LambCHNOPS

Category: Sports

  • Do The Fit Really Get Fitter?

    I’m fairly certain everyone is familiar with the old saying, “the rich get richer…” — especially since it has resurfaced to throw sour grapes at modern billionaires — but what about the fit get fitter?

    The Case for Professional Athletes

    This idea was initially inspired by the professional triathletes I have been following through the T100 series this year. Two athletes in particular are RedBull sponsored athletes — Lucy Charles-Barclay and Hayden Wilde. Wilde gained widespread popularity recently as he was in a major accident and came back earlier than expected to win the T100 London race, shortly followed by a back-to-back race at T100 French Riviera. Charles-Barclay won the female division of T100 London, coming back from last-year’s DNF due to injury.

    Lucy Charles-Barclay. Courtesy of T100 Triathlon

    If you follow their activities through their regular videos on YouTube, you will see immaculate home-gym set ups and top-of-the-line equipment for both training and competitions. I can’t help but wonder how much money goes into all that gear. Luckily for them, they are sponsored by one of the most prolific athletic sponsors in the world. Not a factor of luck, though, is the hours of work they have put into becoming the best in the sport so as to earn such a prestigious sponsorship.

    So that begs the question… Do the fit get fitter?

    Hayden Wilde. Courtesy of Yahoo Sports UK

    All athletes train hard — especially the professionals — and in a sport like middle- to long-distance triathlon, the results are largely dependent on the fitness of the athlete. However, triathlon is dependent on the gear that you have. Turn on any triathlon podcast and you will hear a ton of talk about the best bike set-ups, fastest tires, most aerodynamic position, etc. Not to mention the discussion on fastest running shoes or most hydrodynamic wetsuit. My point is, the highest-performing athletes gain the most attention and therefore partner with the best brands to gain advantages in kit upgrades and training center access. Not to mention the paychecks that allow them to leave their day jobs and pursue training full time. Might this improve their fitness faster than the average athlete?

    When I think of this question, I think of a graph with an exponential curve of growth. In the beginning (near 0 on the x-axis), the growth is small and virtually unrecognizable until finally it reaches a turning point and the growth takes off. In athletics, one could liken that turning point to a breakthrough in their career such as a career-defining win, or the moment they decided to pursue their sport professionally. On a mathematical graph, the growth could continue to infinitum, but is that also the case for athletes?

    Of course, there are always new athletes entering the conversation. Charles-Barclay herself was a stand-out newcomer when she first made the transition from competitive swimmer to triathlete. But how many standouts are true beginners, having never competed in another sport before?

    It seems fairly intuitive that physical fitness can translate between sports and that sport-specific technique is what needs to be honed for any athlete to do well. With this in mind, the top athletes would need to have large amounts of innate talent to be as good as they are. One can always hire a coach to help them develop better and faster than they might on their own, but as evidenced by the most recent Ironman World Championships, uncoached athletes can also train themselves to top-place finishes.

    So what does this say about fitness? Is there a pinnacle level of fitness that everyone is capable of reaching that no amount of fancy training gear can help them surpass? Or does access to top-of-the-line equipment give athletes an edge, making the fit… fitter?

    The Case for the Average Person

    While it’s great to ponder this question for people at the peak of their biological fitness levels, how does it apply to the everyday human? The majority of people on the planet are not athletes training every day to make podiums or break records, they are merely completing their daily responsibilities or striving to maintain healthy levels of activity and nutrition. Does the concept of “the fit get fitter” apply to them?

    Looking at it from a bioenergetics perspective, people with less muscle mass and higher body fat percentages are at a disadvantage. Reading any study or textbook related to exercise science will make it apparent that muscle burns more calories than fat. In other words, the more muscle mass a person has, the more likely it is for them to have a higher basal metabolic rate.

    The basal metabolic rate is defined as the number of calories a body will burn over a 24 hour period if laying down but not sleeping. A higher basal metabolic rate is preferred as it means more calories can be utilized for functional purposes, rather than merely excreted or stored as fat.

    In the past two to three decades, diet culture was massively influential. It drove many people — women especially — to under eat in the hope of losing weight. Initially, cutting calories worked for people, they would slim down to their goal weight, then bounce back to their initial weight or worse within a few months of ending their diet. I’m sure many people will either have experienced this for themselves or know someone who fell victim to the yo-yo of dieting.

    Educated trainers would know that restricting calorie intake can actually do more harm than good. Unfortunately, financial gain was louder than healthful practices.

    Now, at least, there seems to be an uptick in people engaging in strength training. This is a massive step in the right direction as resistance training is a highly effective way to lose weight and keep it off in a healthy way.

    To most people, this may seem counter-intuitive. If you are thinking about body weight, most people will know that muscle weighs more than fat; if you gain muscle, your total body weight will increase. What they might not understand though, is the biochemistry happening inside the body.

    Fat serves as energy storage in the human body. It’s purpose is to help the body function properly during times of low calorie intake, preventing your body from shutting down immediately if no food is consumed. Most studies say humans can survive up to three days without food — this is largely due to the energy reserves stored in fat.

    Muscle, on the other hand, can be built or lost with action or inaction, respectively. Use it or lose it, in other words. Muscle requires a lot of energy to maintain as it requires the body to breakdown and utilize proteins. If there is no need for the body to maintain a muscle due to lack of use, it sends its efforts elsewhere to provide attention to other areas of the body that are being used.

    Think of people who broke their leg or ankle and had to wear a cast for several weeks. By the time they have the cast removed, the leg that was injured is visibly smaller than their other leg. The muscles were not utilized, so the body diverted energy away from maintaining those muscles.

    If a person starts to use certain parts of their body more (i.e. lifting weights), the body will adapt and divert energy to the required limbs to help accomplish those tasks. Muscle will start to build, but it can only do so if the proper macronutrients are available.

    The body will start to adapt by utilizing the fuel given to it to develop those muscles. As more strength is gained, muscle mass increases, and more calories are burned. Even maintenance of the muscles requires the body to expend energy, thus utilizing fat and carbohydrate stores to achieve required energy needs.

    All of this culminates in healthier, stronger people with lower body fat percentages. Exercising and healthy eating becomes essential to maintain or improve fitness levels. People can get into the rhythm of daily exercise, they see strength and size improvements, they feel better. It becomes addicting after a while as those endorphins (the feel good hormones) are released in the brain during exercise. The fit continue to exercise, only serving to increase their fitness…

    Conclusion

    As with anything, it is what you make it. It is not innate for a trend to continue just because it has started, one must still fuel it. The RedBull sponsored athletes still have to train hard to perform well, non-athletes still have to eat well and exercise to maintain their fitness, wealthy people have to continue to make money to stay wealthy… the list goes on.

    So, do the fit get fitter?

    While it is tough to answer for sure, one thing is for certain: it is easier to stay fit when you are already fit.

    Let’s keep the discussion going in the comments. What do you think about fitness? Is it a level to be achieved or can a person keep getting fitter?

    Thank you for reading!

  • How to Stay Consistent with Exercise

    In a previous post, I wrote about my running journey. I love running, but I haven’t always been able to do it. I have had many injuries and other commitments that left me unable to either endure the physicality of running or find the time to run. Usually, when that happens, both my mental and physical health suffers tremendously. Other times, my emotions get in the way; I talk myself out of doing an exercise because of some excuse I came up with. I’m too tired, I’m stressed about deadlines, I don’t want to lose momentum on the project I’m working on, etc. When I fall into this mindset, my workout routine becomes non-existent, or sporadic at best. After years of letting this mentality get in the way, I have finally figured out how to stay fit despite feeling every emotion in the book.

    This post has one purpose: to help you stay consistent with your exercise routine. It is not meant to be a training plan, a “lose weight fast” scheme, or a tutorial on how to build muscle. My goal is simply to help you move your body every day, despite what you may be feeling that day. Here’s how to do it:

    1. Note which activities you enjoy doing. What activities do you instinctively do? Are there other activities you want to try?
    2. Determine timeframes. How long do you spend on each activity? How much time do you have each day to spend on activities?
    3. Pay attention to your emotions. How do you feel when you do a particular activity? How did you feel before you started doing that activity? How do you feel after?
    4. Put it together. Which activity do you do when you feel happy or excited? Which activity do you do when you feel sad, or mad, or nervous? Which activity do you do when you are short on time? Which activity do you do when you want to turn your brain off for a while?
    5. Make the commitment to move every day. Adjust the activity based on your habits and emotions.

    When I first started to track myself, my answers to these steps looked like the following:

    1. I instinctively go running or do yoga at home. I want to try cycling, swimming, and boxing.
    2. Running takes me 30 minutes minimum, but I usually drive to a location to run which adds 10-15 minutes each way. Yoga takes less time, usually only 15-20 minutes. I only have 20 minutes to spend on exercise during the week. On weekends, I have more time.
    3. When I run, I feel free but also impatient to finish. I always feel accomplished and happy afterward. When I do yoga, I feel calm and relaxed. I leave every session feeling more mindful and tolerant. Before running, I am either feeling nervous or stressed about something, or I feel very energized and up for more intense activity. Before doing yoga, I am usually tired or my mind is racing and I need it to calm down.
    4. See my activity-emotion-time chart below for how I put it all together.
    5. I now know which activities to do when I am stressed or happy, which to do when I am tired, and which to do when I am angry. From that list, I pick which activity fits in the time frame I have available that day, or I may modify the length of the activity to match.

    Activity-Emotion-Time Chart

    ActivityEmotionTime
    RunningBefore: nervous, stressed
    During: free
    After: accomplished, happy    		30 min – 1 hr 30 min
    CyclingBefore: lazy
    During: content, inspired
    After: accomplished, happy    		15 min – 2 hr
    SwimmingBefore: tired, sad
    During: adventurous, playful
    After: awake, rejuvenated    		1 hr
    YogaBefore: sleepy, anxious, unmotivated
    During: calm, relaxed
    After: mindful, tolerant    		15 -20 min
    BoxingBefore: angry, motivated
    During: strong, bad-a**
    After: epic, free, capable    		20 – 40 min

    Reading through the after-effects of the activities I wrote down reinforces how beneficial exercise is to my mental state. I find that each activity gives me a boost in some area of my mood or mentality. When I spend my week trying a few activities, I feel more playful and find that I look forward to exercise. An unexpected bonus is that it prevents me from paying attention to statistics or PRs because I can’t remember the stats for five different exercises at one time!

    I now work out according to what I need that day and no longer force myself to do any particular activity because I feel I should. I do the activity now because I want to, knowing that it will help my mental state. Working out is not a punishment for me, it is a tool to help my emotions. Gentler exercises suit me best when I am unmotivated or tired, while the more intense and demanding exercises satisfy my needs when I am full of energy. Since I have been following this method, I have not missed a single day of exercise in the past two months. I feel happier, healthier, more capable, more resilient, and I am in the best shape of my life!

    What activities do you do to stay fit? Do you like my method of working out to your emotional needs? Let me know if you try it!

    Please like this post if you enjoy this type of content, and subscribe so you don’t miss any future posts.

    Thanks for reading. Happy exercising!

    -TJ

  • How To Get Into Running in 2025

    Social media is filled with inspiration urging you to get into running and it seems like everyone is training for a marathon these days. Maybe it has inspired you to train for your own marathon, or maybe, you just want to find an enjoyable way to get into shape. Whatever your motivation, this guide is here to help you lace up your trainers and get out the door.

    Contents

    • My Experience
    • Tip 1: Go alone or don’t
    • Tip 2: Running attire
    • Tip 3: Finding running shoes
    • Tip 4: Be gentle
    • Tip 5: Nutrition and hydration
    • Tip 6: Keep yourself entertained
    • Tip 7: Stretch
    • Conclusion

    My Experience

    I have called myself a runner since I won the 400 m race at my elementary school’s annual track and field meet at the age of 9. At that stage, I didn’t know about carbon-based soles or fueling. All I knew was I had two legs that carried me down the track and running felt awesome. That summer, I took myself for runs whenever I felt like it. I had just figured out how to save free songs to my iPod Touch, so I would go jogging down the streets of the small town where I grew up with my iPod in my hand and the cords to my earbuds bouncing against my chest. I listened to the same two songs I had downloaded every time I ran. I listened to those songs on repeat so often that now, whenever I hear “Don’t Wake Me Up” by Chris Brown or Armin van Buuren’s “This Is What It Feels Like”, I immediately think of the sunrise I used to see midway through my runs. Running was never something I felt like I had to do, I simply just wanted to do it.

    When the school year started again, I joined the cross-country club that met twice a week after school. Again, it was a small town, so the club consisted of one or two students from each grade starting at Grade 3 and up. We started by running laps around the schoolyard, then slowly progressed to a longer route that took us off school property. The big goal of this club was to compete in one race at the end of October against all the schools from our region. To train, I stuck to the twice-a-week practices established by the club.

    When the end of October came, we drove to the city for the big meet. I was shocked to see kids from the bigger schools doing elaborate warm-ups and jogging in packs before the race had even started. All I did to prepare was lace up the athletic shoes my mom had bought from Walmart–which were two sizes too big because my mom didn’t want to have to buy new shoes again this schoolyear when my feet were still growing — and do a few ankle rollouts and quad pulls my teacher had shown me. Then, I noticed a few kids I recognized from neighboring schools and we chatted until it was time for our races. I came in ninth that day and was awarded a ribbon for making the top ten. It was a great experience, and needless to say, I was back the following year.

    As I got older, I started to search for tips on how to improve my running. I wanted to get top five in those big cross-country meets, but nothing I was doing on my own was helping. As I got faster, so did the kids I was competing against. I subscribed to running magazines and poured over any bit of advice they gave. Looking back, not all of the advice I read was good advice, but I was determined to improve.

    I moved away before I ever broke the top five at that cross-country meet. I started at a big high school in a big city and very quickly realized that I was not nearly good enough to compete with the “big city kids”. Their cross-country programs were more serious than any practice I had ever been a part of, and I backed away in fear. I kept running in my spare time, but I never competed again.

    In my first year of college, I had a roommate that used to do running challenges for ROTC at her high school. We started running together after classes and chatted the entire time. To this day, I don’t think we would have become as good of friends if we hadn’t run together so much.

    My second year of college, I was in a car accident that messed up my neck and back. After the initial shock of the accident, I tried to take myself for a run to relieve some of the stress but quickly found out that I couldn’t. The pain was so bad that I threw up not even three minutes into the run. Queue chiropractor appointments and physical therapy.

    When I was cleared to run again, I discovered I was not as in shape as I used to be. Running still hurt and I got winded very quickly. I got discouraged and stopped running almost entirely.

    A few years later, I was tired of feeling lazy and wanted to get back into sport. Somehow, I stumbled across triathlons. I was inspired to see people nearly thirty, forty years older than me completing these triathlons and reckoned it would be a good, relatively low-impact way of getting back into sport. I roped my partner into joining me and together, we began the Couchto5K program to get back into running shape. We signed up for a sprint triathlon just outside the city and committed to a triathlon training plan we found on YouTube. It felt good to train for an event again and I had never felt more accomplished than when I crossed the finish line of my first ever triathlon.

    Last year, I moved abroad and fell out of the habit of exercising again. When life got stressful, I realized I needed an outlet. I tried to take myself for runs but, to my immediate dismay, I discovered I had lost my fitness again! With nobody to run with and my joints feeling stiff, running felt like a chore. I then looked for another way to fill my exercising needs and stumbled upon a rugby club in the city. I had played rugby in high school but had all but written it off after my university did not have a club. I knew it would be a great way to meet people outside of my regular routine, so I started going to practices. Eventually, the competition season started and I was asked to join in on a tournament. I was eager to play again, so I said “yes”. Then, in my second tournament, I heard a pop as I was being tackled and discovered I could barely put weight on my left leg. I had completely ruptured my ACL.

    One surgery, ten days in a Japanese hospital, and months of physical therapy later, my ACL was deemed stable enough to start running again. When I tried to run, I could barely manage thirty seconds of jogging. It was heartbreaking. I realized just how much I had taken running for granted in the past. Right then, I vowed to strengthen my knee as much as possible so I could get back to the activities I love.

    Now, it is 2025, I am nearly nine months post-op on my knee, and I recently ran a half-marathon.

    How did I do it?

    #1 Go alone or don’t

    First, having a friend run with you helps a lot! Find someone who is willing to run slowly with you as you just start out. Having somebody jog next to you can provide a small push to keep you running when you are tempted to stop. They can also provide good conversation that will take your mind off the exercise. Bonus if you can find someone who is on the same level of running fitness as you. You can encourage each other to keep going!

    That is not to say you cannot get into running if you don’t have a friend to go with you. When I first started running, all the way back in third grade, I didn’t have a buddy to run with. To this day, I look back on those solo runs fondly. If you can’t find someone to run with, take yourself out. You know what your goals are. Don’t let external factors ruin it for you.

    Alternatively, if solo running is daunting to you for whatever reason, join a running group. So many run clubs have popped up all over the place. Sites like Facebook are so useful for finding local groups to run with. Right out of college, I joined a running group as a way to meet people in a new city. Group running didn’t necessarily suit my style as a runner, but I did meet lots of friendly people. The running group was not my cup of tea, but it may be yours. Give it a try!

    #2 Running attire

    My second tip is an important one. Nobody cares what you look like when you run. The social media influencers who share their cute outfits and aesthetic running setups do it because they know people want an ideal to look up to. If spending money on cute sets inspires you to run, then do it, but please don’t let the way you think you look stop you from starting a healthy habit. I run in leggings to prevent chafing then swap out my top depending on the weather: tank top if it’s hot, T-shirt for regular days, and a long sleeve if it is cold. For sunny days, I run in the prescription sunglasses I bought from Zenni and sometimes throw on an old visor. Most of my workout gear is a minimum of five years old… some I have even had since middle-/high-school. My point is, run in what you feel comfortable in.

    #3 Finding running shoes

    Third, and slightly related to the second, having expensive shoes is not a necessity! The running tips for beginners or “things I wish I knew when I started running” that I have seen recently all harp on buying proper running shoes. I am here to tell you that no amount of money spent on shoes will help you start running. For years, I ran in the too-big shoes my mom bought from Walmart. Once I had established that I liked running and did it often, I went out and bought a $60 pair of actual running shoes.

    If you ask my partner, they will tell you that buying the right pair of running shoes makes a huge difference. They feel better during and after runs as a result of using the proper equipment and often spend money to upgrade their running shoe collection.

    Me? I would still be running in my decades-old trainers if my partner didn’t insist on getting me a fancier pair. Having run with both, I can attest to the fact that fancier shoes can and do make a difference. There is a reduced risk of injury with the newer technology and built-in supports that pricier running shoes boast, and some can even help you run faster. However, if you are still struggling with getting yourself out the door to run, no amount of money invested in shoes will help you. Unless of course, you are like my partner who is eager to try out a ton of shoes and has to run to do it.

    #4 Be gentle

    The fourth tip I recommend for runners is to be gentle when you begin. Being a runner does not mean you can run a marathon or hold a fast pace. Remember, I called myself a runner after running 400 meters! The distance you run or the length of time you can run for does not matter. As long as you want to run, you should. Your goal when you first get into running should be to show up, so try to keep your running experiences as enjoyable as possible. Avoid pushing yourself too hard, only upping the ante when you have established a good routine and feel good after running. When that day comes, then you can look into training plans designed to help you improve your skills. Remember, alternating between running and walking for 50 meters or 30 seconds each is enough to say you went for a run (this is how I trained myself to run again after ACL surgery).

    # 5 Nutrition and hydration

    My fifth point is about nutrition and hydration. Disclaimer here, I am not a nutritionist or dietician so take my advice with a pinch of salt. If you are trying to get into running, nutrition should not really be a consideration for you; if you consume food every day, you can go for a run. Don’t let your diet stop you from exercising. Once you have started exercising, then you can pay attention to how foods make you feel when you exercise. If eating right before a run upsets your stomach, wait a while after eating before setting out. If a particular food makes you feel ill while running, don’t eat it when you know you will exercise. The same goes for hydration. Pay attention to which drinks make you feel better when you run. Water is my personal favorite. As for after runs, you may either find yourself ravenous or ready to vomit at the thought of food. Whichever the case, listen to your body. It will tell you everything you need to know. Do try to make healthy choices as much as you can though!

    As you start running more, for longer sessions or at a harder intensity, then you can start exploring nutrition items like gels. My advice here is to experiment with different types when you feel you are ready. They can provide a lovely boost before, during, or after workouts, but should not be a crutch for proper nutrition.

    For me personally, I try to eat as balanced of meals as possible. I find that I tire easily if I have not eaten any carbohydrates the day before, feel weak without protein, and struggle mentally when I am lacking vegetables. I like to eat granola bars or a handful of trail mix about twenty minutes before a run and carry a backpack with water to sustain me during my runs — though I hardly ever touch the water until I finish a session. After running, I crave protein so I choose foods like hamburgers or sandwiches to satiate my hunger. Your specific needs will likely be different than mine, so I encourage you to pay attention to how your body reacts to your dietary choices. Nobody except medical professionals has a right to tell you what you should and should not be eating. Remember that you are the only person who has lived in your body. You are intelligent enough to know what is good for you or not.

    #6 Keep yourself entertained

    As the sixth piece of advice, I recommend you find something to listen to. If you are running with a friend, you are lucky enough to have good old conversation to keep you going, but you might also consider listening to music, a podcast, or even an audio book together. When I run with my partner, sometimes we chat and sometimes we split audio to listen to mystery books together. Either way, it’s always an enjoyable opportunity to spend time together. When running alone, some days I opt for uplifting music with a good beat, such as EDM or remixes of popular songs, and others I don’t listen to anything at all. Find what suits your mood for that session and what will help you stay in the zone to reach your running goals.

    #7 Streeeeetttttcccchhhhhhh

    For my seventh and final piece of advice, stretch! Warming up before a run is important, but I have found stretching to be the most vital action I take as a runner. The pain of waking up with sore muscles is a huge deterrent for me to want to run again, so I make every effort to quell the onset of stiffness. To do this, I type “yoga for runners” into YouTube and pick a video that matches the length of time I have available to stretch. I also purchased a foam roller for myself and will use this if I feel my muscles getting particularly tight. Start with free yoga or stretching tutorials after every run and your body will thank you.

    Conclusion

    In summary, running is the least expensive sport you could possibly do. Use the old gym clothes you still have from high school and the smelly, holey running shoes you have had for ages. Listen to your old music, download an audiobook, chat with a friend, or listen to the sound of your feet hitting the pavement. Focus on helping your body feel good by discovering which foods feel good to eat before and after runs, and keep your muscles loose and limber through yoga, stretching, or foam rolling. Make running as pleasant as possible for yourself so you want to go back and do it again. Finally, the best way to start running in 2025 is to lace up your shoes and put one foot in front of the other.