Odds and Ends

Ah, another week has passed and a few items should be noted, saving the best for last, let me begin:

Compressed Morbidity: I thought of this again this week, having first heard the term at the Cooper Institute in May. The idea is to compress disease into the last years of a long life instead of spreading it out over many years. In other words, as Dr. Cooper had said, right now we are dying longer not living longer and that needs to change. I think of this with lifestyle related illnesses.. illnesses associated with obesity and tobacco. Yes, for many illnesses there are medications, but rarely a cure and some illnesses will significantly impair the quality of life a person experiences. It is time to leave disease for old age.

Weighing: This past week someone asked how often I weighed myself, following that question with another before I could answer, "Every day?" In fact, I do not weigh everyday and told my new friend that I tend to weigh two or three times a YEAR. I thought afterwords that the reason I have no need to weigh more than that is because I am consistent. I eat and exercise according to recommendations, well, okay, I do perhaps exercise more and eat a little less, but I have been this same weight plus or minus two or four pounds for almost nine years. I am NOT on a diet.

Heart Rates and Cool Downs: I was pleasantly surprised when the instructor of a spin class reminded everyone to slow down and not stop right away as the heart would be better conditioned if one eased off the intensity. I have always hypothesized that the reason for heart attacks at racing finish lines could be strongly associated with someone going full throttle and then coming to a complete stop. Many times I see runners bend over or sit down. I think that is crazy! I imagine blood backing up into the heart.. no medical training tells me that is so, but just think, PUMP PUMP PUMP run run run.. okay screeching halt.......STOP.. scary to me.



Calorie Awareness: I thought this would be a good thing to share with you. I have in my head a baseline calorie amount that I like to stay around and plan around. If I do no exercise that is what I eat, if I do moderate exercise I add a little more, if I am running my very long runs I add even more. So the message to myself is I eat LESS when I do not exercise. This is an exercise motivator. I do not eat EXTRA when I exercise.. that can be a fools game.. I eat LESS when I do not and I do not want to eat less, so I exercise!

KUDOS KUDOS KUDOS: This week I happened to stumble upon two incredibly inspiring people. Both are women and both were once obese and unhappy. I am inspired by them and I want YOU to be inspired by them because they lost their weight and have maintained their new weights with lifestyle change concentrating on energy in and energy out. They have both cut their calories and increased their exercise. I cannot do their stories the justice they deserve but you can read them on line. I will post links for you to find them. I read about Miss Rosie Coates in Runner's World and her story had me saying YES YES YES a few times. And Miss Raquel Barragan who goes by Rocky, is a partner in the cooking video world and has also lost a significant amount of weight and has done so with the new Weight Watchers program (not diet, program). Both ladies have my utmost respect and admiration.

Rosie's story: http://sportydiva.com/

Rocky's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/rockybarragan

Oh, yes, I think it was Rosie who said this.. but you know how I say eat less move more.. she said eat less, sweat more :)