The Borg Principle

Some time ago, I read an article that described how our body adapts to activities we participate in for extended periods of time. The ideas is that working out has or produces the most benefits in the beginning. After a few weeks our bodies (we), get very efficient at what we are doing.

Let's say that you started walking and you have been inactive for a while. Walking we all know is good for you. And upon starting your walking routine things start to happen. Capillaries expand, calorie use increase, as James Brown put it in one his songs (I feel good....). Why you may even see some weight decrease as fat stores begin to melt away. Your cheeks are rosy and there is a sparkle in your eye. That dress or pair of slacks you've been wanting to try on not fits perfectly. At this point we are jazzed because we have discovered that walking is all we have to do and voila, weight is coming off.

Here come the Borg.

It's different for everyone but at some point, let's just say for example 8 weeks, you have become an efficient walking machine. You have been assimilated. All of a sudden the walk is very easy. Sin of all sins, you're no longer loosing weight. In fact to your horror the scale seems to be telling you that the weight is coming back on. Slowly but surely, you can see the scale starting to move in the wrong direction.

Resistance is futile....Not!

To fight the Borg successfully you must prevent the body from adapting (being assimilated). So you could for instance, increase the distance you walk. You did 2 mile walks, do 3 mile walks now. This has its limits. Unless you train for Marathons like I do, you don't want to spend four hours every day walking (why with work, the kids, your better half, you know the drill). I don't do that at all. Let's say you are at this point walking three miles and you're now quite good at it. What to do? What to do?...Shift your workout, do only 1 1/2 but do it fast. You can walk 3 miles at 20 minutes a mile (no way!), try the 1 1/2 miles at 15 minutes. (I can walk faster than some people can jog by the way). You will feel the burn and use more calories than if you kept your pace steady. Of course at some point you will get really good at it this also (assimilated again), the Borg are back. Not to worry you can now do the 3 miles at a 15 minute pace. The Borg are set back again.

How to beat the Borg every 8 to 12 weeks. To be continued....