OF MIND AND BODY

HEALTH: OF MIND AND BODY All in the Timing

by Kelly Bailey

It used to be believed that a calorie is a calorie and that the timing of calorie consumption did not matter when it came to weight and health.

We were wrong.

Studies are increasingly showing that the timing of consuming calories does matter for three reasons.

First, eating late at night interferes with the cellular cleanup processes that occur while the body is sleeping.

If your body is putting its efforts into digesting food, it cannot begin the critical repair work that would normally happen during sleep.

Additionally, eating late appears to disrupt deep and REM sleep cycles. REM sleep is when brain activity increases, intense dreams happen and there is rapid eye movement.

Second, eating late causes a spike in blood sugar and insulin. Insulin is the hormone that instructs the body to store calories as fat. Since not much energy is expended during sleep, those extra calories are simply not needed. Thus, the body is more likely to store late-night calories as fat tissue.

Finally, late-night food choices tend to lean toward processed and easy, quick-to-grab junk foods.

Be honest, you probably are not craving broccoli at 10 p.m.

Late-night eating often has little to do with true hunger and much more to do with stress and poor habits.

I do not know about you, but when I was a kid, the kitchen became an off-limits zone after dinner.

My parents would say, “You should have eaten more at supper.”

The fix on this is not easy, but it is simple: Kick the latenight eating habit.

Make sure you eat enough earlier in the day, and then turn off the kitchen light after 8 p.m.

As a certified personal trainer and certified holistic nutrition coach, Kelly Baily owns and operates Kelly Bailey Wellness. Read her blog, visit the Food Freedom page, and contact her at https://www.kellybailey.fit/

HEALTH: HEALTHY TRAILS Change the Rider, Change the Ride

by Robert Soroky

As a video game fanatic, I have learned that “leveling up” a game character can go a long way toward more efficiently tackling challenges within a game.

Similarly, leveling up, or upgrading, a bike can have the same effect on a ride.

However, knowing when and how to upgrade is key, and there are several methods that can be used to accomplish it.

This month’s column’s focus is on the rider.

Usually, the biggest complaint people have about their bikes is the weight.

Outside of the obvious solution of buying a lighter bike, many choose instead to pursue changing out heavy parts for lighter ones.

Both of those solutions can be pricey, so in the interest of cost savings, let us back up the conversation just a bit.

A fun question I like to ask is: “What do you think is the heaviest part of your bike?”

Their answers range from wheels to frames to tires.

My response is: “Nope, it’s YOU.”

That may sound like a harsh reality check, but honestly, the best and cheapest way to reduce weight on a bike starts with the rider.

Case in point: In 2019, I committed to a diet-and-exercise program that resulted in a weight loss of more than 20 pounds. My current road bike just happens to weigh in at 20 pounds.

By the time I started riding that spring, I was faster, climbed better and rode farther, all thanks to a personal upgrade that cost me essentially nothing.

In fact, losing 20 pounds off my body was the equivalent to erasing the entire weight of my bike from the ride!

What if you already are a svelte human being in Adonis-like shape and are just looking to get that extra edge out of your bike? Does it make more sense to upgrade individual parts or to buy a whole new bike?

Those answers and more can be found in next month’s column! (I just love cliffhangers, how about you?)

Robert Soroky is a lifelong cyclist regularly participating in long distance charity rides and manager of the Century Cycles Medina location. Contact Soroky at robert@centurycycles.com to suggest column topics, for further information or to chat about bikes.