I know it looks like a witness protection photo, but its just my sons shaky hand.

Week 3: The more I go to the Y the more I love it. My routine is to start on a treadmill and then the resistance machines. These machines are like lifting weights, only no weights. They work on an adjustable residence system. Much easier for those new to this type of exercise, like me.

I have been doing 15 minutes on the treadmill. at first it was a pretty slow walk, but I was able to speed it up a bit to a brisk walk without any issues. One particular work out my son went with me. He is 15 and starting his second season of football training at St. John Bosco High. He lifts weights and works out 5 days a week. It was really nice to have him there supporting Daddy. I was really happy walking on the treadmill at a speed of 2.2. My son on the treadmill next to me is running at 6.5. He reminded me of the old “Six Million Dollar Man” TV series. Steve Austin hauling ass on a treadmill.

Anyway, I got three workouts in this week. After the treadmill I go into the room with the resistance machines. I really enjoy these! They are so easy to operate and they work out so many different muscles. I keep meaning to count the machines, but keep forgetting when I am there. I think there are about 9 machines in all. They are arranged in a circle around the room so it is really easy to move from one to the next. I do 12 reps on each machine and go three times around. Once I was only able to go twice, but pushing myself, three times is not a problem.

With my workout buddy and dear friend, Anne.

I am sore when done, but it doesn’t last long. My dear friend Anne, who is the Exec. Director at the Y worked-out with me on Thursday. That was really wonderful and very kind of her. The workout went by so fast because we were talking the whole time. It was awesome.

So the other part… my irregular heart beat continues to get me down. I have another appointment with my Doc to see if he can find out exactly what type of arrhythmia I have and try to see if there is a medication that will help. Most times it is just uncomfortable, and happens several times a day lately. I had a difficult day last Saturday. It was so bad that I couldn’t walk from room to room without getting winded. My talking blood pressure machine started to say, “Your blood pressure is 45 over 81, your heart rate is 85. Notice – an irregular heartbeat has been detected” Huh! That is new. I had a bit fo an issue on Thursday but worked out anyway. After 2 minutes on the treadmill, my heart rate was 137 and it took the treadmill a bit to give me a reading. Because it was so up and down I’m sure.

I have not weighed myself but my pants are looser, but more importantly, I fool better. The “diet” has been cutting carbs. I still have some carbs, I found that when I cut them out completely, I get really weak. So every other day I have a small amount, and earlier in the day. Also I go to Mayor Guerra’s “Walking Wednesdays” every other week. I sit and take photos the whole time. This wednesday I walked around the Downey High track twice. Which was about what I do on the treadmill. A half mile. That was really cool and my dear friend Mario was so encouraging and kept saying how proud of me he was. That means the world to me. He is such a great example of making a healthy life change.

I also wanted to mention signing up at the Downey YMCA. The process literally took only a few minutes. I highly recommend checking them out. Just go in and ask for a tour, they will be more then happy to show you around. They also have excellent trainers on staff. My trainer, Shar even called me after reading my last blog to check up on me. Just wonderful.

So I hope to get this stupid heart issue under control and soon. I am enjoying the workouts and I know I will continue. Thank you so much for reading my blog, I really appreciate it. Everyone has been so very kind and supportive. It is just wonderful.

The post A Week Of Exercise, Or Too Weak To Exercise – John’s Blog appeared first on DowneyBeat.com.

With YMCA Fitness Trainer Char!

My first week of the new workout program at the Downey YMCA went great. Everyone at the Y is so helpful. Walking into a place like that for the first time, you feel (or at least I did) a fish out of water. I didn’t know where anything was and I didn’t know where to start. Also being my first ever workout program, I didn’t know how to start. The “machines” looked so foreign to me. And of course, you do not want to look foolish.

Well none of that was an issue at the Y. I was introduced to one of their trainers, Char. A wonderful woman who truly care about what she does. After a discussion oh my background and my health issues, Char took me over to a treadmill, and showed me how to operate it, which was very simple. She asked me to do 5 minutes, and I was able to do 15. The speed was a slow one, but hey…. 15 minutes!

Man meets Machine

Char asked me to meet her the next day, for a more involved session. On Tuesday, I met with Char, we went straight to the treadmill and did 10 minutes. Char jumped on the treadmill next to me and walked and talked with me the whole time. She is so constantly positive and uplifting. After the walk we went to another room that had several different types of machines. Again, a little intimidating. Char took me to each machine and not only explained how each one worked, but did each one herself before asking to try them. I really enjoyed these machines and were able to do each fairly easily. Several different muscles got a work out, but again, it was really enjoyable.

So my new schedule was a treadmill and a workout for as many days as I was able to fit it in. On Wednesday I visited a facility as part of a story that I am writing and walked for over two hours. I had to take a 5 minute break and was pretty tired after. That would have to be my workout for that day.

Thursday my legs were so very sore. Walking just a bit was difficult. I had two meetings, no workout.

With Gunnar and Matthew Nelson at the Downey Theater (I’m the one on the middle)

Friday, two more meetings and a piece to cover at the Downey Theater. I may have been able to fit a workout in, but I felt that with the 2 hours at home, I needed the rest. I got home from the Downey Theater at 11:00pm. I was on my feet for almost the whole time there, taking care of the Downey Beat contest winner, visiting with the act and taking photos during the show. I had the alarm clock set for 5:30am to arrive early to the Healthy Downey 5k at Rancho.

At 5am in the morning I was awoken with chest pain. My heart rate was fast and I couldn’t take more then a few steps without being completely out of breath. This has happened to me a few times before and I have been hospitalized twice. Each time the doctors were unable to find the reason of the problem. So this time I waited it out. My wife constantly by my side and helping my get from room to room, I rested and slept all day. Sunday I was better, but tired and sore.

So this coming week will be off to a slow start. I have cut back on meetings and plan to work at home as much as I can. The good news, I had a chance to weigh myself on Thursday and I lost 3 pounds. I hope to get back to the Y maybe Tuesday or Wednesday and walk and workout. My new “diet” cutting carbs and moving my body is the ket to getting rid of these health issues. So I move forward. another bit of good news, my doc changed my blood pressure meds and said he wanted my numbers to be under 145/80 and that could take a month. My blood pressure today was 142/81. I think that has a lot to do with eating better.

Thank you for following along with me, I felt so dang good at the start of the week, and fell at the end of the week. These things happen, but it won’t stop me. Anyone looking to start a workout plan or looking for some amazing people and equipment to help you, please check into the Downey YMCA. You will love it there!

See you back here in a week!

The post Wait for Weight Loss – John’s Blog appeared first on DowneyBeat.com.

Speaking at the Friends of the Library Event
Photo by John Zander

Our Community is alive and well and doing amazing things. Just wanted to share about a fun and typical day in our City.

Photo by John Zander

With Alexander Gaytan at the Kiwanis One Day Event

At the new Burger City Grill with BCG Owners Efthemios Tsiboukas & Abraham Shakolas

I then stopped by Downey Gateway to thank a few of our new businesses and welcome to Downey, Burger City Grill, Pacific Fish Grill, Fresh Cutt, Waba Grill, Round Table, and Yogurtland. They will all be very successfully and we are happy that the owners of each of these establishments are committed to being involved in our City. These are the types of owners we want. Most are small business owners and we welcome them to our community.

Speaking at the Sister Cities Fundraiser
Photo by John Zander

 

 

 

 

 

Then this evening I attended our Downey Sister City event at the Columbia Space Center. It was a fundraiser for our visit to Ireland next month. Everyone is getting excited about our visit to our newest Sister City, Roscommon County, birthplace of John Gately Downey. I am honored to represent our City and look forward to our Sister City relationship with them. Very special in so many ways.

Sister Cities Fundraiser at Downey’s Columbia Memorial Space Center
Photo by John Zander

The post A Typical Great Day In Downey! – Mario’s Blog appeared first on DowneyBeat.com.

The wonderful and encouraging, Dr. Robert Gibson and Mr. Cheeseburger

Its time to pay up. Its time to pay for all of those fabulous meals that have been slowly trying to kill me. Why is everything that tastes great so bad for me? What is up with that!

As I quickly approach 50 (I would have said, ‘kicking and screaming’ but that could have been counted as exercise), I realize that almost half of my life os over. I plan to live to about 110 – 112. I don’t know why, but I always thought that I would make a striking old man. Anyway, the more I hold onto to all of this weight, the more difficult my life becomes. My health issues are getting very serious. High blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, handsomedudeness and last year I had a stroke. (I may have made one of those up). So, time to make a change. Anyone who knows me, or any of my Facebook friends know that I am a family man and put my family above all else. My son is my heart and my wife, who I tricked into marrying me is an Angel. BTW, We got married at the Norwalk Courthouse and I kept and hid the receipt so she can’t return me (always thinking a head). But most importantly, I need to be around for them. Around, and not just round.

So…. “Its Fun To Stay At The YMCA!” Come on, everybody! Yes, I am going to the Y. The Downey YMCA is a really wonderful place. The staff is great and they have everything there that you could possibly need to workout. I also went to see my wonderful Doctor, Robert Gibson (yes, same last name as my sons first name). He gave me the OK to begin a workout program. I have to be careful and not push too hard, but I believe that I know what that line is. And I know that it is going to take a lot of work. But that is okay. There are a couple of great trainers at the Y, so I will leave them to it.

As far as nutrition, knocking out carbs is what has worked for me in the past so that is the route that I am taking. Dr. Gibson aggress, and between the two of us, he is the one who went to medical school (although, I have not actually seen any documentation to back that up).

On Monday April the 8th, I will be at the YMCA, and on purpose this time, to get my workout on!  The idea of the blog was to share my experience and keep me honest. Follow along if you like. I would be happy to hear from you. I am so inspired to do this by my dear friend, Mayor Mario Guerra. His Healthy Downey Program is a huge incentive as well. Mario has absolutely turned his life around, and his encouragement and support means the world to me.

Here I go, wish me luck. Starting off today 4/4/13 at 332 pounds. I am 5′ 10 1/5″ tall. I was hoping that I wasn’t over weight, just under tall. No such luck.

The post A Weight Loss Blog – Short & NutraSweet appeared first on DowneyBeat.com.

My wonderful son trying out Daddy’s bike behind the Live 4 Bikes shop

I wanted to share on my blog some really amazing service that I had at a bike shop last week. I was looking to get my bicycle tuned up and cleaned up as it had been sitting outside for about a year. My friend and neighbor Ken, told me that he just had his bike tuned up and customized a bit at a bike shop on Woodruff Ave. just south of Rosecrans Ave.

The Live 4 Bikes shop

Ken loaded up my bike in his truck and we headed over there. I didn’t want to pay too much for a tune up and I had been quoted some prices that were on the higher end. When we went into the shop, we looked around a bit. They had quite a selection, new and used. High end, cruisers, BMX, a little of everything including a large selection of used bikes. The first thing that I noticed was the prices. The new bikes were seriously the lowest prices that I have ever seen. And the used bikes, wow. They had bikes there for $50! And those are used bikes that have been checked out and tuned up by the shop. That is the other thing you notice about these guys, they seriously live for bikes. There was a constant flow of bikers of all ages coming up to the back door to get a tune up or accessory. So back to my tune up. I spoke with the shops owner, Carlos who took a look at my bike. To clean it up and get it back into running shape he quoted my $25. Yes, $25!  I knew that by buddy Ken was happy with his bike so I agreed.

The owners and staff at Live 4 Bikes are so very customer conscious that every time a customer walks in the shop and no matter how busy they are, they always address that customer. And they know everything about bikes. The next day I was out with my family and decided to go to the shop because my mom was looking to get her cruiser upgraded by adding some gears. The first thing I noticed was my bike was done, and very clean. He even removed some of the rust that had accumulated. Again, all for $25. I took it for a spin in the parking lot and it rode like new. We spoke to Carlos about adding gears to my moms bike, and took a look at the stock just for the heck of it. Rather then getting gears put on my moms bike, I purchased her a used 7 speed Cruiser for $50. And the adjusted the seat and handlebars to suit her.

Carlos and his bike tec customize my moms bike to suit her, at no extra charge

I think it is important that we share these positive experiences with others. A small shop like Live 4 Bikes works very hard at their business, and I really appreciated the way i was treated and I really appreciated the prices. These guys have a passion for bikes and built a business out fo it. And if you ask me, it was the right move. If you are in need of a bike, service, accessory or repair, please go see Carlos at Live 4 Bikes and tell him that the Downey Beat sent you!

LIVE 4 Bikes
14328 Woodruff Ave.
Bellflower, Ca. 90706
(562) 419-5308
http://www.live4bikes.com

The post Sharing Some Great Service I Had At A Bike Shop – John’s Blog appeared first on DowneyBeat.com.

Click the link below to read the article.

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-309464-thieves-steal-entire-bridge-in-western-turkey.html

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