Fiddleman

Any VSG men that have needed to have their GB removed?

Ok, now that I have hijacked my own thread... Lets hear some more of those exercises that you just love to hate.

That sounds like an electrolyte imbalance you were having previously. I still get the dizzy spells and head rushes when getting up too fast from a seated position. I am used to it though. When lifting heavy dead lifts like above (300-350), I really REALLY get the head rushes. What a trip from those! However, my trainer said these head rushes are normal for every lifter on dead lifts.

BTB, I do get a taste of acid reflux from time to time and get darn near tunnel vision after some of these workouts. However, I am not overdoing the HIIT cardio yet. At least it does not feel like it. It does take me anywhere from 30m to 1 hour after the work out for my energy to come back. Before that, feel weak. I fill up on BCAA and recovery shake after workout, but you know it is not until I hydrate a bunch that my energy returns. This might be a sign I am getting really dehydrated from all the sweating. I did cramp up a little during the running above and needed to do some Jedi mind tricks on myself to prevent full out cramping, that would have killed the workout right there. I do not generally drink during a cross fit workout because it will just come up from the full on intensity. By the way, you are an awesome inspiration in your running accomplishments.

Now isn't that a mind bender? What is an exercise that you hate so much, you LOVE to hate it because it is so good for you? Mine used to be pull-ups. Pull-ups are ok now that i can do 10-20 unassisted in a row. Now I love to hate toes to bar exercise. This is essentially where you hang from a high metal bar with your arms straight and you have to use your core strength to get your toes to touch the bar where your fingers are at or above the bar. My trainer made me do almost 200 of these today. And today was my first exposure to them!! Yup- I love to hate T2B exercises and need to get good at them. They are good for me I hate you so much I love you T2B!!!! better strap me down now while I still have some sanity. Here are the T2B exercises in context of my cross fit workout today: 1600 m run Stretches Cross fit warmup - 10 of each: air squats, push ups, pull ups, ght sit ups, back extensions, lunges 5 sets of 4 dead lifts @ 300 lb 1600 m run 50 T2B 55 Kettle bell snatches @ 55 lbs 800 m run 60 T2B 65 kettle bell snatches @ 55 lbs 400 m run 75 T2B 80 kettle bell snatches @ 55 lbs Time : 16 min 25 seconds Fore arms and hands on fire and HURT. Worked hard, but not broken yet. A little crampy and nauseous from the work, but basically ok. haven't tossed any Cookies yet from a workout. I asked my trainer to break me and she laughed and said I am not ready to be broken. i want to feel what it is like where I cannot do anything the next day. I am always ok with these types of workouts for the next day to do another workout. Waiting to be broken... Lol. Break me already! I may sound a little crazy in this read, but I am really not. Just having a good time. I am training for the cross fit open at the national games next year.

Thank you all. I am glad to now that 1600 machine can be given to someone else or sold rather than sit under my bed and gather dust. Lol. I really only used it for about 3 months and it is practically brand new. Too bad I own it. The insurance company basically forced me to buy it. Anyone want to purchase a like new cpap for cheap? You would just need to get it re calibrated per doctor prescription.

Thanks!

I did a follow up sleep study 3 weeks ago (1 year post op), just because I was curious where things stood between me, mr cpap and a good nights rest. The pulmonary doctor said I had 2 events during the night and anything below 5 events is considered normal. Yay! I kind of already suspected severe sleep apnea was wiped out after surgery, but it was good to get medical confirmation. Oh and those 2 events were a very slight snore in the back of my throat, hardly even audible, but the wires picked up the vibration. So snoring kicked the bucket also! Bonus!!

After reading all the responses, I have called and started the process of ordering the blood panels. Thanks everyone.

I agree Laura and am going to try and simplify. Certainly will be less expensive to say the least. It has taken many months of trying different supplements to see what produces the best results for me in tandem with lots and Lita of daily research so I can understand both the physical response and the contraindicators, if in fact some exist when taking in tandem. I think my research has paid off as there are only 2-3 additional supplements above and beyond the usual protein, vitamins and minerals that really work well for me that consistently provide good results. Tossed all the things that produce a meh physical response.

Jane - For some reason, no... I guess I should just go do it and let the results speak for themselves. My six months labs were amazing. My anxiety comes from little feedback issues I get from my body in the last 2-3 months. Nothing major, but things like cramping all the time, bruising way to easily, excessive stiffness (even though I stretch and roll every day before and after fitness), lack of good quality sleep, little pain aches on the sides of my chest close to arm pits (feels like bee stings), painful urination on occasion, slow urination, yada, yada. Sorry for the TMI. Just wanted to list out a couple things. None of these things really bother me enough to do anything about it. I can tolerate it. More than tolerate it because I am still kicking my fitness through the roof and generally happy with my relation with eating a most Protein diet as a maintainer.

I am 13 months post op and have a little anxiety about getting the first anniversary blood results. Everything is going so well post op in terms of weight loss and fitness. I have taken a number of supplements along the way and have hiccups here and there with regards to body indications. I do not want to hear in results: "you have a liver problem"," you have a kidney problem," " your white blood cell count is too high'" etc. Ignorance is bliss? I don't want something for either my wife or I to worry about. I would rather just go on assuming everything is fine and if something comes up, i deal with it at that time. Need some vet advice.

By the way, Bob Harper has an amazing deal on his workout DVDs. I am not sure if it is a special promotion or the DVDs are a loss leader for something else, like the monthly membership. Or Maybe Bob is just being plain altruistic in his desire to help people achieve their fitness goals. Each DVD is 3.99 from his website www.mytrainerbob.com. I really enjoy his training style and see he has some new ones I do not have. Last night I put in an order for the Total Body Transformation, kettle bell sculpted body and Totally Ripped Core DVDs. I have already done his Inside Out Training program and that, my friends, is hard and an hour well spent for the length of following this training. I am thinking of doing the Inside Out DVD some more with slightly heavier weights then before (15 lb instead of 10 lb). They can be conveniently paid for with PayPal. It is a win win win situation to pick up these DVDs at 3.99.

That's good to know. I am going to look for a cheap copy when everyone is tired of their copy.

Holy cow!! Hope it does not worse then that. Maybe brush light until hair loss phase is done.

Yup - I got the thrush also. You can get some medicine, but mine went away after a week without meds in addition to some tongue tooth brushing.

Wow - incredible short term weight loss! I am jealous!! If only the program did not cost so much.

Good point about sodium. I try and minimize sodium intake.

No statin meds for me like lipitor. I have taken lisimopril (lower blood pressure) and citalopram (SSRI) in the past. Took a muscle relaxant at one point. Are there any natural medicines that would also inhibit coq10? I have never taken the coq10 supplement before either. I am not saying with this thread that I have the condition. Just putting out a warning.

This condition can be caused by too much physical activity where excessive breakdown of muscle tissue occurs combined with dehydration according to how my trainer described it yesterday. You would think to solve the dehydration problem with drinking a lot of coconut Water, but that might actually introduce rhabdomyolysis . Basically, your kidneys shut down from too much potassium in the blood stream. She said that marathoners, big lifters or very active conditioners ( eg cross fit, sport training) are the people who should watch out for it. 4 hours of insanity DVD a day might cause it? That last one is just me thinking out loud. The reason my trainer brought this up is because I said I often get muscle cramping (calf) in cross fit (about once a week) and start to feel a little like vomiting after pushing hard in a sprint WOD at the end of a session. I have been drinking about a coconut water a day to try and combat a combination of muscle cramping and mild dehydration, but perhaps should keep an eye on potassium levels. I do not think I am a candidate for getting said condition, but need to monitor hydration. If you ever see cocoa colored urine(not me), go straight to the ER and they will immediately IV you in order to do a bodily flush out. usually you will vomit and get muscle spasms before full blown rhabdomyolysis. Just something to be aware of if you are a long distance runner or spend lots of time conditioning with weight month after month, perhaps without giving your body the proper rest and the proper hydration. Maybe just stash this information away in the back of your mind. More info can be found on wikipedia: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhabdomyolysis

Best story ever. Congratulations!

The million dollar question about is when does maintenance feel normal? I've been maintaining for about 6 months now and have a pretty good groove going on with regards to eating, fitness and health. food is not the enemy and I eat enough good fats, carbs and Proteins to meet fueling requirements based on a few 100 calories below my TDEE. However, does it get harder during year 2,3,4,5, n? Ever since the vet forum has been created, there has been fairly decent discussion and exposure to the challenges of vets about out as far as 4 years. I think I saw even an 8 year vet pop in once, but was really struggling and described their current status as failure. Disheartening to read that. Is maintaining going to turn into a series of do or die moments? I hope not. I just want to live the remainder of life with a good relation with food. To be able to eat, be satisfied and not have to struggle with food every day and be in good health would be perfect. However, my observation based on posts from vets 2-4 years post op indicate dealing with food as the enemy is a life long battle. I have not hit a point yet where I feel like there is a need to do battle with food. I do not have the temptation in me to go eat that cookie, cake, brownie, ice cream, what ever. Will the urges come back next year? I hope not. I have a good groove going by not eating junk. Sure I get hungry, but then that just means to eat some healthy and Protein based that will give me energy for 2-3 more hours. I hope it never gets to that point where long dormant carb monster starts making decisions for me. Logically, I would rather just make sound decisions to support the energy requirements I need for a workout or for the rest of the day rather then eating a sweet. Little does it benefit to go scarf food that is going to give a sugar rush ( probably a headache too), especially since we all know quite precisely how weight starts creeping up. Your thoughts?