Your Fitness Journey and Progress

[Luminous]

How are your other stats like cholesterol and blood sugar? Those things tend to be more important indicators of health than just hitting a particular number on the scale. Of course you don't want to be carrying around an excessive load, but even when your weight is in whatever is considered a reasonable range, that doesn't tell you about muscle mass, body fat percentage, and bone density. Has your doctor ever ordered an endocrine panel to see if anything's out of whack with your hormones?

My blood sugar is normal, and my cholesterol is higher than they'd like. My LDL did go down 10 points since I've been doing the resistance training and eating a lot of oat products. My thyroid is and has been borderline hypothyroidic for a long time now. They finally just recently were willing to treat it, since I've been having abnormal menstrual bleeding. But the doctor thought it wouldn't totally rectify the bleeding. I almost started taking it, but decided to try the other suggested treatment for the bleeding first. So that is a possibility, that perhaps I need medication for my thyroid in order to be able to lose whatever weight it's contributed over the years.

 

[SD45T-2]

My blood sugar is normal, and my cholesterol is higher than they'd like. My LDL did go down 10 points since I've been doing the resistance training and eating a lot of oat products. My thyroid is and has been borderline hypothyroidic for a long time now. They finally just recently were willing to treat it, since I've been having abnormal menstrual bleeding. But the doctor thought it wouldn't totally rectify the bleeding. I almost started taking it, but decided to try the other suggested treatment for the bleeding first. So that is a possibility, that perhaps I need medication for my thyroid in order to be able to lose whatever weight it's contributed over the years.

Well it might make a noticeable improvement for energy and weight. I used to take 100mcg of synthroid, then after several years my levels got a little high so my doctor dialed me back to 88mcg. I just had it tested again after a couple years and my TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is on the low end, so my body seems to think I'm running a little too high. When my doctor calls to talk over the results I'll ask about cutting down to 75mcg.

One other thing that comes to mind is antidepressants. Certain ones tend to be good for losing or maintaining weight (like Effexor, Pristiq, Wellbutrin) while others have weight gain as a common side effect. One of the off-label uses for Remeron is for vets to give it to sick animals to suppress nausea and restore appetite.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

I've lost a couple pounds, but not as much as I hoped. I'm not too worried about it though, and more focused on healthy habits overall. One thing that's come out of this is that I have a newfound love for fruit. I LOVE yellow dragonfruit, but I also been trying new flavors of grapes. This is the one I'm trying now, little sour and not bad:

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Hit 270 on shrugs for reps, hit 260 on rows but only got 7. Had to drop to 240 for the second two sets. 205 deadlifts for reps. Only my 4th time deadlifting.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

They're re-flooring the weight room in my gym and its closed for 5 days. : (

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

In my fitness journey, I have bought 25 mangos. I decided I did not need 25 mangoes, so I left half the mangoes in the break room and shoved the rest into my bag. Now I have a cat print bag full of mangoes. In hindsight I could have just kept them in the freezer. Oh well. They are honey mangoes, and they are delicious.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Hit 3 plates on the smith for shrugs reps (285lbs). Hit 4 plates for hip thrusts reps (375lbs). 5 plates on seated calf raises (225lbs).

Today I hit 190lbs for ten reps on bench. Only got 7 the next set, then dropped to 185 for the last set of 10.

Progress continues.

 

[Maou]

Sobriety and Carnivore diet has been going great. Great thing about Carnivore, is if you cheat you get punishment in the form of nausea and being sick lol. This is because being fat adapted means you eat way less, and your body becomes more sensitive to everything it doesn't like. I drank two beers for a cheat day, and paid dearly for it. This is a good deterrent. If and when I get off this diet, I will slowly reintroduce foods to see what I am intolerant of and avoid them for good. So far its just been preservatives and alcohol for the most part. Im glad about the alcohol bit though. Don't need it anymore..

I have lost almost 30lbs now, averaging 1.5lbs a week. Mostly focusing on cardio for exercise in the form of barbell complex.

 

[SD45T-2]

Sobriety and Carnivore diet has been going great. Great thing about Carnivore, is if you cheat you get punishment in the form of nausea and being sick lol. This is because being fat adapted means you eat way less, and your body becomes more sensitive to everything it doesn't like. I drank two beers for a cheat day, and paid dearly for it. This is a good deterrent. If and when I get off this diet, I will slowly reintroduce foods to see what I am intolerant of and avoid them for good. So far its just been preservatives and alcohol for the most part. Im glad about the alcohol bit though. Don't need it anymore..

I have lost almost 30lbs now, averaging 1.5lbs a week. Mostly focusing on cardio for exercise in the form of barbell complex.

How do you avoid getting scurvy? I heard it landed James Blunt in the hospital when he tried the carnivore thing.

 

[The Cat]

My new shift is much more physically intensive than the old one was; plus i am really getting my squats in so im back in a lifestyle that every day is leg day for several hours. Once I finish getting aclimated to the new schedule, I'll be going back to the gym to tone on the muscles not getting as worked out at work. Plus its a nice bit of medidation focusing on form and getting to lift weights. whatever gets me closer to the hour glass ^_^ I was talking to a friend of mine recently who was talking about me not needing to work out because im skinny, and I had to explain Im only straight skinny Im still queer fat lol.

 

[Maou]

How do you avoid getting scurvy? I heard it landed James Blunt in the hospital when he tried the carnivore thing.

By doing your research, and eating organ meats. Any diet has its issues, and far too many people don't do the research to avoid them, and don't do the diet properly. You HAVE to eat organic meats and organ meats to cover all your bases. Liver for example, has enough Vit C in it for a Carnivore. All meat has trace amounts of it as well, if eaten rare. And if you don't eat carbs, you need less of it and become more sensitive to it over time. Carnivore isn't explicitly keto either. You eat enough meat, you get carbs through glycogenesis.

 

[SD45T-2]

By doing your research, and eating organ meats. Any diet has its issues, and far too many people don't do the research to avoid them, and don't do the diet properly. You HAVE to eat organic meats and organ meats to cover all your bases. Liver for example, has enough Vit C in it for a Carnivore. All meat has trace amounts of it as well, if eaten rare. And if you don't eat carbs, you need less of it and become more sensitive to it over time. Carnivore isn't explicitly keto either. You eat enough meat, you get carbs through glycogenesis.

So does that mean you're the Captain Beefheart of typologycentral? (not to be confused with the much less popular Captain Bee Fart)

I was guessing it either involved supplements or something else I wasn't aware of. Like you said, any diet can run into problems, and I'd imagine a really restrictive one (whether it be carnivore or vegan) requires extra care to avoid harmful deficiencies in certain things.

 

[Maou]

So does that mean you're the Captain Beefheart of typologycentral? (not to be confused with the much less popular Captain Bee Fart)

I was guessing it either involved supplements or something else I wasn't aware of. Like you said, any diet can run into problems, and I'd imagine a really restrictive one (whether it be carnivore or vegan) requires extra care to avoid harmful deficiencies in certain things.

Lol, I do not want to be associated with such a silly name.

Just keto/carnivore is the only thing that has helped me lose weight, and I plan on doing it until I reach my goal weight. I got rather poor genetics in the metabolism category, so this is highly beneficial. Also, this diet is very good for people who are diabetic, have auto immune diseases, and or thyroid issues.

I got nothing against supplements either. I take a multivitamin by default, even before I did this diet. The only main thing you have to really worry about is electrolytes. Because when you are in ketosis, your body doesn't hold onto water. Thus making it easier to get dehydrated and electrolyte deficient. Which can have a lot of side effects from severe muscle cramps, to kidney stones. Drinking a ton of water is actually what you DON'T want to do to avoid dehydration either. It is all about the electrolyte balance, and drinking until you do not feel thirsty.

Plenty of carnivores that have sustained on the most basic meat and egg and no supplements, and have never gotten scurvy or other side effects either. So it can also be partially genetic in success.

Some carnivores do eat fruit and honey, as they wanted more of an "ancestral diet". As carnivore doesn't always mean "Ketosis".

 

[Lexicon]

That post^ was from the end of August 2022.

I continued that routine, increasing my workout days to 6-7 days a week as much as I could til I finally had my periacetabular osteotomy on my hip in mid-December.

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I’d prepped all my meals in advance before surgery for at least my 1st month, to be as healthy as possible recovering: https://www.typologycentral.com/threads/what-did-you-bake-cook-today.21633/page-156#post-3373604


I was non weight bearing on my left hip/leg for 4 weeks, then allowed to start physical therapy 2x a week. I also started riding my stationary bike at home & doing isometric exercises, as my left leg atrophied pretty quick.
(Anyone who reads my private forum blog has already seen the leg atrophy photos below)

6 weeks post-op left leg atrophy:

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So, I’ve been working really hard in PT in-office & at home to undo that. I started my bike back up on the 2nd week of January, & started formal PT on Jan 18th.

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This is my daily (every single day) routine, now:

(the “yoga” is not actually yoga— stupid myfitnesspal just doesn’t know certain physical therapy exercises, so I just log it there as yoga)

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I’m 8 weeks post-op now, & off crutches earlier than expected because of this. I started weaning off them by the end of week 5 (transitioning to 1 crutch for a couple wks). I couldn’t do a straight leg raise laying down AT ALL after surgery, until maybe last week. The muscles just didn’t listen to me.

My leg is still smaller than the non-op one, but that’s improving.






I’m having an issue with my weight, though. I’ve been losing weight unintentionally. I’m burning off more than I take in, with the exercise every day. And, apparently, your BMR increases following bone fracture (technically my pelvis was fractured in 3 places, but by a surgeon & not an accident). So that’s eating some calories.

I’m 5’9” & weigh 124 right now. BMI 19. Body fat approx 21%. Before surgery I went between 127-135. I’d go up & down if I got busier/added to my workouts, & didn’t add more food to my day. The loss was unintentional then, too, but I’m more concerned about it now in terms of recovery from surgery/bone healing, etc.

My PCP gets on me about my weight when I go under 135. And, I’d prefer to be 130-135, but I want that mass to be lean muscle gain, not adipose.

I feel like I eat a lot, though. I don’t feel hungry or weak or deprived. So, I am struggling with trying to figure out how to increase my caloric intake with healthy, protein-dense foods. I refuse to eat garbage (high sugar &/or high in saturated fat foods) to gain weight. I’m not sure what to add that fits that criteria & is affordable.



This is just one of the meal ‘plans’ I have in a given day. I do not eat takeout often, maybe like once a month, if that. I don’t eat fast food at all. You can see on myfitnesspal that each day that I’m not meeting the calories, & that I’ll keep dropping weight, apparently:

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(I know turkey sausage & Eggbeaters aren’t the greatest, but they’re protein, & the sandwiches freeze really well for quick breakfasts)

This imgur post of mine has more examples of my meals (just this week so far, plus some other tracking stat things in there). - LINK



I’m at a loss (pun intended?) as to what the hell else to eat. I really want to make sure I keep healing properly.

I’m open to suggestions, as long as they’re fairly protein-rich, low in sugar & saturated fat, relatively shelf stable or freezable, & relatively affordable. And please don’t suggest beans. I hate them.

Update to this post^

End of this week puts me at 4 months post-op P.A.O.

All the visible atrophy on my left leg has filled back in.

Still maintaining the previously posted workout/pt routine 6-7 days a week, though last week was only 5 days I was pretty drained from a lot of errands/housework I was catching up on.

Since the last post, some of those exercises have increased in weight resistance. I can use my 25lb kettlebell now for squats, deadlifts, & step-ups.


My stationary bike has a magnetic resistance knob. I don’t turn it up/down— I just slowly bring it up & keep it up. Resistance goes from 1 to 8.

Between mid Jan (when I was cleared to start pedaling again) & thru March, I slowly worked my way up from 1 to 5. Before surgery, I could never stay at 5; my hip would start feeling like it was tearing itself apart from me.

Now, starting this month, I’m maintaining resistance of 6 out of 8 for 30min straight, making the same mileage. And pain is extremely minimal. I can tell it’s only related to some of the bone remodeling, & is temporary. That old pain/instability is GONE.

I never thought I could do this again, I was in so much pain for fucking years. Every burning muscle getting stronger every day (without that gnawing, gnashing ache that felt so much a permanent fixture in my life) feels like a gift, which sounds very Hallmark Channel, but it’s the truth. Every drop of sweat might as well be tears of joy.


I’m still doing formal PT at a facility 2x a week (on top of home stuff), but we may move it to 1x a week, soon. A lot of my range of motion & strength have been restored, though balance is still a bit of an issue, & lifting my op-leg up from a standing position (like, raising my knee toward my chest to put pants on or a sock on), is still difficult, but improving. Not painful-difficult— just weak. My leg only goes up so far & then stops listening to me. PT said it may be from where I was cut in surgery.... just still takes time to mend/wake up. I limp at the end of very active days, or if I try to walk briskly in the morning, but that’s also improving. I think it’s probably the same muscle group as the leg-raise doing it.


Overall, I’m advancing more than I could’ve hoped in such a short time. Can’t wait for my friend’s pool to open after Memorial Day wknd. Gonna make so much use of that for low impact cardio!



On the weight front, I still haven’t really put on weight, but I stopped unintentionally losing. Adding more almonds & fatty fish seemed to help.

 

[SD45T-2]

Lol, I do not want to be associated with such a silly name.

So no love for Trout Mask Replica?

Just keto/carnivore is the only thing that has helped me lose weight, and I plan on doing it until I reach my goal weight. I got rather poor genetics in the metabolism category, so this is highly beneficial. Also, this diet is very good for people who are diabetic, have auto immune diseases, and or thyroid issues.

So when you get to your goal, you add back other foods until you're maintaining? Are there particular things you're your supposed to add first? Like maybe something with fiber?

 

[Maou]

So no love for Trout Mask Replica?

I had to google what that was, an no lol.

So when you get to your goal, you add back other foods until you're maintaining? Are there particular things you're your supposed to add first? Like maybe something with fiber?

Yes, when I reach my goal I will add things back in.

Another misconception is you need fiber. If your not eating carbs or fiber, your body adjusts to it just fine. It just slows down digestion overall, after the adjustment period. So you will have less movement, but they are normal.

And yeah, there is a specific order in which you are suppose to add things back, and vegetables would be the next in line. I don't however, think I will add any sort of bread back. Because bread in America is straight up just not good for you, unless you are making it yourself.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

I did my Crossfit class today. It went pretty well, except I felt like I was going to throw up halfway through it. I did some lunges, some running, biking, and one exercise where I lifted a dumbbell with one hand and walked back and forth. The teacher was really nice and gave me alternate options since I'm new to this sort of thing-she let me use the exercise bike instead of running when it became too much and let me do lunges without dumbbells. Not sure if I'll do more in the long run, but it was fun-also treated myself to a peanut butter cheesecake protein shake afterwards and managed to walk to the shop after the workout.

 

[Coriolis]

I did my Crossfit class today. It went pretty well, except I felt like I was going to throw up halfway through it. I did some lunges, some running, biking, and one exercise where I lifted a dumbbell with one hand and walked back and forth. The teacher was really nice and gave me alternate options since I'm new to this sort of thing-she let me use the exercise bike instead of running when it became too much and let me do lunges without dumbbells. Not sure if I'll do more in the long run, but it was fun-also treated myself to a peanut butter cheesecake protein shake afterwards and managed to walk to the shop after the workout.

Sounds good. There is no shame in starting off slow, especially if it makes it easier to keep going. If you haven't been following an exercise routine, or have been away from it for awhile, it can take time to get back into it. Be patient with yourself, and focus more on developing the habit than on exactly what you can do each workout. You can increase intensity, reps, activities, etc. once you are settled into a routine. A good instructor should be able to help. I started back to the gym last fall when I moved to a university. I go at the end of the day, after classes. It's funny seeing my students there sometimes.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

Sounds good. There is no shame in starting off slow, especially if it makes it easier to keep going. If you haven't been following an exercise routine, or have been away from it for awhile, it can take time to get back into it. Be patient with yourself, and focus more on developing the habit than on exactly what you can do each workout. You can increase intensity, reps, activities, etc. once you are settled into a routine. A good instructor should be able to help. I started back to the gym last fall when I moved to a university. I go at the end of the day, after classes. It's funny seeing my students there sometimes.

Thanks Cor. Yeah, I was definitely out of routine, but even through the workout I felt myself adjusting and let myself listen to my body while also staying focused. The gym environment is interesting so far but I really can't judge based on one day. All types of people go to a gym. The other people were definitely more advanced than me but they told me what a good job I was, although it felt like they were pitying me a bit(they weren't doing it to anyone else and it was the only thing people really said to me). When I didn't pay attention to anyone else though and felt one with my body, that's when I did the best. It is a bit expensive so that's why I'm not sure about committing full time(first class is always free), but it's already inspired me to exercise more since I have exercises I can bring with me essentially. What do the students think of seeing you there?

 

[Coriolis]

Thanks Cor. Yeah, I was definitely out of routine, but even through the workout I felt myself adjusting and let myself listen to my body while also staying focused. The gym environment is interesting so far but I really can't judge based on one day. All types of people go to a gym. The other people were definitely more advanced than me but they told me what a good job I was, although it felt like they were pitying me a bit(they weren't doing it to anyone else and it was the only thing people really said to me). When I didn't pay attention to anyone else though and felt one with my body, that's when I did the best. It is a bit expensive so that's why I'm not sure about committing full time(first class is always free), but it's already inspired me to exercise more since I have exercises I can bring with me essentially. What do the students think of seeing you there?

I don't know. They mostly just nod, say hello, and get on with their workout, as do I. One had to drop my class halfway through the semester, and I stopped to ask how she was doing, so we chattad a bit.

Perhaps at your gym people were making a point to encourage you because they recognized you were new. Yes, gyms can be expensive. Where I go is free for the students and very cheap for faculty and staff. If you decide it is too costly, see if you can find cheaper or even free exercises to add to your daily routine. Even simple things like taking a walk after work (or before, if you are more an early bird) can do wonders. Once you have the habit, you can make additions or substitutions.