RADIO HANNIBAL

May is Cleveland Bike Month

I love bike riding.  I've loved it ever since my father let go and I was heading down the sidewalk on two wheels all by myself.  Freedom.  Escapism.

In my junior high years a friend and I were obsessed with taking long bike rides.  We'd head from our neighborhood in Fairview Park and end up at Midway Mall in Elyria or Parmatown.  I guess we were obsessed with malls too. 

Now that the warm weather has made it to Cleveland I take a bike ride pretty much every day.  These rides range from running errands, to one hour, two hour, or multi-hour rides for fitness and pleasure. 

May is bike month in Cleveland.  Bike Cleveland declared it so.  The link shows you a calendar of bike events not only for the special month of May but for every month. 

I think everyone should ride a bike.  It accomplishes so many things.  Bike riding keeps you fit, keeps health care costs down, decreases our independence on oil and keeps our air cleaner.  And it's one of the most fun things to do in life. 

Doing your part to cut the deficit by staying healthy

It gets very frustrating watching the shenanigans that go on in Washington DC these days.  It seems our representatives are not representing us but positioning themselves for re-election campaigns with a refusal to compromise.  It's enough to make you sick.  So turn it off.

Your becoming sick through stress due to your inability to do anything about lousy leadership will actually exacerbate the fiscal woes of the United States.  And that's just step one of what you, as a solitary person, can do to help with the financial problems in America. 

Today's health care system is one of the biggest factors in the mounting deficit.  What can you do?  Stay healthy and be proactive by practicing preventive medicine. 

First, see your doctor.  Especially if you've hit the age of 40.  You should be seeing your primary care physician for an annual check up.  I'm shocked by how many people I know tell me that they never go to the doctor unless there's a problem.  Prevention and early diagnosis can be a cost savings in the long run let alone save your life.

Tell your doctor you want to start a fitness routine.  Get his ok and follow any guidelines he sets for you.  Then do it. 

You should spend 45 minutes to an hour five to six days a week on your exercise program.  Depending on your present fitness level you may have to start out at ten minutes a day and gradually increase the duration.  Make it a mix of cardio and weight or resistance training. 

You can go to a gym or set up your own home program, which I do.  There's plenty of information online to figure out the right path.  Or ask friends who are already on the right track.  Yes, if you are not working out regularly you're on the wrong track. 

Finally, change your diet.  You've heard it over and over again.  Eat more vegetables and fruit.  Cut back on red meats.  Stay away from sugar and processed foods.  And to lose weight cut down on carbs.  Again, you can find good nutritional information online.

Oh, and for God's sake stop smoking cigarettes. 

All of these things will make you healthier.  You'll look better and feel better.  You should also live longer, enjoying your children, family and friends. 

And all of this good health means fewer medical concerns, generally speaking.  If every one of us, as individuals, would start a healthy life style it would make quite a dent on health care costs.  So be a patriot, do your part and get fit.     

 

An update on eating right

Chances are most of you were at some Labor Day weekend picnic where there was just way too much food.  And, if you're like me, the temptation was too great to resist.  There was this buffalo chicken dip that was downright addictive.  Thankfully there's no more of these glutton fests until the holidays.  So it's back to sensible eating.

I'm not one to get on the scale every morning.  What's the point?  If you're eating right and exercising it'll take care of itself.  So I've been a bit surprised over the last couple of months.  In July I discovered that I'd dropped below 200 pounds for the first time in, well, too long.  I thought to myself, well 190 is achievable then.  A month later I got on the scale and was at that magic number. 

How'd that happen?  It appears that ridding the house of snacks like chips and imbibing in cocktails rather than beer, and not drinking too many, has helped me literally shed the weight.  Plus, I've ramped up the workout routine, especially outdoor bike rides.  I'm down to a weight I haven't seen in 10, maybe 15 years.

I've also made an effort to eat more organic foods.  It's a bit more expensive but isn't your body worth it?  That means chicken breasts without chemicals and organic fruits and vegetables. 

I've described my typical breakfast and lunch before.  It does feel monotonous at times but it allows me to indulge in extravagances when I dine at restaurants.    

 

Proud to say I live in the town that is home to Vita-Mix

It's been awhile since I wrote about health and nutrition.  Actually I'm riding a nice high since my annual check up last week.  After taking some of my doctor's advice like cutting out orange juice and switching to steel cut oatmeal my body fat ratio is dropping once again, my blood pressure's perfect and the good/bad cholesterol levels are improving. 

Your body is like a car and the older it gets the more maintenance it needs.  I've still got some work to do but the daily maintenance will never end.  That means a daily vigorous workout and eating healthy 95% of the time.  I'll never forget when a teacher in high school once told me that we all should work up a good sweat everyday.  I didn't take it to heart for a long time, finally realizing the truth in that statement about eight years ago. 

Health consciousness is spreading not only here in the United States but throughout the world.  This is especially true in countries that are doing well economically.  It's the reason Vita-Mix is breaking ground on a $10 million expansion of it's facility in my town of Olmsted Falls.  Well, I actually live in the Township and I wish we'd just merge but that's another story. Here's the front page coverage from today's Plain Dealer, Vita-Mix tasting international success.

It's kind of neat that while out-of-towners have never heard of Olmsted Falls they most certainly have heard of Vita-Mix.  It's something we take pride in and share their joy today. 

The best thing is that it's not merely a business success story but that Vita-Mix is helping people be more healthy.  It's a mission they can be proud of beyond the financial section of the paper. 

 

 

Always read the ingredients label

Why should I be writing about fitness and health?  After all, there's many others who do.  Plenty with more accreditation than myself.  Think of me as the "everyman" just sharing what I've learned and what works.  Besides, it appears that no matter how many say the same thing, people just aren't listening. 

Eat your fruits and vegetables.  It's a saying as old as your grandmother.  It seems every study on nutrition and health that comes out carries the same bottom line.  We need to eat more fruits and vegetables. But many don't heed the warning or take the advice.

It's God's cruel joke that the more delicious something tastes the worse it is for you.  Butter and bacon make everything taste better yet both will lead you to an early grave if you use them with that kind of regularity. 

Here's another lesson you've been told over and over, read the labels.  I'm talking about the back of the labels where the ingredients are listed.  Not the front of the label where nutritional sounding tag words are used as marketing and hold little validity. 

Someone in my family came to visit a few weeks back.  They came bearing gifts in the form of some food.  One of the items was a jar of Skippy Natural peanut butter.  The person even pointed out that it was "natural".  

I took a look at the ingredients, said thanks for the gesture but pointed out that the product was hardly natural.  Here's a look at the label of ingredients.

Added sugar and salt hardly constitute natural to me.  It may have less artificial crap than regular Skippy peanut butter but sugar and salt are far from good for you.

I use a dab of peanut butter in my steel cut oatmeal every morning for a bit of protein.  The brand I use is Smuckers Natural, headquartered right here in northeast Ohio.  Here's that label.

There's only one ingredient, peanuts.  Some people find truly natural peanut butter unsettling because there's peanut oil that rises to the top of the jar.  I find it unsettling that a manufacturer puts unnatural chemicals in the peanut butter to prevent that. 

Reading the ingredient labels adds a little time to your shopping trip.  It takes awhile to find a brand of barbecue sauce that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup. But once you've determined the right product you're set and on your way to a healthier lifestyle.     

 

Keeping visual count of your workouts is great motivation

I work out six times a week.  I take Saturdays off since I usually DJ a party that night.  The load in and load out of gear along with standing for seven hours or so makes up for it. 

I alternate between weight training and cardio which means three days of weights and three days of some form of cardio, either on the bike or step.  I do my routine early in the morning, like clockwork.  That's important.  Pick a time of day that works for you and then block off that time.  There's not much that should take priority over it.  After all, we're talking about your health. 

Certainly there are mornings when the last thing I want to do is workout, but I know that if I skip a day I'll feel guilty about it.  That guilt trip kicks in after about three months.  In the early days of a fitness program it's much easier to skip a day guilt-free.  That's why it's very important to stick to the routine through discipline those first 90 days.  After that it really becomes a part of who you are. 

Another great way to stay motivated is to keep score.  Use a notebook to write down every set up reps you do and every minute you spend doing cardio.  Here's my notebook.

It's not like I analyze the thing.  It just gives a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment to see pages fill and reps and minutes increase.  It's proof that you have a successful fitness program.  Of course looking in the mirror is proof as well. 

A healthy lunch continues the health and fitness routine

I guess I couldn't have chosen a better time to start talking about my personal health and fitness regimen.  What with the news of Paula Dean's diabetes.  You shouldn't be surprised considering the unhealthy recipes she touts on TV.  Glazed donuts instead of hamburger buns, are you kidding me.  I love Tony Bourdain's tweet regarding her now hawking a diabetes medication.  "Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later."

There was a story in the Sunday New York Times on how we don't see what these celebrity chefs do when they aren't concocting delicious but hardly healthy dishes.  They have personal trainers and they certainly don't devour that whole plate of food they prepared.  And they eat much healthier when not on camera including lots of green vegetables and lean chicken or turkey. 

Which brings me to the continuation of my daily eating routine.  A few weeks ago I wrote about breakfast, My Morning Fitness And Health Routine Continued, A Bowl Of Oatmeal.  I pointed out that I eat the same thing nearly every morning.  Call me boring but I eat the same thing for lunch most days as well.

My meal at lunch is easy to prepare and it's all about green vegetables, said to be the healthiest.  Set a small frying pan on the stove and crank up the heat to about mid level.  Pour a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil into the pan.  Now throw in the florets from one stalk of broccoli. 

Here's where I add a little variety.  One week I may toss in some sliced carrots, another some fresh green beans.  Then, depending on my mood, I sprinkle some diffrent spices and seasonings over it.  These may include oregano, thyme, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, cayenne pepper or a dash of tabasco sauce.  There's plenty of others that, in the right combination, do add some variety to the meal. 

Once the vegetables are slightly softened which usually takes about five minutes, tossing them every minute or two, I tear up some lean organic turkey and throw that in.  I'll then continue tossing and frying.

Next I grab a handful of baby spinach and lay it over the top.  From there I stir the mixture until the spinach leaves have wilted.  Finally, I lay a slice or two of lean deli cheese, usually swiss, on top and remove it from the stove.  The cheese begins to melt and lunch is served. 

To wash it down I will either have a bottle of water or a glass of unsweetened ice tea.  As I'd said previously, I used to drink orange juice but have cut that out of my diet. 

If I'm on the road I'll usually just bring along an apple, a carrot and maybe a small tin of tuna in water.  And if I get a bit hungry in mid afternoon a hand full of raw, unsalted almonds is very good and very healthy. 

An Inexpensive Workout

I belonged to a health club for about a year.  I miss the pool.  Well, that and the whirlpool and sauna.  Otherwise, it's a waste of money if all you want to do is get and stay in shape.  If you're there for social reasons, then you're not going to like my workout routine.  If, on the other hand, you're looking for an economical solution to get in the fitness habit then read on. 

Fitness habit, that's important.  You need to get in the habit of working out and once you do you've won the battle. 

All you have to do is set a specific time of day you want to do your workout.  I like doing mine first thing in the morning, around 6am.  There's theories that it's best to do physical fitness in the morning as opposed to at the end of the day but I'm not going to get into that.  It's more important that you choose a time you like and stick to it.

Sticking to it is the other part of the success formula.  Adhere to your workout schedule, mine is six times a week, for three months.  It'll be a tough 90 days or so.  There will be times when the last thing you want to do is workout.  Fight through that and just do it. 

After doing something that's good for you, routinely, for three months you're going to start feeling guilty when you skip a day.  There'll still be days you don't feel like it but you'll feel worse if you skip it.  It'll nag on your mind throughout the day.  And that's a good thing.  It forces you to do the workout.  Besides, in the end you feel and look better. 

Break down your workout regimen into two parts, aerobics and weight training.  Alternate days between the two forms of exercise. 

I'm a bike rider.  I have always loved riding my bike.  I'm not one of those hard-core, speed freak riders that's prepping for the Tour De France.  I get by just fine with a steady clip, enjoying the ride on the all-purpose trail as opposed to the road.  I'm fortunate to have the Cleveland Metroparks close by, and there's nothing that will raise your heart rate better than a pedal through the park and a deer running across your path just a bit too close.  My three times a week morning bike ride lasts an hour.  Though on Sundays I may ride for much longer because it's hardly work.  I love my bike.

When the cold weather hits I either ride my stationary bike or use one of those adjustable exercise steps, alternating legs every 10 minutes.  Either way, I spend an hour on the routine. 

As for the weight training you can get by on a couple of pairs of dumbbells at different weights and a dumbbell bench, the kind without the arms you'd use with barbells.  Something as simple as this. 
I use those solid weights so you don't have to mess around with adding or removing weights.

On Mondays I have a weight routine in which I concentrate on my lower body while on Wednesdays and Fridays I focus on the upper body.  There's plenty of sources to find a good variety of specific exercises to do.  Just find a good group of them and make that your routine. 

I use a notebook to write down each exercise then daily jot down how many reps I did.  I have pages and pages of numbers which give physical proof to my commitment and work as a good motivator. 

In weight training the rule of thumb is three sets of a certain number of reps that increase as you stay true to your fitness routine.  There's other advise on weight training like doing it slowly and steadily.  You'll find that sort of guidance when you look for those dumbbell exercises online. 

Finally I use one of those exercise wheels both on weight and aerobic days.  I hate sit ups and this stalwart is very effective in tightening up your stomach and getting rid of that gut. 

Weight training days are a bit shorter, maybe 45 minutes or so.  Of course, if you're just starting out your routine will be shorter than mine but will gradually lengthen as will the poundage of the weights and the distance of the ride.  At this point I'll recommend you run the fitness routine by your doctor.  For goodness sakes, if you're over 40 and don't see your doctor annually you'd better change that.  Preventive maintenance is so important.

So let's see, there's the outdoor bike, the stationary bike, the exercise step, weights and a bench.  And if you're lucky enough that your body can take the pounding of running, mine can't, then you don't need the bikes.  It's much cheaper than the annual dues at a fitness club and you don't need all that complex machinery in your home either.  The important thing is the results and I guarantee they are the same with this economic routine. 

 

 

 

My Morning Fitness And Health Routine Continued, A Bowl Of Oatmeal

Last week I talked about the love/hate relationship I have with Apple Cider vinegar.  I hate the way it tastes but love the positive effects it's having on me. 

So after I down the awful shot and a glass of water I head to the basement for my daily workout.  I'll go into detail on what the workout regimen consists of in future health and fitness posts. 

Now it's time for breakfast.  Call me boring but I eat the same thing for breakfast every morning.  Ok, there's those special occasions on the weekend when I might fry up some eggs and bacon but that's rare. 

I've been eating oatmeal every morning for nearly ten years.  I'd been eating the wrong kind though.  Not that flavored crap which is hardly good for you, but instant oatmeal.  You look at the ingredients and all it says is oatmeal.  You think, "that's good, right?".  Wrong.  My doctor set me straight. 

He'd told me to switch to steel-cut oatmeal some time ago.  I hesitated because it's more of a hassle.  It takes much longer to prepare.  Besides, if you look at the size of the round containers it would appear the steel-cut oats are quite a bit more expensive. 

So last time I was at the doctor I asked him why the instant wasn't any good.  In order to make those oats cook up quickly they grind away the outer husks, all that fibrous material gone, leaving the poor oat hardly an oat at all and not the healthy nourishment it should be. 

He suggested I cook them up in a crockpot then refridgerate it.  That way I have about a week's worth of oatmeal ready for the microwave.  I was surprised to find out that steel-cut oatmeal yields much more than instant, so the price isn't exhorbitant at all. 

I cook the steel-cut oats with unsweetened almond milk, having given up dairy products a couple of years ago.  Another healthy move you should consider.  Oh, I indulge in ice cream once in a great while but it's, again, one of those rare treats.  And believe me, I was a fan of ice cream. 

So after the workout I scoop out a chunk of the coagulated oatmeal and plop it into a bowl.  To it I add a tablespoon of natural peatnut butter.  Make sure the ingredients list peanuts as the only ingredient, no salt, nothing else. Then it's a pinch of ground flax seed which is good for combating cholesterol.  Finally a handful of blueberries which might just be the healthiest fruit around, containing lots of antioxidants. I heat it up thoroughly then stir it all together for a really great tasting and nutritious breakfast. 

The complex fiber of the whole grain oats makes your body work hard at breaking it down and digesting it over the next couple of hours.  That's very good for your body.  It also keeps you regular, as in getting that business out of the way before you head out for the day.  

I used to wash it down with orange juice.  I loved orange juice but, again, my doctor told me it's too much sugar.  I was giving myself harmful sugar spikes.  So I stopped drinking orange juice at the same time I switched to steel-cut oatmeal.  

Guess what happened?  My weight, which had leveled off even with a ramped up fitness program and what I had perceived to be a perfectly healthy diet, began dropping once more. 

Next time I'll talk about my workout routine. 

 

 

Apple Cider Vinegar, A Good But Nasty Habit

It's true, I have more to talk about than just music.  In fact this blog started off five years ago going in a few different directions.  So it's not like I'm breaking precedence if I talk about fitness or something else from time to time.  Of course it'll always be something positive and aimed toward making your life better. 

I'm no health guru but I began taking it seriously around the time I hit 50, now four years ago.  Let me just say right off the bat that if you're still smoking cigarettes then any other fitness advice is useless.  Kick that habit first and start today. 

I'd like to talk about breakfast for the first few fitness posts.  It's become quite ritualistic and that's exactly what you want if you plan on making fitness a routine.  You need a regimen. I do my workout in the morning but I'll talk more about those routines another day. 

The first thing I do upon rising from bed around 5:30am is take my medicine.  That includes a multi-vitamin, one of those 80 milligram aspirin and a couple of maintenance meds I'm on.

I wash the meds back with a half shot of Bragg's Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar and a full glass of tap water.  Apple cider vinegar is one of those old fashioned remedies.  I heard about it a few years ago from a friend who began using it to cut down his cholesterol.  It's got many other purported claims from a cure for gout to anti-aging.  Here's a list of more claims.  There's no scientific backing on it but it seems to be working for me.  Maybe it's simply the large glass of water first thing in the morning.  By the way, you need that water in order to wash down the horrid taste of the apple cider vinegar. 

How's it working for me?  I'll be knocking on wood all day long with the statement I'm about to make but since I started using it daily three years ago I don't get sick.  I'm not kidding.  Go figure.  There's undoubtedly other parts of my regimen that will explain the good health and I'll talk more about breakfast in my next fitness post.