Fiddleman

"only", she says... good enough!

It is there; I promise you. I feel the same way sometimes. While I have toned up tons, there is still this flabby lip around the front of my waist. Annoys the heck out of me because there is nothing short of surgery I can do about it. It is the last frontier that is untouchable no matter how much cross fit and toning I do. Unfortunately, my wife has told me more than once I am unable to go under the knife at least until 2015 due to the expense of kids coming up. I fully back this decision and can live with the lip o' skin, but oh how I wish I could zap this one remaining area into oblivion.

My goal is to improve filthy 50 time by 30-45 seconds by end of month. I can't do the filthy 50 at home because equipment is needed so today I did the following workout: http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Total-Body-Tabata-Workout-45-Min-HIIT-and-Toning-Routine/eg/ Filthy 50 here: http://www.crossfit.com/mt-archive2/001550.html It is a good workout for anyone to do really. 45 minute Tabata. It is kind of like a filthy 50 or a beast workout, but in Tabata format.

Here is a good resource I have been studying on the differences of paleo versus zone as it applies to exercise (specifically crossfit): http://crossfitzone.ca/paleo-vs-zone-nutrition-for-the-games/

Have been trying to eat paleo since hitting goal in February 2013. While I can do it without too much of a struggle, it does get a little boring. I have been considering transitioning into zone diet because it seems to be a solid nutritional platform for athletes and offers more choice then paleo. I still am going to focus on high lean Protein and leafy green veggies, but am also going to up carbs and fat more towards the zone ratios. What do you think of the zone bar as a snack: I have had these a few times last week when on a business trip and they seem to satisfy me much better then bars like pure protein (20 g protein, 1 carb). I eat one of these zone bars and do not get the nagging desire for another as low carb Protein Bars trigger. Must be the imbalance of macros in a pure Protein Bar that causes it. I try and eat real food when possible, but sometimes need to eat a bar if real food is inaccessible. Does zone diet work for maintaining after hitting goal and, more importantly, for keeping body in a state that will maximize results from cross fit (or other exercise program like that). The aspect I like about paleo is it keeps my insulin response in a neutral position. I am satisfied in terms of hunger throughput the day and eat 7-8 meals to total between 2000-2200 calories. My weight stays where it needs to, but does drop low if I increase exercise intensity or add a day. 4-5 days of working out now for about 20 min on average oh high intensity effort (total time daily is about 1.5 hours, but that includes warmup workout , mobility, skill work, lifting, high intensity workout, cool down workout). What are your thoughts on paleo versus zone for an athlete?

Nice! You are such an inspiration to athletes in the making and so very well organized. You look fantastic and so full of energy. The pictures look like mother/daughter when one scans from start to finish in the panoramic view of your weight loss over the months. Love the picture of you and your dog "Lucy" stretching on the blog. Is that an English springer spaniel? What would you say has been your hardest struggle during the last 10 months, other then working at home with food temptation (I can relate as I work at home also)?

Great read. I also agree with others on this thread about the concept of low glycemic (good) and high glycemic (not so good) carbs, even as it applies to fruit. Here is a quick link to common foods on the glycemic index: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm Try and shoot for low numbers on this index when choosing your fruit carbs. For example an apple has glycemic index 39 and a banana has 62 glycemic index . Some fruit is sneaky. For example, water melon 72. Even though it is quite fibrousAnd stay away from fruit roll up at glycemic index 99. Carbs are essential not only for brain function, but also muscle function. The muscle may be able to derive the glucose it needs from fat and protein, but I believe the stored glucose won't be ready soon enough for high intensity exercise. Explosive exercise like Weight lifting, Tabata and cross fit or even non explosive exercise like endurance running (after 45 min or so) needs a solid source of carbs in order to not hit the proverbial wall in the middle of the workout. I find steel oats to be an excellent source of carbs to fuel the high intensity demands of cross fit. Apple with peanut butter also works well. To the good-fat-as-fuel argument, BTB has said often that a source of good fat fuels his running better then carbs do. It all depends on your insulin response.

Thank you very much. I have nothing against the other surgeries, I just felt out of place.

the apex regions of my spine (mid back and neck) are still a daily ache and burn sensation. However, one PT exercise I do seems to help a lot and is improving my workouts: I lay on a foam roller so it is vertical along the t-spine and lift 5-10 lb hand weights from waist to above head while mentally keeping my entire back against the roller and relaxed. One of the major issues I have had over the year has been tensing up muscles too much in my back due to the spine issues. This PT exercise is forcing the right lifting muscles to engage and the wrong lifting muscles to relax while keeping my spine in a stabilized and organized position. Kelley Starrett would be proud. I am a big fan of his mobility site (mobilityWOD) and his book (supple leopard). The book was above me in my understanding when I first got it 6 months ago, but since I have starting learning about proper movements to protect my back in PT, the book content has really started to click. It makes so much sense and is very practical in becoming a better athlete and avoiding injury. Keep up the exercise as well as you are able to. It may be hard and unrealistic now to WOD as much as you would like, but will be much easier and enjoyable by month 5 or 6 after you have lost a good deal of weight ( I dropped 130 lb by beginning of month 5 and 180 by month 7 to reach goal). Starting in month 5 was the beginning of my running. Starting in month 7 was the beginning of my cross fit with the lead trainer at my box. I spent 8 months with her until switching to open gym in September 2013. Now I WOD 5 days a week, sometimes 6. I kill the WOD as much as I am able to while keeping good form and also not compromising myself. More then 3 days of WOD in a row puts my immune system at risk and generally starts to break me. No mor 5 days in a row. Sometimes I do 4 in a row, but general rule for me is 3 on, 1 off, 2 in, 1 off so that I can do partner WOD on Saturday. Today I am going to break my rule and do a Tabata workout at home because, well, I have my mind set on it. Neither running or cross fit would have been possible if I was fighting too much body weight. Once I started running, there was no turning back. It was like I was born to run. 5k and 10k in 20 min and 50 min became common as I honed the skill. As you know, I do not run for endurance any longer by choice, but there were a couple months where I was running 20-25 miles a week. Before month 5, my exercise was mostly walking and some elliptical. Nothing to write home about. A few times a week on the elliptical. I did keep up my daily walks with my dog. Here is what really helped before month 5: I followed the low carb, high Protein, high Water to the best of my ability, not compromising. Not once. Be as single minded as you can be to not lose focus on losing weight so you can get into the exercise in the way you really want to by month 5 or 6. And then you just rocket from there. Nothing can stop you.

Great!

How have the wods been this past week? How do you feel?

Why is the site so band heavy in terms of posts? Did sleeve folks just stop posting due to the switchover or are banders so disproportionately represented on the new site? A rant I guess.

Most doctors will talk to their patients about exercising - during pre op consultation- as a way to manage weight once they reach goal because almost everyone will be eating more then, say, the first 6 months or even the first year. And eating more will lead to weight gain without a consistent exercise plan.

I still use shakes to boost the numbers. I like to have a 30 g pure protein shake as part of my first meal with a heavy dose of carb like fiber one cereal or oatmeal. For my last meal, I will have 60 g or so of casein shake (bed time). In between, I have 6 meals to play with. I will have oatmeal with 40 G protein powder before working out and a AMRAP bar (15 g) following the workout. For morning snack, I will have some lean chicken (about 25 g) and veggies. For lunch and dinner, I will target 25-30 G lean protein for each meal with veggies. So adding this all up: 230 g of protein a day on average. I am 17 months post op and maintaining pretty easily. I am glad exercise is available so starving is off the table. My muscles are not huge from the protein, but respectable and defined. Thank you cross fit.

Make sure you are getting 90 g protein a day, minimum. Also, daily exercise will help you. Make sure it challenges you. Good luck!

Sounds like everyone is doing great for December. I spent this week on a business trip across the country and still got in my cross fit workouts visiting a new cross fit box every evening for about an hour (stop after work before heading back to hotel). Met some great people and did some superb workouts. I learned a number of new exercises while there so increased my skill as well. My favorite new exercise from the bunch was a sled push across 50 yards of 250 lb. Felt like a linebacker for a moment. It really burns and tones at such a high efficiency. Back and forth across the field 10 times as part of a 20 m am rap (as many rounds as possible), putting my all into making that sled go across the turf. Each round also included box jumps, pistols and Turkish getups. I have another T-shirt to add to my collection. I try and bring home a T-shirt whenever I visit a box. Looking forward to another fun week of exercising next week at home. The weather was quite cold this week (teens) where I was at so no running outside, but did get in some rowing every day. I have new blisters on my hands, but thankfully no rips from toes to bar and pull up sets.

I have been in Stamford, CT all week on business and have been working out at a local cross fit. Had a great time. Met some super people and have a T-shirt to take home. Planking has been on my daily exercise routine. Funny thing happened. I finished a WOD and decided to do my 400 s plank. So there is this pit bull at the box (most locations have a dog). I am holding this plank and he comes over and spends a long time sniffing my butt, my crotch, my shoes, my face while I am planking. I decide to ignore him, but know these dogs can hold a mean bite longer then I can hold a plank. I dare not stop the plank until the dog finished checking me out, as not to startle the dog. How is that for a motivator ?? Long story short, the dog got a little more friendly by day 3, but man, talk about living life precariously. Lol. Heading home on a late flight today.

nice list. Good to see a bunch of cross over on this list with the NPR 2013 list you also sent out. Glad inferno was recognized as a top mystery.

yes, it is quite true. It is easy peasy to get tipsy on 1/2 glass of wine in no time at all. However, it only last for a few minutes. I decided this was not worth the calories several months ago. Others might think differently. For the record, Kendall Jackson is my favorite post op wine.

yes, it should be fine considering you are in the gym "hitting it hard." Try it out and see if you can maintain your weight and reduce body fat % eating that amount. It definitely works for me; in fact, I need to increase calories some to prevent losing. I am a bit surprised myself sometimes I can eat so much a day and maintain while still continuing to work on muscles and leaning out.

try eating 4-6 oz protein every 2-3 hours, pushing more for first and last meals of the day. This will be too much at a time unless you are past month 5-6. If before month 5-6, try for 3-4 oz of protein every 2-3 hours. I added the calories up once and they tend to fall between 2000-2200 daily when combined with the carbs and veggies. I actually prefer to eat 2-1 for carbs and proteins for 2 meals a day. Steel oats mixed with protein powder is my favorite fuel for working out. I find 2-1 is optimal for delivering protein to the muscles and restoring glycogen stores for the next workout and to put on lean muscle. I try and carb up before and after working out. I do not track the numbers that closely, but if you are hitting the gym hard, neither will you need to. Just focus on some simple rules to guide nutrition in order to fuel your living and workout goals. The calories will take care of themselves. Fat amounts fall where they may, but I don't go out of my way to eat a certain amount of fat except when it comes to 5 g fish oil a day. I eat mostly lean protein and veggies in paleo format, so fat from food tends to be low. No dairy except what is found in protein shakes. No breads.minimal sugar (small amount in these energy squares I eat from nuts.com). I typically do not eat fruit, but sometimes will if it ends up in a salad (love pear and/of Apple salads with a small amount of feta and some walnuts) or my wife hands me something small like a raspberry. This way of eating may not work for some, but I like the energy I get from it and the insulin stability. Good solid energy all day.

Good job on the planking!

On the above post, 1:45 split time is for rowing. Split time is the amount of time it takes to row 500 m. No way in **** I am going to run hard for 15 minutes after part B in 20 degree F weather. That is a recipe for getting serious bronchial spasms. I followed the advice above from others (M2G, BTB) to " just say no" to it. it was an easy decision.

Hit 400 s yesterday. Yay! Next goal, 430s.

Today is the first time in a long time my entire upper body feels like to has been trash compacted. I think that is good to feel sore like this. It means I will build up the upper body even more. Today is definitely a rest day for me after a good solid week of cross fit. Last night: 500 m row. Planked for 400 s. Did 5 rounds of 10 x sets of jumping lunges, push-ups, sits ups, back extensions, etc. Took 15-20 minutes to build to a heavy Jerk. Form is getting good at heavier weights. Explosive. B. Three rounds for time of: 1. 275/185 lb Deadlift x 15 reps (did 165 due to back issues, used my rogue belt even though not anywhere near my max) 2. Handstand Push-Ups x 20 reps 3. Pull-Ups x 25 reps (I used some special gloves from fit 4. no rips or new calluses. Yay!! A little harder to "feel" the bar, but worth it if no rips) 4. Double-Unders x 30 reps C. Row or Run for 15-20 minutes – let feel dictate the speed/intensity of effort. . 1:45 split time. OMG after doing part B. Need I say more. So tired today after this workout last night. I took 2 extra naps of 2 hours each. Now I am feeling (more) refreshed and a little less sore. Upper body still aches, in a good way, I hope. I am on a business trip next week and am going to search out a cross fit gym in Stamford, CT. Hope I get the time to workout while there. It is always iffy on the business trips because of dinners with colleagues, etc. I might do the "deck of card" workout and planks if I run short of time during the days there.