From Kimberly Ann:
"Do you know of a way to cook chicken breast in a way that they come out more tender? I've been doing them on a small George Foreman grill and just seasoned for about 3 1/2 minutes which helped with the shorter cooking time. When I did them for 4 min. they were just too done. I was looking for maybe a healthy but low fat marinade. I even thought of squeezing lime juice on them and letting them sit. Do you have any suggestions?"
Good question, Kimberly, because I also have found that a Foreman style grill can make chicken breast fillets dry and/or tough on the outside. Four suggestions from me that I have used.
1. Cut back on the heat and let the chicken cook slower.
2. When you marinate, use olive oil also. Are you using any salt in the marinade? If so, eliminate it. Salt before cooking pull moisture out of the meat. The olive oil helps to keep the chicken moist and the outer layer of the breast meat tender. I like to use olive oil and Tony Tchasheirs Cajun Seasoning, or lemon pepper, or season all. I realize some of this goes against the "no salt" advice, but olive oil and just about any grilling seasoning is great.
3. Start with the breast fully thawed. I usually buy the bags of chicken breasts from Wal-Mart and will cook up a whole bag at one time. I use the extra meat during the following days for all kinds of dishes. When I have tried to cut corners and start cooking while the meat is not fully thawed or still really chilly, I get the dry meat result. When I'm cooking chicken breast (which can be once or twice a week - remember I cook them all at once) I let the meat get up to near room temperature before I cook it. It goes without saying that you don't let that process go on a second longer than necessary.
4. Another way I've cooked the chicken breast is to fry it. Don't gasp. Here's how. Cut the chicken breast up into the size of portions found in Chinese cuisine. Put olive oil in the frying pan (don't use much; it doesn't need it and nobody's that wealthy). And again, cook at a lower temp. Always comes out tender and juicy, but th color is a little pale, so it needs a nice sauce to dress it up if not casseroled.
4. Finally, the best way I've stumbled on to cook the chicken healthfully and without drying it out is to chunk the Foreman and invest in a Nuwave Oven. Frankly, I hardly ever get the Foreman style grill out any more. I still marinate using olive oil as a base, but then it goes into the Nuwave oven and comes out perfect. If you don't have one, you might find a friend who does and borrow it before you invest. Luckily, mine was given to Judy and me as a gift. At first I thought, "What am I going to do with this monster?!" But now I wouldn't part with it.
Hope that helps Kimberly. I understand the problem and have had to deal with it. Keep the nutrition clean. Remember: you can't out exercise a bad diet.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Turning Up the Effort
I've blogged before about how to use a treadmill to get real results instead of just wasting time. If you're not dripping with sweat when you finish with your minimum twenty minutes on the treadmill, you need to seriously reconsider what you're doing and why.
Use the machine to push you. I do my HIITs on the treadmill shooting for 400 calories burned and 3 miles run, in less than 32 mins (working toward less than 30 mins). I worn out from running, but I can still keep going at a slower rate. But I have to make that slower rate effective. Remember: no sweat, no results.
I set the treadmill for cardio. I put speed at 3.2 to 3.5 and heart rate at 140 to 145. The variance is just to compensate for how burnt I feel from the previous run. I usually shoot burn another 200 calories. (Disclaimer: I know the "calories burned" on these machines is about as bogus and overrated as a Yugo customization store, but the numbers provide goals and consistency between workouts). I run the incline down to zero and let the machine gradually increase the incline to get my heart rate up. Once I reach the target heart rate, I'll let it stay there for a couple of minutes, then run the incline back down to zero and repeat the process. I do this until I've burned the additional 200 calories.
This process keeps me from falling into a steady state cardio, and moves me from low intensity to high intensity, keeping the body adjusting and burning additional calories. The age old problem is that if effort is static and unchanging, the body finds the most efficient way possible to meet the metabolic demands placed on it, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise. Constantly changing the effort level and metabolic demand keeps the body from ever settling into that efficient state and ends up with more calories burned.
Try it. Put in the run, but at the end of the run you've got some more to give, do this intense walk on the treadmill to get rid of a few more calories.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Salt Anyone?
During the past year I've noticed the effect that salt has on me. Because I was using salt, and lots of it, I couldn't really tell what it was doing to me. It's sort of like trying to determine if a fish feels wet. I was using a sauna regularly at the time, so that helped with some of the salt in my body. Also, I couldn't tell that salt was causing me to retain a lot of fluid and bloat, because I was bloated!
With some of the developing changes in my nutrition I just naturally reduced my salt usage. Then when I did use salt I could really tell what it was doing to me. My feet, which had finally begun to show some veins and tendons instead of just being balloons on the end of my legs, would quickly lose that definition.
The bottom line is that there is plenty of salt in the foods we eat to sustain health. Part of our nutrition plans needs to be cutting out the use of the salt shaker in our food prep.
With some of the developing changes in my nutrition I just naturally reduced my salt usage. Then when I did use salt I could really tell what it was doing to me. My feet, which had finally begun to show some veins and tendons instead of just being balloons on the end of my legs, would quickly lose that definition.
The bottom line is that there is plenty of salt in the foods we eat to sustain health. Part of our nutrition plans needs to be cutting out the use of the salt shaker in our food prep.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Don't Waste Your Time On The Treadmill!
I enjoy the treadmill. Its not that I don't enjoy running outside, but I find I get a good workout off of a machine as well. The key is to make the machine work for you, not just get on it.
I've heard people talk about getting on a treadmill for a workout. When I ask them about the details I sometimes find out the person just walked or jogged lightly and didn't even work up a decent heart rate. Basically, they wasted their time.
Others will champion the advantages of using different machines: air bikes or elliptical machines. But the same mistake can be made on those machines: if you expect to be any different just because you got on an exercise machine for a half hour, but you don't push yourself, you wasted your time.
Generally speaking, it is not the machine, but the intensity and effort you bring to it that will make the difference. If you are not challenging your body to do something harder, you are not changing your body to be harder.
My choice is the treadmill. I enjoy the run and I enjoy using the machine to push me forward. Other machines may be preferable to you. It doesn't matter which one you like to use and switching up from time to time is a definite advantage. But given a choice, I'm climbing on the treadmill.
Here's what I do. I start out with a 5-minute walk. On the treadmill that I use (Life Fitness), for me that starts at a speed setting of 2.8 and I gradually work it up to 4.2 or 4.3. After five minutes I go to 5.2, a slow jog. After 30 seconds I speed up to 6.2 or higher. Then every 30 seconds I speed up by an increment of .2. When I reach exhaustion (somewhere between 8.0 and 9.0 depending on the day) I drop down to 5.3. Then I begin speeding up every 30 seconds by an increment of .3 until I reach exhaustion. When I need to slow down to rest, I drop the speed down to 5.4. I incrementally increase the speed every 30 seconds by .4 until exhaustion. Then I drop down to 5.5. Incremental increases at 30 second intervals are .5. At exhaustion I drop to 5.6 and repeat the same kind of cycle. When exhausted and I finish that round, I start the process in reverse: 5.5, 5.4, 5.3, and 5.2. With that final round done, I walk for 5 minutes again to cool down.
The entire exercise takes a little over 30 minutes, usually about 35. If I don't have that much time I can adjust to make it shorter. If I feel a bit of overachiever in me, I can make it go longer.
The advantage is that I get an effective workout, instead of just putting in time on the treadmill. Another is that this is effectively an interval exercise, or HIIT (shown to reduce belly fat). With every round I am challenging my body to either work harder or longer or both. I can evaluate each session I'm on the treadmill by recording the length of time that I run and the point at which I reach 1 km, 2 km, and 3 km.
Similar approaches can be used on the exercise bike, the elliptical machine and even a stair master. If you are not sweating and needing to get your heart rate down at the end of the exercise, you need to reevaluate what you're doing. It's not the machine. It's how hard you're willing to work while you're on the machine that makes the difference.
Check out other great health and exercise resources at my Coach site. With the use of BeachBody products I have lost over 100 lbs and I'm keeping them off. At 55, I'm in the best shape of my life. I look forward to helping you reach your health and weight goals.
I've heard people talk about getting on a treadmill for a workout. When I ask them about the details I sometimes find out the person just walked or jogged lightly and didn't even work up a decent heart rate. Basically, they wasted their time.
Others will champion the advantages of using different machines: air bikes or elliptical machines. But the same mistake can be made on those machines: if you expect to be any different just because you got on an exercise machine for a half hour, but you don't push yourself, you wasted your time.
Generally speaking, it is not the machine, but the intensity and effort you bring to it that will make the difference. If you are not challenging your body to do something harder, you are not changing your body to be harder.
My choice is the treadmill. I enjoy the run and I enjoy using the machine to push me forward. Other machines may be preferable to you. It doesn't matter which one you like to use and switching up from time to time is a definite advantage. But given a choice, I'm climbing on the treadmill.
Here's what I do. I start out with a 5-minute walk. On the treadmill that I use (Life Fitness), for me that starts at a speed setting of 2.8 and I gradually work it up to 4.2 or 4.3. After five minutes I go to 5.2, a slow jog. After 30 seconds I speed up to 6.2 or higher. Then every 30 seconds I speed up by an increment of .2. When I reach exhaustion (somewhere between 8.0 and 9.0 depending on the day) I drop down to 5.3. Then I begin speeding up every 30 seconds by an increment of .3 until I reach exhaustion. When I need to slow down to rest, I drop the speed down to 5.4. I incrementally increase the speed every 30 seconds by .4 until exhaustion. Then I drop down to 5.5. Incremental increases at 30 second intervals are .5. At exhaustion I drop to 5.6 and repeat the same kind of cycle. When exhausted and I finish that round, I start the process in reverse: 5.5, 5.4, 5.3, and 5.2. With that final round done, I walk for 5 minutes again to cool down.
The entire exercise takes a little over 30 minutes, usually about 35. If I don't have that much time I can adjust to make it shorter. If I feel a bit of overachiever in me, I can make it go longer.
Similar approaches can be used on the exercise bike, the elliptical machine and even a stair master. If you are not sweating and needing to get your heart rate down at the end of the exercise, you need to reevaluate what you're doing. It's not the machine. It's how hard you're willing to work while you're on the machine that makes the difference.
Check out other great health and exercise resources at my Coach site. With the use of BeachBody products I have lost over 100 lbs and I'm keeping them off. At 55, I'm in the best shape of my life. I look forward to helping you reach your health and weight goals.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Run for Your Life!
That means more time outside and some morning exercises that I haven't been doing. Its time to start readying myself for am runs outside. I've not run since the late fall when I changed my work schedule and chose not to go to the fitness center in the afternoons after school. So, I'm in the same boat with a lot of other people who need to get back into running.
First, measure a course. Get in your car and drive the course you plan to run or find some other means of measuring. Remember, three miles is approximately five kilometers. If you can do that much, go for it. If it needs to be less, set it, but make sure you're doing that much on a regular basis.
Then begin getting out on your course and walking or running. Expect to be sore at some point. Muscles are going work harder than they have. Start off slow. Either a very slow jog or even walking could be best. Do that for one to two weeks daily. Then it is time to pick up the pace. This is a "make myself do it" decision. Heart rate needs to be well elevated and breathing should be hard enough to make more than monosyllabic conversation difficult. Keep this up for a week if it doesn't make you sore, or until the soreness passes. Be careful here: even though you are trying to push your performance, don't over do it. You should not be gasping for air with this level of intensity. Run hard enough to make conversation difficult.
Once you've acclimated to that stage (it may be as long as a month after starting) you're reading to start HIITs: high intensity interval training. The concept here is that for short periods of time you will push yourself to your limits. Then slow down, but don't stop. Just get down to a recovery level. For example, after warming up with a slow steady run for five minutes or so, start speeding up. Push yourself harder for a 30 seconds to a minute. After that, slow down to your original jog speed or even a little faster, and catch your breath. This should only be a minute or so. Once you've regained your rest level, push your speed up again. Do it faster this time. The repeat the process of dropping back to a resting level to get your breath back. When you stop the push, the high speed interval, you should be gasping for air. You should have reached your physical limit.
The advantage of this process is that is has been shown to improve cardio vascular response and to burn belly fat. The routine will improve slow and fast twitch muscle fibers (because you're utilizing both). And it will increase your overall speed.
Before you know it, you'll be back into shape and keeping up your runs. Run every other day, about three times per week. If you run more often, make sure you intersperse some very light duty runs into your regimine. Certainly take at least one day off from running to give your body some recovery time. And the older you are, the longer recovery can take. Be wise.
Well, that's how I plan to do it. I'll be getting up early in the morning and putting in a couple of miles running around my neighborhood. My June, I should be ready for some 5K runs. Let's get going and start running for our lives.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Coach!
This past weekend I signed up as a Beachbody coach. I have had and continue to have outstanding results using their projects. Losing over 100 lbs of body fat is one of the most amazing things that has happened to me. And the opportunity to let others know about those products and to experience the high of getting into the best shape of their lives.
If I can be of help to you, contact me and let me show you how to reach the health you have always wanted for yourself.
If I can be of help to you, contact me and let me show you how to reach the health you have always wanted for yourself.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Update 1/25/10
I'm half way through the first recovery week right now. On Friday,1/29, I begin the second week of P90X. I did core synergistics for the first time this weekend. It didn't come up in the rotation of routines until I was in the recovery week. I firmly believe this routine is of the devil. That's the first one of the routines where Tony has said, "this is bonus, you don't have to do it," that I took him up on it. But I'll master this one, too.
Judy and I allowed ourselves a cheat day yesterday as we enjoyed some company and watching the playoffs. Glad to see my old home town Saints lose the the Aints stigma. Who dat, baby. But I digress. The donuts and the chicken spaghetti weren't worth it. So I put a big note on my mirror with the white board marker: "The cheat is never worth it!" I would rather just eat clean and feel good. I actually felt nauseous that evening as I did my exercises.
I am still amazed at the strength gains that just keep coming. At this rate month two will be a rocker. I'm maintaining a steady dosage ibuprofen to manage the soreness in my right shoulder. I wonder if it is from the racquetball accident I had 22 years ago or something else? The ibuprofen works well enough to keep the pain down. It must be just some tendinitis that sets up.
P90X is an absolute blast. I look in the mirror everyday and say to myself, "you’re one of the few rocking the X!" I'm becoming so incredibly judgmental. I can't help but, when I see other guys my age, to get some satisfaction from the fact that the vast majority of them physically cannot do what I'm doing every day. The routines, challenging as they are, are actually fun. This is simply amazing. Like Diekler, "Why didn't I have this body in high school?" But its great seeing it come into being at 54.
Judy and I allowed ourselves a cheat day yesterday as we enjoyed some company and watching the playoffs. Glad to see my old home town Saints lose the the Aints stigma. Who dat, baby. But I digress. The donuts and the chicken spaghetti weren't worth it. So I put a big note on my mirror with the white board marker: "The cheat is never worth it!" I would rather just eat clean and feel good. I actually felt nauseous that evening as I did my exercises.
I am still amazed at the strength gains that just keep coming. At this rate month two will be a rocker. I'm maintaining a steady dosage ibuprofen to manage the soreness in my right shoulder. I wonder if it is from the racquetball accident I had 22 years ago or something else? The ibuprofen works well enough to keep the pain down. It must be just some tendinitis that sets up.
P90X is an absolute blast. I look in the mirror everyday and say to myself, "you’re one of the few rocking the X!" I'm becoming so incredibly judgmental. I can't help but, when I see other guys my age, to get some satisfaction from the fact that the vast majority of them physically cannot do what I'm doing every day. The routines, challenging as they are, are actually fun. This is simply amazing. Like Diekler, "Why didn't I have this body in high school?" But its great seeing it come into being at 54.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Pain, Glorious Pain
Just a few days ago I posted that I needed to up my effort some because I wasn't hurting enough. The rational behind that is that the pain is a result of lactic acid buildup. The production of HGH requires lactic acid buildup in the muscles. So, if I'm not sore, then I'm not getting the change I ought to get.
Well, I succeeded. I'm hurting. It's all good pain. It's not a pain from an injury, but from pushing the workout, the kind of pain that says, "You pushed your limits and you'll be better after this."
I'll not go looking for the pain. I'll look for the intensity, the push, the level of work that results in real progress. The side consequence is pain, but its pain that tells me I' m doing a good job.
Well, I succeeded. I'm hurting. It's all good pain. It's not a pain from an injury, but from pushing the workout, the kind of pain that says, "You pushed your limits and you'll be better after this."
I'll not go looking for the pain. I'll look for the intensity, the push, the level of work that results in real progress. The side consequence is pain, but its pain that tells me I' m doing a good job.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Nothing Confusing About Muscle Confusion
Good to see weight loss coming regularly now. That's about 14 lbs in 19 days. Hopefully this week will find me well below 190. The goal for the end of the week is 190. The goal for the end of the next week is 188. Looks like I have the chance to get a week ahead of the schedule.
I was supposed to do two routines yesterday to get caught up. Judy came in on Sunday so I skipped doing my routine on that day so I could spend the time with her. I got one routine in yesterday, but before I could do the second, she came in from work (got finished early). It was her only day in town and I spent my time with her instead of in the man cave doing more exercise. She's going to be gone for several days, so I have this week to put in an additional routine.
Yoga X today. Its long, its a challenge. I'll get it done. I'm seeing gains every day. Yesterday was arms and shoulders. Though I haven't done that for a week, I gained quite a bit of strength. In fact, I was just about at a point I had never reached doing Power 90. I am at the threshold of making more progress in a month, than I made in three months with Power 90. This could be that vaunted "muscle confusion" aspect that Horton goes on about. Though I haven't done shoulders and arms for a week, I have addressed some of those muscles in the other routines I've done, but in different ways. The net results is that I'm experiencing some gains in strength. I've also noticed more strength in my legs as I've gone up and down stairs. I'm excited about what the next weeks will bring as I continue with P90X.
This first round will lay an excellent foundation. I anticipate some astounding results on that second round. I will be "different", fit, by the time we get to July 4th, my new Independence Day - independent of fat and flab, psychologically free in new ways. Yoga X today. Its long, its a challenge. I'll get it done. I'm seeing gains every day. Yesterday was arms and shoulders. Though I haven't done that for a week, I gained quite a bit of strength. In fact, I was just about at a point I had never reached doing Power 90. I am at the threshold of making more progress in a month, than I made in three months with Power 90. Could be that vaunted "muscle confusion" Horton goes on about. Though I haven't done shoulders and arms for a week, I have addressed some of those muscles in the other routines I've done, but in different ways. The net results is that I'm experiencing unexpected gains in strength. I've also noticed more strength in my legs as I've gone up and down stairs. I'm excited about what the coming weeks will bring as I continue with P90X.
This first round will lay an excellent foundation. I anticipate some astounding results on that second round. I will be "different", fit, by the time we get to July 4th, my new Independence Day - independent of fat and flab, psychologically free in new ways.
I was supposed to do two routines yesterday to get caught up. Judy came in on Sunday so I skipped doing my routine on that day so I could spend the time with her. I got one routine in yesterday, but before I could do the second, she came in from work (got finished early). It was her only day in town and I spent my time with her instead of in the man cave doing more exercise. She's going to be gone for several days, so I have this week to put in an additional routine.
Yoga X today. Its long, its a challenge. I'll get it done. I'm seeing gains every day. Yesterday was arms and shoulders. Though I haven't done that for a week, I gained quite a bit of strength. In fact, I was just about at a point I had never reached doing Power 90. I am at the threshold of making more progress in a month, than I made in three months with Power 90. This could be that vaunted "muscle confusion" aspect that Horton goes on about. Though I haven't done shoulders and arms for a week, I have addressed some of those muscles in the other routines I've done, but in different ways. The net results is that I'm experiencing some gains in strength. I've also noticed more strength in my legs as I've gone up and down stairs. I'm excited about what the next weeks will bring as I continue with P90X.
This first round will lay an excellent foundation. I anticipate some astounding results on that second round. I will be "different", fit, by the time we get to July 4th, my new Independence Day - independent of fat and flab, psychologically free in new ways. Yoga X today. Its long, its a challenge. I'll get it done. I'm seeing gains every day. Yesterday was arms and shoulders. Though I haven't done that for a week, I gained quite a bit of strength. In fact, I was just about at a point I had never reached doing Power 90. I am at the threshold of making more progress in a month, than I made in three months with Power 90. Could be that vaunted "muscle confusion" Horton goes on about. Though I haven't done shoulders and arms for a week, I have addressed some of those muscles in the other routines I've done, but in different ways. The net results is that I'm experiencing unexpected gains in strength. I've also noticed more strength in my legs as I've gone up and down stairs. I'm excited about what the coming weeks will bring as I continue with P90X.
This first round will lay an excellent foundation. I anticipate some astounding results on that second round. I will be "different", fit, by the time we get to July 4th, my new Independence Day - independent of fat and flab, psychologically free in new ways.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Eyes on the Prize
Having health related goals is important to the process of losing weight and becoming fit. And many people will gladly set goals. One of the challenges to successfully reaching our goals is keeping the goals in front of us. Many of the goal gurus suggest reading the goals on a daily basis or even more often than that. Here's an idea I use to keep my goals, deadlines, and progress in front of me. I use my bathroom mirror as a personal white board.
I use white board markers to write on my mirror. I write down my goals, my deadlines, and my current progress. I also do this to remind myself of things that are coming up that need to be taken care of in the next day or so. My mirror is like a page from my personal Daytimer or Day Runner.
Dry erase marker marks can just be easily wiped away with a tissue. Colors are available so that emphasis can be made where necessary. And every morning you look at yourself in the mirror, there are the goals and a visual reminder of who is responsible for reaching your goals - the man (or woman) in the mirror.
I use white board markers to write on my mirror. I write down my goals, my deadlines, and my current progress. I also do this to remind myself of things that are coming up that need to be taken care of in the next day or so. My mirror is like a page from my personal Daytimer or Day Runner.
Dry erase marker marks can just be easily wiped away with a tissue. Colors are available so that emphasis can be made where necessary. And every morning you look at yourself in the mirror, there are the goals and a visual reminder of who is responsible for reaching your goals - the man (or woman) in the mirror.
Ta Da!
A sudden drop in weight came on Saturday. That morning I weighed in at 195. Then I started urinating. A lot. Usually that's the sign that a quick significant weight drop is happening. I had actually already lost the weight. I was just retaining the fluid. If I know I have curtailed the calories (and I had) then the weight has to be burning off. But even if the adipose is burned, fluid may be retained, keeping body weight up.
One thing that seems to trigger the elimination of this retained water is drinking tea. I brew tea at home that I drink cold and often in the place of water. I drink the tea without any sweeting--sugar or artificial. I started drinking fresh brewed tea that way while I was in high school. An acquired taste to be sure, but now I actually find it far more refreshing than to drink sweetened tea. Ironically, my preference for unsweetened tea puts me quite out of step with South Carolina's bias for sweet, really, really sweet tea.
We use a Mr. Coffee tea maker. I use three regular tea bags and one green tea bag to brew the tea. It makes for a mild tasting brew, but I'm not so sure there's much health benefit from the one green tea bag. However, adding the small amount of green tea doesn't hurt.
And one slightly related rabbit to chase: refrigerate the tea and scrub out the pitcher between brews. If you don't know what "soured tea" means, learn. I have been to many restaurants, ordered tea and found it soured - literally a bacteria culture gone viral. In fact there is one very success deli in town where I won't even get the tea because its always soured. When I ask the wait staff for fresh tea because the tea I'm drinking has soured, I have often been met with the blank stares of obvious ignorance. I think the reason so many people aren't aware that tea can sour is that they mask the taste of soured tea by adding more and more sugar.
One thing that seems to trigger the elimination of this retained water is drinking tea. I brew tea at home that I drink cold and often in the place of water. I drink the tea without any sweeting--sugar or artificial. I started drinking fresh brewed tea that way while I was in high school. An acquired taste to be sure, but now I actually find it far more refreshing than to drink sweetened tea. Ironically, my preference for unsweetened tea puts me quite out of step with South Carolina's bias for sweet, really, really sweet tea.
We use a Mr. Coffee tea maker. I use three regular tea bags and one green tea bag to brew the tea. It makes for a mild tasting brew, but I'm not so sure there's much health benefit from the one green tea bag. However, adding the small amount of green tea doesn't hurt.
And one slightly related rabbit to chase: refrigerate the tea and scrub out the pitcher between brews. If you don't know what "soured tea" means, learn. I have been to many restaurants, ordered tea and found it soured - literally a bacteria culture gone viral. In fact there is one very success deli in town where I won't even get the tea because its always soured. When I ask the wait staff for fresh tea because the tea I'm drinking has soured, I have often been met with the blank stares of obvious ignorance. I think the reason so many people aren't aware that tea can sour is that they mask the taste of soured tea by adding more and more sugar.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Movin' On
I'm into my third week of P90X. I haven't missed a day of working out and that's no small feat. When I was doing Power 90 I had to make a 30 or 45 minute commitment. I had trouble keeping those days. For P90X I'm making a commitment to spend at least an hour every day. Actually, its taking much longer than that. I'm doing well on the routines, but I have to push that pause button quite often, something I almost never did with Power 90. The result is that P90X is taking twice as much as twice as long depending on the routine.
My strength is improving as well as stamina. There are some things (like pull ups) that I'm having to modify, but still the progress comes.
I'm regretting that I didn't keep up my routines for Power 90 from Thanksgiving to New Year. I can tell that I lost some ground with my strength. It especially shows up in my push ups and the ab routines.
All good right now. My right should keeps threatening to act up, but I'm keeping on the ibuprofen to suppress the inflammation and it works.
Xness, here I come.
My strength is improving as well as stamina. There are some things (like pull ups) that I'm having to modify, but still the progress comes.
I'm regretting that I didn't keep up my routines for Power 90 from Thanksgiving to New Year. I can tell that I lost some ground with my strength. It especially shows up in my push ups and the ab routines.
All good right now. My right should keeps threatening to act up, but I'm keeping on the ibuprofen to suppress the inflammation and it works.
Xness, here I come.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Starting P90X
Good start today. West was 204. Imagine what it would have been if I hadn't been working on getting it under control before the holidays. I have some soreness in my right shoulder. I've tried thinking about when that would have happened, when I would have injured it. However, it there hasn't been anything. It started maybe around a couple of weeks before the Christmas break. At that point I had basically stopped doing any exercises. It may be that the soreness is due to lack of exercise, caused by my tendons tightening up. I'm taking the chondroitin and ibuprofen to help out. Its already better than it was a week ago.
The weight I picked up during the past three weeks is unreal. Staying with my parents a few days was particularly problematic. On the good side, I didn't eat until I was stuffed at every meal. But there was all this extra "stuff" lying around to be eaten. Mother makes some of the most incredible sweets imaginable. Everything is picture perfect and delicious. She can make these things and they don't bother her. She doesn't "want" them. Neither does Daddy. I want them constantly. I could eat her chocolate covered cookies one after another and not feel like I had eaten anything.
That "bottomless pit" syndrome is a problem that has to be addressed. And it seems that it is particularly pernicious in relation to sweets. I've already identified flour products as having an exaggerated effect on my tendency to put on fat. Sweets -- foods laden with sugar, fats and all sorts of health ruining extras -- seem to have the effect of negating any feeling of satiety. That makes recreational sweets a double danger.
Fortunately, I've started the push forward with P90X today. I will do two back to back rounds ending close July 11th, my youngest sons wedding. The first round will get me ready to really tear it up during the second round.
Well, here it goes. Two rounds. Clean nutrition. Focus on the goal: fat gone. 'Nuf said.
The weight I picked up during the past three weeks is unreal. Staying with my parents a few days was particularly problematic. On the good side, I didn't eat until I was stuffed at every meal. But there was all this extra "stuff" lying around to be eaten. Mother makes some of the most incredible sweets imaginable. Everything is picture perfect and delicious. She can make these things and they don't bother her. She doesn't "want" them. Neither does Daddy. I want them constantly. I could eat her chocolate covered cookies one after another and not feel like I had eaten anything.
That "bottomless pit" syndrome is a problem that has to be addressed. And it seems that it is particularly pernicious in relation to sweets. I've already identified flour products as having an exaggerated effect on my tendency to put on fat. Sweets -- foods laden with sugar, fats and all sorts of health ruining extras -- seem to have the effect of negating any feeling of satiety. That makes recreational sweets a double danger.
Fortunately, I've started the push forward with P90X today. I will do two back to back rounds ending close July 11th, my youngest sons wedding. The first round will get me ready to really tear it up during the second round.
Well, here it goes. Two rounds. Clean nutrition. Focus on the goal: fat gone. 'Nuf said.
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