<p>And interesteddad, I am so happy for you. I bet you are feeling fantastic!!</p>
<p>(IMO, we should all be feeling fantastic, because – well – here it comes – we all are fantastic!)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Best exercise bikes they make. We have two of them in our athletic training room. I wish I had one at home and I plan to put one in my own athletic training room when I get a full-time job.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually, I can barely walk. I did intervals on the bike, two days in a row and my legs are feelin’ it. Tomorrow is a rest day.</p>
<p>I really needed to walk yesterday instead of the bike, but it just won’t stop with the slashing rain.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Good to hear! I like that you don’t have to throw them away when the computer dies in three years and that there are several websites that specialize in Air Dyne parts going back 30 years. With that kind of brand equity, somebody is always going to be building Schwinn AirDynes and selling AirDyne parts.</p>
<p>An ex-president of Schwinn started a new company and actually builds an even nicer AirDyne. I just don’t think they can sell enough of them to ever reach the critical mass that keeps AirDynes going. It’s that critical mass that ensures parts availability for decades. And, let’s be honest, the odds of me needing something even more heavy-duty are pretty slim.</p>
<p>sabaray,
"Of course they are good plain Miami, but this was a party! Maybe you have yours with chocolate? "
-Yes, I would, but I am too lazy to fix my food. Even for parties, I buy everything and oreder from restaurants. I love chocolate though. Yesterday I came up with new recipe, but it is getting mixed in my mouth. Byte on chocolate, get walnut in, and sip on some hard liqeir</p>
<p>^^^lol, that’s quite a recipe!</p>
<p>I actually enjoy preparing food (and even shopping for) good food. Got some fresh fluke flounder yesterday and served it on top of a salad with feta, freshly roasted red peppers and portabellas. Yum. Today, I’ll stop in Wegmans for scallops…h LOVES my “brown” scallops (made with a splashes of barrel aged balsamic). </p>
<p>Anyway, THE SUN IS OUT. Big news around here. I plan to get a nice long walk in. My lower back is acting up but I don’t care. Speaking of that, does anyone know of any specific exercises that are helpful for nagging back pain? I do yoga and avoid any poses that strain the back. But lately, nothing seems to help. I feel so OLD!</p>
<p>3.1 miles at 5.8 speed yesterday. I had my DS download a playlist I got off of google that is organized by Beats Per Minute. My list was 170 BPMs, the equivalent to a 10 minute mile or thereabouts. It definitely helped keep me going!
Down 10+ pounds so far. Need 15 more to be in prime fighting condition, lol!</p>
<p>toneranger,
Cooking could be very rewarding, I envy you. I love to watch Ace of Cake on TV food channel. These ppl are fascinating, they are artists and to create artistry that taste good and will be destroyed by consumption takes very special person (not me).
I am at my heaviest as usual for March and as usual BP is highest (125/75). Can’t wait until pool is open to start swimming. It takes less time than my winter routine, usually results in about 7 lbs loss, with lighest in September and BP about 95-105/65-70, which I like much better. Oh, well that is my life and everybody is different. At least I eat what I want and love my exercises and stay withing normal weight range for my height.
Melsmom, cograts, do not push yourself too hard, enjoy!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>What is this “SUN” of which you speak?</p>
<p>Ah, Mom O’WC, we here in central PA are now enjoying a beautiful sunny day. Thank heavens! We have had so much snow and rain these past few weeks, it is glorious to see the crocus pop up.</p>
<p>Miami - oh, how I envy those BP numbers.</p>
<p>BP is my challenge. My BP also varies by my weight and by my stress. When my weight creeps up (and by that I mean just to 125 @ 5’6") my blood pressure starts to hit the 145-149/80 range and when I am stressed, whew, it goes much higher. If I keep my weight to around 118 - 120, then it stays around the 118-125/70 range. </p>
<p>The problem is the stress factor. Mine really shoots up when I am under stress, and I can’t always control that. When I went in for my wisdom teeth, it was 183/100. Needless to say, they started asking me about what it was normally. When I went home that afternoon, it was back to 128/75. The last time I had a medical procedure, a similar thing happened, I was referred to family doc, who put me on a small dose of verapamil. Well, then it went way too low. </p>
<p>Has anyone heard of someone taking anxiety meds to prevent high bp? I don’t know, but sometimes I wonder if that might not be a better path for me. All I know is my mom has similar profile, she was overmedicated and multiple incidents of passing out before the specialist was convinced she was on too much medication.</p>
<p>PS - I do all the healthy eating, exercising stuff - low salt, no caffeine, etc., etc.</p>
<p>wip…i don’t have hbp but I have family members who do.</p>
<p>One uses one of those biofeedback/meditation machines and says it helps. Yoga is also worth a try. Penn does mindfulness workshops around here that are supposed to be amazingly effective for anxiety and/or depression. Anything that teaches you to calm your mind can help. I don’t have HBP but i DO suffer from stress (which leads to back pain and headaches for me). Yoga does help me… a lot.</p>
<p>worknprogress,
It looks like you do have problem with BP, I am much heavier than you, I envy your weight though. However, do not envy me too much, my biggest concern is Blood Sugar, not BP. It also goes up with weight. So, I wish I could be your weight, but I love my food including chocolate, and maybe that is why I am never ever stressed, I even do not know what it is. When it gets pushy, I kind of get adrenaline going and tend to do everything faster, but I love it, it is exciting time, it is always like a game. I believe that everybody needs it in their lives. Look, even animals run in front of cars for adrenaline rush, some amount of it is healthy. I do not take any meds, let alone anxiety pills.</p>
<p>[Listen</a> to Your Pain](<a href=“http://www.listentoyourpain.com/]Listen”>http://www.listentoyourpain.com/)
I have a book by Ben Benjamin that helps you figure out exactly where the pain is coming from- by the same title.</p>
<p>We all bend forward too much & not enough backwards.
Strengthening the core helps too & good shoes.
:)</p>
<p>^Yep, very true. I cannot bend forward for 2 reasons:weak lower back and vertigo. I do not clean house, no yard work, had to quit yoga and do a lot of abs exercises. All together, I have avoided both problems for couple years at least.</p>
<p>Here is the article I read this morning:</p>
<p>[Food</a> & wine | Everyday foods packed with hidden sugars | Seattle Times Newspaper](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2011354621_sugarhealth16.html]Food”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2011354621_sugarhealth16.html)</p>
<p>^none of that sugar surprised me except the Weight Watchers Lasagna and the sheer amount in bagels. </p>
<p>I’ve made ketchup, bread and know you have to put some sugar in. I don’t eat either in large quantities. </p>
<p>I eat very little processed canned or frozen food, except some of the curry sauces and canned tomatoes.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP - You say that you need to think up activities to keep yourself busy. You could still take care of the house. You can get on your knees to dust the lower items. Then stand up and reach the higher items. There are many things that you could do without leaning forward, if you would brainstorm. Perhaps not the floors. But my own mom (who is old) will put a damp rag on the floor every couple of days and push it around with her foot. Or a Swiffer Wet Mop will do the trick. You can clean most of the shower while you are in there taking your own shower. I have cleaner and a scrub brush in the shower and every day I try to do a different wall. Just an extra minute. If you can lean in to get the clothes out of the washer or dryer, then you should be able to lean down for a minute to scrub the toilet. Kitchen counters, sink, microwave should all be a snap with no leaning over at all. (I am a cleaning lady.)
And with all the money you save not having a cleaning lady - you could buy more chocolate. :)</p>
<p>Can I brag about my blood pressure?? If it’s 110/70, that’s high for me. It’s often 95/55. :D</p>
<p>^you sound like my friend who was never allowed to give blood because her pressure was too low. Mines gotten lower than it was in my teens, but not by much. </p>
<p>I am feeling virtuous, I went for my 2.5 mile walk today, but ran the first mile. (Well jogged really.)</p>
<p>You should be feeling virtuous. Or, at least sore in the shins and calves! The thought of jogging makes my legs hurt.</p>
<p>I got my timing all messed up this week. Gorgeous outside, perfect day for a walk, and I know that I need a recovery day after two days and before two more days.</p>