<p>The only time I do bicep curls is in combo exercises. Today was actually one of those workouts. Curl two DBs, then squat, then press the DBs overhead. It’s one of the most tiring exercises I’ve ever done. I’m doing 12 rep sets and, half the time, I can’t make it to 12. Guaranteed high heart rate.</p>
<p>From what I understand, using upper and lower body muscles at the same time is brutal because you just can’t supply enough oxygen.</p>
<p>I probably made it a little harder on myself doing those right after chin ups, which are a bit of a very heavy bicep curl.</p>
<p>Man, I am such a noob
I will think of you, BCE, when I’m panting up my measly mile hill! Trudge trudge.</p>
<p>Now that I am sufficiently recovered from the over-enthusiastic kettlebell squats (and from shoveling the stones at lodge on Saturday) I will have another go at the kettlebell tonight. My h’s new scale that I otherwise hate is actually showing, percent by small percent, that I am converting fat to muscle, but most of that feels like its coming from the trudging. I need to even it out so that my upper body strength is matching. I’ll keep you posted on the hijinks.</p>
<p>Interesting articles about the Mediterranean diet. I’m curious as to whether it can actually be well-replicated here since our food is produced differently. As part of my “gentle diet that will never end” approach this time, I notice that I’m happiest feeding us (and eating) fish
baked with lemon. It’s amazing to me how quickly my fondness for red meat has diminished. Now if only my fondness for carbs would subside Since I’m not doing bread of any kind, I look forward to risotto as if it were birthday cake!</p>
<p>I think that part of the success of the Mediterranean diet, at least as implemented in the study, is the use of additional fats in the form of 4 tablespoons of olive oil or an extra 30 grams of nuts. 4 tablespoons of olive oil is almost 500 calories - for me right now, that would be 40% of my calories per day! That would probably curb my hunger quite a bit - I actually would think that it would be difficult to take that much out of the bottle on a daily basis. Of course it’s a lot easier mixed in with food.</p>
<p>The study with more nuts seems a little less of a change - probably around 200 calories at 12% carbs. There may be something in the nuts or the nuts may have a beneficial low-carb effect that helps the person lower weight. It would be interesting to see if there was weight loss, gain or no change in the three groups of participants.</p>
<p>BTW, I’m not using a Mediterranean diet right now though I do eat fish, chicken, use olive oil in cooking, eat eggs. Not so much bread these days, maybe two times a week. Oatmeal five days a week. Protein shakes. It’s pretty hard to go on 1,200 calories and the idea is to eat stuff that makes me feel which minimizes hunger.</p>
<p>So researchers at the University of Surrey analysed the blood of 26 people after they had had plenty of sleep, up to 10 hours each night for a week, and compared the results with samples after a week of fewer than six hours a night.</p>
<p>More than 700 genes were altered by the shift. Each contains the instructions for building a protein, so those that became more active produced more proteins - changing the chemistry of the body.</p>
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<p>I’ve been a little pickier about getting enough sleep lately because my Spring Schedule has vastly different schedules on different days.</p>
<p>My body is dramatically altered, I have not sleep well for about 23 years now. It is altered to the point that I have been increasing my exersice intensity and hours over time, no tired walking for hours while people who are 20 years younger around me cannot move their feet any more and have pain for weeks after. It is also altered to the point of normal blood test in all categories and conversation with the nurse that nobody at my age has - I was convincing her that my BP is NOT low, it is normal for me. I have been sleeping for 3 - 5 hours and never feel tired any more. In fact, if I happen to sleep anywhere close to about 7 hrs (it might happen maybe couple times / year), I will have a headache and will feel terrible, no energy for whole day (I do not have headaches normally). I never trust any kind of general type of studies, we are not the same, we are different. Whatever works for some will not work for another. Whatever works at certain age, will not work for you later either. Huge benefit of sleeping less, you have more hours in your day time. Big drawback - you have to fill these hours with some non-boring activities and exercising for 2+ hours after full time job is not enough.</p>
<p>^Perhaps, Miami, you suffer dust allergies? That is one case where less is more on the sleep front
Then again, my exceptionally fit 84-year-old father-in-law sleeps very little (and still works out) and he has more energy than any of us know what to do with!</p>
<p>Four-mile walk on Monday; today, I did a TRX and kettle bell workout followed by a 3-mile walk. Need to walk again tomorrow to keep up with the training schedule for my 3-day
walk–hope the weather cooperates. Really don’t want to walk in the mall or indoor track. Why is walking outside so much better than walking inside? An hour on a treadmill is my limit.</p>
<p>Fresh air, scenery. Varied terrain. I really don’t know how people do the treadmills at the gym. I don’t have to love every minute of exercise, but was really not much fun the couple of times i did it. Maybe if I got a little better at it.</p>
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<p>I signed up for Mike Boyle’s premium site, which is largely a collection of videos of presentations made by many of the top trainers in the country, weekly staff meetings at Boyle’s gym, etc. It’s too rich for my blood on a permanent basis, but worth it to join for a month or two every year and watch some videos.</p>
<p>Awesome stuff. She and Joe Sansalone covered the entire swing, then coached all the trainers doing swings and correcting them, and answered questions. I learned a lot, but I thought I would pass along one tip that really opened my eyes.</p>
<p>She said that a kettlebell swing is NOT a vertical movement. The swing is all horizontal. Yes, momentum carries the weight up to your chest, but the actual force is your hips driving the weight forward and your core pulling it backwards to load the hips for the next drive forward.</p>
<p>She also explained that “breathing thing”. Inhale through the nose on the backwards swing then forcefully exhale as you drive the hips. The forced breath makes you stiffen the core (which is what powers the weight backwards again). I’m going to try it this afternoon.</p>
<p>BTW, in that video above, she’s swinging a 105 pound kettlebell. Wow.</p>
<p>I’m new to this thread. Seems like most of you are very dedicated to diet and exercise. I was wondering how many of you have always embraced a healthy and active lifestyle? Or is exercise and eating right something that you have recently started? Have you been a healthy weight for all of your life? Were you overweight at some point? Or are you still overweight and trying to lose weight now?</p>
<p>I have always been active but was pretty awful on the nutrition side for a long time. I worked out a lot in my 20s so I could eat whatever I wanted to and not gain weight. Family and work changed that in my 30s and now I have to control diet in my 50s along with maintaining exercise.</p>
<p>There are a bunch of people here (me too) that have lost a lot of weight. We’ve done before and after pictures in the past. I plan to provide an updated before/after this summer.</p>
<p>I was hoping to get to do a few inverted rows using the Smith Machine yesterday, but the bar was down at the bottom with big weights attached to it. Had to pass.</p>
<p>I’ve always been pretty active and have been a competitive runner since 1978 at a pretty intense (well, VERY intense) level for most of those years. I gained weight in my 50s and managed to lose about 28 pounds in 2008-2009 by going to a Weight Watchers at Work program to support my staff (not that the great runner here would benefit from it… ) I’ve kept it off, but I really like to eat and drink and I persist in the erroneous view that since I run so much I can eat what I want. This is not quite correct. This group is great for me because we support each other and there are many people on here that teach me things about strength training and eating healthier foods and I try to share what I can about cardiovascular fitness since I have been exposed to great mentors (including Kenneth Cooper) and coaches for many years. I am also a gear junkie, which I like to share, too, and there are others on here who help nurture that addiction.</p>
<p>45 minute walk, Hops challenge. That’s it for me today.</p>
<p>Michael Moss was covered in the NYT Magazine this weekend as well. The NPR interview was good, but Moss has the world’s most annoying voice.</p>
<p>I did modern dance for my sport in high school because I flunked everything else I tried (tennis, field hockey, lacrosse, basketball). I never was much for ball sports! I was skinny for years without trying. Gained 20 pounds in college, lost them over the summer commuting to a summer job, did the same thing after grad school. I didn’t have any problem losing weight with the first kid, but I gain more with the second and never really got thin again. I was never obese, but my BMI was just into the overweight zone. I lost weight about ten years ago cutting carbs, but then I missed bread and cookies and it crept back. This time I have really tried to work out a plan I could live with forever. I’ve lost weight very, very slowly and have still managed a few setbacks with holidays and travel to foreign countries, but so far so good. For me exercise has to be a big component of my plan, because I don’t want to eat less than I am eating now.</p>
<p>I smoked for 38 years. Hadn’t exercised at all for 20 years. Was 90 pounds overweight. And, couldn’t walk to the mailbox without getting winded. Diet and fitness has been a major change in lifestyle for me.</p>
<p>Speaking of clothing deals. Sierra Trading Post has an extra 30% off on orders of $75. Some of the deals on Brooks mens and womens running clothes are crazy. Their top-of-the-line running jacket in a variety of colors including the Nightlife yellow for $33. $33 for their ultra-light LSD windbreaker. Running tights. Running shirts. Capris. Shorts. </p>
<p>BC, I don’t know if you are still looking for winter jackets after your son raided your closet, but they’ve got the same discount on a bunch of clearance Marmot stuff, including this Ama Dablam jacket that works out to $115 after the discount. This is a super-light high-end 800 fill down jacket with adjustable hood, that stuffs into its own pocket. This is a crazy deal for the money. Their medium will fit a bit trimmer than an LL Bean or EMS medium</p>
<p>Here’s a big star Everest guide pimping his Ama Dablam, but this would be fantastic around town NH winter jacket.</p>
<p>[Marmot</a> Ama Dablam Jacket & Baffin Jacket Reviewed by Professional Mountain Guide Adrian Ballinger - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
Since I’m not doing bread of any kind, I look forward to risotto as if it were birthday cake!</p>
) I’ve kept it off, but I really like to eat and drink and I persist in the erroneous view that since I run so much I can eat what I want. This is not quite correct. This group is great for me because we support each other and there are many people on here that teach me things about strength training and eating healthier foods and I try to share what I can about cardiovascular fitness since I have been exposed to great mentors (including Kenneth Cooper) and coaches for many years. I am also a gear junkie, which I like to share, too, and there are others on here who help nurture that addiction.</p>