Greg-You're doing awesome. Keep up the good work;I'll be watching!
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Audentes Fortunas Juvat
"Focus on making the 5 lifts stronger and getting enough food. There will be plenty of time to worry about glycemic indexes, PERs, and Bulgarian Split squats later. Much later."-Mark Rippetoe
It tired me out to read your WO--you think you need more stamina? You seem to have more stamina in your determination than any three other guys.
I'm curious: Do you work out on empty, or with a drink of some kind, or something else? I'm still working on upping my stamina, but I'm not sure it'd be a good idea at my age (55) to start playing around with things like No-XPLODE, etc.
If I remember right, your wife is a longtime nurse--does she have any tips about this? At this point, I drink one cup of real coffee about 20 minutes pre-WO and have lemon-water-dex on the floor. A diluted whey protein drink during the WO nauseates me. I thought you might have some ideas...?
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Planning to add upper body pulls to my workout. I will use a band over the bar in my closet for lat pulls and will use band around doorknob for rows.
This is a great idea--I think I'll try this. I'm trying to increase my lat strength to up chins. Thanks!
Because of concerns regarding blood sugar, blood pressure, kidney function I don't use anything like that. I drink water during my rehab and exercise periods. I eat 4 times a day. I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack before I go to bed. Breakfast is usually the most carb intensive meal.
I emphasive an adequate amount of protein and get lots of different colored vegetables. My snack emphasizes protein content. I eat 2 -4 apples a day to keep me full and to keep blood sugar regulated. I also eat a handfull of cashews, almonds or walnuts usually once a day.
My illness has caused me to focus on good whole foods and away from chemicals that I can't be 100% sure of. When I do go back to work, I will pack protein supplements or an MRP (MetRX) to consume between meals.
My exercise program is not at all exhautive though physical therapy is. I wouldn't do most of that stuff without someone to watch me and make sure I don't fall!
I realize how pompous the last post sounded. I would definitely try some supplements if I hadn't had the scare with my kidneys. I just can't do that any more.
Greg, your log is incredible! I work at a military hospital that gets a lot of the casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan; they are actually constructing a new amputee center there (which, not to veer off topic, but.... is NOT a good thing--just means the pre-existing amputee centers are incapable of handling the volume ), and so I have seen a lot of unbelievably heart-wrenching things, both good and bad. My favorite one, though, is when I drive to work in the morning and go past the military track, there is often a guy who appears to have two below-the-knee amputations RUNNING--and the dude is FAST. It is amazing to see, and so is your log.
Thanks! I may get a foot that is the same as the running feet this guy probably has. It would have a foot attachment that would allow me to wear a shoe so I could wear it to work. I've read good things about the military's rehab program for amputees. The rehab that the military does treats the amputee like an athlete and trains him or her to use their new limbs on obstacles, white water rafting, rock climbing. It is pretty incredible. The military has also bought most of the state of the art limbs out there.
I had PT today. I walked 900 feet with a can.
I did balance drills.
I did leg presses. These are an education. I can only press 75 lbs x 2 x 25 with my right leg. My PT explained that a lot of the mechanism that allows me to perform a press with that leg is gone. Have to adapt.
I also did leg extensions. Very weak for the same reason.
Lat pulls 69 lbs 2 x 25. I am pretty weak but this should improve quite a bit because it doesn't have to do with missing muscle tissue.
My walking with the cane was very smooth compared to when I started. I will soon switch to using the cane all the time. Then I will work to get rid of the cane.
The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.
I am taking the day off for football! I did walk around the island of our kitchen wothout a walker or a cane for about 10 feet to hug and kiss my wife and turned and walked back to a chair!
I did walk around the island of our kitchen wothout a walker or a cane for about 10 feet to hug and kiss my wife and turned and walked back to a chair!
wow! 10 feet and back to a chair! when just before it was :
I screwed up today. I forgot I have PT this afternoon.
I did upper body complex with 21.3 lbs
BW Squats 3 x 20
Leg extensions 3 x 8 with 3 lbs
Lower body band workout
PT was hard but it went well. I walked 900 feet on a cane nonstop and while holding a conversation. And while observing how cute the wound specialist was. . . . Did an agility drill 4 x while holding onto a bar. Walked about 50 - 60 ft without a cane or walker. Lat pulls 2 x 20 x 74 lbs. Leg Press 2 x 20 x 84 lbs. Leg extension 2 x 20 x 12 lbs. Stairstepper machine with resistance 1 x 90 sec and 1 x 60 sec. I had spots in front of my eyes when I came home and had to eat an apple. I will sleep well tonight!
I went to my internist today for a checkup. My blood sugar is excellent a1c is 5.1. My BP was up, but it is usually in the 120/75-80 range when my wife or I check it. I lost 4 lbs. I was happy though I wish I could lose weight faster.
I am thinking of changing my eating plan to a low carb/higher fat plan after reading Adam Campbell's excellent article in Men's Health.
Today I did an aerobics tape. It was a walking tape with Leslie Sansone. It was the beginner one mile tape. I used my walker and wrist weights and followed along. You guys missed a trick because it could have won on Americas's Funniest Home videos. I didn't wear tights though.
I'm starting to walk around short distances. I'm a little shaky though.
Haven't been around for a few days because my stepdaughter set up network and it knocks the main computer off. I will have to sit down and figure out what is wrong at some point.
Monday November 27 I had PT. Climbed stairs with a cane. I walked about 200 feet without a cane or walker. Lat pulls 2 x 20 x 75 lbs. Leg press. 2 x 20 with 75 lbs right leg (discouraging) 2 x 20 x 110 lbs left leg.
Rows 2 x 20 x 95 lbs. Leg extensions 2 x 20 with 14.5 lbs with right leg.
Tuesday Christmas shopping and with friends. Walked all over creation with a cane until I got tired and walked all over creation with a walker. Uneven ground is good practice with the cane.
Today: Fried. Did pushups for the first time 9 x and 8 x trouble getting back up. Discouraging.
Haven't been around for a few days because my stepdaughter set up network and it knocks the main computer off....... I will have to sit down and figure out what is wrong at some point..... Fried. Did pushups for the first time 9 x and 8 x trouble getting back up. Discouraging.PT again tomorrow.
Holy Toledo Greg - discourageds at 9 and 8 pushups the first time? And obviously they are likely one legged, which are really harder. We are impressed
Res the computer - have you ever done anything big to a computer and not have it knock off half of what you had going.
I spent most of the day on walking technique. Worked on not looking like Lurch walking down the street. PT still says I will be walking without a cane by Christmas. Bad news is I have a tear on the bottom of my leg. My leg apparently bottomed out in the socket. I need to get the socket adjusted and have been told to keep the leg off for 1/2 day each day until it heals.
I've been walking like Lerch for a while now....it's not so bad.
I suppose not, if your Lurch! But it doesn't look real good if you are just trying to walk like everyone else. Besides it can hurt after a while. My PT says that I walk more normally when I squeeze my butt cheeks together. How do remember to squeeze your butt cheeks together all the time?