The Namungo Lane of New Horizons
1 day ago
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Time To Vote
We're driving to the polls. My honey wants me to wait until she's done with dinner. She's not ready to walk in order to cast her vote. Maybe in four years. Remember to vote!
Super Bowl Party Price
My extra really good friend who I mentioned in my last post has a wife who can really cook. She made really yummy stuff for the Super Bowl Party at their house and I ate a lot of it. She made some pretty healthy fare like turkey meatball soup as well as chocolate cake. I ate a lot of both. I went into the situation with my eyes wide open. I knew there would be consequences on the scale at Tuesday morning weigh-in.
Good news. I still lost weight. I think my buddy was a little concerned about whether I would burst or something, but I never reached the "ouch" phase of overeating that some of you might be familiar with. (Probably best to stay away from all-you-can-eat buffets...) I admit that there have been occasional times in my life when I have eaten to the point that my stomach hurts from the volume of food that I put away. Those of you who have never done this might be recoiling in horror or something close to it right now. On this Super Bowl Sunday I did not do that and I haven't done that for quite a while. Why am I telling you this? For those of you who have done what I just described, I want you to know that someone else who has done that, someone like you, can walk to lose weight and to get on a more healthy path. It can be done and you can do it.
This morning I weighed 120.8 kilos. That means I lost .4 kilos this week, which is .88 pounds. So the price of the Super Bowl Party was about three quarters of a pound when I compare the last couple weeks with this one. I can live with that. Can you?
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Visit FreeRice.com and help the hungry by clicking on the title of this post. Click here to view Big Man Walking January posts. Scroll down to January 29th to see my previous weigh-in.
Good news. I still lost weight. I think my buddy was a little concerned about whether I would burst or something, but I never reached the "ouch" phase of overeating that some of you might be familiar with. (Probably best to stay away from all-you-can-eat buffets...) I admit that there have been occasional times in my life when I have eaten to the point that my stomach hurts from the volume of food that I put away. Those of you who have never done this might be recoiling in horror or something close to it right now. On this Super Bowl Sunday I did not do that and I haven't done that for quite a while. Why am I telling you this? For those of you who have done what I just described, I want you to know that someone else who has done that, someone like you, can walk to lose weight and to get on a more healthy path. It can be done and you can do it.
This morning I weighed 120.8 kilos. That means I lost .4 kilos this week, which is .88 pounds. So the price of the Super Bowl Party was about three quarters of a pound when I compare the last couple weeks with this one. I can live with that. Can you?
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Visit FreeRice.com and help the hungry by clicking on the title of this post. Click here to view Big Man Walking January posts. Scroll down to January 29th to see my previous weigh-in.
Return Here For Encouragement
Return here for encouragement in reaching your goals.
I'm adding that to the Big Man Walking description at the top of this page. Part of who I am is an encourager. I want you to be encouraged today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year by returning to this site. I know the vast majority of you can walk, but even if that's not part of your goals, you can check on my progress and know that I'm still "doing it" and I'll keep on doing it and I'll keep on keepin' on. Know that "it" can be done, whatever "it" is for you.
Now, whether or not you have walking as one of your goals, you can still use it to encourage yourself and remind you of your goals. Let's say you ride an exercise bike instead of walking. One of my oldest (longtime, bestest, etc...) friends rides an exercise bike while he watches TV. I guess it's sort of a reward system as well as an efficient use of time system. I know other people run instead of walk and I used to know a guy who swam nearly every day for about 30 years. So, no matter what exercises you're doing or what goals you're striving to reach, you can still use a tiny bit of walking to remind yourself and encourage yourself.
Walk 3 steps. Walk every hour. 3 steps. That's ridiculously easy. If that's too easy, then walk 30 steps. Just do it every hour. I KNOW you can do 3 steps without inconveniencing yourself. That's basically getting out of your chair and sitting back down. On purpose. With mindfulness or intention. Why? To remind yourself every waking hour that you are working on goals. When you do 30 or so, that has the added bonus of losing two to three pounds a year. Not much? Well, that's not much walking when you do it every hour. I'm getting up to do 30 steps right now. OK. I just got out of my recliner and walked down the stairs to the front door and back with my dog watching expectantly. How long did it take? Maybe 24 seconds. Maybe. So 3 steps would be ridiculously quick. And you could remind yourself of your goals whenever you hear a song like Three Steps To Heaven by Eddie Cochran (or Gimme Three Steps by Lynyrd Skynyrd or a post rock track like Submerged Universe by Three Steps To The Ocean) or if you see a presentation with three steps. These can be reminders for you IF you LET them be. 3 steps or 30 steps - your choice. You may have heard it said that the longest journey starts with but a single step and I say that this is also true:
The longest journey begins with three steps!
I am stepping. You can step. Please step today. No matter what.
(Or something like that.)
---
Visit FreeRice.com and do some good by clicking on the title of this post.
I'm adding that to the Big Man Walking description at the top of this page. Part of who I am is an encourager. I want you to be encouraged today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year by returning to this site. I know the vast majority of you can walk, but even if that's not part of your goals, you can check on my progress and know that I'm still "doing it" and I'll keep on doing it and I'll keep on keepin' on. Know that "it" can be done, whatever "it" is for you.
Now, whether or not you have walking as one of your goals, you can still use it to encourage yourself and remind you of your goals. Let's say you ride an exercise bike instead of walking. One of my oldest (longtime, bestest, etc...) friends rides an exercise bike while he watches TV. I guess it's sort of a reward system as well as an efficient use of time system. I know other people run instead of walk and I used to know a guy who swam nearly every day for about 30 years. So, no matter what exercises you're doing or what goals you're striving to reach, you can still use a tiny bit of walking to remind yourself and encourage yourself.
Walk 3 steps. Walk every hour. 3 steps. That's ridiculously easy. If that's too easy, then walk 30 steps. Just do it every hour. I KNOW you can do 3 steps without inconveniencing yourself. That's basically getting out of your chair and sitting back down. On purpose. With mindfulness or intention. Why? To remind yourself every waking hour that you are working on goals. When you do 30 or so, that has the added bonus of losing two to three pounds a year. Not much? Well, that's not much walking when you do it every hour. I'm getting up to do 30 steps right now. OK. I just got out of my recliner and walked down the stairs to the front door and back with my dog watching expectantly. How long did it take? Maybe 24 seconds. Maybe. So 3 steps would be ridiculously quick. And you could remind yourself of your goals whenever you hear a song like Three Steps To Heaven by Eddie Cochran (or Gimme Three Steps by Lynyrd Skynyrd or a post rock track like Submerged Universe by Three Steps To The Ocean) or if you see a presentation with three steps. These can be reminders for you IF you LET them be. 3 steps or 30 steps - your choice. You may have heard it said that the longest journey starts with but a single step and I say that this is also true:
The longest journey begins with three steps!
I am stepping. You can step. Please step today. No matter what.
(Or something like that.)
---
Visit FreeRice.com and do some good by clicking on the title of this post.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Oregon Scientific Pedometer Disappoints
Earlier today I picked up an Oregon Scientific Pedometer and after taking over half an hour to figure it out, I set out with 12000 set on the counter which then counted backwards, presumably until I reach zero. Well, a friend of mine warned me about his wildly innaccurate $100 talking pedometer and I told him that mine was pretty simple and seemed to be pretty accurate for around 12 bucks. But my Sportline broke today and I thought it would be a chance for me to find one with a more resilient hinge. Really, the counter on the Sportline was still working except that you need it to STAY on your belt for the counter to work. I really didn't like the hinge breaking, which reminded me how cheap this device was and I thought about getting what you pay for. So I bought one that looked sturdier and even had a panic alarm, just in case.
My guess is that Oregon Scientific might have too many people on their design team who miss the forest for the trees or who don't keep their eye on the ball or something like that. I should have seen the handwriting on the wall when it took me so long to get through the instructions. And there is a section titled IMPORTANT FOR ACCURACY which says this:
The following conditions may cause incorrect reading of steps taken:
1) Uneven walking pace, such as walking in crowded areas or on uneven floor.
2) Frequent up and down movements, such as standing up and/or sitting down; running, jumping or ascending/descending stairs or steep slopes.
Give me a break! Human beings are going to use these devices, not robots. I am looking for a SOLUTION to the challenge of counting my steps. I can go around a track and figure out how many of my steps add up to a quarter mile (approximately - I know I'm not adjusting for metric). But what I want is the solution to my challenge or problem. If a guy followed me around with a camera and worked out through math (maybe trig?) how far I'm walking, that would be a solution. If someone used global positioning to figure it out, that would work. I doubt if I could get people to do that for free and wouldn't it be simpler to just attach something to my body to keep track of my steps which I can convert to miles? OK. But there is a catch. The device has to WORK! I don't really care about the bells and whistles. I want something that works, first and foremost. I think the Oregon Scientific people have lost sight of this with this model. That has been my experience so far. I don't know how many they sell. Maybe people don't care about accuracy. Maybe their doctor tells them to go get exercise and they can give a number to their spouse, family, and medical professional and get them off their back. Well, not me. I want to know that this pedometer or step counter is in the ballpark and as good looking as this device is, so far it's not even close. So I'll have an asterisk on today's walking distance when I record it. I don't want them to replace it with another one that works the same way, I want it to work after I spend half an hour learning how to press all the buttons correctly. I simply want it to work the first time and every time until it wears out 5000 miles from now. I'll be generous and give it a D.
Now, don't give up. Hang in there. I'll get a better device and even keep trying a bit to see if I have done something wrong to the PE828, but I don't think I have done anything wrong to cause it to be wildly innaccurate. I want the thingamajig to sit on my belt and work, just like the Sportline did before it broke.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
(Even if your pedometer breaks and you don't keep track accurately.)
---
Click on the title of this post to visit FreeRice.com and help the hungry while you learn something and maybe entertain yourself.
My guess is that Oregon Scientific might have too many people on their design team who miss the forest for the trees or who don't keep their eye on the ball or something like that. I should have seen the handwriting on the wall when it took me so long to get through the instructions. And there is a section titled IMPORTANT FOR ACCURACY which says this:
The following conditions may cause incorrect reading of steps taken:
1) Uneven walking pace, such as walking in crowded areas or on uneven floor.
2) Frequent up and down movements, such as standing up and/or sitting down; running, jumping or ascending/descending stairs or steep slopes.
Give me a break! Human beings are going to use these devices, not robots. I am looking for a SOLUTION to the challenge of counting my steps. I can go around a track and figure out how many of my steps add up to a quarter mile (approximately - I know I'm not adjusting for metric). But what I want is the solution to my challenge or problem. If a guy followed me around with a camera and worked out through math (maybe trig?) how far I'm walking, that would be a solution. If someone used global positioning to figure it out, that would work. I doubt if I could get people to do that for free and wouldn't it be simpler to just attach something to my body to keep track of my steps which I can convert to miles? OK. But there is a catch. The device has to WORK! I don't really care about the bells and whistles. I want something that works, first and foremost. I think the Oregon Scientific people have lost sight of this with this model. That has been my experience so far. I don't know how many they sell. Maybe people don't care about accuracy. Maybe their doctor tells them to go get exercise and they can give a number to their spouse, family, and medical professional and get them off their back. Well, not me. I want to know that this pedometer or step counter is in the ballpark and as good looking as this device is, so far it's not even close. So I'll have an asterisk on today's walking distance when I record it. I don't want them to replace it with another one that works the same way, I want it to work after I spend half an hour learning how to press all the buttons correctly. I simply want it to work the first time and every time until it wears out 5000 miles from now. I'll be generous and give it a D.
Now, don't give up. Hang in there. I'll get a better device and even keep trying a bit to see if I have done something wrong to the PE828, but I don't think I have done anything wrong to cause it to be wildly innaccurate. I want the thingamajig to sit on my belt and work, just like the Sportline did before it broke.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
(Even if your pedometer breaks and you don't keep track accurately.)
---
Click on the title of this post to visit FreeRice.com and help the hungry while you learn something and maybe entertain yourself.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Rainy Super Bowl Sunday
There was so much going on today and at this hour I'm really quite tired and need to get up early tomorrow. We had rain and wind together today and that's unusual for Southern California. We had the sister-in-law visiting and the son coming back from winter camp. It just never stopped after we left the house this morning. We had fun at our Super Bowl party, but we didn't get a lot of walking in. This is the first time in about a month that my total is under an hour's worth of walking. I will simply get back on the horse tomorrow. Go Giants! You read it here first:
The Giants Are Giant-Killers.
I am walking. (More tomorrow!) You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Click on the title of this post to see the actual numbers that I'm logging at Lime.com.
The Giants Are Giant-Killers.
I am walking. (More tomorrow!) You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Click on the title of this post to see the actual numbers that I'm logging at Lime.com.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Walking With My Honey On The Beach
We parked near Heritage Hall and walked to my newfound stairs down to the beach in Carlsbad and I took off my shoes. Marianne and I walked on the beach together in February(!). I realized this was the first time I've walked on sand in a while and it is incredibly gentle compared to concrete and asphalt. We walked with waves alongside. She said the waves in Florida were bigger when she was there recently for the Avatar seminar. She had a great time and I'm glad she's back.
Soon we walked up the ramp to street level and continued on to Fresco Trattoria. Unfortunately, the restaurant doesn't open until 4:30 on Saturday. So we walked a little further to Las Olas and shared a carnitas burrito plate. There was an antique luxury car parked outside ten feet or so from where we were eating on the patio. I thought it might be a Pierce Arrow, but I can't find a picture that matches the hood ornament I saw today. We enjoyed lunch on the sidewalk (almost) and then walked back past the Episcopal Church to our car. The whole walk was less than two miles. We had a nice time together because it was Saturday and I wanted to share with my honey a place I like to take a walk.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Click on the title of this post to visit Fresco Trattoria and remember FreeRice.com.
Soon we walked up the ramp to street level and continued on to Fresco Trattoria. Unfortunately, the restaurant doesn't open until 4:30 on Saturday. So we walked a little further to Las Olas and shared a carnitas burrito plate. There was an antique luxury car parked outside ten feet or so from where we were eating on the patio. I thought it might be a Pierce Arrow, but I can't find a picture that matches the hood ornament I saw today. We enjoyed lunch on the sidewalk (almost) and then walked back past the Episcopal Church to our car. The whole walk was less than two miles. We had a nice time together because it was Saturday and I wanted to share with my honey a place I like to take a walk.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Click on the title of this post to visit Fresco Trattoria and remember FreeRice.com.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Getting Naked Gets Attention
Walking is good for a lot of things. (Nakedness comes later.) I remembered just a little while ago how good it is for cooling you down when you get agitated. I was not happy after I found out that I couldn't buy the workbook for my son's French class without buying the textbook, which a friend loaned him. Actually, I could potentially order it online, but he needs it NOW. So I bought the whole deal because the owner of the off campus bookstore refused to break up the set. His reasoning was that the instructor didn't order workbooks separately so why should he? He did give me $10 off because I pointed out that he took in used French books and resold them, so the people buying those would need new workbooks that weren't previously written in. I assume he will make a change next semester and have those available. We'll see. The total was under $200.00! Anyway...
I walked about 3/4 of a mile when I got back to Palomar College before I ended up in the computer room and the walk did cool me down considerably. My son popped in in the middle of this post and I'm completing it from home.
You might be thinking, ok, but what about the nakedness? I'm not walking naked, if that's what you're wondering. I was just trying to get your attention just like Lime.com got my attention with their email. At first I thought it was spam, but then I saw that it was from the "healthy living with a twist" people. It involves Victoria Beckham and if you're curious, click on the title of this post. She's supporting a cause by getting naked. Please don't peek if you're easily offended. Just move along...nothing to see here.
I walked about 3/4 of a mile when I got back to Palomar College before I ended up in the computer room and the walk did cool me down considerably. My son popped in in the middle of this post and I'm completing it from home.
You might be thinking, ok, but what about the nakedness? I'm not walking naked, if that's what you're wondering. I was just trying to get your attention just like Lime.com got my attention with their email. At first I thought it was spam, but then I saw that it was from the "healthy living with a twist" people. It involves Victoria Beckham and if you're curious, click on the title of this post. She's supporting a cause by getting naked. Please don't peek if you're easily offended. Just move along...nothing to see here.
Two Average Days
Earlier this week I got off to quite a start with two record-setting days in a row. Starting the day before yesterday, I moderated my walking. By comparison to the record-setting pace of Monday and Tuesday, these last two days are average days. BUT, my average days are getting bigger. Both of these "average" days are five miles long. That's almost 20% more walking than my average day of a few weeks ago. Not too shabby.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Yesterday Big Man Walking had a photo of three friends from my Toastmasters club. A fourth Toastmaster friend, Christine Burke, owner of La Costa Fitness Together, sent me an email that started like this-
--
unstoppable!
I'm thoroughly impressed! Congratulations on finishing the Carlsbad Half-Marathon!
--
SO, that photo is the finish of 13.1 miles that these women completed together. I'll mention one of them at a time in my posts. The one in the middle wearing 3222 is Linda Bedrosian. If you meet Linda, she will probably tell you how much she has gotten out of Toastmasters in the last few years. She's fun, creative, resilient and kind and she designs and crafts very, very nice jewelry especially for you. Her website is JewelryoftheEmpire.com.
Visit Linda's site as well as clicking on the title of this post to visit FreeRice.com.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Yesterday Big Man Walking had a photo of three friends from my Toastmasters club. A fourth Toastmaster friend, Christine Burke, owner of La Costa Fitness Together, sent me an email that started like this-
--
unstoppable!
I'm thoroughly impressed! Congratulations on finishing the Carlsbad Half-Marathon!
--
SO, that photo is the finish of 13.1 miles that these women completed together. I'll mention one of them at a time in my posts. The one in the middle wearing 3222 is Linda Bedrosian. If you meet Linda, she will probably tell you how much she has gotten out of Toastmasters in the last few years. She's fun, creative, resilient and kind and she designs and crafts very, very nice jewelry especially for you. Her website is JewelryoftheEmpire.com.
Visit Linda's site as well as clicking on the title of this post to visit FreeRice.com.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Speed Golf
Meeting this morning with John and Peter. We meet just about every Thursday and today Peter, who's a Callaway employee pro, told me about a speed golf game he played. I understand that walking isn't for everybody even though just about everybody can do it. And I know that even if you're not walking miles extra every day, you can walk extra steps every hour. That being said, maybe something like speed golf is your thing. I think Peter is unusual in this game because he's a highly skilled golfer and an o.k. athlete and I hear it's usually a not-so-great golfer who's a better-than-average athlete playing speed golf.
Yesterday he played 37 holes with about a dozen guys before work by hitting the ball and jogging after it on a local executive course. Peter says an executive course has shorter holes that range from 80 to 260 yards. I haven't been a golfer in the past, but this sounds like it could be for me after I drop about 25 pounds. If you're busy and you're a beginner at golf and/or just starting an exercise program, you'll have to be the judge on whether you're ready for this. It sounds like fun to me. Tomorrow these local guys are having their Intergalactic Championship or something like that and they'll be running amok for 18 holes, presumably before work again. We all need exercise. Is this for you?
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Last night at Reality Changers the speaker mentioned FreeRice.com as a great place to expand your vocabulary as you help people in need, so the word is getting around. Click on the title of this post to visit a speed golf site.
Yesterday he played 37 holes with about a dozen guys before work by hitting the ball and jogging after it on a local executive course. Peter says an executive course has shorter holes that range from 80 to 260 yards. I haven't been a golfer in the past, but this sounds like it could be for me after I drop about 25 pounds. If you're busy and you're a beginner at golf and/or just starting an exercise program, you'll have to be the judge on whether you're ready for this. It sounds like fun to me. Tomorrow these local guys are having their Intergalactic Championship or something like that and they'll be running amok for 18 holes, presumably before work again. We all need exercise. Is this for you?
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
Last night at Reality Changers the speaker mentioned FreeRice.com as a great place to expand your vocabulary as you help people in need, so the word is getting around. Click on the title of this post to visit a speed golf site.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Early Start Pays Off
Yesterday I started off with a three and a half mile walk. I kept adding to that base and hit a record 10 miles for the day less than one month into my new year's resolution! That's all I have to say...except...(Use a pedometer...)
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
As always, I recommend that you visit and help out while you exercise your brain cells at FreeRice.com. Tell someone you know about TheBigManWalking.blogspot.com or FreeRice.com or both. Do it now!
And, I ran across an interesting site called EcoGeek.org which is at the intersection of nature and technology and if you like to write, click on the title of this post.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
---
As always, I recommend that you visit and help out while you exercise your brain cells at FreeRice.com. Tell someone you know about TheBigManWalking.blogspot.com or FreeRice.com or both. Do it now!
And, I ran across an interesting site called EcoGeek.org which is at the intersection of nature and technology and if you like to write, click on the title of this post.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
7 Miles Walked Before 1
This morning I got an ambitious start by going down a long hill and by the time I turned around and started up I had gone nearly two miles. The hill has what seems like an increasing grade for .7 miles and that's a pretty good hill! I got to the top and my breathing testified to the work involved. I kept going to cool down and ended up doing 3.5 miles before 8:30. Other tasks up until right now have taken me another three and a half miles and the dog still hasn't done his thing. Soon it will be time for us to leave for soccer and I should get some laps around that field, so this looks like another big day. I am a little tired right now, but body tired, not brain tired. Plus, I checked the scale this morning and I was at 121.2 kilos, which means I lost another .7 kilos (or 1.54 pounds) again this week. Time for lunch!
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
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