Start Weight: 581 pounds, Mar 11, 2005
Current Weight: 220 pounds

Goals I have achieved:

1. I rode my first Metric Century (62 miles)
   
2. I rode my first SAE Century (100 Miles)
3. I rode 167 a mile ride in less than 12 hours and reached the March 2006 goal for a 2 day ride in a day! (Labor Day Weekend)

In the 21 months since I had my bariatric surgery, I have gotten my life back!

Total weight loss: 361 pounds.


Spinner Report will be out tomorrow!

How do you motivate yourself to lose weight? This is one of those difficult questions. I could give you any number of external motivations, from social pressure to having a better physical fit with the world at large. External motivators, in the long run, just don't work as well as an intrinsic motivation!

So we come to the question, just what is intrinsic motivation? It's that motivation that comes from inside yourself. This is the same motivator that drove DaVinci to paint the Mona Lisa. It's the same motivation that drives someone to master a difficult subject of study. It's doing something not for a specific reward, but instead, just because you can!

This is the same motivation that drives the riders like the guys that ride Race Across America (RAAM). It's not the financial reward, believe me! It's not the fame either. It's that sense of accomplishment of completing a difficult or virtually impossible task (Referring to RAAM here). Weight loss, on the surface, can appear to be the same kind of thing.

Losing the weight is a long and slow process with, under normal circumstance, little immediate tangible reward. Sure, you live longer after dumping some of that excess weight, but you start to wonder to yourself if it's worth it? Is it worth not having that second helping of those oh so good beef and noodles? Is it worth depriving yourself to match society's view of what is normal or not?

What has to occur is a paradigm shift in how you think, and how you view yourself. first off, you aren't "depriving" yourself in reducing your food intake. Take the word "diet" out of your vocabulary. You aren't dieting, you are making saner nutritional choices. This shift in how you view yourself becomes a catalyst that acts as an agent of change in your life.

Exercise is a component of weight loss. What's funny is that going to the gym, for me, isn't fun! Choose an activity that you love to do. In my case, that's riding a bike. Do this exercise at every opportunity! We only have one go 'round and I choose to make mine last as long as I can!

There's the key concept of intrinsic motivation, though, right there! Those simple words, "I choose" can change your life far more than any other external motivator. Matter of fact, those people who, meaning well, ask you those questions like "Don't you think you'd feel better if you lost some weight?" used to just cheese me off to no end! Choose to do this, for your own reasons. You aren't losing the weight for anybody but yourself. It's your control of the world and how it affects YOU. You aren't helpless in the face of it, even though you may feel that way. I know I did. I had dieted and dieted and dieted and I continued to gain. This turned out to be because of a metabolic disease associated with the pituitary. Once I address that issue though, I still had, if you'll pardon the pun, an enormous task.

Since I was so physically debilitated from the weight gain, my metabolism was flat......I couldn't exercise, and I was stuck in this body that was more or less dying.


As you can see, things were getting pretty tough! I had come to a crossroads where I couldn't deny anymore I had a serious health problem, and it was my weight. I had developed diabetes, and was on oxygen because I had too much body mass to be supported by my lungs. I was experiencing crushing chest pain if I walked more than 50 feet, hence the wheelchair. At this point, I chose to live instead of exist. I chose to exert my control over MY world instead of letting my world control me. I'm not going to blow smoke here and say it's easy, it isn't! Nothing worthwhile ever is. Make your choice and follow through.

I started at 581 pounds, and have worked my way down to 229. I used every tool in the inventory, starting with bariatric surgery and finishing with exercise. Use the tools you need to, and get your life back. It's fun! You can get out with your kids, or wife and ride, for example. It's emminently more satisfying than sitting in front of the TV and vegetating. Engage in life!

It's worth the effort. If I had continued the path, I would never have met my niece, Mallie for example. There are all kinds of reasons to lose the weight, but the motivation has to come from inside yourself. You get to choose.




Now, as a reminder, in July, on the 14th, I am riding in the Tour de Cure. This is a fundraising ride sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. You can find my sponsorship page here.

Here is my team page as well if you want to join up with the team for fundraising efforts. The money donated is direct to the American Diabetes association and is secure.

That's right, I sure did! The URL is http://cycling4bariatricpatients.wiki.com/Home if you'd like to visit. It's still under construction, but I'll be placing resources for information about bariatric surgery and surgeons there. I'll also be posting links to cycling resources as well as files like mileage tracking files, etc. Feel free to visit!

Self Assessment Questionnaire 

1. When I look in the mirror I see __________:
   

A) A healthy person Score 1 ________

B) An overweight person Score 2

C) A big fat pig Score 3

2. When others see me, they see ____________:

A) A handsome/beautiful person (A stud) Score 1 ________

B) OK looking person, not great but not spectacular Score 2

C)An ugly fat person Score 3

3. When I think about losing weight, I feel ___________

A) Confident I can Score 1 ________

B) I don't know if I can, but I'm trying Score 2

C) I have given up Score 3

3. I have been dieting ________:

A) This is my first try Score 1 ________

B) I try and fail and wind up heavier than before Score 2

C) Why bother, it won't work anyway Score 3

3. I _______ Exercise

A) love Score 1 ________

B) am OK with, but it isn't that important Score 2

C) hate it with a passion Score 3

3. When I exercise I like to _______:

A) walk Score 1

B) swim Score 1

C) Ride a bicycle Score 1 

D) Play Nintendo or another computer game Score 4

E) Do nothing at all Score 4

3. I exercise________ a week ________

A) 3-4 times a week Score1

B) 1-2 times a week Score 2

C)every once in a while when I remember or have time Score 3

D) Never, if I can help it score 4

3. When I eat I____________

A) Feel full quickly Score 1 ________

B) Have seconds a lot Score 2

C) Never feel full Score 3

3. I eat when I am __________ (More than one response is possible here)

A) Hungry Score 1 ________

B) sad Score 2

C) Happy Score 2

D) Depressed Score 2

E) Feeling guilty Score 2

F) angry Score 2

G) Upset Score 2

H) Bored Score 2

I) Watching TV Score 2

J) Driving Score 2

K Could be anytime or all the time, I'm never satisfied Score 3

3. I _________ feel distressed about my weight

A) never Score 1

B) sometimes Score 2

C) Often Score 3

C) Always Score 4

Total Score_________

Adj Score=Total score/10_________

Weight_________

BMI_________

Divide your total score by 10, enter this in Adj score.

Enter your weight

Enter BMI (You can find out what your BMI is at

http://www.wvda.org/calcs/bmi.htm )

Email this information to

I don't want your personal information, and will not list it anywhere in the database. I will simply assign a numerical code to the data and enter it for statistical charting purposes.

I wrote this paper for my English 112 class. Jason, yes, it's me under my pseudonym here!

Abstract:

Purpose:Addressing the issues of the efficacy as well as risk of bariatric surgery in a manner which is accessible to lay persons preparing to undergo bariatric surgery as well as their families. Addressing the risk as well as benefit, the evidence presented proves the case that bariatric procedures most assuredly reduce cardiac and other co morbidity risks and is beneficial as a treatment for chronic morbid obesity. This paper will address these issues from both an evidenciary standpoint as well as a personal standpoint.

I will be addressing both physiological as well as psychological issues associated with morbid obesity and it's treatment. Evidence from sources such as the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, as well as a competent body of physicians, peer reviewed, and my personal on line journal will be presented to both document the issues and make my case.

Bariatric surgery, the pro's and con's: is the procedure group both an efficacious treatment plan as well as a true reduction in mortality risk

Before my surgery, I weighed in at 581 pounds, and was more or less wheelchair bound due to the fact that I could only walk about fifty feet without experiencing crushing chest pain. I had developed Type II Diabetes, and an enlarged heart as well as non healing wounds on both legs. Within 30 days after my surgery, I was off of the insulin and all cardiac medications. I experienced immediate relief of the comorbidities and was already seeing improvement in the condition of my legs due to better blood sugar management as well as an eighty five pound weight loss in the first thirty days. The benefit was already enormous, and included an enormous reduction in the risk of early death due to these comorbidities associated with obesity.

When you see the news and the current rash of horror stories in the news media concerning the complications that can occur after bariatric surgery, you have to wonder if it is worth it or not. Based on my personal experience, it is. I had the Roux-N-Y procedure performed on me on March 11, 2005 and in the last year and a half, I have succeeded in losing and keeping 352 pounds off my body. My activity levels are off the charts and essentially, I have a new lease on life. This paper will look at the evidence presented from both points of view and present the case that bariatric surgery is beneficial and in all honesty, the only truly effective long term solution to morbid obesity in the toolbox as things currently stand.

This is not to say that the surgery is without risk. What do the risks entail, you ask? The first risk is death during the procedure. This is quite rare, fortunately. The statistics nationally are about 1 person in 200 or 0.5% of the total number of patients undergoing this procedure annually(R Jones, personal communication, March 11, 2005). I acquired this particular statistic from my surgeon, Dr. Rosemarie Jones, with Carmel Surgical Specialists during my preparation for surgery. This is about the average for the surgical discipline, incidentally.

Post surgery, the risks are quite rare. Post surgical infection, wound leakage and other post surgical complications account for approximately a 10% total mortality rate after the procedure according to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. This rate is the combined total of all of the possible complications, incidentally. The risk is actually quite low, overall.

Why are the risks actually lower than the perception presented by the news media? When a person is preparing for bariatric surgery, the process is grueling. This is all designed, of course to minimize the risk to the patient as well as determine if the patient is a candidate both clinically and psychologically. The Roux-N-Y procedure is a radical and irreversible procedure primarily done as a laparoscopic surgery and the patient has to be able to discipline themselves to follow the diet and hydration requirements as well as activity requirements or the consequences can be disastrous. The lifestyle and dietary changes are permanent.

To explain the procedure, what happens is this: the stomach is separated into two pieces. The top section is formed into a pouch about the volume of an egg. The small intestine is severed three feet below the stomach, and the lower section is attached to the upper stomach section. The upper three feet of small intestine and remaining stomach section are rejoined an additional three feet down on the small intestine, forming a Y. The treatment was originally used for repair of stomach ulcers, but surgeons noted marked weight loss after this surgery (American Society for Bariatric Surgery, 2001). The surgery has the net effect of bypassing approximately 90- 92% of the receptors for carbohydrates and sugars, hence one aspect of the enforced weight loss.

Due to the increased mobility from this weight loss, post surgery, the patient is better able to exercise. This has many benefits, not the least of which is the increase of cardiac health. As the strength of the heart increases, the cardiac output fraction increases and the heart rate at rest decreases. In addition, the peripheral circulatory system gains in both volume of flow capability and flexibility. The blood chemistry also changes in the patient’s favor, with a net reduction if both LDL and HDL cholesterol as well as saturated fats called triglycerides. The long term net effect is to greatly decrease the chances of coronary incident or coronary artery disease. The long term effect of obesity has demonstrated a direct correlation to early mortality due to MI (Myocardial Infarction) as compared to individuals with a normal BMI (Body Mass Index) (Romero-Corral, et al, 2006). This fact, along with the immediate reduction in other comorbidities, such as diabetes and hypertension, add up to less stress on the heart and other internal organs. There are other benefits as well.

Additional benefits include the simple fact that if you weigh less, there is less stress on your skeletal system. Morbidly obese individuals are clinically far more likely to require knee and hip replacements due to excess wear on the joints. They are far more prone to spinal problems due to asymmetric stress on the spine caused by body geometry issues. These skeletal issues are a major contributor to long term disability of the morbidly obese.

Another contributor to the co morbidity chain in the chronically morbidly obese is sleep apnea. This is a respiratory issue where the patient frequently stops breathing for a period of time multiple times per night. The respiration cycle stops until the blood oxygen saturation drops far enough to trigger the gasp reflex to restart the breathing. This has several long term effects on the body.

The first of these is simple anoxia. This is chronically low blood oxygen saturation. This puts enormous stress on every structure in the body on a cellular level. It also has the net effect of reducing the metabolism, which slows the body’s ability to heal, as well as the ability to even produce energy on the cellular level by shortening the body’s ability to utilize the Kreb Cycle (Oxidative Phosphorilosis) to produce energy. The Kreb, or Citric Acid Cycle is how the body processes nutrients to produce ATP in the high energy metabolism and requires oxygen. This is the basic stuff of life, how your cells remain functional (Shier, Butler, and Lewis, 2004). This reduces the patient’s endurance for exercise and further increases the tendency to obesity as well as reinforcing the low blood oxygenation due to reduced pulmonary capacity in relation to the body mass. This condition is called pulmonary insufficiency, and it is also a major co morbidity. It contributes to muscle damage and weakness, in both skeletal and cardiac muscles.

Sleep apnea is a major contributor to the condition known as an enlarged heart. With an apnea patient, one of the long term effects is a specific enlargement of the right ventricle of the heart, causing impaired cardiac output fraction and reduced capability to circulate the blood. This factor alone is one of the greatest causes of death outside of congestive heart failure or myocardial infarction. The reduction in body mass after the surgery greatly reduces or eliminates these problems. Sleep apnea has been documented by multiple studies as being caused by obesity and the reduction of body mass in most cases reduces or eliminates this entirely.

Another aspect of the complications caused by obesity is impaired kidney function, resulting from the combination of failure to get a full sleep cycle and a net reduction of the production of the controlling hormones that regulate the kidneys. This reduces the output of the kidneys, which also contributes to the associated congestive heart failure due to this reduced output. This causes a pooling of fluid in the thoracic cavity, reducing the efficiency of the heart and simultaneously reducing lung capacity. The reduced lung capacity contributes to the oxygenation problems, which increases the congestive heart failure, which reduces the kidney efficiency and the reduced lung capacity and additional mass contribute to worsening sleep apnea....I think you see the cycle.

In combination with the physical comorbidities, there is an associated deepening depression that goes with morbid obesity. This tends to contribute to eating more, due to the combination of seratonin imbalance and “comfort” eating. The depression is actually a symptom of the loss of control of your life as the weight gets more and more debilitating. The comfort eating is quite often a manifestation of the only issue of your life that you can control. This leads into another vicious circle, the heavier you get, the less control you have over your life, so you eat more. In addition there are other psychological factors

A Prime example of this would be the issue of guilt. You feel guilty for being so large. This is another area where comfort eating comes in. Eating stimulates hormones and endorphins. These neurochemicals make you feel better, temporarily at least. Then the guilt kicks in and you eat, feel better and feel guilty again. There is a sense of learned helplessness associated with the condition. The combination of physical and psychological issues is both devastating and lethal when you look at it from a long term survival perspective. To better understand the situation, there is a blogsite called The Amazing Shrinking Man (Leonard,2006), which addresses the long view, both before and after bariatric surgery,. This is my on line journal and it shows the progression, both the good and the bad, warts and all.

In addition to just performing surgery, there is a program of cognitive-behavioral therapy through education, group support and dietary training specific for post surgical life. This is provided free as aftercare and is available for the rest of your life. Your life is going to be far more rewarding, and far longer with the surgery than without it.

To summarize, the evidence clearly demonstrates that the risk of mortality during the surgery or from post surgical complications are greatly outweighed by the potential benefit. The associated risks of morbid obesity, whether through a psychological derivation, or physiological, are most assuredly life shortening in a drastic manner at best. Bariatric surgery is currently the only tool that has long term results in weight management and has fewer risks than a pharmacological approach (American Society for Bariatric Surgery, 2001). It has far greater efficacy than dieting, which contributes to weight issues and co morbidity due to weight swings caused by failure of the diet. Surgery shouldn't be considered as a first option, though. It should not be ruled out though, due to it's proven benefit and long term success rate.

References

Lopez-Jiminez, F, Bhatia, S, Collazo-Clavel, M, Sarr, M, & Somers, V (2005).

Safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in patients with coronary artery disease..

Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 80, 1157-1162.

Karmali, AuthorS, & Shaffer, E (2005). The battleagainst the obesity epidemic:

is bariatric surgery the perfect weapon. Clinical and Investigative Medicine. 28, 147-156.

Romero-Corral, A, Montori, V, Somers, V, Korinek, J, Thomas, R, & Allison, T, Mookadam, F, Lopez-Jiminez, F (2006). Association of bodyweight with total mortality and with cardiovascular events in coronary artery disease: a systematic view of cohort studies. 368, 666- 678.

American Society for Bariatric Surgery, (November 29, 2001).

American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Retrieved October 6, 2006, from Rational for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. Web site: http://www.asbs.org/html/rationale/rationale.html

Shier, D., Butler, J., & Lewis, R (2004). Holes Human Anatomy and Physiology,

10th Edition. Boston, Ma.: McGraw Hill.

© 2006, Tom Leonard, all rights reserved

To cite this entry, APA format:

Leonard, T (2006, Oct 28). [Weblog] Bariatric surgery, the pro's and con's: is the procedure group
                                               both an efficacious treatment plan as well as a true reduction in mortality risk. The Amazing Shrinking Man. Retrieved                                                    [Month, Date, Year], from http://theamazingshrinkingman.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!82AE0160B9B87B82!3439.entry

Here is the link, make with the clickie!

Enjoy! The Spinner Report will be out tomorrow!

Just a reminder where I started in March, 2005Before:After:

Tom has the flu. That's why the Spinner Charts haven't gone up.

Mrs Stormcrowe

Riding Safely

In light of the events this week in Covington, Indiana, I thought I would revisit riding safely. Sometimes, circumstances catch you with nowhere to go, like in the case of the 2 police officers killed on their ride. They had no possible escape route available, other than just being somewhere else at the time. This is NOT to say they shouldn't have been riding where they were. They were perfectly legal in their actions and had taken every possible precaution. As I said, sometimes you get caught with nowhere to go. My prayers for their family.

To maximize your safety,you should make yourself as visible as possible:

• Bright, loud colors, flashing lights, anything you can do to attract the eye of the motorist you are sharing the road with.

• Be predictable, don't do unexpected things, like suddenly darting out into the traffic lane. If you lose an argument with a motor vehicle, at the best, it's going to hurt.....a lot!

• Ride in a legal manner, obey the traffic laws. Don't be running the lights or stop signs.

• I realize it's not mandatory, but wear a helmet! The road is a lot harder than your head. You aren't 10 feet tall and bulletproof wearing that helmet, but it significantly reduces you risk of catastrophic brain injury.

• Operate on the presumption that the other guy can't see you! Prepare for that fact and plan escape routes accordingly, always have a plan. Reducing the action/ decision chain speeds up your reaction to an emergency, and decreases your risk.

• Ride with the traffic, not against it. You are traffic yourself, so ride accordingly. Riding against traffic also reduces the time for reaction on both sides of the equation.

• Don't ride the sidewalk, motorists are not prepared for a cyclist to pop out into the crosswalk at speed. They aren't looking for you there. If you must use a crosswalk due to traffic conditions, or a light sensor that won't recognize a bike, then walk the bike.....with the walk signal. Don't bounce back and forth between pedestrian space and vehicle space in an unpredictable manner.

• Avoid the “door zone” A motorist suddenly opening the door right in front of you can ruin your day! Try as best you can to avoid coming within three feet of a parked car and observe, if possible, if the vehicle is occupied. Be alert at all times!

I would also advise you to become familiar with your state laws regarding cycling. Knowing these laws can help you immeasurably as far as judging the risk of a route, legal or physical. Know your rights AND responsibilities to operate your bike. Cycling is great for health and fitness, but it's all a waste if you argue with that car and leave a corpse that used to be in pretty good shape!

• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B1
• Calcium
• Vitamin C

Post ride, you can drink some chocolate milk, believe it or not! Chocolate milk, as long as you don't have lactose intolerance issues makes a wonderful recovery drink and contains protein as well as calcium and Galactose, a complex sugar that is easily metabolizable. Look here for my article on the subject.

In other news:

Bariatric Nursing News

Business Wire Release

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 27, 2006--Professional nursing care is critical to preventing patient complications after surgery, according to Bariatric Nursing and Surgical Patient Care, a new peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com). A free sample issue of the Journal is available online at www.liebertpub.com/bar

It is the nurse, at the patient's bedside, who is aware of small health status changes that are indicative of future problems, according to editor-in-chief Lisa Rowen, RN, DNSc, Director of Nursing, Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Assistant Professor, The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. "Bariatric surgery patients are best served by nurses who are trained to immediately recognize the signs and symptoms of complications from this type of surgery," says Dr. Rowen. "Since the bariatric patient frequently has a compromised circulatory, respiratory, and nutritional status prior to surgery, the nurse's ability to analyze post-operatively becomes that much more important. Bariatric surgery nurses require a specialized knowledge base to perform physical and psychosocial assessments. They also are patient advocates, utilizing excellent communication skills to function as the patient care manager on the health care team."

Bariatric surgery is a burgeoning field of specialty for health care professionals. Bariatric Nursing and Surgical Patient Care, the official Journal of the National Association of Bariatric Nurses (www.bariatricnurses.org), features comprehensive coverage on optimizing health outcomes; occupational hazards for bariatric healthcare professionals; transfer, mobility, and patient safety issues; pre-op, peri-op, and post-op standards of practice; pre-surgical work-up and consultation; dietary modification and counseling; malabsorption and malnutrition; lifestyle modification and psychological support; patient compliance; anticipating and managing surgical complications; wound care and infections; care of the patient with special needs; ethical issues and cultural sensitivities; and much more.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Obesity Management, Journal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques, and Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 60 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available at www.liebertpub.com

More Cycling News

Landis Interview

Here's an interview in MP3 format from Floyd Landis in the above link!

Mrs Stormcrowe has been directed to participate in more aerobic activity, so we went riding this morning. She did a nice 3.827 mile ride, and did quite well, actually. We rode a section of the Multiuse path called the NW Greenbelt over in West Lafayette as well as a short turn through one of the neighborhoods. Attached is a GMap Pedometer image of the ride!

This article abstract was retrieved through Google on July 20, 2006 from EntrezPubMed at www.pubmed.gov

As you can see, the field of cognitive study is even affected by the study and treatment of Obesity. There are several other articles about this fascinating aspect of the study of Obesity and how it affects your general health. Drs Gunstad, Paul, Cohen, Tate and Gordon have collaborated in the publication of the results of this study and are eminent researchers in this field. I thought it might be of interest to you, my readers. Upcoming, the effect of exercise on memory.

Related articles:

Kuo HK, Jones RN, Milberg WP, Tennstedt S, Talbot L, Morris JN, Lipsitz LA. Related Articles, Links Cognitive function in normal-weight, overweight, and obese older adults: an analysis of the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly cohort.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006 Jan;54(1):97-103.
PMID: 16420204 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

No time to really post anything other than Mrs Stormcrowe is getting sprung from the hospital this morning! Waaaahhhoooooo!

Hello all, I'm going to be a bit busy to post so just remember to shoot me your miles for Spinner tomorrow! I'll be at hospital visiting my wife. She just had a surgical biopsy done on a mass in her right lung, and is doing well after the surgery this morning. She's in quite a bit of pain and very groggy, but other than that, she's doing quite well. I'll try to check in and update tomorrow so until then, keep riding!

Hello all! Time to do a little catch up here. First and foremost, I'd like to welcome someone to my "Old Friends" list, Zeynep Ankara. Zen is an interesting writer and Psychologist from Turkey, who's as far as I am concerned, proof positive that there are enlightened people everywhere in the world!

Jen is a brand new cyclist! She recently bought a Sun EZ 1-SX. Drop by her site and welcome her to cycling. She's taken up riding for weight loss, like many of us and I fully support her desire and motivation to do this! Good on ya, Jen! This is a short post, I have been busy, what with getting ready to fly to San Diego Friday, and getting in training time for me, and all. I did get a short ride in today. Not very satisfying, only 15 miles, but a ride is a ride is a ride!


Miles: 15
Average speed: 20.3
Calories: 610
Watts:240

Now I've heard everything! Here's a linked story from KETV about the use of Chocolate Milk for post race recovery. It looks interesting. You can bet I'll be doing followup on the research at IU, by the way and prepping an article on this subject in the near future. Here's your excuse to drink chocolate milk!

 

From the IU Website: http://newsinfo.iu.edu/tips/page/normal/1674.html

Health tips from Indiana University

EDITORS:This is a monthly tip sheet based on Indiana University faculty research, teaching and service. "Living Well Through Healthy Lifestyles" is the guiding philosophy of IU Bloomington's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. In keeping with that philosophy, this tip sheet offers information related to both physical and mental well-being. Faculty from other IU schools and departments also contribute their expertise in this area.

This month's tips discuss chocolate milk as an ideal exercise recovery drink, a fall outdoor educational activity, the importance of minimizing the negative impact of divorce on children, and stress related to cigarette smoking.

Chocolate milk is good for exhausted muscles. Indiana University Bloomington physiologist Joel Stager has found that drinking chocolate milk is one of the best things an athlete can do to recover shortly after a rigorous practice. Chocolate milk, as opposed to white milk, has a high carbohydrate and protein content, ideal for exhausted muscles. It also replaces fluids lost as sweat during workouts. Stager is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology in IUB's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and is the director of the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming. Stager also coaches swimmers. He first tested his "recovery by chocolate milk" theory several years ago on his swimmers, who had been struggling with their twice-a-day practices. The results were so promising that he and his doctoral students, led by Jason Karp, conducted a study involving cyclists in a more controlled environment. The chocolate milk proved to be just as effective a recovery product as one commercial sports drink and almost twice as effective as another commercial sports drink. Stager said chocolate milk would be particularly helpful for athletes such as swimmers, long-distance runners and cyclists enduring long or intense practices, and for other athletes who practice more than once a day. An athlete of average weight could drink around two 8-ounce glasses of chocolate milk each hour for four to six hours following a rigorous workout, according to research-based recommendations for maximum recovery. Stager added that milkshakes are a good alternative for athletes who don't like chocolate milk. The research was funded by Dairy and Nutrition Council Inc. For more information, contact Stager at 812-855-1637 and stagerj@indiana.edu and Karp at 812-332-3653 and runman@indiana.edu.