Fitness, Nutrition and Health- All Welcome (Hardcore and “Light”)

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
2801

This is typical day for me:

Rx Bar with lots of black coffee early in the morning (12 g) while I doom-scroll the news & listen to H discuss work.

2 Siggi 0% fat yogurts (30 g) with 1/3 cup Bran Buds (3 g) and/or berries for breakfast mid-morning.

1/2 container (six ounces) Trader Joe’s cooked lemon chicken breast (38 g) over one cup farro (5 g) OR one cup roasted potatoes (5 g) OR caprese salad (12 g) for lunch mid-afternoon. With salsa if it’s over grains or potatoes.

Dinner? About the same as lunch. Usually chicken over grains/potatoes/veggies.

I can get up to 125 grams protein without too much hassle.

I might have a snack of another Siggi yogurt (15 g) or RxBar (12 g) or 1/2 bagel (6 g) with neufchâtel cheese (4 g) or hard-boiled egg (6.3 g) or for dinner add more than six ounces chicken to get to 150 grams.

Grams of protein are all taken from My Fitness Pal.

My strength program recommends “putting protein first” each and every meal. They also recommend trying to get it in smaller doses throughout the day.

If I’m coming up short and/or need something in a hurry I use whey protein & drink it.

I use one of the recipes from the Starting Strength website:

One can Diet A&W Root Beer poured into a deep bowl. Add 1-2 T. Half-n-Half. Add one scoop NOW Foods Whey Protein Isolate Unflavored (25 g). Whisk until the whey protein dissolves. Pour into a glass and drink it up! It’s about 110 calories for the whey and about 20 calories per T of Half-n-Half. It tastes good and is so easy. No blender to clean.

I’m looking for a big bang of protein for the calories taken in or it’s going to be hard to hit my protein goals & stay at or under 2000 calories per day.

For me, it’s just easier to eat versions of the same thing day in and day out.

I know that would be unacceptable to many, but it’s key for me. I like making less decisions about what to eat or how much to eat.

2802

@Bromfield2

You’ll have to update us on the bike, and ditto @mom60 if you try the outdoor class next week.

2803

I got at least 2 hours of indoor biking in today.
I was planning to ride with a friend, but it was storming when I got up, and according to the weather site I checked, there was a fair amount of rain likely during the day.
Of course it barely rained after we canceled. Weather lately has been a little unpredictable I guess.

2804

@Midwest67 thanks for sharing your menu. I love seeing what people trying to get a lot of protein eat, because the nutritionist in my program wants me to get 100 grams/day, and I have trouble hitting it without doing a second protein bar. I don’t know why I am so resistant to protein powder, but there ya go.

In good news, I’m back on the weight-loss train. A pound a week for the past two weeks, though I’ve not changed a thing. Maybe all the muscle finally has revved up my metabolism? I have been working out almost every day for weeks so took yesterday off. I saw a story that talked about how no rest days are bad for your immune system and contribute to stress on your body. Also, one wrist is giving me problems. I’m avoiding push-ups, burpees, inchworms … anything that puts full weight on my wrists. I’ll go back to more stationary cycling if I need to.

2805

Yay on the bike @Bromfield2 !

@1214mom - The weather app on my phone says storms almost every day, but the times seem to change all day, hard to plan.

Non running day today - Sunrise yoga and then some rowing for upper body strength.

2806

@“Youdon’tsay” nice progress!!! Hope the wrists show improvement.

2807

I was away from fitness a few months (could not be helped) and as mentioned yesterday to to do 3 mile walk - YAY. Today DH and I went back to the lake trail, and I actually RAN (slooowly) 2.5k. And again I walked home, about another 2.5k. By the time we got out it was 82 degrees because I had assumed I’d only walk … just suited up with running shoes and shorts/top to get back in practice. Next time I will aim for earlier/cooler.

2808

For August, it wasn’t a terrible workout. Parts of the run felt decent, some did not. Overall, not bad. Video of the day was Legs 50-50. 3 groups of 3 sets of 2 exercises. The first two groups I thought were pretty easy. The last was the killer. LOL. Then you go to do the HIIT portion. Legs were trashed by the end. Finished with core.

I only work until 1:00 today! Yay!

2809

I think I’ll take your cue and end early as well today @ClassicMom98 !

@colorado_mom sometimes the unplanned is the best plan! A good shower afterwards and you’re good as new. :slight_smile:

3.3 mile run this morning. Took a different route around the neighborhood instead of my typical neighborhood trail run - it was good variety and I think I felt mentally fresher.

2810

Four miles of mostly running on a hot, humid day.

Thinking about protein now. I get to 70 pretty easily from my normal food intake, but to hit 100 or 140 would take some work.

2811

For my strength training program, it’s hammered into you that recovery is key.

In the basement where I train, I made a poster that quotes Mark Rippetoe:

You don’t get big and strong from lifting weights, you get big and strong from RECOVERING from lifting weights.

And below that is a reminder to myself to SLEEP, EAT YOUR GROCERIES, DON’T BE GREEDY.

The greedy part is a reminder to not add too much weight to the bar too quickly.

Last night I covered for one of the managers at the restaurant because he wanted a night off. I had to set up the outdoor dining area, which meant lifting and moving six indoor tables with heavy bases (and chairs) outside to our “patio” area.

The 20-something female server who came in later was surprised that no one helped me move the tables. She said she would not be able to move one by herself.

I don’t think I could have done it as easily, a year ago. It feels good to do some physical work without fear of major strain or injury.

Moving the tables back in at the end of the night? No problem. Emptying the bar trash at the end of the night? No problem.

If you don’t believe you can get strong, you have no idea what your body is capable of, at any age, even taking it in baby steps each week.

2812

Today I increased to 3.5K of sloooow run (without the walk home that I did after yesterday’s 2.5k first run - it was hot, and I had a lot to do today). Next week I will probably try to get up earlier, but in first week of retirement it’s been really lovely to not set an alarm.

2813

^^^ But you can get up early…then take a nap!!! :wink:

2814

Lol, yup, says she as she wakes up from her 2 hour nap at 10am! Even on non working days/minor holidays I get up at oh dark thirty to work out. But then, I hop in the recliner and sleep away.

This morning the alarm went off. First thought - no way. Got up after my usual gentle stretching in bed while I pet a cat and by the time I got downstairs, I felt good and ready to go at it. But first, some caffeine and more warm-up dynamic stretching.

Did my run/walk to the gym and got on the stairmonster. I did it differently today. Much slower, but very steady. I didn’t change the speed at all for over 30 min! I usually change every 1-2 min, so this was tough mentally. Not so much physically, but I stayed on longer - 40 min total. 2-4 other people on the workout floor. I like weekends at the gym now. My run home was very peppy. Almost a minute faster than usual. Then the barre blend booty. Felt ok. Best I can say about that stuff. Finished with a stretching recovery video.

2815

@midwest Thanks for the info on protein in your diet. I got some good ideas that I can use. Your shake recipe sounds OK, but Is there a substitute for the diet root beer? I used to live on Diet Pepsi and decided to cut out all artificial sweeteners. I don’t want to start again.

2816

Walking day for me. Got out decently early and toured the neighborhood. Late enough to see more people, though, so much chatting and waving.

I had eggs for breakfast thinking of Midwest67! What would it feel like to eat more protein?

2817

You could always try a more traditional protein shake with frozen fruit, water, milk, etc.

I can almost always hit my protein goals using real food.

The Diet A&W Root Beer recipe is something I use when I’m coming up short, usually when it’s a day with a lot of running around & not taking regular meals at home.

A 12 pack will last weeks for me, and I’m not tempted to drink it just for kicks, despite having a baaaad Diet Coke habit earlier in life.

YMMV!

2818

I’m very impressed by some of your eating plans! I guess I could try taking nutrition more seriously by actually recording what I eat and trying to get more protein.
My question for you is do you track any particular nutrients or take any vitamins or supplements that help with having kind of uncomfortable legs at night? I don’t even have actual leg twitches or anything like that…I just feel like when I lie down, my legs feel too heavy, sort of restless, too tired.

2819

11 mile run with my running buddies this morning. 82% humidity! And at a decent pace , too. One of the women stayed and went for 13- something she has never done before - we are all really proud of her.

2820

@orangepurple

Have you looked over the symptom list for restless legs syndrome and treatment suggestions?

I take extra Mg Citrate to help with leg & toe cramping. I don’t know if it really helps or not, tbh.