Phil and John and All,Next thing you know, John will be having an accident on that stationary, as he's avoiding that speeding, honking vehicle.
(grin)
 

----- Original Message -----

From: Phil Scovell

To: [log in to unmask]

Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 12:11 PM

Subject: Re: Biking

John,

 

I'm going to record, in stereo, cars and trucks passing, honking, beeping, birds singing, dogs barking and chasing you, and all sorts of such sounds.  Then you can wear headphones and feel like you are really riding outside, haha.

 

Phil.

 

 

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: john schwery

To: [log in to unmask]

Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 6:48 AM

Subject: Re: Biking

Phil, I have one of those bikes and it is great.  They are built like a tank and are very durable.  I checked the reviews before I bought one and the reviewers agree.  These bikes have been around for a long time and I'm glad Schwinn keeps putting them out.  Maybe, you can make money forecasting weather.  Hahaha.

earlier, Phil Scovell, wrote:

Vicki,

 

My blood pressure readings has dropped a lot over the last 9 months of riding my bike.  I know once I've lost more weight, and start getting closer to what my average is supposed to be, I'll discover no need for the blood pressure medications.  I'm taking 500 MG of a drug called Medforeman which is an old drug that works really well keeping blood sugar levels down, plus, it won't let you drop below 70, which is the danger zone for going into diabetic shock.  I gave my treadmill to big Everett and he and Donna use it but I prefer my Shwin Air Dyne because it takes up half the space and is very low impact but gets the heart rate right up there within moments of start time.  I've always felt the older types of treadmills that don't allow you to swing your arms to simulate normal walking, aren't as good for you as this stationary bike that moves both arms and both legs at equal levels.  Sure, I'm tired when I finish and have to take it easy for about 30 minutes before I'm back to normal, but on those days my legs are aching due to neuropathy, a left over from my spinal surgery three years ago that has never completely gone away, or better stated, returns on some days when the weather is changing, I can still ride my full time without making my legs ache even more.  This current storm we had, for example, really got to my legs and to my left hand.  I still have tingling and partial numbness on the pads of my left hand index finger and thumb.  When even a thunderstorm is coming in, my legs definitely begin aching.  Sometimes it is light but sometimes it is right down uncomfortable.  I didn't even go with Sandy Friday to Sue's to get my hair cut because of my legs and due to the ice and thick snowfall.  I cannot walk as rapidly as I once could and sometimes my balance is not 100 percent so I have to think about walking whenever I go anywhere.  It is odd having to think when you take steps.  Big Everett walks so fast, I am always telling him to slow down when he's going some place with me.  Fortunately today, Saturday, my legs haven't hurt at all and my left hand, although still effected by the neuropathy, isn't aching or catching my attention unless I stop and think about it.  The situation with my legs aching, off and on again, plus that index finger and thumb pad tingling and feeling numb, is basically the only left overs from pre spinal stenosis I had three years ago.  Of course, number 60 is nearly upon me and I've got some arthritis in my lower spine, which rarely bothers me now, thank the Lord, plus my right hand between my thumb and index finger swells in the thumb joint and the webbing between the thumb and index fingers of both hands sometimes really aches.  Strange how it comes and goes with my right hand but when it is aching, it really aches and the largest thumb knuckle on that hand swells to about twice that of the left hand.  I'm just thankful I can still type, although I can't type as fast, and some days I get tired of typing for very long periods of time.  Nothing like sharing your aches and pains and complaints with the whole list, haha.  During my 30 minutes, or so, of cool down time, I play around with my iPhone a lot and have gotten more familiar with it just by doing that after each ride.  At least that way I'm not wasting time or falling asleep sitting in my rocking chair out here in my office.  I must admit, however, this 900 dollar office chair I am seated in that I've had for probably 5 years, was well worth the money.  Everyone who sits in it always automatically comments on its comfort.  When I tell them how much I paid for it, they have no interest in buying one but pre surgery on my spine, I was doing anything, and everything, to try and solve my lower back pain.  It really helps.  Pre surgery on my spine and neck, I had no idea what was going on and just thought it was my over weight causing the lower back pain.  Boy, was I wrong.

 

Phil.

 

 

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Vicki

To: [log in to unmask]

Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 5:50 PM

Subject: Re: Blood Sugar

Thanks for that great explanation.  Doc says if I can keep my weight down and my blood pressure at this level I can start getting off bp meds little by little.  But in order to do that, I need consistent exercise.  I listen to a lot of stuff while walking.  But I need to bike instead of tread mill.

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Phil Scovell

To: [log in to unmask]

Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 6:00 PM

Subject: Re: Blood Sugar

Vicki,

 

I keep track of my speed now by the number of minutes I ride.  I start out by counting the number of revolutions the peddling yields.  I've had the kids, more than once, watch the digital display as I ride and exactly 40 complete revolutions equals 0.2 of a mile.  So 5 minutes equals a mile.  I can run at exactly 12 miles an hour without counting.  I run my counter on my watch for the first 10 minutes and once and awhile, I count how many revolutions I have gone in one minute.  My average, without pushing it, is 42 to 43 turns.  So by the first couple of minutes, I have my speed locked in and don't have to track it by counting turns any longer.  If I run 47 to 48 turns, I'm up to 14 miles an hour.  If I push it, I run 52 and 53 turns so I'm over 14 miles an hour and then I only ride for 30 minutes.  If I'm down near 40 turns, I ride 35 minutes to insure it comes out slightly over 50 miles in 7 days.  About every two weeks, I take a day off, sometimes two days, while at other times, I may go for a month before taking a day or two off.  Any more than about a day, and it becomes difficult to start up again.  I turn my little wall furnace up when I start to generate a higher temp in the room and that way I sweat a little more and burn a few more calories.  The bike is in my back room of my office and close to the furnace which is punched through the wall that has been there since it was installed 27 years ago and a gas line run to it when we bought this house.  The display has such readings, if I could see, for heart rate and calories burn but that does me no good, haha.  Some days I read the Bible with earphones, on less spiritual days, I listen to talking books, and on other real sinful days, I listen to the radio, if there's a football game  playing, or other days of the week, when Rush is on.  I often do nothing because I like to let my mind day dream while riding.  I ponder outlines, meditate on books or articles I am writing, adding to them in my thoughts, and just try letting the time go by without focusing specifically on much of anything.  Almost like riding a horse, haha.  Say, maybe I should wear my cowboy boots and hat and pretend I'm on horse back.  I normally do my riding in early afternoon instead of first thing in the morning but since we don't have grandchildren over all day any longer, the afternoons work best for me.

 

Phil.

 

 

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Vicki

To: [log in to unmask]

Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 4:47 PM

Subject: Re: Blood Sugar

Hey Phil,

 

That's great about your blood sugar.  May that 7-day thing is a good idea.  I can't seem to take two days off either.  Hahahaha!  So then, you're not the only lonely non taker offer.  How do you know how far you've ridden?

Ah, I picked some up at Christmas.  And then our 25 anniversary is coming  That day, it's for celebrating, not fixating on weight loss.  (smile)

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Phil Scovell

To: [log in to unmask]

Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 4:36 PM

Subject: Blood Sugar

I forgot to mention last week that I went for my three month blood draw for my A1C blood sugar test.  I was down about it being high because Christmas, new years, our anniversary, and December birthdays, screwed up my low carb diet because I fell off the diet wagon several times.  Anyhow, I was shooting for 20 pounds loss in three months and only got 7 but my blood sugar, probably thanks to my stationary bicycle riding of 50 miles a week, was still 6.4 as it was 3 months before.  So I was very thankful for that.  Of course, some of you, as diabetics, already know how important daily exercise relating to blood sugar levels is.  I've put a year long dieting schedule together to be down at my normal weight by my next birthday.  No, not this one this month but a year from now.  Do you know how hard it is not eating sugar?  This is one reason why I attempt to ride my stationary bike daily rather than 5 days a week.  If I take off the weekends, I  find it nearly impossible to start up again.  Great will power I have, haha.

 

Phil.

 

John

Currently in Ocala, Florida Overcast, Fog 59°F Wind:N-360° at 3mph

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