Why Cry Over Spilled Coffee…

I meant to get this blog post out earlier but… my coffee cup spilled over onto the keyboard. It made a big mess that I had to clean up, wires hissing ….

…forget I mentioned anything about spilling coffee…

Just kidding…I am still “coffee or caffeine free!”….I did experience some headaches yesterday but hey…a head that looks like mine should hurt once in awhile…am I right?

Quiting coffee (and caffeine) turned out to be a lot easier than I thought it would be. All that whining and hand wringing was for nothing…what a baby. LOL! I can't help but think that my improved fitness contributed to the ease of the withdrawal symptoms.

P90X - Update

Today (7/18/09) is important for several reasons to me.

1) It marks the 5^th month since I was discharged from the hospital.

On 2/18/09 :

· Weight = 212 lbs, BMI = Obese
· Blood Pressure = 150/90
· High Cholesterol
· Diagnosed with diabetes
· Medications: Diabetes, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol & Insulin 4 shots per day

On 7/18/09

· Weight = 169 , lost 43 lbs and BMI = Normal
· Blood Pressure = 112 / 67
· Cholesterol = Normal
· Diabetes is in check
· Medications: -0- MEDS, -0- INSULIN….just clean living. LOL! I do take whey protein and two meal replacement shakes daily.

2) Another reason this day is important, it marks the end of Block II for P90X!

Monday I will start my 3rd Block, 5 weeks until the Finish Line!

P90X has Three Blocks and within each Block there is an Adaptive/Mastery Phase and a Recovery Phase. The last week of each phase is a “Recovery Phase”, this week has higher cardio and less pushing/pulling. Purpose is to allow your muscles to recover and heal.

Blocks 1 & 2 are 4 Weeks; Block 3 is 5 Weeks in length.

Muscle Confusion: This is the key in developing strength and aids in eliminating the “plateau” affect. Each Block has its own workout sequence and selections.

Goals and 60 Day Pics

I typically update my goals on Sunday but I am NOT going to do that this week.

My 60 days are up on Thursday so I will post my 60 Day Pictures and do the GOAL Updates at the same time. This way…I’ll see where I am and where I need to be….

…WITH ONE MONTH TO GO!

THANKS AND APPRECIATION

Lastly, but certainly not least…I want to thank everyone who has motivated, cheered and jeered me. :) You have all been a huge help. It seems that just when I was down and needed a lift, someone would call, email or send me a twitter message. (I refuse to say “twit”.)

This “race” isn’t over yet and I have 35days to go, but like I told someone the other day. “If I had to quit now, it has been worth it”.

Sincerely,

Steve

Health Links and Such

Health and Fitness Links

Several times a week I review health and fitness headlines to see if any of them interest me. Here are some that I found interesting or entertaining…enjoy.

1) !#$*&(@! Swearing Can Actually Increase Pain Tolerance http://ow.ly/hqwT

So now…if I swear…it’s for medicinal purposes, ok ^&%$$#! :)

2) Just in… Number Of Patients With Dementia On The Rise http://ow.ly/hqyx

3) Hey, this just came in, Number Of Patients With Dementia On The Rise http://ow.ly/hqyx (you see, I forgot that I had just typed …oh never mind)

4) Soccer Moms (and Dads) Stop Buying SPORTS DRINKS! - Cereal And Milk Is The New Sports Supplement http://ow.ly/hqL4

5) Progressive Resistance Strength Training Helps Older People In Daily Life - No age limit – anyone can benefit from resistance training. http://ow.ly/hqJG

These studies state the obvious…how can I get some of this “study” money? (I bet these were funded by the Stimulus Package…)

1) People who walk to work are healthier!!! http://ow.ly/hqAH We know walking is good…right? Then walking to work would be good…right?

2) Breaking NEWS! - Proper Fit And Use Of Walking Aids Can Prevent Fall-related Injuries In Elderly http://ow.ly/hqHo

I can’t believe it …this report came from “government researchers”.

“The study, conducted by government researchers, examined six years of emergency room records and found that the walker was associated seven times more with injury-related falls than was the cane. Physical therapists advise that these results indicate a strong need for proper fit and assessment.”

Addiction Follow Up – Coffee / Caffeine

When I wrote the blog post about addiction I felt like a hypocrite. Why? I still have an addiction that at that time I wasn’t “dealing with”…my addiction to coffee/caffeine. I am working on a post that will show the positive and negative aspects of coffee. At this point and time, it is not clear if coffee is a net good or bad drink. Just like eggs, there are good and bad aspects.

But my general thoughts are…any substance that can become addicting and have some level of control over you …can’t be good for you.

NOW IF YOU KNOW ME….you know that I drink A LOT OF COFFEE. I used to joke that a coffee IV would be a more efficient delivery system for me…the cup is a waste of time. So any attempt to quit won’t be as easy as deciding to change from Coke to Pepsi. I have attempted to quit drinking coffee in the past and each time I had severe headaches accompanied by fatigue, it just wasn’t worth it to me.

Well Wednesday….I quit drinking coffee…cold turkey. Yesterday was not an easy day but it wasn’t that bad. I did not have the severe headaches I’ve experienced in the past but I just felt fatigued, with my energy levels way down. Other than just feeling lethargic…it was ok. I was really dreading the headaches…but so far I haven’t had them.

According to what I have read, the withdrawal symptoms peak in 48 hours (right about the time I am writing this) and lasts about five days. Heck, if I can quit eating fastfoods…coffee should be a piece of cake.

P90X Update

This week has been relatively easy so far. It’s my recovery week, the workouts this week have more cardio than heavy pushing / pulling exercises. Now don’t get me wrong…the workouts aren’t easy. I have Core Synergistics today…and it is a lot of work. Steve will definitely be sweating today.

Yesterday was a “rest” day and that’s what I did…rest. I think my Coffee withdrawal had something to do with that. :)

Have a great weekend.

Steve

Weight Loss Update and Stuff

**** Insomnia Warning : Economic DATA Post – please do not operate machinery while reading this post or operate trains or buses etc.

New Jobless Claims Drop to 522,000. the LOWEST LEVEL SINCE JANUARY!

Everyone knows unemployment is a lagging indicator so….this is GREAT NEWS! We have turned the corner on the recession!

Right??? Like the Hertz commercial…not exactly.

1) This is the number of newly laid off Americans who signed up for unemployment benefits, for the first time. So any number higher than new jobs being created would not be good….and our economy isn’t creating many jobs.

2) The 522,000 new jobless claims is a seasonally adjusted number…it is not the actual number.

It is the number the government wants us to see. Most or at least many economists expected the number to actually increase…so why didn’t the number increase?

Like I said, it was seasonally adjusted…down. THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF NEW JOBLESS CLAIMS INCREASED TO 667,534.

** Now in fairness, this happens all the time regardless of the party in power.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weight Status

Ok….drum role…Steve is down to 169lbs….and honestly folks….I am not trying to lose weight, which leads me to a conversation I had with a gentleman yesterday.

He was interested in doing the P90X program but had read somewhere that P90X was not for weight loss.

There are three separate styles of P90X, you receive instructions/CDs for all three.

1) Classic – building muscle

2) Lean – for those who want more cardio, less intensive workout.

3) Doubles - is for those that want extra cardio or want weight loss.

Having said all that, I am doing the Classic and I’ve lost 12 pounds so far…P90X will “get you fit”. In my opinion, if you stick to the workout plan and stick to the nutrition plan….you will “get fit”, if you are overweight…then you will lose weight.

Last Word On Primal Blueprint

Here is a link that should be a good “primer” for the site.

Definitive Guide: The Primal Blueprint http://ow.ly/hrD1

If you decide you want more…just about everything you will need is on this link.

Primal Blueprint 101 | Mark's Daily Apple http://ow.ly/hrCp

I have not purchased nor read the book, nor followed his program. All I have done is read some of his site. Most of his basic nutritional ideas I was already using (most not all), it is his fitness ideas that I find the most interesting...see for yourself why he says that “Chronic Cardio” is not the way to go. Chronic Cardio refers to running/jogging many miles. As you know if you read my blog, in the past I was briefly a person who practiced Chronic Cardio. Running all those miles certainly helped me, but then… I was in a “bad place” before I started. :)

I am sincerely interested in your thoughts about the Primal Blueprint, so shoot me an email if you check it out.

Take Care,

Steve

You want me to live ...by a Primal Blueprint?

First a Weed Salad – Follow Up

I was out picking my greens for my weed salad….no I’m not.

Honestly, my yard is starting to look like a dessert. I don’t think it’s rained here more than once since I made the claim that I was going to eat a weed salad soon. Point being, not even the weeds are growing in my yard so I can’t comment on a weed salad because I haven’t eaten one yet.

Do you think my yard looks dry? Here’s a picture of my backyard, I was thinking of adding a sprinkler system…..

You will have to admit that eating weeds while it may not sound appetizing for cultural reasons, it does make sense. Why should we spend time, money and carbon creating poisons to kill nutritious plants. …if nothing else, you will have to admit the idea is …dare I say, “thought provoking”?

If you enjoy thought provoking websites (like mine LOL) …then you need to check out this one.

Primal Blueprint

http://www.marksdailyapple.com

It is the blog of Mark Sisson, called Mark’s Daily Apple (MDA).….TRUST ME ON THIS…if you have ANY interest in nutrition or fitness YOU MUST VIEW his blog. Everyday I read something that interests or intrigues me…you know, provokes more thoughts.

I will not attempt to explain what MDA is all about, I’d just mess it up anyway. The clips below are from MDA’s website.

What is your health philosophy?

Really, my health philosophy is surprisingly simple. I generally follow a diet based on an understanding of evolutionary science. I think it’s more important to eat, move, and live according to how humans are designed and not according to society’s artificial developments of the last 100 years. Fortunately, this regimen is not only incredibly healthy, it’s quite simple.

In a nutshell:
- fresh, organic, unprocessed food – no junk!
- daily activity – whether it’s the gym or a walk along the beach, it all counts
- plenty of quality sleep
- plenty of water, no soda or sweetened drinks
- antioxidants galore – the key to limiting stress
- a good fish-oil supplement
- essential fats, reckless amounts of vegetables, and lean, clean protein
- time for fun – don’t take anything too seriously – ethical behavior – because what goes around comes around
- taking responsibility for yourself and your life – openness to new things and ideas

** Full disclosure – Mark owns a nutritional company and he has written a book on Primal living called “The Primal Blueprint”. IF YOU BUY THEM…I don’t make a cent.

I have no business relationship with Mark…I just enjoy his site and the thoughts he provokes. I hope you will take a moment to check out his site, I think you’ll enjoy it.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com

Steve

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.”

The quote of course is a “swipe” at statistics…a person can use them to support their own opinion or agenda. As I read more and more about diet and nutrition I find that you can substitute the phrase “studies” for “statistics”.

“…lies, damned lies and studies”, this claim may seem a little harsh but this does appear to be the case, in my humble opinion. If a “researcher” wants to prove a certain point he/she can design a “clinical trial or study” to prove it.

I had to laugh at this one study I read. It said that men who ate 7 or more eggs a week did not live as long as men who ate less than 7 eggs per week. The study also noted that the men who had 7 eggs or more per week also tended to drink too much, smoked tobacco and exercised less than the other group…..notice anything strange about that?

Is it possible that one of the other items on the list may have contributed to the decrease in longevity!!

Problems with studies…who funds them…For example : Studies (funded by tobacco companies) showing NO Link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer or heart disease.

Are EGGS GOOD, BAD or UGLY? : Eggs are good for you…no wait…they are bad…no wait….

I found links today talking about studies that show eggs are good for you. Then there are other links discussing studies that say you should avoid them or at least limit your intake. Both sides are represented by reputable people/groups. These are not snake oil salesmen….which adds to the frustration level.

This post started because I was going to tell my “egg story”. I was all set to say that eggs have gone from being good to bad, back to good. I thought, before I post this…let me get the official version from the American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic.

Bad Eggs - The official AHA line: The average person, who has normal cholesterol levels should not consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. An egg has 213mg…therefore if you eat an egg…you should limit your cholesterol intake for the rest of the day. This should be obvious…but according to this you should NOT eat more than one egg per day.

Here is the link on the AHA website, go to question #7. http://tr.im/smVS
Here is the Mayo Clinic’s answer, which agrees with AHA. http://tr.im/smWv

Good Eggs - Then there is Jonny Bowden, PhD in Nutrition….who says don’t worry, Eggs are a “super food”. Here is a link to his egg commentary. http://tr.im/smZj

Back in March, I went to an Endocrinologist in regards to my diabetes. It was my first (and last visit) to this group so the doctor was “interviewing me” about my exercise and diet etc. I mentioned that I ate a couple of eggs every other day…she said, “ you should not eat that many eggs, that is too much cholesterol.”

I then replied, “I thought eggs had good cholesterol and that it was ok to eat them.”

She gave me this blank look, as if she didn’t know if I was right or not, and then said, “you should go see a nutritionist.“

#1: The Endocrinologist was a specialist so I had to pay $40…. She referred me to a Nutritionist so I could pay another $40 just to find out if eggs are good or bad for me?

#2: If I had gone to the nutritionist listed above…a PhD…he’d said, “eggs are a super food”.

As I said, there is sooo much contradicting information out there even on reputable sites. (I am not even talking about all the disreputable sites) …and I don’t blame this on the internet. The internet is just making it easier to see the diverse opinions.

WE NEED FACTS…in my opinion. :)

Just an FYI – in Feb ’09, it seems that everything related to my health was BAD…my cholesterol levels were too high. Today my cholesterol levels are back to normal and I eat eggs several times a week….and I usually eat 2-3 eggs at a time.

SO FOR ME…Eggs are not affecting my cholesterol (this may not be true for everyone).

"Wasn’t this an EGGsellent POST?"(as spoken by Vincent Price aka Egg Man on the original Batman TV Series)

Steve

RedHot Chili Peppers are Good For YOU!

We have a small garden and we planted Squash, Habanero peppers, Green Peppers and Tomatoes. I was “googling” to see how to dry the peppers and as is often the case, one thing leads to another...I found some very interesting facts about chili peppers and that lead me to research the benefits of all of the main ingredients of my “Steve’s World Famous Ground Turkey Chili”. I decided to include it here in the blog. The post with the recipe is http://tr.im/s8JI if you want to make some delicious and very healthy chili.

Isn’t it interesting how scientific study confirms “widely held views”? For example, in a previous post I mentioned that my favorite healthy meal was my Chili recipe. I KNOW that it is nutritious; it only has “clean foods” in the recipe and I KNOW that it does not affect my blood sugar levels. Below, scientific information and evidence support my own personal conclusions.

Chili Peppers

Contain vitamin A, dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium and iron. They also contain capsaicin – the hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin. Studies show capsaicin is an anti-inflammatory and a natural pain reliever…I always thought hot peppers were the other way around. :) …they inflamed and caused pain…but in a good way. :)

It also stimulates secretions that help clear congestion in the nose and lungs. I think we all have experience the runny nose after eating a spicy hot dish.

Studies also show that chili pepper reduces risk of type 2 diabetes…if the meal contains chili pepper, a lower amount of insulin is required to lower blood sugar levels…WAY COOL.

Celery

Wow…too many nutrients to mention them all…I was surprised. Celery is high in vitamin C, K and dietary fiber. It also contains phthalides which can help lower blood pressure. Celery has many other benefits as well but to keep this short, I am moving on.

Green Peppers

Again, many nutrients but high on the list is Vitamin C, A, B6 and dietary fiber. It has two powerful carotenoids; one is beta-carotene that helps prevent damage from free radicals at the cell level. This has too many benefits to mention here but just saying that it protects your body’s cells is enough of a reason to eat more….isn’t it?

Another powerful carotenoid is lycopene. Studies show that higher lycopene consumption can reduce risk for numerous types of cancers including cervix, bladder, pancreatic, colon and lung cancer.

Tomato

As we all know tomatoes are very nutritious, containing high amounts of Vitamin C, A, K, potassium and dietary fiber….and many more nutrients.

Like the Green Peppers, tomatoes are high in Lycopene and it is VERY BENEFICIAL in the protecting of cells and decreasing risk of a myriad of cancers.

An apple a day is of course good advice…but add a tomato and you have a powerful punch to your body’s defenses. Better yet…have an apple and a bowl of chili.

Onion

Contains good amounts of chromium, vitamin c and dietary fiber. Studies have shown that chromium (and onion consumption) lowers blood sugar levels. Studies also show that onions have cardiovascular benefits reducing the risks of heart disease and stroke.

Lastly, onions contain quercitin, an antioxidant and curcumin a phytonutrient that studies show have reduced the size and number of precancerous lesions in the intestinal tract.


Summary: WOW – while I knew that “Steve’s World Famous Ground Turkey Chili was nutritious and “clean”….I didn’t realize the full benefits of eating it. It is good to know that you can fix a meal that tastes good and is really good for you. For your convenience, here again is the link to my recipe. http://tr.im/s8JI

** WARNING: Eating Steve’s World Famous Ground Turkey Chili can be habit forming. If you are prone to compulsive or addictive behaviors…proceed with extreme caution.

To see the affects of withdrawal look at this photo. It was taken after this person learned that China had placed a ban on Steve’s World Famous Ground Turkey Chili. Apparently the ban was placed because the government did not want it’s 1.3 billion citizens to live longer, healthier lives.

Now go outside and exercise for 30 - 45 minutes…will ya? I know it’s hot but wait until the sun goes down if it is too hot for you.

C U L8R ALIG8R!

Steve

Goals Update : End of week 7

SIX WEEKS LEFT TO GO!

1. BMI = Normal : done (wt 170) Yet another new low...
   
   …HOW LOW WILL I GO?
2. 32” jeans : done, I can wear 29’s but with 30’s I have room to spare.
   
3. 30 Push Ups : **Completed 27 !** Up from 25 last week, it’s hard for me to believe this. FYI – to show you that I had my doubts…I had Tammy count with me as well….just to make sure oxygen deprivation (or something) wasn't causing me to lose count.
   
   
4. Beat sons in Basketball : no update -- barring an injury…I ain’t worried about this. Cocky?...maybe…confident…absolutely.
   
   
5. 7 Minute Mile – Ran a 8:23 mile today. This is down from 8:41 two weeks ago….this goal is not looking promising…but we shall see.

Just so you know

1) My workout today was Kenpo X – a very serious cardio workout that utilizes boxing and karate moves. There is a lot of punching and kicking involved and by the end you are “worn out”…or at least I am.

I “tested” two goals several hours after performing Kenpo X, both the mile run and the push ups. It is possible that I could have performed them better with a fresh set of legs & arms.

2) Weight Loss – Down to 170 lbs and as I’ve said, I eat often, I eat A LOT but I eat “clean”.

I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE WEIGHT LOSS…as long as my strength increases. If my performance suffers…then I’ll worry.

Food Eaten Today
Breakfast: ½ cup of All Bran, ½ cup of milk, (2) eggs, spinach, cheese, wheat toast
Pre-Lunch: Meal Replacement Shake with serving of protein whey powder.
Lunch: Chicken Breast, Tomato, Pinto Beans w/onions
Pre-Dinner: Meal Replacement Shake with serving of protein whey powder.
Dinner: Shrimp Salad
Post Dinner: Protein Bar

** What I drink daily – coffee, unsweetened tea, non-fat milk, water, water, water, etc.

Addictions

I did not want to add my tiny, minute voice to the multitude of communications regarding Michael Jackson. However, with the recent news, I felt compelled to speak out. The recent news? Michael Jackson had been taking between 10 to 40 Xanax a night, that hits close to home.

So, in this post I am going to discuss my addictions.

Steve’s Current Addictions

1) Coffee – I know I have a problem with this…I will need to taper off at some point…but probably not any time soon. :)

2) Exercising – seriously, even on my rest days…I feel like I need to do something.

Steve’s Past Addictions

1) Tobacco – I have been “clean” since Feb’09. I had tried to quit off and on for 20 years so this is “no small feat” for me. The addiction is still there, I still think about it several times a week but I have it under control and the “pull” is weaker every week.

2) Simple Carbohydrates - this includes sugar, starches and of course…anything batter fried.

I feel that I have beaten the sugar addiction…no ice cream, no candy bars – I can’t recall eating anything that had a lot of “sugar” but I do have type2 so I have more of a reason than most to keep my guard up.

I’ve tasted some fries, mashed potatoes etc but you can list them all on one hand. I no longer crave simple carbohydrates. I do have thin crust pizza a couple times a month.

3) Xanax – yes this was tough to admit but this blog is about my health and fitness experiences so I wanted to talk about this. If it helps one person…it will be worth it.

In the mid-1990’s, I had two “panic attacks”. These were not minor episodes. In the first instance, I imagined that I looked like Linda Blair in the Exorcist…I was in a cold sweat and shaking uncontrollably…and all of my extremities were numb. I just KNEW I was having a heart attack.

Tammy called the EMT’s, they arrived and started hooking up equipment to me. I swear…within minutes of them saying “Mr. Cooksey, I don’t know what your problem is…but you are NOT having a heart attack”, within minutes of hearing this…I was shaking their hands, thanking them for coming and walking them to door…as if nothing had happened. The power of suggestion on the human mind is a powerful thing.

Well, I had another episode and with that, old Steve went to the doctor. The doc hooked me up with some Xanax and guess what…they worked…for awhile. Dosage is everything with drugs, I started taking one .25 pills a day…that lead to two .25 pills and later to three pills a day. I knew folks who were taking 2 – 3 .50 pills so I knew I had nothing to worry about.

By this time is was late 1990’s, I was in my late 30’s and we had moved from W-S to Huntersville, NC. Steve was out of his Xanex pills and went to the doctor’s office for what I thought would be just a formality to getting a refill.

To be honest, I really didn’t think I was addicted until I visited my new doctor. To this day, I still remember exactly what he said…word for word. He said, “Steve, I’m not going to refill your prescription. If you were 70 or 80 years old I might but you are too young, you just need to get some exercise.”

“WHAT! Doctor…wait! You don’t understand! I NEED THESE PILLS, I NEED THESE PILLS TO SLEEP! I NEED THESE PILLS TO HELP ME ….TAKE THE EDGE OFF!”

I said all this to myself….So, I told the doctor, “oh, ok, no big deal. I’ll start jogging.”

To be honest, the first couple of days, I drank a couple of beers (or more) before bed. BUT I didn’t want to go down that road so I did start jogging and working out. That helped but what helped me more than anything was just learning how to control my stress when I could feel my stress levels increasing. In other words, I learned how to “deal with it”.

Bottom Line: With just my tobacco and Xanax addictions….I KNOW what it’s like to have an addiction that harms your health and wellness.

Yes, my Xanax dosage was low .75 per day…but regardless I was addicted to Xanax. The doctor in W-S who prescribed this to me originally…should not have. He was prescribing a drug FIRST instead of telling me to exercise and lose weight.

If I’d stayed in W-S…who knows my addiction may have gotten worse, to the point of Michael Jackson’s. I have heard stories where people started out on Xanax and went to other drugs…it is not a pretty story.

It could have happened to me had my Huntersville doctor not stood his ground and made the proper decision.

Saying “NO!” to drugs, MUST apply to prescription drugs TOO! unless there is no other option.

Take care,

Steve

"P" or Pee is for POWER???

Scientists can create cheap hydrogen from urine for use in fuel cells

This is Fantastic NEWS! Let's ALL hope this technology comes to market.

Check out the link, from 2009 MSNBC http://tr.im/rNhn

*** Supposedly, batteries could be produced for distribution in 6 months....let's keep our legs crossed...(sorry, bad pee joke)...I mean, let's keep our fingers crossed.

---

This picture is similar to the picture in a previous post, it was taken on the dock at Midtown

Sundries In Cornelius, NC (located on Lake Norman).

If you noticed...I don't have any pictures of Tammy (my wife) on my blog...I have strict orders NOT to post any pictures of her. It's ok to poke a little fun here and there.....but post a pic of her and there will be BIG trouble...and you thought there was Big Trouble in Little China...you know the movie...ok I'll drop it.

That is Tammy's right arm, I don't think she'll care about this picture but as we all know...I've been wrong before.

I love to eat at ALL Midtown Sundries but the one in Cornelius is my favorite. They have a boat dock with a “wildlife feed machine”, you put a quarter in and you receive feed for ducks and carp....it tastes pretty good too...in case you have to wait to be seated! :)

If you do feed the wildlife, it won't take long and the water will be teeming with bream, carp, ducks and Canadian geese. This is great if you have children…of all ages. Tammy will give me a couple of quarters…and I’m happy for at least 30 minutes. :)

Another reason I like this restaurant, they have some healthy choices on the menu. (Don't worry...they have plenty of unhealthy ones as well.) They offer boiled shrimp as an appetizer and they have an excellent selection of salads. Great bonus….you can add grilled chicken, shrimp or tuna to almost all of the salad items. (of course, stay away from the croutons and high fat cheeses and dressings.)

Midtown Sundries‎

18665 Harborside Dr, Cornelius, NC‎ - (704) 896-9013‎

"Nice casual waterfront dining location. Good food and service, reasonably priced ..."

Boat Ride

I’ve received emails from people wanting to go for a ride in my boat. They erroneously believe that the boat in the picture above…is mine. THIS IS NOT MY BOAT! I don’t quite make enough money from this blog to pay for a boat. Ok, ok….I don’t make any money from this blog.

Here's a picture of a lady wrestler from China who REALLY wants to go for a boat ride. The picture was taken by a friend after she heard the news that it's not my boat.

She had offered to be my house maid for a month and to change the transmission in my truck if I give her a boat ride. I told her that there was nothing wrong with the transmission in my truck and that I already have a house maid….me!

Talking about her reminded me of this song... just click on the link. LOL! David Bowie - China Girl

The boat....is actually a "Party Boat" owned by the restaurant, they have evening trips out on the lake.

One Cool Guy...and one Not-So-Cool

I thought I would show some pics where I have ALL of my clothes on... :) LOL! I really loved saying that.

Here I am with my son Brad, the "not" so cool guy. In case you are still confused as to which one is me..., I am the cool guy on the left. You can tell that I am the cool guy because I am the guy with the ZZ Top "pair of cheap sunglasses". :)

This pic was taken the middle of June, we were celebrating Brad’s graduation from high school. Oh how the years pass quickly…

BTW, you can listen to ZZ Top and “Cheap Sunglasses” as you read the blog, just click on the link.

ZZ Top - Cheap sunglasses



Treat the Symptoms not the Illness

The medical community seems too often to have a “treat the symptoms” mentality.

I am not a big conspiracy theorist…but…if you, “follow the money”, this approach keeps “big pharma” fat and happy with increasing sales.

By the way, did you know that we didn’t really go to the moon!? It was staged! LOL..just kidding.

* Before I really get into this, let me say that I KNOW there are legitimate circumstances where drugs and surgeries are absolutely, positively necessary. My point is that too often, drugs/surgery is a “first response” or in some cases the only response.

Examples:

· If you are overweight? Take a fat reducing elixir or have liposuction or stomach reduction or….

· If you have high cholesterol? Don’t’ Diet and exercise take a pill.

· Type2 Diabetes? Don’t change your lifestyle, take pills and shots.

· Depressed? Don’t change circumstances, take a pill.

· Worse still, I spoke to a doctor who acted nonchalant in regards to a patient’s illegal prescription drug abuse! “oh, he’s just self-medicating”…. HELLOooo!

I know that unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are aware of all the “over medicating” of our citizens. The thing is, NOT only are individual’s lives being affected by this over-medicating but it affects all of us with higher and higher costs for insurance, hospital and medical treatment, this ultimately leads to more taxes.

As obesity and it’s related health ailments only increase, the resulting increase in costs will only grow as well.

Why don't you all just go take a hike! :)

TTFN!

Steve

PS - Brad used to LOVE Whinny the Pooh...and Tigger Too. Me? I was a Piglet man of course. :)

Cooksey Cough

P90X Update

I just realized this, today marks another P90X Milestone...I am half way home to completing the 90 day workouts. The days and weeks are flying by now. After this week I will have a Recovery Week to look forward to, which is somewhat easier than the standard push or pull workout weeks.

YES! the workouts are still tough and I still sweat...er....perspire as much as I did orginally. As noted early on, the workouts should not get any easier. As you become stronger you will be able to do more reps or lift more weight...and that is what you should do to receive the full benefits of the workouts.

---

Steve's Fat Pics

In a recent post, I had requested "fat pictures" of Steve...that's me. Well, the number of pictures I received was underwelming. Luckily I was able to dig a couple out myself...that's one way to put it. As you can clearly see...I've come a long way. :)

---

The Cooksey Cough?

Over the last several years, as I gained weight…I also had an increasingly troublesome problem with a cough. In fact, about 18 months ago, the oxygen level in my blood was so low, a doctor told me that if my blood oxygen level went any lower, I’d have to be hospitalized.

I was told then that I was Asthmatic…but to keep from being labeled as having Asthma, the doctor did me a favor and called it …

...“Episodic Asthmatic Attacks”

My condition eventually improved but not before taking a narcotic cough suppressant whose street name was "Liquid Gold", yes, you read that correctly, it was such a strong narcotic...it had a street name. I was also prescribed steroids, antihistamines and antibiotics. As I said, I was finally able to overcome my bout with pneumonia or walking pneumonia or was it bronchitis…no wait it was Episodic Asthmatic Attacks…they never really knew what my affliction was…

….what about calling it …. fat guy that needed to lose weight???

You see…since I lost weight by eating properly and exercising…my cough has disappeared, vanished without a trace. I guess I need to add that to my resume of health improvements.

Man beats Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Hypertension and “Episodic Asthmatic Attacks” by exercising and eating nutritionally! :)

I should probably “knock on wood”, while I have them beaten at the moment, I will have to be resolute and continue this fight for the rest of my life. This is a life long war…battles have been won and lost on both sides thus far.

Take care all,

Steve

Cooksey's A Quitter???

First…I know what some of you are saying…”Cooksey hasn’t posted in like 36 hrs …he must be running out of material”.

Folks, “that isn’t happening”. Just been busy over the weekend and the first of this week. I have much more to say…you may not want to read it… but there is much more to say my friends!

So here we go!

----

Honey I Shrunk Myself!

First Rule they tell you with Beachbody, the company behind P90X, (ok, it may not be THE first), do not watch the scale. Follow the meal plan, follow the workout schedule and don’t worry about your weight.

That is what Steve is doing from now on. I am not watching the scale any more… (we’ll see).

The reason I bring this up…I have reached a new low of 171.5 pounds!

I weigh in every morning and I’ve been in the 172-176 range …until today. I am not going to worry about it, I am going to follow both the workout plan and the nutrition plan and let the pounds fall as they may.

* For the record, I have not run / jogged in 9 days.

---

Steve’s A Quitter??

The day I was diagnosed as being Diabetic (Feb ’09) and I was told that I would likely be on insulin for the rest of my life, I was in the hospital. At that moment…

I did decide to fight for my “freedom”, freedom from the shackles of measuring and injecting insulin FOUR TIMES A DAY and freedom from having to take pills for cholesterol and hypertension.

My relatives are from the mountains of NC where fatback, cornbread, biscuits and gravy were daily staples and I had seen too many of my relatives go down the same road I was on…it was a slow ride down….and I wasn’t going down without a fight. Having said all that, the day after I came home from the hospital…I was wavering.

I can only assume I was wavering due to another fight that was going on at the same time…I was fighting depression. I remember thinking that I could learn to deal with taking shots FOUR TIMES A DAY, “it wasn’t that bad” and I could continue eating like I had been…maybe a little better but basically the same. Yes, I could just take the medications and insulin and life may not be that bad…I could learn to deal with it.

I was considering “giving up” and not becoming more fit. But all is not quite as it seems. At this point in time, I didn’t know if any of my efforts would help my situation. In other words, for all I knew, I’d be on insulin all my life, regardless of my efforts! If that were the case, why should I try to improve my condition? My mind was trying to cope with the “reality” as I perceived it to be.

Unlike some people that I have spoken to since my hospital stay…

I decided:

-NOT to settle for taking diabetes drugs just so I could eat a lot of simple carbohydrates.
-NOT to settle for taking more pills just so I could continue being a couch potato.

So why do I tell you all this?

So you will know the depth of my depression AND how close I was to “giving up”.

Obviously, I decided to fight for my fitness, not give up and at least at the moment, I am medication and insulin FREE! But I must stay vigilant, for I never know what tomorrow may bring.

Spring Forward to TODAY, Tuesday 07/07/09…today, it is difficult to describe how great I feel. Another reason I went back through some of the “old stuff” is so….

YOU WILL KNOW HOW THANKFUL I AM TO BE WHERE I AM TODAY!

Sunday - I played basketball and I felt GREAT! I am lighter, stronger and generally more fit. Words just can’t describe how I feel…ok that’s enough but it does feel great.

BTW, I know some of you are saying…but didn’t you get hurt….YES, but my injury was not related to my fitness level. I could have had the same injury if I’d been my old sluglike self and I was rebounding for my 10 year old nephew.

Monday & Tuesday – Worked out with P90X and FELT GREAT! (I know it’s redundant but what can I say???)

Let’s see what Wednesday brings….shall we?


Steve