2016 Walking, Exercise, Weight Loss Member Challenge Thread

[MickintheHam]

Went over 250 miles running this week in 108° heat index. Not doing that again (he said, as he's sitting dripping in sweat from his Heardmont Park run at noon in 103° heat index weather).

I cheat by taking routes heavy with shade, not nearly as bad. In the shade it's probably 20° cooler.

That’s great work. I believe annual goals are the way to go. It forces a level of consistent exercise. My plan is to write a check to a charitable group on December 31. $1 for every mile.

[Darrell KSR]

That's a wonderful idea, Mick.

[BigBluePappy]

Went for an A1C check and girth report.
A1C, which had spiked for no reason in my opinion from 6.7 to 9.9, is now back down to 7.4 and appears to be on a downward trend.
Girth report was even better, 223.5 and I don't know if it is due to my nephew's suicide or just the heat and the exercise I am getting working in the yard that is doing it, but I am happy and the Doc appeared to be pleased as well.

[blueboss]

Went for an A1C check and girth report.
A1C, which had spiked for no reason in my opinion from 6.7 to 9.9, is now back down to 7.4 and appears to be on a downward trend.
Girth report was even better, 223.5 and I don't know if it is due to my nephew's suicide or just the heat and the exercise I am getting working in the yard that is doing it, but I am happy and the Doc appeared to be pleased as well.

Outstanding… I’ll bet there is someone else pleased as well.


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[BigBluePappy]

Grammy is part of the reason; she is trying to kill me with the Honeydew list.

[blueboss]

Grammy is part of the reason; she is trying to kill me with the Honeydew list.

It’s ok if they kill us, but they’ll be 9i&&ed if we kill ourselves.


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[MickintheHam]

Went for an A1C check and girth report.
A1C, which had spiked for no reason in my opinion from 6.7 to 9.9, is now back down to 7.4 and appears to be on a downward trend.
Girth report was even better, 223.5 and I don't know if it is due to my nephew's suicide or just the heat and the exercise I am getting working in the yard that is doing it, but I am happy and the Doc appeared to be pleased as well.

Congratulations on lowering the A1C. Keep at it. We need you here

[MickintheHam]

July was my first really good month of riding this year. I exceeded every weekly goal (3hrs and 30 miles) and my monthly 130 mile goal by 16 miles. For the year I have achieved 730 miles toward my goal of 1,000. And not to be overlooked, I’ve dropped 8 lbs in the last 6 weeks. 10 more and I won’t have to categorize myself as “overweight”. Ugh

[Darrell KSR]

That's great, Mick. Really fantastic work. I'm behind you, but you are being an excellent role model here for me to follow. I got out of the obese (30 BMI) earlier this year, but many, many pounds to go before dropping to under 25. I don't think I will ever get there.

I had my worst month of the year, but it was "OK," I guess. I had excuses of traveling to upstate NY, then NYC to move my daughter, and drove her car back, and then a few days in Cincinnati with grandkids. I still could have squeezed in some exercise, and didn't, which is why I call them excuses. Hoping August will be better.

[MickintheHam]

Thanks Darrell. I burned a lot of calories with the 90 degree temps and the 75% humidity. I was burning 300 to 350 calories per trip. Normally, same trip, same duration would have been in the 250 range. Of course a faster pace has helped burn more cals as well. My speeds have increased about 10% as well.

[KSRBEvans]

So I think I've accidentally shamed myself into getting back into exercising. I got sick in June--think it was Covid even though I tested negative. Anyway, I felt like crap for about a month and backslid. But lately I've been watching this retired couple on YouTube who went to all these national parks and ran/hiked/biked through them. It occurred to me that I'm pretty much a slug if I'm sitting at home and not exercising while watching other people exercising. So today I'm back at it.

[MickintheHam]

I had a pretty good month of August with my bike riding despite losing 5 days in a row to rain. I’ll get one more ride this month, but have already ridden 15 times, burning 300 to 400 calories each time. I’ve exceeded my monthly goal by 19 miles. I hope to get 12 more tomorrow. And for the year I’ve ridden a total of 879 miles and am ahead of my plan for 1,000 miles by 221.

I set my annual goal as a New Year’s project without any idea of how far I could ride. I only wanted a goal that would ensure I met my doctor’s suggestion for cardio at least 3 times a week. Mostly I have ridden 4 days weekly at 1 hour+. Challenge now is to keep up the consistent pace. i’m not losing much weight but seem to be burning fat and adding muscle.

[Darrell KSR]

Doing great, Mick. I suspect you've lost any weight you "needed" to lose. I doubt you needed to lose all that much anyway; you've kept in pretty good shape since I've known you.

I need to lose more weight, but I'm stuck at my weight and struggling to drop any more pounds. Headed out of town today and will be out for 5 days; did the same last week and will be on the road a couple of days each week thereafter through October. I eat poorly (or well, depending lol) when that occurs.

The old adage of exercising to be healthy, but getting out of the kitchen to lose weight could not be more true for me, even though my exercise hasn't been great lately either. Last month wasn't great for exercise; I ran 7 times. I'm shooting for 15 a month and falling short, but if I get close, I'm ok with it. Have 91 runs this year for 310 miles. Beginning of the year goal was 330 miles, but I modified that as I got off to a good start and would like to do 500 miles for the year. I am behind schedule on that, and traditionally November and December are my worst months, but I'm going to give it a go.

[blueboss]

I’ve got a strained rotator cuff… for now, I’ve only had X-rays. They put me in physical therapy 2/wk. This guy came straight from the Middle Ages school of torture.

Currently all if exercise is in PT and yard work. Last week I had back to back sessions on the TU/WD and then went bird hunting in TH. After slinging a .12 ga around and running 44 71/2 shells through it, my left shoulder was crippled Fr. Sat/Sun I did nothing but ice packs every 4/5 hours and gobbled down ibuprofen 800’s every 8 hours. MN roughy some relief and today I’m back to about where I was last TU with mobility.

Just finished PT after :45 of therapy/torture. Now off to see Dr here shortly, I’m guessing an MRI is in my future.

Hoping to avoid surgery, but we’ll see over the next few weeks. They say at my age full recovery is about 6 months, sling for 4-6 wks. and I’m guessing more PT.

Weight is holding steady from where I’ve been since spring. With eating season on the horizon I’m goi g to have to either diet or exercise to maintain about where I’m at.

Buckle up here we go…


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[Darrell KSR]

Blueboss, sorry to hear.

A few years ago I went through the gamut--had a frozen shoulder, went through PT. Tore my rotator cuff, went through PT, only moderately helped. X-rays and then MRI showed impossible to fix with PT; only surgery would help.

Given my age and the only real thing it impacted was my playing basketball--which I had slowed down considerably in playing anyway--I opted against the surgery, given the substantial recovery time.

Since then, it got better. I haven't played basketball, but I have played golf--gingerly, at first by going to TopGolf, then 9-hole easy play, senior tees. Now it doesn't seem like there's much difference. Again, I'm not playing basketball or throwing overhand on anything, but I'm pleased with my decision. I would like to get another MRI done to see if it "magically" healed, even though they told me it was impossible. I'm not so sure it hasn't.

[MickintheHam]

Boss I hate to hear about the cuff. Do everything to avoid the surgery if you can. Good Luck.

I did something today that exceeded all expectations. I got a full body muscle stretch. I have been quite stiff in my muscles for about a year. If I sat for more than 15 minutes it would take about 5 or 6 steps before my leg muscles would relax enough to walk in a straight line. The final straw was about two weeks ago when I had a leg cramp while I was sleeping.

I woke up to a calf spasm and before I could move it turned into a full blown screaming cramp. I stretched the muscle as best I could, but it would not relax. For about two hours I fooled around with it before I could lay back down. It was awful.

So I get the stretch and immediately felt the benefit. My legs and back hadn’t felt as good in 15 years. I went for a bike ride later in the day and it was the most efficient ever. The quads, calf, foot, pedal and crank moved together effortlessly. If I had better lung capacity I could have gone for 30 miles.

[blueboss]

Thanks guys, for the advice and concerns. As for the therapy/torture session, I’m back to achy and sore today just sitting. Movement is back to about half of what it was before session. Ice paks, every 4/5 hours gives good relief.

The Dr visit after session, as suspected they are going to set up an MRI. I’m curious to see what that reveals…and then go from there.

My next PT session is scheduled for tomorrow, depending on MRI scheduling it could change.

Oh boy…


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[MickintheHam]

Boss, I believe I would knock back a couple of shots before those therapy sessions. Doesn’t have to be your good stuff.

[blueboss]

Boss, I believe I would knock back a couple of shots before those therapy sessions. Doesn’t have to be your good stuff.

Appointment is at 12:00… I might pop back in to work afterwards….that would be interesting.


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[MickintheHam]

Passed the 1,000 mile mark for the year on my bike ride today. I have to follow through with my pledge to make a $1,000 contribution to a charitable organization. So the contribution will be split between the Christian Appalachian Project and The Fresh Water Land Trust.

As mentioned before I haven’t lost much weight during this exercise effort, but I have cut my BP med by 75%. That’s worth every mile I rode in cold, windy hot or humid weather.

[blueboss]

Passed the 1,000 mile mark for the year on my bike ride today. I have to follow through with my pledge to make a $1,000 contribution to a charitable organization. So the contribution will be split between the Christian Appalachian Project and The Fresh Water Land Trust.

As mentioned before I haven’t lost much weight during this exercise effort, but I have cut my BP med by 75%. That’s worth every mile I rode in cold, windy hot or humid weather.

Congratulations!!


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[MickintheHam]

Thank you!

[Darrell KSR]

Congrats, Mick, and again, kudos for your commitment not only to the physical nature of your journey, but the charitable one as well.

[KSRBEvans]

Cleveland Clinic article on how exercise reduces risk of dementia and slows progress in those diagnosed with it:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/e...-brain-health/

ETA: Great job, Mick!

[BigBluePappy]

Congrats, Mick, and again, kudos for your commitment not only to the physical nature of your journey, but the charitable one as well.

+1!

[blueboss]

Still not doing a lot other than PT for suspected cuff tear. Second shot at MRI tomorrow evening. I had to bale out on the first one, claustrophobia.

Dr prescribed sedative/Valium that I’m supposed to take prior to procedure tomorrow. I hope it’s enough to get through it this time.

My face was like 6” from the ceiling of the tunnel and I had to go half way through to get to my shoulder. Not sure where this phobia came from, I never experienced this before, but I can tell you it is no fun.


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[MickintheHam]

Golly Boss, i would hate to get in that contraption a second time. Mine lasted 45 minutes and outside of marriage it was the worst experience of my life.

[blueboss]

10 mg’s of Valium did the trick…still not my favorite thing. A little easy listening music and I closed my eyes as opposed to a towel across my face. When they tried the towel, the first thing that went through my mind was water boarding.


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[Darrell KSR]

10 mg’s of Valium did the trick…still not my favorite thing. A little easy listening music and I closed my eyes as opposed to a towel across my face. When they tried the towel, the first thing that went through my mind was water boarding.


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Blueboss,

I posted something earlier, but deleted it so you wouldn't see it because it was just as miserable as you described. I tore my rotator cuff a few years ago and had the same awful MRI. I wouldn't call that a phobia. I think that's a human condition, fight or flight, survival mechanism. I cannot imagine a wet towel over the face either--if that works for some, good for them, but that would be suffocating for me, adding to the sheer terror associated with being placed in an enclosed container. I think you're built for survival, and the brain tells you that's not conducive to living.

They didn't try that wet towel trick with me, and I'm glad they didn't, because I think that would have magnified the issue. I got through it by just closing my eyes and counting minutes. It was positively terrible. I kept thinking, "don't screw this up. You do not want to go through it again. They had pre-warned me that if they didn't get a good scan, I'd have to do it again. They lied to me about how long it would take, and then told me things like, "3 more minutes," when it was a good 10. I tried to slowly count because I wanted it to end before I finished counting and it just kept on and on.

But here's how I really got through it.

When I was in the 10th grade, we had an English teacher, Warren Landrum, who wrote stories--great, wonderful, mesmerizing stories, and he was a storyteller to boot. Every Friday, he would read to us one of his stories. He came to our 40th high school reunion, and I hope he makes it to our 50th (or if we have a 45th) because I'd love to tell him that he helped me get through the MRI.

One of the stories he told was about war, and a U.S. soldier. I don't remember it all today, but I remember the key parts. He was captured, a P.O.W., and subjected to all kind of torture. Because of his position (spy?) he had some cyanide type pill that he carried in his mouth. It actually bore a hole on the interior of his mouth like a hidden compartment, always there if the torture got too severe. After suffering day after day after day of torture, he heard this great noise as he was tied up, and thinking that the enemy was using tanks to pull his limbs apart, he gave up. He coaxed the pill out of his cheek, summoned his strength, and bit down on the pill. There was warmth going through him, and a feeling of relief, and he rolled his head over to see--

U.S. Army tanks bearing down. The enemy had left. They were coming to rescue him.

So when I heard the "hammering" noise, as I was laying there, I kept thinking about that story. I kept saying, it means they're coming to rescue me. I can hang on. I can do this.

It was still miserable.

Thank you, Mr. Landrum. Thank you for coming to rescue me. I know that's goofy as he!!, but it got me through it.

[blueboss]

Blueboss,

I posted something earlier, but deleted it so you wouldn't see it because it was just as miserable as you described. I tore my rotator cuff a few years ago and had the same awful MRI. I wouldn't call that a phobia. I think that's a human condition, fight or flight, survival mechanism. I cannot imagine a wet towel over the face either--if that works for some, good for them, but that would be suffocating for me, adding to the sheer terror associated with being placed in an enclosed container. I think you're built for survival, and the brain tells you that's not conducive to living.

They didn't try that wet towel trick with me, and I'm glad they didn't, because I think that would have magnified the issue. I got through it by just closing my eyes and counting minutes. It was positively terrible. I kept thinking, "don't screw this up. You do not want to go through it again. They had pre-warned me that if they didn't get a good scan, I'd have to do it again. They lied to me about how long it would take, and then told me things like, "3 more minutes," when it was a good 10. I tried to slowly count because I wanted it to end before I finished counting and it just kept on and on.

But here's how I really got through it.

When I was in the 10th grade, we had an English teacher, Warren Landrum, who wrote stories--great, wonderful, mesmerizing stories, and he was a storyteller to boot. Every Friday, he would read to us one of his stories. I hope he makes it to our 50th (or if we have a 45th) because I'd love to tell him that he helped me get through the MRI.

One of the stories he told was about war, and a U.S. soldier. I don't remember it all today, but I remember the key parts. He was captured, a P.O.W., and subjected to all kind of torture. Because of his position (spy?) he had some cyanide type pill that he carried in his mouth. It actually bore a hole on the interior of his mouth like a hidden compartment, always there if the torture got too severe. After suffering day after day after day of torture, he heard this great noise as he was tied up, and thinking that the enemy was using tanks to pull his limbs apart, he gave up. He coaxed the pill out of his cheek, summoned his strength, and bit down on the pill. There was warmth going through him, and a feeling of relief, and he rolled his head over to see--

U.S. Army tanks bearing down. The enemy had left. They were coming to rescue him.

So when I heard the "hammering" noise, as I was laying there, I kept thinking about that story. I kept saying, it means they're coming to rescue me. I can hang on. I can do this.

It was still miserable.

Thank you, Mr. Landrum. Thank you for coming to rescue me. I know that's goofy as he!!, but it got me through it.

Great story! Interestingly, at least to me, was the noise from the machine also gave me comfort. When I heard the banging and grinding noise of the process I knew I was getting closer to the end… it was definitely the quiet in between whatever it is that makes all the racket that was the most agonizing.

I may have posted before that I have a background in surface supplied diving.

One of my favorite suits that we used was the Navy Mark V suit. The suit you’ve all seen in movies, it’s a dry suit that appears to be canvas with the large metallic helmet and breast plate, criss crossed weight belt across the chest with the large weighted Frankenstein boots.

It literally takes 2/3 people to put the suit on and remove the suit from the diver. The breast plate is screwed onto the suit with large wing nuts using a tool to achieve the proper torque and the helmet is then placed over the divers head and screwed on to the breast plate. There is literally no way the diver could get in and “out” of the suit on his own.

I’ve had dreams before where I was exiting the water after a dive and coming up the ladder on the side of the rig to find no one was there. I’d usually wake up in a cold sweat. As terrifying as those dreams sound I remember them not being that big of a deal as far as being frightening.

The other thing was we often had to decompress in a decompression chamber. Chambers are exactly how they sound, you enter through a hatch that are typically not large enough to stand fully erect in, and you’d have to spend hours in them depending on depth and duration of dive. Deeper longer dives could require chamber rides of 12-24 hours and some cases longe, at least with my experience, some rides can last days.

Oddly, when I was young none of that ever bothered me other than being uncomfortable and inconvenient…anyway, for me now, I couldn’t imagine what it might be like to have someone screw one of the Mark V hats on me, or crawling into a chamber.

If anyone has to go through an MRI I highly recommend Valium, if you can take them. 10 mgs got me through no problem, I keep 5’s for going to the dentist or flying, longer duration flights of over 4-5 hours I usually take another at the 4-5 hour mark.

Warning: if you do go the sedation route, you’ll need a driver afterwards.


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