Showing posts with label DUBAI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DUBAI. Show all posts

Sunday, June 21, 2015

ONE STEP BEYOND

ONE STEP BEYOND was a late 1950's era television show that ran on ABC network from January 1959 until July 1961.  The show was created by Merwin Gerard and produced by Collier Young.  ONE STEP BEYOND was hosted by John Newline, "your guide to the supernatural" (also credited as "Our guide into the world of the unknown")  Newline presented tales that explored paranormal events and various situations that defied "logical" explanation.  The show was somewhat similar to THE TWILIGHT ZONE.


Today, at my local YMCA in my hometown, Chicago, I found another STAIRMASTER machine and I definitely took ONE STEP BEYOND.  In fact, I took quite a few steps beyond.   I was eager to build on the successful session that I had on Friday morning.   I guess, my thinking was very similar to the thinking of the programmers of this particular machine as the machine had a choice to choose various landmarks as goals.   (I had thought that this was my own original idea - but I guess that this is one of those ideas that are fairly obvious)

This was the screen on the STAIRMASTER during set/up for the workout
I selected the tallest building which on this scale was the BURJ KHALIFA.  When I reported the various floors in yesterdays blog I was relying on information and counting actual floors within these buildings.   This machine assigned 254 floors to the BURJ KHALIFA based on its height and not actual stairs within.

My first goal was to go at least ONE STEP BEYOND my accomplishment the previous day.
My next goal was to complete 255 floors.  And I did that.
My next goal was to complete 300 floors.  And I did that.
My next goal was to exceed 1000 calories burned for the workout.  And I did that.
My next goal was to complete 400 floors.  And I did that.
My next goal was to simply last on the machine for 90 minutes.  And I did that.
My next goal was to complete 500 floors  And I did that.
My next goal was to simply last on the machine for 120 minutes (TWO HOURS) And I did that.
My final goal was to exceed 2000 calories for the workout.  And I did that.
When the session was over...I had maintained a static pace for the full two hours: 5 floors/minute.
THE COMPLETE SESSION LASTED TWO HOURS, THREE MINUTES, 52 SECONDS.
THE machine reported that I had  'CLIMBED'  630 FLOORS, at an average speed 5 floors/minute...and burned 2028 CALORIES.

HELLO GOD, DON'T YOU FIND IT A LITTLE RIDICULOUS THAT I AM VISITING MY GASTROENTEROLOGIST ON MONDAY TO FIND OUT WHY I AM ANEMIC?   DOES THIS APPEAR TO BE THE ACTIVITY LEVEL OF SOMEONE SUFFERING FROM ANEMIA?  I have never had more energy in my life.  I have never felt stronger in my life.  I have never exercised so regularly or with more determination in my life.  How the heck could I be anemic?

I guess today, it can be said that I was the (STAIR)MASTER OF MY DOMAIN!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
 SATURDAY MENU
breakfast     two apples                                                                     190 calories
lunch           HUGE SPINACH SALAD, GRANOLA, GINGER  1100 calories
dinner          HUGE SPINACH SALAD                                           750 calories
SNACK       GRANOLA, 3 APPLES                                                672 calories

TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED  2712 CALORIES

calories burned
STAIRMASTER  2 HOURS, 3 MINUTES, 58 SECONDS     2028 CALORIES

SATURDAY net calories  calories 684 calories
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 




I REALLY DID GO ONE STEP BEYOND YESTERDAY.  

IF EACH 'FLOOR' IS 16 STEPS. 
AND SINCE I ACTUALLY DID COMPLETE 630 FLOORS...

I CLIMBED 10080 STEPS!

OH, YES, I BELIEVE I WENT ONE STEP BEYOND YESTERDAY  

Saturday, June 20, 2015

YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWEIGH

YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY was one of the songs from the 1976 release from rock superstars, QUEEN.   It comes from their album A Day at the Races.   This was the second consecutive release from QUEEN that took its name from a Marx Bros movie title.   The first was A Night at the Opera.





One thing I know is that if I had tried to spend more than a few minutes on a stairmaster a few months ago - It would have taken my breath away.   And quickly.




Lately, I have been walking up flights of stairs and I was really eager to find a stairmaster machine in order to test my endurance.  During this trip, which found me in 5 different hotels on 5 consecutive nights and working out in 4 different YMCA's in different communities on four consecutive days - I finally found a stairmaster machine in Fort Wayne, Indiana.


It has been nearly a decade since I have stepped onto one of these contraptions.  I felt as if I was ready.  My initial goal was to log a simulated walk of more flights of stairs than I had accomplished a few weeks ago when I was at the Hilton Hotel in Columbus.   Therefore, my first goal was to walk at least 75 'floors.'   Once that was accomplished - my goals kept on moving.  (In football terminololgy: I kept moving the goalposts back)  I imagined that I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would find in the Empire State Building.  And I accomplished that.   Then I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would have found in the long gone World Trade Center.   And I accomplished that.  Then I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would find in the world's current tallest building.  And I accomplished that.  Then I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would find in the world's tallest building that is currently under construction.  And I came very close to accomplishing that. (Apparently I would have to scale 253 floors to climb up Kingdom Tower from ground level to top.)  Then I wanted to continue walking until I had 'burned' at least 500 calories.  And I did that.  Finally I realized that I was approaching one full hour on the machine and that became my final goal.  And I accomplished that too!

I lasted one hour.  I walked up 220 'floors' and I burned 607 calories while doing it.   When I stepped off the machine, I would be lying if I didn't experience a short moment when my legs were wobbly - It was very much like the sensation one feels when one steps off a boat onto the dock for the first time after spending time on choppy waters.   In conclusion it can be said that the machine did TAKE MY BREATH AWAY - but that was after a rather vigorous 60 minute workout!



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220.0 lbs

I weigh 220.0 lbs.
I gained 1.1 lbs this week.

I lost 89 lbs in 178 days. Today begins Day 179.
I have lost 14 inches from my waist. 
I will always be at the beginning of a journey that never ends.
I weigh 220 lbs. (178 days ago I weighed 309 lbs)
I have lost 28.8% of my weight since Dec 24.
Considering how different my calorie count has been - eating much larger portions of still mostly nutritious foods - I am satisfied.  I must consider cutting back just a bit to continue to lose weight.
I have a BMI, body mass index of 29.43 (far away from obesity!)
I had a 42.0 BMI on 12.24.14 just 178 days ago (Class III obesity)

I have six words to describe how I feel right now - (time to get) BACK TO BASICS



...I know how to begin this week... I think it might be time to visit my 'hometown' YMCA.  Maybe they have a stairmaster.  I would like to continue to challenge myself in step climbing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
 FRIDAY MENU
breakfast   Wasabi Green Peas, Serenity mix, okra chips, 2 apples       849 calories
lunch         HUGE SPINACH SALAD, GRANOLA, coconut chips   1351 calories
dinner       TERIYAKI BEEF JERKY                                                    165 calories

total calories consumed   2365 calories

calories burned
STAIRMASTER   ONE HOUR, 220 FLOORS                          607 CALORIES

Friday net calories  calories 1758 calories
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING (NEW YORK)
1250 FEET TALL, 102 STORIES
~ ~ ~
WORLD TRADE CENTER (NEW YORK)
1368 FEET TALL, 110 STORIES
~ ~ ~ 

BURJ KHALIFA
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
2718 FEET TALL, 163 STORIES
~ ~ ~ 


KINGDOM TOWER
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA
3,304 FEET TALL
(EXPECTED AT COMPLETION)


Floor count157 (252 including uninhabitable "floors" in the spire) 

Kingdom Tower
برج المملكة
Kingdom Tower, Jeddah, render.jpg
Computer rendering released on 2 August 2011
Former namesJeddah Tower
General information
StatusUnder construction
TypeMixed-use: office, hotel, residential, apartments, observation, retail
Architectural styleNeo-Futurism
Megatall skyscraper
LocationJeddahSaudi Arabia
Coordinates21.734103°N 39.082980°ECoordinates21.734103°N 39.082980°E
Construction started1 April 2013
Estimated completion2018
Opening2019
CostSR 4.6 billion (US$1.23 billion) (preliminary)
Owner
ManagementCBRE Group
Height
Architectural1,007 m (3,304 ft) (planned)
Top floor630m
Observatory630 m (2,067 ft)
Technical details
Structural systemReinforced concrete and steel, all-glass façade
Floor count157 (252 including uninhabitable "floors" in the spire) 
Floor area319,000 m2(3,433,687 sq ft) - 530,000 m2(5,704,873 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators59 (54 single deck and 5 double deck)
Design and construction
ArchitectAdrian D. SmithAdrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
DeveloperJeddah Economic Company (JEC)
EngineerLangan International (sub-grade and transportation planning)
Structural engineerThornton Tomasetti
Main contractorSaudi Binladin Group
postscript:  I don't know if I really should 'worry' about training to climb up the 252 floors Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia even once it is completed in 2018.   I really don't think that this is the most hospitable country for Jews to visit.  Or any westerners for that matter.   Maybe I am wrong.  I frequently am.

second postscript:  I wonder if it means anything that construction began on April 1st.  (April Fools Day)