Exercise

The ABC’s of Weight Loss

on August 30th, 2010 by Rob

My second son… George- Jorge as my friend Rocky calls him…. is learning his ABC’s—– this is a rudimentary exercise that all kids do- it is a building block to reading and further advancement. (I know… I sound like a teacher)- Anywho…. George is learning to talk and Beth and I have started going through his alphabet.

So, with this in mind… an idea came to me. Why not come up with an ABC’s of weight loss? I did the 31 Habits (make sure to scroll down)  not long ago and this will be more of the same…. except, you will have to tune in each day to see what is next. I will just go in and mysteriously edit the post. Funny enough… it is also the network that my show was on.

So- join me for this- Here we go!!

A- A is for APPLE (did you really think I would come up with anything else here?) Apples are good for you…. you know there is a reason that we have sayings like this one…. it is because they are at least partly true. In this case, it is all the way true…. have one each day and it keeps the doctor away. The thing is, really any fruit will do the trick. They are much better for you than Twinkies and are almost as good. Check out this information on apples.

B- B is for BEER.  If you are ANYTHING like me… the thought of not drinking beer is just simply …. NOT an option. So I had to come up with something. If I am out mowing the yard or doing something where I just want a little beer kinda sorta taste, then I go with the new Budweiser Select 55 beer- BUT- If I want a real good micro brew- I go with Sam Adams Light. It has a few more calories (o.k.- about twice as many) than the Bud, but it is well worth it. Closest thing that I have found to a “regular” beer.

I guess you could also say that A is for alcohol- So… there were two for A—- “O.K., You got the bonus plan!”- don’t get used to it!

C- C is for COFFEE or CAFFEINE- This seems to be the thing that gets me up in the morning these days. When I wake up, it is the first thing that I think of.

Well- as it turns out coffee can supercharge your workout. Check out this Article from Yahoo Health…. I have heard this before. Apparently, caffeine gives you more stamina— in other words you can run further which equals more calories burned.

D- D is for DIET. But not the diet you think. As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that I am not and have not been on a diet since I was in the People Magazine Weight Loss Challenge. The thing is…. I don’t really want to stop eating the things that I like. I just have to find some things that I can live with. What are they?

Well, for starters…. I don’t order 20 wings… I order 6. I don’t have 5 regular beers… I have 3 Light beers. I don’t have a WHOLE sandwich at the deli… I have a half- and BAKED chips. OH—- and a DIET COKE. I just had to find some alternatives and have LESS!

E- E is for EXERCISE…. of course. You need at least 5 hours a week of exercise. That is my rule… you know what- I am going to stop quoting the experts and doctors on this. According to me— you need 5 hours a week. And remember, the faster you do it, the faster you will get it over with. LOL!!

F- F is for FRUCTOSE- get it from fruit! I have said on more than one occasion… avoid the High Fructose Corn Syrup. A study by Hepatology stated that when given fructose water, rats had a tendency to become obese. AND THAT WAS JUST WATER… we eat this stuff in our bread…. it is everywhere!! Read your labels and AVOID it!

G- G is for Grapefruit. Kick off your meal with a grapefruit and you are likely to lose more weight… faster. Subjects of a study done by the Journal of Medicinal Food that ate half of a grapefruit before each meal, lost more weight at the end of 12 weeks than those that did not. On the other hand…. I HATE GRAPEFRUIT. And by the way…. I have seen commercials for some crappy diet pill based on grapefruits. They say that grapefruits are super-foods and that they take more calories to burn than they contain. THIS IS CRAP! NOT TRUE! Don’t buy into this!!!!! G- G is for GOOD!!! Like GOOD food—- NOT GRAPEFRUIT! Or G- G is for God. He helps you lose weight!!!

H- H is for High Fructose Corn Syrup- Just don’t eat it. I can not tell you how many times I have been asked over the last couple of years about my diet… what did I follow? How did I make food decisions. If you can lay off of the HFCS…. you are WAY ahead of the game! Not only is this stuff NOT exactly like sugar, but your body does not metabolize it the same way. IT WILL MAKE YOU FAT! AVOID IT!!

I- I is for INSULIN. Of course diabetes is where I am coming from here. If you increase your exercise and watch your diet, you will have a decreased chance of getting this disease. I know… this is all very insightful, but it is something that HAS to be said.

J- J is for JELLY! OMG!!!! Have you had the smuckers with Splenda?? Fabulous!!! (Said that just like Jack from Will and Grace!)—- O.K. here is the deal. I LOVE PB&J. My wife gets on to me all the time for eating it. I practically grew up on it. My Dad used to say I was going to turn into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich– or a Pop-Tart.  I still eat ‘em. But here is the thing….. I have CHANGED it. I eat whole wheat bread, Smuckers with the Splenda and reduced fat PB. OH—- and I only eat one now… instead of two. I think that this is a great example of a small change that you can make and come out ahead!!! Just change your favorite thing— to something slightly better (oh, and don’t eat as much!!)

K- K is for KETOSIS. This is actually a real medical-type term (don’t you just love how smart I sound) that I had never heard before. Ketosis is actually the point at which your body runs low on carbs and starts burning fat for fuel. Ketosis is what your body goes into if you go on the Adkins diet (you know, low carbs). Studies show that people that resist carbs loose more weight initially than those that avoid fats…. however, after about a year, their results are comparable. As I have said before, the problem is that you can’t resist bread and pasta and sugar your whole life.

L- L is for LEPTIN- This is a hormone. It is responsible for telling your brain when you are full. Reseachers have found that if you don’t eat enough…. or if you starve yourself, then this will lower leptin levels- thus prompting you to eat more.

A study published recently suggests that the consumption of high amounts of fructose causes leptin resistance and elevated triglycerides in rats. The high-fructose diet rats subsequently ate more and gained more weight than controls when fed a high fat, high calorie diet.

So- for the love of God…. eat your snacks and lay off the High Fructose Corn Syrup!!!

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Exercise Will Improve Your LIFE!

on August 18th, 2010 by Rob

I told Beth never again. And in all fairness, we didn’t really move… we just moved stuff around. But I swear I felt like I had moved by the time I got to the end of the weekend.

Which brings me to my point. I can guarantee that I would be a lot more sore and a lot more worn out after having moved all of this furniture BEFORE I started working out.

It just goes to show you…. this is not ALL about going to the gym and running and swimming and pushing weights around. It is so that we can live a better life.

At the gym this morning, I was having a conversation with a former Mississippi State Trooper. We were discussing the recent shooting and death of a Jackson MS police officer. He was saying that he felt there were instances when people were shot and perhaps they could have been saved had they been in better physical condition (not necessarily this case). I don’t think that there is any question that this is true- (once again, I am not familiar with the physical condition of Glen Agee).

Working out—- wether it is cardiovascular exercise or resistance training can prepare you for a better life!!!!

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Drew Carey

on July 29th, 2010 by Rob

Goodness… everyone needs to see this!!

Check out this article!!

Looks like Drew has been to the gym!

I find this to be really interesting…. aside from Chris Farley- Drew Carey is the celebrity that I have most been associated with.

I even have a picture of a Halloween costume… where I went dressed as Drew Carey- You know, I just put on some glasses and a Cleveland Indians hat.

Really good to see him make some changes!!

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Burn more in less time!!!

on July 25th, 2010 by Rob

This post goes right along with a post that I did a few days ago. I was talking about doing more —-faster.

So, here is the deal. Furthering my assertion that you need to “move your ass”- I read an article a few days ago based on a study from Harvard…. (don’t you just love how this lends credibility to virtually anything you say)- anyway- Harvard says that losing weight is a lot more about calories burned than time clocked. (Shocking!!!)

So- they say you will need about 7 hours a week walking at a 20 minute mile pace vs. about 2 hours a week running at a 10 minute pace to burn enough calories to lose weight (formula based on a 140lb woman).

So- as I said a few days ago…. I don’t want to mess around with this for the rest of my life. It is time to move!!! Get it done, get it over with!! MOVE YOUR ASS!!!

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Prostrate Cancer Risks are high!!

on July 24th, 2010 by Rob

Well, I am pretty sure that this is NOT something that I want. I mean, the examination is bad enough—– “Moon River”—– I can only imagine what the treatment is like. I recently went in for an examination and I told my doctor- “I can’t believe that I pay you for that” … He said, “well, I am sure as hell not doing it for free”—- Good point doc!

I do have a point. It is get moving to reduce your risk of prostrate cancer.

I was reading an article today about the risks and how to avoid this deadly disease. Wrap your head around this one…. ONE IN SIX MEN WILL GET IT!!!!!How can this be avoided? Read on!

1. Lose the fat in your diet- eating a lot of this…. expecially from animals (which tells me it is most likly saturated fat)—- eating a lot of this has been linked to a higher risk of prostrate cancer

2. Pack your diet with nutrients- MORE THE BETTER ON FRUITS AND VEGTABLES! Pick the ones with bright colors.

3. BE FIT!!- The American Cancer Society recomends at least 30 minutes a day of exercise… but 45-60 mins per day is really needed to reduce the risk.

Also, men that have what is called meabolic syndrome are more likely to get prostrate cancer… what is that? Well, it is a certain group of risk factors… overweight, fat around your mid-section and  higher blood sugar levels…. basically being un-fit.

So, there ya go…. it is as easy as that! And make sure to get checked regularly… don’t fear the finger!

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U.S. Dietary Guidelines for 2010

on July 13th, 2010 by Rob

Who does he think he is with that jacket..... Huggy Bear??

The U.S. Dept of Agriculture and the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services have come out with their 2010 dietary  guidelines. They are for people over age 2 and encourage good health…. and they want people to avoid chronic diseases.

They are done every 5 years and I am sure that this latest version is not a whole lot different from the last one. However, one key difference is that this time around, there is more emphasis on physical activity. Apparently, the government would like us to move more to help control our weight.

Funny that they would mention that. This past weekend was my birthday. I was fully involved in a round of wings and beers on Saturday afternoon when one of my old friends came in.  He is a regular reader of this site and he says something to the effect of —- “I see you are saying to hell with it today since this is your birthday”. Well, I guess I was a little, but what I had to tell him was that I ran 5 miles earlier that morning. So…. it all evens out.

My point is this- According to the latest government research, people are not burning nearly as many calories as they are taking in…. I mean, this is basic stuff. This is why we are seeing an explosion of obesity in this county and specifically in this state and region. If we can get moving… then we can eat wings. I have said this before…. it is all about moderation… not just with eating, with everything in life.

I think that is my new motto———- Moderation is everything!! Andre Agassi should have thought about that.

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I Did It- Peachtree Road Race- 10K

on July 6th, 2010 by Rob

Well, it should be 2010—– but it did it last year too! Lot of fun. I am still amazed at how fun these things have become for me.

I think that it is the endorphins and the satisfaction of doing it. Couple all of that will the feeling of accomplishment that I feel when I am not SURE I can do something…. then it turns out O.K.

I highly recommend anyone and everyone to go ahead, register for a race. Even in unhealthy Mississippi, there is one EVERY weekend. Just Google 5K or 10K in your area…. I promise lots will come up.

What races have you done? Any that I should know about? I have a friend that did one in Indianapolis recently, and they finished the race with a run around the Brickyard—-HOW FRIGGIN’ COOL IS THAT?

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5 Things you can do to “Build Muscle”

on June 27th, 2010 by Rob

This was actually me in 1987---- Olympics

Recently, I read an article/blog post by Tony at The Anti-Jared…. he was complaining about people that say they gained weight because they were “gaining muscle”. He really kind of slammed these people.

Well, don’t get me wrong…. I like Tony’s site… I think he is a smart guy…. He OBVIOUSLY knows what he is talking about…. but I think that he may have been a little quick on the draw with this. And BTW—- I am sure that this has been his experience….. it is HARD to build pounds and pounds of muscle. But I think that it can be done and particularly for people that are new to strength training.

Here are 5 things that I think can help—- and they are great tips for new lifters:

1. Choose 8-10 exercises that work all the major parts of the body. Arms, Legs, Abdomen, Chest, Shoulders, Upper and Lower Back (actually I also break arms into Triceps and Biceps). Do pushing and pulling exercises.

2. Get the Negative- do the exercises slowly—– push up and let it down slowly.

3. Don’t hold your breath- Exhale when pushing, Inhale when lowering weight.

4. Rest between sets to build muscle….. shorten the rest time to add and aerobic aspect (loose weight)

5. Remember to warm up- just jog or walk around a little before you get started…. or better yet, jump rope a little. It will kind of get you in the mood.

Remember—– check with your doctor before you start any exercise routine.

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5 Things Exercise Can Do For You

on June 24th, 2010 by Rob

Well, by now you all know what a big proponent of exercise I am. Once again, if I have to hear one more person talk about how long they have been going to Weight Watchers “but I am not loosing weight”— I’m gonna hurl.

O.K.- that being said…. if you don’t want to exercise in order to loose weight…. then do it for something else. These are good things that exercise can do for you BESIDES fight fat.

1. Have fun- I know, I can’t believe that I said this… but since I began to exercise a couple of years ago, this is a very big one for me. I have said many times that the key to my success in the weight loss area has been that I found people to work-out WITH… not doing it alone. I have made some very good friends and now it is fun to meet with them and do stupid things…. like run stairs and bike and…. well… run. And besides, when we are done doing all these stupid things… we sit and have coffee.

2. Strong bones- this is especially important for older folks. Makes me feel good to see my Mom walking on her treadmill. Bones become stronger with exercise… particularly weight bearing exercise, i.e. tennis, weight lifting and running.

3. Maximum mobility- exercise increases balance, muscle strength and coordination.

4. Good night’s sleep- I have never, I REPEAT—– NEVER, slept as well as I sleep now. In addition to the weight loss curing my sleep apnea…. I am just tired. I get up every morning at 5am and by the time 10pm rolls around, I am done. However, I must warn you—- don’t work out too close to bedtime…. it will keep you awake.

5. Mood- aside from weight loss and the general cardiovascular improvements that I have made, I think that this has been the most important benefit that I have personally observed. I tell you—- it only takes about three days of NOT working out and I can tell that my mood has taken a nose dive. I really don’t know much about the science of this but I have heard that it is like endorphins that our brains produce—- this is triggered by exercise. It really is remarkable.

I think that these things are at least as important as weight loss.

Are there any other benefits that you can think of?

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