Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Was going to post then said naaa, now I guess I have!

With all the fun we’ve been having with this NTDA on the TNT forum, it ate up my time and reserve energy to write a formal blog here. Now that I have started though,….

Today I went to the gym with Mother! I put a partial circuit in while she was working on an elliptical for 30 minutes or so. I can’t tell you how happy I am that she may be going again on a regular basis. First step today. I would love to grow old with her.

I finished up with a 45 Min circuit, with an avg hr of 119 and a peak of 148. 425 reps.

I focused mostly on lower body work, this is where I can come up short if I am not careful.

Wednesday I will post my totals for the week. if I perform a regular circuit I will eclipse a 3600 in 7 days.

Doing it just to do it I guess, not sure I will see the need again this challenge. Something tells me though that I will need to pull off more than one if I am to compete with TNT in a 15,000 in the fall.

Heart rate is good. Average is acceptable.

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Heart is getting better conditioned,….

I hope that’s what it is.

My watch seemed a little off at times today, I would look down after a set and it seemed low but in manually checking it seemed to add up right. My pace was the same, I used the same weights, even though, my spec’s were different today.

Sunday 3/27, Spec’s; #2 Circuit, 106 Min. 70 Min Hr. 114 Avg. 140 Peak. 134g Fat Burned, 1037 Cal Burned, 65 Min in range, 40 Min below 110 Hr. 928 Reps.

I’m currently at 4729 of 15,000 reps. To perform a full 3600 in 7 days I will have to do 1021 reps between Monday & Tuesday. I am scheduled to be off tomorrow, then do #3 circuit on Tuesday.

When I started out performing the 3 circuits two weeks before this current 52 DC started I hit a 145 – 150 –155 heart rate easily and had issues completing the final reps of the third sets with the weights designated.

Couple variables: This is a Sunday workout, no pressure to be anywhere, no hurry. During the week by the time I get to the gym I have usually been cranking away at the day and my strength has already been tapped to a degree. Working the last reps each set is taxing. Heart rate can bump 150.

Not today, today, even with more reps I never saw where I hit the 140. I had started out documenting where I stood at the end of each set, 130 – 138 near the end was it. When I threw in a bonus 3 sets of a kettle bell snatch and overhead press, still only saw 138. Felt like 138.   

April 5th I meet with my cardiologist, at that time I am going to ask about increasing my weight threshold, I feel like I can move up some, we’ll see what the big guy says.

I lost my wedding ring,….

Still have the wife though!

Worst part is I have no idea when or where my ring came off.

Over the course of the winter I have been fighting with getting my weight down. My numbers have been decent every Tuesday, I have been eating well, exercising reasonably regular, enough to compete in the 52DC’s. Between shoveling snow and clearing my roof every three days this winter I may be in the best shape since I was a teenager.

A couple of weeks ago I went into Afib for 2 – 21/2 days and the after effects left my chest sore and my mind a bit frazzled over it. It gets you thinking as to what the long term situation could be if it decides to make more frequent appearances.

Instead of diving into the gym I took to putting an extra hundred hours or so into completing my Professional goal #2. I stayed out of the gym first because of the soreness and second, I had a slight fear that I may trigger another event, not sure why I even considered that but,….

Over the course of the two weeks absent I lost near 7 lbs even after the heart rate went back to normal. My diet was good but not as disciplined. My ring had become increasingly loose, falling off on a few occasions during this winter. Once at the gym it came out from under my glove and dropped at my feet. Picked it up, put it back on, should have given it more thought right than.

Anyway, you wouldn’t think you would lose so much weight when not working out. It finally dawned on me that I wasn’t losing fat, I’ve been losing muscle, enough muscle on my left ring finger apparently to have my ring take leave.

Not sure, when, or where it came loose. I have looked in what I think are all the obvious places over the last few days with no luck. Retraced my stops, gym, stores, office, etc, no luck.

Karma; I have reached one of the highest pinnacles of my career this week and in turn, I have lost one of the most precious things I own in the same term.  

What I am confident of is it will turn up at some point. Maybe back to me or maybe to some other sole that it was meant to be with.

If someone else does find the ring I have worn for near 21 years I expect it will bring him or her as much a sole mate as it has brought me. 

 I still have the Wife!

Roller Coaster of a week,….

This has been a week of peaks and valleys. My entire staff and I have been hard at work compiling the last bit of detail needed to meet the current certification we are working toward, Professional goal #2.

I’ve talked a little bit about the Brunswick 5 Star certification in my Robatclarkmarine.com blog. You might recognize”5 Star” as a standard developed in the auto business to measure and maintain a high level of customer service. The Brunswick program is pretty much the same just tweaked for the marine industry. We are well into being recognized, Tuesday Feb 22nd is inspection/presentation day.

As is the tradition of the 52DC I put this assembly of the presentation guide and corresponding documentation on a set time table, we should come in under the wire with a few days to spare.

What are our goals?  To retain 25 customers who, without improved follow up practices, quietly go away never to return to us.  If we can hit this mark in the first year we execute this plan it will have paid for itself and will make us a better company.                                                                     ________________________________________________________________________________________

Tough week exercise wise, Wednesday and Thursday I spent in AFib. It’s been quite a while since my last spell and lasted longer than any time since the fall of 2008. I skipped Fridays lifting, Mother and I are going to take a walk on the Rail Trail this afternoon when it warms up.                                               _________________________________________________________________________________________  

Tuesday I was named to the Mercury / Mercruiser National Dealer Council. I was selected as one of 5 from a group of 390 dealers in the territory.

 32 years in the recreational marine business,  I think I finally have arrived!

Barbara had me once again counting my blessings,…

Friday night (2/4) Barbara Walters aired a special segment on ABC where she elaborated on her personal experiences leading up to her aortic valve replacement and her recovery period. It’s interesting to hear the reflections of folks of whom I have something in common.

David Letterman, Karl Rove, Bill Clinton and Regis Philbin, were guests of Barbara’s. Letterman classified all as, “Members Of The Cracked Chester’s” Where Letterman was classic Letterman he also was very surreal.

Robin Williams made the funniest statement, as you would expect. Robin Williams had a Bovine valve inserted. In his stand up he now claims that by being part cow, one of the benefits was that he can now sh%t standing up!

Watching the show brought back both good and difficult memories. Some recollections are as vivid as the day they happened others I hardly remember at all. Surprising how many each of their individual recalled events hit home. 

As much as the circumstances and repairs made coincide, how folks handle their recovery and the adjustments folks make going forward vary a great deal, especially with diet.

The majority of these folks have turned to almost a Vegan style diet where they are consuming no animal products at all. No meat, no dairy, just straight fruit and vegetables and grains to control their cholesterol and high blood pressure. Here’s where I differ.

By turning to a more meat-laden diet, good fats, plenty of vegetables, eggs and a measured amount of fruit,  I have now had excellent control over my numbers for a year now. To each their own.  I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat! No, I don’t eat cat! Yet!

July 16th 2008 I had prepared myself to “expire”. I’m a lucky guy to be doing the things I’m doing. I never forget that.

I’ve become a social exerciser,…

I’m not sure if there is an exact grading system to designate the commitment level of your workout program, if there was one though, this winter I would have to put myself in the Social category.

Here’s the Capt’ns input if it were to ever become conversation.

7 days a week 1 -2+ hours per session, you are on the fanatical side. Gym Rat comes to mind.  Maybe you should join the Jersey Shore gang or something similar.

6 days per, 1 – 2 hour circuits, “Avid”, on top of it, your gym work defines your personality in a healthy and positive way. You could whip the ass of any of the Jersey Shore boys because you are not out putting a gallon of hard liquor to you every night. 

4 – 5 days, 1 hour, still on the upper end of the scale, “Healthy”. If you are dieting right you should be cutting fat and growing muscle at the same time. This is probably the best target for the average folk. Still takes a great deal of dedication. 

2 – 3 days a week, 1 hour or so per session, This has become me, or I have become this, all the same, what I would call a “Social Exerciser”.

Now, I don’t mean to say I do a lot of talking while on the floor mind you, on the contrary. I put the headset on and do as much ignoring of the folks around me as is possible. Make sure not to get anything dropped on me or to do any dropping myself.

I have become by my own grading system a “Social Exerciser”.  It is fitting me for now, I feel pretty good, and although I know I should be doing more I have been keeping my firm stuff firm and in certain places, the target areas, core, upper body have beefed in a good way.  

Oh, I shouldn’t leave out the “none to 1 gang”. 

1 circuit per whenever,  ehhhh, “Better Than Nothing” ,

None, why don’t you go put the deposit on the coffin today! “The Coffin Gang” What I have scene of them they do look comfy! Just hope mine is not anywhere in the near future!

Pretty Decent Report,…

I certainly can’t complain about my most recent lab results.

Notes; “Here are your recent lab results”  Great blood count, great glucose control, cholesterol great, kidney and liver tests great.   Dr. James Schneid.

Mean Blood Glucose, 140

A1C Hemoglobin; 6.5%

Cholesterol; 168 mg/dl

Triglyceride; 121 mg/dl

HDL; 44 mg/dl

LDL; 100 mg/dl

I’d have to say “It’s a great report!”

I am building an arse,…

You never know where the mind goes when you just let it out without a leash.

Mother mentioned the other day that I was actually forming an arse! In the right places mind you! This comment being made about a guy whose only physical arse in years past has been a wallet and 2 handkerchiefs!

This comment leads to the following thoughts. 

While walking through the grocery store this morning, the mind being out loose and at play, I got to thinking about the fit of my pants. I wouldn’t call this a regular thinking, but said what the hell go with it! 

Lately my pants have been fitting differently. Not always a bad thing, the thighs are noticeably tighter, still reasonably loose around the beltline and I have a developing set of gluts! My favorite jeans are now baggy in the lower buttock area where I use to carry a load of fat, and snug up on the topside and it’s firm!

At day23 of the challenge I wish I could report that I am losing weight hand over fist, just not happening. Maintaining. The success I am having this go around is that the layer fat on my belly and inner thighs and lower buttocks has been reducing and the size of my chest, arms, thighs and gluts are increasing.

If there is an upside to your cloths getting a little snug, it’s that they are tightening up in the right areas.

35 Degrees when we teed off….

Shot the lowest 18 hole round of golf in my life today, 73.

37 on the front, 36 on the back. Other then one double bogie on #14 I played a very consistent round.

When I arrived at the course at 10 minutes to 9 the parking lot was full of waiting golfers. It was a little chilly this morning, right at 32 degrees when I left the house at 8:30. by 9:30, as we were teeing off it had warmed to a balmy 35!

The cold weather doesn’t bother me so much. I had dressed in layers so I had no issues. The course however is not so crazy about the frost that came along with the low temps. It’s a standing rule that you cannot tee off until all the frost has broken.

Being it was overcast today it wasn’t clearing all that fast. We were initially scheduled for a 9AM start. The 30-minute delay was not that big a deal, we used the time to warm up on the driving range.

Spec’s; Hit 12 fairways, landed 11 greens in regulation, the other 7 I got up and down, (1 chip, 1 putt), only had 27 putts for the round. Three putted one green.  2 Birds, 11 pars, 5 bogies, 1 double bogie. Par is 68, shot +5, 73.

The course played well and the greens putted true. I swung the club right today.

55:07 min, 126 avg. hr, 153 peak.

Made up for Monday’s dismal showing in the gym. NROL FL1 B3 circuit.

Semi-finished with alternating, 3 set each, 15 sit-ups w/65lb bar, 25@ BOSU push ups.

Closed out with one set each side, 15 kneeling cable seated rows w/45 lbs. The exercise was featured on Men’s Health today. It doesn’t look like much but I could see where if you did enough sets weighted right they would be killer.

As a side note;

I received the green light from my surgeon’s office to start self dosing my Coumadin. This is a big deal to me! So many times I do not agree with the recommendation of the “Attendant on duty”  when they “take a shot at it”!

I was a couple points low this week, no big deal, the difference in a eating a couple cups of broccoli on Sunday or not. The order that came back would have put me in the stratosphere. For the first time in 2 ½ years I declined, I just said “I respect your opinion, but, no, I’m not going to do that.” Here is what I will do though,….It was actually a pleasant conversation, I wasn’t a prick or anything! Just knew it was wrong.

Long and short of it, I spoke also with the team leader of the On-X Study and she released me to self-dose. In the 2 1/2 years I have never missed reporting, and she said, “You know more how to dose yourself better then they do. Anyone else, probably not, you, I have no issue having you adjust on your own.”

Cool! I sill report once a week and as long as I don’t get too far out of out of range, or they notice major fluctuations, I’m on my own.

On-X has a vested interest in me, they paid for ½ of my surgery. I don’t intend to let them down.  I aim to be their Poster Boy!