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?

Brian and I met in a spin workout class in 1993, which was right around the time I found myself immersed in the sport of Duathlon. Despite being total opposites, we quickly realized that we shared at least one common interest: helping people get into shape and maintain healthier lifestyles. That very familiar characteristic propelled us to quickly appreciate and respect one another.

Around that same time, Brian taught what was probably the first “yoga for athletes” class in the nation. He called it “Stretching for Athletes,” and boy, did the athletes show up. Steve Scott and Paula Newby-Fraser were regulars, as were other nationally ranked runners, triathletes and others. What Brian was teaching was really yoga, but in 1993, people thought yoga was for weird guys from India. Personally, I hated every class… I thought it was a wasted workout. Why stretch when I could be out running or cycling? Even though I didn’t know it at the time, the answer was simple: Life in general is hard on the body. Regardless if you are a marathon runner or a soccer mom who is always on the go, life tightens the body. Yoga opens the body so it can move freely, without pain or injury.

I’ve never met anyone who has done more than four or five yoga classes and now hates it. It might take a couple of classes to find an instructor you like, but I strongly doubt it. Most yoga instructors are the nicest people you’ll ever met. They seriously care about your well being. For that hour to an hour-and-a half, they want you to escape from your crazy life and get in touch with your body and your very reason for being.

When Brian approached me several years ago to help him distribute his Flexibility DVD, I was flattered. Brian Dorfman is the nation’s leading authority on flexibility for athletes, and when he told me that he wanted to take stretching and flexibility to the masses, I said “Let’s do it!” To date, PureFit has sold thousands of Brian’s DVD’s and travel books, and with the launch of our new website and online store just days away, we’re excited to sell thousands more in the years to come.

If you’ve never watched one of Brain’s videos, check out a sample at BrianDorfman.com.