More fitness updating

[lithera]

Yesterday was hard.

Yesterday was very hard and today I am really truly sore for the first time working with this trainer. I want to be sore, though. It is a concrete physical sign of what it is I'm doing. And to be honest, there is some element of enjoyment in the aches and soreness. It is an odd thing but it does make sense to me on some level.

I didn't get to the level of angry I usually do but I did a fair amount of cursing at myself as I went up and down the 18 step flight of stairs again and again. I also knew i could do it and if I had needed to do it, I could have pushed harder. Though, I have to admit, doing something else in between makes it easier to do more of them. Going from the stairs to the eliptical machine is brutal beyond belief but the other way around isn't quite so bad.

After the gym, I again hit a very low period. I think it might have something to do with blood sugar as I seem to even out after eating but then again, it is hard to prove that it isn't simply time as well, as it take a bit to cook and eat and digest and all of that. And yes, I would like to eat before working out but I'd found that usually ends up resulting in me being nauseous if not worse.

For a bit there, I thought Kris was going to try to throttle me but we both made it. Go us.

So. Maybe I should start trying to have a banana or something before but I'm a little nervous about it.

Comments

[uberdude.livejournal.com]

Mark and I experience the same thing after exercise. Have a protein bar ready to consume right after your workout and it will make a huge difference.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

This is a good idea. The gym is right above the grocery store after all. Could always go down there and get a banana or a protein bar or something.

[uberdude.livejournal.com]

Well whatever you eat, be sure it contains significant protein. Your body will be craving it.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was going to say, something to eat right *after* is always good for me. I usually have an apple.

[jeditigger.livejournal.com]

Try throwing a bit of cheese or peanut butter on slices of apple to balance out the glucose rush you'll get from the fruit. How's the book doing?? :)

Kat, I have this very problem and I have to be careful accordingly, because I've nearly passed out from low blood sugar when working out. It's sort of a challenge finding what will make you feel better, but sounds like Shannon has the right idea for you.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if I'm at home I usually have peanut butter. :) Done with the book, don't have to start another one for TEN MORE DAYS. :)

[kitty-das.livejournal.com]

I always have to have a piece of fruit before working out, otherwise I turn into a super cranky semi-homicidal mess 1/2 way into it. Anything more than fruit causes me to cramp and get nauseous.

[pullthestars.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was REALLY ANGRY at the stairs. Well, and angry at myself.

We need more fruit. Just need to remember to bring cash or debit card.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

YEAH! PROTEIN!

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Mmmmmmmm.

Peanut butter.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

This is a good idea.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Even fruit makes me nauseous if not worse. Maybe I'll manage something right after and that'll help. It seems a good plan.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Stairs suck.

Yes. Protein after.

[theonlymegumegu.livejournal.com]

"After the gym, I again hit a very low period. I think it might have something to do with blood sugar as I seem to even out after eating but then again, it is hard to prove that it isn't simply time as well, as it take a bit to cook and eat and digest and all of that. And yes, I would like to eat before working out but I'd found that usually ends up resulting in me being nauseous if not worse."

You may want to get some liquid calories in your body after working out, especially if you go really hard, so your body can absorb them quicker (solid food takes time in both preparation and digestion).

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Any suggestions on that? I'm wary of most of the things that come to mind right away. They have protein shakes at the gym but... Ehn.

[theonlymegumegu.livejournal.com]

A trainer friend of mine recommends Accellerade because of it's 4:1 carb to protien ratio. It's supposed to be what your body needs during or immediately after a workout. Barring that, he said a cup of milk w/ a tablespoon of sugar works just as good (I think it was a tblspn), or most flavored milks have a pretty close ratio as well.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Oooooooh. Flavored milk. That I could probably do.

[theonlymegumegu.livejournal.com]

Just watch out for the white man's poison HFCS XD In my experience, flavored milk in a carton seems to be better about that than flavored milk in a bottle.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

*nods* Totally. HFCS freaks me out with it being in EVERYTHING.

[theonlymegumegu.livejournal.com]

The place I found it once that made me want to punch a mountain in space was in sushi rice. I was at Uwajimaya and looking at the sushi rolls (the ones my friend and I like to call "sushi burritos", as they are sliced but packaged as a roll, rather than boxed up) and the ingredient list contains HFCS.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

You should have blown up the moon.

[ladymeag.livejournal.com]

Horizon Organic flavored milk is available in the diary section of the QFC by your place. IT's shelf-stable (meaning it doesn't have to be refrigerated, has no HFCS and tastes awesome.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Oooooooo.

Thanks for the tip!

[quipper.livejournal.com]

I give up.

HFCS?

[lithera.livejournal.com]

High Fructose Corn Syrup.

[quipper.livejournal.com]

Boy, I sure does feel dumb.

I've just never heard anyone refer to it by it's acronym. It makes it sound so much more.. ominous.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

*chuckles*

[trilliumgrl.livejournal.com]

Ovaltine (the malt flavor) is also good. No HFCS and you can control how much you use. I tend to short the serving by 1/4 (or more), because otherwise I find it too sweet. If you want I can give you a bit to try and see if you like before buy a whole huge jar.

The flavored milk banana, etc is probably a better option than something like a Cliff Bar, since they have way fewer calories. If you want you can take a look at my sports nutrition book, which has a whole chapter on eating before/during/after exercise.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

That would be awesome. I'd love to read it.

Thanks for the Ovaltine idea.

[moriarty6.livejournal.com]

Late to this party but I'd like to throw in my two cents I suppose.

And to be honest, there is some element of enjoyment in the aches and soreness. It is an odd thing but it does make sense to me on some level.

It's endorphins. "Runner's high". Ironically, after long enough your body will start craving it, meaning that if you'll start feeling irritable and achy and sore if you don't workout. Oh Irony, you are a cruel mistress!

I again hit a very low period. I think it might have something to do with blood sugar

It is. Your glycogen levels get depleted. You can build your glycogen levels before working out but...

I would like to eat before working out but I'd found that usually ends up resulting in me being nauseous if not worse.

...don't do that. If you eat anything before a workout (i.e,. within an hour and a half), make sure it's:

a small protein bar (in which peanut butter is not a main ingredient)

a banana

half of an apple or orange

High water-content fruits like apples and oranges are excellent because they keep you hydrated longer. They're like a slow-release capsule of liquids and glucose. The potassium in bananas will prevent muscle cramps. The protein is really more for after the workout, to repair muscle tissue.

Needless to say, putting these three in a smoothie is an ideal solution--but in my own experience, drinking more than 8oz before a hard workout will bog you down or turn your stomach outright. I have a pretty sensitive stomach, though, so YMMV.

Don't drink milk before a workout. The fat grams and lactose will slow you down, maybe even make you yack during a hard push. After a workout is good though. Ovaltine is good, but my secret weapon when I go through a really serious workout phase is Spiru-tein (http://www.spiru-tein.com/), which is as close to a nutritional silver bullet as I've found in over a decade of adhering to various types of workouts.




Blee!

[lithera.livejournal.com]

YEAH!

INFO DUMP!

*dances around*

[moriarty6.livejournal.com]

Sorry--I used to be a strength trainer at World's Gym back in the day (back when I lifted weights religiously instead of doing martial arts) so "infodump" is my default setting. I promise not to start outlining carb-stacking or muscle-confusion regimens or anything.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

No, no. That's cool. I need the info dump. I completely and totally screwed up my metabolism when I was younger in some pretty intense ways that I've never been able to fix since. So anything I can do to get some help is appreciated.

[sepulchrave.livejournal.com]

half an apple.
it's a lot of energy and won't make you have a stitch or nausea.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Apples seem to be popular choices.

*nods*

[moriarty6.livejournal.com]

There are effective ways to adjust your metabolism up or down, but I don't mind telling you that they suck--they're hard to do and they make you miserable until it takes effect. Definitely last-resort stuff.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

*nods* I'll grab you some time next week and we can chat about it.