Surf or Melt!

Back in my university days (man they seem so long ago now) one of my friends had a saying he'd blurt out quite often, "Surf or melt!" Believe it or not, this bit of lingo from a bunch of keg-partying, class-skipping, wanna-be surfers actually conveys a fundamental piece of fitness advice.

As with so many other sports, surfers can be quite fanatical. They will drop everything to get out on the waves when a good swell hits. They LOVE what they're doing (some would argue a little too much) but that's the point. Sometimes they will go to great lengths and overcome enormous obstacles just to catch a tasty wave with some buds as Jeff Spicoli would say. (If you've never seen Fast Times at Ridgemont High you won't get this reference).

One of the four key methods to sticking with an exercise program is to join a community that does an activity you like, or better yet, love to do. You often see runners, cyclists, and swimmers training together even though these events are usually competed in as individuals. I saw a very large group of swimmers at Kits Pool this morning at 6 a.m. as I ran by on my morning run. Personally I can't stand swimming lengths in a pool so hat's off to them.

But back to the community aspect. Find an activity you like and then find other people who like it and join up with them. There are plenty of options out there and in this age of the internet, its not too hard to find them. And if you can't find a group, create your own. You may end up being surprised at how many people will join you.

I used this idea and will be staring up a Ultra Fitness Hiking Club in July. We're going to do this on Weds. nights beginning July 9 and we'll be doing a different hike on the North Shore each week. I'll send out more details next week so watch for that if you're interested. FYI - we will NOT be doing the Grouse Grind; there's a lot more to the North Shore than just "the Grind".

In the meantime, get together with some friends do something active and enjoy your long weekend. I'm taking my buddy Edmo's advice to "Surf or melt" and am heading to Tofino for a few days of surf, sun and long walks on the beach with my girlfriend and dog.

C.

www.ultrafitness.net

Public health policy can kill you

I was watching Global news this morning briefly and caught the health segment with Dr. Art Hister. Anchorman Steve Darling asked him about the recent death of Ted Russert the NBC News Bureau Chief. Ted at only 58 years old passed away "unexpectedly" from a massive heart attack.

Steve remarked that Ted's death was such a surprise because he didn't appear to be that unhealthy. This comment is what really got my attention and my blood racing. "Didn't appear unhealthy?" Well, he sure didn't appear to be a pillar of health either!

Here's a photo of Tim; that's him in the middle beside Patrick Ewing the great ex-NBA superstar. While Ted wouldn't qualify as obese, he certainly was overweight and I'd guess his abdominal girth was over the recommended 40" for men.

This isn't an attack on the man's character; I thought he was a brilliant journalist and his Meet the Press show was the only political show I could stand to watch (occasionally). The man was definitely a master at his craft and by all accounts a great person in other areas as well.

My point is, have our standards fallen so low that we don't even know what "healthy" looks like? Dr. Hister revealed that Ted had ongoing problems with cholesterol and was being treated for it.

Here was a situation in which you have: (1) high abdominal girth (often a sign of chronic elevated levels of cortisol, a "stress" hormone); (2) unhealthy cholesterol profile (indicates damage to the cardiovascular system) and (3) a high stress job (chronic elevated cortisol levels). I'm not sure about his blood pressure but I'd bet it was on the high side as well and I'd guess he was insulin sensitive (clue is the amount of fat around his sides). And his death was a surprise and unexpected?

Sadly I think Ted's situation has become too much the norm in our society. I've seen many high level executives in similar situations including more women who are quickly catching up to men in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. Ladies this is one area you most surely do not want equality.

So how does Ted's death tie in to the title of this post?

If his condition is the norm it is due in part because the dietary and exercise recommendations put out by most public policy organizations and by the government are woefully inadequate.

The Canada Food Guide is a joke. Seriously. The new US Food Pyramid is a bit better but still has big holes in it. Food labelling by the Heart & Stroke Foundation has been shown to be in conflict of interest and its labels for sale (see my earlier post on this issue).

One of the most stringent exercise recommendations put out by a well-respected fitness & health organization amounts to 2.5 hours of exercise or about 1500 calories burned per week. (Recommendations by other bodies are much, much lower).

However research from a number of sources including the National Weight Control Registry in the U.S. indicates that for long-term weight loss/maintenance and exercise adherence, you need to be doing 5 hours or burning about 3000 calories PER WEEK, each and every week. This amount is correlated strongly to those people who are happiest with their weight and who stick with an exercise program for longer than 6 months. We're not talking lab stuff here, we're talking real world application.

So why are the recommendations put out by major health organizations and governments so out of touch with what really works? Maybe their reasoning is the same as Jack Nicholson's when he yelled out his famous line from the movie A Few Good Men, "You can't handle the truth!"

They think the public cannot handle being told what it really takes to be healthy. I think the rational is "we can't tell people to do more because they won't do it so it's better to get them doing something at least." Set the bar low and more people will comply. Sounds logical right?

Well let's look at the results of that logic:

• Incidence of obesity in North American has reached EPIDEMIC proportions.
  
• Adult onset diabetes has skyrocketed in the last 20 years when it was once a rare condition.
  
• Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in Western society with cancer being a close second.

All of these diseases, while certainly having a genetic component to them, are largely affected by lifestyle. Following the public policy recommendations is not the way to avoid getting any of these illnesses. Following public health policies can lead you down the same path as Ted.

True, I believe you cannot and should not expect someone to go from being a coach potato for 20 years to exercising 5 hours a week in one week. There should be a progression to bring them to that level. But likewise, let's not kid ourselves by putting out guidelines that in the end will have minimal impact on one's long-term health.

Let's be honest on what it takes to be fit and healthy. I think the public can handle it. I'm upfront with people when they come in for their initial consultation and lifestyle review. I don't lie to them and say it won't take perseverance or be challenging (as are many of the best things in life).

In the end it comes down to personal choice. Do you want to be fit & healthy? Is it going to take some work? Yes, about 5 hours worth. Will it be easy? For most people probably not.

Can it be done? Most definitely!

C.

www.ultrafitness.net