<p>iDad- I saw one of those geezer “boo boos” at the Vandy basketball game last night. I watched a 50-something woman try to switch rows (very empty arena) by swinging one leg over the seats in front of her. I thought to myself, “Um, I’m not sure I could do that these days.” Sure enough, she got stuck with one leg down on the lower level and couldn’t swing the upper leg over the seat backs. It was quite funny, since I would have not only been in the same boat but would have probably fallen over!</p>
<p>inter…dad,
"Count me in the weird category. Other than the week after Halloween (“forgive me, father, for I have sinned”), I didn’t eat a bite of chocolate during the last 12 months. I like it. Chocolate cake is my favorite, but I just don’t eat cake and brownies and cookies. " - I am comlete opposite wierdo. I would eat chocolate cake and Halloween stuff only if nothing else is available, not my favorites. Lindt 85% cured me completely, nothing else taste as good anymore. But do not count ice cream. Real fat ice cream (please, no sugar substitutes) almost of any variety will do just fine. Not big fan of frozen yougurt though. The absolute best is coconut ice cream in Mexico, nothing compares to it. Well, all deserts there are out of this world anyway, hence +7lbs minimum at each vacation. Yes, labeling myself real weirdo, taking the punches…for yummmm sweets.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>And, to add insult to injury, you just know the whole thing would be captured on the Jumbotron! :)</p>
<p>These days, I’ll only try the row hop if I can put a foot on the seat cushion of the row in front and do it as a two-stepper.</p>
<p>I stopped going to HIT class after I almost blew out my achilles. Drill was jumping side to side over a cone. Of course I had to compete with the 20 something guy next to me. I mean—he even gave my a sideways glance that said “bring it on”. I think interval training is best left to my own devices where I’m not tempted to compete against the young boys and girls.</p>
<p>So funny to be having the sugar discussion again; I tried to follow Lustig but I have to admit my eyes started to glaze over at some parts. So imagine my surprise to find a plain English interview in Oprah magazine. Plain and simple explanation. </p>
<p>[Health</a> Risks of Sugar - Robert Lustig Interview - Oprah.com](<a href=“Health Risks of Sugar - Robert Lustig Interview”>Health Risks of Sugar - Robert Lustig Interview)</p>
<p>I doubt I will ever ditch sweets entirely but I’m 2 weeks into a major diet overhaul and doing OK so far.</p>
<p>Tried the interval program on the elliptical today for the first time. It was much more challenging but I was able to finish the 30 minutes I’d planned.
Exercising 4-5 days/week. With work and family stuff, it is all I’m fitting in.
Much better than my previous 0 times/week! :)</p>
<p>Ok…I am happy to read this because I do have a sweet tooth.</p>
<p><a href=“Oprah.com”>How Sugar Affects Your Health - Does Sugar Cause Diabetes;
<p>"Q: How did you take control of your own blood sugar?
Eighty percent of what I used to eat is now off the table. I try to limit myself to 80 grams of carbs a day. But I definitely miss dessert. I have a huge sweet tooth. </p>
<p>Q: How does fitness work into the equation?
Exercise is the closest thing to a cure for type 2 diabetes. Insulin is the main way for glucose to get into your cells, but there is a second way that’s activated by exercising. If you work out, glucose can go through this secondary channel without insulin’s help. "</p>
<p>I just sent the link to my DH & my kids. They already think I’m nuts.</p>
<p>sabaray:</p>
<p>Lustig has a book on sugar coming out, so he’s doing the interview circuit. He’s gotten a lot better at giving a simplified spiel. I’m guessing he will be getting a lot of play in the media over the next few weeks.</p>
<p>I’ve got his book on pre-order at Amazon. Supposed to be released next week, I think.</p>
<p>Pretty simple advice in the Oprah article: Cut sugar and refined carbs, increase fiber, stick to real food, and exercise. Thanks for the link…</p>
<p>1 hour, 45 minutes of tennis. I was just planning to hit for an hour because of a blister on my right hand but he wanted to play sets so we played two sets. He did not play well in the first set and I won that without too much trouble. He played better in the second set and won that.</p>
<p>I hit the back of my left hand with a serve early on. Two fingers are black and it looks like there’s a popped blood vessel. The racquet head hits 100 mph and decelerates into the follow-through. I had my left hand in the air around shoulder height so it probably hit my hand pretty hard. In general, you’re supposed to tuck your left hand bent into your stomach to provide a fulcrum that your upper body levers off of.</p>
<p>I was planning on running today too with a short tennis workout but that’s out the windows now.</p>
<p>“I hit the back of my left hand with a serve early on. Two fingers are black and it looks like there’s a popped blood vessel. The racquet head hits 100 mph and decelerates into the follow-through.”</p>
<p>That sounds painful.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Four to five days a week is probably just about the perfect recipe for exercise. Rest days are really important, especially over the long haul.</p>
<p>Ouch on the fingers!</p>
<p>Lustig’s advice is all common sense that we used to know before we started believing advertisers and looking for magic pills that would allow us to eat anything we wanted if we only took these vitamin or antioxident supplements.</p>
<p>That’s why I am not really in favor of Weight Watchers. Sure, if you follow their diet plan and go to supportive meetings you should lose weight. But the fact that they allow sweet tasting, highly processed desserts (and highly processed entrees as well), means it is not a long-term sustainable plan. You have to know how to feed yourself without their supervision, and you have to teach your taste buds to appreciate good, natural food.</p>
<p>OWWWW BCEagle. Hope you recover quickly.</p>
<p>iDad- What are these “rest days” of which you speak? :)</p>
<p>Mommusic- I disagree. I appreciate good tasting, natural food and I also like sweets. I eat too much sugar, for sure. However, both my sister and I lost a lot of weight on WW and have kept it off for a number of years without giving up sweet desserts. We have very different life styles, body types, exercise habits and eating patterns. As far as weight loss, it’s simply calories in and calories spent. As far as being healthy and taking care of your body, that’s another deal. I think WW is a realistic program- absolutely still requires discipline and in my case, a lot of modifying so I got enough food, but it works for a lot of people.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m taking one today! I had planned on Airdyne, but I’m sore all over, thanks to hiking on Friday and really good workouts on Saturday and yesterday, with an added bonus of a little snow shoveling. I’ve kind of learned that it’s better not to pile exercise on top of soreness.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>That’s when you only run two miles.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>You can work on other body parts unless they’re all sore. The problems with my fingers means that I’m going to run for a few days.</p>
<p>Speaking of jumping (sort of), this is one of the “power” exercises I’ve been doing lately:</p>
<p>[DB</a> snatch](<a href=“Dumbbell Snatch - YouTube”>Dumbbell Snatch - YouTube)</p>
<p>I’m nowhere near the 60 pounds that this woman is lifting, but the idea is the same. Hip drive to accelerate the weight overhead with a little jump. It’s all about getting the weight moving fast (or at least that’s supposed to be the idea! Nothing moves really fast at my age!).</p>
<p>Six of these per arm gets me panting like a dog. Talk about a high intensity exercise. I had been up to a 30 pound DB last winter, but putting it back in a workout recently, that was just too slow, too heavy. So I backed off to 25 pounds for a while. Really good sets yesterday. I’m even getting a wee bit of air.</p>
<p>Here’s how strength coach Charles Staley teaches it:</p>
<p>[Charles</a> Staley: DB snatch](<a href=“db snatch explained - YouTube”>db snatch explained - YouTube)</p>
<p>I generally have some sugar every day. I enjoy a cookie or some sort of sweet thing in the mid-afternoon, often with tea with some sugar in it. At night after dinner, I will usually have a little ice cream or a little slice of cake or pie. I don’t eat sugar all day. I can’t imagine life without some sweetness. </p>
<p>I think it’s like alcohol and most stuff. Moderation is the key.</p>
<p>We did not jump today in ballet class. I’m a little disappointed.</p>
<p>idad- glad to hear I’m not the only one here who is not committed to 7 days/week.
:)</p>