Destination Walking and Goal Setting

Photo by MoneyWalker: A European coffee shop

 

Topic:  Destination Walking and Goal Setting

The MoneyWalker is meeting weight loss/maintenance goals this year.  Jan 1, weight was fluctuating between 179 and 180 lbs. Resolution was to have weight in the 173/174 range by April 1, 2014.  Done!  April 1 scale reading equaled 173.8 lbs.  Hope the readers are meeting their 2014 weight loss goals.

The problem of reaching a weight loss milestone is continuing the vigilance of caloric restraint and exercise continuance.  The MoneyWalker keeps his walking regiment refreshed by supplementing money-finding motivation with other sources. Recently he has been experimenting with “destination walking.”  The trick is to determine worthy destinations that are within walking distance from the home base. They can be a bank, the post-office, a coffee shop, a thrift store, Costco, etc.  One example that allows the MoneyWalker to combine hobbies is “Little Free Libraries.” These yard boxes with free or exchange books are cropping up in neighborhoods across the country.  There are several in mine.  The LFL’s homepage provides their addresses and with Google Maps, I plot my walk.  The motivation comes from gaining a free book while charting 4 or 5 miles on my walk journal. 

Four or five miles logged has another important reinforcement.  I need to limit daily caloric intake to about 2300 hundred calories.  But with 4 or 5 miles, I can bump that to 2800 calories, enough so that a modest sweet tooth can be honored without crashing the weight scales.

The base motivation system for the MoneyWalker will always be the Ventral Striatum Celebration that comes from finding coins-on-the-street.  The human brain loves money, but it also enjoys short term goals such as reaching worthy destinations; double the pleasure if the destination involves free books.

With “destination walking” the MoneyWalker might soon be pushing into the 170/171 weight zone.  Take away, if you want to lose more weight by exercise, find a way to tweak your motivation system.  When walking, as they said on Hill Street Blues, “Be careful out there.”

MoneyWalker

'Money in the Bank"

Ms. S's incrediblly delicious Pecan Pie

 

Featured Topic: “Money in the Bank”

My diet management program is like one of my now grown children’s high school study habits—making an A on a quiz was just so much ‘money in the bank’ to be squandering by goof-off time before the next quiz.  This morning’s weight is an example.  At 176.2 lbs, the MoneyWalker is way ahead of his resolution to weight 174 lbs. by April.  Now comes the discipline, to avoid the pecan pies, cheese spreads, King Cakes, and other fats and sweets that comprise the NFL playoffs and the Mardi Gras season of New Orleans.  I can take one of two tacks—treat the better-than-expected weight loss as an excuse to splurge on calories, or remain vigilant and continue to practice portion control.  It is my call.  Ms. S's pecan pie is the 900 lb gorilla in the room.

As for those that read this blog, perhaps you also have a ‘money in the bank’ personality.  If so, you (and I) need to recognize it for what it is—self destructive behavior--a pattern or cycle of behaviors that has been learned.  As such, it can be untaught.  Most of the time negative behavior results in the need for short term gratification.  The solution begins with ‘cognitive override’—of substituting an immature behavior for a mature one; of letting the mature thoughts of the adult inside of you talk the child in there out of childish behavior.  Just say, “Self, put down that pint of Ben and Jerry and eat a few carrots, or just drink a glass of water.”  For me, cognitive override is to focus on how good those positive scale numbers look rather than how good the ice cream will taste.  The positive scale reading is reinforced with the pride of accomplishment is worthy of recalling the pride over and over; the ice cream with the associated guilt of succumbing to the briefest of a sensory pleasure just leads to more over eating and more guilt. 

Good luck with your child; I’m dealing with mine.

Journal Data:

Weight = 176.2 lbs, a four months low

Coinage = $2.69

GPS data = 4.36 miles walked, 472 calories burned, average pace 16.30 minutes per mile

MoneyWalker



Nuts to You!

Blog Feature: "Nuts to you!"

 

Good Nuts!

 

Walking is an important component for those that plan for weight loss or weight maintenance once excessive weight is lost; but simply walking for weight management is not enough.  More of the variance is controlled by diet than exercise.  Now we find that eating nuts is important variable for weight loss.

A study out of Loma Linda University tracked the diet behaviors of over 800 adults.  Of those that ate at least a handful of nuts each week, the authors found that the nut group were less likely to be overweight than controls.  Moreover, these nut eaters experienced the thralls of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) to a 7% less degree than the non tree kernel eaters.  MetS is defined as a cluster of conditions including a large waistline; and high cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar that increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and death.  Healthy tree nuts include — almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts. 

However, I harbor a bit of skepticism of the Loma Linda study.  Without having looked at the actual study, the NewsMaxHealth summary gave hints that it was a correlational study rather than a causality study.   Correlational studies work well for predicting but are not reliable for determining cause and effect. For example, it is not for nothing that more and more of us Boomers are eating our daily dose of tree nuts. We’ve read the excerpts from NEJM and other scholarly sources touting the importance of nuts in the daily diet. The same ones of us that eat nuts for our health might also exercise more, eat less fatty food and more fiber rich foods, see our doctor more regularly, and sleep more soundly than those less inclined to follow MetS healthy daily regiments. Thus the correlation might be caused one or a combination of these behaviors rather than just eating nuts.

Still, Ms S and I keep a large container of these nuts in the freezer, and a smaller plastic container in the pantry.  We limit ourselves to five or six nuts a day, about 15 to 20 calories. See the link below for more details of the nut study.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Health-News/nuts-obesity-weight-loss/2014/01/09/id/546252#ixzz2qgrKpy8B

Journal Data:

Weight = 176.8 lbs, going down .2 lbs a weigh-in since posting my weight loss resolution.

Coinage = $2.41 including five quarters but gave four of them to one of the “kings and princes” of Midcity who “just wanted some change to get something to eat.”  I never question and never scold, but do require an introduction and eye contact—the transaction of humanity.

GPS Tracking Data = 5.10 miles walked at average of 16.37 minutes per mile; calories burned equaled 537.

Recycled = two sweat shirts

Happy walking!

The MoneyWalker

Keeping A Journal and What Might Happen If You Recycle

Topic:  Keeping a Journal and Recycling, See photo below to speculate what caused Ms S's ire.

About.com is a large network of bloggers that until recently worked under the commission of the New York Times (now IAC/InterActiveCorp.  The MoneyWalker reservedly follows Paige-Waehner’s  Exercise.About.com and Wendy-Bumgardner’s Walking.About.com, both advocate keeping a journal to assist with motivation and sustaining an active exercise regiment.  The MoneyWalker’s blog represents his journal.  Although journals require another layering of the pesky tasks necessary for using exercise as an active component of weight loss management, the MoneyWalker finds the journal a useful tool.  For example, last night I conducted a five year inventory of weight gains and losses.  I found that my current weight of 177.2 lbs has hardly fluctuated during the five year period.  But then my waist line has been telling me that all alone.  The links for about.com are listed below.

http://exercise.about.com/bio/Paige-Waehner-7009.htm?nl=1

http://walking.about.com/bio/Wendy-Bumgardner-61.htm?nl=1

Weight = 177.2 lbs.  Another record low for 2014

Coinage = $.36. Another 2014 low, but not a good one.

GPS Data = 3.11 miles, 345 calories burned

Recycle/Reuse/repurpose = a warm-up hood update.  Yesterday’s entry indicated a warm-up and two t-shirts had been recovered from the street.  As procedure dictates, last night they were washed in preparation for recycling.  While retrieving from the washing machine, these two bags were spotted.  I have no idea what they might be, but they have been laundried.  Did see a car with a Colorado license plate nearby.  Whatever it is, brings a whole new perspective to sources of motivation. 

MoneyWalker

Photo taken by owners iPhone.

Being a Friend

Topic:  Being a Friend

WWW friends (World Wide Web) are the greatest to borrow from Jackie Gleason.  They have helped me be a better communicator.  Without benefit of facial and body nuance they give my often irreverent comments the benefit of the doubt.  In turn, I have learned to be more careful with alpha communicating.  And they give my efforts at weight loss/maintenance full encouragement.  Also, since I am a walker, they recommend books for the walking section of my library.  They care about me!

So, as a considerate person, encourage people that are dieting or on a maintenance program.  It takes gumption to watch calories and stay physically active.  For some reason, some people tempt the dieter with fatty foods, or invitations to eat at restaurants that serve big portions.  Others diminish the efforts to stay active by making subtle but derogatory comments. 

Be a friend, encourage your friends and family members that are dieting and exercising.  They will love you for it.

MoneyWalker

Weight = 177.4 lbs. lowest in several months

Coinage found = $1.74 mostly found after it had rained all day

GPS data = 2.54 miles, 278 calories consumed (made up for the small McDonald’s Frappe).

Recycles found = one hooded sweat shirt, one two t-shirts, all being washed as I type. 

James Carville and Mary Matalan, best friends who could have predicted.

The Power and Perniciousness of Routines

Alligator spotted on one of the sloughs of Big Lake in City Park New Orleans

(SCROLL DOWN FOR COMMENTARY on how to combat boredom during walks)

Weight = 178.0 lbs, 4 lbs under my goal weight of 174 lbs.  The criteria is 174.0 lbs or lower for three consecutive days.

Coinage Found = $4.08—Quarters everywhere today.  A few of my hot money spots today included 1) street curbs, 2) parking lots, 3) newspaper vending machines, 4) fast-food drive throughs, 5) boutique car wash grounds, 5) cross walk coins in the street, and 6) Mr Jason’s can wash vacuums.

Nike GPS Data = fastest mile 16 min, slowest mile 17.21 min; 486 calories burned; 4.59 mi walked

Recycled clothes/garments found on walks = one Ralph Laurent silk sweater and one back pack—all washed and sanitized.

Blog Feature: The Power and Perniciousness of Routines

Recently Google improved their blog structure, the one used by the Moneywalker.  I liked the old structure better; I understood the commands, the guiding logos made sense, and the directions were straight forward and intuitive.  In short, the so called improved and stronger new version just about drove me away from posting.  I missed the old routine. 

Same with walking.  My routine is an early morning walk, it bookends my day’s beginning just as reading classical literature bookend’s my days ending. My walks follow a set general pattern with built in flexibility to adapt the route to impulses and circumstances. Having set routes reduces “decision fatigue.”  My routine is firm, it begins each morning at 6 a.m.; the decision is easy, it is not will I walk or not but which of my three predetermined walk courses will I take.  Such is the power of routines.

But routines can cause harm, in a word routines become boring; the death knell of many a walker’s good intentions.  Combat walker’s boredom by walking different routes--of doing a familiar task in an unfamiliar way.  In my neighborhood, there are thousands of different ways to get from here to there.  One of my neighbors has a “little free library” in their yard where books are free with the exchange of another book (Google little free library for details).  The walk is a two miler one way, perfect for my 4 mile goal.  And I get a new book.  This also changes my external motivation for the walk.  Finding money is exciting but I’ve done it so long, I grow weary of the process of “scan and search.”  Walking to obtain a new book gives my brain’s reward center something new to look forward to. 

Thus, periodically changing one’s motivation system is an important way of combating the boredom of routine.  Other ways include “walking meditation.”  Rather than “scan and search,” I walk and meditate.  This blog’s topic came in such a way.  I meditate about faith, self-improvement, making the world a better place; family relationships….the topics are endless.  Sometimes on walks I take the perspective of a scientist and study closely the cultural aspects of the neighborhoods.  Sometimes I do something irrational for my walk, like accompany Ms S on her City Park walk.  She follows a ¾ mile asphalt trail that circles “Big Lake.”  Round, round, and round she goes.  But Ms S is great company, a fine conversationalist, and a superb teacher as she adroitly names the dozens of birds and plants that thrive around the lake.  Nature walking is a great diversion from neighborhood walking but I can take just so many bird stories.

In summary, we need routines to sustain and anchor our healthy habits of exercise and diet management.  But routines can become boring.  Monitor your routines and alter them from time to time to keep your routine fresh.

Moneywalker

Bobby’s Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Strategy for 2014 with Three New Tips

 (STRATEGIES AND TIPS BEGIN MIDWAY DOWN)

Today’s Weight = 177.6 lbs., down from 180 at New Years Day.  Hope it is not a rhythmic fluctuation which can be caused by water retention, or waste products that might have been temporarily in my system.  ;

Today’s Coinage found = $1.62 well down from the super find at 6:30 a.m. on January 1.  Right next to the burned-out canisters of celebration fireworks was a scatter of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies totaling over eight dollars.  Did someone suggest alcohol consumption?  Their loss is charities gain.

Nike’s GPS data = 5.14 mile walk today; walked 269.3 miles since beginning the app over 83 walks; burn about 105 calories per mile of walking; average pace is 18 minutes a mile while money searching, about 15.5 minutes a mile with straight walking; activity in addition to today’s walk 4.04 mi Thursday, 3.52 mi Wednesday, 4.08 mi Tuesday, 2.15 mi on Monday, and 5.70 miles on Sunday.

New Year’s Resolution Weight Loss Goal = 174 lbs obtained by May 1, 2014 and maintained for the rest of the year.  Also, to eat less sugar and processed food.  Plan to eat foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals: Beans, Dark Green Leafy Vegetables, Citrus Fruit, Sweet Potatoes, Berries, Tomatoes, Fish High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Whole Grains, Nuts, and Low-fat Milk and Yogurt.

Blog Feature: Bobby’s Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Strategy for 2014 with three new tips, the tips first:

Tip One, break the sugar crave with a three day fast from processed sugar.  Some studies have found that after three days of fasting, the intensity craving for processed sugar is greatly reduced.

Tip Two, begin eating unsalted five nuts a day.  We purchase the giant mixed nut box from one of the membership warehouse clubs, place a small sealed container of nuts in our pantry, and freeze the rest.  Five unsalted cashews, almonds, pistachios, and pecans yield only 20 calories.  Why unsalted, to avoid the addiction to the taste of salted nuts.

Tip Three, as a rule of thumb, you can count on burning  100 calories per mile regardless of the modality—walking, jogging, or dancing.

The following strategy has been featured in earlier blogs.  It is taken from The National Weight Control Registry housed in Brown University Hospital.  The Registry tracks thousands of subjects that have lost 30 or more pounds and maintained their weight loss over several years.  What the subjects have in common has been my strategy for weight loss and weight maintenance for the last five years and I still use them now.

Trait one: Weigh every day.  Why weigh every day?  Accountability and SOS signaling.  There are cautions about every day weighing (see above), I have found that trends are best established by close monitoring of weight.  When I see an upward trend of weight gain, the scales send my brain a SOS to go back to portion control and exercise.

Trait Two: Diet using a restricted caloric strategy, a diet with low-fat/high carbohydrate properties, about 1800 calories for women and 2200 for men.  See New Year’s resolution above, the data are clear, cut the processed sugar, fat, and starching foods and eat balanced meals high in fiber, antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals.

Trait Three: Eat breakfast every day.  Most find that eating a healthy breakfast reduces hunger throughout the day.  Also breakfast eaters usually eat smaller lunches and make better food choices. 

Trait Four: Perform 60-90 minutes per day of moderate to heavy aerobic exercise per day (walking).  This means walking, jogging, biking, dancing, swimming and other tasks that elevates and sustains heart rate.  This is a time commitment that requires me to start early, usually 6 to 6:30 a.m. and to have a strong motivation system—thus my money walking system.

Let me know what you think and share your success story.  Good luck with your own New Year’s resolution if it is to lose weight and sustain the loss.

The Moneywalker

Helping Phillip and Pecan Pie

Weight = 178.8 lbs.; holding strong for the holidays in spite Ms S’s wonderful pecan pie for Christmas dinner.  There were five of us, note how much of the pie remained.  That is the problem with pies and cakes and retirement.  There are just the two of us, but Ms S and I both have good discipline, we will enjoy small pieces throughout the week.  The pie story will be one of my tips for losing weight.  See below.

Coinage =$2.11 Ending up giving it to Phillip after I had already given him a ½ pack of cigarettes I had found.  He needed .75 for bus change.  Phillip was young, what he needed was to go to work.  We talked about the New Orleans Saints, our NFL team.  While counting out the .75, I stopped and said, “Do you want it all?”  He said, “Sure if you can spare it.”  Ah, the life and times of the Dukes of MidCity New Orleans.

GPS Data:

Miles walked = 4.05

Average pace = 16 min, 48 sec.

Calories burned = 420

Previews of Weight Loss Strategy:  January 1, 2014 is just a few days.  Of course I will be making my annual weight loss resolution.  Moreover, I plan to share my secrets for losing weight and how I plan to keep it off.

Moneywalker

The Vagaries of Found Coins

Weight = 178.6 lbs.; down from 180.2

Coinage found = $1.92

GPS data = 4.25 miles walked; MPH average was 16.47 minutes; burned 447 calories.

A Few Comments About Found Coins

First, today’s walk was a five quarter walk.  Special, all quarters were “curb coins” or coins found along the curb where cars park. 

Second, from yesterday’s “residual walk” to the neighborhood bank four coins were of interest:  A Jamaican $5.00 coin; a Bahamian penny; a Panamanian dime; and a 1907 Indian Head U.S. nickel.  All were left in the Capital One Bank’s coin machine coin return. 

And finally, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years on this 2013 Christmas Eve

The MoneyWalker

MoneyWalking and Charitable Giving

Photo: Baptist Friendship House 2013 Christmas Newsletter

 

Journal Entry:

Weight = 180.02 lbs. holding since Thanksgiving.  We will get this under control for the New Year.

Coinage = $3.35 

Walk = 1.5 miles

Best coinage find for the year 2013 = A bag of quarters left in the trash can at a car wash totaling 45 quarters or $9.00 dollars.

Total amount of money found moneywalking for the 2013 year = $433.83. Earlier years included 2012, $240.76; 2011, $224.13; and 2010, $155.58. There is a learning curve here.

Comment:  Charity and Moneywalking

Finding nine dollars in quarters is a bitter sweet experience.  Someone was very sad when they discovered their loss; and, for the MoneyWalker nine dollars is really very little, maybe three gallons of gas.  Thus, the money from the very beginning has been split between two charity causes—The Baptist Friendship House for Battered Women and their Children, and the University of New Orleans Homer L. Hitt Presidential Lecture Series.  Although the people lose their money are unaware, I’m sure they would be very happy knowing their money was used in these altruistic ways. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years.

The MoneyWalker.

Public Accountability and Weight Loss Goals

Photo: Ms S's stair climbing accountability chart.  Each mark represents one 17 stair step, up and back.  Thus, the ten days averaged up/down steps 1,020. 

Weight: 180.2 lbs, 2.4 lbs up from last post, blame it on Thanksgiving and cruise overeating.

Money Found:  $2.19 from today’s walk, $2.45 from 12/1/13 walk.  Best find, a five quarter scatter on 12/1/13 walk.

Nike GPS app data: 4.09 = total miles; fastest mile = 17.23 minutes; calories burned = 414

Topic: Public Accountability

Public accountability is a powerful motivator for weight loss achievement.  Therefore, I’m posting my weight loss strategy and results for all to see.  Take the MoneyWalker’s challenge and follow these six accountability steps.

1.       Resume or begin weighing every day. For numeric accountability, write it down.

2.       Take a minimum of five 3-5 mile walks each day until Christmas; or, create your own distance guide but walk the distance five times.

3.       Eat breakfast each morning

4.       Resume resistive exercise program at least three times weekly (optional)

5.       Count and record calories consumed for each meal and between meals snacks.

6.       Report results of calories consumed and morning weigh-in on Facebook and Moneywalker blog for public accountability. An option is to record the data in your own journal that you share with a trusted friend or relative.  Public accountability is the goal.

MoneyWalker

Internal and External Motivation

Money truck minature from the gift shop in the U.S. Department of Engraving, photo by author.

Weight = 177.8 lbs, down from yesterday

Coinage = $1.09

Best Find = a quarter left in a newspaper vending machine

Feature Essay:  Motivation System Tweeking

TSA, aka, Transportation Security Agency, reported that $600,000 in nickels, dines, and quarters were left behind in those ugly gray baskets that we use going through Airport Security.  National banking officials report that $300,000 U.S. dollars are lost every day.  In a recent visit to the U.S. Engraving building in Washington D.C., in their 24 hour night and day operation, one billion in new U.S. bills are created; same for their facility in Fort Worth, TX.   Data like these gets the MoneyWalker’s attention. 

Turns out, finding money is highly motivating.  This morning, I met Ned, one of the Dukes of MidCity  New Orleans. At 6:30 a.m. he was checking a catch basin on Canal and Carrollton for paper money.  As I  walked by without prompting or overt signs of interest, Ned told me he recently found $10 dollars, he was obviously looking for more.

Motivation is a tricky concept.  Being motivated to sustain the healthy habit of a daily constitutional walk by finding money is what, external motivation.  But why walk in the first place unless driven by the internally drive to remain healthy. 

Somehow in our society we have made one of these concepts a pejorative term. If we admit to being motivated by the quest for money, prestige and/or power, we are somehow less admirable than when we are motivated by the need to achieve, to be our best.  Truth is, we are all motivated by both internal and external motives and both can be counter indicated if carried to extremes.

So my advice is to unapologetically use both sources of motivation to achieve your goals of a worthy BMI (body mass index) and a body/mind free of symptoms of ill health for the rest of your life.  The MoneyWalker constantly examines his motivation program for effectiveness so as to be able to sustain his walking and resistive exercise regiments. The introspection is necessary to frame his thoughts concerning the effectiveness of all the ways he utilizes internal and external sources of motivation.  If something isn't motivating, change is indicated.

MoneyWalker

Walking To Improve Memory

Data:  Weight-Coinage-GPS

Weight = 178.0 lbs, survived the great food provided by Ben and Helga in Vienna, VA

Coinage found = $2.93, worked hard to break the $3.00 barrier to no avail

GPS Data:  mileage = 4.20; calories consumed = 426; fastest mile =17’3”

Feature:  Forgetting to Remember

The MoneyWalker is enjoying the new football season.  My four favorite teams are a collective 14-0.  But when the last step is taken, do wins and losses really matter?  They do if I can’t remember the names of the teams—Texas Tech, LSU, Ole Miss and the NO Saints.  Not remembering the name of Drew Brees matters.  If the recall problem is brief, probably not a problem.  The brain is an organ, and like all organs there are “age related changes in memory,” and those of us past 50 are on the wrong side of history in terms of the brain's great gifts including memory and problem solving.

These senior moments can be embarrassing but what we fear is memory loss escalation—Amnestic MCI or mild cognitive impairment, dementia, or debilitating Alzheimer’s Disease.  So, when we began to experience memory loss are we on a slippery slope to Alzheimer’s?  Not necessarily, there are many tactics available for those following responsible aging strategies.  See Jancee Dunn’s excellent and highly readable article “7 tricks to improve your memory.”  (http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/09/14/7-tricks-to-improve-your-memory/#ixzz2esJwpZ94). 

Technique # 7 is “Hit the gym.”  One of the nation’s hot bed for neuroscience research is U. of Cal at Irvine.  They had a group of older subjects ride a stationary bike for six minutes while a control group engaged in “typical” activities.  After several weeks, the active group scored significantly better on a memory test.  Your humble walker with colleague Mark Loftin found similar results with college aged subjects engaged in bike riding when compared to control subjects at rest. We call the improvement exercise activation. The improved activation probably involves the chemical norepinephrien which is activated during research and has a strong influence on memory. The Cal Irvine group concluded by stating exercise is an excellent memory aid and suggested that seniors might improve or prevent memory loss with 20 minutes of brisk walking each day. 

What I liked about Dunn’s article is that she actually performed each of the seven “tricks” to improve memory.  Dunn said she also found the walks “worked wonders with my stress level.”

Go Saints!

MoneyWalker

Glory Walking

photo taken by owner's iPhone

 

Today's Feature: Glory Walking

 

Today’s walk was a glory walk although the MoneyWalker is not sure what that word means. The great professional golfer Ben Hogan exasperated his driver and caddy by stopping at backwater golf courses for a round of golf. “Why?” asked his driver.  “For the glory!” responded Hogan. Once, while playing racquetball for with three friends, I blurted out, “We will play for the glory of it.” I’m not sure if I knew what I was saying. It occurred after my partner and I had just won two of three games from our standing doubles competition which mean we were “champions for the day.”  The losers challenged us to play a fourth game but my partner said no, “We are already the champions,” then my blurt.

photo by owner's iPhone

 

The confusion lies in the dual definition of glory.  One stream of synonyms include renown, fame, prestige, honor, and praise.  Ben Hogan had high renown and honor for winning major golf tournaments but he wasn’t talking about this type of glory.  He was talking about the type of glory that comes from taking pleasure in the game of golf, or to delight in just playing the game. 

It was this second meaning that produced the racquetball blurt, it wasn’t about being the champion, it was about the game and yet another chance to match my technique against a worthy opponent.  It was the chance to play the game, not the potential for victory that provided the glory.

Now we can talk about glory walking. Usually, the MoneyWalker finds motivation for sustaining his daily walks by finding coins that others have somehow loss or left behind.  The motivation for glory walking comes from the walk, not the money.  Today’s walk was with family members; it followed the old track bed of the historic Washington and Old Dominion railroad; fall blooming flowers lined the walk-way; there was a rippling stream and scenic bridge to be crossed; the air was fresh and slightly nippy; and there was a pace that invited meaningful conversation. 

It was a glory walk.

MoneyWalker

 

Family Walking

iPhone photo of Eason family on the Cross County Connector Trail in Fairfax, VA

Feature: Family Walking

Weight, coinage, and GPS are set aside to speak to the virtues of a family walking.  Today’s walk was a generational experience with grandparents, parents, and grandchildren sharing a 3 miler.

One benefit of family walking allows the adults to model healthy behavior for the children and grandchildren.  Being overweight or obese as a child leads to heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes during the adult years.  For mainstream adults, walking is an inexpensive antidote for these major killers, and new data are convincing that walking prevents dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in the aged.

Our walk fostered excellent conversation between the adults, and both children including 11 month Payton and 2 yr, 9 month Paxton gaining ample opportunities to hear and be heard.  Cell phones, computer games, the internet, and household chores were all set aside in the Virginia walking paths.  Thus, regular family walking improves family relationships by building mutual respect achieved through understanding that comes from quality conversation and shared pleasures.  Some families find that walking at the end of a day is a splendid way to unwind as thoughts of the day are shared.

Our destination was a modest playground about 1.5 miles from a trailhead.  Young Paxton walked the entire way. There as the two children played on the equipment with other children, we adults exchanged pleasantries with the other adults.  Parents that take frequent family walks report that the walking habit is an effective way of getting to know their neighbors.  It is easy to understand how a neighborhood walk with the family and where neighbors are met leads to a sense of community that feels safer and more connected.

The Moneywalker has rarely felt more relaxed and happy while enjoying quality time with his adult family members and their children than from this stimulating family walk.

MoneyWalker

Caloric Savings of a Resistive Exercise Program

Weight = 177.6 lbs.,

Coinage found = $2.34; best find, a quarter in a coke vending machine coin return.

MidCity Nobility Encounters = Ellison hit me for “money to buy a can of fix-a-flat so that he, his wife, and child back up the road can get back home.”  I had about two bucks in my pocket from the found change.  Ellison was smooth, my least favorite type of MidCity nobleman.

Nike GPS update: Milage = 5.24 miles (longest of 19 total GPS walks); Calories burned = 520; fastest mile = 17’24” minutes per mile.

Feature Topic: Caloric Savings of a Resistive Exercise Program

How important is resistive exercise training for weight maintenance and weight loss for people over 44?  What is known is that metabolism noticeably slows in the mid forties and continues to decline for life. The MoneyWalker asked Dr. Mark Loftin, Associate Dean School of Applied Life Sciences at the U. Of Mississippi and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine to estimate the calories that could be saved for dietary consumption if the metabolism of a 70 year old was the same as a 30 year old.  A moderately active 30 year old will not gain weight if he keeps his caloric consumption between 2600 and 2800.^*  Dr. Loftin predicted that if the large muscles of the body retained the same muscle/fat ratio at age 70 as that retained at age 30, the body’s muscles by retaining more muscle tissue and less fat would increase metabolism rates by 10%.  It is estimated that a moderately active male at age 70 requires between 2200-2400 calories.  Thus, utilizing a resistive exercise program that enables a 70 year old to maintain the fat/muscle ratio of a 30 year old, the individual can increase his daily caloric intake from 2200/2400 to 2420/2640 level without gaining weight.

MoneyWalker

*Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes light physical activity associated with typical activities of daily living. Moderately active consists of walking 1.5 to 3 miles daily at a pace of 3 to 4 miles per hour (or the equivalent). An active person walks more than 3 miles daily at the same pace, or equivalent exercise.

Gender	Age	Sedentary*	Moderately Active*	Active*
Females	19-30 31-50 51+	1800-2000 1800 1600	2000-2200 2000 1800	2400 2200 2000-2200
Males	19-30 31-50 51+	2400-2600 2200-2400 2000-2200	2600-2800 2400-2600 2200-2400	3000 2800-3000 2400-2800

Bildungsroman Walking and All Things Moral

 

Weight = 177.2 lbs

Coinage = $1.04

Best Coinage Find = 12 coin scatter in the Rouse’s Grocery parking lot, ten pennies, a dime, and a nickel.

GPS Data: Miles walked = 3.67; Time = 1hr & 13 min;  Calories consumed = 364.

Photo credit = MoneyWalker iPhone, a blown up shot reminds me of the British Isles and the North Sea.

 

Feature: Bildungsroman Walking

Watching Miley Cyrus do the twerk amounted to a cultural collision  for the MoneyWalker.  She needs to spend more time walking and thinking about moral and psychological growth.  Walking while reflecting on how to improve one’s essence or character is the purpose of bildungsroman walking.  The photo showing this morning’s sunrise over MidCity New Orleans depicts a moment perfect for bildungsroman walking inspiration.

MoneyWalker

¹Bildungsroman as a term was introduced to the MoneyWalker from the Anthony Trollope Yahoo Reading Group and in that context is a German novel genre about the moral and psychological growth of the main character.

I've got You Under My Skin Incentive System

Weight = 176.6  Need to move into the 175s.

Coinage = $2.39  A great coin day.

Best Find = a six-quarter scatter in a parking lot, very rare.

Photo = from iPhone

Feature: One Month Review of the MoneyWalker’s Token Incentive System for a Resistive Exercise (RI)Program ®

Over the years, the MoneyWalker has started many resistive exercise programs only to discontinue the work after a few sessions.  The reasons, perceived boring use of time combined with the hard work involved in moving the resistive weight loads.

This start-up, now one month old utilized a scientifically designed Token System to keep me engaged. The basis for the system is to tap into our basic need for external reinforcement and rewards.  For each of the completed ten workout RI stations, a token is placed on a token chart (see photo).  Thus participation is the focus of the incentive system.  Each successful work-out garners ten points.  However, performance is also rewarded, but less so.  The RI program utilizes an 8-10-12 repetition and an ever increasing “load” formula.  For example, I started with 8 repetitions of 65 lbs of weight for a bench press RI repeated twice—a two set program.  After ten days of monday-wednesday-friday RI work-outs, I was able to add two repetitions so that the 65lbs was lifted 20 times to earn the token rather than 16 times.  A careful examination of the photo shows a five token cluster in the extreme right column.  These tokens were based on the performance improvement.

Now the good part, after earning 100 points (note the broad dark line) I rewarded myself from the redemption category for 100 points.  From the several rewards, I selected a Jersey Boys CD by the original Broadway cast—hit it maestro, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” 

I`ve got you under my skin
I`ve got you deep in the heart of me
So deep in my heart, you`re really a part of me (baby, Ba-baby)
I`ve got you under my skin

So far, so good!  The full incentive system is explained on the Aug 10, 2013 post.  For now, the token system is working, the habit is"getting under my skin."  (Lyrics by Frankie Valli)

The MoneyWalker