Crunches: It is really nice running weather for me. If I ran faster or farther, I might want it to be a little cooler, but it suits me fine. I went for a little run around town today. I can only run in town on Sundays without getting aggravated by the cars parked on the sidewalks. They are still parked on the sidewalks on Sundays, but there are few people around to complain to, and that keeps my blood pressure down a bit. So anyway, I did my run of about 5 miles then as always; stretched, did a few push-ups and a few crunches. We were dog-sitting today and it almost looks like the dog was trying to do them with me. She opted out of the run. It is important to move and get some type of exercise to maintain a degree of flexibility and fitness. When all that is taken care, I also think it is important to be able to a few push ups and crunches. Crunches will help strengthen your core and your back, which will decrease back pain. A strong core will also help with balance and overall fitness.

 

Don't be "rotten to the core..."

CALORIES: I know that this may be hard to believe for some of you, apparently I was wrong, about calories anyway. It has been traditional thinking that a calorie is a calorie, and that to lose weight you only had to burn more calories than you took in, or eat less than you used. I have been doing a little reading lately that contradicts that, somewhat. There is a little more to it. You not only have to burn more calories that you take in, you have to burn more calories that you metabolize. It almost seems like the same thing, but it is not. Certain types of calories, or calories from certain foods metabolize differently and break down in different areas of the body (i.e. liver, pancreas, etc.). How they break down effects insulin output which in turn effect how a calorie is utilized. There is a lot of information on this subject and I have not even begun to scratch the surface, but it seems obvious to me that at least at face value, a calorie does not always equal a calorie. Fuel is not just fuel, it is more like comparing a gallon of diesel fuel with a gallon of jet fuel; the same but not the same. To really enjoy life and have a high quality of life I do still say though: " anything in moderation."

 

Eat to live, don't live to eat.