HIIT

The Science of Exercise: Sugar, H.I.T.T. & Stuff

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 11 Comments

This is not a scientific post. I’m not dropping any science on you. It’s a topic of interest to A Dude and probably to many. Tonight on the way home from an errand, I ran into another bicyclist (he’s OK). Turns out he’s a student at the University of Texas. He was a super nice guy who had just come from a soccer game and wasn’t wearing a bike helmet. He was stopped at the sign near where Anthony Diaz was killed by a bus driver, and I asked him what happened to the ghost bike. He didn’t know, but guessed it was an upcoming marathon.

That mystery unsolved, the conversation shifted to him talking about his work in kinesiology. Which if you don’t know is the study of kinesi (whatever the heck that is). But seriously, he works on measuring oxygen in the blood, studies how horrible sitting is for your metabolism, what is more efficient for muscle-building, and so on. I learned some stuff in layperson’s terms since I frequently am fighting gravity and aging and other sciencey things. I figured I’d share with all 12 of you who might actually read this. Because he’s getting a master’s Degree… in SCIENCE, he actually blinded me with …. SCIENCE! Or maybe that was his bike light, I’m not sure.

Continue reading →

To (Vitamin) B, or Not to B: A Cautionary Tale + Fat-Burning with a Home Trainer

~ A Dude Abikes ~ Leave a comment

Hey, I Thought This Was a Blog About Bicycling!

img_20180109_234846634_ll272103260.jpg
A week as a vegan dangerously depleted my B vitamin levels.

After still feeling exhausted, groggy and not coordinated enough to bike safely, I took action and called my doctor. He ordered B6, B12 and iron tests. Then I went to get a Vitamin B complex injection. Soon after, my headache, brain fog and some fatigue lifted. I felt ok enough to see the hilarious new movie Jumanji:  Welcome to the Jungle with occasional riding partner Saurabh, and going home I had the occasion to run to catch a bus. A Dude Abikes does not run (maybe some day), so this was a significant sign that I had more energy from the shot. Even though I was drinking fresh organic fruit and vegetable juice and eating soups that I or a health food restaurant made, it was imbalanced and I paid the price. Hard. It will be interesting to see the lab results.

The lesson for me, and maybe for you, Dear Reader, is while something may seem healthy and doable, it may not work for you individually. Buyer beware!

Continue reading →