Fiddleman

Rest day today. I have been running 10 miles daily with two hard workouts each day for last 5 days, so need a day of recovery. Back at it on Saturday.

I used the cookies and cream flavor for a few months and found it to be a decent shake for post workout recovery. The taste was pretty good, especially when mixed with low fat silk. I stopped using it because of wanting to try something different.

Yes, I do believe so.

Looking for a waste basket to throw up in....

Hi Globetrotter- I know you have not had the success you were looking for on the 5:2 plan, but have you considered the 16:8 intermittent fasting strategy combined with high intensity training? That is 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of feeding. Many have been really successful with this approach in the body building segment. The idea is the high intensity training depletes the muscles of stored glycogen (think empty on the gas tank), forcing your muscles to go into metabolic overdrive during the intermittent fast by converting stored fat into glycogen in very rapid cycles. You might consider this as a way to get into peak conditioning in a relatively short time period ( 6 weeks) and then cycle off it. You have to eat during the feed and eat in a way that is going to optimize the rapid refill of glycogen stores. You do have to bust out your training sessions ( think HITT, burst or whatever). You have to eat. Nutrition is very important. while not 100% positive from my research, i think this plan works the best if you eat Paleo style (minimize bread, dairy,sugar. in general, think low glycemic index when choosing your carbs). Your training sessions do not need to be long nor do they need to be everyday, if you bust through Tabata style strength training. With all that said, no, I do not recommend you going back to a starvation diet. It just kills your metabolism and pushes cortisol through the roof. This leads to increased storage of fat and an increase in auto immune issues if done for too long. Our bodies are made to eat. This is just a suggestion based on some research I have been doing for you on the side.

5 miles down and a 20 minute set of Tabata style exercises this morning. Looking forward to cross fit and another 5 miles this afternoon. Total will be 30 miles by end of day today starting Monday. I do have to say 10 miles of running a day, a morning (power cardio) and an afternoon (weight training @ home or cross fit with PT) workout is causing some energy issues. 3 days so far of this.just so everyone is aware, I do full body conditioning. No isolation days for me. Also noting extra aches in my back and weird arthritis like pains in my fingers ( must be too many burpees with splayed fingers). I am really rolling, rolling and rolling to get those aches out of my back and am eating an extra meal (extra 200 calories for about 2400 daily calories). I am going to reevaluate this training load tomorrow end Of day and see if I need to make adjustments. Positives are dropped 5 lbs in last few days and feeling good about the tightening and toning in quads, core and pects. Thank you extra cardio and kettle bell workouts at home! My main motivation is to train as much possible to get my body ready for serious 6 day a week open gym cross fit starting next month (will eventually be working up to 2 cross fit sessions a day to get my conditioning where it needs to be). It will be sad to leave my trainer after 8 months, but I am ready to fly on my own now and budget concerns. Those PT sessions are so helpful for me, the non athlete, but are damn expensive. I am trying to increase my stamina, power and endurance. Push, push and push. It is challenging, but keeping my eyes on goals. Update: lots of running at cross fit today. 1600 m warmup run. 10 handstand push-ups (man, these turn on the sweat spigot) 3 rounds: 1600 m run 15 thrusters @ 225 lb 15 pull ups (*still struggle with these, especially on 3rd round) Ran 1600 m afterwards. Finishing this day of workouts at +10 for total of 30. A sad note that today was my last PT session. I will miss my trainer. We had a great friendship over last 8 months. That means tomorrow I will start 6 days a week cross fit. Guaranteed to kick my ass. Big time. But I will love it!! Time to take my fitness up a level.

I guess the invoice fulfillment is backed up because I have yet to see my 2 free quest bars.

No problem at all with fit. it comes with 3 different mold and Ear support sizes. You just pick the size that works for your ear size. They have never fallen out for me and are fairly comfortable. I bought the buds from best buy as well and the transmitter from Amazon.

I ran 8 miles so far today putting me at 20. Might do another 2 after dinner, not sure...

I have been using a pair of jaybird Bluetooth buds for about 9 months now (not quite a year). Fidelity is crystal clear and awesome to listen to while working out. Sounds like i am at a live concert or in the recording studio. The reproduction of the sound is as the artist intended. I primarily use them for running and I sweat profusely. There is a guarantee against sweat damage for life. I like the fact that they integrate with my Dinosaur iPod 2 classic. The only negatives are battery life is only about 2 hours and they are expensive. If your newer iPod or alternative music device has Bluetooth built in then you can save about 150 as you will not require the Bluetooth transmitter.

Sounds like you are ready for it!

5 miles and 1 power cardio so far today. I am finding I am too tired after power cardio in the morning to get back on the treadmill and run so will have to move the time around a bit. Perhaps 2 miles after lunch instead. This might work for tomorrow (fairly similar to today except strength training at 4:30 pm instead of cross fit session): 5:00am -3 miles (good for waking up with - no caffeine needed!) 9:00am -2 miles 9:30am power cardio 12:30 pm: 2 miles 4pm -2 miles 4:30 pm - cross fit 8 pm -2 miles Not too sure about the 8 pm run. I do not want running that late to mess with sleep patterns. 2 miles at a time is a nice easy segment to commit to. Trying to target 10 miles a day of these 2-3 mile segments. Enough to get the dopamine receptors firing and a light sweat. I thought I would be able to "cool down" with a short 2 mile run after working out with power cardio (weight driven cardio -intense), but I utterly lack the motivation and energy to get on the treadmill because the work out session drains me. I am sure if I forced myself onto the treadmill it would be mentally and physically better after a few minutes. It definitely feels like a wall when I tried to think about running following the power cardio this morning. I wanted to, but my body said no too loudly. I hope my eating patterns are planned well enough to support this much daily training (2000-2200 a day). I definitely eat like an athlete should be eating before and after workout sessions and throughout the day, clean and as nutritious as possible. Complex carbs before working out.I am even eating some quick burning carbs after working out along with Protein shake and BCAA drink so I think I am doing that right in order to keep the ebb and flow of energy going throughout the day. Protein, protein and more protein. Suggestions?

Yup - me too on the scrambled eggs. I remember it was 1 scrambled egg with feta and dill. It was so filling, yet so tasty! Now I eat 2-3 eggs in a meal with a side of 2 turkey links. My favorite weekend breakfast. Also, you do not necessarily have to think of eggs as a breakfast only meal. They are also a great dinner. The key is to put aside the traditional thoughts of what food to eat at what time of day. Instead, think of refueling your body with food for energy.

Sounds like cross fit (my exercise of choice) or even HIIT (if you add strength training to it). This looks like an effective use of time and generates real results, fast. I would go for it if you have the energy and can sustain it for week after week. How far are you post op and how much do you eat? These types of workouts will require you to have stored glycogen in your muscles for high intensity workouts. The best way to build up these glycogen stores is with complex carbs. A high amount of Complex carbs or simple carbs are not the best food source for initial weight loss during the first 6 months, but that is just my opinion. If you can get through these types of workouts without eating a lot of carbs then all the power to you. Good luck!

Agree with the others: foam rolling is awesome. I am on my foam roller a few times a day and primarily focus on it bands, hip flexors, gluts and everything upper back and shoulders. Snap, crackle crunch...Crunch! That is what my back sounds like before really getting into the therapeutic massage part of it. Feels almost like a sports massage. I am not only using the roller after workouts, but also to recover from sitting in my computer chair all day. My god, my back is so sore at the end of the day just from computer work. I use a roller called TP Roller. It is awesome and saves me trips to the massage and the chiropractor, literally. Love crunching out the various tight spots. Another good roller is called the Rumble Roller. No experience with the Rumble Roller, but my trainer swears by it. Invest in a good roller and it will save you a lot of pain and money in the future.

What sort of dysmorphia do other vets deal with? Is it minor or major? I guess I have an eye for perfection. It is not causing stress, but is still slightly annoying.

It works. I think the key for me is keeping workouts between 30-60 min, no longer, including warmup, cool down and stretching. I have on average 3 hours an evening to spend with my wife, less if I have dead lines to crunch through at work. I do try and get quality sleep at night so essentially retire at 9:30 pm and am up at 5:30 am to do a quick run and then start work at 6am. I workout mid morning and mid afternoon usually. Work is usually done by 6 pm for the day. Run after dinner is new, but I am going to try it for 30 min.

At the Labor Day dinner yesterday, I got my first " do not lose any more weight" comment from a SIL grandmother. She means well enough and said it quite seriously in tone and facial exp<b></b>ression, but I do not really know her that well because we see each other about once a year. She has not seen me since I was morbidly obese. The rest of my relatives, especially my parents, are "happy" with my physique and do not comment in the way the SIL grandmother did. They all are very happy with my current physique. It was funny actually. My twin brother has been putting on some weight, but has always been lighter than I, by 100 lb, in that last 15 years or so. The grandmother kept calling me by his name and I kept having to correct her. No, see, it really is me. It took a while for her to believe me. I look at myself and see a pretty fit guy, but still see a few areas to work on which might be 5-10 more lbs. my weight currently centers around 175 and I am 5'11". I asked my wife about this comment from SIL grandmother and she started to say my face did look pretty thin. I just do not see this "thinness" with the same clarity when I look at myself in the mirror. I still see "issues" with it in terms of an attractive male face (comparing myself to what I consider "attractive" face). I guess I am always going to be acutely aware of blemishes or discrepancies in vanity. Am I ok with that? I think so, but am acutely more aware of it now after reaching goal, getting lean and getting athletically built. Do I have slight dysmorphia issues? Perhaps...

I started kind of late, but added 3 miles this morning before power cardio workout and will add another 2 this afternoon before Cross fit session and 3 after dinner. Total since starting on Sunday will be 12 by end of today. I think it will work to throw in 2 miles when I wake up, 3 before morning power cardio, 2 before afternoon cross fit or at home body strength workout and another 3 after dinner. So that is about 10 a day. we will see if that is sustainable combined with usual daily workouts. Running 2-3 miles per run is relaxing at around 6.0 mph, enough to get a light sweat going but not hard in terms of cardio or that time intensive (30 min for 3 miles at 6.0 mph). That is the way I want it because my hard cardio will not come from this running.

Walking, walking and more walking. I did this consistently for about the first 2 months post op before getting into the elliptical. Typically, each walk was about 45 minutes. Sometimes we were out for 3 walks a day. Added hills and speed after a while. I remember the first walk aft coming home from the hospital. I think it was about 100 feet.