Staying the Course -- 5-21-2015

[Superbob]

Superbob is starting a new week's thread here in the Throwdown Forum thinking that we will preserve all the good that has been accomplished over the past eight (I believe) years with Cooker's Throwdown and knowing that Cooker aka Mr. Chimp will swing in here from time to time and continue to contribute with his wit and wisdom. My thought is to keep a good thing going as we all strive to keep ourselves going and enjoying life.

Exercise, nutrition, weight control, portion control, and of course heart health in general will be some of my areas of focus, and the weekly thread will be open for your observations, topics, concerns, experiences.

We started as a Throwdown -- which means lively competition, good-natured in our case, with "races" to achieve weight loss goals. I think we mellowed out and moved on from competition, so I won't try to revive that unless I hear a clamor for it.

I weighed the other day and again I weighed in at almost exactly my weight (within a few ounces) coming out of Cardiac Rehab 10 years ago. I do take a measure of pride in that; however, I know I would be better off losing 5 pounds (for starters) and then maybe another 5 -- and at my age that's probably a realistic goal. I probably won't be doing a weigh-in every week but all participants are free to do so if they find that helpful and motivating.

Maybe we can pitch in ideas from books, media, our own experiences, whatever, and this can become a good place for sharing. I came across a great book full of tips for making healthy (but tasty) selections while eating out -- and I will write about that in another post. Don't want to make this starter too long.

I don't know if the name "Staying the Course" will be a continuing one. Maybe there's a better one. Floor is open for suggestions about that and everything else.

Wishing for a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend for all.

Looking forward to hearing from our Throwdown regulars and anyone else who would like to participate in our "fitness plus" forum.

Cheers,

Superbob

 

[Duffey]

I, for one, like the name choice. I do want to stay the course. Yesterday my thoughts turned to the early days of the Throwdown, and I remembered how much Granbonny loved being a forum regular. We chatted online every day, and when the Throwdown started, her enthusiasm for all things VR.com, as she always referred to it, knew no bounds. Her interest was not confined to weight loss measures. She loved the more mundane details of members' lives that were revealed in their posts to the weekly thread. She loved people, and she relished the opportunity to learn more about them. As you say, Bob, this is a good forum to share what's going on in our lives in addition to our attempts to stay healthy. I have spent the past 10 days really watching the amount of calories I'm consuming each day. My walking routine fell by the wayside due to many days of rain and the resultant high humidity and heat. Thankfully a high pressure system swept in last night, and our mid-May morning temperature has taken a nose dive into the low 50 degree range. As soon as I post this reply, I'm headed for a walk with my trusty companion, Yoshi. I hope the return to walking speeds up the weight loss process. Have a great Memorial Day holiday!

 

[skeptic49]

Great idea and a fine new name for the weekly thread, Superbob! I got some great news today. My 24 hour Holter last week showed no rhythm problems, so my cardio told me I can drop amiodarone cold. He wants me on Warfarin for another three weeks as an extra precaution, then I can drop that too if I don;t experience any palpitations, etc. So at three months post op things are good. I'm continuing with my low carb diet and it is working, I've been able to maintain my weight where I want it. The diet is combined with walking for exercise. Where I need work is in the area of muscle fitness. I need to get into a routine where I'm doing some stretching and exercises designed to strengthen muscles. Exercises like body squats, crunches, and working with dumbbells is what i need. My left leg needs work to strengthen the muscles. It's actually atrophied a bit as a result of a sciatica attack years ago combined with knee arthritis. Getting old is no picnic. Happy Memorial Day to all.

Jim

 

[Superbob]

great three-month report, Jim: going off the meds and on track with low-carb eating. Are you able to get some rehab or personal training advice for the exercise routine (or maybe you can do fine on your own). Roger that on old age being no picnic.

Duffey, I love the recollections of Granbonny taking part in our Throwdown. She was always sharing thoughts of grandkids and doing things with the family, eating some Lean Cuisine or going for some KFC once in a while. Wonderful to think that the beloved Bonnie in spirit can still be with us as we strive to stay the course.

 

[skeptic49]

Superbob...I think I'm going to do at least some monitored rehab within the next month or so. The rehab requires a non-nuclear exercise stress test. I'm doing well by myself to a point, but I'd rather have an evaluation of my cardio-respiratory condition, combined with recommendations about how I can improve my fitness level. Mere walking is good but I'd like to take it a step further and see if I can push it up a notch or two in terms of increasing my heart rate. But I want to be safe and effective so I'll see what the rehab people say.

 

[epstns]

Jim - You probably already know my feelings about cardio rehab. I think it was one of the best things I ever did for myself. It helped me to realize just how far I could push myself after valve replacement. My rehab cohort and staff made it a lot of fun to challenge ourselves, and it got me comfortably back into the gym on a daily basis. I'm now just over 4 years post-op and still going to the gym 5 days a week. I'm no longer running (knees said "no.") but I do power-walk on an inclined treadmill and ride a stationary bicycle. Also, weather permitting, I try to walk outdoors daily. On a really good day, I can walk 3 or 4 miles in addition to the gym trip. I'm no Charles Atlas (we seniors will remember him), but at least I look "good for my age." Life is (still) good.

Oh, BTW, all this exercise and I haven't lost any weight in the last two years. I guess that the good news is that I really haven't gained any either. I'm down about 10 lbs from my post op peak, but I've been stable within a range of plus or minus 2 pounds for a couple of years. I'll stay the course.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Jim - when I started to do cardiac rehab I was doing a lot of walking exercises with some arm exercises using light weights. Unfortunately I got an ankle injury due to one of the exercises BUT actually it turned out really good because then the cardiac rehab nurse got me doing a more challenging weight lifting regime using my upper body, as I couldn't walk for several weeks, to exercise my heart rate. And weightlifting is, of course, helpful for muscles Best of luck with the rehab you're given !

 

[Superbob]

Hope everyone is having a good Memorial Day. It's family cookout day here at our household -- so will be a challenge to eat fairly sensibly. But fun is the no. 1 priority. Of course, real No. 1, it is a day to remember our fallen warriors.

I agree with Steve and Paleogirl about the value of cardiac rehab. Hope they put together a good program for you, Jim, one that will be both therapeutic and fun. In my CR, we had a congenial group of nurses and patients and laughed a lot while working out and gradually building up our strength. Weight-lifting was part of it.

 

[Paleowoman]

It's Whit Monday or the Spring Bank Holiday here in the UK ! We're not doing anything special, I don't think people here do…except the schools all start their week long half term so the roads are busy, busy with people going away.

I and hubby were in France two weeks ago when they had VE (Victory in Europe) Day to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe. I imagine that is similar to Memorial Day ? We took part in a procession from the main church in town (where we have a little house) to the war memorial where speeches were made, flowers laid and a band played. Then on to another memorial to local Resistance heroes who were shot or sent to concentration camps, and then to a civic hall where the band played again, more speeches and drinks on the municipal taxes They also have Armistice Day in November which is much more sombre when they remember the dead of all wars, Victory in Europe Day was more to celebrate the liberation in 1945 and remember the soldiers and heroes who helped liberate Europe. The Mayor mentioned in his speech that the war did carry on for America in Japan for a few more months.

Hope you and your family have a good day Superbob ! And everyone over your side of the pond !

 

[Superbob]

Thanks for that post, Paleogirl -- VE Day in France sounds like a fun time! Occasionally when posting, I forget how much we are blessed to have folks on vr.com from across the pond, Down Under and indeed around the globe. I remember when November 11 was celebrated as Armistice Day in the USA, too, before being changed to the more generic Veterans Day. I much preferred Armistice Day with all the historical meaning -- including the fact that my birthday falls on that date. (No I was not born at the end of WWI, but I was born the month before Pearl Harbor Day.) Hope you and your family have a good day also, Paleogirl!

 

[Paleowoman]

You know Superbob, I just realised that the Americans and the French are, in a sense, much more reverent to the dead and the heroes of wars. I see that Memorial Day and Veterans Day are national holidays in the US. In France VE Day and Armistice Day are national holidays. But we Brits don't have a national holdiay for either VE day or Armistice Day, there are ceremonies on those days but not such that it's a holiday, everyone carries on at work - a two minute silence on Armistice Day with wreath laying on the closest Sunday. Strange.

 

[Superbob]

You know Superbob, I just realised that the Americans and the French are, in a sense, much more reverent to the dead and the heroes of wars. I see that Memorial Day and Veterans Day are national holidays in the US. In France VE Day and Armistice Day are national holidays. But we Brits don't have a national holdiay for either VE day or Armistice Day, there are ceremonies on those days but not such that it's a holiday, everyone carries on at work - a two minute silence on Armistice Day with wreath laying on the closest Sunday. Strange.

Interesting. I've never really thought about that difference but maybe one reason for France's intense observance is that it was under Nazi occupation during the war. The British endured fearsome bombardment but perhaps didn't feel quite the same sense of liberation -- relief for sure, but not liberation. That's just a wild guess on my part.