Fiddleman

Chia seeds also really help with keeping you hydrated during run. I like to eat them every morning after drinking 32 ounces of water. Seems to really help with preserving energy during a run.

I remember someone posted a link to the proper way to do squats for dead lifts (Mark?) a while back. I was not able to locate it with search. Here is my problem: my flexibility stinks so when I try and even do air squats my natural inclination is to bend forward instead of going straight down, as is sitting in a chair. My flexibility might stink because of all the running I do. Hoping yoga will make it easier. I know how to do the squats but my body just does not want to do them very well. Does anyone have advice on how to fix this squat flexibility issue? I really have to self talk and focus in order to get the form close to right. Even then my butt is still not getting close to the ground. I want to get really good at this fundamental move because so many lifting and cross fit type exercises build on proper execution of the squat. Thanks for your input!

I like to have Chinese on occasion, but no longer eat things like orange chicken or fried rice. Instead, I will eat BBQ pork or something like brocolli beef. There are probably a lot of other good chicken and beef entree suggestions that are lean with veggies. I mostly get my Chinese from a local diner, but will also eat at Pandas if more convenient when out. Just try and make good choices. Steamed veggies instead of fried rice or chow mein for example. I always have left overs for 2-3 more meals. A little off topic, but the same principle of good choices also allows you to eat at Thai, Indian, Italian, Mediterranean, etc. The list goes on and on.

Thank you so much for saying that. I have created a safe distance from me to the Protein bars today. Have to go into the garage now and that takes effort. Lol. I have gone back to eating a solid 3 oz of chicken for afternoon snack and notice my hunger did not peak at all after that until dinner. So glad. I am going to keep the energy squares though because the good carbs will help with the various training.

I went to OA once in 2008 and it was very dogmatic in structure. Not for me. There was hardly any support and it felt very uncomfortable. It was mostly reading from a script and reading from the OA bible. Most ineffective hour I have ever spent. Maybe AA is better then my experience with OA or maybe my experience was isolated. WW was far better at supporting overeating issues in their support meetings in my opinion.

Bob harper's inside out DVD. I do not really do it so much now as I go to cross fit with a PT. However, maybe I will get back into it in the future. It really makes you sweat and feels like cross fit in intensity. As said above by CowGirlJane, Jillian Michaels ripped is popular and effective. They are both cut from the same Biggest Loser thread so I am sure both are equally good in their approaches.

It looks like Edamame is a ... friend!

Should I go get a scan of it? It does not seem to inhibit me much in running ( today), but I definitely feels different on that knee. Kind of like a little heated and achy when sitting at my computer desk. It was like a really large pop on Saturday and I thought, that can't be good. No pain really though that is constant and it is only minor when I do notice it. Not really an issue though. It does not feel like it would stop me.

Total carbs. I did not do any subtracting.

You might talk to your doctor about topical dicofenac or diclofenac patch (product called Flector Patch). Both are topical and avoid the stomach issues. I have found Ibuprofen works really well for certain inflammation pain ( not in back) and diclofenac patch for other inflammation pain ( in back). I want to not take any nsaid because I feel like such a WLS sinner and my stomach or GI tract is going to get revenge on me someday. The doctor said I could take after month 6 with a PPI. I do, but therapeutic doses are so high it really concerns me. I take straight ibuprofen, but also take Aleve if I have it. Another remedy for inflammation is to use those thermaheat pads. Works great and provides 8-12 hour relief. Some have said high doses of fish oil (3000 mg) will help. I have not tried this. Worked with a chiropractor for a couple months and it did not help really. I am going to ask the doctor tomorrow at my month 9 follow up to see if I can have something stronger then OTC Tylenol because even taking 4 of the extra strength does nothing for me.

The vegetable seems innocent enough and sports 9 grams of Fiber, 11 grams of Protein and a lot of Vitamins for a 1/2 cup. However, the same 1/2 cup also has 120 calories and 13 grams of carbs. Granted we are not going to be eating 1/2 cup, but that is a lot of calories for a green vegetables. They also tend to slide a bit so may cause a calorie surplus if you really love them. I happen to like them and had about 25-30 pods for lunch. Average was 3-4 lumps in a pod. What do you think: friend or foe?

Glad you asked! I enjoy the chocolate paradise squares and now usually eat 2 before a run. Need them to fuel my exercise, especially when muscles are involved. Sometimes I will also have one right when I get up to fuel my hop out of bed exercise routine (mile run, light weights). Gives me a good excuse to catch up on some news in the early hours and also get me going for the day. I recently ordered their variety pack so I can try out some different flavors for diversification.

Also, one approach that has helped me with improving 5 k run time and explosive power is executing something like the following 1 x a week. 1. Run 5 k @ x mph at some y% incline. Pretty fast, but the goal is to put in about 50% effort. For example, I start at 6.0 and .5% incline. 2. Every 10 minutes, increase speed by .2 mph and incline by .5% 3. When done, jump off tread mill and do a quick upper body strength workout. Feel the pump. Feel the burn. Feel the sweat. You might also do 20 squats to keep your lower body going. 4. Jump on ellyptical or perhaps rower or bike and do a 15 minutes interval session at 70% effort or more. Make sure you are doing HIIT on this so you keep your heart rate elevated and your body guessing. 5. Do the upper body pump again for 5 minutes. More squats, but this time with weights. For example, I use 20 lb barbells when I do the 20 squats. It really helps strengthen the inner thigh area and good overall core target. 6. Jump on the treadmill and alternate between running really fast for a min (sprint almost to hyperventilating) and running on a hill for a min for 10 minutes. Make sure you keep your body guessing on this step. For me, 5.8 mph on 6.0% hill and 8.0 mph on .5% hill. Make sure you are pushing pushing and pushing. Grunt, breath hard, make noise. You should feel on the edge of ability with this step, but do keep form as not to get injured. Keeping pushing through it and make it harder every time you try this step. 7. Run another 5 k in x minutes at 2% incline at a decent speed. For example, I run at about 6.6 mph and 2 % incline. I modulate a little over the 5 k distance, but this step is raw cardio. This should not feel that hard as by this point as it is the easiest part of the HIIT run workout. 8 sprint all out last quarter mile. For me this is about 9.0 mph. Another huge push moment. 7. Cool down with 5 min jog / walk. Feel the endorphins. 8. Get a towel and soak up the sweat. Other 2 runs during the week are more strictly about 5 k and 10 k race times. Like step 7 above. Just started adding a weekend long run that is greater than 10 k. No set distance, but am working it up longer and longer over time. I do this HIIT conditioning to not only improve my running, but also to prepare myself for the next day cross fit session.

I am 9 months out also. Interesting question. I think it really depends on activity levels and WLS goals. If you still have a fair amount of weight to lose , I would try and still keeps calories around 1200. If you are active and are pretty much done with weight loss, perhaps think about moving calories up to 1800. I am still trying to figure this out myself. My nine month appointment is tomorrow. I am going to ask them and get to the skinny of it. Lol.

Have fun camping!!