Well, I've been kinda waiting for this to happen. A little bounce backwards. Only by half a pound so I'm not terribly upset. I was bummed to see 160.2 and not 158.8 which is where I was last weekend. I was telling my wife this morning though that while I was a little bummed I'm not freaking out about it. This is about "Long-Haul" living so this week I become more focused. I need to shake up the routine a bit and really watch my eating although it's not like I totally lost control over the week. I also have to remember that I am gaining muscle and that could account for the half a pound.
Look, here's the other thing - I've been at this now for 10 weeks. I'm loosing weight, feeling better, my head is clear, I'm more focused than I have ever been and I'm building muscle and I'm 43 years old (which isn't really that old but things do change once you cross the 40 line). Time does feel like it's gone from 45 miles an hour to 80 miles an hour and 50 feels like it's creeping up fast. I'm doing all this though by carving out time to go to the gym, run, exercise and eat better while at the same time enjoying things like Ice Cream, "good beer" and other things that I enjoy. It can be done. You do not have to give up "everything" that you enjoy. Heck, sometimes I don't go to the gym if I don't feel like it or if I'm just feeling whipped. I just look for another way to get some exercise in like raking the leaves, taking the dog on a little extra long walk. I throw in push-ups or sit-ups during the day. The short term goal is to lose weight. The long term goal is live a healthy lifestyle and stick around for the "long-term".
Thought for the day: I'm going to enjoy this beautiful day that Lord has made and continue the "Long-Haul".
Day 56 (whew!)
30 minute walk with the dog
1 hour raking leaves
There's a lot to love about fall: crisp air, dark beer, pumpkin ale, October fest, Halloween, carving pumpkins, picking apples, bonfires, apple cider and of course football games, but lets face it, there is a reason they call it "Fall" and those leaves are starting to pile up on your front lawn.
One of the benefits of working from home is that you have time and some flexibility to get stuff done that you would otherwise put off till the weekend. The leaves have been mocking me all week and today I started the task of trying to stay on top of the leaves instead of going to the gym or on a run during my lunch break. I don't have a huge front yard but I do have a large Oak that drops a gazillion leaves on my yard this time every year. The backyard is another story (HUGE tree).
So, I chose not to go to the gym today in order to prove a point which is raking leaves can be a solid workout. It helps build upper-body strength, as well as core strength (strength in your back and stomach). As you're raking, your abs are working to stabilize your body while your arms are moving. A recent AARP article indicated that a 135-pound person could burn about 240 calories raking leaves for an hour. One calculator I looked at today said I burned about 300 calories raking leaves for about an hour. You can also make your wife "really" happy.
Taking care of business like this is a vigorous aerobic workout that involves prolonged repetitive motion, twisting, bending, lifting and of course carrying those bagged leaves around (watch your back and lift with your knees).
It also helps to have Metallica blasting in your ear while your raking (see the last post)
Thought for the day:I will stay on top of the leaf raking this year. Last year was out of control. I will not allow that to happen again.
A recent article by Carl foster, Ph.D and John Pocari, Ph.D. on http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/805/indicated that if you take a look back as far as those beefy rowers on the Roman Galleys, there is a dude banging away on his drum driving the basic rhythm of the rowing. Some of this is simple coordination — getting the rowers to row together. The other part is that people will naturally follow a tempo; scientifically it’s just something about the way our brains work. So, the connection between music and exercise clearly did NOT begin in the 1980's with the well known Jane Fonda and her myriad of dance aerobic videos (now that's a blast from the past).
I play drums and various other forms of percussion. I started playing drums (self taught by listening to ZZ Top and MTV) and over time moved to guitar. Even my guitar playing is somewhat percussive. I love a good beat but for the most part I've always worked out in silence (meaning that I do not plug into the TV). Until recently I didn't own an ipod but my lovely wife gave me an Ipod shuffle for my 43rd birthday and now I run and workout with tempo. I have definitely noticed an uptick in my workouts. I run faster and I work out harder when I lift. I can feel the intensity increase when I have my music on. This morning I ran 3 miles with my ipod & I wasn't paying attention to how tight my thighs felt. The adrenaline was kicking in and I killed the uphill run on Patterson Ave.
You and I do not need a wellness guru or a scientist to tell us that music makes exercise more enjoyable. So what is it? What is the connection between music and the effect on our physical performance when we work out? Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D., from London’s Brunel University School of Sport and Education has come up with 3 primary things about music that could possibly influence performance:
1) the tendency to move in time with synchronous sounds (e.g., tapping your toe in time with music or the beat of a drum);
2) the tendency of music to increase arousal (e.g., the desire to move rather than to sit). He also states that "music is like is a legal drug for athletes"
3) the tendency for music to distract the exerciser from discomfort that might be related to exercise.
So, while it may not be rocket science that music can put nuclear energy into your workouts, there is some science behind it. In fact ,as early as the 1920s, scientists were researching the connection and in 1935 scientists observed that music could actually change the heart rate, affect blood pressure, change the metabolic rate, reduce physical and mental stress & reduce fatigue. What's really crazy is that in 2007 USA Track & Field, the national governing body for distance racing, actually banned athletes from using portable music players in order to prevent runners from having a competitive edge during the Marine Corp Marathon (there was also a safety concern - which is why when I run with my ipod I run on the sidewalk so I don't have to worry about traffic).
There you have it, when listening to music, people run farther, bike longer, lift harder and swim faster than usual—often without even realizing it. So if you want to work out hard and see better performance then you should grab some headphones. They even make ipods that are waterproof so that you can swim with them. We've certainly come a long way from the days of Jane Fonda.
Here's my list (understand that I like high intensity, metal, hardcore and punk when I work out).
Cesspool - BlenderHead
Battery - Metallica
Masters of Puppets - Metallica
Super Beast - Rob Zombie
Big Problems -Corrosion of Conformity (C.O.C)
White Noise - C.O.C
Take a Stand - Youth of Today
Agnostic Front and Bad Brains
Vote C.O.C
Grip - Sub-Merge
And if you're not familiar with any of these, Youtube them. Here's Super Beast by Rob Zombie - I love running to this song.
Thought for day:Love your ears and don't turn it up to loud.
DAY 54
30 minute walk with the dog
Gym - After work 1 hour
What can I say...I've been busy and to be honest it's getting harder and harder to keep the blog up on a "daily" basis so I think I might cut it back to a couple of times a week. As I've said before I'm not a health expert, Dr. or some kind of wellness guru so it's hard for me to come up with stuff to write about and I KNOW you really do not want to know about how I'm "feeling" or what I'm eating all the time.
So anyway, yesterday was hard. For some reason I had the appetite of a horse. I was so hungry and I'm not sure where that came from. Today, not so much. I feel ok and I'm looking forward to hitting the gym this evening after work. I came across this article on Menshealth.com today and I could not help reading it. Who isn't going to read an article titled "The Easiest Way To Live Longer".
A new "Norwegian" study suggests that people who stick to a healthy lifestyle in middle age are far more likely to see old age. The study indicated that "for non-smokers who regularly broke a sweat, 49 percent reached the ripe old age of 85, compared to only 28 percent of men who refrained from puffing but were generally sedentary—even after adjusting for other factors like cholesterol and blood pressure."
The run today was terrible. I haven't exercised since Saturday and when I miss workouts I can definitely tell. Not only do I get crabby but it's tougher to get "back into it". My legs were killing me during the run, felt like I had rubber bands that ran from my hips to my toes making is difficult. Hoping for some gym time tomorrow.
So coffee - I drink a lot of it. I probably drink 3 cups a day. I love coffee. There is something about waking up and smelling that coffee in the morning and then pouring a nice hot cup on a cold morning. Not to mention that it also wakes me up. I'm usually a zombie in the mornings and can't put a sentence together until I have a cup. I use a little zero fat creamer and Truvia for sweetner (it's natural, don't worry). Recently coffee has gotten some good publicity having been sited for helping fend off Parkinson's disease, diabetes and even liver cancer if you can believe that. Mayo Clinic though recently published an article by Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D indicating that it might not be all that healthy. They even noted "A recent report in Mayo Clinic Proceedings that warns of potential harm, specifically increased risk of premature death for men under age 55 who drink more than 28 cups of coffee a week, or an average of 4 cups a day." Not gonna lie to ya but I definitely can hit 4 cups sometimes...Especially on the weekends if I'm just chilling out in the mornings. That info is a bit disappointing to hear. They do say that the research does not account for dietary or socioeconomic factors but does consider smoking, exercise and chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The results show that heavier coffee drinkers are more likely to be smokers and to be less fit. I suppose that's true because I never see anyone running in the mornings with a cup of coffee in one hand (ouch!). I did see someone at 5am who had a Starbucks cup in the bottle tray on the treadmill they were running on. Totally strange to see that.
So I think the take away here as is with alcohol...Drink it in moderation. I've known for awhile that I should probably cut down on the number of cups I drink. Let the headaches begin.
Yup, no gym. No run. No exercise today. I was up at the crack of dawn...oh wait! No, before the crack of dawn and there was a yappy dog at about 3am this morning that would NOT shut up. I'm beat and feel like a zombie from "The Walking Dead". All the exercise and eating correctly is definitely wearing on me. A little mentally fatigued I guess. Not sure exactly what to do about that except put my big boy pants on and stop complaining.
So of course what is the blog about today: Exercise of course! On the New York Times "well" blog today they noted that a number of studies are proving that "intense" exercise may have unique benefits when it comes to diet actually dulling the urge to eat afterward strenuous exercise routines. The writer notes that a lot has been said about "interval training" or those quick burst of intense exercise and that they do have an effect on things like blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. That said, there is not a enough evidence to suggest that interval training is good for weight loss.
The good news of both studies that were conducted is that intense exercise seems to clearly lead to at least a short-term dulling or suppression of needing to consume food.
DAY 46
Dog Walk 30 minutes
30 minute, 3 mile run (great, didn't expect to get a run in today)
Great day, beautiful weather and church was awesome. I did not expect to get a run in today but I couldn't let this weather end without getting at least a 3 miler in. On the run I noticed a few things that occurring this coming weekend and in the coming months. Here in Richmond, VA fall weather means runs, races, festivals (aka: 43rd art fest yesterday). I thought it would be cool to list a number of the cool things going on in Richmond.
The List
The Armenian Food Fest - This coming weekend, Sept. 19th
Can't miss it. The Festival is on Patterson Ave. Not far from Three Chopt Rd.
(Look for the flags)
Thought for the Day: Fall is coming. My favorite time of year (not necessarily looking forward to cold runs.). “I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” Henry David Thoreau
No workout so today was kinda my rest day I guess. My daughter had a sleep over with a friend at our house and they had a very late night which meant I had a late night as well. We also attended the 43rd street art festival as well and my daughter had a horseback riding lesson this afternoon. Needless to say it was a busy day and I didn't have any time.
Weight in was supposed to happen today as well but when I got on the scale I got an error message. My first thought was "wow, it's that bad huh"? Then I got a battery indicator so I have no idea what I weigh right now (maybe that's a good thing?). Tomorrow is not looking any easier. It's going to be an early morning and probably a busy afternoon so it's looking like a no workout weekend this time around. I'll try to find something to blog about tomorrow.
Ok, I missed a few day's. As usual nothing new - I've been busy with work. Whew! Catching my breath. The good news is that I've been able to continue my workout routine and it's been consistent despite the hectic week. Two days this week I even went to the gym right after work. I also got an Ipod Shuffle for my birthday which I'm loving for the workouts and runs. Something about listening to "Metal" that gets my blood pumping and adrenaline flowing like the James River after a massive rain. Oh yea.
I've mention before that cancer runs rampant through both side of my family. I signed up for the Mayo Clinics E-mail articles and the one that came in today was about Cancer "Prevention". 7 tips for reducing your risk that I thought I would share. It's been well accepted that your chances of developing cancer are affected by the lifestyle choices you make. So, making some basic (and relatively simple) lifestyle changes can make a difference in reducing your chances of getting cancer.
Eat a healthy diet (veggies, fruit, alcohol in moderation)
Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active
For Beach bums and bunnies - Protect yourself from the sun
Get immunized
Avoid risky behaviors (Do I have to be detailed here? Read the article for the details)
Get regular medical care (cough, cough)
Thought for the day:A little concerned. I definitely was off the grid last weekend and on Monday for my birthday lunches and dinner. I've been on plan all week though and haven't missed a workout so I'm anxious but hopeful that I'll come in at 160 or less.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
DAY 41
Walked the dog for 35 min this morning
4.23 mile run after work burned 465 calories per map my run
Man it's hot. The run after work kicked my butt. I was cooped up all day working hard and desperately needed to get into the sunshine. Good run though and I also needed to burn off the birthday dinner I had last night (crab, lobster and some wine). I definitely went off the grid over the weekend with my trip to Blue Mtn. Brewery and then my dinner last night. I also enjoyed my favorite beers and wine as well. So, now I'm back to a heart-healthy diet. I read an article on the Mayo Clinic website recently about this. Pretty basic stuff good to remember and it's from a reputable source.
Allow yourself an occasional treat (for example, on your birthday)
Thought for the Day: "If overindulgence is the exception, rather than the rule, you'll balance things out over the long term. What's important is that you eat healthy foods most of the time." Mayo Clinic
Birthday Pics:
Dark Hollow from Blue Mtn. Brew
The A.M. Fog Cheese burger with fries
Scenic view from Blue Mtn. porch where you eat
Try before you buy with the Flight of beers
Me having a good time with family
Veritas Vineyard just down the street from Blue Mtn.Brew
DAY 39
1 hour walk with the dog this morning.
Day of rest.
Well, today is my day of rest and the walk with my dog this morning was great. My Sunday morning walks are so quiet. No one is on the road. Even the usual runners and the walkers in and around my neighborhood are still asleep. The cyclists though are out in force. Sasha had a spring in her step this morning since it was kinda cool too so we enjoyed the nice, long, quiet walk. It was also great because I needed to walk off the A.M. Fog mushroom burger and the bourbon barrel stout from Blue Mtn. Brew called "Dark Hollow" along with the flight of 2.5oz glasses of all of their brews.
Enough about the beer. My wife showed me this great article from a magazine she read called Real Simple about "Centenarians" (folks who are over 100 years old) and how they've stayed healthy all these years. I thought I would add some excerpts from the article. The video below is of Herman Solomon. He was born in October of 1910. He's been married once, 2 children, 4 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Herman say's he's made it so long because of working hard. He was employed full time until he was 80 as an electrician and he's stayed busy since his retirement. He also attributes his longevity to drinking scotch every day. He notes in the article "...And I feel great afterward." This video is super sweet about he and his wife Bertie.
Lili Rudin, born July 1912, has always been fascinated by the world around her and still keeps active and engaged.
I got on the scale this morning. It said 161. I got off to grab the camera...It said 162.5 Arrrr! What happened?! Got on, got off, got on, got off, got on...Now it reads 161.5. I think I may need a new scale. I know what it said the first time which means I lost a pound. I'm not at 160 but that's ok. I lost a pound this week which is a goal and I'm clearly continuing to head in the right direction.
I'm off to the gym and then later I'm headed to the Blue Ridge Mountains to have lunch at my favorite spot with family for my 43rd birthday (which is actually on Monday).
Crazy day at work today. Lots of conference calls, blah, blah, blah. I had to cut my gym time short today. This past week during my runs and my gym time I noticed that my ankles have started hurting and my feet hurt. I believe it's time to purchase new running shoes. It's always such a chore to find good shoes that really fit your feet well, but if you find the right shoe, you can likely avoid plantar fasciitis, shin splints and other issues. It's almost like buying a house or a car. You're going to spend a ton of time in them, so why wouldn't you make sure you're purchasing the right shoe for your feet?
Here are a couple of sites I found that help with the process:
Evidently there are 3 foot types: flat, neutral and high arches.
Flat feet tend to have fallen arches, making them flexible and prone to over-pronation, an inward rolling motion.
Neutral feet are the most biomechanically sound variety, putting them somewhere in the middle.
High-arched feet are essentially the polar opposite of flat feet.
You basically want some space for your feet to breathe with at least half an inch in the space between your toes and the tip of the shoe. They should move around a little bit but be snug enough not to fall off. No slippage! Once you've found the right category for your shoe size it's about finding the shoe that's most comfortable.
Good shoes mean happy feet.
Thought for the day:Weigh in is tomorrow. I'm a little anxious...
DAY 36
Dog walk - 35 minutes
4 Mile run - Had to do some walking. A little hotter than I expected
Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight Returns said "Why so serious?" Well, with regards to weight loss and losing that belly - belly fat is nothing to "joke" about. Why do we not take it more seriously? A recent article on the Mayo Clinic website (which I have recently started paying attention to) indicated that regardless of your overall weight, having a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of the following:
Cardiovascular disease
Type 2 diabetes
Colorectal cancer (uhhh, gross) & Sleep apnea
Belly fat or what we call "dunlap disease" or the "tire" right above your waist is not limited to the extra layer of pudge located just below the skin. It also includes what is called visceral fat — which lies way down inside your belly and surrounds your internal organs. NOT good. The article goes on to say that not only does the basic idea of calories in and calories out play a factor, but guess what: "age" plays a role as well. "As you age, you lose muscle — especially if you're not physically active. Loss of muscle mass decreases the rate at which your body uses calories, which can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy weight." Also, a man's belly is basically the center of the universe. Some of us guys store fat cells in the arms and legs and when we lose the ability to store that fat, it causes any excess fat to go straight to you know where - the abdomen.
It is challenging to say the least to lose the belly. Since I've started this diet I've lost 6+ pounds but I still have what I call a "bike" tire around my waist and a clear area where my pants and belt line go...where my belly hangs over. Uggg, I hate it. I think it's gross and I really want to get rid of it. I've lost weight all over but the belly is proving tough. The problem it seems is over eating (working on that), age and genetics along with not exercising regularly. You can put the weight on over-night but it takes months to get rid of it. So, it just comes down to plain hard work. I gotta keep kicking it in gear and stick with this.
Well, I think most men would admit that it would be great if we had abs of steel like the first picture versus the other. However, since we're not training for a spot in the new 300 sequel or taking over duty as the new Wolverine, I think it's safe to say that we need to be at least working hard to get rid of as much belly fat as we can...for our health and for some long-haul living. Join me.
Check this out! I just stumbled onto this Food Pyramid that Mayo Clinic put together online. Pretty cool...You can set it for weight loss or for maintaining weight....Mayo Clinic - Healthy Weight Food Pyramid
4 Mile run today - Weather was a little deceiving today and was a little hotter than I expected.
Thought / Quote for the Day: In speaking of his hockey sticks: "...I think it's essentially a matter of taking care of what takes care of you." Wayne Gretsky. Take care of yourself. Believe me I know how absolutely delicious a big bowl of Mac & Cheese is and how awesome it is to dine on large amounts of food and drink. The body though gets us from one end of our life to the other.
DAY 35
40 minute walk with the dog - Awesome, cool weather this morning
Gym - a focus on muscle confusion today (Treadmill sprints, row, bike, core workout, row) I was all over the place today. I believe I burned at least 400 calories in the gym.
Something I've been dealing with for a long time has been lower back pain. It's started bothering me in my 30's. There are a myriad of reasons (most likley a combo between picking children up and down as well as all the falls and landing on my knees when I used to skateboard on the half pipes). As I've gotten older it tends to bother me more and more and it's something that I deal with pretty much on a daily basis. Not only do I go up a size in clothes when I gain weight but my back reacts quickly to the increased weight. Here's a list of aches and pains: plain old pain in the lower back, stiff back almost every morning, I can easily throw it out by "over" lifting or not lifting correctly, pain if I sit for long periods during the day, pain when I stand for a long time. That's the short list. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or miss work which I can say has been true in the past for me. One time it was so bad I was on the floor and had to crawl around.
I have found that exercising (and oddly enough running) has really helped my back issues. For example, since I started the diet and exercise routine and have stayed consistent my issues have been almost non-existent. Outside of being sore from helping my friends move last weekend I really have not had much back pain at all. In addition to the exercise I've also gotten back into my stretching routine. As always, I'm not a Doctor so if you're experiencing significant back pain and it's not going away or causing other issues that would seem unrelated like new bowel or bladder problem or pain or throbbing in the abdomen, or even a fever then you need to STOP reading this blog and go see a Dr. ASAP. Here is a good article from the Mayo Clinic on "back pain".
Along with the exercise and belly reduction I'm stretching and I do some excises that are specific to my lower back issues. Here are some tips that I follow (I usually do a brief stretch routine before I go to the gym or go for a run. I also go through a routine before bed and that seems to help).
This is what it looks like when your feet are sprinting at 9.0
My Sasquatch treadmill selfie
Thought for the day:I'd really like to be at 160 by Saturday and I'm looking forward to time with family this weekend for the birthday lunch at Blue Mountain Brew.
Well, all I can is it was one of those days. First day of school, appointment during my lunch hour and errands this evening. First day of school, I cannot believe it's here. It seemed like this summer blew by. I blinked and I feel like I missed it.
So yesterday I indicated that I was going to go to the gym. I didn't. I ended up walking the dog and then decided that the lawn really needed to be cut after all the down pours we've had recently so I cut the grass. I've also been intentionally steering clear of the spot of the "incident." I'm avoiding bee stings. When I walked the dog it was well after 1pm and the heat was terrible. We ended up only walking for like 15 minutes. That's all the poor girl could take. When we got back she laid down in the grass and let me hose her down. Hilarious!!! She just laid there. Tomorrow I'll be back in the gym. I'm looking forward to it.
My 43rd birthday is next Monday and my birthday wish is to return to Blue Mountain Brewery
just past Charlottesville, VA. I enjoy good beer and this place makes some of the best around Virginia and the food is awesome. The views of the Blue Ridge aren't bad either. So, I came across a beer related article that said a new study suggests that certain beverages may be more likely to be involved in E.R visits than others. Here's the list and to be honest I wasn't surprised: Budweiser, Steel Reserve, Colt 45, Bud Ice and Bud Light (disgusting beers - I admit, I'm a beer snob). Anyway, drink responsibly especially if you're drinking malt liquors.
So hot
Bring it on
Shake it!!
Wet Doggy = Cool Doggy
Burning calories doing yard work!
Quote for the day:"Do or do not. There is no try." Yoda
Labor Day - Ahhh to celebrate labor by not laboring; what an idea.
Walked Sasha
30 min. in the gym - Cardio
I slept 'till 9am...that never happens. Even when I'm tired and I "sleep in" I can only make it to 7am. My body clock is pretty much stuck at 6am. So, that said, I got up late, had breakfast late, enjoyed my facebook updates over a few cups of coffee which meant I had to give Sasha her walk in the heat. So we came back and I hosed her down to cool off.
Yesterday was supposed to be my "Day of Rest" but GA and I helped some friends move into their amazing new house in Appomattox Trace. Lots of lifting very heavy objects and while I did not throw my back out it hurts a little and I'm sore. So, while it wasn't a "gym" workout it was a workout so today I only engaged in 30 minute cardio workout on the elliptical machine.
Appomattox Trace is located at the intersection of Genito and Rocky Ford Road in Powhatan, VA 23139 - See more at: http://www.appomattoxtrace.com
My original goal was 10 pounds by my 43rd birthday which is next Monday. I think I miscalculated my poundage per week when I set that goal (no really, I did). It's looking like I'm not going to hit the goal by Saturday. I'm at 162 now so I'd like to hit 160 (or less) by next Saturday. A lot of stuff is going on this week. Both of my girls are starting school this week, I have my own dentist appt. this week for once and just a myriad of other stuff happening as well which is going to take a lot of focus. Something I'm also concerned about is muscle memory. When you've been working out for awhile and you get into that groove and it's working you don't really think about changing. It's necessary to shake it up though. Obviously your muscles do not have tiny, microscopic brains. That would be an episode of Fringe or X-Files if they did. The reality is that repeating a movement hundreds of times in a row creates muscle fatigue. Changing up my workout will help stop and/or prevent the effects of repetition and help me get better results. I need to start thinking about "confusing" the muscle.
Appomattox Trace, Powhatan, VA
Quote for the Day: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
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