Running: A FEVER

The goal, if you want to live a long, happy, healthy life right up to the very end, is to stay active. One of the most interesting and pleasurably ways to do this is to go hiking. It's something I never did much until recently, and I've really enjoyed the state parks here in Arkansas, known as the Natural State. I spent 4 days at Mount Nebo State Park near Dardanelle, Arkansas. The idea was do enj...

This is the sixth and final episode in a series on brain chemicals which started with Episode 139 ( http://RunningAFEVER.com/139 ). See episode 139 for an overview of these chemicals based on Simon Sinek's speech "Why Leaders Eat Last". Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. It is the first stage of 'fight or flight' process. It gives us emergency energy, but to get it, shuts down some things li...

This is the fourth in a series on brain chemicals. See Episode 139 "Brain Chemistry" for an overview on how these chemicals fit into our survival as a species. (http://RunningAFEVER.com/139). To review, oxytocin is associated with love, trust, and friendship. It is triggered by physical contact, hugging, shaking hands, acts of human generosity (witnessed, received or done). But not generosity with...

This is the third in a series of episodes going into detail on the five brain chemicals I summarized in Episode 139 on brain chemistry ( http://RunningAFEVER.com/139 ). A summary of what we already know from that episode: 1. Seratonin is what some call the leadership chemical, associated with pride, status, recognition. 2. It's why we have graduation, awards, it increases confidence. 3. At graduat...

This is the second in a series of episodes going into some detail about the brain chemicals discussed first in Episode 139 ( http://RunningAFEVER.com/139 ). In review, dopamine: 1. Comes from accomplishment, crossing things off a to-do list; it makes sure we get things done. 2. This is why we need to write down goals. When we see it, like an apple on a tree, the closer we get the more dopamine is...

This is a first in a series of five episodes that will take an in-depth look at one of the brain chemicals first mentioned in Episode 139 ( http://RunningAFEVER.com/139 ). Endorphins are defined as any of a group of hormones secreted within the brain and nervous system and having a number of physiological functions. They are peptides which activate the body's opiate receptors, causing an analgesic...

5 Tricks to Avoid Temptation Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/149 Weight 7-day Avg. (change since Jan 2018): 208 (-66) Workout time: 53 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 2.74 Miles (466.78) Steps: 3,494 Muscle Mass 7-day Avg. (change since Aug 2018): 153.81 (+11) Body Fat 7-day Avg.: 26% Daily Sleep Duration 7-day Avg: 5 hours 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

Stitch Fix Review for Men. When you lose a lot of weight like I did in 2018, old clothes just don't fit anymore. This can be inconvenient. But now that I am closer to where I want to be body-wise, I can afford to invest in improving my wardrobe. Over the winter I was conservative and bought relatively inexpensive clothing, but now I want not only a better cut of cloth but some clothes and equipmen...

I've known for a while that I wanted to get whatever additional testing made sense at the time of my next physical. Well, since I've been at the doctor's office quite a bit lately due to my ankle injury, I decided to go ahead and get my annual physical, which is a few months overdue anyway. It was a good opportunity to ask my doctor about what he recommends in terms of optional testing.   The usua...

I take an afternoon and go to Devil's Den State Park on a TUESDAY! It's great weather and a special treat. I'm back in the gym, getting back after about a month off due to an ankle injury. I'm also trying out the first aircraft in the Running: A FEVER aviation department. Be sure to visit http://RunningAFEVER.com/YouTube for some upcoming drone footage. I think I'd like to stay at a cabin in a sta...

Today we're going to make Thai Basil Beef. With only 6 ingredients and about 30 minutes to make 4 servings, it's a simple, spicy addition to your meal prep repertoire. I'm trying to help make it easier for you to eat healthy. You CAN stick to a diet, and if you use these recipes and the meal-prep method, you'll always have something good to eat, good tasting and good for you, just a few minutes fr...

I've been looking for alternatives for cardio, since I don't care much for running or stationary biking. One suggestion I received was skating. There are several types of skating, including recreational, competitive speed skating, and the kind I'm interested in, fitness skating. Obviously, I needed a pair of skates, and I chose the Rollerblade Bladerunner. Rollerblade is one of the largest manufac...

Here's a Medical Department update on my achilles tendon injury. I went to the doctor today. He noticed some swelling, but he said that based on my ability to move my foot, the tendon was not completely torn. I could have bursitis because there is a bursal sac right behind the tendon. The treatment consists of a course of steroids for a week, plus the wearing of the "walking boot". The boot immobi...

Gymshark Hoodie Tryon and Review. Gymshark is a trendy brand of workout gear that's breakin' out all over youtube. In this episode I'm going to show you my new gymshark hoodie and talk about it too! If you search youtube for workout gear, Gymshark will be among the first things you see. I'm not the most fashion conscious guy, but we talk about "fashion" on the show in terms of having the right clo...

Today I'm going to show you how to meal prep a healthy, delicious chili. I know you've all been waiting for this, you've been hearing me talk about that super-delicious, super-healthy double bean chili I've been eating and today I'm going to share my super-secret recipe with you. Don't you feel special? Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/141   Weight 7-day Avg. (change since Jan 2018):...

I've made a point of saying a high-fat diet is not healthy, even if it helps you lose weight, and especially when I've talked about the fad diet known as the Keto Diet. I've also said that we need a balance of all three macronutrients: protein, fat, and carobohydrates. From time to time I have also mentioned that some fats are "good". But this is pretty vague, so I've decided to do a deeper dive i...

There are 4 chemicals that control happiness, pride, joy, love and fulfillment. Chemicals drive our behavior. All our desires and feelings are affected by these scientific processes. In way, chemicals control us, but we can also control them in a way. I'll explain in a little bit. As humans, we are basically survival machines. And we are built and wired to work together so that our species can con...

When I read Tom Brady's book The TB12 Method, I noticed that he recommends not to drink water 30 minutes before each meal. I was thinking how long would I need to wait after the meal before I started drinking water again. I wondered how long it takes to digest certain foods. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/138 Weight 7-day Avg. (change since Jan 2018): 212 (-62) Workout time: 0 Minu...

http://RunningAFEVER.com Normally I would just give little updates integrated with a topic show, but there is a lot going on right now, so I decided to just put it all in one episode instead. The topics today fall into the categories of Setbacks, Fashion and Finance, and New Environments. But I'll start with a report on my physical condition. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/137 Weig...

The walking company: http://RunningAFEVER.com/thewalkingcompany Buy the Men's shoe: http://RunningAFEVER.com/abeoactive Buy the Women's shoe: http://RunningAFEVER.com/abeoactivewomen I'm dealing with an injury so I thought this would be a great time to do a fashion department report on some new equipment. Today I've received a new pair of walking shoes. Why? Well, the Brooks Adrenaline shoes that...

http://RunningAFEVER.com There is an old saying that goes like this: "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime." Most people look for a no-brainer solution -- one stop shopping, even if they have to pay for it. This is why there are fad diets and fitness fads. We're looking for black-and-white, all-or-nothing solutions like no sugar,...

http://RunningAFEVER.com Thanks to super-listener Amy for sending me this article with tips on success, based on Dr. Angela Duckworth's book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. 1. Be Consistent. A contant thread in Dr. Duckworth's research is that successful people look at each loss or failure as an opportunity to learn how to do things differently next time. Persistence is a common theme...

http://RunningAFEVER.com It is my birthday, and I head out on the trail despite some of the nastiest weather in recent days, with rain, wind, and cold. But it's still a beautiful day on Lake Fayetteville and a great day to still be alive after 53 years. I am in the best shape of my life, when I consider all areas, mental, physical, and spiritual. This morning I was in the gym, like I am five times...

http://RunningAFEVER.com Caloric restriction (CR) is a reduction in caloric intake of 20-50% without malnutrition. NOT STARVING! There are no long-term benefits to starving :-). There's not even a long term. The process we are concerned with is called hormesis, which is when the body goes into defense mode, abating some aging processes. There is no definitive answer on how CR works. But quite a bi...

http://RunningAFEVER.com The need or desire to lose weight can send us to extremes. For me that's what causes my failure. Today I do thing a different way. In my diet, nothing is offlimits, but I watch my calorie count. So I have a cheat meal now and then, just try not to make it a frequent thing. But there's another reason to have a cheat meal. And believe it or not, it can actually help you lose...