Butterthebean

Just wondering what is wrong with aspartame, or do you just prefer not to have it?

I wish you guys were a little further south. I'm in Cleveland, TX. I'd really love something like this. Maybe one day I'll get a wild hair and make the drive....especially if y'all met somewhere on the SE side near 45.

Weird cause I still think of myself as a big guy. But at 6'2" and 220 my wife says I'm not. I still suck in to fit into small spaces, only to find I have plenty of room. I'm just as strong as I was and much fitter, but here's something I never would have considered before.....you don't realize how much us big guys learn to use our size to our advantage till its gone. We use our mass, and it's momentum to our advantage all the time. You probably don't even realize it. When you weigh over 300 pounds (in my case 400) you learn to "lean into" things to move them. At 220 I can't do that. It's pure physics, but I've spent a lifetime developing the muscle memory to live this way. Now I'm having to improve technique in so many activities because I can't just put my ass into it.

You are coo-coo Grammy...but I love you for it.

Congrats to you Jane for doing such an amazing job with your first 18 months. And I'm so jealous of your doctor visit...at my 12 month visit my doctor weighed me...did a little happy dance...gave me a high five...and sent me on my way. No blood work, not even a blood pressure check. I tried to ask him about maintenance. He basically said ...yes, do that. Duh...thanks.

What an interesting thread. As to the original question, I don't think most vets get tired of reading the posts by people who are still losing so easily. It's very easy to be a cheerleader for them. What's difficult is reading the posts by folks who are "struggling" and losing patience. People who are ready to revamp their whole plan because they didn't lose a pound in the last 2 days. People who "regret" the surgery after 2 weeks because they are mourning food. People who can't wait to eat a cheeseburger again, or who are hesitant to even have surgery because they are more afraid of loose skin and thinning hair than remaining obese. Those are the threads that are hard to read for me, and there are a million of them. The Vets forum makes it easy to avoid most of them thankfully. I still like helping newer folks, but it can sometimes be difficult sifting through all those issues.

You're in the 3 week stall. There's a link in my sig that explains it. It's very common. Don't worry too much about it. Read the link and know that you will lose more very soon.

Fantastic. You're getting there.

I feel decreased appetite after long cardio sessions but increased appetite after strength training. But regardless of my hunger, there needs to be some post exercise nutrition....I try to at least drink a protein shake.

Don't backtrack on your promise cause I've got 2 cats that need punching! And a third that could use a harsh talking too.

Nothing helps me work up a good BM like going for a run. I swear as soon as I get 2 miles from the house it's like a fire alarm goes off in my shorts. TMI?

Occasionally.

This is by far and away my favorite all time thread on VST. And for me, running has got to be the single biggest achievement since losing the weight. I can't imagine where I'd be without it. The C25K program really helped. And I was certainly inspired by the running vets that came before me like Massindex, PDXMan and others.

What if you don't wear a bra?

Sorry Fiddle...I just saw this post. I take it before I workout...and then sometimes either during or right after. Especially when I workout first thing in the morning.

Amy...it is getting hot. I live in Houston, we have our share of hot and humid. But here's the thing. The heat isn't as bad as it seems. You have to hydrate a little more. You may have to run a little slower. But it's basically no different than training with any other resistance device...like running uphill for example. As you do it, you're conditioning yourself to run better in the heat. You're getting in even better shape than you would if you ran in mild spring weather. If you keep running, when the cool fall weather hits, you're going to be running so light and fast...you won't believe it.

I took the recommendation from leangains.com which is a great IF website. I do feel it helps me recover better from workouts.

I are propel zero to my water 2-3 times a day. I also add scivation xtend BCAA powder to my water pre and post workout.

I went through this a while ago. Had every test medical science could devise. Bottom line though was I needed to add more electrolytes to my water, and drink more. I've always been a food tracker, but after that I started tracking my water and found I wasn't drinking as much as I thought. Once I upped it I had no more problems. Now, on the rare occasion it happens, it's a day where my water intake is way down.

Quit that negative talk. It took me a few weeks. You can do it. Breath deep. Learn to breath from the belly. Be light on your feet. Shorter, quicker strides.....makes running more efficient.

Hey folks. Been MIA, but have missed this thread. So yeah, burnout...it's real. Whether you call it burnout, or just needing a break, enthusiasm ebbs and flows. Plus, your body does as well....and it's tough to run when your body is not feeling well...tired and fatigued. Then, add to that, some runs are just better than others. Sometimes it's so effortless, other times it's like you're pulling a wagon. Those bad runs can really make you second guess your decision to run. Put 2 or 3 of them together....yeah it gets real hard to run. That's when it's important to look back on your overall progress....it helps you realize you're better than just your last run. And as for stretching before a run, studies show that it has no benefit and even a negative benefit on performance. Stretching a cold muscle is a terrible thing. Still, I say we are all different and most of us are not running in the Olympics....so do what feels best for you. If that means a little light stretching just to loosen up the joints, then do it. Just don't go crazy and end up hurting yourself. I definitely prefer foam rolling to stretching. It's like getting a warm up massage.

Kathy...don't let their foolish words penetrate your soul. You're above such nonsense. You've made it. You're a success. What they say doesn't matter.

Yep Oregondaisy, it's quite helpful for each of us knowing we're not alone in our struggles.....struggles that are not spoken about much on VST. There's not many people hanging around with your tenure.