Time-restricted eating

There’s a new trend in nutritional science that espouses skipping breakfast altogether or postponing breakfast until later in the day. Sound crazy? It’s not. It actually makes good sense.

In the past, as a nutritionist I would vary my advice depending on the individual and their particular health issues but for the most part encouraged eating breakfast for this reason: raising blood sugar levels and thereby energy levels, setting the tone for the rest of the day. Balance that advantage with the obverse: waiting to eat, doing some light activity and in so doing, burning more body fat. Added to which, the digestive system gets a longer break.

I have advised some clients to give their system at least 12 hours of rest which means restricting eating and drinking to the first bite (or sip) in the morning to the last bite you take at night. This might be 8:00am to 8:00 pm. During the interim period, the digestive system is less taxed and therefore able to do its work better when it receives more food the next day. So, none of this is new.

What is new is the idea that this time restricted eating might have other benefits we’ve never before considered. These include increased muscle mass, improved physical endurance, reduced risk of breast cancer and slowing the aging process. What’s also new is the notion that any ingestible substance you put in your mouth besides water will trigger xenobiotic metabolism – the set of metabolic pathways that modify the chemical structure of compounds foreign to the body’s normal chemistry. This includes coffee and unfortunately even lemon water!

Why does this make sense?

Humans are diurnal beings which means we are on a circadian rhythm (a biological process that displays an oscillation of 24 hours). How does this affect digestion? When we eat, the presence of food activates enzymes that work best during a 12 hour daytime period. After 12 hours the enzymes start to shut down and so food eaten at night is not properly digested upon consumption. During periods of fasting, your body spends less energy digesting food and more energy repairing and regenerating new healthy cells. So if you are one of those people who get up in the night to eat, you might want to reconsider that practice.

If you are an athlete, restricted eating is important for muscle gains and endurance. If you can limit yourself to an even shorter window than 12 hours, you may experience even more benefits, 9 hours being the minimum window for eating, 15 hours for fasting.

But anybody can benefit from this regime. There are many more advantages and few, if any, disadvantages. So why not try it? Your health could be better off for it.

If you are interested in learning more about time restricted eating, I encourage you to search for information by Dr. Rhonda Patrick and/or Dr. Satchin Panda, the leading researchers on this phenomenon.

Kettlebell swings: the anti-sitting exercise

You may not realize it, but every day you spend sitting at a desk or in a car or on a couch, you are training that position: bent knees, bent hips, hunched shoulders. Our pectorals, hip flexors and hamstrings are becoming shortened and tightened. 

Spending long hours in cubicles not moving is making the front of our body tighter. And then we go home and slouch on the couch adding to the problem.

The kettlebell swing is here to help! It will help you lose fat, gain flexibility and strength.

The overuse of the muscles on the front of our bodies leads to a condition known as “anterior dominance”. Anterior dominance results in imbalances in our muscles causing us to move and perform at sub-optimal levels. It compresses our lungs so that instead of taking deep long breaths into our belly like we were born to do, we take short, panicked breaths in our upper chests.

This explains our deteriorating posture which gives the impression of being weak and apprehensive as opposed to standing erect with our head up projecting confidence.

But, all is not lost! There is one exercise that can combat the ill effects of anterior dominance – the kettlebell swing.

The kettlebell swing is the perfect antidote to a sitting lifestyle. But, only if it is executed correctly! Beginners want to make it a squat and shoulder raise (because that is where they are naturally strong). It is neither. It is an exercise for the posterior chain. It requires primarily a hinging of the hip, not a bending of the knee. The knees will bend slightly but the hips will bend more. The back will be flat and the shoulders will be down. The upper back muscles will keep the shoulders from hunching forward.

All this works to improve the posture by opening up the chest and pulling the shoulders back. The net result being a chest out, head up posture in the body that exudes confidence.

Performing the kettlebell swing properly will combat the ills of anterior dominance by loosening tight hips and strengthening the glutes (butt). It will develop a strong core and burn belly fat in the process.

Isn’t it time to start swinging? Seek out a certified kettlebell instructor to learn the proper technique and get started on a lifetime of good posture, balanced muscles and better overall health.

Are your workouts making you sick?

Have you experienced nausea while working out? If so, it is a good idea to check with your physician to see that everything is okay. The cause could be a reaction to toxins being released in the body at a faster rate than they can be properly disposed of.

High intensity exercise can act like a furnace to bacteria killing the bacteria and releasing large quantities of toxins into your bloodstream. At the same time this type of exercise can release toxic stress chemicals stored in your fatty tissues. This places a toxic burden on your immune system albeit temporarily, which is why improving nutrition in the first weeks prior to these workouts and doubling hydration afterwards is critical.

This condition of detoxification during intense exercise is referred to as a ‘healing crisis’. The body is working hard to eliminate waste products through any and all channels so it can return to normal levels.

These symptoms usually present in the first few weeks of an exercise program. About 2-4 days after a very severe session you may feel horrible, like you’re coming down with the flu. But these symptoms are part of your body processing out toxic burden, impurities and imbalances.

In more serious situations, you may go through small crises like this for a longer duration, cleansing out the toxicity and restoring the purification process of stored waste by-products from high intensity exercise back into a free flowing state. For these more serious conditions, I strongly suggest working with an endocrinologist and/or naturopathic physician.

Nausea is just one of a variety of reactions that may manifest during a healing crisis. Other reactions may include the following:

·         Arthritis

·         Joint Ache

·         Cramping

·         Diarrhea

·         Headache

·         Nausea

·         Congestion

·         Fever

·         Chills

·         Rashes

·         Hives

·         Fatigue

·         Restlessness

·         Insomnia

·         Moodiness

·         Rage

·         Anxiety

Hydrate before and after each workout session. To calculate your individual requirement, multiply your weight by 14.8.  The result is the amount of fluids in millilitres your body requires on a daily basis.  Add one liter of fluid for each hour of exercise.  This includes all beverages as well as moisture in foods, which accounts for about 20% of total water intake. Juice and herbal tea may help you flush out these toxins.

In addition the following will help expedite your elimination of the toxicity: sleep, bowel movements / enemas, acupuncture, massage, steam baths, dry saunas, soaking in Epsom salts, lots of green veggies, naps, and if necessary, skip your next workout session.

To reiterate, see your physician for a check up. This article is not a replacement for doctor’s advice. It could be something that was dormant or not noticeable until you trained intensely. Be safe and have yourself checked.

Overcome unnecessary discomforts and get back to enjoying the benefits of challenging workouts.

Journey to Level II - Handstands and back bridges

Box-assisted handstand pushups

In February I wrote a blog about my journey to Agatsu Kettlebell Level II Certification. I began it with the intention of writing regular updates detailing my progress. But no updates have yet occurred because I have not felt there has been any progress worth writing about.

By way of recap, the Level II certification requirements – 5 out of the 7 of which are bodyweight skills – are highly challenging. For most of last year, I worked under the tutelage of Sara, Senior instructor with Agatsu. Then in November, I started following the Agatsu Advanced Online Training program, which is intended to help people develop a solid foundation of fundamental skills in a wide range of movements. Agatsu believes that being a good generalist is a worthwhile goal, and that being well-rounded results in the healthiest functional physique, a concept I agree with. As such the workouts are varied and never boring.

Since January I have been doing these workouts 5 days a week. Each one takes a minimum of 90 minutes but most often between 2 and 3 hours. This includes mobility, stretching, locomotion, strengthening, conditioning and more stretching. Like me, you might think that this volume of work would yield fast results. But I was mistaken.

Progress has come at a snail’s pace; however, I have a few minor milestones to report. Last month, I had a breakthrough on my back bridge. An exercise called wall walking requires you to bend backwards toward the wall and walk your hands down the wall to the floor and then back up for 5 reps, holding the lowest position for 10 seconds. There was a measurable improvement from my hands stopping at 30 inches from the floor to 8 in a couple of months; I can now get all the way to the floor.  The next goal will be to bend backwards from standing without the wall there for support.

In terms of endurance, I can now hold the back bridge for 3 minutes which is one of the requirements.

In March I took 2 weeks off training travel to Morocco, so I experienced a small setback but I got back on track right away. I continued to stretch and do mobility exercises while I was there but did not do any strength training.

Today, I had another milestone. I have been working hard on handstands, the kind where your whole body is straight as board. Today, on my first set of handstand holds, I found my feet coming away from the wall without making a conscious effort to do so. I could only keep them off for a few seconds at a time but it was a breakthrough nevertheless. Shawn Mozen says that any hold under 10 seconds is a happy accident. This accident made me very happy and I am sure it will happen more often as my body begins to figure out where it should be in this inverted position.

This same day, I had one more achievement. While I have been doing endurance holds facing the wall for some time, the ultimate goal is a free-standing handstand. One of the progressions is a forearm supported handstand with a box. I started on these very recently and today, managed to find my balance – with the help of the box – and take both legs off the wall for almost 30 seconds! This may seem small but I feel it was a major breakthrough because I was able to experience what it felt like to hold myself upside down in the air, albeit with assistance from the box.

By sharing these details with you I hope you will see that progress sometimes comes slow. It will not be the same for everyone. Some people would be much farther ahead than I am currently. But if you are confident with your training program, only persistence and effort will get you to where you want to be. Although my patience is being tested, I am hopeful that the effort will continue to pay off if only in tiniest of increments.

[Note: This post was written in April but not posted until June. Next update coming soon.]

Memories of Morocco - Part XII - What happens in Essaouira...

Thursday morning breakfast is on the rooftop terrace. With time to sleep in, for a change Anne and I arrive last for breakfast. The sun is warm and there is little wind. From the rooftop we can see many surrounding rooftops but they do not obscure the ocean.

Afterwards Anne, Brian and I wander down to the beach and walk along the shore trying to avoid incoming tide. The beach is alive with people, horses, camels and surfers. After more than an hour of walking we decide to turn around in need of some hydration. The length of the beach is deceiving, extending much farther than the eye can see. We stop at the first outdoor cafe for a banana juice and French fries.

"Camel beach"

We spend the afternoon walking the streets of the medina shopping for gifts to take back home. Moroccans love their drums, of all sizes and shapes. The Moroccan square hand drum, made of goat skin and hand painted with henna on both sides, is not only a musical instrument, but a work of art. Its small size makes it suitable for transporting in a suitcase. Anne and I each buy one plus we split on one to give as a gift for Scotty.

On our way back we discover the world’s most delicious juice is made right across from our riad: freshly made orange/ lemon juice with ginger and sweetened with sugar which they extract from the sugar cane using an expeller machine.

Sugar cane expeller

For dinner Anne and I go to a restaurant that is an outdoor square with dozens of stray cats. I have the most delicious chicken couscous imaginable. Unfortunately, this means I overindulge yet again and there is no prospect of riding it off the next day.

Anne has scoped out a spa for us to visit on Friday morning. A traditional hammam includes a body scrub, facial and massage. This spa has day hours for women only; evening hours for men. Given their culture one might expect the women might be prudish, but they were quite the opposite. You remove all your clothes except for underpants and lie face down on the tile floor. The temperature is hot and humid like a sauna. They dump buckets of warm water on you and then they scrub you down on both sides and leave you lying there for an undetermined period during which I became quite restless. When the masseuses finally reappeared they poured more buckets of warm water on us and told us to sit up so could wash our hair. After that we moved to massage tables and they worked on our muscles after applying a mud mask to our faces. One more dousing of warm water and we were invited to leave.

Feeling quite refreshed and invigorated, we went back to the hotel to dry our hair before going out for lunch. We chose a French vegetarian restaurant with an outdoor patio with front row seats to do some people watching. While I ate my Panini, we watched some acrobats do some amazing tumbling, balancing and throwing each other up in the air and catching them. Meanwhile some musicians sang and played drums.

Afterwards we walked past the harbour and out onto the beach where we met two jovial young men selling horse and camel rides. This was a common theme, but these two caught our attention by asking why Anne was smiling and I was not. In response I put on my best mean face and the one fellow exclaimed that he thought I did karate. He said he could tell by my feet and the way I walked. Wow! Then they playfully challenged me to a fight. I was game for this and when they said two against one, I said okay, sure! But they could not bring themselves to hit me they said, because I was a woman. 

Anne, Ishmael, me and Nelson

So Anne suggested we have a pushups competition. These guys were tall and sturdier than the most of the men we’d seen. Ishmael was the volunteer. We got into pushup position in the sand and I started counting. As I passed 30 I wondered how many pushups this guy would be able to do. He collapsed at 44. Like the boys in N’Kob they had a good laugh over it. After chatting, we agreed to ride his horses but only for 30 minutes. Our dirhams were getting low so we couldn’t afford more. Nelson took Anne on his horse and I went with Ishmael. He asked if I had ever been on a horse. I said yes. Had I ever galloped? I said trotted yes, galloped no. He said today we will gallop. I said, Oh yeah? Leading my horse as we talked, he said I will ride with you; I am experienced. So I said okay. When he got on the horse and tried to get him to run, the horse rebelled and bucked his neck into my face. Ishmael calmed him and got off. He said his horse did not like having two riders. So much for experience!

That night we went to dinner with Scotty and Brian. We walked the streets of the medina looking for a spot. A man came and got us and guided us upstairs to his restaurant. The place was indoors (it was a chilly night) and we were the only patrons. The place was cozy, comfortable and the food was sensational! A cat curled up on my lap before moving to Scotty for some attention. I had my first taste of pastillas, which are like pies. Spiced vegetables (and meat if you desire) encased in a filo-like pastry. Mine had sliced strawberries on top. The size was reasonable so for once I didn’t feel overstuffed. And we never would have gone to this place had it not been for the assertive man in the street showing us the way.

Just the four of us and a cat!

Saturday morning we had a mini bus drive us the 170 km back to Marrakech. That afternoon the temperature was 30 degrees. We wandered the streets and then relaxed on the hotel terrace soaking in our last rays of Moroccan sun. Five of our Toronto friends had flights out that same day. The rest of us would fly out on Sunday. Included in the cost of our trip was a shuttle to the airport. All our needs were seen to. So many fantastic, unique and memorable experiences were all thanks to our organizer Scott Robinson of Offbeatroads. Without him this trip would not have been possible. Unforgettable Africa!

Memories of Morocco - Part XI - Riding Northern Morocco's Atlantic coast

Outside the hotel in Imessouane

Our last day of riding begins on a gentle climb. At the top we are treated to a breathtaking view of the ocean. The road continues for many kilometers high up on wind-blown cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The scene reminds me of sections of the Cabot Trail that contour the island overlooking the ocean far below.

Atlantic coast

Near the edge

As the road heads inland we pass through a sleepy village before venturing out into the countryside. A goat herder herds his flock across the dry riverbed, up the bank, and across the road. Seeing a turn-off, I stop and wait for Adboul to give directions. The turn-off leads down a rough, hard-packed dirt road peppered with embedded rocks. This rocky surface goes on for about 5 kilometers before the pavement returns. A little while later the road becomes dirt again, hard-packed and smooth. The day is warm with a cooling breeze coming off the ocean. It is the kind of day you wish would never end.

Alas, it ends all too soon but what a great way to end the trip: with an exhilarating descent down a bumpy dirt road! As the road flattens out, for a change I am disappointed to see the lunch van. The riding is over too soon. And it really is over: For the day and for whole the trip! I’m feeling wistful.

We enjoy our last roadside lunch this time under a hot sun. A child is watching from a distance, too shy to come close. Scotty offers her some food which she takes home and then returns. After lunch Scotty gathers the support team and us riders and presents them with a tip and a huge thank you for all their work the last 10 days. Aboul (the cook) gives leftover salad to the donkey tied up nearby. I wondered what happened to all the other food we didn't eat over the past 10 days.

Last roadside lunch

It’s time to clean up and get in the vans for the drive to the ancient walled city of Essaouira, located on the Atlantic Coast, where we will spend the next two and a half days. It is a bumpy drive through the remaining range of mountains, crossing a rocky stream bed and driving up a winding unpaved road with sheer drop offs on one side. A 4-wheel drive ATV would have been better suited to this terrain than our mini-bus but our driver does his job well.

Along the way, we stop at a roadside Argan Oil shop. Having viewed hundreds of Argan trees on our travels through Moroccan hills, it is fascinating to watch how the women crush and work the Argan nuts into paste extracting the oil for the many health and beauty products that will be manufactured from Argan kernel.

Soon we are in Essaouira a town famous for its artisan shops, European feel, and long, sandy beaches. It’s a tourist town unlike any we have visited to date. Our riad is located in the medina, a fortress that now is the center of a bustling market that would put many North American outdoor markets to shame with its abundance of restaurants, cafes, hotels, spas and shops.

No cars are allowed inside the walls of the medina, so we are let out at the gate and a man pulling a cart appears to haul our luggage to the hotel. The sea air is much cooler than inland; Essaouira is nicknamed the windy city for a reason.

That evening, Scotty, Brian, Mark, Anne and I walk the streets of the medina in search of a hotel restaurant where we will have dinner with a view of the ocean, in the hopes of watching the sun set. Unfortunately, the sky isn’t clear and the sunsets unremarkably in a haze blending water and sky. Still not tired of delicious tagine, I order a vegetarian tagine and a Schweppes citrus soft drink.

We conclude the day with a walk in search of a bakery for Scotty and I. We also stop at a stall selling freshly made nougat. These are quite the treats after more than ten days without anything other than fruit for dessert. 

Tomorrow we will have time to explore this town and its beaches.

Memories of Morocco - Part X - Ride of the dam

It’s Tuesday morning of the second week in Morocco and we awaken to yet another beautiful day. Being in a valley, the sun has not risen high enough yet to warm the hotel. It is draped in shade and cold enough to see your breath. I have on all my layers – tights, gloves, even shoe covers. I know it will warm up quickly but I don’t care; we are starting on a downhill and it will be chilly.

After a basic breakfast of bread and jam, eggs, juice and tea, we quickly get on the road. After a short climb, we descend roads whose steep drop-offs as the road contours the ever-changing shape of the mountain. Eventually we get to a tropical valley. A river flows past the road surrounded by dense clusters of palms trees. I stop to regroup and notice the warmth of the sun and lack of wind. It's good timing: as the van pulls up some layers are removed before moving on.

Tropical valley

When Abdoul arrives we continue riding through the valley until we come to a left-hand turn. Adboul tells us it’s okay to ride on but to wait at the bottom of the hill. His directions are vague but we wait in another valley at a river crossing. We’ve had our fun and now it’s time to work again climbing and taking in more spectacular views. We get to a cross-roads and have to wait for directions. By now Scotty, Brian, Evelyn, Charmaine and Wei are all standing around wondering where we are heading. None of the locals seem to have French. The van arrives tailing Steve, Donna, Jackie and Mark. We make the required turn and climb again along a road that winds around a rocky precipice.

The crossroads

Eventually a large body of water, unlike anything we have seen in this country, is visible in the distance below. We descend gradually until we arrive at a massive, horse-shoe shaped hydro-electric dam.

Scotty at the dam

Scotty mentioned that lunch was not far after the dam. Once the dam is out of sight, I stop and wait not sure where the van is. Brian and Anne approach and we all wait together. When the passenger van arrives, he says we can proceed. Anne and I ride together for quite some time not seeing the white lunch van. I am getting quite hungry having only eaten bread for breakfast plus an orange and a Cliff block en route. There is a mosque at the top of the next climb that Anne and I ride up to expecting to find the van. But by the top there is no van, and more mountains loom. Anne stops to take a picture and I continue on, my mind set on finding the lunch van.

Endless road

It would be fair to say that by now I am getting pretty frustrated when kilometer after kilometer of climbing does not get me any closer to the lunch stop. Despite the cool start to the day, it has turned out to be one of the hottest days so far. As I approach what looks like the very top, a small vehicle pulls up from behind beeping its horn. The driver says something unintelligible and I ignore him. He pulls up beside me and tries again. This time I can hear the passenger say “Abdoul là-bas!”. It hits me that Abdoul has asked him to pass on a message. So I turn around and head back down.

Soon I meet up with Abdoul who is fit to be tied. In his broken English he asks me if I know where I am going. What am I doing? Do I know how far off route I am? After he finishes his angry rant, we ride back down the mountain together. He stops at a turnoff and shows me where I should have turned. He asks me if I think we rode 10 km past the turn. “AND ALL UP!”, he points out. Not far down the road, the support team is working and the entire group of riders is enjoying lunch under a shady tree. It is hot today and I am thirsty having nearly run out of water. Abdoul reaches for my hand and we ride across the bumpy field together. He puts on his best smile and raises my hand, indicating his victory: what’s lost is now found. 

After another exceptional roadside lunch, we get in the vans for a short drive to the Atlantic Coast. We reach Imessaoune, a small hippie surfing town where we will spend the night.  The hotel is set back from the ocean but the coast is just a short walk down the road. Jackie, Donna and I walk into town to find an ATM. I’m wearing shorts, but the wind blowing off the ocean is cool. This early in the season the surfers are wearing wets. We discover from a local merchant that there is not an ATM anywhere in this town. Donna buys herself an orange juice, Jackie a coffee and me a banana juice at an ocean side cafe.

Jackie and Donna

That evening, Scotty has planned for us to have dinner at a pizzeria where we will treat our support crew to dinner. It is the pizzeria owner’s first night opening for the season. She only makes individual pizzas, which are quite large. Thin-crust vegetarian pizzas are the best but we have lots of left-overs to take back with us.

Tomorrow would be our last day of riding and what a day it would be!