Hey Guys,

This could be a question for Nutrition Master, Dx:

You know, the glycemic index of raw carrots is at least as high as for cookies, but the caloric density of cookies (as well as their ability to make an insulin response) is much higher.

Just wondering if anyone is applying this in their diets?

I just read about this in a book that recommends ignoring glycemic index (Natural Hormonal Enhancement, Rob Faigin), because there are too many other factors involved, such as the effects of the foods or fat/protein that they accompany.

Does it really matter that a raw carrot is loaded with high glycemic sugar, because it's also loaded with cellulose (you know that reed material - fiber!)

Dave

 

This could be a no-brainer for the diabetics, not sure.

Carrots vs cookies, Aren't you also looking at the difference in:   natural sugars vs  processed sugars?   the oils and fats/shortening in cookies but not in carrots? You hit your head on the staircase doing sprints??? Dave, buddy,..take a breath once in a while, you working ona Phd in PhyEd? I am doing alternate day HIIT per your counseling, trying to break my latest plateau that is in its 6th week and isn't budging.   Will keep you posted.   Man are my thighs aching!!    Sunday - off   Mon - walking 6 mi (10K)   Tues - HIIT at the track - .5 mi (2 lap) walk warmup,                 8 (440m) laps/2 mi Walk 340 and sprint 100 on the back straight,                run bleachers (5 stairwells; 2 sets each one way then 2 sets each back to start),                jog 1 lap               walk 1lap for cooldown   Wed - walk/jog 6 mi   Thurs - HIIT at the track   Fri - walk/jog 6 mi   Sat - HIIT at Track Its not as intense as you do but its a shakeup in my routine.  Thanks for the indirect encouragement with your sharing of your program and results. Joe 

[thread hijack] Joe, right there with you buddy, just started HIIT a couple weeks ago.  Are you lifting weights, too?  I've decided to scale back a bit and ease into the HIIT more slowly.  Three HIIT workouts plus three weightlifting sessions left me nearly a cripple the last couple days.  I'm thinking I'll do HIIT about once every five days or so for the next few weeks, then see how I feel about moving it to twice and eventually maybe three times a week.  That said, the scale results are undeniable.  In the last 10  days I've lost six pounds.  I've got to give HIIT at least part of the credit (plus, of course, the "random stuff happens" factor).

Thanks for the note.  Congrads on the quick results.  I guess their claims are true.  That you and Dave that are gettingn pleasing results.  I have increase my upper body lifting but it it still needs to get more seriuos to be a concern about results.  My road work is my real focus at the moment. I haven't gotten the weight loss yet I seek, but I am surely feeling a difference. Sounds like you just did too much too soon with your HIIT efforts.  I am copying an article below that helped me get started for what its worth.  Its one not Dave put me onto a while back.

30-Second Sprints Build Endurance and Quickly Boost Performance

 

From Elizabeth Quinn,  Your Guide to Sports Medicine.

 

Get More Fit in Less Time

 

Pro athletes and weekend warriors know that you must train your cardiovascular system to improve your endurance and sports performance. Getting at least 20 or 30 minutes of exercise at least three times per week has become the foundation of cardiovascular fitness. However, there are other ways to get cardiovascular benefits. In fact, evidence supports the benefit of short, high intensity efforts as a means of improving aerobic capacity and endurance.

 

Sprint training is becoming a new way to train. Recent studies involving bicyclists showed great results in very little time. In fact, one study found that just six sessions of 4-7 all-out 30 second sprints (with four minutes of recovery) could be as effective in improving cardiovascular fitness as an hour of daily moderate activity.   The subjects in one study showed a full 100 percent increase in endurance capacity (from 26 minutes to 51 minutes) versus the control group who showed no change.

 

Improve Your EnduranceGPLC from Jarrow Formulas L-Carnitine to strengthen muscleswww.Jarrow.com

 

Brian Urlacher WorkoutFootball Training and Speed Program of NFL Star Brian Urlacher.www.stackmag.com

 

Heart Disease & ExerciseLearn How Exercise Can Help - Get a BMI Measurement Tool & Morewww.CoregCR.com

 

In another study by the same researchers, subjects improved their time trial performance by nearly 10 percent in the two weeks.  These short bouts of intense exercise (similar to interval training) improved muscle health and performance comparable to several weeks of traditional endurance training. The muscles of the trained group also showed a significant increase in citrate synthase -- an enzyme that is a marker of the tissue's ability to utilize oxygen. Other findings have shown that short, high intensity exercise burns more calories.

 

The Workout The following sprint workout can be done while running, swimming, cycling -- or just about any other way you can think of. Due to the intensity of this workout, make sure to check with you doctor before beginning. It's also easier to begin this workout if you have some base fitness already. To build a base, follow the 10 percent rule, and gradually increase your training volume.

 

Launching into a sprint program will be difficult and cause delayed onset muscle soreness if you haven't done much before. I recommend having about 3 to 4 weeks of base fitness before beginning. Allow at least one day of rest or easy exercise between sprint workouts (for recovery). Perform the following routine up to three times per week on alternate days:

 

• Warm up w/easy exercise of about 5-10 mins. Do the same exercise used for your sprints.

   

• Perform an all-out 30 second sprint effort, pushing yourself to the max for each one.

   

• Recover of 2-4 mins by slowing to a comfortable pace, but keep moving. This can be an easy jog or a walk, depending upon your fitness.

   

• Perform another 30 second all-out sprint.

   

• Repeat routine 4-8 times depending on level/ability. To start, stop at 4 sprints. Try to build up to 8.

   

• The goal is to do this workout six times (two weeks).

   

If you like your results, you can continue longer. But it's a good idea to vary your routine every few months, and throughout the year. This type of workout is intense, and you may need to take a break and perform some longer slow workouts for a while. Feel free to modify the routine as you like; see for yourself what works best for you.

 

Sprint training offers an option for those who don't have much time for exercise, but still want to improve their cardiovascular system. While this type of training is demanding and requires a high level of motivation, it can lead to dramatic improvements in a short period of time.

 

*Be sure to check with your doctor before beginning this sort of program.  

 

Uh-oh looks like a HIIT trend is going here. The stuff is so exciting, it's hard to hold the self down. The ghost of the old PE coach comes out and keeps saying, "harder!" "harder!".

That's right eassse into it.

Glad to hear you're getting results. Everyone be careful of injuries though. That warmup is going to be a lot more important if you're on the track than doing a weight workout. The thigh muscles have something like 15% bloodflow when cold, as opposed to 65% bloodflow when warmed up - huge difference!

One advantage you have in that regard is that it's summer. Get those hamstrings toughened up while they're hot!

Dave

Hey Joe,

That's right. I'm a real nerd. Just a reborn one and not nearly as organized as Dx. Hope there's at least some"trickle down" effect to my musing.

Probably comes from my days at the downtown Nautilus fitness center. Since it was so close to VCU and MCV, the instructors were either exercise physiology students or docs or med or physical therapy students.

No kidding, you've started doing that? I'm sure you're burning more calories and probably body fat, too. But you'll pick up some muscle. The net result may not be a "lighter" body from it, but better health in less time.

This is not something you want to start out intensely. It makes you sore even if you start out easily with a few laps or with just 10% more effort than jogging.

Wasn't the track part deadly?

Dave

First and second day wasn't as bad as the third day. Thought I was warmed up but when I took off on that first sprint, the thighs just screamed.  They have been buring ever since.  Been through 3 HIIT workouts to date; week one is in the books.   The bleachers after don't burn as bad as the sprints.    I think I went from 5 sprint the first day to 8 the second day was too much too fast but I'm there now and I like the routine I've started for this first two week blast.   The second two weeks I plan to get back to a walking jogging road route where I jog as much as possible on slow days to increse my breathiing capability and then alternate jogging, walking, and sprinting on HIIT days and maybe don't go as far or as long. If my thighs don't rip completely away from my bones, I''ll keep you posted on what you've gotten me into here.  Anticipate gracious praise. 

Hi Joe,

That's what I've found. Hills and stairs (a favorite) force you to keep a more stable stride, because in addition to the extra resistance, which slows you down, you can't just "kick" your feet forward anymore, you have to "place" them carefully.

1. Stationary bike is least likely to injure

2. Then stairs

3. After that hills

4. Then longer sprints like 400-500 meters

5. 200's if you go modest pace the first half

6. 100's can really tear up your hamstrings if you're not careful, but you can do them at sub-max pace and rest for a shorter time in between to decrease the likelihood of injury. (similar results in terms of fitness/ calorie burn, I'm sure - just not as "fun".)

I got used to 8 full out 100's, so yesterday as an "over-extender" workout, I did 12, rested for 20 minutes and then went back out and did 6 more. Was going to do 8, but my hamstrings were threatening to pull - just had that "feeling."

Dave

Here's my understanding: The glycemic index is a theory that's supposed to help diabetics.  Your body doesn't reallyi know sugar from sugar.  However, refined sugars process much faster in your body than natural sugars.  Hence, cookies being higher GI than carrots.  (At least my understanding, I'll check with the boss - my wife - and repost if I'm wrong.) Carrots are high glycemic.  However, you have to eat about three cups of them to get any real negative effect.  That's a lot of damn carrots. However, the cookie, with the refined sugars and pretty much useless calories, will give you a huge sugar hit, and then drop you like a stone.  This makes the glucose in your blood go screaming up like a school girl who just spotted a spider. Personally - I eat vegetables.  There is too much good stuff in them to NOT eat them.  I stay away from raw veggies just because I'm paranoid of clogging up the works after my RNY, but steamed veggies are great. I stay away from refined sugars, however, like an 8 year old boy avoids a priest.  Just too dangerous with dumping, and with the limited calorie intake I have with the RNY, the empty calroies just could be put to better use. That's my understanding, if you'd like, I'll follow up with some links.