<h1><span style="color: #993366;"><em><strong>PART 3 - ASSESSING YOUR INCREASING AEROBIC CAPACITY</strong></em></span></h1>
&nbsp;
<div align="center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yFC4hDtGSmk" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Why assess your progress?</strong></span></h3>
<blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Maintains motivation.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Goal setting benefits - like reaching your ideal health, weight or athletic performance (particularly endurance interests).</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Improves body awareness.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Can highlight possible looming health concerns.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Motivate a change in program - particularly it's not working.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Encourage consistency of training - I am convinced most people do not spend the necessary time building and developing their aerobic base.  Most seem to push too hard too soon, well before their engine can tolerant harder work. </em></span></h5>
</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>How do know if you're improving?</strong></span></h3>
<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>and,</strong></span></h3>
<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Increasing your aerobic capacity and favouring 'more' stored fat for energy?</strong></span></h3>
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Your shape changes - particularly around the waist (assess your girths with a belt or tape measure).</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Your weight (can) change - while a 'good' measuring tool, I place more emphasis <img class="alignright wp-image-3650" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/person-731243_960_720-300x200.jpg" alt="person-731243_960_720" width="344" height="229" />on shape &amp; well being.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>You'll likely be sleeping better - while I don't promote sleeping Apps or Health watches, they can offer you feedback on (possible) sleep quality.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>You'll often beat your waking alarm by 30 minutes yet not feel tired.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Exercise becomes easier? More so, you can work harder.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>You'll find yourself with seemingly endless energy right throughout your day.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Without question my experience has most clients perceiving less lifestyle stress.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>You'll rarely suffer from ill-gut health, commonly because you'll lose interest in refined sugars and modified food.</em></span></h5>
</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Your test of truth - Your TimeTrial test.</strong></span></h3>
<h3></h3>
<div align="center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SBFByswgf_I" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;
<h5><strong>Details</strong></h5>
<blockquote>
<ol>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Know your AZ - we need to know your switch over point in beats per minute - eg mine is 141 bpm.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>For best results invest in a heart rate monitor - Garmin and Polar are most popular.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Design a test you can perform every week, preferably at the same time of day.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>A simple out an back, flattish course is often best.  You could any form of gym cardio equipment as long as it can measure your output and time.  Swimming is <img class="alignright wp-image-3653" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/finin.jpg" alt="finin" width="317" height="210" />more difficult to police your AZ top, but perceived effort could still be used effectively.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>The distance is irrelevant but design an uninterrupted course - eg traffic lights.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Give yourself a short 3-5 min super easy warm up - eg jogging or bouncing on the spot, a few spinal strength exercises.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Complete your course as fast as possible but do not exceed your AZ top.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Push it right to your limit - remember conditions can change from week to week - eg weather (heat &amp; wind), how you slept, gut health, motivation, lifestyle stress etc.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Record your finishing time &amp; weight - eg 34.38 &amp; 81.3kgs.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>Don't lose faith in the system if you are slower in a given week - consistency and patience is key.</em></span></h5>
</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<h5></h5>
<h5><strong><em><span style="color: #ff0000;">Example</span></em></strong></h5>
<img class="wp-image-3655 aligncenter" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/mary-tt-1-300x135.jpg" alt="mary tt" width="431" height="194" />

&nbsp;
<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><em><strong>Interpreting results</strong></em></span></h3>
<ul>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>Reducing your finishing time while performed at the same output (your AZ top -HR) indicates efficient 'fat burning'.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>It is likely your weight will also be drifting towards your ideal weight for life - for those not starting at their best weight.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>It's likely your (running) technique, your form, has improved - making it more economical - this is a good thing!</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>It is unusual to record both drop in your finishing time and a drop in unnecessary weight yet still be drawn towards modified (and negative) food options.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>When your finishing time plateaus (see Mary's TT results above - Week's 7-8) - which is common with consistent training around weeks 6-8 - throw in shorter and harder intervals of 10-15 beats over your AZ top throughout your exercise &amp; training week - but be sure to give yourself a day's rest between these harder over threshold sessions. </em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>A healthy plateau usually means you're now favouring more burning fat efficiently and your body can now tolerate more demanding sessions - and avoid breaking down.</em></span></h5>
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Summary of 'Fat Burning for Life' Principles.</strong></span></h3>
<ul>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>Exercise at 'your' conversational pace which is perceived to be 'easy'<img class="alignright wp-image-3625" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/banner-1133772_960_720-300x194.jpg" alt="banner-1133772_960_720" width="323" height="209" /></em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>Only when you have been healthy for month's on end, un-injured for month's on end, are sleeping consistently well, you are fairly close to your ideal weight, your TimeTrial time has reduced considerably, and you're actually looking forward to your workouts, then, and only then, step up your efforts.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>Failure to comply with these simple principles classically results in <span style="text-decoration: underline;">injury, illness, fluctuating weight and a poor performance (race)</span>.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>Favour slow energy releasing foods like 'good' fats, a variety of protein options, loads of veg, a few starchy carbs like; root veg, rice, even wholemeal bread - the one with full of bits, fruit of the season, and you can still enjoy alcohol in moderation.</em></span></h5>
</li>
	<li>
<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em>And remember to laugh lots........and lots.</em></span></h5>
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<blockquote>&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em><strong><a style="color: #ffffff;" href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/part-4-acknowledging-when-its-time-to-back-off/"><span style="color: #ffffff;">TAKE ME TO PART 4 - ACKNOWLEDGING WHEN IT'S TIME</span> TO BACK IT OFF</a></strong></em></span></h3>
</blockquote>