Hi Joe, Thank you for asking the question and telling us about you! It definitely sounds like you would benefit from hiring either a coach and/or functional practitioner or naturopath. A coach is going to be able to look at your training and YOU as a person and decide how much volume and intensity is best for your health and desired results. When I take on new athletes I give a very in-depth questionnaire (many pages) that helps me decide where you're starting at, your fitness needs, what you have available in your schedule and what you should be doing - then go from there! A lot of people find that their minds are at ease when a coach is in charge of the programming and daily workout writing - no more guessing game for you on "how much." If you aren't in a position to hire a coach, LMK and I can give you more guidance on this. Secondly, having a functional practitioner on your team will allow you to get legit answers to the health questions you have. It sounds like you're doing a good job managing your BP but I totally understand that you want to be as healthy as po ssible. Much of conventional medicine looks to treat you when things are clearly going bad or to treat disease, but that sometimes leaves a gap, what about those of use who aren't in ideal health but also don't have disease? For example your blood tests may show in normal ranges but are you really at your best state? Functional medicine looks more closely at the body to address those who just want to feel better and who want to make sure they don't get to an unhealthy state. lastly, if I were to have you as a client I'd certainly have you do a diet log so I could analyze your food intake to see how that may be contributing to things you're concerned with. Food as medicine is often the best strategy :)
As a 49 yr old. cross training novice, any advice you give would be appreciated. I'm not in a position to hire a coach, but as a fan I'm all ears to any guidance you have. I've heard about your questionaire and coaching, I'm just about functional healthy fitness. I imagine the coffee in the AM as a wake up is an issue but I limit that to an actual tea cup not much more. My morning workouts are fasted after that and I should pack a lunch an pre-plan a supper to stay on track. I should definitely do a food log, but earlier attempts to keep one have failed. Since I'm on the LPC, any words from you are gold.
Well, starting simple and to keep it from getting complicated, I would give you a MAF test on the run and bike and see what that yields (run 3-5 miles at true MAF; bike 30-45 min at MAF). I would also have you do a test in the pool; depending on your fitness you could do a threshold test of 5-6 X 300; or for an aerobic test you could do a few timed 400s or 500s. If you also are already doing a bit of intensity I'd also have you do a 10min run LT test and 20min Bike FTP test. Those tests alone will say a lot about your fitness needs. If you do each of them, separate by a few days, and especially space apart the LT and FTP tests. Feel free to share your results on this thread if you're cool with it. I'd love it! It's also important to factor in HOW much time per week you have to train and managing that with other life stress - those are things I can really only gauge from the questionnaire :) Lastly, I'd ask for a diet log of what you eat for ~5 days.... and if you want to do that and post it on the forum I'm happy to give some basic feedback.
OK let me work on that.
PS - I meant 20min run LT test, not 10.
I use mapmyrun for data/ workouts, I have a old garmin 705 GPS with heart rate strap. Have data just not sure what to do with it. Time and deciphering the info is an issue. I will attempt to enter everything i eat into mapmyfitness. I'll eat responsibly for the next week. Swam 60 laps in 50 meter lap pool I think. time 1hr 08 min 19 sec 30 lap splits by watch 34 min 17 sec .29 1 .58:38 11 1.08.04 21 1.10.87 2 1.05.67 12 1.07.97 22 1.12.01 3 1.06.59 13 1.10.34 23 1.09.53 4 1.08.69 14 1.09.97 24 1.09.33 5 1.07.12 15 1.06.00 25 1.11.95 6 1.08.04 16 1.08.26 26 1.10.69 7 1.06.67 17 1.08.50 27 1.11.91 8 1.09.04 18 1.10.16 28 1.09.69 9 1.08.02 19 1.09.75 29 1.10.13 10 1.08.74 20 1.07.89 30 1.07.34
How have things been going Joe, did you do the MAF tests and LT test?