When it comes to half- marathon training no man is an island. Building and maintaining communication with a training support system will help you stay motivated as you prepare for and accomplish this feat.Having a support system helps you to be accountable to someone else besides yourself and provides additional encouragement when you need it most.
Your training support system can consist of anyone you choose as long as those people believe in you and are willing to take the time to provide encouragement and discipline to help you stick to your goals. Be sure to involve them in your training and share your goals – as positivity will keep you on track. Keep in mind your GBI team will also be there for you as your primary or additional support system.Training with a compatible partner, or as part of a group of runners with compatible goals can be especially beneficial as they can provide support, motivation, humor, structure, information exchange, and sometimes coaching.Once you have determined who will be in your support system, take the following steps:
1. Make a list of things you need help with during your training
2. Make a list of the people in your support system
3. Regularly communicate your goals and progress to these people
After months of encouragement and helping you stick to your training goals, the people in your support system can stay updated on your race-day progress through “Runner Tracking” offered by the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half-Marathon.With “Runner Tracking,” real-time updates of where you are at in the race can be sent to your friends and family via text message, by signing up here: https://www.competitorwireless.com/
If you have yet to build your support system, please start thinking about who those people could be and have a serious conversation with them to see if they are willing to be a part of this undertaking.And remember, Team GBI is here for you every step of the way.
Yesterday we learned about the importance of hydration and how to properly hydrate before a workout. Today, we explain how to hydrate during and after a workout and the risks of drinking TOO MUCH water.
During and after:
During a workout, drink ¼ to ½ cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes throughout your training session. In hot weather, you will need more because of increased water loss due to sweating. Your thirst mechanism is blunted during exercise, so don’t rely on drinking only when you are feeling thirsty. Set your watch to go off every 15-20 minutes to prompt you to take a drink.Post-workout, recover with two to three cups of water.
Too much water:
Staying hydrated is important, but it’s possible to overdo it.Drinking excessive amounts of water can cause a rare, life-threatening condition called Hyponatremia. This occurs when someone drinks so much water that they dilute the sodium in their blood. It can cause a clouding of consciousness, nausea/vomiting, lightheadedness, dizziness, and in severe cases, seizures, unconsciousness or death. Drinking no more than eight ounces every 20 minutes typically provides enough but not too much fluid.
I hope this two-part series has answered any of your concerns about hydration while training for the Half-Marathon in December. Keeping the right amount of fluid in our bodies is an important routine that we should all become familiar with.If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to leave us a comment in the box below.
To those of you who were able to attend, we hope you had a great experience at the first official Half-Marathon team training this past Sunday. For those of you who weren’t able to make it, we hope you participated in your own training session to prepare for the big walk/run in December.As you begin the training for this amazing physical feat, please get into the habit of drinking sufficient amounts of water before, during and after a workout. Especially during these hot summer days, staying hydrated is vital to your health and performance.
In this first part of our two part series on hydration, we will explain why our bodies need water and how to hydrate before a training session.Tomorrow, we will discuss how to hydrate during and after a session and the dangers of over hydration.
Our bodies are made up of 60% water. Every reaction inside of our bodies happens in water, from digestion through muscle contractions to converting fat into fuel that our muscles use during a long workout.Studies have found that a loss of two or more percent of one’s body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue and heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Hence, the essential need to keep the right amount of water in your system.
Before:
Did you know if you wait until you are thirsty to take a drink, then it is already too late to catch up on replenishing your fluids during that workout? That’s why you must hydrate BEFORE you begin working out. It’s recommended that the average person drink at least 16 ounces before, but not immediately prior to a workout. Your body needs time to take in and distribute the fluid. You should not quickly drink two glasses of water and bolt out the door for a walk or run.Two to three hours prior to a workout, drink two to three cups of water (think of it as the 2:3 rule).
Please check back tomorrow, or sign up for our RSS feed to see the second part of our series on hydration.
Do you find that you are physically hungry between meals? While many patients have become aware of their mindless snacking patterns throughout the day, others may actually be experiencing physical hunger. If this applies to you, please take a few minutes to think about the recommendations below to assist in alleviating hunger between meals.
Are you getting enough protein?
I know many of you have been told to eat 60 grams of protein per day, 20 grams per meal. Sixty grams of protein is for minimal health, not optimal health goals. Research is now showing that for optimal weight loss and minimal muscle loss, the magic number is 90 grams of protein per day. Keep in mind that for every pound of muscle, your body burns calories 4 times as fast. Many of you may have lost an initial amount of weight but cannot seem to lose the rest. This could possibly be due to muscle loss.
How does a bariatric patient get 90 grams of protein?
Following the 4 ounce rule (3 ounces in protein + 1 ounce of additional food) you receive approximately 60 grams of protein per day. We are now recommending that you have 3 meals plus the addition of a protein shake each day. The shake will add the extra 30 grams of protein you need to your diet. Please note that the protein shake is not equivalent to a fourth meal.
After bariatric surgery it is difficult to get the recommended fiber intake of 21 – 35 grams per day.
Fiber has the great benefits of filling you up and assisting you with staying satisfied between meals. Bariatric patients can consume the recommended amount of fiber by adding Chia seeds to their meal plan. Chia seeds expand in your stomach pouch making you feel as if you are full. We recommend consuming one tablespoon 3 times per day to reach the minimum requirement of 21 grams of fiber. Remember, when eating Chia seeds you need to make sure you are drinking water. Chia seeds can be added to water, protein drinks or other foods. You can purchase Chia seeds in the GBI office or at Whole Foods.
Are you still experiencing hunger in-between meals?
After assessing your protein and fiber intake, band patients who still feel physically hungry may need to make an appointment for a fill.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or post a comment here!
At the most recent support group meeting, several patients who have not yet had gastric band surgery were in attendance.To the approximately 40 gastric band patients in attendance, these pre-op patients posed the question: “What was the hardest lifestyle change they needed to make to be successful with their weight loss?”
Not a single post-op patient raised their hand when asked if better food choices and avoiding junk food and sweets was the hardest lifestyle change after gastric band surgery. No one raised their hand when asked if exercising and being more active was the hardest lifestyle change they had to make. But all forty patients raised their hand when asked if eating slower and taking smaller bites was the most difficult change. If you are thinking about having surgery and know someone who already has a gastric band, ask them this question.
If you are preparing to undergo a weight loss surgery, please consider all the changes you will need to make to be successful with your weight loss and maintaining that weight loss.If you feel you may struggle with instituting those changes, you should seek the support of others who have done the same.If you are not willing to make those lifestyle changes, then weight loss surgery is not for you and will not be able to help you.Weight loss surgery is a tool, not a miracle cure.If you are interested in attending the Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas support groups, please call us for a schedule at 702-313-8446.
Recently, there have been reports about Gastric Band Hypnosis.Basically, a hypnotherapist recreates a gastric band operation on a patient while under hypnosis and when they awake they believe that they have actually had the procedure.Some hypnotherapists go to great lengths to recreate an actual operation scenario, including placing the patient in a hospital gown and mimicking the operating room setting.I find it flattering that the success of the gastric band has lead to this “pretend” band procedure.The description of the procedure that I read actually takes longer than the 20-30 minutes it takes to perform a real band procedure.In my professional opinion, nothing can compare to the long term success of the real gastric band.For now, Dr. Atkinson and I will continue only performing real gastric band procedures.
One of the latest potential weight loss techniques currently being evaluated in clinical trials is the TOGA System by Satiety, Inc.Recent news articles have raised awareness about the device and early results show at least some initial benefit following the procedure. The transoral gastroplasty is done by inserting a stapling device through the mouth into the stomach and creating a smaller pouch to hold food.The advantage of this technique is the avoidance of the tiny laproscopic abdominal incisions needed to perform gastric banding, bypass, and sleeve gastrectomies.However, like the other procedures, general anesthesia is still currently required with the TOGA procedure.
Whereas the durability of the weight loss from bypass, gastric band, and sleeve gastrectomy is well documented, whether this will hold true for the TOGA procedure is still very much undetermined.The TOGA procedure is most similar to the gastric stapling procedure, which was abandoned 20 years ago because the majority of patients regained their weight as the staple lines eventually reopened.This does not occur with a properly performed sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass as the stomach is completed divided, not just stapled.
It is still too soon to tell if the TOGA procedure will have long term benefits.As we have always done, Dr. Atkinson and I will continue to monitor the newest weight loss techniques to decide if they can be of benefit to our patients in Las Vegas.
After several months and many, many short run/walks, group run/walks and strength training sessions, Team GBI crossed the Half Marathon finish line December 6, 2009. Excitement, accomplishment and even a little relief were felt as each GBI patient finished the 13.1 mile Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon course. Below are some photos from race day.
On Friday, December 11, 2009, Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Soong, Marathon Coach Prudence Ticknor and Team GBI gathered to celebrate and share stories about their marathon training and race experience. Food, support and friendship were shared at this congratulatory event! Below are some photos and a video from the dinner.
Congratulations team and good luck in your future trainings and races!
Congratulations on completing your half-marathon training for this year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on the Las Vegas Strip! We are very proud of you, your weight loss success and your dedication to healthy lifestyle changes. That’s what Gastric Band Institute’s philosophy is all about.
Remember to have fun on race day and keep your friends and family close by for extra support. Also, be sure to share your training and marathon success stories with others.Your journey is an inspiration to us all.
Deciding to walk/run in this year’s Las Vegas half marathon is a great feat to accomplish.So, don’t be shy and be sure to ask your friends and family for support on race day.You will want the encouragement of the crowd cheering you on.What will be better than seeing a friendly face in that crowd?!It will be a lot of fun for the spectators (and us) because this year the Las Vegas Marathon is being put on by Rock n’ Roll Marathons who will be organizingmusic stations on/near the marathon path.
Here are some tips to help guide your friends and family so they can make sure that they see you during the race.
Start/Finish Line:
This year’s race will be starting at Mandalay Bay.The start line is actually located on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of the hotel casino.The race will also finish at Mandalay Bay in the parking lot at the south end of the property.So, for early or late risers this is a good spot to show their support!
Las Vegas Strip – Between Reno and Sahara:
This year’s course is set up so that spectators will be able to catch half marathon runners anywhere along the strip, not once, but twice!Your friends and family can pick their favorite spot on the strip and they will have the opportunity to see you heading northbound and then southbound when headed toward the finish line.
Las Vegas Strip – Southbound at Spring Mountain Road:
At this point in the race, the half marathon participants will have less than three miles remaining to the finish line!Less than half a mile north of this location there will be a band stage on the Desert Inn overpass.This is a great spot for spectators to catch some music while also showing their support on race day!
Also, be sure to tell your friends and family that Las Vegas Boulevard is CLOSED for the race.If they are coming from west to east or east to west they will need to find a parking spot on that particular side of the Strip.Parking will most likely be jammed so be sure your friends and family have a game plan in place before leaving the house!
The race is only one month away.Keep up the good work and be sure to share this blog with your friends and family!
Your training support system can consist of anyone you choose as long as those people believe in you and are willing to take the time to provide encouragement and discipline to help you stick to your goals. Be sure to involve them in your training and share your goals – as positivity will keep you on track. Keep in mind your GBI team will also be there for you as your primary or additional support system. Training with a compatible partner, or as part of a group of runners with compatible goals can be especially beneficial as they can provide support, motivation, humor, structure, information exchange, and sometimes coaching. Once you have determined who will be in your support system, take the following steps:
