On Sun, 7 Jul 2002, M.E. C wrote:

> In a message dated 7/6/2002 9:27:45 PM Central Daylight Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> > I have managed, with some difficulty, to drop 13 pounds of fat in
> > the last six weeks or so.  I have about 30 to go.  I have
> > modified
>
> Did you alter your exercise at all?

Yes, but I'm not sure what role that is playing.  I have modified
my exercise routines a number of time.  My general approach for
the past five years has been some variation of HIT -- infrequent
(2x/week) high-intensity training.  I finally realized that this
was no longer appropriate to my goals.  This is because HIT is
essentially a muscle-building protocol, and I'm not building
muscle anymore.  I have as much muscle as I'm likely ever to have
or want.  So some months back I switched to more frequent (4x/wk)
higher volume training.  This helped to start some fat loss, I
think, but the effect was not dramatic.

About a month ago I was reading a book in the bookstore that I
was too cheap to buy.  I think it was _The 7-minute Miracle_ or
something like that.  Anyway, there was much crap in the book,
but the basic premise seemed to have decent research backing it,
and was worth a try.  The premise is this: Adrenaline
(epinephrine) is a hormonal that turns on fat-burning; cortisol
turns on glucose-elevating mechanisms, either release of glycogen
or breakdown of protein.  During vigorous exercise, adrenaline is
released first, then cortisol a few minutes later -- seven
minutes, to be exact.  What we want is to get the fat-burning
effect of the adrenaline without the glucose-raising effect of
the cortisol.  To do this we exercise as vigorously as possible
for seven continuous minutes, then stop.  This supposedly
activates the adrenaline pulse, which lasts for forty minutes.
So the second part of the protocol is to eat nothing for at least
40 minutes after the 7-minute workout.  Do this in the morning
*every day*.

As I said, the other parts of the book, such as diet
recommendations, seem dubious to me, and there is also a defense
of spot-reducing that may or may not be sound.  I didn't pay much
attention to the specific exercise either.  I figured I could
easily devise my own 7-minute high-intensity routine.  So I do
this every day.  It may help with weight loss, but since I'm
manipulating diet variables at the same time I can't be sure.  I
think the 7-minute idea is roughly congruent with Art DeVany's
"power law" approach.

Todd Moody
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