Weight Of The Nation

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Steve

It may not be TV, because it’s HBO.  But, it’s “must see” – and great that you can watch it online for free.

Posted in Obesity Epidemic | Leave a comment

Lacking The Will To Exercise

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Steve

So much for my plan to get back on the exercise horse.

I either have the world’s worst hay fever now or the onset of a cold.  Either way, my throat is on fire, my head hurts, and I am very tired.  And, last night, instead of starting my plan, I came home from work and went to bed at 9 PM. 

Today, I don’t feel any better.

It’s now been 11 days since I was last at the gym and 14 days since I last went for a run.  Worse, it’s been five weeks now since I last had a regular exercise routine going.

I need to put a stop to this slump…and soon!

Posted in Allergies, Couch Potatoism, Honesty, Illness | Leave a comment

Starting A New Exercise Pledge To Myself

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Steve

I think I have now hit rock bottom in terms of feeling like someone who does a good job at exercising on a regular basis. 

A month of being a slacker will do that do you.

At this point, I am setting a target of getting started in two days.  (Work today and a Little League game are in the way of getting started sooner.)  And, I am going back to my old program.

I am going to bust my tail on this for the next 9 weeks. Hopefully, come July 19th, I will feel much better about all this…

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012, Dealing With Challenges, Exercise, Honesty | Leave a comment

The Not Working Out Blues

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Steve

My slump continues.

Wednesday night, I crashed.  Huge hay fever issues.  I was cooked.

Last night, after work, I had a Little League game to manage.  Tonight, I have some things that have to get done in the house.  Tomorrow, more chores and another Little League game.  And, Sunday and Monday, I will be traveling.

All I can do right now is continue to eat properly – which I am, because my weight is stable – and try and be active…playing ball with my son, doing house and yard work, etc. 

Hopefully, I can get back on track next Tuesday and end this slump at 29 days.

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012 | Leave a comment

Workout Slump Lament

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Steve

For the last 24 days, my exercise routine has been almost non-existent.  Even last night, when I was supposed to try and get in a run, I had to bag it because of rain and hay fever.

There’s been so much working against me:  work and family obligations, my son’s Little League team commitments (as I am the team manager), the weather and some killer hay fever woes.

This is sad – because I was in such a good routine for 9-10 months before this rut.

I know, I know…it’s just 3 1/2 weeks.  But, to me, it feels like it’s been 3 1/2 years.  I feel terrible not working out…and I feel like I am going backwards by not exercising.

I really need to put on some blinders, get my head down, and just start plowing ahead getting it done…hitting the gym and running.  I can’t let this bad streak get any longer.

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012, Failure | 1 Comment

42% Of U.S. To Be Obese By 2030?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Steve

The latest on the obesity epidemic via the L.A. Times -

The ranks of obese Americans are expected to swell even further in the coming years, rising from 36 percent of the adult population today to 42 percent by 2030, experts said Monday.

Kicking off a government-led conference on the public health ramifications of all those expanding waistlines, the authors of a new report estimated that the cost of treating those additional obese people for diabetes, heart disease and other medical conditions would add up to nearly $550 billion over the next two decades.

The sobering projections also contained some good news, the researchers said: Obesity’s growth has slowed from the record pace of most of the last 30 years. If those trends were to continue, 51 percent of American adults would qualify as obese in 2030.

Study leader Eric Finkelstein, a health economist at Duke University in Durham, N.C., said it is unclear whether growth has slowed thanks to public policy initiatives aimed at preventing childhood obesity, greater societal awareness of obesity’s health risks, or because Americans have hit the maximum level of fatness a population can sustain.

Whatever the reasons, further small successes in anti-obesity efforts — more effective weight-loss drugs, public health campaigns to encourage exercise and more-healthful eating, or workplace health-promotion policies — could flatten the curve even more, Finkelstein said at the second annual Weight of the Nation conference in Washington, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Even small improvements in obesity prevalence … could result in substantial savings,” he and his colleagues concluded in their report, which was published online Monday by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The forecast took into account a host of factors thought to influence Americans’ eating and exercise habits, including the cost of groceries, the prevalence of restaurants, the unemployment rate, Internet access and the price of gas.

Most important was the aging of the population, which tends to nudge many overweight adults into the obese category — and to push many of those who are already obese into “severely obese” territory. The number of severely obese Americans is expected to grow from about 5 percent today to 11 percent in 2030, according to the study.

The findings are based on data collected from 1990 through 2008 as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a survey by the CDC and health departments in the states.

Think about this for a minute. In 18 years, four out of every ten people in the United States will be obese. So, how many years will it be before it’s six out of every ten?

Posted in Obesity Epidemic | Leave a comment

My Own Fitness Plan 2.0 – Cycle 3 – Day 9

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Steve

Where do I start?

I was supposed to run yesterday.  It never happened.  It rained in the morning.  And, in the afternoon, hay fever was so bad that I started to choke the minute I stepped outside.  So, I bagged it.  And, that’s terrible considering how much I struggled on my last run.

Tonight, after dinner, I went to the gym and took advantage of a free offer of a session with a personal trainer.  We spent about 40 minutes working out on a TRX system.  That was a first for me.  I took it easy since I was learning the moves.  I think I will work this into my regular program. 

Now, I just need to get back on track with my program.  I’m thinking a run tomorrow, if it doesn’t rain followed by a total body workout at the gym on Wednesday.  And, then I can run again on Friday – that would close out the week.  And, on Day #15, it’s back to the script.

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012, The Gym, TRX | Leave a comment

Today, I Gave Away 25 Pairs Of Pants

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Steve

As I shared a year ago, I’m a 32″ waist in pants.  And, I’ve been that size for about 5 years.

But, that wasn’t always the case.  Before I got fat, the last time I was around that size, I wore a 34″ size pants.  And, then that became a size 36″ – which later became a size 38″ waist.  Related, as I expanded, I just kept buying more pants in the next size up.  (It’s what fat people do, rather than lose the weight.)

For some reason, I’ve had a hard time getting rid of some of my old pants.  I did give away some…but, I also kept some “just in case.”  I suppose, also, it bothered me to let them go since many of them were in near new condition.  (That happens when you grow out of your size before the pants have a chance to get too worn!)

Well, today, I decided that “just in case” is not coming.  It hasn’t come in five years and I don’t expect it  to come soon.  So, today, I took all those 34′s, 36′s and 38′s and bagged them for good will.  And, I feel pretty good about that now.  The time has come, I suppose.

Posted in Feeling Fit | Leave a comment

Study: Jogging Makes You Live Longer

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Steve

Via Medical News Today -

Women who jog regularly live 5.6 years longer, and men 6.2 years longer than their counterparts who don’t, according to Danish researchers who presented their study – Copenhagen City Heart study – at the EuroPRevent2012 meeting.

Dr. Peter Schnohr explained that they had set out to determine how healthy or hazardous regular jogging might be. He informed that between 1 and 2.5 hours of jogging per week at a “slow” or “average” pace significantly lengthens lifespan. Dr. Schnohr is chief cardiologist of the Copenhagen City Heart Study.

Schnohr said:

“The results of our research allow us to definitively answer the question of whether jogging is good for your health. We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don’t actually need to do that much to reap the benefits.”

An extra six years? Who wouldn’t want that?

Posted in Aging, Running | Leave a comment

My Own Fitness Plan 2.0 – Cycle 3 – Day 6

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Steve

Good news, bad news, on today’s workout – which was a 5K run before dinner.

Well, and some in between news too.  The RealFeel® temp was of 81° F when I was running.  Not sure if that helped or hurt me tonight?

The bad news was that this was my first run in 12 days – and I felt it!  The other bad news is that I had to break it down to a walk, 4 times, after hitting the 2-mile mark.  (For the record, at the 2-mile mark, I covered that distance at my normal pace.)  Also, my hay fever is terrible today.

The good news is, even with all that, I ran the 3.1 miles in 25 minutes and 52 seconds.  And, while that’s not great time, that’s only (?) 72 seconds slower than my fastest time ever.  So, I’ll take it and try and do better next time.

And, for the record, I worked up one super sweat with this one!

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012, Failure, Hanging With It | Leave a comment

Hey, Tony Horton Was In My Gym Tonight!

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Steve

Well, kinda/sorta…

Tonight, when I went to the gym, there was a dude working out, by the dumbbell rack, and he had one of those netbook computers with him.  I never saw that before in the gym – ever.

And, on the PC, he was playing a DVD of P90X.  Yes, he was doing P90X in the gym. 

How can you not tip your cap to that kind of effort?

Posted in Exercise DVDs, Health Icon News, The Gym | Leave a comment

My Own Fitness Plan 2.0 – Cycle 3 – Day 5

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Steve

I got home from work and was tired.  After dinner, I did not feel like going to the gym.  But, I went anyway and did four sets each of the following:

  • Cable Curls
  • Standing Alternate Dumbbell Curls
  • Icarian Camber Curls
  • Tricep Rope Extension
  • Icarian Tricep Extension
  • Seated Dumbbell Tricep Extension
  • Ab Coaster

That two week layoff from the gym was a killer.  Now, it seems like I never went, mentally.  And, when it’s time to go, I feel like I’ve never been there before…and it’s new. 

Once I get there, and start working out, I’m fine.  I just need to get back in the habit of going three times a week, again, mentally.

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012 | Leave a comment

My Own Fitness Plan 2.0 – Cycle 3 – Day 4

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Steve

I was supposed to go to the gym last night.  But, my hay fever was off the charts.  By the time I came home from work, I could barely stay awake.  In fact, I took a 15 minute nap at 7 PM.  (I was also very sore from my workout on Monday – after the long layoff.)

So, I switched out last night for today – since this was supposed to be a rest day.  After work, and before dinner, I went to the gym and did four sets each of the following:

  • Hammer Strength Shoulder Press
  • Hammer Strength Shrugs
  • Life Fitness Lateral Raises
  • Hammer Strength MTS Leg Extensions
  • Standing Calves
  • Icarian Leg Curls
  • Ab Coaster

It still feels strange to be in the gym.  Those two weeks off have killed me.  I need to get my head back into it.

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012 | Leave a comment

Orthostatic Hypotension

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Steve

I’ve written about this before.  But, here’s more on it via The Body Odd -

There’s actually a name for that dizziness you sometimes get when you go from laying down or sitting to standing up: orthostatic hypotension (OH).

A little momentary brain static might seem like nothing, but according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, OH is linked to heart failure. Could it be a danger sign for your health?

Franz Messerli, M.D., a physician who directs the hypertension programs at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York, says that OH happens when your blood pressure takes a dive. Usually, your body compensates when you go from sitting to standing by prompting your heart to beat a little faster (about an extra 10 beats per minute) and constricting your blood vessels, which force more blood back to your head and keep your brain on the up-and-up.

This process is often so precise and automatic that you won’t notice any difference when you decide to go vertical. But for people with OH, dizziness is a sign that the system isn’t working as well as it could.

So should you be worried? Well, Messerli says, that depends. A bunch of benign reasons might cause OH, such as dehydration, taking medications like diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and beta blockers, or having naturally low blood pressure from being in great shape. (That last one actually lowers your risk of heart problems.)

And then there’s a more sinister explanation: In the new study, researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill looked at data from a different, long-term study on heart disease risk factors. Part of that study involved taking volunteers’ blood pressure when they were laying down and when they stood up. Over the next 17 years, give or take, the researchers followed these participants to see which ones developed heart failure. Data showed that those with OH had a higher risk of developing heart failure than those without OH, even after accounting for other heart failure risk factors, such as overall high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary heart disease.

Study author Christine Jones, M.D., an internist and resident in preventive medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill, says that in some people, OH might be an early marker of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Over time, that can cause the heart to pump harder and eventually fail.

If you’ve always had a touch of dizziness upon standing, or you know you’re dehydrated or taking one of the meds that causes OH, then you’re probably safe, Jones says. “But if you’re having severe dizziness or this is something brand new and severe, you should seek medical care,” she explains.

I do have naturally low blood pressure.  And, I always thought that was the cause for my “OH.”  But, now, I am wondering if being dehydrated has a hand in it too?  For sure, I probably don’t drink enough water.  That’s always an area where I can do better.

Posted in Health Warnings | Leave a comment

My Own Fitness Plan 2.0 – Cycle 3 – Day 2

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Steve

It’s been 8 days since I had any formal workout.  And, it’s been 17 days since I last stepped into the gym.  But, it feels like forever since I have been in a good workout routine. 

It’s time to get something going again.  And, I am considering this to be “Day 2″ of “Cycle 3″ of “My Plan 2.0″ – even though I did not get in a run yesterday.

After dinner, I went to the gym and did four sets each of the following:

  • Bench Press
  • Hammer Strength Rows
  • Hammer Strength Wide Chest Press
  • Low Cable Rows
  • Hammer Strength Incline Press
  • Cable Wide Grip Pull-downs
  • Ab Coaster

I was surprised that I didn’t struggle with the weights.  All things considered, I did pretty good.  Let’s see how I feel tomorrow.

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012 | Leave a comment

Losing Weight While Missing The Gym

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Steve

It’s been two weeks since I have been to the gym.  I am really hoping to end that streak three days from now.

On the flip side, over the last four weeks, I have lost 3.4 pounds.  (And, 1.6 pounds of that has been over the last two weeks – while I have not been going to the gym.)

So, am I just losing fat, or, losing muscle?  Maybe it’s a little of both?

Posted in The Gym, The Scale | Leave a comment

Falling Off The Exercise Wagon

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Steve

I have not been to the gym in 12 days due to work, family obligations and some terrible hay fever days.  And, I may not get to the gym over the next 5 days because of work, Little League and other family obligations. 

I did get in three 5K runs over the last 12 days – but, that’s been it for exercise.

It’s sort of been the perfect storm for me lately – work, tons of stuff with Little League (practices, games, a parade), nasty disabling hay fever, etc.  And, this week, we’re celebrating my son’s 8th birthday – which means meals out, party prep, the party, a special trip for him as a treat (all going on while also dealing with work and Little League).

The first seven days of this period is a write-off as that was the planned rest week between my training cycles.  However, the last five days have been a major bummer.  And, the next five days seem unavoidable.

I need to get back on track, somehow.  Being like this makes me very sad and feeling like a bum.

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012, The Gym, Venting | Leave a comment

My 5th 5K Race (Ever)

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Steve

Well, it did rain today.  But, my race went on away.  And, boy, was it a big one.  There were 908 people running in this one.  Yes, nine hundred and eight!

My time for the race was 25 minutes and 6 seconds on my GPS and 25 minutes and 20 seconds on the race clock.  (My GPS also matched my chip time in the race results.)

The GPS reading for me was interesting since it said that I ran 3.13 miles in that time.  This breaks down to an average pace of an 8-minute mile, exactly, on the nose.  And, I am pretty sure that this is the first time I have run a 5K at an overall pace of 8:00/mi.

I was really feeling it at the end.  But, I pushed through to the finish line.

In the end, according to the online official results, there were 908 runners in the race – and I finished 230th overall.

Also per the results, I finished 174th out of the 452 men running the race. And, lastly, I finished 19th out of the 55 men who ran the race between the ages of 45 and 49.

There were a lot of serious runners in this one – I suspect because it was a USATF Sanctioned Event.

So, I have now fun five 5K races since finishing C25K.  In my first race, I finished 91st out of 317.  In my second race, I finished 207th out of 615.  In my third race, I finished 36th out of 206.  In my fourth race, I finished 99th out of 418. And, today, in my fifth race, I finished 230th out of 908.

Yeah, nine-oh-eight.  Look at me running in a race with 907 other people – and finishing in the top 25%.  Given my “running” history, and my short experience in racing, I will take it.

Posted in C25K, Cycle 3 - 2012, Feeling Fit, Running | Leave a comment

Wet Race Tomorrow?

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Steve

After my run on Thursday morning, I’ve been dogging it. 

We took the kids out on Friday after work.  And, I crashed after that.  And, today, we had a Little League parade and then just did some things that needed to get done.  It feels like I have not been to the gym since forever.

Tomorrow is the scheduled start of my next workout cycle.  I’ve been doing cycles now for 10 months and am looking forward to starting another and getting back to the routine.

Tomorrow is a run day – which is great because I am scheduled to run in a 5K race.  It’s a big one – where they had 704 people running in it last year.  But, the trick is the weather.

It’s supposed to start raining tonight and the forecast is for rain all day tomorrow.  They’re saying it could be a Nor’easter with the wind.  The folks organizing the event have already sent two e-mails telling the runners to bring their rain gear.

What’s rain gear for running?  I have no answer to that one – since I have never run in hard rain before.  Too bad it’s also going to be somewhat cool – the forecast is for a high of 55° F with a RealFeel® of 46° F. Maybe I’ll just bring a garbage bag and use that for standing around before the race and then just rip it off before the start?

Posted in Cycle 3 - 2012, Running | Leave a comment

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Steve

My doctor just told me that my PSA level is at 0.6 ng/mL.

When it took it last year, it was at 0.7 ng/mL. And, the reading before that, it was at 0.8 ng/mL.

Yes, it’s getting lower – and, I will be 50-years old at the end of 2012.

If that’s not a sign of what healthy eating and exercise can do for you, what is?

Posted in Health Readings | Leave a comment

The Benefits Of Kale

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Steve

Via the Baltimore Sun -

After years of being relegated through the purgatory of forgotten foods, kale has found itself in the spotlight for the first time in decades and is ready to prove it belongs there permanently. A crop of the ancients, kale has been cultivated for over 2,000 years and was the precursor to modern-day cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli. Easy to plant, harvest and propagate, kale was a favorite of both the Romans and the Greeks. The leafy green fell out of favor in many cultures in the last century, as more exotic cruciferous vegetables became popular.

But now, foodies and nutritionists alike are hailing kale, citing its health benefits as well as its culinary versatility.

Kale’s nutritional value is impressive. One cup contains 180 percent of the recommended daily does of Vitamin A, 200 percent of Vitamin C, and 1,020 percent of Vitamin K. All three vitamins are antioxidants that help protect the body from certain types of cancer. Kale’s unusual amount of vitamin K in particular helps the body with such various functions as blood coagulation and bone health. Kale is also rich in calcium and iron.

I have to eat more Kale. There’s no excuse not to do it.

Posted in Nutrition, Vegetables | Leave a comment

Is Veganism Good For Everyone?

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Steve

The New York Times, today, offers a lot of…pardon the pun…food for thought on the debate.

Like most things, the answer is probably not “yes” or “no” – but, rather, somewhere in between.

Posted in Nutrition, Vegan | Leave a comment

Tune Up Run Prior To Sunday’s Race

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Steve

I never got to run last night – since it rained.  But, I hit the streets at 8 AM this morning for a 5K run.

I did the 3.1 miles in 25 minutes and 24 seconds.   And, it was not a tremendous struggle.  This is all good news.

Now, I have to see how this translates into my race this Sunday.  (And, of course, the forecast for Sunday is rain. Bummer.)

Posted in Running | Leave a comment

Damn Pollen!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Steve

I wanted to go for a run yesterday.  It was a beautiful sunny day – around eighty degrees outside. 

But, my hay fever was off the charts.    My throat was messed up.  My eyes were burning.  And, I could not stop sneezing.  Oh, and I was dead tired. 

There was no way I could run with all that going on.

It’s no surprise.  Everything is covered with green dust around my house – pollen from the flowers and trees.  It’s terrible.

I’m still feeling it today.  But, I’m going to try and force myself out there after work tonight.  Then again, that’s several hours from now too…

Posted in Allergies, Cycle 3 - 2012, Venting | Leave a comment

A. J. Jacobs’ Drop Dead Healthy

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Steve

Here’s the story behind this one.

And, here’s one review on the book.

Looks good. I want to check this one out.

Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment