I’m what I call an “on-paper” athlete. I’ve been running for a decade, I regularly take weightlifting classes, and I finished a marathon. In my mind, I should be ripped, shredded — all the paper metaphors that apply to human bodies.
Reality reveals some wrinkles. My running pace slowed down over the years, and I still can’t do a real burpee. I recount the second half of the New York City marathon with the same gravitas people devote to speaking of real adversity.
So, I have no idea how “healthy” I actually am. To get to the heart of the matter, I decided to test my heart. I scheduled an “active metabolic assessment” through the athletic club Life Time. The AMA would measure my heart rate and my VO2 max — how much oxygen I consumed at different running intensities — to check how strong my heart is.
A high VO2 max is widely considered to be the “401K” of good health — something you should invest in sooner rather than later. Dr. Bradley Serwer, an interventional cardiologist and the Chief Medical Officer of a physician-led healthcare organization called VitalSolution, told me that VO2 max assessments are helpful in potentially diagnosing heart issues and can also be used to create personalized training plans.
“We’re able to establish a baseline and then, with a mixture of training, hopefully see that VO2 max rises with time,” Serwer, who is not affiliated with Life Time, said. The assessment would also show me which running speeds would help me burn fat, and which ones would build muscle and cardiovascular health, with the goal of increasing the speeds in both.
In the end, I learned I do need to challenge myself more — but luckily, not in the daunting ways I thought.
We started with a body composition analysis
Before we did anything, Donovan Stewart, a personal trainer at Life Time, performed a body composition analysis, which uses electrocurrent technology to measure my muscle, fat, and water content percentages. This could help me identify specific fitness goals, such as reducing fat or building muscle.
I’d gotten two body composition analyses before — one at the start of the year and one about eight months later. This third one confirmed that my main goal should be to lose a little bit of body fat without sacrificing muscle, which is necessary for healthy aging.
While extreme running can hinder muscle growth, Stewart explained that certain speeds can actually help runners bulk up. Knowing how often to run each speed could ensure that I hit my weight loss goals while also steadily gaining muscle.
My heart rate soared in anticipation
Stewartjoked that my heart rate was already high before I even stepped on the treadmill. As I tightened the heart rate monitor around my arm and pinched the oxygen mask around my nose, I realized I was nervous.
The plan was simple enough: I’d start off at a comfortable walking pace. Every two minutes, Stewart would increase my speed and incline, then ask me to rate the difficulty from 1 to 10. Once I hit my personal 10, the test was over.
It was more of a mental struggle
Even though I was straining to run faster than I ever had, I still didn’t want to give up too soon. My brain was eyeing the ever-enticing “STOP” button on the treadmill, but my ego could always go 0.2 MPH faster.
As I ran, I reflected on the fact that I tend to talk myself out of doing more challenging runs because I hate being uncomfortable (with the exception of the marathon, in which FOMO overrode all my natural instincts).
I learned that if I can run it with a trainer and photographer watching, I should probably try to keep up the pace when I’m out on my own, too.
The best speed for fat loss isn’t the quickest
After the assessment, Stewart broke down my personal cardio zones. He outlined which of my paces were a breeze, moderately challenging, and galloping-from-a-predator fast, all determined by my oxygen consumption and heart rate at different intervals.
To my surprise, faster speed doesn’t equal greater fat loss, which is a common misconception, Stewart said.
I learned that zones 1 through 3 — ranging from a walk to a moderately-paced jog — are the best for burning fat. This is because the body primarily relies on fat for energy at this intensity.
People generally hit their VO2 max in zone 4, Serwer said, which is when a shift occurs. As one moves faster and reaches zone 5, their body stops getting enough energy from oxygen, relying more on carbohydrates for quick fuel.
Considering my goals, Stewart recommended that I spend about 80% of my weekly workouts focusing on zone 2 and 3 cardio. Since I was mostly running at a zone 2 pace, the goal is to gently increase my speed.
“You should be able to go out with a group and carry on a conversation for that long run,” Serwer said. Doing so is “training your body to burn fat more efficiently.”
Sprinting has its own benefits
While the assessment gave me an “optimal” VO2 max score, Stewart said he’d personally give me a slightly lower one based on his observations.
Serwer also said that VO2 max test results can vary because not all testing equipment is the same. Plus, even small factors like masks not being put on tightly enough can alter results. That’s why he said it’s a good idea to re-test every few months and look for consistent growth in the results.
“As a runner, you’re going to want to improve your VO2 max,” Serwer said. “You want to operate more efficiently so that your body uses less energy to produce the same results.”
One way to quickly build up my VO2 max is to practice pushing myself more to the limit. Stewart recommended spending the other 20% of my week on zone 4 cardio, shaving off about a minute per mile in my speed. High-intensity cardio also puts more strain on my muscles, helping me build up muscle mass.
Days after the assessment, I sprinted around a local track field for the first time in my life. Just when I wanted to give up, my watch announced that I’d run my fastest mile ever.
I learned, begrudingly, that I can hit my more aspirational athletic goals. My brain just needs to get out of the way first.
Read the full article here
