A lot of lifting types are concerned about eating the perfect thing pre and post workout to enhance muscle building. The common thought process is complex carbs, protein, and fat before a workout and fast-digesting both carbs and protein after a workout. This usually winds up looking something like this:
Before workout- Oats with coconut oil and egg whites
After workout- Whey protein and a piece of fruit
Certainly nothing bad will happen to someone by following this protocol, but I'd like to propose that maybe, since the carbs and protein we just ate are already digesting and feeding the muscles DURING the workout (and at a good pace to continue fueling them, I might add, because the complex carbs and fat both slow the digestive process), the need to fuel them after is slim, if needed at all.
Let me say this another way- If you eat complex carbs and protein before your workout, they're giving your muscles all the stuff they need during the workout to build muscle and recover.
The need to fuel right after a workout is, in my opinion, very important in only two instances:
1) You worked out on an empty stomach, and/or
2) You are prepping for a competition.
In the case of #1, well....... of course you can see the reasoning. After tearing down tissue with intense exercise, your body needs something to build stronger muscle to meet those demands next time you work out. And, honestly, you'll probably be starving afterwords, anyhow.
In the case of #2, it's splitting hairs when someone eats both before and after, which isn't relevant in every day life. But when prepping for comp, especially as you get closer to showtime, the littlest things can make the difference between taking home a trophy and not.
But since most of us aren't prepping for competition, let's not worry about that. Okay?
Instead, let's concentrate on eating clean foods, and in moderate amounts particularly if we are trying to lose weight. For a poorly-video-ed blog (I'm sorry), about that subject, you can click here.
And remember to take Bites that Build a Better Body!
Monday, August 24, 2015
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Baby Got Back (Muscles!)
I had a request from one of my faithful blog followers, after seeing my
last entry with a weighted ab routine, to do a blog with a back routine.
I'd like to apologize in advance for this being so long- I simply like
to educate as much as possible for those who want to learn. If you
just want to get to a sample routine, scroll down to the bottom of this
blog!
One thing my follower pointed out is that it seems you hear a lot about rows for back, but not much more. So the first thing I'd like to do is break down back movements and the muscles they involve:
First of all, you have your upright pulling up or down exercises. The granddaddy of these is pull-ups, which is probably the best back muscle developer out there. The other exercises in this group would be all variations of machine pull-downs (to include my personal favorite- Strait-arm pull-downs), as well as pull-ups on the assisted chin machine and dumbbell pullovers on a bench.
Regular pull-ups are almost impossible for most people, yours truly included. There are ways to graduate yourself into doing unassisted pull-ups, the most effective of which I think is using really big bands. You secure then band on the pull-up bar, then place your foot or knees into the hanging end of the band, which then helps to propel you up. The advantage to these is that they keep the same path and range of motion as an unassisted pull-up would use, which develops the muscles to get you up there more fully. The thicker the band, the more of your body weight it assumes and the easier the exercise. This does not, however, mean they are easy! Even banded pull-ups can be really difficult.
The downside to banded pull-ups is that, particularly with the thicker band, you will probably need assistance getting your foot securely in there, particularly if you don't have a lot of upper body strength to pull the band down (which you probably don't, since you are using the thicker band).
Also, the grip on pull-ups greatly affects their difficulty. Palms facing you, hands close together, is the easiest version as it recruits arm muscles, as well as a little chest, to assist in the lift. This, by the way, is technically called a "chin up". The next up in difficulty is with palms facing each other, if you can find an apparatus that offers this feature. And the most difficult is the traditional "Pull-up", where your palms face away from you and your arms are just wider than shoulder width apart. To make these easier to start, you can fold your legs at a 90 degree angle, with your heels behind you. Legs strait is the most difficult to perform, as it places weight farther away from the lifting hinge, therefore making your body heavier. (It's a gravity thang!)
Regardless of the type of motion you do in this position, all of these exercises work mainly the latissimus dorsi (aka "lats"), which is the big wide muscle at the sides of the back that make the impressive "wing span" on big bodybuilding types. Building this muscle for everyone, male of female, goes a long ways towards making ones waist appear smaller in comparison.
The next general movement for back muscles is a rowing motion, where weight is pulled towards you from the front. These exercises always target the muscles in the middle upper back, but as a general rule the wider the arms on this motion the more the lats are brought into the move, such as in wide machine pulley rows.
These exercises include bent rows of all kinds (where the upper body is parallel to the ground), as well as upright machine and cable rows where you are pulling the weight in towards you.
And lastly we have extension moves, where the upper body hinges at the hip to go from strait to a bent position, or from bent to strait, in the instance of machine back extensions. They also include moves where the back moves behind the body into a semi-arched position, as is the case with supermans. The point is that the movement is coming from the hip area
These extension moves target the very important lower back muscles and include all types of hyperextentions, back extensions on the machine, good mornings, all kinds of deadlifts, cable pull-throughs, and all variations of supermans. And all of these moves, save the supermans, have the added benefit of being great for glutes and back of the legs, as well.
A back routine will typically include at least one of each of these levers, to effectively hit all areas of the back. If you are a more advanced lifter, two or more exercises of the pull-down and rowing type can be incorporated into your routine.
After a thorough dynamic warmup, I usually try to start with my pull-down/pull-up motion. It tends to be the most difficult of these lifts and strongly recruits every muscle in the back, as well as arms and shoulders. Consequently, it is wise to hit those moves while muscles are fresh and at their strongest.
Then I move on to my rowing motion, and finish off with my lower back movement, since these small muscles need less weight to be stimulated and won't recruit so much of the upper body muscles to assist in the move.
Here is a sample back routine for a beginner. All of these are to be done with moderate weight, so that at the end of the last set you feel that you could perform 2-3 more repetitions:
- Machine Lat Pull Downs- 3 sets of 15 reps. Here's a really good demonstration.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Bent Rows- 3 sets of 15 reps. The only thing I would add to this video demonstration is that you don't want to just drop the weight down into the extended position. Instead, continue to maintain firm control of the weight and lower to a count of two. This will not only give you better muscle definition in the long run, but it's also safer.
- Supermans- 3 sets of 8-12. Here's a video of it, but I'd like to add that I really don't like the way the guy just drops down to the mat from the top of the move. Stay in control in both directions! You lose half of the muscle-building potential when you leave out the releasing half of any weight lifting move.
In the case of all exercises, make sure to give the muscles rest in-between the moves, whether this means not moving, stretching, or working on a different muscle group is entirely up to you.
Back muscles get recruited when you work other body parts, as well, so once a week is adequate for a back-specific workout. Additionally, I would not advise doing the same routine with the exact same exercises for more than 4 weeks. As with all muscles, eventually they adapt to the movement and this slows progression. Likewise, don't be afraid to switch exercises, even as often as each new workout. Rarely do I do the same routine twice in a row.
Back has always been my favorite body part to work on. I love the way the exercises feel, and I look of a strong back, male or female. You may not see those muscles, but your body will function better for working them, and the rest of the world will get a treat every time you turn around:
One thing my follower pointed out is that it seems you hear a lot about rows for back, but not much more. So the first thing I'd like to do is break down back movements and the muscles they involve:
First of all, you have your upright pulling up or down exercises. The granddaddy of these is pull-ups, which is probably the best back muscle developer out there. The other exercises in this group would be all variations of machine pull-downs (to include my personal favorite- Strait-arm pull-downs), as well as pull-ups on the assisted chin machine and dumbbell pullovers on a bench.
Regular pull-ups are almost impossible for most people, yours truly included. There are ways to graduate yourself into doing unassisted pull-ups, the most effective of which I think is using really big bands. You secure then band on the pull-up bar, then place your foot or knees into the hanging end of the band, which then helps to propel you up. The advantage to these is that they keep the same path and range of motion as an unassisted pull-up would use, which develops the muscles to get you up there more fully. The thicker the band, the more of your body weight it assumes and the easier the exercise. This does not, however, mean they are easy! Even banded pull-ups can be really difficult.
The downside to banded pull-ups is that, particularly with the thicker band, you will probably need assistance getting your foot securely in there, particularly if you don't have a lot of upper body strength to pull the band down (which you probably don't, since you are using the thicker band).
Also, the grip on pull-ups greatly affects their difficulty. Palms facing you, hands close together, is the easiest version as it recruits arm muscles, as well as a little chest, to assist in the lift. This, by the way, is technically called a "chin up". The next up in difficulty is with palms facing each other, if you can find an apparatus that offers this feature. And the most difficult is the traditional "Pull-up", where your palms face away from you and your arms are just wider than shoulder width apart. To make these easier to start, you can fold your legs at a 90 degree angle, with your heels behind you. Legs strait is the most difficult to perform, as it places weight farther away from the lifting hinge, therefore making your body heavier. (It's a gravity thang!)
Regardless of the type of motion you do in this position, all of these exercises work mainly the latissimus dorsi (aka "lats"), which is the big wide muscle at the sides of the back that make the impressive "wing span" on big bodybuilding types. Building this muscle for everyone, male of female, goes a long ways towards making ones waist appear smaller in comparison.
The next general movement for back muscles is a rowing motion, where weight is pulled towards you from the front. These exercises always target the muscles in the middle upper back, but as a general rule the wider the arms on this motion the more the lats are brought into the move, such as in wide machine pulley rows.
These exercises include bent rows of all kinds (where the upper body is parallel to the ground), as well as upright machine and cable rows where you are pulling the weight in towards you.
And lastly we have extension moves, where the upper body hinges at the hip to go from strait to a bent position, or from bent to strait, in the instance of machine back extensions. They also include moves where the back moves behind the body into a semi-arched position, as is the case with supermans. The point is that the movement is coming from the hip area
These extension moves target the very important lower back muscles and include all types of hyperextentions, back extensions on the machine, good mornings, all kinds of deadlifts, cable pull-throughs, and all variations of supermans. And all of these moves, save the supermans, have the added benefit of being great for glutes and back of the legs, as well.
A back routine will typically include at least one of each of these levers, to effectively hit all areas of the back. If you are a more advanced lifter, two or more exercises of the pull-down and rowing type can be incorporated into your routine.
After a thorough dynamic warmup, I usually try to start with my pull-down/pull-up motion. It tends to be the most difficult of these lifts and strongly recruits every muscle in the back, as well as arms and shoulders. Consequently, it is wise to hit those moves while muscles are fresh and at their strongest.
Then I move on to my rowing motion, and finish off with my lower back movement, since these small muscles need less weight to be stimulated and won't recruit so much of the upper body muscles to assist in the move.
Here is a sample back routine for a beginner. All of these are to be done with moderate weight, so that at the end of the last set you feel that you could perform 2-3 more repetitions:
- Machine Lat Pull Downs- 3 sets of 15 reps. Here's a really good demonstration.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Bent Rows- 3 sets of 15 reps. The only thing I would add to this video demonstration is that you don't want to just drop the weight down into the extended position. Instead, continue to maintain firm control of the weight and lower to a count of two. This will not only give you better muscle definition in the long run, but it's also safer.
- Supermans- 3 sets of 8-12. Here's a video of it, but I'd like to add that I really don't like the way the guy just drops down to the mat from the top of the move. Stay in control in both directions! You lose half of the muscle-building potential when you leave out the releasing half of any weight lifting move.
In the case of all exercises, make sure to give the muscles rest in-between the moves, whether this means not moving, stretching, or working on a different muscle group is entirely up to you.
Back muscles get recruited when you work other body parts, as well, so once a week is adequate for a back-specific workout. Additionally, I would not advise doing the same routine with the exact same exercises for more than 4 weeks. As with all muscles, eventually they adapt to the movement and this slows progression. Likewise, don't be afraid to switch exercises, even as often as each new workout. Rarely do I do the same routine twice in a row.
Back has always been my favorite body part to work on. I love the way the exercises feel, and I look of a strong back, male or female. You may not see those muscles, but your body will function better for working them, and the rest of the world will get a treat every time you turn around:
Sunday, May 3, 2015
A Manly Ab Routine
I was advising a young man on how to get his abs to show the other day.
Now, before we go any farther, let me clarify something: You can't
spot reduce because you don't get to choose where your fat collects, or
where you lose it. But there are some things you CAN do to make muscle
more visible.
The first thing I advised him to do is cut out all the refined carbs (namely while flour and all forms of sugar) possible. This can really help a person look less "spongy". He is young and has a relatively low level of body fat, so while most people's waistline will respond favorably to this change, the younger and leaner you are the more dramatic the results from reducing refined carbs will generally be.
The next thing I advised him to do was add in weighted ab moves. Reason? With a lower body fat level, one thing he can do to increase the visibility of the ab muscles is actually increase the thickness of them. Now, I know this idea freaks a lot of people out, but the truth is that most people aren't going to increase muscle thickness in their abs enough to make their waist bigger- It's just going to give more definition.
Another benefit, given his male status? Weighted moves tend to look more impressive in the gym. Plus, guys, and some of us girls, like picking up heavy stuff.
I know a plethora of ab moves involving weights (I have been called "The Ab Nazi"), but here is a trio of weighted ab exercises that can be done in the same workout, making you look like a beast AND leave your abs aware that they did something:
First off, start with Barbell Floor Wipers. Here's a Quick Video.
A couple of things I want to point out about this. First of all, the guy in the video, I feel, could use a heavier weight. See how it's swaying around a bit? If the weight were heavier he'd have more stabilization through the upper body and be better able to concentrate on his abs. Trust me, holding the weight up in the air like that isn't the hard part. It's getting it there and back down to the ground that's tricky. I do them with 45's on each end, if that gives you any idea. The amount of weight isn't the important thing here- It's the movement.
This leads me to my second point about this exercise- If you are doing this with free weights, unless you know a means to press the weight up from the ground, as well as lower it back down, without crushing yourself, you are going to need a spotter. If no spotter is available, do them on the Smith machine, making sure to raise the bar out of the hooks and hold it up, not simply hang on. It's not quite as effective as doing it with free weights, but still a great ab move. Do two to three sets of these, resting between sets, and don't be surprised at first if you can't get out more than 5 per side at first. These are NOT easy!
Now that we've worn out your obliques and lower abs, and as long as we are on the ground, lets move on to upper abs. For this, pick up a dumbbell or plate that will allow you to crank out about 15, and do two to three sets of weighted crunches, again resting between sets: Click here to see a short video.
And now we'll stand up and finish with one of my favorite weighted ab moves; Barbell Rainbows (or "Landmines"). He does a good job of explaining what's going on with them in this video., but keep in mind that you will need a corner of some kind to stabilize the lower end of the barbell. Keep your abs sucked in really tight the entire time you do them, and start with just the bar. They are harder than they look and your arms and shoulders might wear out pretty quick, especially following Rainbows and Weighted Crunches.
Lastly, consider adding in two to three sets of a targeted lower back move. The lower back knits in with the ab muscles, making a cinching effect on the ab area. They are, in effect, the other half of your abs. Also, adding low back work in is just generally good for spine stabilization, posture, and overall health. They are, in my opinion, one of the more critical muscles in the body to keep strong. The trick with lower back moves is to keep the weight relatively light. Too much weight too soon on this vulnerable area, particularly if you are already weak there, can make your lower back health worse, not better. So increase very gradually. Some good lower back moves are: Hyperextensions, Good Mornings, Stiff Leg Deadlifts, Supermans, and Machine Back Extensions.
As you can see, these moves involve other muscles besides the abs, which also increases calorie burn. That's a win-win, in my books!
The first thing I advised him to do is cut out all the refined carbs (namely while flour and all forms of sugar) possible. This can really help a person look less "spongy". He is young and has a relatively low level of body fat, so while most people's waistline will respond favorably to this change, the younger and leaner you are the more dramatic the results from reducing refined carbs will generally be.
The next thing I advised him to do was add in weighted ab moves. Reason? With a lower body fat level, one thing he can do to increase the visibility of the ab muscles is actually increase the thickness of them. Now, I know this idea freaks a lot of people out, but the truth is that most people aren't going to increase muscle thickness in their abs enough to make their waist bigger- It's just going to give more definition.
Another benefit, given his male status? Weighted moves tend to look more impressive in the gym. Plus, guys, and some of us girls, like picking up heavy stuff.
I know a plethora of ab moves involving weights (I have been called "The Ab Nazi"), but here is a trio of weighted ab exercises that can be done in the same workout, making you look like a beast AND leave your abs aware that they did something:
First off, start with Barbell Floor Wipers. Here's a Quick Video.
A couple of things I want to point out about this. First of all, the guy in the video, I feel, could use a heavier weight. See how it's swaying around a bit? If the weight were heavier he'd have more stabilization through the upper body and be better able to concentrate on his abs. Trust me, holding the weight up in the air like that isn't the hard part. It's getting it there and back down to the ground that's tricky. I do them with 45's on each end, if that gives you any idea. The amount of weight isn't the important thing here- It's the movement.
This leads me to my second point about this exercise- If you are doing this with free weights, unless you know a means to press the weight up from the ground, as well as lower it back down, without crushing yourself, you are going to need a spotter. If no spotter is available, do them on the Smith machine, making sure to raise the bar out of the hooks and hold it up, not simply hang on. It's not quite as effective as doing it with free weights, but still a great ab move. Do two to three sets of these, resting between sets, and don't be surprised at first if you can't get out more than 5 per side at first. These are NOT easy!
Now that we've worn out your obliques and lower abs, and as long as we are on the ground, lets move on to upper abs. For this, pick up a dumbbell or plate that will allow you to crank out about 15, and do two to three sets of weighted crunches, again resting between sets: Click here to see a short video.
And now we'll stand up and finish with one of my favorite weighted ab moves; Barbell Rainbows (or "Landmines"). He does a good job of explaining what's going on with them in this video., but keep in mind that you will need a corner of some kind to stabilize the lower end of the barbell. Keep your abs sucked in really tight the entire time you do them, and start with just the bar. They are harder than they look and your arms and shoulders might wear out pretty quick, especially following Rainbows and Weighted Crunches.
Lastly, consider adding in two to three sets of a targeted lower back move. The lower back knits in with the ab muscles, making a cinching effect on the ab area. They are, in effect, the other half of your abs. Also, adding low back work in is just generally good for spine stabilization, posture, and overall health. They are, in my opinion, one of the more critical muscles in the body to keep strong. The trick with lower back moves is to keep the weight relatively light. Too much weight too soon on this vulnerable area, particularly if you are already weak there, can make your lower back health worse, not better. So increase very gradually. Some good lower back moves are: Hyperextensions, Good Mornings, Stiff Leg Deadlifts, Supermans, and Machine Back Extensions.
As you can see, these moves involve other muscles besides the abs, which also increases calorie burn. That's a win-win, in my books!
Monday, February 9, 2015
What About Those Days You Just Don't Want to Exercise?
I know you've been there.....
You've scheduled your workout time,
You got your backside out of bed, brushed your teeth and your workout gear on.
You are headed out the door, or plugging the exercise DVD in,
but you just do NOT want to exercise today.
Ugh! What to do?
Hey! It happens to all of us.
Here's what I tell myself "I will just get through the warmup. If at that point I still don't feel like exercising, I can quit with no guilt."
And you know what happens, don't you?
Yep.
I stay and finish the workout.
Every time.
By then my blood is flowing and I'm in a better place. And, heck! I might as well, since I've come this far.
And often these wind up being some of my best workouts, full of energy and strength.
Some days it's harder to get going, but that doesn't mean that you are doomed to a rotten workout or a downer day. Give yourself the opportunity to try, first!
You've scheduled your workout time,
You got your backside out of bed, brushed your teeth and your workout gear on.
You are headed out the door, or plugging the exercise DVD in,
but you just do NOT want to exercise today.
Ugh! What to do?
Hey! It happens to all of us.
Here's what I tell myself "I will just get through the warmup. If at that point I still don't feel like exercising, I can quit with no guilt."
And you know what happens, don't you?
Yep.
I stay and finish the workout.
Every time.
By then my blood is flowing and I'm in a better place. And, heck! I might as well, since I've come this far.
And often these wind up being some of my best workouts, full of energy and strength.
Some days it's harder to get going, but that doesn't mean that you are doomed to a rotten workout or a downer day. Give yourself the opportunity to try, first!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Bariatric Surgery: Not For Cheaters!
You know how people say that getting bariatric surgery is cheating in the weight loss game? I disagree.
I have a very good friend who underwent bariatric (gastric bypass) surgery several years ago. And let me tell ya: It's no walk in the park!
Since she was going to stay with me for several days post surgery, she had me read up on the surgery and it's risks. Holy healing, Batman! This stuff was serious! And scary! The risks involved were downright frightening, the lifestyle changes seemed to be truly daunting, and the healing process was going to be difficult and painful, to put it mildly.
Furthermore, she couldn't just go trippin' in fur surgery as soon as she made the choice. No sirree- She had to actually lose weight and follow strict dietary guidelines (the same ones she would be following after the surgery) for many months before her surgeon would qualify her for gastric bypass.
This, of course, naturally leads to the question,- Why go through the surgery at all? Why not just follow those procedures until the weight is lost?
I asked this same question of my personal trainer at the time. He seemed very sympathetic of those who chose bariatric surgery as a weight loss tool. His answer was "Because they just eat and eat and eat and never get full". At that point a light bulb went on in my head and I got it: At morbidly obese weights the stomach is distended and the feeling of fullness never happens.
If you are going to stay at a healthy weight, it's very helpful to have some physical type of signal that it's time to stop eating.
I admire people who can go from morbidly obese or even super morbidly obese (which she was) to normal weight without surgery. But I also support those who elect to have it, since I have seen first hand the sacrifice and self discipline that losing and keeping the weight off with bariatric surgery requires.
I had a front row seat to her healing process and I can tell you, it was terrible. I felt so bad for her. Moving was hard. She dreaded it. Eating was worse. I actually had to talk her into it a few times.
As she healed, she developed complications that set her back and worried us all. It was touch and go there for a while
She'd already lost quite a bit of weight on her own, but after the surgery weight seemed to just fall off. She got smaller and smaller, to the point where I had a hard time finding her in a crowd. It used to be easy- Since she was short I just looked for the widest space in the mayhem. Now, I had to hunt her down like a bloodhound.
To her credit, she also went to the gym regularly. She lifted weights and did cardio. She wasn't just smaller; she was fit.
This all then, of course, made yet another problem: Huge amounts of loose skin.
And so a year after the gastric bypass, when her doctor was convinced that she was set in her new lifestyle, he performed a body lift (removing the skin around her middle). And again, she stayed with me for the first few days out of the hospital. I think the healing from that was even worse than from the gastric bypass. There were little plastic bags hanging off of her for drainage, and with an incision literally clear around her middle she had no comfortable way to sit or lay down. But thanks to taking proper care of herself, she healed quickly. Now she is glad she went through the whole process.
She still works to keep her health in check. She did it right, and so many people do not. If you are considering bariatric surgery and know you won't be committed to a true and permanent lifestyle change, I'd advise against it. But for my friend, she was ready to do whatever was necessary to save her own life and ensure her future grandchildren have a grandma. If that's you, do your research and then make your decision.
And for those of us who have lost weight by more traditional means (or not lost weight at all), we need to not make assumptions and instead be supportive. Everyone has their own path to wellness. This may not be yours, but it could be lifesaving for someone else.
I have a very good friend who underwent bariatric (gastric bypass) surgery several years ago. And let me tell ya: It's no walk in the park!
Since she was going to stay with me for several days post surgery, she had me read up on the surgery and it's risks. Holy healing, Batman! This stuff was serious! And scary! The risks involved were downright frightening, the lifestyle changes seemed to be truly daunting, and the healing process was going to be difficult and painful, to put it mildly.
Furthermore, she couldn't just go trippin' in fur surgery as soon as she made the choice. No sirree- She had to actually lose weight and follow strict dietary guidelines (the same ones she would be following after the surgery) for many months before her surgeon would qualify her for gastric bypass.
This, of course, naturally leads to the question,- Why go through the surgery at all? Why not just follow those procedures until the weight is lost?
I asked this same question of my personal trainer at the time. He seemed very sympathetic of those who chose bariatric surgery as a weight loss tool. His answer was "Because they just eat and eat and eat and never get full". At that point a light bulb went on in my head and I got it: At morbidly obese weights the stomach is distended and the feeling of fullness never happens.
If you are going to stay at a healthy weight, it's very helpful to have some physical type of signal that it's time to stop eating.
I admire people who can go from morbidly obese or even super morbidly obese (which she was) to normal weight without surgery. But I also support those who elect to have it, since I have seen first hand the sacrifice and self discipline that losing and keeping the weight off with bariatric surgery requires.
I had a front row seat to her healing process and I can tell you, it was terrible. I felt so bad for her. Moving was hard. She dreaded it. Eating was worse. I actually had to talk her into it a few times.
As she healed, she developed complications that set her back and worried us all. It was touch and go there for a while
She'd already lost quite a bit of weight on her own, but after the surgery weight seemed to just fall off. She got smaller and smaller, to the point where I had a hard time finding her in a crowd. It used to be easy- Since she was short I just looked for the widest space in the mayhem. Now, I had to hunt her down like a bloodhound.
To her credit, she also went to the gym regularly. She lifted weights and did cardio. She wasn't just smaller; she was fit.
This all then, of course, made yet another problem: Huge amounts of loose skin.
And so a year after the gastric bypass, when her doctor was convinced that she was set in her new lifestyle, he performed a body lift (removing the skin around her middle). And again, she stayed with me for the first few days out of the hospital. I think the healing from that was even worse than from the gastric bypass. There were little plastic bags hanging off of her for drainage, and with an incision literally clear around her middle she had no comfortable way to sit or lay down. But thanks to taking proper care of herself, she healed quickly. Now she is glad she went through the whole process.
She still works to keep her health in check. She did it right, and so many people do not. If you are considering bariatric surgery and know you won't be committed to a true and permanent lifestyle change, I'd advise against it. But for my friend, she was ready to do whatever was necessary to save her own life and ensure her future grandchildren have a grandma. If that's you, do your research and then make your decision.
And for those of us who have lost weight by more traditional means (or not lost weight at all), we need to not make assumptions and instead be supportive. Everyone has their own path to wellness. This may not be yours, but it could be lifesaving for someone else.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Pillows and Purses
So I've griped on here (and just about everywhere else) about my bum shoulder. I fell many years ago on the ice and severely injured it. Then I further did it in by bench pressing with too much weight and no spotter. Enter torn rotator cuff and months of rehab. It got a lot better, but THEN I had a distance trainer (read: not with me personally) who urged me to do a rear delt flye with heavy weight while carb depleted. That did it. Like a dummy, I listened to him instead of my own niggling thought that it was a mistake. This was my fault, not his.
Needless to say, that shoulder has not been the same since. I've been in and out injury (often to the point of being bed-ridden) ever since then.
This past year I found a trainer (in-person, thank you very much!) who has very slowly and gradually helped my shoulder recover. He's been a blessing. But I'd still feel that familiar tweak frequently and know it was time to ease off on the weights a bit.
Then, one day he said something to me that clicked: "Nancy, don't wear that heavy purse on the same shoulder all the time." A light bulb went off in my head...... Hey! Maybe a clutch purse would do me some good!
Easy, right? Not so much: I am picky about purses, and, because I have a bunch of crap I truly use and need to carry with me, I need a fairly big one. This started the months-long hunt for a roomy clutch. It was not easy, but one day I happened across one that would work. (And in my favorite color, burgundy, to boot!)
My shoulder started recovering even more rapidly. Hallelujah!
And then, another blessed thing happened: I got a new pillow.
After the rear delt flye debacle, I'd frequently and suddenly wake up from a sound sleep with aching, throbbing pain deep in my shoulder. I'd wait for either the pain to dissipate (sometimes it took hours, or pain meds, or both), or to pass out again from the pain.
I'd had a suspicion for a long time that my regular pillow wasn't helping anything. The reason I didn't buy an ergonomically correct one? They stunk. I mean, they literally smelled really bad. It was chemicals. I didn't think sleeping on chemicals was a good thing, but that was actually secondary because I was already sleeping bad enough: Adding stink into the equation wasn't going to help anything.
After much searching I FINALLY found one with good, non-stinky reviews on Amazon. I put it on my wish list and my husband gave it to me this last Christmas. I've been sleeping like an injury-free baby ever since. Here is a link, in case you're curious (or convinced!).
The packaging advised to let it air out for 24 hours, which I did. There is no stink. And great comfort. And sleep. Blessed, solid, deep sleep. Not once since then have I woke up in the middle of the night with my shoulder throbbing.
I'd urge every woman I know to switch to a clutch purse (or a backpack, if that's your style), and every person to invest in a good-quality pillow designed for your sleep style. Good heavens, can these things save you a lot of physical grief!
So exercise and rehab for injury prevention and healing? YES! I am a believer! But sometimes complete healing comes with small, common sense tweaks to your every day life.
Needless to say, that shoulder has not been the same since. I've been in and out injury (often to the point of being bed-ridden) ever since then.
This past year I found a trainer (in-person, thank you very much!) who has very slowly and gradually helped my shoulder recover. He's been a blessing. But I'd still feel that familiar tweak frequently and know it was time to ease off on the weights a bit.
Then, one day he said something to me that clicked: "Nancy, don't wear that heavy purse on the same shoulder all the time." A light bulb went off in my head...... Hey! Maybe a clutch purse would do me some good!
Easy, right? Not so much: I am picky about purses, and, because I have a bunch of crap I truly use and need to carry with me, I need a fairly big one. This started the months-long hunt for a roomy clutch. It was not easy, but one day I happened across one that would work. (And in my favorite color, burgundy, to boot!)
My shoulder started recovering even more rapidly. Hallelujah!
And then, another blessed thing happened: I got a new pillow.
After the rear delt flye debacle, I'd frequently and suddenly wake up from a sound sleep with aching, throbbing pain deep in my shoulder. I'd wait for either the pain to dissipate (sometimes it took hours, or pain meds, or both), or to pass out again from the pain.
I'd had a suspicion for a long time that my regular pillow wasn't helping anything. The reason I didn't buy an ergonomically correct one? They stunk. I mean, they literally smelled really bad. It was chemicals. I didn't think sleeping on chemicals was a good thing, but that was actually secondary because I was already sleeping bad enough: Adding stink into the equation wasn't going to help anything.
After much searching I FINALLY found one with good, non-stinky reviews on Amazon. I put it on my wish list and my husband gave it to me this last Christmas. I've been sleeping like an injury-free baby ever since. Here is a link, in case you're curious (or convinced!).
The packaging advised to let it air out for 24 hours, which I did. There is no stink. And great comfort. And sleep. Blessed, solid, deep sleep. Not once since then have I woke up in the middle of the night with my shoulder throbbing.
I'd urge every woman I know to switch to a clutch purse (or a backpack, if that's your style), and every person to invest in a good-quality pillow designed for your sleep style. Good heavens, can these things save you a lot of physical grief!
So exercise and rehab for injury prevention and healing? YES! I am a believer! But sometimes complete healing comes with small, common sense tweaks to your every day life.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
It's Paid For Whether You Eat It Or Not.
It's probably my most-used catch saying: "It's paid for whether you eat
it or not". I say this when someone says they feel like they are
wasting food by not eating it.
Just a few minutes ago, after cutting off a big chunk off for my skinny teenage daughter, I put half of my husbands triple-layer frosted cake that I made for his birthday down the garbage disposal. Neither he nor I want it sitting around tempting us. But as I did so I was thinking to myself "My mom would think this is such a waste!". (Who can identify?)
However, what is a waste to her is an investment to me.
As my kids were growing up they were never required to finish things like french fries or dessert, even when I was flat broke and a meal in a fast food restaurant was a big treat. There's not much nutritional value in those foods, and the lesson they learned about listening to their bodies was worth the investment of purchasing the food.
And yes, I would say to them "It's paid for whether you eat it or not."
Next time you want to finish something simply because it will be thrown away if you don't, ask yourself "Is the feeling of not 'wasting' this worth it's negative effect on my body?" If the answer is no, save the thing a few steps and just throw it right in the trash.
If you are with someone else who paid for it and thinks it a waste, thank them sincerely, ask for a to-go box, and throw it out on the way home.
Because regardless of whose dime it's on, it's still been paid for whether you eat it or not.
Just a few minutes ago, after cutting off a big chunk off for my skinny teenage daughter, I put half of my husbands triple-layer frosted cake that I made for his birthday down the garbage disposal. Neither he nor I want it sitting around tempting us. But as I did so I was thinking to myself "My mom would think this is such a waste!". (Who can identify?)
However, what is a waste to her is an investment to me.
As my kids were growing up they were never required to finish things like french fries or dessert, even when I was flat broke and a meal in a fast food restaurant was a big treat. There's not much nutritional value in those foods, and the lesson they learned about listening to their bodies was worth the investment of purchasing the food.
And yes, I would say to them "It's paid for whether you eat it or not."
Next time you want to finish something simply because it will be thrown away if you don't, ask yourself "Is the feeling of not 'wasting' this worth it's negative effect on my body?" If the answer is no, save the thing a few steps and just throw it right in the trash.
If you are with someone else who paid for it and thinks it a waste, thank them sincerely, ask for a to-go box, and throw it out on the way home.
Because regardless of whose dime it's on, it's still been paid for whether you eat it or not.
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