DIETING FOR HEALTH—Where Is All Of This Leading Me? Many Questions Remain
Now that I have initiated lipolysis using the Atkins approach to reduce my carb intake below 20 carbs per day, in fact just slightly above 8 carbs per day as a 21-day average, I ask myself whether to continue on this low-carb flush-and-purge juice fast until I am at my target weight of 180, or should I continue well past that first goal to match my marriage weight of 160, or still further to 155, to match my high school athletic weight, or even further on a cleansing fast to surpass by one pound my previous adult low of 139? And what is accomplished by each of these objectives? At 180, I equal the weight I most recently reached in 1993, but only maintained briefly. Although the charts say that with my 6’3” height and medium frame, my ideal weight is 180, I tend to dispute that figure because I still had a slight potbelly at that weight that couldn’t be accounted for by lack-of-tone alone. At 160 I would at least equal my marriage weight at age 35 and be able to wear my wedding suit for the first time in 25 years. To attempt to complete my cleansing by finishing at 138 seems a bit ambitious for a 59-year-old, given that I completed that fruit fast when I was 33. There have been greater accomplishments than these, I am sure, but right now nothing comes to mind. I have begun to settle into a workout routine that incorporates walking and jogging into the same workout, with jogging gradually replacing walking by Christmas Eve, one-minute-at-a-time. If I am able to accomplish that, it will be my first time to consistently run since I was 31. Once the goal of jogging for 3 hours is accomplished, I will set my sights on improving my pace from a slow jog to a medium and then a fast jog. If all goes as planned, I hope to run for 3 hours per day, five days a week. Today I jogged for the second time in 28 years and was surprised how out-of-shape I felt to be running. Even after walking 2-3 hours 5 days per week for the past 27 months, I was still not prepared for the extra effort involved in jogging. I was feeling pretty down about it until I remembered that I was attempting the equivalent of jogging 2 city blocks while carrying a heavy suitcase. I am still over 200 lbs and attempting to regain my former training weight of 155 pounds. In high school I ran the 100 yard dash in 11.6, not fast enough for a medal. In the 220 yd dash, I ran a 25.1 in the relays and won a couple of medals. In the quarter-mile I did a little better, running the first lap of the mile in 56 seconds. I did still better in the half-mile, running a 2:06 when I was 25. I haven’t dared to dream of regaining those accomplishments, but it would be fun to try and see what I can do with a little determination, effort, and a closely and carefully-constructed incremental workout plan. My wife just bought me a membership at LA Fitness, which will encourage me to limber up, improve my overall posture and weight training, and offer me welcome relief from the hot sun of midsummer and some of the cooler and wetter days of winter. I cannot emphasize enough how important it will be to maintain a constant vigilance on my weight and fitness regimen, if I am to accomplish this ambitious plan by Christmas. I encourage myself by realizing how far I have come so far in toning and improving my overall conditioning. It does take a long time, just as it took a long time of inactivity and poorly-regulated diet to reach the bottom. Now, a slow, steady and sustained effort is needed to counteract the negative results of poor health choices. Once begun, however, every day becomes another day of improvement that brings me closer to vibrant health. Every improvement builds on the next one and is vital to the entire program. This mountain can definitely be moved, even if it has to be one spoonful at–a-time. The hardest thing of all is still the daily choice to keep moving forward or to allow myself to do nothing at all but maintain the status quo, which is the same thing as moving slowly backwards.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Friday, April 30, 2010
WHEN POISON TASTES GOOD--The Shortcomings Of Food Businesses
WHEN POISON TASTES GOOD—The Shortcomings Of Food Businesses
The reasons that food businesses have kept themselves aloof from the verbal challenges that call for a change from a high carb-and-salt dietary nightmare to more healthy and wholesome natural juices, snacks and meals is that they are more concerned with flavor, packaging and marketing than about consumer health. As most of us have probably noticed, the food industry uses a lot of advertising and taste-testing to be sure to produce the most delicious and in-demand food. Food companies are more concerned about surviving the current recession than they are about offering us the most healthy snacks and foods that are available. Fish in its basic form has no carbs, but when breaded in a tasty batter can increase to over 20 carbs per fish fillet. Similarly, chicken in its basic form is carbless, but when glazed, breaded and cooked with high carb ingredients, can soar to as many as 60 carbs per portion. All of these unnecessary and harmful ingredients are contributing mightily to our national obesity epidemic. Food makers respond that they are only satisfying consumer demands for more delicious and satisfying meals, but the truth is that manufacturers have created demand through clever ads that appeal to taste buds instead of to our nutritional needs. This is not surprising when you consider that food companies’ primary motivation is their bottom-line profit margin. I am convinced that without firm limits set on carbs and salt, that companies will continue to create demand for even more unhealthy food than they currently create, hiding behind the excuse that they are only supplying the public’s demand for tasty food. If poison could be made delicious, would food manufacturers sell it to the public? I am afraid that all-too-often the answer is yes, so long as it increases corporate profits for the stockholders. Where this all leads ultimately is that manufacturers cannot be trusted to supply us with the basic foods that our bodies need to properly function. They have become so out-of-control regarding their manipulation of the facts regarding basic food, that their marketing techniques have created demand for food which is unfit for human consumption, despite its flavor, and is creating a huge national healthcare crisis due to their unwillingness to police their own nutritional policies. Rather than competing with other companies to produce the healthiest food possible, nearly 100% of their efforts are devoted to advertising, packaging, deceptive ads, flavorings, etc. Without government directives and supervision to reign-in these tactics, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other health emergencies will only continue to worsen. When companies fail to police themselves and when government fails to respond to the obvious need for supervision, the responsibility falls on healthcare providers and the public to sound the alarm. Some organized boycotting might be the best way to move forward, but unless we agree on our tactics, nothing will happen and we will continue our downward trend towards an even greater healthcare crisis. This is all-out war and the stakes have never been greater. To do nothing is not an option if we are to rescue ourselves from future misery. The effects of this national decline in nutrition will have far-reaching implications for future generations who are depending on us to restore sanity to the market place. We cannot allow Wall Street to dictate healthcare policies, nor can we depend on a lobbyist-controlled congress to look out for the health of the average citizen. What is needed is for major healthcare organizations, agencies and providers to educate the public about the dangers of high-carb, high-sodium diets. The next step is to boycott those food manufacturers who refuse to police themselves until they produce and market healthful products to the public.
Mark Overt Skilbred
The reasons that food businesses have kept themselves aloof from the verbal challenges that call for a change from a high carb-and-salt dietary nightmare to more healthy and wholesome natural juices, snacks and meals is that they are more concerned with flavor, packaging and marketing than about consumer health. As most of us have probably noticed, the food industry uses a lot of advertising and taste-testing to be sure to produce the most delicious and in-demand food. Food companies are more concerned about surviving the current recession than they are about offering us the most healthy snacks and foods that are available. Fish in its basic form has no carbs, but when breaded in a tasty batter can increase to over 20 carbs per fish fillet. Similarly, chicken in its basic form is carbless, but when glazed, breaded and cooked with high carb ingredients, can soar to as many as 60 carbs per portion. All of these unnecessary and harmful ingredients are contributing mightily to our national obesity epidemic. Food makers respond that they are only satisfying consumer demands for more delicious and satisfying meals, but the truth is that manufacturers have created demand through clever ads that appeal to taste buds instead of to our nutritional needs. This is not surprising when you consider that food companies’ primary motivation is their bottom-line profit margin. I am convinced that without firm limits set on carbs and salt, that companies will continue to create demand for even more unhealthy food than they currently create, hiding behind the excuse that they are only supplying the public’s demand for tasty food. If poison could be made delicious, would food manufacturers sell it to the public? I am afraid that all-too-often the answer is yes, so long as it increases corporate profits for the stockholders. Where this all leads ultimately is that manufacturers cannot be trusted to supply us with the basic foods that our bodies need to properly function. They have become so out-of-control regarding their manipulation of the facts regarding basic food, that their marketing techniques have created demand for food which is unfit for human consumption, despite its flavor, and is creating a huge national healthcare crisis due to their unwillingness to police their own nutritional policies. Rather than competing with other companies to produce the healthiest food possible, nearly 100% of their efforts are devoted to advertising, packaging, deceptive ads, flavorings, etc. Without government directives and supervision to reign-in these tactics, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other health emergencies will only continue to worsen. When companies fail to police themselves and when government fails to respond to the obvious need for supervision, the responsibility falls on healthcare providers and the public to sound the alarm. Some organized boycotting might be the best way to move forward, but unless we agree on our tactics, nothing will happen and we will continue our downward trend towards an even greater healthcare crisis. This is all-out war and the stakes have never been greater. To do nothing is not an option if we are to rescue ourselves from future misery. The effects of this national decline in nutrition will have far-reaching implications for future generations who are depending on us to restore sanity to the market place. We cannot allow Wall Street to dictate healthcare policies, nor can we depend on a lobbyist-controlled congress to look out for the health of the average citizen. What is needed is for major healthcare organizations, agencies and providers to educate the public about the dangers of high-carb, high-sodium diets. The next step is to boycott those food manufacturers who refuse to police themselves until they produce and market healthful products to the public.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
SAN ANTONIO HEIGHTS--DOWN THE MIDDLE CLOCKWISE (2 Hour Walk)
SAN ANTONIO HEIGHTS—DOWN THE MIDDLE CLOCKWISE (2 Hour Walk)
Beginning from Mountain View Park in Upland, California, go E on Mildura Ave and TL on Mountain Ave. Go N on Mountain to the N side of San Antonio Park, where Mountain Ave bends to the R and Mtn Lane continues N. Follow Mountain Ave as it bends E and TL on Mesa Ter. TR and go E on 25th St, crossing Mountain Ave, Euclid Ave, and continuing to Vista Dr. You will continue straight E on 25th St, following the small path on the RS of the cul-de-sac straight ahead. Continue going E on 25th, crossing Cliff Rd and continue E on 25th to the end of the cul-de-sac. Pass through the entrance to Cucamonga Creek Trail and then TR and follow the trail down to the 24th St pass-through. TR and go W on 24th, crossing Campus and Euclid and TL on San Antonio Ave. Go S on San Antonio to 23rd St and TR. Go W on 23rd, cross Mountain and continue W on Mildura Ave to Mountain View Park.
Mark Overt Skilbred
Beginning from Mountain View Park in Upland, California, go E on Mildura Ave and TL on Mountain Ave. Go N on Mountain to the N side of San Antonio Park, where Mountain Ave bends to the R and Mtn Lane continues N. Follow Mountain Ave as it bends E and TL on Mesa Ter. TR and go E on 25th St, crossing Mountain Ave, Euclid Ave, and continuing to Vista Dr. You will continue straight E on 25th St, following the small path on the RS of the cul-de-sac straight ahead. Continue going E on 25th, crossing Cliff Rd and continue E on 25th to the end of the cul-de-sac. Pass through the entrance to Cucamonga Creek Trail and then TR and follow the trail down to the 24th St pass-through. TR and go W on 24th, crossing Campus and Euclid and TL on San Antonio Ave. Go S on San Antonio to 23rd St and TR. Go W on 23rd, cross Mountain and continue W on Mildura Ave to Mountain View Park.
Mark Overt Skilbred
NBA STANDINGS FOR APRIL 4, 2010
NBA STANDINGS FOR APRIL 4, 2010
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Lakers .714
2. Dallas .649
3. Denver .649
4. Phoenix .649
5. Utah .649
6. Oklahoma City .632
7. San Antonio .618
8. Portland .610
9. Memphis .513
10. Houston .500
11. New Orleans .449
12. Clippers .351
13. Sacramento .312
14. Golden State .303
15. Minnesota .195
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Cleveland .779
2. Orlando .701
3. Atlanta .645
4. Boston .632
5. Miami .558
6. Milwaukee .553
7. Charlotte .526
8. Toronto .500
9. Chicago .487
10. Indiana .377
11. New York .355
12. Philadelphia .342
13. Detroit .303
14. Washington .303
15. New Jersey .143
COMBINED STANDINGS
1. Cleveland .779
2. Lakers .714
3. Orlando .701
4. Dallas .649
5. Denver .649
6. Phoenix .649
7. Utah .649
8. Atlanta .645
9. Boston .632
10. Oklahoma City .632
11. San Antonio .618
12. Portland .610
13. Miami .558
14. Milwaukee .553
15. Charlotte .526
16. Memphis .513
17. Houston .500
18. Toronto .500
19. Chicago .487
20. New Orleans .449
21. Indiana .377
22. New York .355
23. Clippers .351
24. Philadelphia .342
25. Sacramento .312
26. Detroit .303
27. Golden State .303
28. Washington .303
29. Minnesota .195
30. New Jersey .143
As we move into April, the Western Conference has sorted themselves out with 8 teams already clinching playoff positions. The Eastern Conference is still up for grabs with only 4 teams clinching. Dallas, Denver, Phoenix and Utah are tied for second in the West and tied for 4th place in the overall NBA Standings, with Atlanta, Boston and Oklahoma City right at their heels, so it should be an interesting playoff. The Lakers are still on top of the West, and look to remain there, despite sporadic springtime play. Orlando is right at their heels, with Cleveland comfortably in the top spot in the overall standings. It’s anyone’s guess what will develop once the playoffs start, with so many able teams ready to make a run for the division championships. I always look first at overall bench strength to predict the winning team. Teams that have overlooked bench development in favor of win/loss standings during the season are now facing severe shortcomings with starter injuries and bench inexperience. With conventional wisdom still awarding the starting positions with
more than double the minutes given to the bench, the NBA as a whole still has not fully embraced the team concept of basketball, to their own detriment.
Mark Overt Skilbred
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Lakers .714
2. Dallas .649
3. Denver .649
4. Phoenix .649
5. Utah .649
6. Oklahoma City .632
7. San Antonio .618
8. Portland .610
9. Memphis .513
10. Houston .500
11. New Orleans .449
12. Clippers .351
13. Sacramento .312
14. Golden State .303
15. Minnesota .195
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Cleveland .779
2. Orlando .701
3. Atlanta .645
4. Boston .632
5. Miami .558
6. Milwaukee .553
7. Charlotte .526
8. Toronto .500
9. Chicago .487
10. Indiana .377
11. New York .355
12. Philadelphia .342
13. Detroit .303
14. Washington .303
15. New Jersey .143
COMBINED STANDINGS
1. Cleveland .779
2. Lakers .714
3. Orlando .701
4. Dallas .649
5. Denver .649
6. Phoenix .649
7. Utah .649
8. Atlanta .645
9. Boston .632
10. Oklahoma City .632
11. San Antonio .618
12. Portland .610
13. Miami .558
14. Milwaukee .553
15. Charlotte .526
16. Memphis .513
17. Houston .500
18. Toronto .500
19. Chicago .487
20. New Orleans .449
21. Indiana .377
22. New York .355
23. Clippers .351
24. Philadelphia .342
25. Sacramento .312
26. Detroit .303
27. Golden State .303
28. Washington .303
29. Minnesota .195
30. New Jersey .143
As we move into April, the Western Conference has sorted themselves out with 8 teams already clinching playoff positions. The Eastern Conference is still up for grabs with only 4 teams clinching. Dallas, Denver, Phoenix and Utah are tied for second in the West and tied for 4th place in the overall NBA Standings, with Atlanta, Boston and Oklahoma City right at their heels, so it should be an interesting playoff. The Lakers are still on top of the West, and look to remain there, despite sporadic springtime play. Orlando is right at their heels, with Cleveland comfortably in the top spot in the overall standings. It’s anyone’s guess what will develop once the playoffs start, with so many able teams ready to make a run for the division championships. I always look first at overall bench strength to predict the winning team. Teams that have overlooked bench development in favor of win/loss standings during the season are now facing severe shortcomings with starter injuries and bench inexperience. With conventional wisdom still awarding the starting positions with
more than double the minutes given to the bench, the NBA as a whole still has not fully embraced the team concept of basketball, to their own detriment.
Mark Overt Skilbred
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