Fiddleman

I never really liked food for most of my life and could never appreciate the subtleties of flavors and spices. I tried to, but was never able to. Yet I ate to excess. Why? I think it was because I was an emotional eater and DID like the heavy sugar and fat foods in an addicting sort of way. Not a good combination when I rarely handled stress well. Rarely. I ate a box of donut holes some times on way home from work or a Frap from SB or a fast food order before dinner at home. I would eat and keep eating portions of food even though full. Not healthy. Hated myself for vicious death grip the salty, fatty and sugary food had on my stressed out body. All this changed when I got sleeved. I think my long standing association between stress and eating is gone primarily because I deal with stress rationally now. It does not control me nor is it really part of my life any longer. I have chosen not to be that crazed stressed out emotional food eater any longer. VSG has given me a chance to really live and not be controlled by food. I simply do not have an urge. I can say that I now enjoy what I eat and can appreciate the subtleties or flavors and spices. I guess it has turned me into a foodie, but in a good way. VSG has given me a good tool to still enjoy food without overeating. I mostly do not eat salty, sugary and fatty foods any longer because I care about my health now and how it impacts my fitness goals.

Do you think with our food addiction we would be like an alcoholic? That is, they can remain sober and in control as long as alcohol is not present. However, if they drink one jack Daniel in a hotel mini bar they may say " what the hell" and clean out the mini-bar, assed-drunk even the next day (think: scene in the 2012 movie "flight"). Would that happen to a former food addict if left alone with a plate of Cookies or a dozen donuts? Not sure. I wouldn't think so if we can truly break the food addiction / emotional eating tie. What do you think? Forget for a moment that the sleeve would actually physically prevent you from eating a dozen donuts, a full pizza, etc. Would it happen otherwise? Personally, I think the answer is no but would love to hear your responses whether you consider yourself a raving food addict, an arm chair food addict or not a food addict. It would be a scary thought if we reverted to crazy binge eating like the alcoholic and a hotel mini bar. I think some of us can point at self pre op and say "yup, food addict" and then never have a food relationship issue again post op. Or do they?

Yay for fart freedom. I think mine are methane strong and would cause the CDC to put a quarantine around my house. I cannot believe how much gas there is even 9 months out. Good thing I live in Snohomish so I can blame it on the cows. Try not to blast your SO in bed though or that could lead to dog house treatment. Until the dog kicks you out.

I second the BA chews, especially caramel. They are yummy little treats 3 x a day (6 total). At 6 month, my calcium levels were dead on mid range. I have 9 month checkup next week and will see if I need to keep taking. I am a total addict to them now though and am not sure I could give them up. Lol.

Got the Green Tonic Alchemy today from Amazon. Really fast delivery - good. The taste is about the same as Amazing Grass so I added some coconut/pineapple flavoring. Now it went down faster. Holy cow, this stuff makes you feel good. And more than the energy burst. After 15 minutes, I felt my back inflammation go away. Awesome! This stuff really does have some ant-inflammatory ingredients in it. For this reason alone, it would be worth taking but I also appreciate the energy and quiet alertness that comes from a good green drink. I also appreciate that it has many different types of fruit in a single scoop. 71 total fruits, vegetables and herbs. Thanks for the recommendation on this product.

I was thinking about camping food a bit yesterday after reading this thread. How do you think hobo stew would work if the potatoes are taken out and replaced with something else. Hobo stew is basically hamburger, spices and chopped carrots, cabbage, onions, etc thrown into aluminum foil. You then throw it into your campfire and let it cook and sizzle a while. Smells awesome, especially at the end of a long hike in. Another good hike lunch we used to take on our 100 milers is salami and cheese. The cheese actually got more awesome the more number of days that went by. Instant Oatmeal is also and easy favorite to do for breakfast.

For those that have completed c25k, what is next for you? Time to set some new goals. Maybe you want to enter a local 5 k race or keep working towards faster and more challenging 5 k times. By more challenging I mean to run hills or trails instead of flat. Now that you know how to run the possibilities are limitless. Here are a bakers dozen running tips I learned along the way in my short running experience to optimize results ( others: feel free to add your own): 1. Focus on relaxation while running. ChiRunning is THE best methodology for this. It will take some getting used to, but there is no going back once you have mastered it. 2. Speed comes from challenging yourself. Try and throw in HIIT runs every so often to increase speed. Always set new goals. Every time you run is a chance to improve some quality of your running. 3 power comes from strong core and strong back. The legs and arms will take care of themselves. Always do a system check every minute to make sure your posture is good, your core is strong, no tension anywhere, your shoulders are relaxed, your feet are landing solid, etc. I am learning so much from cross fit postures and applying it to running. The basic squat is actually a good posture because of strong core and strong back. You do need to be a little straighter, but the general idea applies. 4. Your stride should always be a little ahead of the speed of the treadmill. Run with a good posture, solid core and relaxation. If the speed is too fast, you compromise posture and strength. This tires you out faster. I mostly run on treadmill, but I am sure the same principle applies to outside running. Some other running vets may want to chime in. 5. Buy the best running shoes you can afford. 6. Buy running socks to prevent blisters and/ or heated spots. I have not had any foot issues with my running shoes and socks. 7. Warm up properly. Maybe some sprints or even hill climbs to get your muscles ready. You can start faster with a good warmup. My warm up is usually at least 6 minutes long. 8. Use a roller after running. I just started this ( as in today) and wish I started earlier to avoid tight gluts, hamstrings, calves, etc. 9. Cool down properly. For me, cooling down means jogging for a few minutes and the walking fora few minutes after I have run a hard 5 k or 10 k. 10. Consume heavy protein within 20 min of running. It will help you recover and refuel faster. Not all proteins are equal, so do some research or ask questions. 11. Sometimes pre workout and amino acids ( like catalyst ) will help you perform better without fatiguing. Still experimenting with these to see what works best. 12. Give yourself the proper recovery time. It depends on how hard and how far you run. For me, a day of running is followed by a day of cross fit, repeat. I usually take Sunday off not only for body recovery, but also mental recovery. Need a slow day before it starts again for the week. 13. Pay attention to your diet. Performing optimally physically requires you to treat your body with respect and give it the lean and healthy nourishment it deserves. Results come from 80% good diet and 20% exercise. If you eat crap, your body will reward you with crappy results. It is that simple. Also, drink lots and lots of water. Best of all, enjoy running. Get high off the endorphins ( natural morphine). It is a very good addiction to have. Love it so much you are encouraging other runners. Report back often on your little successes. A single little running NSV may be just what someone else needs to hear to be motivated. Hope this helps!

Here is a photo of me right now ( just finished my 20 m 5 k): A little sweaty...

I was going to reply yesterday about the calories that are in SB Fraps, but then thought about the calories that are in SB lite grande latte . It is still 100+ calories and I enjoy one of them a week, usually on the weekend. The lite Fraps are not that many more calories, but the only thing I can say is that there are not that many nutritional benefits from Fraps like strawberry, vanilla or chocolate. Coffee at least gives you caffiene to help with short term memory, stimulation in the morning and other benefits from coffee bean itself. Not really a strong argument, so I would say a lite Frap would be ok once a week or once every 2 weeks.

Thanks guys, so helpful... Not worried about slight weight gain from Water retention. I am going to try out the AST micronized creatine for 30 days and see what impact it has on my lifting. I have already noticed catalyst making a huge difference in speed, weight and reps in my cross fit sessions. Almost 2 x improvement for my WOD from 1 session to the next where I added catalyst in between. My goal is to transform into a good athletic build in 6 weeks. I am already noticing improvements from waist up. My PT says it can be done.

I was approximately your weight and height on DOS (335 lb and 5'11"). Wore the same size clothing as well. I would say if you have a really high dedication to eat well and exercise, you could drop to 32/34 pants and m/l shirt size. Awesome don't you think? I like having so many more places where I can buy others now. I am currently a 34 pants and m/l shirt size at 9 months. I think my pants size will trim up a little more as my waist gets smaller. Maybe to a 32. Shirt size will probably remain m/l especially as I continue to strengthen my upper body. Good things are in store for you!

You guys ganging up on me? I am going to go sit in the corner and pout.

For what it is worth, I would recommend going to the support group even if you are the only guy. I think my Saturday support group there are 2-3 guys and the rest women. Ok with me. I enjoy getting their perspective. We are on the same journey even though the room is filled with banders, sleevers and RNYers. There is a lot of good information shared by other WLS folks and, in my case, by the NUT and guest speakers. Sometimes to make a friend in this group setting dominated by women you have to be a friend. Take the first step...

Very good information about raw honey, refined sugar and fructose on the GI scale. The reason I posted this topic is the following. I have a 100% organic Protein Bar with 2 grams sugar (19 g total carb), 6 g of fat (2.5 g saturated), 16 g of Protein at 190 calories. The 2 g of sugar comes from a layer of dark chocolate the bar is dipped in. The ingredient list is organic, but there is processing for some of the ingredients). The name is nu go brownie crunch slim bars. The other Paleo protein bar has 17 g of raw honey (21 total carbs), 21 g fat ( 9 saturated, 9 mono unsaturated and 3 poly unsaturated), 14 g of protein at 300 calories and is FDA approved. The ingredient list is very basic and, well, paleo style. The name is Am rap refuel bars. Ignoring the protein difference, I feel better after eating the Paleo bar following a cross fit training session with my PT. My body just likes it and no desire to keep eating more like i sometimes get with the organic bar. However, there are about 100 more calories when compared to the organic bar. There is also a cost difference of 3 for Paleo bar and 1.50 for organic bar, but cost is not really a driving factor in my choice. Which would you eat if you were me for refueling after hard training session?

Really?

You might ask your doctor to try a different PPI like Prilosec. Available same dose as a prescription and OTC, but prescription is better because insurance will pay for it. If 1 daily does not help the acid, try 2. I definitely notice if I forget to take the Prilosec because I will get acid in my throat. The burning is not worth it and a good reminder to not forget daily PPI.

Does anyone know why raw honey is preferred over table sugar in foods such as protein bars? How different can they be processed as both are simple carbs right? From what I have read is that raw honey does not pump the insulin response like table sugar does. Give me the technical breakdown of the differences. I can take it. Lol.