Pumping iron isn't just for the guys!!

The worldwide phenomenon LES MILLS PUMP is here!  It's the first ever at-home version of BODYPUMP® - the incredibly popular series of gym classes created by Les Mills International and taught in 80 countries across the globe.

What makes LES MILLS PUMP so exciting?

Beachbody® and Les Mills International teamed up specifically to bring to the world the best trainers, the best chart - topping music, and the best body-changing PUMP moves, so the same results can now be achieved at home that millions of people get in gyms every day.

Done three times a week, this barbell-based rapid weight loss and accelerated strength-training program reshapes a person's entire body extremely fast!

Why is LES MILLS PUMP so effective?

It's all about THE REP EFFECT.  Unlike traditional strength workouts, which feature heavy weights that bulk people up, this program features light-to-moderate weights used at a higher rate of repetition.  The constantly changing tempo, body position, and speed of THE REP EFFECT breaks down more fat reserves, targets more muscle fibers, and burns morecalories than traditional weight training.  

What are the workouts like?

Muscles reach fatigue by performing 70-100 repetitions per body part. That's about 4 times more reps a standard gym workout.

Do people really have to work out only 3 times a week?

If they want, can they work out on other days too?  We encourage anyone to engage in non-resistance training workouts (such as cardio or cross-training) on days that they're not doing LES MILLS PUMP.

Who should do this program?

People of all ages and fitness levels.  Men and women who want to lose weight and get fit.  People who want leaner, stronger muscles.  Those new to working out

Visit barrywilsonbc.com for more info on Les Mills Pump (or just click on the banner at the top of this page)

 

Here's an excellent article by Whitney Provost on the benefits of weight lifting for women.

10 Reasons Why Women Need to Lift Weights

Many women believe that the only way to lose weight is to do cardiovascular (aerobic exercise). So they jog or take aerobics classes five times a week. Eventually, though, they notice that while their bodies are a little smaller, there are still a lot of flabby and jiggly bits. Sound familiar? Aerobic exercise is important for good health, but it's only half of the equation. Keep reading for the other half.

For optimal fitness, longevity, and a lean body, weight training is essential. If you avoid pumping iron because you're afraid of getting "bulky," then you're missing out on one of the best fat-burning methods around. When you're weight training, you shouldn't rely exclusively on the scale to gauge your progress. You can use a body fat tester or a tape measure to track how many inches you're losing. The size of your body will shrink as you shed fat and build muscle, but your weight may not change as dramatically as you expect. Besides, what's more important, the number on the scale or how you look in your skinny jeans? If you're still not convinced that you need to lift weights, here are 10 reasons why you should reconsider.
1. Burn more fat
Researchers at Tufts University found that when overweight women lifted heavy weights twice a week, they lost an average of 14.6 pounds of fat and gained 1.4 pounds of muscle. The control group, women who dieted but didn't lift weights, lost only 9.2 pounds of fat and gained no muscle. When you do an intense weight-training program such as ChaLEAN Extreme^®, your metabolism stays elevated and you continue to burn fat for several hours afterward. During regular cardio exercise, you stop burning fat shortly after the workout.

2. Change your body shape
You may think your genes determine how you look. That's not necessarily true. Weight training can slim you down, create new curves, and help avoid the "middle-age spread." Just look at the amazing body transformations of the women who've completed P90X®. Dropping only 3 percent of your body fat could translate into a total loss of 3 inches off your hips and thighs. And no, you won't bulk up—women don't have enough muscle-building hormones to gain a lot of mass like men do. If you keep your diet clean and create a calorie deficit, you'll burn fat.

3. Boost your metabolism
The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be. As women age, they lose muscle at increasing rates, especially after the age of 40. When you diet without doing resistance training, up to 25 percent of the weight loss may be muscle loss. Weight training while dieting can help you preserve and even rebuild muscle fibers. The more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you'll burn all day long.

4. Get stronger and more confident
Lifting weights increases functional fitness, which makes everyday tasks such as carrying children, lifting grocery bags, and picking up heavy suitcases much easier. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular weight training can make you 50 percent stronger in 6 months. Being strong is also empowering. Not only does it improve your physical activities, it builds emotional strength by boosting self-esteem and confidence.

5. Build strong bones
It's been well documented that women need to do weight-bearing exercise to build and maintain bone mass, and prevent osteoporosis. Just as muscles get stronger and bigger with use, so do bones when they're made to bear weight. Stronger bones and increased muscle mass also lead to better flexibility and balance, which is especially important for women as they age.
6. Fight depression
You've probably heard that cardio and low-impact exercises such as yoga help alleviate depression, and weight lifting has the same effect. The endorphins that are released during aerobic activities are also present during resistance training. Many women find that regular strength training, in conjunction with psychological treatment, helps lessen their depression symptoms substantially.

7. Improve sports fitness
You don't have to be an athlete to get the sports benefit of weight training. Improved muscle mass and strength will help you in all physical activities, whether it's bicycling with the family, swimming, golfing, or skiing . . . whatever sport you enjoy.

8. Reduce injuries and arthritis
Weight lifting improves joint stability and builds stronger ligaments and tendons. Training safely and with proper form can help decrease the likelihood of injuries in your daily life. It can also improve physical function in people with arthritis. A study conducted at the University of Wales in Bangor, United Kingdom, found that mildly disabled participants who lifted weights for 12 weeks increased the frequency and intensity at which they could work, with less pain and increased range of movement.

9. Heart health
More than 480,000 women die from cardiovascular disease each year, making it the number-one killer of women over the age of 25. Most people don't realize that pumping iron can also keep your heart pumping. Lifting weights increases your "good" (HDL) cholesterol and decreases your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol. It also lowers your blood pressure. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that people who do 30 minutes of weight lifting each week have a 23 percent reduced risk of developing heart disease compared to those who don't lift weights.

10. Defend against diabetes
In addition to keeping your ticker strong, weight training can improve glucose utilization (the way your body processes sugar) by as much as 23 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 weeks of strength training can improve glucose metabolism in a way that is comparable to taking diabetes medication. The more lean mass you have, the more efficient your body is at removing glucose from the blood, which can reduce complications from diabetes or even help prevent type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Tapering: When Less Is More

I am in the final week before running in the Half Marathon event at the BMO Vancouver Marathon, May 5 2013.  The final week of training before a race is referred to affectionately by runners as the "delicate taper".  Here is an excellent article by Dr. Greg Wells on the tapering for an event.

Tapering: When Less Is More by Dr. Greg Wells

 

Whether the race in your sights is a 5K walk or a marathon, the goal of your training is to be at your best when the gun goes off. To optimize your performance, you will need to have an effective taper - the final portion of your preparation where you decrease your mileage. By understanding the science of tapering, and the role that rest plays in all forms of exercise, you can achieve your goals. 

What is Tapering?

Tapering is a special training period immediately preceding the major competition during which the training stimulus is reduced in a systematic non-linear fashion to achieve a peak in performance. Optimal physiology, technique, and psychology are all outcomes of tapering. More scientifically, tapering produces a superior biological state characterized by perfect health, a quick adaptability to training stimuli, and a very good rate of recovery. The complete definition of taper is "a progressive non-linear reduction in the training load during a variable period of time, in an attempt to reduce the physiological and psychological stress of daily training and optimize sports performance." 1 Tapering has been shown to result in a performance improvement of 2-4% in most studies in laboratory and field performance tests as well as competition results.

Why Tapering Works

The thing to remember about training is that it is a continuous adaptation process. When you exercise, you cause microscopic tears in your skeletal muscles and release chemicals called "free radicals" that inhibit your body's performance. Your body interprets the damage as a sign that something has changed in its environment. From an evolutionary perspective, changes in the external setting require changes inside you, so your body repairs itself. But, just like the scientists who rebuilt the Six Million Dollar Man, your body will make you stronger and faster than you were before.
The primary objective of tapering is to decrease the training stress to allow for the body to recover and eliminate fatigue. When the training impulse is decreased, fatigue decreases more rapidly than fitness, and increased performance results from the increasing difference between the two factors. Thus, in a well-designed taper, the body becomes rested (with all the associated benefits) and the athlete's fitness level is well maintained. There are some amazing physiological adaptations that happen during a taper.
Researchers have also found increases in reticulocyte counts (new red blood cells) suggesting an increased erythropoiesis (red blood cell production) during taper. Tapering induces alterations in the contractile properties of single muscle fibres. The increased size, strength, velocity, and power of the muscle fibres results in improvements in whole body strength and power during the taper. Another interesting adaptation that has been shown in taper is the increase in eosinophils (believed to detoxify some of the inflammation inducing substances in the body and destroy allergen-antibody complexes, thus preventing the spread of inflammation) and lymphocyte (white blood cells that fight infection) cell counts. This suggests that there is an improvement in the body's capacity to resist illness during taper. And it's not just the body that is impacted. Tapering has been shown to have positive effects on the psychological state of athletes. Significant improvements in the Profile of Mood States, a questionnaire that measures tension, depression and anger, have been reported after 1 week of tapering, with significant improvements in total mood disturbance and fatigue. Other benefits include increased motivation, arousal, and psychological relaxation.
The catch is that if you don't allow for adequate rest on an ongoing basis and, in particular, at the end of your race training schedule, you will not give your body the time it needs to complete the upgrades. In effect, you will be doing the hard work and suffering the tear down process without reaping the rewards of recovery. 

What the Science Tells Us

Let's take a look at the research. In one study, scientists found that college distance runners improved their performance by 2% through an 80% reduction in their mileage.1 In another study, runners not only saw a 3% boost in performance after a three week taper, their MHC IIa muscle fibres actually grew.2 These fibres are responsible for power and speed, which means that these athletes got stronger and faster by doing less work. The body's ability to repair itself is truly amazing!
For all of us, the three stars of our training program are volume (amount of mileage), intensity (pace) and frequency (how often you train). The research tells us that athletes who decrease their training volume, maintain their workout frequency and train at or above race pace during their taper experience significant performance improvements. There is also evidence that you should decrease your volume in a non-linear fashion: large reductions in mileage early on in your taper and smaller changes near the end. Keeping in mind that reducing your volume does not include spending the week before the race on the couch. That would put you into detraining - the dreaded loss of muscle strength and aerobic fitness.

Improve your Performance

Here's a quick summary of the key ideas outlined above and some additional tapering truths that experienced athletes and geeks in lab coats have confirmed (yes, I am one of those geeks):
- A two week taper is ideal for major events.
- Train frequently but reduce your overall volume in a non-linear fashion.
- Activate all your energy systems. That means some speed work, hills and easy running. The key is to do as little total work as possible to make sure you get rested, but you keep your metabolism working.
- Get plenty of sleep. This allows time for growth hormones to be released which support proper muscle repair.
- Make sure you are well hydrated so your body has the fluid it needs for all of its critical processes.
- Ensure muscle growth by eating foods that are high in protein.
- Promote red blood cell production by eating foods that are high in iron and also by consuming Vitamin C, which helps you absorb the iron. More red blood cells will improve your body's ability to carry oxygen, making physical exertion easier and more efficient.
- Avoid stress. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, has a negative effect on the muscle repair process.
Applying the findings of science to your physical training will improve your performance, but you also need to be prepared for the mental experience of tapering. For example, you will have to resist the urge to slip in more miles as an outlet for your surplus energy. It's also possible you will feel a bit anxious about your decreased mileage. That's when you have to remind yourself that "less is more." Not to mention that a normal part of the taper phase is an inevitable workout when you find yourself dragging heavy legs and looking at your watch every few minutes. You need to trust the science that tells us tapering is good.
So that's what you need to know.  As race day approaches, modify your training and remember to congratulate yourself on what is already an amazing achievement: living actively, working toward a goal and taking care of your body. All of which is an important part of living the vibrant and energetic life you and your body deserve.

I'm Too Old For This #@%!

No you are not!  You are never too old for fitness and their are a lot of good reasons why you should care about your fitness in your middle-age years and beyond! 

Check out Bob Michael's P90X Success at age 60.  Bob recently finished 90 days of P90X and is in the best shape of his life!  Bob shared his video with Beachbody as a message of hope for baby boomers like himself.

Click this text for a video of Bob

The following is an article I found in the New York Times by Gretchen Reynolds that discusses how being physically fit “compresses the time” that someone is likely to spend being debilitated during old age, leaving the earlier post-retirement years free of serious illness and, at least potentially, imbued with a finer quality of life.

The Benefits of Middle-Age Fitness

 

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

 

(North) Americans are living longer, with our average life expectancy now surpassing 78 years, up from less than 74 years in 1980. But we are not necessarily living better. The incidence of a variety of chronic diseases, like diabetes and heart disease, has also been growing dramatically, particularly among people who are not yet elderly.
The convergence of those two developments has led to what some researchers have identified as a “lengthening of morbidity.” That means we are spending more years living with chronic disease and ill health — not the outcome that most of us would hope for from a prolonged life span.
But a notable new study published last week in Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that a little advance planning could change that prospect. Being or becoming fit in middle age, the study found, even if you haven’t previously bothered with exercise, appears to reshape the landscape of aging.
For the study, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the Cooper Institute in Dallas gathered medical records for 18,670 middle-aged men and women who’d visited the Cooper Clinic (the medical arm of the Cooper Institute) for a checkup beginning in 1970.
The 18,670 men and women, with an average age of 49, were healthy and free of chronic diseases at their first checkup, when they all took a treadmill test to determine their aerobic fitness. Based on the results of this initial fitness test, the researchers divided the group into five fitness categories, with the bulk of the people residing, like most Americans, in the least-fit section.
Then, in a first-of-its-kind data comparison, the researchers checked the same individuals’ Medicare claim records (with permission) from 1999 through 2009, by which time most of the participants were in their 70s or 80s.
What they found was that those adults who had been the least fit at the time of their middle-age checkup also were the most likely to have developed any of eight serious or chronic conditions early in the aging process. These include heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and colon or lung cancer.
The adults who’d been the most fit in their 40s and 50s often developed many of the same conditions, but notably their maladies appeared significantly later in life than for the less fit. Typically, the most aerobically fit people lived with chronic illnesses in the final five years of their lives, instead of the final 10, 15 or even 20 years.
While this finding might not seem, on its face, altogether positive — the fit and the unfit alike generally became infirm at some point, the Medicare records showed — the results should be viewed as encouraging, says Dr. Benjamin Willis, a staff epidemiologist at the Cooper Institute who led the study. “I’m 58, and for me, the results were a big relief,” Dr. Willis said.
That’s because, he points out, the results show, in essence, that being physically fit “compresses the time” that someone is likely to spend being debilitated during old age, leaving the earlier post-retirement years free of serious illness and, at least potentially, imbued with a finer quality of life.
Interestingly, the effects of fitness in this study statistically were greater in terms of delaying illness than in prolonging life. While those in the fittest group did tend to live longer than the least fit, perhaps more important was the fact that they were even more likely to live well during more of their older years.
Of course, aging is a complicated process and extremely individualized, with the onset or absence of illness representing only one element in quality of life after age 65 or so. But it is a big element, says Dr. Jarett Berry, an assistant professor of internal medicine at U.T. Southwestern and an author of the study. “And since it appears to be associated with midlife fitness, it is amenable to change,” he continues.
While aerobic fitness is partly determined by genetics, and to that extent, the luck of the universe, much of a person’s fitness, especially by middle age, depends on physical activity, Dr. Berry says.
So, exercising during midlife, especially if you haven’t been, can pay enormous later-life benefits, he says. “Our study suggests that someone in midlife who moves from the least fit to the second-to-the-least-fit category of fitness gets more benefit,” in terms of staving off chronic diseases, than someone who moves to the highest fitness grouping from the second-highest.
And moving out of that least-fit category requires, he says, “only a small dose of exercise,” like 20 or 30 minutes of walking on most days of the week.
“You don’t have to become an athlete,” says Dr. Willis, who himself has little time for exercise but tries to fit in a daily walk. “Just getting up off the couch is key.”

Don't We All Remember Our First?

In 12 days I will run in the BMO Vancouver Marathon for the 3rd time.  This year I am running in the Half Marathon (21.1K) event with a personal best time of less than 2 hours, 2 minutes and 8 seconds as my goal.  Actually, I want the first number in my official time to be a 1!  Last spring I ran my very first marathon at the 2012 BMO Vancouver Marathon and in 2011 I ran my very first Half Marathon there. As my race approaches I am thinking back to how far I have come, how I have come to love running as a lifestyle and past time, and I want to encourage others who have ever contemplated a half or full marathon to GO FOR IT!

I originally wrote this piece in May of 2011 on the heels of my first half marathon.  It is full of the raw emotion of reaching way outside my comfort zone and achieving success.  I read it again to inspire myself and I want to share it with you here.  You will see the origin of my profile pic taken by my daughter Cassidy and once you have read the story you'll understand its significance in my journey.  I hope you enjoy it.

I remember my first hat-trick in hockey, the first time I shot par in golf, my first free-fall skydiving, my first bungee jump – and I remember vividly my first half marathon.  For those who have participated in a big city run – I hope this brings you fond memories of your first.  For those that haven’t yet – hopefully you find it at least amusing to hear from my perspective what it was like for me.  

I also need to be clear that my journey to this place was made possible in large measure to Steve Price, Owner of Dream Travel Inc and Shelley Beaubien, National Clinic Administrator at the Running Room.  They were my Running Room online coaches and saw me through all 18 weeks of my training with tremendous advice and support.

Registration and kit pickup

It was very exciting to walk up to the Expo tent with all the people and the realization that I am here. As I walked into the expo, it hit me that this is a really big event and I’m part of it! I felt really proud because I felt like I belonged there – right from the start. I knew I had worked hard and had earned the right to race. I was also relieved that there were no issues with registration, my chip read right and all seemed in order. When we went by the Running Room area the second time I spotted John Stanton and he saw me too and waved. I went over and said hi and he remembered me from my first 5K in Kelowna the previous fall – it was really great to introduce him to my family. He chatted with us all, signed my book and was pleased to have a picture of all of us taken with him. That was really great! I walked out of the expo supercharged and feeling terrific.

Saturday morning jog

After a somewhat interrupted night thanks to our hotel neighbours, I’m out for a 3k loosen up jog at 8 am. I plan to run part of the race start and experience the little hill on Beatty Street. Once I’m out of the hotel it feels so good to run! It is a sunny but cool morning and there is very little traffic around. I jog down the stairs to the start of the race and start down the route for the first time. I feel wonderful – my legs have been aching from not running for two days and the slow taper week. I cruise up Abbot Street and turn up the hill on Beatty – it’s nothing – I don’t feel it all – this is awesome! I am tempted to take off down the viaduct and keep running but know that would be too much this morning – I have to be patient and save my energy. I jog back to the hotel and get ready for a great day of hanging out with my family – relaxin’.

Saturday afternoon and evening

After a few hours at the Vancouver Aquarium, Karen and the kids go shopping and I went back to the hotel to rest my legs. I try to sleep but the Canucks hockey game starts in two hours and the fans are arriving outside and they are noisy. I decide to get my gear ready, pin my bib, lace my chip, place everything in a separate drawer so that I can pull it out in order in the morning and put it on. This is good therapy.

In the evening we go to the Spaghetti Factory and I have bread with butter, salad with Italian dressing and a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce. I pass on ice cream – too much fat right before the race and I’ve already had a bunch of butter. We get to bed by 11 pm and I fall right asleep. I have a great sleep. Wake up once at 4 am to go to the bathroom.

Race Day

Up at 5 am. I’m rested, not tired and not too anxious either. I hit the bathroom and then get my gear on – then have some yogurt, oat flakes, banana and water for breakfast. Two more bathroom tries and we are out the door by 6:10. My family was awesome and we’re ready to go on time! I was wearing old sweats over my running gear that I planned to take off in the line and leave – it was about 7 degrees or so. In the end, I left my bag with my stepson Jake and put the sweats in there as it wasn’t that cold and I didn’t want to have to deal with the gear check. Once we got down there I immediately got in line for the bathroom. I felt really good – not nervous at all – just ready. We made plans for meeting up after the race and then I went to get my spot in line. I jogged about 500 m or so just to get the blood moving in my legs and warm up a bit. Got set up right behind the 2hr pace bunnies. I chatted a bit with runners near me and then heard shouts from above – my daughter Cassidy, Jake and Karen up on the viaduct and taking pics. 

We start

Once the race started I was happy to get going, started my watch as I crossed the start and away we went. There was adequate room in the pack – not as cramped as I felt at the start in Kelowna. The inside of the corners got jammed up and I and others jumped up on the sidewalk on the first corner. (Looking back on it – it’s ok to slow down and stay on the road). We ran the first K around 5:50 walk-adjusted (WA) pace – perfect for me. The bunnies picked it up right away after that and we settled in on about a 5:25 – 5:30 WA pace. This felt very comfortable to me – my breathing was solid and my legs felt good. An interesting phenomenon I noticed is how quiet it gets in the pack. When you start there is lots of chatter and announcers and music. Then you get out on the road there are fans cheering on the side of the road, but it’s very quiet in the pack – just footsteps. It’s quite calming to be in there surrounded by everyone and feeling comfortable. I really liked that feeling of being comfortable at the pace and kind of the camaraderie of being with so many others doing the same. I like to run in the middle of the road – no camber.  I ran past the first hydration station before I noticed it – luckily had water on board. Around 3 K I tossed my blue gloves off to the side of the road – plenty warm now. I had a GU around 4K with some water – feeling really good!

Downtown and Stanley Park

Karen and the kids were waiting at Pender and Cambie and I ran over to the side to see them. We high-fived as I went by and that was a HUGE boost for me!  Cassidy took this pic - what a great moment!  Through the downtown another kewl phenomenon – the sound of the footsteps is amplified and reverberated down at you off the high rise buildings. I got water at around 7K and that felt really good. Next we headed into Stanley Park and just held the same 5:30 pace all the way to the hill. We passed 10K around 56 minutes and half-way right on the hour. I GU at about 10K. I have had to pee since the first K and it is starting to be on my mind. I’m checking the bushes along the road and contemplating dashing in there but don’t.
 

The Hill

I now have the experience behind me and it will be easier to deal with next time. But the hill (Prospect Point) was making me very anxious. I have thought about it for months and, quite frankly, gave it too much credit. This would turn out to be a problem for me later. I kept thinking, ok, just around that corner is the hill – this happened for 3 turns and still no hill!! I can hear a lot of cheering and a loud band ahead – that must be it. (a look at my Garmin data shows my heart is racing now – so anxious about the hill). Finally, there it is. I see runners ahead of me already a ways up the hill and they look solid. I brace myself and say I can do this....
We turn the corner at the bottom around the giant cedar – it’s pretty steep but not as steep as my hill repeats hill. I slow down a bit and try to shorten my stride, pump my arms and steady my breathing (the Garmin data shows my heart rate has dropped dramatically at this point – key learning – it is easier to do it than to worry about it). The hill itself is not bad at all. I chug up there steady and pass quite a few people. I take a breather at the switchback and walk for about 15 seconds – then keep running. The bunnies are ahead of me now and so I try to keep up. They don’t really stop for water at the top – I do. I think for a moment – ok, that’s over with and wasn’t too bad. I head down the small dip after the summit and on the way up the other side I start to really feel my legs go to rubber. I notice there is a bathroom available so I quickly run in there to pee.

Hill Karma….. Really?

From 14 K to about 17 K I struggle. My legs are weak, I feel I’m very tired, I’m hot and thirsty. I found myself having to take more frequent walk breaks but I try to keep them short so that I’m not losing a lot of time. As it turns out, my Garmin data shows I kept up the same pace – but I really felt like I might not be able to make it. The cheering people along the road really did help keep me going – this was where I had to dig deep in my gut and just plow through. I had consumed all my onboard water but had planned to GU at 15K – so I did with no water. I believe I accumulated a bunch of lactic acid just prior to the hill and on it – and the effects played out in the next 3 K. There was water around 16 K and I needed it so badly – 2 cups on my head and one in my belly.

Second Wind

I could see the Burrard bridge in the distance and thought – oh man, that’s a long way off, then there’s Granville, and still a long way to go...can I do this? Then something happened – the GU kicked in, the lactic acid cleared, I cooled down...I’m not sure, but it’s almost like I woke up. And there in front of me was the little hill under the Granville bridge. It looked like about 200m and pretty steep. Ok, dig in, shorten the stride, pump the arms, breath...near the top I started to walk – my legs are VERY tired – but not dead.   There is a God – as I turn the corner at the top of the hill with lots of people cheering, the road goes slightly downhill and there’s a water station!!! After another cup of water on my head and two in I start to run again. My legs are so heavy again! But I have new resolve. I’m almost at 2 hrs elapsed time and I know I will not make my goal time – I need to be smart. So I take a full 1 minute walk break, gather my composure and get ready to run it out.   A minute gone by, OK – start running. I feel much better – I’m sore but my legs feel lighter and I have renewed confidence. I can see the stadium and I can hear the distant cheering is very loud. I CAN DO THIS! I’m close now – its only a couple of K! I settle into a nice steady run pace and resolve to just hold it – just keep running this pace till I’m there – no more stopping! I’m able to settle in and am really buoyed by the cheering supporters. 

I hear screaming from above me.  Looking up I see my family hanging over the overpass cheering wildly for me. I wave, give a big smile – they give me another big boost – wow that was GREAT! I can see the end now, just keep running steady pace – smile – yes, I’m almost there. As I approach the finish I put my hands in the air – not because I want a good photo – but because I DID IT!! I did not give in, I gave it my all, and I finished!

I collect my medal and revel in the fact I’m done – oh how good that feels!! More water and the best quad stretching of my life! 

I feel like I have really accomplished something big – this was big for me – wow!

Don't Like Running? Go For A Walk!

I love to run.  But, it is not for everyone.  For the millions of people who either can’t stand running or jogging or maybe can't because of previous injuries, the good news is that a study in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology has concluded that walking is as good for you as running to help you live longer and in better health.

Researchers analyzed data from 33,060 runners in the National Runners’ Health Study and 15,045 walkers in the National Walkers’ Health Study and concluded that over a 6 year period, people who regularly walk BRISKLY were able to lower their cholesterol levels, lower their blood pressure levels, and improve bother their diabetes coronary heart disease risk profiles as much as the runners were.

The key to this though is that you walk briskly, not sauntering or loafing along. Your heart rate should be up and you may even break a sweat.  You don't have to walk like the Olympic Race Walkers - that's really hard!! - but it should still be a vigourous activity.

According to John Stanton, founder of the Running Room, 63% of Canadians aren't getting the recommended amount of daily exercise, and it's adding up: heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure are all on the rise. It is the same story in the United States where the US Surgeon General has declared that obesity is the greatest threat to that country.

 

But something as simple as taking a few extra steps a day can make a huge difference: moving more leads to more energy, improved sleep quality, and better heart health.

So this weekend do yourself a favour - go for a walk, a brisk one!

WORK OUT LIKE A WARRIOR And carve a lean, chiseled body in 60 days!

Starting May 1st, I'm going to Coach a small group of people through a 60 day Challenge to complete the ultimate mixed martial arts workout program!

 Each of the Challengers will not only have a lot of fun and get in awesome shape but they will also have a chance to win $100,000!  Will you be one of them?

I'm looking for a few people that want to take part in the ultimate mixed martial arts workout program! Get ready to punch, kick, block, and strike your way to an outrageously shredded body with 7 calorie-blasting and muscle-defining workouts.  You'll do it in the comfort of your own home on your own schedule and I'll coach you!

To learn more, here's 4 ways to contact me.  Visit my Coaching website at barrywilsonbc.com, become my friend on Facebook, join the barrywilsonbc Fit Club community on Facebook and follow us on twitter.

Do it right away though - May is on its way and you should be Committed about 10 days in advance so you can start on time!

A couple of months ago I was reasonably fit (ran over 1600 kms last year) but I was still overweight.  I Decided, Committed and Succeeded by doing the Les Mills Warrior program for 60 days and drinking Shakeology every day.  Here's my results:

Weight - down 10 lbs
Waist - down 3.5 inches
Hips - down 1 inch
Chest - down 2 inches
Arms - down 1/2 inch but more definition
Thighs - same but traded fat for muscle

Is it only for men?  Hell no!  Look what Monika did!

 

The Science -Why LES MILLS COMBAT Gets Results:

The secret is Fast Twitch Integration Training. LES MILLS COMBAT blasts your fast twitch muscle fibers—the ones with the greatest capacity for change—by taking the most dynamic moves from 6 unique mixed martial arts disciplines and combining them in increasingly intense sequences.

Burn up to 1,000 calories per hour.
You'll be doing Karate/Kung Fu, Capoeira, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai/Kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do and Boxing—all in a single workout—and burning up to 1,000 calories per hour!

Meet the Master Trainers

Dan Cohen is a former British Master Kickboxing Champion and runner-up for the World Kickboxing Championship.

Rach Newsham is a graduate of the world-renowned WMC Lamai Muaythai Camp in Thailand.

For the past 14 years, they’ve taught and inspired thousands around the world with their passion, intensity, and enthusiasm. They’ll push you to get results you never dreamed possible.

What do you need to be successful with LES MILLS COMBAT?

Fitness + Nutrition + Support + Rewards = Success

As your coach, I'll get you access to the workouts, provide guidance on nutrition, give you daily support and show you how to ensure you are eligable for prizes - the rewards of fitness and health are yours to keep!

4 ways to contact me.  Visit my Coaching website at barrywilsonbc.com, become my friend on Facebook, join the barrywilsonbc Fit Club community on Facebook and follow us on twitter.

Do it right away though - May is on its way and you should be Committed about 10 days in advance so you can start on time! 

Home Fitness Guru Tony Horton tells us how to succeed!

Keep it simple - develop a healthful lifestyle that works for you and gives you the life you want.  Pretty easy!  Click on Tony's picture for some real motivation GOLD!