Sunday Story…LSD (II)

 The why of Long Slow Distance is one word…adaptation. Adaptation is what our bodies and minds do to accommodate new stimuli. Some adaptations are purely physical…growing bigger muscles to adapt to lifting heavier weights. Some adaptations are biochemical…your body secretes more and different hormones and chemicals in response to various stimuli. Think of what happens when you are “stressed out.” Other adaptations are neuro-muscular…your brain realizes something is different and creates a change down in your cells to respond to the change. And yet another is the adaptation that occurs in our fuel-burning mechanism. LSD requires our bodies to burn fat for energy rather than glucose (sugar.)

 

All these examples happen when we do LSD. We develop different musculature to respond to 60 minutes of running as opposed to 2 minutes of running. Our bodies begin to secrete endorphins and other brain chemicals to have you feel good, your hormones ramp up in response to the muscular changes, and your stress hormones decrease (because you feel better.) Your brain shifts gears and tells you it is going to be OK and then moves energy in your cells to make it so. And, of course, you will burn fat because it is a more efficient and readily available energy source.

 

Long slow distance needs to be part of your health and fitness routine. You don’t want to be fit and unhealthy or healthy and unfit. As we age the goal should be to maintain both health and fitness, but it is going to take work. There are three main branches to achieve this goal…aerobic fitness, strength training, and diet.

 

Next week…the how!

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

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