute injury?

As noted, cold therapy minimizes the swelling.

We also want to slow down the metabolism of the injured cells; this gives the body some time to send nutrients or a clean-up squad of white blood cells to the injury site.

Finally, the cold can help numb the pain. It might help calm down muscle spasms, although I'd be open to getting heat treatment or a massage in that circumstance.

How to Give Cold Therapy for a Sports Injury

Here are quick guidelines for cold therapy:

Wrap anything at ice temperature in a thin towel; do not place a frozen cold pack (or bag with ice) directly against the skin.
Reusable ice pack wraps are designed for this type of pain treatment.
Apply the treatment for 20 minutes, or less if the cold is painful.
Let the cold area warm back up before repeating.

Obviously you want to avoid frostbite.

Here's a personal note. I once rubbed an alcohol-based cooling gel on both legs because the calves, quads and hamstrings were all so sore from a run. A few minutes later I needed a blanket because so much of my surface area was losing so much heat. Do not try to cool down such a large area at once...not unless you're treating someone with heat exhaustion, which is a completely different topic.

Adding Heat Treatment for an Acute Sports Injury

About three to five days after the injury, you should consider alternating heat and cold therapies. Alternately applying heat or cold encourages blood to move in, and then out, of the injury site. This speeds up healing, once most of the damaged cells have died anyway.

Heat Treatment for a Chronic Sports Injury

Heat treatment is also the approach for chronic injuries. Here are several reasons:

Heat stimulates blood circulation, which promotes healing.
Heat relaxes muscles, which are often tense due to the pain of a chronic injury. Thus, heat therapy is a pain treatment for chronic injuries.
Since heat relaxes the muscles, it can be a literal "warm-up" leading up to the active warm-up before the actual exercise.

Often an athlete will use heat therapy before exercising and apply a cold pack afterwards.

How to Provide Heat Therapy

You can use "hot and cold gel packs", moist towels, a grain bag or an infra-red lamp as a heat source. Let's just call it a heat pad in this section.

For safety, be sure that the heat pad won't burn the skin. If it hurts, it's too hot. I'd be worried if my skin turned red after a heat therapy session.

If the temperature is just a bit too warm, add that thin towel you had used for cold therapy.

Do not fall asleep with a powered-up electric heat pad or electric blanket. You may not wake up before there's tissue damage.

Often the heat pad will cool down faster than a cold pack would thaw. Do not apply heat for more than 20 minutes, anyway.

Beyond Pain Treatment for a Chronic Injury

You expect a chronic injury will take longer to heal than an acute one. Regardless, you should consider getting medical advice if you don't sense any improvement after following a pain treatment and rehabilitation regimen.

Sometimes poor exercise patterns or improper equipment can lead to chronic pain. Some runners, for example, have stories of finding pain relief when they switch to another model of running shoe.

Heat Therapy as Pain Treatment Other than for Sports Injuries

People may also find heat therapy beneficial as pain treatment for stress headaches, arthritis, back pain and abdominal cramps.

If you use heat therapy to relieve these pains, discuss these pains with your doctor. Abdominal cramps might be a symptom of appendicitis; other pains may be caused by inflammation that would be made worse by applying heat.

The Economics of Reusable Hot and Cold Gel Packs

Competitive sports teams may bring a chemical cold gel pack or hot pack to their away games. These do not rely on refrigerators or microwave ovens. Instead, a one-time chemical reaction either absorbs or releases heat when the pack is activated.

This is certainly convenient, but expensive compared to reusable hot and cold gel packs.

Put a reusable ice pack into the freezer; it's ready the next time you need it. If you keep it at room temperature, it will take a long time to cool down.

One customer review of a reusable hot and cold pad noted that it was smart to keep one frozen but the other at room temperature. The microwave can bring a hot pack up from room temperature quicker than from frozen; and there's less chance of cold regions or hot spots than could burn the athlete or over-expand the contents.

Reusable hot and cold gel packs are cheaper than one-time chemical pads in the long run.

Buy a pair of reusable hot and cold gel packs, rather than committing to one of each type.

You can also use the frozen cold pack to keep your picnic cooler cold; and then it's there for your first aid needs, too.

Disclaimer

"Weight Lifting in Austin Texas" image by mrflip (Philip Kromer). Is this a painful amount of exercise?

References

"Ice or Heat an Injury" in Sports Medicine.
"Hot versus Cold Therapy" in Sports Injury Clinic.

Do You Need a Weight Loss Boot Camp This Spring?

2013-02-25T14:12:00.001-08:00

Every spring and early summer, the lamp posts in my neighbourhood get plastered with "Boot Camp" advertising flyers. They promise to get you "bikini ready" or "buff for the beach" with a week or four of a serious weight loss exercise program. (Updated Feb. 26 from "a week or two" to "a week or four", since I've seen some new programs on offer).

Do you need a weight loss boot camp? Are boot camps safe and effective? Is a boot camp the best weight loss program for you? Can you find inexpensive weight loss camps?

Boot Camps for Weight Loss and Fitness

"Fitness at Big Bay Boot Camp" image by Port of San Diego.

The original term, "boot camp", refers to the basic training program for army recruits, which has the dual purpose of weeding out the weak and strengthening those able to endure the rigours of intense exercise.

A typical fitness boot camp lasts anywhere from a week to a month. The participants perform a variety of exercises to improve their strength, cardio-vascular fitness, and flexibility. Some programs add diet plans.

Many fitness boot camps are held outdoors, rather than in gyms or fitness centres. This allows for innovative exercises, such as carrying a tree stump through a hilly obstacle course. If held in the spring, outdoor boot camps add the psychological boost of fresh air and sunshine for people who suffered cabin fever and the "February blahs".

A relatively recent category is the weight loss boot camp for kids. Now your children can lose weight or gain fitness under challenging conditions.

The boot camp might include meal plans or diet tips to help you reach your eight reduction target.

Do You Need a Weight Loss Boot Camp?

The first question is really, "Do you need to lose weight"? While many people should slim down, you need to appraise yourself honestly and fairly.

Then, "How well have I lost weight previously"? If you've managed to keep five to ten pounds off for half a year, you're ahead of most people. If you're stuck in a yo-yo diet syndrome, where you gain back more than you lose, then you do need to change.

But a weight loss boot camp won't cure the yo-yo syndrome. "Boot camp" is temporary, by its very nature. If you decide to attend a boot camp, build a back-up plan to keep on exercising and dieting after the session is over.

You could benefit from a fitness boot camp if you respond well to crisp instructions, and need a coach for motivation.

You might want to find a better approach to "how to lose weight" if you expect to fall off the wagon once boot camp is over.

Are Boot Camps Safe and Effective?

Fitness boot camps are as safe as the quality of the instructors and your own initial health.

Ask what certifications the instructors have earned. Were they just hired for the season? Are they full-time fitness professionals? If they're temporary, are the instructors returning from previous years or are they newbies? Do they have degrees in kinesiology?

Did your doctor agree that you can handle intense exercise? If you strain your back while exercising, will you be able to keep earning your paycheque?

Generally boot camps are effective at what they promise. Typically that means you'll get through the sessions with minor aches and pains, and a big sense of accomplishment at overcoming the obstacles.

If your specific goal is "exercise to lose weight", will the organizer offer a money-back guarantee if your final weigh-in does not meet the agreed-upon number? That's the true measure of "short-term effectiveness" in a weight loss program.

You might find your body shaping up nicely in a two-week exercise boot camp. Check on that success with a tape measure rather than a weigh scale. You may be trimmer in the waist or more "cut" in the biceps thanks to the boot camp.

Finally, you'll certainly be able to carry a heavier weight over nastier terrain than you might have dreamed possible.

Why Can You Find Inexpensive Weight Loss Camps?

(Added March 20, 2013): The double reason for relatively low prices for some weight loss camps, is that they run outdoors on a seasonal basis. These boot camps don't pay rent for a year-round facility; instead they probably pay fees to the parks and recreation department of your city. Neither do they pay staff throughout the year; they hire or subcontract on a temporary basis.

These features can lead to significant cost savings. It also lowers the expense of opening a fitness boot camp, so there's lots of competition in many urban markets.

Does this pose any risks for clients? Ask a few questions:

What are the plans if it rains, especially if there is lightning? I run in the rain, but wouldn't want to be in a park with trees in a thunderstorm. Can you take shelter or continue the workout indoors?
How qualified and experienced are the instructors? This might be a summer job for a phys ed student; or a repeat gig for a seasoned personal trainer.
Do they have a track record, or is this the first year they are operating?
Do they use different equipment from day to day, or will it be the same for the whole session? There are some fitness advantages to changing the exercises, although you can still get a terrific workout every day with well selected exercises. Some inexpensive weight loss camps might not have enough variety to keep you motivated; on the other hand, it's only for a limited time so you could just put up with repetition.

Is a Boot Camp the Best Weight Loss Program for You?

A typical realistic weight loss goal is to average losing one or two pounds a week over a few months.

If they teach better food selection, meal planning and portion control, then the weight reduction boot camp may just be helpful for the long term.

If the boot camp can motivate you and train you to follow up with an improved diet and a regular exercise program, then this also can lead to long-lasting weight loss success.

Many people are more successful in reaching their weight reduction goals with long-term support and encouragement, than with a short-term blast. The main requirements for successful weight loss are: learning how to lose weight; combining diet with exercise; and long-term reinforcement from family, friends or a professional who keeps you exercising and dieting as a lifestyle rather than as a one-time change.

Boot camps can be fun, challenging and a way to make a quick improvement in fitness or even to lose weight fast. Just be sure to follow-up with lifestyle changes afterwards.

Four Sports Clothing Tips for Winter Running Gear

2013-01-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

Winter sputtered as it started the 2012-2013 season, but Toronto seems to be settling in for cold wintry conditions.

How should runners dress for running in winter? Do we need special cold weather gear for running?

Here are four tips for winter sports clothing for runners.

"A Halifax Harrier (UK) Running past Snow" image by AdamKR.

Tip 1: Dress for Temperature, Wind and Water

Sometimes the advice is to dress for the temperature alone. Certainly there's a difference between "above freezing" and "below freezing".

But it's not just the cold: it's how quickly you lose your body heat.

On a cold but still day, with no wind, just a couple layers of the right winter running apparel will trap enough of your body heat to keep you comfortable. High or gusty winds will pull that warmth away from you.

The folks in Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) like to say, "...but it's a dry cold" after stating how far the temperature has dropped below freezing. The great prairie outdoors can feel nicer than Toronto's clammy winter fog when the snow isn't sure whether to stay or melt.

So by "water", I mean three things:

Humidity in the air: foggy or damp conditions make it feel colder.
Snow can be pleasantly fluffy and dry, or nastily wet as it melts through your jacket.
Sleet or freezing rain is even worse than wet snow.

So check the whole weather situation before getting dressed for running in the winter.

Tip 2: Wear Light Layers of Running Gear in Winter

You should wear several light layers of clothing for running in winter.

For example, I usually have a short-sleeve T-shirt, a long-sleeve T-shirt and a light wind jacket for most of my winter runs in Toronto. On colder days, I may substitute a warmer, fleece-like jacket for one of the T-shirts, as the middle layer.

The advantage of wearing several layers on your upper body is that it's easy to unzip the outer jacket or even remove it if you get too warm.

If your cold weather running jacket is both warm and windproof, you may find yourself overheating half-way through your run. Then unzipping it leaves you with just a technical T-shirt against the wind.

Some jackets have extra ventilation zippers or drawstrings. They serve the same purpose: to change how much warmth you retain close to your body.

For really cold runs, you might wear both track pants and wind pants. Again you could remove the outer layer if they slide over your shoes.

A running buddy advises not to wear two pairs of socks. They tend to be too tight, compressing your toes and likely leading to blackened toenails.

Tip 3: Wear Wicking Fabrics and Continue to Avoid Cotton for Winter Running

Even though you're running in cold weather, stick with wicking fabrics for your sports clothing.

You may start cold and dry, but eventually you're likely to perspire. A cotton layer will hold onto that moisture and make you feel really cold.

The technical fabrics should move the moisture away from your skin before it evaporates. The result is that you don't get a chill during your cold weather running.

Tip 4: My Cold Weather Gear for Running

Here are my usual choices for winter running in Toronto. The temperatures are usually near zero, perhaps to -10C (14F or so), but often damp or windy. Those all factor in to my choices of running gear for winter.

Baseball cap or toque: both are wicking fabrics.
T-shirts, an optional warm fleecy jacket, and certainly a light wind jacket. In the very worst weather, I will add something to protect my neck.
Cheap work gloves, but you can splurge on technical fabric or even gloves with mitten flaps.
Track pants, and very rarely thermal tights as an extra layer.
Shoes and socks.

The first picture is the fleecy jacket and the bright orange toque. The toque is probably hunting gear rather than "athletic apparel"; but it's the brightest head covering I've seen in Toronto winters. The toque is for moderately cold weather; this jacket is for really bad times.

"Winter Running Fleecy Jacket and Orange Toque" image by Mike DeHaan.The second picture shows my work gloves and a long-sleeve technical T-shirt. If I only have short sleeves under the wind jacket, my arms can get pretty cold.

"Winter Running Shirt and Gloves" image by Mike DeHaan.

The third picture has the jacket and pants. The jacket is actually reflective to direct light from, say, a car's headlights. The pants have reflective stripes. One bonus tip is to choose bright and reflective features in your running outerwear, especially during winter's darker days and evenings.

"Winter Running Jacket and Pants" image by Mike DeHaan. (The vertical white stripes are the reflective "pipes" on the pants legs).

Bonus Tip: Sunglasses for Running in the Winter Sunshine

The winter's sunshine can be remarkably bright, especially when reflecting from snow.

People "of a certain age" need to protect our eyes from UV light. We don't have the "Reindeer Superpower of UltraViolet Vision". Younger folk may want to minimize wrinkles caused by squinting in the sun's glare.

With the right cold weather gear for running, you will avoid hypothermia and frostbite; instead you'll be able to enjoy staying fit and sticking to your New Year's resolution to keep in training for the spring running season.

Resolve to Lose Weight with More Sleep in the New Year

2012-12-26T09:14:00.001-08:00

Early every January, people join fitness clubs, gyms and diet plans to fulfill the New Year resolution to lose weight gained during the holiday season.

Increased appetite is part of the challenge. Fortunately, one of the easiest diet tricks for appetite control is to sleep more.

Beauty Sleep for Appetite Control

"Beauty Sleep for Sleeping Beauty by Elie Saab at Harrods" image by Loco Steve (Steve Wilson).

In "The Dream Diet...", a WebMD article summarizes the biology behind using more sleep to control appetite. In layman's terms, there are several effects that sleeping too little has on our appetite for food.

Too little sleep makes it nearly impossible to feel satisfied with a normal meal. It also increases appetite. My guess is that the body tries to make up for the lack of sleep with extra blood sugar to fuel the brain, so it can function nearly normally despite being fatigued.

Another result of longer waking hours and holiday parties is a change in eating habits. Not only is the food more calorie-dense, we're also eating and drinking more late at night. This can upset the "food clock", which means that abruptly changing to eating when we should be sleeping might lead to weight gain.

The Holiday Season Sabotages Weight Control

While most of us love the winter holiday season, it's well known to sabotage diets and weight control efforts. In Judaism, Hannukah puts the emphasis on fired foods because of the miracle of sacred lamp oil that lasted through the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean Revolt. (Read more in "Celebrating the 2012 Hanukkah in Toronto"). Christians overeat everything from turkey through plum pudding, and drink egg nog with alcohol for part of December. Almost everyone then drinks heavily and eats well at their New Year's Eve party.

Besides the "comforts of the season", we also experience stress. We feel pressure to change our usual behaviours, leading to stress due to the following causes.

Get your work done early, to allow more time to shop for presents that simply "must" delight your family and loved ones.
Be extra friendly, even to strangers and the co-workers vying for your next promotion.
Go over your schedules and obligations at night, rather than sleeping peacefully.
Worry about the money you've spent, need to spend or would like to spend.

Weight Loss and Fitness Resolutions for the New Year

Here are my New Year resolutions for fitness and weight loss; help yourself to any that can help you.

Get at least one good night's sleep this week, between Christmas and New Year's Eve; and at least one in the first nights of January.
"Retire" to bed one-half hour earlier than usual for the month of January.
Resume my (usual) exercise and diet programs. There's no way to maintain all my good habits through the holidays; but that just means I can resume refreshed for the new year.
Make a special effort to take an extra helping of vegetables and skip dessert, for every other dinner through January.

Another clever approach is to start an exercise program or get help with a diet plan in January. My cheapskate advice is to make a short-term commitment rather than start a lifetime membership or even a one-year package. Too many people drop out within a couple months; but most of us can fulfill a program such as a 10-week Running Room clinic. DeHaan Services can help, even if it's just through a free initial consultation. We offer personal services in south-east Toronto, but can discuss your situation anywhere through e-mail.

Any suggestions? Will you resolve to lose weight early next year? Let us know in a comment.

References:

Colette Bouchez. "The Dream Diet: Losing Weight While You Sleep". WebMD. Referenced Dec. 26, 2012.
"How Excess Holiday Eating Disturbs Your 'Food Clock'". Science Daily. Referenced Dec. 26, 2012.

Will Losing Jarvis Bike Lanes Hurt Bicycle Safety in Toronto?

2012-11-16T17:40:00.003-08:00

I've written about cycling for health and fitness before, but this time losing the bike lanes on Jarvis Street in Toronto has safety and politics on my mind.

I'm sure we all recognize the health benefits of regular exercise, and that cycling can be part of a fitness program. Many, including myself, have lost at least one friend or acquaintance in a crash between an automobile and a bicycle. Safety is therefore the main concern of today's article.

Will the Loss of Cycling Lanes on Jarvis Street Worsen Bicycle Safety?

Why has Jarvis Street lost its bike lanes? What's the background? Do we know the impact on bike safety?

"Mayor Rob Ford in David Pecaut Square, Toronto" by West Annex News.

Some Background about Jarvis Street in Toronto

Jarvis Street in Toronto is a busy north-south arterial road, heavily used by in-town commuters. For many years, one of its charming features is that it was five lanes wide. The centre lane had red/green indicator lights to move traffic south to the downtown core of Toronto in the morning. For the evening rush hour, the indicators reversed to send the extra lane north.

Cycling enthusiasts had persuaded the city to repaint the lane markings recently. That changed Jarvis Street to two dedicated car lanes northbound; two car lanes southbound; with segregated bicycle lanes in each direction.

City council then reversed the change; Jarvis has just been restored to its five car lane state. As the Toronto Sun newspaper reported, the decision was "to remove the bike lanes [from Jarvis Street] and install separated bike lanes on nearby Sherbourne Street".

The Toronto Sun also quoted Toronto Mayor Rob Ford: '“They want to get home to their families quicker and that’s what I’ve done, I’ve listened to the taxpayers and done what they wanted me to do,” he said'.

Is Bicycle Safety Improved with Segregated Bike Lanes?

A major argument in favour of dedicating a bicycle lane is to improve cycling safety, since this affords more separation between those mis-matched vehicles.

A second reason is that cars can drive more quickly when they have that extra margin of room, and are unlikely to have cyclists swerve into the car's way when dodging obstructions.

Motorists are expected to say that the more lanes for cars, the better for driving conditions.

Possible Responses from Cyclists in Toronto Concerned for Bike Safety

For this article, my assumption is that dedicated lanes for bicycles are indeed safer than mingling automobiles and bikes. I'm sure that those who pushed for the bike lanes on Jarvis had that belief, and had good reasons.

On the other hand, it would be great to have actual evidence. Did anyone time the motorists during the great bike lane experiment on Jarvis Street? Do we have police statistics on collisions between bicyclists and automobiles before, during and since?

I don't have the same personal stake in the Jarvis Street bike lanes that those who use it have. However, it seems that those who do risk their lives on that street might want to ask Mayor Rob Ford two questions, based on the quotation in the Toronto Sun.

First, "Does the mayor believe that cyclists who use Jarvis Street have neither families nor homes, since apparently only the car drivers want a speed return home"?

Second, "Does the mayor believe that bicyclists, or those who had proposed the dedicated bike lanes, are not also taxpayers in Toronto"?

Perhaps economic interests would persuade politicians where the safety of their citizens does not. Would a retailer such as Canadian Tire like to explain the economic impact if Torontonians were to refuse to buy bicycles and helmets next spring?

I cannot predict whether bike safety in Toronto will be worsened by the change on Jarvis Street; but it's clear that cyclists and citizens should strive for safer conditions everywhere.

Reference: Don Peat, "Rob Ford applauds Jarvis bike lane removal", Toronto Sun newspaper, Nov. 12, 2012, referenced Nov. 16, 2012.

Halloween Ideas for Healthy Eating with Pumpkin

2012-10-21T17:54:00.001-07:00

What's your first thought about pumpkins at Hallowe'en? Mine is to carve the Jack O'Lantern, but it's smarter to plan for healthy eating thanks to this orange-coloured squash.

Healthy Food Ideas Using Pumpkins

"Triple Jack O'Lantern" image by wwarby.

Pumpkins supply two types of food: flesh and seed. Cut up the flesh of a small pumpkin as a vegetable that you could roast in the oven or sauté with a bit of olive oil; or boil and purée it for baking or simply as a custard. Roast your own pumpkin seeds while you're cooking up your other pumpkin veggie or dessert items.

The large pumpkins that we carve into Jack O'Lanterns supply plenty of seeds, along with that stringy stuff that gets composted.

The best pumpkins for eating are usually smaller, so you might need to search the produce section for a manageable handful. If you only buy the large size, you can certainly start with the chunks you cut out for the eyes, nose and mouth. Or take a bit more risk, and hack out some flesh from the inside of that big bruiser.

Avoid the temptation to eat your Jack O'Lantern after he's had a long night of soot from a candle and exposure to the night air. Take your pound of flesh from the fresh pumpkin as you carve.

The other temptation is to add so much sugar to pumpkin that it becomes a dessert. Try to use cinnamon to fool your taste buds into thinking the pumpkin is sweeter than the sparse sugar would allow. Besides, I've already reported that there are "Important Health Benefits of Cinnamon in the Human Diet".

Nutritional Benefits of Pumpkins for a Healthy Hallowe'en and Autumn

From the standpoint of controlling your weight, the best thing about pumpkin is that it is packed with fibre. This helps you feel full during and after your meal, so you eat less overall. As well, fibre helps slow the digestion, preventing blood sugar levels from spiking. High blood sugar leads to rising insulin levels, and storing the sugar as fat.

Pumpkins contain beta carotene, an antioxident. As a colourful member of the squash family, the pumpkin is a vegetable with vitamins and slow-digesting carbohydrates. Many types of squash are harvested in autumn, so it's a perfect time to include them in your diet.

Grocery stores carry pumpkin pie filling, which can be used any time of year.

Roasted pumpkin seeds make a nutritious snack, and that's important for a healthy Hallowe'en when candy fills our children's tummies. Supermarkets may carry roasted pumpkin seeds all year long.

Other Resourceful Ideas for Pumpkins

Beth Sumrell Ehrensberger (MPH & RD) wrote "Pumpkins Offer Great Health Benefits" for HealthCastle.com, Oct. 2007, with an emphasis on nutrition.

Crystal Booth updated "Pumpkins!" in Squidoo.com on Sept. 19, 2012. She offers ideas on planting pumpkins and carving Jack O'Lanterns, but includes sections for pumpkin recipes and pumpkin cookbooks.

Pumpkins can be transformed into pumpkin bread, pumpkin custard, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup and roast pumpkin. If you have a favourite recipe for butternut squash or any other kind, it's likely that you can adapt it to use pumpkin.

The Internet carries more pumpkin recipes than a witch could shake a broomstick at. My best search suggestion is to include some detail: for example, try "roast pumpkin with sesame recipe" (without the quotes) rather than simply "how to cook pumpkin" if you want to use sesame seeds.

If you have any further suggestions for Hallowe'en ideas about healthy eating, please add your comments below.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.

Seniors Running for Fitness and Glory in Toronto Marathon

2012-10-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Sunday after Canadian Thanksgiving Monday has become the date for the annual Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. This year it will be Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012.

Two senior citizens are in the running for glory and fitness in their own age groups.

Can ordinary mortals such as you and I pursue running for exercise?

Ed Whitlock to Run a Toronto Marathon in 2012

"Ed Whitlock at Paradiso Restaurant" image by susayoun237 (Susan Young) under "attribution and share-alike license"; I cropped this image and added the border.

Ed Whitlock is a Canadian legend with more age-group world records at different running distances than I could shake a walking stick at.

The Waterfront Marathon organizers anticipate that Whitlock should set a new record for men in the 80-84 age category. They expect him to run the 42.2 Km in about 3:25. That would qualify him for the 2013 Boston Marathon, even if he were in the 45-49 age category.

Fauja Singh to Race the 5Km Distance at the Toronto Waterfront Event

"Fauja Singh Age 99 in the ING Luxembourg Marathon 2010" image by Nico* (Nicolas Govetto). Fauja is at the far right in this picture.

After setting his world record for men 100+ at last year's Waterfront Marathon, as well as a slew shorter-distance records earlier that week, Fauja Singh returns to Toronto for a light workout. He should finish the 5 Km event in a leisurely 40 minutes.

More about the 2012 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

I'm also writing about the 2012 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon as an annual autumn Toronto event in my DeHaan Services article, "Special Notes prior to the 2012 Toronto Waterfront Marathon".

How did Whitlock and Singh do? Which men and women won in the marathon, half-marathon and 5Km races at the 2012 Waterfront Marathon? "Brief Results of the 2012 Toronto Waterfront Marathon" shares these details.

Are Ordinary Seniors Running for Exercise?

Running is just one of the many types of exercise for seniors' fitness. Whitlock and Singh are extraordinary for their longevity and commitment to this sport.

But almost anyone can start at their own fitness level and improve gradually. The US Dept. of Health, working with the National Institute on Aging, recommends "Exercise and Physical Activity" for people of all ages.

Seniors exercise in a variety of ways: for endurance, such as distance running; for strength, or balance, or flexibility.

Exercise for seniors is not so much about competition, but much more about longevity, good health, and improving the quality of life.

The most important aspect is to start gently and build slowly.

If you can get out and enjoy the scenery while walking your dog or running for fitness, so much the better.

DeHaan Services can help people in Toronto get started on their own fitness programs. Whether with help or on your own, only start a new exercise program after getting your doctor's blessing.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.

Three Reasons to Avoid Vitamin D Deficiency

2012-09-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

Vitamin D finds its way into the news on a regular basis. Nutrition is an important part of one's fitness and health, so after a quick background check, let's take a quick review of recent news about vitamin D.

What is Vitamin D?

"Vitamin D Supplements with Calcium" image by szlea.

Vitamins are nutrients that we need in small amounts for health and life, but not as fuel or building materials. Most vitamins are "essential nutrients", meaning that our bodies cannot create them; we need to consume them in our foods, or in supplements such as vitamin pills. If we run low on vitamins, we may exhibit "deficiency diseases". For example, a lack of vitamin C leads to scurvy.

Vitamin D is an exception. Our bodies make vitamin D when the sun's ultraviolet light activates cells in the skin. However, many of us do not get enough exposure to sunlight to keep up an ideal level of vitamin D.

Carbohydrates and fats are fuels; protein and calcium are examples of building materials for muscles and bones, respectively.

What are Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms?

The most obvious vitamin D deficiency disease is rickets, or "ostemalacia". Low vitamin D levels make bones softer because they cannot build enough calcium into the structures. Typical symptoms include bones that fracture too easily, or "bent" leg bones in young children. Note that some of the symptoms might be caused by a lack of calcium or magnesium in the diet, as well as by some other diseases that interfere with calcium absorption.

It seems that vitamin D may be important for other processes involving calcium. Low calcium may be a factor for abnormal heartbeat, muscle weakness, and numbness in various areas.

Novel Concerns for Vitamin D Deficiency

Higher Risk of Heart Disease Associated with Vitamin D Deficiency

The latest report is that a vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of certain types of heart disease, including angina (pain), coronary arteriosclerosis, increased blood pressure, and heart attack. The "higher risk" was from 40% to over 80% more likely to develop the various heart diseases, with the comparison between people with low or high levels of vitamin D.

Note that "associated with" means that there is a statistical link, but that no cause-and-effect relationship has been established.

The link is found for people in the "5% lowest levels of vitamin D" as measured in blood samples, compared to those with the upper 50%. The study involved some 10,000 participants in Denmark.

Higher Risk of Children's Respiratory Infections Associated with Vitamin D Deficiency

A "randomized controlled trial" in Mongolia found children who received extra vitamin D in the milk that they all drank, improved from low to nearer-to-desired levels. That same group with improved blood levels of vitamin D had about half as many respiratory infections, particularly in the winter.

This study involved some 250 children.

This study noted that many African-Americans living in the northern USA have similar levels of vitamin D as those children in Mongolia. My own comment is that we Canadians spend a lot of time covered up against the cold; this leaves precious little skin availble for making vitamin D from sunshine.

(Updated 2012-10-03): This effect was not found in a New Zealand "randomized trial" study of generally healthy adults. From the brief reports, both studies had similar numbers of test subjects and a similar "unsupplemented" low level of Vitamin D in the blood during the winter. There was a whopping difference in reported type of supplement and dosage. The children received 300 to 400 IU [International Units] of "vitamin D" daily; the adults' monthly dose was 100,000 IU of "vitamin D3". So New Zealand concluded this is not effective for normally-healthy adults.

My Previous Article about Vitamin D Supplements versus Breast Cancer

In March 2011, I'd written "Can Taking a Vitamin D Supplement Help Prevent Breast Cancer?" for Suite 101, after a relative alerted me to this possibility. The answer seems to be "yes", so it's worth reading that article.

That Suite 101 article benefits from a lot of research about "safe" amounts of vitamin D supplementation. There are risks in taking too much vitamin D, so get some advice before popping in supplements.

Vitamin D Supplements

A healthy diet should include milk, dairy products or the equivalent, to provide a reasonable amount of vitamin D, calcium and magnesium. Magnesium is an important partner for calcium in building bones and teeth. Vitamin D allows the body to make use of these two minerals.

Spend some time outside to get some sunshine. Few of us can put on enough sunscreen to fully prevent tanning, so this helps us generate our own vitamin D.

In my view, a plan for vitamin D supplements should start with a simple, standard daily vitamin pill. That pill should contain a moderate amount of vitamin D, plus calcium and magnesium.

Ask your doctor for a test of your blood levels of vitamin D, especially towards the end of winter. If you still need more, ask about a combination calcium, magnesium and vitamin D supplement.

Remember that if you take in a lot of calcium, you should drink an extra glass of water to help prevent kidney stones. These often form around calcium that precipitates out of solution in the urine.

References:

Ari S. Eckman, MD (updated by), "Osteomalacia", MedLine, updated Aug. 31, 2010.
"Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of heart disease", MedicalXpress.com, Sept. 24, 2012.
"Vitamin D supplementation can decrease risk of respiratory infections in children", MedicalXpress.com, Aug. 20, 2012.
"Vitamin D", MedLine Plus, reviewed May 17, 2012.
(Updated 2012-10-03): "Vitamin D supplementation does not reduce rate or severity of colds, study finds", MedicalXpress.com, Oct. 3, 2012.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
In particular, there are definite concerns about taking too much vitamin D. Please do further research and speak with your health care provider.

Corn May Be an American Dietary Nightmare

2012-09-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

This infographic about "Big Bad Corn" covers a lot of ground, and only some of it relates to fitness or weight control. (Yes, that's a bad pun...check which country could be covered by America's corn crop)!

"Popcorn and Soda at the Movies" image by ScypaxPictures. There's corn in the soda as well as in the popcorn!

Stick to the Dietary Nightmare: HFCS, not Plain Corn

Eating corn on the cob is a fine part of one's diet. It's officially a grain, in the same food group as wheat and oats. You can see the structure of one kernal, and relate it to the small grain of whole wheat.

(Added this paragraph 2013-03-20): Corn, especially on the cob, "does not seem to cause harm to celiac patients" according to "Corn Gluten - is it Safe for People with Celiac Disease who are on a Gluten-Free Diet?". While any grain or flour might be contaminated with wheat gluten if improperly handled during processing or shipping, corn seems to be a reasonable part of a gluten free diet for people with celiac disease.

The health problem seems to be the processed sugar, "high fructose corn syrup" or HFCS. It should be a perfectly fine carbohydrate, but has been implicated in obesity and diabetes. I'd written "New Risk Found for Soft Drinks with High Fructose Corn Syrup" some time ago; it has links to further articles.

Corn into Ethanol as Biofuel

I can't say that everything the infographic says is true, but you can check its references. LearnStuff does pretty throrough research. The infographic also notes the problems with growing corn to make ethanol as a biofuel. This was made much worse in 2012 due to the drought conditions in much of the USA.

Here is "Big Bad Corn" by LearnStuff.

Reference: Created by LearnStuff.com.

Health Concerns for High Fructose Corn Syrup

Three issues seem to stem from eating so many calories of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

Drinking does not make us feel satiated and full. Instead, we can drink a can of soda pop or fruit juice sweetened with HFCS, and have no sensation of taking in over a hundred calories of sugar.
There is a possibility that the specific biochemistry of HFCS confuses human digestion or the insulin sensitivity mechanism.
As the infographic notes, agricultural economics drive farmers and the food industry to grow lots of corn and use it everywhere possible. We could get sucrose, rather than HFCS, from sugar cane and sugar beets; but the crops might not be so plentiful.

Thank you for reading this guest infographic, "Big Bad Corn".

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.

Sample Some Sports at Ontario Summer Games 2012 in Toronto

2012-08-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Ontario Summer Games in Toronto is an excellent opportunity to sample some sports that you may have seen only on television. The annual Ontario Summer Games feature young competitive athletes in a variety of Olympic sports. Toronto hosts these events from August 14-19, 2012.

The Best Selfish Reasons to Attend the Ontario Summer Games 2012

"Recreational Archery" image of and by ninahale( Nina Hale).
The best selfish reasons to attend one or more of these events is to gain an appreciation for the next sport that you want to take up, and to be inspired to do so for personal fitness!

There's nothing like seeing excellent young athletes perform to kick-start a new fitness program, or simply to remind oneself to get off the couch and resume participating in an old favourite sport.

My best suggestions for sports that are easy to start or resume are: baseball or softball; cycling; golf; running; swimming; and volleyball on whatever surface suits you.

Another reason is to get a closer look at some rarely-seen sports, such as fencing and karate. If you have any questions, there are sure to be well-informed parents in the crowd. Ask them how épées, foils and sabres differ in fencing; or the different distances in triathlon.

The unselfish reason to attend is to cheer on these teenagers; some will likely go on to represent Canada internationally in the future.

The Scoop on the Sports: Dates and Venues for Toronto's 2012 Ontario Summer Games

Most competitions will be held Aug. 17-19, 2012. The exceptions are listed below.

Here's the alphabetical list of sports, with their exception dates (if needed) and venues. Most venues are in Toronto; the exceptions are listed below.

Archery (practice Aug. 17; competition Aug. 18-19) at Centennial Park.
Ball Hockey (Women) at Herb Carnegie Arena.
Ball Hockey (Men) at Herb Carnegie Arena.
Baseball (Men) at Bond Park and Wishing Well Park.
Basketball (Women) at the Tait Mackenzie Centre of York University.
Basketball (Men) at the Tait Mackenzie Centre of York University.
Beach Volleyball at Ashbridge's Bay Park.
Canoe and Kayak Sprint only on Aug. 16 at the Welland International Flatwater Centre in Welland, Ontario.
Cycling (Mountain Biking) on Aug. 17-18 at the Albion Hills Conservation Centre in Caledon, Ontario.
Fencing at the Etobicoke Olympium.
Field Hockey (Women) at Lamport Stadium.
Field Hockey (Men) at Lamport Stadium.
Golf from Aug. 14-17 at the Cedar Brae Golf Club.
Karate only on Aug. 17 at the Toronto Track and Field Centre of York University.
Lacrosse (Field) (Women) from Aug. 16-18 in L'Amoreaux Park.
Lacrosse (Box) (Men) at the Mimico Arena and the Mastercard Centre.
Rowing from Aug. 16-17 at Marilyn Bell Park.
Rugby (Women) from Aug. 17-18 in the York University Stadium.
Rugby (Men) from Aug. 17-18 in the York University Stadium.
Sailing from the Ashbridge's Bay Yacht Club.
Skeet Shooting from Aug. 17-18 at the Oshawa Skeet and Gun Club in Oshawa Ontario.
Soccer (Women) in Centennial Park.
Soccer (Men) in Centennial Park.
Softball (Women) in L'Amoreaux Park.
Softball (Men) in Goulding Park, with practice sessions in Hendon Park.
Sporting Rifle at the Maple Leaf Marksmen's Club in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Swimming in the University of Toronto Athletics Centre.
Triathlon only on Aug. 18 at Professor's Lake in Brampton, Ontario.

The precise times for these events, with a lot more detail about the sports, is in the official Ontario Summer Games 2012 web site. Confusingly in that web site, click on "Sports Schedules and Results" in the left navigation menu for a visual of the dates, but on "Sports" for a lengthy page with details of venues and times after the description of the sport and athlete biographies.

What are the Ticket Prices for Toronto's Ontario Summer Games 2012?

I've found absolutely no ticket information about the 2012 Ontario Summer Games in Toronto. Certainly it would be difficult to charge admission at some of the venues, such as Ashbridge's Bay for beach volleyball. I've sent this question to the organizers, and will update this space when I know more. (I thought there was a reference to "revenue from ticket sales" in one online document which proposed Toronto as the host for the 2012 Ontario Summer Games; but there have been other changes, such as certain venues, versus that document's plans).

Thanks for reading about the 2012 Ontario Summer Games in Toronto; go watch some, and then start your own fitness program!

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Ends One Cut the Waist Challenge

2012-06-18T18:49:00.001-07:00

On June 18, 2012, Toronto mayor Rob Ford completed his "Cut the Waist" diet challenge.

How did he and his brother, Councilor Doug Ford, fare in their diet? What could we learn from their experience?

"Mayor Rob Ford Outdoors at David Pecaut Square, Toronto" by West Annex News.

Cutting to the Chase in "Cut the Waist"

Their goals were simple. Each brother planned to lose 50 pounds from mid January through mid June.

Mayor Ford went from 330 pounds down to 313, losing "only" 17 pounds in the 22 weeks.

Councilor Ford's weight loss was 35 pounds, dropping from 275 to 240.

Was this a failure? Not really.

Positive Results from "Cut the Waist"

First, each brother did indeed lose some weight.

Second, they did actually have a "SMART" plan:

The specific goal was to lose 50 pounds.
The measureable goal was to lose 50 pounds.
This target was achievable, although more difficult and ambitious than might have been wise.
The goal was relevant to the overall objective of becoming healthier.
The project was time-constrained, from mid January to mid June.

Third, they now have recent experience in both diet and exercise. While we don't know exactly what their usual fitness regimine had been before January 2012, it seems safe to say they were exercising harder in the last half year than had been their usual practice.

One example of a simple but positive step, was the switch from soda pop to water. This saves on empty calories that don't contribute to feeling "full" or "satisfied".

Finally, it seems that Rob Ford was sincere in saying that he had recognized his need to lose weight. Realizing that he had an issue, one that he could and should address, was a very positive step.

How Could They Improve?

One obvious suggestion is that the Ford brothers could afford to hire personal trainers to add expertise and motivating pep talks to their own will power.

What about specific improvements that the rest of us could use?

Build in Safety with a Doctor and a Buddy

My guess is that the Fords did not start with medical check-up. The more overweight one is, the more important it is to get that first heart attack in the doctor's office where you can get instant treatment.

Running or exercising with a friend or trainer also ensures that someone will be conscious, and hopefully will call 911 in case of a heart attack or stroke.

Start Slowly and Build Up

It seems that they started by pushing themselves very hard, vigourously exercising and dieting.

A better approach is to start slowly and increase stamina over time. For runners, a typical plan is:

Cover a long distance once per week, and allow for some walk breaks.
Run shorter distances on two or three other days; just walk a bit the rest of the week, or lift weights.
Increase the distance by 10% each week.

It takes enormous willpower to push oneself to the limits a second time, or even to start the exercise routine when your goal is to push to exhaustion. My preference is to enjoy the challenge, rather than to make it so painful it holds dread.

Likewise, it might be smarter to attack one meal or snack at a time. Switching a late-night snack from a sandwich to an apple saves calories, adds fibre, and is a smaller step than cutting all calories by one-half. At the same time, drop soda pop and bring on the water. Next week, reduce the calories at lunch. Later, use carrot sticks as a snack, replacing a muffin or candy bar. Work on portion control, especially avoiding "seconds" or "super-sized" meals. Taking a sandwich in a brown bag can save money as well as calories, if it replaces a fast-food meal of a burger and fries. Later, move that late-night apple into the "dessert" category at supper, bumping out the chocolate cake, and go to bed slightly hungry.

Convince Oneself by Looking for Benefits in Diet and Exercise

I felt that Mayor Ford seemed to speak dismissively of "rabbit food", rather than expressing excitement about exploring new cuisine. He talked about the negatives of being overweight, rather than the positive benefits of improved health.

Whenever I push myself to improve my diet, I focus on the positives, even when the only honest statement is "What a fascinating texture"! I've sold myself on the goodness of oatmeal and its fibre content, along with the benefits of adding cinnamon.

Exercise allows one's body to do more, and to do it more easily. I love the scenery along the Marting Goodman Trail; others prefer window shopping while they run on sidewalks. There's a sense of pride and accomplishment in covering a new training distance, or joining the ranks of marathon runners...or 5Km charity walkers.

Spreadsheet Results to Review "Cut the Waist"

I'd logged the results reported during the "Cut the Waist" weigh-in events. Unfortunately, sometimes one or both Ford brothers were unable to attend. See my "Weight Loss Risks for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford" for the week-by-week results.

Here are the charts from the spreadsheet that I kept. The first shows "Pounds Lost per Week".

"Cut the Waist: Pounds per Week" by Mike DeHaan.

Dots above the "zero" line represent pounds lost; below the line is weight that was regained. Mayor Rob Ford has the blue dots and lines; Councilor Doug Ford has brown dots.

This shows how Mayor Rob Ford, in particular, fluctuated between losses and gains. There are a lot of annotations where nothing was reported.

The next chart shows how their weight fluctuated, week by week.

"Cut the Waist: Current Weight" by Mike DeHaan.

This chart makes it easier to see that each brother lost weight quickly at first, and then stayed on a plateau. Since weeks 17-21 had no report, it is possible that Doug Ford lost weight gradually over a six week period, rather than 7 pounds in the final week. On the other hand, either may have had wild gyrations in their weight, for all we know.

Hope for the Future?

Both Rob and Doug Ford should have hope for improving their health in the future. They have demonstrated that they can, indeed, lose weight. They've exercised and disciplined themselves in their diet.

All they need is more time and continued motivation to renew their commitment to exercise and weight control.

Disclaimers

Disclaimer: The author has not spoken with, or been consulted by, either Mayor Rob Ford or Councilor Doug Ford.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.