Odds and Ends

Yes, I am blogging during the SuperBowl, but it is almost half time and of course, I have the TV on. Well, O&E are not supposed to require much thought anyways.

HFCS: Do you know what that stands for? Do you at least know that it is bad for you? AH - well. It is High Fructose Corn Syrup or highly concentrated sweetness. It came up twice for me this week. The first incident was a positive thing. I noticed on my Kraft 100 calorie chocolate covered pretzels (OH MY) that they did NOT contain any HFCS. It was written on the label. Pretty cool I thought. First we get rid of TFAs and now HFCS - awesome. The second incidence was in a recipe I was reading in a running magazine. It said, "choose tomato or spaghetti sauce with NO HFCS for a healthier option." WHAT?! I guess I never considered that there would be HFCS in pasta sauce, of course, I make my own. :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d6haqapyYE

Insane Workout: I was watching TV - no- the TV was on and I heard a commercial for some type of fitness product and the spokesperson claimed that results, muscle building results,would be seen with 11 minutes of training a day. The person claimed this was an "insane workout" and I thought, "yeah, and so are the claims." But you know what? It really isn't an insane claim. IF you spend 11 specific and intense minutes on ONE muscle group and you do that seven days a week, alternating muscles, I guess that could be the same as doing a full body workout twice a week (as I do). So I am going to give them there due on that one.

The Power of Thoughts: You know - it is OK to ask yourself, "Why in the world am I doing this?" And this could be any number of things - riding your bicycle 50 miles on a Saturday, getting up to walk every day at 6 a.m., swimming five days a week - training for a triathlon - lifting weights when it BURNS . It is okay to ask "WHY?" and of course, you know the answer - "To meet a challenge, to improve your health, to lose weight." It is however, NEVER okay to say, "I can't" I can't get up this early, I can't swim that far, I can't pedal anymore - the I Can'ts Must GO.

H1N1: I know I have already said this, but seriously, they can't give the vaccine away these days. Interestingly, I heard a story, an allegation, recently. It regarded the power of the companies that made the vaccines (I think there were four). What?? drug companies have power and influence???? SIGH. Apparently, there is some concern that they were telling the World Health Organization how bad a "pandemic" we were going to have and how imperative a multinational vaccine campaign was. I understand that these companies want to sell the drug they spent money and took risk to make, but they cannot control the universe... can they?

Mexican Children: I printed this story a week ago and never got a chance to really explore it. The article ran on Yahoo News and lamented the obesity problem with Mexican children. What stunned me really, was that the children were still living in Mexico. I had been under the impression that people moved here and became obese by eating our food. Though I must admit that Mexican food in America anyway, seems to be incredibly fat and calorie dense. And so it is in Mexico as well. In fact, the article states that Mexico's children have the highest obesity rates in the world. What a horrible distinction. It is indeed what they eat and what they fail to do - exercise or get active. The adults have the highest overweight rates as well. The president of the country states that the issue will be addressed by modeling a program out of France. That program, called EPODE, concentrates on physical activity, fruit, vegetable and water intake and monitoring the weights of the children.

Skateboarder: Yes, again, I was passed by a kid on a skateboard that was motorized. This time I actually said, "use your legs!" Out loud. He did turn back and look at me, but I am not sure he actually heard me. I think he was in his 20s.

Smoker: OK, so I was on a roll today. Along the same route (I was running) I came upon a man, a man who appeared to be 60-70 years old ( too old to still be smoking). He was stopped and had an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He was about to light it as I ran by.. I said, "Don't do it!" I imagine he did anyway, but I tried.

Ok, half time is over, thank goodness too - these commercials really are not worth the money this year, but the game is interesting.