Blog Archives

Fasting

7/29/2024

Podcast Version
(With NotebookLM)

Fasting for High-End Executives and Executive Athletes: A Comprehensive Guide

Fasting has gained popularity for its potential health benefits, including weight management, improved metabolic health, and increased longevity. However, its implementation, especially for high-end executives and executive athletes, requires careful consideration due to unique lifestyle demands.

This guide outlines the types of fasting, benefits and the downsides, general guidelines, and specific recommendations for executives and executive athletes.

Types of Fasting

Not all fasting is created equal or has the same process and execution. Understanding different fasting methods is crucial as each has its process and the suitability depends on personal and professional circumstances. Here are a few alternatives to consider:

Time-Restricted Eating (TRE): Consuming all daily calories within a specific time window (e.g., 8 hours) and fasting for the remaining hours. A common TRE schedule is 16:8 (16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating).
Alternate-Day Fasting (ADF): Alternating between days of normal eating and days of significantly reduced calorie intake or fasting.
5:2 Diet: Eating normally five days a week and significantly reducing calorie intake on two non-consecutive days.

Benefits and Downsides of Fasting

Fasting can offer various health benefits, but it also comes with potential downsides. Understanding these will help you decide which type of fasting will work for you, when to implement it and how to execute it. This section provides a balanced view to help you weigh the pros and cons.

Benefits:

Weight Management: Fasting helps control calorie intake, which can aid in weight management.
Metabolic Health: Improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, and better lipid profiles contribute to overall health.
Mental Clarity: Many people report increased focus and reduced decision fatigue during fasting periods.
Fat Adaptation: For athletes, fasting can enhance the body's ability to use fat as a fuel source, which is beneficial in endurance sports.

Downsides:

Energy Deficiency: Inadequate calorie intake can lead to decreased performance, muscle loss, and compromised recovery.
Nutrient Deficiency: Restricted eating periods may make it challenging to meet the high nutrient demands, especially for endurance athletes.
Impact on Performance: Some individuals may experience decreased energy levels, particularly if fasting interferes with training schedules.
Hormonal Imbalances: Fasting can affect hormonal regulation, impacting stress levels, metabolism, and overall health.

General Fasting Guidelines

These guidelines provide a framework to help individuals incorporate fasting into their daily lives while minimizing negative effects:

Choose a Fasting Method: Select a fasting method that aligns with your lifestyle and is sustainable in the long term.
Plan Eating Windows: Align eating windows with work and social commitments to maintain flexibility and consistency.
Focus on Nutrient Density: Prioritize nutrient-dense meals during eating periods to meet macronutrient and micronutrient needs.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain hydration, especially during fasting periods.
Monitor and Adjust: Regularly assess how fasting affects your energy levels, performance, and overall well-being, and adjust as needed.

Recommendations for Executives

Executives need a tailored approach to fasting that fits within their demanding schedules and supports their professional responsibilities:

Start Gradually: Begin with a mild fasting regimen, such as the 16:8 Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) method. This involves fasting for 16 hours and eating during an 8-hour window. This method can easily fit around work schedules, allowing for lunch and dinner meetings.
Align Fasting with Daily Routine: Schedule your eating windows to coincide with the most social and professional engagements, such as business lunches or dinners. This reduces the impact of fasting on your social and work life.
Plan Meals Strategically: Focus on nutrient-dense meals that provide sustained energy and mental clarity. Include a balance of proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to maintain energy levels throughout the day.
Hydrate Adequately: Ensure you drink plenty of water during fasting periods. Staying hydrated can help prevent fatigue and maintain concentration.
Monitor and Adjust: Keep track of how fasting affects your productivity, mood, and energy levels. Be willing to adjust the fasting schedule based on your observations, especially during periods of high work stress or travel.
Incorporate Flexibility: Allow for flexibility in your fasting schedule to accommodate unplanned work events, travel, or social activities. This flexibility helps maintain a sustainable fasting practice without feeling overly restricted.
Consult with a Nutritionist: Seek advice from a nutritionist to ensure your fasting plan is nutritionally balanced and suited to your specific health needs and lifestyle.

Recommendations for Executive Athletes

For executive athletes, fasting must be carefully integrated with training regimens to optimize performance and recovery:

Align Fasting with Training: Schedule fasting on rest or light training days to prevent energy deficits during intense workouts.
Pre- and Post-Training Nutrition: Ensure adequate intake of carbohydrates and proteins around training sessions to support energy levels and recovery.
Focus on Recovery: Emphasize nutrient-rich recovery foods during eating windows to aid muscle repair and replenish nutrient stores.
Consult Professionals: Work with nutritionists and healthcare providers to tailor fasting practices to specific athletic and health goals.

Conclusion

Fasting can offer significant benefits for both physical health and cognitive performance, making it a valuable practice for high-end executives and executive athletes. However, it requires careful planning and individualization to ensure it supports, and doesn’t hinder, performance and well-being. By choosing the right fasting method, aligning it with personal and professional commitments, and focusing on nutrient-rich diets, individuals can optimize their health and performance in both the workplace and athletic arenas.

Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIPS COACH GLENN:

It is important to see fasting as a complementary tool to your training. Understand why you implement it, what the impact is and when you want to use it.

It can be useful in the off-season for weight control
Sometimes, fasting cardio can be great in pre-season build periods to focus on zone 2 fat burning efficiency
But make sure you do not use it during high workload periods or before high intensity training sessions, in order not to jeopardize your training or health. Similarly, as an executive, avoid during peak sales seasons or earnings report periods.

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Bike Fitting

7/22/2024

Podcast Version
(With NotebookLM)

Buying and setting up the right bike, in the right way:
A Comprehensive Guide

Buying and setting up your bike correctly is crucial for comfort, efficiency, and injury prevention. Whether you ride a road bike or a triathlon bike, following these steps will help you achieve a better fit. Here’s a step-by-step guide inspired by professional bike mechanics and bike fitters.

Purchasing Bike and Shoes

Some elements of your bike can’t just easily be adjusted. These are things you need to consider when you purchase your bike:

The size of the frame will depend on your height, as well as the sport and bike type you are looking for. The frames size defines the top tube length, stack, seat tube length and reach.
Different brands also have slightly different ratios and angles of their frames, so sizes might not coincide with other brands, if you are looking to switch to a new model.
Triathlon bikes typically have a smaller frame than road bikes for a given height, as they are more aggressively tuned.
Also consider the width of the handlebars as these should be based on your shoulder width.

Most brands have clear guidelines for sizing based on average body types. If you are in the middle of those categories, there should be not much to worry about. However, if you tend to cross different size patterns, you might want to try them out before purchasing, if possible. One option could be to rent for a day. Also, the frame size depends on the type of rider you are, whether you are looking for comfort or competitiveness.

Although bikes are considered key, the shoe size and width are critical for defining your comfort too. People with wider feet, often struggle with pain over longer races, this leads to loss of pedal efficiency or a more difficult transition to running.

Draw your foot length and width on a piece of cardboard and compare it with your insole. If there is a significant difference (5-7mm), you might want to consider a change in size or brand.

DIY Setup

When buying a new bike, we always recommend asking for a basic manual setup by the bike store mechanic, this is for ease of use and the ability to comfortably bike immediately. How you go from there is up to you, your budget and whether you are a competitive age grouper, or just enjoy the rides and the sport. If you buy your bike online, or want to keep finetuning your setup, below are initial DIY guidelines you can start with, but also consider a professional bike fitting for optimal performance.

There is a logic to the madness of bike fitting: from the feet to the knees, hip, shoulders and grip, setting up the cleats, saddle and handlebars.

Cleats: an important part of your setup is the position of your cleats as this is really the connection between you and your bike. If this is not optimal, it does not matter how strong you are or how light your bike is, you will lose speed.

The simplest way to see if the cleats are positioned correctly is to mark on the outside of the shoe, the boney part at the base of your little toe (fifth metatarsal head). This is also the widest part to the foot.
Transfer this mark to the sole of the shoe. Most cleats have a notch indicating the center of the pedal axle. Align this notch just in front of your mark.
Keep it basic! Leave the rotation or lateral movement of the cleats to the professionals

Saddle: The saddle might be the most important part of your comfort on the bike as it carries your weight, affecting the split to your handlebars and driving your pedals. IF your saddle is too high, your hips will rock as you pedal. If the saddle is too low, you put extra pressure on your thigh muscles and create less efficient propulsion.

Height:
- You can start with a more formulaic approach to 0.883x your inside leg (Lemond Method).
  - To find your inside leg length, the best bet is to stand without shoes facing a wall and push a book firmly up between your legs until it rests hard against your seat bones. Make sure the edge of the book is flat against the wall and mark the position of the top of the book on the wall with a pencil. Then just measure the height of the pencil mark off the floor. It’s worth repeating a few times to make sure that you’ve measured correctly.
  - Multiply that number by 0.883 to find your saddle height as the distance between the center of the crank axle and the top of the saddle at its midline, following the line of the seat post.
- You can check the feeling of the saddle by placing your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke. The knee should then be fully extended.
- As of this position you can gradually adjust and finetune. Professionals like Jan Frodeno recommend frequent small adjustments rather than major changes. This helps your body adapt gradually, reducing the risk of injury.

Setback:
- The setback defines the optimal activation and balance of hamstrings and quads. Ideally your knee should be right above your pedal axel or cleat connection when in the most forward position (3 o’clock)
- Have somebody help you or film yourself from the side.

Tilt:
- Always start with a horizontal position and adjust up or down based on the saddle type (long versus short nose), saddle width, the experienced pressure (non-cutout versus cutout) and your level of comfort and sought after competitiveness.

Handlebars: The position of the road bike handlebars will affect the angle of your upper body, strain on the shoulders and pressure on your handlebars, affecting comfort on longer rides.

Reach: Make sure you can reach the handlebars with relaxed shoulders and slightly bent elbows (15 degrees). Your shoulders should be at a 90-degree angle with your torso.
Drop (Height): You can adjust the height by adding or removing spacers under the stem, so your back is about 45 degrees from horizontal, between

Aerobars: For triathletes the aerobars might be more important than the handlebars. Don’t forget that for triathletes the position is slightly less aero and aggressive than for pure time trial performance. This extra comfort improves the transition to running. It is up to the athlete to determine the right mix of aero and comfort for optimal total performance.

Stack height is the height from the bottom of the handlebars to the top of the aero bars. This is largely influenced by the length of your upper arms and the aggressive angle of your upper body. Typically, this is between 5 – 10 cm.
Aero Bar Angle: the angle depends on the brand, but more recently high angles have been seen in the professional scene.
Aero Bar Spacing is the space between your two aerobars and is mainly affected by shoulder width, shoulder mobility and comfort. Typically, they are between 3 and 12cm.
Aero Bar Length is the distance from the front of your handlebars to the end of your aerobars and depends on the length of your forearms. Typically, they are below 30cm.

Remember that if you are adding setup aerobars on a road bike, your saddle height and setback might have to be adjusted to be comfortable. Ideally, the angle between your shoulders and upper arm should be 85-90 degrees (maximum 2cm behind the elbows) when resting your elbows in the aerobar pads.

Note that the setup of handlebars and aero bars can significantly depend on your core strength, allowing you to have a more competitive position.

Professional setup

Of course it is always better to have a professional setup your bike, but this can set you back a few hundred euros or dollars. There are a lot of options, so we will give you some guidance below:

Retül Fit is probably the most well known and utilizes advanced 3D motion capture technology to analyze rider's movements dynamically and in real-time. It provides a comprehensive and detailed fitting report that helps in optimizing bike fit. The system is very precise, leading to improved rider comfort and performance, but can take a lot of time to execute the protocol and is quite expensive.
BG Fit (Body Geometry Fit) uses a more holistic approach to bike fitting by incorporating a physical assessment of the rider’s flexibility, strength, and overall physical condition. It may not provide as much quantitative data as some other systems, relying more on the fitter’s expertise and experience.
Guru Fit System is fully automated, allowing for easy and quick adjustments during the fitting process. It is highly customizable and user-friendly, making it accessible for both fitters and riders. It is quite expensive and limited to specific fit bikes, which might not cover all rider needs.
F.I.S.T. (Fit Institute Slow Twitch) is specifically designed for triathletes and time-trialists, focusing on achieving optimal aerodynamic positioning. It provides detailed protocols and guidelines that help in achieving a precise and effective fit for these specific disciplines. However, because the system is so specialized it is not for most general road cyclists or mountain bikers.

Conclusion

Setting up your bike at home can be a rewarding process that enhances your cycling experience. While professional bike fitting is always recommended for precision, following these steps can get you started on the right track. Remember, the key is to make small adjustments and listen to your body’s feedback.

For more in-depth tips and personalized advice, don't hesitate to consult with your coach or a professional bike fitter.

Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIPS COACH GLENN:

When starting to compete in sprint and olympic distance triathlons, a basic setup of your road bike by the mechanic at the bike store might be the right way to go. The time on the bike is shorter and does not involve aerobars. However, as soon as you evolve to half and full distance triathlons, I highly recommend a professional fitting. The expense is worth it and will make your life so much more comfortable, not only on the bike in training and racing, but also off the bike and into the run.

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Eurobike 2024

7/9/2024

Podcast Version
(With NotebookLM)

The Latest Bike Innovations and the Possible Impact on Day-to-day Life.

The Eurobike 2024 event showcased groundbreaking triathlon technologies, signifying major advancements in performance, sustainability, and customization. These innovations not only enhance the sport of triathlon but also offer transformative potential for various industries.

If you did not have the time to check it out, let us summarize it for you.

Lightweight and Durable Materials

Aeron’s TPU tubes, made from thermoplastic polyurethane, are ultra-light and highly puncture-resistant, representing the future of cycling tubes. This material's durability and lightweight (22 grams) properties are a competitor for the tubeless brands.

Viking’s carbon-plated bike shoes, featuring thermoplastic molding for a custom fit, showcased how bespoke designs can enhance athletic performance and innovation from skating can be applied in other sports. Interestingly you can do this at home by just putting the shoe in the oven and then putting it on to adapt to your foot.

These technologies can be adapted to the broader industry to making more resistant and robust tools and customizing equipment for comfort with both blue and white collar workers.

Virtual and Efficient Maintenance Technologies

TrueKinetics' virtual after-market shifters allow cyclists to virtually shift 12-speed gears without physically changing gear. This provides a smoother and more efficient indoor training experience.

Smoove Lube’s chain lube applicator with silicone fins ensures thorough lubrication and cleaning of chains at the same time.

Schwalbe’s ClikValve makes life a lot easier as you don’t have to unscrew your valve anymore before blowing up your tire. It automatically opens and closes as you add your pump head, saving time and reducing the chances of breaking it off.

The Topeak EcoBooster Digital electric pump is a very useful gadget, which can get your 25mm tire to 80 psi in only 50 seconds. Done with the huffing and puffing, the tech is good for up to three inflations per battery charge.

This trend reflects the movement from reactive customer care to a proactive one, where ease-of-use and customer focused design is key. Making life easier is a new USP, which could/should also be a priority in other industries.

Aerodynamic and Sustainable Innovations

Continental's Aero 111 tire, designed with aerodynamic dimples to trip up the turbulence around the tier and reduce drag, highlighted significant advancements in tire technology, up to 13 Watts in the wind tunnel at 45kmh under perfect conditions. This innovation has potential applications in the automotive and aerospace industries, where aerodynamic designs can enhance fuel efficiency and performance.

Retyre's has launched a tire made from recycled and bio-based materials (Algae and Post Consumer Recyclate - PCR). Whereas generally a tire creates 5.5kg of CO2 in production. Retyre’s has the world first carbon neutral tire (0.0kg CO2) and it represent a significant step towards environmentally friendly products. Such sustainable practices can be adopted across various industries, aligning with global environmental goals and reducing carbon footprints.

The ABUS Gamechanger 1.1 TT Helmet looks very futuristic and adds a very smooth EVA back to reduce turbulence by closing the gap between the back of your neck and the helmet. It also has large vents in the front and back, as well as a detachable visor.

Sustainable materials and fuel efficiency is not unique to manufacturing but also has found its way in athletic design. In return, with new perspectives and professional elite focus, the innovation flows back. It’s just like Formula One seeping into our cars or NASA’s cutting-edge R&D impacting our day-to-day lives.

Customization and Ergonomics

Fizik's Aeris 3D-printed, customizable triathlon saddles, tailored to individual riders using pressure mapping technology, demonstrated the potential of personalized products and are extremely light (153-190gr).

The Elite Square indoor trainer, with its adjustable belt-driven system, offers a versatile training solution suitable for users of all sizes. It also works on other brands of indoor trainers for backwards compatible upgrades. It might not be the most beautiful contraption but is certainly easy to adjust.

Profile Design's ASC Pro aerobar, with its 3D-printed and customizable extensions, represented the pinnacle of ergonomic design. The benefit of this aftermarket aerobar extension is that it fits on every A3 platform base bar.

Ultra Cool Tech (UCT) came out with Glacier tape, which is naturally cooling under influence of wind, which can reduce body temperature through your hands on a hot day.

Customization, ergonomics and modularity improve quality of service and product utilization. From custom 3D printing to adjustable workstations, and cooling fabrics for hot weather conditions, it all results in a worker-friendly environment.

Conclusion

The innovations at Eurobike 2024 promise to elevate triathlon performance while offering valuable insights for businesses across various sectors. By adopting these technologies, companies can drive significant advancements in product development, sustainability, and user customization.

These trends point towards a more efficient and environmentally friendly future, showcasing the symbiotic relationship between sports technology and broader industrial applications.

Do not forget. It's the small daily steps that transform into positive habits, patterns and beliefs that are ingrained in the body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIP COACH GLENN:

“Triathlon is already a very expensive sport and, at the cutting-edge of professionalism, there is nothing money can’t buy. However, as an age grouper it is important to review why you are doing it and at what cost.

I believe that it is good to consider the latest technologies when you need a new piece of equipment, in order to extend its longevity after purchase. However, it is not worth buying all the latest expensive gadgets just for fun, unless you have money to burn. And if you really have a whole in your pocket, well the 99 Euro electric pump, will quench your thirst for the cheapest price. 😊 “

Share this blog/newsletter with your friends, family and colleagues who are also pursuing a sportier and healthier lifestyle!

Want to watch the video,
check out this source (https://youtu.be/qp_inJjBKSU?si=IP-F2grWodyvhiN4)

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