20070413
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Not Ready for the Rockies
I’ve been hitting the Mountain Climber at the Gym. I go strong for about 15 minutes. But my bpm is like at 170-190. I have to keep to 2 mph just to get anything out of it!
It makes me feel a little stronger though. I added like 30lbs to my weights. Abs added about 10lbs. Next year I’m going to climb the Alps 3 days a week!
More Progress Made
How have I been eating since Easter? In a word, better. I've been snacking on hard boiled eggs and popcorn cooked on the stove. For dinner last night I had two burgers with no bun. They were average sized patties. The two of them would probably be slightly larger than a normal cheeseburger, but since I did not have buns on them, I felt justified. For a side, I did have a baked potato though. Other than that, no snacks after dinner over the next 4 hours. Just water and chocolate milk. Could have done better, could have done worse.
I've been on a salad kick lately too. I've tried to add one to all my dinners as a larger portion of my meals.
We picked up some pre-cooked buffalo tenders from Tyson. They're great, just pop them in the microwave for 4 minutes, turning them over at 2:00 in. They have a nice flavor that would add a nice kick to your salad. I'm gonna try that this weekend when I pick up some more lettuce. Speaking of, the lettuce and spinach crops are in the ground now. The pre-washed bagged salads will be here before long. After last fall's E. coli outbreak in spinach that sickened 200 people and killed three, the big question is, are those leafy greens safe to eat? Me personally, I love to buy romaine by the stalk or head. It takes seconds to cut up and tastes fresher to me. I bought a lettuce knife last year at Target for 25¢ and it's simple. I'd prefer this over a bag any day. Who knows what marinates in a bag in the middle of a hot summer day?
20070412
Links
I will park these on the right hand side of the side too for easy access. If you have a personal favorite you'd like us to add, drop a line!
20070411
Site Changes
As always, if you are interested in helping out on this site, please email me at swebster77@sbcglobal.net and I will be happy to get back.
Update (By the Numbers)
Well Easter weekend has come and passed. How did everyone do? Eat a bunch of stuff on Sunday that you regret still on Wednesday? I know I certainly thought twice about all the food I ate later on Sunday night. I had pancakes for breakfast on Sunday and then a few cookies at my mom's house. Later in the evening around 5:30 we had dinner at my in-law's house. Delicious spread of things like (of course) ham, deviled eggs, steamed vegetables, salad, homemade sausage and capacole. It wasn't exactly a bunch of bad stuff, just a little too much in the belly when all was said and done. In the end, I didn't really regret it, more like I was just trying to get comfortable later on the couch and I just wasn't able to very easily. It's alright though since Easter is once a year and there aren't that many holidays in a year like this. Plus, I feel like I kinda owed it to myself.
For a few reasons that I won't go into here, I was not able to run on Saturday. With Sunday being Easter, obviously I didn't run either. So rather than one day off on Friday, I had three in a row. Wow! I am gonna do all I can to not let that happen again anytime soon. It felt like I was off for two weeks. By the time I was done, my legs were more sore than any other times in recent history. I ended up short of my high of 5.24 when I finished at 5.07 miles. I was a little discouraged. I thought that the extra rest would have helped. Nope. On the calorie side, I did continue to burn more than previously with a high of 757 in the hour.Last night was a different story altogether. I'm happy to announce that I cruised to a new high of 5.38 miles going well past my third goal of 5.25 miles almost three weeks early! I also burned 798 calories! I was literally seconds away from eclipsing 800. Oh well, that's just another number to beat. I am gonna work on the next goal of 5.50 miles. I hope to hit it by month end. I had to really push myself to get to this new high last night. The thing is, it seemed to come a little easier than the night before when I did over 1/4 mile less. My calves are very tender today. Walking is fine and going up stairs is no problem. Walking down though really takes a little more effort today. I hope to recover okay for tomorrow night. I'd love to beat both numbers but I do not expect to.
This post mentions that it's an update by the numbers so I will get right to them.
- 8 straight days of running 5 or more miles
- 12 straight days of running 4.5 or more miles
- 31 days of running
- High in calories burned - 798
- High in miles run - 5.38
- Average Calorie Burn - 570
- Average Distance Run - 4.27
- 132.06 total miles run
- 17,669 total calories burned
Chart #2 shows calories burned with actual versus average
FUN FACT: Cumulatively, I have run the distance from Cleveland, OH to Pittsburgh, PA so far.
20070410
Eckrich Turkey Sausage Smoked
by Jamie HunterWhile I was shopping last week, I found Eckrich Kielbasa on sale for 5 for $10. Anyone that's shopped for sausage knows that Eckrich hardly ever goes on sale, at least not at Giant Eagle, so I jumped all over this deal. Well, today while I was preparing my lunch I happened to take a look at the label and noticed it said Turkey Kielbasa. Now I've never been a fan of turkey based products. Not because I don't like turkey but because it's always seemed weird to see "turkey burger" or turkey whatever.
At any rate I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of these sausages. They are tremendously lower in fat than the original pork sausages, and they don't taste as salty either. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a healthy alternative to regular Kielbasa. Try them and you just might be as surprised as I was at the flavor.
Italian Crusted Chicken
by Jamie HunterThis recipe is a household favorite and is sure to please most eaters!
Serves: 2 People
Prep Time: 6 hours
- 2 Whole Chicken Breasts (fat trimmed)
- 1 Cup of fat free Italian salad dressing
- 1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning
- 2 Cups of bread crumbs
2 Sandwich bags
Be sure to trim the fat off your chicken breasts. Tenderize your chicken breasts using a meat tenderizer until flat. Take two sandwich bags and place a chicken breast into each one. Next pour half of the salad dressing into each bag, seal with a twist tie or rubber band and place in the refrigerator for 2 or more hours. It's even better if they can soak overnight.
Now take the bread crumbs and combine them with the Italian seasoning.
Pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees.
Take out your chicken breasts and coat them with the bread crumb mixture. I use a bowl with a lid and shake them until they are evenly covered.
Place them in an oven safe pan, cover with foil then place in the oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes has expired remove the foil and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes or until done. Use a meat thermometer to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. Poultry should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees before eaten.
Serve with rice and steamed vegetables for a really healthy and tasty meal.
Pound It! The Secret To Tender Chicken Breasts Everytime
by Jamie Hunter
Ever wonder how restaraunts are able to serve tender and juicy chicken breasts everytime? Well, I will let you in on two of their secrets.
The first thing you can do is to slow cook your chicken. The slower you can cook chicken or any other meat the more tender it will be. The only thing you have to worry about is overcooking, as this will cause the meat to become stringy and dried out. You can cover it in a pan with aluminum foil, and place it in the oven at 175 to 200 degrees for up to 8 hours. You could also use a crock pot. The only problem with crock pots is that moisture accumulates and if your meat sits in the liquid for too long it can have a "boiling effect" which doesn't work well with some recipes.
The next trick is to "tenderize" the meat before cooking. You will need to purchase or have access to a meat tenderarize for this to work. It's that hammer type utensil that has different sizes of spikes on the 4 sides it. Chicken breasts are usually pretty thick so pound it down until it's flat, being careful not to break through to the other side. It's okay if you do, but be careful when you're handling it or it could fall apart. By tenderizing it you are breaking down the natural consistency of the meat. I prefer using this method as opposed to slow cooking because it works with any recipe involving chicken breats.
Give this a try and I guarantee your chicken will be as tender and juicy as the pros!
20070409
Freshman Fifteen Theory
I've long had my own theory as to why teens add that chunk of weight right out of high school. It kind of goes along with a few other reasons that the experts have come up with but it is slightly different and may stand on it's own for some individuals. To me, it was common sense after I had the realization as to what each person has in common. First let's look at some of the reasons that people already attribute to it. Each reason listed below is valid and could be responsible. The likelihood increases with the more reasons you have. I'd say that depending on whether you live at home or move off to the big city, your propensity for the freshman fifteen changes. Let's examine a few...- Increased homework and studying leads to increased snacking
- Decreased levels of sleep which deprive the body of leptin. Leptin is what tells your body you are full when eating.
- Cafeteria style foods in the dorm serving unhealthy food.
- Teens fending for themselves for the first time in their life having trouble setting good habits.
- Increased popularity in fast food
- Larger socials circles leading to more partying and social events with food
Now for my theory. Think back to when you were in school. Doesn't matter when. Elementary, junior high school or high school. When did you eat? It was between the same 2-3 hours every day for almost the entire year. Let's assume you start school at age five. By the time you leave high school, you have spent the better part of your life (75%) eating at roughly the same time every day. On top of that, you are eating the same portion sizes too. You get home from school and typically have dinner around the same time. Your body has come to depend on getting certain sizes at certain times and makes adjustments accordingly. It burns stuff off because it knows you're gonna give it more in just a few more hours. I feel bad for today's kids because with mom and dad both working sometimes two jobs, there is less chance of the family sitting down together at one time for dinner. "Just make yourself something to eat" is not the best thing for a teen to hear.
Now, you're in college. You might be living at home still, but now you're doing something completely different to your body. Your classes might start later so you are eating breakfast at a different time. You might be sleeping in (through class) so you grab something on the way. What about those classes that are sandwiched together in the middle of the afternoon? Your lunch ends up getting pushed back a little bit or perhaps you are snacking in class. Gotta spend some time in the library? Take something with you. In the end, your body has no idea when it will be eating again, so it starts to store things instead of burning them.
This is evident in people who go straight to work out of high school too. Maybe you're working a closing shift at the plant. When are you eating? It's not the same time as your body is used to. Where do a lot of kids get jobs right out of high school? Restaurants. I don't even need to get into how that affects things. I think that the "routine" is probably the biggest reason that people put on weight. It doesn't stop after the first year of college either. If you have taught your body how to burn and store things, it will react adversely if you throw it out of whack. Ask me later about how much I hate the "desk" job that I have had for the l8 month. Ask me about what I would do when I was bored. Here's a small hint, it rhymes with "eating".
So now, I'm running almost daily. I'm also snacking all throughout the day. The difference here is that I am eating very small things that are healthier for me. I also do it every 3 hours or so. It feels like my body is catching on to what I am doing. I am trying to get my body into a routine that it can memorize for me.
The High Cost of Eating Healthy
By Jamie HunterDid you ever wonder why it costs so much more to buy healthy foods when you're at the grocery store? Well, I came up with a few of my own reasons. Tell me if you think I'm on the right track.
For starters I think its a simple matter of supply and demand. There are far more people purchasing processed food than there are that purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and so on. The majority of the food manufactures are built to produce these types of foods because they are in such high demand. On the contrary since healthy eating is in the minority and the demand isn't as great for these foods it takes more money for manufactures to produce them and still make a profit. If more people demanded these foods, the prices would start to come down.
Transportation for healthy foods is a lot more expensive than foods packed with preservatives. The cost of your produce is directly related to your grocery bill, particularly when you are dealing with perishable goods. I think you would be surprised to learn just how few of our fruits and vegetables are grown locally. Now we know there aren't any orange groves in Ohio, but what about apples, cherries and other fruits that could be produced locally? I know for a fact that Giant Eagle imports the majority of their fruits out of state. Have you ever priced their apples and strawberries year round?!
There doesn't seem to be a whole lot we can do about the prices of fresh foods right now, but in the end I think it's an expense worth incurring. In the mean time, shop around for the best values and even check the Sunday papers for valuable coupons to help soften the blow of these necessary nutrients.
Mandarin Chicken/Tuna Salad
Here's a great idea for a quick salad that's low in fat and calories. The chicken can be subsituted for Tuna.- 1 small can of tuna
- 1 cup of baby spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 half cup of sliced tomatoes
Non fat Caesar Salad dressing.
Drain your tuna before adding it to the rest of your ingredients. Mix together your baby spinach, tuna or cubed chicken breast, tomatoes and orange slices. Add your chopped walnuts to last to maintain their crunchy texture, and finally add your salad dressing to taste.
This is a really fast meal that you can enjoy at home or at work. I find that "eating right" requires that you experiment and treat yourself to different textures and flavors to keep from getting bored with same old food day in and day out. Give it a try. You just might like it!
Jamie Hunter
It Can Be Very Slow
This post originally started out as a comment to Jamie's Avalanche post. As I typed it, it got bigger and bigger so I decided to create a new post altogether. The slow and subtle avalanche can be scarier than an instant one! Twice now as an adult I have lost weight at a relatively impressive rate and amount. About 4 years ago, I lost 35 pounds over the course of a year. I didn't even realize it until I weighed myself almost 11 months apart. Two years later, I lost 25 pounds in around two months. Somewhere between there, I noticed that Of the 35 I lost, I gained back about 15 or more over the next two years. Well, here I am again, about 15 pounds heavier. Not bad if you think about only adding 1-2 pounds a month over the next few years. The problem is, to safely lose weight, you have to do it somewhat slowly so your body can adjust. Same thing goes with gaining. I'd rather add ten pounds in two months because I would notice quicker which way I was heading. Also, my body would exhibits signs of distress if it felt like it was going crazy. Only adding a pound or two here and there, my body never said anything to me. I am lighter now than I was four years ago and getting closer to my weight from two years ago. Not close to my goal, but heading there. I want to look different than I do now. The weight will be a product of my changing my habits.I'm now in my third iteration of losing weight and toning up. I started eating better (again) a few months back. Dropped the amounts of sugar down and portion sizes scaled back slowly. Now that I have been running, I feel great. I am not 100% comfortable with my weight. I doubt I ever will be. Some people have commented that I look better and see improvements. I thank them politely and say something along the lines of "Yeah, still got some work to do, but thank you for noticing". If someone asks me if I have lost weight, I tell them "That's the plan." This time around, I am noticing the inches more than the weight. I think it is because of the muscle weight staying on or adding when I am slowly taking off the fat weight. The road is long, but as long as I keep looking forward and moving I think I'll be alright. In fact, I think that my moving slower this time weight-wise is better for me. I'm developing habits and routines that I think will be around for a long time.
Sugar...
For the past month or so, I had been real strict on my sugar/carb/fat in-take. I'm a slim dude by nature, but I was looking to force myself to make up for my lack of carbs with a higher amount of protein. This was helping by leaning out some of the body fat, and building up muscle tissue underneath. One thing I noticed was a major change in energy levels. Aside from a day or two transition period, I had a lot more energy and less severity in the change in my moods. Recently, I indulged myself in a week long feast of carbs, sugar, and fat. Part of it was because I was out of town and couldn't really regulate my diet comfortably, and the other part was because I got a sinus infection and I always spoil myself when I get sick. The major change has been in my moods. They are much more drastic when they change, while eating lots of sugar/carbs. The natural energy surge has been replaced by a quick artificial spike, and then a slow and sludgy slope. I look forward to getting back on my healthy eating again. Sounds weird right? I always picture two people in my mind when I eat. I am either eating to look like Stallone in Rambo, or Gandolfini as Tony Soprano. It helps make things easier. Try it. Holla.
