I'm walking away from who I was.
I'm walking to push the body to be fit, lean and better.
I'm walking toward becoming who I want to be.
I'm walking to walk, not every day but some days, for the sheer freedom and enjoyment of walking.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
Taking a Tumble
Most of the weekend I had sore muscles in the middle and lower sections of my back, and today on the last section of a long uphill section of the walk, which I added 1.25 miles for a total 9.25 miles as a test of the distance and more hills since it's been since August I last walked more than 8 miles, the muscles reminded even more.
And after a shower and some pain medication, the muscles still hurt when I try to stand from sitting for more than a few minutes. It's all in the muscles as the Sciatic nerves seem ok, or at least hasn't shown signs of problems.
This puzzled me for awhile when I remembered on New Year's day I walked in the predawn darkness where I tripped over a piece of asphalt on the shoulder and tumbled forward along the shoulder in the mud, puddles and debris.
Fortunately years ago I learned one lesson, never try to stop your fall with your hands or your arms, unless of course you want to break your wrist or seriously hurt or bruise your arm. The best way is to roll with your shoulders and use your hands and arms to protect your head.
Small hint.--If you fall and there's nothing close to grab to help or keep you from falling and you know you're going to hit the ground, roll your hands into fists so the fingers won't get hurt, or worse broken. You can also tuck them into your body to protect them.
Well, I did that and got up, brushed of the dirt and debris and walked on after cussing about being stupid when cars were driving by (no one stopped). Yeah the cursing the darkness idea even when I carry a flashlight for oncoming cars (always walk against traffic when there are no sidewalks).
Well, while the backpack cushioned the fall a little, I more than likely twisted my back enough the muscles got around to hurting over the weekend and more so today. What I know is that the back is only stiff and hurts when I sit for more than a few minutes and try to stand up and walk.
But then things get better when I walk or stretch for awhile. Standing helps too. So it's one of those things you know getting old sucks that you can't take a tumble in the darkness and not expect the body to hurt. And yes, I'm back to 8 mile walks without that long hill, only short ones.
And after a shower and some pain medication, the muscles still hurt when I try to stand from sitting for more than a few minutes. It's all in the muscles as the Sciatic nerves seem ok, or at least hasn't shown signs of problems.
This puzzled me for awhile when I remembered on New Year's day I walked in the predawn darkness where I tripped over a piece of asphalt on the shoulder and tumbled forward along the shoulder in the mud, puddles and debris.
Fortunately years ago I learned one lesson, never try to stop your fall with your hands or your arms, unless of course you want to break your wrist or seriously hurt or bruise your arm. The best way is to roll with your shoulders and use your hands and arms to protect your head.
Small hint.--If you fall and there's nothing close to grab to help or keep you from falling and you know you're going to hit the ground, roll your hands into fists so the fingers won't get hurt, or worse broken. You can also tuck them into your body to protect them.
Well, I did that and got up, brushed of the dirt and debris and walked on after cussing about being stupid when cars were driving by (no one stopped). Yeah the cursing the darkness idea even when I carry a flashlight for oncoming cars (always walk against traffic when there are no sidewalks).
Well, while the backpack cushioned the fall a little, I more than likely twisted my back enough the muscles got around to hurting over the weekend and more so today. What I know is that the back is only stiff and hurts when I sit for more than a few minutes and try to stand up and walk.
But then things get better when I walk or stretch for awhile. Standing helps too. So it's one of those things you know getting old sucks that you can't take a tumble in the darkness and not expect the body to hurt. And yes, I'm back to 8 mile walks without that long hill, only short ones.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Walking II
You can read the update on the walking for my Sciatic nerve in the previous post, but basically I walked about 1, 670 miles in 2013. I started the year weighing about 190 pounds and ended the year weighing 162 pounds, the recent times weighed on the local drugstore scale.
For most of the walks during the year I didn't see much change in my body, especially the obvious body fat I had from all the weight gain over the decades of tried and failed exercise plans. But then in October when I first weighed myself I realized I had lost the intramuscular fat in my legs and around the body.
It was then I began to notice the loss of the "body" (subcutaneous) fat we carry on the body, and that's what has been slowly decreasing as there isn't much left of the other fat (calories) to burn, and walking 8 miles with a 12-15 pound pack at a ~15 minute per mile pace burns a lot of calories.
I know I should be running instead of walking to burn the calories, but I'm not there yet as my lower back still reminds me of the Sciatic nerve issue and problems with the legs some weeks, eg. shin splints, numbness, balance and feeling tired or sore.
Anyway, the plan is to continue as this pace to lose 2+ lbs a month until I reach about 155 pounds to judge the amount left and either continue to 150 pounds or look to get liposuction, but liposuction is still the end goal as this will remove the fat I always gain so it will never be a problem.
The overall target weight is to 150 pounds to be fit to run 3-5 miles again and hike 6-10 miles with a 30+ pound daypack again. Hopefully the first goal (reaching the weight) will be reached this spring (May) and the other goal (running/hiking) later this summer or fall.
Now that I know the goal is within sight if I keep going, then I know I can get there. All too often I quit thinking I could do it again, but this time, it's my last best chance, and maybe my only chance at 64 years old.
Or so Agent Maxwell Smart said, "Would you believe Chief..."
For most of the walks during the year I didn't see much change in my body, especially the obvious body fat I had from all the weight gain over the decades of tried and failed exercise plans. But then in October when I first weighed myself I realized I had lost the intramuscular fat in my legs and around the body.
It was then I began to notice the loss of the "body" (subcutaneous) fat we carry on the body, and that's what has been slowly decreasing as there isn't much left of the other fat (calories) to burn, and walking 8 miles with a 12-15 pound pack at a ~15 minute per mile pace burns a lot of calories.
I know I should be running instead of walking to burn the calories, but I'm not there yet as my lower back still reminds me of the Sciatic nerve issue and problems with the legs some weeks, eg. shin splints, numbness, balance and feeling tired or sore.
Anyway, the plan is to continue as this pace to lose 2+ lbs a month until I reach about 155 pounds to judge the amount left and either continue to 150 pounds or look to get liposuction, but liposuction is still the end goal as this will remove the fat I always gain so it will never be a problem.
The overall target weight is to 150 pounds to be fit to run 3-5 miles again and hike 6-10 miles with a 30+ pound daypack again. Hopefully the first goal (reaching the weight) will be reached this spring (May) and the other goal (running/hiking) later this summer or fall.
Now that I know the goal is within sight if I keep going, then I know I can get there. All too often I quit thinking I could do it again, but this time, it's my last best chance, and maybe my only chance at 64 years old.
Or so Agent Maxwell Smart said, "Would you believe Chief..."
Monday, December 16, 2013
Reading
I was and still am never much of a reader. I've read some complete works in my life, eg. Sherlock Holmes and many books in the works of Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, etal., and my latest was the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo this last summer.
But mostly I'm a researcher reader. I read what I need learn or know about something or read about the idea, logic or theory about something to understand the background of it, some issue or whatever, and then get back to work.
I've always felt bad about this since Mom was a prolific reader, but mostly consumer or romance novels. She read a lot for work, mostly legal and/or insurance material (she was a senior insurance adjustor negotiating large lawsuits), but otherwise, she rarely read other than novels.
I never saw my father read and I doubt he read more than he needed to know about something. When I look back I'm often surprised how much I have read about a subject because I criticize myself for not reading enough, even newspapers.
I just to read 2-3 newspapers 4-5 days a week and always the Sunday papers. I still buy the Sunday New York Times, Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune and spend Sunday morning into the afternoon looking at every page and reading many articles. Nice way to spend a day.
Anyway, the point is that listening to an interview with Nancy Pearl, the former Chief Librarian for the Seattle Public Library, talking about recent books to read and where she says that the she starts ten books for every book she finishes.
She says she stops somewhere in the first chapter in those books because they don't interest her. And one in 10 or 11 books captures her attention and interest to read it through. That's nice to know about reading.
So don't feel bad, just keep reading until it holds your attention. I'm still looking for the next series to read the complete works. Someone suggested the Hunger Games. I love the Dragon Tattoo series and the movie doesn't hold a candle to it.
But mostly I'm a researcher reader. I read what I need learn or know about something or read about the idea, logic or theory about something to understand the background of it, some issue or whatever, and then get back to work.
I've always felt bad about this since Mom was a prolific reader, but mostly consumer or romance novels. She read a lot for work, mostly legal and/or insurance material (she was a senior insurance adjustor negotiating large lawsuits), but otherwise, she rarely read other than novels.
I never saw my father read and I doubt he read more than he needed to know about something. When I look back I'm often surprised how much I have read about a subject because I criticize myself for not reading enough, even newspapers.
I just to read 2-3 newspapers 4-5 days a week and always the Sunday papers. I still buy the Sunday New York Times, Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune and spend Sunday morning into the afternoon looking at every page and reading many articles. Nice way to spend a day.
Anyway, the point is that listening to an interview with Nancy Pearl, the former Chief Librarian for the Seattle Public Library, talking about recent books to read and where she says that the she starts ten books for every book she finishes.
She says she stops somewhere in the first chapter in those books because they don't interest her. And one in 10 or 11 books captures her attention and interest to read it through. That's nice to know about reading.
So don't feel bad, just keep reading until it holds your attention. I'm still looking for the next series to read the complete works. Someone suggested the Hunger Games. I love the Dragon Tattoo series and the movie doesn't hold a candle to it.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Weight
When I graduated from high school I was 5' 9" and 105 lbs, really, a very skinny kid. A year and half later when I enlisted in the US Air Force I was 5' 11" and 115 lbs, under the minimum weight they accepted enlistees but they agreed to take me if I gained weight in basic training.
I did and came out of basic training weighing 135 lbs, going from a 28" waist to a 32" waist. When I turned 30 I weighed 155 lbs. By age 40 I was 165 lbs, by 50 I was ~175 lbs and by 60 I was ~185 lbs. A year ago I weighed 188 lbs.
And today I weigh 165 lbs., losing all of it from walking 1,450+ miles so far this year (Jan. 1 to Nov. 29). My goal is to get down to 160 or less by spring, which is the rest of the fat I've carried on this body for too many years now.
I'd really love to get down to around 150 lbs again, but I'm one of those people who's genetic predisposes them to carry a certain amount of fat and twice in my live at 28 and 40 when I was the fittest I could be, I still carried a few extra pounds around my middle.
I know now this is my last best chance to get really fit for the rest of my life. To return to running, normally an 8 minute per mile pace runner for 3-5 miles (only did one 12K), and hiking when I hiked 8-12 miles with a 30+ lb (day) backpack for photography, is still my goal in a year or so.
Right now I'm up to 12.5-15 lbs in the backpack before my lower back reminds me later in the day what happened in July 2011 and July 2012 when I pinched my Sciatic nerve, the latter leaving me flat on my back for 4+ days.
So the idea now is to get down to under 160 when my fat is at its minimum and get surgery to get it removed (aka liposuction) so it never comes back no matter what happens. And they work to get to 150 or as close as my body will allow without problems.
And all of this will take another year to achieve, another year of walking 1,500+ miles to work on adding running and hiking with some weight training again. This is coming against the advice of almost everyone who are telling me it's ok to be a little fat and to take it easier when you're older.
Everyone except my physician who is for it because it makes my fitter, healthier and better. And what's not to like about that about yourself. At 64 I'm not going out of this life a fat, old man.
I did and came out of basic training weighing 135 lbs, going from a 28" waist to a 32" waist. When I turned 30 I weighed 155 lbs. By age 40 I was 165 lbs, by 50 I was ~175 lbs and by 60 I was ~185 lbs. A year ago I weighed 188 lbs.
And today I weigh 165 lbs., losing all of it from walking 1,450+ miles so far this year (Jan. 1 to Nov. 29). My goal is to get down to 160 or less by spring, which is the rest of the fat I've carried on this body for too many years now.
I'd really love to get down to around 150 lbs again, but I'm one of those people who's genetic predisposes them to carry a certain amount of fat and twice in my live at 28 and 40 when I was the fittest I could be, I still carried a few extra pounds around my middle.
I know now this is my last best chance to get really fit for the rest of my life. To return to running, normally an 8 minute per mile pace runner for 3-5 miles (only did one 12K), and hiking when I hiked 8-12 miles with a 30+ lb (day) backpack for photography, is still my goal in a year or so.
Right now I'm up to 12.5-15 lbs in the backpack before my lower back reminds me later in the day what happened in July 2011 and July 2012 when I pinched my Sciatic nerve, the latter leaving me flat on my back for 4+ days.
So the idea now is to get down to under 160 when my fat is at its minimum and get surgery to get it removed (aka liposuction) so it never comes back no matter what happens. And they work to get to 150 or as close as my body will allow without problems.
And all of this will take another year to achieve, another year of walking 1,500+ miles to work on adding running and hiking with some weight training again. This is coming against the advice of almost everyone who are telling me it's ok to be a little fat and to take it easier when you're older.
Everyone except my physician who is for it because it makes my fitter, healthier and better. And what's not to like about that about yourself. At 64 I'm not going out of this life a fat, old man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
