29.8.13

Accomplished first lifting goal and supplements redux

Most people, when setting goals for a lifting program, tend to set a max weight that they want to be able to lift. I on the other hand, have trouble just sticking to a routine! After I finish tomorrow's session, I will have completed 2nd week of the 12 week StrongLift program and, if you read a previous blog post, I will have completed my first goal - hooray for me! Time to make my next goal which will be another 2 weeks. Taking baby steps, I believe, is the answer for completing long term goals for myself.

Right now these are my lifting stats:

Squats: 5x5 @ 75 lbs
Bench press: 5x5 @ 65 lbs
Barbell row: 5x5 @ 85 lbs
Overhead press: 5x5 @ 50 lbs
Deadlift: 1x5 @ 105 lbs

I've also added a pull-up to my routine because I've always wanted to be able to do 10 in a row (and thus, emulate Linda Hamilton in Terminator!). Right now I can't even do one unassisted. Yesterday I completed 5x5 with a 20 lbs assist.

I think I mentioned on Facebook or maybe on a blog post that I ordered some compression sleeves for my calves/chins. Well, I've been wearing them for 5 days now and I have to say, they are awesome!! For anyone with Raynaud's Syndrome as part of their lupus symptoms you definitely need to give these a try. No matter how much I get my heart pumping at the gym, my feet are usually not stiff or cold but, how do I explain it, just there, just appendages to my legs, just cool, without a whole lot of feeling to them. When I started working out with the sleeves, my feet actually got warm, warm and fuzzy in fact! This maybe a weird comparison but it's the best one I can think of. You know that comfortable, warm and fuzzy feeling you got right after the epidural kicked in in the middle of labour? That's what my feet felt like! My ankles felt fluid, like water or greased some how. Instead of feeling, really, nothing, they felt fantastic! I ordered these. They are cheap and not fancy, but they are working great!

So, supplements. I did a post a while ago on the ones that I used regularly. This has changed a bit so I thought I would update you on what I'm taking now. I tend to switch it up every now and again to ensure that what I'm taking has an effect on my overall health and trying new things that may help as well. You don't want to be taking supplements and spending a ton of money if they actually don't have much of an effect on your health. I've found that as my diet gets cleaner, some supplements just aren't necessary because I'm getting enough from what I eat everyday. Also, as your gut heals, nutrients become more bio available because a healthy gut can pull more nutrients out of the food you ingest.

Fish oil - I quit the Costco brand and switched to Carlson's Elite Omega 3 gems. The quality is so much better. They are more expensive on the surface but I used to take 6 Kirkland Softgels per day and now I only need to take 2 Carlson's daily.

Turmeric - I started taking Organic India Turmeric to add an extra anti-inflammatory to my diet. I take 2 caps a day.

Magnesium - Totally helps with my sleep. I have never had such deep sleeps until I started supplementing with magnesium. I definitely was not getting enough through my diet. I take Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium

Fermented cod liver oil - I take one Green Pasture Blue Ice cap a day

::Robyn

7 comments:

  1. I am going to have to check out those compression sleeves! I have such trouble during the cooler months working out because of how terrible the Raynaud's has gotten in my feet.
    Have you found any effects with the cod liver oil on your lupus symptoms?
    Take care!

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    1. I couldn't recommend them more. Warm feet when working out makes such a big difference! Yes to the cod liver oil. My explanations of how various things I do affect my symptoms are all very scientific aren't they? Like warm and fuzzy feeling, fluid, greased, etc!! Well, there's no exception with the cod liver oil. I find that if I don't take it, I don't get bloated per se, but my rings get a little tighter on my fingers and my veins pop out a little more on my hands and wrists. There is no pain or stiffness but I'm definitely more uncomfortable. It's harder to close my hands into a fist because there is so much pressure inside my fingers. Same goes for my feet. Weird stuff but I'm sure someone with lupus can relate!

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    2. I definitely can relate! Some days I feel like I can't bend my fingers at all. I'll have to get some. :)

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  2. Many thanks! This post seems to have done the trick!

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