Running: A FEVER

Welcome to the 75th episode of our Shattering the Yoyo series, which looks back at episode 103 from December 12th, 2018.

The original title of this episode is, Am I Too Healthy? Spoiler alert: the answer was no. But as I listened to it, I was so impressed by all the positivity along with details of the strategy I was using and some of my daily routine. Granted, I was jacked up on a bodybuilder's energy drink, but it is still inspiring. And it's easier to follow a plan when it's all laid out step-by-step, as I alluded to in the clip.

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Photo by Magda Ehlers: https://www.pexels.com/photo/closeup-photo-of-galapagos-tortoise-1201431/

I'm at the Running: A FEVER world headquarters and about to head down to the Lake Fayetteville trail. It's cloudy, and I'm getting some drops, but do you know what? I've been wimpy about the weather for too long. I'm just going to go and fight through it. They say, 'Are you a man or a mouse?' It doesn't take a ton of courage to walk in the rain. I'm worried about my shoes that don't have a lot of mileage on them getting a little muddy or dirty, but you know what? If I use them enough, they will get that way anyway. Not that big a deal.

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/angry-man-is-screaming-3760044/

I'm warming up my lower extremities and stretching my back. My back is the part that gives me the most trouble when I'm walking. I don't expect to get much trouble from it today, but I'm already sore. And the cat has gone upside-down. Welcome to Running: A FEVER. It's a podcast about fitness, diet, and medicine. My goal is to live a long, healthy, happy, active life right up to the very end. And if that's your goal, you're in the right place. We can share information to help us do that. And I want to love my life enough to make it last as long as possible. Those two go hand-in-hand, I think. Most people would rather not have an unloved longer life.

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Photo by Eddie Wingertsahn https://unsplash.com/@e_wingertsahn?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

I'm warming up, and Frankenstein (my cat) is very interested because she hasn't seen me do this indoors for a while. Warmups are important, and with as many injuries I've had, I take this seriously. Even on an indoor bike or stationary bike, I know I can get injured because I had an Achilles tendon injury. I've had three somewhat serious Achilles injuries. One was a complete rupture that didn't even happen during exercise. These are bad not just because of the pain and inconvenience but because they keep me away from exercise for long periods of time.

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Photo by Alexander Schimmeck https://unsplash.com/@alschim?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

It's a beautiful day at Lake Fayetteville. I got up at 0430 this morning, trying to get back into the routine that I've known and that has worked for me before. So, I don't know how far I'll get today, but regardless, it's a good step toward forming a new habit. Being able to get a workout in and get to work at an acceptable time. One of the reasons I do mornings is that it's a little easier at the gym to get things done. Plenty of people are there at 5 am, don't get me wrong. But there are less than usual. My gym has a packed parking lot. It was significantly less on Sunday. So maybe I'll try Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday in the gym instead of Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday.

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Image by Jason Goh https://pixabay.com/users/cegoh-94852/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=391143

Welcome to the 73rd in our series about ending the phenomenon of yo-yo dieting and weight loss and weight gain. We're looking back at the banner year 2018 in hopes of gleaning some wisdom from our past success. The original title of this episode is "Running A FEVER 101". I decided to make an episode describing what the Running A FEVER podcast is all about.

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Photo by Michael Davis

Welcome to the 72nd in our series, Shattering the Yoyo. Episode 100 was a lot of fun to do. It's a real milestone for a podcaster. Years ago, I heard that the average podcast lasted about seven episodes. It is probably even less than that now. So, there's a sense of accomplishment that goes with sticking with it long enough to see this milestone. Of course, by now, I have over 350 episodes, and I have no intention of stopping. We've also been going for over six years now, and things have changed a lot. We lived through COVID and despite the effort put into this series I have been victim to the yo-yo effect, such that now I am near my all-time highest weight, and am trying to get started on the right path back to a healthy weight.

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Wide image by Thirdman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/curly-haired-man-shouting-through-megaphone-8924332/

Welcome to Running: A FEVER. My name is Michael Davis, and this is a podcast about fitness, diet, and medicine. My goal is to live a long, healthy, happy, active life right up to the very end. I love my life enough to make it last as long as possible. If you feel the same way, you're in the right place.

Back in the old days, I took one night and had a unique experience. I went to the demolition derby, which comes to my town every spring and fall. I had never experienced anything like it and haven't since. I haven't returned to another one for some reason, though it was a lot of fun.

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It's a beautiful day at Lake Fayetteville. The car says 58 degrees. In the garage, it was 54, so it's actually warmer out here. The phone says 61, so it's probably 61 at the airport. That's where most weather stations are. They have to know the weather so they can tell the pilots and calculate atmospheric pressure and wind speed. It's sunny out here, and it's not sunny in my garage, so that might have something to do with the temperature difference.

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Photo by Jakson Martins: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hourglass-on-brown-wooden-frame-4061722/

We've talked about stress in the past, and I was thinking today about all the things in the world that can give us stress. Big picture things. We've talked about the personal things. But big-picture macro things in the world? "2024" rhymes with "war," and certainly, that is happening worldwide. The United States is in a shooting war. So are several other countries. And all the things that come along with war.

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Photo by Porapak Apichodilok: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-world-globe-facing-mountain-346885/

I'm recording on my phone today, actually holding the phone up to my face, because I like recording podcasts. And I brought the recorder that I normally use, but I forgot the memory card. This doesn't sound too bad being recorded on my phone, and hopefully, I don't get tired of holding it up to my face.

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Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/orange-drink-in-a-drinking-glass-6529722/

Alright. Welcome to Running: A FEVER. My name is Michael Davis. This is a podcast about fitness, diet, and medicine. My goal is to live a long, healthy, happy, active life right up to the very end. And I love my life enough to make it last as long as possible. If that's what you want, you're in the right place.

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Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-cyclist-riding-bicycle-during-competition-5687432/

Welcome to the 70th installment in our series, Shattering the Yoyo. In this episode, we review episode 98, which was published on November 23, 2018, with the original title Biometrics Results. I recorded it driving to and from the location at my employer, where I had my biometric screening, and got the preliminary results, which are pretty much the final results; they had to test the mouth swab to prove I'm not a tobacco user. But I knew I would pass that.

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Photo by Bruce Mars https://unsplash.com/@brucemars?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

I think I would like to go to some of these locations away from the area where I live. I don't know if I want to play the dead animal pelt matching game, but it would be nice to do some hiking. It's like anything. Variety is the spice of life. I can get burned out on certain foods, healthy or not; as beautiful as it is, going to Lake Fayetteville exclusively can have a similar result. And there are plenty of places to go within 100 miles of where I live. Lots of beautiful state parks, you've heard me experience in many episodes that have come out in the past.

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Photo by The Lucky Neko on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/@theluckyneko?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

I'm going to warm up here a little bit. It's pretty cold outside. I don't know if "warm up" is the appropriate term to use. But I can try to get some blood circulating. It's something that requires patience. Any warm-up requires patience. I am a singer in a band, and if I don't warm up my voice, I'll either damage my voice or I won't be able to sing very well. But singing is a very physical thing. Your instrument is actually part of your body.

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Photo by Annie Spratt https://unsplash.com/@anniespratt?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

We're taking a trip back to November 16 of 2018, as we review some excerpts from episode 96, Become an Expert in Your Own Health.

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Welcome to the sixty-seventh installation of Shattering the Yoyo. Today, we look back at episode ninety-five, from November 14, 2018, titled "Eggs and Australia."

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Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-with-white-sunvisor-running-40751/

And we're walkin'! I did a warmup. I've been doing a pretty extensive warm-up before walking because, as you know, I've had Achilles tendon problems over the years. One year and a half ago, when I pretty near severed it, I pulled it completely apart. So that's why I do the exercises. I remember some of them from when I was in physical therapy. I guess it's helping. So far, I haven't had any issues since this most recent restart.

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Photo by Adobe Stock

It's a beautiful day at Lake Fayetteville, surprise, surprise. It's maybe seventy degrees, maybe a little warmer than that. It's been a great day, maybe low 60s to low 70s, something like that.

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Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-person-walking-4719924/

This is the second episode I've made in recent times. I made one last week. On the trail, I mean -- I've been doing studio episodes for a while. But, fully back from the hiatus, we are doing our standard thing. I almost left home without my wallet and my water. I probably could have gotten by without them, but I guess you should have your license with you when you drive. So I got the wallet, and then I realized I didn't have water, and I needed to hydrate before and after. So I Mio-ized two bottles of water and put some ice in there because I didn't have any in the fridge. I used to keep a five-gallon jug of water with a tap on it in the fridge. I no longer do that. I just chill the water bottles; they take up a lot less space. I've been using the Mio Sport. I don't have any at home right now. But it's supposed to replace electrolytes like any sports drink does. Today, I just had Tang, which is a delicious orange drink that comes in the same format as Mio. It's liquid in a little bottle. You squirt some into a bottle of water. And no calories.

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I'm trying to remember some of the exercises I was doing when I was in physical therapy to use as I warm up to protect that Achilles tendon after that rupture last year. I've been having trouble with it recently. It's nothing major but some discomfort in that area, so I'm being extra careful today.

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I've had a couple of doctor visits recently, and my blood pressure has been completely within limits, not too high and not too low. I think it may be that I am drinking strictly decaf coffee now. I know caffeine has been an issue in the past. But my stress level isn't appreciably lower, I'm not exercising a lot, and though I have lost some weight this year, my weight is still well over what it should be for optimal health. Sometimes I just have to just be grateful for the good that's happening in my life, without worrying too much about the whys and wherefores, etc. whatnot, so forth.

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Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-healthcare-worker-measuring-her-own-blood-pressure-using-a-sphygmomanometer-5721672/

A good exercise plan---you know I was doing a lot of different things when episode 93 was recorded, and that's good. I was able to keep that up for a while. Maybe it isn't sustainable for the long term. You know even if I make fitness my number one priority, it doesn't mean that I don't have a number two, three, etc. But I do think the basic ideas here are sound, some strength training, even if it is just a little dumbbell action at home. Some cardio: I still have that stationary bike I can use without leaving the house. And walking is definitely something I need to do more of because it has psychological benefits as well. And it just feels good. If you can do something that feels good and is healthy, too, that's great. Why not do it?

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Photo by Sarah  Chai: https://www.pexels.com/photo/faceless-woman-chopping-bell-pepper-during-lunch-preparation-in-kitchen-7262911/

We're on #64 of our Shattering the Yoyo series, looking back at episode 92, which came out November 2nd of 2018, a year in which I dramatically improved my health. I'm trying to learn from what I did that year in hopes that I can avoid the yo-yo diet syndrome in the present day.

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Image by thank you for 💙 from Pixabay

Who is Delphia Welford? It sounds like she's from Pennsylvania, for sure. Even though she died in 1992, she is just now being added to the top 10 list. She was the 2nd oldest living person, behind Jeanne Calment for a couple of years. Now, she is the tenth longest-lived person, at 117 years, 66 days, living from September 9, 1875 to November 14, 1992.

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Photo courtesy of Gerontology Research Group, http://grg-supercentenarians.org

First things first. I have returned (last episode) from the hiatus, which was in effect starting in late September of last year. When I sat down and started working again, I could not believe it had been that long! At the time, I thought some life stuff was going to change short-term, but as usual, something different happened. Anyway, it's good to be back, and if you're listening, you've stuck with me, and thank you for that.

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Photo by: Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/@giorgiotrovato?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

In the last episode, I talked about learning from my own experience and studies and living my life accordingly. Okay, maybe I didn't mention the studying part. But one of the things I have done is to learn from Dan Buettner's series of books about what he calls "blue zones". These are places where people live significantly longer than average at a very high rate. He dug into the lifestyles that make up the local societies in these geographical areas, proposing them as tenets of a philosophy of longevity that anyone can follow.

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One of the most important things to me, as I have been doing this research and practice and work over the last few years, is that I need to become an expert at my own health. Different people have different hungers, different preferences, different tolerances. The enormous quantity of information available on health is both a blessing and a curse.

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Photo by Andres  Ayrton: https://www.pexels.com/photo/faceless-woman-showing-fresh-apple-and-sweet-doughnut-6551090/

In the determination of right, the game between right and wrong, we need some rules. This is a universal tenant of being human. It's why we have codes of morality, religion, and even laws. So, when I set out to do something the right way, I need to figure out the list of rules I need to follow to accomplish this.

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Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

I don't always follow my own advice. But I do appreciate, these days, the good people and the other good things in my life. I know that the things I read, the things I watch, the things I listen to, the people I spend time with... all these go to making me the person I am. So I better choose well.

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/fit-athlete-during-training-on-running-track-3756042/

Abundance. It's a life-changer. I was producing Patti Brunner's podcast, which you should all check out, by the way, it's called Truth of the Spirit. She also does a YouTube video for each episode. PatriarchMinistries.com or you can also get there from PaduaPodcastNetwork.com, where all of our podcasts reside as well.

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Photo by Ian Turnell: https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-fruits-stall-709567/

I've been letting my current injuries stop me, and I'm running out of excuses. Today the temperature is 79, and we have probably a little more much-needed rain to go today, but we've been in a heat wave, so for personal health and safety reasons, I couldn't go outside and walk. But I have been walking more as I spend more and more days in the office and not the home office and I get my own groceries, and go to church. My calf is weak but there is virtually no pain that I'm experiencing right now.

The physical therapist says no more than a 1/2 mile. No problem there, that's usually how I start back when I've been out for an injury. Today I've let the rain discourage me, but as long-time listeners will know, I walk in all kinds of weather, as long as there isn't lightning or something truly dangerous.

The other thing about episode 86, from which today's excerpts come, is activity and beauty. That bachelor party was cool because I was hanging out with friends, some new, some old, and being active, and being out in nature where we could enjoy some beauty. Some bachelor parties seek other kinds of beauty, but we chose nature. We spend time on the Yellow Rock trail, the setting for several episodes over the years, and at Lake Fayetteville, also a popular site for podcast episodes. Lately, I've been doing what I usually do when I'm not purposefully getting out in nature. When I'm filling my vehicle up with gas I stare up at the clouds. Also when I'm waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store. So I get glimpses here and there. I need more and I'll eventually get it. There is no physical barrier to that now. No more excuses!

Due to health issues, I am taking an indefinite break from the show. No new episodes will be published for a while.

http://RunningAFEVER.com

Obsession ... single-mindedness ... tunnel vision. How important is balance to health and longevity? When I say it like that, I think of balance as a kind of scale on which my life activities are weighed, like the scale the blindfolded Lady Justice holds in her hand. In the corporate world, "work-life balance" is a buzzword these days. It's actually one that I take seriously, at least from that perspective.

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Photo by Damir Mijailovic: https://www.pexels.com/photo/dancer-in-overpass-bridge-in-city-5654493/

This episode relates my trip to The Hive, a local restaurant a couple of towns over from where I live.

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-a-person-slicing-a-sandwich-with-vegetables-4963610/

I didn't really witness much patriotism at all on Independence Day this year, though I did attend a fireworks show. The place where my parents live is across the street from an Elks club and they have a show every year, so this year I went. It was nice. Nothing spectacular. I have seen fireworks shows in Boston at both Independence Day and New Year's Day celebrations and those were pretty impressive. And the shows I've seen at our local minor league baseball park, Arvest Park, home of the Arkansas Naturals, have been pretty well done also. But sometimes it's not about the show, it's about who you enjoy it with, and it was nice just sitting back with my folks and watching the pretty sparks fly.

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Photo by Baluc Photography : https://www.pexels.com/photo/fireworks-display-in-dubai-6598291/

We have been experiencing a bit of a heat wave here in Northwest Arkansas, many consecutive 3-digit temperature days. Sunny days are nice, but at those temperatures, no one should be outside, and the electric bills skyrocket with the air conditioning constantly running all day. One of the things on my long-term to-do list is getting some shade trees planted. I planted some privacy trees a couple of years ago, but they will never be tall enough to provide shade. Long-term to-do list is a nice way of saying things I continually procrastinate. So I mainly just don't go out in these temperatures, but even if it gets down to the chilly 80s, and I'm talking Fahrenheit here, for you people in Europe and any other places where you use Celsius as a temperature scale. In that case, it would be somewhere around 25-30 degrees. Even if it gets that cool, the advice here is good, drink plenty of water, wear loose clothing, and dog tags may help too, so if you die of heat exhaustion, whoever finds you will know where to send the body.

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Photo by asim alnamat: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-wearing-black-sunglasses-343717/

Yeah, my body, bones, tendons, and muscles are kind of a mess right now. Interesting that the archery bow image was used back then. My podiatrist used this when he explained the fascitis that I started experiencing as soon as the cast came off my ankle. There's a song about the foot bone being connected to the leg bone etc. And it really is all connected. So the very tight Achilles tendon I had could have been taking pressure off the fascia, which is a ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the toes and forms the arch. Now that there's more play in my Achilles, I'm feeling the tightness of that ligament, which is probably what is causing the pain on the bottom of my heels. Whew! Yeah. So I still think flexibility is key, and I even sort of made a pact with a friend to get into yoga or something. History repeats itself if I don't learn from it. Those annoying old sayings are old for a reason. There's truth there. And the truth is what we seek.

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References: https://www.verywellhealth.com/foot-anatomy-and-physiology-3119204

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-an-x-ray-result-of-a-foot-8376138/

Once I went to my primary care physician Dr. Bicak. I told him about my dietician, who kept forgetting I didn't like avocado. He said I could learn to like it. And I think that's probably true. But my dislike for it pretty much precludes that because I can't bring myself to eat it. Not the end of the world, I think, but after all, I am on a health journey, and I can't ignore something just because I don't like it right now. The dietician says it is a superfood, like oatmeal or beans. So it is probably worth the effort. And I'm thinking of ways I can make that happen.

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Photo by energepic.com from Pexels

Guess what? There ARE training robots? I put a bunch of links in the show notes; check 'em out. Episode 80 is a good one for me to hear now. Back then I was in physical therapy, and I've got some similar things going on right now, aches and pains and all that jazz. I am actually in physical therapy again as well. So this week I had a covid false alarm and had to cancel PT. Hoping to get back to my three-a-week schedule starting Monday. Both knees are stiff now, and I have the same arm pain that led to the situation I was in in episode 80. So now I know what it is. I stopped doing traction every day, and I stopped doing all those PT homework exercises they had me doing back in '18. The sedentary life I've led for the past couple of years has not helped either, so I am pretty much back at square one.

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Photo by Lukas: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-survey-spreadsheet-590022/

Achilles was a mythical great Greek warrior, the son of Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis, who, upon his birth, dipped baby Achilles into the River Styx, making him invincible. However, she neglected to let the water cover the heel by which she held him. And so, this was the only part of his body that was vulnerable to injury. He eventually died when he was wounded by an arrow which struck his vulnerable heel, which is why we refer to a person's weakness metaphorically as his "Achilles heel". I've never heard of anyone else dying from a heel injury, which also makes him pretty special, I guess.

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Photo by Kindel Media: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-wearing-rubber-shoes-7298422/

Friday, June 11, 2022, a date that will live in infamy, is when I started having symptoms of covid-19. After 2 years of living cautiously according to CDC guidelines, and a full 2-1/2 years after we first hear about the SARS-COV-2 virus, it's finally happened.

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Photo by Michael Davis Media

Keeping stats is a good idea. It helps me to see my progress and identify areas that need improvement and importantly, areas where I'm doing well. It's important to recognize when you're doing a good job.

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Photo by Andres Ayrton: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-person-on-weight-scales-6550832/

At this point in episode 78 I'm focusing a lot on building muscle mass, which is a good part of an overall health plan I think. It can be overdone, as my cardiologist has repeatedly told me. It's a slow process, and I think the keys are to get enough protein and overall calories and just workout every single day, or most days, for a long time. The bulking-and-cutting process I briefly refer to... well I never really got to that point, but I think my idea of just trying to maintain a steady weight while changing my body composition was right on target. If you're a bodybuilder and your high bodyfat number is 10-15, bulking may make sense. But I've never broken 20. And bulking is hard for me to control.

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Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-doing-exercise-inside-gym-2247179/

Don't go to extremes. This is something I'm at times not very good at, for example, the exercise extreme that got me into my current ankle injury. At other times I'm probably too good at it. I make changes at a glacial pace. So I didn't start with a whole regimen of supplements, before-and-after-workout shakes and snacks, and so forth. So don't worry if you're overwhelmed when I talk about these things, I am too.

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Image by zuzyusa from Pixabay

In this episode, I am ramping up my resistance training. Something I'm trying to be more consistent at here in 2021.

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

In the corporate world, I hear this buzzword. It's not a major buzzword or buzz phrase, like "outside the box", "unconscious bias", etc. But in my world, I hear it now and then. It refers to a range of choices. You generally cannot get a size 48 t-shirt. Instead, you get an extra-large. Instead of 50 sizes, you get 4 or maybe 6 choices. Sometimes this kind of thinking helps when a business is trying to streamline and be more efficient, though the customer may prefer a wider range of choices. And the fewer sizes available, the less accurate the sizing becomes.

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Image by Johanna Pakkala from Pixabay

I am better able to handle temptations when I am healthy. That's not exactly obvious. On its face, that statement might be seen as a mistake that should be stated the other way around: when I am able to handle temptations, I am healthy. In fact, both are true.

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Photo by Doris Morgan on Unsplash

Makes me sad, I can't deny it. I want to live a happy and healthy life and I'm not healthy now and not happy. Why? I can't walk. I love walking. And I'm wracking my brain trying to figure out something I can do with this whole bone spur/Achilles injury. Patience.

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Photo by Adam Kontor from Pexels

Perhaps you've heard me talk about how I can't exercise, walk, etc lately and have wondered why. I suppose this is a good time to say I've been seeing the podiatrist again. Last year I came in with the callus, I was calling a corn in episode 72. A procedure he recommended, short of serious surgery, I had in January since I wanted to wait until I had a fresh deductible.

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Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-male-doctor-explaining-the-x-ray-result-of-a-foot-8376148/

Looking back, I got some really good advice from the dietician when I was having regular appointments with her. I know that experience drove the advice she gave me. She had seen plenty of people lose weight too fast and blow their metabolism all to hell, unable to maintain a healthy weight no matter what they ate.

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Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-kid-weighing-on-scale-4474052/

I think this was a great sort of directional adjustment in my exercise routine. I began regular resistance workouts, took shorter walks. These days I yearn for the times when I had so many activities to choose from. But I have to be patient. That will come again.

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Image by Kevin Phillips from Pixabay

In both episodes 68 and 69, I mentioned recovery foods, and it's a good reminder not to starve myself, even though I'm not exercising near as much as I was when this episode was recorded. Not only will I not gain muscle when I don't eat well, but I can lose muscle as well.

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Photo by Allan Mas from Pexels

In episode 68 I was really trying to move beyond the biggest loser contest, and fill out some gaps in my diet or supplement regimen. That contest was not healthy in the sense that to win it I had to just basically starve myself for 12 weeks. That's not a healthy lifestyle. The one thing that did come of it, other than learning what NOT to do, was that I had an external motivation to move me along.

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Photo by Vinícius Caricatte from Pexels

This is a great statement of how you don't have to go crazy. Unfortunately, a lot of information you get is tied to supplemental products that you really don't need. If you're trying to do this and make money, that's the kind of thing you have to promote. Fortunately, you have Running: A FEVER, amateurs that we are. We have no such alignments.

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

It's good to get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy nutritionally and to burn enough calories to have a healthy body composition and a healthy weight. But immediately what comes to mind is one of those blue zone concepts discovered by Dan Buettner. Specifically, staying in a caloric deficit. Perhaps at first glance, it doesn't make sense. After all, if I consume fewer calories than I need, you would think that eventually, I would die from malnutrition. But that's not necessarily the case. As we get older, we burn less energy and can get by on fewer calories. Also remember that metabolism is tied to caloric intake, so a reduction in calories means lower metabolism, allowing us to get more from the calories we consume. This is why short-term extreme dieting doesn't work. I suppose, like everything, we need a balance.

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Photo by Dominik Martin on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/@dominikmartin

The point of this series is to learn from my previous success, and also failures. But I said in episode 65 that it isn't about knowledge, it's about just doing it, and it's not easy. That thing about how overcoming an obstacle makes it easier to overcome the next one, so one success is a lot bigger than it may look at first. If I can get through a week without overeating, if I can get through a week counting all the calories from every meal, those things are huge, and the next week it's that much easier, and because of that, I can go further, until eventually, I feel as I did in episode 65, that I can do just about anything. You don't get there overnight and you don't get there easily. It's hard work one day at a time, and one success at a time we finally do get there, and hopefully, stay there. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/301

Photo Credit: Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/@suzyhazelwood

This is a good example of what I had learned about patience I think. I get a sense that slow progress is good. And I should continue to learn, that's key as well. It shows up in what I learned about extremes of hydration and dehydration as well as the metabolic issues I had early in the year.

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Credits:

Tortoise Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash: "A giant Galapagos tortoise stares me down while hanging out in a mud pool." from the Memphis Zoo, Memphis, TN, USA. Joshua is available for hire: https://unsplash.com/@jcotten

"Funky Trap Sax" Music by John_Sib from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/users/john_sib-15655402/?tab=audio&utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=audio&utm_content=4864

"Tense Detective Loop" Music by ZakharValaha from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/users/zakharvalaha-22836301/?tab=audio&utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=audio&utm_content=10054

Confidence is a result. It's a good reason to work hard. Realize that if I'm not confident in myself, I need to work that much harder.

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Photo by Michael Starkie on Unsplash

Another motivational episode, which I like. I can list the things I've done in my life. I don't count any as great accomplishments, but it has been exciting, and there have been some high points. What do I want the rest of my life to be like, when I'm in my teens again, 113-119, and looking back on it. What about you?

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Photo by Magda Ehlers from Pexels Photo by Michael Davis Media

I like this episode. Any time I hear good, motivational encouragement, that's good. I like the idea of challenging reality and not limiting myself and persisting. Hydration. I like the idea of having a goal, at least 8oz for every 16 pounds. For me, that's 17 servings. The dietician told me to add more based on how much I need to lose, but I think 17 is a good intermediate goal. Like the other things, I think keeping track of my hydration will help me get the right amount. And it's real easy, not like tracking grams of carbs or something. At this time I was able to have 1300-1400 calories. Not too bad.

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Photo by Michael Davis Media

This episode showed the good in getting adequate sleep and the bad in not getting enough. Apart from the mental effects, I wind up getting up later in the morning and missing out on workouts. Also, if you listen between the lines, you can see that there is a relationship between overeating and lack of sleep. I tend to eat later, go to bed later, and when I get there I don't sleep as well. Sometimes it leads to acid reflux, or I don't breathe as well. Whatever the symptoms, it's all part of that vicious cycle of one bad habit leading to another, but the positive side is that good habits behave the same way. And I am doing a couple of those things right these days. I am eating earlier. I generally aim for 4 pm for supper. And as a result, I am sleeping better. Another thing on my list now is not watching videos, but reading, especially later in the evening. That helps me get to bed earlier and sleep better when I get there. It's a holiday weekend going into a vacation week, so my diet isn't great. But I have been getting plenty of water, and I think the fresh mountain air and a great view of God's creation at the top of Mt. Nebo will do wonders for my mental health this coming week. Happy holidays!

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Photo by KoolShooters from Pexels

This was 2018 but I still love Thorlo socks. Also, I think inversion and traction would help me even though I'm not having the shoulder pain it was started in order to correct. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/294

Photo by Moose Photos from Pexels

It's time for the perennial favorite top 10 list of the oldest people ever. Living to be 100 is still very rare. According to newretirement.com, worldwide, only 6 in 100,000 will do it. So how much of this really applies to us? I hope it applies to me, but I really don't know. Right now, there's no formula for living to 100. Just not enough data. The people on this list are those for which there is documented proof of their age. I'll give you the whole list in countdown fashion, the changes since last year, then a little biographical info on a super-centenarian. Super-centenarians are people who have lived longer than 110 years, which includes everyone on this top 10 list. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/293

Image by Nile from Pixabay

In this episode, the dietician recommended 64oz +8oz per pound you want to lose. I recently read that Tom Brady (see episodes 120,121,122,129,174) drinks between 14 and 37 glasses of water per day, sometimes more. There are so many opinions on how much you need. Personally, I should probably drink as much as I can. I don't think I could drink too much and I'm definitely not getting enough now.

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Full Episode 57: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Xd2KuaxC7IaxvHedrc2r8

Tom Brady YouTube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0-YNhuffh89maOARmUnz2QCb9r1rNNyi Photo by Michael Davis

Here we are 28 episodes into the Shattering-the-Yoyo series. I'm not sure how, in episode 56, I got from saying I'm going to stay the same weight for six months, to "I need to ease down". Seems kind of like I was cheating. I was already in really good shape at this point. There should have not been a lot of urgency to lose weight, and the battle for metabolism was in full swing.

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Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

I am starting to notice my step count now that I've started back to working in the office and wearing my fitness watch. It's a great reminder of how stagnant I can be. I have been eating yogurt again, sometimes have the oatmeal for breakfast, though I really like the Bicak breakfast, the "Egg McMuffin". I got a little burned out on oatmeal, and chili as well.

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Photo by Farhad Ibrahimzade on Unsplash

Welcome to 2022! And happy new year to everyone! In episode 54 I sought medical advice for the first time for my neck problem. I still have the problem, but the arm pain has not returned since I had my physical therapy back then. I have also gained back the weight and that can't be good for my spine. I do notice that there are a bunch of aches and pains that go with being heavy. My knee and feet hurt more. I have occasional back pain, but not often. Anyway, I eventually found out the true nature of my problem and got treatment for it, and that's the real message here. If I hadn't gone to the doctor about the pain, I would never have known how to eliminate it.

Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/289 Image by Dr. Manuel González Reyes from Pixabay

I had my biometric screening recently for 2021. This is when the company "incentivizes" me to come in and get weighed, and swabbed and stuck, and measured. Like anything, you can look at it as punishment or reward. Just doing the screening gets me $10 per payday, testing tobacco-free gets me some more, and more for a low enough blood pressure and BMI. I still do have a blood pressure issue in addition to my high BMI. Regular exercise helps lower blood pressure, so I'm starting to do some of that, need to do more. And reducing stress also.

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Image by VSRao from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/users/vsrao-8105725/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3168269

I think the calorie log is really important. Not that writing the stuff down in itself is valuable, but by doing that, yes, we learn how many calories are in the foods we eat. Write them down even if you know you're going off diet. That way, the next time you get those 20 chicken nugget's you'll know how many calories that is.

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Theme music "Drivin' Into Town" by Repo Man http://RepoManBand.com

Photo by Sourav Mishra from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/@photosbymishra?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels

I've eaten a lot of oatmeal in my dieting in the last few years and I've learned a lot about the different types. Many instant oatmeal products contain sugar. And steel-cut oats have more calories than plain instant, but because they have a lower glycemic index they are a better use of those calories. And I can still get variety by adding my own flavors like cinnamon or adding a little fruit just for flavor.

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Episode 50 is a really good example of adapting to circumstances in order to stay on my health journey and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I have a tendency to want to not do something if I can't do it the same way I always do. But I was able to break out of this by finding a place to exercise. In this case, I got on a treadmill, which I had rarely done in the past.

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Continuing to battle metabolic slow down due to rapid weight loss. I don't want to dismiss the constant mentions of the beauty of nature that I find in these episodes when I was spending a lot of time walking outside in the beautiful park near my home. I have thought about getting a bike, but I'm still hoping I'll get my foot back in shape quickly. But I think that is a big psychological boost, taking in the beauty of nature as much as I can living in a city.

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Image by vegan lifts on pexels.com.

Welcome to the 5th year of Running: A FEVER! Several episodes discuss the importance of water and how much you need. Currently, I'm not being very intentional about that. Should be easier since I am working from home still most of the time. I am drinking, but usually, it's coffee or soda. The standard menu during this time is oatmeal, yogurt, chili, jerky. Metabolism continues to be an issue, which is why I am now trying to be very deliberate and patient about the rate of my weight loss. UPDATE 10/2/21 - Well after 4 weeks I was at the same weight as when I started. And though I have usually been patient about this, it's starting to seem like I shouldn't be returning to that initial number. I'm falling down on the job in several respects in the last few days, in how I'm eating, how I'm exercising, and how I am keeping track (or not) of my daily caloric intake. So now I am faced with the discomfort period again which I have discussed before as the starting point for establishing a new good habit. So I'm on it. And hopefully, I'll see some better results in my next update, at least a halt to the regression I'm experiencing now. You keep on working to have that long, healthy, happy active life right up to the very end, and so will I. Full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/283

Image by billeagle from Pixabay

The period when I was consulting with a dietician on a regular basis was a good learning time for me. That was really what it was about, so after a while, I really felt like the sessions were not as valuable to me. If you're taking lessons on doing anything, there comes a time when you have to evaluate whether you're using your time valuably -- is that a word? I think I may have just made it up. I am still using smart balance and olive oil mayonnaise. Every now and then I find a healthier food alternative that costs me nothing in flavor at all, these are 2 examples. Recently I tried some sugar-free Reese's peanut butter cups. And they taste just as good as the real thing. I haven't checked the calorie difference though, so need more research. One valuable thing I have learned from this episode is another exercise I can do at home. I think at this time I still did not have a gym membership, so it's a good point in the series for that. So I'm going to try some of the ab exercises. UPDATE 9/25/21. This week I have missed exercise a few times and also not counted calories or weighed myself every day. These are foundational keys to success I think, and binding them all together is the power of habit. That's why it's important to just get on the stationary bike no matter how long I use it, and to pick up the weights on my resistance training days no matter how much lifting I do. Today I am 281 pounds, significantly heavier. But my weight has fluctuated wildly this week. One day I was down 8 pounds in the 4th week, 2 pounds lost per week. And today I am 7 pounds up, almost 2 pounds gained per week on average. It's a long trudge to a healthy weight, and I need to keep putting more weeks into the average to get a good trend going. So today I weighed myself and got back on the bike. And I'll count my calories and trudge on. In other news, I had my annual biometrics measurement at work this week, the main significance of which is that I know some stats about myself. My BMI is 38, almost 10 points over the allowed level, so I will be paying the fat tax this year. I haven't been calculating my BMI and my scale still is not giving me that info. But based on what happened in 2018 I have a pretty good idea of what my weight should be. No doubt I have lost some of the muscle mass gained back then, but I'm not too concerned about it. And I plan to increase my resistance training. There is still much work to do! Finally, we've reached our 4-year anniversary! Thanks for listening and making this a fun, and enlightening, and valuable exercise for me.

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Photo by Andres Ayrton from Pexels

Welcome to the 18th in our series shattering the yoyo. Episode 46 was really about the external factor, motivation. And that's important to what I'm doing now, but the key word is DOING. So the philosophy is great, but what I am really interested in now is the action I was taking. I recommend if you haven't heard the episode, that you go back and listen, that's RunningAFEVER.com/46, IF you want to hear some great motivational philosophy.

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Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1245920

It's interesting to hear this, and I remember how good it felt to fit into those clothes. I felt pretty good, and you can tell I was really enjoying life, I was commenting on the beauty all around me, the spillway, the water, ducks, dogs.

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Photo: "Duck at Lake Fayetteville" by Michael Davis

I feel like I really am learning as I listen to this, even though it was the tail end of the Biggest Loser contest. At that point, I was talking the talk but not yet walking the walk. I couldn't resist starving myself for the contest.

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Image by truthseeker08 from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/users/truthseeker08-2411480/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1917895

So here is the problem. You can hear by the sound of my voice, though I am trying to speak to myself with this rational idea of losing weight slowly, gaining health, not losing weight, etc. There is still a kind of pride there. And you know the old saying 'pride goeth before a fall'?

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Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash

At this point in my fitness journey, I did not have my own biometric impedance analyzer. I could get that measurement at my dietician, otherwise, I was just using BMI to estimate my body fat. Since then I have acquired a scale that gives me BIA as well. And right now, I don't have a body fat number because I just started using my scale again and that function is currently not working.

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Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

When I recorded this episode I had lost 50 pounds, more than ever, and I had a goal of losing 100 total within the year. That's probably twice as much as I should have lost. I think when I spoke with my cardiologist a few weeks ago, he said something like 3 or 4 pounds a month. So my goal of a pound a week is right in there.

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Being reasonable, having patience is a recurring theme in my diet and exercise work. I've been on both ends of each. Eating too much or too little, exercising too much or too little. You might say I am an expert at impatience.

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Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay https://tinyurl.com/robin275

One of the things you notice I'm doing is counting calories. I have not been doing this very accurately this time, and I need to have that done by the next time I do an episode.

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Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay https://tinyurl.com/venita100

In episode 38 I met with Tom and we talked about our goals and priorities.

At the time I had set the specific goal of running two complete laps at Lake Fayetteville in a day. I wound up meeting the goal, adjusting for the fact that by November of 2018 I had decided that running was not a healthy option, so I walked the 10.5 miles instead.

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Closing music courtesy of the band Repo Man

In episode 37 I took advantage of a rainy day to start weight training which I continued to great success. So far this year I have rejoined my gym. I didn't work out much at home, including strength training.

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Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay Closing music courtesy of the band Repo Man

I made a big mistake, but one that can be corrected. This is one lesson that I learned and remembered. It is a strong memory, perhaps because of the suffering I experienced. Medicine today is amazing, and it works if you use it and use it properly. So I have never gone back to the starvation diet, which makes my medicine not work.

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Closing music courtesy of the band Repo Man.

I can really identify with the feelings expressed in episode 35. And it reminds me that when I can work out I should be grateful for the opportunity.

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Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

Last week I had a couple of COVID symptoms. I had some nausea and even though I had slept seven or eight hours the previous night, by mid-afternoon I was completely exhausted. Now, the list of symptoms is pretty common, so I think most people are likely to get at least a couple at once at some point. So after all this time I finally had two of the symptoms and so I thought I would play it safe and get tested.

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Image by Shafin Al Asad Protic from Pixabay

It's amazing looking back knowing what I now know.

I didn't include this cut, but I made a comment to the effect of "you'll never see me wear less than this." It was because I was embarrassed about my body. But toward the end of the year, I felt really good about it and would even go out in a relatively tight t-shirt in my street clothes, or shorts on the trail.

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Well you can see I'm not only getting no more than 600 calories and STILL trying to "ramp up". The amazing thing is how calm I am and how not-hungry I am. I am forced to be more moderate in my exercise, but my dieting is still very extreme.

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This is a brand new book, it was a gift from my mother, who knows I am interested in stuff like this. And I was very interested. First of all it is written well. You don't have a be a doctor or scientist to understand it. Lauren Aguirre is a journalist and that helps.

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When I recorded the third episode of 2018, I was almost starving myself. Still taking it slow with the injury and getting back into the workout, so that's good. But this time I actually give you what I ate for the day, 2 apples and a small salad. Not necessarily a bad day, but that should not be the everyday diet. There was hope then, and there is hope now. I have done this before; I can do it now. Only now I can do it better. Slower, but healthier. Patience is not easy to come by, let's face it. That's the lesson I learn from episode 31. You can review it at http://RunningAFEVER.com/31. It's hard to be patient; let's be honest. But it pays off.

See this post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/264.

Photo by Kyndall Ramirez on Unsplash

One of the realizations I had in early 2018 was the importance of habit and sleep. And I have some new insight into that. If you think you only need, for example, 5 hours per night, it may be just because you're used to it.

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This is the second installment of "Shattering the Yo-yo". What I'm trying to do is to break the cycle of up-and-down dieting that I have been in.

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"Love Me Now" by Repo Man, used by permission Image by Ryan McGuire from Pixabay

My plan is to "shatter the yo-yo" that has been the course of my weight throughout my life. Up and down and back up again. 2020 was a rough year for my health, and I put on a lot of weight. So now I'm turning back to what I did right and what I did wrong in 2018 when I saw a drastic improvement in my health.

Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVEr.com/262

It is obvious that I am out of shape, unhealthy, and need to make a change. What to do?

Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/261

In this episode I review Amazon's new wearable smart speaker, Echo Frames. See the unboxing on the YouTube channel.

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Become an expert at your own health! Visit http://RunningAFEVER.com

It's the first time I've been out and about in an exercising way in a while. I've just been doing walks around the house. I'd do about a mile inside the house, maybe a little dumbbell action. Not the best. Part of being healthy is being mentally healthy, and being outside helps with that.

Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/258