<p>Looks like a good jacket, iDad. </p>
<p>I am having some real trouble adjusting to the cold, dark mornings. Which is to say- I stayed in bed today until I HAD to get up to get ready for work! I can run after work… I was awake, but I just couldn’t get out there. It was 36 degrees and windy. </p>
<p>DadII- there isn’t an easy way to calculate body fat percentage and even the professional ways have accuracy limitations.</p>
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<p>Well, there are many objective measures like how far I run in a week, how I’m doing against good tennis players, how much I can bench, etc. But the best quickie on body fat is probably how my clothes fit.</p>
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<p>Some obese (by definition), like overweight by at least 50 lbs) people can easily outwalk others with the normal weight who are also much younger. The same obese people, in addtion to being obese, might have diabetise, high blood pressure and other conditions and are on medication for all of them… However, they might go to gym and exercise outside of gym on a regular basis, like 2 hrs every day. And sometime these people are walking those regular 4 miles at a pace faster than 14 min., which younger and healthier people might not be able to do at all. What does it mean and how you call it, I do not know.</p>
<p>Sandy is descending on us here in NJ so will resort to the new treadmill in the basement. Oh, how I hate treadmills . . . Making idad’s brilliant pot roast on my gas burner stove in a dutch oven.</p>
<p>35 mins w/30 sprint at the end. Wind, light rain, 59 degrees. Kiddies in costume.</p>
<p>Forget exercise! Now, I can just sit on the sofa and burn calories:</p>
<p>[Watching</a> horror films burns nearly 200 calories a time - Telegraph](<a href=“Watching horror films burns nearly 200 calories a time”>Watching horror films burns nearly 200 calories a time)</p>
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<p>Here’s their list of top-ten scary movie calorie burners:</p>
<p>The top 10 calorie-burning frightening films were:</p>
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<p>dadII:</p>
<p>The only reliable measure of body fat seems to be the DEXA scan:</p>
<p>[FIT</a> :: Body Comp FIT](<a href=“FITNESS INSTITUTE of TEXAS”>FITNESS INSTITUTE of TEXAS)</p>
<p>There’s another even more convoluted test that involved dunking you in a chamber of water.</p>
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<p>Skilled trainers can get a decent estimate with calipers that measure folds of body fat, but I have doubts about the reliability of this for geezers like us whose skin is not as taut as it used to be!</p>
<p>The electronic scales that claim to measure body fat are a joke. Not reliable at all.</p>
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<p>From what I can tell, the liner is the same kind of material as the soft chin guard liner around the collar of the Brooks Essential Nightlife running jacket. Just enough to be soft and wicking against the skin and provide a little warmth. I bet I end up wearing this as a top layer just about any time it’s clear in the 20s to 40s, hiking or walking. Maybe even walk/jogging.</p>
<p>“Forget Exercise” Part II:</p>
<p>A number of years ago, when I was an avid runner, the American Heart Association published a study in which it was found that drinking a glass of red wine would provide the same blood chemistry benefits as running a mile. That same week, Runners World Magazine had an article on the best liquid replenishment drinks for runners and concluded that beer was at the top of the list - carb replacements and water.</p>
<p>That night I informed my wife that I had structured a new workout for my self. 5 days a week I would drink 3 glasses of wine at night and then recover with a 6 pack. For some reason she didn’t buy it.</p>
<p>“The electronic scales that claim to measure body fat are a joke. Not reliable at all.”</p>
<p>Ain’t that the truth. A year ago, at 186 pounds, my “trusty” digital scale with body fat readings indicated 25% body fat. A year later, at 152 pounds, with a very different lean and cut look to me, scale says 24% body fat. Yeah, right.</p>
<p>Michael, not sure about the wine, but a 6-pack sounds like a good recovery plan:</p>
<p>[Nonalcoholic</a> Beer Aids Marathon Recovery - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/24/nonalcoholic-beer-aids-marathon-recovery/]Nonalcoholic”>Nonalcoholic Beer Aids Marathon Recovery - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Alcoholic beer has same carbs/polyphenols etc., however, one cannot consume too much of it without negative effects.</p>
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<p>The fancy Tanita scale I have has an age factor built into the algorithm for body fat – all they are doing is tweaking weight and height formulas with a teensy weensy contribution from the electrical current reading. Any way, absolutely nothing can change except a birthday and your body fat percentage will shoot up. Enter your age as 25 sometime and see what I mean.</p>
<p>Their theory is that geezers have less muscle and, therefore more body fat for a given height and weight. I can the see the logic, but on the other hand, I have more visible muscle and I’m stronger now at 160 pounds than I was after college at 160 pounds. Frankly, I think any geezer who can weigh the same as a 20-something deserves to get bonus points, not dinged by the algorithm! :)</p>
<p>Here, I think, is the runnersworld article mentioned by Michael:</p>
<p>[Beer</a> and Running from Runner’s World.com](<a href=“http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-300--12434-0,00.html]Beer”>http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-300--12434-0,00.html)</p>
<p>You just need to drink it at the right time (or get the non-alcohol version which is my recovery drink of choice). :)</p>
<p>But Bunsen, I really like beer WITH alcohol. :)</p>
<p>Then you have to wait to drink it at the right time 
I, unfortunately, discovered that beer with alcohol makes me stomach-sick, which does not happen with wine or champagne despite the higher alcohol content. The alcohol seems to be the culprit, since I can drink St Pauli NA just fine. :)</p>
<p>Contemplating a run later today. The skies are as clear as they get here at this time of the year.</p>
<p>The Runners World article I was referencing was from sometime between 1976 and 1980. It was reviewing the “real thing” - with alcohol! </p>
<p>Now my alcohol fueled sports fantasy is to do a bike tour of Tuscany and see how much wine I can metabolize as I wobble from vineyard to vineyard.</p>
<p>How about some training for that Tuscany ride - perhaps, a practice bike ride through the Napa valley? Or a stop at the Red Hook during a bike ride on our “Beer Trail”? 
<a href=“Sammamish River Trail - King County”>http://www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/trails/regionaltrailssystem/sammamishriver.aspx</a></p>
<p>Yup, there is a Napa marathon… Hmmm… Interesting. :)</p>
<p>Was looking for the new Trader Joe’s and ended up in REI instead. Exercised great willpower to resist yummy Brooks jacket. It may make it home at some point, but at least I’ll be able to say it wasn’t an impulse buy. ;)</p>
<p>So, when it drops below 40, what’s the equivalent of WD-40 for humans?</p>
<p>WD-40 for humans? Psst, take a look at our discussion of “recovery drinks”. Just kidding. You will need a hat or some ear muffs/headband and gloves, since those body parts tend to leak heat like crazy. Good job at the REI! I do not know if you’ve ever visited this place… I can never walk out of it without monetary damage:</p>
<p>[Brooks</a> Sports Outlet l](<a href=“http://local.yahoo.com/info-22096627-brooks-sports-outlet-bothell]Brooks”>http://local.yahoo.com/info-22096627-brooks-sports-outlet-bothell)</p>
<p>My friend just got an awesome looking running jacket there - at 50% off retail.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips, BB. Brooks Outlet. That could be fun…</p>