<p>I come and go with the weight workouts. Sometimes I’m pretty good about 2-3 times a week, but the last year I have not been. I DO do pushups and planks at home when I think of it.</p>
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<p>WalMart now stocks the rubber coated hex dumbbells with the nicely shaped grips for cheap. Just over a buck a pound:</p>
<p>[Gold’s</a> Gym Rubber Hex Dumbbell: Exercise & Fitness : Walmart.com](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gold-s-Gym-Rubber-Hex-Dumbbell/21836977]Gold’s”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gold-s-Gym-Rubber-Hex-Dumbbell/21836977)</p>
<p>I wish they had these when I was buying DBs! These are nice, for about the same money as my gray prison dumbbells. They must build bigger muscles, right? :)</p>
<p>Those are rectangular prism shaped, not hex. But good enough. I love the anatomical handle. That’s what my 15-pounder has. It has stopped snowing so I may run out to WalMart later.</p>
<p>I’m wearing the EMS Heavyweight Long Underwear (it’s really a quarter-zip shirt) and it’s really nice. The office is very chilly today.</p>
<p>LOL BCE! The trick, obviously, is to use the right amount of ingredients in a large bowl.</p>
<p>EDit: And once again, I come back here many many posts later and look like a non sequitur expert.</p>
<p>We don’t have a Microwave at home so I use the one at the office so I don’t have a lot to work with.</p>
<p>I got a chance to try out my new bargain basement [GoreTex</a> ProShell jacket](<a href=“http://cdn.mysportbrands.de/live/media/catalog/product/cache/5/image/c96a280f94e22e3ee3823dd0a1a87606/0/2/025_01_20.jpg]GoreTex”>http://cdn.mysportbrands.de/live/media/catalog/product/cache/5/image/c96a280f94e22e3ee3823dd0a1a87606/0/2/025_01_20.jpg) shovelling in the snow/rain with the matching [synthetic</a> insulation layer](<a href=“Marmot: Outdoor Clothing & Gear Made for Adventure”>Marmot: Outdoor Clothing & Gear Made for Adventure) underneath. Fantastic, although I didn’t really work up enough of a sweat to test the “breathability”. At least I looked good – and that’s what really counts! First time I’ve ever had a hood on a jacket that could be adjusted to not be totally annoying.</p>
![http://cdn.mysportbrands.de/live/media/catalog/product/cache/5/image/c96a280f94e22e3ee3823dd0a1a87606/0/2/025_01_20.jpg]GoreTex](http://cdn.mysportbrands.de/live/media/catalog/product/cache/5/image/c96a280f94e22e3ee3823dd0a1a87606/0/2/025_01_20.jpg%5DGoreTex){kind=link}
<p>If you are going to get a flu shot, exercise may make it more effective.</p>
<p>[Exercise</a> Can Boost Flu Shot’s Potency - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/how-exercise-can-boost-the-flu-shots-potency/]Exercise”>Exercise Can Boost Flu Shot's Potency - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Thanks for the link, Haystack.</p>
<p>Man, this exercise research sure veers off into the deep weeds. Of all the things that would be interesting to really understand about exercise and fitness, the impact of doing bicep curls or 90 minutes on an exercise bike on the effectiveness of flu shots sure seems like it would be way down the priority list!</p>
<p>I loved the news that geezers who had exercised for an entire year before their flu shots were less likely to get the flu than those who got flu shots without exercising. Hmmmm. I wonder if exercise is a better prevention against the flu than a flu shot? :)</p>
<p>iDad- It is crucial to look good while you shovel snow!</p>
<p>Sometimes I think that exercising a lot helps you to lose weight just because you don’t eat while you’re exercising. Maybe running outside a lot helps to get the flu less because you spend less time around other people.</p>
<p>There was a WSJ article today on CEOs - basically get fit if you want to be CEO. CEOs are being increasingly judged by their appearance. I assume that applies to the rest of us too, even if we aren’t seen as much by the public. I like the bit about the CEO of Weight Watchers losing a bunch of weight.</p>
<p>On the oatmeal front, what about boiling the water in the microwave first and then adding an oatmeal packet after you remove the bowl or mug from the microwave? (see Amazon reviews of Quaker Instant Oatmeal Original)</p>
<p>I do that all of the time although I tend to use half water and half milk.</p>
<p>I cook Irish oatmeal (steel cut oats) in a batch in advance, then reheat it. With a little milk, it’s delicious. I’d rather have that than the instant.</p>
<p>Wonder of wonders: my gym will remain open while the spa portion of the facility is renovated. Yay! My very fit S2 and I went to the gym after school today. After a treadmill warm-up, I did my usual circuit of 14 machines, plus added a few sets on the cable machine for good measure. To celebrate having the machines, I added 5 pounds where possible. Oh happy soreness tomorrow, I’m sure. I’m just so happy to have the weights available! </p>
<p>I also walked about five miles on this beautiful but slightly warm morning. </p>
<p>I love having oatmeal in the morning, but usually just make it in a small pot, adding some dried fruit to the milk; I never seem to have a container large enough to prevent the boil-over/spillage in the microwave.</p>
<p>On oatmeal, it’s easiest for me to just ask my wife to make it for me. The problem is when I get up very early in the morning. It did overflow the microwave when I heated it up yesterday - my strategy will be to cook it in my coffee cup tomorrow. It’s less likely to overflow that.</p>
<p>I eat steel cut oatmeal most mornings. 1/4 cup steel cut oats, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water. Microwave on medium 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup frozen blueberries. Done.</p>
<p>2.6 miles plus leg and shoulder weightlifting.</p>
<p>Cold snowy weather. Football playoffs. Seems like the perfect time for a batch of buffalo hot wings. So, as I was buying wings, I remembered that I was nearly out of canola oil to fry them in… And then, after reading all the stuff about how bad these vegetable oils are, I figured why am I buying that? So I came home with the stuff my grandmother used for frying her chicken: lard. I can’t believe I’m 58 years old and this will be the first time in my life I’ve ever cooked with lard…</p>
<p>Ah, the lengths I’ll go to eat healthy! :)</p>
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<p>Yay, plantmom. Adding weight is good! I should try that one of these days, but these 12 rep sets I’m doing aren’t ideal for kicking the weight up!</p>
<p>I’m sore from the pushups HOPS SCOUT is making me do every day with his challenge. Those are on top of TRX pushups or dumbbell bench press three days a week. I’m missin’ my recovery time.</p>
<p>Let the game begin… … </p>
<p>Paid my dues and ready to loss some weight. target is 10% in 12 weeks. wish me luck, it will be very difficult, hence the motivation.</p>
<p>Luck and encouragement to you, Dad II!</p>