Jollybeard Member

Your doctor did not recommend the topical gel? It has been effective for me.

That's pretty much what I thought might help. The other part of the question is whether there's any particular advantage to doing the extra reps on the same day as the rest of the routine (e.g., extra curls on bicep/back day) or after a period of rest. Maybe it doesn't matter at all - I don't know.

I do a mix of barbell and dumbbell work. I take your point, however. The barbell work might very well be where I have an unbalanced effort.

I always thought that grits and polenta were different things, that one was coarser than the other. Is this incorrect? Regardless, I like my polenta with roasted vegetables on top and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Polenta also matches well with tomato and tomato sauce.

totally matters ... you'll never unlock the secret level if your streak is broken.

About 25% of my daily calories. I'm guessing that a percentage is probably a more helpful answer to your question. Breakfast also accounts for about 30% of my carbs, 25% of my fat, and 20% of my protein.

It's difficult to tell what your motivation is for posing the issue in the first place. If what you want to hear is that it is okay to simply eat corn, potatoes, watermelon, and apples then you can find someone who will tell you that (eat those foods in moderation and at a calorie deficit and you'll be fine). Truthfully,…

A heart monitor is just about the only thing that is going to give you something close to a definitive answer here. With a difference of 0.5 mph, I doubt your body knows much of a difference between brisk walking and running. But I'll tell you this, if you are chugging 4.0 - 4.5 mph up mountainous hills, then even a brisk…

For breakfast, try some steel cut oats. You can even cook them overnight in a slow cooker. Add some dried fruit or seeds ahead of the cooking for some additional carbs. For a snack, try some popcorn.

Silken Tofu + White Miso Paste + Garlic + Herbs Blend, heat, and enjoy. It is delicious and while not exactly alfredo sauce, it is very close.

Also, I'm 42. So I think that disqualifies me from being considered a "young guy," how ever that factors into this discussion.

Awesome. Thanks for the response. This is very helpful.

Adding muscle definition and strength is the extent, I would say. I'm not attempting to body build or something like that. But I'm being wishy-washy. I'll just be a bit vain and say that I currently have a runner's build and it feels a little scrawny on me. I want to appear to have more muscle.

Good points. And what you are saying is consistent with what I've been reading about SL 5x5. I should just trust that those muscles do get worked, as advertised, and learn to ignore some of my more naive perceptions. Another good point. A year seems like a while, but only relative to my own experience with fitness programs…

MapMyRun correlates well to the data I get from my hear monitor.

Salvation Army, Goodwill … seriously.

From what I've read, "clean" seems to have a pretty squishy definition. Here (http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/food-health/food-and-health-news/what-is-clean-eating/) "clean" is defined as a food that is eaten in its natural state or as close to it as possible. Okay. So, what is the natural form of a quest bar? Arguably, the…

The rule of thumb that I've read is that if you are out for more than 60-70 minutes, then you'll want to refuel some sort of carb. Your muscles are simply going to run out of glycogen by that point. For me, I mix a scoop of a powdered carb/electrolyte formula (Carbion, but most any brand will do) into water and then sip on…

Compression socks are not going to help with the arches. That is almost certainly a shoe issue. I recommend that you go to a running store and have a staff member look at how you walk and run. They will help pair you with a shoe that provides proper support for your particular foot strike. Switching to Brooks is not…

I don't get Skrillex either. Or dub step in general, for that matter. I'm listening to War Paint -- their self-titled album.

I've been running now for about three years, and I put in about 35-40 miles per week. One would figure that a guy who runs that much per week ought to love running, right? The truth is that I usually don't and I would guess that many people who tell you that they do love running are stretching the truth. Don't…

Seems like there was room for additional etiquette on both sides. A "please" is always a good idea, but this guy seemed to have his pride hurt a little, being asked to clean up after himself. His remark seems like an attempt to save a bit of face. And to be perfectly honest, it took me a few months before I picked up on…

Loved Wind-up Bird Chronicle, but had a hard time getting into 1Q84. I made it a couple of hundred pages in and my attention just wandered. It's the first Murakami book that I haven't finished, and I'm not sure why it is. It's not like his other books are any less surreal.

LOL … I haven't read it, but I'm guessing that you were trying to read it to someone in the intended age group and s/he may not be fully invested in the idea of a book without pictures? For what it's worth, I've been reading books from Jeanne DuPrau's _Book of Ember_ series. The first two (_City of Ember_, _People of…

I don't see anything alarming in that routine. The speed walking might put similar strain on your legs and joints that the canyon running does, but if your body doesn't complain then I wouldn't worry about it. You could choose to play things even safer (although not necessary, I think) if you mixed in some lower impact…

I agree with the general sentiment here that logging resistance/weight training in MFP is a pain in the neck. Instead, I use a separate trackers (Jefit) which is much better suited to the task. As to the strategy that you take, I would suggest reading around a bit on the differences between "toning" and "bulking" -- I'm…

Yes on pull ups. Wow those are hard.

Definitely add the strength training. Work on your core, hamstrings, and glutes will not only help with the toning but will certainly help with injury prevention.

I think your best bet would be to go to a store specializing in running gear. Ask someone there to recommend a shoe. They will probably measure your arch and evaluate your gait to find a shoe that supports you in the right places. Short of that, you might try to evaluate your own shoe needs using an online tool like the…

I agree with the general sentiment here. Running does get easier over time -- physically, anyway. What remains hard is the mental toughness it requires to get out on the road or the treadmill and stay there for the miles you have planned. Whether it's cold, or raining, or snowing, or hot, or hilly, or humid, it's easy to…