Running – Week 4 Update

Learned two things this week, 1) running in the evening is a bad idea when the air quality is so poor, I’m tired from the day’s work and I don’t want to have to shower twice in one day and 2) I’m not a morning exercise person (actually this second thing I already knew. I just really, really confirmed it).

So I have a choice to make. Well actually, I don’t have a choice. I need to learn to tolerate exercising in the morning.

Now that may seem pretty straightforward, but if you’re aware of the classifications that people fall within based on the principles and testing procedures of Metabolic Typing™, it actually might prove a bit difficult.

I am what is classified as a Parasympathetic Dominant; the half of my nervous system responsible for recovery and repair is the one largely responsible for driving my behavior. (The other half is called the Sympathetic and is responsible for the processes involved in physical activity -generally speaking)

This means I prefer to take my time getting my day started and the thought of getting up early and exercising is not congruent with my personal genetics. My ideal time to train would be between 10:00 and 11:00 am. Those people who are more inclined to be Sympathetic Dominant are the aggravatingly early riser and super accomplishment types (adjectives are the authors and in no way reflect the opinions of the creators of Metabolic Typing).

However, I think there’s a way to meet my goals while respecting my body’s natural rhythms.

The first thing I’ll have to do is adjust my timing so that I wake a full 30 minutes before I go out the door. Simple enough, I’ll just go to bed a half hour earlier.

The second consideration is nutrition. Though some people believe that exercising on an empty stomach helps burn body fat, I’ve never been able to sustain a long enough effort to find out, so I’ll plan on eating a snack just before I go to sleep.

And consistent with my MT type, it will consist of predominantly more protein and fat than carbohydrates. A soft-boiled egg and half an avocado should do the trick.

I have three to four training runs planned this week (beginning tomorrow). I’ll implement this new schedule and report on how it goes.

Want to know more about Metabolic Typing™? Email me for more information; Patrick@allproactive.com

Tagged as: Exercise, Fitness, Goals, Health, Running, Success