Zone 2 Magic!

After reading my recent post about Zone 2 training, Melissa was intrigued and began making more time for it in her week.

As a biochem major, she's interested in this stuff and naturally inquisitive, so she asked me to elaborate on Zone 2's benefits so she could justify the investment of time. Like all of us, she's super busy, and finding that time wasn't going to be easy. But she's determined to be healthy and reverse her diabetes through better lifestyle choices.

Here's a list of the many remarkable benefits that Zone 2 infers:

  • Vastly improves our metabolic health by strengthening, enlarging, and multiplying our mitochondria - more on these amazing little cellular powerplants in a future post

  • Increases insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal - our cells become more efficient at utilizing blood sugar and clearing it out of the bloodstream

  • Both of the above have the potential to reverse diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease.

  • They can also reduce systemic inflammation and boost our immune system

  • We preferentially use fatty acids from our fat stores as the primary source of fuel - helpful for burning fat when losing weight

  • It strengthens aerobic endurance - we can do more work for longer periods of time

  • Our heart and lungs become stronger and more efficient

  • Prolonged high-intensity training can beat us up. Zone 2 training is more forgiving to our joints and neuromuscular system. It takes less of a long-term toll and we recover faster in the short term.

  • It helps improve mental health through the secretion of beneficial neurotransmitters such as serotonin which will improve our sense of well-being.

  • Sharpens our memory, cognitive acuity, and clarity of thought

  • We get the collateral benefits of improved balance and coordination, and a stronger core and limbs from the methods we use to get and stay in Zone 2 - such as cycling, hiking, rowing, or swimming

Pretty magical stuff, right?! This is why I've doubled the amount of time each week that I devote to this training. And why I encourage MidStrongers to consider reallocating more time to it.

I'll explain the "how" behind all this in our upcoming webinar - Healthspan Secrets Unveiled - Thursday, December 1st at 5:30 pm EST. 

You're invited! And so are your friends and relations, so please share this with them. You can register to attend using this link: CLICK HERE.

In the meantime, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to emulate Melissa and carve out at least 60 minutes every week for Zone 2. She gained weight after having four kids. Over the last 10-15 years she's been so busy as a working mom that she never made time for herself. She got more and more out of shape which led to high blood sugar and diabetes. Since working with us at MidStrong, she no longer needs insulin to regulate her blood sugar. Her goal is a total reversal of her diabetes at some point in 2023. My money is on Melissa!

Find a method that works best for you - an elliptical, a brisk walk, riding a bike, swimming, or whatever you enjoy. Melissa uses brisk walks at lunchtime. Break it up into three 20 min sessions or two 30 min blocks or whatever works for you. Do more if your schedule permits. But, find a way to augment the training we do at MidStrong with more Zone 2.

Our purpose is to lead you along the path to maximal healthspan. We want you to live a long, vibrant life doing all the stuff you love with the people you love for as long as you live.

Work it. Live it. Keep it.

MidStrong is for life.

Paul Reilly