There is an old saying, "If you don't like the way things are, and you are the boss, it's your fault"! That's kind of how it is with all of us. We are, each of us, the boss over everything we say and do, period, no discussion. So how do we feel so out of control sometimes?
I've been on the planet for a long time. I've spent the most of those years in the company of warriors and athletes. Men and women who spend a life time learning to be more in control. They are very moral, honest and kind. But sometimes even those men and women of war and sport lose sight of the fact that they are masters of their heart, mind and body. Not because they are afraid to be the boss but because it's gets hard to tell which decisions are right and which are wrong.
We are constantly bombarded with mixed signals. Especially from the media, corporate advertising and the government. When I was young my heroes all smoked cigarettes, of course I smoked, it was wholesome and good, it was how the tough guys and gals relaxed. Now there is nothing more wholesome than a coke, even though, in the back of our mind, we know that a soft drink is a chemical mix that may very well, be killing us slowly. How about a big bowl of canned, high salt, soup and a grilled cheese made with bread that is bleached white flour and cheese that is processed and contains lots of ugly little secrets. Yep that's wholesome.
We see on the news that what we thought all our lives is wrong is now right and things we thought were right are now wrong. We see experts on TV telling us exactly opposite points of view. One political party is telling us the other party is responsible for everything bad and if we will just elect them, before it's to late, they will fix it. Drug companies tell us that they have a remedy for everything. There is a supplement for everything your body needs. Want to lose excess body fat, yep, there is a supplement for that.
Now back to those warriors and athletes, with the mixed messages they are getting, it's hard to know what is the right and the wrong thing to do. There is no black and white, there never has been, that's why we have so much self doubt. So how do we know what decisions are right. We don't, we just have to have the courage to follow what our hearts tell us is right. Just because we get justification for eating, drinking or taking something from TV advertising doesn't mean we should indulge in it.
Regaining your position as the boss requires being firm in your commitments. It means making the hard decisions and following through with them. If you start feeling weak, remember that someone is depending on you to get them through it. You are that someone that is depending on your own strength of character. We go to work when sometimes we really don't feel like it, why can't we take that kind of commitment over into everything we do. When it's time to do your workout and you really don't feel like it, then it's time to be the boss and do it. When any situation comes up don't allow your self to take the easy way out, do the right things instead.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Have You Rested Long Enough Yet?
How long has it been since you had an active life? How long have you been sitting and watching others live? How long have you been a sports fan and not an athlete? What is it you are waiting for, haven't you rested long enough yet? Haven't you been ready to get up for a long time but thought that you couldn't, that the time was past. Well the time has not passed and you can regain that active life again, even if the last time you were a participant was high school, or maybe not even then.
When was the last time you did something that was hard but you got through it and felt on top of the world. Just starting back can be hard, but the rewards are health, strength and pride. People who get up go to work, come home, watch TV and then go to bed don't usually go to bed proud of their day and excited about tomorrow.
Most of you reading this have already made the decision to lead an active life and know exactly what I'm talking about. There is no comparison, we have an amazing life simply because we did make that decision. We have learned that health and wellness greatly trump living a life of sickness and inactivity. We are all of us candles shinning in the darkness, lighting the way back from that kind of self destruction. We can't stop people from ruining their health with a diet of chemicals, fat and sugar mixed together and sold as food. We can't stop people from smoking, drinking and being obese. What we can do is continue to be examples of a better way.We can show with our determination, to better ourselves, what is possible.
My peer group is made up of men and women that are in their 50's and above, who are in perfect health. This group is made up of senior athletes that are strong and flexible, we are not on meds for everything from high blood pressure to sleeping aids. We are learning things about our selves and our capabilities that most people will never know. We go to bed tired and proud of what we accomplished during the day and we do indeed wake up excited to start our new day. I have friends that are over 70 and still breaking records. Think living like that is impossible? Think again, it just requires the commitment to live life to it's fullest and not just watch life from the sidelines.
Brother and sister adult athletes, I challenge everyone to keep showing the way. You are the answer and the cure. Keep spreading the message and please reach out and help someone you care about get up off the couch. Ask them, have you rested long enough? Help them find the joy and the pride that you have. We make up less than one percent of the population, so we are, each and every one of us, elite.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
When was the last time you did something that was hard but you got through it and felt on top of the world. Just starting back can be hard, but the rewards are health, strength and pride. People who get up go to work, come home, watch TV and then go to bed don't usually go to bed proud of their day and excited about tomorrow.
Most of you reading this have already made the decision to lead an active life and know exactly what I'm talking about. There is no comparison, we have an amazing life simply because we did make that decision. We have learned that health and wellness greatly trump living a life of sickness and inactivity. We are all of us candles shinning in the darkness, lighting the way back from that kind of self destruction. We can't stop people from ruining their health with a diet of chemicals, fat and sugar mixed together and sold as food. We can't stop people from smoking, drinking and being obese. What we can do is continue to be examples of a better way.We can show with our determination, to better ourselves, what is possible.
My peer group is made up of men and women that are in their 50's and above, who are in perfect health. This group is made up of senior athletes that are strong and flexible, we are not on meds for everything from high blood pressure to sleeping aids. We are learning things about our selves and our capabilities that most people will never know. We go to bed tired and proud of what we accomplished during the day and we do indeed wake up excited to start our new day. I have friends that are over 70 and still breaking records. Think living like that is impossible? Think again, it just requires the commitment to live life to it's fullest and not just watch life from the sidelines.
Brother and sister adult athletes, I challenge everyone to keep showing the way. You are the answer and the cure. Keep spreading the message and please reach out and help someone you care about get up off the couch. Ask them, have you rested long enough? Help them find the joy and the pride that you have. We make up less than one percent of the population, so we are, each and every one of us, elite.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Personal Rewards
One of the strange things about us, the smartest of all living things, on this planet, is how sometimes we can make some of the dumbest decisions. We adult athletes, with our super healthy lifestyles are no exception to that rule. How we reward ourselves for being faithful to our healthy life style is a prime example.
We make a good informed decision that something is bad for us so we break the habit of consuming it and take it out of our diet. Then when we have reached a goal we reward ourselves by having some. Soft drinks are great examples of this. However one of the things we discover after being without, for a while, is that the food or drink that we craved, just doesn't taste as good as we expected it to any more.
Rewards should be a step forward just like everything else we strive for in our lives. Taking a day trip, to somewhere interesting, is going to be a much better reward, for reaching a tough goal, than a huge high fat and high sugar meal. From the trip we come away with a nice memory but from the unhealthy meal we just feel guilty and bloated. New clothes are a super gift if your goal was to loose inches and you did. New shoes for going the distance or new shorts to show off those nice definitions, you are starting to get, in your leg muscles. A day trip to a real running store to get your stride and foot type analyzed, so you can be fitted for the proper running or walking shoes, should be one of your first rewards.
A good healthy dinner with friends is a great reward if food is what you are craving, let the atmosphere and the company be the reward not the decadence of the food. A big slab of salmon and steamed veggies are going to make you feel great after and not feeling like you need to take a nap, like a big meal that's high fat or full of sugar would. If you have been eating healthy for a while, you would also feel guilty that you spent the money on food that really didn't taste very good any more.
Going to a destination race is a great goal to train for and also a wonderful reward in it's self. New sights and an amazing experience. Then you have all the good stuff, a reward for your efforts, lots of memories and even a medal to bring home. Put some effort into planning your rewards, that makes them even more special. You changed your life style, that means you also should change the way you reward yourself.
Thanks for reading,
Dave
We make a good informed decision that something is bad for us so we break the habit of consuming it and take it out of our diet. Then when we have reached a goal we reward ourselves by having some. Soft drinks are great examples of this. However one of the things we discover after being without, for a while, is that the food or drink that we craved, just doesn't taste as good as we expected it to any more.
Rewards should be a step forward just like everything else we strive for in our lives. Taking a day trip, to somewhere interesting, is going to be a much better reward, for reaching a tough goal, than a huge high fat and high sugar meal. From the trip we come away with a nice memory but from the unhealthy meal we just feel guilty and bloated. New clothes are a super gift if your goal was to loose inches and you did. New shoes for going the distance or new shorts to show off those nice definitions, you are starting to get, in your leg muscles. A day trip to a real running store to get your stride and foot type analyzed, so you can be fitted for the proper running or walking shoes, should be one of your first rewards.
A good healthy dinner with friends is a great reward if food is what you are craving, let the atmosphere and the company be the reward not the decadence of the food. A big slab of salmon and steamed veggies are going to make you feel great after and not feeling like you need to take a nap, like a big meal that's high fat or full of sugar would. If you have been eating healthy for a while, you would also feel guilty that you spent the money on food that really didn't taste very good any more.
Going to a destination race is a great goal to train for and also a wonderful reward in it's self. New sights and an amazing experience. Then you have all the good stuff, a reward for your efforts, lots of memories and even a medal to bring home. Put some effort into planning your rewards, that makes them even more special. You changed your life style, that means you also should change the way you reward yourself.
Thanks for reading,
Dave
Friday, June 21, 2013
LIGHT 'EM UP!
In air to air combat a pilot will light the afterburners, to get the maximum performance, out of his fighter plane. It's the equivalent of pushing the peddle to the medal in a race car. Afterburners are maximum all out, short duration, fuel sucking power. But in that next few minutes only one fighter will win the other will be destroyed. At 211 degrees water is just that hot water, but when the heat is turned up another degree it turns to steam, one of the most powerful forces in nature.
Our bodies are like that as well, we have a level of performance that is just out of reach, unless we light our own burners and turn up the heat. That's how we are sometimes capable of amazing things. We have all heard of those seemingly, impossible feats of strength and courage, fighting off a bear, lifting a car to rescue a child, these things happen because the usual limits were shattered. Our own afterburners or steam is possible. How many times have sports records been shattered by athletes? Is that just luck or is it something else and is that something that you can train?
I believe it is. We can't all break records but we can get better, stronger and faster. But to do that, to reach that next level we have to be willing to push beyond our limits. That is something that sounds easier than it is. We have to proceed with caution because with increased performance, we have increased chance of injury. Pushing limits is also not comfortable. But there are indeed ways to train for increased performance.
Interval training is one way to get stronger and faster. There are different ways do speed training but this example will give the gist of it. I use a high school track for my speed work. An average workout goes like this: Always warm up good, like at least a slow mile worth of warm up. As you get warm go just a little faster to get all the muscles warmed up. Then go fast for a measured distance, go as fast as possible and still be able to stay strong for the full distance. After the speed interval you need a recovery interval. For example if your doing 400m speed intervals then you might need a 200m or even a 400m slower recovery interval. Then you do another speed interval. Repeat until you've done the planned workout. Then do a slower mile to cool down.
Interval training can be used in a lot of ways depending on what you want to accomplish. You can go at a target pace or a target heart rate. You can do different distances depending on the race your training for and you can even do intervals on hills to build strength. But for the purpose of doing intervals to push your limits, you need to do them a little differently. Rather than a predetermined distance for the speed portion go out hard and go hard till you can no longer hold pace, when you feel your legs slowing down, it's time to start your recovery interval. Each week when you do your intervals try to go a little bit further then the week before. So each week you have a new target. If the week before you could go hard for 400m then the next week try to push it another 25m, turn up the heat and reach for it, yes it will be uncomfortable but it will make you stronger and faster. Then each week push it just a little further. If you fail to go any further one week shoot for that little bit more the next week.
I was taught this method of speed work years ago and I think, even though it's low tech, it's still a good way to train. Now the world class athletes actually get blood drawn and the blood analyzed to see if they are putting out the maximum effort. Pushing for just a little more each week will make you stronger even if it doesn't involve blood sampling or heart rate monitoring. A heart rate monitor is used by a lot of athletes as well to see if they are keeping their heart rate in the proper training zone.
Want to get stronger and faster? Light your own fire and turn up the heat. Like hot water becoming steam, just a small increase in heat can make all the difference.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Our bodies are like that as well, we have a level of performance that is just out of reach, unless we light our own burners and turn up the heat. That's how we are sometimes capable of amazing things. We have all heard of those seemingly, impossible feats of strength and courage, fighting off a bear, lifting a car to rescue a child, these things happen because the usual limits were shattered. Our own afterburners or steam is possible. How many times have sports records been shattered by athletes? Is that just luck or is it something else and is that something that you can train?
I believe it is. We can't all break records but we can get better, stronger and faster. But to do that, to reach that next level we have to be willing to push beyond our limits. That is something that sounds easier than it is. We have to proceed with caution because with increased performance, we have increased chance of injury. Pushing limits is also not comfortable. But there are indeed ways to train for increased performance.
Interval training is one way to get stronger and faster. There are different ways do speed training but this example will give the gist of it. I use a high school track for my speed work. An average workout goes like this: Always warm up good, like at least a slow mile worth of warm up. As you get warm go just a little faster to get all the muscles warmed up. Then go fast for a measured distance, go as fast as possible and still be able to stay strong for the full distance. After the speed interval you need a recovery interval. For example if your doing 400m speed intervals then you might need a 200m or even a 400m slower recovery interval. Then you do another speed interval. Repeat until you've done the planned workout. Then do a slower mile to cool down.
Interval training can be used in a lot of ways depending on what you want to accomplish. You can go at a target pace or a target heart rate. You can do different distances depending on the race your training for and you can even do intervals on hills to build strength. But for the purpose of doing intervals to push your limits, you need to do them a little differently. Rather than a predetermined distance for the speed portion go out hard and go hard till you can no longer hold pace, when you feel your legs slowing down, it's time to start your recovery interval. Each week when you do your intervals try to go a little bit further then the week before. So each week you have a new target. If the week before you could go hard for 400m then the next week try to push it another 25m, turn up the heat and reach for it, yes it will be uncomfortable but it will make you stronger and faster. Then each week push it just a little further. If you fail to go any further one week shoot for that little bit more the next week.
I was taught this method of speed work years ago and I think, even though it's low tech, it's still a good way to train. Now the world class athletes actually get blood drawn and the blood analyzed to see if they are putting out the maximum effort. Pushing for just a little more each week will make you stronger even if it doesn't involve blood sampling or heart rate monitoring. A heart rate monitor is used by a lot of athletes as well to see if they are keeping their heart rate in the proper training zone.
Want to get stronger and faster? Light your own fire and turn up the heat. Like hot water becoming steam, just a small increase in heat can make all the difference.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Monday, June 17, 2013
Labels
There is a term, "The Jail House Lawyer", it means that what you hear from someone who swears they are right might not be accurate. Especially when that person is telling you something that although they are adamant about it, they are not a professional in that field. They will tell you how it is, to them, but not necessarily what is true.
Kentucky has a state law that children must get an eye exam before they can register for the next school year. That is very important because, in those states that don't require it, a child might be labeled a behavior problem when in reality all that is wrong with them is that they can't see well. "Yeah I've seen that before that child has ADHD", how many children have been labeled that way, when all they really needed was glasses.
People tend to label others and can very well ruin that person's sense of self worth with it. "She has a speech problem, that means she is not very smart. So I will listen to her but not respect what she has to say". "That fellow is from the country so he doesn't understand business so I'll make some money off him on this deal". Those kind of labels or stereotypes have plagued some of us all our lives. It's not that people are consciously being evil but it's human nature to want to feel superior, so they look for differences to capitalize on.
Many of us have fought an on going battle, within our selves, to keep positive and believe in ourselves. Advertising has a field day with that little fact. I would be a better athlete if I could just buy one of those GPS systems for my wrist, with that and it's heart rate monitor I can be my own coach. "Fred says he got so fast because he has one and it makes all the difference". And all those miracle pills and potions for weight loss and magic fat burning abdominal builders, just send in the money and be ready to be amazed.
It's hard to know what's real any more. Everyone knows someone that is the resident expert on something, or in some cases everything. What is one to believe? It has become interesting to me that you can find testimonials for both sides of every issue on the internet. There is an old saying, 'You should believe only half what you see and even less that your hear.' That is as true now as it was when it was first said.
How does one deal with this? To start with, you have to make a decision that you are just as worthy of happiness, as anyone else and nothing about your physical being should reduce that fact. Your own sense of self worth should fuel your desire, to always strive, to be a better person. You can over come anything that you decide you can. Your first debt in life, that you must pay, for happiness, is to earn the right to respect your self. You owe kindness and understanding to your fellow man. To that person you see when you look in the mirror you owe being a person worthy of their respect.
The choice is yours. You can be defined by the labels of others or you can be defined by being someone that is above the labels, someone that can say, "This is me and I'm somebody"!
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Kentucky has a state law that children must get an eye exam before they can register for the next school year. That is very important because, in those states that don't require it, a child might be labeled a behavior problem when in reality all that is wrong with them is that they can't see well. "Yeah I've seen that before that child has ADHD", how many children have been labeled that way, when all they really needed was glasses.
People tend to label others and can very well ruin that person's sense of self worth with it. "She has a speech problem, that means she is not very smart. So I will listen to her but not respect what she has to say". "That fellow is from the country so he doesn't understand business so I'll make some money off him on this deal". Those kind of labels or stereotypes have plagued some of us all our lives. It's not that people are consciously being evil but it's human nature to want to feel superior, so they look for differences to capitalize on.
Many of us have fought an on going battle, within our selves, to keep positive and believe in ourselves. Advertising has a field day with that little fact. I would be a better athlete if I could just buy one of those GPS systems for my wrist, with that and it's heart rate monitor I can be my own coach. "Fred says he got so fast because he has one and it makes all the difference". And all those miracle pills and potions for weight loss and magic fat burning abdominal builders, just send in the money and be ready to be amazed.
It's hard to know what's real any more. Everyone knows someone that is the resident expert on something, or in some cases everything. What is one to believe? It has become interesting to me that you can find testimonials for both sides of every issue on the internet. There is an old saying, 'You should believe only half what you see and even less that your hear.' That is as true now as it was when it was first said.
How does one deal with this? To start with, you have to make a decision that you are just as worthy of happiness, as anyone else and nothing about your physical being should reduce that fact. Your own sense of self worth should fuel your desire, to always strive, to be a better person. You can over come anything that you decide you can. Your first debt in life, that you must pay, for happiness, is to earn the right to respect your self. You owe kindness and understanding to your fellow man. To that person you see when you look in the mirror you owe being a person worthy of their respect.
The choice is yours. You can be defined by the labels of others or you can be defined by being someone that is above the labels, someone that can say, "This is me and I'm somebody"!
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Would You Take a Shot?
Many years ago there was a movie, "Rocky", it was about a nobody amateur boxer being offered, a once in a life time, shot at the title. Rocky had a shot and some time to train and get ready. The movie is about how he trained and prepared for his shot.
Now most of us will never have the champion of the world, in any sport, come knocking at the door and offer us a shot at their title. But what if we decided that we would train as though we were offered our own chance. We would be the star of our own reality. How awesome would it be to pull out all the stops and find out how good you could be.
What would motivate you to make the changes you have always wanted in your athlete career. What do you desire speed, strength, endurance, a defined muscular body? Think about it. For many of us it's training for our first race or our next marathon. Maybe it's a desire to reach a new level of performance. Qualify for Boston. Achieve the time standard for the Olympic trials. What ever it is, make a decision to take a shot.
When you decide what your goal will be, then you can start focusing on what it will take. Look at where you are and visualize where you want to be. Design a plan to take you there. It may involve losing weight, strengthening your muscles, getting in more quality miles and most of all learning more about how to do all these steps.
If your dream is to begin exercising then go to the sports specialty store tomorrow, get fitted for shoes and take that first step. If it's to make the decision to chase down a dream, then set an achievable goal. Remember "the difference between a dream and a goal is a time limit". Each time you reach a goal, set a new one, a new step in the direction of your dream. Before long you will be well on your way to making that dream your reality.
Is it possible? Of course it is. We can always get better and we don't know how far we can go, till we begin the journey. Will you take a shot at a dream? Or will you just dream.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Now most of us will never have the champion of the world, in any sport, come knocking at the door and offer us a shot at their title. But what if we decided that we would train as though we were offered our own chance. We would be the star of our own reality. How awesome would it be to pull out all the stops and find out how good you could be.
What would motivate you to make the changes you have always wanted in your athlete career. What do you desire speed, strength, endurance, a defined muscular body? Think about it. For many of us it's training for our first race or our next marathon. Maybe it's a desire to reach a new level of performance. Qualify for Boston. Achieve the time standard for the Olympic trials. What ever it is, make a decision to take a shot.
When you decide what your goal will be, then you can start focusing on what it will take. Look at where you are and visualize where you want to be. Design a plan to take you there. It may involve losing weight, strengthening your muscles, getting in more quality miles and most of all learning more about how to do all these steps.
If your dream is to begin exercising then go to the sports specialty store tomorrow, get fitted for shoes and take that first step. If it's to make the decision to chase down a dream, then set an achievable goal. Remember "the difference between a dream and a goal is a time limit". Each time you reach a goal, set a new one, a new step in the direction of your dream. Before long you will be well on your way to making that dream your reality.
Is it possible? Of course it is. We can always get better and we don't know how far we can go, till we begin the journey. Will you take a shot at a dream? Or will you just dream.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Clean Eating 4 Week Update
My lady and I decided 4 weeks ago today to take the plunge and clean up our eating. I started it off by going through the kitchen and getting rid of all the processed junk. My beloved frozen pizzas, the "Healthy", frozen dinners, all the breads, pastas and white rice. The crackers, the microwave popcorn, all of it went. Then I went to the market and purchased fresh meats, fruits and veggies. We have prepared all our meals now for 4 weeks. We went once to a café for salmon, salad and steamed veggies. I use only salsas for salad dressing and we have used just a little olive oil and real butter for cooking. We drink only water, green tea and coffee.
Now remember when reading these results that I was already an adult athlete and I have not changed the amount of exercise I'm doing. The intensity has changed because my endurance has changed and my times are lower, but the amount and my perceived effort have not changed. I'm eating three meals a day, the last meal is around 4 to 6 o'clock. My exercise is all in the morning after breakfast. I have not been hungry at all between meals since I'm eating a lot. I will often have a frozen juice pop in the evening when I come home from work at 9pm.
To start with my weight when I began eating clean was 182.2, today at the end of 4 weeks I weigh 171.2, that's a drop of 11 pounds. But to me the most amazing thing is that my waist has dropped. I was wearing 36 waist pants, they were comfortably snug, when I started and now 32 waist pants are as comfortable as the 36s were. I didn't take measurements of chest, arms, ect....since this clean eating change wasn't about that but about how Sally and I felt and how my training times were affected.
My times for each distance have dropped during these 4 weeks as well. My mile went from 11:47 to 10:59, my 7 mile route dropped 3 minutes and my 4 mile route dropped 2 minutes. The other amazing thing is that before I started eating clean, I needed a nap after my training before going to work. Now I don't, I come home do some chores and eat a good clean lunch and I'm ready to go. Last of all, I was a smoker for 35 years and even though I quit almost 12 years ago my resting heart rate was still around 70 bpm, my resting heart rate has dropped to low 60s during the last month.
Now I'm not selling anything with this, no pills, potions or snake oil, just reporting on the changes I've noticed by cleaning up my nutrition. Sally has had some dramatic improvements as well, the most notable is that her blood pressure has now come into the low average range. She has struggled with that for years and takes medication for it. I'm excited for when she sees her doctor again on that.
I will make another report at the end of the next 4 weeks. I started this to be in better shape for the Cleveland games next month, that next 4 week report will be 2 weeks before the games.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Now remember when reading these results that I was already an adult athlete and I have not changed the amount of exercise I'm doing. The intensity has changed because my endurance has changed and my times are lower, but the amount and my perceived effort have not changed. I'm eating three meals a day, the last meal is around 4 to 6 o'clock. My exercise is all in the morning after breakfast. I have not been hungry at all between meals since I'm eating a lot. I will often have a frozen juice pop in the evening when I come home from work at 9pm.
To start with my weight when I began eating clean was 182.2, today at the end of 4 weeks I weigh 171.2, that's a drop of 11 pounds. But to me the most amazing thing is that my waist has dropped. I was wearing 36 waist pants, they were comfortably snug, when I started and now 32 waist pants are as comfortable as the 36s were. I didn't take measurements of chest, arms, ect....since this clean eating change wasn't about that but about how Sally and I felt and how my training times were affected.
My times for each distance have dropped during these 4 weeks as well. My mile went from 11:47 to 10:59, my 7 mile route dropped 3 minutes and my 4 mile route dropped 2 minutes. The other amazing thing is that before I started eating clean, I needed a nap after my training before going to work. Now I don't, I come home do some chores and eat a good clean lunch and I'm ready to go. Last of all, I was a smoker for 35 years and even though I quit almost 12 years ago my resting heart rate was still around 70 bpm, my resting heart rate has dropped to low 60s during the last month.
Now I'm not selling anything with this, no pills, potions or snake oil, just reporting on the changes I've noticed by cleaning up my nutrition. Sally has had some dramatic improvements as well, the most notable is that her blood pressure has now come into the low average range. She has struggled with that for years and takes medication for it. I'm excited for when she sees her doctor again on that.
I will make another report at the end of the next 4 weeks. I started this to be in better shape for the Cleveland games next month, that next 4 week report will be 2 weeks before the games.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
The Full Monty
I just watched a movie, on HBO, about some unemployed British steel workers, who decided to become male strippers. It was a comedy but if you are tuned to life's messages, as I try to be, there is wisdom there. These were just ordinary guys not in great shape as you would expect male dancers to be. So in order to get the audience, of the ladies, they took the stripping one step further than the norm and showed it all, the Full Monty.
What would our own lives be like if we went that one step further in every thing we did. What if we gave everything full measure. Giving full measure, what a novel idea, could that be the key to success in everything. Giving full measure in business means going further than your competition. It's the edge, the secret ingredient, the ace in the hole, whatever you want to call having the advantage, giving full measure is how you get it.
In weight loss it's going all the way, eating right, not cheating, drinking the water and doing the exercise. In sports it's training hard and regularly. I read once that when the San Francisco 49ers showed up for practice that Jerry Rice and Joe Montana were already there working on the passing game. They were both record breaking Hall of Fame Players. They gave just a little bit more than everyone else and it showed in their performance. Maybe it all boils down to having enough faith in ourselves that we have decided we are worth the effort.
Even giving full measure isn't going to take us where we want to go unless we also make a commitment that we are going to give that full effort, every time. No cheating, keeping it up, staying faithful to your dreams. If you made the commitment to workout hard 3 days a week then that means every week, not just when you remember or when it's convenient. If you made the commitment to eat clean, so you can become healthier, that means even when someone brings donuts or cake to work, or you are craving a high fat dish.
Are you worth that step further? It's your decision, it really is. You could make a decision to give full measure to your own life and change your life forever.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
What would our own lives be like if we went that one step further in every thing we did. What if we gave everything full measure. Giving full measure, what a novel idea, could that be the key to success in everything. Giving full measure in business means going further than your competition. It's the edge, the secret ingredient, the ace in the hole, whatever you want to call having the advantage, giving full measure is how you get it.
In weight loss it's going all the way, eating right, not cheating, drinking the water and doing the exercise. In sports it's training hard and regularly. I read once that when the San Francisco 49ers showed up for practice that Jerry Rice and Joe Montana were already there working on the passing game. They were both record breaking Hall of Fame Players. They gave just a little bit more than everyone else and it showed in their performance. Maybe it all boils down to having enough faith in ourselves that we have decided we are worth the effort.
Even giving full measure isn't going to take us where we want to go unless we also make a commitment that we are going to give that full effort, every time. No cheating, keeping it up, staying faithful to your dreams. If you made the commitment to workout hard 3 days a week then that means every week, not just when you remember or when it's convenient. If you made the commitment to eat clean, so you can become healthier, that means even when someone brings donuts or cake to work, or you are craving a high fat dish.
Are you worth that step further? It's your decision, it really is. You could make a decision to give full measure to your own life and change your life forever.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Fight or Flight it's How We Roll
We are designed with a wonderful system of survival. Our bodies have a built in reaction to danger, (STRESS), called fight or flight. When we are threatened, (STRESSED), we have a choice to fight back or to run away. Before we became civilized, there wasn't much that caused stress that wasn't dangerous. To fuel that fight or flight reaction, the body released calories, (Sugar), to our cells so they could take care of business and the required business was physical and we needed the turbo boost of fuel. The stress was generally short lived, we either won the battle or got away.
Now we have stress coming at us fromall sides and it can stay with us for a long time. Our bodies can't tell the difference between mental and physical stress. When your boss, spouse, child, bills ect... cause you stress, your wonderful body responds with what it can understand to help you, more calories are released for you to take care of business. Even though you didn't react physically your body now has you craving food to replace what it thinks you used to defeat or run from the attacking beast, that it thinks you just faced.
The fact that there is no physical threat is not relevant to the body, stress requires preparing for action. So what happens here, with our body thinking we are in danger but our stress is just us having a bad day at work? We will start craving food to replace the calories our body just released to allow us to deal with the danger. This is why so many people eat as a reaction to stress and can't understand why they are so helpless to resist food when they are upset.
You can be ready with a plan to counter the cravings when they hit. The cravings will come and go quickly, you just have to wait them out. A walk, a trip to the restroom to wash your hands, having some water, or calling a friend can help you, anything that keeps you busy till that craving passes. What you don't want to do is think well I'll just eat a little bit, that isn’t happening, try stopping once you start, you can eat for about 20 minutes before your brain gets the message that your tummy is full. If the stressful situation is around a meal time go ahead and have your meal and eat it slowly and chew it well, small bites so it will last longer and get you through the cravings without over eating.
Another interesting side affect is what happens to our training when we are stressed. Being stressed will tire us out. Our body has been in action mode, nothing happened and later when we want to exercise and release some stress we don't have much energy left. Our body not only wants food it wants rest. We had to fight or flee so we are tired. That's why when we are going through long periods of stress it seems that we don't have the energy for anything. We don't, our body has been in battle mode and we have nothing left but the cravings for food and rest. Does that sound familiar when you are really stressed out?
One of the advantages to doing your workouts in the mornings is you turbo charge your metabolism with vigorous exercise. Since your body is already releasing stored fuel for your increased metabolism it isn’t so effected by normal stress. You are usually more relaxed after working out so you are more relaxed during the day to. If we could get some good exercise when ever we feel stress we would have the best of all situations. We would have a way to work off the stress and the fuel to keep us going strong. That’s why if it’s possible to take a brisk walk when your stress level gets to much you can deal with it better.
Knowledge is power. By knowing that when you are stressed your body is reacting to it as though you are in physical danger, then you can be ready to deal with it more positively. Next time you get in a stressful situation, you can be better prepared if you know what to expect.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Now we have stress coming at us from
The fact that there is no physical threat is not relevant to the body, stress requires preparing for action. So what happens here, with our body thinking we are in danger but our stress is just us having a bad day at work? We will start craving food to replace the calories our body just released to allow us to deal with the danger. This is why so many people eat as a reaction to stress and can't understand why they are so helpless to resist food when they are upset.
You can be ready with a plan to counter the cravings when they hit. The cravings will come and go quickly, you just have to wait them out. A walk, a trip to the restroom to wash your hands, having some water, or calling a friend can help you, anything that keeps you busy till that craving passes. What you don't want to do is think well I'll just eat a little bit, that isn’t happening, try stopping once you start, you can eat for about 20 minutes before your brain gets the message that your tummy is full. If the stressful situation is around a meal time go ahead and have your meal and eat it slowly and chew it well, small bites so it will last longer and get you through the cravings without over eating.
Another interesting side affect is what happens to our training when we are stressed. Being stressed will tire us out. Our body has been in action mode, nothing happened and later when we want to exercise and release some stress we don't have much energy left. Our body not only wants food it wants rest. We had to fight or flee so we are tired. That's why when we are going through long periods of stress it seems that we don't have the energy for anything. We don't, our body has been in battle mode and we have nothing left but the cravings for food and rest. Does that sound familiar when you are really stressed out?
One of the advantages to doing your workouts in the mornings is you turbo charge your metabolism with vigorous exercise. Since your body is already releasing stored fuel for your increased metabolism it isn’t so effected by normal stress. You are usually more relaxed after working out so you are more relaxed during the day to. If we could get some good exercise when ever we feel stress we would have the best of all situations. We would have a way to work off the stress and the fuel to keep us going strong. That’s why if it’s possible to take a brisk walk when your stress level gets to much you can deal with it better.
Knowledge is power. By knowing that when you are stressed your body is reacting to it as though you are in physical danger, then you can be ready to deal with it more positively. Next time you get in a stressful situation, you can be better prepared if you know what to expect.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Learn From It.
Nothing we do is ever a loss if we learn from it. Injuries, illness, failures and personal victories are all part of living.. But if we learn form them and the events that lead up to them, we can come back smarter and usually stronger. We are all an experiment of one. There is no such thing as that elusive "average" person, all of us are unique and different.
We are so different that none of us can be put into a neat little package. Our bodies don't react the same to exercise, diet or outside influences. We have unique bodies that are a mix of the three basic types. Some of us put on muscle easily, others store fat more efficiently and still others have a hard time putting on any kind of weight. Usually we have bodies that are a challenge for us to work with and we have to keep learning to modify as we go along.
Our victories can teach us as much as our failures but usually the victories come after we have used the lessons those failures taught us. Most of us learn the hard way through trial and error. Or we listen to someone else tell us what they do and find out it doesn't quite work the same for us. Streaking is a prime example of that. There are those that tell you that if you don't train everyday that you will never reach your full potential. Well that might work for a gifted few but most of us need to take rest days during the week.
Everyone who makes the decision to train for a sport or just to be healthy needs to keep a log book and keep it current. It's not long before you will start seeing a pattern if you look back over your own training history. Had a bad race or no energy during a workout? Look at the days before and if you have been good with details you can see what lead up to the undesirable effort. Document how you felt, how much sleep you got, did you warm up properly or did you take the first mile as a warm up. How many days in a row did you train. Even keeping track of the different foods you have eaten can be important. How did you feel at work that day after your workout?
Getting to know yourself is a huge part of wellness. Learning how your body reacts to what you put it through will help you, not just in your sport but in everything you do. The more you come to understand yourself the better quality of life you can have. Getting injured, getting sick or getting stronger and racing better can all be affected by how well we understand our own body. Having more energy at work, beating those feelings of depression and dealing with stress are all easier when you make educated decisions about your health.
Make a commitment to learn more about that person that looks back at you from mirror. You will spend the rest of your life with them so you might as well become partners in your health and well being.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
We are so different that none of us can be put into a neat little package. Our bodies don't react the same to exercise, diet or outside influences. We have unique bodies that are a mix of the three basic types. Some of us put on muscle easily, others store fat more efficiently and still others have a hard time putting on any kind of weight. Usually we have bodies that are a challenge for us to work with and we have to keep learning to modify as we go along.
Our victories can teach us as much as our failures but usually the victories come after we have used the lessons those failures taught us. Most of us learn the hard way through trial and error. Or we listen to someone else tell us what they do and find out it doesn't quite work the same for us. Streaking is a prime example of that. There are those that tell you that if you don't train everyday that you will never reach your full potential. Well that might work for a gifted few but most of us need to take rest days during the week.
Everyone who makes the decision to train for a sport or just to be healthy needs to keep a log book and keep it current. It's not long before you will start seeing a pattern if you look back over your own training history. Had a bad race or no energy during a workout? Look at the days before and if you have been good with details you can see what lead up to the undesirable effort. Document how you felt, how much sleep you got, did you warm up properly or did you take the first mile as a warm up. How many days in a row did you train. Even keeping track of the different foods you have eaten can be important. How did you feel at work that day after your workout?
Getting to know yourself is a huge part of wellness. Learning how your body reacts to what you put it through will help you, not just in your sport but in everything you do. The more you come to understand yourself the better quality of life you can have. Getting injured, getting sick or getting stronger and racing better can all be affected by how well we understand our own body. Having more energy at work, beating those feelings of depression and dealing with stress are all easier when you make educated decisions about your health.
Make a commitment to learn more about that person that looks back at you from mirror. You will spend the rest of your life with them so you might as well become partners in your health and well being.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Monday, June 3, 2013
Time To Fight
We dream of being better. We say we want it. To be thinner, faster, stronger, better. We imagine ourselves doing it, beating the best, taking the lead, winning. We can see it, feel it. Time and again we dream but never do anything different. We do as we have been doing, week after week, going through the motions, hoping for a break through. Is it time to make it happen? Is it time to stop dreaming and fight for it.
Is it time to take a stand and start making those dreams come true? Is it time to turn that desire into a need, an unfulfilled hunger? Dreams are earned, they are bought with intensity and determination that you will not be stopped! Is it true that if you give more you can achieve more? Have you ever imagined that if you could put it all together; the diet, the exercise the right plan, then the magic would happen. Isn't it time to find out what you are really made of?
It starts with a decision, not a try or a maybe someday but an, "I will not be denied my dream". You have to mean it and commit. You have to make some other decisions first, you have to decide you are worth it. You have to know that you can be enough. Finally you have to make a decision that there will be no excuses only results. Everyday will need to be a step forward, either training or resting and recharging your body and mind for the next assault on your dreams.
When we want it bad enough and make our decisions to go after it then we have to start doing everything different than we did before. Fighting for it means not giving in to temptations. It means eating what you need and avoiding what you don't. It means not only training but it means that you give a little more at least once a week. It means going as hard as you can for as long as you can, then going a little more. It means doing all the workouts not just the easy ones. It means stretching and cross training when your body needs a break.
Most of all going after your dreams means that you are willing to risk failure to find out if you can be the athlete you have imagined. It means that you have to know that you are on a journey to a new place, a place you have never been. Where that journey will take you is to a better you. You may never be the best but I swear that you will be thinner, stronger, faster and better. Those dreams are achievable and waiting for you to decide it's time to fight for them.
Are those dreams possible and attainable if you want them bad enough? Is it time to find out? There is an old saying that there are only two things you leave this life with, memories and regrets. Choose memories.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Is it time to take a stand and start making those dreams come true? Is it time to turn that desire into a need, an unfulfilled hunger? Dreams are earned, they are bought with intensity and determination that you will not be stopped! Is it true that if you give more you can achieve more? Have you ever imagined that if you could put it all together; the diet, the exercise the right plan, then the magic would happen. Isn't it time to find out what you are really made of?
It starts with a decision, not a try or a maybe someday but an, "I will not be denied my dream". You have to mean it and commit. You have to make some other decisions first, you have to decide you are worth it. You have to know that you can be enough. Finally you have to make a decision that there will be no excuses only results. Everyday will need to be a step forward, either training or resting and recharging your body and mind for the next assault on your dreams.
When we want it bad enough and make our decisions to go after it then we have to start doing everything different than we did before. Fighting for it means not giving in to temptations. It means eating what you need and avoiding what you don't. It means not only training but it means that you give a little more at least once a week. It means going as hard as you can for as long as you can, then going a little more. It means doing all the workouts not just the easy ones. It means stretching and cross training when your body needs a break.
Most of all going after your dreams means that you are willing to risk failure to find out if you can be the athlete you have imagined. It means that you have to know that you are on a journey to a new place, a place you have never been. Where that journey will take you is to a better you. You may never be the best but I swear that you will be thinner, stronger, faster and better. Those dreams are achievable and waiting for you to decide it's time to fight for them.
Are those dreams possible and attainable if you want them bad enough? Is it time to find out? There is an old saying that there are only two things you leave this life with, memories and regrets. Choose memories.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Becoming a Warrior of Life
Life is a gift but the quality, of the time we have, is mostly under our control. We can, with hard work and making good choices, affect how our life will be. We can choose to be warriors of life and meet our challenges head on, or we can be slaves of fate and learn to roll with the punches. But what about those things that blindside us, when we least expect them? What about the unexpected and often tragic events of nature, we can't control them can we?
No we can't control the unexpected or the events of nature. Just recently there have been acts of violence by those that harm others, just to make a statement. There have been horrible natural disasters, as well as dangerous situations, when our transportation systems malfunction. Our world is a dangerous place filled with the unexpected, it's up to each of us to be prepared. Like a warrior that trains daily, for battles that may come, we must train our selves for the challenges life throws at us. Those miles that are tough but we do them anyway are preparing us to be survivors. Our hard earned toughness and stamina might be what not only saves us but others. No one plans to be a hero, they arise when a hero is needed, because they were prepared.
We are the ones that have control over how well we are equipped to handle those life challenges. We can train with weights to make us stronger, we can do distance training to prepare us for those times when our endurance may be all that we have to survive. Our healthy body may be our only defense against a rogue virus or a biological attack. Our overall fitness is what keeps us, as we age, from being crippled with back problems and joint conditions.
Training for a half or full marathon can mean a lot more than just going the distance and getting the medal. It can be a stepping stone to becoming a warrior of life. They might not be the fastest or the strongest but those that train for and go the distance are a heck of a lot more powerful than before they started. A person that can walk or run for 13 or 26 miles can surely walk to safety if needed, even carrying a child.
Every morning we need to get up mentally prepared for what ever the day may bring. We need to have earned the right to say to our selves, "I'm ready, bring it"!
Thanks for reading.
Dave
No we can't control the unexpected or the events of nature. Just recently there have been acts of violence by those that harm others, just to make a statement. There have been horrible natural disasters, as well as dangerous situations, when our transportation systems malfunction. Our world is a dangerous place filled with the unexpected, it's up to each of us to be prepared. Like a warrior that trains daily, for battles that may come, we must train our selves for the challenges life throws at us. Those miles that are tough but we do them anyway are preparing us to be survivors. Our hard earned toughness and stamina might be what not only saves us but others. No one plans to be a hero, they arise when a hero is needed, because they were prepared.
We are the ones that have control over how well we are equipped to handle those life challenges. We can train with weights to make us stronger, we can do distance training to prepare us for those times when our endurance may be all that we have to survive. Our healthy body may be our only defense against a rogue virus or a biological attack. Our overall fitness is what keeps us, as we age, from being crippled with back problems and joint conditions.
Training for a half or full marathon can mean a lot more than just going the distance and getting the medal. It can be a stepping stone to becoming a warrior of life. They might not be the fastest or the strongest but those that train for and go the distance are a heck of a lot more powerful than before they started. A person that can walk or run for 13 or 26 miles can surely walk to safety if needed, even carrying a child.
Every morning we need to get up mentally prepared for what ever the day may bring. We need to have earned the right to say to our selves, "I'm ready, bring it"!
Thanks for reading.
Dave
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