Thursday, February 5, 2009

Obese or Overweight, which is it?

You hear ALL THE TIME about how obesity is running rampant across the world and in the United States mainly.

You get stats like over 33% of American adults are obese. And 16% of children too.

And those stats are incorrect. BUT you have to understand the definition of obese.

Obesity is measured by calculating your body mass index (bmi) which is figured out by putting your weight and height into a couple boxes and spits out your bmi.

Now there are multiple problems with this.

First, it doesn't differentiate between men and women. And we all now that men and women are not created equal when it comes to body style and size. A 5'8" woman who weighs 140 lbs is fine BUT most guys that are 5'8" are probably closer to 170 lbs and they would be classified as overweight EVEN though neither looks overweight.

Second, even people of the same sex are built differently. Some people (like myself) have broad shoulders and can carry more weight without being too out of shape. While others who are the same height don't have the shoulder width.

Myself and one of my good friends are like that. We are both about 6'3" but my ideal weight is probably around 220 (I am not there by the way) while his is probably 195-200 because he doesn't have the overall mass to his body.

And the final HUGE problem with calculating your bmi is that is DOES NOT take muscle mass into effect. So if you are a decently built human being with good muscle definition you might be overweight.

FOR EXAMPLE:: Troy Polamalu (image below) is 207 lbs and 5'10". Which if calculating his bmi means he is ALMOST obese. Actually if he puts on 3 pounds he would be TECHNICALLY obese. Now does this man look obesed to you?



No he doesn't.

Another example:


LaDainian Tomlinson is a running back for the Chargers for any of you that didn't know. He is 5'10" 221lbs. And he is obese!!


Seriously this is all fact. Go to this site to check your bmi and it gives you the ranges for different levels.

Honestly if you are concerned with getting into shape or just want to know if you could do more than use your body fat percentage.

This will actually take into account your age, sex, and body style. For guys you have to measure your waist, hips, wrist, and forearm. For all the ladies out there you measure your hips, calf, thigh, and waist.

Go to this site to check your body fat percentage. And go here to see what a healthy level of body fat is.


And the next time you hear about the obesity rates in this country remember that Troy Polamalu is only 3 pounds from being obese and LaDainian Tomlinson is obese.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Well That Kinda Sucks


Last week I bitched and moaned about the state of my job. And this week it kinda got worse.

Yesterday afternoon I learned that the promotion/raise I was up for probably isn't going to happen. Now let me add that I was the ONLY person in the office up for the position. So unless they really don't like me I was going to get it.

BUT now they are saying it might not happen at all. And if it doesn't it could be a YEAR before I get a raise.

Now the reason that sucks is that I barely make enough to live on right now. The wife works a few hours a week cleaning on office and makes $550 a month. And I make enough to live on but probably just barely. (I am currently in the process of determining if we make enough).

She could obviously work more but there are a few problems with that:
  • No experience in an office setting so she is going to have a REALLY hard time getting a good job
  • She is 4 months pregnant and will have to take multiple weeks off within 5 months of getting a job
  • NO ONE IS HIRING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW!!
So I was very frustrated last night as I might have to get a part time job working in a warehouse or at a convenience store or something just to get by for the time being.

I am still working on the Real Estate license that I talked about last summer but it is turning out to be harder than I originally thought it would be.

And on top of that I need like 2 grand just to get my license and everything else I need AFTER I pass the tests!

So that sucks.

Basically I was counting on this raise/promotion. I understand that I am not guaranteed anything but being that I do a good job and that I was the ONLY one up for it I figured I would get it.

And now.....maybe not for a whole freaking year!

I F'in HATE the economy right now!

How about you!?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

For Some Reason it Bothers Me

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was long. I was off on Friday and then yesterday was traveling for work but luckily got to start a little late and actually finished up early so it was almost like a day off.

Did you watch the Super Bowl? I did. The game was good which it has been lately but I thought the commercials were MUCH IMPROVED over the past few years. I can remember watching the game the past couple years and not being too impressed with the ads. But this year I thought it was much better.

My favorite adds were the Doritos (snow globe), Bud Light (thrown out of window), and both of the E-Trade commercials although they came at the end and after the game. For some reason I absolutely love all the talking baby E-Trade commercials. No matter how many times I see them I laugh.

Shank-opotamus!!! Awesome!

Anyways....

Thursday of last week I was at a training class for Excel. I use Excel from time to time and even though I can do everything that is required of me now I thought that I might get some use out of learning more so I signed up to.

But the class wasn't as interesting as one thing that happened early in the day.

The idiot in front of me (probably in his late 40s or 50s) was sending and receiving emails with people all day long. No big deal...I was surfing the web and emailing too.

But my emails did not involve making plans to cheat on my wife. His did. I have gone through most of the possible scenarios in my head and am almost certain that he was doing just that. He was making plans with a woman with a different last name and everything seemed very secretive. And then he immediately deleted the emails from his account.

Suspicious...that's all.


There is local FM radio show host that recently got divorced and another national radio host I listen to that got divorced in the past 12 months.

They bother me now. For some reason since I learned that they are divorced they bother me. It isn't the fact they got divorced but more that they brag about being single now. And both of them had just recently had babies.

I understand that sometimes things don't work out. My wife and I have had some problems but we made it through. That is one thing. But to brag about being divorced on the air. That is unacceptable in my book.

I think that is mainly why I am bothered. It isn't the divorce that bothers me. That happens. But for them to talk about it and seem happy about it just doesn't make sense.

Obviously I don't have all the details on what happened. But I don't think you should be on the air (whether national or local) talking about your relationship status and bragging.