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Don's Healthy Community
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Don't get me wrong...I love me a hot shower. Especially in the morning.
I read some stuff a while back about taking a hot bath and then subsequently a quick cold shower to drop the body temp. Kind of like what a lot of people do in the Scandinavian countries. Hot sauna and then cold plunge. It's supposed to have a lot of immuno benefits. I read something else a while back that if you take a coldish shower before bed you will sleep better. Evidently it doesn't have to be freezing cold, just cold enough to lower body temp.
So...yesterday...the good news is that I improved upon my protein intake and moved closer to 225 grams goal. In fact my protein intake was 193 grams...not too bad!
The bad news is that about 27 grams of that was from collagen. Collagen is not a complete protein source. It lacks the amino acid tryptophan. So while there are some health benefits to collagen, you can't build muscle with it.
The other bad news is that I over consumed on calories. I am really trying to keep things around that 2000 calorie a day mark. I am not sure if 2000 calories a day is ideal for me. But I do know that puts me in about a 500 calorie deficit (maybe more...I am just guestimating here) at just a basal metabolic rate. Yesterday I consumed about 2800 calories. Which doesn't put me in a deficit at all and may even put me in a surplus, The problem? And man I hate to say this...but it was the fat.
Look, I am an advocate of eating more healthy fat. Fat from Animals. Fat from fruit (olives, avocados, coconut). And fat from the likes of chia seeds and flax. Fat from dairy products as well. But the issue here is that some of my protein sources had too much fat for what I am trying to accomplish. Yesterday I consumed about 1700 calories from fat. This would be great if I was doing keto. But I am not. I need to try to find leaner sources of protein. I'll get it down...I just have to tinker.
I think if I can consume leaner sources of proteins it will also help me hit my goal. Fatty sources of protein are EXTREMELY filling. Plus you start activating the satiety signals that make you want to stop eating.
The other thing I am trying is that I am forgoing my intermittent fasting for a time. And in the morning I am having an egg breakfast. Just eggs. Three eggs in of itself gives me about 20 grams of really good protein.
Well these are my thoughts for today...Hope the Cadre gets and stays healthy and fit!
The bad news is that about 27 grams of that was from collagen. Collagen is not a complete protein source. It lacks the amino acid tryptophan. So while there are some health benefits to collagen, you can't build muscle with it.
The other bad news is that I over consumed on calories. I am really trying to keep things around that 2000 calorie a day mark. I am not sure if 2000 calories a day is ideal for me. But I do know that puts me in about a 500 calorie deficit (maybe more...I am just guestimating here) at just a basal metabolic rate. Yesterday I consumed about 2800 calories. Which doesn't put me in a deficit at all and may even put me in a surplus, The problem? And man I hate to say this...but it was the fat.
Look, I am an advocate of eating more healthy fat. Fat from Animals. Fat from fruit (olives, avocados, coconut). And fat from the likes of chia seeds and flax. Fat from dairy products as well. But the issue here is that some of my protein sources had too much fat for what I am trying to accomplish. Yesterday I consumed about 1700 calories from fat. This would be great if I was doing keto. But I am not. I need to try to find leaner sources of protein. I'll get it down...I just have to tinker.
I think if I can consume leaner sources of proteins it will also help me hit my goal. Fatty sources of protein are EXTREMELY filling. Plus you start activating the satiety signals that make you want to stop eating.
The other thing I am trying is that I am forgoing my intermittent fasting for a time. And in the morning I am having an egg breakfast. Just eggs. Three eggs in of itself gives me about 20 grams of really good protein.
Well these are my thoughts for today...Hope the Cadre gets and stays healthy and fit!
I listened to this podcast the other day and I thought it was a really good podcast on the benefits of protein consumption that wasn't overly technical and pretty easy to understand.
podcast.mikkiwilliden.com
You can find it on your favorite app for listening to podcasts.
A quick overview on what the podcast is about and the person who was interviewed:
This week on the podcast, Mikki talks to Prof Don Layman about protein metabolism, the truth about the environmental cost of animal protein, protein requirements and considerations for vegetarians. Prof Layman is the OG in the protein world -with over 100 publications and over 5000 citations on the subject, but is so good at distilling the information to the general population.
Dr. Donald Layman is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Layman has been a leader in research about protein, nutrition for athletic performance, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular health. Dr. Layman has over 100 peer-reviewed publications.
He has received numerous awards for his research from the American Society for Nutrition and the National Institutes for Health and for his nutrition teaching. Dr. Layman currently serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior and on the editorial boards of Nutrition & Metabolism, and Nutrition Research and Practice. Dr. Layman has an extensive consulting background including work with NASA, the Shriners Children’s Hospital, the US Air Force plus numerous food companies and organizations including Kraft Foods, Nestlé, Agropur and the National Dairy Council. Dr. Layman earned his doctorate in human nutrition and biochemistry at the University of Minnesota.
Mikkipedia | Positive effects of protein metabolism with Professor Don Layman
This week on the podcast, Mikki talks to Prof Don Layman about protein metabolism, the truth about the environmental cost of animal protein, protein requirements and considerations for vegetarians....
You can find it on your favorite app for listening to podcasts.
A quick overview on what the podcast is about and the person who was interviewed:
This week on the podcast, Mikki talks to Prof Don Layman about protein metabolism, the truth about the environmental cost of animal protein, protein requirements and considerations for vegetarians. Prof Layman is the OG in the protein world -with over 100 publications and over 5000 citations on the subject, but is so good at distilling the information to the general population.
Dr. Donald Layman is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Layman has been a leader in research about protein, nutrition for athletic performance, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular health. Dr. Layman has over 100 peer-reviewed publications.
He has received numerous awards for his research from the American Society for Nutrition and the National Institutes for Health and for his nutrition teaching. Dr. Layman currently serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior and on the editorial boards of Nutrition & Metabolism, and Nutrition Research and Practice. Dr. Layman has an extensive consulting background including work with NASA, the Shriners Children’s Hospital, the US Air Force plus numerous food companies and organizations including Kraft Foods, Nestlé, Agropur and the National Dairy Council. Dr. Layman earned his doctorate in human nutrition and biochemistry at the University of Minnesota.
Well, yesterday, again I think I over consumed calories. I did hit my primary goal for protein and was about two glasses of milk away from hitting my ultimate 225 grams a day goal. My primary goal is 200 grams of protein and my ultimate goal is 225 grams. I consumed 211 grams. So I am right there. But I went way over on my fat calories. I had some breakfast sausage yesterday and while I probably would have still gone over a bit, I wouldn't be in the serious surplus of calories that I had. Well, that, and the wife wanted to meet for lunch yesterday. I won't pass on an opportunity to meet the SWMBO for lunch. But I ate stuff I otherwise wouldn't have. Oh, well...learning lessons right? Today I am going to focus on leaner cuts of meat.
Brief note. Not sure where all in the country these little fast food places are (not entirely fast food, but close). We ate at Chicken Salad Chick yesterday. Now, I won't go all into the poor quality of food the restaurant industry at this level provides in their food, but let's just say, if you are not all that worried about things like soybean oil or canola oils, the Chicken Salad Chick isn't a terrible place to eat if you are on a low carb type of diet. I had a scoop of Old Olivia's South chicken salad and a cup of the broccoli salad with a dill pickle spear and an unsweetened glass of tea. All of it together was 12 net carbs, and about 20 grams of protein. I'm not saying I would eat here every day. But if you have a choice, that wasn't a horrible place to go. At least it won't derail you...as long as you don't eat the Moon Pie they give you.
Another observation about my diet concerning some micronutrients. Cronometer (the app I use to track my food) shows you your consumption of micronutrients. In tis case I was looking at all the amino acids. When I consume protein, these levels go up incrementally. A little at a time. And I was wondering yesterday why my amino acid levels were lower. I mean I was eating a lot of protein right? Well I forgot to add some beef I consumed. And when I did...pretty much all the amino acids topped off. Yeah...turns out beef is a really nutrient dense source of protein. It has a ton of B12 and B6 as well as Iron, Phosphorus, and Zinc. Then it has a ton of all your amino acids (Histidine, Leucine, Methionine, etc.) There is definitely a case here for beef being a more nutrient dense source of protein. I need to do some research and compare it pork, chicken, and fish.
As far as my minerals go...the only mineral I am seeing that I might not be getting enough of is manganese. It seems like over the past week, that one is consistently coming in low. Okay, what is manganese and what is it for and how do I get more. According to this article: 10 Evidence Based Benefits of Manganese
Manganese is a trace mineral, which your body needs in small amounts. It’s required for the normal functioning of your brain, nervous system and many of your body’s enzyme systems. While your body stores up to about 20 mg of manganese in your kidneys, liver, pancreas and bones, you also need to get it from your diet. Manganese is considered an essential nutrient and can be found especially in seeds and whole grains, as well as in smaller amounts in legumes, beans, nuts, leafy green vegetables and tea.
Some benefits of having enough Manganese include:
So what foods have higher amounts of manganese? Evidently Nuts, Shellfish, and sweet potatoes are good sources of manganese as well as a bunch of other foods. So maybe a handful of nuts are in my future daily routine.
Hope the Cadre is healthy and happy today!
Brief note. Not sure where all in the country these little fast food places are (not entirely fast food, but close). We ate at Chicken Salad Chick yesterday. Now, I won't go all into the poor quality of food the restaurant industry at this level provides in their food, but let's just say, if you are not all that worried about things like soybean oil or canola oils, the Chicken Salad Chick isn't a terrible place to eat if you are on a low carb type of diet. I had a scoop of Old Olivia's South chicken salad and a cup of the broccoli salad with a dill pickle spear and an unsweetened glass of tea. All of it together was 12 net carbs, and about 20 grams of protein. I'm not saying I would eat here every day. But if you have a choice, that wasn't a horrible place to go. At least it won't derail you...as long as you don't eat the Moon Pie they give you.
Another observation about my diet concerning some micronutrients. Cronometer (the app I use to track my food) shows you your consumption of micronutrients. In tis case I was looking at all the amino acids. When I consume protein, these levels go up incrementally. A little at a time. And I was wondering yesterday why my amino acid levels were lower. I mean I was eating a lot of protein right? Well I forgot to add some beef I consumed. And when I did...pretty much all the amino acids topped off. Yeah...turns out beef is a really nutrient dense source of protein. It has a ton of B12 and B6 as well as Iron, Phosphorus, and Zinc. Then it has a ton of all your amino acids (Histidine, Leucine, Methionine, etc.) There is definitely a case here for beef being a more nutrient dense source of protein. I need to do some research and compare it pork, chicken, and fish.
As far as my minerals go...the only mineral I am seeing that I might not be getting enough of is manganese. It seems like over the past week, that one is consistently coming in low. Okay, what is manganese and what is it for and how do I get more. According to this article: 10 Evidence Based Benefits of Manganese
Manganese is a trace mineral, which your body needs in small amounts. It’s required for the normal functioning of your brain, nervous system and many of your body’s enzyme systems. While your body stores up to about 20 mg of manganese in your kidneys, liver, pancreas and bones, you also need to get it from your diet. Manganese is considered an essential nutrient and can be found especially in seeds and whole grains, as well as in smaller amounts in legumes, beans, nuts, leafy green vegetables and tea.
Some benefits of having enough Manganese include:
- May Improve Bone Health in Combination With Other Nutrients
- Strong Antioxidant Properties May Reduce Disease Risk
- Helps Reduce Inflammation, Particularly in Combination With Glucosamine and Chondroitin
- Plays a Role in Blood Sugar Regulation
- Linked to Lower Incidences of Epileptic Seizures
- Plays a Role in the Metabolism of Nutrients
- May Reduce PMS Symptoms in Combination with Calcium
- May Protect Your Brain Against Free Radicals and Improve Brain Function
- Contributes to Good Thyroid Health
- May Aid Wound Healing by Playing a Role in Collagen Production
So what foods have higher amounts of manganese? Evidently Nuts, Shellfish, and sweet potatoes are good sources of manganese as well as a bunch of other foods. So maybe a handful of nuts are in my future daily routine.
Hope the Cadre is healthy and happy today!
I'll keep this one relatively short. Danger Baby is about to wake up so I don't have much time. Anyway...yesterday I hit my primary protein goal and almost hit my ultimate primary goal. I consumed 223 grams of protein. I will admit that some of it is in the form of collagen, but still I will take it. I still felt like yesterday was hard work getting it all in though. I have the weekend to strategize and then figure a few things out. I pretty much know what I need to do. I definitely need to cut out things like sausage...too much fat for what I want to do. And to set the record straight for those Keto guys...I'm not shying away from fat...I still think it is essential...I just need less of it for my high protein thing I am doing. It's just too hard to hit that 200/225 grams of protein if I am consuming 75% of my calories from fat. Speaking of fat, I still had too much of that yesterday...but it was better than before. Went over on carbs too. Had about 60 grams. My goal is under 50, but I really need to drop that down to under 40.
Next week I am including strength training and some cardio. I am hammering out the final details...but I have an idea of what I want to do. Now I need to find my ruck and go to Home Depot and buy a bag of gravel!
Too help with my protein intake...I did go ahead and get myself so whey protein isolate. I wanted one that was really low in carbs and fairly low in fat. I also wanted something that had limited ingredients. Most of which these protein powders are supper loaded with extra crap. Well I found some!
Jocko Molk...Amazon was running a 25% off deal so I picked up a can of Mint Chocolate. I'll let you all know how it tastes on Monday. Anyway it has 22 grams of protein and only 1 gram of carbs with 2.5 grams of fat. And best of all...it is made in good old US of A!
Okay gusy. I hope your weekend is a great one!
Next week I am including strength training and some cardio. I am hammering out the final details...but I have an idea of what I want to do. Now I need to find my ruck and go to Home Depot and buy a bag of gravel!
Too help with my protein intake...I did go ahead and get myself so whey protein isolate. I wanted one that was really low in carbs and fairly low in fat. I also wanted something that had limited ingredients. Most of which these protein powders are supper loaded with extra crap. Well I found some!
Jocko Molk...Amazon was running a 25% off deal so I picked up a can of Mint Chocolate. I'll let you all know how it tastes on Monday. Anyway it has 22 grams of protein and only 1 gram of carbs with 2.5 grams of fat. And best of all...it is made in good old US of A!
Okay gusy. I hope your weekend is a great one!
Okay, weekend didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. If you didn't read it else where, I was derailed by popcorn...yes, popcorn. The fun fact here is that I don't even really like popcorn. But it's Monday morning and the start of a new day and a new week.
I had fully intended to wake up this morning and get on my strength program. But we had a cold front come through last night and with it a lot of rain. Needless to say, my back yard is like a drenched sponge. Yup...that's not happening today. I'll adjust for the week, and barring any more rain...I'll start the strength training tomorrow. So what did I do with my morning at 4:30 AM? I began with stretches and found a bag of top soil that I hadn't opened yet. I stuck the top soil in a contractor's bag and shoved it in my ruck. Altogether it is almost 30 ponds. By this time I had about 30 minutes left so I did a brisk walk with my ruck around the neighborhood a couple of times. Nothing too serious...about 1.5 miles. For the first day of exercise and a little derailment...I think it went okay. I'll adjust fire and to better next time.
I now have a better plan of what 200-225 grams of protein looks like without a ton of carbs or fat. So I am back to my caloric goals of high protein. I really want to make sure that my fat calories does not exceed my protein calories which is a bit harder than you think...since fat calories are a little more than twice the number per gram than protein calories (if you don't know, protein and carbohydrates have four calories per gram, whereas fat has nine calories per gram). I still want to keep my carbs low. Ideally, I would like to have approximately 800 calories from protein (225 grams), 800 calories from fat (approximately 90 grams...a tad less actually), and 200 calories from carbohydrates (50 grams). If I can get the carbs down a bit lower, I would be super happy!
I hope the Cadre has a wonderful week ahead of them!
I had fully intended to wake up this morning and get on my strength program. But we had a cold front come through last night and with it a lot of rain. Needless to say, my back yard is like a drenched sponge. Yup...that's not happening today. I'll adjust for the week, and barring any more rain...I'll start the strength training tomorrow. So what did I do with my morning at 4:30 AM? I began with stretches and found a bag of top soil that I hadn't opened yet. I stuck the top soil in a contractor's bag and shoved it in my ruck. Altogether it is almost 30 ponds. By this time I had about 30 minutes left so I did a brisk walk with my ruck around the neighborhood a couple of times. Nothing too serious...about 1.5 miles. For the first day of exercise and a little derailment...I think it went okay. I'll adjust fire and to better next time.
I now have a better plan of what 200-225 grams of protein looks like without a ton of carbs or fat. So I am back to my caloric goals of high protein. I really want to make sure that my fat calories does not exceed my protein calories which is a bit harder than you think...since fat calories are a little more than twice the number per gram than protein calories (if you don't know, protein and carbohydrates have four calories per gram, whereas fat has nine calories per gram). I still want to keep my carbs low. Ideally, I would like to have approximately 800 calories from protein (225 grams), 800 calories from fat (approximately 90 grams...a tad less actually), and 200 calories from carbohydrates (50 grams). If I can get the carbs down a bit lower, I would be super happy!
I hope the Cadre has a wonderful week ahead of them!
How much does an average pond weigh?
Oh, sure, and like you never misspell anything...
Did my leisurely stroll at lunch today. It's about 56 degrees F and beautiful day. About a 45 minute walk.
Took some measurements this morning and almost threw up. Yeah...I have definitely let myself go.
Not that I want anyone to read this part of the post...but I am throwing the numbers up here so I can measure how many inches I have lost in a few months.
Belly (around the button) - 52 inches
Waist - (where I would wear my belt) - 49 inches
Chest (just underneath the nipples) - 46 Inches
Neck (below the Adam's Apple) - 18
Yup...embarrassing. But I will have that 34 inch belly in no time (for the record...I don't think I have had waist/belly size of 34 inches since the 6th grade.
So I am not sure something is going to work or not, but I am going to give it a go for a few days and see if it will stick. Since I am trying to workout in the morning, there is a certain window of opportunity that I want to make sure I hit at least 50 grams of protein. So I am eating a breakfast in the morning, usually three or four eggs and little cheese. I am also drinking a protein shake to get a healthy amount of protein at one time.
Here is my reasoning. From a bunch of research that I have done, you need 2.5 grams of Leucine to stimulate protein synthesis. Here is the kicker though...you can't just have the leucine to start protein synthesis...all the other amino acids need to be present also...but you need that 2.5 grams in on sitting of leucine.
Okay, back to the original statement. I'm trying something. So I still think intermittent or time restricted eating is going to help me out. But instead of skipping breakfast, I am going to skip dinner. If I stop eating at 4 PM and eat breakfast at 6 AM that gives my a nice 14 hour window. Like I said...not sure how this is going to work out. If I have to go back to skipping breakfast and eating lunch and dinner, then I will figure something out. I don't think it will mess me too much up as I believe the science has changed a bit about post workout protein intake. But I would still like to get the protein in me sooner rather than later after my workout.
So it is almost 2:30 PM where I am right now. If I was to stop eating right now...where would my macros lie?
SO...just looking at total numbers I am at:
Total Calories Consumed: 2119
Protein: 229.1 grams - 929.8 kcal
Carbohydrates (Net): 42 grams - 220.6 kcal
Fat: 106.8 grams - 968.9 kcal
I am just a tad over where I want to be in terms of Fat grams. And I would love to keep the carbs below 40 grams. But all in all I think I have done pretty darn well! Protein and fat calories are almost even.
Let's talk about my protein goal for a moment. My ultimate daily goal of protein intake is 225 grams per day. It appears that I have hit my goal...or have I. If you haven't read my previous posts, then you may not know that collagen is not a complete protein. You can eat or drink all the collagen you want...but you won't be building any muscle from it. So I need to subtract the collagen from my totals. It appears that I have had 24 grams of collagen. That means then that I have an actual total of 205.1 grams of useable protein for the day. I still have hit my primary goal...I just need a bit more for the Ultimate goal. I do happen to have a box of Kipper snacks with me. Which would give me another 19 grams of protein. But it will also bump up my fat by another 12 grams. This is a dilemma. I am likely to call it quits for the food today and call this a pretty good win. I'll tweak a little for tomorrow and hope that I hit that magic spot.
Took some measurements this morning and almost threw up. Yeah...I have definitely let myself go.
Not that I want anyone to read this part of the post...but I am throwing the numbers up here so I can measure how many inches I have lost in a few months.
Belly (around the button) - 52 inches
Waist - (where I would wear my belt) - 49 inches
Chest (just underneath the nipples) - 46 Inches
Neck (below the Adam's Apple) - 18
Yup...embarrassing. But I will have that 34 inch belly in no time (for the record...I don't think I have had waist/belly size of 34 inches since the 6th grade.
So I am not sure something is going to work or not, but I am going to give it a go for a few days and see if it will stick. Since I am trying to workout in the morning, there is a certain window of opportunity that I want to make sure I hit at least 50 grams of protein. So I am eating a breakfast in the morning, usually three or four eggs and little cheese. I am also drinking a protein shake to get a healthy amount of protein at one time.
Here is my reasoning. From a bunch of research that I have done, you need 2.5 grams of Leucine to stimulate protein synthesis. Here is the kicker though...you can't just have the leucine to start protein synthesis...all the other amino acids need to be present also...but you need that 2.5 grams in on sitting of leucine.
Okay, back to the original statement. I'm trying something. So I still think intermittent or time restricted eating is going to help me out. But instead of skipping breakfast, I am going to skip dinner. If I stop eating at 4 PM and eat breakfast at 6 AM that gives my a nice 14 hour window. Like I said...not sure how this is going to work out. If I have to go back to skipping breakfast and eating lunch and dinner, then I will figure something out. I don't think it will mess me too much up as I believe the science has changed a bit about post workout protein intake. But I would still like to get the protein in me sooner rather than later after my workout.
So it is almost 2:30 PM where I am right now. If I was to stop eating right now...where would my macros lie?
SO...just looking at total numbers I am at:
Total Calories Consumed: 2119
Protein: 229.1 grams - 929.8 kcal
Carbohydrates (Net): 42 grams - 220.6 kcal
Fat: 106.8 grams - 968.9 kcal
I am just a tad over where I want to be in terms of Fat grams. And I would love to keep the carbs below 40 grams. But all in all I think I have done pretty darn well! Protein and fat calories are almost even.
Let's talk about my protein goal for a moment. My ultimate daily goal of protein intake is 225 grams per day. It appears that I have hit my goal...or have I. If you haven't read my previous posts, then you may not know that collagen is not a complete protein. You can eat or drink all the collagen you want...but you won't be building any muscle from it. So I need to subtract the collagen from my totals. It appears that I have had 24 grams of collagen. That means then that I have an actual total of 205.1 grams of useable protein for the day. I still have hit my primary goal...I just need a bit more for the Ultimate goal. I do happen to have a box of Kipper snacks with me. Which would give me another 19 grams of protein. But it will also bump up my fat by another 12 grams. This is a dilemma. I am likely to call it quits for the food today and call this a pretty good win. I'll tweak a little for tomorrow and hope that I hit that magic spot.
It's been about a week since I have posted here...so what's been going on? Yeah, my education on fitness nutrition is continuing. My 200/225 grams of protein a day is slightly on hold. Although, I am still aiming at getting between 150 and 200 grams a day. I am at the very beginning of a 30 day "reset" that I am participating in. It's really more about self discovery of me and being well...physically, mentally, spiritually, etc. I start the actual reset next week, but this week we are doing a "7 Day Carb Test."
Basically, I wake up in the morning and test my fasting glucose. I then consume some type of carbohydrate rich food. Then I test blood glucose one hour after consumption and the two hours after consumption. All the while noting how I feel (hungry, brain fog, feel good, feel bad, etc.) Just two days in and I have already learned a good bit.
First thing learned...a really crappy night of sleep can increase your morning fasting glucose levels. I know my morning fasting glucose levels are usually between 85mg/dl and 90mg/dl. Yesterday morning, when I got up and tested my blood glucose (BG) was 113 mg/dl maybe not the worst ever, but definitely higher than usual. The night before I got some really crappy sleep and not much of it. I woke up not feeling my best.
So on to why I am testing. Typically when you eat something, your BG will spike and then eventually go back to normal, or close to it. So if your BG spikes too high, or if your BG doesn't return to normal in two hours, then that is a food you should probably avoid eating. Some people do well on certain carbs and others don't do well at all. It's a lot of individuality. So...how high is too high? From what I understand, your BG shouldn't go much higher than 30 mg/dl over your Fasting BG. So if my fasting BG is 90 and I eat something, my spike BG spike shouldn't be much more that 120mg/dl. Then two to three hours afterward (ideally two hours) your BG should go back to your baseline levels or there about. Let's look at my two days so far.
Yesterday...my carb of choice were bananas. I ate 8.8 ounces of ripe bananas. Fasting BG was 113 mg/dl. One Hour BG was 137 mg/dl. Two hour BG was 100 mg/dl. By all indications this was just fine. I might test this one again later and see what it is like after a better night sleep.
Today...well this morning was definitely interesting. I ate 15 ounces of sliced (with skin on) organic gala apples. Fasting BG was 90 mg/dl. One BG hour was 103 mg/dl. And two hours BG was 94 mg/dl.
The bananas did pretty much what I expected it to do. But I tolerated the apples a lot better than expected. With only a 13 mg/dl spike...it seems like apples tend to be a decent option for a sugary fruit for me.
This week I also plan on testing sweet potatoes, honey, white rice, and probably a veggie like carrots or peas or something like that.
Just thought I would share. Hope the Cadre has a wonderful week!
Basically, I wake up in the morning and test my fasting glucose. I then consume some type of carbohydrate rich food. Then I test blood glucose one hour after consumption and the two hours after consumption. All the while noting how I feel (hungry, brain fog, feel good, feel bad, etc.) Just two days in and I have already learned a good bit.
First thing learned...a really crappy night of sleep can increase your morning fasting glucose levels. I know my morning fasting glucose levels are usually between 85mg/dl and 90mg/dl. Yesterday morning, when I got up and tested my blood glucose (BG) was 113 mg/dl maybe not the worst ever, but definitely higher than usual. The night before I got some really crappy sleep and not much of it. I woke up not feeling my best.
So on to why I am testing. Typically when you eat something, your BG will spike and then eventually go back to normal, or close to it. So if your BG spikes too high, or if your BG doesn't return to normal in two hours, then that is a food you should probably avoid eating. Some people do well on certain carbs and others don't do well at all. It's a lot of individuality. So...how high is too high? From what I understand, your BG shouldn't go much higher than 30 mg/dl over your Fasting BG. So if my fasting BG is 90 and I eat something, my spike BG spike shouldn't be much more that 120mg/dl. Then two to three hours afterward (ideally two hours) your BG should go back to your baseline levels or there about. Let's look at my two days so far.
Yesterday...my carb of choice were bananas. I ate 8.8 ounces of ripe bananas. Fasting BG was 113 mg/dl. One Hour BG was 137 mg/dl. Two hour BG was 100 mg/dl. By all indications this was just fine. I might test this one again later and see what it is like after a better night sleep.
Today...well this morning was definitely interesting. I ate 15 ounces of sliced (with skin on) organic gala apples. Fasting BG was 90 mg/dl. One BG hour was 103 mg/dl. And two hours BG was 94 mg/dl.
The bananas did pretty much what I expected it to do. But I tolerated the apples a lot better than expected. With only a 13 mg/dl spike...it seems like apples tend to be a decent option for a sugary fruit for me.
This week I also plan on testing sweet potatoes, honey, white rice, and probably a veggie like carrots or peas or something like that.
Just thought I would share. Hope the Cadre has a wonderful week!
Well...I woke up this morning to do my carb test and went to get my fasting numbers. My fasting BG was 136 mg/dl. 
I seriously freaked out. I waited 10 minutes and tested again and it was down to 117. Better, but still higher than I would like it. I decided that I should skip the carb test this morning. I'll retest tomorrow morning and see where I am at and decide if I want to continue with my carb testing the rest of the week. I have to go do a blood draw for labs with my primary sometime this week, so I may just forgo the whole carb test and then start my reset either a little early or on Monday with the rest of my group.
Health wise, I am not feeling all that great right now. There are days that I am making good decisions and days that I am making bad ones (health, exercise, and food related). I made some adjustments last night to try to get a better night sleep. I did get a better night sleep last night than I have in a long time, but I didn't wake up refreshed. In fact, I have been up for over an hour now. I have taken a shower and am finishing up my first cup of coffee. And I feel like a baboon's tukus passed over a cheese grater. I just feel worn down for some reason. I do suspect this has something to do with the carb roller coaster of a ride that I am doing right now. I need to stop it I think. But not sure if that is all of it.
I am hoping with this reset I am doing that I can create some consistent habits. Namely, setting a routine for some exercise and getting into a better eating cycle. Until then...I am just not feeling it this morning.
I seriously freaked out. I waited 10 minutes and tested again and it was down to 117. Better, but still higher than I would like it. I decided that I should skip the carb test this morning. I'll retest tomorrow morning and see where I am at and decide if I want to continue with my carb testing the rest of the week. I have to go do a blood draw for labs with my primary sometime this week, so I may just forgo the whole carb test and then start my reset either a little early or on Monday with the rest of my group.Health wise, I am not feeling all that great right now. There are days that I am making good decisions and days that I am making bad ones (health, exercise, and food related). I made some adjustments last night to try to get a better night sleep. I did get a better night sleep last night than I have in a long time, but I didn't wake up refreshed. In fact, I have been up for over an hour now. I have taken a shower and am finishing up my first cup of coffee. And I feel like a baboon's tukus passed over a cheese grater. I just feel worn down for some reason. I do suspect this has something to do with the carb roller coaster of a ride that I am doing right now. I need to stop it I think. But not sure if that is all of it.
I am hoping with this reset I am doing that I can create some consistent habits. Namely, setting a routine for some exercise and getting into a better eating cycle. Until then...I am just not feeling it this morning.
It's the first day of a 30 day reset that I am doing. My goals during this next 30 days are the following:
1. Decrease body fat (lose weight)
2. Reduce my blood pressure
3. Adhere to at least a three day a week strength training regimen
4. Consume 200 grams of high quality animal protein a day
5. Adhere to a carnivore-ish diet to include under 25 grams of carbs a day
6. Practice some form of meditation/breathing technique at least three times a week
I have probably too many goals here...but I don't think they are unobtainable and I believe they all work hand in hand with each other.
My actual Macros that I am going to adhere to are the following:
Protein: 208 grams - 832 calories - 42% (of calories)
Net Carbs: 25 grams - 100 calories - 5%
Fat: 116 grams - 1044 - 53%
I believe this will give me sustained amount of energy while hitting a pretty high protein goal. Here is the thing. This looks like a lot of fat, but when you are eating mostly animal protein...hitting these fat macros is really easy. So while I am not shying away from fat...I still don't want to over consume either. These macros puts me at just under 2000 calories for the day. This is a really nice caloric deficit. So if I can adhere to these macros, and achieve my goals...I should be able to lose fat and build muscle. These are all important things for a lot of reasons.
So how did I do already on my first day of my reset?
Last night I was prepared to get up at 4:30 AM and take BP and glucose readings, then go workout for 30 minutes. Just as I was going to bed I told myself that I was really tired and that I would get up when I get up and that I would somehow get in a workout sometime during the day. Which means that I would push off my workout until tomorrow, and probably just skip it altogether.
I woke up this morning at 4:25 AM, laid their for a couple of minutes with my eyes wide open. Then told myself that if I can't get up now...then I am pretty much useless. Got up, drank my pre-workout protein mix. Made the coffee, took my readings, did some stretching, and then did my workout!
So glad I shoved the boot up my ass and got going. I am feeling pretty good now as I take just a few moments for myself and unwind before I start the rat race of the work week!
I know it's only day one...and the beginning of it at that...but I am so glad I am doing this...and doing this with you all!
1. Decrease body fat (lose weight)
2. Reduce my blood pressure
3. Adhere to at least a three day a week strength training regimen
4. Consume 200 grams of high quality animal protein a day
5. Adhere to a carnivore-ish diet to include under 25 grams of carbs a day
6. Practice some form of meditation/breathing technique at least three times a week
I have probably too many goals here...but I don't think they are unobtainable and I believe they all work hand in hand with each other.
My actual Macros that I am going to adhere to are the following:
Protein: 208 grams - 832 calories - 42% (of calories)
Net Carbs: 25 grams - 100 calories - 5%
Fat: 116 grams - 1044 - 53%
I believe this will give me sustained amount of energy while hitting a pretty high protein goal. Here is the thing. This looks like a lot of fat, but when you are eating mostly animal protein...hitting these fat macros is really easy. So while I am not shying away from fat...I still don't want to over consume either. These macros puts me at just under 2000 calories for the day. This is a really nice caloric deficit. So if I can adhere to these macros, and achieve my goals...I should be able to lose fat and build muscle. These are all important things for a lot of reasons.
So how did I do already on my first day of my reset?
Last night I was prepared to get up at 4:30 AM and take BP and glucose readings, then go workout for 30 minutes. Just as I was going to bed I told myself that I was really tired and that I would get up when I get up and that I would somehow get in a workout sometime during the day. Which means that I would push off my workout until tomorrow, and probably just skip it altogether.
I woke up this morning at 4:25 AM, laid their for a couple of minutes with my eyes wide open. Then told myself that if I can't get up now...then I am pretty much useless. Got up, drank my pre-workout protein mix. Made the coffee, took my readings, did some stretching, and then did my workout!
So glad I shoved the boot up my ass and got going. I am feeling pretty good now as I take just a few moments for myself and unwind before I start the rat race of the work week!
I know it's only day one...and the beginning of it at that...but I am so glad I am doing this...and doing this with you all!
Yesterday I got up late and couldn't do my ruck walk. So last night around 7:30...instead of eating dinner and then running off to watch TV, I went for my walk...albeit slightly abbreviated. But I got in in.
This morning got up much earlier than I wanted to...but exactly when I needed to...and did my strength workout. It centers around Farmer's Walks and incorporates squats, squat/clean/over the head press movement, bicep curls, push-ups, and planks with my weighted ruck. I have only been doing this workout for a week or so and already feel the difference!
I'm hitting my macros pretty consistently now with only small variations.
With the diet and the exercise, my mood is much improved and some of the "slumps" I have felt these last few months are starting to be a distant memory.
Hope the Cadre has a wonderful day!
This morning got up much earlier than I wanted to...but exactly when I needed to...and did my strength workout. It centers around Farmer's Walks and incorporates squats, squat/clean/over the head press movement, bicep curls, push-ups, and planks with my weighted ruck. I have only been doing this workout for a week or so and already feel the difference!
I'm hitting my macros pretty consistently now with only small variations.
With the diet and the exercise, my mood is much improved and some of the "slumps" I have felt these last few months are starting to be a distant memory.
Hope the Cadre has a wonderful day!
global_dev
Shave Enthusiast
So i had this same idea about wanting to run around with my kids without feeling like I was gonna have a heart attack from just a couple of years of office work. this was 18 years ago and realized i needed to get moving quickly.. and i ran around with my kid, not in shape, but i didn't need to be with a toddler. Everything changed when she turned 6-7 and i realized i couldn't hang and got in shape and subsequently broke my tibia/knee while i was feeling good.. 3 years later i would break my collar bone doing almost the same thing with my other kid.. /smh
moral of the story.. be careful, you never know where you are vulnerable.. I was 35 at the time of that first injury and never thought it would be bone breaks (wasn't prone to that afaik), for sure i thought it would be cardiovascular based.
this is a great idea, i am going to start looking into this. I do an orthostatic and HRV tests a couple times a month (based on the measurement of heart rate and heart rate variability. Changes in heart rate and heart rate variability reflect the changes in autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system. The test measures beat to beat heart rate, in other words RR intervals). it's really interesting to see how i feel compared to what the data shows. often i'll feel good to go and the the data shows i should take it easy today and other times i'll feel tired but the data shows I am good to go. I don't know if i should be worried about that lack congruence or if the anecdotal "listening to your body tells you" isn't quite right, and data is really helpful.
Thanks! I have one hard rule about working out...don't get hurt. I understand that you can't avoid all accidents, but I am definitely going to blow out my knee because I want to do something intense and unusual. I am thinking more along the lines of maintaining and improving muscle mass and skeletal function. Too many people accelerate the effects of aging by not getting adequate nutrition and not moving. I don't want to be bed ridden not knowing my own name while my daughter is young. Well, or ever for that matter.
The carb test is useful, because it can let you know certain foods that you might want to avoid regularly. It can also tell you about foods that you thought were not great, but you tolerate well. Everyone is different and people respond to food in various ways.
This morning was really nothing to right home about. Got up about 4:30 AM and did a ruck hike around the neighborhood for about 45 minutes. I'll get in my lunchtime walk as well.
I learned something about protein yesterday. Shrimp has a lot of it. I finished my lunch and looked at my macros and saw that I was going to need a dinner that contained about 80 grams of protein. So I thought I would grab a protein snack of some sort. I went the store that is a couple of blocks from my work and saw that they just put out steamed shrimp...I LOVE shrimp...so...yes please! Grabbed just under a pound of steamed shrimp and ate it in a matter of minutes. Looked up how much protein was in what I ate. HOLY COW! In a pound of shrimp there is over 100 grams of protein! I ate right at 100 grams of protein. Got home and ate my dinner. For the day I ended up with 306 grams of protein for the day. That's almost 100 grams over my daily goal. But you know what? I feel pretty darn good! Even at 306 grams of protein...that's only 1,224 calories. That 100 grams only added 400 calories to the day. It's definitely all well!
Hope the Cadre has a wonderful day!
I learned something about protein yesterday. Shrimp has a lot of it. I finished my lunch and looked at my macros and saw that I was going to need a dinner that contained about 80 grams of protein. So I thought I would grab a protein snack of some sort. I went the store that is a couple of blocks from my work and saw that they just put out steamed shrimp...I LOVE shrimp...so...yes please! Grabbed just under a pound of steamed shrimp and ate it in a matter of minutes. Looked up how much protein was in what I ate. HOLY COW! In a pound of shrimp there is over 100 grams of protein! I ate right at 100 grams of protein. Got home and ate my dinner. For the day I ended up with 306 grams of protein for the day. That's almost 100 grams over my daily goal. But you know what? I feel pretty darn good! Even at 306 grams of protein...that's only 1,224 calories. That 100 grams only added 400 calories to the day. It's definitely all well!
Hope the Cadre has a wonderful day!
Okay...as much as I really wanted to prove that I could achieve some modest muscle goals by staying at home...I decided to break down and join a gym. It's nit a fancy one, but should suit my purpose. The reason I have been reluctant to join a gym is time mostly. I am going to have to do the gym thing first thing in the morning. So at 4 AM I decided to get my fat tukus out of bed and get after it. I am doing a 5x5 routine (well sort of...a couple of the movements are 3x8).
Anyway I started today with a warm up of 10 minutes brisk walk on the treadmill. Then on to the exercises. Each exercise I did two warmup sets.
Barbell Squats 5x5
Barbell Bench Press 5x5
Bent Over Row 5x5
Dumbbell Shrugs 3x8
Standing Overhead Triceps Extension 3x8
Standing Barbell Bicep Curl 3x8
And since I am so fond of Farmer's Walks I did three walks of 50 feet
That was workout A. Tomorrow I do a HIIT/Cardio workout, and the Wed I will do a Workout B which I will reveal then.
Hope the cadre has a great one!
Anyway I started today with a warm up of 10 minutes brisk walk on the treadmill. Then on to the exercises. Each exercise I did two warmup sets.
Barbell Squats 5x5
Barbell Bench Press 5x5
Bent Over Row 5x5
Dumbbell Shrugs 3x8
Standing Overhead Triceps Extension 3x8
Standing Barbell Bicep Curl 3x8
And since I am so fond of Farmer's Walks I did three walks of 50 feet
That was workout A. Tomorrow I do a HIIT/Cardio workout, and the Wed I will do a Workout B which I will reveal then.
Hope the cadre has a great one!
Well...it's another adjustment to the weight routine. The gym I am going to only has Smith Machines and no free weights. Lots of other machines, lot's if dumbbells, some kettlebells and more cardio machines than there are people who go to gym. It's sill if you ask me...but it's what I have.
So I am adjusting to the situation and using what I have. This will be primarily a dumbbell/kettlebell workout. So today was workout A. Like my previous workout, I will rotate workouts A and B between non consecutive days. So for example this week is Monday - WO A; Wed - WO B; Friday - WO A. And then Next Week will be Monday - WO B; Wed - WO A; Friday - WO B. Tuesday and Thursday will be filled in with Cardio/HIIT as I see fit. If I have to miss a day for an appointment or whatnot...then I need to miss a Tuesday or Thursday. Anyway, today was my workout A and this is what I did:
Hope the Cadre has a wonderful Day!
So I am adjusting to the situation and using what I have. This will be primarily a dumbbell/kettlebell workout. So today was workout A. Like my previous workout, I will rotate workouts A and B between non consecutive days. So for example this week is Monday - WO A; Wed - WO B; Friday - WO A. And then Next Week will be Monday - WO B; Wed - WO A; Friday - WO B. Tuesday and Thursday will be filled in with Cardio/HIIT as I see fit. If I have to miss a day for an appointment or whatnot...then I need to miss a Tuesday or Thursday. Anyway, today was my workout A and this is what I did:
| WORKOUT A | ||||
| Exercise | Equipment | Muscle | Sets | Reps |
| Double Kettlebell Squats | Kettlebell or Dumbbell | Legs | 4 | 12 |
| Double Floor Press | Kettlebell or Dumbbell | Chest | 4 | 12 |
| Double Kettlebell Bent Over Row | Kettlebell or Dumbbell | Back | 4 | 12 |
| Dual Kettlebell Snatchs | Kettlebell or Dumbbell | Traps | 4 | 12 |
| Kettlebell Overhead Triceps Extension | Kettlebell or Dumbbell | Triceps | 4 | 12 |
| Kettlebell Bicep Curls | Kettlebell or Dumbbell | Biceps | 4 | 12 |
Hope the Cadre has a wonderful Day!
A recap from the other post...
Weight is steadily going down. It's not a plunge like it might if I was doing straight up Keto, but it is progressing in the right direction and as always. I am learning a lot about myself. I had to lay off the weights for the last week and a half though. I broke my cardinal rule about exercising..."Don't get hurt." On one of my non lifting days I was getting ready to do some kettlebell swings. I had been using the 20 pound kettlebell for a while and decided to move up to the 30 pounder. Two swings into the exercise and I felt a little pop in my back between the shoulder blades. It wasn't a serious pain...but it was definitely aggravating. Enough so that it prevented me from doing most of my other strength exercises. Seems like that muscle strain has healed up well and starting on Monday I will get back on it.
In addition to my strength routine, I am going to start adding some functional movement exercises. I am finding that when doing straight up weights (Barbell, dumbbell, machines, etc) you tend to kind of lock up joints (not really the technically way of saying it...but the joints get stiff). The obvious answer is to stretch. But stretching only solves the tightness of the muscle aspect. So...for the next couple of months (probably longer) I am going to slowly introduce CARS, PAILS. and RAILS to my workouts.
What the hell are these you ask?
CARS - Controlled Articular Rotations
PAILS - Progressive Angular Isometric Loading
RAILS - Regressive Angular Isometric Loading
CARS are basically active rotational movements at the end of a joint's range of motion. You do this to increase mobility.
For an explanation of PAILS and RAILS, I am stealing this from a website I was reading...
"Progressive and Regressive refers to the side of the joint that is contracting. The Progressive side is the tissues (muscles, tendons, fascia etc.) that are “on stretch” or being lengthened. The Regressive side is the tissues on the closing side of the joint that are being shortened."
"A PAILs effort then is an isometric contraction of the tissues being stretched and a RAILs effort is an isometric contraction of the tissues being shortened. Let’s take a standing quadriceps stretch as an example. Here the progressive tissue is the quadriceps and hip flexor muscles (as well as the associated tendons and fascia etc.). These are the tissues that are being lengthened by the stretch. The regressive tissue would be mainly the hamstrings and other tissues on the back of the leg. A PAILs contraction then would be contracting your quads and pushing your foot into your hand without letting your leg move and the RAILs contraction would be squeezing your hamstrings to try and close the angle of your knee even further."
So I was playing around with the CARS, PAILS, and RAILS while my back was recuperating and there is definitely some merit to this stuff. Especially for my back (I have Degenerative Disc Disease), where some simple exercises as little as once or twice a week reap HUGE benefits in mobility without pain.
Doing these CARS, RAILS, and PAILS, I am working toward a better strength model. But I feel like I need to start off with these basics first. In a health and wellness group I am part of, they are doing an Internal Strength Program that incorporates some of these. But the program is pretty damn advanced and I feel like I would benefit if I started off doing these for the time being in addition to my strength training.
Anyway...enough for now. Hope the Cadre is getting fit and getting healthy!
Weight is steadily going down. It's not a plunge like it might if I was doing straight up Keto, but it is progressing in the right direction and as always. I am learning a lot about myself. I had to lay off the weights for the last week and a half though. I broke my cardinal rule about exercising..."Don't get hurt." On one of my non lifting days I was getting ready to do some kettlebell swings. I had been using the 20 pound kettlebell for a while and decided to move up to the 30 pounder. Two swings into the exercise and I felt a little pop in my back between the shoulder blades. It wasn't a serious pain...but it was definitely aggravating. Enough so that it prevented me from doing most of my other strength exercises. Seems like that muscle strain has healed up well and starting on Monday I will get back on it.
In addition to my strength routine, I am going to start adding some functional movement exercises. I am finding that when doing straight up weights (Barbell, dumbbell, machines, etc) you tend to kind of lock up joints (not really the technically way of saying it...but the joints get stiff). The obvious answer is to stretch. But stretching only solves the tightness of the muscle aspect. So...for the next couple of months (probably longer) I am going to slowly introduce CARS, PAILS. and RAILS to my workouts.
What the hell are these you ask?
CARS - Controlled Articular Rotations
PAILS - Progressive Angular Isometric Loading
RAILS - Regressive Angular Isometric Loading
CARS are basically active rotational movements at the end of a joint's range of motion. You do this to increase mobility.
For an explanation of PAILS and RAILS, I am stealing this from a website I was reading...
"Progressive and Regressive refers to the side of the joint that is contracting. The Progressive side is the tissues (muscles, tendons, fascia etc.) that are “on stretch” or being lengthened. The Regressive side is the tissues on the closing side of the joint that are being shortened."
"A PAILs effort then is an isometric contraction of the tissues being stretched and a RAILs effort is an isometric contraction of the tissues being shortened. Let’s take a standing quadriceps stretch as an example. Here the progressive tissue is the quadriceps and hip flexor muscles (as well as the associated tendons and fascia etc.). These are the tissues that are being lengthened by the stretch. The regressive tissue would be mainly the hamstrings and other tissues on the back of the leg. A PAILs contraction then would be contracting your quads and pushing your foot into your hand without letting your leg move and the RAILs contraction would be squeezing your hamstrings to try and close the angle of your knee even further."
So I was playing around with the CARS, PAILS, and RAILS while my back was recuperating and there is definitely some merit to this stuff. Especially for my back (I have Degenerative Disc Disease), where some simple exercises as little as once or twice a week reap HUGE benefits in mobility without pain.
Doing these CARS, RAILS, and PAILS, I am working toward a better strength model. But I feel like I need to start off with these basics first. In a health and wellness group I am part of, they are doing an Internal Strength Program that incorporates some of these. But the program is pretty damn advanced and I feel like I would benefit if I started off doing these for the time being in addition to my strength training.
Anyway...enough for now. Hope the Cadre is getting fit and getting healthy!