Health & weight management thread

[Mydivorcegift]

Originally Posted by RubyCamaro

I think Option 2 will be it. Yeah, for me planning will be key also. If we are looking for week day, Friday would be easiest for me. If a weekend, just finding a weekend day that there is not a major planned event for either of us. I need help developing the right combination of lifts/moves to get me where I need to be, knowing how to make changes to it as I progress & preventing injury (as much as possible).

My problem issues are: First, that I have had surgery X3 on my left wrist for ganglion cysts. It was many years ago and not involving the structure of the wrist but that left wrist is pretty weak.

Second, I have had 2 cesarean section deliveries (the last 21 years ago so again well healed) but the first one was emergency so it is a vertical incision from navel all the way down. Which means that everything from outer skin, through muscles through the outer wall of the uterus was severed & are now joined by shared scar tissue. My abs are strong, I can do endless numbers of crunches without giving out, but due to the scar there are pooches on either side of the scar that I want to minimize. I suspect I need some changes to how I train my abs as I often have lower back pain (worsened by standing for even a few minutes but especially for long times) that tends to improve some with stretches & ab work. And I have a problem with pooching my tummy out when I am at ease which looks awful though when I consciously pull my abs in, HUGE difference (greater than normal) and that is upper abs. I try to keep them pulled in but every car show I go to I get caught in a pic with that big round tummy showing.


The 3rd area of caution is a history of knee injuries. I have had breaks to both knees one of which was quite serious. There was a huge chip out of my knee right where a key tendon attaches. I was told in the ER that at any time in my life it could just let go. I feel twinges of pain occasionally in both knees when working out. I have discovered that it helps to wear Bicep bands on my knees (I observed female basketball players doing this).


Everything else is strong.

First thing we need to do is correct your self talk....stop telling yourself I am limited because of XYZ....stop saying things like...."I have weak knees"...instead replace that with "through my hard work my knees are getting stronger everyday"...But FYI Monique is an in home physical therapist for the elderly. So if you have questions about past injuries and how weight training will affect them, just ask her.

2nd I understand about the C section....Monique had one when she had the twins 11 years ago....same as you describe. And, again, I'll never lie to you......there can probably be some improvements made but the loose skin will have to be surgically removed. That's really the only "bad spot" on Monique...combined with the weight loss and the c section....she has pooches. Next year she plans to have a mini tummy tuck to get rid of a lot of it. You have low back pain because you have a muscular imbalance and a weak low back. You can do endless numbers of crunches? What about 45 degree back raises?

Monique often times thanks me so much for "changing her life". I didn't change her life....I just gave her the roadmap. She's the one that chose to properly eat and hydrate, she's the one that got up at 4:30 am to sprint and went back at night to do weights, she's the one that charted her workouts and constantly pushed and tried to improve.

That's what we will do for you. We will give you the roadmap....it will be up to you to choose which path to go down.

Probably a Sunday would be the best and I am thinking after football season starts. Gym is the least crowded on Sunday's and even more so after football season starts. And the Sunday that would work best for me would be October 12th.....6 weeks out....give you time to plan and commit, give Monique time to plan for the kids, and I will be on my way to AK so it's on the way.

If that works for you, go sign on the dotted line, and start immediately (meaning right after you join) and we will see you soon

[RubyCamaro]

I have done some back exercises and know there is an imbalance there for me. I'm sure there are better things I can do to strengthen in that area. How important will it be for me to have someone there to "spot" for me with weights? I have asked my husband if he will but already told him if he is hindering more than helping I will "fire" him. He sometimes tries to discourage me, talk me out of doing my workouts, going to my classes, etc. Not sure what that is all about. Some worry about me getting hurt or pushing myself too hard combined with some insecurity perhaps. He was a serious athlete in his youth (football, soccer, baseball & motocross) until he had a career ending very bad break to his ankle. Now getting him to do anything is like pulling eye teeth. Best I have been able to do is a little improvement to his diet & getting him to walk...........................sometimes. I won't let him get in my way, but just maybe if he hangs around the gym enough he might be inspired.

Just had some zucchini for lunch & heading out to do some sprint/walk time.

[RubyCamaro]

Did my sprint walk then gave Ruby a coat of cleaner wax. I don't care what you say, that is a workout!!!! I am beat! Wax on, wax off (for those of you too young, from Karate Kid).

[RubyCamaro]

Today is SELF CONTROL day. Headed to the in-laws house for a cookout. She always has enough food to feed an army. Some of it relatively healthy (she may have 3 different kinds of salads) and some not so much (brats, dessert). Some of it I can turn down easily (brats) some.....................not so much (dessert). I will stick to eating a couple of the chicken wings & just a little dessert. A splurge day but I won't let her push me into going hog wild and pig crazy (as we say around here).

[CFD]

Originally Posted by RubyCamaro

Today is SELF CONTROL day. Headed to the in-laws house for a cookout. She always has enough food to feed an army. Some of it relatively healthy (she may have 3 different kinds of salads) and some not so much (brats, dessert). Some of it I can turn down easily (brats) some.....................not so much (dessert). I will stick to eating a couple of the chicken wings & just a little dessert. A splurge day but I won't let her push me into going hog wild and pig crazy (as we say around here).

Stuff yourself with chicken and salad, then there will be no room for desert. lol

[Bonnie]

Nice thread Ruby, I've got another goal this year to compete coming up in Nov. so I'll be in here posting workouts and lean meal ideas,

I need some fun with friends motivation!

[RubyCamaro]

Welcome aboard Bonnie! I look forward to your posts! Missed having them around.

I did not do too badly on temptation Sunday. Made pretty good choices at the main meal (I did give in to a small serving to the baked beans, that was the worse thing). But did not have seconds on anything. I had only 2 wings & 1 rib, no brats, a big bowl of German slaw (vinegar style) and a small serving of German Potato salad (also vinegar style), 1 little corn on the cob & water. Then I went out & did some laps in the pool, treaded water a while & did some water resistance exercises before floating around a bit. I was going to do some more laps but it started to rain & I had to get out. Then there was dessert. I had a small bowl of Ice cream & coffee, some strawberries & watermelon.

Okay, maybe that was pretty bad, but not as bad as I usually do and I did burn a few calories off in between. Now it is time to get serious. Tuesday Mike will go to the little gym & turn in my membership form & pay. There will probably be no office staff by the time I get home & I don't want to take any chances. I will take my gym clothes & go straight there from work (if Mike is coming he will have to meet me there). Too easy to get settled in at home & talk myself out of it.

[richard200593]

Just wanted to say hi! I was on the fast track to weight loss until I was injured in April. Went from 280 pounds November 1st to 235 mid April counting calories and running daily plus I have a physically demanding job. I tore and stretched my patellar tendon mid April and have since gained back almost all the weight I lost, hopefully about a month left of recovery and I'll be back to dropping them pounds and will check in here often!

[RubyCamaro]

Welcome aboard. You can still stop gaining weight & actually lose weight even while injured. Listen to the guys & gals in here to learn how. If you post up a typical day's food intake & activity level they will help you learn to add safe activities & change your food intake to accomplish that.

Good morning. I had my scrambled eggs & onions & green pepper & am drinking my coffee. Heading out soon for a day of shopping.

[The_Blur]

I figured I'd hop into here. I'm looking to cut a little, and this seemed like a good place to start. This morning's breakfast will feature 2 eggs, coffee with cream, and a whole cucumber before I do some light cardio.

[USMCSSGT-RET]

Just did back and bis this morning...felt great!

Ruby, not sure if you've used it, but there's a website call IIFYM.com....If It Fits Your Macros. Macros is your fat/carb/protein which makes up your calories.

1 gram of carb or protein = 4 cals
1 gram of fat = 9 cals

I went from 130.4lbs March 26, 2014 to about 157lbs by mid-July. At 5'8", I needed to gain weight. I was taking in 4,000cals/day which was about 55 fat, 750 carbs, and 150 protein.

Now I'm doing 55 fat, 400 carbs, and 200 protein per day as I'm still trying to gain, but not as fast and trying not to gain much fat (thought it's inevitable to gain some while bulking).

I know my journey is different than yours, but it's difficult as well. I've found there's always 1000 reasons to not do something, you just need one good reason to do it and it can be done. The gym, diet, your habits and behaviors need to fit your goals. I will not miss a healthy meal or the gym no matter what....it's that important.

The man who says he can, and the man who says he can't are both usually right. You just have to pick which one you want to be. When we stop finding excuses, we find results!

Keep it up!

[aurora]

Right on....great thread....love this stuff.

[aurora]

Originally Posted by USMCSSGT-RET

1 gram of carb or protein = 4 cals
1 gram of fat = 9 cals

That’s very handy, thanks….


Wow, 4000 cal per day, I can’t imagine! You were successful in bulking up by the sounds of it.

Right now I am at 900-1100 cal per day as I am cutting after a summer of no cardio and mostly weights. When stressed out I tend to go hard on the weights and that's how it was this summer.

But I just flipped my routine so that its now predominantly cardio and less weights. I started distance running last week at 5 am every morning and will do weights 3-5 times per week. I find it very challenging because I am more of a sprinter than a distance runner. But regardless, I will do this for the next month or two then probably switch it up again.

With the new routine I think I’m going to keep protein high, try for at least 100g per day. That is very hard to do on low calories, it means no red meat….lots of Greek yogurt, egg white protein, and turkey (which I am not that fond of). My carbs are low, 50-60g per day, and I will probably dip down to steady ketogenic sometime later this year when I can get used to the low energy....it takes a good month to adjust to ketogenic but i find the results can be very substantial.

This, of course, is quite different from your own goals, which sounds like you are more focused on body building and bulking up...however i am sure you also find the challenges are the same when it comes to the intricate balance of diet versus fitness routine....which can be a very tricky one.

[RubyCamaro]

Welcome aboard folks. The more the merrier! I am getting ready to head out to do some sprint/walk time. Then maybe some mat & weight exercises.