Our Houses

From Ideal Protein.com: Our protocol restricts sugars (simple and complex) until 100% of your weight loss goal is achieved…why? Because, as long as sugar is being consumed, your body is not burning fat. It really is that simple. Remember, the first source of energy is derived from glycogen (carbohydrate) reserves. Therefore, the core principle of the Ideal Protein Protocol is to deplete the glycogen (carbohydrate) reserves completely, in order to compel the body into consuming its fat reserve to burn calories.

From Hive Health Media: Even in human studies, those who were hitting the gym and sticking to a tight schedule of exercise lost significantly less weight than those who gathered with groups of people and played games or social sports. The social aspect of team sports seems to increase metabolic rates. This means that not only is the exercise more effective but it actually takes less energy to burn more calories and reduce fat.

Putting it all together is like building a house. You need masons for the foundation, electricians to connect the conduit, plumbers to ensure proper flow, framers, roofers, painters, landscapers, and a myriad of additional crafts and trades to complete the architectural rendering. In other words, building the dream. Our metaphor, as always, is in your body, good health, optimum fitness and, where applicable, faster racing times. 

Build THAT!

In the process we have isolated three vital components. They are:

Mind

Body

Spirit

You have heard of them. Today's blueprint considers the interplay of weight management to time spent in training. Or in layman's terms, how sugar is keeping you from that dream house. 

As a timely testimonial, one of our spinners recently took the summer off. She took it outside, enjoying sails on her boat, walking the dogs and vacationing in Hawaii. All this after a solid six months of high intensity spinning. You might expect a slight increase in body mass. BUT, as a result of her strict adherence to a low sugar, high protein diet, she shed 20 pounds in just 90 days. Proving, once again, the importance of ALL THREE components. You can be the most active participant of group fitness at your club, but if you don't practice good dietary protocols, your net net will be less than satisfying. Like having a thatched roof on your ultra-modern-green-solar mansion on the lakefront. You can be ox-like strong with zero range of motion, or rail thin with zero endurance, or average with zero vitality, or super rich with zero soul and addicted to meds, IF NOT COMPETENT IN ALL THREE.

MInd

Body

Spirit

I really like the combination of high intensity exercise coupled with a low sugar diet and daily reconnections to spirit. Pretty simply right? For the sake of an example let's consider today. In a rollicking class (where I had the honor of sharing a story of my dear Mother) we considered some math. That our 60 minute session represented 4% of the day. Now that we are firmly on the path to the other 96%, I plan on a low fat, low glycemic, high protein, plant based fueling strategy to control my blood insulin levels. There will be a run session (an easy 5K) and a leisurely 10 mile bike ride. Business will be conducted between those events (I will try to get smarter, learn something pertinent and new) and every hour I will stop, stretch, and metaphorically smell the roses. I will look, see, touch, feel, thank, serve and assist. I will sincerely add gratitude to the emotional mix, and send a cosmic I Love You note to someone special. 

I believe that with practice, this can become habitual. It will eventually morph into the 'us' that we first saw as a picture in a magazine. That vision of the 'new and improved" us we dream of and long for. Something wholesome and positive to dedicate our efforts towards in building that new dream house. 

Your house. 

(A very, very, VERY fine house. With two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard, now everything is easy, 'cause of you). 

We nailed the 4%, now let's get after the 96: Mind your Spirit. 

This shot at 0445 this morning brought a smile to face and oven-like warmth to my heart.