Friday, March 30, 2007
3/30/07
OK, rode the bike twice yesterday and lifted this morning! Man, I'm a little tired, but it will be good.
I did break down and have a soda this week. But I think I'll be OK. The blood pressure isn't going up, but its not going down very quickly. I'll check in on Monday!
Hopefully my tattoo guy will be in tonight!
KEEP LIFTING!
I did break down and have a soda this week. But I think I'll be OK. The blood pressure isn't going up, but its not going down very quickly. I'll check in on Monday!
Hopefully my tattoo guy will be in tonight!
KEEP LIFTING!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
3/27/07
I lifted this morning! My niece was having a coughing fit and woke me up around 4. So I laid in bed for awhile, then I finally just got up and worked out.
I'm glad I did. I can feel the difference! Hopefully tonight I'll get the energy up to ride the bike.
* * *
Except for my niece the family went camping. I was hoping to have the house to myself, since I can't take time off right now. But as always, make the best out of what I can get.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
I'm glad I did. I can feel the difference! Hopefully tonight I'll get the energy up to ride the bike.
* * *
Except for my niece the family went camping. I was hoping to have the house to myself, since I can't take time off right now. But as always, make the best out of what I can get.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
Monday, March 26, 2007
3/26/06
Didn't run because I was feeling like I had a cold, and it was cool and rainy. But I did ride the bike yesterday and this morning. Got a good sweat going.
I'll be trying to lift on Tuesday and either Thursday or Friday morning. Oh, and I'm still doing good on the no soda thing. Since I don't have a scale, I can't say if I've lost any weight. But I'll be tracking my waist size. The highest I could get it to - yes I tried that instead of sucking it in - was 43 inches. So somewhere between 40-43 is where it is at. My goal will be to get that down below 40. When? As soon as possible.
I'll measure again later this week. I'll also do my blood pressure next week. It went down 4/6 points, but it is still above the 130/90 suggestion. That will be my goal. I'm hoping I can do that by the second week of April. I go to my doc in May and want to have something solid I can build on. In February I was at 122/90, and my glucose was 92. So hopefully I can get back to that range by May.
* * *
RealAge tips:
When You Snooze You . . . Win!
Corporate culture has it wrong: When you snooze, you win! A daytime doze is a stress buster and heart protector. Just 30 minutes midday, three times a week, is all you need. Middle-aged working men who did just that cut their risk of a fatal heart attack and other heart problems by a whopping 37 percent.
Although the study focused on working men, women would probably benefit as well. Naps are a great stress reducer. You've heard how stress can damage your health, but how it causes heart disease remains unclear. Blame the stress hormones that course through your veins when you are under pressure. Researchers think these hormones may damage organs, glands, and blood vessels. Or bad influence could be at fault, because stress can drive you to unhealthy behaviors like smoking, overeating, and skipping your workout.
What is clear about stress: Pressure-cooker jobs increase your chances of accumulating risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
So for sweet dreams and a more relaxed (and happier) you, do as the Spaniards do -- take a siesta! Can't nap on the job? Catch some midday ZZZs on the weekend. Just be sure to set an alarm clock -- sleep too long and you'll have trouble sticking to your regular bedtime.
Your Skin Loves Carrots
For healthy, glowing skin, make like a rabbit and eat your carrots. The crunchy snack and Bugs Bunny prop is loaded with vitamin A -- a good-for-your-eyes antioxidant that appears to be great for skin, too. It helps balance the pH of the skin's surface, making it slightly acidic. That's good news, because slightly acidic skin fends off bacterial invaders.
In addition to getting enough vitamin A in your diet, keep an eye on how much fat you eat. A recent study suggests that eating too much fat will suck moisture from your skin, which means fine lines and wrinkles have no place to hide. Should you drink more water? It can't hurt. Water provides your skin with more moisture, and it helps balance pH. But there's no reason to overdo it.
So what kind of pH do you want, when it comes to your skin? Ideally, it should be slightly acidic: A pH ranging from 5.4 to 5.9 is good. When skin pH is outside this zone, it can interfere with normal skin functions, such as protecting against bacteria and repairing or protecting itself against damage. Other nutrients that might affect skin acidity: calcium and beta cryptoxanthin -- but only in men, according to a recent study. Researchers speculate that hormonal differences between genders may be the reason certain nutrients affect men's skin, but not women's.
KEEP NAPPING!!!!!
I'll be trying to lift on Tuesday and either Thursday or Friday morning. Oh, and I'm still doing good on the no soda thing. Since I don't have a scale, I can't say if I've lost any weight. But I'll be tracking my waist size. The highest I could get it to - yes I tried that instead of sucking it in - was 43 inches. So somewhere between 40-43 is where it is at. My goal will be to get that down below 40. When? As soon as possible.
I'll measure again later this week. I'll also do my blood pressure next week. It went down 4/6 points, but it is still above the 130/90 suggestion. That will be my goal. I'm hoping I can do that by the second week of April. I go to my doc in May and want to have something solid I can build on. In February I was at 122/90, and my glucose was 92. So hopefully I can get back to that range by May.
* * *
RealAge tips:
When You Snooze You . . . Win!
Corporate culture has it wrong: When you snooze, you win! A daytime doze is a stress buster and heart protector. Just 30 minutes midday, three times a week, is all you need. Middle-aged working men who did just that cut their risk of a fatal heart attack and other heart problems by a whopping 37 percent.
Although the study focused on working men, women would probably benefit as well. Naps are a great stress reducer. You've heard how stress can damage your health, but how it causes heart disease remains unclear. Blame the stress hormones that course through your veins when you are under pressure. Researchers think these hormones may damage organs, glands, and blood vessels. Or bad influence could be at fault, because stress can drive you to unhealthy behaviors like smoking, overeating, and skipping your workout.
What is clear about stress: Pressure-cooker jobs increase your chances of accumulating risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
So for sweet dreams and a more relaxed (and happier) you, do as the Spaniards do -- take a siesta! Can't nap on the job? Catch some midday ZZZs on the weekend. Just be sure to set an alarm clock -- sleep too long and you'll have trouble sticking to your regular bedtime.
Your Skin Loves Carrots
For healthy, glowing skin, make like a rabbit and eat your carrots. The crunchy snack and Bugs Bunny prop is loaded with vitamin A -- a good-for-your-eyes antioxidant that appears to be great for skin, too. It helps balance the pH of the skin's surface, making it slightly acidic. That's good news, because slightly acidic skin fends off bacterial invaders.
In addition to getting enough vitamin A in your diet, keep an eye on how much fat you eat. A recent study suggests that eating too much fat will suck moisture from your skin, which means fine lines and wrinkles have no place to hide. Should you drink more water? It can't hurt. Water provides your skin with more moisture, and it helps balance pH. But there's no reason to overdo it.
So what kind of pH do you want, when it comes to your skin? Ideally, it should be slightly acidic: A pH ranging from 5.4 to 5.9 is good. When skin pH is outside this zone, it can interfere with normal skin functions, such as protecting against bacteria and repairing or protecting itself against damage. Other nutrients that might affect skin acidity: calcium and beta cryptoxanthin -- but only in men, according to a recent study. Researchers speculate that hormonal differences between genders may be the reason certain nutrients affect men's skin, but not women's.
KEEP NAPPING!!!!!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
03/04/07
I got a cold or something. Thought it was allergies, but its really kicking my butt!
So no jogging in the rain this morning. I'm going to sleep some and then go get my tattoo worked on tonight.
* * *
MY SON PASSED HIS GED!!!! HE'S 16 AND HE'S DONE WITH HIGH SCHOOL!!!! He started working Friday, and that's the same day his scores came in the mail. We waited until he got home to open them. It was very cool!
I'm really proud - of all the kids - but my son has definately got me smiling today!
KEEP KICKING ASS!!!!
So no jogging in the rain this morning. I'm going to sleep some and then go get my tattoo worked on tonight.
* * *
MY SON PASSED HIS GED!!!! HE'S 16 AND HE'S DONE WITH HIGH SCHOOL!!!! He started working Friday, and that's the same day his scores came in the mail. We waited until he got home to open them. It was very cool!
I'm really proud - of all the kids - but my son has definately got me smiling today!
KEEP KICKING ASS!!!!
Labels: Chicano Chingon
Friday, March 23, 2007
Interesing Real Age Tips
All About YOU: The Ultimate Mood Booster?
Great sex -- if it is within a mutually monogamous relationship -- may be one of the ultimate mood boosters. In fact, semen contains powerful -- and potentially addictive -- mood-altering chemicals, including testosterone, estrogen, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and prostaglandins. So although sex won't cure depression, it may boost mood if some of these chemicals are absorbed through the walls of the vagina.
Sex is only a mood booster if it's safe, mutually monogamous sex. Although women who do not use condoms during sex are less depressed, according to research, that doesn't mean they should practice unsafe sex. Studies have found no correlation between high-risk sexual behavior and lower rates of depression.
And good sex isn't the only recipe for happy days and contented nights. Feel free to explore other options, like volunteering, exercising regularly, spending time with good friends, laughing with loved ones, writing in a journal, and otherwise engaging in activities that you find fulfilling. Taking good care of your health can also make you happy. After all, nothing can put a smile on your face like a good report from your doctor.
Invest In a Tape Measure
Love handles hurt, even if the rest of you is perfectly healthy. Why? As your weight creeps up, so does your blood pressure (BP). That's no surprise. But now it turns out that waist size matters, too. Love handles will nudge BP higher, even if you're young (under 44), have a healthy overall weight, and currently have a blood pressure reading under 130/85 mm Hg. There's never been a better reason to watch your waist instead of your scale.
Excess weight sets you up for a host of health woes. But more and more, waist size is linked to poor health, too. Whatever you call it -- muffin top, spare tire, love handles, or beer gut -- that extra padding pushes BP higher, even in young, normal-weight people who do not have high blood pressure. The reason? When belly fat presses on your kidneys, the bean-shaped organs feel smothered and they panic. In response, they flood your bloodstream with hormones that raise your BP. Think of abdominal obesity as your early warning system for high BP. A thick middle and pants that feel too tight signal that this health risk may not be too far behind. Here's the trouble zone for unhealthy waist sizes:
Women
Optimal waist size: under 33 inches
Danger zone: 37 inches or more
Men
Optimal waist size: 35 inches or less
Danger zone: 40 inches or more
Time for a Tea Party
It's time to resurrect the age-old tradition of afternoon tea parties. But in modern times, it is as much a health act as it is a social act -- especially for women. Each daily cup of green or black tea helps beat down ovarian cancer risk. Two or more cups per day helped cut risk almost in half in a recent study. The likely good guys in this scenario are the tea polyphenols, which are potent cancer fighters in both men and women.
Tea has anticancer powers -- at least in test tubes and animals. But just because something works in the lab doesn't mean it will work in humans, so researchers recently tested tea's powers in a group of women. Those who drank green and black tea had lower rates of ovarian cancer compared to those who rarely or never did. And the more they drank, the further their disease risk plummeted. What's the tea-anticancer connection? Right now, no one knows for sure, but researchers have some theories. Tea's polyphenols (powerful antioxidants) may prevent cancer-cell growth, hinder blood supply to the tumor, or encourage cancer cells to commit suicide. More studies are needed to confirm the results of the ovarian cancer study. In the meantime, tea still boasts many other powerful health benefits -- for men and women.
Great sex -- if it is within a mutually monogamous relationship -- may be one of the ultimate mood boosters. In fact, semen contains powerful -- and potentially addictive -- mood-altering chemicals, including testosterone, estrogen, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and prostaglandins. So although sex won't cure depression, it may boost mood if some of these chemicals are absorbed through the walls of the vagina.
Sex is only a mood booster if it's safe, mutually monogamous sex. Although women who do not use condoms during sex are less depressed, according to research, that doesn't mean they should practice unsafe sex. Studies have found no correlation between high-risk sexual behavior and lower rates of depression.
And good sex isn't the only recipe for happy days and contented nights. Feel free to explore other options, like volunteering, exercising regularly, spending time with good friends, laughing with loved ones, writing in a journal, and otherwise engaging in activities that you find fulfilling. Taking good care of your health can also make you happy. After all, nothing can put a smile on your face like a good report from your doctor.
Invest In a Tape Measure
Love handles hurt, even if the rest of you is perfectly healthy. Why? As your weight creeps up, so does your blood pressure (BP). That's no surprise. But now it turns out that waist size matters, too. Love handles will nudge BP higher, even if you're young (under 44), have a healthy overall weight, and currently have a blood pressure reading under 130/85 mm Hg. There's never been a better reason to watch your waist instead of your scale.
Excess weight sets you up for a host of health woes. But more and more, waist size is linked to poor health, too. Whatever you call it -- muffin top, spare tire, love handles, or beer gut -- that extra padding pushes BP higher, even in young, normal-weight people who do not have high blood pressure. The reason? When belly fat presses on your kidneys, the bean-shaped organs feel smothered and they panic. In response, they flood your bloodstream with hormones that raise your BP. Think of abdominal obesity as your early warning system for high BP. A thick middle and pants that feel too tight signal that this health risk may not be too far behind. Here's the trouble zone for unhealthy waist sizes:
Women
Optimal waist size: under 33 inches
Danger zone: 37 inches or more
Men
Optimal waist size: 35 inches or less
Danger zone: 40 inches or more
Time for a Tea Party
It's time to resurrect the age-old tradition of afternoon tea parties. But in modern times, it is as much a health act as it is a social act -- especially for women. Each daily cup of green or black tea helps beat down ovarian cancer risk. Two or more cups per day helped cut risk almost in half in a recent study. The likely good guys in this scenario are the tea polyphenols, which are potent cancer fighters in both men and women.
Tea has anticancer powers -- at least in test tubes and animals. But just because something works in the lab doesn't mean it will work in humans, so researchers recently tested tea's powers in a group of women. Those who drank green and black tea had lower rates of ovarian cancer compared to those who rarely or never did. And the more they drank, the further their disease risk plummeted. What's the tea-anticancer connection? Right now, no one knows for sure, but researchers have some theories. Tea's polyphenols (powerful antioxidants) may prevent cancer-cell growth, hinder blood supply to the tumor, or encourage cancer cells to commit suicide. More studies are needed to confirm the results of the ovarian cancer study. In the meantime, tea still boasts many other powerful health benefits -- for men and women.
3/23/07
I followed through on my lifting last night. So I can feel it today, and its a good feeling! Didn't workout this morning. Stayed up talking to the kids and paying bills.
My plan for the weekend is to lift on Saturday, and hopefully run both days of the weekend.
* * *
Luckily I've been giving music lessons - that's what's going to pay for my tattoo completion this weekend.
* * *
I'm going to have to temporarily change my deductions at work so I can make ends meet. I'll just have to remember to change them back when things catch up!
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
My plan for the weekend is to lift on Saturday, and hopefully run both days of the weekend.
* * *
Luckily I've been giving music lessons - that's what's going to pay for my tattoo completion this weekend.
* * *
I'm going to have to temporarily change my deductions at work so I can make ends meet. I'll just have to remember to change them back when things catch up!
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
3/22/07 Start of Spring and Kick Ass Video!
Esteban "Steve" Jordan, Jerry Garcia AND Carlos Santana!!!
* * *
I got my walking in last night, but no lifting. Trying again tonight and Saturday morning. I'm going to try and get back to morning lifting again.
I'm gonna have to figure out lifting in the morning again. I am more consistent that way. Back to 5am wakeups!!!
Listening to Steve jam while I type this is inspiring!
KEEP ROCKING!!!!
* * *
I got my walking in last night, but no lifting. Trying again tonight and Saturday morning. I'm going to try and get back to morning lifting again.
I'm gonna have to figure out lifting in the morning again. I am more consistent that way. Back to 5am wakeups!!!
Listening to Steve jam while I type this is inspiring!
KEEP ROCKING!!!!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
3/21/07 FIRST DAY OF SPRING!
OK, my plan is to walk and lift tonight! Wish me luck.
* * *
I have a niece and a nephew living with me right now. So feeding 4 kids, got a car at the garage, and a lost check book, etc...
Hopefully I can get some help hired at work so I can get some stuff done! My current help actually makes more work for me.
KEEP DOING SOMETHING! (I don't care what today, do something chinga'o!)
* * *
I have a niece and a nephew living with me right now. So feeding 4 kids, got a car at the garage, and a lost check book, etc...
Hopefully I can get some help hired at work so I can get some stuff done! My current help actually makes more work for me.
KEEP DOING SOMETHING! (I don't care what today, do something chinga'o!)
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
3/20/07
Doing well. Getting longer periods in between cokes.
I walked some this morning and some last night. I'm hoping to lift tomorrow morning.
Overall things are good.
KEEP FIGHTING!!!!
I walked some this morning and some last night. I'm hoping to lift tomorrow morning.
Overall things are good.
KEEP FIGHTING!!!!
Monday, March 19, 2007
3/19/07
Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. I did!
I performed with my kiddos at the peace demonstration in Albuquerque on Saturday. It went very well. Then I jammed on bass with another group called The Uprising Voice. I don't jam on bass with others a whole bunch so that was cool.
On Sunday morning I went out and did some sprint/walk combinations and this morning I rode the bike fairly fast for about 7 minutes. I'm slowly feeling like I've been working out so that's good. I just need to figure out my weight lifting for the week, but since that's not priority for the next month, anything I can get in will be great.
* * *
I keep falling off of the no-soda band wagon. But I'll keep trying.
I'll report on my blood pressure and stuff later this week.
* * *
RealAge tip:
Silencing Overeating Triggers
Ever sit down at the computer with a family-size bag of chips, only to find it nearly empty by the time you log off? There's a scientific reason for it. Normally, if you eat the same food for a period of time, your palette gets "tired." You feel full sooner and don't want as much. This is known as sensory-specific satiety. But get distracted -- by reading the latest celebrity gossip, catching up on e-mail, or playing computer games -- and this appetite-control mechanism gets turned off.
Your palette is primed for variety. Ever notice how there's always room for dessert, even when you're stuffed? The greater the variety of food, the more you're likely to eat. The opposite is also true: Take away variety and you feel fuller sooner. It's a trick you can use to your advantage. According to the RealAge Docs, you're less likely to overeat -- and more likely to lose weight -- if you eat the same thing for at least one of your meals, day in and day out. Aim for overall variety within a weeklong period, not with each meal. In a study, women who ate snack cakes while playing a video game wanted to eat more of the food -- not less -- compared to the women who ate without any distraction. The game players also had a greater desire to snack on other available munchies, and their desire to eat lingered after the study ended. So do your best not to watch TV, spend time on the computer, read, or otherwise distract yourself when eating. You'll be satisfied with less and feel fuller sooner. And focusing on eating might help prolong the time between meals.
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
I performed with my kiddos at the peace demonstration in Albuquerque on Saturday. It went very well. Then I jammed on bass with another group called The Uprising Voice. I don't jam on bass with others a whole bunch so that was cool.
On Sunday morning I went out and did some sprint/walk combinations and this morning I rode the bike fairly fast for about 7 minutes. I'm slowly feeling like I've been working out so that's good. I just need to figure out my weight lifting for the week, but since that's not priority for the next month, anything I can get in will be great.
* * *
I keep falling off of the no-soda band wagon. But I'll keep trying.
I'll report on my blood pressure and stuff later this week.
* * *
RealAge tip:
Silencing Overeating Triggers
Ever sit down at the computer with a family-size bag of chips, only to find it nearly empty by the time you log off? There's a scientific reason for it. Normally, if you eat the same food for a period of time, your palette gets "tired." You feel full sooner and don't want as much. This is known as sensory-specific satiety. But get distracted -- by reading the latest celebrity gossip, catching up on e-mail, or playing computer games -- and this appetite-control mechanism gets turned off.
Your palette is primed for variety. Ever notice how there's always room for dessert, even when you're stuffed? The greater the variety of food, the more you're likely to eat. The opposite is also true: Take away variety and you feel fuller sooner. It's a trick you can use to your advantage. According to the RealAge Docs, you're less likely to overeat -- and more likely to lose weight -- if you eat the same thing for at least one of your meals, day in and day out. Aim for overall variety within a weeklong period, not with each meal. In a study, women who ate snack cakes while playing a video game wanted to eat more of the food -- not less -- compared to the women who ate without any distraction. The game players also had a greater desire to snack on other available munchies, and their desire to eat lingered after the study ended. So do your best not to watch TV, spend time on the computer, read, or otherwise distract yourself when eating. You'll be satisfied with less and feel fuller sooner. And focusing on eating might help prolong the time between meals.
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
March 14, 2007
Did walk today. But I have an even better announcement. I tried sprinting on Saturday and my leg is no worse off than before. So now that it is warmer here, I'll try going to the track on the weekends and do some jogging and sprinting!!!
I plan to lift tomorrow and Friday just to get my body moving again, and then have a program figured out to start on Monday! I'm thinking I'll do moderate for a couple of weeks (3 sets of 10), and then increase weight so that on week one (after the two warm up weeks) I'll be lifting for sets of 10. Then each week I'll shoot for heavier weight - 2nd week will be sets of 9, 3rd week sets of 8, etc. Then when I get to sets of 3, I'll go back to sets of 10 to allow my body some recuperation and cycle it that way.
Hopefully I'm not full of crap!!!!
KEEP DOING SOMETHING!!!!
I plan to lift tomorrow and Friday just to get my body moving again, and then have a program figured out to start on Monday! I'm thinking I'll do moderate for a couple of weeks (3 sets of 10), and then increase weight so that on week one (after the two warm up weeks) I'll be lifting for sets of 10. Then each week I'll shoot for heavier weight - 2nd week will be sets of 9, 3rd week sets of 8, etc. Then when I get to sets of 3, I'll go back to sets of 10 to allow my body some recuperation and cycle it that way.
Hopefully I'm not full of crap!!!!
KEEP DOING SOMETHING!!!!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Mas Open Source
So, I got my Union Card yesterday! That's great because I had been a member for a long time and didn't get a card. Now that I no longer work where the union is, I get a card. I'm keeping it. I may scan and post it!
* * *
Here's the links to a couple of the software programs I'm learning on Windows XP (and eventually on Ubuntu)
OpenOffice.org and Sribus
The Scribus tutorial looks promising!
KEEP IT FREE!!!!
* * *
Here's the links to a couple of the software programs I'm learning on Windows XP (and eventually on Ubuntu)
OpenOffice.org and Sribus
The Scribus tutorial looks promising!
KEEP IT FREE!!!!
Labels: Open Source
