The Truth About Herd Immunity

From Mindy Duggan's blog, as seen on The Vaccine Machine's facebook page about herd immunity:

Herd immunity was a term coined in the early 1930's by a researcher named A.W. Hendrich. The term was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 1933. Hedrich found that when 68% of children under the age of 15 had been infected with measles, therefore becoming immune, new cases of measles suddenly became sparse. Raging epidemics came to a halt. This was a huge breakthrough. The difference between herd immunity then and "herd immunity" now is that the term was originally intended to describe the natural immunity a population has after X percentage of the population is exposed to the natural disease, in its natural environment. This has absolutely nothing to do with vaccines. We have seen this type of herd immunity before, on every continent on earth. Herd immunity is a real, sure thing, but only with the NATURAL disease.

why do we always have to celebrate with food??

After going into a sugar coma on my daughters' leftover Easter candy (and there is always too much left over), I posted a rant about it on facebook.  It resonated with a few friends, who mused:  why do we always have to celebrate every holiday and get together with food?!  Here was my brief response:

We are a nation consumed with consumption, both culinary and material.  We spend the most on health care and are the least healthy of industrialized nations.  Just today, I read that, out of 35 modern nations, Mexico has the highest death rates from sugary soda consumption, and we are THIRD!  I blame it on the Bermuda triangle of marketing, Big Pharma getting profiteering from sickness and disease, and our government's conflicting interest relationships with for-profit industries.  Meanwhile, we are killing ourselves with chronic conditions like obesity, diabesity, heart disease, and pharmaceutical drug interactions, which recently replaced automobile accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States.

It's my soapbox.  I religiously read Dr. Joseph Mercola's website, which has changed my life, and I hope it will change others' as well.

For those faced with the loss of a pet

Our animal companions are some of the most special creatures to cross our paths in this life.  I just wanted to share this letter I wrote to a family member who is struggling with the impending loss of her animal companion (I eschew the word "pet" because it seems to diminish their tremendous importance and contribution to society) in the hopes that it brings a modicum of comfort to anyone else struggling with a similar situation who stumbles across this passage.  I believe that if someone claims to love a person, yet disregards our animal brethren, then they are not capable of unconditional love and the sacrifice it entails, for it is often through animals that we learn to really love.
I was told about your sweet Jasmine, and I felt so very awful.  All my life, I have been an animal advocate.  We have 7 dogs and 4 cats crowding our little mobile home because I am unable to turn any creature away that needs a loving home.  Today's society is becoming more and more desensitized to God's creatures, I believe.  I have been through your painful ordeal, watching beloved dogs suffer through cancer.  My wonderful Uriel, one of the angels of my life, died years ago from an osteosarcoma in her skull, and we still talk about how traumatizing it was to watch her go through violent seizures.  I found a quality, caring animal cancer center in Santa Fe and remember taking Uriel three times a week for treatments that prolonged her life only about six weeks.  But as you well know, EVERY minute with them is precious!  Jasmine is not "just a cat", as you wrote.  She is an incredible creature who has been your companion through life!

I understand your need to spend as much time with Jasmine as you can.  I understand the desperation and helpless feeling you wake up with every single morning because a deep loss looms on the horizon.  Look deep into her eyes and tell her as many times as you want how much you love her, how much she has meant to you.  It is all you can do.  In this world, we are given such great joys, and such a wonderful life by God, and it is very difficult to accept the inevitable.  But you will be all right.  I will pray for you and Jasmine.  What matters is that you loved her every minute that you have had her, and she KNOWS this.  Animals are so intelligent.  What matters is that her illness will be bearable because of your love, your attention, and your patience.  What matters is that she will pass on with great peace, full of love for you.  It is a very beautiful thing despite the deep sadness.

Losing a loved one like your mother is very hard, indescribable.  Yet losing a pet is a special kind of loss.  We can't compare it to the loss of a human being because the two losses are different.  But for me, it is even more devastating somehow, and that's saying something because I've had so much death in my life.  My two older brothers died within one year of each other when I was in college, then my grandfather and uncle the following two years.  I think we get over the death of an animal companion a little sooner.  For me, the process takes about six months before I can say my pet's name without crying.  That's just me.  Raul is much more realistic.  He is sad when one of our animals dies.  He is respectful, but composed.  He accepts the inevitable so well.  He digs all the graves, and we hold burial ceremonies, each expressing in turn our gratitude for our special animal.  The children throw flowers into the grave, along with a favorite toy or item of the animal's.  Then we help him replace the dirt.  He always says he dreads them getting sick because he knows I'm going to fall apart.  Our yard is collecting tombstones, but I'll never stop collecting animals and giving them love, and I hope you won't, either, Christie.  They give us so much in return, don't they?

You and Jasmine will be in my heart and prayers.  Everything will be all right, you will see.  Here on this earth, she is well taken care of and loved.  And later, she will still be well cared for and loved.  That is the only thought (written to me by her oncologist vet) that gave me peace through Uriel's passing, and the passing of the 15 other animals I've had the pleasure of loving in my lifetime.

Shakeology - my take

These are just a few preliminary thoughts I had while glancing from the Shakeology ingredient lists on my packets to the dosages of several of the same supplements in my kitchen.

At first glance, I think that Shakeology contains some hard-to-find, exotic, valuable supplements like Sacha Inchi powder; and also some easier-to-find, very valuable things like the horrible-tasting maca root. I also noted that their "proprietary blends" often contain far less than the recommended amounts of specific supplements in some cases (the digestive enzymes, for instance), and adequate amounts in other cases (ashwagandha, flax, and MSM, for example).

But our bodies evolved eating WHOLE foods, not powdered, encapsulated versions or derivatives thereof, so it is still better to obtain nutrients from food. Commercialized forms like this "trick" our bodies, and often our systems don't know how to metabolize them. However, given the average American diet and our federal subsidization of harmful additives in all foods, I think that Shakeology is very helpful in general.

Les Mills PUMP review

I was so excited when I saw my packages of this program near my front steps when I arrived home the other evening!  I had carefully perused all of Beachbody’s weight training programs for a fun strength training program that would help me through the summer triathlon season and especially help me out of wimpdom at my first Warrior Dash in May.  I had decided on P90X2 for its emphasis on core and balance, which I knew from my yoga background were invaluable components for all sports.

But everyone was telling me that I should do P90X first, and I would have wanted to buy some Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells for that program because our tiny home prohibits space-hogging equipment.  As you know, adjustable dumbbells are very expensive (at least for me), so when I read that Les Mills required only a barbell and some plates, I thought it was a better tradeoff for space and money.  But probably the most appealing thing about LM Pump to me was the 3-5 days per week schedule, which would fit in perfectly with the other training I had to do.

My background:  running, swimming, cycling, yoga, and a round of Insanity – mostly cardio and heavy isometric resistance training from the yoga, but little strength or resistance training beyond walking lunges and the occasional bicep, tricep, and shoulder dumbbell work done very sporadically and with lackluster enthusiasm in the past.  If you don’t this by now, Les Mills Pump evolved out of the very popular BODYPUMP® classes taught worldwide  in commercial gyms and sports centers.  Having never had a gym membership since 1996, I had never heard of them.

So I auto-scheduled the program in Team Beachbody’s Supergym and excitedly pushed play to the very first workout DVD:  Pump Challenge.

The Program

What’s In The Box

The program comes in several boxes.  I ordered the Deluxe kit, so that includes the step bench, extra 5 pound plates, and extra workouts:  Step (30 minutes), Sports Attack (30 minutes), and Combat (45 minutes).  I am going to look forward to doing these workouts after having completed Insanity.  I received two very large, long boxes with the barbell pieces and the step bench pieces, and three heavy smaller boxes with the plates.

• 7 Les Mills Pump workout DVDs
•  “Lean, Strong, & Unstoppable Fitness Guide”

o   This is such a cool and comprehensive booklet.  Busting the top 5 myths about weight lifting

o   Who is Les Mills was and the evolution of Les Mills Pump

o   Detailed information about the trademark Rep Effect and why it burns fat and builds lean, strong muscles so effectively

o   A primer on New Zealand and Maori symbols and culture (because this program was born in Auckland)

o   Guides on how to take Before and After photos for this program’s T-shirt (something I wish I had known before I began Insanity)

o   Training guidelines

o   Weight tracking guide

o   90-Day Workout Calendar (which can also be found at the Workout Sheets link in the Get Fit menu at Team Beachbody's website)

o   30-Day Ultimate Cross-Training Hybrid Calendar

§  “Sports-inspired cardio workout that combines high-energy interval training with athletic aerobic movements.”

§  Uses the DVDs for Step, Flow, Pump & Shred, Sports Attack, Combat, Pump Revolution, and Pump Extreme.

§  This program is designed to be done in conjunction with the regular Les Mills Pump workouts or after the final phase.

What I appreciate most about this is the care and precision I noticed everywhere in the books and program DVD about form and how to train properly.  Questions I see all the time on facebook are answered here, such as what to do if you miss a workout, what to do on “off” days, and should you keep working out or not if your muscles are sore, among other topics.  It contains the important RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) chart to inform you at exactly which numbers on the chart you should be at during warm up, work out, and cool down.  This is immensely helpful information that I personally believe should be included in the Insanity program.  Followed properly and consistently, this tool can prevent all injuries and maximize fitness benefits while keeping it fun.  I read too many telltale signs in facebook groups of people overdoing it or not paying enough attention to their RPE during Insanity workouts.

• Get Lean Nutrition Guide
• This has got to be one of the simplest, easiest to follow nutrition guides I've ever read.  I loathe spending time in the kitchen and do not enjoy cooking.  With this plan, I don't really have to cook.  The recipes are even easier than the ones included in the Insanity nutrition guide, if that's possible!
• The first phase is my favorite.  Called the 7 Day Jump-Start Meal Plan, it contains 3 meals + 2 snacks every day for just one week.  Each day is around 1200 calories, with the amounts of the macro-nutrients protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber that are nutrition industry standards proven to decrease cravings, reset metabolism, regulate blood sugar, and promote weight loss. Every time I followed this type of eating plan in the past, I lost weight automatically.  People who believe that 1200 calories for one week is too little - think again.  It is necessary to return the body (dependent upon processed food and the typical American diet) to its optimal state of homeostasis.  It "reminds" the system of its preferred nutrition.
• Following this preliminary week, the daily calorie totals go up to meet the program's physical rigors and individual requirements based on body weight.  Simple.  No other formulas are needed.
• The wholesome, super-easy recipes are tailor-made for each of LM Pump’s three phases.  It has abundant 100 calorie and 200 calorie snack ideas to take the guesswork out of what to eat between meals when you’re hungry.
• They introduce what they call “The Water Bar”, which teaches you how to be an “expert water-mixologist” by combining various fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ice to flat or sparkling water to maintain an optimum level of hydration in a fun and unique way.

• Weight plates of 5 and 10 pounds each
• You can order extra plates, but the barbell is designed to hold a max weight of 100 pounds (ideally less).
• Lightly padded barbell
• Before and After Measurement Tracker
• Placard with an illustration on where to take your many body measurements pre and post program.
• generic flexible measuring tape
• An offer for a free 7-day gym membership

The Equipment

Now, I admit that I unpacked everything, set all the components aside, and looked at the barbell, safety clips, and plates many times for a couple of days, procrastinating assembling them.  I just have an aversion to putting stuff together because I made it such a big ordeal with my O-C nature.  Finally, I got out the instructions (they include them in every box, so you have a few copies), read them thoroughly, and found that they consist mostly of many safety precautions that most people should know out of common sense.

The actual assembly required two basic steps, and even without instructions, they are intuitive and very user-friendly.  I was relieved!  You take the two pieces of barbell, screw them together, then slide a weight on each end followed by a round safety housing whose clip flips up to open and slide on the barbell, and down to lock.  Voilà.  Done.

The Characters

In the first DVD, we are introduced to a team of fun, laid back, very attractive BODYPUMP® instructors. 

The instructors are effective at keeping you motivated with their easy banter and neat kiwi accents.  I was very impressed with their continuous stream of easy to understand and detailed directions on form and how to perform every single move.  They show you how to isolate muscles and demonstrate the exact placement for your feet, hands, and other appendages for maximum safety and effectiveness.  Having no weight training background, I found this extremely appealing and was most grateful for it so that I could get the most out of the workouts!

The team on the first DVD consists of a famous Les Mills Pump standby – the beautiful, chiseled Susan from Auckland (she appears on Pump infomercials); handsome, buff Joel from Washington; quiet, chiseled Ben from Florida; fun and vocal Sheldon from Pennsylvania; and inspiringly strong and gorgeous Rachael from England.  They already feel like old friends, and I know I won’t get tired of their talk and personalities (unlike other BB fitness trainers).  They are so energetic and clearly knowledgeable - true fitness professionals.

The Workout

So far, I have done only the Pump Challenge, but I fell in love with it!  The first DVD contains a 10 minute primer on pump basics that taught me how to assemble my barbell and adjust the weights, along with proper grip and stance techniques.

The workout Pump Challenge is 20 minutes long, and it showed me how to perform squats, deadlifts, bench presses, clean and press moves, kickbacks, and bicep curls.  I used my HRM, and my heart rate got to within 82% of my maximum (about 70% of VO2 max).  This is lower than where Insanity takes me, but it is a different kind of challenge.  My quads were on fire during the final, fast-paced lunge sets and had to pause a few times.  My RPE felt higher than what my HRM was showing.  I loved the challenge!  I loved how it felt to raise the barbell; how I had to tell my muscles to balance it through the moves and keep it steady and smooth at the same time.

Where Insanity can leave me gasping and struggling to keep good form despite my best intentions, this workout mixes speeds of fast and slow so that I had time to adjust my form to always keep it correct.  Each speed has its own challenges.

I think that this program works the smaller stabilizer muscles of the ankles, legs, knees (so important to bone health, density, and slowing down the natural aging process of this special joint), and hips.  It creates stability in the core because the core is always working to steady the body and maintain the barbell.

I especially loved how Renata discussed how to keep the knees tracking over the toes, and she even showed a simple test for determining whether or not you are doing this properly.  This is so important, for EVERYBODY!  I’ve talked a lot about this to my Insanity facebook friends.  I tore my MCL (medial collateral ligament) a couple of years ago, and I know how important proper knee alignment is.  Without it, I can’t do Insanity, Les Mills Pump, or anything else really.

Some members of Team Beachbody had mentioned that it was “too easy” after Shaun T’s Insanity.  I agree, but only on the cardiovascular front.  Pump Challenge definitely gets your heart rate up, but not to the level of Insanity.  It kept me in the aerobic zone, not the anaerobic of Insanity.

I had skipped a couple of workouts earlier this week due to an illness, so I decided to do Insanity's Max Interval Circuit after Pump Challenge.  It was more difficult than usual, of course.  I got through it fine by taking 60 second breaks between intervals instead of 30 seconds, and by stopping every time I got to 95% of my max (91% of VO2 max), which would occur at the ends of sets.  This ensured that I was still getting all the benefits without passing out.  I used Energy and Endurance Formula and drank more water than usual.

The 3 Phases

True to its Maori roots, LM Pump’s phases are called Te Wero: The Challenge, Panoni: The Change, and Kia Kaha: Be Strong.  They each are designed to last 30 days, though I think that the program is flexible enough for an experienced exerciser to modify the length of time spent in each phase.

Phase One - Te Wero

• Focuses on excellent form and shorter but challenging workouts to boost metabolism and stimulate weight loss.
• Begins the Nutrition Guide.

Phase Two - The Change

• Pushes the body to become stronger.
• Focuses on changing the body’s shape by building and sculpting the muscles that will help lean out the physique.

Phase Three - Kia Kaha

• The final countdown to Day 90.
• Focuses on more difficult reps designed to complete the lean, chiseled, and sculpted look.

In summation, I think this is a high quality program, definitely worth its price.  After finishing Shaun T’s Insanity and changing my eating habits to consuming a greater variety of clean, whole foods, I find that workouts no longer make me ravenously hungry.  This is still true with Les Mills Pump.  I felt energized and happy after the first workout, like I could go on longer, but also like my muscles had been challenged.

There are enough off days to prevent burnout, and also for filling in with Insanity workouts or other forms of training, which is exactly what I intend to do.  HAPPILY!

I’ll write my thoughts on the other program DVDs in future blog posts (if I’m not running outside enjoying the beautiful spring weather, that is).

Energy & Endurance Formula = rocket fuel

Once again, I resisted purchasing another Beachbody proprietary supplement.  During the second month of Insanity, I was willing to try anything, including standing on my head, to overcome the dread of another gut-busting, sweat-drenching, dizzying workout that made me increasingly want to pass out.  Even harder than the workouts was the sheer willpower it took just to take the Insanity DVD out of its sleeve, place it in the drive, and click the play button.

Thus, my obligatory research into the ingredients within Beachbody's Energy and Endurance Formula began.

With only 20 calories and 5 gram of carbohydrates per serving, it is a low-calorie, low glycemic beverage.  I saw the usual antioxidant and B vitamins to counteract the oxidative stress that rigorous training places on the body and which sends free radicals scavenging healthy cells during the process of lipolysis (the breakdown of fats to release fatty acids for energy).  This was good, but to be expected.

Then, I saw their "amino acid blend", consisting of four principal amino acids: L-Arginine, Beta-Alanine, L-Glutamine, and L-Tyrosine.  The total blend equals 1,800 mg, and the specific breakdown of each amino acid is not given, which is sort of important.  I was already supplementing with 500 mg of L-Arginine, a precursor of nitric oxide, to support my cardiovascular system and give it that extra "boost".  The amounts of my MRM  BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acid) powdered formula supplement were in the thousands of mg per amino acid, far above Energy and Endurance's blend.

I think that E&E's 1,800 mg blend is better than nothing, but I'm not sure how adequate it is for heavy exercisers and body builders.  I am also not sure why Beachbody's team of nutrition experts decided to include tyrosine, a precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine, but it might boost mood, thereby providing someone a little emotional support if she/he is dreading working out.  I did see three separate forms of L-Arginine, so they clearly understand its importance in supporting blood supply and oxygen to working muscles.

Next is the stuff which I think makes this formula live up to its name:  the important-sounding "Proprietary Energy Activating Blend" of 455 mg of unknown quantities of a caffeine blend (caffeine, guarana, Yerba Mate, and green tea extracts), as well as some papaya extract and bromelain (no doubt for flavor, but which our family takes as the most powerfully effective digestive aid there is to resolve everything from stomach aches to gas to even food poisoning). Here are the other ingredients:

1. Rhodiola - an adaptogenic herb used for centuries that seems to have a stimulating effect at lower dosages.  Adaptogenic means that it acts in non-specific ways to increase resistance without disturbing normal biological functions.  It has proven effective in clinical studies abroad for those suffering mild to moderate depression.  A powerful antioxidant, it has anti-cancer properties and is being used and studied in this area.  Soviet studies have shown that Rhodiola rosea, when combined with physical exercise, can be a powerful tool in weight reduction as it activates catabolism of tissue lipase, resulting in the breakdown of stored fat.  A Chinese animal study has shown that Rhodiola slowed heart rate and lowered blood pressure. Russian and Korean animal studies have shown that rhodiola protects the liver and can help it recover from exposure to certain poisons.  So, rhodiola can do a lot!
2. D-ribose - a simple sugar used by the body to synthesize nucleotides, ATP, nucleic acid, and which can regulate and counteract fatigue, muscle soreness, stiffness, and even CAD (coronary artery disease).  It is often used to enhance athletic performance, though nothing has ever been definitively proven to support this claim.  Great caution should be used when taking d-ribose along with certain drugs, aspirin, and alcohol because of the effects it has on blood sugar.
3. Quercetin - a flavonoid phytochemical (plant-based chemical) that has energy-boosting properties, as well as antioxidant effects.  It is supposed to increase the amount of mitochondria in human cells, which would amplify ATP energy production.  It is not produced by our bodies naturally, so we must get it from our diet, namely apples, onions, citrus fruits, and other foods.
4. Phosphatidylserine - present in every cell in our body, it is a brain and memory booster (which I recently saw spotlighted on Dr. Oz by Dr. Andrew Weil, whose advice I consider to be unassailable) which has been shown to cognitively enhance learning, mental acuity, relieve depression, and improve mood by reducing cortisol levels and boosting - you guessed it - dopamine, just like tyrosine mentioned above.  It has also been utilized recently with some success in treating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.  Related to exercise, there are some studies that have demonstrated phosphatidylserine to speed recovery and prevent muscle soreness in cyclists, endurance runners, and weight lifters.

Now that I've broken down the ingredients for you, and they do seem to have very beneficial properties not just for exercisers and athletes, but for everybody, are you curious how Energy and Endurance Formula has affected my working out?  Well, it has been nothing short of amazing, I have to admit.  Each time I took it, I mixed only one scoop, not the two scoops the labels instructs to take only for intense exercise, in the required amount of water - four to six ounces.  It tastes like nuclear plant runoff mixed with a little Alka-Seltzer - NOT pleasant for me at all.  I have to go to a happy place just to down it as quickly as I can.  Seriously.  

As instructed, I drank it within 30 minutes prior to working out.  I have used it only a handful of times because of my taste buds.  When I used it yesterday for a 4.5 mile tempo run (which wasn't supposed to be a tempo run, but the E&E had the upper hand), I came home later and plugged in my average and max heart rates for the run (which had some little hills, too).  I was astonished that I had been running at 88% of my maximum heart rate, which was 79% of my VO2 max, making it an anaerobic, intense workout.  Checking my HRM during the run, I knew that I had hit my max several times.  That was just on one scoop.


When I was running, I noticed that my breathing was steady and even, and my legs were beginning to build up lactic acid and give out long before my heart and respiratory system ever would.  This stuff gives you the feeling that you can go harder, go longer, and not feel the pain of an intensive effort quite as much.  Whether or not your muscles and mind can handle it is another question.  Yesterday's run was one of the first to begin building my base for racing season, so although it was low mileage, my legs, while physically stronger due to Insanity workouts, were still out of the practice (called specificity of training) of the biomechanics of running. They really felt it later; I had to perform unusually longer holds in my post-running asanas afterwards or else I would be falling out of bed the next morning instead of standing.


Warning:  if you are going to exercise within four hours of bedtime, take this supplement at your own risk.  Each time I used it in the afternoon hours, I was awake until 4:00 am.  Normally, I am a late-night person who goes to bed around midnight on a good night.  It doesn't cause any shakes or jitters or force you to stay up, per se, it just makes it so easy that you have to take care to wind down if you want to get to sleep.  


As a qualifier, I should mention that my body is completely unaccustomed to energy supplements.  I avoid prepackaged energy drinks like the plague, cannot stand the taste of coffee, take no prescription drugs or over the counter medications, and drink no alcohol.  The only caffeine I ingest is green tea on an occasional basis.  I take vitamins daily and homeopathic preparations when I get sick, which has been a cold once every two years.  This may explain E&E's consequences on my performance.

So Energy and Endurance Formula has been akin to pouring super high octane fuel into this '67 Thunderbird.   I can't wait to use it during racing season after my body has made its newer model upgrades after training.

References:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid#Non-standard_amino_acids
• http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400399/Rhodiola-for-What-Ails-You.html
• http://www.earthclinic.com/Supplements/rhodiola.html
• http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-827-RIBOSE.aspx?activeIngredientId=827&activeIngredientName=RIBOSE
• http://www.quercetinguide.com/
• http://www.phosphatidylserine.net/
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/phosphatidylserine/AN01592

A little bit on MET values & VO2 Max

Ever concerned with caloric burn, I discovered that heart rate monitor calorie counts are only accurate when there is a consistent and measurable relationship between heart rate and oxygen uptake. That means exercises that are aerobic in nature and that are performed at intensities between 40% of VO2 max and the lactate threshold.  Insanity does not meet these criteria.

A MET refers to the ratio of the work metabolic rate to the resting metabolic rate. One MET is defined as 1 kcal/kg/hour and is roughly equivalent to the energy cost of sitting quietly.  A MET also is defined as oxygen uptake in ml/kg/min with one MET equal to the oxygen cost of sitting quietly, equivalent to 3.5 ml/kg/min.  It was difficult, but in my research, I found a reliable MET value for HIIT and an equation for caloric expenditure.  Traditional HIIT requires around 12.5 METs.  This value does not account for the 10 % afterburn, often referred to as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).  Insanity is not traditional HIIT, but even harder, so the value could feasibly be higher.

Therefore, an accurate equation for calories burned is METs x 3.5 x (weight in kg)/200 = kcal/min burned.

VO2 Max peaks at age 18 until age 25, and from then, it declines by roughly 1% every year.  Even though cardiovascular fitness obviously influences VO2 Max, genetics heavily influence it, too.  The capacity of your circulatory system to deliver oxygenated blood to your muscles and also the specific physiology of your muscles are both genetically predetermined to a certain extent.

I tested my VO2 max here: VO2 Max Calculator, utilizing the resting heart rate, step, and 1.5 mile run tests.