Saturday, April 28, 2012

Less Than 6 Weeks - What I have learned about diet!

Wow only about 41 days left before I undertake the most physical challenge of my life. So many unknowns in how my body will respond especially my bad knee. Will Mother Nature be kind and gentle with just right temps, low winds, and no rain - or will it rear up it's ugly head and throw monsoons my way. I anticipate a little of both- (fingers crossed). So keeping in mind the theme of my next 4 postings, before hitting the roads on our beautiful State of Wisconsin I thought I would post a recent article on those who might want to consider understanding diet issues and concerns. I pulled a easy to understand article from the net as well as a snapshot from my trainer Wendy at Jungle Gym who has been kind enough to offer her own words of wisdom. 

Please feel free to share any feedback you have after reading this post, and keep in mind these are only suggestions. Every person is unique and has their own rhythm like your body's fingerprint. I look forward to writing more personal 1 to 1 stories the next 4 weeks and apologize in advance for any implied plagiarism from these last few postings.  OldGuy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Owner of Jungle Gym Fitness www.junglegymfitnessllc.com


Wendy Tate
I have been in the fitness industry for about 13 years now.  I don't consider myself to know everything in the fitness world, but I do constantly educate myself on what works and what doesn't...For me, I actually attend many hands on seminars to learn proper technique to get a feel for all the movements I teach and don't just get my information from reading certification books or watching exercises on Youtube.  I also train myself for Kettlebell Sport competitions; recently, I was able to train under World Champion Valery Federenko.  Currently, I am learning Eischens Yoga under the tutelage of Kari Tomashik.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Nutrition Research notes - Wendy Tate "All calories not created equal"
1 gram of fat = 9.44 Cals (calories)
1 gram of Starch = 4.18 Cals
1 gram of Sucrose = 3.94 Cals
1 gram of Glucose = 3.94 Cals
1 gram of Protein = 5.65 Cals
1 gram of Alcohol = 7.09 Cals ( this is a big one)

"Understanding those food labels" (FDA allowance)
-Frozen Foods can contain 8% more calories than packaging lists !
- Some Restaurants meals can have 18% more calories then they indicate on the menu !
-Some Food labels can have error margins of +/- 25% of listed calories

Thermogenesis (is the process of heat production in body)
Proteins tend to have the highest response, as it takes more energy to process them.
 *note- Factoid from Oldguy  - in more simple words- Your body burns protein effectively! Also from chatting with Ms Tate your body can only burn 100 grams of carbs at the most in a day, the rest is stored- WATCH THOSE CARBS! After learning this I have tried to up my protein to at least 90 grams while attempting to reduce my carbs to 100 or less- Tip READ THE LABELS and write it down

Exercise Activity

for sedentary folks, this component metabolism can make up 10 -15% (or less) of their daily energy demand (that means calories used against FDA recommended daily calorie intake if 2000 diet you burn 200-300 cals from activity beyond basic body needs)

For active Folks it can  be 30% or more (600 or more Cal's from activity beyond basic body needs) 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI -  a 20 minute walk daily really helps!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OGW NOTE- 3500 calories = 1 pound of weight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 underrated weight-loss strategies
Tuesday, April 10, 2012 4:25 PM EDT
CHARLES PLATKIN, Ph.D., M.P.H., is a nutrition and public health advocate and founder of DietDetective.com

1. Learning to Say No

Why: Resistance skills are critical. Learning how to say no effectively is one of the most important skills you can use as you work to improve your eating and exercise habits. Say no to the food pushers, the diet saboteurs, the fast-food commercials and all those who try to derail your diet. The fact is, people won't always be as supportive as you'd like them to be.

What you need to know: Have your answer ready for those diet saboteurs. Mentally rehearse a few key phrases like, "Oh, no thanks. I couldn't eat another thing." Or try the truth: "I'm trying to eat healthfully, and that piece of cake will throw me completely off track."

Try writing down three typical scenarios you've experienced when you were around family, friends or co-workers and were made to feel uncomfortable saying no to food.

The key is to prepare responses to these types of situations so you're ready next time. That way, you'll be armed with an automatic response - a response that rolls off your tongue because you've thought of it ahead of time and it makes sense! If you are prepared, there's a better chance that you will be able to control the outcome.

2. Read the Label and Develop a Calorie Instinct

Why: I know that the "c" word is soooo passe. However, calories are a real measure of your food intake. Yes, a calorie is simply a combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat. And yes, there are the "right" proteins (i.e., lean), the "right" carbs (whole grains and veggies) and the "right" fats (e.g., unsaturated, omega-3s). But, the number of calories gives you an instant clue as to whether or not you have the budget to eat what you're about to eat. Calories also help to keep you accountable.

What you need to know: You get a daily calorie budget. Fats are the most "expensive" at nine calories per gram. Carbs and proteins are four calories per gram. As a quickie guide to determining your calorie budget, figure 10 calories per pound for women and 11 calories per pound for men. Then multiply that number by your activity level (sedentary = 1.2, lightly active = 1.35, moderately active = 1.5, very active = 1.65, extremely active = 2.0). Reduce your calorie budget to lose weight. Know the cost of a calorie and shop wisely, because every 40 calories you take in over your calorie budget will require 10 minutes of walking to burn off.

3. Go Low-Carb and Eat a Ton of Vegetables

Why: While diet book authors and nutrition experts can't agree on much, what they can agree on is that eating vegetables is a great diet and health strategy. They are nature's ultimate gift ­incredibly low in calories and high in nutrients. What more can you ask for?

What you need to know: Just take a look at the following comparison: 100 grams, or 3.57 ounces, of broccoli is only 34 calories, while a 100-gram, or 3.57-ounce, brownie is 405 calories. So, from a calorie perspective, you can eat loads of broccoli and not get fat. That's the concept of eating in volume; you can eat 10 times more non-starchy vegetables than junk food. Not only that, but you also get all those fabulous antioxidants and other nutrients.

4. Find Friends who Support your Behavior

Why: A study by researchers at Brown University found that friends who followed a weight-loss program together lost more weight and were more likely to complete their diet program and maintain their weight loss than those who were doing it on their own.

What you need to know: It wouldn't hurt to make a few new friends who are health and fitness conscious. Mind you, I'm not saying replace your old friends ­ just find a few who don't carry that extra doughnut in their briefcase or purse. A critical factor in your potential for successful weight loss is the company you keep ­ that is, other people within your social environment. You need to examine whether your spouse, family, partner, friends and colleagues eat poorly and/or are sedentary.

5. Build Confidence

Why: Feeling confident that you can change a behavior is one of the single biggest predictors of being able to change. It's called "self-efficacy" -- the belief in your ability to "organize and execute" whatever behavior you would like to modify. It's the confidence that we can attain what we want -- and it's especially important if you want to control your weight.

What you need to know: The reality is that any behavior change is hard - and thinking you can't do it even before you start makes it that much harder. So, avoid thoughts like "I can't lose weight -- it's in my genes," "I'll never be able to exercise three times a week," "I can't eat at a restaurant without pigging out on the bread basket." To build confidence you need to use affirmations. Telling yourself that you can do something is half the battle.

Try to build confidence by educating yourself. For instance, if you want to start eating healthy at home, try taking a few healthy cooking classes. You can even rent or buy healthy cooking DVDs.

Another way to build confidence is to examine other instances when you have been successful at overcoming adversity. The more you've been successful in the past, the more you gain experience of yourself as a winner. Think of a past situation in your life in which you triumphed over difficulties or challenges to achieve something great or something that at one point seemed impossible to you. Then give yourself some credit ­ and draw the connection: "If I could overcome that, I can certainly lose weight or start an exercise program."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 News: T shirts arrived on Tuesday and I am already running low, ran out of mediums and only have a few large left yet. Mostly have X-large and some 2x ones- thou still available in all colors. If you are interested in making a gift of $15 or more and want a shirt let me know soon! These are flying off the shelves.

Well another post in the Books- see you all next week!
OldGuy

Friday, April 20, 2012

Crunch Time 6 weeks to OGW- Interesting read on "OVERTRAINING"

Hello everyone,

This posting is an article I should have read a few months ago. Recently I think I have been dealing with some overtaining issues. My routine went from about 4 hours of workout time in Feb to 8-10 hours of exercise per week at the start of March. Since doubling up on my work-outs I have had a few muscle strains along with fatigue and just this week suffered with a bad respiratory infection that required a doctors visit and use of prescribed meds. Basically I was pushing to hard. So I found this writing on a google search and found it appropriate to put on the blog- to anyone going for the gold in any future event this is worth a peek! 

Yours truly,
OldGuy Rick
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF OVERTRAINING
Aug 17, 2011 | By Andrew Reiner
Athletes that want to compete at the highest level of their sport, whether to secure a college scholarship or pursue a professional career, must push themselves through disciplined, regimented training. However, too much training can endanger an athlete's health and performance just as much as not enough training. When an athlete falls victim to overtraining, he is at greater risk for injury and illness and may be forced to take time off from competition.
Increased Risk of Injury
While the threshold of overtraining may vary among athletes depending upon factors such as age, experience, body type and fitness, its dangers are universal. When an athlete overtrains in a sport, she works the same muscle groups over and over, straining the body beyond its ability to repair muscles and joints. Overtraining, particularly among youth athletes whose muscles and bone structures are still growing or endurance athletes subject to prolonged exercise, increases an athlete's risk for muscle pulls and strains, stress fractures in bones, and tendonitis or joint damage in key joints such as the shoulders, knees and ankles. Refusal to take a few days off to heal common overtraining injuries could result in major injuries, keeping an athlete out of action for weeks at a time.
Increased Risk of Illness
The goal of training is to strengthen the body, but overtraining can actually weaken the body by lowering its immunity to disease-causing viruses. Heavy training or intense competition can produce increased levels of cortisol, a stress molecule in the body that depresses the immune system. As a result, overtrained athletes easily contract illnesses, most commonly upper respiratory tract infections. These feelings of fatigue and sickness are compounded if an overtrained athlete contracts anemia, another symptom of overtraining. Anemia, or a deficiency of iron in the body, weakens the body by preventing the transportation of blood and oxygen throughout the body to key muscles.
Stress and Sleep Loss
Overtraining often challenges an athlete's mind as much as it taxes his body. Despite causing increased levels of fatigue, overtraining can actually prevent an athlete from getting a good night's rest due to elevated stress levels and resting heart rates. A lack of sleep, in turn, deters the body's process of restoring muscles and the brain, creating a cyclical effect of overtraining. Concentration also dips during overtraining, which causes irritability and can make even the most disciplined athlete feel unmotivated or disinterested in training.
Loss of Appetite
When an athlete suffers from overtraining, her diet can change drastically or perhaps even disappear. Overtraining signals the body to produce higher levels of the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, which curb appetite. Overtraining also affects appetite by causing cases of heatrburn or gastrointestinal ailments such as diarrhea or constipation, further limiting an athlete's appetite. A decreased appetite prevents the body from restoring its reserves of carbohydrate energy or ingesting the protein the body needs to restore tired muscles, again continuing the cycle of fatigue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next Week - Diet

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Just 7 weeks to go!

Just 7 weeks to go before I start crossing the Mississippi River from MN into WI. In an effort to close the loop regarding the LUNGevity foundation where all your donations are going to I have reposted a story from Jill Feldman.  Jill's a survivor of lung cancer and active advocate to raise awareness of the need to do more about this terrible disease. Although my profile provides the basics on the, who/what/how & whys for doing OLDGUYWALK.  This is my attempt to fill in all the spaces.
Along with letting me post her article below,  Jill has been kind enough to agree to appear with me on a upcoming (May 1st) television morning show "The Morning Blend"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s to the Cinderellas

March 28th, 2012 - by Jill Feldman
by Jill Feldman
This is my favorite time of the year.  Longer days, nice weather, and summer right around the corner, but what I really love about this time is March Madness, the NCAA College Men’s Basketball Tournament.
When it comes to sports, I’m competitive. I was a freshman at University of Kansas in 1988 when we won the NCAA tournament and there’s no experience like it. The excitement of college basketball and the tournament, which somehow gets lost in the NBA, is pure because it has nothing to do with ‘stardom,’ rather pure ‘heartdom.’ The desire and determination of every player in every game is so intense, like it’s the last game they will ever play — and for some it is. The single elimination format can lead to disappointing upsets for some, but unimaginable opportunities for others.

The magical moments, when miracles take place, remind us that anything can happen and any team can beat the odds and win. It helps to have a top recruit or player of the year, but it’s the team as a whole that wins — hard working players, determination, humility, teamwork, and a good coach. And if the stars are aligned, the beauty of March Madness comes alive when a Cinderella team advances ~ everyone loves to see the underdog win!

Lung cancer is a world of underdogs. I lost my mom, dad, aunt and two grandparents to lung cancer before I was 30 so in my experience the underdog never won. The only way to manage the pain I felt from the losses was to help change that. I got involved with LUNGevity in 2001 and it wasn’t long before I realized that even with lung cancer, anything could happen and we could help beat the odds. We (early LUNGevity board members) didn’t have money, connections to money, or connections to powerful people, yet within a few years we were the fastest growing charity in the country. Raising awareness and money for lung cancer research is an uphill battle, but we were successful because we created a team based on commitment, hard work, trust, determination, and heart.

We worked hard so we wouldn’t have to see another person we cared about receive a lung cancer diagnosis, but then the unthinkable happened; I became the patient.  In January 2009 I had surgery and was diagnosed with lung cancer. Despite my family history, knowledge, and experience, I was shocked. I wasn’t, and still am not, comfortable with the role reversal, but having knowledge and a strong team by my side gave me strength. I was the underdog, the 15% of lung cancers caught early, and I won that ‘game.’ I knew I was at high risk for a second lung cancer, and I was scared, but there was nothing I could do to lower my risk.
As my husband, Jason, my four kids and I slowly let our guard down and settled into our new normal, the wily cancer was quietly growing in another part of my lung, and my fear became a reality. I had a second lung cancer surgery this past September, and I have come to accept that I, unwillingly, qualify for the CMYC (Catch Me if You Can) lung cancer tournament. A lot like the NCAA basketball tournament, I know that each ‘game’ I play will require strategy and a strong, focused team. I am fortunate to have a committed and devoted team of doctors, nurses, family, friends, and an overwhelmingly supportive community. Now, moving forward it is full court press ~ we have to keep cancer in the back court!

I can’t control if or when I will get lung cancer again. And it is disheartening that lung cancer doesn’t have any proven therapies or preventative measures to lower risk of recurrence. Yet I can’t live my life in fear of another cancer. There is promising research out there into prevention, early detection and treatment of lung cancer, but it can’t be completed without a great deal more funding. It’s a helpless feeling, but I always tell my kids to focus on what they can do…So, what can I do?  I can build a ‘team’ for Breathe Deep Deerfield to help raise awareness and money to fund research that can save hundreds of thousands of lives, including my own. That is the only control I have over lung cancer. I can, I have, and I will continue to make a difference. Doing so helps me make sense of my crazy roller coaster ride with this insidious disease. I hope you will join my team. We may be the underdog now – but we’re aiming for the Cinderella story.
Breathe Deep Deerfield and other LUNGevity events across the country are about coming together as a ‘team’ to fight lung cancer. And for a disease that has been shadowed by a stigma of shame and blame, it’s about creating a community that understands and does not pass judgment — a community where those affected by lung cancer feel supported and have hope. Please walk with me at Breathe Deep Deerfield on May 6th or support another LUNGevity event near your hometown. We need to give lung cancer a voice – and hopefully, if we work together as a team, there will be more Cinderella stories!

As the exciting collegiate basketball season comes to a close, and Breathe Deep Deerfield gets closer, I will take a quote from the speech that Jimmy Valvano — head coach of the North Carolina State Wolfpack, whose underdog team won the 1983 NCAA Championship — delivered at the inaugural ESPY Awards in 1993. Given shortly before his death from cancer, Jimmy V said, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!”  I will never give up hope for myself and others affected by lung cancer.  And as I watch the Final Four this weekend, I won’t give up hope that my beloved Jayhawks will bring home another championship ~ ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK….GO KU!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Along with Jills great article above. I wanted to post this last story especially the last paragraph from another writer at LUNGevtity - Archive -‘Why You Should Care’ Category of their blog (written by  Juhi Kunde). I think it gets direct to the point of why I am doing the "OldGuy Walk" event!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DIY Healthcare is Here
January 12th, 2012 - by Juhi Kunde
2012 is an exciting year ─ full of promise and innovation. I am ready to get moving! And I’m not alone. People are dropping pounds, getting married, and nurturing their fledgling companies. And they are doing it without diet pills, prenuptial agreements or risky loans. They are doing things by themselves. So, it’s not a big surprise to find that #2 trend for 2012 is a new do-it-yourself area: “DIY Health” according to Trendwatching.com.

DIY Health is an emerging trend which uses new gadgets, apps and technologies to help people improve their health through prevention, early detection, monitoring and low-cost diagnosis. I wanted to share a few of these cutting-edge health apps that, in my opinion, could spark meaningful change.
  • To prevent hearing loss and to raise awareness of loud sounds, there is the “Play It Down” app which lets friends compare the sensitivity of their hearing and measure the volume of sounds around them. I know I’ve certainly been to concerts and wondered if I was too close to the speakers…
  • Was that mole shaped like Illinois or Texas? The “Skin Scan” app helps us remember. By allowing people to scan and monitor the progression of their moles, this application could help detect skin cancer earlier when it is most treatable.
  • Trying to convince someone to quit smoking and reduce their risk of lung cancer? The “Lungs” app could help. It allows people to input their age and the number of cigarettes smoked to show the lung damage caused by cigarettes and to estimate the time it takes for the lungs to heal.
But my pick for most inspirational DIY Health app goes to…
  • The groundbreaking app from Lifelens which tells people if they have malaria with 94% accuracy. All they need to do is prick a finger to get a blood drop, mix the blood with a special dye and then use a smartphone equipped with a high magnification lens. The app takes a picture of the blood, magnifies it and identifies malarial parasites. This technology could revolutionize healthcare clinics in rural Africa and beyond.
The most amazing part? There are many more mind-blowing technologies on the horizon. Maybe in a few years we will be coughing into a special tissue to check if we have lung cancer. Or maybe someone will devise a way to detect early lung cancer biomarkers using a drop of blood and a smartphone.This is not science-fiction! This could be our future. It is within our reach.
By working together with LUNGevity to fund innovative research, we can make it our reality.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well I hope this helps anyone looking in to consider visiting the LUNGevity site and grab some more information from those people who are much smarter than me.

OldGuy

Next week - Lessons in over training!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

2 months before OGW Kick-off

The past 5 weeks I have described the  WHO, WHAT, and  HOW's behind the scenes of what makes up OldGuyWalk (OGW) and I have attempted to sprinkle in the WHY's through-out.  Sharing my thoughts and feelings along the way. This posting I just want to jump on my soapbox and talk a little (or a lot) about my efforts and seeing this thing take on a life of its own, most of it positive, some not so, but all of it real. 

If you have been reading I hope you can tell that first off I am doing this for a cause that is driven by the loss of one of my loved family members, my mother. Feeling her love flow thru me has been the catalyst to give me the strength to overcome any obstacles in front of me.

That being said let me point out that without my wife's support in the endeavor none of my goals would be attainable. She has given me the courage to continue thru anything that has gotten in my way along this path. She, my children, and  the rest of my family are the most important things in my life. To Maddie, Nic and especially Jen - Thank-you for putting up with this crazy OldGuy!

The theme of this OGW is to raise money and give. Sounds simple doesn't it? Well I have discovered that one of the hardest things for me to do is hold out my hand.  During my lifetime I 've strived never to ask for charity, always considered it a sign of weakness. I have always believed you need to be strong enough to learn to take care of yourself.  In today's world asking anyone to donate (whether it be their valuable time or opening their wallet) has been in the past my humble opinion - over the top!

You don't need to open your ears or eyes very wide to see all the unemployment numbers, higher energy costs and increased taxes, along with all basic living expenses escalate almost everyday.  Yet here I am asking people - some I just met - to give, and to my astonishment they do! This whole experience shows me just how great the human spirit is. This has taught me that there exists a type of kindness and generosity in all of us and that finding our untapped potential is a goal we all seem to share. When I feel like taking a week off and relaxing or get the urge to quit during a especially hard spin class, long walk or water aerobic workout I think about all the people who have touched my heart, who have given to my effort and it pushes me to go on. I have come to the conclusion that I am indeed a bit crazy to do this OGW but it is a good thing and hopefully will mean something to those who support it.

Hopefully anybody who visits their Doctor next time will recall this white goatee'd oldguy's trip and work up the nerve to put their doctor on the spot by asking why they don't have a test for cancer as routine as the way they do a blood test for high cholesterol?  I sincerely believe that if enough doctors hear this question then maybe one or more of them will ask their colleagues and then these medical people might ask why to those large drug corporations and somewhere a light bulb will go off in some group with power to say "Hey we can make a buck" just by providing a cancer test to anyone getting a regular check-up.  I really believe that's what it will take.

I am but a whisper in a loud sound filled vacuum tube. But if enough voices join together that whisper will become a roar, breaking that glass and spilling over. So speak up and pass on the word to others to speak up too.  It can happen! Just imagine the world where instead of just treating disease we actually find it before it can take hold of us. I think this will happen someday but I want that someday to be in our lifetimes or at the very least our children's lifetime. The science is there we just need to make the powers to be to see that it is worthwhile.

I'm now just eight short weeks away from putting to test all the spin, swim strength, and walk training I have put my body  thru these past 58 weeks.  I pledge to everyone that I will complete this OGW  but not just for my mom's memory but also for all the family, friends and people I have been privileged to meet along the way.

This has not been easy and I have faced several ups and downs but that's life isn't it?  So what are the biggest lessons I have learned from this experience so far?  First - It would have to be how rewarding it is to feel this great connection to everyone who has supported me. And second, and most importantly that my Mother,  has been, will be and still is with me every step of the way!!! 

I am not smart enough to know very much about everlasting life - Have never been all that spiritual,  but I do feel I have finally come to understand that no one really ever dies. The ones you don't see anymore will always live on in your memories, your mannerisms and your heart.   Everytime when you look in a mirror
- look closely,  and you might see them in the color of you hair, or the shape of your face or even the glint in your eye.  I see my mom everyday now and when my time comes to move on I only hope my kids will be able to look in the mirror and see me, still part of their lives every step of the way.

OldGuy