Wednesday, August 13, 2014
A Fresh Start
So it has been some time since my last post. A lot of personal and life change have happened. I served as a Bishop of my church for 5 and a half years and my time if service had ended. I am now the Scout Master for my Churches Troop. I have taken up Martial Arts with my wife and all of my girls. I gained a bunch of weight and recently lost a bunch of weight. I now have more to share and I am back on course. Join me as I get my fat butt in shape.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
9th Annual President's Day Freedom Run
For the last eight years, Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack 806 and The Young Women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have hosted the Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run to raise money for summer camp activities. The race will be held on February 16th, 2013. The money earned from this event will help fund the Boy Scout and Young Women summer camps. Cub Scout Pack 806 will also benefit from this run, helping to pay for Summer Day Camp.
The Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race is more than just a 5K race. It is a sanctioned USA Track and Field Event that meets the standards necessary to be approved and licensed in the United States. This race is run on a USATF-certified course that has been certified for accuracy in distance. Courses must be certified for any road running performance to be accepted as a record, or to be nationally ranked.
Date: Saturday, February 16th 2013 Time: 5K Race Starts at 10:00 am Fun run will follow after 5K is completed. Location: 3204 Keller-Andrews Road, Sanford, NC 27330 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Meeting House.
Distances: 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) and 1 mile Children’s Fun Run (for children under 12) Registration and Fees: $15 by 1/15, $17 between 1/15 and 2/14, and $20 after 2/14 for 5K, and $10 for Fun Run; T-shirts are $6 for adult sizes and $5 for child sizes. Entrants can register online using a credit card at www.active.com (a small additional fee applies to online applications), or you may email us and request a registration form that can be mailed in.
Please mail registration form to: President’s Day Freedom Run C/O S. Larsen PO Box 962 Sanford, NC 27331-0962 Course: The race will be an out and back with a turnaround at the beginning and end of the course. The course will follow Keller-Andrews Road in West Sanford. The course has two gradual climbs and descents. It is a fun and easy course.
Awards and Categories: Top 3 male and female finishers will be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies, respectively. The first three male and female finishers in each age group will receive 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals, respectively. The age groups are 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70 and over.
Packet Pick Up and Race Day Registration: Packet Pick Up and Registration will start at 8:30 am and will close at 9:45 am. Registration will be located inside the church building.
Timing: Timing will be provided by Young and Associates. ChampionChip® timing will be used and reace results will be posted at www.runnc.com/
No refunds nor will packets can be mailed. If you pre-register, and are unable to go to the race for any reason, we will not be able to refund your money nor will we be able to mail you your goody bag and t-shirt. Planning for each racer costs money and this money is spent even if you are unable to show up. Additionally, we have limited resources and volunteer time, thus preventing us from getting in touch with each non-showing runner to send out the packets and/or t-shirts.
Arrive early on race day. There is limited parking and parking will not be permitted on the road. T-shirts have been ordered for all those who pre-registered. There will be a limited supply of T-shirts on race day for late entries.
In respect for the church that is providing the venue, we ask that no alcohol or tobacco products be used on the church grounds. Pets, such as dogs are permited OUTSIDE ONLY. Medical Assistance dogs are the only exception.
Directions: From the Raleigh area, take I-40 to Hwy 1 South. Go to Sanford. As you enter Sanford, the speed limit will drop to 55 mph. We will have signs out, but you will make a left hand turn accross one to the access road, make a left onto the access road. this is Keller Andrews Road. From the Fayetteville area, take Hwy 87 North to Sanford. In Sanford, Take the Sanford 421 Exit. This will put you infron of the new Walmart. Pass Walmart and take a left on Horner Blvd. You will travel through Sanford for about 4 miles. Take a left at the light onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right on Keller-Andrews Road.
For more information contact: Pat Braddy at (919) 870-0036 or Stephanie Larsen at (919) 718-1437, or email presidentsdayfreedomrun1@gmail.com.
The Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race is more than just a 5K race. It is a sanctioned USA Track and Field Event that meets the standards necessary to be approved and licensed in the United States. This race is run on a USATF-certified course that has been certified for accuracy in distance. Courses must be certified for any road running performance to be accepted as a record, or to be nationally ranked.
Date: Saturday, February 16th 2013 Time: 5K Race Starts at 10:00 am Fun run will follow after 5K is completed. Location: 3204 Keller-Andrews Road, Sanford, NC 27330 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Meeting House.
Distances: 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) and 1 mile Children’s Fun Run (for children under 12) Registration and Fees: $15 by 1/15, $17 between 1/15 and 2/14, and $20 after 2/14 for 5K, and $10 for Fun Run; T-shirts are $6 for adult sizes and $5 for child sizes. Entrants can register online using a credit card at www.active.com (a small additional fee applies to online applications), or you may email us and request a registration form that can be mailed in.
Please mail registration form to: President’s Day Freedom Run C/O S. Larsen PO Box 962 Sanford, NC 27331-0962 Course: The race will be an out and back with a turnaround at the beginning and end of the course. The course will follow Keller-Andrews Road in West Sanford. The course has two gradual climbs and descents. It is a fun and easy course.
Awards and Categories: Top 3 male and female finishers will be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies, respectively. The first three male and female finishers in each age group will receive 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals, respectively. The age groups are 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70 and over.
Packet Pick Up and Race Day Registration: Packet Pick Up and Registration will start at 8:30 am and will close at 9:45 am. Registration will be located inside the church building.
Timing: Timing will be provided by Young and Associates. ChampionChip® timing will be used and reace results will be posted at www.runnc.com/
No refunds nor will packets can be mailed. If you pre-register, and are unable to go to the race for any reason, we will not be able to refund your money nor will we be able to mail you your goody bag and t-shirt. Planning for each racer costs money and this money is spent even if you are unable to show up. Additionally, we have limited resources and volunteer time, thus preventing us from getting in touch with each non-showing runner to send out the packets and/or t-shirts.
Arrive early on race day. There is limited parking and parking will not be permitted on the road. T-shirts have been ordered for all those who pre-registered. There will be a limited supply of T-shirts on race day for late entries.
In respect for the church that is providing the venue, we ask that no alcohol or tobacco products be used on the church grounds. Pets, such as dogs are permited OUTSIDE ONLY. Medical Assistance dogs are the only exception.
Directions: From the Raleigh area, take I-40 to Hwy 1 South. Go to Sanford. As you enter Sanford, the speed limit will drop to 55 mph. We will have signs out, but you will make a left hand turn accross one to the access road, make a left onto the access road. this is Keller Andrews Road. From the Fayetteville area, take Hwy 87 North to Sanford. In Sanford, Take the Sanford 421 Exit. This will put you infron of the new Walmart. Pass Walmart and take a left on Horner Blvd. You will travel through Sanford for about 4 miles. Take a left at the light onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right on Keller-Andrews Road.
For more information contact: Pat Braddy at (919) 870-0036 or Stephanie Larsen at (919) 718-1437, or email presidentsdayfreedomrun1@gmail.com.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
RACE RESULTS
I want to thank everyone for their participation in our race! We had 140 5k runners
and 30 kids run the fun run! Thank you all very much for your support.
Here is the link to for the race results.
Here is a picture of me in my continental Marine Uniform. I think it would look more authentic if I had a gun and a canteen.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
7th Annual President's Day Freedom Run
RUN and HELP
For the last six years, Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack 806 and The Young Women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have hosted the Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run to raise money for summer camp activities. The race will be held on February 19th, 2011. The money earned from this event will help fund the Boy Scout and Young Women summer camps. Cub Scout Pack 806 will also benefit from this run, helping to pay for Summer Day Camp.
The Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race is more than just a 5K race. It is a sanctioned USA Track and Field Event that meets the standards necessary to be approved and licensed in the United States. This race is run on a USATF-certified course that has been certified for accuracy in distance. Courses must be certified for any road running performance to be accepted as a record, or to be nationally ranked.
Check out a video of the course here!
Date: Saturday, February 19th 2011
Time: 5K Race Starts at 10:00 am Fun run will follow after 5K is completed. Location: 3204 Keller-Andrews Road, Sanford, NC 27330 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Meeting House
Distances: 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) and 1 mile Children’s Fun Run (for children under 12) Registration and Fees: $15 by 1/15, $17 between 1/15 and 2/11, and $20 after 2/11 for 5K, and $10 for Fun Run; T-shirts are $6 for adult sizes and $5 for child sizes. Entrants can register online using a credit card at www.active.com (a small additional fee applies to online applications), or use the registration form on this page.
Please mail registration form to: President’s Day Freedom Run C/O Stephanie Larsen PO Box 962 Sanford, NC 27331-0962 Course: The race will be an out and back with a turnaround at the beginning and end of the course. The course will follow Keller-Andrews Road in West Sanford. The course has two gradual climbs and descents. It is a fun and easy course.
Awards and Categories: Top 3 male and female finishers will be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies, respectively. The first three male and female finishers in each age group will receive 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals, respectively. The age groups are 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70 Packet Pick Up and Race Day Registration: Packet Pick Up and Registration will start at 8:30 am and will close at 9:45 am. Registration will be located inside the church building.
Timing: Timing will be provided by Young and Associates. ChampionChip® timing will be used and reace results will be posted at http://www.runnc.com/
No refunds nor will packets can be mailed. If you pre-register, and are unable to go to the race for any reason, we will not be able to refund your money nor will we ba able to mail you your goody bag and t-shirt. Planning for each racer costs money and this money is spent even if you are unable to show up. Additionally, we have limited resources and volunteer time, thus preventing us from getting in touch with each non-showing runner to send out the packets and/or t-shirts.
Arrive early on race day. There is limited parking and parking will not be permitted on the road. T-shirts have been ordered for all those who pre-registered. There will be a limited supply of T-shirts on race day for late entries.
In respect for the church that is providing the venue, we ask that no alcohol or tobacco products be used on the church grounds.
Directions: From the Raleigh area, take I-40 to Hwy 1 South. Go to Sanford and get off on the Hwy 42 Exit. At the exit, take a left. You will go about 1.5 miles and take a right onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right onto Keller-Andrews Road. From the Fayetteville area, take Hwy 87 North to Sanford. In Sanford, 87 becomes Horner Boulevard. You will travel through Sanford for about 4 miles. Take a left at the light onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right on Keller-Andrews Road.From the South East, go to Hwy 1 north. Go to Sanford and get off on the Hwy 42 exit. At the exit take a right. You will go about 1.5 miles and take a right onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right onto Keller-Andrews Road.
For more information contact: Stephanie Larsen at (919) 718-1437, or email presidentsdayfreedomrun1@gmail.com.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
An Amazing Kid!
Meet Marshall
This young man is a friend of the family. He realized that he was over weight. With out promting from his parents he decided to do something about it. Inspired by the movie "Supersize Me", he started his own program called "Portion Size Me", his very own weight loss plan.
With help from his parents this young man has been loosing weight, improving his life, and helping others do the same!
Check out this young man. It is inspiring!
Youtube Page of his Video Diary
Recently on CNN eatocracy.com
Youtube Page of his Video Diary
Recently on CNN eatocracy.com
Friday, May 28, 2010
MapMyFitness.com
Well, for Father's Day, my wife bought me an iphone. I found some cool apps that let me track and map my activities such as bike rides, running, and walks. Very cool. You can check out everything that I do at http://www.mapmyfitness.com/. I went for a walk to try it out and it was pretty cool.
I will keep you posted.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
What A Wonderful Race!
Thanks to all the racers for their participation!
If you would like to see the race photos, go to
The Murry Group after Tuesday the 16th to check them out!
If you have photos or videos that you would like to share, please email them to getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com
To see the Race Results go to: RunNC.com and check them out.
Thank you very much and I hope you all had a wonderful time!
If you have photos or videos that you would like to share, please email them to getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com
To see the Race Results go to: RunNC.com and check them out.
Thank you very much and I hope you all had a wonderful time!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Race Update!
After much watching of the news, the weather channel, and consulting the experts, we have decided!
The registration start time has been postponed to 11:00
Race start time: 1:00pm!
WE ARE DOING THIS! YAH HOOO!
If you have any questions, call Stephanie Larsen
cell-919-721-3846
Thank you for your wonderful support!
The registration start time has been postponed to 11:00
Race start time: 1:00pm!
WE ARE DOING THIS! YAH HOOO!
If you have any questions, call Stephanie Larsen
cell-919-721-3846
Thank you for your wonderful support!
President's Day Freedom Run Update
We are watching the weather and we are aware of the potential effects on our race.
As of 10:30 am the race is still on and will start as scheduled.
However, we will be updating this website regularly, so PLEASE check back.
As we learn more about the effects of the weather, we will let you know of any changes.
We have been watching the weather channel and information about conditions has been chaging. we will continue to monitor conditions.
Some Suggestions in the event of Snow:
According to the weather service, the snow will NOT accumulate on the road. So depending on when the snow stops, we may possibly delay the start of the race until 12 noon or 1:00pm.
But once again, as of right now the race will be as scheduled.
We have been watching the weather channel and information about conditions has been chaging. we will continue to monitor conditions.
Some Suggestions in the event of Snow:
According to the weather service, the snow will NOT accumulate on the road. So depending on when the snow stops, we may possibly delay the start of the race until 12 noon or 1:00pm.
But once again, as of right now the race will be as scheduled.
Friday, January 8, 2010
6th Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race
RUN and HELPFor the last five years, Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack 806 have hosted the Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run to raise money for scouting activities. This year the Young Women’s organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will join in hosting the race. The race will be held on February 13th, 2010. The money earned from this event will help fund the Boy Scout and Young Women summer camps, and other activities they will participate in throughout the year. Cub Scout Pack 806 will also benefit from this run, helping to pay for Summer Day Camp.
The Annual President’s Day Freedom Run 5K Race is more than just a 5K race. It is a sanctioned USA Track and Field Event that meets the standards necessary to be approved and licensed in the United States. This race is run on a USATF-certified course that has been certified for accuracy in distance. Courses must be certified for any road running performance to be accepted as a record, or to be nationally ranked. Because this course is sanctioned, certified, and officially timed using ChampionChip® timing, dedicated racers from all over North Carolina as well as the United States will be in attendance.
Check out a video of the course here!
Date: Saturday, February 13th 2010
Time: 5K Race Starts at 10:00 am. Fun run will follow after 5K is completed.
Location: 3204 Keller-Andrews Road, Sanford, NC 27330 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Meeting House
Distances: 5,000 meters (3.1 miles)
1 mile Children’s Fun Run (for children under 12)
Registration and Fees: $15 by 1/15, $17 between 1/15 and 2/11, and $20 after 2/11 for 5K, and $10 for Fun Run; T-shirts are $6 for adult sizes and $5 for child sizes. Entrants can register online using a credit card at www.active.com (a small additional fee applies to online applications), or use the registration form on this page.
Please mail registration form to:
President’s Day Freedom Run
C/O Stephanie Larsen
PO Box 962
Sanford, NC 27331-0962
Course: The race will be an out and back with a turnaround at the beginning and end of the course. The course will follow Keller-Andrews Road in West Sanford. The course has two gradual climbs and descents. It is a fun and easy course.
Awards and Categories: Top 3 male and female finishers will be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies, respectively. The first three male and female finishers in each age group will receive 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals, respectively. The age groups are 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70+.
Timing: Timing will be provided by Young and Associates. ChampionChip® timing will be used. Results will be posted at www.runnc.com.
Packet Pick Up and Race Day Registration. Packet Pick Up and Registration will start at 8:30 am and will close at 9:45 am. Registration will be located inside the church building.
No refunds or packets can be mailed. If you pre-register, and are unable to go to the race for any reason, we will not be able to refund your money. Planning for each racer costs money and this money is spent even if you are unable to show up. Additionally, we have limited resources and volunteer time, thus preventing us from getting in touch with each non-showing runner to send out the packets and/or t-shirts.
Arrive early on race day. There is limited parking and parking will not be permitted on the road. T-shirts have been ordered for all those who pre-registered. There will be a limited supply of T-shirts on race day for late entries.
In respect for the church that is providing the venue, we ask that no alcohol or tobacco products be used on the church grounds.
Directions: From the Raleigh area, take I-40 to Hwy 1 South. Go to Sanford and get off on the Hwy 42 Exit. At the exit, take a left. You will go about 1.5 miles and take a right onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right onto Keller-Andrews Road.
From the Fayetteville area, take Hwy 87 North to Sanford. In Sanford, 87 becomes Horner Boulevard. You will travel through Sanford for about 4 miles. Take a left at the light onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right on Keller-Andrews Road.
From the South East, go to Hwy 1 north. Go to Sanford and get off on the Hwy 42 exit. At the exit take a right. You will go about 1.5 miles and take a right onto Carthage Street. Go about 1 mile and take a right onto Keller-Andrews Road.
For more information, visit www.runnc.com,
Down Load The Registration Form Here
Join Us on Face Book!
You Can Also Contact: Stephanie Larsen at (919) 718-1437,
or email presidentsdayfreedomrun1@gmail.com.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Exercise Intensity and Workout Update
What About Walking Slow vs. Walking Fast?
There was a comment to my last post that was relating to intensity and the effect of walking slow was compared to walking fast. So if I run or walk at one pace I will burn more calories than if I did the same exercise for the same amount of time at a slower pace. The amount of calories burned has to do with your age, sex, weight, intensity of your workout, and how long you exercise. Age and sex are less of a determining factor. The type of exercise is also a determining factor. so what I have done is looked through the web and found 2 websites that I like with tools for calculating the number of calories burned for any given activity. Check them out.
Calorie Burn Calculator at http://www.internetfitness.com/calculators/calburncalc.htm
Health Status Calorie burn Estimator at http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc
One More Thing About Intensity
When you do any activity, your body fuels itself based on the intensity. The lower and longer the intensity, the more fat you burn. The higher the intensity the shorter the length of time you will be able to perform and the more sugar you burn. That is why cyclist, triathletes, and marathon runners have to eat during their competition. So run at and easy pace, for a long time and you will burn a lot of fat.
More Bike Riding and Running
My oldest daughter wants to bike to school. In order to do this, we have to find a path that was off major roads. We used a tool for measuring distances, that I mentioned on the web before, and found a path for her. The next morning, we road to her school. What is nice is that it puts her right where the police direct traffic to her school. One way it is 2.5 miles and took 15 minutes at a nice easy pace. So we road 5 miles. for the week that gave me a total of 12 miles on the bike.
Another daughter of mine loves to run. I took her to a park path and we ran 1 mile. She is young so we ran for 2 minutes and walked for 1 minute. She talked the entire time! It was great. Once we finished, she had to show me how fast she could run one loop of the path. Sher is actually pretty fast and very cute!
An Online Store!
I want to start and online store of people who read my blog. What should I put in it? Email me at getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com and let me know what you think. Oh and keep the questions coming!
There was a comment to my last post that was relating to intensity and the effect of walking slow was compared to walking fast. So if I run or walk at one pace I will burn more calories than if I did the same exercise for the same amount of time at a slower pace. The amount of calories burned has to do with your age, sex, weight, intensity of your workout, and how long you exercise. Age and sex are less of a determining factor. The type of exercise is also a determining factor. so what I have done is looked through the web and found 2 websites that I like with tools for calculating the number of calories burned for any given activity. Check them out.
Calorie Burn Calculator at http://www.internetfitness.com/calculators/calburncalc.htm
Health Status Calorie burn Estimator at http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc
One More Thing About Intensity
When you do any activity, your body fuels itself based on the intensity. The lower and longer the intensity, the more fat you burn. The higher the intensity the shorter the length of time you will be able to perform and the more sugar you burn. That is why cyclist, triathletes, and marathon runners have to eat during their competition. So run at and easy pace, for a long time and you will burn a lot of fat.
More Bike Riding and Running
My oldest daughter wants to bike to school. In order to do this, we have to find a path that was off major roads. We used a tool for measuring distances, that I mentioned on the web before, and found a path for her. The next morning, we road to her school. What is nice is that it puts her right where the police direct traffic to her school. One way it is 2.5 miles and took 15 minutes at a nice easy pace. So we road 5 miles. for the week that gave me a total of 12 miles on the bike.
Another daughter of mine loves to run. I took her to a park path and we ran 1 mile. She is young so we ran for 2 minutes and walked for 1 minute. She talked the entire time! It was great. Once we finished, she had to show me how fast she could run one loop of the path. Sher is actually pretty fast and very cute!
An Online Store!
I want to start and online store of people who read my blog. What should I put in it? Email me at getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com and let me know what you think. Oh and keep the questions coming!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The Bike and How Exercises Compare
How Do Different Exercises Compare?
This is one of the biggest questions I get. I talk a lot about running and someone will say, I want to walk or ride a bike or swim. So if I talk about running a mile, what is the the equivelant of in walking, biking, and swimming? This is not an easy answer and experts disagree. Since triathletes run, bike, and swim; I am going with data from triathlete trainers and experts.
1 mile running = 4 miles biking
1 mile running = 2 miles walking
1 mile running = .5 miles swimming
So this leads to more questions Lets see if I can just give you answers.
Yes! You must walk twice as far a someone would run to get the same benefit even though it takes twice as long. So when people tell me that they walk 2 miles every day and it takes them an hour, they could just run 1 miles in 15 minutes and get the same benefit.
Yes! You should exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Even though walking for an hour is a long time and it id good for you, it is really only worth 15 minutes of a regular work out.
Yes! cyclist work out just as hard or even harder than runners when they work out. There is a big difference though. Biking is truly a muscle work out. Look at cyclists and their legs! Now here is what people don't realize, If I bike regularly on flat ground, there is no difference between me riding with as little weight as possible and riding with a 100 lbs pack. It's physics. If you are truly running, there is a point at which both feet are in the air. You literally through your body into the air with each step. If you weigh 200 lbs it take 4 time the energy to do that than someone who weight 100 lbs. That is also physics. When walking, one foot will always be on the ground and half the time, two feet will be.
Yes, professional cyclists have supper ultra light weight bikes. They save those bikes for the mountains, when weight DOES actually matter.
Yes, a half a mile swim is long. but the effect on the bike, is even more so swimming, the entire exercise of swimming is resistance against the limbs you move.
Yes, you can break your work out into different times and still benefit, but studies show you will burn 3/4 the calories as you would if you did them together. So instead of walking for two hours, walk for one hour in the morning and one at night.
It take a lot of consistent energy drain over a period of time in order for your body to think "O crap! I am running out of fuel! I had better start burning Fat!"
My last bike Ride Saturday I decided to ride my bike again. Still having some knee pain (unrelated to running, more to do with being over weight and out of shape and running.) So the week before I ran 2 miles, that would mean I would need to bike 8 miles. I only had one day to do it, so I biked 8 slow miles and it took me 1 hour and 27 seconds. Not bad. It was hot too! 85 degree and 70% humidity! I was wet! After that ride, my legs felt funky, so I took a warm shower, cleaned up, then slowly dropped the temperature until only the cold water was on. Plug the drain and let the water fill the tub. I felt great after it was done. Totally less muscle soreness than I would normally had.
Now this week, I may add some biking and running! I will keep you posted!
This is one of the biggest questions I get. I talk a lot about running and someone will say, I want to walk or ride a bike or swim. So if I talk about running a mile, what is the the equivelant of in walking, biking, and swimming? This is not an easy answer and experts disagree. Since triathletes run, bike, and swim; I am going with data from triathlete trainers and experts.
1 mile running = 4 miles biking
1 mile running = 2 miles walking
1 mile running = .5 miles swimming
So this leads to more questions Lets see if I can just give you answers.
Yes! You must walk twice as far a someone would run to get the same benefit even though it takes twice as long. So when people tell me that they walk 2 miles every day and it takes them an hour, they could just run 1 miles in 15 minutes and get the same benefit.
Yes! You should exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Even though walking for an hour is a long time and it id good for you, it is really only worth 15 minutes of a regular work out.
Yes! cyclist work out just as hard or even harder than runners when they work out. There is a big difference though. Biking is truly a muscle work out. Look at cyclists and their legs! Now here is what people don't realize, If I bike regularly on flat ground, there is no difference between me riding with as little weight as possible and riding with a 100 lbs pack. It's physics. If you are truly running, there is a point at which both feet are in the air. You literally through your body into the air with each step. If you weigh 200 lbs it take 4 time the energy to do that than someone who weight 100 lbs. That is also physics. When walking, one foot will always be on the ground and half the time, two feet will be.
Yes, professional cyclists have supper ultra light weight bikes. They save those bikes for the mountains, when weight DOES actually matter.
Yes, a half a mile swim is long. but the effect on the bike, is even more so swimming, the entire exercise of swimming is resistance against the limbs you move.
Yes, you can break your work out into different times and still benefit, but studies show you will burn 3/4 the calories as you would if you did them together. So instead of walking for two hours, walk for one hour in the morning and one at night.
It take a lot of consistent energy drain over a period of time in order for your body to think "O crap! I am running out of fuel! I had better start burning Fat!"
My last bike Ride Saturday I decided to ride my bike again. Still having some knee pain (unrelated to running, more to do with being over weight and out of shape and running.) So the week before I ran 2 miles, that would mean I would need to bike 8 miles. I only had one day to do it, so I biked 8 slow miles and it took me 1 hour and 27 seconds. Not bad. It was hot too! 85 degree and 70% humidity! I was wet! After that ride, my legs felt funky, so I took a warm shower, cleaned up, then slowly dropped the temperature until only the cold water was on. Plug the drain and let the water fill the tub. I felt great after it was done. Totally less muscle soreness than I would normally had.
Now this week, I may add some biking and running! I will keep you posted!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Back On The Bike
The Halloween Ride
Well, my oldest and I (and maybe my wife) are getting ready for a 30 mile ride on October 27th! Yeah! I am excited and so is my oldest. We will keep you posted.
Today's Ride
I almost didn't get to ride. A huge thunderstorm rolled in a dropped a lot of rain. It only lasted about 2 hours, then it cleared right up! My daughter went out first. When she got back I went out. It is not much of a ride. The ride is a one mile loop. Today we did a sprint ride. We ride the loop one time as fast as we can.
What is the course like?
The course starts out with a quarter mile slow climb. Not really enough to mention. Then a for 150 feet it drops back down. Then another slow climb. It ends with fairly steep climb. I was fine until I hit the last climb. My legs were burning! And my gears need to be adjusted. I would drop into a climbing gear then is would jump back to a sprinting gear! Oh that would kill me!
So that is how I am starting!
This week we will do about 9 miles. The one mile road today, Wednesday we will do 3 at a faster pace, then Friday a nice and easy 4. We will slowly build our mileage with an additional mile a week for 6 weeks, then we will add 2.
Now we will need to see how I feel tomorrow.
Well, my oldest and I (and maybe my wife) are getting ready for a 30 mile ride on October 27th! Yeah! I am excited and so is my oldest. We will keep you posted.
Today's Ride
I almost didn't get to ride. A huge thunderstorm rolled in a dropped a lot of rain. It only lasted about 2 hours, then it cleared right up! My daughter went out first. When she got back I went out. It is not much of a ride. The ride is a one mile loop. Today we did a sprint ride. We ride the loop one time as fast as we can.
What is the course like?
The course starts out with a quarter mile slow climb. Not really enough to mention. Then a for 150 feet it drops back down. Then another slow climb. It ends with fairly steep climb. I was fine until I hit the last climb. My legs were burning! And my gears need to be adjusted. I would drop into a climbing gear then is would jump back to a sprinting gear! Oh that would kill me!
So that is how I am starting!
This week we will do about 9 miles. The one mile road today, Wednesday we will do 3 at a faster pace, then Friday a nice and easy 4. We will slowly build our mileage with an additional mile a week for 6 weeks, then we will add 2.
Now we will need to see how I feel tomorrow.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Back to Running and Echo Cardiogram
Stress Test and Running
Since I pasted my stress test, I decided to get back to running and yesterday morning was perfect. The baby needed a nap and a walk through the neighborhood seems to work, so I broke out the baby jogger and off I went.
Run? In My condition?
Yes, I did. It was great. Now mind you I didn't do anything crazy. I ran for 4 and 1/2 minutes, then walked for 2 minutes. I did that for two miles. And yes the baby slept through the entire ride.
How was the Weather?
The temperature was in the low 80's and it was overcast when I started. It was hot. Then the sun came out and it was hotter. Humidity was at about 60%. I had plenty to drink before and drank plenty after. It was a good run.
How did you Feel?
During the run and just at the end of my first minute and a half, my left shin started to hurt. (Hence why I decided to walk.) After less then 30 seconds I felt fine. No other pain. Little aches in my quads since the course was really hilly, but over all I felt pretty good.
So how did you feel the next day?
Oh my gosh! My quads ache, my shoulders ache, my arms ache, and my lower back aches. All this from running and pushing a jogger. It was worth it though.
So whats this about and Echo Cardiogram?
Well, I had my appointment today. It is basically a massive ultra-sound of the heart. I wish I could post pictures. The ultra-sound is a 3D picture of the inside of your heart. They did cross sections from the side, the top, and at different angles. The measured the heart walls, speed of the blood flow, volume of the heart and the amount of blood my heart pumps in a minute. the even looked at the sound waves produced by the heart. The type of sound can indicate leaks in valves and other problems. But in my case everything looked good!
On a side note and kind of bad news, I weigh 204 lbs. I will work on that.
Since I pasted my stress test, I decided to get back to running and yesterday morning was perfect. The baby needed a nap and a walk through the neighborhood seems to work, so I broke out the baby jogger and off I went.
Run? In My condition?
Yes, I did. It was great. Now mind you I didn't do anything crazy. I ran for 4 and 1/2 minutes, then walked for 2 minutes. I did that for two miles. And yes the baby slept through the entire ride.
How was the Weather?
The temperature was in the low 80's and it was overcast when I started. It was hot. Then the sun came out and it was hotter. Humidity was at about 60%. I had plenty to drink before and drank plenty after. It was a good run.
How did you Feel?
During the run and just at the end of my first minute and a half, my left shin started to hurt. (Hence why I decided to walk.) After less then 30 seconds I felt fine. No other pain. Little aches in my quads since the course was really hilly, but over all I felt pretty good.
So how did you feel the next day?
Oh my gosh! My quads ache, my shoulders ache, my arms ache, and my lower back aches. All this from running and pushing a jogger. It was worth it though.
So whats this about and Echo Cardiogram?
Well, I had my appointment today. It is basically a massive ultra-sound of the heart. I wish I could post pictures. The ultra-sound is a 3D picture of the inside of your heart. They did cross sections from the side, the top, and at different angles. The measured the heart walls, speed of the blood flow, volume of the heart and the amount of blood my heart pumps in a minute. the even looked at the sound waves produced by the heart. The type of sound can indicate leaks in valves and other problems. But in my case everything looked good!
On a side note and kind of bad news, I weigh 204 lbs. I will work on that.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Determining Your Energy Needs
By Teri Clark
In order to know how many calories to eat per day, you have to determine how much energy you expend in a day and how these are expended based on your body. Most people assume they need to eat more than they do. This, of course, leads to weight gain.
Here’s a three-step process that will help you determine just how many calories you need per day to maintain, lose, or gain weight.
Step 1: Finding Your BMI
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is an estimate of the amount of stored fat you have on your body. Understanding your BMI will help you determine if you need to lose or gain weight, or if you are healthy at your present weight.
To find your BMI,
BMI = (Weight in pounds/height in inches) x 703
Let’s look at Susan as an example. She weighs 150 pounds and is 5 ft 7 inches (67 inches). Therefore, you would divide 150 by (67 x 67) to get .0334. Then multiply .0334 by 703 to get a BMI of 23.4. In this case, using the chart below, Susan is in the Balance Zone.
Once you’ve determined your own BMI, look at the chart below to help you determine if you need to gain weight, lose weight, or maintain your weight.
Below 18.5 - Underweight
18.5 to 24.9 - Balance Zone
25 to 29.9 - Overweight
30 plus - Obese
Step two: Determining Your Basal Metabolic Rate
The BMI is a good starting point but does not take into account things such as activity level, age, environment, or muscle mass. Based solely on BMI, an athlete in great shape may show as being overweight or obese. That is why it is important to go one step further and determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Your BMR tells how quickly you burn calories while at rest. Your BMR consists of 60 to 75% of the calories you burn each day for basic body functioning. Knowing this number will help you determine your actual calories needs.
To find your BMR:
1. Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.3.
2. Multiply your height in inches by 4.7.
3. Multiply your age in years by 4.7.
4. Add the answers of numbers 1 and 2 together and then subtract the answer of number 3.
5. Now add 655 to the answer of number 4.
Let’s look again at Susan again. Susan is 35 years old, therefore:
Her first number is 150 times 4.3 = 645
Her second number is 67 times 4.7 = 314.9
Her third number is 35 times 4.7 = 164.5
Now we add the first two numbers to get 959.9. Now we subtract the third number to get 795.4. Finally, we add 655 to get 1450.4.
Step Three: Determining Your Activity Level
The last step is to determine your activity level so that you know how many calories you burn per day. This equals the total number of calories you burn per day.
Sedentary - Desk job, little or no exercise. BMR x 1.2
Light Activity - Light exercise in one to three days per week. BMR x 1.375
Moderate Activity - Moderate exercise three to five days per week. BMR x 1.55
Very Active – Exercise six to seven days per week BMR x 1.725
Extreme – Hard endurance training daily BMR x 1.9
Let’s take one last look at Susan. Susan has a desk job but does try to get light exercise a couple of days per week. That means we take her BMR of 1450.4 and multiply it by 1.375 to get 1994.3 calories burned per day.
What Does It All Mean?
Total calories burned per day, in Susan’s case, 1994, is the amount needed to maintain her current weight of 150 pounds. If she needed to gain weight, she would increase her calories intake by 500 calories of healthy food.
If she wanted to lose weight, she would decrease her calorie intake by 250 to 300 calories and increase her exercise to burn 250 more calories per day creating a 500-calorie deficit.
By doing so, Susan would either lose or gain weight at one to two pounds per week.
In order to know how many calories to eat per day, you have to determine how much energy you expend in a day and how these are expended based on your body. Most people assume they need to eat more than they do. This, of course, leads to weight gain.
Here’s a three-step process that will help you determine just how many calories you need per day to maintain, lose, or gain weight.
Step 1: Finding Your BMI
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is an estimate of the amount of stored fat you have on your body. Understanding your BMI will help you determine if you need to lose or gain weight, or if you are healthy at your present weight.
To find your BMI,
BMI = (Weight in pounds/height in inches) x 703
Let’s look at Susan as an example. She weighs 150 pounds and is 5 ft 7 inches (67 inches). Therefore, you would divide 150 by (67 x 67) to get .0334. Then multiply .0334 by 703 to get a BMI of 23.4. In this case, using the chart below, Susan is in the Balance Zone.
Once you’ve determined your own BMI, look at the chart below to help you determine if you need to gain weight, lose weight, or maintain your weight.
Below 18.5 - Underweight
18.5 to 24.9 - Balance Zone
25 to 29.9 - Overweight
30 plus - Obese
Step two: Determining Your Basal Metabolic Rate
The BMI is a good starting point but does not take into account things such as activity level, age, environment, or muscle mass. Based solely on BMI, an athlete in great shape may show as being overweight or obese. That is why it is important to go one step further and determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Your BMR tells how quickly you burn calories while at rest. Your BMR consists of 60 to 75% of the calories you burn each day for basic body functioning. Knowing this number will help you determine your actual calories needs.
To find your BMR:
1. Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.3.
2. Multiply your height in inches by 4.7.
3. Multiply your age in years by 4.7.
4. Add the answers of numbers 1 and 2 together and then subtract the answer of number 3.
5. Now add 655 to the answer of number 4.
Let’s look again at Susan again. Susan is 35 years old, therefore:
Her first number is 150 times 4.3 = 645
Her second number is 67 times 4.7 = 314.9
Her third number is 35 times 4.7 = 164.5
Now we add the first two numbers to get 959.9. Now we subtract the third number to get 795.4. Finally, we add 655 to get 1450.4.
Step Three: Determining Your Activity Level
The last step is to determine your activity level so that you know how many calories you burn per day. This equals the total number of calories you burn per day.
Sedentary - Desk job, little or no exercise. BMR x 1.2
Light Activity - Light exercise in one to three days per week. BMR x 1.375
Moderate Activity - Moderate exercise three to five days per week. BMR x 1.55
Very Active – Exercise six to seven days per week BMR x 1.725
Extreme – Hard endurance training daily BMR x 1.9
Let’s take one last look at Susan. Susan has a desk job but does try to get light exercise a couple of days per week. That means we take her BMR of 1450.4 and multiply it by 1.375 to get 1994.3 calories burned per day.
What Does It All Mean?
Total calories burned per day, in Susan’s case, 1994, is the amount needed to maintain her current weight of 150 pounds. If she needed to gain weight, she would increase her calories intake by 500 calories of healthy food.
If she wanted to lose weight, she would decrease her calorie intake by 250 to 300 calories and increase her exercise to burn 250 more calories per day creating a 500-calorie deficit.
By doing so, Susan would either lose or gain weight at one to two pounds per week.
Teri Clark is he author of "301 Simple Things You Can Do To Sell Your Home Now"
Learn more about Teri through poems, stories, and writing prompts at http://teribclarkjots.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
THE HEAT IS ON!
Why Does It Feel So Hot?
Our environment effects the way our body feels in different climates. When our body gets hotter we perspire. The evaporation of our perspiration is what allows our body to cool itself. When the humidity is higher less perspiration can evaporate at at time, so we feel hotter.
Heat Index
When exercising outdoors, you need to pay attention to not only the temperature but the heat index. The ideal heat index for any work out is actually 65 degrees. As it gets warmer, you will need to take in more water. Exercising in temperatures over 90 degrees can be dangerous. Here is a website with a good Heat Index Calculator. The NOAA Heat Index
Heat Stress
The longer you work out in high temperatures, the more stress you put on your body. Make sure to acclimatize to warmer weather. Gradually increase your work outs. Do not to high stress activities. No intervals, sprints, or hard runs. Be aware of your sleep! Sleep deprivation has been a common factor in running related heat deaths in the last few years. At any point, if you feel really hot, and your energy is tanking, stop! Don't push it.
How Much Water?
The common suggestions of the past were "Drink A Lot and Drink Often." Then a study was done on Marathon runners and they found a common heat related injury was drinking too much water. So they asked the elite runners how much they drank and the rule of thumb was "If they were thirsty they drank." Hmm makes sense to me, but how much is enough.
My Formula
I can't actually take credit for this. I have read this in several running magazines and on the web. I weigh myself before I run. I take tons of water with me when I run. As I get hot and thirsty I drink. Some times I feel like I drink every few seconds, some times it is every few minutes, but when it is hot I drink. I never do anything longer than 45 minutes in hot weather. I normally go for only 30. Then when I am done, I weigh myself again. Normally I weigh less. They weight loss is water loss. So lets say I weighed 180 (I wish). Lets say the temperature was 85 degrees. I drank 1.5 liters of water in 30 minutes, and when I got back I weighed 179 lbs. 1 liter of water weighs 2.2 pounds. So I drank about 3.3 lbs of water and lost 2 more sweating. So I drink on more liter. That means that at 85 degrees I lost 2.5 liters of water in 30 minutes. As it gets cooler, I will loose less water and as it gets warmer I will loose more. That gives me a guide as to how much water I will need. I do this for every run in temperatures above 80 degrees.
Let me know if this is post has been helpful and post a comment or email me at getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com Also let me know if what I have said makes sense. If I need to improve or clarify the information, let me know.
What Do You Want To Know?
What kind of posts you would like to read. What interests you and how can I help you? Post a comment or email me at getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com
Our environment effects the way our body feels in different climates. When our body gets hotter we perspire. The evaporation of our perspiration is what allows our body to cool itself. When the humidity is higher less perspiration can evaporate at at time, so we feel hotter.
Heat Index
When exercising outdoors, you need to pay attention to not only the temperature but the heat index. The ideal heat index for any work out is actually 65 degrees. As it gets warmer, you will need to take in more water. Exercising in temperatures over 90 degrees can be dangerous. Here is a website with a good Heat Index Calculator. The NOAA Heat Index
Heat Stress
The longer you work out in high temperatures, the more stress you put on your body. Make sure to acclimatize to warmer weather. Gradually increase your work outs. Do not to high stress activities. No intervals, sprints, or hard runs. Be aware of your sleep! Sleep deprivation has been a common factor in running related heat deaths in the last few years. At any point, if you feel really hot, and your energy is tanking, stop! Don't push it.
How Much Water?
The common suggestions of the past were "Drink A Lot and Drink Often." Then a study was done on Marathon runners and they found a common heat related injury was drinking too much water. So they asked the elite runners how much they drank and the rule of thumb was "If they were thirsty they drank." Hmm makes sense to me, but how much is enough.
My Formula
I can't actually take credit for this. I have read this in several running magazines and on the web. I weigh myself before I run. I take tons of water with me when I run. As I get hot and thirsty I drink. Some times I feel like I drink every few seconds, some times it is every few minutes, but when it is hot I drink. I never do anything longer than 45 minutes in hot weather. I normally go for only 30. Then when I am done, I weigh myself again. Normally I weigh less. They weight loss is water loss. So lets say I weighed 180 (I wish). Lets say the temperature was 85 degrees. I drank 1.5 liters of water in 30 minutes, and when I got back I weighed 179 lbs. 1 liter of water weighs 2.2 pounds. So I drank about 3.3 lbs of water and lost 2 more sweating. So I drink on more liter. That means that at 85 degrees I lost 2.5 liters of water in 30 minutes. As it gets cooler, I will loose less water and as it gets warmer I will loose more. That gives me a guide as to how much water I will need. I do this for every run in temperatures above 80 degrees.
Let me know if this is post has been helpful and post a comment or email me at getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com Also let me know if what I have said makes sense. If I need to improve or clarify the information, let me know.
What Do You Want To Know?
What kind of posts you would like to read. What interests you and how can I help you? Post a comment or email me at getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com
Sunday, June 14, 2009
This is CRAZY!
The Start of a Bad Week
In 4 days it will be the 1 year anniversary of my car accident. Monday, I started to feel sick. Scratch throat, head ache, body aches, and a fever. I felt terrible! Monday night a friend (and first counselor) and his wife came by. He gave me a blessing. Tuesday came along, and now three daughters and my wife are sick. My wife takes the girls to the doctor and I go to my own. The girls test positive for strep. I take the same test, but I don't test positive for strep, the doctor decides that if it looks like strep and acts like strep then it is strep. Everyone gets some antibiotics and we take the rest of the day off.
My Sister-In-Law
My sister-in-law came up to visit with here son and twins. Well, the kids got strep too. So it is now 2 adults and 5 kids with strep. My oldest daughter and my sister-in-law become the care givers. I felt bad that we gave her kids strep.
Wednesday
Everyone seems to be getting better, except me. I feel worse. I stayed in bed most of the day. I even stayed home from church. Sorry I missed the Court of Honor Jesse! That night we all go to my mother-in-laws for dinner. I still feel really bad. I take some Motrin and try and relax. We had Tacos for dinner. I start feeling what seemed to be indigestion and take some Tums. We all play some games, and since the kids are now out of school, we stay up late. We finally go home around 12:30am. We put the kids to bed and my wife and I go right to sleep.
Then It Happened
About 1:00am I wake up and the feeling is back, this time it feels more like pressure than indigestion. I take my medication and go back to bed. Well, around 3:00am I wake up again and it is worse! Now it is more like a "Oh my gosh! I cracked my sternum" kind of pain! I lay there for about and hour and then I get my wife up and go to the ER.
I Had A Heart Attack
At the ER my EKG looked fine, but I responded to Nitroglycerin and my blood test say that I had a mild heart attack. Once I am stabilized, I get a room. My wife is freaking out. Not on the outside. She is a pillar of being calm and cool under pressure, but she is just tore up. She makes me promise to giver her at least a 45 year notice before I die. I make her that promise.
The Procedure And Tests
The next day I am transfer ed to another hospital that has a special Cardiology Lab and the to a Catheterization to see what they can find. Also, If they find anything, they can take care of it. They find nothing. They do a chest x-ray and find out I am recovering from pneumonia. What!? Pneumonia? They to a chest CT scan and it looks just fine. They do an ultrasound of my heart and It is just fine. They do an electrocardiogram and it is just fine. They did and other test (I can't remember what it is, I call it the bubble test, because they run small bubbles through the hear to test to see if there are any wholes in the walls of the heart or between chambers.) That test is just fine too.
The Risk Factors
I don't drink or smoke. My cholesterol was 200. It should be bellow that, but is not a big problem. I am a little over weight still, but I am loosing weight. I do exercise a little, but Ia m gradually increasing what I am able to do. I am only 42. There is nothing that a doctor would see and say, "Hey you need to change now or you will have a heart attack in the next few days." but that is what actually happened.
Home
I am now at home on bed rest. I feel tired and take twice as many pills. Now I carry Nitro pills, just in case of another heart attack. I will be setting an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow and see about getting into a recovery exercise program and now no fat or salt. An entire new diet.
Thank You!
Thank you to all my friends and family for all the support you have given me, my, wife and my family. Everyone stay in touch and post a comment. It looks like I now have more to blog about.
In 4 days it will be the 1 year anniversary of my car accident. Monday, I started to feel sick. Scratch throat, head ache, body aches, and a fever. I felt terrible! Monday night a friend (and first counselor) and his wife came by. He gave me a blessing. Tuesday came along, and now three daughters and my wife are sick. My wife takes the girls to the doctor and I go to my own. The girls test positive for strep. I take the same test, but I don't test positive for strep, the doctor decides that if it looks like strep and acts like strep then it is strep. Everyone gets some antibiotics and we take the rest of the day off.
My Sister-In-Law
My sister-in-law came up to visit with here son and twins. Well, the kids got strep too. So it is now 2 adults and 5 kids with strep. My oldest daughter and my sister-in-law become the care givers. I felt bad that we gave her kids strep.
Wednesday
Everyone seems to be getting better, except me. I feel worse. I stayed in bed most of the day. I even stayed home from church. Sorry I missed the Court of Honor Jesse! That night we all go to my mother-in-laws for dinner. I still feel really bad. I take some Motrin and try and relax. We had Tacos for dinner. I start feeling what seemed to be indigestion and take some Tums. We all play some games, and since the kids are now out of school, we stay up late. We finally go home around 12:30am. We put the kids to bed and my wife and I go right to sleep.
Then It Happened
About 1:00am I wake up and the feeling is back, this time it feels more like pressure than indigestion. I take my medication and go back to bed. Well, around 3:00am I wake up again and it is worse! Now it is more like a "Oh my gosh! I cracked my sternum" kind of pain! I lay there for about and hour and then I get my wife up and go to the ER.
I Had A Heart Attack
At the ER my EKG looked fine, but I responded to Nitroglycerin and my blood test say that I had a mild heart attack. Once I am stabilized, I get a room. My wife is freaking out. Not on the outside. She is a pillar of being calm and cool under pressure, but she is just tore up. She makes me promise to giver her at least a 45 year notice before I die. I make her that promise.
The Procedure And Tests
The next day I am transfer ed to another hospital that has a special Cardiology Lab and the to a Catheterization to see what they can find. Also, If they find anything, they can take care of it. They find nothing. They do a chest x-ray and find out I am recovering from pneumonia. What!? Pneumonia? They to a chest CT scan and it looks just fine. They do an ultrasound of my heart and It is just fine. They do an electrocardiogram and it is just fine. They did and other test (I can't remember what it is, I call it the bubble test, because they run small bubbles through the hear to test to see if there are any wholes in the walls of the heart or between chambers.) That test is just fine too.
The Risk Factors
I don't drink or smoke. My cholesterol was 200. It should be bellow that, but is not a big problem. I am a little over weight still, but I am loosing weight. I do exercise a little, but Ia m gradually increasing what I am able to do. I am only 42. There is nothing that a doctor would see and say, "Hey you need to change now or you will have a heart attack in the next few days." but that is what actually happened.
Home
I am now at home on bed rest. I feel tired and take twice as many pills. Now I carry Nitro pills, just in case of another heart attack. I will be setting an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow and see about getting into a recovery exercise program and now no fat or salt. An entire new diet.
Thank You!
Thank you to all my friends and family for all the support you have given me, my, wife and my family. Everyone stay in touch and post a comment. It looks like I now have more to blog about.
Friday, May 15, 2009
I AM RUNNING AGAIN! - Sort of....
I finally did it! A non-stop run!
I had started out with what is called wogging. I would jog for 2 minutes then walk for two minutes. I progressed to a 4 minute jog and a 2 minute walk, then 6 and 2. Now I ran non stop! I am a little sore today, BUT I LOVE IT! How far? How fast? What was the terrain like? I ran 1 WHOLE MILE! whoo! It took me 14 minutes and 58 seconds! The terrain was a slow up hill for a quarter of a mile, then a slow down hill for almost a half a mile, then a huge climb for just under a quarter of a mile, with a small 100 yard descent to the finish line. The temperature was 75 degrees.
A Confession
Alright. I admit it. I actually never use the word "jogging" in relation to myself. Why, because as long as I can remember, I have been a runner. When I would go out an "run", rarely would I be going at a pace that would allow me to hold a reasonable conversation. Just a few short sentences and lost of breathing in between. As you can see from the achievement above, I was not running but jogging. In the future, if you read something about running, don't think to yourself "Oh my gosh! I can't run that! but I could jog that though", keep in mind I mean jogging too.
I NEED YOUR HELP!
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A BONUS GIFT!
Many people have told me that they love my blog, they enjoy the suggestions and tips, or that they have been inspired in some way by my blog. If you are one of them, I would like you to email me and tell my how the blog has helped you, give me permission to post your response on my blog or other web site and how you would like your name (or nick name) displayed, and I will SEND YOU A FREE get my fat butt in shape T-shirt. On the front that t-shirt will have the name of my sponsoring city and the get my fat butt in shape logo. On the back will be a list of sponsors. I would love to here from you! Once I get your email, I will request your t-shirt size and color and where to send it. That's all! Tell me how I helped and get your free t-shirt now. there is a limited number of shirts and sizes, so do it as quickly as possible.
Privacy Notice
I do not and will not share your email address, or any other information you provide me with anyone else. Period. I will keep your email address and name (or nick name)in my contact list, but I will not store or keep any other information that you provide me to get the t-shirt.
Thanks.
Now I need to get back and get my fat butt in shape!
I had started out with what is called wogging. I would jog for 2 minutes then walk for two minutes. I progressed to a 4 minute jog and a 2 minute walk, then 6 and 2. Now I ran non stop! I am a little sore today, BUT I LOVE IT! How far? How fast? What was the terrain like? I ran 1 WHOLE MILE! whoo! It took me 14 minutes and 58 seconds! The terrain was a slow up hill for a quarter of a mile, then a slow down hill for almost a half a mile, then a huge climb for just under a quarter of a mile, with a small 100 yard descent to the finish line. The temperature was 75 degrees.
A Confession
Alright. I admit it. I actually never use the word "jogging" in relation to myself. Why, because as long as I can remember, I have been a runner. When I would go out an "run", rarely would I be going at a pace that would allow me to hold a reasonable conversation. Just a few short sentences and lost of breathing in between. As you can see from the achievement above, I was not running but jogging. In the future, if you read something about running, don't think to yourself "Oh my gosh! I can't run that! but I could jog that though", keep in mind I mean jogging too.
I NEED YOUR HELP!
What would make this blog better? What information do you want? Would you like links to products or services? If so which products and which services? Please let me know, I would greatly appreciate it. If you email me a suggestions, you will get a FREE Subscription to Runner's World online News Letter. It's FREE and you can unsubscribe to it at any time. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS EMAIL ME a suggestion. Email them to getmyfatbuttinshape@gmail.com
A BONUS GIFT!
Many people have told me that they love my blog, they enjoy the suggestions and tips, or that they have been inspired in some way by my blog. If you are one of them, I would like you to email me and tell my how the blog has helped you, give me permission to post your response on my blog or other web site and how you would like your name (or nick name) displayed, and I will SEND YOU A FREE get my fat butt in shape T-shirt. On the front that t-shirt will have the name of my sponsoring city and the get my fat butt in shape logo. On the back will be a list of sponsors. I would love to here from you! Once I get your email, I will request your t-shirt size and color and where to send it. That's all! Tell me how I helped and get your free t-shirt now. there is a limited number of shirts and sizes, so do it as quickly as possible.
Privacy Notice
I do not and will not share your email address, or any other information you provide me with anyone else. Period. I will keep your email address and name (or nick name)in my contact list, but I will not store or keep any other information that you provide me to get the t-shirt.
Thanks.
Now I need to get back and get my fat butt in shape!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Healthy Snack That Can Help You Loose Weight!
First On A Personal Note...
You will notice that I now have a profile picture. And here it is. Yes, it is a cow. So you may ask, "What is up with the Cow?!" Well, the last race a ran before my accident was in Pittsboro, NC. The temperature was 19 degrees Fahrenheit. It was cold. I ran it in 22:19 and I took second place in my age group, just behind a 60 year old man from England, that holds the worlds record for the fastest 5k in the 60-65 year old age group. But that is another story. Anyway, aside from a nice glass trophy, I won this cow. This cow has sat on my night stand ever since. But NO MORE!
The Running Cow
From now on this cow will go with me to every race and I will carry the cow from start to finish. This will become my symbol! The Running Cow!
Now, Healthy Snack That Can Help You Loose Weight!
My wife and I find we have the munchies late at night while we watch movies. While she is at work she has the munchies. While I am doing taxes, I have the munchies. So we have been looking all over for snacks that are healthy and in many cases actually help you loose weight. A couple of these are less of snack and more of good eating habits that can help reduce the munchies. I hope you enjoy them.
Stop Drinking Soda! Even Diet Soda!
If you drink a soda everyday, lets say a 20 oz. soda, you drink in an average of 350 calories. That's 127,750 calories a year. Cut out that soda a day (and don't replace it with anything but water) and it would be like not eating food for 42 days. Imagine how much weigh you could loose of just that! So what is up with diet sodas? Research is still out, but current findings show that diet sodas actually cause you to crave more sugary foods? Ever see the person drinking a diet soda then eating a candy bar also? There you go.
Drink More Water
In many studies of athletes, it was found that when the athlete got the munchies, the person was actually thirsty. Simply increasing the amount of water they drank, reduced the urge to snack. It was then tested on regular people. Regular people cut the urge twice as much as athletes. (I hope I didn't offend any athletes by referring to non athletes as regular people. I just could not think of a non offensive way to refer to us couch potatoes.)
Eat A Fruit And A Vegetable With Each Meal
Now when I say vegetable, I mean a real vegetable. Sorry, chocolate is not a vegetable. Neither is that frozen or canned broccoli and cheese meal. I mean and Actual vegetable like steamed broccoli. 1 cup will do just fine. And when I say fruit, I mean an apple and not canned or dried fruit soaked in sugar.
Great Snacks By Themselves
Eat a Banana, an apple, a pear, fresh cut (not ever from a can) pineapple, a carrot, 5-6 baby carrots, tomato slices with salt, 6-8 cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, and celery. Eat those when you get the munchies. Don't for get a 1/2 cup of Berries. Blue Berries, black berries, and raspberries are great. Just don't add sugar!
3/4 of a Cup of Plain or Vanilla Yogurt Topped With Fruit
Studies have shown that women in particular are more likely to loose weight when they eat a yogurt for breakfast. My wife an I find it makes a great movie snack and it also reduces are munchies craving.
Chunky Salsa
Just pour a cup into a bowl and eat it with a spoon. After all, salsa is nothing more than tasty vegetable. Watch for salsa with added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Also, no chips though or this snack will back fire.
Smoothies
You can either use vanilla protein powder or yogurt as the base and these are great! I love them! If you make them right they can fill you up and quench that thirst!
Cereal Bars or Granola Bars
Look for the kind that are low in sugar (less than 8grams) and have 140 calories or less. These are high in fiber and tend to be high in protein.
Popcorn!
The air popped, no butter or other fat added. I have not been able to find any microwave popcorn that was healthy, if it is low in fat, they actually add high fructose corn syrup. Can you believe that? I have found many good brands that come in a bag. You'll find them next to the chips. Speaking of sugar on popcorn, caramel popcorn or Cracker Jacks don't count either.
So You Can Snack!
Eat the above items, and it can help reduce your munchies, and help you loose weight. Many of these munchies you can eat to your hearts content and stay healthy.
You will notice that I now have a profile picture. And here it is. Yes, it is a cow. So you may ask, "What is up with the Cow?!" Well, the last race a ran before my accident was in Pittsboro, NC. The temperature was 19 degrees Fahrenheit. It was cold. I ran it in 22:19 and I took second place in my age group, just behind a 60 year old man from England, that holds the worlds record for the fastest 5k in the 60-65 year old age group. But that is another story. Anyway, aside from a nice glass trophy, I won this cow. This cow has sat on my night stand ever since. But NO MORE!
The Running Cow
From now on this cow will go with me to every race and I will carry the cow from start to finish. This will become my symbol! The Running Cow!
Now, Healthy Snack That Can Help You Loose Weight!
My wife and I find we have the munchies late at night while we watch movies. While she is at work she has the munchies. While I am doing taxes, I have the munchies. So we have been looking all over for snacks that are healthy and in many cases actually help you loose weight. A couple of these are less of snack and more of good eating habits that can help reduce the munchies. I hope you enjoy them.
Stop Drinking Soda! Even Diet Soda!
If you drink a soda everyday, lets say a 20 oz. soda, you drink in an average of 350 calories. That's 127,750 calories a year. Cut out that soda a day (and don't replace it with anything but water) and it would be like not eating food for 42 days. Imagine how much weigh you could loose of just that! So what is up with diet sodas? Research is still out, but current findings show that diet sodas actually cause you to crave more sugary foods? Ever see the person drinking a diet soda then eating a candy bar also? There you go.
Drink More Water
In many studies of athletes, it was found that when the athlete got the munchies, the person was actually thirsty. Simply increasing the amount of water they drank, reduced the urge to snack. It was then tested on regular people. Regular people cut the urge twice as much as athletes. (I hope I didn't offend any athletes by referring to non athletes as regular people. I just could not think of a non offensive way to refer to us couch potatoes.)
Eat A Fruit And A Vegetable With Each Meal
Now when I say vegetable, I mean a real vegetable. Sorry, chocolate is not a vegetable. Neither is that frozen or canned broccoli and cheese meal. I mean and Actual vegetable like steamed broccoli. 1 cup will do just fine. And when I say fruit, I mean an apple and not canned or dried fruit soaked in sugar.
Great Snacks By Themselves
Eat a Banana, an apple, a pear, fresh cut (not ever from a can) pineapple, a carrot, 5-6 baby carrots, tomato slices with salt, 6-8 cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, and celery. Eat those when you get the munchies. Don't for get a 1/2 cup of Berries. Blue Berries, black berries, and raspberries are great. Just don't add sugar!
3/4 of a Cup of Plain or Vanilla Yogurt Topped With Fruit
Studies have shown that women in particular are more likely to loose weight when they eat a yogurt for breakfast. My wife an I find it makes a great movie snack and it also reduces are munchies craving.
Chunky Salsa
Just pour a cup into a bowl and eat it with a spoon. After all, salsa is nothing more than tasty vegetable. Watch for salsa with added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Also, no chips though or this snack will back fire.
Smoothies
You can either use vanilla protein powder or yogurt as the base and these are great! I love them! If you make them right they can fill you up and quench that thirst!
Cereal Bars or Granola Bars
Look for the kind that are low in sugar (less than 8grams) and have 140 calories or less. These are high in fiber and tend to be high in protein.
Popcorn!
The air popped, no butter or other fat added. I have not been able to find any microwave popcorn that was healthy, if it is low in fat, they actually add high fructose corn syrup. Can you believe that? I have found many good brands that come in a bag. You'll find them next to the chips. Speaking of sugar on popcorn, caramel popcorn or Cracker Jacks don't count either.
So You Can Snack!
Eat the above items, and it can help reduce your munchies, and help you loose weight. Many of these munchies you can eat to your hearts content and stay healthy.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Get Your Rear In Gear 5k - Lots of Fun!
We Had An Early Start
It all started at 5:00 am. My wife and I got out of bed, showered and got dressed. While she showered I fed the kids, and helped them get dressed. My Eldest had to dress of her first Soccer game that would be just after the race. We had hoped to be on the road by 6:00am. We picked up my mother-in-law at 6:10am so not too bad. We didn't preregister and we wanted t-shirts, so we wanted to be one of the first one there. We made it just as they opened and got out t-shirts.
What A Lot Of Booths
I was surprised at how many booths there were. All kinds of health information booths, a booth for a gym, a day spa, and a massage place. I had to get a back massage. It was great. The race had plenty of food, water, snacks, and soda (not too healthy, but very nice), and face painting for the kids.
Inaugural Run
Since this was the first race, I didn't expect more than 100 runners. I believe they did well pas that. This event turned out to be really big! Having organized a 5k race to raise money for boy scouts, I was very impressed. Lots of volunteers, well organized, and a friendly atmosphere. My race had live music and theirs had a DJ.
The Weather Was Great!
You could not ask for better weather. I thought an 8:30 start time would be too early, but the temperature that time of the morning was perfect. I believe it was between 65 and 69 degrees. Sunny, no wind, no rain, and it was not humid. Only 60% humidity that day.
Who Was There?
Several people we expected were not able to come. All from illness. It is cold and allergy season around here and that is what kept them home. So there were 3 actually runners for our team. My wife, mother-in-law, and our friend Rayna.
Jogging For Georgia
Our team was running for our dear from Georgia Cloutier and we were running in memory of two of our dear friends that recently passed away from cancer, Karen Larsen and Marti Linford.
What About You?
Did I run? No. My wife and I have this deal worked out, I run, she watches the kids. She runs, I watch the kids. This race happened to be her turn to run, so I watched the kids. I still had fun and so did the girls.
The Kids Fun Run
I expected the fun run to be a mile. Only two of my kids wnated to run it. One of which was my 3 year old. She was a little young and small to be running a mile, so we didn't register her. Well, we go to the kids fun run finish line on a soccer filed for the start. That should have been a sign that it wasn't going to be as long as expected. They waled the kids down the field and had them run back. Each kid got a medal. My daughter that ran loved it. If I had know how long it was going to be, I would have registered my 3 year old.
The 5k Course
Of course it is in Hilly Raleigh, North Carolina. So the course was hilly. Though it was hillier than what my wife and mother-in-law expected, they really enjoyed it.
The Times
The winner of the race finished in 19:27. For a high attending 5k race, that is a slow time, but it shows the hills were a factor. My wife and her mom had hoped to finish in under 45 minutes. They finsihed in 49:48. Considering the course they did great. Oh, I must through in that my wife had the baby in a ouch and was carrying her. My wife did great!
The Age Groups
Except for the first 2 age groups, they were grouped by 10 year increments. The first two were 14 or younger, 15-19, 20 to 29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-99. I understand with smaller races why they would do age group like this. But this was a big race! I actually prefer races that do age groups by 5 years. This gives more people an opportunity to win and in my opinon is more fair. Since I have been both, there is a big difference bewteen 20 year old and a 29 year old.
Over All!
Over all the Get Your Rear In Gear 5k was a great race. If they do it again next year, we will probably be there.
Whats Next!
The Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston South Carolina! See you there!
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