I just published another article at Active.com titled The 3 Cycles of Periodization Training.  The article is geared toward cyclists and multisport athletes, and describes the foundation of periodization: macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles.  It also describes how you can improve your training and athletic performance by effectively applying these cycles.  I hope you find it helpful!

NEXT POST – June 3, 2012                      

Cycle Log: Competition Phase Week 7

This one is personal and I mean that in a very positive way. The essence of these weight loss tips is that you can find great success by choosing one or two tips to implement in your daily life.  You don’t have to do all of them!  Back in January 2005, I weighed about 60 lbs more than I do today.  Of course, I took a variety of steps to facilitate the weight loss process that took me from 210 to 150 lbs but the most significant step I took was (and continues to be) adhering to today’s tip. You see, my problem, like many of us, was late night eating. I estimate that I took in 250-500 calories every night after 7:00pm. I solved this problem by ceasing all late evening food consumption. Yes, it was really that simple and I significantly reduced my caloric intake.  To be honest, when I began this process, I ate a lot of food between 6:30 and 7:00.  But as I adjusted, I slowly returned to normal eating before 7:00pm (i.e., a nice dinner) and ceased to have problems with hunger later in the evening.  Today, I rarely eat after 6:00pm (I have a cup of tea or two in the evening) and I still weigh 150 lbs.  Of course, it helps that I ride a bike over 5,000 miles a year!

NEXT POST – June 3, 2012                      

Cycle Log: Competition Phase Week 7

Week 6 is the third week of the second mesocycle of my 2012 Competition Phase (click here for a detailed description of macrocyles, mesocycles and microcycles).  Here are the actual workouts with the plan for the week of May 21 to 27, 2012 (click here to download my plan for the Competition Phase).

Week of 5/21/12	Mon	Tues	Wed	Th	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
Goal	1.0 AR	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	OFF	3.0
Actual	1.0 AR	OFF	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	3.0

                                             

This was the second of two pure recovery weeks I am taking to recuperate from the first half of the racing season.  I feel much better and stronger than last week.  My lingering soreness and fatigue is gone.  The intermittent achy lower back I had for the past couple of months is also gone.  I feel completely revitalized and ready to start training for my big events in August and September.  I get started tomorrow.  As always, I’ll let you know how it goes.  Have a wonderful Memorial day and a great week!

NEXT POST –May 30, 2012

Lose Weight WITHOUT Dieting: Tip #66

For my last tip, I suggested you increase your daily water intake as a way of burning fat and losing weight.  One way to do this is to replace sugary drinks like fruit juices with water.  So what’s wrong with fruit juice?  That’s a fair question and in reality, an occasional glass of juice is fine.  The problem lies in the perception many of us have regarding fruit juices.  We often think they are healthy beverages that can be consumed in significant quantities with no ill effects.  In reality, most juice drinks are high in sugar and offer relatively little nutritional value.  For example, an 8 ounce glass of apple juice has 120 calories and 28 grams of sugar.  Cranberry juice has 130 calories with 32 grams of sugar.  Orange juice has significant amounts of Vitamin C but at a cost of 140 calories and 28 grams of sugar.  Grape juice is one of the worst offenders with 170 calories and 40 grams of sugar in an 8 ounce glass.  As I mentioned earlier, an occasional glass of juice is fine.  However, if you are a frequent juice drinker, I suggest you swap some of those drinks for water and eat the fruit instead.  It offers far greater nutritional content.

NEXT POST – May 27, 2012                     

Cycle Log: Competition Phase Week 6

Week 5 is the second week of the second mesocycle of my 2012 Competition Phase (click here for a detailed description of macrocyles, mesocycles and microcycles).  Here are the actual workouts with the plan for the week of May 14 to 20, 2012 (click here to download my plan for the Competition Phase).                         

Week of 5/14/12	Mon	Tues	Wed	Th	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
Goal	1.0 AR	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	OFF	3.0
Actual	1.0 AR	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	1.0 AR	OFF	OFF	3.0

                                             

This was the first of two pure recovery weeks I am taking to recuperate from the first half of the racing season.  Recovery weeks like this are very interesting because you can experience a variety of physiological reactions.  For example, I had extremely brief bouts of soreness in both knees and a longer bout of mild soreness in my neck.  I haven’t had any leg muscle soreness as of yet but that may still occur during my second recovery week.  However, by this time next week, I expect to be completely revitalized.  As always, I’ll let you know how it goes.  Have a great week!

NEXT POST –May 23, 2012

Lose Weight WITHOUT Dieting: Tip #65

It has long been suggested that drinking copious amounts of water can help you lose weight.  It’s true for several reasons.  First, we all know that exercise is an excellent way to burn calories, increase your metabolism and lose weight.  However, maintaining a successful exercise regimen requires significant fluid intake, which should include both water and sports drinks (when exercising for more than an hour).  Second, whether you exercise or not, you need to drink considerable amounts of water to stay hydrated.  This is important because dehydration slows the fat burning process.  It also causes a decrease in your metabolism (the number of calories you burn at rest). 

Third, by replacing soft drinks, juices and other sugary drinks with water, you can significantly reduce your daily caloric intake.  You may also reduce the amount of calories you take in during a meal by drinking water before and during that meal.  So drink up and watch the fat melt away!

NEXT POST – May 20, 2012                     

Cycle Log: Competition Phase Week 5