This has been an interesting week for weight loss, as I am beginning to struggle between two different tendencies. First, is my goal-oriented nature which wants to get as low as possible before my one-year anniversary on June 1. Second, is my realization that weight-loss can NOT be the be-all, end-all of my existence, and that I need to keep my priorities straight. I have lost 75 lbs in the last year, which is a wonderful thing. But in the pursuit of more fitness and less weight, I have found myself sometimes starting to skew my perspective. I am tending to say "No" to things simply so that I can get in one more session on the exercise bike. And I am sometimes saying "No" to food in search of less calorie intake, when doing so has the potential to hurt relationships. I have even skipped a few times with the Lord because by the time my nightly bike ride was done, it was just too late. The realization came to me this week that I always tends to go too far, and that it takes vigilance to keep things in balance. I need to keep looking for opportunities to lose weight, but be mindful that they are a means to an end, not the end in themselves. So, I ate some food this week that was not on plan, to maintain friendships. And I took a day or two off, to make sure I had time for what mattered. This meant that I wound up basically flat for the week, weight-loss wise. But it meant I wound up a generally happier person, as well.
Because of my decision to keep things in balance, the only outdoors bike ride I got this week was last Friday when CRChair and I rode up to Captains Pizza together. The rest of the weekend was taken up with church and family/friend events including the dedication of the children of a close-as-family-friend and a quiz meet. The week itself has been busy and rainy and simply not conducive to two-wheeled riding (we don't have bike lanes, and CT drivers are not always mindful of sharing the road). But I am back up to 12 miles a day on the stationary bike, so fitness is being maintained for the next time we are able to get "oot and aboot" (to quote Sean).
This upcoming week may be better for biking. We're hoping to ride the Trumbull Trail with friends today, if the weather holds, and we'll probably start biking to our Tuesday Guys Night Out on Tuesday. If so, it should be a good week for cycling.
It's funny because it's true... and depressing for the same reason.
During the last year, I have been quite focussed on my diet, but really with an eye toward weight loss than larger nutritional issues. Of course, this means I am eating a LOT more vegetables and fruits, and have been feeling better. But it never occurred to me that diet could affect my dental health (with, of course, the exeption of more sugar meaning more cavities). But at least one doctor is claiming that a diet low in grains and high in calcium can reverse tooth decay.In group 1, oatmeal prevented healing and encouraged new cavities, presumably due to its ability to prevent mineral absorption. In group 2, simply adding vitamin D to the diet caused most cavities to heal and fewer to form. The most striking effect was in group 3, the group eating a grain-free diet plus vitamin D, in which nearly all cavities healed and very few new cavities developed. Grains are the main source of phytic acid in the modern diet, although we can't rule out the possibility that grains were promoting tooth decay through another mechanism as well.
Dr. Mellanby was quick to point out that diet 3 was not low in carbohydrate or even sugar: "Although [diet 3] contained no bread, porridge or other cereals, it included a moderate amount of carbohydrates, for plenty of milk, jam, sugar, potatoes and vegetables were eaten by this group of children."
I am skeptical, but it seems like something worth looking into.
I am not fan of smoking, but I have always wondered about sin taxes like the tobacco taxes. If you are taxing something, hoping it will make folks stop buying it, shouldn't you plan for that revenue stream to go away? Anyway, it seems a number of people are furious about the president's plan to increase taxes on cigarettes because it breaks a campaign promise that was prominent.The largest increase in tobacco taxes took effect despite Obama's promise not to raise taxes of any kind on families earning under $250,000 or individuals under $200,000.
This is one tax that disproportionately affects the poor, who are more likely to smoke than the rich.
"I can make a firm pledge," he said in Dover, N.H., on Sept. 12. "Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes."
I don't see this as being a major point that can be scored by Conservatives against Obama, but I do see it as potentially undermining him among his Liberal supporters.
While Nomad has informed us multiple times of his distaste for this day, I think it's great! Yes, there is a lot of misinformation out there, but it's one day and it's not unexpected. In fact I look forward to seeing who can come up with the best one. Here is a list of this year's jokes so far. My favorite so far has to be Gmail Autopilot an extension of their CADIE project (also a joke). There are other good ones like the Palm Post being the next WebOS phone by Palm, even before they finish the Pre. This is going to be a fun day.Update (6:29am PT): Here is a list of movie focused jokes.
