More Fit in 6 Minutes or FISM

We've begun.  Yesterday at the gym we started the Fit in 6 Minutes (FISM).  Unfortunately I can't remember what my heart rate went to:  was it 150? 146?  as I was paying more attention to how Richard was going.  He was trying but not hard.  His HR got to 81, not nearly high enough.  Trying to tread that fine line between encouragement and nagging, I did convince him to up his game enough that he actually became a little breathless for the final attempt.  We have to do four sessions of 30 seconds, 3 times a week. 

So.  Today I showed him the charts regarding age appropriate heart rates.  Fifty percent capacity for a 70 year old is 110.  Took his resting HR last night, 62 BPM, which is good (mine 72, above average).  Suggested that someone he doesn't like, who will remain nameless as this is a public space, was chasing him to 'have a chat'.  Brought up the transcript from the Catalyst program and read him appropriate parts.  Why wouldn't the FISM program be helpful for Parkinsons as it is also a disorder of the nervous system?  The segment on the mice who have been genetically engineered to age faster (how cruel is that?  that's a whole 'nother post) and who, with a tailored exercise program (running on a treadmill) didn't age at the same speed as the non-exercising control group, is very telling. 

Richard has never been sporty since I've known him.  He walks with me and is going to the gym, which is so outside his comfort zone and something he would never do under normal circumstances, and I'm very proud of him for that but he needs to be keen enough to experience real discomfort.  For instance, on one of the arm press machines, where the bar is pushed up, he was still on the lightest weight.  In all the months he'd been going it never occurred to him to push the weight up a little and he's been going for a few months longer than I!  So I encouraged him to increase the weight.  Ditto the bike.  Suggested that he could go higher than level 2.  Yesterday he was on level 7.  Yay!

He is also an old hand on the quadricep machine, the treadmill and the cross trainer, machines he avoided because they were too hard.  Therefore I am confident that with practice and getting used to the fact that working out hard for 30 seconds hurts, he will master FISM. 

In April, after four months of FISM, it will be interesting to take our resting heart rates again.   I trust that both will be improved, that we'll have less abdominal fat and more muscle.  And that maybe I'll notice that Parkinsons (and/or Alzheimers) will have less of a grip on Richard.

I am excited by the prospect.  This might be the answer.  No cure for old age and death but if we can feel good, stay active and mentally capable until we keel over, terrific.  Can't ask for more than that (except by the time we die all the animals are or will be looked after and loved and if I go first, that Richard is also looked after and loved).  Happy New Year!

Physically Fit in 6 minutes per Week

When information is presented to you which is the information you need right now, it can be nothing but proof that the Universe is connected to you in a personal and unique way.  Yesterday, a Sunday, a day for not doing too much, the telly was on while I attempted Technique #2 Wet on Wet with water soluble coloured pencils.  The ABC's Catalyst was on.  And the information it had was a showstopper.  Richard was doing the after lunch dishes.  I called him in to watch it. 

You can find the transcript or video here :  http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4319131.htm 

The program was about the benefits of doing six minutes of flat chat cardio a week.  Not six minutes all at once but twelve 30 second sprints.  Sprints on the bike or running up hill or whatever.  It all has to do with improving mitochondrial function in the cells.

Narration
"In fact, in all of us, mitochondrial function gradually declines as time wears on."

Professor Mark Tarnopolsky
"Although they're very efficient at repairing themselves, eventually we can't keep up and the cells start to drop off in energy. When they drop off in energy, they lose their resilience and the cells end up dying and we can't replace our cells."


Professor Mark Tarnopolsky
"More recently, we've discovered that there can be acquired mitochondrial dysfunction that can occur in the presence of more common diseases such as Alzheimer's, obesity, type 2 diabetes and, in fact, human ageing has even been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction."

But, happily, research has shown that going flat out, to quote one of the researchers, as though you are running for your life, can reduce or reverse many of the effects of aging. 

This is huge.  Enormous.  Literally life changing.  And Richard watched it with me.  We are going to the gym 3 times a week so the basis is already there.  Now to convince him that he needs to start going hard at it.

He just came in and I outlined a plan.  If he tries to go flat chat for 30 seconds four times tomorrow he won't.  It will be too hard and the experiment will be over before we've started.  We've worked out that he will try to go 5 seconds as hard as he can four times.  Then on Friday, he'll try for 7 seconds (or 10 if the 5 second attempt wasn't that hard).  At any rate, build up to the 30 second interval. 

This is so exciting.  Kept giving thanks for the information, that we were there at the right time to catch this episode of Catalyst.

There was another bit of information which was interesting.  I've wondered why I have this spare tyre around my middle that I can't shake.  I'm pretty active, my weight is ok (55kg for 5'4") yet this ring of fat sits around my waist.  Catalyst explained that it is because of menopause.  It's common in menopausal women to have 'visceral fat', bad fat because it coats my internal organs.  And it doesn't look good either and makes fitting clothes that bit more difficult.  This explains much for it seemed to appear out of nowhere and my basic shape, that I've lived with all my adult life, had significantly changed without  the changes in my eating/exercise habits to account for it.

I'd already started, not knowing what I was doing, 15 second 'sprints' on the cross trainer, first legs, then next 15 seconds, arms, with 15 seconds of light exercise in between.  Yesterday, before watching the program, I upped it to 20 second sprints with 20 second rest in between.  Tomorrow I may go for 30 seconds - although I'm not sure I'm fit enough to go as hard as I can for a full 30 seconds.  Maybe, like Richard, I'll build up to it and try for 25 seconds.  At any rate I'll try.

I am so excited about this as I suspect this will really help allay the effects of Parkinsons in Richard and if I'm correct in thinking he has the beginning of Alzheimers, it will help that too.  There is hope for us after all.  Our future is looking much brighter.  Thank you Universe.