Evondo's Group - CLOSED! (Page 120)

I need help, what is a good INEXPENSIVE anniversary gift for a spouse?  My wife and I have our 6th wedding anniversary this weekend.  INEXPENSIVE as you can tell is a key, our funds are short due to our new apt, kid's tuition and life etc..  I was thinking about a wardrobe..  Since she needs one for the new place (and it's already in our apt budget) but I thought it might be kind-of not an anniversary type gift.  She's already arranged a "date" night this weekend.  She claims she doesn't want anything but I still want to get her something...

Is anyone in the group a big time nutrition person?

I ask because the docs have me on iron supplements to help with my anemia in recovering from the surgery.  They are doing a number on my stomach and it's just awful.

I asked the doc if instead of taking the supplement if I could instead supplement my diet with iron rich foods like red meat, spinach, etc.  He looked at me like I had two heads and actually said, "if you take the pills you're guaranteed to be getting enough iron, I don't want to reccomend that you change your diet and then have you not be sucessful."

All in all, I eat really well and think that I could just add a steak a week and probably be just fine with iron, but I don't know the mechanics of all of it.

Would it be as simple as seeing how much of a supplement they have me taking every day and just increasing the amount of iron in my diet by that much rather than taking the pill?

Any oponions or info would be very much appreciated as my tummy hurts bad enough wtihout taking this extra supplement!

This might not be helpful, but my favorite gifts from husband are things that he knows I like but won't spend the money on for myself.

So for example, I am a total coffee addict, but I typically buy the cheap stuff because I can't justify spending $10 on a bag of coffee that I will likely drink like it's water in a week.  One anniversary he bought me an expensive bag of coffee (probably $20 for the bag).  Cheap gift, but something really decadant that I woudln't buy for myself.

Same thing with wine.  I'll drink the $4 a bottle stuff, but he'll surprise me sometimes with the more expensive stuff and I love it.

Not sure what your wife is into, but soaps/lotions or spa services can be great gifts.  A nice pedicure isn't terribly expensive, and if it's something you woudln't typically treat yourself to, it's the best gift ever.

Yup, yup  Power Tap Threshold Test Saturday.  I may do it again on the trainer to compare but I would like to see how it goes outside on a flat, straight, unrestricted (lights/ traffic) course.  Once you make the turn on the seawall in Galveston you are gone for miles.  The rain in the forecast has moved back so it may actually be decent.  I am guessing start time of 7:30 in Galveston.  We started pretty close to where the race course turns on the seawall last time.

Looking forward to it.

There, fixed that for ya! 

+1  I love the gifts where it is something I want but just won't spend the money on myself for some reason or other and Tina brings it home for me.  At a minimum it shows your listening.   

Nicole,

Funny you should ask this question today. I have a B-12 deficiency which affects my iron absorption. Regardless of whether you are consuming or supplementing correctly the key is absorption. Here is some info I just read that you may find helpful:

Let me start by saying Popeye was wrong.  Don’t expect to get some killer forearms every time you eat a can of spinach!  In fact, the iron in spinach is very poorly absorbed.  There are two forms of iron that you can consume, heme iron and non heme iron.  Heme iron comes from meats, fish, poultry, and about 25% of the heme iron you eat is absorbed.  All other iron, including iron from supplements, vegetables (like spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables), is absorbed at a rate between 3-15%.  Now, you may have heard that some things like orange juice can help you absorb more iron—and this is a half truth.  The reality is that Heme Iron absorption (the iron from meat) is always around 25% but the iron from the non-heme sources, well, that depends on other things in your diet.  Certain items enhance non-heme iron absorption like Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and some things inhibit non-heme iron absorption like coffee/tea, alcohol, and the fiber found in whole grains.  Some prudent dietary guidelines to increase iron intake and absorption include:

•  
  1. Eat lean meats
  2. Be creative about adding high Vitamin C foods to your non-heme iron foods (add mandarin oranges, green peppers, and tomato’s to your salad of dark green vegetables)
  3. Use a cast iron pot (a little of the iron from the pot/pan ends up in the food!)
  4. Eat foods that are higher in iron.  A good source from the USDA: http://tinyurl.com/l7kkg8
  5. Reduce coffee, tea, and alcohol intake

You can make your own "coupons" and give them to her... a 30-minute neck rub (foot, back, etc)... movie/dinner night where she picks the movie/dinner...make a dozen or so coupons for various things so she can have her pick throughout the year. It's thoughtful, you can make them as romantic as you want, it's virtually free. 

I've had to take iron in pregnancy so I know of what you speak.  Here are some things to try -
Floradix - it is liquid iron and you can get it at Whole Foods or Vitamin Shoppe - nasty crap but good for you and not as hard on you.
Cast iron skillet - We have one, you can get them cheap wherever you get camping supplies and it is absorbed in everything you cook in there especially high acidic foods like tomato sauce.
Kale and spinach are good and raisins can help as well.  Kale isn't something I eat much of but recently had some saute'd in olive oil with red bell peppers and it was YUMMY!
Alfalfa - I took capsules of this when pregnant both for iron and because we didn't do the vitamin K shots with the girls post birth.

Just some thoughts for you.

If having cankles makes you fast then I am gettting implants!!  Good lord thank goodness you will be wearing a tux for the wedding pics. lol

Wait those legs are a guys? I just thought that chick needed a razer!!

Nichole you need aflac. You would make a killing off that duck. Glad you are getting better.

Thanks for the great suggestions.  I think I'm going to do both.  Now I just have to remember what she doesn't like to spend money on......  hmmm  

Ice baths, anyone do them?  So, the ART dude pretty much said to ice, that part of the way to avoiding the scar tissue building up is to ice.  I of course knew that but whatever...knowing and dealing are two very different things of course.  So does anyone ever take an ice bath after their long runs?  Does a little ice go a long way?  I guess I will give it a try. 

During the beginning of my training when I was recovering from my half marathon, I took an ice bath after every "long" run to help with recovery and it really helped. My knee was bothering me and I think it worked wonders.

I would fill the tub with cold water first then have my kids add the ice. They enjoyed dumping ice on Daddy.

trin2bfast,

Well I took your advice and bit the bullet and now I look as dorky as you do, minus the skinny calves.

I bought the giro advantage 2.

YES!!  I don't do it on a regular basis.  But after a more intense or especially long, long run, or at the end of a really high volume week it works wonders!  I can usually tell when my legs are in need of an ice bath.  Not gonna lie, the first couple minutes are a bit brutal but once I hit the 5 minute mark I'm fine.  I usually try to stay in for 15 min, or least 10.  Same as Justine, I fill the tub with cold water and then add the ice.  I wear a pair of shorts and bundle up on top as if I was going out in zub-zero temps (fleeces, neck warmer, hat gloves, cup of hot tea).

EvD I have a Q for you. I am starting to have some should pains. Pretty sure its the rear section of the rotator cuff on the rt arm.  Infra-Spanatus area. During swim doesnt bother afterwards pretty sore. Since I sleep with my arms above my head and this will bother me at night it sucks since I cant sleep like that. Is there anythign that I would be doing while swimming making it hurt. I know the usual rc rehab stuff since I had some good left should inj.

On the ice thing I have a big bucket I put my calves in after 90% of my runs. I can sit in a chair and have both legs up to my knees in the bucket. Dont really do the whole legs.

I did some ice baths when I was training for the half marathon and HATED them.
My ART guy likes me to ice too but I just ice the area rather than my whole lower body.
If you do ice fill the tub first and then get in with a sweatshirt on and something interesting to read.
The first person told me sit in an empty tub and then fill it which is CRAZY because you're cold for a long time before you're submerged and you're in there longer.  I've read several threads and the consensus seems to be a warm shower after does not negate the benefits of the ice bath so I'd get out for a few minutes and then hop in a warm shower.

I have a nutrition question regarding my race in ummmm 11 days....  This race is going to take me about 3.5 hours give or take.  I will eat what I usually eat before the swim and know I need to take nutrition on the bike but not sure what to take.  Will some Gatorade and Chomps be enough?
When I race I usually stop drinking on the bike about half way through (for a sprint) so I'm not really sloshy on the run so I'm thinking I'll stop drinking with about 5 miles left on the bike?  I'm not used to running 6.2 after getting off the bike, any suggestions for what to eat on the run?

I am not sure I would eat on the run.  You could bring an energy gel in case, but you should be able to get the necessary nutrition you need on the bike.  I'll skip the nothing new on race day speech cause we are past that now.   I also would make sure to get solid foods, if your going to have any, in early on the bike.  The closer to the run time the less you should look to solid.  Solid foods are hard to digest on the run.  Maybe a gel or sport drink the last hour on the bike. 

I treat hydration as an all day every day thing.  I find I can do long rides/runs on minimal water cause I am always hydrated.  So I never feel that sloshy feeling.  Hum, minimal water is the wrong word but I don't know how to word it.  I still drink enough. 

I would caution about getting too many calories on the bike though. 

Minus a core workout later I am done for the month.  Numbers for March are way better then February but I am still not overly happy with them.  I really need to get the long bike rides in.  My race is not until the end of June so I am not in panic mode yet but I know the bike course is a hard hilly one and I do not want to go in there soft on the bike.  Especially since I am anticipating a hard long swim and a very hot run.

So, goals for April, get the long rides in. 

March's totals:
Bike:	13h 25m 43s  - 202.49 Mi
Run:	13h 52m 12s  - 87 Mi
Swim:	8h 13m 09s  - 17350 Yd
Strength:	1h 33m
Stretching:	57m 05s

February's totals:
Bike:	8h 52m 58s  - 115.08 Mi
Run:	8h 52m 34s  - 56.38 Mi
Swim:	4h 41m 28s  - 9350.39 Yd
Strength:	33m
Stretching:	35m 05s

After marathons & after my IM - I suffered through it.  YES, they help (I TRULY BELIEVE)... but I do not use them after long bikes or runs during training.  Only ice (pack) if a specific issue arises. I believe in the stretching (which I am getting better at doing) and the rest/recovery time.

Bath tub with cold water... get in and get used to that... then add a bag of ice (like from the stop-n-go, Circle K, Buccees, 7-11.... you get the idea)  That is plenty.

That should be plenty... what I have learned - is that it is better to take in less then more nutrition on the bike.  You can make on far less than you really think (biggest mistake WE, (I), et. al. make in regards to nutrtion and longer events is taking on too much, which results in GI issues)

Chomps, GU, water & Gatorade you should have enough calories to sustain ya. 

For example... my Olympic plan is bagel, PB & honey in the AM, sips of Gatorade before race start. Water & Gatorade on the bike with a GU towards the end of the bike or at the start of the run (by the first aid/water stop - take the GU/gel with water) and that's it.

Edited by Trin2bfast 2010-03-31 11:47 AM