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Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

bjsm.bmj.com

261–270 of 556 posts

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#261
post #180

Fortunately, this seems relatively simple to change (compared to other things with this magnitude of impact). It was a transformative experience to go from 40 VO2max to 57 (as reported by Apple Watch, and losing 30lbs on the way) over the past 12 months. The best part about it is that I didn't even have to give up anything - the extra energy I gained from 90-120 minutes of aerobics per day also had the effect of maki…

What sort of workouts do you do? I've been trying to do the same thing, but I'm finding it difficult to get VO2max to go up consistently.

Full aerobics with no strength training. So far I only do cycling and running, averaging to about 110~ minutes per day (with weekends having longer times and weekdays shorter)

80% or more of it is spent at Zone 2/Endurance where I try to keep my heart rate below 145.

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#263
post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More cyclists on the road makes it safer for cyclists. Combined with risk compensation, this seems enough to make helmet laws a net negative. Well studied. Wear a helmet though, they work!

A better alternative law would be to provide free helmets. People can choose not to use them out of preference but at least they'll have one to make that choice with.

Nothing is free, you're just making other people pay for helmets that likely wouldn't be used.

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#264

Over the past 11 months, I've lost 122lbs, from 330lbs to 208lbs. (May 30, 2023 - Today) For the first 2 months, cardio was not part of it. Really focusing on diet, reintroducing myself to portions of Whole Foods to hit macro goals. Really focusing on vegetables and protein, large quantities of low calorie foods that digest relatively slowly to keep me satiated for long periods. They're also quick to digest. I was al…

Damn bro you’re going beast mode. Keep it up. That’s awesome.

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#265
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's pretty funny seeing people today seethe about the obvious (being unfit is terrible for you) the same way people in the 1970s were seething about the obvious (smoking is bad for you). There is a reason why life expectancy was dropping in the US years before covid hit.

I asked my parents about the "when was smoking viewed as bad for you" bit. They said late 1980s to early 1990s. They said no one thought it was bad for you in the 1970s -- maybe a stinky habit, that is it.

There’s a line in a film from 1983 called The Outsiders which is like “give me one of those cancer sticks”, so I think smoking was understood to be harmful earlier than that.

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#266
Some of my peers are deep into running. I don’t get it. Running is sometimes fun for me but most often painful.

Then I overheard one of them (the fittest) say to a budding runner that he [should] do mostly easy sessions. Okay what’s easy to him? He said that so slow that it can feel awkward and unnatural. What?

Then I searched around and found out about Zone 2 and how you should do most of your work in that zone when building aerobic fitness. And that it is characterized by being able to hold a conversation, although strained.

I searched around and found atheletes like amateur ultrarunners say the same thing.

Then it hit me. I’ve probably been jogging a lot in Zone 3. Or higher? Because the harder you go the more benefit, right? That seems to be the basic logic for everything.[1] Relatively short, painful sessions. Have I been conditioning myself to associate cardio with more pain than is necessary for the average session?

So maybe I should just go on the stationary bike today, do a “conversatitional” (talk to myself) pace and listen to my audiobook for an hour? And try to not let my groin fall asleep.

[1] With nuances like go-to-failure for hypertrophy in weightlifting and more back-off-a-little for strength training.

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds ridiculous until you go to Amsterdam see that few wear helmets there. And everyone is cycling. They might be more inclined to cycle because they don’t need to wear a helmet. After years of cycling with helmet you get so used to it and it doesn’t bother you. But how many skip the bike because they never got used to wearing a helmet?

In Amsterdam they are commuting, and in a fantastic infrastructure where cars get red lights when bicycles approach on an intersecting cycleway. That's probably the main reason for safety and why they ride so much.

There's very few places where the light changes automatically for bikes in Amsterdam - all that I can remember now, don't. The large majority of lights do respond to input from pressing the cross button (also pressable by bycicles), but it's not automated.

They do use "change on approach" lights outside of the cities way more, but in cities it's usually only for trams and buses.

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#268
post #263
post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A better alternative law would be to provide free helmets. People can choose not to use them out of preference but at least they'll have one to make that choice with.

Nothing is free, you're just making other people pay for helmets that likely wouldn't be used.

Neither is public healthcare system but if a free helmet for everyone reduces healthcare costs globally, ultimately it’s other people paying less.

(I guess it doesn’t work if you don’t have public healthcare)

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#269

Fortunately, this seems relatively simple to change (compared to other things with this magnitude of impact). It was a transformative experience to go from 40 VO2max to 57 (as reported by Apple Watch, and losing 30lbs on the way) over the past 12 months. The best part about it is that I didn't even have to give up anything - the extra energy I gained from 90-120 minutes of aerobics per day also had the effect of maki…

Congrats. You’re an inspiration to me. :)

Re: Cardio fitness is a strong, consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality

#270

Fortunately, this seems relatively simple to change (compared to other things with this magnitude of impact). It was a transformative experience to go from 40 VO2max to 57 (as reported by Apple Watch, and losing 30lbs on the way) over the past 12 months. The best part about it is that I didn't even have to give up anything - the extra energy I gained from 90-120 minutes of aerobics per day also had the effect of maki…

that’s an amazing change. Could you elaborate on your training regimen?

It's a mixture of running and cycling and really less planning than what I should have.

Generally, my runs are between 5-10K and rides are 30km/20mi ish. More days than not I'll do both, but on other days I only get one done due to time issues. Weekends are usually for longer rides. I average around 200km/130mi on the bike and 40-50km of running per week. I've had to build up to this level gradually so it started from a much lower volume but I've been able to keep it pretty consistent for this year.

It's gotten to a point where if I don't do any exercise I would feel really bad physiologically so it drives me to go out everyday. But I essentially choose what to do at the hour and since most of the training is zone 2/endurance it doesn't matter too much.

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