The Endurance Handbook

The first two important factors have already been discussed: building a great aerobic system, and increased fat burning—the important combination of training and diet. Other include:

Even for a woman who is taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, these medications have potential side effects that can adversely affect exercise activity.

The brain-muscle mechanism • Hormones • The immune system

Beyond the Two-Week Test The Two-Week Test is one of the more popular topics on my website (philmaffetone.com). This dietary self-evaluation has been used by untold numbers of people, most of whom felt and performed better, lost weight, and improved fat burning. If you have not read about this test, you can also see either of the Big books listed i

They avoid excess body fat. It’s particularly important to evade too much belly fat because it’s association with carbohydrate intolerance, which also increases with age and comes with the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Any type of excess stress can interfere with the aerobic system by raising the hormone cortisol. This stress response, often not obvious in many cases, can interfere with many physiological processes in the brain, muscles, and metabolism that are necessary to develop aerobic function and endurance.

In the case of the brain, consuming cocoa has been shown to improve circulation for two to three hours after consumption. This makes having a Phil’s Bar or other cocoa snack a valuable asset before an important meeting, a long drive, or for students taking tests. But this idea can backfire if eating a high glycemic product, which can impair brain f

There are two primary factors that influence our ability to increase fat burning: eating healthy, unrefined foods; and working out easier rather than harder.

Basically, all the recommendations I’ve made in this and other books can apply to children after weaning. (For more information see the book Healthy Brains Healthy Children, or visit the Healthy Children pages at www.philmaffetone.com