Motivation – Page 45 – The Blogging Buddhist

Kids Do The Darndest Things, And Adults Usually Clean It Up…

If there’s one thing that most parents of my age group can easily complain about, it’s how children now days seem to be engrossed in technology with less time for physical activity. It’s become a genuine issue, with childhood obesity hitting an all-time high in North America and kids showing no signs of slowing down, figuratively-speaking. This is where it becomes important for parents to not only encourage proper fitness but to show the right example by indulging in physical fitness themselves.

Nathan prior to his second birthday, executing a solid horse-stance

When my son Nathan was barely beyond his toddler years, my wife and I signed him up for a kids’ activity group, which included soccer balls, hoops and games in order to stimulate physical activity and learn team skills. Nathan’s inability to keep his attention on a single thing for longer than thirty seconds resulted in him running around and doing his own thing while other kids were seated in a circle, learning new things. It was embarrassing at the moment, but the reality is he still played his heart out and got some exercise.

We chose not to keep him in this group, since he had to be signed up and we would have to start paying for fees. I couldn’t justify spending money on an activities group he wouldn’t comply with, so I took his fitness into my own hands. Nathan has always been a child with excessive energy levels, but he rarely sees fit to use them appropriately for fitness. This is why it sometimes makes it difficult to get involved in something structured.

Walking his brother after school (the energy drink is mine)

Don’t get me wrong, there are days when he’s raring to go and I’m the one settled on the couch. But there are a number of important reasons WHY it is so important to get our children off the floor and doing something physical. I’ve been pretty fortunate that Nathan is often game to join me on the mats and do some exercise, even when his idea of exercising is hitting me repeatedly with a punch mitt until I stop my reps and wrestle on the floor with him.

Exercise is an important part of a child’s development. Exercise is required in order to strengthen bones, increase muscle mass and improve a child’s overall proper growth. From a non-physical standpoint, exercise is also important for a child as it promotes socialization, self-esteem and helps with concentration and schoolwork. That last sentence is an aspect that most parents tend to forget. And most reputable sources, and I’ll let y’all look into those yourself, recommend at least an hour of rigorous physical activity every day.

Although it can be hard to get kids interested in physical activity, there’s a lot you can do to encourage it:

Be The Example: It stands to reason that if your kids see you sprawled on the couch with a bag of chips, binge-watching a show for four to six hours without moving, this is the standard that they’ll grow up with. They’ll assume that laziness and apathy is acceptable. After all, if it’s good enough for mom and dad, it should be good enough for them, right? Wrong. Even if it’s just to get your kids moving, you need to set the example. After all, the family that stays fit together, stays healthy together;
Limit Screen Time: This is a tough one, especially for my son. And to be honest, it can often be tough on my wife and I, as well. It’s SO easy to tell Nathan “Go watch a show on your iPad,”when we’re trying to get things done or want some peace and quiet. But realistically, keeping him off a screen is important to helping him grow and develop properly;
Plan Activities: Although I would like being able to tell Nathan “Go outside and play,” this doesn’t work for most kids. Some of them may be able to go outside and entertain themselves, but it doesn’t allow for much structure. Plus, let’s be honest: sitting in a sandbox rolling a small car doesn’t do much for fitness and proper health. Play some ball, run some races or go talk a walk. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise is important, even for kids;
Keep Up The Encouragement: Hey, my son can’t throw a proper front kick to save his life. And his idea of blocking consists of squatting down into a ball and covering his head with his hands. The martial artist in me cries on the inside. The daddy in me is just happy that he’s training with me. But no matter what, the high-fives and pats on the back need to keep coming. It’s pretty hard to stay motivated if one isn’t encouraged. This is true of adults as well.

At the end of the day, this is one of those things where anything is better than nothing. But there are also certain restrictions you need to observe. Children really shouldn’t be doing any heavy weightlifting until they’ve finished growing. They can lift weights, but they should avoid lifting HEAVY weights for the purpose of lifting as much as they can as it can interfere with the body’s proper development.

Keeping kids physically active and engaged is about more than just getting exercise. It helps to mold the foundation they’ll need to maintain proper health, growth and development throughout their formative years and into adulthood. And maybe, just maybe, the parents will join in for the ride. ☯

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Heavy Or Fast, Exercise Has An Effect…

I’m a huge believer in the fact that a person should be training and/or working out several times a week, if not daily. I’ve had many of my counterparts (both Diabetic and martial artist) point out that it’s possible to have too much of a good thing and that daily training isn’t ideal. But when you factor in sessions of meditation, low-impact yoga and walks, it can be pretty easy to log something different seven days a week.

And before all the yoga practitioners jump on here and tear me a new one, I’m not saying that yoga isn’t a fantastic workout, because it can bring the sweat like anything else. But the point I’m trying to make today, especially for my fellow Type-1 Diabetic readers, is that different TYPES of workouts will have a different effect on your body and blood sugar. And it can be confusing and difficult to make heads or tails of it. After all, one would be inclined to think, “burn glucose to lower, eat carbs to increase,” right?

Last week, I had the privilege of enjoying two workouts. The first one was a circuit-style workout, with some speed and intervals thrown in. I performed this workout with my 6-year old son and we ended the workout with about fifteen minutes of punching the mitts. All in all, it lasted about forty minutes. During this period, my CGM was taking care of monitoring my blood sugar levels and I sat in the range of 5.3 to 5.7 throughout the entire workout and for a while afterwards. Okay, not bad.

The second workout was a period of doing karate forms, or kata. I practiced these alone for about a half hour, doing two or three of each of my forms required for my next belt certification. Doing them alone didn’t stop my son from sitting on the steps and watching quietly while occasionally mimicking some of the techniques he saw. But during that brief half hour, my blood sugar dropped from the mid 6’s to about 3.8 mmol/L.

The fact is, different workouts will have different effects on your body whether you have Diabetes or not. But it’s because of that Diabetes that you need to be wary of said effects. There’s no magic formula to figuring this out. Most of it will be trial and error and will require you to try different things to see what works for you. But I’m going to throw out some basic concepts as they relate to Diabetes. If you want some in-depth information, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has a great article that covers what I’ll be saying in greater detail.

Let’s start with cardio. I’m not a huge fan of running but as some of you know, I LOVE cycling. Cardio (or aerobic) exercises tend to last longer than say, weightlifting or other types of exercise. Although exhausting, biking for 70 kilometres will typically be less intense than say, doing repetitive sets of heavy weights for 30 minutes. Under normal circumstances, you’ll burn glucose consistently throughout the majority of your workout, meaning you’ll experience a low at some point during your workout. Pretty straightforward, right?

Next is anaerobic exercise, or your weightlifting, karate, boxing… Most of the workouts that are higher in intensity and will build muscle as opposed to cardio. Because of the higher intensity, the release of adrenaline will trigger the breakdown of glycogen in your system which is then turned into glucose, resulting in a spike in blood sugars. This is usually a real pain in the ass for me, especially since I usually suspend my insulin pump and leave it in my gym bag to avoid damage during karate classes.

Still with me? Good. The JDRF link I provided above will also offer some insight into combination aerobic/anaerobic workouts like team sports, but that shit gives me a headache to think about. So check out the link. The bottom line is you may have to suffer through some trial and error in order to figure out what works best for you. Removing my pump is normally a good idea during karate to keep from damaging it. But if I do as my doctor suggests and bolus a unit or two to compensate for the pump’s absence, I usually suffer a low quite quickly. I’m usually better off letting the spike happen and correcting it after class is done. Although not the best choice, that works for me. It may not work for someone else.

Having Diabetes shouldn’t stop someone from enjoying the full range of health and fitness that their bodies can allow. Although it may take a bit more planning and tweaking than the average person, there isn’t anything I can’t do. The important thing is to plan ahead. Always keep some fast-acting glucose with you, in case you suffer a low. Keep a blood glucose meter close by s that you can confirm your blood sugar levels, whether you wear a CGM or not. And of course, be sure to stay hydrated. ☯

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Riding The Icy Slopes…

I’m not a big fan of the extreme cold. Being born and raised in New Brunswick means that I’ve grown up accustomed to reasonably mild winters, albeit heavy snowfalls. So the past decade and a half of -50 degrees during the winter months have managed to find the chink in my armor and the ache in my joints. If I had to choose, I’d opt for the spring or the fall, where temperatures are on the cooler side without freezing me half to death. But I digress…

Nathan and I, about to tackle the slope!

I have to admit that one of the pleasant aspects of parenthood is the opportunity o relive some of the more enjoyable aspects of childhood. Namely, sledding! There’s a small mount near our home called “Mount Pleasant,” which is identified as a “toboggan hill.” Plenty of people go there to go sledding, and I brought Nathan there for the first time last week. He has a black sled that his grandmother bought him a couple of years ago, and since the weather was mild and the skies were sunny, I thought it would be a great opportunity to do something other than have him skim the back yard with it.

I had a really wicked video of Nathan and I shredding down the hill. But for some reason, my damn iPhone won’t upload the video. So I guess we’ll have to settle for this photo:

Nathan, hefting his sled back to the top

As you can see, there were some other people using the hill that day. But everyone was pretty good about staying the hell away from one another and some people were even wearing masks outdoors. Besides the few assholes who insisted on climbing back up the hill from the spot they came to a stop, thereby causing a collision hazard with other sledders, it was a fantastic afternoon with fresh air, sunshine and one hell of a workout getting to the top of that hill every few minutes.

We brought snacks, drinks and Diabetic supplies and we took a break halfway through the afternoon to enjoy the snack before taking turns, hefting the sled up the hill. It just goes to show that fitness doesn’t have to be all weights and cardio. Sometimes, good old fashioned fun can be great exercise. As long as you watch your blood sugars and recognize the winter temperatures will affect your levels and insulin absorption, there’s plenty of joy to be had despite all the white shit on the ground. ☯

Early Bird Gets To Socially Distance

A lot of people, most people really, are pretty stoked that there are only a couple of weeks left to 2020. To be honest, I see no evidence that 2021 will be any better than this year was but it’s good to stay positive. It’s like I’ve always told my wife: enjoy and appreciate the positive aspects of where we are, because the next spot may be much, much worse… The same words can easily apply to the world’s transition from ’20 to ’21.

Before I get too morose and negative, this time of year also brings the holiday season along with it. The world has changed in the way that it does business. And before everyone jumps on the internet bandwagon to tell me that I can not only do all of my Christmas shopping online but have it delivered to my home, I’m well aware. But sometimes you can’t beat the feeling of being out and handling the items yourself before paying for them. In some instances, this is also the only way to guarantee that you’re getting what you planned on, and not some wrong-sized or incorrect item because of an error on the other end when ordering online.

I was out running errands about two weeks ago. As I had brought Nathan to his bus stop with the SUV (he’s pretty spoiled), I took off to go do some shopping and run errands right away at 8 a.m. I discovered something that really shouldn’t have surprised me. The stores I went to were basically empty. Since most people were gone to school or off to their workday, I pretty much had the aisles to myself. It was nice, because I was able to shop around and actually look at stuff, take my time and wander without worrying that I was holding up someone behind me. You know, since they’re supposed to keep six feet away.

I think we forget that frequenting retail locations (when necessary) during these “quiet” periods is an excellent way to run your errands and get the stuff you need while managing to social distance the way everyone should. Plus, the peace and quiet that accompanies said shopping is a great way to let your mind float and start your day. No long-winded post with heavy explanations today. I just thought it was neat and that I should share. Stay safe! ☯

What Would You Do With Freedom, If You Had It?

Freedom can mean different things to most people. For some, it means “financial” freedom, whereas one has enough money in the bank to be clear of debts and not require employment to survive. For others, it’s simply NOT being locked up or imprisoned. But in general, it means having the ability to act, speak or think without constraint. It’s being able to go where you want, when you want and do what you want. And I think that we can agree that the vast majority of people who live in North America have that freedom, to varying degrees.

I don’t think I really need to point out that 2020 has been an absolute shit show for the entire world. In fact, some would argue (myself included) that COVID-19 has acted as an ultimate equalizer, since the virus does not discriminate and can be contracted by anyone of any age, race or gender. But we’ve seen a wider variety of people catch the virus than we would have originally thought possible at the beginning, including politicians, celebrities and the elderly. And the effect is that many if not most people feel and are of the opinion that they are losing their freedoms.

It’s been an increasingly stressful time, especially for those who are separated from those they love. One good example is my mother, with whom I speak to on a weekly basis. Yes, yes, I’m a momma’s boy and call my mother often. I’m also an only child, and father to her only grandchildren. So keeping a positive connection is important, one way or another. My father currently resides in a nursing home, where he’s been for about ten years. He voluntarily placed himself there after it became clear that my mother didn’t have the physical capacity to take care of a 330-pound man in a wheelchair.

For the most part they’ve been able to make it work, with my mother renting a small bachelor’s apartment next door to the nursing home and being with him everyday. Then, along came COVID-19. My father’s nursing home has been locked down ever since, despite the fact that many others in the Province of New Brunswick have reopened their doors (intermittently, depending on the status of their cases). This is an affront to my mother, who compares my father’s residence at the home and her inability to see him to being locked up in a prison.

I may have a bit of a jaded and subjective point of view, but I don’t know many prisons that have hardwood floors, picture windows with a view of the bay and serve customized meals, three days a week. But that’s just me. The sick and elderly are among the most vulnerable, and the choice to keep the care home’s doors closed to the public is a clear result of not wanting to potentially spread the virus to every resident there. The irony is that my mother COULD visit my father. The care home is allowing immediate family to visit on an appointment basis, with restrictions in place allowing for no longer than thirty minutes and requiring social distancing during the visit.

One would think that this would be good news. I would consider it so, since I’m on the other side of the country and can’t see my parents regardless of conditions. But my mother refuses to visit my father in this fashion, feeling that they don’t pay the money that they do to be kept separated from one another. It doesn’t matter that no individual has the right to make the choice for other residents and potentially introduce the virus into their environment. She simply refuses to take advantage of what’s offered because it isn’t what she wants.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents and I’m simply using them as the most familiar example I can use. But the point is that when this whole mess started, we all foolishly thought the world was grinding to a halt for 30 to 90 days and then things would go back to normal. Oh, how wrong we were! 9 months later, we’re still dealing with restrictions, imposed mandates and the constant yo-yoing on local and Federal governing agencies opening things up then taking them away again as soon as an outbreak happens.

What’s been the most disheartening, is people’s reaction to doing what’s necessary. A blanket attitude of basically not giving a shit has gripped society by the gonads and seems to be keeping a firm hold. People still balk at the very notion of wearing a face mask. I’ve fallen down many a YouTube hole where people have claimed and tried to get out of wearing masks in public places because of medical conditions, despite health professionals publicly declaring that the only conditions that would make wearing a mask impossible would be so severe that the patient wouldn’t be out and about. Customer limits and home school requirements, social distancing and the inevitable folding of privately owned businesses… I wasn’t kidding when I said that 2020 has been a shit show.

The problem is that people hate to be told what to do. You can take a family that’s financially poor, struggles to make rent and has to swallow their pride and accept charity, access food banks and hand-me-down clothing and they’ll do what’s necessary. But tell them they must lawfully wear a face mask while during their weekly Walmart run and all hell breaks loose. Like I said, COVID-19 has been, among other things, the great equalizer.

For my family, it hasn’t changed a great deal of much. My employer has had me at home for almost two years now and my wife works from home. The only significant change was this week, when my son began remote learning due to an outbreak in our local schools. My wife and I weren’t happy about the change, but we complied and adapted as it was necessary to continue my son’s education. But otherwise, the bills get paid, there’s food on the table and we’re taking advantage of being able to spend so much time together.

For those who chose to complain about the government, mask and isolation requirements, consider the following OBVIOUS facts: If this were all a conspiracy on behalf of the government, I’m sure they would chose a much better method of control than making someone wear a paper-thin mask on their face. Things may seem bleak now, but it will only be through the passing of this virus that any of us can hope to experience a normal life again. ☯

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Self-Care Doesn’t Mean Self-Importance

Taking proper care of yourself is one of life’s top priorities. This is true for any person, but especially true for someone suffering from Type-1 Diabetes. Although you can certainly find medical practitioners to help you navigate the complicated labyrinth of medications, treatments and methodologies required to properly balance your Diabetes, the ownership of your care ultimately falls to you. And even when people are fully aware of this, they very rarely recognize and acknowledge it.

In order to be healthy, you need to be happy. In order to be happy, you need to be healthy. As Sensei would say, these two go hand-in-hand and it’s very difficult to truly have one without the other. Over the years, I’ve found myself sacrificing my wellbeing for the betterment of others, often going as far as damaging my health, exhausting myself and/or making myself sick. Although sometimes duty, honour and obligation requires it, it’s pretty difficult helping others if you first don’t help yourself.

So what does self-care look like? I don’t necessarily mean taking your medications or frequently testing your blood, although these are every important. I mean the self-care that includes one’s mental wellbeing as well as the physical. For example, did you know that if you’re tired in the middle of the day and decide you want a nap, you really don’t need to explain yourself to anyone? (Unless you’re at work, in which case I don’t recommend trying it. And if you do, please don’t name drop me…)

In order to illustrate my point I’ll provide two examples from my personal life, which took place some years ago. The first is work. I don’t think I need to to explain that work is a necessary part of modern life. Unless you happen to have been born into a wealthy family, most of us are forced to punch a clock and usually contribute somewhere in the range of 2,100 hours a year to help line someone else’s pocket. When I used to work for a certain popular franchise, who shall remain nameless for liability reasons, I let myself fall victim to my attempts at being an all-star.

Although not always the case, most employers are not only more than happy when an employee goes above and beyond, they come to expect it without any form of additional remuneration or praise. If you happen to be a prospective go-getter, this plays havoc with your health. This was me, up until a little over a decade ago. I would never miss a shift, driving in dangerous, inclement weather, going in to work when I felt ill and even going as far as passing out twice on the job, to be brought to the hospital for diagnosis, only to return the next day.

Despite the fact I was in management (and in light of that fact), it really gave me no benefit to be sacrificing myself this way. I ignored critically low blood sugars, worked through bleeding polyps and even did the work of two people when I was short and couldn’t replace them. And it wasn’t until I finally put my foot down and tried to call in sick that I got the ever-popular retort from my boss. I’m sure you’ve all experienced it; it was a dialogue that went a little something like this:

ME: “I won’t be coming in today. I’ve been ill all morning…”
BOSS: “Well, just how sick are you? I need you for tonight’s shift.”
ME: “Sick enough that I don’t feel I should be coming in to work…” (Bearing in mind that Canadian Labour laws take a dim view of an employer asking about ANY medical condition, my answer was more accommodation than was required)
BOSS: “Alright, fine. I’ll see if I can replace your shift. I’ll call you and let you know.”
ME: “Let me know what?”
BOSS: “Whether I can replace your shift or not!”
ME: “Why do I need to know that?”
BOSS: “Because if I can’t replace your shift, I need you to come in…”
ME: “Maybe I’m not being clear. I’m calling in sick. I won’t be in tonight.”
BOSS: “Well, if you’re going to be like that, you’ll have to bring me a doctor’s note.” (Also against the Labour Code)
ME: “I’m not going to a hospital! I just need to get some rest and I’ll probably feel better tomorrow. THAT part, I will let you know…”
BOSS: “If you aren’t sick enough to go to the hospital or see a doctor, then you aren’t sick enough to miss your shift.” (Also not a permissible statement, unless you HAPPEN to have “M.D.” after your name, but what do I know)

Any of my readers or followers from back home can probably guess at what employer this was and would likely be nodding their heads furiously right now. But given my propensity for picking my battles, I would foolishly go into work despite feeling like absolute shit. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve worked through a shift with frequent trips to the washroom where I would accommodate either end of my anatomy (Enjoy getting THAT image out of your head). Was it worth it? Definitely not. It didn’t result in a pay increase or any advancement to my career. All it did was cause damage to an already damaged body. Not smart, on my part.

The next story is about relationships. For the most part, relationships on their own can be rough and challenging waters to navigate, especially when dealing with someone who has little concern or understanding for your wellbeing. This brings me back to my earlier comment about napping. You all know that I’m a big fan of napping, but for this story, I’m referring to the need for actual sleep.

You see, as an adult, there really isn’t any reason why you should have to explain yourself, should you decide you’re tired and want to go to bed. Tired means tired, and is about the farthest thing from selfish that I can think of; next to needing rest from illness. But this was something of an alien concept to the woman I will identify simply as “Ex” (my ex-wife).

Ex had a nice, cushy daytime job, 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. I worked shift work, which often included overnights. This is not to say that she didn’t work hard AT her job, the issue mostly arose from her time at home. The scenario would involve working overnight and getting off work at 6 a.m. By the time I’d get home, it would be closer to 7 a.m. and I would sneak carefully into bed as to not wake Ex. But one’s circadian rhythm can be a bitch, and she’d often wake up less than an hour later, despite being on a day off.

Now, one would be inclined to think that any reasonable person would understand that someone who’s worked throughout the night would need more than an hour or two’s sleep. Not Ex. She’d wake me shortly after she’d have breakfast in order to “get the day started.” When I’d argue that I needed a solid period of proper sleep because I had to work overnight again that night, it would be met with argument, including but not limited to the fact that I “was not to waste her entire day off sleeping.” Nice, eh? There’s a reason WHY she’s an ex.

I’ve provided both these scenarios, not because I wanted to complain about these two negative aspects of years past (despite the fact that venting about it was kind of nice), but to point out that both these scenarios wreaked havoc on my health, my blood sugar levels and even my mental wellbeing. The stress and anxiety associated with always having to explain yourself for things that should be an understandable requirement of physiological survival can have permanent repercussions on your sense of self-worth, value and confidence.

That’s why it’s important to take time for yourself and do things that are uniquely for yourself. Have that nap. Run out to grab a coffee. Take an hour a day to meditate or work out. None of that makes you selfish, it simply guarantees that you’ll be in a better state of health and a better state of mind to help take care of the daily grind, whether that includes family, work or whatever. And should you encounter an obstacle in your life that prevents your self-care, whether work or personal, that makes them a cancerous cyst that you need to down a shot of whiskey and quickly slice off in one quick swipe. You’ll be all the better for it. Surround yourself with people who will not only accept your needs, but will encourage them, as well. I know I did. ☯

It Won’t Happen On Its Own…

The past couple of years have been particularly hard on my family and I, with work difficulties wreaking havoc on our future, my family living on the other side of the country and my father almost passing away a few months ago. My father has been suffering for years, and he feels that his passing would be a relief, but what would be particularly tragic is the fact that I would be unable to be there for my family due to the pandemic, should it happen. That, and the fact that he’s never met his second grandson, Alexander.

That’s why in the midst of all the pain and difficulties, it’s important to be happy. People walk through life, often aware that they aren’t happy but do nothing about it. An important lesson of life that people tend to forget about is the fact that happiness is a practice, not a given. It won’t happen on its own, it’s something you have to take active steps in order to achieve.

Now, I could blabber on about my usual go-to’s, how exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and working on personal goals will all help to promote happiness. And these things are all true, don’t get me wrong. Keeping your fitness levels up releases a whole mess of crap inside your body that will make you feel good on its own. Getting a full night’s sleep and being well-rested will also be of great help. But ultimately, you should be trying to do one little thing that makes you smile, every day.

Personally, since I’m a YouTube addict, I’ll usually try to watch a motivational or inspirational video every morning. My thinking is that if I can start my day by seeing something positive, it will tip the scale and arm me with the positivity I need in order to tackle the negativity of the day I may face. This doesn’t always work, but for the most part, I’m successful in putting a grin on my face. This morning for example, I watched a video posted by a YouTube channel called “The Dodo” of an obese dog losing half its body weight to become healthier. It’s a small thing, took only a few moments of my time and made me smile. I’ll link it below:

Sometimes I’ll do something as simple as sit there and watch my 1-year old (who doesn’t quite walk yet) stand on his own two feet for a full minute because he’s so occupied with the toy he’s holding that he doesn’t realize what he’s doing. Then he notices he’s standing and suddenly can’t maintain balance and flops down onto his rump. Heartwarming and entertaining. Other days, it’s as simple as watching two squirrels frolicking on the tree outside my kitchen window while doing dishes.

My point is that there is still plenty of reason to smile, one simply needs to look for it. And with the current state of the world and one’s personal circumstances, it becomes important to work diligently at one’s own happiness. It won’t happen on its own. And you’ll come to find that when you’re happy and in a good mood, others around you may be a little brighter as well. Happiness can be contagious. But it’s a practice, not a given. ☯

Confusion Can Be Good

I like to think that one is never too old to learn something new. The prospect of being unable to “teach an old dog new tricks” is something of a myth, as is the concept I’ll be speaking about today. I’ve spent decades believing this was actually a thing, and incorporating it in many, if not most of my workouts. I’m referring to a term known as “muscle confusion.” The term, which is arguably not a scientific one, describes the act of changing up your workout routine frequently in order to “confuse” your muscles in order to prevent hitting a plateau.

But how effective is it? I’ll admit that I’m a really big fan of variety in one’s workouts, if for no other reason than to keep things interesting. But if I’m training in something, I’ll keep at it until I master it. A decent article posted by Men’s Journal explained it best by saying, “One big problem with the muscle confusion principle is that you don’t spend enough time working on an exercise to really master it. It’s like training to ride a bike one day, then a skateboard the next, and then rollerblading after that. Your skills on the bike aren’t really going to get better.”

Traditional karate is really big on repetition in order to master movements, techniques and fitness methods. As Ziad K. Abdelnour once said, “Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong…ever.” So there’s heavy importance in doing things properly. But I would be lying if I said that we often have tons of material and new techniques piled on at the same time. But the way to prevent or get past hitting a plateau is simple: increase your weights, increase your time and push yourself harder.

An article I just read by HealthLine.com states that the theory of muscle confusion is just a myth, created to help propagate popular fitness programs. The article goes on to say that muscle confusion is hype when compared to other fitness theories that are grounded in science. I highly recommend reading the article; it has some really good information.

So despite the fact that I’ve been on board the muscle confusion train for years, every reputable source that I’ve found seems to agree that it’s a myth and the better method is to remain consistent. At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with changing up your routine. It’s especially important to experience new fitness routines and programs, if for no other reason than to keep things interesting and have some fun. Your chances of reaching your fitness goals will increase exponentially if you enjoy what you do. ☯

Take A “Shot” At Some Facts…

It’s no secret that people have been enjoying the added opportunity to partake in, shall we say, “adult beverages” during this whole pandemic thing. I’ve jumped on that bandwagon myself, allowing my repressed inner teenager who never got to enjoy a drunken evening out with friends in his youth to indulge a bit as I generally have nowhere to go, nothing to do and no reason to worry, should I find myself a touch over the legal limit.

So acceptable has become the hobby of enjoying a daytime drunk, that most Provincial governments have elected not to close licensed premises for fear that the alcohol withdrawals will cause an overabundance of strain on the health care system. And this is probably accurate, if we’re being true and honest. But I’m not here to discuss the pros and cons of alcohol consumption or its continued sale throughout the pandemic. I’d here to focus on the consumption of alcohol for someone who has Diabetes. Of any type.

First and foremost, I’d like to point out that every person is different, as is their management of Diabetes. Everyone’s journey is unique, despite the condition being similar. Some of this will apply to all the types and subtypes of Diabetes, with some only applying to specific ones. For example, should you have Gestational Diabetes, I pray to the Light that you aren’t consuming alcohol. But that’s a totally separate issue. Since I’m Type-1, that’s the one I’ll mostly be focusing on.

Let’s start with some basic nutritional information. Alcoholic beverages contain carbohydrates. There are some spirits or “hard alcohols” that find themselves sitting at the 0 carbs level, but most bottle drinks you purchase at your local store will contain some, if not a lot, of carbohydrates. Although every blend, type and amount will differ, I offer the following comparison through the use of a photo I took a few days ago:

Now, ignoring the fact that I had all three of these items available on a sunny afternoon in order to take the photo, I’ll ask the following question: Which of these contain the most carbohydrates? Most people would likely think it would be the shot (it’s FireBall, BTW). This would be a natural conclusion, since most flavoured liquors are loaded with sugar. But believe it or not, you would be wrong. I’d like to point out that I’m using these three specific drinks/brands because they are what I had on hand and are no reflection as to whether one should consume these brands or not. This is just for educational purposes.

Let’s start with the shot. The average shot glass is approximately 1.5 fluid ounces. A small bottle (375 mL) contains approximately 10 shots. I contacted the parent company who makes FireBall and was informed that a shot sits at approximately 11 grams of carbohydrates. 11 grams, for a tiny gulp that does nothing more than burn the throat! This means that the entire bottle sits at about 110 grams of carbohydrates. Not that one would necessarily drink an entire bottle… Although I did experience this last year, as explained in my post A Decade Of Blood, Sweat And Literal Tears…, FireBall is not something typically consumed in large quantities. But it packs a solid carb-punch!

Next, we’ll discuss the beer. Believe it or not, the beer has the most carbohydrates per single drink. Sitting at approximately 25 grams of carbohydrates (this is not specific to the brand illustrated in my photo) per can, it can make having a six-pack pretty difficult as it totals at 150 grams of carbohydrates. This can range anywhere from 20 to 28 grams, depending on the brand and blend of beer you drink. It also tends to fill you more.

Finally, the wine. Ah, my beloved wine… Although nothing close to being a connoisseur, I do enjoy tasting the different blends of wine and comparing them. What’s nice is that an entire 750 mL of red wine averages between 12 to 15 grams of carbohydrates. For the entire bottle! Since one whole bottle sits at less than one shot of spirits, I tend to favour wine. Also, it’s important to bear in mind that white wine will contain significantly more carbohydrates red. But since I’m a Malbec or Shiraz man, I don’t have to deal with that issue.

If we quickly do the math, FireBall sits at 0.25 grams of carbs per millilitre. Despite the wallop packed by a can of beer, it’s only 0.05 grams of carbs per millilitre. The red wine is the big winner at the lowest amount, sitting at 0.02g/mL. Per mill, the wine is still the lowest. Per expected drink, the beer is the highest. It all depends on whether you’re having a casual drink or planning to drown your woes.

Most of this could easily be interpreted as useless facts, but the take-home lesson is that any alcoholic beverage you consume will require some blousing and calculation on your part. If you have Diabetes. Moderate alcohol consumption will likely result in increased blood sugars if you don’t bolus correctly. However, a heavy night of drinking will likely lead to hypoglycaemia, since alcohol will inhibit your liver’s ability to release glycogen and your body won’t receive the glucose it should.

These are just guidelines, but there’s a pretty good chart that’s put out by Diabetes Canada. It provides information and guidelines about the consumption of alcohol if you have Diabetes, as well as some baseline carb counts for the majority of drinks. These are guidelines only, and you should lean on your specific drink’s nutritional information combined with your specific insulin sensitivity to deal with all of it. As usual, moderation is key. Consume safely, my friends. ☯

200 Followers!

Sometimes, it’s the little things in life that can bring a smile to your face. When I started this blog in February of 2019, I did so because I had shut myself out from all sources of social and traditional media. I did so, because an incident through social media in my workplace threatened the safety of my employment. And in fact, still does. I felt that I needed something to help keep my mind sharp and my skill to research and creatively write intact. I would like to think that I’ve been successful in that regard.

I started by sharing the blog with the few people I had direct contact with. They liked and followed and before I knew it, some of their friends started following, other bloggers started following, strangers looking to read about Buddhism, martial arts and Diabetes started following. I’ve seen some blogs with thousands, even tens of thousands of followers. 200 may seem like a small number, but I consider it to be 200 people who are interested in what I write. And that’s no small thing.

I’ll take a break from my usual long rants and soapbox opinions today. I think maybe I’ll go sledding with my son. But as I step forward into a new day with another small milestone in regards to my blog, I need to thank everyone who’s followed me, as well as everyone who has inspired and given me ideas on how to produce content. Last but not least, I need to thank my wife, who not only puts up with my shit but puts up with me isolating myself into my little corner to write everything that I do. If you’ve enjoyed the blog, suggest it to others. I intend to keep this train rolling for a LOOOOOONG time… ☯

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