Exercise, Nutrition, WLS & Cooking Q&A - 10/23/2013
You have questions. I have answers. Well...usually, anyway!
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor (yet). I am not a nutritionist (yet), I am not a personal trainer (yet). I am not a psychologist (yet). I am not a chef (but a pretty damn good cook). I have however read, watched, researched, and experimented extensively over the past several years, so whatever advice I dispense, take it for what it is worth.
That is a great start. In the beginning it is much more about getting into a routine and moving. As you progress you will change things up, add more to your routine, etc. The walk is a very good idea. I like the pool and aqua stuff to get off the ground and it does provide some resistance, but the problem with the pool is that it holds up most of your weight. This is great for sore knees and ankles, but not so great for muscle work. So the walk will be a good low impact (on your knees and ankles) but will still give your muscles some work. Once you have been walking maybe stop every 10-15 minutes and do some simple squats or lunges once the weight starts coming off. The reason you want to work these big muscles is that the leaner they are the more calories you will burn when you are not working out.
You are off to a great start and it helps to have a partner to keep you motivated. Just make a pact that when you don't feel like working out, that your partner is allowed to make you go work out. Even when you don't feel like it, once you start you will be glad you did. So listen to each other.
Hi Keith: I ALWAYS read your posts, and saw your photos - You look amazing! I am sometimes intimidated by the greatness I see here as I have a long history of trying to do everything "right" in life and then failing, beating myself up and giving up. I am changing that now by embracing OK instead of "perfect" and taking change VERY SLOWLY so I can get used to it!
Anyway, I already feel versed on your dietary advice (I also find greek yogurt/fake honey/fiber one to be an excellent start). I do have 2 questions though:
!. Diet: I have enjoyed many ideas & recipes like soups, crack slaw, no noodle lasagnas, etc. How do you negotiate these recipes with the "Eat dense protein first" rule? How do you measure servings?
2. Exercise: I am taking it slow here as this was another point of failure for me. Right now I walk daily outside and do a hike once a week(there are a lot of hiking trails near me) I want to add strengthening at home. Question: I have bad knees. Tore miniscus in both, surgery, on one, arthritis, AND I work on my feet! I want to preserve my knees for hiking as I found I REALLY enjoy it and would like to increase to more challenging climbs in the future. What exercises do you recommend for someone with bad knees? (please don't say swimming-no access here)
thanks for your dedication to helping others! I really appreciate it!
Eileen
OK, so from now on instead of failing, beating yourself up and giving up, you fail, beat yourself up, and try harder! Failure is a part of success. You have to fail to know what NOT to do, so the real problem you have is getting discouraged when you fail instead of getting motivated. And you made an important mindset shift. you will NEVER be perfect, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't TRY to be perfect. If you have a bad day, shake it off and get back to it, and you don't need to wait until the next day to get back to it. If you have a bad meal, make sure your next meal is a good one. If you cave in and eat a piece of chocolate, spend 10 more minutes on your walk. But ALWAYS hold yourself accountable because it is ALWAYS your fault.
OK, on to your questions:
1. When I was early out I was fairly religious about eating meat and salad for most of my meals. It wasn't until I was well past 100lbs lost that I started with the combinations. Well that may not be entirely true for my lunches. I tended to make more casserole type things that would fit into a single container and for those I make sure that they are mostly protein with some veg mixed in. So if a recipe calls for 1lb of ground beef I might make it with 1 and 1/2 or 2lbs. Its not exactly protein first but its protein more. The real reason for protein first is to slow the digestion process not because the order really matters. If you are going to eat the same amounts no matter what the order doesn't matter nutritionally. Protein breaks down in the stomach more slowly and is usually not chewed as well as vegetables, so it has to tumble around by the pyloric valve breaking down. The longer this takes, the longer you are full. This is a good strategy to get used because its one that does not stop working. So if you are eating casseroles for one of your meals, try to have a meat separate of veggie and eat the meat first.
Slowly is good but don't go too slowly. The key to making changes to to make then in such a way that you can easily repeat them. If you want to keep eating certain things, leave them on your counter so you see them a lot. Pack up 7 portions of the for each day of the week and make them easy to grab so when you are ready to eat you don't have to think you can just act. These types of tricks have helped me make real changes not just temporary changes like I have with diets in the past.
I measure my servings with measuring cups and/or a food scale. Its is an important tool when you are early out or trying to regain control. Over time you tend to forget what 2oz of meat looks like.
2. Exercise:
I get the question regarding knees a lot and while I have recommended swimming it is only for cardio and I don't recommend it that often because while it is a great form of exercise not a lot of people have access to the right kind of pool to get a sufficient workout. Plus most people don't stick with it long enough to see real changes.
For starters, keep up the walking. The best way to burn fat is walking. If you are walking in the morning try to do it as soon as you wake up and BEFORE you eat but after you drink your first whole glass of water. This will help you to optimize your metabolism. But as soon as you are done eat your break fast and try to get 30g of protein in the first meal (a shake is the best way to get this). That is the only exercise I will ever recommend that you do without having had some food first. Any other type of cardio or weight training should be done a 30-60 mins after a protein rich meal. The hikes are good because they challenge your muscles a bit more than a normal walk. I would suggest that every 5 or 10 minutes during your walks you stop and do some squats. Because your knees are bad, I don't want you to go deep and I want you to hold on to a tree or a stop sign or something. Go as deep as you can comfortably go, stick your butt out and push through your heals. If you do this right it will not hurt your knees. Also the stronger you make your calves, thighs, ham strings, and glutes the less strain your knees will have during the day even just standing.
For deeper squats, get 2 kitchen chairs, put one in front of you with the back of the chair facing you. Put the other behind you in a normal position. Holding on to the back of the chair in front of you with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart, sit down in the chair behind you and as soon as your butt touches push down through your heals and stand back up. Do not use your arms to pull you up, just for balance and stability. Do as many as you can. If you feel it in your knees stick your butt out more and keep your back straight bending at the hips. Your back will be at an angle to the ground. Instead of jumping jacks go through the same motion but instead of jumping your feet out, step out and then back in. Do each side independently. Shoot for 100 per day (not necessarily all at once).
Other than that pushups, situps, planks, crunches. Search this site for beginners exercise and you will see a number of exercise I have posted for those just starting out.
Here also are a couple links to entire exercise routines you can do in a chair if your knees are really that bad. Remember as you lose weight a lot of that pressure comes off your knees so do not ignore the importance of strengthening your legs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN40iWW1QYE&feature=share&lis t=PL72012B411ECCF992
Thanks for your answer. Although I LOVE many of the recipes, I think I will go with the protein separately for now. It is easier to measure the protein. As for the exercise, the stopping for squats idea is an excellent one and I am going to try it today! I can even do the kitchen chair ones while I am prepping dinner for the family. I know how to do them right, I just became so afraid to push myself recently as my knees hurt so much - I'll let you know how it works out.
Your most important advice was unexpected - the accountability part and pushing yourself. That is a BIG one! I guess I am trying to tiptoe around my fears and imperfections, hoping they won't pop up and sabotage me. For today I will not be afraid! I am working towards being that person who can be accountable and OK with myself both good and bad - that is why I started this journey in the first place - to be a stronger and better person ! thanks for that reminder!
Eileen
Just remember this is the way you started life. When you are a baby and you start walking you fall down...a lot... but a baby just gets back up and goes again and keep going and guess what today you can walk without thinking about doing the motions or keeping your balance and sometimes without thinking about where you are going.
You became afraid. And don't get me wrong I am not saying don't be afraid. Fear can be a very strong driver. But don't let fear stop you, let fear drive you. Make sure you make the changes so you can be afraid of something else. Being afraid of failure can help you keep going. But when you fail, and you will, don't look at it as game over, think of it as an opportunity to play again with all that you have learned up until your failure. Failure is EXPERIENCE.
