Texan’s are Getting Fat! and This Fat Is Happening Fast!

April 13th, 2012

We have 7 billion people on earth and 2.3 billion are expected to be obese by 2015. Wow! Doctors are not telling people to lose weight because of some conspiracy to make money.

Doctors are letting people know that you should try and lose weight because you will die much earlier than you may otherwise want to.

Heart disease is the number one early killer by a long shot and cancer is way down there in 2nd place. The point is that cancer should not be the scary disease you try to avoid, it should be becoming a fat obese person.

I am in no way the skinny guy pointing the finger and neither are several of my relatives who have found themselves in the fat category. Most of us here in Texas can relate and by 2015 over 30% will be in the obese category. Not overweight, OBESE! ¡Ay, caramba!

In several examples in my own family we have seen a steady easy decline in becoming less fat and no longer obese.

That word obese sounds really bad! It should sound bad because it causes heart disease and if you want to die in your 40’s – 60’s depending on how long that fast working heart can hold out you just keep on eating that ice-cream my friend.

But don’t let this hard talk discourage you, I realize there are some very weird and bizarre completely out of this world psychological reasons why the ultra-obese can’t seem to break the habit of eating so much.

I am not about to pretend I understand these underlying deep psychological reasons that keeps people on the continual road of obesity. I feel for you and I admit I don’t have the answer for you and I don’t pretend to think it will be easy for you to change your lifestyle.

For many of us who are not ultra obese you should be thankful…you don’t have these psychological issues that morbidly obese people have to contend with. For you a simple high protein diet during breakfast, more protein for lunch and a low calorie dinner before 7 pm is all you need.

Combine this perfectly healthy diet with a workout routine of only 30 minutes a session 3 times a week and you have made some life changing habits.

So this is about all I have for you regarding being a fat Texan…most of us have been there including me. It isn’t just about trying to stay skinny and healthy but life is about much more than that…check out these very helpful tips for a much more fulfilling well rounded life. 30 Habits that will Change your Life

Also please come by Tony Cruz XTC Fitness & Sports, where I have been working out. I have lost 25 pounds, my sister in law has lost 42.4 pounds and my brother in law has lost 20 pounds.

Tags: 30 Minutes, Cancer, Caramba, Changing Habits, Conspiracy, Decline, Doctors, Habit, Healthy Diet, Heart Disease, High Protein Diet, Lunch, Morbidly Obese People, Obese Person, Obesity, Pointing The Finger, Psychological Issues, Psychological Reasons, Relatives, Scary Disease, Skinny Guy, Tyler TX Gyms, Tyler TX weight loss, Workout, Workout Routine, XTC Fitness
Posted in Weight Loss | No Comments »

Exercise in your Happy Zone

September 19th, 2011

Hopefully your doing some type of daily exercise already but for most of us we aren’t and so I am here to get you going on something small but good.

I recommend you have a goal of twenty minutes of exercise or movement of some kind a day. You can even break up this into two 10 minute intervals.

These small steps will be easy to adapt to and once you are comfortable doing this try increasing the time to 30 minutes and than once more to 45 minutes.

You will need to minimize soreness since this is likely very new to your body so have this routine vary every other day to begin with.

As you get more comfortable with the routine try adding a day or two until you are working out 5 days a week.

One of the easiest forms of exercise to start out with is to do a brisk walk.

As long as you keep your heart rate at around 65 – 85 percent you will accomplish about as much as you would through jogging.

The way to determine if you are in your target heart rate is to still be able to carry on a conversation while sweating a little in the process of your workout.

To calculate what your low end target heart rate should be for your age take the number 220 minus your age (mine is 35) 220 – 35 = 185. Now multiply 185 by .65 and you get 120 beats per minute. Your high end target heart rate would be 185 x .85 = 157 beats per minute.

If you are 35 years of age you can safely workout within the range of 120 – 157 beats per minute so long as you are not huffing away and are still able to have a conversation.

Some people may prefer to push themselves much more than this but this is really all you need to do to begin getting into a good workout routine.

A group exercise class at a Tyler gym works very well for me because each person can workout at their own intensity while an instructor leads the class.

Tags: 30 Minutes, 35 Years, Beats Per Minute, Brisk Walk, Exercise Class, Group Exercise, Intensity, Local Gym, Minute Intervals, Small Steps, Target Heart Rate, Twenty Minutes, Workout Routine
Posted in Weight Loss | No Comments »

Canton Trade Days Close To Tyler Texas

January 7th, 2010

Most of us from East Texas know about Canton Texas about 30 minutes from Tyler Texas. This place isn’t your typical flea market. In fact I wouldn’t use the word flea market when talking to a vendor at Canton trade days or they might just have to set you straight. Canton goes way back historically as being a gathering place where people would come to trade goods and services. The tradition goes back over 150 years and is a source of pride for the city of Canton TX known as “First Monday”.

First Monday trade days had to do with stray horses believe it or not. On the first Monday of the month when the judge in Canton arrived to convene his court. Canton at that time was an open range full of wild horses. The judge setup the first Monday as they day people could arrive with their horses in a horse auction. People would come from far and wide to trade and this auction is what has now turned into Canton trade days first Monday.

Please don’t get confused as if you come to Canton on the first Monday of the month there will be no gigantic flea market. The weekend prior to the first Monday of every month is when the Canton trade days extravaganza begins. This isn’t a run of the mill flea market but something you will need all 3 days to explore.

There are antiques available for purchase that can be had for good deals as well as marked up beyond what would be considered reasonable. It all depends on what you are looking for and how quickly you want to find it. If you do enough digging you will be able to pick up some pretty unique items for cheap.

At one time I was in the process of building a log house and I needed some old triple block pulleys. Ebay had them for sale for a little bit more than I wanted to pay so I went to Canton to see what I could find. I was able to get the triple block pulleys I needed for about half of what it would have cost on ebay. I bought a Yao Ming action figure still in the box for $1.00 and I believe this was a few dollars cheaper than what it would have cost new.

Many people are at Canton trade days behind a vendor booth almost as more of a hobby than to make a good living but they keep coming every month and some actually do make a good living. Depending on where you go in Canton will determine the type of stuff you will see and for what price. There are indoor and outdoor areas and places completely offsite that are open all month rather than just on first Monday.

Some businesses business model like Paul Michael have used Canton to capitalize on this hot spot for buying junk for the house. Paul Michael is offsite from Canton trade days and gets daily shopping traffic rather than just 3 days in a month. In fact I bet Paul Michael has siphoned a way a good deal of the shoppers that normally frequented Canton trade days. Pretty savy business sense if I do so say myself.

On our last visit to Canton we did visit Paul Michael but their stuff is quite pricey and so they pretty much serve the well to do. If you want to get good stuff for a cheaper price we recommend sticking with the trade day grounds.

Last visit to Canton we picked up all our cabinet hardware from their from a vendor booth called Cabinet Jewelry. We ended up saving about $2.00 per knob and handle that we used on our new cabinets than if we had of used Lowes or Home Depot.

When in Canton trade days you will want to eat something. There are a lot of fair food type places but pay special attention that you skip that corn dog and turkey leg and instead go to Cookin’ Cajans. This place was gone for a few years do to the owners having some health issues but is back in business again. This is one of those places that people drive an hour or two every month just to eat at so don’t forget to try it while your there.

I am not sure if Cooking Cajan’s is under new ownership as the original owner may have retired. While getting your food I recommend their crawfish etouffee, a Cajan egg roll, and some bread pudding. Hey go ahead and buy it all and if you can’t eat it all you will have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

If your not a big bread pudding fan go over to Taylor’s homemade icecream and try that stuff. I always go to gets me some of that Taylor’s homemade icecream. Very good!

I personally go to Canton to browse the puppies for sale, eat some Cajan Food, buy an old farm tool, get a small toy for the baby, and look at some of the East Texans that rarely come out of the house (pretty fascinating moo,moo outfits worn by both men and women.)

Tags: 30 Minutes, Action Figure, Antiques, Canton Flea Market, Canton Texas, Canton Trade Days, City Of Canton, Cooking Cajans, Cookn Cajans, East Texas, Ebay, First Monday, First Monday trade days, Flea Markets near Tyler Texas, Gathering Place, Gigantic Flea Market, Good Deals, Horse Auction, Little Bit, Open Range, Place Where People, Stray Horses, Tyler Texas, Unique Items, Wild Horses, Yao Ming
Posted in Attractions, Fun | No Comments »

Hotels in Tyler Texas

December 21st, 2009

If you are visiting the Rose Capital of America, chances are you will need to find a hotel. In Tyler Texas, attractions are spread over a very wide area. Tyler only has a population of 100,000 people, but the city sprawls over enough square miles for a population 2 or 3 times that size to live comfortably. Unfortunately for you, that means there is no perfect central location for you to stay. You will have to be strategic in your lodging plans. Here is a short list of hotels and B & B’s near Tyler’s main attractions. (The price range is just an estimate. The lower prices might not be available during high tourism seasons.)
[ad#large-blog-block]

Hotels near Interstate 20

If you are an interstate traveler who might be getting in late, these hotels are located right off of I-20. If you go this route, however, be advised that you are a good 10 minutes outside of Tyler’s city limits, 20 minutes from the Rose Garden, and 30 minutes from any decent shopping centers

Hampton Inn

If you have ever stayed at Hampton Inn, you probably love it already. This hotel was built just a few years ago. it is always lush, comfortable, and has a wonderful breakfast. Expect to pay between $100 and $170 per night for it.

Best Western

This is a newly renovated Best Western hotel that has a good reputation. The continental breakfast is free, and the prices are good, ranging from around $70 to $150 per night.

America’s Best Value Inn

This is a good choice if you are on a tight budget. It has an outdoor pool and internet access, and will just cost you between $45 and $90 at Americas Best Value Inn.

La Quinta Inn

La Quinta is another very nice hotel, offering a hot breakfast, an indoor pool, and a comfortable stay. Like the Hampton, however, it is more pricey than the others, starting around $100 per night.

Hotels near Loop 323 & Hwy 69 North

[ad#large-blog-block]
There is a heavy conglomeration of hotels at the north end of Tyler. Personally, I do not think this is a very good location for a hotel. Not only is north Tyler a junky and sometimes dangerous area, there are no attractions close by, with the exception of the Caldwell Zoo, which is just a few minutes south. If you stay in one of these hotels, you are in no man’s land: 10 minutes from the interstate, but still 20 minutes from any good shopping or good restaurants. That said, there are some decent choices in this area:

Quality Inn Conference Center

The Quality Inn is a good name, and this is a nice hotel with a hot breakfast and cheap prices. Prices can range between $50 and $100 per night.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

This Holiday Inn Express is a comfortable hotel, offering a hot breakfast, outdoor pool, and prices between $90 and $160 per night.

Strafford House Inn

Each room at the Strafford House has a whirlpool tub and a 32 inch flat screen TV. Best of all, the price are still competitive, ranging from $90 to $160 per night.

Days Inn

The Days Inn is a cheaper option, costing between $55 & $85 a night. They also offer a free breakfast.

Other Lodging Options Here

Motel 6
Super 8 Motel
Economy Inn
Econolodge

Hotels near Shopping Centers on South Broadway

These hotels are conveniently located close to big shopping centers and great restaurants. Be advised, however, that it might take you fifteen minutes to reach the Rose Garden, and half an hour to reach the interstate from here until Loop 49 is completed.

Hilton Garden Inn

This is a beautiful hotel, with plush rooms with soft beds and flat screen TV’s. Unlike most of the other hotels, this one also has a restaurant, the Great American Grill. But it’s a Hilton, which means it’s going to be expensive: between $120 & $180 per night.

Holiday Inn Select

This large hotel features a beautiful lobby, a spacious and elegant restaurant, and very comfortable rooms, all at prices between $90 and $150 per night at Holiday Inn Select.

Candlewood Suites

This hotel offers large, comfortable rooms with full kitchenettes. Expect to pay between $90 and $170 per night at Candlewood Suites.

Sleep Inn & Suites

Here is another comfortable hotel featuring lovely rooms and suites with 32 inch flat screen TV’s. Another bonus: This Sleep Inn & Suites hotel features a free shuttle to the Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. This is a nice touch, because the airport is a 20 minute drive. Prices range between $100 and $170 per night.

Comfort Inn

It’s part of the Choice Hotels group with Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, and others, so you can expect the same type of service as those ones. Prices range from $90 to $160 at this Comfort Inn.

Best Western Southpark Inn & Suites

Like its counterpart in North Tyler, this is a very nice hotel, featuring flat screen TV’s in all the rooms and suites, and offering a hot breakfast. Prices can range between $90 and $130 at this Best Western.

Options Near the Rose Museum

For some reason, Tyler’s biggest tourist attraction, The Rose Garden, home of the Tyler Rose Festival, offers no nearby hotels, unless you count the Budget Inn and the American inn, which I don’t. So if you want to stay somewhere close, I would recommend a nearby Bed & Breakfast instead. Here are 3 good B&B options in the historic “red brick district,” not far from the Rose Garden.

Rosevine Inn Bed & Breakfast

This is a lovely, old fashioned B & B that travelers will love. For prices on their unique rooms, visit their website at www.rosevine.com

Woldert-Spence Manor Bed and Breakfast

This is a beautiful, historic B & B. If you love Bed & Breakfasts, you will fall in love with this place. Here’s the website for room pricing: www.tylertexasinn.com

Chilton Grand Bed and Breakfast

The Chilton is the quintessential southern mansion: Balcony, white pillars and all! Room rates are between $90 and $100, but you’ll want to check their website for specific room information: http://www.chiltongrand.com

…There are other options

There are plenty of other hotels in Tyler Texas, but these clusters are probably the most common. If you are looking for something closer to a different attraction like Lake Palestine or Lake Tyler, check Google Maps for more ideas.

Tags: 30 Minutes, Americas Best Value Inn, Amp, Best Western Hotel, Capital Of America, Central Location, City Sprawls, Conglomeration, Continental Breakfast, Hampton Inn, hotels in tyler texas, Indoor Pool, La Quinta, Location Fo, Nice Hotel, Outdoor Pool, Rose Capital, Rose Garden, Shopping Centers, Tight Budget, tyler b&b, tyler bed & breakfasts, tyler hotels
Posted in Attractions, Hotels, Tyler Businesses | No Comments »

Recent Posts