Results of Healthy Eating and Exercise

posted October 2007

Participated in Free Wellness Screening at our gym. Free is a senior's favorite word. The results were encouraging:

Age: 58
BMI 23.5
Waist/Hip Ratio: .86 (Under .95 best for men)
Waist: 31"
Weight: 178
Height: 6' 2 3/4"
Sitting heart rate: 56
Blood Pressure: 100/58
Triglycerides: <45 (so low the machine couldn't read)
Total Cholesterol: 171
HDL: 84
LDL: no reading (too low again)
TC/HDL ratio: 2.0 (below 4 is desirable for men)
Glucose: 88

Lowest blood sugar ever. This was 133 before I started my fitness and healthy eating.

Sinus Update

posted October 2007

Around September 4th I developed a sore throat followed by severe sinus drainage...clear liquid almost like water. In the following days the throat cleared up with some chloreseptic help, but the nose drainage persisted. On one afternoon at Jamestown Virginia I used one box of Kleenex. Also, my handkerchief was totally soaked, but NO yellow or green ONLY water like! NON-Stop drip. Need to say had trouble sleeping. Hotel in Williamsburg was old and musty...lost sense of smell....basement meetings were in a cold room. We moved after one night in motel to a Hampton Inn. Felt so rotten that I missed the farewell dinner...sneezing and runny nose. Took only lozenge for throat.

Eventually, the drippy nose turned into a full blown sinus infection including the usual swelling and thick sticky discharge. Sense of smell was gone in a few days and taste has diminished.

A couple of nights I woke at 2-3 in the morning and felt like I was suffocating. So I used a temporary relief nasal spray PLUS resumed Flonase. The spray gave IMMEDIATE relief but shouldn't be used past 2 weeks. I thought if I could get sleep plus open the sinuses and use the saline rinse (sinucleanse) that EVENTUALLY the problem would subside. The 12 hour relief (one spray in each nostril) lasted for about 15 hours. Stepped up the sinucleanse rinse to 3 or 4 times a day.

The culprit may be the Candida fungus triggered by the amount of sugar I had been eating. Couple that with an old hotel and problems happen. I was also eating 2-3 odwella bars per day PLUS a couple of cups of sweet cherries on top of my other fruit (shake and breakfast). BBQ was creeping back into my diet. Also, this is ragweed season (nearing an end now).

Notices some other symptoms, clear bubble sore on my lower lip, and muscle soreness.

In any case, I'm back on the NO sugar diet...UGH which means minimal fruit...not after 1 pm. About 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries and 3/4 cup of frozen strawberries for lunch (shake) is it. I'm going to cut out sweetened soy milk...going to plain start tomorrow. Trying some non-gluten grains/chips and almond/cashew butter.

It's been 2 days without meds and without most sugar...also using 2 drops of grapefruit seed extract in my 8 oz of saline rinse (8 oz. per side now!). The results are no smell, no taste, but reduced congestions (ie can breath with mouth shut). Can smell only during hard exercise.

Continuing my fitness routine. Burning between 4000-5000 calories per week.

October 18th: Been on this diet for a week with some success, but still no sense of smell and little taste. The diet sucks...but not breathing sucks more! Cut out meds except the saline rinse 1-3x's a day. Rattles in the nose, and light yellow mucus, light green in the AM. Resting better some nights.

November 29, 2007 update: Feeling great...can smell and taste since 10-31. Sinu-cleanse in the morning produces a small amount of mucosa. Last several days have been 8 on a scale of 10. Sleeping with mouth open, but during the day breathing through nose.

Sleeping great with average data A around 23 minutes. Only one day in last 23 below 20 minutes.

sinus update fall 2007

posted over 2 years ago

Incredibly busy with new dog and travel. Cut back workouts to 1-2 lifts per week, 1-2 core sessions, 1-2 spinning, 1-2 running, plus the usual 3-4 rounds of golf per week.

Caught some nasty virus OR had a reaction to sour cream added to peanut soup. In any case lots of drainage, worse since starting new diet last February. Unable to smell MOST odors, but NOT totally blocked. Had a sore throat followed by runny nose (1 box of Kleenex in ONE afternoon.)

One more week of serious golf then back to off season routine.

Just a great time

posted August 2007

The most legal fun I've EVER had...pulling 2 g's in a ZO6 Corvette. HOLD ON BABY!

Quadraus Laborem

posted summer 2007

Back was tight this morning, pain on top of right illiac crest...with tenderness in QL. The same "injury" as last year prior to Ireland. I ran for 50 minutes and all was ok..i.e. no pain. Now tonight the sucker is just "ouchy" I suspect will have trouble sleeping.

Saturday played golf early, lunch, then off to the gym for lifting routine...15 reps lower weight. NO PAIN just very tired by the end and NO COLD TANK (out of order)!

Off day tomorrow with massage...hope it helps!

Summer Maintenance Routine

posted Summer 2007

Been pleased with the lack of injuries and maintaining of fitness and strength this summer. Bodyweight is 180, BF is 12.8% as of last night.

Here' my Summer routine:

Tuesday: 35 minute running interval (3-4 intervals 1 minute max effort, 1 minute HR around 159, 1 minute max, 1 minute 159, 1 minute max) with dog. Then 3 minute recovery to 65% of max HR. Also includes 5 minutes "foaming" legs, 5 minute warm up (light jog) and 5 warm down (HR around 130).

Drive to gym to do full active warm-up all exercises (10 min) followed by elasticity (6 min) then hip, core, shoulder prehab routine (15 mins), and finally Plyoball routine (lateral shoulder roll, russian twists, crunches with 45 weight, leg tuck, one leg one arm alternating off then on ball, reverse crunch, leg lifts reverse, hip raises, side extensions with ball). Then hot cold plunge for 5 sets 1 minute in each.

Afternoon golf 18 or 27 holes...walking.

Total calories burned over 1500.

Wednesday: Spinning class or running for 40 minutes as a "brisk" pace around 85% of max. HR. Do warmups and elasticity drills then lift weights: Supersets pushups on plyoball (vary each time between plyoball, medicine ball, slow, raised leg on top of other) then immediately One leg dead lifts, 2nd Superset: Pullups and lunges.

Total calories burned: Over 800

Thursday: Recover day 45-50 easy (65% of max) jog with dog then off to gym for Yamuna, stretching, and hot/cold plunces. Calories burned around 600.

Friday: Interval work in Spin Class followed by Tuesday rountine....exactly the same. Golf in the afternoon every other Friday. Total calories burned about 1500

Saturday: Foam roll to warm up then Golf early. Weights in the afternoon: Superset 1 push up variations then rowing. Superset 2 One leg row then hanging leg raises.

Vary each session with 2 sets 15 reps, 3 sets 10 reps, 4 sets 5 reps...increasing the weight.

Throughout the summer I'm not increasing the weight! The goal is maintain the muscle and fitness from the spring NOT to grow!

Total calories burned around 1200

Sunday: Recovery without the gym. foam roll, 45-50 minute light jog, stretch at home, then off to golf.

1000 calories burned.

Monday: REST. light yard work, massage every other Monday.

Added 10-11-07: Every 4-5 weeks add in a couple of extra rest days.

Still going strong

posted Summer 2007

Feeling really great for the most part.

Taught two spinning classes this week as a sub. Both programs with anaerobic threshold training. First class found the teacher cramping up (right calf), which was major embarassing! I was slightly dehydrated from a busy Tuesday.

Monday: Massage after 50 minute walk.
Tuesday: Ran 3 miles brisk pace, off to gym for pre-hab routine, back home for a protein shake and 18 holes of golf walking followed by a 9 hole scramble. Long day with lots of sun and 850 calories burned without golf.
Wednesday: Taught spinning 40 minutes of interval training...cramped at the end. Recovered and lifted for 40 minutes for a total of 875 calories
Thursday: Recovery day with 4 mile SLOW jog with dog. 620 calories burned...no time for gym off to dentist for 2 hour ordeal that made 4 mile run easy!
Friday: Taught spinning same anaerobic threshold training with no cramps this time! Then did the prehab and physioball routine. Total of 953 calories burned. Cold plunge, hot tub then home for a quick shake then 18 holes of golf.

Last week in Texas ran hills of Austin and one day at Lifetime Fitness 183 & 620...great facility. Only one day of lifting, lots of walking and no Anaerobic training. REST IS GOOD!