Being Fit for the King, isn't just about physical fitness. We need to strive to be fit in every aspect of our life.
Found this test on CNNMoney and found it interesting and potentially useful for a quick check up.
http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/financialhealth/index.html
See my poll at the right and if you don't mind answering it, anonymous of course, let's see how we all are doing.
29 April 2009
28 April 2009
Trip South Confirms Discrimination
I sit here tonight distraught, perplexed, angered, disappointed, and saddened. This country has come a long way, but now I'm convinced that discrimination is alive and well even today.
I first went to Home Depot and witnessed it there, then a trip to Target and I find the same thing. I'm walking the store to burn up some time and to have something to do and then as I'm looking at bathroom accessories to put in the RV, I'm confronted with the blatent discrimination. A discrimination that first surfaced, although I had tried to not believe it, when we were looking at accomodations for Disney.
My wife and I are discriminated against because we have 3 kids. Seriously, if you have more than 2 kids you are not allowed the same benefits that a couple with four kids receives. Disney's great vacation packages...designed for four people...add a fifth and they will not allow you stay in the lowest priced resorts and don't forget you've got to tack on an additional full price ticket package. Worse yet, try to find a toothbrush holder that is designed for more than four toothbrushes.
Don't hate us because we've got more than two kids, try it for yourself...
I first went to Home Depot and witnessed it there, then a trip to Target and I find the same thing. I'm walking the store to burn up some time and to have something to do and then as I'm looking at bathroom accessories to put in the RV, I'm confronted with the blatent discrimination. A discrimination that first surfaced, although I had tried to not believe it, when we were looking at accomodations for Disney.
My wife and I are discriminated against because we have 3 kids. Seriously, if you have more than 2 kids you are not allowed the same benefits that a couple with four kids receives. Disney's great vacation packages...designed for four people...add a fifth and they will not allow you stay in the lowest priced resorts and don't forget you've got to tack on an additional full price ticket package. Worse yet, try to find a toothbrush holder that is designed for more than four toothbrushes.
Don't hate us because we've got more than two kids, try it for yourself...
22 April 2009
FIT ain't HEALTHY!
Huh?
Yep, being fit doesn't equate to being healthy. I've had to learn that the hard way. For three years I've run and exercised through pains, strains, and illness with constant fear that not doing so would cause me to lose my fitness level.
I am now currently convinced that the nagging hammy and upper respiratory issues that I'm still trying to shake all come down to assuming I could "FIT" my way through anything and come out OK on the other side. Bottom line, just because I was FIT, didn't mean I was HEALTHY and my drive to be FIT, actually has caused me now to be UNHEALTHY.
Anyway, I've resumed cardio on the elliptical machine and I find that thing monotonous. I've altered my lifting routine to be a modified circuit training, hitting all muscle groups in the same workout, three days per week, with cardio planned for the other three.
As it currently stands, I've increased the weight in my final and heaviest set on the bench press by 30 lbs since the first of the year, my weight is staying in the same range as when I was running every day, I've added definition to my arms and shoulders, and best of all, I don't spend all day Saturday dreading that my kids will ask me to play something that requires the energy I burned up on the morning's long run.
At this time, I doubt I will ever return to the level of mileage I was logging before. I will do more marathons, but I will do them to complete them with little thought give to doing them fast. One of my friends who is running the KDF mini this weekend has the annoying habit of bounding up hills with a smile and energy that irritates her two running partners. I'm one of them, and though her weekly mileage has never come close to mine, she handles the hills better. I'm convinced it's the extra 8 years of experience my body has on it...crud...almost 9 years, forgot I've got a birthday coming up. OK, she doesn't log the miles, but she does log tons of time teaching and taking Jazzercise. The result, I believe, is that she maintains her cardio level, but never beats her body up with repetitive running, and running, and more running. She works different muscle groups throughout the week so that overall she stays fresh. Me, when I was running every day, I was always dragging.
Now before any hard core runners jump on me about this, let me say, some individual's physique, genetics, lifestyle, and life obligations allow them to train with high mileage. Personally, I've found that 60-65 hr work weeks, 5 to 6 hours of sleep per night, 9 meals of forced eating out each week, and other demands on my time and energy just are not conducive to me logging the miles that I was and not breaking down. No, 25 miles a week, is not very many, but given everything else, it was too much.
Well, another lesson learned the hard way. I should have paid attention. I had a co-worker who was a former tri-athlete and ultra-marathoner who still logged 20 milers for fitness and recreation every weekend. He was a fine example of the shape I hope to be in when I turn 60. Well, that is except for the throat and prostate cancer he was diagnosed with. Both, slow growing and doctors told him old age would get him before the cancer would, but still, he wasn't entirely healthy. Fit, yes. Healthy, no.
Postscript: I apologize if my writings are not always grammatically correct. I used to read and reread to try to organize my thoughts. Currently, I'm just typing my thoughts as they roll out of my head..yep, like a BB in a box car...anyway, I'm trying to cram in posting along with everything else. Speaking of which, time to go pack to go home tomorrow.
Yep, being fit doesn't equate to being healthy. I've had to learn that the hard way. For three years I've run and exercised through pains, strains, and illness with constant fear that not doing so would cause me to lose my fitness level.
I am now currently convinced that the nagging hammy and upper respiratory issues that I'm still trying to shake all come down to assuming I could "FIT" my way through anything and come out OK on the other side. Bottom line, just because I was FIT, didn't mean I was HEALTHY and my drive to be FIT, actually has caused me now to be UNHEALTHY.
Anyway, I've resumed cardio on the elliptical machine and I find that thing monotonous. I've altered my lifting routine to be a modified circuit training, hitting all muscle groups in the same workout, three days per week, with cardio planned for the other three.
As it currently stands, I've increased the weight in my final and heaviest set on the bench press by 30 lbs since the first of the year, my weight is staying in the same range as when I was running every day, I've added definition to my arms and shoulders, and best of all, I don't spend all day Saturday dreading that my kids will ask me to play something that requires the energy I burned up on the morning's long run.
At this time, I doubt I will ever return to the level of mileage I was logging before. I will do more marathons, but I will do them to complete them with little thought give to doing them fast. One of my friends who is running the KDF mini this weekend has the annoying habit of bounding up hills with a smile and energy that irritates her two running partners. I'm one of them, and though her weekly mileage has never come close to mine, she handles the hills better. I'm convinced it's the extra 8 years of experience my body has on it...crud...almost 9 years, forgot I've got a birthday coming up. OK, she doesn't log the miles, but she does log tons of time teaching and taking Jazzercise. The result, I believe, is that she maintains her cardio level, but never beats her body up with repetitive running, and running, and more running. She works different muscle groups throughout the week so that overall she stays fresh. Me, when I was running every day, I was always dragging.
Now before any hard core runners jump on me about this, let me say, some individual's physique, genetics, lifestyle, and life obligations allow them to train with high mileage. Personally, I've found that 60-65 hr work weeks, 5 to 6 hours of sleep per night, 9 meals of forced eating out each week, and other demands on my time and energy just are not conducive to me logging the miles that I was and not breaking down. No, 25 miles a week, is not very many, but given everything else, it was too much.
Well, another lesson learned the hard way. I should have paid attention. I had a co-worker who was a former tri-athlete and ultra-marathoner who still logged 20 milers for fitness and recreation every weekend. He was a fine example of the shape I hope to be in when I turn 60. Well, that is except for the throat and prostate cancer he was diagnosed with. Both, slow growing and doctors told him old age would get him before the cancer would, but still, he wasn't entirely healthy. Fit, yes. Healthy, no.
Postscript: I apologize if my writings are not always grammatically correct. I used to read and reread to try to organize my thoughts. Currently, I'm just typing my thoughts as they roll out of my head..yep, like a BB in a box car...anyway, I'm trying to cram in posting along with everything else. Speaking of which, time to go pack to go home tomorrow.
With Gilligan, the Skipper too...
I don't remember whether it was the original show or a made for TV movie, "Return to Gilligan's Island"????, but I remember the start of a boat trip, once they are well underway, that the Skipper inquires as to whether every thing was prepared and made ready before they left. Gilligan proudly talks about how well he cleaned and prepared everything, even cleaning and fixing the compass and getting a little black rock (the magnet) out of it. Well, if you know the premise of the show, and subsequent made for TV events, you know what happens.
Why did I remember this? Seems in releasing the documents concerning CIA interrogation techniques our President referenced that the country had lost its "moral bearings" in allowing such things to go on. Man I'm glad it only happened in the last 8 years and now things have been set straight again.
You see, I had feared... that in a country where we kill an unborn child, for reasons of convenience, a "choice" and the killing of unwanted dogs a crime, where government can spend billions on an airplane or a community hundreds of thousands on fireworks, yet we can't figure out a way to provide even basic affordable health care for our children, or where some will rally to show support for a "wayward" youth turned to piracy on the high seas, while condemning our soldiers for actions they take under the pressures of combat deployment (poor decisions and choices are made in every war, yes even WWII, which the News Reels sanitized and left us all to believe each one of our grandfathers and fathers were Angelic Heroes. Heroes yes, Angels, No. It was WAR and WAR is Hell no matter what they show back home)...well I had feared we were already a bit lost.
Mr. President, I had high hopes when you were elected, that just maybe, it wouldn't be politics as usual, that a new wind might sweep across this country. Well it did....it was hot air....seems that all politicians are full of it.
May God Bless the USA. Because we sure need it.
Why did I remember this? Seems in releasing the documents concerning CIA interrogation techniques our President referenced that the country had lost its "moral bearings" in allowing such things to go on. Man I'm glad it only happened in the last 8 years and now things have been set straight again.
You see, I had feared... that in a country where we kill an unborn child, for reasons of convenience, a "choice" and the killing of unwanted dogs a crime, where government can spend billions on an airplane or a community hundreds of thousands on fireworks, yet we can't figure out a way to provide even basic affordable health care for our children, or where some will rally to show support for a "wayward" youth turned to piracy on the high seas, while condemning our soldiers for actions they take under the pressures of combat deployment (poor decisions and choices are made in every war, yes even WWII, which the News Reels sanitized and left us all to believe each one of our grandfathers and fathers were Angelic Heroes. Heroes yes, Angels, No. It was WAR and WAR is Hell no matter what they show back home)...well I had feared we were already a bit lost.
Mr. President, I had high hopes when you were elected, that just maybe, it wouldn't be politics as usual, that a new wind might sweep across this country. Well it did....it was hot air....seems that all politicians are full of it.
May God Bless the USA. Because we sure need it.
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