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Saturday, April 19, 2008

Your Input?

It costs nothing, but it can be very worthwhile to a lot of people you may never meet. Often people push and shove to give their opinion even when no one really wants it. Others are quick to give an opinion about things they have very little knowledge of. But right here, right now is your chance to give your opinion about the articles posted here, to people who want to know what YOU think. I hope that my articles hit on a topic or two that might be helpful to you, and adding your personal experiences, whether in support of what I've written or to correct some lack on my part, is very welcome. You may have noticed that I'm not selling any products, thought the site is supported by ads. I have nothing to sell. But I check reports that indicate just how many visitors have been here, and I am always amazed that so many people can have so little to say. I've been told that only a very tiny percentage of folks who read a blog will ever bother to make a comment. Maybe that's a good thing. I can't say. For myself, the only way I know that you like what you read, and maybe even benefit from the information in some way, is if you just say so. Tell me what you like, what you don't like, what you want to know more about, or what YOU know from your personal experience. This was not intended as my soapbox, but as a forum for ideas that might benefit all of us as we work our way thru issues that are common to baby boomers. You might save someone else from the mistakes you have already discovered, or avoid problems you already have successfully dealt with. Maybe you can just offer a word of encouragement, or a bit of preventative medicine. Share this blog address with friends and family. There are many articles here and surely something will hit their funny bone or spark some interest. So please, take a minute and either drop me an e-mail (just hit the button provided all the way at the bottom of the last page) or enter a comment here. I KNOW you are out there!! I can hear you breathing.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Older, but not necessarily wiser

Just because we have logged a few miles, that's no guarantee of wisdom. We should avoid a superior attitude and a condescending approach to young people. In fact, once in awhile a really bright one comes along.

There was a young man who wanted very much to enter a particular university. The interviewer, an older man, for some reason took pride in how tough he was, and how few managed to get past him. Well, the young man had passed the GED and SAT tests and his scores were impressive, but the old man was determined to show him how little he really knew.
"Young man, you have done quite well, but now I want to give you a very important choice. You choose whether I shall ask you one very difficult question to conclude this interview, or ten fairly easy questions." The young man's future hinged on his decision. "I'd like you to ask me just one very hard question, sir." "Aha!", thought the old man, "I've got him cornered now!"

"Ok, young man. Which comes first, DAY or NIGHT?" The lad thought about it for a few minutes and then confidently replied "Day comes first." "How do you know that?" shouted the old man. "Oh no, sir!" the lad said with a small smile. "You said you would ask only ONE hard question!"

There is a lesson somewhere in that.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Soy Protein or Whey Protein?

So much research is being done about protein supplement shakes, especially since so many diet and weight loss books advocate it. Hard to be sure just which is better. And whether one is better for men and the other for women. The "experts" can't seem to agree totally, but I'm beginning to think that if you follow almost any of the information far enough, someone is making a buck or two off of whatever they have written. In one sense, soy protein might be better for men AND women, but then you come across someone who says just the opposite. My opinion, having considered a ton of writing on the subject, is use either one, unless you have a lactose intolerance. Just use it in moderation, like everything else. Too much protein is very hard on the kidneys and liver. If you are using either one for weight loss, add a healthy dose of exercise to it, or you will be disappointed with whichever one you choose. If you are using protein shakes as a supplement to food sources of protein in order to GAIN weight and build muscle mass, don't overdo it. All the hype is just that, hype!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Well? How Am I Supposed To Lose It?

Funny how at that "certain age" we wake up, look in the mirror and say "How did this happen?" The wrinkles come on very slowly, so we don't really notice. The pounds and inches seem to add up at an even slower pace for many of us. But now you've taken a good hard look in the mirror and you want to finally DO something about the extra pounds. First, if you believe nothing else you read today, especially from this site, believe this: effort and commitment are required. If you think otherwise, stop reading here please. Go browze thru some of my other articles. I hope you will find something there you like. For those of you who are still reading, I'd like to share a few little tips with you. With just a little regular effort, and with little positive changes, and with a little daily commitment to improve your health, you can easily lose ten pounds this month. And by the way, I don't play April Fools jokes. Now you might be thinking, "Ten pounds is hardly worth it. I need to lose fifty pounds!" Well, by the end of August you could be there, but not if you keep making excuses. Just start. NOW!
First, if you are in otherwise good health, you should still consult your medical practitioner before you make any changes in your diet or exercise level. I am not a doctor of anything, and I do not give health advice. I am just passing along some information.
Here are just a few tips. You may have heard them all before. If so, then apparently you didn't put them to good use, or you wouldn't be reading about losing weight, right?
1. NEVER skip breakfast. Ideally, eat a little solid protein in the morning. Leftover skinless chicken or fish, or maybe some peanut butter. Missing breakfast triggers a survival response in your system. You don't want that.
2. Do not connect weight loss with diet. With eating habits, yes. Diets, NO.
3. Do not assume you have to spend money to lose weight.
4. If you are able to walk to the end of your street, go NOW. If it is raining, take an umbrella.
Don't make excuses. If it is not safe to walk in your neighborhood, make a guess about how long it would take to walk to the end of your street, and walk around your house or apartment for that long. If you have some stairs, use them too. If you walk only five minutes today, GREAT!
Tomorrow, walk at least that far or that long again. Eventually you want to increase both the time and the distance walked. Set a goal in 30 days of 30 minutes a day. If you simply cannot do that, keep at it until you can. You can walk in place in your bathroom for 30 minutes if you can't do anything else.
5. Shake up your eating habits. Learn to like fresh fruit. Skip the bagel and cream cheese in the morning and eat a banana or a few strawberries. Eat them very slowly. Enjoy.
6. Do not drink water or anything else with your meals. Wait at least an hour after eating to drink. Never eat anything until at least 1/2 hour has passed after you have anything to drink.
7. If you doctor approves, pick one day each week to eat solid protein and drink extra water. No carbs. A little chicken in the morning, maybe some fish for lunch. You get the idea. No veggies, no pasta. Just protein and water. You will need extra water.
8. Two days each week plan at least six small meals. SMALL meals. 1/2 portions. Consider a portion to be about the size of your palm. 1/2 portion of pasta or potato or rice, 1/2 portion of veggies, 1/2 portion of lean meat. Use seasonings to make it tasty and interesting. Chew slowly.
Do not snack between meals. Plan your meal times so that your last meal of the day is at least three hours before bedtime.
9. Never allow yourself to go hungry. That sends the wrong signals to your body to start storing fat.
10. Weigh yourself no more than once a week.
11. Whether you like it or not, lean muscle burns calories, fat does not. Weight bearing exercise is essential for maintenance of healthy bone structure and density, and you don't have to be a body builder. Just use fairly light weights if you like, but use them to increase the intensity of your walks, and to tone your muscles while you are watching TV.
12. Make the TV your timekeeper. Each time a commercial break comes up, do one set of some type of exercise, and walk around the room or around the house until the commercials are over. Do this at least three evenings each week. You will find that the later into a program or movie, the longer the commercial breaks get. You aren't interested in them anyway, so why not invest the time in your health?

Well, that's an even dozen ideas. There are many more. If you would like to share some here, let me know. The fact is, you can take control of your weight with just a little discipline, and small changes in your daily habits. Too often, we see a little hill and convince ourselves it is a mountain. Don't defeat yourself. And maybe one evening a week, treat yourself to something you've been craving all week. Have a small bowl of ice cream or a piece of pie. Good eating habits the other 167.5 hours or so every week should earn you a little reward!