Some of you may know I have been training for a few months with running 5k and 10k. Each week I try and push myself and get better. Recently I joined cross fit to improve my fitness level. Last week, I saw this special on Evening Magazine (Seattle show) about cross fit and it showed this guy running at full speed on a treadmill at 12% incline. Afterwards, he was on his back breathing hard and looking like he just had the best sex ever (pardon the visual). I thought, damn, I wish I could do that. They said several times during the show that athletes do cross fit for the extreme high it brings. I thought - sounds good to me.

Fast forward to today, I decided to really push myself like never before. Instead of spending the first 10 minutes of my 10 k to get into the zone, I got myself into the zone at the end of my warm up by adding sprints and incline running during the warm up. I started the race at 6.6 mph and 2.0% incline. At then end of 5 k, I had been running 18.5 minutes. At the end of 10 k I finished in 39 minutes. I was on my back recovering for a min, seeing stars with sound echoing into the distance. I felt great, like that guy I saw on the show.

I wanted to stop several times during the run, but I kept repeating "I am a cross fit runner now. I can do this." To help me have the energy to do it, I popped 2 energy squares before the run and another at 5 k. I drank a lot of Water all morning to hydrate myself. Took a pre workout drink right before run so the pump would kick in around 20-30 minutes. I met my latest goal of running 5 k sub 20 minutes! I continue to train with runs 3-4 x a week, increasing the effort spent every session.

I share this to motivate others. Good luck in your fitness endeavors and may you keep setting and meeting your goals. I think anything is possible and I want to apply the principles of cross fit to all areas of life.

With all the exercise do you guys feel you have any loose skin ? I've been thinking about this procedure but I don't want to be flabby, I never have been that way. Just curious

With all the exercise do you guys feel you have any loose skin ? I've been thinking about this procedure but I don't want to be flabby' date=' I never have been that way. Just curious[/quote']

To be honest, running has been superb for toning up everywhere but the abs. I have a little ridge on my abs I still am trying to blast into oblivion, but alas, still there. No hanging skin anywhere though. Running is awesome for toning that flab zone inside thigh. Oh gosh, love how much running melts away the flab. Pretty toned all over and muscular in the lower half. Arms and chest are OK, but I need to continue to bulk them up with weights. I eat about 150 g Protein daily. Not much raw veggies, but do supplement with green powder and Vitamins. I kind of expected my abs to be the last to tone up because that is where I have held my weight for decades. I am pretty happy with how VSG and fitness has changed my body shape. I am sure others will have similar stories. Maybe those wraps will help me after all on my abs... otherwise maybe a TT in the future. Not sure I will need one. Time will tell.

Hello all. It is great to see others out there pushing themselves to the limit. I am almost 9 months post op (sleeve) and on 50 net carbs (carb minus fiber) a day. I wear a heart rate monitor everytime I workout and my burn is between 500-700 calories except when I am biking. That range is 1100 - 2500. I workout 3-4 times a week (500-700 range) and bike 1 day a week (1100-1500 range). My doctor told me not to eat more than 1200 calories a day. So...now that I have set the stage...I have not lost weight in 3 months. Over the past month I have gained 4 pounds (added 2 workouts a week that are a cross between a military bootcamp and crossfit class). I have lost about 3/4 inch in my waist and 1/2 inch in my thighs but...the weight is the issue. Sounds like you all are on a low carb/low calorie diet so any tips or suggestions? I am really struggling with this. I have talked to my doctor several times and he is stead fast in not more than 1200 calories a day. Thoughts/ideas/suggestions???

Hello all. It is great to see others out there pushing themselves to the limit. I am almost 9 months post op (sleeve) and on 50 net carbs (carb minus fiber) a day. I wear a heart rate monitor everytime I workout and my burn is between 500-700 calories except when I am biking. That range is 1100 - 2500. I workout 3-4 times a week (500-700 range) and bike 1 day a week (1100-1500 range). My doctor told me not to eat more than 1200 calories a day. So...now that I have set the stage...I have not lost weight in 3 months. Over the past month I have gained 4 pounds (added 2 workouts a week that are a cross between a military bootcamp and crossfit class). I have lost about 3/4 inch in my waist and 1/2 inch in my thighs but...the weight is the issue. Sounds like you all are on a low carb/low calorie diet so any tips or suggestions? I am really struggling with this. I have talked to my doctor several times and he is stead fast in not more than 1200 calories a day. Thoughts/ideas/suggestions???

You are doing wonderful so far in your exercise activities. A suggestion that has worked for me is to mix in some HIIT days where you are focused on applying high levels of exertion (>80% perceived effort) for short bursts of time.

For example, I will alternate between 2 min sprinting (.5 % incline 7.7 mph), 1 min hill running (5-6% incline @ 6.0 mph) and then 30 sec recovery @ 5.6 mph. Usually i will do this cycle for about 30 minutes and then spend the remaining 30 minutes on a 5 k @ 1-2% incline. on HIIT days, it is not about a race speed or even about calories burned. it is about maximizing intensity so you are seriously spent at the end of each active part of the HIIT cycle where you NEED the 30 second recovery time to continue. I like exercise equipment like a treadmill because it lets me dynamically adjust intensity for HIIT on a moments notice. HIIT has also helped me become a faster runner (and hiker). You can certainly practice HIIT for cycling or for any other exercise where you can alternate between > 80 % exertion and lower exertion levels.

Running really does help with weight loss and toning up. For me, running has helped me lose about 40-45 lb from beginning of Dec 2012 to the beginning of Feb 2013. Pretty strong in the legs, but have average size arms and not very muscular. running will do this so it is best to get into strength training also if you want to maintain arm strength. Still being very active, but scale has not moved for last month or so. That is ok with me as I am +- a couple lbs around goal since then. I am now solely focused on improving my fitness levels through faster and longer running as well as cross fit training. Will also start some Yoga this week to round things out a bit and become more flexible. Looking forward to some Hot Yoga in the future!! I am hoping Yoga will eliminate some of the bodily stress caused by intense exercise.

Finally, make sure you are drinking lots of Water and eating lots of Protein. Try and drink 120+ oz a day and eating 150+ g protein a day. sleep enough. Your body recovers and repairs best when sleeping. I am still figuring out better ways to sleep with high quality. Green drinks seems to be helping. I am a long term user of sleep aids and it is good to not need to take them any longer (as of last couple weeks).

Thanks for sharing all this great info! I am about 45 pounds from goal. I am going to wait until I get closer to goal to go to join my local crossfit gym. Although I think I will start training for the 5K after about 20 more pounds. Very encouraged by all this info. Thanks for sharing.

Some of you may know I have been training for a few months with running 5k and 10k. Each week I try and push myself and get better. Recently I joined cross fit to improve my fitness level. Last week' date=' I saw this special on Evening Magazine (Seattle show) about cross fit and it showed this guy running at full speed on a treadmill at 12% incline. Afterwards, he was on his back breathing hard and looking like he just had the best sex ever (pardon the visual). I thought, damn, I wish I could do that. They said several times during the show that athletes do cross fit for the extreme high it brings. I thought - sounds good to me.

Fast forward to today, I decided to really push myself like never before. Instead of spending the first 10 minutes of my 10 k to get into the zone, I got myself into the zone at the end of my warm up by adding sprints and incline running during the warm up. I started the race at 6.6 mph and 2.0% incline. At then end of 5 k, I had been running 18.5 minutes. At the end of 10 k I finished in 39 minutes. I was on my back recovering for a min, seeing stars with sound echoing into the distance. I felt great, like that guy I saw on the show.

I wanted to stop several times during the run, but I kept repeating "I am a cross fit runner now. I can do this." To help me have the energy to do it, I popped 2 energy squares before the run and another at 5 k. I drank a lot of Water all morning to hydrate myself. Took a pre workout drink right before run so the pump would kick in around 20-30 minutes. I met my latest goal of running 5 k sub 20 minutes! I continue to train with runs 3-4 x a week, increasing the effort spent every session.

I share this to motivate others. Good luck in your fitness endeavors and may you keep setting and meeting your goals. I think anything is possible and I want to apply the principles of cross fit to all areas of life.[/quote']

Wow. That's amazing. Congrats. Did you or do you have any problems with your knees? I am 11 months post op and down to my goal weight I work out daily on either the elliptical or a cross trainer. I also do weights. I tried jogging the other day with my husband. It felt great. After 3 blocks my left knee starting hurting something terrible. So, I stopped and just walked the rest of the way. I can speed walk and do the elliptical , squats with weights, lunges with weights, cross trainer, and I'm fine.

Did you have this problem At all when you first started training?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

I am inspired by both your stories. Honest you all reminded me of why I even got sleeved. My dreams are for training for a triathlon and participating extreme sports. I would say that you all are living the dream! Great job and great example from you both.

Wow. That's amazing. Congrats. Did you or do you have any problems with your knees? I am 11 months post op and down to my goal weight I work out daily on either the elliptical or a cross trainer. I also do weights. I tried jogging the other day with my husband. It felt great. After 3 blocks my left knee starting hurting something terrible. So' date=' I stopped and just walked the rest of the way. I can speed walk and do the elliptical , squats with weights, lunges with weights, cross trainer, and I'm fine.

Did you have this problem At all when you first started training?

Thanks in advance for any help!![/quote']

Hi Katie - I never had any serious issues with my knees and do really know how to explain it. It could be because of ChiRunning technique, fitting my running shoes or the fact I do most of my running on a treadmill. I know that ButterTheBean said in a previous post he started out battling knee issues and they went away after he changed his running style and started using vibrams.

See a recent thread that a few of us had on the Merits of ChiRunning (started by ButterTheBean titled Chi Running workshop I believe). I strongly believe in ChiRunning style to prevent injury, for relaxation, for enjoying running and for getting faster. Lots of good information in that thread on ChiRunning style.

A good fitted pair of running shoes make the difference between injury and no injury. At least I have come to believe this in all my readings and discussions with PdxMan. If you do not have a very good pair of running shoes, invest the time and money to get specially fitted. A qualified person will find a good pair of running shoes just for your running style, your gait, your pronation, etc. It is a must if you are going to be running on a regular basis. If you have running shoes and you are still fighting injury, you might want to see if they need to be replaced. I have not had to replace mine yet, but will soon. I remember Danyelle saying in one of her running posts about shoes that she could tell when it was time, due to bruises forming on her legs. Anyways, you do not want to mess around with injury so listen to your body.

Finally, I enjoy running on a treadmill even though many runners in this forum will say the opposite. I am not sure why most of my running is on the treadmill. It could be because I started there in the winter months and it was to rainy, snowy, cold etc to run outside in my state of Washington.

I happen to live in the convergence zone of Puget Sound so get extra special storm (rain or snow) when other parts of Puget Sound are dry. The treadmill is also a little easier to run on for me then outside roads. It could be the elastic response that comes from impact ( absorbs shock better then running on roads), the fact I chose a high end treadmill for my home (precor c954) or the fact that I can run consistently on the treadmill without having to look out for potholes, roots, etc.

I have started running outside once a week, usually on Sunday, on the Centennial Trail in our area. I like it because it is very flat and paved. I am not nearly as fast when running outside, but I do enjoy the scenery and sunshine. I still champion the treadmill for training because it allows for systematic control over speed and incline. It will allow me to run fast at 8.0 mph or on a steep hill at 8% with the touch of a button. I can then get back to normal recovery with another touch of the button. Very convenient.

I do have to say if you are going to train on the treadmill, do set it to 2.0% incline to stimulate road running. This has been my default incline for a month or so and it makes a huge difference in strengthening quad muscles and other parts of the core. When running at 0% it is still a great workout, but you use less of your quads to derive power from. Running with speed and strength is all about deriving power from the core and from the quad muscles as I have learned.

Hi Katie - I never had any serious issues with my knees and do really know how to explain it. It could be because of ChiRunning technique' date=' fitting my running shoes or the fact I do most of my running on a treadmill. I know that ButterTheBean said in a previous post he started out battling knee issues and they went away after he changed his running style and started using vibrams.

See a recent thread that a few of us had on the Merits of ChiRunning (started by ButterTheBean titled Chi Running workshop I believe). I strongly believe in ChiRunning style to prevent injury, for relaxation, for enjoying running and for getting faster. Lots of good information in that thread on ChiRunning style.

A good fitted pair of running shoes make the difference between injury and no injury. At least I have come to believe this in all my readings and discussions with PdxMan. If you do not have a very good pair of running shoes, invest the time and money to get specially fitted. A qualified person will find a good pair of running shoes just for your running style, your gait, your pronation, etc. It is a must if you are going to be running on a regular basis. If you have running shoes and you are still fighting injury, you might want to see if they need to be replaced. I have not had to replace mine yet, but will soon. I remember Danyelle saying in one of her running posts about shoes that she could tell when it was time, due to bruises forming on her legs. Anyways, you do not want to mess around with injury so listen to your body.

Finally, I enjoy running on a treadmill even though many runners in this forum will say the opposite. I am not sure why most of my running is on the treadmill. It could be because I started there in the winter months and it was to rainy, snowy, cold etc to run outside in my state of Washington.

I happen to live in the convergence zone of Puget Sound so get extra special storm (rain or snow) when other parts of Puget Sound are dry. The treadmill is also a little easier to run on for me then outside roads. It could be the elastic response that comes from impact ( absorbs shock better then running on roads), the fact I chose a high end treadmill for my home (precor c954) or the fact that I can run consistently on the treadmill without having to look out for potholes, roots, etc.

I have started running outside once a week, usually on Sunday, on the Centennial Trail in our area. I like it because it is very flat and paved. I am not nearly as fast when running outside, but I do enjoy the scenery and sunshine. I still champion the treadmill for training because it allows for systematic control over speed and incline. It will allow me to run fast at 8.0 mph or on a steep hill at 8% with the touch of a button. I can then get back to normal recovery with another touch of the button. Very convenient.

I do have to say if you are going to train on the treadmill, do set it to 2.0% incline to stimulate road running. This has been my default incline for a month or so and it makes a huge difference in strengthening quad muscles and other parts of the core. When running at 0% it is still a great workout, but you use less of your quads to derive power from. Running with speed and strength is all about deriving power from the core and from the quad muscles as I have learned.[/quote']

Thank you so much for the great info. I will look into new running shoes. I have Nike maxx right now. But. I probably need new ones. These are a year old now.

Thank you so much for the great info. I will look into new running shoes. I have Nike maxx right now. But. I probably need new ones. These are a year old now.

Yes, good idea. Danyelle said in a previous post that it is good to replace your shoes every 300 miles or so. I am getting close to this as my shoes are as-of December 2012, so that makes my shoe life at about 3.5 months. Since I do most of my running on the treadmill and use these shoes for literally only running on the treadmill, they appear to still have a good tread as I approach 300 miles. They still feel good to me. What I might do is visit the running store and ask them what they think of the current state of my running shoes. I have no problem buying new running shoes if the time is right. Should cost between 100-150. Since you have been running for a year, you might find your shoe requirements have changed a little. A trained eye will point this out to you so trust them in helping you find a new running shoe.

I am inspired by both your stories. Honest you all reminded me of why I even got sleeved. My dreams are for training for a triathlon and participating extreme sports. I would say that you all are living the dream! Great job and great example from you both.

That is very motivating to hear from you. What a great goal to have and to strive towards!! I think everyone has the ability to achieve what they set their minds to. You will get there!!

Yes' date=' good idea. Danyelle said in a previous post that it is good to replace your shoes every 300 miles or so. I am getting close to this as my shoes are as-of December 2012, so that makes my shoe life at about 3.5 months. Since I do most of my running on the treadmill and use these shoes for literally only running on the treadmill, they appear to still have a good tread as I approach 300 miles. They still feel good to me. What I might do is visit the running store and ask them what they think of the current state of my running shoes. I have no problem buying new running shoes if the time is right. Should cost between 100-150. Since you have been running for a year, you might find your shoe requirements have changed a little. A trained eye will point this out to you so trust them in helping you find a new running shoe.[/quote']

Hi guys! Thought I'd chime in. The range that I've seen is 300-400. I've even seen 300-500. I'm on my third pair of running shoes and I start bruising around my knee and along my shin bone when it is time to swap out. This has happened to me around the 300 + mile mark. My first set was a pair of Brooks, so I'm running in pretty good shoes. I just got a new pair of kayanos. Love them! Apparently it's not uncommon to see bruising when it's time to buy new shoes, so keep an eye out. I also keep track of the miles on my shoes with my Nike GPS app.

My shoe requirements have changed considerably as I've lost weight, but go to a specialty store and they will help you out. Nowadays I hit up DSW. I picked up my latest shoes for 99!

Happy Running!

Will also start some Yoga this week to round things out a bit and become more flexible. Looking forward to some Hot Yoga in the future!! I am hoping Yoga will eliminate some of the bodily stress caused by intense exercise.).

3 weeks ago I started taking a Monday night yoga class at my gym as I run a lot of miles each week and it does help tremendously!! You will enjoy it Fiddleman. You really get a good stretch for those overworked muscles, I am trying hot yoga this weekend.

Hi guys! Thought I'd chime in. The range that I've seen is 300-400. I've even seen 300-500. I'm on my third pair of running shoes and I start bruising around my knee and along my shin bone when it is time to swap out. This has happened to me around the 300 + mile mark. My first set was a pair of Brooks' date=' so I'm running in pretty good shoes. I just got a new pair of kayanos. Love them! Apparently it's not uncommon to see bruising when it's time to buy new shoes, so keep an eye out. I also keep track of the miles on my shoes with my Nike GPS app.

My shoe requirements have changed considerably as I've lost weight, but go to a specialty store and they will help you out. Nowadays I hit up DSW. I picked up my latest shoes for 99!

Happy Running![/quote']

Couldn't agree more about the shoes! I have to change my shoes about every 300 miles( which is about 3-4 months for me) as I start getting toe and foot pain. I write the date I purchase my running shoes on the side of my sneaker so I can keep track of when I need to replace them. The wrong shoes will cause pain and tear up your knees, hips, etc.

I have a pair of Nike zoom running shoes that have really held up. Been running on them an average of 24 miles a week from Dec 15 2012, and according to a running store clerk, the shoes still have 100 miles left on them whoo who!! It looks like I will get about 5.5 months or about 450 miles out of them. Good on the wallet.