Fitness & Exercise

OK, I'm struggling with a decision and would like some people to weigh in. I know it's my decision and only I know best, blah, blah, blah... but I could use some motivation and maybe even a kick in the pants. I signed up for a 5k tomorrow morning. I'm on week 6 of the Zombies Run 5k training and I'm running intervals of 10 or 5 minutes at a time with a 7-8 on the perceived exertion scale. About 10 days ago I really had a flare up of bursitis in my hip I think due to driving about 30 hours in a weekend. I laid off running or even walking on the treadmill and my weights routine for about a week to try to give it time to settle down. I ran/walked Wednesday morning and it …

I found this website, and the shirts just crack me up. http://www.lookhuman.com/browse/apparel?collection=401-athletics I ordered this one: Here are some other faves:

hey all- just looking for thoughts and opinions about PF and the workouts there. also are there trainers on staff who can design a 'program' for you? my family was going to join the Y this week but turns out it is a LOT more money than we expected. really disappointed because on top of the $85 a month family fee, it's $45 for 6 wks of swimming lessons for each kid, another $35 for me to attend yoga, another $35 for tai chi, etc. you get the picture...MONEY galore. we just can't afford that right now. so the next option is the PF in town. it's in a mall, so a little bit intimidating with gawkers, but they do a good job of shielding... also are there classes to do, o…

So I'm 9 months post op and after running a couple of 5k's have started training for a half-marathon in Sept. and then hope to move on to a marathon on May. In the online running community that I am a part of there is a lot of great information, but currently there is a debate about whether you can mix extremely low-carb diets with long-distance and endurance running. The consensus seems to be that low carb + running do not mix well. I was actually reading up a bit on long distance running nutrition yesterday before this discussion started and it struck me that I may struggle with long-distance nutrition because of the limitations of my diet and the capacity limitation…

Ad the sleeve 10/2013. Lost 100lbs. Very happy with my decision. Feel great. I work out but not enough. Has anyone had excess skin and tightened in naturally? I need advise. Encouragement. Please weigh in. Thank you!!!

So I know losing weight helps with asthma for some people right? Well apparently I'm not one of those people. For starters, I didn't even realize I had asthma. But I've been struggling at the gym, I've tried couch to 5k and even though I'm in much better shape and my body can do way more, my lungs can't take more than about a minute of running. I've been very sick twice since June, both times after pretty intense bouts of physical activity and this last go around the doctor and nurse practitioner I saw diagnosed me with Asthma. Obviously I don't have it to the point I've ever needed a rescue inhaler for prolonged period of times since I'm just now getting a diagnosis b…

My arms are driving me crazy! I can't stand the way they look, and I'm doing targeted arm workouts every day. Does anyone have a great arm workout to share?

hi all, i have taken the tour, asked all the questions and i am ready to start at an entry level gym. i think PF is good for me as i learn to be comfortable in a gym, how to use the equipment, etc.. and the cost is right for me. BUT, i really want to become a lifter, which means that eventually i will want to graduate to a 'real' gym and i've read online a LOT of stuff about how PF gave people issues cancelling their memberships when they wanted to. i plan to just get the basic $10/mth option with no contract. anybody had big issues with them, problems, etc? i don't want to have to fight to end my membership down the road when i'm ready.

I went to play tennis tonight and realized when I got there that I forgot to put my FitBit on when I changed clothes. Grrrrr!

I was pitifully weak when I started personal training 7ish months ago. I'm so much stronger now, and it feels great. I love lifting. I love lifting heavy. I love pushing myself and surpassing my personal bests. I love the results! I've felt like a million bucks and so proud of myself. Until today... All that momentum and excitement came to an abrupt halt... I hit a ceiling today during my weekly session. Basically my targeted muscles are strong. My stability muscles are weak weak weak. I can't increase the weights any more, because I fall over. Once the light bulb went off for my trainer and he saw what was and has been holding me back, he had me do some test exercises …

Hi all I am 9 weeks post open and just completed an obstacle course 5k. I want to train for a Sparta Race with someone who understands the wls journey. Is there anyone in the Worcester Ma area that would be interested in working out regularly. Or if you have a work out group I would love to join

wondering if anyone has any insight into this post WLS? i get so sore several days after i exercise... 2, 3, sometimes even 4 days later... it's really making me miserable and curtailing my desire to workout. i have just pushed thought the soreness and gone and worked out again, but then i am doubly miserable later on. i have talked to my chiro, a good friend who a very experienced trainer and done research online, but i have not found any revelations about why this might be... i eat my Protein, drink my Water, take extra magnesium and glutamine... i warm up, stretch, follow all the suggestions. there have been some concerns in the past i might have fibromyalgia,…

I need some guidance. I am pretty much at goal as far as my weight, but I like working toward something, and I'd like to work toward shredding some muscle. The dietician at my surgeons office is a lovely person but can sound like a broken record as far as portion, protein first, etc. I know that stuff now. My questions are specifically about when to eat to maximize my workouts, and what to eat when, etc. Has anyone found someone who can advise on this stuff while keeping our special needs in mind?

VSG 6/24/14 , slow weight loss but okay with that. What isn't ok are my thighs! I have huge thighs and chubby knees. I have carried most of my weight below the waist. Looking for suggestions on best exercises, etc. for my thighs! Has anyone done lipo or laser???

I think sometimes, often with good intentions, we all over-complicate things on occasion. This article really seems to be good about driving home the points of basic lifting and that you don't have to spend countless hours in the gym to reap great strength benefits. I know I'm looking forward to getting back to the basics and having a little extra time...hopefully cutting back to 4 workouts a week from 6. http://oakbrook.suntimes.com/2014/09/02/from-the-community-weekly-wellness-hard-work-on-basic-exercises-darien-mfc-sports-performance/

Well, today was the final day for my Couch-to-5k app on my phone, also known as c25k. It was 8 weeks long, three times a week, and I loved it most of the days. At 6 weeks my husband and I did a 5k run/walk and I was glad I could jog the entire first half, and then alternated jogging and walking the remaining time. My time was abysmal by most standards (46.07), but i was happy with it as a benchmark for eventual improvement. I also figured by the time I finished my c25k program I'd be ready to jog the whole 5k. So why WHY didn't I do the math at that point? Hello!?! I did the app today and jogged 35 minutes covering just over 2 miles, and then saw that it was (gasp!) th…

I've been working with a personal trainer for a month now and I've found whenever we do exercises that I should feel in my abs I don't feel it or not as much as I should. She said something like maybe the muscles are really loose from surgery still? I tried testing this by doing straight crunches and still don't feel it like I should. Anyone experience this? I'm 8 weeks out.

Hi guys, I'm 12 weeks out from my sleeve and a month back into marathon training, and I'm having real trouble fuelling. At least I think it's fuelling, right now I'm still running at the same bloody pace I was running my marathons at when I was 18kgs heavier. I went out for a 10 miler today and I had to put walk breaks in as I was tired, and my pace was just so slow. This is not normal for me (the slow is, the walk breaks, not so much). My next marathon is in 7 weeks I am worried about how I'm going to do this, my body feels less able than it was pre-surgery. Some context, I've been running marathons for 7 years, so I know how I normally perform, how are others f…

I know that loose skin is practically in our future for most of us. But oh how I hate my bat wings. Im only 3 months post op and witth 72 pounds down my arms look better then they did before of course but oh my lord the bat wngs are so bad I do a lot I MEAN ALOT of arm excercises 7 days a week so I am doing the best I can but does anyone have any other miracle solutions for loose skin? Any lotions or anything to help your skin???

Hi, y'all! I'm giving some thought to joining a gym, and I'm wondering which one is better... There's a Retro Fitness about five minutes from where I live (Old Bridge/Matawan NJ area), and a Planet Fitness about 15 minutes away in Hazlet. I'm basically looking for a gym that I'm going to be comfortable going to, not one where I'm going to be made fun of, you know? Thanks!

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2013/04/10/yoga-for-people-who-are-overweight-or-obese I have been contemplating yoga classes for some time...have to get my "rear in gear" and find one here...but I read this article and got inspired again to find someplace, or, at the very least, use YouTube or buy some dvds! I have heard wonderful things abour yoga for the joints (I have RA) and other ailments can be helped with yoga training... I know my "inner core" can use some work, for sure! I live in Savannah, so if someone can recommend a place they have heard of, that would be awesome, but I'd like to get your thoughts... have you tried it? …

So, are there any others out there who enjoy hiking and getting outside? My wife and I enjoy hiking in the local parks with trails on the weekends. Just curious if anyone else enjoyed it? Any special tips that help you on your outings that others might enjoy? What are some of your favorite places to go? Nothing better than getting "lost" outside.

even though I forgot my lifting belt in the car I pushed through a huge squat/deadlift superset workout with a Tabatta style rotating staircase circuit to finish it off.

Hello, I am looking to get a wristband type tracker but see so many reviews in the fitbit, fuel band, jawbone, and garmin. I wanted to see if you can give me your experience with any of these or any others. Appreciate it...thx.

I am just starting the process of surgery meeting with surgeon 8/28 one of my concerns is excess skin I already have wings so if I lose weight Ivan only imagine how bad they will be. I'm very concerned that I may need plastic surgery and really want to avoid that as much as possible just wondering if anyone had any luck with working out alone to keep the skin from hanging. Need to drop about 70-80lbs

Hey guys and gals! I am sick of just listening to music on my workouts and have decided to branch out into podcasts. What a horribly overwhelmingly crazy thought! The eos so much out there, I have no idea where to start. I am trying to find something that focuses on fitness and is funny. What do you listen to? Any suggestions for a complete podcast newbie?

I lift weights in the gym four days a week. I have noticed since the sleeve surgery I have dramatically gotten a lot weaker. My major lifts suck as squat , bench and deadlift have almost dropped in half. I am down 40 pounds since July so I expected some strength loss but not this much has anyone experienced this?

i have no idea if this is okay to post here, but i could use a little feedback as i am overwhelmed and having trouble getting focused (nothing new there! lol) i am in the middle of becoming a certified personal trainer. i am saving money to become a certified health coach. i have a background in counseling (chemical dependency counselor for 7 years, family counselor and private therapist for 6 years), natural health and healing (managed health food stores for 3 years, among lots of other things i did/learned), and cooking for health (taught classes and did private consultations for special diets). i want to focus on helping people get prepared for surgery (or just lo…

Hello fellow banders! I just came back from a week long journey in Hawaii and couldn't wait to share with you guys some of experiences and photos. I had planned a trip to Hawaii for the purpose of a wedding since February, but I decided to extend my stay to 1 whole week to explore the island. The trip was supposed to be minimal with no specific agenda, aside from the wedding and a Spartan Race. My original intention was to do the Hawaii Spartan Sprint (5K), but at my companion's suggestion, we upgraded to the Spartan Super (8K!!) instead for a greater challenge. My adventure in a nutshell: food - although i did not make the best of food choices but i didn't feel guil…

So, I just completed mudderella and feel amazing. Been doing the p90x thing, feeling strong and healthy and positive. My first time with a healthy bmi and single digit sizes since I was in the sixth grade (I'm 37!) So naturally, here comes the complete a**hole comment from a guy friend when he saw my picture "Jesus Christ! What are you on steroids or something?!" And as a lifetime self conscious fatty, I am immediately deflated and now questioning my appearance and feel like crap. Great.

While I've had several NSVs, nothing was more meaningful than this one. I started at a dance studio last year 2 months before I had surgery, and returned a few months post surgery. Last month I participated in the filming of a promo video for the studio. It can be found on YouTube by searching ShakeItLatinStyle PreRoll. The studio is in Mill Creek WA. I've attached the link, I'm not shown much but I'm wearing a purple tank top - short hair in the back corner. The very idea that I am actually LIVING life instead of watching from the sidelines is great accomplishment!

Anyone else doing P90X post-surgery? I am now in week 4 (had a VSG on June 17th so I started around 4 weeks post op) and liking the results. I did a few of the 90 days sessions 3 years go and had good results, but the weight came back on after i stopped. This time it's for good as well as building more muscle. Anyone want to join me?

Here I go...I'm starving

Does anyone use the Jawbone 24? I have one but I'm really not sure what all it does.

Need some advice. I have an iPhone 5s. I want to get a device to assist me. I'm considering fitbit and jawbone. Which one and why? TIA

I'm not sure if this sounds right but after losing weight I actually started getting compliments on appearing taller in height! Numbers haven't changed and I don't think there's a chance that I'm still growing lol, but I actually do appear taller. My mom has always been a little taller than me but now it's actually the other way around. Did any of you guys suddenly grew lol?

HEY EVERYONE! I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS? I'M GETTING DIFFERENT ANSWERS BUT WOULD LIKE A GENERAL ONE PERTAINING TO WEIGHT LIFTING AND EXERCISE. I AM ALMOST 2 WEEKS POST OP AND MY EXERCISE SENSES ARE TINGLING. I'M SO EXCITED TO START WORKING OUT AND TRAINING. I'VE ONLY WALKED SO FAR, BUT WANT TO KNOW WHEN DID YOU GUYS START LIGHT EXERCISING AND LIGHT WEIGHT LIFTING? ANY ADVICE WOULD BE HELPFUL. THANKS

hey everyone, i saw the surgeon today and he says i am doing AWESOME!!! when i asked about working out, he said "join a gym tomorrow". there is a great gym in my town, about 4 miles from my house. they even have child care for my little one and classes for my tween to try, including a pool and swim lessons! i really like it there and took a tour of it last year when i was considering joining then. but......... this gym seems really full of REALLY thin and fit people. i'm still a VERY big person. i have issues about being around people socially simply due to my weight. i just feel like in public, everyone is noticing my weight. at a gym, well i think it would be wors…

Got back on the Wagon today and it felt good

I usually carb up with steel oats and some fiber one a couple hours before working out. A strange thing happens though. I start to sweat, a lot, for about 2-3 min. It is like I had been running for 10 minutes after starting from cold. Maybe it is a Vegas nerve thing. I notice some ringing in the ears is a bit more pronounced than usual (I have a constant tinnitus) Anyone else experience this? Not really a problem, but strange to see how worked up my body gets over the carbs. Maybe it is converting them into energy really fast. Ha!

How long after surgery can I start jogging

Are there any real differences between the following cardio and weight training scenarios: 1. Cardio before Breakfast, weight training after dinner (typically does not fit my schedule) 2. Cardio mid morning, weight training mid afternoon (at least 4 hour separation, usually 5-6 hours) 3. Cardio after weight training mid afternoon (5-10 min separation). Personally, I have found that cardio mid morning and weight training mid afternoon with light cardio after weight training works the best for me. If I try to do intense cardio after training, I sometimes get cramps in the legs or lack the energy to complete it. What have you found works for you if wanting to do bo…

In my Quest to get more fit before surgery, I've been doing some things that are outside of my comfort zone. Last week, I finished a bellydancing series at the gym. Now, I'm thinking about trying some of the Water aerobics, but the classes that are most convenient for me to get to are almost all at the deep end. I'm 300 pounds and can't swim. I know they have those floaty waist things, but will they really hold someone my size out of the water? Has anyone else tried this that might have some suggestions or experiences to share?

Just thought I would share an interesting observation from this last week. Usually, I am not a machine user (excluding treadmill for sprinting on) and prefer body weight workouts. However, I was a tad bit mentally fatigued and wanted to do about an hour of elliptical and not have to think too hard. A good focused workout usually requires the mind to be focused and a good response from the CNS. My philosophy that day was I would rather do something then nothing. So I put in my age and weight and do a hill program with some tough resistance. I did my hour and it says 1200 calories. I worked it pretty well and had puddles of sweat to prove it. I also wore my fancy heart …

I'm in the pre-surgery liquid diet phase, but I'm already thinking about how to add resistance training to my routine. I was looking at something like the Total Gym Fit, but it's a little too pricey for my blood. I also need something that can handle my 300 plus pounds. I'm looking at the Bayou Fitness Total Body Gym because it's less expensive and is made for people up to 400 lbs. I'm just wondering if anyone here has tried one of these machines or something similar? It looks like it can help a lot with strengthening the upper body, but not so much for the lower body. Do you agree? If I purchase one I plan to combine it with walking, but that won't work in the winter…

I am currently looking for a personal trainer. I read a post from someone who choose not to tell their trainer they had WLS. While, others do not mention if they told or not. So did you tell? Why or why not? Is there or should there be a difference in how the trainer handles the workout?

Just prior to surgery I bought myself the fitbit flex to help me along. I am looking for some friendly competitors or friends that want to encourage one another and keep one another on task. Mind you, I am just a week and a half post op so I won't be running any marathons for quite some time, but if anyone is interested you can shoot me a message and I will add you as a friend with your info. I am not interested in just broadcasting this across facebook at random. Thanks all.

Well it only took until July...but...I am now finally able to run the 3.2 miles of the 5K I tried to complete twice earlier this Spring. Turns out I was psyching myself out. I learned by accident that if I slow down when it gets tough instead of panicking I can keep going longer. I know you are all thinking "duh who doesn't know that". Well Me...never having been a runner I didn't realize what I was doing to myself. I believe I had just convinced myself I was never going to be a runner and would never be able to run more than 2 or 2.5 miles. But I'm happy to say that I CAN...and WILL keep doing it now. The last time I went out I actually went for 4.1 miles. I know…

I have come back to the Forum because my weight is creeping back on. I have committed to WLS eating again, but I know I need to exercise as well. I would like to have someone partner with me because I can't do this on my own. I have a Fitbit that will keep track of my activity. My goal for the next week is to get 10,000 steps in daily. Any takers?

What are your favorite aspects of running? For me, I enjoy: 1. The heat that radiates from core and chest after about 10 minutes. Like sitting in a Sauna. 2. How good my body feels after training. After glow usually lasts about 2 hours for me. 3. Some aches and pains get fixed, especially in my back. This happens if I am relaxed in bother upper and lower body when running, but keeping a strong core and arms at side, as if on rails. It is like a massage and hardly feels like running. Nothing kills a run faster (distracting) than tight traps or tight calves/quads. 4. Breaking a new 5 k or 10 k personal time. 5. Get to listen to my running tunes pumping! Runnin…