I choose pain

Bottom Feeder said:

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That's how I feel right now.

Four miles to the track (only safe place to walk or run, around here) via bicycle path.

Four and a half, back (taking the bike path is longer, but safer).

45 minutes of fast-walking.

Keto breakfast.

Fruit for lunch.

...the question in the back of my mind is, IS it...WORTH it? Wouldn't a double gin-and-tonic and a big greasy slice of pizza, go good right now?

Casey Jones said:

the question in the back of my mind is, IS it...WORTH it? Wouldn't a double gin-and-tonic and a big greasy slice of pizza, go good right now?

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You can eat all that stuff, no prob.

You just have to make sure that you burn up all the calories that stuff will give you, on the same day that you consume them.
Ie: don't give your body time to convert it all to fat stores first.

Edited to add: Michael Phelps consumed up to 12,000 calories a day in training for the Olympics, and didn't gain a pound from it.

His level of metabolism, as an Olympic athlete, and my own, as a crippled old geezer, are somewhat different.

In the Navv, I was an eight-mile-a-day runner. It was the only way I could avoid being AdSepped for physical readiness standards. My genetics want to make me look like a giant pear; but I also have/had great lung capacity.

So, I ran. And then, at the end of it, I'd pig out - slop on the mess decks, or...at North Island, there was an ice-cream stand right by the road to our berth (and the Kitty Hawk's pier). AND, the Enlisted Club, which was pretty sorry - but they did have cheap draft beer, and I'd take a book down there, buy a pitcher, drink it and read...about the best company I could find, on the base, and I wasn't interested in hitting the town to go drinking.

Point is, back then, I could violate all kinds of dietary rules and do fine.

That point has long been passed. That gin-and-tonic will remain a memory. Or maybe I'll have one on New Year's.

Casey Jones said:

His level of metabolism, as an Olympic athlete, and my own, as a crippled old geezer, are somewhat different.

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I am not saying that YOU could burn 12,000 calories a day.

What I am saying is that as long as your calorie output exceeds the amount of calories you consume (even if only by a tiny amount), those calories cannot be converted into fat.
....and was using Phelps as an extreme example with which to make the point.

A slice or two of pizza is fine. You just gotta burn the calories it gives you.

If you can't physically do as much as you used to be able to, then maybe you just can't have a slice every day.
.....but as a treat every so often? It'd be fine.

Moderation is your friend.
.....but also do not completely deprive yourself of the things you thoroughly enjoy.


As for metabolism goes, a heavier person has a higher metabolic rate than a skinny person does while doing the same activity.
....and yes, I realize most think that is backwards, but it's true.

If we both went for a 4 mile walk at an equal speed, you would burn more calories than I would.
.....and to burn more calories in the same amount of time is proof that your metabolic rate had to be higher than mine.

The biggest problem I see with your slice of pizza and shot of gin, is carbs it gives you.

Not because carbs are bad, but because they are less filling.

Therefore you will be more prone to eat again, sooner.

Which means more likely than not, you'll end up consuming excess calories.

That's the main prob with carbs. They encourage over eating due to being less filling.

A meal high in protein will keep you satiated longer than will a meal high in carbs.
.....but again, if you are burning it up, it's all a wash in the end.

Hmmm. My (limited) tests in immediately tracking blood-sugar reinforces what I'd read: That carbs create more havoc on blood-sugar levels, then sweets will.

I grant some are necessary. If for no other reason than, it's not cheap or convenient to live on just meat and vitamins. And..I've gotten that keto-breath. Before I understood what it was. When your breath stinks so bad even you can smell it yourself, you know it's bad.

Today, we're in a heat wave. And the indoor gym has set their A/C at 80...well, no point in coddling athletes looking to push their limits. It's 89 outside my window.

So I won't peddle a bike. I'm going to drive...40 miles to Lolo Pass, to a public trail in NFS land. It's 6000 ft elevation; it'll be a lot cooler.

Casey Jones said:

Hmmm. My (limited) tests in immediately tracking blood-sugar reinforces what I'd read: That carbs create more havoc on blood-sugar levels, then sweets will.

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If by "havoc" you mean a spike in blood glucose, then yes, they very well can cause that.
.....but when it spikes, that's your sign to get up and go do something by making your body move.

Ie: use your muscles to use up that spike in blood sugar. Muscles metabolize glucose better than any other tissue in your body.

Which is why it's important to maintain your muscles as you age. If you let yourself get soft and lose muscle mass as you age, that's when blood glucose spikes get worse and worse as there is less and less muscle mass to use it up.


It's when it doesn't get used up is when the body says, "ok, time to mop it all up and store it if he's not gonna use it".

It's also what leads to other stuff like neuropathy as your body tries to find more ways to deal with persistently high blood sugar.

Casey Jones said:

Today, we're in a heat wave. And the indoor gym has set their A/C at 80...well, no point in coddling athletes looking to push their limits. It's 89 outside my window.

So I won't peddle a bike. I'm going to drive...40 miles to Lolo Pass, to a public trail in NFS land. It's 6000 ft elevation; it'll be a lot cooler.

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If too hot to ride in the daytime, get ya some decent lights and either go ride after Sunset, or get up pre dawn before everyone is out, and ride then.

With lights you are easy to see and there are far fewer cars on the road.

Also, it is cooler and no Sunscreen required

My A1C says I'm doing okay.

But other things, not so much. I do have some neuropathy.

When I step off the diet, I do do punitive physical activity. Mostly...I violated things today, couldn't yet get up. In an hour I'll be climbing the trail (which I know reasonably well) but that's a bit late for a meal I had an hour ago.

Oh, well. I'm at least doing better than my old man did at my age. Physically and mentally, both. I credit what exercise I do get.

Pain report

Missed the last two days. Oof!

This morning I managed to jog 4 laps on the track (1 mile). Felt good.

(later)

Crucifix Crunch - I was feeling the abs burn as they worked through 3 sets of 15.

Core hold series
Form 1 - Kept the back off the floor until breath 18. Finished out 30 breaths with shoulders up and it felt good, I decided to move directly into Form 2 without a break. That was a mistake as I only last 2 breaths before realizing I wasn't going to make 10 breaths, much less 30. I stopped and rested.
Form 2 - After catching my breath, this was fairly easy. Until I got to breath 30. I nearly had muscle failure. I doubt I would have made it past breath 31 if I had tried pushing it.
Form 3 - After catching my breath - finished 30 breaths easy. Lower back was no problem (no arching) and feet did not cramp today.

Side planks - Concentrated on good form - especially keeping my body aligned straight. Managed 15 reps each side, but finishing each set was not easy. Form degraded (wobbly) as I got near 15. I've got more work to do getting my obliques in shape.

Active dead hang - Back felt strong. I made it to 22 breaths before my grip/hands hit failure.