Fiddleman

Update - I think the situation is improving and I did have a busted capillary last week. I swear I do not remember hitting it to cause it, but I do remember feeling invincible when dead lifting 300+ pounds this last week. During such a lift, there is extreme focus and everything else is blocked out. It is possible I did knock it during the weight training, but did not realize it. I have all sorts of small yellow bruises on my lower legs from working out ( they do not bother me). The spot enlarged a little until yesterday as a poster above predicted. Today, it is starting to fade in redness, no longer is giving off heat and is starting to brown and purple around the edges - a sign that is is turning into a bruise ( I think). It is still a little sensitive to touch, but not so much like last week. I think the worst is over. I did show it both to my MIL and SIL on Friday. They are both RN and have the knowledge to offer some guidance. My SIL actually said it would not help to go into the clinic ( where she works and where I see my PCP) because they would just send you home with a bruise diagnosis. So I am glad I did not spend an hour sitting in the clinic over the weekend.

Success!! The tryptophan helped me sleep through the night. I did get up 2 x to use the bathroom ( my own fault because i drink a lot of Water up until an hour before bed) but then was able to fall asleep immediately afterwards. I woke up feeling rested and ready for the day. I hope this continues! Again, I took 1 g tryptophan and 4 mg melatonin ( low dose). I have heard that you should be careful about how much melatonin to take because it is involved in the regulation of serotonin in the body. If anyone knows a good and effective dose of melatonin to take, please share. 4 mg of melatonin seems kind of low and it is part of this pill I take called power to sleep PM that also contains GABA, theanine, Passion flower, hops, and valerian extract, all ingredients which aid in relaxation and sleep. Maybe I should stop taking this product as it really does not keep me sleep all night and just go get a bottle of straight up melatonin to take with the tryptophan. Thoughts?

Swizzly - your HIIT ( high intensity interval training) description of 120 second intervals sounds good. As a reminder, high intensity means 80% of cardio target rate for your age and weight. Low intensity means 40% or perhaps less. You should be recovering during the low interval where your pulse and breathing lower to a comfortable level before hitting the next high intensity interval. 20 minutes is a good amount of time. HITT is hard on your body, in a good way, so do this type of training days no more then 1-2 x a week.

Swizzly- sorry for any confusion. I will work on making sure my fitness posts are readable by folks with different levels of experiences and background. Sometimes, it makes perfect sense to me in my head, but may not come out reading that way!! Something for me to work on. Anyways, back to the descriptions. 1) is definitely a straight up plank, but do hold it in a push up position if you can instead of on elbows. In other word, hands flat on the ground directly under your shoulders, straight body and on toes. For fun, you could vary it more by taking one foot off the ground. 2. and 3. Now that you have expressed confusion, I thought about this. These are not really planks, but rather push-up variations. Both start in a position position as described above in 1., but the execution of each rep is a little different. Instead of pumping up and down fast like a regular push-up, slow it down to controlled and very precise movements. For 2, lower yourself to slightly above the ground and hold for 5 seconds. Now push up back to starting position of push-up and hold in position for 5 seconds. That is 1 rep.start out with 10 and increase as your core and upper body strengthens. For 3, lower yourself to slightly above the ground counting slowly from 1 to 5. Instead of pausing as in 2, change directly seamlessly, and raise back to starting position over 5 seconds. The is 1 rep. Start out with 10 and increase as your core and upper body strengthens. The rep should be 1 continuous movement with no pausing as you slowly lower and slowly raise over the span of 10 seconds. These are going to challenge you. As you get stronger in the core and upper body, they will be a welcoming exercise to really build strength. And you can make them harder and more advanced in any number of ways such as slower reps, more reps, 1 legged or 1 armed. Is the more clear? Hope so!

Try these warmup plank exercises out at different times and see how well you can do: 1. 5 minute plank hold. 2. Hold 5 seconds at top, lower and hold 5 seconds with nose touching ground. Repeat 10 x. Do not jerk when starting upward flow to top position. Increase reps as you get stronger. 3. Start in top position, lower down over 5 seconds, change direction, raise for 5 seconds until back in top position. Repeat 10 x. Do not jerk up from the bottom, but allow the direction change to be smooth. Push through the struggle on last 1 or 2. I believe the start of the slow upward movement from bottom, when your arms are completely bent, is much like a bench press. For this reason, you can improve your bench press without weights by practicing this with more and more reps, pushing slowly through the burn and lighting up your biceps, triceps, delts, lats, traps and general chest region. Increase reps as you get stronger. For each variation, your body should be straight from head to toe. Remember, slow and controlled movements as Fluid as possible. Feel the burn on those last reps. It will feel good. You will burn serious calories doing these and build excellent upper body and core strength. The best part is you can do these anywhere at anytime. Have fun!

I bought some tryptophan today to help with sleep when combined with a low dose of melatonin. The clerk at vitamin shoppe said 500-1000 mg of tryptophan combined with a low dose of melatonin should really help.

I gain 17 lbs, but you must be thinking about somebody else. I have read about a couple of people gaining 20+ after surgery IV fluids since I have been following VST in the last year.

Ibuprofen (NSAID) is really an issue for RNY surgeries and not VSG surgeries. Regardless, you will want he blessing of your doctor before taking it. Mine said to wait until 6 months post op, which I did. That was 6 months ago. Now I take NSAID whenever it is needed, sometimes the 800 mg prescription variety. Fortunately it is not needed now for chronic back pain nearly as it was needed before. After much thinking about why this would be the case, I think it is about posture and proper muscle support in the back. I have a lot more muscle today and stand with good posture. Another OTC NSAID is naproxen. I found this to be fairly effective and costco sells big bottles of it. Back to your pain and desire for relief. A non drug remedy that worked well for me when not wanting to take pain drugs is a product called Thermacare. http://www.thermacare.com/ It is a cloth wrap that you strap into place with velcro. It provides an amazing 8 hours of pain relief in the back. I have not used it anywhere else, but I am surfeit works well in other places. The application of heat actually blocks the pain signals to the brain. You can buy these anywhere in grocery stores, drug stores, in bulk at Costco and online direct or from places like Amazon. Hot showers and baths apply the same heat principle to blocking pain signals. You might also consider a topical application of Diclofenac (NSAID) called Voltaren gel. This can be applied topically to the location in pain and the NSAIDs are absorbed directly into he skin and blood stream without going through the stomach. This product is fairly strong and only available by prescription. Fair warning that it smells bad though. Another topical NSAID is called the fletcher patch. This is a strong topical application of Diclofenac directly into the skin and blood stream. If you do not want prescription based topical solutions, you might consider OTC products instead. Look in the pain relief section of any drug store and you will find various ointment and patch products for sale.

How about binge eating cookies and cake in a dream. I bet that causes weight gain because the unconscious interprets dreams and reality as the same set of experiences. Just something to pontificate on.

My wife is even talking about running?!?! And hiking?!?!?! She is not far post op out of surgery ( July 2 nd) and she is a professed nay sayer of both running and hiking. Has been since i have known her 13.5 years ago. It is not a negative, just a difference between us. Just this last week she was almost tempted to run when walking on the treadmill. I am impressed. However, most of all I am psyched about us doing runs or hikes together in the future. There is so much enjoyment that can come from both activities, especially when you have someone close to you to share the experiences with. I will have to get her started on the c25k program when the time is right.

Yup - lack of sleep places undo stress on the body, release cortisol(sp?) hormone and causes you to stall or gain weight. Some of the gain is from eating more because of stress and some is from the body going into defend and protect mode. Sleep is very important. I am going to try something OTC so I get knocked out all night. I had really good sleep for many months after the initial insomnia after surgery and now it has come back in the last few weeks.

Really, that is scary!! Side note- I already had a painful staph infection on my head last year in October ( about 4 months post op). Do not want that kind of pain again.

Rox and sunmoon- I think I will see the doctor Monday if the condition worsens. Thanks for the response. And yes, I am outside all the time. Lost of spiders, Mosquitos and other bugs around my yard in the evenings. I think it is more likely a busted vessel. Hopefully not a clot.

Richard- thank you very much for the response. Basically wait a few days and reassess.

A couple days ago I had a raised red spot on my right shin. Today I am noticing it is no longer raised, but the area is much larger. Anyone have an idea on this? First time I have got it, but did start reading about possible dermitology issues here: http://www.dermnetnz.org/site-age-specific/lower-leg.html Could this be caused by lifting? Or something else more health related? I have not gone in to get it checked out by the dermatologist because wanted to wait a couple days to see if it goes away. It is not really like a bruise, but more blood vessel related. It has gotten bigger since yesterday and a little tingly. It is sensitive to the touch ( as in ouch), but not really as painful when it started out raised a couple days ago. You medically minded folk might recognize what this is. Thanks.

Actually I think it gets easier after 3 months, but that is just me. Best advice I can give you is keep showing up, don't miss an appointment. Improvement comes from always trying to better yourself. Don't directly compare yourself to others in the box. There are people who are super fit and people who are just starting out. However, it might be good to have a role model. If you can afford it, get a trainer. This was key for me because we come from a non athletic background and need the help to catch up, so to speak. Again, that holds true for me but may not for you. An hour before the workout, eat a balanced meal or a good Protein shake that balances the macro nutrient ratios. For food, I like to have 2 apple slices with nut butter and 1-3 ounces of lean protein or a Protein Shake and 2 energy squares from nuts.com. 15 minutes before the workout, take your amino acids. I like to take catalyst, but you can really take any form of the complete set of amino acids. Recently mark! gave a good recipe for an amino acid mix he prepares by hand on a response to one of my fitness threads on fat %. The amino acids make a huge difference in your stamina and response during the WOD. Really, it does. I do not know the exact science behind it, but it was recommended by my trainer many months ago. In fact, at the end of my first session with her. Always do a warmup. Always. You do not want to hurt yourself during the WOD. Spend time to work on mobility after warming up. Stretch, stretch and stretch. My biggest weakness is mobility, but I have been working on it for 6 months. In the last few weeks, I have just started to make huge gains in my lifting stamina, technique and strength because mobility is finally improving. Form is everything. Repeat. Form is everything. Do not curve your back on dead lifts. Always keep your butt back, chest up and back flat or slightly inverted. Do not get cocky and lift too much in a WOD as that is only going to hurt you. Do not show off. you are not in cross fit to impress anyone, but yourself. stay super focused. Push yourself. Turn off any negative self talk. It is only you and your workout. if you need a preworkout drink to help with concentration and focus, by all means take one. I take c4, Hyde and no explode 2 at different times. You have to cycle on them for your body to remain effective with them and not to intoxicate your liver or kidneys. I have been good so far, but will be getting blood work done soon for my 1 year post op. knock on wood. After the work out, cool down and stretch. Stretch, stretch and stretch. You do not want sore muscles to bite you in the ass the next day. Drink a high quality recovery protein shake. I drink synth 6 now and it is high calorie for 40 g, but complete worth it. The extra calories (400) mean nothing in scale weight, but mean everything in building lean muscle. My weight is dropping and body fat is dropping daily. You want to eat as clean as possible to support your cross fit workouts. Cross fit is like Paleo fitness so it is best to eat Paleo nutrition to optimize your efforts. There is a careful balancing game when calculating how much to eat to hit the sweet spot of leaning out while gaining lean muscle, not losing lean muscle. It has taken me months of trial and error, but think I have a natural eating flow that is easy to maintain and also supports goals of leaning out and gaining lean muscle while being active intense workouts 5 days a week. Others can help you put together this eating plan, but it is really individual based pong your body composition, weight, height, etc. Take some BCAA and creatine with your shake after working out to optimize muscle repair. Always take large amounts of Omega 3 to combat stiffness and soreness. I have not felt sore once the next day when taking the BCAA and omega 3 supplements. This week I just started experimenting with 10 g creatine monohydrate before and 10 g monohydrate afterwards and man, it makes a huge difference. Some guys in the box are loading with way more creatine, but it is not really worth it to go above 20 g. Creatine monohydrate is cheap. And most important, have fun and always look on how to improve during every workout. I promise you that cross fit is going to add a new dimension to your life and your presence around others. Stick with it. Push through the pain as long as it is good pain. Do not push through bad pain as you do not want side lining injuries. Talk about your successes and challenges on VST. VST continues to be a problem solving atmosphere for fitness because there is a lot of existing experience ( like aroundhdk, mark, btb and mike ross) and new experiences ( like me and others). Hope this helps. It is a bit of a mind dump, but these tips have paved the way to my success. Sorry for the long verbose length of this post, but there are truly a lot of balls you need to keep in the air to optimize your success at Crossfit. Next year, I hope to be competing with the big guys at regionals. Can someone pin this post? It is good information.

Really awesome to hear this!!! You will not regret it. I think you live near me close to Snohomish right? Which box?

Actually two questions: 1. If lifting heavy at the box, is it natural to feel a blood rush out of your head at the top of a lift or shortly there afterwards? For example, on my 1 rep max of 310 on deadlift yesterday, I got this wonky "free" high feeling after lifting the max 1 rep. A high i did not even have to pay for. 2. After an intense hard circuit workout this morning at 9 am, my overall sense is weakness and low blood sugar even after drinking a 400 calorie 50 g recovery shake with carbs. Does that mean I need to consume more carb before workout? The recovery shake after the workout did not help, even after 20 minutes, so I consumed two energy squares of 120 calories of high amounts of good carbs and fats. Feel much better after this. Normal. Before the workout, I ate 2 energy squares and a low carb 40 g Protein shake with chia seeds at 8am and another Protein Shake with 400 calories and 2 energy squares at about 4 am this morning. This was a really ass kicking body weight workout of 20 minutes. First time I did this particular body weight circuit workout and will repeat it for two more Fridays before increasing difficulty. Felt good to get through it without compromising form. That is how I roll with my M, W, F workouts at home. I do the same 3 individual workouts based on timed sets, ladders and circuit, repeating for 3 weeks before progressing up a level of difficulty. Another thought is maybe low on hydration today or electrolytes. Educate me! Thanks for advice.

Yup - my sleep has been wonky lately. For example, felt like I can get up and go at 3:45 am this morning. I take melatonin before bed and it does help me fall asleep, but I would love to sleep naturally all the way through the night and never wake up. Always wake up 2-3 x a night, sometimes more, and tonight I am up for a bit as evident by this post. 1 year post op myself.

I went to my groups under profiles and it said I am not part of any groups. Nor did I find any way to add groups. I had to do this on the web app because the iPad app is fairly limited in profile options. A little help?