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I was happy to get in a more than 8 mile run this morning, ultimately leading to more than 1000 exercise calories burned when combined with a little earlier walking. To have that done by 9 AM was welcome. In addition, even after a few days of vacation in Tennessee, I was happy to be at 161 pounds.

You may wonder about vacation in Tennessee, but it is definitely a wonderful place with many things to see. Obviously, Nashville comes to mind first and foremost for many people. Memphis is another great city there for both the civil rights history, including some very sad history, and also the Mecca for Elvis fans.

But even with a little play in my diet on that trip, I was quite happy to be at 161 pushing hard to get back in the 150s.

We went in Tennessee to neither Nashville, nor Memphis, and said we went to Pigeon Forge. That is the home of Dollywood. In pigeon Forge, we did some hiking and also went to Cooter’s Garage from the Dukes of Hazzard TV show. The actor who played Cooter, Ben Jones, has set up a few stores with Dukes of Hazzard memorabilia. While we were there, Catherine Bach, the actress who played Daisy Duke was there signing autographs.

The United States has so many wonderful places to see, but if you thought Tennessee might not be a place to visit, I encourage you to rethink that. 

Apple Music has a funny sense of humor . After knocking out 10 miles on Super Bowl Sunday in preparation for too much eating watching the game (and yup, I did), and then seeing my son’s beloved Patriots be destroyed (how a New Yorker roots for the Patriots is a whole other story), I was greeted by my Apple Music playlist this MONDAY morning with a cruel song.

I still knocked out 6.4 miles, but the Apple Music Gods are plainly mocking me today.

I had an ultra busy week at work this week caused by someone in my organization unveiling a major policy change in an area I lead … without asking my (or my teams) view on it. I’m no genius, but I find generally communication leads to better policy. I think this is especially true when you are communicating with the people who actually have to implement your edicts.

BUT … that didn’t stop me from exercising. It’s Saturday morning. I’m heading out to the gym and then to the office. FORWARD!

Welcome to February. I am quite certain the ground hog will see its shadow tomorrow given how cold and snowy it has been thus far … but one can hope.

Yesterday (1/31) I took a rest day. Years ago when I started to exercise I never took a rest day. I took pride in running vigorously EVERY single day. I’m 53 now. I have generally kept the weight off for nearly 12 years.

I have learned to take rest days. These rest days are usually once a week but at least every other week. So Saturday was a rest day. Cold here in the Northeast. I took my son’s car for an oil change and other than that, stayed inside, relaxed and did some school work.

Today though, I went at it. Knocked out a decent paced 6.6 miles in an hour at the gym and then walked 2.4 miles uphill on the treadmill and did the grocery shopping.

As you age, take a rest day. Please. It reinvigorates you physically, and that next day, you RUN!

“Preventative care is cheaper than reactive care, but it requires intention.” I read that on Hebba Youssef’s email blast yesterday.

Hebba (I say that like I know her, I don’t) is the owner of “I Hate it Here” (https://hateithere.co). She is a blunt and funny Human Resources expert who tells it like it is and gives HR professionals comfort knowing we aren’t alone in this world.

Yesterday’s email from Hebba wrote about the hidden cost of healthcare in overall employee costs. Maybe because I was reading it waiting for my doctor to come in, but the above quoted language hit me. It’s both obvious and mandatory.

Good health requires INTENTION! So does good HR. Now some people, despite their very best efforts will not be able to be as healthy as they deserve to be. SOME PEOPLE, despite knowing what HR and workplace policies must be followed, ignore them out of ego or other reasons. However, as someone who was once morbidly obese and who has since run 59 marathons … and as the same person who has honestly been really disgusted with life for the past couple of years and is now in therapy trying to move forward, good acts require INTENTION.

If you want to improve your physical or mental health, be intentional about it. Changes from the negative WILL NOT come by accident.

And if you want straight talk about work and work trends, I definitely recommend signing up for Hebba’s blog.

I am heading back to the 150’s. I am not there yet but I am on my way. Couldn’t be happier. My biggest diet change has been to not have cereal in the office in the morning. I shifted to low fat Greek yogurt and carrots for the morning instead of cereal. Also, dessert about 3 times a week instead of every night. My step count is up, my weight is down. I have ongoing misery at work but fight hard ti do all I can to let “me be me” and people who are out to demoralize me not own me.

Weight plateaus, I know that. But if I keep moving in the right direction I will find things to be satisfied about.

If you are out there alone on your weight loss journey or whatever challenge you are facing, reach out for help. I was always someone who fought through my own problems. These past couple of years overwhelmed me and I took good advice to reach out and am so happy I did.

My typical morning goal is to have 10,000 steps in by the time I set foot in the office. This morning, I was happier to have a bit over that. Started the treadmill with .8 mile walk followed by a 6.2 mile run. Seeing the results on the scale last week, along with fitting into a smaller size pant comfortably this week, really helps one’s mental health as much as physical health. While I have significant drama at work, I find that vigorous exercise in the morning is truly the best antidepressant to start what will likely be a rough day. I check my scale weekly on Thursday mornings. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Like much of the country, the Hudson Valley in NY was slammed with snow Sunday and Monday. I went out twice on Sunday and cleared the driveway and shoveled the walk but by Monday morning it was filled to the brim again with snow.

I have a snow thrower and used it on the driveway but there is still a lot to shovel. Snow throwers only clean up so much and then it’s time to use the back and arms. I also shoveled off our back porch as I didn’t want the snow to sit on the porch for the next couple of weeks until a potential thaw.

Last week my wife and I assembled our new Nordic Track. Our Sole treadmill we got during COVID died a couple of months ago. I usually run at the gym in the mornings, but tonight I took the new treadmill out for a leisurely run. I was quite happy with it. My wife usually runs at home as she is not a gym person. Once the weather breaks she and I run or walk outside each night, but the weather in January in NY is just not made for outdoor running in my book.

I hope you did well in clearing the snow and staying safe… I’m going to have some tea and head to bed.

This picture was taken around 9:30 pm. Amazing what an iPhone and a lot of bright white snow can do to create light.

With a quick break in between, I ended up doing a 15k Saturday. Was going to run 6.2 miles but had to take a quick break after 4. So I decided to make the next segment 5.3 miles to get to an even 15k. Steady pace at 6.3 MPH. Now off to the office. I live in NY’s Hudson Valley. We are expecting a fair bit of snow tomorrow so I will go and stock up on exactly one frozen pizza and a bit of chicken. The panic buying thing is a bit hilarious to me, but it’s interesting to watch. Stay safe everyone. Stay off the roads if you possibly can to mitigate risk to yourself and let our DPW folks and EMS/Police do their job with the least interruption possible.

I love getting a full 6.2 in in the morning. Most weekdays I don’t but more and more I do. Not today. Today it was a 5.25 mile run preceded by a .75 mile walk.

On those days when I do “just” a 3.1 mile run I smile. Those are the days when I say to myself “you just exercised today more than you did in all your 30’s!”. Sadly, I mean that. I don’t recall exercising at all in my 30’s.

You will have days when you exercise more and you exercise less. But by making exercise a habit, you are doing more than you did in the past.

So today, a 5.25 mile run at 9:06 minute miles. It wasn’t 6.2, but it WAS 5.25 … and I’m OK with that.