Exercise, Nutrition, WLS, and Cooking Q & A - 2/7/2014

Many of you do not seem to feel comfortable contacting me directly with questions and wait patiently for me to post this topic. So I will try to do it every day. With the new job I don't always have time, but I will do my best to get it posted as often as I can. You can always private message me here or if you prefer email, please do not hesitate to email me at [email protected]

So lets hear your questions on Exercise, Nutrition, WLS, and/or Cooking!

So I've attempted to take Pilates, but due to loss of all the"junk in my trunk", my tailbone is killing me.  I can not do any of the rolling on the back exercises.  I have tried extra mats, towels, and modified directions from instructor.  No luck.  

My question is there any exercise to build up muscles around the tailbone to protect it better?

yes I frequently have that same issue, just this morning in fact doing v-ups. Squats is the answer to your question. Lots and lots of squats. Body weight squats, squats with a barbell on your back, squats holding dumbbells, preacher squats, goblet squats, squat jumps, lunges, back lunges, lunges with a barbell on your back, dead lifts, romanian deadlifts, straight leg deadlifts. Not just one or two of these, ALL of these. Not all at once of course but mix up your routine so that you are incorporating these exercises and you will have a muscular butt in no time. When doing anything where your tailbone or lower spine touch the ground or an unpadded bench you will always want to use a pad of some sort.

I didn't know there were that many types of squats!!! 

There are actually more than that. You can add to that list:

Front Squat (there is a back squat too but that is generall what people refer to as a squat)

Hack Squat

Quarter Squat

Prisoner Squat (hands behind your head)

Box Squat (I think this is also referred to as a tap squat sometimes)

Split Squat (sort of like a lunge but not exactly)

Frog Squat

Plie Squat

Pistol Squat

Zercher Squat

and more, check this out:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/11/30/the-ultimate-squat- guide-35-squat-exercises/

A long time ago during one of my previous weight loss attempts, I had a personal trainer tell me to do squats.  I wound up with sore knees.  Now, being somewhat, ahem, older - how do you do squats safely and not mess up you knees?  

If you do a squat correctly you should not feel it in your knees. It takes some time to learn the form and to get deep enough. The problem is people tend to rock forward and push through their toes or balls of their feet which will definitely hurt your knees. The way to to a squat is to stick your butt out, many people are not comfortable with it but thats the way. Butt back, head up, back at a 45 degree angle, shoulders back so that your back is straight sit back and down and when you go down you should be going straight down, this will keep you balanced. Your weight should be distributed over and down through your heels, not your whole foot. Then when you push up, start with a little nudge up with your butt and drive down through your heels and straight up. The only thing you should feel in your knees is a normal hinging motion, which may hurt becaus of arthritis or, ahem, age, but you should not feel any straining. If you feel pain in your lower back, same thing you are not doing it correctly, you are rolling your shoulders forward.

Squats are one of the absolute best exercises you can do, but proper form is critical.

This girl has the best squat form I have ever seen for a woman, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxaiGtRZa3s

What are the best websites for vsg friendly recipes? Especially ones that my family might eat too?

This is from a blog post I wrote a while back:

I am assuming you have already found TheWorldAccordingToEggFace, SkinnyTaste.com, and you have searched Low Carb Recipe on YouTube. Also if you follow me on Pintrest.com I pin tons of low carb recipes that I think look good. You can click the button in my signature below.

Here are a couple of OH posts that I found early on that had a lot on it, some are dupes of each other and some may not be around any more:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/recipe/4428550/Healthy-Rec ipes-List-of-websites/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/recipe/4367655/I-added-mor e-helpful-websites/

This my blog with some of my personal recipes on them (most are VSG friendly, you will recognize the ones that are not):

http://www.mybigfatfoodie.com

http://bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com/2010/09/taco-casserole.h tml - love this recipe

http://bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com

http://peaceloveandlowcarb.blogspot.com

http://www.fatfastrecipes.com/swiss-rice-casserole-fat-fast- recipe/

http://holdthetoast.com

http://lowcarboneday.com

http://lapsf.com/cafe%2Dfrisco/

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com

http://247lowcarbdiner.blogspot.com

http://mariahealth.blogspot.com

http://www.skinnymom.com/category/food/skinny-meals/

http://www.damyhealth.com/2011/03/the-secret-life-of-caulifl ower/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT3WA6HQ58Q

http://everydaypaleo.com/everyday-paleo-pizza/

http://getpocket.com/a/read/291648177 -  not sure if you can get to these or if they are just my bookmarks

http://getpocket.com/a/read/291516924

http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/lowcarb-recipes.html

http://getpocket.com/a/read/61225158

http://getpocket.com/a/read/289973763

http://getpocket.com/a/read/66263453

http://getpocket.com/a/read/157663268

http://getpocket.com/a/read/129265587

Those are all the links I have saved. Hope they help. There is also a google recipe search. If you go to google and search low carb and look up near the top, you should see a Recipe "tab" and if you click that you will get a ton of low carb recipes.

Just keep in mind that low carb doesn't necessarily mean it fits in your plan depending on where you are phase wise and it may not even mean something you can or should eat down the road. It is still up to you to make good decisions.

This is awesome!!!  Thank you for doing this Keith!!!