Catching Up

Just checking in from fall break for a brief update. I’m enjoying the respite and the season….watching lots of fun but not too scary stuff--like It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Scared Stupid with Earnest, Charlie Chan in Shanghai Cobra, Jurassic Park--always scary-- and later tonight Signs. I don’t dare watch The Grudge, which I found to be disturbingly scary. The first time I saw it I couldn’t get it out of my head and that sound, which I remember making as a child, lost its innocence.

I’m getting my mojo back. For several weeks my motivation was at an all time low, though I knew better than to throw in the towel. Lyn’s "Habit a Week Challenge" has been a big help. Last week it was to drink more water and this week it’s “MOVE!”. And that, I’m finding, is a huge motivator.

Two days now, in a row, I’ve gone out and made myself move for 30 minutes--and I feel soooooo much better. Riding the recumbent bike doesn’t bother my Achilles tendon, so there’s really no excuse…and I’m finding I’m also able to walk again with less pain. Hopefully the tendon is healing.

Focusing on these 2 habits…drinking water and moving is enough for now. I’m learning that if I put too much pressure on myself when my motivation is lacking I end up feeling like a failure and become one. Changing things up a bit--to habits I can actually accomplish--- makes me feel like a success and is empowering. Moving in the right direction is so much better than stagnating. It breeds hope.

Now, for the other thing I’m doing that may be helping in the appetite department: Metamucil. I read this web page and decided to give the fiber tip a try….figured it can’t hurt and may help. And, since my doctor already suggested I used Metamucil for high cholesterol and IBS I’m following doctor’s orders.

I’m using the Metamucil once per day just prior to the time period I find myself more likely to overeat. And I’m also adding some natural cider vinegar to my Metamucil cocktail, since I read that vinegar slows down digestion and aids in preventing insulin spikes. I can’t remember the title of the book, but the author-- a medical doctor--said to avoid insulin spikes when eating simple carbohydrates, eat them with protein, fat, fiber or vinegar.

That’s all for now. I’ll still be gone several more days for fall break. “See” you later.

LOSE TEN POUNDS

Check out this video..... it comes from Steve at Body Performance.

Does Exercise Increase Your Metabolism?

Kathy brought up this very good question. I too have heard as she, that exercise increases your metabolism even after you finish the exercise.

I decided to do a little checking and here is what I found: it does, but for the average person it only lasts about an hour and results in about 10-30 additional calories burnt, based on walking 30-60 minutes or jogging 20-30 minutes at a speed of 6mph or a mile in 10 minutes. I got this information here---go there if you want to read the whole article. Here is an excerpt:

Is My Metabolic Rate Elevated Following Exercise?
Your calorie expenditure obviously increases above your resting rate when you exercise, with the magnitude of this increase dependent on how long and hard you exercise. One frequently asked question is “Do we continue to burn “extra” calories after we finish exercising?” In other words, does our energy expenditure remain elevated above RMR for a period of time after we stop the exercise, and if so, does it contribute significantly to our total energy expenditure on the day we exercise? Research has clearly shown that energy expenditure does not return to pre-exercise resting baseline levels immediately following exercise. The amount of this post-exercise elevation of energy expenditure depends primarily on how hard you exercise (i.e., intensity) and to a lesser degree on how long you exercise (i.e., duration).

Endurance Exercise: Exercise of the intensity and duration commonly performed by recreational exercisers (e.g., walking for 30- 60 minutes or jogging at a pace of 8-10 minutes per mile for 20-30 minutes) typically results in a return to baseline of energy expenditure well within the first hour of recovery. The post-exercise calorie bonus for this type of exercise probably accounts for only about 10-30 additional calories burned beyond the exercise bout itself. In athletes performing high intensity, long duration exercise, the post-exercise energy expenditure may remain elevated for a longer period and could contribute significantly to total daily calorie burning. Ironically, such athletes are typically less concerned about this “extra” calorie burning and its implications for body weight regulation than are the recreational exercisers. The average person who does considerably less strenuous exercise will likely experience little meaningful contribution of this post-exercise bonus to their total daily calorie expenditure.

While it's not a lot of additional calories, I guess every little bit helps. But it is just a little bit, and one could just as easily eliminate 30 calories a day from his diet if he is averse to exercise. More serious athletes who exercise longer and at greater intensity would have significant additional calorie expenditure. But few of us are serious athletes. And our exercise levels, while tremendously health promoting, will likely not add much to our weight loss efforts.

My point is this: don't think you must exercise in order to lose weight. So many people today who don't have time or are averse to exercise for the sake of exercise don't even try to lose weight because they've been told you can't do it without exercising.

Now, I have one more question...that 10-30 calories...is it included in the calories expended during a particular exercise? Having found out that the basal metabolic rate, or calories burnt just existing are included, I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was.

Note: To those who exercise and are doing well, great, I say. I admire those who commit to exercise and even enjoy it. But that is not me and likely never will be. And I am not alone in that rank. I just want to encourage those who are discouraged-- believing they will never successfully lose weight without exercising. I believed it and it held me back. Now that I know differently I am empowered. No longer am I in bondage to a lie.

Very Interesting Information---Who Knew?

Well, not me anyway. What am I posting about? Well, go here and read the blog post of Dr. Mike Eades: Calories and Exercise, dated 12/26/2007 (scroll down past the ads). It is an excellent adjunct to my post The Three Mile Donut and imparts some information that clarifies how many calories are burnt during exercise.

You may be surprised, as I was, what you'll find out in that regard. Never have I heard that particular information anywhere. And I do mean never....which is surprising to me since I'm an information addict and read pretty much everything I can get my hands on when a topic is of interest to me.

If you haven't already done so, go...now...read---the post is short. Even if you have no intention of exercising....ever. You'll be glad you know this....at least I think you will.

I recently came across some other information I'd also never read or heard before. I plan to share it too, in a couple days. I think it may also be of interest to you.