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7/26/2009 11:20:12 PM

aha. i take a quite few vitamins per day.
the first one is a multi (2x/day), then fiber(4x/day although the "serving" is 6"), then calcium(1x/day), biotin (1x/day)then magnesium(1/day).
i have a few others that aren't as important that i cycle throughout the week (ginseng, cinnamon, etc)

i have to use one of those days of the week pill cases.

7/27/2009 7:44:25 AM

well if you take a multi what else do you really need? besides calcium (for women) i get that you still might need to supplement that. and i guess i understand the fiber. do i need all the other stuff? serious question...not a troll at all.

7/28/2009 2:14:20 AM

i was taking

a super b complex, biotin, magnesium, fish oil, primrose oil, ester-c, occasionally tryptophan and tyrosine

7/28/2009 2:19:00 AM

i just don't know what i am supposed to take!

i feel like i trust ^ the most but....i should take more than a multivitamin? i guess that is my real question.

7/28/2009 2:27:05 AM

^^^oh no. i was expecting that.

those vitamins are the result of months of studying my normal eating habits.

my fiber intake on food alone runs from 30-75%/day so when taking fiber i can expect to get anywhere from 70-115% per day, which is fine by me.

the magnesium allows for more energy, my foods eaten were low in it at some point, but i may need to reevaluate that one, same with biotin.

basically my vitamins are carefully picked out for my needs alone. (using sites that tell me my intake...which actually i think i may need to do an overhaul in the next couple of weeks to tweak it).

i have a scary low metabolism and i dont get all the nutrition i need


[Edited on July 28, 2009 at 7:37 AM. Reason : fitday.com is a great source to use too ]

7/28/2009 7:33:02 AM

When I saw this, I got excited because I immediately thought of Cher's outfit in Clueless.... I don't know why but I always admired that outfit



I also love this



I think I'm going to get those for my trip

7/28/2009 8:35:02 AM

All Miracle Bra Swimsuits are $15 top and $15 bottom at Victoria's Secret Today.

7/28/2009 8:37:38 AM

One a day is crap. They don't use chelated minerals and other more expensive but also much more easily absorbed forms.

I take these, might add some citrical but I'd been taking calcium only for so long I created a serious magnesium deficiency: http://www.nowfoods.com/Products/ProductsByCategory/Category/M004241.htm?cat=Minerals

I'm finishing up a bottle of nature made multis but after them I'll probably be switching to NOW multi vitamins as well. I also take ginseng, coq10, magnesium citrate, alpha lipoic acid, acetyl-l-carnitine (ALA has to be taken with the carnitine, take the carnitine because my bloodwork showed a deficiency), cod liver oil (was having night vision problems, sign of A deficiency), and when I can remember it fish oil. More than most people need, but with all the medical crap I've been going through I definitely notice that these make a difference.

7/28/2009 9:08:21 AM

i take a multi, calcium, magnesium, fish oil, super b complex, glucosamine, flax seed & protein for women powder supplement from trade joes

my trainer told me to stick vitamins in a glass with vinegar. anything at the bottom is just junk. she said a lot of the cheaper vitamins will use saw dust type shit for fillers and you have to actually read the labels to see how much of the supplement is actually in the pill

i tell you what, i took the glucosamine like a maniac when i trained for the first half marathon i did and my knees hurt but my hips killed. the second half marathon, i did a shit ton of hip flexor exercises and didnt take any glucoasmine... worst pain of my entire life. my hips were money but my knees were a wreck. i wish i had taken the glucoasmine the whole time and done more knee work. so for anyone with knee type issues, it really does work (for me anyway)

7/28/2009 1:19:04 PM

^ahhh i for got mention...i take flax seed oil too.

and i have multitudes of protein powder.....



any recommendations for *iron free* supplements (preferablly high in B vitamins)?

the NOW looks promising...

[Edited on July 28, 2009 at 1:30 PM. Reason : ...]

7/28/2009 1:26:07 PM

^^^^ I really like that cardigan. I think I might go get the yellow one, and one of the gray/green ones too.

7/28/2009 1:29:37 PM

Joie, you have a super low metabolism yet eat all the time (according to your fb statuses :beatup yet you're skinny as a twig and it looks natural. Do you spend your life at the gym??

I have a poor metabolism too which needs to be supplemented with lots and lots of gym time and eating lots of small portions of healthy stuff or I fatten up immediately.

7/28/2009 1:34:33 PM

Quote :

"Quote : "The food pyramid is supposed to be a complete diet" based on the RDA.... Quote : "So, you may wonder, why did the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services set the RDA levels so unrealistically low? Dr. Linus Pauling also asked that question, and answered it himself. After studying the RDA standards thoroughly, this famous Nobel Prize winner concluded that the RDA's daily nutrient allowances are "enough to keep people barely alive in ordinary poor health."" Despite the fact that many of us homo sapiens are overweight, the vast majority of us are undernourished so yay vitamins and EFA supplements"

7/28/2009 1:39:57 PM

i had my metabolic rate tested too and im below average. i was told to eat smaller more frequent meals to help boost it up

7/28/2009 1:49:00 PM

Quote :

"yet you're skinny as a twig and it looks natural. Do you spend your life at the gym??"

haha thanks , i work really freaking hard. i spend a LARGE amount of my time at the gym. more so than people imagine. Everyday.
i forgo social events to go to the gym.
i eat superbly slow to make sure i don't overeat.
i weigh out my food and make my own snacks so i know exactly what i am eating.
i am not a naturally skinny person...



^^and that's a great find...where is that?

and...

Quote :

"yet eat all the time (according to your fb statuses "

hahaha thats because when i do eat something awesome (read:cookout) i am so stoked to get the fattiness that i cant normally have i make a celebration out of it. lol. funny-
but im being serious



[Edited on July 28, 2009 at 2:09 PM. Reason : ^yeah. so hard to do when most social things are centered around food!!]

7/28/2009 1:50:46 PM

its an excerpt from a book i own

7/28/2009 2:11:58 PM

Do you guys count calories?

I, too, have to eat frequently (5-6 meals per day) to keep from gaining weight and/or fainting.

My blood sugar is really screwy and if I don't eat frequently enough, I end up on the floor.

7/28/2009 2:22:29 PM

cut back on the refined carbs some

do some research on glutamine, it has some usefulness in staving off a sugar crash


and fatsecret.com is a wonderful resource

as well as myeverydayhealth.com

7/28/2009 2:30:04 PM

I essentially live on South Beach and RARELY eat sugar or carbs (with exception to wine). It's way worse when I eat carbs, so I tend to live on salads and protein.

7/28/2009 2:31:39 PM

Joie, I really like the now minerals. I only found one other multi mineral without iron. Be careful when ordering, they have two different kinds of multi minerals. The caps are iron free but the tabs contain iron.

Here's a list of some iron free multis: http://www.mothernature.com/shop/sections/index.cfm/s/99585

Now has some iron free multis as well, but they don't clearly label them all as iron free so you have to check them all. Here's one that is labeled iron free http://www.nowfoods.com/Products/ProductsByCategory/Category/M003627.htm?cat=Vitamins

It's really hard to find a low iron or iron free multi. It seems to interfere with absorbing everything else and I've never been anemic so I'd rather get the other things (RBC count in the upper 1/2 of normal, ferritin was normal as well). Some of the now are lower iron and I might get one of them.

7/28/2009 2:33:04 PM

i semi-count. im very much aware of what i eat and how much of it im eating

i eat at restaurants a lot due to my job so i either eat sushi (raw) as much as possible and have sushi spots staked out all over my territory, or i'll stick to salmon or salads with very little to no dressing

of course i'll indulge in a burger now and then, and i'll ditch the bun.

my job presents a zillion opportunities to drink alcohol on a very regular basis, so very frequently i either have one or zero drinks, or like joie, i forgo the event to work out and skip the calories

joie, what do you do at the gym and how long does it take? sometimes i spend 2 hours several days a week at the gym and i feel like im barely keeping up and making little progress. sounds like your metabolism is severally low, im just curious but as kiwi said, you are in very good shape without being sickly skinny

7/28/2009 2:35:08 PM

I am lucky. I have a sensitive stomach. Being gluten free means I have to pass up all bread, cookies, pizza, and beer (except for a gluten free frozen pizza which is expensive and not that great). Too much fat and I start having trouble as well. When I first started having thyroid problems I gained a little weight, but was able to get back to about the same weight with a little cutting back. I started bicycling at the same time and built a fair bit of muscle so I'll never be the same weight again unless I starve myself but that's ok. Except for when I try to find women's jeans that fit over bicycling thighs when I was naturally pear shaped to begin with. Learned the hard way that using the muscles closest to the fat does not make that fat disappear first.

7/28/2009 2:41:00 PM

yeah alcohol is no friend of a hypoglycemic, its a pretty potent sugar.

but glutamine is good for the sugar cravings

Quote :

" Glutamine: This is a fabulous amino acid when it comes to blocking sugar cravings. I call it "God's gift to Hypoglycemics" because in emergencies it can be absorbed directly into the blood stream, bypassing your intestinal tract. Relief from cravings comes swiftly by opening a capsule and dissolving it in your mouth under your tongue (it tastes mildly sweet.) Inside your brain, glutamine converts to glutamic acid, the only other source of glucose available to the brain. So it becomes a great alternative source of brain fuel that will stop cravings set off by glucose levels that are dropping too low. (Alcoholics using glutamine this way can and do successfully stop cravings for alcohol, which speaks loudly to these cravings having a hypoglycemic basis.) Niacin (B3): This vitamin is essential for the regulation of blood sugar and the production of energy. Because niacin seems to lift the entire glucose curve, it stems the fall into insulin shock. "Time released" niacin avoids the uncomfortable flushing effect that occurs when straight niacin is used. Niacin is safe to take without medical supervision. However high doses may affect a damaged liver, so if your lab test or medical history shows liver function abnormalities, do not use niacin without medical monitoring. Chromium: This mineral is essential for sugar metabolism. It helps to stabilize the glucose tolerance curve for both hypoglycemics and diabetics by raising levels that are too low and lowering diabetic range levels. Eating refined sugars forces a twenty percent increase in the loss of chromium from your body, depleting the stores needed to control abnormal glucose fluctuations. It is important to take a well-absorbed type of chromium such as reacted chromium, not inorganic chromium salts. Magnesium: A double blind study done with hypoglycemics proved that 600 mg daily of magnesium stabilized blood sugar and blocked the plunge into a hypoglycemic state in all persons receiving this daily dose. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is magnificent against stress. The adrenal glands use large amounts for hormone production. Adrenal supplies of Vitamin C become severely depleted as a result of the overproduction of adrenalin needed to stop the disastrous drop in blood glucose. Adrenal exhaustion and ongoing anxiety develop as a result. We will talk about undoing this state in Section Five on Anxiety. Pantothenic Acid (B5): This B vitamin is essential for restoring the adrenal gland hormones, always exhausted from coping with hypoglycemic ups and downs. Replacing lost pantothenic acid will help repair this damage and restore your natural buffer against stress. "

7/28/2009 2:44:26 PM

thank you lewoods! ill check those out

and i am a pretty decent calorie counter...monday through friday i count almost everything (i occasionally will munch on a handful of raisins or something that i don't count)
saturdays and sundays (and sometimes friday nights) i do not count-however this does NOT mean i'm not thinking about what i am eating.

at the gym, ok, wow-i used to do lots of cardio mixed in with light resistance training. then i did boxing for about 2-3 months..about 2-2.5 hours/ day (mon-fri) but now i dont have that much time for it.

i'm now doing cardio mixed with much heavier resistance training.
i work out about 6 days a week. sometimes everyday. even if i just do the stairmaster for 20 minutes or something...

Quote :

"sometimes i spend 2 hours several days a week at the gym and i feel like im barely keeping up and making little progress. "

this totally sums it up

i was suggested to take my caloric intake everyday for a while-no dieting, the only stipulation was that i ate until i was full (no more) and ate what i craved.
my average caloric intake with no weight gain or loss- 900-1000 (1100 on a "good" day) cals
and this was with working out 5x or so a week.

and the doctor(s) told me that that's its not dangerous...i'm actually extremely healthy-i just get by with a lot less....which sucks because i <3 eating

i've since bumped it up to 1200ish cals but i do work out a bit more.
and i have added about 1% body fat in the past 3 weeks or so.
but its all good....its a slow progression that takes time you know?








[Edited on July 28, 2009 at 3:13 PM. Reason : sorry so long-this is actually hard for me to talk about for some reason]

7/28/2009 3:02:47 PM

^ I wonder what would happen if you trimmed down your workout and did quick two-a-days instead? Two-a-days boost your metabolism and you spend less time at the gym overall. I lost about 15 lbs when I shortened my overall workout time from 3 hours down to 40 min to an hour a day. You'll end up with more free time, which could help relieve stress.

Do you experience stress in your life? Stress will cause your body to produce more cortisol, slowing your metabolism. So get plenty of sleep, rest your muscles and relax a bit.

7/28/2009 3:17:02 PM

^i actually started that today

i went in early this morning and i m about to go for a quick run (20 min or so) in a little bit.

ive done that route before but maybe i didn't stick with it long enough?

we'll find out

and my stress levels are all over the place. some days i'm carefree, others i am freaking out. im sure stress does have an effect on it all...im trying to work that out

[Edited on July 28, 2009 at 3:22 PM. Reason : hgg]

7/28/2009 3:20:24 PM

I have a big crush on Joie, lucyinthesky, and especially NCSUWolfy.

7/28/2009 3:26:06 PM

^^ Maybe instead of two harder workouts, try something more relaxing (yoga, swimming, power walking) for the second workout. Especially if it's a slightly more stressful day.

^ You're 12. Cougar hunter!

7/28/2009 3:34:10 PM

Has anyone used Ziana or Aczone?

My derm prescribed Aczone 2x/day, and Ziana at bedtime. Ziana is a combination retinoid and antibiotic.

It looks like most people have one of two experiences with Ziana:
It clears everything up right away
It makes everything worse (moderately to severely) before fixing things

I was wondering if anyone on here has tried it and would describe their skin type, experience, type of acne, and other factors.

I get cystic acne on the lower half of my face more than I'd like, and the reason this bothers me is because when I scar, they turn purple and fade very slowly.

I'm reading up on aczone now.

7/28/2009 3:46:55 PM

EEEEEEEEEK! I just found out that tomorrow I'm going with one of the owners of Meschantes (http://meschantes.com) to buy the fabric i want for a custom corset (so it will truely be one of a kind!)

i'm totally going victorian, i already have several others and this is next on my list

I'm STOKED!!!!! I LOVE them (seriously-the owners are stand up amazing people).

ok, im done

sorry ambrosia-continue

[Edited on July 28, 2009 at 4:20 PM. Reason : gjhh]

7/28/2009 4:19:19 PM

Quote :

"i had my metabolic rate tested too and im below average"

..you can get your metabolic rate tested? Say whaaat? Where (probably a doc?) and how?

7/28/2009 4:40:19 PM

^^lol ♥

7/28/2009 4:55:50 PM

I've used Ziana. I only used it for a few weeks because it made my skin feel really gross and oily all the time

tbh the otc Neutrogena face wash I used now has worked better than anything else I've tried and I've tried A LOT of shit. then again my face could be chilling out finally b/c I'm growing out of teenage fail skin

7/28/2009 5:04:53 PM

smcain, i had it done at my gym (lifetime fitness, but docs can do it too im sure)

i went in at 6am and had nothing to eat beforehand. they put this mask deal on my face and i sat with my feet elevated in a dark room for like 20min. its actually a resting metabolic rate test. it is the best estimate you can get for how many calories you personally burn in a day with no activity.

i burn like 900-1000 on my own and i think the average for females my age is 1200

it was around $80 and they gave me advice on how to improve it so i can burn more calories with the same amount of work. so after that i did the max vo2 test, which tests how effectively your body uses oxygen during incremental activity. that was about $90 and came with a 90 day workout plan.

the best thing about the vo2, for me, was that it revealed at what heart rate zone i burn the most fat. by doing interval exercise (which was given to me, post test) i can train my body to burn more calories from fat at a higher heart rate zone, thus getting more bang for my work out buck

an example: my test showed i burn the most calories from fat in zone 1. sweet, right? not exactly, that means i'd have to basically walk at a moderate pace for a really long time to burn significant calories to eliminate fat. so through a 90 day program, i gradually trained by body to burn fat in a higher heart rate. this means i can do a shorter work out, but still burn the same amount of calories from fat. what most people end up doing, is just working out until they're essentially out of breath, and while it's good for your cardiovascular health, it does little to nothing for fat burn and you're burning mostly from sugar.

i could be slightly off on some of this, this is what my trainer explained to me before and during the tests.

the idea is to have the tests redone so you can continue to make progress. i had the tests done back in november, but i havent had the money to do it again.

also, for ladies serious about trying to lose weight or even "tone up" (dont worry, you wont get bulky, for the millionth time!) you can buy a body fat calculation device from any sporting goods store or online. you enter your stats and grip the handles and it gives you a very good estimation. this is much easier to calculate than the pinch method which i find tedious and complicated

http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306-Body-Fat-Analyzer/dp/B00006WNPU

you should aim to lower your body fat percentage and build muscle because, as you know, it burns more calories than fat and takes up less space in your body. yeah it weighs a little more but i'd take a bump on the scale for a drop in the fat % any day.

last thing... public service announcement: make sure you're doing weight bearing exercises and strength training to build good bone health. but all of that doesn't mean anything if you're not getting your calcium! shit is for real, take care of it so you don't hunchback later in life

7/28/2009 5:56:33 PM

As a girl who changed her habits concerning food and working out this information is incredibly useful to me. Thank you so much ladies!

7/28/2009 6:05:07 PM

brainysmurf --- thank you thank you thank YOU for posting those vitamins for hypoglycemics... I am pretty much constantly craving sugar

7/28/2009 6:09:35 PM

kiwi, you should check out womens health magazine. its not that expensive if you have a subscription and i find it to be a very down to earth, legit womens magazine that does a good job covering health.

they offer legit food advice and tips, recipes and different work outs. they also dabble a little in beauty and fashion but they don't get distracted and do a great job at focusing on the magazine title.. HEALTH (they also cover sexy times issues as they relate to health, holler!)

7/28/2009 6:10:36 PM

^ Prevention is a GREAT mag for tips.

7/28/2009 6:13:14 PM

^ & ^2 My Grandma got both of those and she lost like 20 lbs from following their advice

My goal is to lose 25 lbs by January so I am taking note of everything you ladies say

7/28/2009 6:14:05 PM

wow. im glad this got brought up.

thanks guys. seriously

7/28/2009 6:21:16 PM

^^ I would recommend that you focus on inches lost or dress sizes lost rather than numbers on the scale. Exercise can make you gain muscle and lose fat. You could gain a pound and lose a dress size.

Also, strive for balance and sustainability. The best diet and exercise is a lifestyle change that you can commit to for the long haul. At one point, I spent three hours a day at the gym. Had a little bit of an exercise addiction/obsession. But it's tough on your body. And imagine how hard it will be to do that + starve yourself when you have children. It's not a great example to set for your children. Balance and moderation are key (unless you're an Olympic hopeful).

7/28/2009 6:25:59 PM

^ Yeah, I am more of an inches/size person myself... I just set the 25 lb mark because my endocrinologist just wanted me to have a "goal weight." She did tell me though not to get discouraged if the lbs don't melt off -- she wrote down my inches so I can focus on them. I also felt a lot better because I knew if I got down to 135 (the recommended weight according to the BMI chart for my height, I would look emaciated). Technically I will still be in the "overweight" category at 145 lbs but I will look a normal weight (thanks big boobs?)


I'm really focusing on preparing lots of fruits, veggies, and dishes with protein. I basically wiped out all my cabinets a month ago and restocked everything (that was awful on the wallet, but good for my health). I've been doing a lot better... My whole problem is I just crave sugar a LOT.. whether it be bread here, something sweet there, etc..

I appreciate all these tips though because obviously it works for yall!!

7/28/2009 6:30:39 PM

You may want to just quit refined sugar for a week and see what happens. When you take a break from it, oftentimes you don't crave it as much about a week later.

7/28/2009 6:32:20 PM

awesome foods

-grapefruit
-almonds
-extra virgin olive oil
-spinach (not to be eaten with grapefruit. the grapefruit keeps the body from absorbing the iron in spinach)
-oatmeal (not flavored! from the tube, just add raisins for flavor)
-coffee (esp before a work out, personally)
-eggs
-string cheese
-yogurt (watch that calorie and sugar count! light n fit is my fav)
-beans
-brown rice
-turkey
-berries!!!
-protein powder
-whole grains (not multi, dont be fooled)

this has been said before, shop the perimeter of the grocery store. that's where you'll find the best stuff and keep yourself out of trouble. i usually only venture into aisles for soup, popcorn, crackers, oatmeal and alcohol (lol whoops)

7/28/2009 6:32:28 PM

^ Great advice. Seriously, just shop in the perimeter of the grocery store. My two exceptions: wine and cocktail olives. Remember: if it will live forever on the shelf, just imagine what it's doing in your body.

Also, be very careful about the amount of sugar and saturated fat in any prepackaged foods. And DO NOT EAT PRODUCTS WITH HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS and CORN SYRUP. These are all essentially sugars and offer NO nutritional value. These ingredients are hidden in many foods. Read the ingredients list before you buy.

7/28/2009 6:40:41 PM

i'm a sucker for pouch tuna and soup

7/28/2009 6:49:08 PM

i eat pouch tuna too, and even pouch salmon

but i get real picky on the soups as far as calories and sodium go. campbells has a really delicious healthy selection line but its a little pricey

7/28/2009 7:15:28 PM

^im calorie picky, but i dont pay much attention to sodium (as i should)


french onion ftw


and duuuuude-i was always under the impression that multigrain > whole grain.

ha.

storing in memory bank. now.

7/28/2009 7:19:34 PM

Pouch salmon is super convenient, especially if you're making salmon salad. Also obsessed with packaged smoked salmon.

Canned soups make me puffy from water retention. And many contain high fructose corn syrup, so I try to avoid them. I love a good tomato basil soup though.

Homemade gzpacho ftw!

7/28/2009 7:20:42 PM