Marilyn Harris wrote:
> Hi Todd;
>
> Do you do any walking (or other aerobic-type of exercise) on a 
> near-daily basis?

Over the years I've followed all kinds of exercise programs, including 
aerobics.  I teach at a university where there's a Division I basketball 
team, so we have certain resources here, including a facility for 
checking lean body mass.  I haven't had this done for a while, but until 
about three years ago I used to do so regularly.  My typical LBM was 
about 180 lbs.  It may well be lower now, although even as overweight as 
I currently am I continue to do some high-intensity strength training at 
least a few times a month--enough to hang onto some muscle anyway.  My 
strength hasn't declined appreciably.  But I don't do any kind of 
aerobics on a daily or near-daily basis.  I think it would be a good 
idea though.

What happened was three years ago I became chair of my department, and 
it seemed that my workload doubled overnight.  Gradually I became less 
and less vigilant about diet.  Weight crept back up, slowly.  After a 
while, I was one of those SAD cases: a lowcarb True Believer with very 
good intentions of eventually getting back on the wagon.  My way of 
thinking about paleodiet is as a set or principles rather than a 
specific program.  That is, I believe that lowcarb diets work because 
they emulate what was/is most important about paleolithic nutrition, not 
because they recreate actual paleo diets.  And in my opinion, what was 
most important about paleolithic nutrition was that it provided (I 
believe) excellent insulin control.  And to get back to your question, I 
recognize that some daily aerobic exercise would also make a 
contribution to insulin control.

My Hba1c at my last physical (last fall) was 5.2.  Although that is 
considered fine by the medical profession, I'm not happy with it AT ALL.

This photo, http://www.sju.edu/~tmoody/graphics/in-office2.jpg, which I 
vainly keep on my web page, was taken a little over three years ago, not 
long before I became dept. chair.  My weight was around 210-215, and it 
felt like a pretty good weight, in fact.  I had been at that weight for 
a number of years, following a general low-carb diet that was maybe 80% 
paleo (I'd allow myself some cheese, especially goat cheese).

Todd Moody
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