One Day, One Workout into 2017

Happy New Year's!

Yes, I went to the gym already this year-No, I'm not one of those New Year's Resolution is the only reason I'm here workout folks!

I have been enjoying life since Thanksgiving, getting some workouts in, but also knowing I had a run of Thanksgiving, company National Training Camp/Gala and then Christmas and New Year's all happening in about 7 weeks.  So I purposefully dropped a little weight in October and early November and started ramping back up the workouts a few weeks ago as I hit my "Target and No More Weight" in the 187 range.  My "walking around" weight when not lifting heavily is about 182, so five pounds on the scale and the "mirror test" told me it was time to get back after it.  Plus I have noticed my raw strength and aerobic endurance are worse than they have been in years.

So I'm doing a modified Stronglifts 5x5 plan (less frequency), yoga and have started rowing.  The yoga instructor is also a personal training at the gym on the base where I work, and she gave me some technique tips.  I've done a couple of easy rows focusing on technique but also getting some work in.  BTW rowing uses your abs much more than you would think-I'm guessing for the recovery and forward slide portion.  I'll focus on them during my short rowing warm-up before lifting tomorrow AM.

Here's to your fitness and health in 2017!

One month and one week on the Vick's Treatment

I have now been treating my toenail fungus with Vick's Vapo-Rub for one month and one week.  At first I was skeptical about this treatment although I had been soaking my feet in Listerine and vinegar since mid-summer.  I was skeptical not based on any real facts about Vick's working for others or not, it was mainly because I have been on about every prescription anti-fungal out there.  In most cases they made a difference temporarily but had to be stopped due to liver risk and the fungus spread right back to the affected toe nails.


I decided to give it a shot, as the vinegar and Listerine treatment seemed to be stalling out, plus I needed a method for the winter instead of soaking my toes/feet in cold liquid in a near freezing garage for half-an-hour every other day or more.  So I started gooping Vick's on my toenails after showering in the morning and before bed.  I don't think I've missed more than one treatment this whole time but sometimes I probably haven't put enough on.


Still no pics-plenty of other pics of nasty toenails on this here interwebs/Facepage thingy, so I'll spare you.  The good news is the uninfected nails are still clear, one nail seems to be almost grown out, and all the infected nails are improved.  Where some seemed ready to fall off before starting either treatment and has started healing during the soak, they are now getting thinner, more pink areas (instead of white and yellow) and generally healthier looking.  My left big toenail and right little toenail seem to be the slowest ones-almost like they have some mocking David and Goliath contest with each other and me.


Consider all this has been done with ZERO risk to my liver, I'm pretty happy with how it's going.  Also, since patience isn't one of my strong suits, knowing this is going to take a while is good for me more than just physically too!


I'll post another update in a few weeks or when there is major progress to report.

Holistic from head to toe

Decided to start posting again, and might as well start on this blog.  I've got a pretty brutal cold and am not working on any bike projects over at Bur's Biker Blog so this one gets updated first.  This is the first cold in awhile that caused me to lose my voice-probably because on day two or three of the cold I worked a full day (including meetings, briefings and my usual socializing) then proceeded to teach for four hours or so.

So there went my voice!  Fortunately Wednesday was the usual slow day at a military command before Thanksgiving and I only had to speak to about three people.  Yoga class went well, and made me feel a bit better.  While I'm taking my usual over-the-counter medicines, I've also looked up all sorts of holistic voice-saving and recovering tips.  Here's the one's I'm using:

Steam.  Lots of it.  Turned the bathroom into a sauna twice a day and not running the vent fan during/after my showers as I normally do.  That's helping.

Chamomile tea, and soon with honey.  We were out of honey after the old honey crystallized and my wife threw it out.  (side note-I had re-liquified it a few times already....).  I've used up all the chamomile tea we had, so after drinking a few cups of Earl Grey I picked up some more tea and fresh honey.

Water.  Self-explanatory.  Especially with all the coffee I drink, I have to always drink water too.

Yoga and breathing.  yeah, it stinks trying to breathe deeply when you can barely breathe, but it really does help.  As one article said, "Keep tissues handy".  Do you really want more info? (TMI! TMI!)  And since I'm working on inversions/headstands anyway, I've kept it up at risk of pounding sinuses (Sinai? tee hee), but it really does feel better when resting in child's pose afterwards and for the next half hour or so.

So why holistic from head to TOE?  As I've earlier posted, I've been doing the Listerine and vinegar soak for toenail infection, but seemed to hit a wall.  So two Sundays ago (the 15th) I began doing the Vick's treatment to each nail twice a day.  For the first week I didn't soak them, but am doing both now.  It looks like some more fungus died, but due to how progressed my toenail fungi is, this is going to be a long-term treatment.  Still no picture, as it's pretty gruesome.

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving and are enjoying all the leftovers like I am!