I asked a friend of mine today, "What are your (fitness) goals?" His answer, "Stay consistent". I cringed, and said to myself, "self you got's to blog!"
Goals are essential to everything we do, especially fitness. But they are often misunderstood, set improperly and never re-evaluated. But first we need to know what is a goal? How do we define it. A goal is a result, that can be measured. This is really important. If you can't measure it, if it isn't tangible, you will never know when you have achieved it! If you can't measure it, you can't determine your progress towards it (or away from it). If you can't measure it, then it is a dream, a passing thought, and has no motivational value at all.
A dream: I want to go some where nice.
A Goal: This year for Spring Break, I am going to Florida. (you know when and where you are going)
A dream: I want to have better health.
A Goal: I want to reduce my blood pressure and lose weight.
A Better Goal: I want to reduce my blood pressure to 80/120 or less, and my weight to 180 lbs.
A dream: I want to get more fit.
Goals: I want to run a 5K, bench press more, and bicycle 100 miles.
Better Goals: I want to run a 5K in under 27 minutes, bench press 225 and bicycle 100 miles in under 6 hrs.
Goals get better the more specific they are. It makes them easier to measure progress. As you make progress your motivation goes up!
So let's go back to the goal, "Stay consistent". Yes we could turn this into a goal such as, "I want workout 3 times per week on average over 6 months." This would be a decent goal. However, maybe what we really want to do is look at this as not a goal or dream, but rather a method, or in other words a way we accomplish our real goals.
Let's take a look at a goal I actually have, "Barbell Bench Press 225 lbs by the end of 2013", this is really specific, I know what I can bench right now, I can measure my progress, I have a time frame in which I want to accomplish this, so it is a solid goal. Then I need to start looking at my training plan, what methods am I going to use. Here is what I have put together, and the current status of each one.
1. Research various upper body routines and exercises to maximize my bench press strength. - Complete
2. Based on #1, Evaluate my current bench press for weaknesses such as Triceps, Chest, LATs, low end, lockout, etc. - Complete (For those interested I have a terrible low end and form tends to flare elbows too much. LAT's and Triceps are strong points, Chest and shoulders are weak points")
3. Design training routine around evaluation in number 2. As a result:
Train Chest 2 times per week,
1- day with Barbell presses, Flat, Incline and Declines, these must pause at the chest.
1 - day with dumbbells presses, flyes and tricep extensions.
Train Shoulders and LATs each 1 day per week. (separate days, may be done on chest days as add-ons)
4. Re-evaluate every 6 weeks, look for weakness (go back to #2) and ultimate goal progress (max bench). This one is hard, because I tend to want to see quicker progress, but my research in # 1 tells me that I must be patient. (I am in week 3 of the current cycle).
One of the methods built into this is to "stay consistent." If I am true to # 3, I have to be. I also have some flexibility in that I can accomplish the workouts in #3 in as little as 2 days or as many as 4 by varying the length of the workouts and what is included in each. If I want that goal on 12/31/2012 of a 225 lb bench, then I have to stay consistent with my workout plan.
Also, have some milestones, these are more short term goals on the road to the big goals. They are spots you can tick off when you go by them.
Three other things about goals that are really helpful.
A) Track your goals, this will help motivate you as even the smallest gain is still a gain!
B) Declare them, publicly Tell people. As soon as you do, you have invited accountability. Someone who can ask "Hey Microe, how is that 225 lb bench going? " Because you have a plan, methods and are tracking you have he answer at ready, and you will feel good talking about it!
C) Goals must be attainable. If you have no chance of doing it, you will get discouraged and quit. They can be hard, push yourself, but be realistic. Thus you also need to re-evaluate them occasionally.
So define some goals, they aren't hard. Work toward them, track progress and re-evaluate occasionally. Success is yours!
Microe
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Fitness Tip - March 5, 2013
Missed last week, the world got in the way. Here are this weeks tips!
1) your body needs to by hydrated to function. It can't burn fat very well when it doesn't have enough water. It needs water to regulate temperature and to facilitate cell growth.
2) You need water to flush out waste. If you are dehydrated, then your body doesn't get a chance to flush out all those bad things it is trying eliminate. If your not urinating or are constipated, you probably aren't getting enough water. Drink enough that your urine is light in color or colorless.
3) Thirst often manifests itself as hunger. You think you need food, when your body is really crying for water. Water doesn't cost any calories, so if you feel hunger, get a big drink and wait 10-15 minutes. That way you can be sure it wasn't just thirs messing with your head.
Ab Crunches - First let me say that you cannot, I repeat CANNOT, work off that beer gut by doing crunches or any other ab exercise. You will have to lose fat. However, you can build a six pack underneath that will be ready to show the world after you have lost the "bag" you are carrying that six pack in. Crunches are one way to start. Lie on your back, legs bent, lift shoulders off the floor bending in the middle of your abdomen, lie back down, repeat. These are safer for the back than straight leg situps. When you get good at these, add a challenge by holding some weight in your hands.
Planks - This one really works the abs. Assume the push-up position with either arms straight or bent resting on forearms. Keep your back straight, stomach off the floor. Hold the position for as long as you can, repeat. Keep your abs tight throughout.
Push-ups - Great for shoulders, chest and triceps. Change them up once in a while by widening your hands (works more chest) or close hands (works more triceps) If you have trouble at first, put your knees on the ground. Don't fret about only be able to do 1 or 2 when you start, keep doing them regularly, and you will be surprised how quickly your strength will grow.
Squats
Diet/WeightWatchers
This weeks diet tip is to drink water. Hydration is extremely important when you are trying to get fit and exercising, even more so when you are trying to lose weight. Three main reasons for this;1) your body needs to by hydrated to function. It can't burn fat very well when it doesn't have enough water. It needs water to regulate temperature and to facilitate cell growth.
2) You need water to flush out waste. If you are dehydrated, then your body doesn't get a chance to flush out all those bad things it is trying eliminate. If your not urinating or are constipated, you probably aren't getting enough water. Drink enough that your urine is light in color or colorless.
3) Thirst often manifests itself as hunger. You think you need food, when your body is really crying for water. Water doesn't cost any calories, so if you feel hunger, get a big drink and wait 10-15 minutes. That way you can be sure it wasn't just thirs messing with your head.
Exercise/Fitness
Let's talk about "body weight" exercises this week. These are strength training exercises that are done using no extra weight, just your own body. A good thing about them is that you can do them without going to a gym or purchasing extra equipment. This is a great way to start supplementing that cardio regime with some strength training.Ab Crunches - First let me say that you cannot, I repeat CANNOT, work off that beer gut by doing crunches or any other ab exercise. You will have to lose fat. However, you can build a six pack underneath that will be ready to show the world after you have lost the "bag" you are carrying that six pack in. Crunches are one way to start. Lie on your back, legs bent, lift shoulders off the floor bending in the middle of your abdomen, lie back down, repeat. These are safer for the back than straight leg situps. When you get good at these, add a challenge by holding some weight in your hands.Planks - This one really works the abs. Assume the push-up position with either arms straight or bent resting on forearms. Keep your back straight, stomach off the floor. Hold the position for as long as you can, repeat. Keep your abs tight throughout.Push-ups - Great for shoulders, chest and triceps. Change them up once in a while by widening your hands (works more chest) or close hands (works more triceps) If you have trouble at first, put your knees on the ground. Don't fret about only be able to do 1 or 2 when you start, keep doing them regularly, and you will be surprised how quickly your strength will grow.
Body Weight Squats/Lunges - These both work the legs and glutes (butt muscles). And who doesn't want nice tight glutes. When you master them with no weight, start holding heavy things in your hands, like a couple of gallons of milk, the baby, a bowling ball or water softener salt.
Lunges
Pull-ups/Chin-ups - For these you will need a bar, any bar except the one serving cocktails. Pull-ups (palms facing away) and Chin-ups (palms facing toward you) work you back (lats) and biceps. And they are handy for rock climbing also. Again don't worry about only being able to do 1 or 2 at first. Keep doing them, simply hanging from them with your arms bent as long as possible will make you stronger.
Give them a try. Increasing your strength makes your cardio easier, increases your metabolism and gives you a sense of satisfaction knowing you can bang out a set of push-ups.
See you next week, stay fit and active,
Mike
Monday, February 25, 2013
Fitness Tip for Week ending February 23, 2013.
Yup, late again! Life has been busy. But his weeks blog is short, on purpose. I have a long one in the works, but the tips his week are just that, tips.
Diet/WeightWatchers
I get lots of questions from those starting out about being hungry. The typical one is " I am fine until about 2 hours after dinner, then I start to get hungry, by the time I go to bed I am starved! What do I do?" Simple answer is eat! But in control.
You probably have gotten in the habit of eating later at night, while winding down, maybe watching TV. And your body likes to fuel up every few hours. So expecting to go from say 7pm to 7am without eating, well yes a lot of us get hungry. So plan for it. Reserve part of your calorie/daily point intake for later evening. Now I am not talking about 800 cals or 10 pts, after all you are headed to bed and won't be burning off a lot. About 100 to 150 cals can often do the trick. And stay away from really sugary carbs. go for protein and a little fat. I like to have walnuts, or almonds, unsalted (salt will make you hungrier), only 5-8 nuts. Low fat string cheese isn't bad. A few pieces of beef jerky (low salt). Plan for it, and eat it slowly.
Also drink so water or non-caffeinated tea. Many times that hunger is really thirst. Staying hydrated helps keep hunger at bay.
Exercise/Fitness
Do you have fitness goals? If not you should have. Without goals, you can't measure progress, which means you can't tell if what you are doing is making a difference. You will find my goals for the year in an earlier post in this blog. But yours don't have to be as extensive. They can be simple as being able to do 5 pushups, to walk a 5K, or run a 5K without stopping. As soon as you start putting some goals together, they give you motivation and direction. When you achieve a goal you get that great feeling of accomplishment.
Don't keep your goals to yourself. Tell people. When you let others know what your goals are, they will ask about them, ask about your progress, and this builds in accountability. It also helps when you tell them you need to workout, or aren't eating something because you are trying to reach the goal.
That is all, just a few tips. See you next week.
Mike
Diet/WeightWatchers
I get lots of questions from those starting out about being hungry. The typical one is " I am fine until about 2 hours after dinner, then I start to get hungry, by the time I go to bed I am starved! What do I do?" Simple answer is eat! But in control.
You probably have gotten in the habit of eating later at night, while winding down, maybe watching TV. And your body likes to fuel up every few hours. So expecting to go from say 7pm to 7am without eating, well yes a lot of us get hungry. So plan for it. Reserve part of your calorie/daily point intake for later evening. Now I am not talking about 800 cals or 10 pts, after all you are headed to bed and won't be burning off a lot. About 100 to 150 cals can often do the trick. And stay away from really sugary carbs. go for protein and a little fat. I like to have walnuts, or almonds, unsalted (salt will make you hungrier), only 5-8 nuts. Low fat string cheese isn't bad. A few pieces of beef jerky (low salt). Plan for it, and eat it slowly.
Also drink so water or non-caffeinated tea. Many times that hunger is really thirst. Staying hydrated helps keep hunger at bay.
Exercise/Fitness
Do you have fitness goals? If not you should have. Without goals, you can't measure progress, which means you can't tell if what you are doing is making a difference. You will find my goals for the year in an earlier post in this blog. But yours don't have to be as extensive. They can be simple as being able to do 5 pushups, to walk a 5K, or run a 5K without stopping. As soon as you start putting some goals together, they give you motivation and direction. When you achieve a goal you get that great feeling of accomplishment.
Don't keep your goals to yourself. Tell people. When you let others know what your goals are, they will ask about them, ask about your progress, and this builds in accountability. It also helps when you tell them you need to workout, or aren't eating something because you are trying to reach the goal.
That is all, just a few tips. See you next week.
Mike
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Fitness Tip for Week ending February 16, 2013.
Let's get this one out early.
Diet/Weight Watchers
So you are on your way, got the diet going, tracking in WW and things are great those first few days. Maybe the enthusiasm lasts for a couple of weeks. Then you start to get into the drudgery of how many points is it? What the heck am I going to eat today? So planning is key. Making sure you got plenty of good food choices in the fridge and pantry. But still it takes more time to make your meal than to grab that Quarter Pounder w/Cheese (14pts), Medium Fries (10pts) and a 16oz Coke (6pts). That is 30pts. I currently have only 36 daily, and my wife has 26. That is a whole day in one meal!!!! OF course you are dieting sooooo....... instead you order a Premium Grilled Chicken Classic, w/o mayo (9pts), Small Fries (6pts) and a Diet Coke (0pts). That is still 15 points!! So, if you are serious you need to do two things.
First do your homework. Find out what are high point items and low point alternatives. I made the mistake after being on WW for about 2 months of going into a Jimmy Johns and ordering a Totally Tuna Sub on French Bread, - 17 pts!!!! I thought I'll never eat at that place again. I'll go to Subway that is where "Jarod" eats. But Subway 6" Oven Roasted Chicken Sandwich on 9-Grain Wheat Bread with no cheese or mayo is 8 pts. Ahhh but I found a great alternative, and guess where, Jimmy John's. See they make these things called Unwiches. Take any sub they have and turn it into and Unwich. They replace the bread with big leaves of Iceberg lettuce, lots of it. Take A #2 Big John Unwich, 2 pts. #14 Bootlegger (roast beef and turkey) they are 4 pts. Just leave the cheese off everything. They are great tasting and filling.
Get the point calculator app for you smart phone. It will tell you what anything is point wise from the nutrition info on the package. What you find out will surprise you. Stop in at most convience stores and you will find convience gets you FAT. Not much good to eat, though you can usually find a banana, apple or some unsalted dry roasted nuts (get the smallest bag you can find). Small Packages (1.5 oz) make good snacks, 3pts per serving.
Second, stay out of any fast food restaurant that doesn't server Unwiches. There are just not many good food choices there, really, so why waste your time eating where you will be tempted to eat something you shouldn't.
Exercise & Fitness
Let's talk about Cardio this week. In my opinion there are 3 stages of cardio, beginning, cruising and flying.
Beginning Cardio is what you do when you have been sedentary for too long and are just starting out (like duh Mike, I got the from the term beginning!). Three main concerns here finding exercises that you like, art raise your heart rate and doesn't over stress joints & muscles. If you don't like it, you won't do it. If it doesn't raise your heart rate, it doesn't do you any good. If it over stresses your joints or muscles you will be sidelined with an injury which just defeats the purpose. WW Activity points 1-10 per workout Good beginning exercises include:
Walking - outdoors, indoors, treadmill - < 30 mins, < 3mph
Hiking
Bike Riding - leisure rides < 30 minutes, < 12 mph.
Exercise Bike in gym < 30 min
Elliptical trainer < 30 min
Swimming.
These get you moving, burn fat and help you start to get some muscle tone and endurance.
Cruising Cardio kind of just happens. You go along doing your beginning exercise and you start to tone up. You can do more and more each time you exercise. Pretty soon you have gone past that 30 minute mark. Walking is at 3 mph or above, cycling goes past the 12 mph mark. You feel good and want to do more. Fact is that now you have toned up and have some endurance so chances of injury go down because muscles and joints are now getting in shape and your weight has gone down. What you need to add to the list of things to look for in the exercise, is it challenging. Now is the time to start challenging yourself to get to a higher level. WW Activity points 10+ per workout Exercises to consider adding:
Speed Walking - speed > 3 mph, durations > 45 min
Backpacking - turn that hike into an event with a pack on your back.
Jogging/Running - Ease into it, but this can put into shape to maybe try out a 5K run.
Spin Class - just when you thought you had mastered the exercise bike, let a class push you for 45+ min.
StairMaster - this is a beast in the gym.
Mountain Biking - Off the pavement into the dirt. Sand, mud, hills.
Road Cycling - Get out of town and off the sidewalks. 12 - 15 mph, hills, distances up to 35 miles.
Advanced swimming - start working on times and strokes.
What you will find with all of these is that no longer will your heart rate just go up, it will jump, workouts that put you in the Anaerobic Zone (>85% heart rate) are common. The sweat starts to roll, feels like fat dripping off. Endurance and muscle tone starts to get at a level that will surprise you.
FLYING: The last step is flying, I call if flying for 2 reasons, your speed and endurance go up and you feel like you are flying. You start to really crave the activity. At this point your exercise usually becomes very specialized, doing something you completely enjoy and doing it a a lot! All other exercise seems to be dialed in to improve your performance in your favorite. WW Activity points 20+ per workout. These exercises include:
Long Distance Running > 5K, half and full marathons
Sprinting
Cyclo-cross a combination Mountain biking, road riding and sometime running while carrying your bike.
Long Distance Road Cycling or Racing - Distances > 100K (62 miles) with 100 mi rides common, > 16 mph
Triathlons
Your body gets tuned in, you actually are now training for specific events. Duration's of activity rise, 3, 4, 6+ hours of exercise. At this point your endurance has gone past that of most people, and you are enjoying the rush. The sky is the limit when you are flying.
I have managed to get to that last level. It took me a long time. Remember, I started at 327lbs. Here is what I did:
Beginning Cardio - 7 months (Aug 2011 - Feb 2012) starting weight 327 lbs
Walking Outdoors
Leisure bicycling - transitioned to exercise bike in gym during winter.
Cruising Cardio - 5 months (Feb - July 2012) - 254 lbs
Walking Outdoors - 10,000 steps a day at 3 mph
Spinning Classes twice a week
StairMaster - up to 30 minutes (110 floors)
Road Cycling - 12 - 15 mph, up to 50 miles
Flying - 5 months (July 2012 to present) present weight 190 lbs on 2/15/13
Long Distance Road Cycling, first 100K 4th of July week. first 100 mi ride Aug 31, avg long
distance speed at end of season 16.7 mph
Spinning Class twice a week
Running - occasional events ran in One One Run on 1/1/2013, 2.2 miles speed 5 mph.
Walk everywhere I can.
Currently training for first race, 3/23/2013, a Roubaix (gravel road ride).
One last point, age is not a factor. Nor is starting health. I'm 54 years old. When I started this I had High Blood Pressure and Sleep Apnea. Both are gone, no meds, no CPAP pump. And I feel great. See you next week!
Diet/Weight Watchers
So you are on your way, got the diet going, tracking in WW and things are great those first few days. Maybe the enthusiasm lasts for a couple of weeks. Then you start to get into the drudgery of how many points is it? What the heck am I going to eat today? So planning is key. Making sure you got plenty of good food choices in the fridge and pantry. But still it takes more time to make your meal than to grab that Quarter Pounder w/Cheese (14pts), Medium Fries (10pts) and a 16oz Coke (6pts). That is 30pts. I currently have only 36 daily, and my wife has 26. That is a whole day in one meal!!!! OF course you are dieting sooooo....... instead you order a Premium Grilled Chicken Classic, w/o mayo (9pts), Small Fries (6pts) and a Diet Coke (0pts). That is still 15 points!! So, if you are serious you need to do two things.
First do your homework. Find out what are high point items and low point alternatives. I made the mistake after being on WW for about 2 months of going into a Jimmy Johns and ordering a Totally Tuna Sub on French Bread, - 17 pts!!!! I thought I'll never eat at that place again. I'll go to Subway that is where "Jarod" eats. But Subway 6" Oven Roasted Chicken Sandwich on 9-Grain Wheat Bread with no cheese or mayo is 8 pts. Ahhh but I found a great alternative, and guess where, Jimmy John's. See they make these things called Unwiches. Take any sub they have and turn it into and Unwich. They replace the bread with big leaves of Iceberg lettuce, lots of it. Take A #2 Big John Unwich, 2 pts. #14 Bootlegger (roast beef and turkey) they are 4 pts. Just leave the cheese off everything. They are great tasting and filling.
Get the point calculator app for you smart phone. It will tell you what anything is point wise from the nutrition info on the package. What you find out will surprise you. Stop in at most convience stores and you will find convience gets you FAT. Not much good to eat, though you can usually find a banana, apple or some unsalted dry roasted nuts (get the smallest bag you can find). Small Packages (1.5 oz) make good snacks, 3pts per serving.
Second, stay out of any fast food restaurant that doesn't server Unwiches. There are just not many good food choices there, really, so why waste your time eating where you will be tempted to eat something you shouldn't.
Exercise & Fitness
Let's talk about Cardio this week. In my opinion there are 3 stages of cardio, beginning, cruising and flying.
Beginning Cardio is what you do when you have been sedentary for too long and are just starting out (like duh Mike, I got the from the term beginning!). Three main concerns here finding exercises that you like, art raise your heart rate and doesn't over stress joints & muscles. If you don't like it, you won't do it. If it doesn't raise your heart rate, it doesn't do you any good. If it over stresses your joints or muscles you will be sidelined with an injury which just defeats the purpose. WW Activity points 1-10 per workout Good beginning exercises include:
Walking - outdoors, indoors, treadmill - < 30 mins, < 3mph
Hiking
Bike Riding - leisure rides < 30 minutes, < 12 mph.
Exercise Bike in gym < 30 min
Elliptical trainer < 30 min
Swimming.
These get you moving, burn fat and help you start to get some muscle tone and endurance.
Cruising Cardio kind of just happens. You go along doing your beginning exercise and you start to tone up. You can do more and more each time you exercise. Pretty soon you have gone past that 30 minute mark. Walking is at 3 mph or above, cycling goes past the 12 mph mark. You feel good and want to do more. Fact is that now you have toned up and have some endurance so chances of injury go down because muscles and joints are now getting in shape and your weight has gone down. What you need to add to the list of things to look for in the exercise, is it challenging. Now is the time to start challenging yourself to get to a higher level. WW Activity points 10+ per workout Exercises to consider adding:
Speed Walking - speed > 3 mph, durations > 45 min
Backpacking - turn that hike into an event with a pack on your back.
Jogging/Running - Ease into it, but this can put into shape to maybe try out a 5K run.
Spin Class - just when you thought you had mastered the exercise bike, let a class push you for 45+ min.
StairMaster - this is a beast in the gym.
Mountain Biking - Off the pavement into the dirt. Sand, mud, hills.
Road Cycling - Get out of town and off the sidewalks. 12 - 15 mph, hills, distances up to 35 miles.
Advanced swimming - start working on times and strokes.
What you will find with all of these is that no longer will your heart rate just go up, it will jump, workouts that put you in the Anaerobic Zone (>85% heart rate) are common. The sweat starts to roll, feels like fat dripping off. Endurance and muscle tone starts to get at a level that will surprise you.
FLYING: The last step is flying, I call if flying for 2 reasons, your speed and endurance go up and you feel like you are flying. You start to really crave the activity. At this point your exercise usually becomes very specialized, doing something you completely enjoy and doing it a a lot! All other exercise seems to be dialed in to improve your performance in your favorite. WW Activity points 20+ per workout. These exercises include:
Long Distance Running > 5K, half and full marathons
Sprinting
Cyclo-cross a combination Mountain biking, road riding and sometime running while carrying your bike.
Long Distance Road Cycling or Racing - Distances > 100K (62 miles) with 100 mi rides common, > 16 mph
Triathlons
Your body gets tuned in, you actually are now training for specific events. Duration's of activity rise, 3, 4, 6+ hours of exercise. At this point your endurance has gone past that of most people, and you are enjoying the rush. The sky is the limit when you are flying.
I have managed to get to that last level. It took me a long time. Remember, I started at 327lbs. Here is what I did:
Beginning Cardio - 7 months (Aug 2011 - Feb 2012) starting weight 327 lbs
Walking Outdoors
Leisure bicycling - transitioned to exercise bike in gym during winter.
Cruising Cardio - 5 months (Feb - July 2012) - 254 lbs
Walking Outdoors - 10,000 steps a day at 3 mph
Spinning Classes twice a week
StairMaster - up to 30 minutes (110 floors)
Road Cycling - 12 - 15 mph, up to 50 miles
Flying - 5 months (July 2012 to present) present weight 190 lbs on 2/15/13
Long Distance Road Cycling, first 100K 4th of July week. first 100 mi ride Aug 31, avg long
distance speed at end of season 16.7 mph
Spinning Class twice a week
Running - occasional events ran in One One Run on 1/1/2013, 2.2 miles speed 5 mph.
Walk everywhere I can.
Currently training for first race, 3/23/2013, a Roubaix (gravel road ride).
On my Mountain Bike Trainer in my basement.
One last point, age is not a factor. Nor is starting health. I'm 54 years old. When I started this I had High Blood Pressure and Sleep Apnea. Both are gone, no meds, no CPAP pump. And I feel great. See you next week!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Fitness Tip for Week ending February 9, 2013.
Ok Folks, sorry this one is a little late, been hectic around here.
Diet/Weight Watchers
The simple fact of the matter is that if you are really looking for substantial weight loss and have it be sustained over the long haul, this isn't a "diet" but a life style change. You have to change your eating habits Permanently! One of the things you will have to do is give up eating some things on a regular basis. And yes there will be a list. Mine list is long, but includes things like pizza, mac-n-cheese, macaroni salad, potato chips,,,, and it goes on. Yes, occasionally (like once a month or two) you can have these, but they need to leave not just the daily diet, but the weekly also, (if not the monthly). So when you are making this list, find one or two foods that you really like and figure out how to fit them into your diet.
My 2 are beer and chocolate. I fit them in this way. With beer, I like all kinds, dark beers, pilsners, ambers, stouts, IPAs, every last one of them. So once a week I allow myself one mug of beer at my favorite brewery. Now a mug is 20 oz, and that figures to be 7 WW Points, so I drink one. This is where my wife helps, she reminds me, just one. If we go somewhere else I am remain very conscious of the qty/points ratio. If I run into a plateau (like right now) beer gets removed completely.
For chocolate, we buy really really good dark chocolate, and have it as a treat most nights, 1 oz or less. But it is worth it, and it is only a 3-4 points.
Treat yourself, but plan your treats, make it part of your plan. And through the rest out! You won't miss them.
Exercise & Fitness
There has been a lot written about what type of exercise you should do to lose weight. Here is my experience. When I started out I needed an exercise to make me work, break a sweat and start improving my cardio vascular system. That mean't cardio, increasing the number of calories I was burning was first and foremost. I liked walking, but my knees and feet were under too much stress at my starting weight. So I got out my mountain bike. Less joint stress, no foot pain. I could work up a good sweat, and my endurance started to go up.
Cycling turned into Spinning classes in the winter, and then in the spring it went to a whole new level. I bought a road bike and it got serious, rides over 4 hours and over 50 miles. But the bottom line was these big time cardio workouts were transforming my whole cardio vascular system. My weight went down, as did my blood pressure. Endurance has gone through the roof. This fall, after the cycling season I I went back to spinning and started adding a lot of strength training. Increasing muscle mass now helps fuel my metabolism.
I truly believe this is the correct order. You have to get your weight down by burning lots of calories, and increase your stamina and endurance before you can reap the full benefits of strength training. My weight workouts now are killer. But without the cardio to get me to this point they would have never happened.
Find that exercise that you like, that you can really push yourself with. Walking, cycling, running, rowing, Zumba, etc. This burns big time BTU's. If you are doing WW, try and increase your activity points 5-10 points each week until you get them up over 75/week. Now your burning some real calories!
Then as your endurance goes up and weight down, start to add the strength training in. It will make your cardio better, make you less prone to injury and increase your metabolism. When you get to that point where it is all in balance, diet, cardio and strength training, you are going wonder why you didn't do it long ago!
Keep working! - Microe
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Fitness tip of the week
I thought I would try and post a fitness tip of the week for a while. This not only is for the benefit of those that would like to lose weight and get fit, but for my own benefit as it reminds me of the basics. I am no means an expert, but I have come a long way down this road and these are my experiences and things that worked for me. I am going to try and do two categories with each post - Diet/WeightWatchers and Exercise.
Week of January 27th, 2013
Diet/WeightWatchers:
For those who are new to WeightWatchers online, be especially aware of your starting daily points. When I first joined, I got 63 daily points. I read all the wonderful things you could eat and off I went. Seemed like I was eating a lot and I was. Second week I gained 4 lbs! Opps. This is where tracking, experimenting, and learning what your body is sensitive to really comes into play. I quickly learned that 63 was way too high for me (even though some well meaning women on WW online said I "needed" to eat all my points). I lost weight consistently with a max of daily 50pts at first.
As you lose your daily points go down. I am now at 36 daily. If I want to lose more I need to be under that, by a few points everyday. Another thing about points is always convert Activity Points first. I never eat any of the additional weekly points. Just added calories to sabotage your diet. I had to remind myself of this recently.
Exercise: Support in exercise is as important as much as with your diet. Being able to have others to challenge you and cheer you on is a great motivator to go beyond what you will accomplish on your own. Our daughter, Becky, introduced me last fall to a social network based on exercise, fitness and working out called https://www.fitocracy.com Think of facebook + a method for tracking your workouts + points awarded for your workouts + fitness challenges. They even have iPhone and Andriod apps. You can join for free, and get tons of support for all around the world. Cool site. I track my gym workouts with my phone right while I am doing them. Even interfaces with MapMyRun if you run.
Another cool app I use on my phone is Endomondo (endomondo.com) I use it mainly to track my rides and walking, it creates a map using the GPS on your phone, gives you times and splits. Lots of cool features. Ok, those are my fitness tech tips, next week no tech stuff ;-)
More next week, stay fit!
Week of January 27th, 2013
Diet/WeightWatchers:
For those who are new to WeightWatchers online, be especially aware of your starting daily points. When I first joined, I got 63 daily points. I read all the wonderful things you could eat and off I went. Seemed like I was eating a lot and I was. Second week I gained 4 lbs! Opps. This is where tracking, experimenting, and learning what your body is sensitive to really comes into play. I quickly learned that 63 was way too high for me (even though some well meaning women on WW online said I "needed" to eat all my points). I lost weight consistently with a max of daily 50pts at first.
As you lose your daily points go down. I am now at 36 daily. If I want to lose more I need to be under that, by a few points everyday. Another thing about points is always convert Activity Points first. I never eat any of the additional weekly points. Just added calories to sabotage your diet. I had to remind myself of this recently.
Exercise: Support in exercise is as important as much as with your diet. Being able to have others to challenge you and cheer you on is a great motivator to go beyond what you will accomplish on your own. Our daughter, Becky, introduced me last fall to a social network based on exercise, fitness and working out called https://www.fitocracy.com Think of facebook + a method for tracking your workouts + points awarded for your workouts + fitness challenges. They even have iPhone and Andriod apps. You can join for free, and get tons of support for all around the world. Cool site. I track my gym workouts with my phone right while I am doing them. Even interfaces with MapMyRun if you run.
Another cool app I use on my phone is Endomondo (endomondo.com) I use it mainly to track my rides and walking, it creates a map using the GPS on your phone, gives you times and splits. Lots of cool features. Ok, those are my fitness tech tips, next week no tech stuff ;-)
More next week, stay fit!
The Road to Mordor is long and hard!
So I am often asked, "How did you do it?" Which is really how did I go from 327 lbs on Aug 1,2011 to 193 lbs Dec 14, 2012 & currently. The simple answer is Weight Watchers and Exercise. But if it were simple, everyone would have done it long ago. So it needs further explaination.
First, why would I embark on such an arduous journey? I didn't want to die young. Still don't. I had gotten to the point in my life when it was becoming obvious that my life style of being sedentary and eating poorly was destined for an assortment of ailments. I had high blood pressure, and was taking 3 different drugs daily to control it. I had sleep apnea, forcing me to sleep with a bi-pap pump, at almost the highest pressure setting on the device. Walking would make me out of breath. I was a prime candidate for the "Widowmaker", that big heart attack that kills you before the nearest person can get their cell phone out of their pocket. I didn't want that to happen and so the only way to increase my odds was to lose weight and get fit.
In addition, even if my heart didn't explode like a 4th of July Firework, my quality of life was diminished. I had just returned from a vacation where I did a lot of walking. But I wanted to do more, and was limited by aching knees and feet. We had gone to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and simply couldn't do the easy hikes from the car to points of interest, such as waterfalls. I was always lagging behind and refused several climbs up and down steps. Needless to say, I was not enjoying nearly as much as I would have liked, and I felt like a ball and chain to my wife and son.
So as we were on our way home I told my wife that I had enough of living like that and was going to join Weight Watchers. She said she wanted to get in shape also and agreed to join me. And thus the journey began.
Second let's address the simple part. It is not simple, it is not easy and it doesn't happen overnight! It is truly a long, hard, road. What we are really talking about here is making life changes, change habits of a 52 year old man (my age when I started), and making them stick long term. It is about readjusting strategies many times, looking for more insight, constantly learning about what makes you fat & unfit, and what makes you lean & fit. Old habits need to die, not just go disappear temporarily, but really die, and they die hard. New habits need to be formed and become a daily part of your life.
I have read that it takes 4 to 5 weeks to change a behavior. But that is just getting over the initial hump. Many times it keeps coming back at you over and over. In the case of diet especially, you are fighting modern western society. Everything is pointed at the quick and easy and ultimately unhealthy. You are bombarded by the media, restaurant choices, your friends and family. Almost EVERYONE will try and sabotage your efforts, even when they think they are not. And it is really easy to give in. Just one potato chip, yeah if there ever was such a thing. It is only this meal and it is a special occasion. That excuse can apply daily. Haven't you lost enough weight, I wouldn't want you to get sick? I get this all the time, like I was healthy before! Do you have to really go to the gym again? Just skip it this once... Some will even het mad, cause your success reminds them of their failure.
So if your really gonna do this be prepared for the long haul and the onslaught of those that won't be any help.
Now let me address some tips and strategies. I think number one on this list is to find a partner. Someone who really gets it. If you are married or living with someone, having your spouse, roommate or significant other on board is an absolute. If they really aren't on board, then your chances for success long term are much worse. In my case that would be my wife. We had both at different times over the last 33 years tried to lose weight individually, ultimately failing. The person you live with has a huge influence on your life style and if they are on a different path than you are, failure is imminent! That may sound harsh but you are all ready going to be fighting society as a whole, the media and everything else, so if your roomy is on the other side, you are doomed. My wife Liz and I decided to do this together. We both have been on it since Aug 1, 2011 still are, neither of us has reached our goal, but still fighting and rooting for each other. She has lost 70+ pounds in the same time. OUR life style has changed!
BTW if you are living alone, still find a small support group that you can be in contact with daily. You need the support and constant encouragement. Again, it needs to be someone who really gets it.
Diet.... Losing weight is about simple formula. Calories in must be less than calories expended and you need to understand what turns your fat burning metabolism on and your appetite off. I can give you examples that work for me, but my body, chemistry and genetics are different than yours. This is the hard part, you have to figure out what works for YOU.
It also helps to understand what happens to blood sugar levels throughout your day and how eating certain things affects them. Some foods will make your blood sugars spike, and consequently, dip. These things are usually foods high in simple carbohydrates, like breads, sugar, sweets, fruit juices, some fruit, high frutcose corn syrup, over processed foods, pasta, starches, etc. When your blood sugar spikes, your fat burning metabolism shuts down, it doesn't need to burn fat cause it has all of these easy carbs to burn. The trouble is they burn up quickly, usually in about an hour or so, because they are easy to digest and go straight into the blood stream. When they burn up though, your blood sugar takes a plunge, and then you feel hungry. But even worse, your fat burning mechanism still doesn't fire up cause your body goes into starvation mode. So you grab another doughnut and your blood sugar goes back through the roof. A very bad cycle to be on, made even worse when you aren't physically burning all of those extra calories that is spiking your blood sugar so your body puts it into fat for use later.
Getting off the roller coaster is essential to long term, sustained weight loss. This means staying away from the type of foods that encourage it, and shifting your diet to foods that take longer to digest, help you maintain a steady blood sugar throughout the day and kick in your fat burning mechanisms. These are proteins (lean meats, fish, poultry), fats (nuts, dairy fat, olive oil, canola oil), and complex carbohydrates (green vegetables, raw unprocessed fruit, fiber rich foods). These foods all have the affect of satisfying hunger without spiking blood sugar. Because they are typically slow digesting they feed their calories into your blood stream over 3-4 hours, keeping blood sugar at a steady level and your hunger at bay. Because your body doesn't feel starved when you are physically burning calories, it will make up the deficit by burning body fat. Protein also has the added advantage of helping to build muscle instead of fat, which is denser and takes more calories for the body to maintain, metabolism goes up, and you start losing weight. By the way, it is almost impossible to find any selection of foods that fit into this category at most fast food restaurants (there are a couple of exceptions). Taking a piece of chicken, loading it up with a high carb batter and deep frying it in oil so the fat quantity goes through the roof is not what we are talking about. Then compound it by putting it on a bun, with a slice of over processed cheese, gobbing a couple of tablespoons of regular mayo, and serving it with a side of deep fried starches and a sugar packed soft drink is a recipe for disaster!
Last thing on diet is in order to figure out what works for you and your body in this general scheme is you need to track. And I mean track, everything you eat, daily, forever. This is why we joined WeightWatchers online. We have not gone to any meetings, but the online tracking tools are great. The point system is easier that trying to count calories and the smart phone apps make it doable anywhere. The WW plan also promotes essentially what I am talking about above. Most fruits and green veggies are 0 points. Proteins vary usually based on fat content, fats are moderate points and to be used in moderation. The bad stuff points are high, so if you eat them at all, it needs to be in small quantities. It works. It helps you find out what foods your body is sensitive too and what foods you can eat.
.Exercise.... Diet alone will help you get started, but remember the formula calories in must be lower than calories expended and fat burning metabolism must be turned on. Exercise is the key. Increasing physical activity burns more calories than sitting in the Lazy-boy watching re-runs of Cheers. Regular exercise also increases your metabolism and fat burning because your body starts to figure out that if we keep doing this, it need to get rid of this fat, and build some muscle.
Find an exercise that a) you can do a lot of, b) you like, and c) preferrably with your diet partner. When I started I began walking, but I couldn't get a great workout walking because my knees and feet hurt. I always liked bicycling and found that it didn't bother my knees and feet, so out came the old mountain bike. I struggled at first, a 30 minute ride at 10 mph would do me in. But as the weight came off, my duration and speed started to go up. I was also able to walk more, which Liz and I did together. When the weather started to turn, Liz got me a membership at the gym she was going to.
I dabbled in some weight lifting, but for the first 3+ months I rode the exercise bike a lot. In February of 2012 I didn't feel like I was getting a good enough workout doing just that. My weight was down now over 50 lbs, my knees, feet and endurance were getting much better. I could ride for 60 minutes on the stationary bike at a pretty good level, but I needed more. So I started spinning classes. The first kicked my butt, and continued to do so for the next few months. I also got Liz into them also.
Spring came and I started riding outside again. Man what a difference, now riding for 45-60 minutes at 13 mph an hour was very doable. Liz bought a new bike and started to join me. But I again needed to take it to a new level. So I bought a used road bike and started amping it up. I could go on about the triumphs of riding and walking and hiking last summer but that is a blog in itself. The biggest culmination was August 31, 2012, the day after my 54th birthday, 13 months after starting this journey I biked 102 miles in under 7 hours at an avg speed of over 15 mph. I since run a 5K, and an organized run on New Years Day of 2.2 miles, even though I never was a runner. Knee pain and feet pain are gone. This winter I am spinning twice a week, riding my bike trainer at home and weight lifting/strength training to get in even better shape for the outdoor cycling season.
The message here is exercise is essential to weight loss and long term health. Good cardio creates the big calorie deficit. Anaerobic cardio builds endurance and strengthens your heart and cardio-vascular system. Strength training, builds muscle which burns more calories than fat, increases your fat burning metabolism and makes your cardio easier and less prone to injury. There are plenty of exercises that do this, walking, running, cycling, swimming, group exercise classes. But it is a life style change. Going to the gym instead of watching re-runs of "How I Met Your Mother". Going for a walk instead of sitting in the hammock drinking a beer. Playing golf, walking/carrying your bag instead for watching it on TV.
Diet & Exercise, it works....
One last thought. A vacation in 2011 to Pictured Rocks National Shoreline on the Lake Superior shore convinced me that is was time to do this. I could hardly walk/hike, and we looked at the shoreline from a boat tour, as we sat and watched the scenery go by. One year later, Liz and I went back to Pictured Rocks. This time though we took back packs, and packed into the wilderness are for 4 days and 3 nights. We camped and hiked, and swam in Lake Superior and seen the most beautiful sites, those that can only be seeing after hiking 3, 4 or 5 miles. I carried a 60lb pack with tent and food, Liz a 35 lb pack. I felt great, Liz felt great and we loved it so much that we are already planning another back country pack trip for this summer. What a difference. Our lives are different now, better, more active, more enjoyable. Neither of us is on any prescription medications, I no longer have sleep apnea, my blood pressure is normal without any meds. And I hope to live a long and healthy life from here on out!
It is a long hard road to Mordor, Frodo Baggins. But it is worth it!
First, why would I embark on such an arduous journey? I didn't want to die young. Still don't. I had gotten to the point in my life when it was becoming obvious that my life style of being sedentary and eating poorly was destined for an assortment of ailments. I had high blood pressure, and was taking 3 different drugs daily to control it. I had sleep apnea, forcing me to sleep with a bi-pap pump, at almost the highest pressure setting on the device. Walking would make me out of breath. I was a prime candidate for the "Widowmaker", that big heart attack that kills you before the nearest person can get their cell phone out of their pocket. I didn't want that to happen and so the only way to increase my odds was to lose weight and get fit.
In addition, even if my heart didn't explode like a 4th of July Firework, my quality of life was diminished. I had just returned from a vacation where I did a lot of walking. But I wanted to do more, and was limited by aching knees and feet. We had gone to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and simply couldn't do the easy hikes from the car to points of interest, such as waterfalls. I was always lagging behind and refused several climbs up and down steps. Needless to say, I was not enjoying nearly as much as I would have liked, and I felt like a ball and chain to my wife and son.
So as we were on our way home I told my wife that I had enough of living like that and was going to join Weight Watchers. She said she wanted to get in shape also and agreed to join me. And thus the journey began.
Second let's address the simple part. It is not simple, it is not easy and it doesn't happen overnight! It is truly a long, hard, road. What we are really talking about here is making life changes, change habits of a 52 year old man (my age when I started), and making them stick long term. It is about readjusting strategies many times, looking for more insight, constantly learning about what makes you fat & unfit, and what makes you lean & fit. Old habits need to die, not just go disappear temporarily, but really die, and they die hard. New habits need to be formed and become a daily part of your life.
I have read that it takes 4 to 5 weeks to change a behavior. But that is just getting over the initial hump. Many times it keeps coming back at you over and over. In the case of diet especially, you are fighting modern western society. Everything is pointed at the quick and easy and ultimately unhealthy. You are bombarded by the media, restaurant choices, your friends and family. Almost EVERYONE will try and sabotage your efforts, even when they think they are not. And it is really easy to give in. Just one potato chip, yeah if there ever was such a thing. It is only this meal and it is a special occasion. That excuse can apply daily. Haven't you lost enough weight, I wouldn't want you to get sick? I get this all the time, like I was healthy before! Do you have to really go to the gym again? Just skip it this once... Some will even het mad, cause your success reminds them of their failure.
So if your really gonna do this be prepared for the long haul and the onslaught of those that won't be any help.
Now let me address some tips and strategies. I think number one on this list is to find a partner. Someone who really gets it. If you are married or living with someone, having your spouse, roommate or significant other on board is an absolute. If they really aren't on board, then your chances for success long term are much worse. In my case that would be my wife. We had both at different times over the last 33 years tried to lose weight individually, ultimately failing. The person you live with has a huge influence on your life style and if they are on a different path than you are, failure is imminent! That may sound harsh but you are all ready going to be fighting society as a whole, the media and everything else, so if your roomy is on the other side, you are doomed. My wife Liz and I decided to do this together. We both have been on it since Aug 1, 2011 still are, neither of us has reached our goal, but still fighting and rooting for each other. She has lost 70+ pounds in the same time. OUR life style has changed!
BTW if you are living alone, still find a small support group that you can be in contact with daily. You need the support and constant encouragement. Again, it needs to be someone who really gets it.
Diet.... Losing weight is about simple formula. Calories in must be less than calories expended and you need to understand what turns your fat burning metabolism on and your appetite off. I can give you examples that work for me, but my body, chemistry and genetics are different than yours. This is the hard part, you have to figure out what works for YOU.
It also helps to understand what happens to blood sugar levels throughout your day and how eating certain things affects them. Some foods will make your blood sugars spike, and consequently, dip. These things are usually foods high in simple carbohydrates, like breads, sugar, sweets, fruit juices, some fruit, high frutcose corn syrup, over processed foods, pasta, starches, etc. When your blood sugar spikes, your fat burning metabolism shuts down, it doesn't need to burn fat cause it has all of these easy carbs to burn. The trouble is they burn up quickly, usually in about an hour or so, because they are easy to digest and go straight into the blood stream. When they burn up though, your blood sugar takes a plunge, and then you feel hungry. But even worse, your fat burning mechanism still doesn't fire up cause your body goes into starvation mode. So you grab another doughnut and your blood sugar goes back through the roof. A very bad cycle to be on, made even worse when you aren't physically burning all of those extra calories that is spiking your blood sugar so your body puts it into fat for use later.
Getting off the roller coaster is essential to long term, sustained weight loss. This means staying away from the type of foods that encourage it, and shifting your diet to foods that take longer to digest, help you maintain a steady blood sugar throughout the day and kick in your fat burning mechanisms. These are proteins (lean meats, fish, poultry), fats (nuts, dairy fat, olive oil, canola oil), and complex carbohydrates (green vegetables, raw unprocessed fruit, fiber rich foods). These foods all have the affect of satisfying hunger without spiking blood sugar. Because they are typically slow digesting they feed their calories into your blood stream over 3-4 hours, keeping blood sugar at a steady level and your hunger at bay. Because your body doesn't feel starved when you are physically burning calories, it will make up the deficit by burning body fat. Protein also has the added advantage of helping to build muscle instead of fat, which is denser and takes more calories for the body to maintain, metabolism goes up, and you start losing weight. By the way, it is almost impossible to find any selection of foods that fit into this category at most fast food restaurants (there are a couple of exceptions). Taking a piece of chicken, loading it up with a high carb batter and deep frying it in oil so the fat quantity goes through the roof is not what we are talking about. Then compound it by putting it on a bun, with a slice of over processed cheese, gobbing a couple of tablespoons of regular mayo, and serving it with a side of deep fried starches and a sugar packed soft drink is a recipe for disaster!
Last thing on diet is in order to figure out what works for you and your body in this general scheme is you need to track. And I mean track, everything you eat, daily, forever. This is why we joined WeightWatchers online. We have not gone to any meetings, but the online tracking tools are great. The point system is easier that trying to count calories and the smart phone apps make it doable anywhere. The WW plan also promotes essentially what I am talking about above. Most fruits and green veggies are 0 points. Proteins vary usually based on fat content, fats are moderate points and to be used in moderation. The bad stuff points are high, so if you eat them at all, it needs to be in small quantities. It works. It helps you find out what foods your body is sensitive too and what foods you can eat.
.Exercise.... Diet alone will help you get started, but remember the formula calories in must be lower than calories expended and fat burning metabolism must be turned on. Exercise is the key. Increasing physical activity burns more calories than sitting in the Lazy-boy watching re-runs of Cheers. Regular exercise also increases your metabolism and fat burning because your body starts to figure out that if we keep doing this, it need to get rid of this fat, and build some muscle.
Find an exercise that a) you can do a lot of, b) you like, and c) preferrably with your diet partner. When I started I began walking, but I couldn't get a great workout walking because my knees and feet hurt. I always liked bicycling and found that it didn't bother my knees and feet, so out came the old mountain bike. I struggled at first, a 30 minute ride at 10 mph would do me in. But as the weight came off, my duration and speed started to go up. I was also able to walk more, which Liz and I did together. When the weather started to turn, Liz got me a membership at the gym she was going to.
I dabbled in some weight lifting, but for the first 3+ months I rode the exercise bike a lot. In February of 2012 I didn't feel like I was getting a good enough workout doing just that. My weight was down now over 50 lbs, my knees, feet and endurance were getting much better. I could ride for 60 minutes on the stationary bike at a pretty good level, but I needed more. So I started spinning classes. The first kicked my butt, and continued to do so for the next few months. I also got Liz into them also.
Spring came and I started riding outside again. Man what a difference, now riding for 45-60 minutes at 13 mph an hour was very doable. Liz bought a new bike and started to join me. But I again needed to take it to a new level. So I bought a used road bike and started amping it up. I could go on about the triumphs of riding and walking and hiking last summer but that is a blog in itself. The biggest culmination was August 31, 2012, the day after my 54th birthday, 13 months after starting this journey I biked 102 miles in under 7 hours at an avg speed of over 15 mph. I since run a 5K, and an organized run on New Years Day of 2.2 miles, even though I never was a runner. Knee pain and feet pain are gone. This winter I am spinning twice a week, riding my bike trainer at home and weight lifting/strength training to get in even better shape for the outdoor cycling season.
The message here is exercise is essential to weight loss and long term health. Good cardio creates the big calorie deficit. Anaerobic cardio builds endurance and strengthens your heart and cardio-vascular system. Strength training, builds muscle which burns more calories than fat, increases your fat burning metabolism and makes your cardio easier and less prone to injury. There are plenty of exercises that do this, walking, running, cycling, swimming, group exercise classes. But it is a life style change. Going to the gym instead of watching re-runs of "How I Met Your Mother". Going for a walk instead of sitting in the hammock drinking a beer. Playing golf, walking/carrying your bag instead for watching it on TV.
Diet & Exercise, it works....
One last thought. A vacation in 2011 to Pictured Rocks National Shoreline on the Lake Superior shore convinced me that is was time to do this. I could hardly walk/hike, and we looked at the shoreline from a boat tour, as we sat and watched the scenery go by. One year later, Liz and I went back to Pictured Rocks. This time though we took back packs, and packed into the wilderness are for 4 days and 3 nights. We camped and hiked, and swam in Lake Superior and seen the most beautiful sites, those that can only be seeing after hiking 3, 4 or 5 miles. I carried a 60lb pack with tent and food, Liz a 35 lb pack. I felt great, Liz felt great and we loved it so much that we are already planning another back country pack trip for this summer. What a difference. Our lives are different now, better, more active, more enjoyable. Neither of us is on any prescription medications, I no longer have sleep apnea, my blood pressure is normal without any meds. And I hope to live a long and healthy life from here on out!
It is a long hard road to Mordor, Frodo Baggins. But it is worth it!
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