Living and working at altitude can be challenging at times but is also very beneficial to your body physically. Many professional runners train at altitude to increase their stamina, lung capacity and heart function. For example, your oxygen saturation is depleted by 15% at 7500 feet. At sea level however, your saturation is closer to 100%. It is very easy to put off or wait until the last minute to deal with the things that are important. I suggested that when getting ready for these excursions to the mountains you should begin well in advance, a year ahead if possible. Proper conditioning doesn’t happen overnight. We need to make it a lifestyle.
As I thought about the advice I was giving to these clients to prepare for their trips, it dawned on me that I would not have to giveSurvival Fitness this advice if these folks made it a lifestyle. Well that is easier said than done. After moving to the South from Colorado, I found that my exercise and eating habits had changed drastically. It seemed like everywhere you went to eat, the menus were full of fried foods and delicious side dishes. Fried pickles, fried chicken, fried fish, fried ice cream, fried Twinkies and donuts, you name it, there was always a temptation. A strange thing about the South is that everything seems to slow down here also. The heat and humidity slows you down. You slow down because you don’t feel like exercising as much but the wonderful foods help you pass the lazy days as you wash it down with a big glass of sweet tea. Even your metabolism slows down. We talk slower and maybe even write slower. (continue reading)