Bookworm

Novice Male in Oxford American magazine

Novice Male
in Oxford American by Michael Parker, No. 59: The Sports Issue

The title of this lengthy essay could be seen to refer not only to the competitive level of fiction writer Michael Parker's first triathlon, but also to his (seemingly) limited success in romance and as a father. He details how, newly sober, he developed a laserlike focus on learning to ride a road bike -- the one leg of the triathlon in which he had no experience. The reader can vicariously ride along with the first time triathlete during his first race, the harrowing Bandits Challenge, and rejoice with him in an even more important accomplishment -- his strengthened relationship with his daughter.

Decade-by-Decade Guide to Exercise

"If there's a magic pill for staying youthful, it may be one that's hard to swallow: exercise. Daily doses have been proven to thwart a number of aging factors—stress, obesity, heart disease, diabetes—and the longer you're physically active, the less you'll notice getting older.

The catch is that a 50-year-old's body is not the same as a 20-year-old's; you can't push it the same way you once did, nor should you if you want to keep it in working-out order. So listen to these coaches—they're talking not just professionally but also firsthand—on how to remain fit, and proud of it, through the decades." [The Decade-by-Decade Guide to Exercise]

It's helpful (and destressing) to have solid advice distilled to a few paragraphs.

Exercise = Weight Loss, Except When It Doesn’t - New York Times

"In the August/September issue of ACE Certified News (published by the American Council on Exercise), Ralph La Forge, managing director of the Duke Lipid and Disease Management Preceptorship Program at Duke University Medical Center, compiled a detailed analysis of the various factors that influence the effect of exercise on weight loss.

Mr. La Forge started by refuting the prevailing belief that since a pound of fat (when burned) gives off 3,500 calories and since running or walking a mile burns 100 calories, a person should lose a pound for every 35 miles. . . . Not so, says Mr. La Forge, because this estimate fails to subtract the number of calories that person’s body would have used had it just sat still for those hours. Rather, for a 154-pound person, the net caloric cost would be 54 calories per mile when walking up to 3.5 miles per hour, 97 calories speed-walking at 3.5 to 5 m.p.h., and 107 calories jogging or running.

. . Your starting weight is also a factor: if you weigh less than 154 pounds, the caloric burn is proportionately less; if you weigh more than 154, it is higher.

Furthermore, if you walk or run on a treadmill, the aid of the machine diminishes the number of calories your body uses by about 10 to 15 percent of what the machine says you are burning. But, Mr. La Forge noted, there is a positive side: “The mechanical advantage of some machines enhances exercise comfort and reduces impact and musculoskeletal stress.” [New York Times]

Change What You Can; Be Realistic

"Both women and men experience a metabolic slowdown that begins somewhere around the age of 25.  Over time, your ability to burn fuel diminishes, regardless of how much you exercise and diet. In fact, severe calorie restriction slows your metabolism even further.  At some point, our metabolism slows to a point where additional exercise will not compensate and maintain a level of slimness we once enjoyed. . . Scale weight is also not a good indication of how fit you are, especially if you are approaching age 40 and beyond. This physiological fact should not be any reason to quit exercising and eating well. Good muscle tone, cardiovascular efficiency, bone integrity and joint flexibility will serve you well for the rest of your days on this planet. . In the 1970s, the average body-fat percentage of women on the cover of our country's major tabloids was 21 percent to 28 percent.  In the year 2000, these same magazines seldom promoted any woman who exceeded 10 percent to 12 percent body fat. Women in that category are genetically predisposed to be lean, regardless of their lifestyle. . . A recent Family Circle poll says the average American woman looks like this: Height: 5 feet, 5 inches.Weight: 174 pounds Size: 14 (42 percent are 16 and up) . . . Focus on things you can change, such as blood pressure, resting pulse, cholesterol, strength, endurance and joint flexibility. As we age, beauty becomes something that originates on the inside and works its way to the surface. It's in how we feel and how well we treat others. Life is to be lived and enjoyed, regardless of our external appearance and percent of body fat." [Jim LaFountain]