<p>One very important thing on working out with lower carbs: drink tons of water or muscle gets metabolized. One reason why tennis works so well: after every two games, you get a water break so it’s easy to stay hydrated if you bring enough water. I brought three 17.5 oz water bottles last week (1:40 in 90 degrees) and went through 2.5 bottles. It’s harder while running if you run straight through without water breaks.</p>
<p>It is interesting that the body adapts.</p>
<p>I just checked my carbs for the last ten days and the range is 50 to 140 grams. Quite a wide range. It has been coming down though, as I find more food combinations with a better balance.</p>
<p>7 miles this morning on my hard course from home. I made it up the big hills in the final miles without stopping to rest! It wasn’t easy, but it was cooler (about 68 degrees) than it has been and a pretty morning. Saw lots of bunnies.</p>
<p>On the glute exercises…I can’t really do the deadlifts right now. It seems to irritate the hamstring attachment. The hip lifts and hamstring curls work better. I can still feel the injury, but not as much. I did the glute roller machine at the gym last night. I hate it, but if I don’t load the weight too much I can do it without much irritation.</p>
<p>iPod nazi made me do another really interesting glute/hip exercise yesterday. I don’t know if it’s something that would help you or not. I can’t find a youtube of it, but it’s based on the “clam”:</p>
<p>The variation is that you do the “clam” from a side plank position using bent knees as the fulcrum. So you bend the knees, side plank up on your elbow, and then do the clam. 30 seconds on each side. I did not find it super-challenging (except the cat jumped down for his head scratching!). I do need all the hip activation I can get.</p>
<p>I averaged 110 g of carbs last week. Net carbs (minus fiber) = 90 g.</p>
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<p>The new Atkins book outlines four levels of carbs:</p>
<p>a) Induction phase, intended as a short-term crash intervention to kick start the change to fat burning. 20 net grams per day.</p>
<p>b) Then, after a few weeks, you shift to ongoing weight loss mode and gradually add good carbs back into your diet to find, through trial and error, the level of carb consumption where you are still losing significant weight, more than a pound a week, for example. This would typically be somewhere between 25g and 50g net carbs per day.</p>
<p>c) As you near your target weight (say within 10 pounds), you again start progressively adding in still more carbs to find the point at which you would only be losing slowly (say about half a pound per week). You would then stabilize at that rate until you have lost the final few pounds (and start to find where your long term carb tolerance would be. Seems like this is often in the 60 to 80g net carbs per day.</p>
<p>d) Finally, you reach your target weight and again progressively add carbs into your diet to find the level at which you simply maintain weight for at least a month. This is your long-term equilibrium point and is often in the 80 g to 100 g net carbs per day, although it could be higher or lower.</p>
<p>I’ve pretty much been in the third level (c) for much of this year, probably 80 to 90 net carbs per day, slowly drifting down in weight. At various times, I’ve added in bread or fruit, so I guess I’ve been learning what a long-term maintenance diet will look like for me.</p>
<p>Then, from the elevated postion, you do the “clam”, opening and closing the top leg.</p>
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<p>I’m pretty sure that where iPod nazi is headed with this is regular side plank (from the feet), raising and lowering the top leg – which is a **very **difficult exercise.</p>
<p>idad, keep postin, I’m following with interest as well. :)</p>
<p>Good job on your run, MOfWC. 68 degrees for me is rated “scorching heat”. I tried running in 80-degree heat (Hawaii) and it was painful. I generate too much heat when I run.</p>
<p>sabaray, the problem with any guidelines is that the general public is relatively uneducated to be able to make nutritionally wise choices. Is biology (including biochemistry) a required HS subject? I do not think so. Additionally, the likes of Kraft and General Mills will make sure that the “plate” will get populated with their refined, packaged products (just like the bottom of the food pyramid was filled with white flour and sugar).</p>
<p>I have decided to add Aleve to my daily pill consumption. I want to see if it helps with the ongoing knee issues. I am hoping this little experiment will help me with the swelling and pain in the meniscus area and help me find out if this is arthritis or something different. </p>
<p>Had a wonderful breakfast. Made a veggie (asparagus/vidalia onion/red pepper) and egg white omelet. Used an olive oil that had garlic and other seasonings in it. Delicious! Trying to wean myself from my once daily light multigrain English muffin until after the wedding. H is now trying to lose 10 pounds before the wedding. Will see how that goes!</p>
<p>I don’t know anythng about rowing machines, except that the Concept 2 is almost as “iconic” in gyms as Airdyne bikes and, I believe, uses the same fan resistance. If I were shopping for a rower, I would have to give serious consideration to their Model D at $900, if for no other reason than the huge installed base of these machines in fitness gyms.</p>
<p>NM, my H is also trying to lose weight but he has been ordered to do so. We’ve had a good time reading food labels together and walking every night (doesn’t take much to entertain us, I guess). He’s been taking Aleve regularly as a preventative, even before his recent efforts - he has quite a few old nagging injuries. Your omelet sounds good - I don’t have it together enough to cook those in the morning before work. Sounds like a good weekend meal.</p>
<p>I was taking Aleve regularly for my knee and arm problems for quite a bit of last year but stopped a few months ago when the pain level was low enough on a regular basis. I do think that it helps in recovery - especially when inflammation is involved.</p>
<p>sabaray…ha! The omelet doesn’t take much time! I cheat and use the leftover veggies from dinner the night before! I always roast up more than we will eat so I have leftovers for my breakfast or lunch. I do the same with chicken breasts. In fact the omelet takes the same amount of time as H’s toast!</p>
<p>I’m going to add that one-legged mini-band drill to my routine. I’m making a concerted effort to improve single leg balance and that looks like its more fun than just standing on one foot. I already end my warmup with mini-band monster walks, so that will be easy to add.</p>
<p>I need to get back to working in the single-leg squat - although that one needs to happen after I’m really warmed up and have done some regular squats or lunges.</p>
<p>Agree that most gyms have a couple Concept II rowing machines. They provide a fantastic workout, IMO. When I learned to row crew, that’s what you practice/learn on before hitting the water. It’s also what you train on. Most people I see using them in the gym don’t have the correct form, but I’m sure you can find videos online that will explain everything.</p>
<p>No idea how the rower at Costco compares to the Concept II. It looks as if it would take up less room, though.</p>
<p>Thanks! I definitely do not have the space required for this Concept machine. :)</p>
<p>LifeCore is a reputable manufacturer. I think I will go ahead and place the order. The most negativity in the reviews was related to the resistance settings not being challenging enough, but we are not uber-professional athlete rowers, so this machine should do. After all, if we do not like it, it will go back to Costco. :)</p>