Fat Head

Started early, anxious to transfer my restless overnight thoughts to email before they dissolved in the day's affairs.  Checked the UK East Anglia weather forecast.  Then the swine flu forecast, to learn if travel restrictions might disrupt plans for an international meeting here tomorrow or my trip to the US at the weekend.  Not here, but in many other locations I would also check the air quality forecast, thinking about exercise plans for the day.

The image to the left shows a DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan of me.  This scan occurred as part of a very complete physiological and biochemical analysis that I had a few weeks ago.  The tests, designed to look at diet, exercise, and metabolic influences on weight and diabetes, occurred as part of a large Fenlands (east England lowlands) study, but also at a perfect time for me as a check on my overall fitness and recovery from my bike injury last August.  I had a stress test, all kinds of blood tests, and all kinds of weight, body mass, and body fat tests - part of the study seeks to define the most reliable and least invasive indicators of obesity for most people.  I wore a combination accelerometer (to record my activity level) and heart rate monitor for several days.  Overall, and no surprise whatsoever, the data show me as extremely fit for my age but also overweight.  

Of course I started fiddling with the data.  Since they had to estimate my fitness from my VO2 max, and had to estimate that from my max heart rate, what if they had my max heart rate, calculated from my age, too low compared to my real max heart rate which I reach during intense exercise once or twice in some months?  What if they had my height too low, how would that affect my body mass index?  I did not do any long or intense exercise during the time I wore their activity sensor - how did that affect my ratio of activity metabolic rate to resting metabolic rate?  Just like a scientist, I want to fuss with the data rather than confronting the main problem, too much weight.  The DEXA scan shows my fat head.

I did get my Arctic text done for the Senate hearing, in about 6 hours on Sunday.  I had a brief message from the Committee staff on Friday, but nothing since on time, length, other invitations.  Travel restrictions due to swine flu now seem unlikely, at least to the US.  Unless things change substantially, I plan to fly on Saturday.

Today a long run east on this side of the Cam, back on the other side, almost 12 km.  Very pretty and fragrant run this time of year, down river to Baits Bite Lock, about 80% on grass or soil.  But I agree with Mary Lou - the ground has dried out and we need some rain.  As they often, for mysterious reasons, do, the two most recent rain systems crossing England avoided East Anglia.