Robb Dorf, Founder & President - PureFit Nutrition Bars

Lance Armstrong, seven-time winner of the Tour de France, wrote his account about how he beat cancer and came back to win the world’s toughest bike race for a record seven times in a row.  The book is called “It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life.” Every one of my friends and family who have read the book say they loved it and that it inspired them.

The reason this blog entry is called “It’s About The Bike” is because I too want to inspire you — but in a different way and for different reasons. I want you to finally attain and maintain your fitness goals. At age 42, there are specific reasons why I still weigh155 pounds, am fairly flexible and enjoy a healthy body fat level.

I attribute this healthy maintenance to five specific tips that I know work. I’m living proof that they work because I work them. I’ve got no short cuts for you. No magic pills here. No mystical drinks, powders or diets.

Here are the 5 things I do to stay lean, strong and energetic:

1. Cardio, cardio and more cardio. It’s about the bike for me. I ride, I burn calories.  OK, I’ll admit I’m addicted to it. I love cycling, spinning, running, walking and pretty much anything else that qualifies as “continuous aerobic activity.” And please, don’t take offense, but sitting on a recumbent bicycle, talking to your friend on your cell phone or reading a book, isn’t what I’m talking about. I’m talking about a 60-minute spin class that leaves you spent. Or a 45-minute Zumba class that leaves you drenched in sweat. If you’re not working your tail off you won’t get results. That power walk with Fido doesn’t count either, unless you are seriously huffing or puffing for 45 minutes.I do seven to 10 hours of cardio a week.

2. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. There are nutritional philosophies like the 40/30/30, (you can download a free copy of our 6-week Fat Burning Guide here: http://www.purefit.com/choose-the-right-bar/15.html). The 40/30/30 program is generally undisputed by healthcare and fitness professionals and if followed correctly, works in the long term. Why? Because it is based on how the body works. It is based on how the body chooses to burn stored body fat over sugar. It’s not a diet, and every successful nutritional program since the book “The Zone” was first written has borrowed parts of 40/30/30. Now, some 15-plus years later, nobody has proven Dr. Sears wrong and everyone is borrowing his moderate carbohydrate approach. I eat a moderate carbohydrate diet. The benefit, of course, is that my cycling is stronger and more enjoyable when I eat healthy.

3. Stretch, stretch, stretch. Over the last year I’ve added Bikram yoga to my exercise routine. I got a little burned out after 10 years of Hatha and Ashtanga yoga. As I’ve stated before, while the benefits of yoga are far too great to cover in a single blog post, I can tell you that my regular Tuesday evening yoga class — which I’ve been working into my schedule for 10 years now — has dramatically improved my life. First of all, I feel better. I don’t feel 42 years old after that class, and that feeling lasts through at least the next day. My body feels younger, more fluid, less stiff. In spin class — the day following yoga — my knees don’t ache. On my road bike, my neck is less stiff, and my body feels more “at one” with the bike.

4. Rolfing. Despite all of my stretching and rest, the body does break down from time to time. I have found that deep-tissue massage is vital. Not all therapists will call their technique Rolfing. I have worked with Brian Dorfman and his clinic in Solana Beach, Calif., since 1993. He performs very deep tissue massage and I’ve never heard him call it Rolfing. My point is simple: It’s important to reorganize the connective tissues — called fascia — that permeate the entire body. Find yourself a certified Rolfer, or a massage therapist who understands this procedure and is qualified.

5. Balance. If I don’t balance my personal life, I don’t have time for me. I have to make time to go to spin class. I have to make time to go to yoga. The bottom line is make time for yourself. The excuse I hear the most is, “I don’t have the time.” I get it. I understand. If it was easy, we’d all be thin and more energetic. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely not impossible. It takes time every day. The weight did not come on overnight, and it’s not going to come off overnight. Come up with a plan. Re-arrange your schedule. Be honest with yourself. Do I have to work this much? Am I just making excuses to not go to the gym? There are more ways to work out than ever before. Find something you truly enjoy, set a goal, and hold yourself accountable.

In my case, I just happen to love my bike and the enjoyment it provides. So for me, it’s all about the bike. What’s it about for you?

An important discovery in the health & fitness industry over the past 17 years is this simple fact: Our bodies burn stored body fat faster while working out if (and this is a pretty big if)… if we eat a diet composed of a moderate amount of carbohydrates and protein, and a low to moderate amount of good dietary fats.

It is especially difficult to lose weight when eating a diet primarily consisting of carbohydrates, especially if you workout a lot, because when you eat like that, you force your body to burn carbohydrates (sugars). When you switch the equation around a bit and eat a diet composed of about 1⁄3 protein, you allow your body to burn stored body fat — which is the reason most of us workout. In other words, the ratio of the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in your diet determines if you will predominately burn carbohydrates or stored body fat.

Let’s face it. We are always burning calories, and without getting too technical, it’s the hormonal reaction from the foods we eat that determines what we will burn for energy. The normal response in the body to eating carbohydrates, (e.g., breads, pastas, fruits, sweets, etc.) is a rise in blood-sugar levels. To counteract and prevent excessive blood-sugar levels, the body produces insulin. Insulin stores calories as fat and glycogen (i.e., stored carbohydrates in the liver and muscle) and any excess as body fat.

The opposite hormone to insulin is glucagon. Protein in the diet releases glucagon, which mobilizes stored glycogen in the liver and bloodstream, allowing the muscles to burn fat, their preferred energy source. That is why when you burn more stored body fat, not only do you lose body fat, you have more energy and endurance.

Just think how good you feel when you eat a well balanced meal, like a chicken breast salad without gobs of dressing, versus a high-carbohydrate meal like pasta and bread. Not only are you usually not hungry for many hours after a balanced meal, you probably don’t feel lethargic, irritable, or bloated. Simply put, by adding a little protein and subtracting a few carbohydrates from your diet, you will experience body fat loss, have better energy, and look and feel great.

To learn how to maximize your diet for fat-burning, download a free copy of the PureFit Fat Burning Guide.