* BlipsFit *

Although I’m still working out and eat right I think I hit a plateau. I’m idling between 180 and 183 pounds, going up and down. Somewhere I read that changing a few things might help. Like eating different food and doing different exercises. Now I have to find out what to do and see what works. Anyone have tips? This is for the one reader of my blog

Then I went to my physical today. A very surprised doctor I can tell you that. The one thing that was odd is my blood pressure. It was kind of high (150/80) , maybe work stress or too much coffee. I have to monitor that. For the rest I was more healthy then ever. I’m so glad it all works out.

To higher my HDL (”good” cholesterol) he advised me to take more fish oil. (Omega 3 or HDA)

This morning I finally stepped on the scale. To my surprise I only gained 1 pound. The trick I talked myself into last week was to drink 2 bottles of water in the morning and two bottles of water in the afternoon. The urge to eat all the bad things that were offered at the seminar was less because water will fill you up. (needed to go to the restrooms badly after each session tough) It was good to be on track again with fitness Saturday and Sunday, it is getting addicted very quick, i missed it a lot.

Now I’m happy to work on my next 10 pounds.

Last week I was in Las Vegas. In my suitcase I brought sportshoes, sportshorts, sportshirts and my MP3 player ready to work out every night. My hotel was “the Venetian”. I was under the impression as a guest I could use their fitnessroom. Yes I could for the incredible scam-rate of $35 a day after I pay already $239 a night. No wonder 90% of the gamblers are overweight. And lets not talk about the fatening food everybody serves there.

Oh before someone might think I was out for gambling, nope this was a business trip for a Microsoft convention. I’m so happy to be home again. Today I’m having healthy food again and go to the Y to get my body in gear again. I did not step on the scale today, afraid it might be to much gain.  Getting back on track, I missed working out a lot.

It works I’m so happy that I can use a slogan from a statin commercial without using statins, I lowered my cholesterol without any prescription drugs!

Yesterday I went in to do my lab-work and today I have the results;

My HDL is still not within the standard I know it will get there eventually. This proofs you do not need statins to lower your cholesterol.

One other remark I want to make; The standard range is made up by the FDA and not necessarily a MUST have number or a healthy number for that matter.

There were more tests done and some I had no clue what it was for. To decipher your tests you can look it up here; www.labtestsonline.org/map/aindex.html a very handy website.

I was the runner up with earning $50 for our biggest loser contest at work. Lost 10 pounds in 12 weeks. The winner lost an impressive 20 pound. He wins everytime we have such a contest. So now its time for him to gain weight again. I’m happy with my $50 it was not a big deal at all, was losing weight no matter what.

Monday March 31, 2008

According to an article in the Marine Times, the Corps will soon announce new body-fat standards, which take into account the Marine’s age. Current standards do not allow adjustments for age. According to the article, the new standards, which may be released as early as June, will be:

• Age 26 and younger: 18 percent for males and 26 percent for females.
• Age 27-39: 19 percent for males and 27 percent for females.
• Age 40-45: 20 percent for males and 28 percent for females.
• Age 46 and up: 21 percent for males and 29 percent for females.

No it is not about a run for a cure of some sort but a cure for your cold.

We’ve all experienced the sore, scratchy throat, the non-stop running nose, the malignant sneezing, the headache and general malaise brought on by the good old common cold. And we’ve all heard that it can’t be cured. But that doesn’t stop us from sucking on zinc lozenges, throwing back vitamin C tablets, chugging echinacea tea and gobbling all manner of over-the-counter medications.

Problem is that none of these things really work. There are a lot of anecdotal reports about all the above ‘treatments’ working to reduce the severity and duration of a cold, but when tested under the same stringent double-blind, placebo-controlled methods used to vet drugs, they fall short. Most don’t work any better than placebo. And, alas, a trip to your local doctor won’t help you much either because the common cold is caused by a virus, and as we all know, there aren’t really any medications including antibiotics that kill viruses. So we are left in despair to wait it out until our own immune system rallies and overcomes the evil virus causing our misery.

Read tho whole story here; www.proteinpower.com/drmike/uncategorized/a-cure-for-the-common-cold/ I’m off to the store.

PS

On another notice; Last Friday I lost a record amount of total weight, it was my 30 pound lost day. To celebrate I bought new pants and get this I’m a size 34 now (coming down from 38 to 36). Again time to donate size 38 and 36 now I am so happy!!!!

Body fat measurements and the measuring tape are recognized as superior methods for measuring “weight loss” or in my case a scale that can measure this. When one declares that they want to “lose weight”, what they often mean is that they want to lose fat. So, now that you’ve had your body fat percentage measured, what does the number really mean?

First, your body fat percentage is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. If you are 150 pounds and 10% fat, it means that your body consists of 15 pounds fat and 135 pounds lean body mass (bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood and everything else).

A certain amount of fat is essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body’s energy storage. The following table describes body fat ranges and their associated categories:

Knowing your body fat percentage can also help you determine if your weight loss goals are realistic. Remember, weight loss doesn’t always mean fat loss. For example:

Let’s say you’re a 130# woman with 23% body fat, and you goal is to “lose 20 pounds”:

Initial body fat: 130# x 0.23 fat = 30 # body fat

Lean body mass: 130# total - 30# fat = 100# lean body mass (bones, organs and all else)

Goal: 130# - 20# = 110 pounds

As you can see, the goal of losing 20 pounds is not realistic or healthy. At 110 pounds, this woman still requires 100# of lean body mass (bones, organs, etc.), but would only be carrying 10#, or only 9% body fat. From the chart above, you can see that this is a dangerously low percentage.

A better goal might be for the woman to reduce her body fat from 23% to 18%. In this case:

130# x 0.18 = 23 # body fat

100# lean body mass + 23 # = 123# goal weight

So, for this individual to achieve a lean, but healthy 18% fat, she would need to lose only 7 pounds of fat, reducing her weight from her current 130 pounds to 123 pounds. Losing more than 7 pounds means losing lean body mass (usually metabolically-active muscle tissue), which is clearly not desirable.

So before you decide that you need to “lose weight”, remember to consider that “weight” consists of both lean body mass and body fat. Try to keep your weight loss goals realistic, and remember, keep the calorie-burning muscle, and lose only the fat.

source: http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm

see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage

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Ok we bought a new scale and I’m very happy with it, easy to program and easy to read. It is the TANITA BF679 Scale plus Body Fat Monitor with Body Water %.

The scale is correct when is showed 188 pounds (Saturday March 8), I already knew that, 5 pounds more then our old scale. And body fat 21% Body water 51% have to figure out the body fat and body water numbers and what they are and need to be.

Tanita says this about it;

Proper hydration is essential for life. Maintaining a healthy body water % improves overall health and keeps you feeling energized and operating at peak performance. Tanita’s new Scale plus Body Fat monitors with Body Water % calculate body water levels using bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA), the same highly accurate method used in all our body fat monitoring products. BIA monitors body water % by sending a safe, low-level electrical signal through the body. Our body water scales are the first of their kind available for in-home use.

www.tanita.com/BodyFat_BodyWater.shtml

Exercise doesn’t stop the clock on aging — but it seems to slow it down. Evidence continues to mount that exercise provides many benefits to help people look and feel younger. The March issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource offers a recap of the many benefits of regular exercise.

Provides energy: A lack of energy is largely a result of inactivity. Endurance exercises such as walking, swimming, jogging, biking and rowing improve stamina and energy. After just a few weeks in a walking program, most people find they have more energy for activities such as gardening or traveling.

Encourages well-being: There’s considerable evidence that regular physical activity can help reduce stress, manage mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety, improve sleep, boost mood and enhance the overall sense of well-being.

Takes off pounds and keeps them off: Exercise burns calories. Burning more calories than consumed can reduce body fat. And exercise raises metabolism during the activity and after. In the long term, both factors help maintain weight loss.

Promotes firm bodies: A regular strength training program can help maintain muscle mass and tone and counteract the effects of gravity and aging.

Boosts immune system: Researchers have found a link between regular physical activities and improved immune functions. During moderate exercise, immune cells circulate more quickly through the body and are better at destroying viruses and bacteria.

Prevents disease: Regular aerobic exercise reduces the risk of heart disease by reducing body fat, lowering blood pressure and raising “good” cholesterol levels. A regular strength-training program increases muscle mass, preserves bone and improves strength and balance. Those benefits, in turn, make it easier to perform daily activities and help prevent falls and osteoporosis.

Improves mental function: A number of studies have found that women who are physically active score better on mental function tests than do sedentary women.

Increases overall life expectancy: A number of studies have found that women who participate in regular physical activity live longer than their more sedentary peers. Physical activity doesn’t have to mean formal exercise. Engaging in purposeful physical activities, such as cleaning or walking a pet, has been shown to lengthen life.

Mayo Clinic
200 First St. SW
Rochester, MN 55902
United States
http://www.mayoclinic.com