Health & Fitness

Training Planner

Wednesday 12/21/2005 10:10:24 PM (CST) - Michael Wells   

Build your own personal training program with this nifty online database.  Well done.
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Tea with Lemon

Wednesday 12/7/2005 11:06:00 AM (CST) - Michael Wells   

Hydration, hydration, hydration.  Easier said than done.

For some reason, I find it difficult to drink large quantities of plain water on a constant basis.  After all, it's just so... plain.

So rather than going with the traditional office drinks of coffee or soda, or stocking up on 'sports drinks', I've opted to just toss a teabag into the cold water bottle. 

It keeps the water as untainted as possible, while adding just enough flavor and variety to make constant hydration a pleasant activity.  I happen to like green+jasmine tea, which is almost flavorless in cold water, but mint, orange pekoe, even earl gray are excellent.  If you want the tea stronger, just it in the sunlight for a bit. 

My latest addition has been 2 lemon slices per liter, which adds a huge amount of flavor.  By slicing the lemon, and then freezing the slices in a tupperware container, I can keep them indefinately in the office fridge, avoid the muss and fuss of slicing each time, and I even get to add a nice chill to the drink.

If you try this, you might consider using freezer wax paper to keep the slices from freezing to each other.  Also make sure that whatever size you cut the slices to, that they'll fit into your bottle once they're frozen stiff.

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Kickboxing comes home

Thursday 6/2/2005 10:55:22 AM (CST) - Michael Wells   

http://news.com.com/Kickboxing+comes+home/2010-1043_3-5726854.html?part=rss&tag=5726854&subj=news
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Cure for Obesity: Video Games

Tuesday 5/31/2005 11:18:14 AM (CST) - Michael Wells   

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Play to Get Fit -- New Concept?

Tuesday 5/31/2005 11:16:23 AM (CST) - Michael Wells   

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ExRx

Saturday 4/2/2005 10:54:38 AM (CST) - Michael Wells   

ExRx is one of the hands-down-best resources on the web for weight training.  It's a bit crude in appearance but there is an absolute gold mine of useful, understandable information in there.

In particular, I like the detailed Exercise & Muscle Directory, which offers complete a muscle-use inventory.  Pick an exercise, and see exactly which muscles it hits.  Pick a muscle you want to develop, and see all the exercises that develop it.

I can almost guarantee that you have a lot more muscles than you think about in the gym, and there are a lot more exercises than you know about.

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Weight Training, Lifestyles, Insulin Levels, and Diabetes

Thursday 3/3/2005 9:35:08 PM (CST) - Michael Wells   

A new theory.  Many experts peg the increase in processed foods as one of the leading causes of the increase in diabetes, and almost certainly that is a significant factor.  But I'm beginning to believe that lifestyle plays at least as important a role.

My theory is, certain people have a tendency towards high insulin levels.  Insulin is (as I understand it) a growth hormone, so these are the same people who tend to be BIG.  The key is, the proportion of people who have a naturally high insulin level is the same as it always was, but, the industrial age has changed lifestyles so that these folks (including myself) lead rather sedentary lifestyles.  I'm a computer programmer, which just doesn't lead to a whole lot of physical exertion.

The upshot is, folks like myself need to maintain a good fitness regimen as the number one criterion for a healthy lifestyle.  Diet can never be ignored, but it is secondary.

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New Personal Max Bench

Sunday 2/27/2005 9:23:04 PM (CST) - Michael Wells   

After a week of Karate I've discovered an unexpected side benefit; some of the aches and pains from regular weight training have been eliminated.  One mild injury I've been carrying is a rotator cuff pain in my left shoulder, which has been changed to a light (and barely distracting) burning sensation at certain joint positions.

After talking with a trainer at the gym, he pointed out that heavy weight trainers often alternate regular weight training with a minor-muscle focused regimen.  The point is that large muscle exercises tend to grow major muscles faster than the supporting muscles can.  This creates an imbalance that can lead to injury.

All I can say for sure is that I have a new personal best on bench press of 150kg (330lbs), which makes me a very happy guy.  I think I'll keep this regimen up for awhile and see where it leads...

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Pumping Iron, Metric-Style

Thursday 2/10/2005 8:50:26 PM (CST) - Michael Wells   

My history with weightlifting is best summarized as... "sporadic".  Nonetheless I enjoy it immensely, as well as the results.  A recent change in my lifestyle has given me a better opportunity to get back into a personal fitness program. 

As I circle the globe, seeking adventure and enlightenment, I've discovered that most of the world uses metric weights.  This has an interesting psychological benefit.  In pounds, hefting a 60 pound dumbbell seems like idiocy for many exercises; but at 2.2 pounds/kg, that little number on the side drops to around 30.  Mentally, that seems a lot more reasonable.  I find myself regularly using 35 and now even 40 kg weights for incline and decline exercises. 

Cool.

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Cinnamon spice produces healthier blood

Friday 11/28/2003 7:19:26 PM (CST) - Michael Wells   

Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it.

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