Running: A Fever

http://RunningAFEVER.com On a long trip, I stop at a rest area along my route and take a brief walk to get some fresh air and stretch my life. I emphasize the psychological as well as physical benefits of striving to get into nature whatever is going on in our lives. It is a short walk but a welcome break in a long day of driving. Always look to take care of your health, even on a long interstate journey. Recorded December 22, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 205 (-69) Workout time: 78 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 2.89 Miles (346.16) Steps: 6,888 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 156.10 (+13) Body Fat: 24% Daily Sleep Duration 7-day Avg: 7 hours 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER What impact did this major injury have on my overall journey to good health? What did I learn from it? In this episode I review what happened and the legacy of this important event. Today I am doing what helps me deal with stress -- walking in nature and conversing with you, the listener. This has become my therapy. You may have a different activity to help you deal with stress. These are life tools and are very important to overall health. On December 16, 2017 I sustained an injury while running and recording the podcast. This eventually had me out of action for six weeks, in which I felt quite a bit of fear that I would fall back into old bad habits. I had only been walking regularly for a little more than a month when I hurt my knee. I was also concerned about the fate of the podcast. What has changed? The tragic flaw may still be there, but I have more knowledge now. Knowledge about myself and my body, knowledge about the nature of injuries and how to manage them. I also have a confid

http://RunningAFEVER.com A little travel is good for the soul. Today Amy and I drive several hours to go hiking at Queen Wilhelmina State Park near Mena, Arkansas. It is a beautiful, mountainous area, and not crowded in the middle of December. The views are breathtaking, and the breathtaking is crisp. Several trails criss-cross the park which has a lodge at its center atop a mountain. There are a few tips I can offer on taking a road trip: Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/114 Recorded December 15, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 197 (-72) Workout time: 129 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 4.27 Miles (322.92) Steps: 11,123 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 145.44 (+2) Body Fat: 26.1% 2018 Goals: ACHIEVED (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER.com Bisphenol A, also known as BPA. What is it? BPA is one of the most common industrial chemicals on the planet. It is used to make clear, tough plastic, like you see in all manner of containers, CD's,DVD's and epoxy used to line food containers and water pipes. Why are we talking about this? Controversy -- BPA has hormone-like qualities. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones called them "Gender-Bending Plastic Chemicals". The FDA has repeatedly endorsed BPA's and their studies have failed to show any danger to consumers. Non-FDA studies have shown possible adverse effects. BPA's have been banned by Canada and the European Union for use in baby bottles. The FDA has withdrawn its authorization of bpa use in baby bottles, but not due to any perceived danger, but for market abandonment. The market has seen the taint on BPA's and now has non-BPA products, mainly for marketing purposes. The substitutes being used have health concerns as well, but they are far less known than BPAs. The bottom line? T

http://RunningAFEVER.com A "5K" is a five-kilometer race. There are many of these and they are very popular as they are accessible to a large number of people. Usually they cost about $20 to enter, proceeds usually benefit a charity, and you always get a t-shirt and usually some other giveaway items as well. It is a good way to commune with fellow humans (and sometimes canines) in a healthy way. This particular 5K was held at the Don Tyson School of Innovation in Springdale, Arkansas, which is not coincidentally the home of Running: A FEVER World Headquarters. The Phoenix Burner is the name of the school newspaper. A special aspect of this race was that it was held the weekend prior to Halloween, and accordingly children were invited to dress up in costumes. Small children ran a short section of the main course. Some of the costumes I saw were cheerleaders, princesses, Incredibles, and bunnies! This was also the first 5K I had run which used computer chips to record the finishing times. I highly recommend che

http://RunningAFEVER.com Today I went out on the trail right after work to just walk, like I used to do every day in the old days. I did it mostly because I enjoy it. But doing things you enjoy can also relieve stress, which is an important factor in health and longevity.  Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com Recorded December 11, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 198 (-76) Workout time: 168 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 7.56 Miles (305.75) Steps: 17,080 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 151.18 (+8) Body Fat: 23.8% 2018 Goals: ACHIEVED (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER.com Glycemic Index (GI) - A ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar (glucose) levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested, absorbed, and metabolized and result in marked fluctuations in glucose levels. A diet including low GI carbohydrates - the ones that produce smaller fluctuations in your blood glucose and insulin levels -- is one of the secrets to long-term health, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It is also one of the keys to maintaining weight loss. The glycemicindex.com site at the University of Sydney also presents evidence of this statements, and is worth checking out. ...Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com Recorded December 19, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 201 (-73) Workout time: 0 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 0 Miles (275.95) Steps: 2,653 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 149.09 (+6) Body Fat: 25.9% 2018 Goals: ACH

http://RunningAFEVER.com Michael Zalewski lost a lot of weight on the keto diet, which he no longer uses after discovering the health detriment of it. Like myself, he lost weight rapidly in the beginning as part of a weight loss contest, and subsequently moved to a more healthy pace. The keto diet consists of a high-fat, low-carb, no-sugar diet. Like the atkins diet, the idea is that with no carbs to burn, the body must burn fat. But a high-fat diet has definite health risk. In Michael's case his cholesterol raced. After he discovered this, and at the advice of his wife, who is a nurse, Michael stopped keto and is now on a Mediterranean-style diet. Like many muscular men, Michael is, and, he feels, will probably always be overweight according to the National Institutes of Health BMI recommendations. But he uses his waist size (the same as in his high school days) as a main indicator of a healthy weight and body composition. Recorded November 26, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 195 (-79) Workout time: 0

http://RunningAFEVER.com Today is the one-year anniversary of the podcast. On November 17, 2017 I recorded the first episode of Running: A FEVER. It's a beautiful day. Despite recent freezing weather we have a sun-filled sky and may hit 70 degrees before that sun drops below the horizon. It is the first podcast I have recorded at Devil's Den State Park, one of my favorite hiking destinations. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com and be sure to watch the video at http://RunningAFEVER.com/YouTube. Recorded November 17, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 197 (-77) Workout time: 41 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 1.34 Miles (272.65) Steps: 7,561 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 146.77 (+4) Body Fat: 25.5% 2018 Goals: ACHIEVED (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER.com It is a historic occasion as I achieve my personal best distance in recent years and meet a goal I set almost a year ago. In this completion of the two parts I discuss how things have changed in this year with regard to my personal philosophy. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/107 Recorded November 3, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 196 (-78) Workout time: 210 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 10.43 Miles (270.11) Steps: 25,529 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 144 (-0) Body Fat: 26.7% 2018 Goals: ACHIEVED (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER.com It's a historic occasion as I achieve my personal best distance in recent years and meet a goal I set almost a year ago. In this first of two parts I provide some department updates and talk about goal setting, achievement, and how to define success and failure. Read the full post at http://RunningAFEVER.com/106 Recorded November 3, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 196 (-78) Workout time: 210 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 10.43 Miles (270.11) Steps: 25,529 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 144 (-0) Body Fat: 26.7% 2018 Goals: ACHIEVED (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER.com Diet Dept: I recently tried Walmart Pickup at the recommendation of a friend and thought it would be informative for RAF listeners to talk a little about it. Here is my take on it. Read the full article at http://RunningAFEVER.com Recorded November 29, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 194 (-80) Workout time: 0 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 8.97 Miles (275.95) Steps: 5764 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 141 (-2) Body Fat: 27.3% 2018 Goals: (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER Welcome to the inhabitants of Mauritius! I am very pleased to have listeners in this island country with a population of about one million, located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. As usual I have tried to get to know a little bit about my listeners wherever they are. The favorite sport in Mauritius is football (soccer to us Americans). Kite Sailing is also popular, similar to windsurfing but using a kite instead of a sail. This is understandable as the country is an island and coastal waters are plentiful. I have a feeling that walking and running are probably popular as well. Lottery jackpots are getting higher here, and the topic came up in a recent conversation I had about what to do with all that money. We came to the conclusion that we could actually have too much money. This is a new experience for me. But when you have hundreds of millions of dollars and you have no desire to drive your own aircraft carrier around the world or build a mansion on Mars, the thing to do i

http://RunningAFEVER.com People at work notice when you start getting in better shape. It's slow progress to myself and anyone else who sees me every day, but people occasionally even mention the change to me. Have you ever seen someone who was in great shape and thought, "How can she be committed to her job if she looks like that? She must spend all her time in the gym." I admit that I have had these prejudicial thoughts. It doesn't seem to impacting me at work, at least not with management, but I was at one time concerned that people seeing me do a lot of walking around the room might think I should spend more time at my desk. This prejudice can manifest against other positive characteristics as well. Poise, good grooming, confidence, being well-dressed -- these are all things that are good qualities, but make me think sometimes that a person might be all show. All form and no substance. Just because the form appears to be too good. I know that people can't do everything perfectly, so if they look too good,

http://RunningAFEVER.com Every day, I say "It's a beautiful day." I think it is important to start every day positively by recognizing the beauty in life. I am a big Boston Red Sox fan and this year, as they proceed through the playoffs, they are taking an unconventional strategy. Usually you see the "small ball" strategy in small market teams that do not have big budgets and big players. So they have to get more bases on the hits they get and be more aggressive. In this case we have the team with the best record in baseball and one of the biggest budgets. So why are they taking this aggressive strategy? It works! No one expects it. Instead of depending on a starting pitcher to handle most of the game, he is taken out as soon as he starts to falter. Starting pitchers are used in relief. The plan is to do whatever it takes to win this one game. What does all this mean? If you want to have staying power at anything you must adapt. I used to be an avid squash player until my right shoulder, at some point in my y

http://RunningAFEVER.com This is my first podcast from a stationary bike. I demonstrate the high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that is an important part of the New Strategy I have been developing and practicing since episode 70. I also take this opportunity to make a presentation on the show. Since there has been a lot of change since episode 0, this will make a better reference point for folks new to the show. So here is my summary of Running: A FEVER, using the 5 W's: What: It's a podcast! You can get it on your favorite podcast catcher app on your phone. You can also listen and watch episodes at http://runningAFEVER.com. Video is available on YouTube, at http://runningAFEVER.com/YouTube. Who: Michael Davis, a middle-aged guy who's not a nutritionist, physical trainer, or medical professional. I have lost 80 pounds, lowered my blood pressure, decreased my pain, and improved my life in other ways. Why: I love my life and I want to make it last as long as possible. That is why I exercise and do all of th

http://RunningAFEVER Here's a look back at the best of our first 100 podcast episodes, including some funning, scary, rainy, sad, inspiring, depressing, and hopeful moments. I hope you enjoy it. I also look forward to some changes: More studio episodes. A focus on nutrition and body composition. Investigation into some other longevity topics. More about how to love your life. And hopefully, more from you! Let me know what you'd like to hear in future episodes. Email me anytime at mail@RunningAFEVER.com. Recorded in 2018. 2018 Goals: (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER I got lost taking a very long walk (see stats below) today. And I'm wondering about a recent experience I had. I attended my first demolition derby! What happened surprised me. MY reaction surprised me. When the action started and the wrecks began, I laughed. Why? I think we need to laugh at things that make us uncomfortable, things that cause us stress. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Recorded October 13, 2018. Weight (change since Jan 2018): 201 (-73) Workout time: 182 Minutes Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 8.97 Miles (178.9) Steps: 20,125 Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 139 (+0) Body Fat: 27.2% 2018 Goals: (1) Run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18 (2) Lose 100lbs by 12/25/18 2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat

http://RunningAFEVER.com After a year of preparation, thinking and talking about it, biometrics day is finally here. I take a drive to the main corporate office to join the rest of my fellow employees in getting stuck, swabbed, weighed and measured to see if we can get a break on health insurance in the coming year. I go in a bit concerned about my blood pressure, which is still marginal, though I did a test under similar conditions a couple of weeks ago and the measurement was in the acceptable range. The "conditions" include the recommended preparation: fast for 12 hours with nothing but coffee or water, refrain from exercise for 48 hours. Exercise raises the blood pressure temporarily. So I have done that today. The procedure is a little more complex than I expected. I did not know I would be tested for tobacco. This involves swabbing the mouth with a sponge-tipped plastic stick until the sponge is soft, which takes a while. It is then inserted into a cap and a result is provided immediately. I pass. I rem

http://RunningAFEVER.com This is the first episode that I have recorded on a hike. This relatively new Arkansas state park not only offers a number of trails of various lengths, but has a visitor's center in which one can view various animal skins and try to match the fur with the name of the type of animal from which it came. Progress on my weight loss continues very slowly, and I continue to learn about how to diet. I have always known that I can go into a caloric deficit that is too low, and I have just learned that a good number to base that floor on is the Basal Metabolic Rate, which can be calculated based on body composition. I had an allergic reaction after eating some peanuts recently, so I have replaced those with cashews, pecans, and almonds (including almond butter). So my snacks are now usually dried apples, dried bananas, raisins, and nuts or nut butter. These are your higher-calories snacks, but they are healthy whole foods, and the fat in nuts contains plenty of good omega-3 fatty acids. Here