I haven't blogged for a while, no specific reason other than just laziness or not in the mood. I, like everyone else on the coast, have spent the last 59 days watching a disaster approaching. It is easy to blame BP, the government, etc. We all share blame in this disaster. Since the mid 1970s, Americans have avoided facing their runaway consumption of fossil fuels. Lobbyists, thus our government leaders, have failed to acknowledge that we have a problem, just like any other addicted person. We don't want to give up our gas guzzlers, and want the blame everyone other than ourselves for our inability to make the hard choices that require us to use less fossil fuels.
It is ironic that our increasing use of fossil fuels has coincided with the epidemic of obesity in this country. There is a direct correlation. I know people who will not walk two blocks with their kids to school. They drive. We must insist on our governmental leaders producing incentives for conservation and alternative energy sources. Our leaders have a history of favoring those industries that use the most resources. An example is the metals mining industry. It costs much more in taxes, etc to ship used or scrap metal than it does to ship the ore. This rule goes back to the mid 1800s.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Return
I have been lazy. I will blame it on the weather, age, and mostly laziness. Spring is here. We are fortunate the azaleas and other early spring flowers have held blooms for a couple of weeks now. They are beginning to fade and drop their blooms, but since we haven't had any rain lately they are staying beautiful for a long period of time.
I thought I would share some pictures of a part of my front yard that I am not really giving much attention to. I don't mow it, and generally do a little weeding. I do try to trim unwanted oaks and running bamboo vines. I also use this as a rehab area for plants that may or not survive this area.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Body fat, weight differntials
When I started this blog I said it would be to share and help each other out. Cheap is good and free is much better. I like free. Any advice I give is totally my own, and if you are under the care of a physician then make sure you consult with this person before taking any drastic action on diet, exercise or any other life style changes. Each of us is different and what works for me may not work for you, or be in your best interests.
Now to the nitty gritty. More than two thirds of adult Americans are either overweight or obese. Approximately one third of our children fit into this category. Basically the cause for most of this is too much intake of calories and not enough expenditure of calories. 3500 calories that are taken in and not used in metabolic activities will result in addition of one pound of body weight. This is stored in our bodies in the form of fat. Our bodies store fat in reserve to take care of us when food is not readily available. It is a survival mechanism.
Men and women store fat in different areas of the body, and women, when they reach childbearing age must have extra fat to be capable of getting pregnant and maintaining a pregnancy, with a healthy baby as the result. Men can be very healthy at 2-4 percent body fat, whereas women usually require at least 12-15 percent for optimum health.
Some fat storage is hormone driven.
When children are young, before puberty, fat is usually evenly distributed over the body. As puberty approaches, fat deposition areas change, with girls showing a dramatic change over a period of three or four years. They start getting curvy, with fat being deposited in the breasts and around the hips.
Testosterone in males helps build muscles more readily, and muscles are the most metabolically active structures in our our bodies. They are also the densest, and thus weigh the most. This is why a male with the same body type, height, etc, may weigh as much as 10 percent more than a female and not be overweight.
Life ain't fair ladies.
A man who does lots of heavy physical activity such as weight and resistance training or physical labor, or an accomplished athlete may go off the charts as related to weight, but still have low body fat. A woman who participates in the same activities will also be able to wiegh more with less body fat, but will still not be able to carry as much weight as a male.
This is why women have to work harder to stay within a good weight range. It is also the reason women have a tendency to put on fat more readily than men.
One easy, but really discouraging way to determine recommended weight is to take 5 feet tall for a woman, and with best weight being 105 pounds and add 5-7 pounds per inch for each inch over 5 feet. Thus best weight for an adult female who was 5'6" would be about 140 pounds. A male would use the same height, but would start at 110 pounds and add 6-8 pounds for each inch above 5 feet. A 5'10" male should fit in around 190, and a 5'6" male would be okay at around 158 or 160. I know this appears thin, but this is recognized as the best weights for people between the ages of 20-60.
How did we all get so much heavier than we should be. Simple, we eat too much and take in too many calories, and don't burn off those calories.
Now the question is: How do we go about getting rid of those excess pounds? No, I am not a svelte size 4, never have been, never will be. But I have decided to make some life style changes that will get me down to a more acceptable weight. I am not going to spend $300 a month on packaged meals, I can't afford to go to a gym, I am fighting a stress fracture in my foot, so lots of walking is out. The only way I can do this is simply watch what and how much I put in my body, and to come up with ways to burn more calories.
I want your input on how you think you can help me and maybe I can help you. I don't want to know what you weigh, but I sure would like to hear success stories. I don't want anyone to spend money or go on a drastic diet. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DIETS! THEY DON'T WORK. I DON'T LIKE THE FIRST THREE LETTERS OF THE WORD DIET!
Some of you are aware that my grandson has recently lost almost 70 pounds. He has not cut any single food out of his diet. He simply is eating less. He says he hates self control, but knows it is necessary.
Now I want to hear from you. I will post some hints, etc later. I have to clean house. I have been blogging between doing laundry and hanging out clothes.
Now to the nitty gritty. More than two thirds of adult Americans are either overweight or obese. Approximately one third of our children fit into this category. Basically the cause for most of this is too much intake of calories and not enough expenditure of calories. 3500 calories that are taken in and not used in metabolic activities will result in addition of one pound of body weight. This is stored in our bodies in the form of fat. Our bodies store fat in reserve to take care of us when food is not readily available. It is a survival mechanism.
Men and women store fat in different areas of the body, and women, when they reach childbearing age must have extra fat to be capable of getting pregnant and maintaining a pregnancy, with a healthy baby as the result. Men can be very healthy at 2-4 percent body fat, whereas women usually require at least 12-15 percent for optimum health.
Some fat storage is hormone driven.
When children are young, before puberty, fat is usually evenly distributed over the body. As puberty approaches, fat deposition areas change, with girls showing a dramatic change over a period of three or four years. They start getting curvy, with fat being deposited in the breasts and around the hips.
Testosterone in males helps build muscles more readily, and muscles are the most metabolically active structures in our our bodies. They are also the densest, and thus weigh the most. This is why a male with the same body type, height, etc, may weigh as much as 10 percent more than a female and not be overweight.
Life ain't fair ladies.
A man who does lots of heavy physical activity such as weight and resistance training or physical labor, or an accomplished athlete may go off the charts as related to weight, but still have low body fat. A woman who participates in the same activities will also be able to wiegh more with less body fat, but will still not be able to carry as much weight as a male.
This is why women have to work harder to stay within a good weight range. It is also the reason women have a tendency to put on fat more readily than men.
One easy, but really discouraging way to determine recommended weight is to take 5 feet tall for a woman, and with best weight being 105 pounds and add 5-7 pounds per inch for each inch over 5 feet. Thus best weight for an adult female who was 5'6" would be about 140 pounds. A male would use the same height, but would start at 110 pounds and add 6-8 pounds for each inch above 5 feet. A 5'10" male should fit in around 190, and a 5'6" male would be okay at around 158 or 160. I know this appears thin, but this is recognized as the best weights for people between the ages of 20-60.
How did we all get so much heavier than we should be. Simple, we eat too much and take in too many calories, and don't burn off those calories.
Now the question is: How do we go about getting rid of those excess pounds? No, I am not a svelte size 4, never have been, never will be. But I have decided to make some life style changes that will get me down to a more acceptable weight. I am not going to spend $300 a month on packaged meals, I can't afford to go to a gym, I am fighting a stress fracture in my foot, so lots of walking is out. The only way I can do this is simply watch what and how much I put in my body, and to come up with ways to burn more calories.
I want your input on how you think you can help me and maybe I can help you. I don't want to know what you weigh, but I sure would like to hear success stories. I don't want anyone to spend money or go on a drastic diet. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DIETS! THEY DON'T WORK. I DON'T LIKE THE FIRST THREE LETTERS OF THE WORD DIET!
Some of you are aware that my grandson has recently lost almost 70 pounds. He has not cut any single food out of his diet. He simply is eating less. He says he hates self control, but knows it is necessary.
Now I want to hear from you. I will post some hints, etc later. I have to clean house. I have been blogging between doing laundry and hanging out clothes.
Friday, July 24, 2009
This is probably the worst of the three problem plants I am showing. It is small, fine leaved, and is now choking out pasture land, row crop land, and forests. No animals are known to eat it. It forms a strong mat under the ground and it is full of creosote type compounds that make it burn readily, however burning just kills the top part and the root system keeps on spreading and matting making it almost impossible for other plants to grow. If you have this on your property, you can get rid of small patches with Round Up or similar materials. If it is widespread, I advise you contact your local Extension Agent for assistance. Your local county forestry people will also assist you.
I apologize for the poor pictures, but it is very difficult to photograph this. The leaves are finer than Bermuda grass. It is thought it was brought in as a decorative grass for Bonsai and other miniature garden arrangements.
These are pics of Japanese Climbing Fern. I know that is a dandelion in the second picture, but that is another story for another day. Japanese Climbing fern is replacing kudzu in some areas of the South as an invasive plant. It probably came in with bamboo or other wood or plant products from the Far East. It will completely overwhelm and kill trees and other vegetation. It is also treated by weed killers, but will put out runners and is very difficult to get control after it grows and covers a large area. The best way to control is to dig it up and dispose of the root system. Since it is a true fern, the roots are not very deep, but on the negative side, roots form a heavy mat that is spread out. It is very pretty, but you don't want it in your garden. It is considered a major threat to forest areas in the South and Southeast. It will withstand freezing and come back strong. It prefers shady areas that have some moisture and organic matter.
Things you DO NOT want in your yard or garden
I am doing tomorrow's blog today. No reason, just wild inspiration. I am posting three types of weeds and invasive plants that are getting very prevalent in the Southeast. Two are actually threatening native plants and interfering with livestock production and row crop farming. As far as I know the other is just simply a pain, but may also interfere with agriculture.
These three pics are of Chamber bitters. The look like miniature mimosa plants. They need to be pulled up and destroyed when they are small. If you look under the leaves, you will see many small seeds and if you just pull them up and leave them in the garden, you are just sowing seeds for a new crop. They can be controlled by Round up or other weed killers, but they grow near other plants and you may kill your desired plants if you use a weed killer. If they get in your lawn and are mowed off, they will come back, plus mowing will spread them every where. The tallest I have seen is about 12-18 inches. From what I have read, nothing eats them, thus the name Chamber bitters.
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