<p>Gym workout–45 minutes on the elliptical, and 20 minutes of kettle bells, plus push-ups and squats. Walked both ways, which was about 3 miles. </p>
<p>Starting first trail walk tomorrow–it’s very flat–out to the beach and back. Trail will be sandy, which, I learned last year, is challenging terrain. It’s 6.1 miles total.</p>
<p>kmcmom- I’ll buy the cookbook! I, too, am not a cook, but my daughter is and has a food blog. She has some amazing recipes- both vegetarian and Paleo.</p>
<p>Re: HR. Yes, I think it is important to have a good idea of your max and NOT by a formula. After that, we can figure out the training zones. For most runs, use the talk test. You should be able to speak in phrases/short sentences and not be gasping for breath. For speed workouts- you shouldn’t be able to talk.</p>
<p>Well, MOfWC, looks like we were in a somewhat similar situation. My planned 16 mile run got off to a bad start: I wanted to hit the pavement well before the sunrise, but overslept, all because we were up late last night feeding the “Disney cats”. Beginning my run at 6 would have meant finishing it under the scorching sun. So I faced the tough choice - hard cement, heat, sun, humidity or… the dreadmill. Yikes! Glad it is over! 
I had to restart the machine twice because it could only do 60 minutes. I would have taken the rain!</p>
<p>3.22 mi treadmill run (no worries about the machine shutting off today 
)</p>
<p>We’ve got some gorgeous weather here*, and though not hiking, I’m planning on taking in some vitamin D!</p>
<ul>
<li>warm enough, however, that, like BB, I elected indoor running</li>
</ul>
<p>10 degrees cooler and I would have opted for dreadmill, but 66 and rain I still prefer to be outside, as miserable as it was. BB- congrats on a LONG run on treadmill!<br>
Deborah- enjoy the sun. We’ve forgotten what that is around here! I had planned on spending some time at the pool this weekend…</p>
<p>Here is an interesting article explaining (perhaps with too much drama) why pure cardio is not great for weight loss:</p>
<p>[Your</a> Cardio Routine is Making You Fat | Yahoo! Health](<a href=“Health | Yahoo Life”>Health | Yahoo Life)</p>
<p>Off to the beach to soak my tired muscles. :)</p>
<p>I think this country has lost the nutrition battle. My daughter says that people are lining up for the deep fried Oreos at the festival. The only “food” being sold at the senior Olympic track meet last week was funnel cakes.</p>
<p>I got my cardio in yesterday. 7.5 miles, top heart rate 73% and I was only over 70% for three little spikes. Shoulders were a little sore, though. I’m still not completely acclimated to a backpack. Hips are feeling it today. Uses different muscles to walk “quickly” on a smooth flat trail compared to the usual mountain goat trails I hike.</p>
<p>Probably should take a rest day, but I’ve got a concert tomorrow night that will keep me from exercising, so I’ll be forcing myself to make the long walk down to the basement!</p>
<p>Did my run, walked around a nearby town and bought a dress I look adorable in with my new figure :-), did a 20 mi bike ride w H, now waiting for yoga sculpt class to begin.</p>
<p>Wish we had a picture of that new dress, pizzagirl! Sounds like a good workout day!</p>
<p>85 minutes of doubles in 95 degrees, partly cloudy, medium humidity. We actually won both sets even though I haven’t hit a ball in something like five weeks.</p>
<p>The guy I partnered with had a condition where he could only hit for about 10 minutes and would be then too tired to continue without rest. Apparently the problem has been mostly solved but it took several years of tests to figure out what the problem was.</p>
<p>It was a heart valve that was too constrictive so he wasn’t getting enough blood flowing. They gave him a relatively new drug that relaxes the muscle so that he can get better blood flow and he can play sets of tennis now. I think that the medication is a relatively coarse solution but it allows him to be active. In the past, I think that doctors would just say that he was getting old but he didn’t accept that.</p>
<p>^^^
Hey, maybe that what I need!</p>
<p>IDad- I have a friend with cholesterol about 225 but good ratio. Doc is pushing meds and my friend (low risk factors, no health problems) is resisting. I told him to stand firm. He could lose 10 pounds or so, but really isn’t in bad shape. He’s about 57 or so. He was asking about any research or info out there which I know you have found that leans towards not going the meds route. Can you give me some cites? (As we say on the law). Also- what is the additional blood test he should do. His doc mentioned something that was really expensive. Thanks!!</p>
<p>BCE - a little Wimbledon fever?</p>
<p>
There are two advanced cholesterol tests - the VAP test, and the NMR lipoprofile. Both measure many more things than the standard cholesterol screen. They both key on particle size instead of just total amounts. My sense is that the NMP lipoprofile is a little more advanced.</p>
<p>Insurance will sometimes cover the cost. My insurance paid for a VAP test, and I think Idad said his insurance paid for his NMR test. If your insurance will pay for one but not the other, get the one it will pay for.</p>
<p>If you pay for them yourself they cost around $100-125 if you buy them on-line.</p>
<p>MOWC:</p>
<p>Hold on. I’ll find you some good references, but I’ve got to eat a plate of baby back ribs before I think about cholesterol! :)</p>
<p>These docs are so brainwashed by the statin “education”. You know, it started out that LDL of 100 or below wasn’t even a target except for very high risk patients. Now, it’s evolved to the point where 100 is too high. With zero science to back that up.</p>
<p>Very interesting politics going on. It’s been a decade since the gov heart lung and blood institute released new cholesterol guidelines. They’ve been delayed and delayed and delayed as it became more apparent that the experts were going to back away from cholesterol targets in the new guidelines. The VA (using many of same experts) already changed their treatment guidelines. Then, out of the blue last month, the NHLBI announced that they would no longer issue new guidelines, totally punting new cholesterol guidelines to the American College of Cardiology. Hmmm…</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>No. Somebody left a message on Friday and my wife told me about it early this morning. Playing tennis coming back from a knee injury isn’t necessarily a good decision. My knee is so-so at the moment. I’m sure that it will be fine in the morning but there’s a reason that I don’t play tennis on consecutive days when the knee isn’t 100% (and it hasn’t been 100% for a few years - probably when I had tennis elbow and couldn’t play for several months).</p>
<p>Thanks! Tomorrow is fine.</p>
<p>OK, On cholesterol, the guy that I have found to be the most compelling is an MD lipidologist named Thomas Dayspring. He’s got a Jersey-style of explaining this stuff that is entertaining. He’s also interesting in that he is more than happy to jump right to high-dose statins with patiients, but ONLY if they have high risk profiles. On the other hand, he’s more than happy to go with diet and lifestyle when appropriate, even with patients who have “high cholesterol”.</p>
<p>His short YouTube version:</p>
<p>[Traditional</a> Cholesterol Testing vs. LDL Particle Number & Apo B, by Dr. Michael Richman, MD - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>His written version:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.lipidcenter.com/pdf/Understanding_the_Entire_Lipid_Profile.pdf[/url]”>http://www.lipidcenter.com/pdf/Understanding_the_Entire_Lipid_Profile.pdf</a></p>
<p>His podcast version:</p>
<p>[585:</a> Lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring Explains The Truth About Cholesterol | The Livin La Vida Low-Carb Show](<a href=“http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/6371/585-lipidologist-dr-thomas-dayspring-explains-the-truth-about-cholesterol/]585:”>http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/6371/585-lipidologist-dr-thomas-dayspring-explains-the-truth-about-cholesterol/)</p>
<p>Long video interview version:</p>
<p>[Michael</a> Andreula Interview With Lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring - YouTube](<a href=“Michael Andreula Interview With Lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring - YouTube”>Michael Andreula Interview With Lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring - YouTube)
[Lipids:</a> Michael Andreula Interview With Lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring - YouTube](<a href=“Lipids: Michael Andreula Interview With Lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring - YouTube”>Lipids: Michael Andreula Interview With Lipidologist Dr. Thomas Dayspring - YouTube)</p>
<hr>
<p>On the testing, I’ve had both the NMR Particle Test and the VAP test. Both are $75 to $125 if you just walk in off the street or with an internet order. I had to pay for the NMR test (because I haven’t hit my deductable for the year). With the Blue Cross provider pricing, it was under $40. So, whatever cost over and above the plain jane cholesterol test is insignificant.</p>
<p>The NMR test gives all the standard info: total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and calculated LDL. In addition, it give the NUMBER of LDL particles, the number of HDL particles, the sizes of LDL and HDL particles, and an insulin resistance score.</p>
<p>In many (but not all) people, a high LDL cholesterol number will be a proxy for a large number of LDL particles (the real risk factor). So, for those people, a simple LDL test with a high reading will be an accurate picture of higher risk for coronary disease. But, a some people have high LDL with a small number of LDL particles. These people are not at risk of coronary disease. Conversely, some people have low LDL cholesterol and very high numbers of LDL particles. They are heart attacks waiting to happen. Tim Russert’s LDL was 60 on his last test before he died of massive heart attack. He was almost certainly in the group with a low LDL and large numbers of LDL particles (this is also the type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome profile).</p>
<p>I would personally not start any cholesterol medication until I had the NMR test and figured out where I stand on this whole particle count issue.</p>
<p>An alternative, that any doc can order, is an apoB test. ApoB is a protein molecule, one for every non-HDL particle in the blood. 95% of the apoB particles are LDL, so it’s a good substitute measure of LDL particle count.</p>
<p>The VAP test doesn’t give a particle count. It just gives the size of the LDL particles. This is sort of useful. For a given amount of LDL cholesterol, if you have small particles, you’ll probably have more particles. But, there are some genetic diseases where people have large number of massive large LDL particles. Without statins, those people die of heart attacks in their 20s.</p>
<p>It is becoming clear that, putting aside some fairly uncommon genetic issues, metabolic syndrome is a major heart disease risk. This is the same insulin resistance that is associated with type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure. The typical lipid profice of someone with metabolic syndrome is high triglycerides (over 100), low HDL, and a ton of small, dense LDL particles. This is what results in heart disease, even when the LDL number is low. This is also pretty easy to treat with diet – although not with the recommended low-fat diet. This is pure and simple an inability to properly metabolize carbohydrates. Cut sugar and carbs and this problem gets better fast.</p>
<p>This is an awesome six-part interview with Dayspring and Gary Taubes:</p>
<p>[Gary</a> Taubes & Dr Thomas Dayspring - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0A01EBCE2711A5A5]Gary”>null - YouTube)</p>