As a frequently lapsing ex-caffeine-junkie, I find this really interesting.

“[Caffeine] drinkers develop a tolerance to both the anxiety-producing and the stimulating effects of caffeine, meaning that it only brings them back to baseline levels of alertness, not above them.

The full study is here.

On a related note, since Forbidden Flavours closed, we haven’t been able to find a good source of well decaffeinated coffee. Most nice tasting decaf beans end up not being very decaf. Forbidden Flavours roasted and sold espresso beans that were quite well decaffeinated, so I could have a couple of double shot lattes and not feel it. Anything we’ve bought since then has given me the shakes after one good double shot.

The least-caffeinated decaf we’ve found so far is *shudder* Starbucks. Anyone else care about this sort of thing and have any opinions?

We decided to gather up the clan and go get our H1N1 shots today. The clinics were quiet, and we just walked right up to the desk without waiting in line at all. The longest part of the whole thing was filling out all seven forms.

Everyone was a trooper. Rachel was a bit upset (mostly fear rather than pain, I think) but getting to choose a sucker colour fixed things up pretty well.

I chose to get the flu shot as well, so I got one in each arm. It’s our little experiment. We’ll see who gets sicker this winter, Jenn or me.

That’s Week Two done of the One hundred Pushups Challenge.

Daily totals were 15, 22, and 21, counted in a “as many as you can” set performed after doing 4 sets of pushups.

In my post-week-2 test I did 31 pushups, which is an increase of 12 since the first week. It’s also enough to keep me in the top bracket for week 3. The numbers look tough…

That’s week one of the One Hundred Pushups Challenge done.

My “after the workout, as many as you can until you can’t do any more” count for the three workouts were 10, then 15, then 21.

I have no idea why they’re going up so fast, I can’t believe that it’s actual muscle building making that much difference in a week.

I hardly see any change at all, actually…

I turn 40 in January. In honour of that (or in terrified anticipation, whichever) I wanted to try to accomplish something. I wanted to set a goal to reach by then.

I chose: 100 pushups.

Why? I have no idea. Most likely because it’s not actually cardio-type exercise, and the time commitment is pretty minimal.

I’m following the program on onehundredpushups.com. The site has you do a pre-test to find your level, in which you do as many pushups as you can, right to exhaustion. Based on that, you choose which track you follow over the next few weeks. If you do well enough on your pre-test you can skip to Week 3 immediately (I didn’t). I did 19, which is Rank 3 out of 7 (in which 6 and 7 are over 100 pushups). I figured that was okay for a guy who sits at a computer chair all day every day and whose primary exercise is reaching out to turn on the capuccino maker.

I’m currently on Week 1, Day 3, so my next workout (Friday) will be:

• Do 11 pushups
• Rest 120 seconds
• Do 15 pushups
• Rest 120 seconds
• Do 9 pushups
• Rest 120 seconds
• Do 9 pushups
• Rest 120 seconds
• Do as many pushups as I can, to exhaustion, but at least 13

It only takes a few minutes, and the kids have been doing some pushups with me, so that’s fun. I am rather exercise-averse, so I want to try to show them exercise in a good fun environment.

I’m not sure I’ll actually make 100 in 6 weeks as the site encourages. I’m not sure I’ll make 100 by January. But I do know that I’ll be doing more then than I am doing now, and that’s the important part.

Anyone want to come try it with me?

I’d type more, but I can’t lift my arms.