Glenn linked to this WSJ story that just about gave me a heart attack:
One Running Shoe in the Grave
New Studies on Older Endurance Athletes Suggest the Fittest Reap Few Health Benefits
...
A fast-emerging body of scientific evidence points to a conclusion that’s unsettling, to say the least, for a lot of older athletes: Running can take a toll on the heart that essentially eliminates the benefits of exercise.
“Running too fast, too far and for too many years may speed one’s progress toward the finish line of life,” concludes an editorial to be published next month in the British journal Heart.
My marathoning days are lost in the mists of antiquity (and the Reagan tax cuts). And the WSJ coverage isn't really new news - Drs. O'Keefe and Lavine (two of the authors of this new paper) were mentioned last summer for an earlier paper issuing the same warning.
But we have some good news! In a glossier version of their earlier paper, the good doctors included some specific recommendations for fitness buffs:
Avoiding Exercise-Induced CV Damage
Suggestions for an exercise routine that will optimize heath, fitness and longevity without causing adverse cardiovascular structural and electrical remodeling:
• Avoid a daily routine of exhaustive strenuous exercise training for periods greater than one hour continuously. An ideal target might be not more than seven hours weekly of cumulative strenuous endurance ET.
• When doing exhaustive aerobic ET, take intermittent rest periods (even for a few minutes at an easier pace, such slowing down to walk in the middle of a run). This allows the cardiac output normalize temporarily, providing a ‘cardiac rest period’ when the chamber dimensions, blood pressure and pulse come down closer to baseline resting parameters before resuming strenuous exercise again.
• Accumulate a large amount of daily light-tomoderate physical activity, such as walking, gardening, housekeeping, etc. Avoid prolonged sitting. Walk intermittently throughout the day. Look for opportunities to take the stairs. Buy a pedometer and gradually try to build up to 10,000 steps per day.
• Once or twice weekly, perform high-intensity interval exercise training to improve or maintain peak aerobic fitness. This is more effective in improving overall fitness and peak aerobic capacity than is continuous aerobic exercise training, despite a much shorter total accumulated exercise time spent doing the interval workout.
• Incorporate cross training using stretching, for example, yoga, and strength training into the weekly exercise routine. This confers multi-faceted fitness and reduces the burden of cardiac work compared to a routine of daily long-distance endurance exercise training.
• Avoid chronically competing in very long distance races, such as marathons, ultra-marathons, Ironman distance triathlons, 100-mile bicycle races, etc., especially after age 45 or 50.
• Individuals over 45 or 50 years of age should reduce the intensity and durations of endurance exercise training sessions, and allow more recovery time.
For a similar perspective, Mark Sisson of the Primal Blueprint railed against "chronic cardio" a while back.
So don't let the WSJ scare you - plenty of forms of exercise are great for your health. But maybe putting a marathon on your list of New Year's resolutions is not such a great idea.
PUSHBACK: It's full speed ahead at Runner's World.
PUMPING IRON: Here is a cohort study showing that muscular strength is inversely associated with mortality risk:
CONCLUSION:
Muscular strength is inversely and independently associated with death from all causes and cancer in men, even after adjusting for cardiorespiratory fitness and other potential confounders.
However, we aren't talking about Arnold Schwarzwenegger here among the ironworkers. Per this chart, to break into the top third on upper body strength a guy had to bench press 185 lbs. one time (on a Universal machine.)
Bit of a formatting problem in those recommendations for fitness buffs, TM, at least on Firefox on my computer.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | November 29, 2012 at 10:00 AM
If I wait long enough, I'm gonna find out my entire lifestyle has been healthy.
No running - good for the heart & joints.
Sun tanning - no rickets.
Dust & pet hair in house - fewer allergies.
Coffee addiction - I forget why it's good, but it is now.
I just need a study exonerating nicotine. Maybe they'll find out it isn't GREAT...but it is better than being addicted to all the prescription meds that are so common now. Anyway, that's what I'm going with.
Posted by: Janet | November 29, 2012 at 10:25 AM
I believe Satchel Paige noted this around fifty years ago (don't run too much).
But does anyone really keep up a brutal exercise regimen to extend life? Isn't it just one of those things some people are compelled to do?
In any event, I attended my high school reunion on Saturday. I quizzed a classmate who was a math and science whiz and became a physician on the health and fitness craze. He said that a good rule of thumb is that except in unusual cases (such as getting shot, being in a serious accident or blatantly abusing one's body) one has a certain amount of heartbeats, and then it's over.
Posted by: Thomas Collins | November 29, 2012 at 10:30 AM
ThomasC@1030-- there you go bursting our bubble with reality.
Posted by: NK | November 29, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Janet, I guess you're banking on the "Sleeper" theory being true?
Posted by: James D. | November 29, 2012 at 10:35 AM
Practically a Jack LaLanne for computer potatoes.
Posted by: Janet | November 29, 2012 at 10:35 AM
TC:
I agree with your classmate. The choice is in how you use those heartbeats. Do you speed up your heart or do you allow it to beat naturally. Moderation in all things is my motto. Walking or bike riding seem wise at my age. I don't feel the urge or the need to ruin toward anything anymore.
Posted by: maryrose | November 29, 2012 at 10:36 AM
should be run though ruin is always a possibility.
Posted by: maryrose | November 29, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Here's a better one -
See how healthy she looks.
Posted by: Janet | November 29, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Moderation in all things is my motto
That's a wonderful motto. I couldn't pull it off if my life depended on it. It's a personality thing.
Posted by: Jane - Mock the media | November 29, 2012 at 10:43 AM
TM, I hope you do live forever, but I don't think all this exercise really does more than keep a person looking fit longer.
Posted by: Clarice | November 29, 2012 at 10:44 AM
The girl in the Westin Hotels and Resorts ad in the right sidebar looks pretty healthy, too.
Posted by: Extraneus | November 29, 2012 at 10:46 AM
My ad on the left has a bulky male footbal player giving me a chance to be in a locker room on game day if I click some Visa promotion.
To each his (or her) own, I guess. If I'm going to be surrounded by half naked people, I'd prefer an exotic dance establishment to a football locker room (or does that constitute excessive "intensity and durations of endurance exercise training sessions").
Posted by: Thomas Collins | November 29, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | November 29, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Ex-
You've been searching for trips, eh?
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | November 29, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Coburg outside Eugene, OR. No exercise for me at present. We're about ready to continue home in the midst of the Left Coast storm train.
Posted by: Frau Regen bringt Segen | November 29, 2012 at 11:02 AM
So far, so good.
Hahahaaahaha!
I'm not much of a moderate person either, Jane. "Anything worth doing, is worth doing to excess!"
Posted by: Janet | November 29, 2012 at 11:05 AM
I'm waiting for the report that says sleeping and eating lots of chocolate chip cookies prolong life.
Posted by: Sue | November 29, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Excellent, walking back & forth from the fridge on beer replacement as an ideal exercise regimen. I'll live forever this way.
Posted by: henry | November 29, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Sue-
And you're just the person to write it. Let me know where I can send your fresh, on-line degree.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | November 29, 2012 at 11:13 AM
The above language appears on what is now my upper left corner ad. I'll resist the temptation to click.
Posted by: Thomas Collins | November 29, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Speaking of fitness, I wonder how ChaCo is doing on his diet?
Posted by: Jim Eagle | November 29, 2012 at 11:31 AM
The last report I saw on Insty, JiB, was that CHACO was losing weight, but more importantly he was feeling a lot better. Hope that keeps up. Are you out there to give us an update, CHACO?
Posted by: Thomas Collins | November 29, 2012 at 11:33 AM
I sent that immediately to my personal trainer... Should be able to save some bucks to pay my increased taxes.
Posted by: Old Lurker | November 29, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Phitness phreaks are phunny.
Posted by: Porchlight | November 29, 2012 at 11:34 AM
I'm waiting for the report that says sleeping and eating lots of chocolate chip cookies prolong life.
The sleeping part is almost surely true, there's been a lot written on that lately. (Of course, whether the extra years offsets the loss of time due to sleep is another question.) And I've heard some good things about dark chocolate, if not the cookie part. So we're 3/4ths of the way there.
I exercise mainly because I enjoy doing things like playing tennis that would probably break down my body if I didn't stay in shape. But I've definitely shifted my routines toward those bullet points. And I never did anything like marathons or triathlons.
Posted by: Spending cuts first!--jimmyk | November 29, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Speaking of beer, where is Hit?
Posted by: Jane - Mock the media | November 29, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Did someone say beer?
Posted by: Threadkiller (Get off your couch and leave the GOP!) | November 29, 2012 at 11:45 AM
TC, Apparently it hasn't affected his stamina, if his Twitter output is any indication.
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | November 29, 2012 at 11:45 AM
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/dancing-with-the-stars-cracks-birther-joke-during-season-finale/
I expect outrage from the DNC and an apology from Romney sometime today.
Posted by: Threadkiller (Get off your couch and leave the GOP!) | November 29, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | November 29, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Boehner-- no nicey words from him today. Maybe Repubs will pass the political IQ test; we shall see.
Posted by: NK | November 29, 2012 at 11:53 AM
My husband has had severe hip pain for a couple of weeks,maybe some arthritis,but I blame his trainer and too much exercise! He won't even take a tylenol,so I've been looking for natural cures. Teresa Heinz Kerry calls gin soaked golden raisins highly effective for arthritis.I think it was Clarice who mentioned on another thread that if Kerry becomes SoS,Teresa will be at his side.(with her gin soaked raisins) Ha!
Posted by: marlene | November 29, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Janet wrote: I just need a study exonerating nicotine. Maybe they'll find out it isn't GREAT...but it is better than being addicted to all the prescription meds that are so common now. Anyway, that's what I'm going with.
Actually, there have been some studies about nicotine, and it turns out it may have some benefits in slowing or preventing the progression of Alzheimer's. The recommended delivery form is not through smoking, though, as whatever the benefits of nicotine, smoking is undoubtedly harmful.
Posted by: Kurt | November 29, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Marlene, it's not just Teresa Heinz Kerry who thinks gin-soaked golden raisins are beneficial for arthritis. My 84 year-old mother has kept a jar on them on the table for several years now and has two or three spoonfuls each day.
Posted by: Kurt | November 29, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Thanks, Kurt.
Posted by: Janet | November 29, 2012 at 12:19 PM
OT: Clinton called Gennifer Flowers in 2005 asking if he could stop by:)
Said he would "go jogging to her place wearing a hoodie".
Posted by: Jim Eagle | November 29, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Correction: My 12:23 is not OT.
Clinton mentioned jogging, which is an aerobic exercise and the topic of this thread.
Sorry for the confusion:)
Posted by: Jim Eagle | November 29, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Kurt,we will be soaking some raisins this week-end! : )
Posted by: marlene | November 29, 2012 at 12:26 PM
You try not to be cynical, but frankly it is very hard to do so;
http://pjmedia.com/jchristianadams/2012/11/28/holders-doj-spanked-for-possible-misconduct-in-new-orleans-police-prosecutions/
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 12:30 PM
Well I was concerned, but he was the 'good Taliban'
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/11/us_drone_strike_kill_15.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LongWarJournal+%28The+Long+War+Journal%29
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 12:44 PM
When I feel like doing hard exercise I lie down until the feeling goes away.
Posted by: Have Blue | November 29, 2012 at 01:04 PM
This was on FB. Snippets of protests in the ME. The usual burning flags & signs written in English...& hollerin'.
Does anyone really CARE what these nutcases think? I could care less if they hate me as long as they stay in the ME. Why do we give them even one penny? The guy at 1min. is too stupid. Just yelling & yelling.
Close the embassies, shut off the money, & just airdrop some Bibles in their language...good luck.
Posted by: Janet | November 29, 2012 at 01:10 PM
narciso,
In your 12:44 link there was also a story about David Headley being sentenced in Chicago this coming January. Readers may remember him as the American who help do pre-planning for the terror attack in Mumbai.
American born Lashkar-e-Taibah member. They are here living amongst us and its a wonder we have not been hit again.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | November 29, 2012 at 01:15 PM
Yes, and as they mentioned in 'The Last Man', the ISI let his handler be exposed,
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 01:22 PM
I will continue to say this. A group of rich white conservatives should buy ABC, NBC or CBS. End of problem. Not only will they break the MSM embargo, they will make money.
Oh good because I've been chewing nicotine gum for 20 years. I actually tweeted that to someone last night and got a message from Nicorette telling me to call their office.
Posted by: Jane - Mock the media | November 29, 2012 at 01:29 PM
Oh shit. That was teh wrong quote. Sorry Kurt
Posted by: Jane - Mock the media | November 29, 2012 at 01:32 PM
So this was who Berenson, was sort of referring to, in his last book,
http://www.rediff.com/news/report/headley-moved-towards-isi-after-cia-dumped-him/20111124.htm
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 01:34 PM
come again, Jane?
Posted by: centralcal | November 29, 2012 at 01:35 PM
Ann Althouse finds an acorn-- realizes that Susan Rice is is the squirrel distraction for 'Bam and the Media trying to bury the Benghazi story. What is the Benghazi story? It's all about Bam's cowardice and lies: http://althouse.blogspot.com/2012/11/fight-over-susan-rice-holds-political.html
Posted by: NK | November 29, 2012 at 01:36 PM
I'm completely ready to go over the cliff. The media only talks about taxes and not about entitlements. Fine. The media can go over the cliff too. Hopefully they won't be able to afford ink. I'm so done with caring about this stuff. And if I didn't love all of you I'd be gone.
Posted by: Jane - Mock the media | November 29, 2012 at 01:45 PM
Scary watching Megyn Kelly this moment. The Left talking head guy simply keeps repeating the meme that the Dem's cut 316 Billion out of Medicare so that proves that they can and they have cut spending, and now it is time for the Republican's to prove to America that they can follow the Presidents lead and raise taxes.
The Repub responds that that 316 Billion came from Medicare and was immediately spent on ObamaCare so they did not cut anything.
The Dem responds that yes we did cut 316 Billion. It doesn't matter that it was later spent on ObamaCare. The important point is that we cut 316 Billion, therefore we proved we can cut spending and now your side has to agree to raise taxes.
It is like listening to a second grader make an argument, and yet that is the argument from the Left.
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 01:49 PM
But then we would miss you Jane.
And it's already been a sad month. Might as well make each other laugh.
Is there a preferred Gin for soaking the raisins in?
By nondrinking mom needs a hip replacement. Anytime she uses my beef stew recipe which calls for red wine or her rum cake recipe she wants me to buy the stuff for her.
So what kind of Gin should I buy? Totally thinking this will be a good Christmas gift.
How long do they marinate for? I know wrong word but right concept.
Posted by: rse | November 29, 2012 at 01:54 PM
http://www.food.com/recipeprint.do?rid=236772
There's the recipe. Still hoping for Gin recommendations.
Bombay Sapphire?
Posted by: rse | November 29, 2012 at 01:57 PM
rse:
Tangueray is good or good old Gordon's. I love a good gin and tonic
Posted by: maryrose | November 29, 2012 at 01:59 PM
I probably shouldn't be talking about drinking on a health thread.
Posted by: maryrose | November 29, 2012 at 02:00 PM
Monty Python and the Mat-Su Icebreaking Ferryboat (part 2)
Continuing from my riff last night on trying to unload our 80 Million Dollar Ketchikan made Ice Breaking Ferryboat on the Guamanians, in the comments today I read this.:
"If I were Murkowski I wouldn't brag about what the ferry did for Ketchikan.The Ketchikan shipyard that built it sold out to a Lower 48 company and went out of business."
And this:
The MatSu has to sell or give the Ferry to Nowhere away to a qualified gov't entity. If they sold it to a private entity, they'd have to pay back millions. The Mariana Islands can take it for free, then sell it for scrap. They can't afford to operate it.
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 02:05 PM
Gin - I like Beefeater.
Posted by: Porchlight | November 29, 2012 at 02:06 PM
Hope that keeps up. Are you out there to give us an update, CHACO?
Yup. Down around 23 pounds since 19 October, blood sugar also going down at a decent rate. Had an interesting Thanksgiving, in which adding a little carbs and wheat exacerbated my GERD and caused me to gain about 6 pounds overnight even though I was 4200 kcal short over the wame week.
Got some charts on the facebook page http://facebook.com/13Weeks and in a mid-week piece I did on Lifestyle: http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2012/11/21/13-weeks-extra-in-which-we-do-arithmetic/
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | November 29, 2012 at 02:06 PM
maryrose, it sounds like if you throw in some golden raisins drinking is healthful!
Posted by: centralcal | November 29, 2012 at 02:07 PM
From MarkO previous thread:
"I will continue to say this. A group of rich white conservatives should buy ABC, NBC or CBS. End of problem. Not only will they break the MSM embargo, they will make money."
Well, since one of the powerball winners is from AZ, I was contemplating things I could do with all that money that would benefit society. Buying the NYT and burning it to the ground was at the top of my list, and then I checked my powerball ticket - alas, it was not me.
Posted by: Bill in AZ sez it's time for Obama/Holder murder trial in Mexico | November 29, 2012 at 02:08 PM
C,
Absolutely. Drop a lime in any drink and instantly it become a healthy libation.
Posted by: Sue | November 29, 2012 at 02:10 PM
"one has a certain amount of heartbeats, and then it's over."
I am over fifty and run marathons. My resting heart rate is 50. Someone with a heart rate of 72 will have over 100,000 heartbeats in a day. Even with my 40 minute run, I will have about 75,000 heart beats a day. I weigh 50 pounds less than I did before running, my cholesterol level is on the low side of average, and my blood pressure is down.
I am hard pressed to say that running is worse for me than sitting on the couch.
Posted by: David | November 29, 2012 at 02:12 PM
Wow. What I learn on the internet. Abraham Lincoln has no direct living descendents. His great-grandson died childless in 1985, ending Lincoln's lineage.
Posted by: Sue | November 29, 2012 at 02:15 PM
Ah' the Ministry of Silly Boats', why didn't they keep the dang ferry, and that drone went 'Full Otto' did he also say, 'the key principle of Buddhism is everyone is in for themselves'
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 02:20 PM
--I am hard pressed to say that running is worse for me than sitting on the couch.
Posted by: David | November 29, 2012 at 02:12 PM--
Depends on who you're sitting on the couch with.
There are any number of ways to raise your heart rate and only one that I know of which will let you die with a smile on your face and it sure as hell ain't a marathon.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | November 29, 2012 at 02:22 PM
Bombay, Gordons and Beefeaters are all reliable gins but if you really want to savor some great gins then try these:
Hoxton's of London. Don't believe it is in the States yet but if you ever get the chance to London, do try it.
Leopold's is American and hand made and somewhat expensive but superb.
Hendricks is a juniper berry special reminiscent of the Dutch Genevers.
But you can buy Bols here in America for a taste of original juniper berry gin the way the Flemings and Dutch distilled it back in the 17th century.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | November 29, 2012 at 02:22 PM
I have been on an exercise routine where I work out for 1 hour, 3 days a week for the past 3 years. I do weights, palates, kick boxing, some yoga and cardio at every workout. If 3 hours a week of intense workouts is not enough, or too much, too bad. I will only change my routine when forced by circumstances beyond my control. I can run a 5k, but choose not to because of my knees. I run when I want to, ride my bike, play baseball, football and basketball with my grandchildren and stopped reading studies a long time ago. Everything causes cancer. Everything kills you. That's all we need to know.
Posted by: Sue | November 29, 2012 at 02:22 PM
Hmmm. Let me think.
David's approach.
Or Maryrose's Tanquery G&T.
Sorry David, under the bus you go.
BTW, that "Raisins soaked in gin" thingy is even better without the raisins.
Posted by: Old Lurker | November 29, 2012 at 02:25 PM
My grandmother, a teetotaler, kept a bottle of peach brandy in her medicine cabinet. A tablespoon full, for medicinal purposes, mind you, kept her alive and kicking to the ripe old age of 94. Just remember you tell yourself and all around you that you are teetotaler. And keep the brandy in the medicine cabinet.
Posted by: Sue | November 29, 2012 at 02:28 PM
OL,
Its even better if its vodka or rum instead of gin:)
Posted by: Jim Eagle | November 29, 2012 at 02:29 PM
I don't like gin. It's good to know I can use vodka.
Posted by: Sue | November 29, 2012 at 02:30 PM
I like Hendricks.
Since she is not a drinker I would prefer something that can be drunk straight so it will not jump out at her as "reeking of alcohol."
Posted by: rse | November 29, 2012 at 02:32 PM
lol, Sue! Grannies had wonderful "medicines."
Posted by: centralcal | November 29, 2012 at 02:33 PM
If I wait long enough, I'm gonna find out my entire lifestyle has been healthy.
For Janet,
When she wakes up in the future from cryogenic storage like Woody Allen in Sleeper
And as for tobacco, would this guy steer you wrong?
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 02:52 PM
Merry Christmas everybody!
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 03:04 PM
The juniper berries give gin its medicinal benefits.
Sue,you might find the book by Charles Lachman "The Last Lincolns,Rise and Fall of a Great American Family" to be of interest.
Robert Todd Lincoln's daughters and their progeny had little regard for the Lincoln legacy.Very strange people. It was a shock to read that some of Lincoln's papers and other items that were stored in Robert Todd Lincoln's Vermont home were destroyed. The grandchildren and great grandchildren had no regard for history.
Posted by: marlene | November 29, 2012 at 03:05 PM
I've been eating lo carb for two weeks--right thru the holiday and my middle is starting to vanish. (I'm not weighing myself. As Chaco observed, slight variations can make the dial jump up for no apparent reason and that's too dispiriting. When I get to where I'm heading. I'll slowly add carbs to have a more normal diet again.)
In summer I swim every day and have 2 hours a weeks of pilates. I can't swim in winter because the pools are over chlorinated and that destroys my skin. If that's not enough i'm with Sue--tough tooties.
Posted by: Clarice | November 29, 2012 at 03:06 PM
Barney Fife climbs onboard Clarice's diet:)
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 03:12 PM
Marlene,
I'll check it out. Thanks.
Posted by: Sue | November 29, 2012 at 03:20 PM
I bought 4 bottles of vodka today. That might get me thru the holiday.
Posted by: Jane - Mock the media | November 29, 2012 at 03:26 PM
Here's a guy arguing against the study above: http://www.runnersworld.com/health/too-much-running-myth-rises-again#.ULaw-ySGJ1w.facebook
I'll note he's a physicist not a physician, and that I'm note sure I buy "it doesn't really hurt you much" as an argument in favor of more running.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | November 29, 2012 at 03:36 PM
A serial threatener and harrasser of Sarah Palin has been arrested in Pennsylvania for violation of his Parole. "Christy walked off the community re-entry program campus, where he allegedly verbally abused staff and damaged facility property, without the appropriate approval."
According to his dad (another convicted serial threatener and harrasser of Palin) his son "left the residential program because he had suffered hundreds of bed bug bites."
They are shipping the useless bastard back to us. Link.
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 03:43 PM
Beyond satire, it is, might as well show them a crucifix;
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/pj-gladnick/2012/11/29/reuters-thinks-going-100-35-tax-rate-will-be-burden-cubans
Did that worthless slug, Hollis 'Gunny' French, win again, then again do I really want to know?
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 03:46 PM
One of the many articles on this topic provides the obvious answer Sort of like, how many people play football or ski downhill exclusively for the health benefits?
I expect the conversation will swing around to the fiscal cliff soon enough.
Posted by: Tom Maguire | November 29, 2012 at 03:47 PM
I tried to start on lo-carb again.
Today was a write-off. Co-worker who usually works from home was in the office today and we went to the sushi buffet...
Back on it tomorrow...
Posted by: Rob Crawford | November 29, 2012 at 03:50 PM
We're going over, TM, the only is whether we'll have a barrel, or just go like Wile E Coyote, hanging on the question mark?
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 03:51 PM
Really, why did we bother, with you, no I don't buy the spin,
http://shark-tank.net/2012/11/29/rick-scott-keeps-options-open-on-obamacare-exchanges/
Posted by: narciso | November 29, 2012 at 03:58 PM
Today was a write-off.
If a sushi bar is a write-off, you're doing well. My write-offs are more like a big pasta dish at in Italian restaurant, with gelato and tiramisu for dessert, with a couple of glasses of Chianti.
Posted by: Spending cuts first!--jimmyk | November 29, 2012 at 04:08 PM
Rob, the night before thanksgiving my son's MiL made her annual sushi feast, but some time ago I persuaded her to make it with much less rice so it didn't seem to throw everything off.
Posted by: Clarice | November 29, 2012 at 04:08 PM
I have two things which have kept me from running for endurance training: asthma and knees. The curative agent for the first, and for issues with the second, is the same. I don't want that cure. Mr. Collins, I too have heard it said that, barring significant bodily insult or injury, the single biggest factor in determining one's lifespan is one's choice of parents. Given that no mulligans are offered for that (and would likely be of dubious value if they were), and that most of us are pretty happy with our parents in any event, I guess I'll just try to walk more, eat less, and not treat William Burroughs as a role model. That last has always been a pretty easy sell with me.
Posted by: Trevor Saccucci | November 29, 2012 at 04:12 PM
My first attempt ended with a near panic-attack compulsion for something -- anything -- on bread.
Posted by: Rob Crawford | November 29, 2012 at 04:21 PM
and not treat William Burroughs as a role model.
Met him in an elevator in Boulder shortly before he died. He looked gawd-awful. Avoid his diet.
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 04:28 PM
Virginia Postrel offers up an interesting suggestion on immigration.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-28/canada-shows-how-u-s-states-can-fix-immigration.html
Posted by: Clarice | November 29, 2012 at 04:41 PM
Avoid his diet.
Are you talking about the father or the son? Pere Burroughs did make it to age 83, but maybe it was the genes. The son wasn't so fortunate.
Posted by: Spending cuts first!--jimmyk | November 29, 2012 at 04:42 PM
As to the finite amount of heart beats concept - you stay out of shape with a 72 beats a minute rate or get in decent shape with 1/2 hr. of hard work three times a week ( that is all it really takes) at 140 beats/ minute and get your resting rate down to 50. Do the arithmetic. If you believe the finite number of beats meme you are FAR better off getting in and staying in reasonable cardio shape.
Posted by: Peakview | November 29, 2012 at 04:59 PM
The elder, Jimmy.
As I recall he had been a former heroine junkie. It had not helped his looks. BTW, I don't think I've ever read a word of any of the Beat generation writers; Burroughs, Kerouac, Alan Ginsberg, etc.
Posted by: daddy | November 29, 2012 at 05:11 PM
Grannies had wonderful "medicines."
I remember my Granny pouring a small amount of a white powdery substance on the back of her hand and snorting it. I can't tell you how many times we brought her to the pharmacy to buy her "Snuff."
Posted by: Rocco | November 29, 2012 at 05:23 PM
Your mileage will vary. Generalized fitness and health advice is virtually useless, given that what kills one person may yet spare another untimely demise.
I somehow doubt the nation is plagued with over-runners, while we know beyond doubt that sedentary lifestyles are literally killing us, and driving up health-care costs along the way.
Posted by: bunkerbuster | November 29, 2012 at 05:31 PM
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | November 29, 2012 at 05:32 PM