Team Row Pain, Row Gain

[[old] Meri Goehring]

<!--QuoteBegin-sloro7+Dec 11 2005, 09:22 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(sloro7 @ Dec 11 2005, 09:22 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Welcome Melanie! <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Yes, welcome! And, thanks to Concept2, after rowing 10000M I had no difficulty shovelling the snow from my driveway and my neighbors driveway last week. That would have not been possible last winter! I'm not sure I'll make the 200,000 Holiday Challenge, but I'm plugging away. Good luck to all.<br />Meri

[[old] kgsk8]

Hello all! This is my first Holiday Challenge. I'm playing catch up due to some sick days and I wanted to get a clarification on the last day of rowing that counts towards the total...is it Friday Dec 23 by end of day/midnight or Saturday Dec 24 by end of day/midnight? If it's the first one I need to adjust my plan. Thanks for your help!

[[old] Rvav8r]

This is my first challange too so I'm not sure but I am almost positive that the challange will include all posted prior to midnight on the 24th. Good luck!<br /><br />I missed a couple of days when out of town guests were here and had to row longer distances than I anticipated. The first few were killers but I am now more comfortable with 10K.

[[old] kgsk8]

[quote=Rvav8r,Dec 13 2005, 09:12 PM]<br />This is my first challange too so I'm not sure but I am almost positive that the challange will include all posted prior to midnight on the 24th. Good luck!<br /><br /><br />Thanks for the info! And good luck to you as well. Yes - the longer rows were hard the first few times but I'm getting to look forward to them a little more each day. Need to do a few doubled up days and think I may break it into two 7500 segments. Then again - I may go crazy & just keep going in one long row. Thanks again for the deadline data - I'm going to need every day but I am going to get that 200,000 t-shirt!

[[old] sloro7]

Hi Everyone,<br />Anybody doing any interval training? If so, do you think it helps your speed and/or stamina? I know what the research says, I'm just trying to find out if anybody on RPRG uses it on a regular basis. It seems to help me when I hit a plateau--be it in weight loss or trying to improve my times. I am definitely in one now. I've lost about 14 pounds so far but can't seem to break the 200 lb. barrier. I am going to focus more on diet and maintain the 7-10k a day rowing and see what happens. Happy Holidays everybody!

[[old] Steelhead]

<!--QuoteBegin-sloro7+Dec 15 2005, 04:12 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(sloro7 @ Dec 15 2005, 04:12 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hi Everyone,<br />Anybody doing any interval training?  If so, do you think it helps your speed and/or stamina?  I know what the research says, I'm just trying to find out if anybody on RPRG uses it on a regular basis.  It seems to help me when I hit a plateau--be it in weight loss or trying to improve my times.  I am definitely in one now.  I've lost about 14 pounds so far but can't seem to break the 200 lb. barrier.  I am going to focus more on diet and maintain the 7-10k a day rowing and see what happens.  Happy Holidays everybody! <br /> </td></tr></table><br />When I hit a plateau, while rowing over 30K per day, I finally figured out that I had to eat less and keep rowing, and then I started losing weight after I started eating less.<br /><br />I'm a believer in interval training -- you really watch the calories burn. So I now do interval training plus some days of long rows; I'm doing the long rows now for the HC (to get in the meters), after Christmas, it's mainly going to be interval training.

[[old] Rowing Rob]

Awesome guys!<br /><br />We moved up to 7th in the rankings!<br /><br />Keep up the rowing for the Holiday Chanllenge!<br /><br />Go Team Row Pain, Row Gain Go!<br /><br />Rob

[[old] Meri Goehring]

<!--QuoteBegin-Rowing Rob+Dec 16 2005, 08:41 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Rowing Rob @ Dec 16 2005, 08:41 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Awesome guys!<br /><br />We moved up to 7th in the rankings!<br /><br />Keep up the rowing for the Holiday Chanllenge!<br /><br />Go Team Row Pain, Row Gain Go!<br /><br />Rob <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />OK. But wait! Homemade goodies surround me. When I informed friends and family if I make the 'holiday challenge' I get to buy a shirt, the response was "that proves rowers must be stupid." Oh well. I informed them that although I'm not currently loosing weight, at least I'm maintaining. I hope this group is finding more encouragement than I am. Good luck to all.

[[old] Steelhead]

<!--QuoteBegin-Meri Goehring+Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Meri Goehring @ Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Rowing Rob+Dec 16 2005, 08:41 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Rowing Rob @ Dec 16 2005, 08:41 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Awesome guys!<br /><br />We moved up to 7th in the rankings!<br /><br />Keep up the rowing for the Holiday Chanllenge!<br /><br />Go Team Row Pain, Row Gain Go!<br /><br />Rob <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />OK. But wait! Homemade goodies surround me. When I informed friends and family if I make the 'holiday challenge' I get to buy a shirt, the response was "that proves rowers must be stupid." Oh well. I informed them that although I'm not currently loosing weight, at least I'm maintaining. I hope this group is finding more encouragement than I am. Good luck to all. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Yumm -- homemade goodies! Let's see, if I row 10,000 meters, then I can eat about 500 calories of chocolate. 100K means 5,000 calories of homemade goodies without any concomitant weight gain; 200K means 10,000 calories -- and that translates into 2.5 pounds of fat avoided, and we can buy a shirt. <br /><br />Keep rowing with every Christmas goodie we eat.<br /><br />Mike

[[old] Steelhead]

<!--QuoteBegin-Meri Goehring+Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Meri Goehring @ Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->OK. But wait! Homemade goodies surround me. When I informed friends and family if I make the 'holiday challenge' I get to buy a shirt, the response was "that proves rowers must be stupid." Oh well. I informed them that although I'm not currently loosing weight, at least I'm maintaining. I hope this group is finding more encouragement than I am. Good luck to all. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Meri et alia,<br /><br />Here's another article that may be of benefit -- except for John who apparently knows everything already, and should not read this post. This article, written by Charles Remington, appeared in Issue 18 of the Successful Coaching Newsletter.<br /><br />Exercise and low carbohydrate diets make poor partners<br /><br />Over the last twenty five years the most common questioned asked me by frustrated exercisers, has been what exercise routine will get me the body I desire? My answer is always the same. They need to start exercising better judgement and learn that exercise alone will not solve their body composition problem. I believe the number one reason for starting an exercise program is weight reduction, even before fitness and health concerns. Exercise by itself is a poor weight manager and it increases the need for better nutritional requirements. I believe I would receive very little disagreement that a combination of nutrition and exercise is the answer to improvement in weight loss (fat loss), fitness and health risk concerns. With obesity reaching epidemic rates and the drop out rate of most health clubs' remaining high this article intent is to lay the foundation why exercise and low carbohydrate diets are poor partners.<br /><br />Quest for the ideal body<br /><br />Over the last three decades I have seen extreme changes in the macro nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) combinations in our quests for the ideal body. Everything from high carbohydrate, low fat, high protein, to the current low carbohydrate craze has bombarded us, though the failure rates in managing our weight continue to rise. The problem lies in our body's ability to adapt to change, especially extreme change. <b>If your goal is to lose fat you must provide your muscle enough quality fuel without being over fuelled. This is especially true if your goal to lose fat includes exercise.</b> The secret is not found in elimination of macro nutrients, but in management of them. Understanding how to fuel your muscles prior to exercise sessions and replacing fuel after workouts is critical or your body will break down muscle for fuel.<br /><br />Fuel for muscles<br /><br />Understanding how our muscles use the calories we eat as fuel for muscle contraction is the first step in knowing what to do and not to do. A basic nutritional knowledge tells us that proteins repair and rebuild cells, carbohydrates energize cells and fats provide hormonal foundation for cells. When we lack balance in protein, carbohydrates and fats are bodies adjust and can use all three as a source of fuel for muscle contraction and cellular energy.<br /><br />ATP Production<br /><br />Though energy is needed for all cellular function, the focus of this article is muscle contraction and body composition. All muscle contraction derives energy from adenosine triphosphate or ATP. The primary source of ATP comes from glucose, which is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen (glucose and water). Muscle contraction during anaerobic activity (resistance training) can use glycogen directly to form ATP. The process is anaerobic glycolysis, meaning it can use the glucose as energy with very little oxygen (90% glucose, 5% oxygen and 5% fatty acid). Our muscles only store enough ATP for short periods of muscle contraction, when depleted leads to muscle failure. The rest period between weight training sets allows additional ATP to be produced. <b>During early stages of aerobic exercise, ATP is again created primarily from glucose until the heart and lungs provide enough oxygen to the muscles to allow fatty acids to be used to create ATP.</b> So there you have it during resistance training and the beginning stages of aerobic training the primary source of fuel is glucose. This supports my claim that low carbohydrate diets and exercise make poor partners. To uncover why, we need to quickly look at the concept behind low carbohydrate diets and how they work.<br /><br />Low carbohydrate diets<br /><br /><b>Any diet that provides 100 grams or less of carbohydrate daily will quickly deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle and liver. </b>This by itself is testimony that our muscle's primary source of fuel is glucose. Fatty acids stored in the adipose tissue (fat cells) are now released into the blood and processed by the liver and some are turned into glucose (gluconegenesis) and some remain fatty acids and both provide ATP for muscle contraction. One of the by products of this process is ketone bodies which can provide energy to brain and nervous system. The problem gluconegenesis (non glucose turned into glucose) provides fuel to the muscle less efficiently than glycogenesis (glucose). <b>The end result is increased muscle fatigue, decreased muscle power, which leads to poor athletic performance.</b><br /><br />Low Carbohydrate study<br /><br />A recent study performed at the University of Connecticut showed that exercisers who switched from a balanced diet (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) to a low carbohydrate diet experience the following drops in athletic performance. There was a 7 to 9% drop in muscle power and 6% drop in VO2 max of cardiovascular performance. Another factor to consider is the recuperation of muscle between workouts is decreased on low carbohydrate diets.<br /><br />So why would someone go on a low carbohydrate diet, especially when exercising?<br /><br />Because the initial weight loss that comes from the glycogen depletion is believed to be fat loss. We have become so focused on weight loss, that any weight loss is seen as good. As identified earlier in this article glycogen is a mixture of glucose and water and the majority are stored where? You guessed it, the muscle. A large percentage of the initial weight loss is coming from muscle loss. I do not think any exerciser's desire is to have smaller muscles as a result of their exercising. The goal of exercise should be to improve body composition, the percentage or ratio of muscle to body fat. This can only be accomplished by losing fat without the loss of muscle tissue. Maintaining muscle mass is vital to sustainable weight control. The following steps will protect your muscles as your losing fat, while reaching your ideal weight and ideal body composition.<br /><br />1. Cycle fat burning days with recovery days.<br /><br />The secret to losing fat without losing muscle starts with not being too aggressive or extreme with your reduction of carbohydrates. You need carbohydrate management, not carbohydrate elimination. Over the last 12 years, with more than 10,000 clients I have found by reducing carbohydrates by 20% of daily needs and within 48 hours replenishing the glycogen in the muscle by eating 100% of daily carbohydrate requirements, allows for fat loss, without muscle loss. In essence you have two fat burning days, then a recovery day. By doing this you will have the best of both worlds. You will experience fat loss that averages between 1 to 2 pounds weekly, while muscles are being well fed. You never drastically deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle so athletic performance is not affected like on a low carbohydrate diet.<br /><br />2. Exercise on days where you are receiving more carbohydrates.<br /><br />Exercising on days where muscles are getting more carbohydrates for fuel and taking days off from exercise when you are being aggressive about fat loss. <b>One of the most difficult thoughts for exercisers to accept is that most of the results from exercise come when we are not exercising. They come after we exercise and in direct response to how the muscles receive nutrition after exercise.</b><br /><br />3. <b>Exercise 1½ to 2 hours after eating when blood sugar levels and insulin levels are slowly declining.</b><br /><br />As insulin levels increase in response to a rise in blood sugar after a meal, the cells are in an anabolic state (receiving nutrients). Insulin is the hormone that feeds are cells. As blood sugar levels drop, insulin levels drop and the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon and nutrients stored in the fat cells are released to the blood and used for energy. The management of this blood sugar rise and drop is important. If blood sugar levels go to high insulin feeds the muscle cells and deposits excess into fat cells. If insulin levels go too low, the muscle cells are being under fed. A slow rise in blood sugar provides good nutrition to the muscles and a slow drop allows glucagon to take from the fat cells. <b>Timing your exercise to this blood sugar decline allows the muscles to receive from the fat cells more effectively. It is important to never exercise without having at least one meal left in your day so that muscles can recuperate from exercise.</b><br /><br />Final Thoughts<br /><br />Long term success managing weight starts with the right approach. If you are overweight, the real problem is that you have too much body fat for how much muscle you possess. A body composition solution is needed, not just a weight loss diet. <b>Your goal should be to lose fat without losing muscle or sacrificing your health in the process.</b> To maintain your results your eating habits must develop life long character. Low carbohydrate diets provide initial weight loss, but at the high cost of losing muscle and reducing metabolism. They are inadequate sources of fuel to support exercise activity, which is vital in maintaining good health. The risks to your health long term make low carbohydrate diet's poor solutions for life long weight management.<br /><br />Article Reference<br /><br />This article, written by Charles Remington, appeared in Issue 18 of the Successful Coaching Newsletter.

[[old] Meri Goehring]

<!--QuoteBegin-Steelhead+Dec 19 2005, 12:10 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Steelhead @ Dec 19 2005, 12:10 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Meri Goehring+Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Meri Goehring @ Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->OK. But wait! Homemade goodies surround me. When I informed friends and family if I make the 'holiday challenge' I get to buy a shirt, the response was "that proves rowers must be stupid." Oh well. I informed them that although I'm not currently loosing weight, at least I'm maintaining. I hope this group is finding more encouragement than I am. Good luck to all. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Final Thoughts<br /><br />Long term success managing weight starts with the right approach. If you are overweight, the real problem is that you have too much body fat for how much muscle you possess. A body composition solution is needed, not just a weight loss diet. <b>Your goal should be to lose fat without losing muscle or sacrificing your health in the process.</b> To maintain your results your eating habits must develop life long character. Low carbohydrate diets provide initial weight loss, but at the high cost of losing muscle and reducing metabolism. They are inadequate sources of fuel to support exercise activity, which is vital in maintaining good health. The risks to your health long term make low carbohydrate diet's poor solutions for life long weight management.<br /><br />Article Reference<br /><br />This article, written by Charles Remington, appeared in Issue 18 of the Successful Coaching Newsletter. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Thanks for sharing such a great article. Finding the right balance must truly be the key. Just now, the scales are tipped towards rich foods, but that usually happens around the holidays. So, this information is very helpful as I make those difficult food choices. Without the rowing challenge, I know I'd be gaining quickly. Funny how a helpful team and a shirt promote healthier behaviors. <br />Meri

[[old] deppe4]

<!--QuoteBegin-Meri Goehring+Dec 20 2005, 12:00 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Meri Goehring @ Dec 20 2005, 12:00 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Steelhead+Dec 19 2005, 12:10 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Steelhead @ Dec 19 2005, 12:10 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Meri Goehring+Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Meri Goehring @ Dec 18 2005, 08:35 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->OK. But wait! Homemade goodies surround me. When I informed friends and family if I make the 'holiday challenge' I get to buy a shirt, the response was "that proves rowers must be stupid." Oh well. I informed them that although I'm not currently loosing weight, at least I'm maintaining. I hope this group is finding more encouragement than I am. Good luck to all. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Final Thoughts<br /><br />Long term success managing weight starts with the right approach. If you are overweight, the real problem is that you have too much body fat for how much muscle you possess. A body composition solution is needed, not just a weight loss diet. <b>Your goal should be to lose fat without losing muscle or sacrificing your health in the process.</b> To maintain your results your eating habits must develop life long character. Low carbohydrate diets provide initial weight loss, but at the high cost of losing muscle and reducing metabolism. They are inadequate sources of fuel to support exercise activity, which is vital in maintaining good health. The risks to your health long term make low carbohydrate diet's poor solutions for life long weight management.<br /><br />Article Reference<br /><br />This article, written by Charles Remington, appeared in Issue 18 of the Successful Coaching Newsletter. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Thanks for sharing such a great article. Finding the right balance must truly be the key. Just now, the scales are tipped towards rich foods, but that usually happens around the holidays. So, this information is very helpful as I make those difficult food choices. Without the rowing challenge, I know I'd be gaining quickly. Funny how a helpful team and a shirt promote healthier behaviors. <br />Meri <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Mike, Meri,<br /><br />Thanks for the article <br /><br />I wish I was getting to a buy a shirt this year - good luck with the challenge. <br /><br />Ever since the accident it's been rough going. Today was my first row since the 5th of Dec. (I'm hopefully over being ill).<br /><br />Happy Holidays,<br />deppe

[[old] Meri Goehring]

<br />Mike, Meri,<br /><br />Thanks for the article <br /><br />I wish I was getting to a buy a shirt this year - good luck with the challenge. <br /><br />Ever since the accident it's been rough going. Today was my first row since the 5th of Dec. (I'm hopefully over being ill).<br /><br />Happy Holidays,<br />deppe <br />[/quote]<br /><br />Glad to hear you're OK! Health is the best holiday gift of all.<br />Meri

[[old] AndyD]

I just updated my profile to join the team. I finished my holiday row challenge and feel like slacking off a little so I thought a team might be a good way to keep myself motivated.<br /><br />I got my C2 back in 1998 and have used it off and on since then. At my last doctor visit, he asked me why I still had a paunch if I row so much and told me to lose 20 pounds (sigh). Or, as it was put, "you're in pretty good shape for someone your age, but only because most of your peers are in really lousy shape."<br /><br />Anyway, I've dropped 5 pounds in the 6 weeks since the visit, but I need to keep going if I'm going to get down to the weight he wants me to be.<br /><br />Vitals: 58 years old, retired, ex-computer geek. (well, ex-professional geek, I guess I'm still a computer geek).<br /><br />Andy

[[old] Rvav8r]

I am pleased to report that I went over the 200K mark today for the Holiday Challange