The Health, Wellness, weight loss, and fitness thread

[Big Mon]

I've finally quit smoking!
I just hit week three and I feel great. I've tried to quit so many times, made it to 1-2weeks before falling back into it, and I was worried that i just tried too many times to be motivated enough to do it.... but I did
I've been working out and eating well for the pas 6 months so it was the last vice I had, and it heavily contradicted my lifestyle so I knew this was coming. This was my first time doing it cold turkey though, since I'm an avid weightlifter i figured if I made the commitment there's no point having nicotine in my body. What helped the most was drinking lots of water. I love drinking water and instantly feel healthier whenever I do, so for the first week or so I was drinking probably 30 cups a day. Probably placebo but it felt like I had immediately flushed the nicotine out of my system and lost the physical addiction.
Since then i've been lifting much more weight and feeling better in the gym, which only motivates me to stick with the quitting.
I feel very good

Congrats, man! I'm on Day 15 of quitting myself. But I cheated. I got on Chantix. But then I've smoked for 24 years, so I needed the extra help. Non-smoker bros unite!

[D.o.S.]

Two months and change for me. This is, I think, the second longest quitting stint I've had since I started being a real smoker. Feel fat now.

[wsas3]

Great job guys
Bloo- after 24 years I'd say quitting by any means is a miracle in itself, you're kicking ass man. I'ts only been 6-7 years and a very addictive personality for me :
DOS-I feel you on that, but in my opinion that weight that smoking keeps off is sickly, the weight you put back on is your body getting back to homeostasis. All heathy weight. Plus for me I need to put on weight so that's a plus

[Big Mon]

Two months and change for me. This is, I think, the second longest quitting stint I've had since I started being a real smoker. Feel fat now.

I've been a fat piggy-beast since I quit. It's sort of ridiculous.

[gunslinger_burrito]

Congrats guys. High fives

Don't fret about feeling fat. Just hang out in this thread more often

Oh, I got a blender.
Now I need some good recipes that aren't going to just be a shit ton of fruity sugary-ness. With protein. Has anyone used raw eggs in a smoothie? I kind of want to use it to make a quicker breakfast for when I have to be to work stupid early in the morning and I need my protein.

[alexa.]

I use hemp protein powder, for all the essential aminos <3 Can go in any shake. And wheat grass powder for all the minerals and stuff.
So basically, my blending recipes come down to, whatever I've got at home and feel like blending
Think I'll try carrots and bananas today.

Raw eggs have protein that is hard to degrade by the human body and you don't get as much from it as you would from a heat-treated one. (which is interesting, since heat-treating usually lowers nutritional value of food in most cases)

[gunslinger_burrito]

Still can't shake the tendonitis. Just about the ONLY thing I haven't tried is stopping upper body workouts entirely. I've played guitar maybe a total of 2 hours in the past two-three months, and I haven't been drawing with my right hand for over one month. It's slightly better, but it just won't go away. And there's SO MUCH conflicting information out there.

I've been looking into muscle imbalances, like Vidret suggested, however, depending on what site I check out, some say that the condition arises because the extensors are weak, while others say it's because the flexors are weak. Another way to put it is either the extensors are much stronger than the flexors, or vice versa.

I'm about to go crazy.

For you dudes who have had tendonitis, did you wait to do the strengthening exercises until after the pain had gone away completely, or did you start them when it had mostly subsided, or what? I can't find a general consensus on this one. Do I need to lay off everything until it goes away, and only then start the rehab/prehab?

[Twangasaurus]

Dude, fuck the internet and go see someone who can evalute you on an individual basis. Go to an OT or a physio, get a splint or some anti-inflammatories or whatever and deal with the physical stuff in the manner that they advise. You're only prolonging your misery by trying to solve this on your own and I want you to get back to doing the shit that makes you happy.

[gunslinger_burrito]

Thanks. I do have a list of names I'm going to call tomorrow when I get home from work. The subject (of tennis elbow) is pretty damn broad and all the conflicting information makes it harder. I'm actually hesitant to use NSAIDs because there is also tendonosis, in which they would be slowing the healing process.

So yeah, I'm gonna check the doc and see if he can tell if it's -itis or -osis.... or whatever

[Twangasaurus]

Yeah man. I would seriously consider not just going to see a GP but an OT. I mean, it's pretty much the definition of their job to get you back to doing what you want to do or if it's something that isn't going to go away get you to manage it.

I've had nerve trouble (somewhere) in my left arm for ages and I've never gotten a proper diagnosis despite a bunch of pretty expensive tests. I just have to put up with the fact that my left hand isn't as strong as it should be and occasionally I lose all feeling in it. So yeah, feel your pain man. These things can be a clusterfuck.

[untilshewokeme]

Finally started going back to the gym for the first time in like 10 weeks. Going at 4AM didn't work during winter when I would have to battle single digit temperatures and shoveling 6" of snow every other day. Plus I started sleeping better so I didn't want to wake up.

[Big Mon]

If I'd have known that Yoga and meditation can make me feel like this, I'd have quit the weed a long time ago (I quit in the first place because A. I couldn't find any where I live now, and B. because it was the only way I could ever quit the cigarettes, which I've been off of for 2 months). Totally not bashing weed, as I think it can be of great benefit to many. I just...don't need it to feel high.

[gunslinger_burrito]

That's awesome. I really need to get back into meditation.

[Big Mon]

That's awesome. I really need to get back into meditation.

Yeah, man, it's really working out for me. I'm sort of addicted to it now

[gunslinger_burrito]

Rad. I'm getting addicted to gymnastic strength training. There's a school here in Denver that's pretty cool. I'm probably going to sign up for a membership once my intro classes are done.

Speaking of which, that means I'll be paying more money every month. I don't think I'll mind in this case, as I'm pretty obsessed with GST....however, I'll probably have to learn to make nutritious meals on a budget. So if anyone has a good meal plan that's dairy and mostly grain free (I'm not paleo, but I am allergic to dairy, and I DO feel much better without wheat) I'll give you some fuzzbreaux hugz right here in front of everyone. My workouts might get into higher volume, depending on how I adjust to the intensity of the classes.

Mostly, I think I'll eat more protein dense grains like quinoa and lentils, and I'll try and spread my meat consumption out a little more. Still, any thoughts would be appreciated