# Send0 Reloaded - a recovery log



## Send0 (May 30, 2021)

I've been avoiding making a log, because I'm lazy... but here I am anyway. This log isn't to really track my workouts, instead it's to track and address some issues I've observed in my body over the last 3 months. I need to resolve all these issues before I consider another blast _(hoping around end of September time frame)_

I will be documenting my workouts, glucose measurements, mood, and any other interesting observations during this time. I will not be documenting my diet; just trust when I say my diet is clean, I am getting plenty of calories, and that the adjustments I have made are aligned with steps to improve insulin sensitivity. Again, this is not a bulk/cut thread... it's a healing journey, so this log may seem a bit odd compared to some others on here.

_*To be clear, I am not looking for criticism or critique. There's a lot of additional information I'd have to provide to give full context, and frankly I'm too tired and lazy to sit down and explain the in's/out's of my situation. This is more of a way for me to track my "progress", and determine if I need to make adjustments as time continues. When I do have questions, or need feedback/help, then I will clearly ask for that input. Please respect this request, thank you.
*_
*My Issues:*
*1. Rehab/Heal my left shoulder* (currently working with physical therapist, and massage therapist)

*2. Fix Insulin sensitivity* - by coincidence I've been taking my blood glucose measurements 2 hours after eating, and it's clear that I have an insulin sensitivity issue. I am not diabetic, but it's clear that I need to address this sooner rather than later.

My morning fasting reading is hovering around 122 before fasted cardio, and about 99 - 105 after fasted cardio.
My two hour post meal readings are around 120-130 if I sit on my ass. Sometimes it's been as high as 150 - 180.
If I do 20 minutes of LISS cardio post meal then I can bring it down to 105 - 108. However doing this every time I eat is unreasonable long term.
I feel extremely fatigued and lethargic after eating; really I feel tired when my serum glucose is above 90, to the point where I start falling asleep shortly after eating. My goal is to hit a 2 hour post meal serum glucose level of 90 or lower.

*3. Fix Iron (anemic), Zinc, and Magnesium deficiencies.*

*My Protocol to address issues*
*1.Shoulder rehab/healing:*

Continue to work with PT and MT.
Continue deloaded pressing lifts, and pulling lifts for chest/back/shoulder _(50% of normal working weight)_, and mobility based exercises at home.
For chest/back/shoulder exercises; use new swiss bar, and multi-grip bar, to put shoulder in a healthier position than a straight bar.
Focus on strengthening rear delt, teres, and rhomboid; especially in left shoulder/back.

Continue using standard working weight and intensity level for Leg day.
Continue using BPC-157 twice daily, and TB-500 twice weekly
Continue existing GH protocol; yes I realize GH can contribute to insulin resistance, but my dosage is low. I will eliminate GH if I do not see improvement in insulin resistance over the course of the next several weeks.

*2. Insulin resistance/sensitivity:*

Reduce total carb intake by 50%; increase fat and protein to make up the difference.
Change some starchy/grain carbs to ones that are more fiberous based.
Take two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 20 minutes before every meal
For the first 2 - 3 weeks, take 500mg of berberine 20 minutes before every meal, and also immediately before going to sleep
Take 3-4g of psyllium husk powder _(fiber)_ with every meal
1 day per week will be a fasting day; water intake only.
Continue to do 15 minutes of LISS cardio after eating.
Continue to monitor serum glucose 2 hours post meal
Evaluate and adjust based on if improvements are positive/negative/neutral.
If improvements are not seen, consider adding injectable L-carnitine _(though the science on this is kind of meh at best)_

*3. Iron (anemia), Zinc, and Magnesium*

2 week loading phase of 65mg of ferrous sulfate 3 times a day with a dose of vit. C _(loading phase is completed, just documenting it here.)_
Continue taking 65mg of ferrous sulfate 1 time per day, with dose of vit. C
Before bed, take daily dose of ZMA
Get blood work in ~4-6 weeks to see if bio-markers have improved, and indicate issue is resolved.


----------



## transcend2007 (May 30, 2021)

Ah ... I only have 2 hours per day allocated to SI ... could you condense (create cliff notes version) ...


----------



## Send0 (May 30, 2021)

transcend2007 said:


> Ah ... I only have 2 hours per day allocated to SI ... could you condense (create cliff notes version) ...



Sorry but no I can't; despite the length of text, the entire thing only takes 5 minutes or less to read... and I took the time to format it very well to make it easy to digest. I literally spent an entire hour constructing the first post for that very reason. If people can't commit 5 minutes to read, then that's fine with me. Thanks for checking in anyway.


----------



## rawdeal (May 30, 2021)

Send0 said:


> _ . . . _
> 
> _*To be clear, I am not looking for criticism or critique. There's a lot of additional information I'd have to provide to give full context, and frankly I'm too tired and lazy to sit down and explain the in's/out's of my situation. This is more of a way for me to track my "progress", and determine if I need to make adjustments as time continues. When I do have questions, or need feedback/help, then I will clearly ask for that input. Please respect this request, thank you*_. . .



"To be fair," there was also this.


----------



## TODAY (May 30, 2021)

I don't hate this approach, but be prepared for a few weeks of GI discomfort as you adapt to increased fiber intake and berberine use. Berberine in particular gave me some of the most horrendous farts in recorded history.

In any case, this could be a super fascinating log. I'll be following.


----------



## Jin (May 30, 2021)

I hope both your shoulder issue and insulin sensitivity will improve. Good luck and thanks for such a unique log.


----------



## CohibaRobusto (May 30, 2021)

Sounds good. I find these kinds of things helpful, it always benefits to see what kind of issues people are dealing with and how they do so. Good luck on your journey.


----------



## Send0 (May 31, 2021)

Had a good workout; the new swiss bar has eliminated the pain in my shoulder completely. Still going to focus on being deloaded, and strengthening my injured areas. In regards to meals/insulin sensitivity; I can already notice a minor improvement based on my protocol. I was running behind on my meals today so I had to combine meals 4 and 5; which means I had a giant meal at the end of my day. I think this created an anomaly where it was difficult to get my serum glucose to budge much.

Going forward, I think I will only do serum glucose tests when I start to feel extremely tired or bitchy; these test strips cost too much to use 10 - 11 per day.*

Mobility/Rehab work
*Spider crawls
Inch worms
Reverse bear crawls

*Lifts *_(bench was deloaded to 50% of working weight, all other lifts are 35% of working weight)
_*Mood pre workout* = borderline falling asleep, not cranky... just fighting the urge to nap
*Mood post workout* = a lot more energy compared to pre workout.. no longer feel like falling asleep, but still slightly lethargic
*Chest supported rear delt fly's:* 10lb x 20, 10lb x 18, 10lb x 15, 10lb x 10
*Side Lateral raises:* 15lb x 20, 15lb x 15, 15lb x 12, 15lb x 12, 15lb x 8
*Dumbbell shoulder press:* 25lb x 12, 25lb x 12, 25lb x 9, 25lb x 8
*Bench press (swiss bar):* 135lbs x 15, 135lbs x 15, 135lbs x 12, 135lbs x 10, 135lbs x 8
*Dumbbell flys:* 20lbs x 15, 20lbs x 12, 20lbs x 10, 20lbs x 10, 20lbs x 8
*Chest dips (body weight only):* 20, 20, 16, 12, 10
*Tricep rope pull downs:* 50lbs x 10, 50lbs x 8, 50lbs x 6, 35lbs x 12, 35lbs x 8
*Tricep overhead cable extension:* 30lbs x 15, 30lbs x 15, 30lbs x 11, 35lbs x 8

*Meals + Serum Glucose
**Meal 2*

*​**carb sources* = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap/tortilla
*1 hour post meal *= 126 glucose, *mood *= sleepy/cranky
*2 hour post meal + 15 minute LISS* = 81 glucose, *mood *= energetic/upbeat.. feel really great
*Meal 3*

*carb sources *= low carb meal... sweet potato, frozen blueberries
*1 hour post meal *= 118 glucose, *mood *= slightly lethargic
*2 hour post + weight/resistance training* = 92 glucose, *mood *= energetic/light, feel decent, not as good as 2 hour post meal #2
*Meal 4* - _had to consolidate meal 4 and meal 5. Not looking forward to spike in glucose_

*carb sources* = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, brown rice
*1 hour post meal* = 104 glucose (surprising, weight training must've been more intense than I thought), *Mood *= slightly lethargic, not as bad as 1 hour post meal 2/3.
*2 hour post meal + 15 minute LISS* = 101 glucose, again surprised, but then again this was an excessively large meal. *Mood *= unchanged, initially felt good after LISS, but then immediately went back to feeling slightly lethargic.
*Total water intake* = 6 liters


----------



## lifter6973 (May 31, 2021)

A few ?s on your low iron. Do you donate blood regularly? There is research showing that those who do may develop deficiencies as the iron levels drop and do not bounce back for some. Along those lines, if you get stomach discomfort, go with ferrous gluconate over ferrous sulfate as FG is easier on GI tract.


----------



## Send0 (May 31, 2021)

lifter6973 said:


> A few ?s on your low iron. Do you donate blood regularly? There is research showing that those who do may develop deficiencies as the iron levels drop and do not bounce back for some. Along those lines, if you get stomach discomfort, go with ferrous gluconate over ferrous sulfate as FG is easier on GI tract.



I am ashamed to say that I do not donate frequently at all. Last time I can think of is 2017 (I'm a bad human :32 (7).

Looking back on past blood work.. I think there were signs  I was anemic as early as 7 years ago. I think going on blast for the first time in a decade, and lifting as heavy as I could before I got injured, was enough stimulation to make the symptoms of anemia apparent. Then I looked at my blood work which confirmed some of the symptoms I was seeing. 

So I think this has actually been a long standing issue I never noticed or paid attention to before... because I had been a lazy, garbage eating, potato of a human being for all those years... and potato people don't need very much iron to get by :32 (18):


----------



## Send0 (Jun 1, 2021)

Woke up way too late, and had too many things to do today. Had to consolidate my calories into 4 meals instead of 5. I really don't like these larger meals, there is just so much to digest. I also wonder if these larger meals are skewing my glucose results, and making my 2 hour readings higher than the 1 hour numbers in some cases.

Anyway, since I got up so late there was no mobility work or lifting that occurred; other than the 60 minutes of fasted cardio, and post-meal cardio's that I've documented in my observations/notes about my diet and insulin sensitivity. 

Fasted Glucose (pre-cardio) = 109, Mood = awake, energetic
Fasted Glucose (post-cardio) = 102, Mood = annoyed... glucose barely dropped, wtf.
*Thoughts *= Was the small drop because I did not have water yet? Was cardio too light (124bpm instead of 135bpm)?


*Meal 1*


carb sources = Frozen blueberries, old fashioned oats
post meal activity = 15 minutes of cardio (only 125bpm)
Water = 0.5 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = did not feel tired; so I did not measure it.
3 hour post meal glucose = 118, mood: annoyed/irritated about glucose level
*Thoughts*: was glucose high because I forgot to drink water until 2 hours later? cardio not intense enough? wtf?
*Meal 2 *


carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap
post meal activity = 18 minutes of cardio (132bpm), grocery shopping
Water = 2 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 68, mood =  fantastic
2 hour post meal glucose = 98, mood = feel tired
*Thoughts*: I think glucose went up because I took 2iu GH 1 hour post meal; or maybe the meal was too slow to digest, and therefore my glucose numbers kept rising instead of declining from the 1 hour reading? Both seem plausible.. hmm.
*Meal 3*


carb sources = sweet potato, frozen blueberries
post meal activity = 17 minutes of cardio (132bpm) between the 1 and 2 hour readings
Water = 1.6 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 108, mood = slightly lethargic
2 hour post meal glucose = 74, mood = fatigued, but upbeat
*Thoughts*: This surprised me. I thought for sure the fruit and sweet potato would have spiked glucose more than Meal 2. Perhaps this is because this meal was faster/easier to digest and release its sugars, and therefore the 2 hour reading declined from the initial reading?
*Meal 4*


carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, jalopenos, brown rice (only 1/3 cup for flavor)
post meal activity = 19 minutes of cardio (121bpm); no energy at this point
Water = 1 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 91, Mood = worn out; cardio after every meal is not sustainable
2 hour post meal glucose = 113, Mood = exhausted... I'm regretting trying to be healthy
*Thoughts*: I don't know why glucose went up; is it because the vegetables are slow to break down and convert into sugars, therefore a spike in serum glucose is delayed towards the 2 hour post meal time fram?. All I've had is water. I'm about to go to bed, so I took two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and 500mg of Berberine. Let's see what my fasted glucose is tomorrow pre-cardio.


----------



## TeddyBear (Jun 1, 2021)

Send0 said:


> Woke up way too late, and had too many things to do today. Had to consolidate my calories into 4 meals instead of 5. I really don't like these larger meals, there is just so much to digest. I also wonder if these larger meals are skewing my glucose results, and making my 2 hour readings higher than the 1 hour numbers in some cases.
> 
> Anyway, since I got up so late there was no mobility work or lifting that occurred; other than the 60 minutes of fasted cardio, and post-meal cardio's that I've documented in my observations/notes about my diet and insulin sensitivity.
> 
> ...




This diet sounds really rough man. Hang in there.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 1, 2021)

dted23 said:


> This diet sounds really rough man. Hang in there.



Adjusting is pretty hard, borderline miserable. Trying to fix insulin resistance is way more grueling than puking after an intense set of squats.

My diet was 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fat. Now it's 50% protein, 20% carbs, and 30% fat. What's difficult are two things:
1. Doing cardio after every meal, and then trying to put the calories I burned back into my diet.
2. Reduction of my carbs, and then also replacing 80% of my remaining carbs with fiberous content instead of grains or starches. This makes it difficult to get down this much food, and it leaves me feeling drained/low energy. It's only been 3 days, and I can see that glycogen muscle stores are already near depleted. I look flat AF.

I literally hate this... but it needs to be done. Insulin resistance makes it both hard to drop fat, and hard to put on lean muscle tissue. 

My goal is to do everything in my power to get my body working 100% so I don't waste my next blast, like I did with my last one. Hopefully I can achieve that goal, we will see.

Sorry for the long winded response. I'm feeling whiney, and venting momentarily helps me stop being a little b**** :32 (18):


----------



## rawdeal (Jun 1, 2021)

If your plan works, someday you'll be a *big* bitch, and nobody will argue  ......


----------



## Send0 (Jun 2, 2021)

Glucose numbers have improved a pretty good amount since yesterday. The numbers are lower, and the 1 hour and 2 hour measurements are closer together. I did try to not do cardio for Meal #4 to see if I could get away with it, but nope. I'll just have to keep at it and hope that my serum glucose stabilizes enough to where I don't have to do cardio after every meal... because it's really not sustainable. Today was supposed to be leg day, but I literally couldn't do it because my legs are fried from all the cardio.

If I didn't care about my health, and if I was a lazier person, then I'd just pop metformin or take 1iu of insulin after eating and be done with it.... but I'm stubborn, and I want my body to work on it's own with as little outside "help" as possible.

Fasted Glucose (pre-cardio) = 101
Water = 0.5 liters
Mood = awake, alert


Fasted Glucose (post-cardio) = 88
Water = 1 liter
Activity = 60 min of cardio (Max incline, 2.5mph, 123bpm)
Mood = energetic, light on my feet
*Thoughts*: I feel good, but I had no energy to get my heart rate up.


Meal 1
carb sources = Frozen blueberries, old fashioned oats
post meal activity = 16 min of cardio (128bpm), moved heavy gym equip, chores
Water = 1.5 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 90, mood = energetic, but slight brain fog
2 hour post meal glucose = 106, mood: still have energy, but slight sleepiness
*Thoughts*: I thought my 2 hour would be below 100. I thought this meal would be fast digesting. I wonder if it's the oatmeal, or combination of high protein + fat slowing the digestion and release of glucose.


Meal 2 
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap
post meal activity = 22 min of cardio (124bpm)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 87, mood =  energetic, but slight sleepiness
2 hour post meal glucose = 96, mood = still have some energy, but a little foggy
*Thoughts*: I think glucose went up because I took 2iu GH 1 hour post meal


Meal 3
carb sources = sweet potato, frozen blueberries
post meal activity = 16 minutes of cardio (118bpm), laundry
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 84, mood = awake/alert, but tired
2 hour post meal glucose = 94, mood = alert, not foggy or sleepy
*Thoughts*: None


Meal 4
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, jalapenos, brown rice (only 1/3 cup for flavor)
post meal activity = 15 minutes of cardio (110bpm); no energy at this point
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 113, Mood = Tired and Sleepy as all f***
2 hour post meal glucose = 79, Mood = exhausted
*Thoughts*: I was doing pretty good today, and cardio after literally every meal is not sustainable. I had to skip leg day because I'm just too burnt out from the excessive cardio it takes to drive my glucose down. So I decided to not do cardio, and see what happened at the 1 hour mark. After seeing my glucose at 113, I went and did 15 minutes of cardio. I constantly feel like I'm going to burst from all the fiberous carbs and water intake. It's a very uncomfortable feeling that makes moving feel difficult.


Meal 5
carb sources = frozen blueberries
post meal activity = none (as of now)
Water = 0.5 liters
1 and 2 hour post meal glucose: not measured
*Thoughts*: I'm too tired at this point to eat. I made a shake, and threw in cod liver oil to slow digestion. I'm also about to pass out. So there are no glucose measurements for this meal.


----------



## Dadbod103 (Jun 2, 2021)

The rest of your meal effects your insulin not just your carb sources also fyi I can solve your problem

Marijuana Decreases Insulin Resistance, Improves Blood Sugar Control (healthline.com)

And you are 160lbs at 6foot1 or something who is telling you that you have an insulin problem preventing you from losing fat and gaining muscle? You have a starvation problem anorexicia is why you are anemic ****ign eating a godamn steak already slow digestion help your insulin levels its not just about carbs

The **** are you recovering from???


----------



## Send0 (Jun 2, 2021)

Dadbod103 said:


> The rest of your meal effects your insulin not just your carb sources also fyi I can solve your problem
> 
> Marijuana Decreases Insulin Resistance, Improves Blood Sugar Control (healthline.com)
> 
> ...



Go back and read the yellow text in the very first post of this thread. Thank you.

Also, I still can't tell if you continuously get information about me wrong on purpose, or if your memory is just that bad. But that aside, anything useful you might have to say would be better received of you didn't mix in mud slinging at the same time. Or at a minimum, I ask that you please don't do it in my thread. Thank you again.

Have a good evening


----------



## Skullcrusher (Jun 2, 2021)

Fenugreek - excellent source of dietary fiber, lowers blood sugar, raises testosterone, lowers estrogen

Weak fenugreek capsules have no smell, no taste, and help very little.

Strong fenugreek capsules smell similar to celery, with all advantages listed at the top. Nutrigold Fenugreek Gold

Easier on the digestive system than psylium husk fiber.

Fenugeek seeds can also be eaten in a salad.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 2, 2021)

Skullcrusher said:


> Fenugreek - excellent source of dietary fiber, lowers blood sugar, raises testosterone, lowers estrogen
> 
> Weak fenugreek capsules have no smell, no taste, and help very little.
> 
> ...



Good information. I actually haven't added the psyllium husk yet. I'll look into fenugreek.

I also have l-carnitine base that should be getting here soon. Going to make an injectable and play around with using it with certain carb meals, as I heard it also has a positive impact on insulin sensitivity/resistance.


----------



## Dadbod103 (Jun 2, 2021)

Send0 said:


> Go back and read the yellow text in the very first post of this thread. Thank you.
> 
> Also, I still can't tell if you continuously get information about me wrong on purpose, or if your memory is just that bad. But that aside, anything useful you might have to say would be better received of you didn't mix in mud slinging at the same time. Or at a minimum, I ask that you please don't do it in my thread. Thank you again.
> 
> Have a good evening



You don't know what you are doing stop with the blueberry nonsense and start eating a regular diet you don't have a ****ing glucose problem you have an eating disorder problem train more and worry about weird diets less


----------



## Send0 (Jun 2, 2021)

Dadbod103 said:


> You don't know what you are doing stop with the blueberry nonsense and start eating a regular diet you don't have a ****ing glucose problem you have an eating disorder problem train more and worry about weird diets less



No, you clearly don't know how to read. I started this thread saying that everytime I eat my previous meal, which was 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat, that I would literally pass out 5 minutes after eating. It is not a good feeling... it is not that nice sleepy feeling that people get sometimes. When I can correlate values from the readings from my glucose meter, to when I feel like that... then yeah, its a clear indication that my body does not tolerate being at a certain serum glucose level very well.

I asked you to not do this. I asked you to respect my thread. I asked you to go back and read my very first post. Yet you didn't do that _(or maybe you just have the comprehension skills of a 2 year old)_, or maybe it's that you just refuse to read in full. Furthermore, you continue to insult me and treat me like I'm an idiot when I actually have an education/background in this shit.

I am asking you again to respect what I asked from you, or see your way out of my thread. If you do not do this, then I will ask a mod to get involved. I am tired of your slap in the face approach to trying to "help" people... especially when you don't even bother reading the originating post to get an understanding of the situation.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 2, 2021)

In case I'd anyone is wondering if I'm actually anorexic; here are my stats and my diet before I decided to change macro allotments. Sorry, but I'm tired of a certain someone name calling me, and getting it all wrong. I am not big, but I am far from anorexic.

My weight in February was 154lbs... so I think despite my shoulder injuries I'm doing just fine in terms of putting on weight. The insulin sensitivity issue is more about me actually feeling good; and not falling on my face and passing out every time I eat a meal. Anyone else who wants to attack me can see your way out of my thread.

Age: 42
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 166 as of this morning _(2lbs up from last week)_
Visually est. body fat: Maybe 12%?
Caloric intake: 3500/day _(I don't gain unless calories are very high for my weight, my metabolism/thyroid is at the very very top of the reference range)_
Old macros: 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat
# of meals per day: typically 5 meals/day


----------



## 69nites (Jun 2, 2021)

Honestly I'd be more concerned about your path to diabetes than the idea of you being anorexic.

The blood sugar issues when you're not really that big yet is concerning from a health perspective and you legitimately might need permanently address it with your diet going forward and avoid abusing slin like the plague.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 2, 2021)

69nites said:


> Honestly I'd be more concerned about your path to diabetes than the idea of you being anorexic.
> 
> The blood sugar issues when you're not really that big yet is concerning from a health perspective and you legitimately might need permanently address it with your diet going forward and avoid abusing slin like the plague.



This is 100% spot on, and is the entire purpose of this log. The fact that improved insulin sensitivity leads to improved fat loss and muscle gain is secondary to the general health aspect. I see the symptoms very clearly; no one should feel like crap after eating, if you do then you need to be questioning your own insulin sensitivity.

My goal, and I hope everyone's goal, is to look good on the outside without sacrificing our general health or how we feel on the inside. For me, health and how I feel comes first, and putting on mass is secondary to that goal. I want to be able to feel great, and use my body the way I want to use it. If something is preventing me from doing that then I am going to take steps to fix it, and I would advise others to do the same _(don't ignore symptoms staring you in the face)_. This is no different from me working with physical therapists to address my shoulder injury.

69nites; thank you for understanding exactly where I am coming from.


----------



## 69nites (Jun 2, 2021)

Send0 said:


> This is 100% spot on, and is the entire purpose of this log. The fact that improved insulin sensitivity leads to improved fat loss and muscle gain is secondary to the general health aspect. I see the symptoms very clearly; no one should feel like crap after eating, if you do then you need to be questioning your own insulin sensitivity.
> 
> My goal, and I hope everyone's goal, is to look good on the outside without sacrificing our general health or how we feel on the inside. For me, health and how I feel comes first, and putting on mass is secondary to that goal. I want to be able to feel great, and use my body the way I want to use it. If something is preventing me from doing that then I am going to take steps to fix it, and I would advise others to do the same _(don't ignore symptoms staring you in the face)_. This is no different from me working with physical therapists to address my shoulder injury.
> 
> 69nites; thank you for understanding exactly where I am coming from.


Catching it earlier in your path of growth is a great thing. If you ignored it until you are a 200# 5'7" guy just doing what other people can, you might have just got big at the cost of becoming a type 2 diabetic.

If it's not sustainable, it's not worth it.


----------



## Jin (Jun 2, 2021)

Dadbod103 said:


> You don't know what you are doing stop with the blueberry nonsense and start eating a regular diet you don't have a ****ing glucose problem you have an eating disorder problem train more and worry about weird diets less



You seem to be the only one who doesn’t understand that this mainly a log about regaining proper insulin sensitivity so as not to have major health issues in the future. 

This isn’t a standard meat head “let’s get huge” log and if it’s not something you enjoy following (seems to make you agitated!), then ignore it. 

If the personal attacks continue I’ll make the right choice for you and prohibit you from commenting on this thread.


----------



## rawdeal (Jun 3, 2021)

69nites said:


> . . . If it's not sustainable, it's not worth it.



This would be a tee shirt I'd buy if you're feeling entreprenurial, 69.  I might think twice before wearing it to a gym where mindless macho types are known to congregate, but I'd wear it to the UGBB picnic someday.  I like size + strength or I wouldn't be here, but health + overall quality of life might be pretty cool too ... another reason I lurk on this board and in this thread.

Not sure I share Send0's issues, but damn sure I can learn from his journey.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 3, 2021)

Full transparency for context for the results from today. Last night I broke down and ate like 3 servings of cereal (dry). I sometimes use this for my post workout carb, which is why it's in my pantry. I just had insane cravings, and I caved in to them. I think this is why my fasted glucose numbers, and the glucose numbers for my first meal of the day, were both higher than what I liked. Also, today I woke up late again today. So my meals were condensed to be 2 hours apart... when that's taken into consideration, then I feel my results today are very good! These values are 30 - 40 points better than before I started this effort.

Now with that said, my results today were surprisingly good. I did not feel tired or like I was going to fall into a coma, not even once. I actually felt energetic instead. I did two things differently; first I reduced my carbs further and replaced them with fat. Now my macro's are 50% protein, 35% fat, 15% carbs. 

The second thing I did differently was how I did my post meal cardio. I would go all out for the first 90 seconds to get my heart rate up, and then reduce the speed on the treadmill (max incline) to 2.0mph. This got my heart rate up fast, and keep it sustained. In turn, I was able to reduce the amount of cardio I was doing by about 30%.

So it "feels" like my approach to improve my insulin sensitivity is working now that I've found a macro profile that gives me enough carbs for energy, but not so much to where I feel like I'm going to fall into a coma.

*Notes/Observations*
Fasted Glucose (pre-cardio) = 113
Water = 0.5 liters
Mood = awake, alert

Fasted Glucose (post-cardio) = 114
Water = none
Activity = 40 min of cardio (119bpm)
Mood = neutral
Thoughts: I'm alert and awake, but also still have a slight haze.

*Meal 1*
carb sources = Frozen blueberries, old fashioned oats
post meal activity = 10 min of cardio (avg 127bpm)
Water = 1.5 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 103, mood = alert and awake, but feel a slight haze
2 hour post meal glucose = 97, mood: alert, attentive, haze is nearly zero!
*Thoughts*: I'm surprised I feel this good at the 2 hour glucose level (97), but I won't argue.

*Meal 2 *
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap
post meal activity = 11 min of cardio (128bpm)
Water = 1.5 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 78, mood = energetic, I feel perfect
2 hour post meal glucose = 94, mood = alert, very focused.
*Thoughts*: I feel pretty good; though I felt better at the 1 hour reading vs 2 hour reading.

*Meal 3*
carb sources = sweet potato, frozen blueberries
post meal activity = 11 minutes of cardio (129bpm), laundry
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 85, mood = alert, a nap sounds good.. but not sleepy like past few days
2 hour post meal glucose = 98, mood = alert, no longer feel like napping.
*Thoughts:* none

*Meal 4*
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, jalopenos
post meal activity = 10 minutes of cardio (110bpm); no energy at this point
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 88, Mood = Awake and alert, but tired from cardio after every meal
2 hour post meal glucose = 89, Mood = alert, no longer feeling tired like earlier 
*Thoughts*: I feel pretty good right now, but I doubt I have energy to work out due to all the cardio.

*Meal 5*
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, frozen blueberries
post meal activity = none; I decided I've done enough for the day.
Water = 1.5 liters
1 hour post meal glucose: 103, Mood = ready for the day to be over, but not exhausted like yesterday
2 hour post meal glucose: 99, Mood = caught a second wind, but still ready to finish the day.
*Thoughts*: Not bad considering I didn't do any cardio for this meal. I literally ate, and then sat in bed and watched youtube.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 4, 2021)

Results yesterday will very positive. I felt fantastic all day. I won't bore you all with any pre-commentary, and you can take a look in my notes/observations below.

I think some fine tuning to diet can be done, but I'm going to run this macro profile for a few weeks before making any further changes. I'm also going to play with slowly reducing my cardio a little each day, and see if I can get away with it.

Fasted Glucose (pre-cardio) = 101
Water = 0.75 liters
Mood = awake, alert

Fasted Glucose (post-cardio) = 92
Water = none
Activity = 35 min of cardio (136bpm)
Mood = upbeat
*Thoughts*: I'm alert and awake, have a ton of energy.

Total daily calories = 3500
Macro profile = 50% protein, 35% fat, 15% carbs

*Meal 1*
carb sources = Frozen blueberries, old fashioned oats
post meal activity = 12 min of cardio (avg 134bpm)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 98, mood = alert, awake, focused
2 hour post meal glucose = 98, mood = still alert, awake, and focused
*Thoughts*: Nice, my glucose was stable between the 1 hour and 2 hour readings. I was expecting it to rise a bit at the 2 hour reading.

*Meal 2 *
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap
post meal activity = 12 min of cardio (131bpm)
Water = 1.25 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 85, mood = energetic, focused, positive mood. I feel perfect
2 hour post meal glucose = 88, mood = alert, very focused, upbeat. I feel great
*Thoughts*: This is exciting.. again readings are stable between the 1 hour and 2 hour mark.

*Meal 3*
carb sources = sweet potato, frozen blueberries
post meal activity = 12 minutes of cardio (126bpm), Weight lifting (back and biceps)
Water = 1.5 liters
1 hour post meal glucose = 80, mood = alert, but I could go for a nap right now.
2 hour post meal glucose = 92, mood = I feel like a god! A puny and weak god... but god like nevertheless
*Thoughts*: I honestly can't believe how incredible I feel today.

*Meal 4*
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms
post meal activity = No cardio, my energy level is fine but I wanted to see how I responded without doing cardio.
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 87, Mood = I feel amazing, extremely positive
2 hour post meal glucose = 85, Mood = I still feel incredible.. this is too good to be true 
*Thoughts*: Nice and stable glucose... very happy

*Meal 5*
carb sources = frozen blueberries, oatmeal
post meal activity = none
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose: 91, Mood = positive, ready for sleep and to start my day tomorrow
2 hour post meal glucose: 101, Mood = definitely ready for sleep at this point .
*Thoughts*: I was too tired to cook; so I made a shake with blueberries, and oatmeal. Curious if this will effect my fasting glucose tomorrow morning.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 5, 2021)

I think the bedtime shake I'm having may be raising my morning fasted glucose a few points higher than it can be. Yes, I'm aware of the dawn phenomenon.. but I'm saying I think I may be able to still drop it a few points despite this if I can break my bad habit of not cooking/having a shake for meal #5.

Other than that, the results are somewhat comparable to yesterday. Going to keep this macro profile, but play with replacing certain protein and carb sources with different types of protein/carbs.  I am happy with the direction things seem to be going.

Fasted Glucose (pre-cardio) = 110
Water = 1 liters
Mood = awake, alert

Fasted Glucose (post-cardio) = 92
Activity = 20 min of cardio (134bpm)
Mood = upbeat
*Thoughts*: I'm alert and awake, have a ton of energy.

Total daily calories = 3500
Macro profile = 50% protein, 35% fat, 15% carbs

*Meal 1*
carb sources = Frozen blueberries, old fashioned oats
post meal activity = 12 min of cardio (134bpm)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 87, mood = alert, awake, focused, upbeat
2 hour post meal glucose = 102, mood = still alert, awake, and focused
*Thoughts*: I wonder if the oatmeal is creating a larger rise at the 2 hour mark, compared to different carb types

*Meal 2 *
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap
post meal activity = Physical therapy 
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 73, mood = energetic, focused, positive mood
2 hour post meal glucose = 87, mood = alert, upbeat. I feel great
*Thoughts*: Pretty good readings, I feel very good right now.

*Meal 3*
carb sources = sweet potato, frozen blueberries
post meal activity = Weight lifting (Legs and Core work)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 101, mood = a little nappish; but I have not done any post meal activity at this point.
2 hour post meal glucose = 78, mood = I feel really good, but also exhausted from leg day. I have jello legs!
*Thoughts*: I feel really good post leg workout; just exhausted.. jello legs.

*Meal 4*
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms
post meal activity = No cardio, wanted to see if I could have a repeat of yesterday.
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 87, Mood = I feel amazing, extremely positive
2 hour post meal glucose = 95, Mood = I still feel really good, but still tired from doing legs.
*Thoughts*: 2 hour reading would've improved if i did 10 minutes of regular pace walking.

*Meal 5*
carb sources = frozen blueberries, egg white oatmeal
post meal activity = none
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 93, Mood = positive, but also ready for sleep
2 hour post meal glucose = 106, Mood = feel good, ready for sleep.
*Thoughts*: I was too tired to cook again; so dinner was shake and oatmeal. I'm aware this is no good.. I will start meal prepping so I can avoid this in the future. I might try some of those Jin chicken burgers instead; assuming I get off my ass and meal prep.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 6, 2021)

I feel great energy wise on this modified diet, but in between my meals I also feel like I'm edgy and lack patience. Other than that I think things are going well. Results are similar to the previous two days, but I still think they could be better. For my next update, I am going to cut out the berberine... as I'm not convinced it's doing anything, and it tastes like ass _(even though I've put it into capsules)._

Fasted Glucose (pre-cardio) = 107
Water = 1 liters
Mood = awake, alert

Fasted Glucose (post-cardio) = 103
Activity = 30 min of cardio (133bpm)
Mood = upbeat
*Thoughts*: alert and awake.. not sure why serum glucose won't drop though

Total daily calories = 3500
Macro profile = 50% protein, 35% fat, 15% carbs

*Meal 1*
carb sources = Frozen blueberries, egg white oatmeal
post meal activity = 12 min of cardio (126bpm)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 95, mood = alert, awake, upbeat, but feel a little off. 
2 hour post meal glucose = 110, mood = alert, but feel a haze in my head
*Thoughts*: I definitely think the oatmeal is creating a decent rise. I need to swap it with something else.
*
Meal 2 *
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap
post meal activity = 20 min of cardio (126bpm)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 77, mood = energetic, focused, positive mood
2 hour post meal glucose = 98, mood = alert, no haze, but not as good as how I felt at the 1 hour mark.
*Thoughts*: Not sure why I'm fighting glucose rise today.. maybe it was still creeping from meal #1?

*Meal 3*
carb sources = sweet potato, miracle whip, mozzarella
post meal activity = Weight lifting (Chest, shoulders, triceps)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 99, mood = I feel good, but not sure why glucose is high. I removed a shake + blueberries I have at this time, and replaced it with whole food instead. 
2 hour post meal glucose = 88, mood = I feel really good, workout wasn't the best... but that's a given considering I'm rehabbing the shoulder.
*Thoughts*: I feel really good post workout, despite lack of intensity.

*Meal 4*
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms
post meal activity = No cardio, wanted to see if I could have a repeat of yesterday.
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 87, Mood = feeling very good, but also worn out from leg day yesterday + cardio today
2 hour post meal glucose = 94, Mood = still feel good, but ready to wrap up my day.
*Thoughts*: none

*Meal 5*
carb sources = frozen blueberries, egg white oatmeal
post meal activity = none
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose: 93, Mood = ready for sleep
2 hour post meal glucose: 108, Mood = ready for sleep.
*Thoughts*: I was too tired to cook again; I will meal prep tomorrow.. or kick myself in the balls.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 6, 2021)

FYI; I will be taking a break from participating in the forum... aside from my own log that is. I will also be responding to PMs if anyone needs to reach me or wants to ask me a question or my thoughts on something.

The reason, as I eluded to in my previous post here, is that while my energy levels are much improved... in between meals it is also taking a toll on my patience and is making me edge/bitchy/use whatever adjective you want here. This is something that's been difficult for me to log due to the timing on when this seems to occur (in between meals). 

This bitchy persona is not who I really am, and I don't want the members of this forum to inadvertently become victims of my little self experiment. You guys don't deserve this, and should not have to put up with it, and I recognize this. I am confident that eventually my body will become accustomed to the new diet, and the new glucose level peaks and troughs. Once I feel I have become stable, then I will participate in all the sub-forums and chat box as I have always done. However, until then I will not be reading/updating anything else on the forum aside from my own journal/log, or from private messages.


----------



## transcend2007 (Jun 6, 2021)

Send0 said:


> Sorry but no I can't; despite the length of text, the entire thing only takes 5 minutes or less to read... and I took the time to format it very well to make it easy to digest. I literally spent an entire hour constructing the first post for that very reason. If people can't commit 5 minutes to read, then that's fine with me. Thanks for checking in anyway.



I had a chance to read your log over today (being Sunday) ... my initial question would be exactly what is your gh protocol ... ?  I have taking gh on of off for the past 10 years (with blood tests 2 times per year) this single factor will likely have more to do with your glucose levels than anything else ... clearly most people commenting so far have little or no experience with HGH .. or this factor would be discussed in detail already .. instead of glossed over in one line of your initial post ... do you have blood test for the past 2 years that show baselines of serum IGF-1 and blood glocose (blood test not strips) ... again this would be an absolute starting point for someone have the glucose reactions you're having .. and sorry to beat a dead horse .. but how long has your "insulin sensitivity" been happening .. if it is correlating anywhere near your take of gh that would be another good indicator .... 

So please - if you would - how much gh are are taking daily and how are you taking it ... because it makes a difference.

Next, because you consciously stated you would not be listing your exact diet ... could you please at least list the exactly liquids that you've taken in over the past past 7 days ... yes I mean alcohol (if any) any protein drinks .. any pre-workouts ... anything that you drink with meals or between meals ... many people are completely unaware just how much sugar they can take in through beverages ...

I do apologize for the remedial questions .. but the fact you did not immediately eliminate gh as the 1st step of improving insulin sensitivity (do to being a very obvious first step to take))  .. I had to bring your liquid intake into the conversation as well as its an absolute starting point (and I did not see it discussed at all) ... all these other advance strategies you are implementing really need future understanding ... 

If you not had insulin sensitivity your who life .. but you do now ... instead of attempting to cover the symptoms ... understanding the cause first - again would be a logical starting point.

None of this is meant to be critical ... it is simply an outside perspective from a long time gh user who also must deal with what I would call gh induced elevated glucose - NOT insulin sensitivity .. who has never used any of strategies you are talking about .. but instead goes directly to sugar intake and timing of gh injections ....


----------



## Send0 (Jun 6, 2021)

transcend2007 said:


> I had a chance to read your log over today (being Sunday) ... my initial question would be exactly what is your gh protocol ... ?  I have taking gh on of off for the past 10 years (with blood tests 2 times per year) this single factor will likely have more to do with your glucose levels than anything else ... clearly most people commenting so far have little or no experience with HGH .. or this factor would be discussed in detail already .. instead of glossed over in one line of your initial post ... do you have blood test for the past 2 years that show baselines of serum IGF-1 and blood glocose (blood test not strips) ... again this would be an absolute starting point for someone have the glucose reactions you're having .. and sorry to beat a dead horse .. but how long has your "insulin sensitivity" been happening .. if it is correlating anywhere near your take of gh that would be another good indicator ....
> 
> So please - if you would - how much gh are are taking daily and how are you taking it ... because it makes a difference.
> 
> ...



While I appreciate the interest, please go back and read the yellow text in my first post. I'm not really looking for feedback, as I do understand the mechanisms that the hormones and certain protein and carb sources have. I've actually had symptoms of insulin resistance for quite some time, long before I started GH.... as in I've had symptoms that I've ignored for years now. With that said, I will answer some of your questions... but again, I am not looking for feedback or for someone to "troubleshoot" my issue. I feel I have a good grasp on what is happening.

In regards to how much GH i'm taking; I was taking 4iu, split into two 2iu doses taken at 3am - 4am, and again around 2pm. I have since reduced that to 3iu. I titrated up to 4iu, so it's not like I started right off the bat with this amount. I have been on GH for a total of 6 weeks; so again, moderate dose combined with a very short time frame of being "on".

Yes I have baseline IGF numbers. They were 165; very atypical for someone my age. I had IGF tested 4 weeks into taking GH, and it was not mind blowing... something like 240. However I also have inflammation due to carrier oil that I recently resolved, and I am iron deficient; both which impact IGF production. I will be doing another IGF test sometime between June 25th and July 9th to see if IGF has improved.

In regards to liquids... I drink nothing but water. I don't take any pre-workout. The only protein shake I typically have is with my breakfast, except this past week I've been too tired around meal #5 and have been guilty of having a protein shake just to get in the calories. This is literally all I have in regards to liquid... unless you count the egg white I also mix into my protein shakes. Point being is that I eat VERY clean.

If it was just elevated glucose then I wouldn't care. However I have very clear and obvious symptoms of insulin resistance, and I have for a good amount of time prior to starting GH. I'm not offended or bothered by your post, but please understand that I am not looking for feedback, or assistance at this time. The log is primarily a way to force me to track an issue I find mundane, but also that I recognize needs to be tracked. This log forces me to do that. However, if I do get to a point where I am "stuck" then I will ask everyone for assistance. Currently, the methods I've taken to resolve this have given positive results. I no longer feel like I am about to go into a coma whenever I eat... so I think I will let my current protocol run its course.

Thank you for your interest, and for understanding.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 8, 2021)

Not quite as good as the last 3-4 days, but I'd say it still reflects the general trend. Going to continue to stick with it. I had to compress my meals; so to make up for calories I had a tablespoon of cod fish liver oil with each meal.

Fasted Glucose (pre-cardio) = 106
Water = 1 liters
Mood = awake, alert

Fasted Glucose (post-cardio) = 92
Activity = 30 min of cardio (133bpm)
Mood = upbeat
Thoughts: alert and awake.. a little annoyed, because I learned that fasted glucose should be taken 1 hour after waking to mitigate dawn phenomenon. Also annoyed because I learned that glucose should be measured ~1 hour after strenuous exercise due to release of stress hormones, which stimulates the liver to release even more glucose. I wouldn't call 133bpm intense, but my legs are burnt out from leg day combined with all the cardio.

*Meal 1*
carb sources = Frozen blueberries
post meal activity = 17 min of cardio (126bpm)
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 91, mood = alert, and focused. I feel very good.
2 hour post meal glucose = 100, mood = alert, but feel a haze in my head
*Thoughts*: I did remove the oatmeal. Looks like I got a few points dropped at the 1 hour reading, and a smaller rise at the 2 hour reading. Tomorrow I will try replacing the protein shake as well.

*Meal 2* 
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms, carb counter wrap
post meal activity = 15 minutes cardio done between 1 hour and 2 hour readings
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 95, mood = focused
2 hour post meal glucose = 78, mood = I feel very good. It's becoming clear that this meal in paricular is my 
*Thoughts*: I wanted to see what my glucose would be without cardio at the 1 hour reading. Not too bad... 15 minutes of cardio between readings brought glucose to where I feel best (between 75 and 85).

*Meal 3*
carb sources = sweet potato, miracle whip, mozzarella
post meal activity = 10 minutes cardio done between 1 hour and 2 hour readings
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 113, mood = Relaxed, as I just had a hot bath. Interestingly, after testing several times... I've learned that serum glucose artificially rises when body temperature is elevated. Confirmed on pubmed that this behavior is normal. Kind of interesting! In the future I'll be timing hot baths so they happen after my 2 hour reading.
2 hour post meal glucose = 72, mood = I feel good, workout wasn't the best... but tired and ready to wrap up the day.
*Thoughts*: I feel good, but ready to start winding down for the night. For context, I did not eat meal #1 until close to 10am. It's 8pm now.

*Meal 4*
carb sources = bell pepper, white onion, mushrooms
post meal activity = No cardio, wanted to see if I could have a repeat of yesterday.
Water = 1 liter
1 hour post meal glucose = 99, Mood = decent.. meal was extra large, to account for the fact that I wasn't going to eat meal 5. I suspect it will be 110+ by the 2 hour mark.
2 hour post meal glucose = 102, Mood = time for bed.. surprised the rise in my 2 hour reading was so small.
*Thoughts*: none


----------



## Jin (Jun 8, 2021)

“*Thoughts: none”

for me, these can be the best of
times. *


----------



## Send0 (Jun 8, 2021)

Jin said:


> “*Thoughts: none”
> 
> for me, these can be the best of
> times. *



It is for me as well... unfortunately my mind is always going, and it takes me reaching total exhaustion to reach this level of zen. But once I reach this point, it really is bliss.


----------



## Send0 (Jun 8, 2021)

Going to be taking a break from logging... as I really need to tear down my gym so I can re-paint the walls, and install all the new equipment I have sitting in the hallway in boxes.

I've also had to actually do my job at work yesterday and today... a rarity, but that's also eating into my time. Once I get the gym set up again, then I'll have enough time to log daily. I figure I should be done by Sunday at the latest.


----------



## Jin (Jun 9, 2021)

I’ll believe that you’ll take a break once I see you not post every 5 minutes. You’re all talk!

:32 (18):


----------



## Send0 (Jun 9, 2021)

Jin said:


> I’ll believe that you’ll take a break once I see you not post every 5 minutes. You’re all talk!
> 
> :32 (18):



Hey, I've only posted in Eazy's log... and when I was trying to help a guy distressed about his lack of boner. I'm doing pretty good, considering my norm on the forum :32 (18):


----------



## CJ (Jun 9, 2021)

I'm leaving this time..... I'm not kidding either..... You're going to miss me..... You'll never find anyone like me...... What's for dinner?  :32 (18):


----------



## Send0 (Jun 9, 2021)

CJ275 said:


> I'm leaving this time..... I'm not kidding either..... You're going to miss me..... You'll never find anyone like me...... What's for dinner?  :32 (18):



Unfortunately for me, not many carbs... and the ones I get to eat aren't especially delicious. How the hell Jin did this, plus limited to only 1800 calories, is incomprehensible to me.

Some day I'll be a real man, like you, Jin, and well I guess nearly every else on the board :32 (18):

Honestly though, I'm not sure if it's my diet messing with my mentality... or having near zero human interaction for the last 8 weeks _(girlfriend is helping her mom post surgery for the last 8 weeks... and all my friends have families + kids.. not a lot of room for a guy like me in their life right now)_. Not whining, just can't figure out which is causing my bitchiness more.


----------



## permabulker (Jun 9, 2021)

Send0 said:


> Unfortunately for me, not many carbs... and the ones I get to eat aren't especially delicious. How the hell Jin did this, plus limited to only 1800 calories, is incomprehensible to me.
> 
> Some day I'll be a real man, like you, Jin, and well I guess nearly every else on the board :32 (18):
> 
> Honestly though, I'm not sure if it's my diet messing with my mentality... or having near zero human interaction for the last 8 weeks _(girlfriend is helping her mom post surgery for the last 8 weeks... and all my friends have families + kids.. not a lot of room for a guy like me in their life right now)_. Not whining, just can't figure out which is causing my bitchiness more.



You are a real man. Don’t make me bitch slap you.


----------



## Send0 (Jul 10, 2021)

I'm back! Took time off to get my head straight on the adjusted diet. My girlfriend also is back home after visiting with family for the last 6-8 weeks. So been spending a lot of time with her.

I adjusted my diet again during my time away. Currently my glucose is reading about 85 - 90 _(normally in the 80s... and rarely 90)_, without doing any cardio in between meals. Basically I adjusted my diet to be true keto, which frankly I hate, but it seems to be working well.

My plan from here is to let my glucose normalize at these levels for about 8 weeks. Then after that I will slowly reintroduce carbs over the course of 6 months. First I'll introduce leafy/green carbs.. then I'll introduce some starches later. With some luck I anticipate my glucose to remain steady in the mid 80's.


----------



## ftf (Jul 10, 2021)

Glad you're back Send0!


----------



## Jin (Jul 10, 2021)

Welcome back bro. Board is not the same without you.


----------



## sfw509 (Jul 10, 2021)

Glad to hear your back and doing well.


----------



## Send0 (Jul 10, 2021)

Thanks guys, glad to be back. Mentally I'm feeling great; physically I'm feeling a bit weak.

Some other things to note about cutting out carbs entirely (<50g per day). 

I dropped like 14lbs, Amazing how much glycogen we can store in our muscles.
I had to increase calories to 4500 to finally normalize my weight; currently at 152 lbs 
Arm vascularity is pretty damn good with the no carb/ultra low carb diet... though I also look flat, soooo yeah.
My strength has gone down by about 15%, maybe a bit more.
I have been waking up less in the middle of the night; not sure this is diet related, but timing sure seems to align with cutting carbs.
To counter the above, starting this week I've incorporated two carb refeed days (on the weekend). On these days I continue to eat my normal meals (4500 calories), but then add an additional 50g of carbs to each of my 5 meals.  I will also do cardio after 3 of these meals. I think I've been hovering in the 80-90 serum glucose range for long enough to tolerate 1-2 carb days per week; so this will be a good test. 

So far I've only had my first carb meal; which included a pretty big bowl of oatmeal. Previously I would involuntarily start falling asleep after eating this meal. Today I still feel awake and energetic after eating the large amount of carbs. So far, so good!


----------



## Send0 (Jul 11, 2021)

I'm changing the format of my updates since I now have my diet dialed in to reset my insulin sensitivity in a way that is optimal for me.

*Update for yesterday:*
Ate ~400 grams of carbs yesterday and took my glucose measurements after each meal; which were surprisingly good. I weighed myself this morning, after taking my morning dump, and I was 5.4lbs heavier than yesterday. It's amazing how much glycogen/water can be stored in the muscle when it's been depleted.

For reference, when I first started this journey my glucose was hanging out in the 120's - 130's after a meal with complex carbs. Needless to say I am very pleased with this progress.

*2 hour post meal glucose measurements:*
Glucose measurements taken 2 hours after each meal. I did zero cardio in between meals, since my back has been killing me. Matter of fact I spent most of the day sitting/laying/being sedentary.

Meal 1 = 94
Meal 2 = 90
Meal 3 = 98
Meal 4 = 92
Meal 5 = 94


----------



## quackattack (Jul 12, 2021)

Welcome back Send0.  I'm looking forward to following along on this dietary journey of yours.


----------



## Send0 (Jul 12, 2021)

*Update for July 11th 2021:*
Had slightly fewer carbs for my refeed yesterday; only 300 grams _(compared to 400 grams the previous day)_. I woke up 2lbs heavier than yesterday; 7.4lbs more than what I weighed on Friday. Not sure if my body is just getting diminished returns from the re-feed, or if I didn't drink enough water to go with my carbs. Also, my arms are not as I was on Friday, but muscles do look fuller and rounder. I think next week I will do a single re-feed day of 500 carbs, since it seems that my body got the majority of the benefit after the first re-feed day.

Mood is happy-go-lucky all day. Though by the end of the day I was happy to not have to be eating anymore; taking in ~5000 calories on a strict + clean diet is hard for me get down my gullet. 

*2 hour post meal glucose measurements:*
I did zero cardio in between meals; the left side of my back has been killing me, very difficult to move around without wincing in pain. Instead I spent the entire day playing Nintendo Switch, while laying in bed. Readings are decent considering I was a human potato yesterday; much better than the 120 - 130 readings I would get when I first started.

Meal 1 = 97
Meal 2 = 95
Meal 3 = 92
Meal 4 = 98
Meal 5 = 94


----------



## Send0 (Jul 14, 2021)

*update for July 13th 2021*
Back to zero carbs for the rest of the week. I felt pretty good all day yesterday. I did a single cardio session after meal 1; which created artificially elevated glucose serum levels because I finished it 15 minutes prior to taking my reading. For those of you that didn't know, you can artificially elevate your serum glucose by simply making yourself hot; whether that's by just taking a very hot bath, mowing the lawn, or doing cardio... they will all bump your glucose readings by a significant amount _(studies show that this is true in large sample sizes as well)_.

Other than that my glucose measurements were good, and it doesn't look like they were effected by the carb refeed weekend. I can't wait for my readings to start to be in the high 70's. At that point I think it will be safe for me to slowly start reintroducing carbs on a daily basis.

*2 hour post meal glucose measurements*
Meal 1 = 101
Meal 2 = 88
Meal 3 = 90
Meal 4 = 81
Meal 5 = 84


----------



## Send0 (Jul 15, 2021)

*update for July 14th 2021*
Felt good yesterday, very energetic. I did start to get some late night carb cravings. For this I keep Coke Zero on hand; which helps to calm down those cravings. I'm down a total of 4lbs from the peak weight I had post carb reload over the weekend. I'm hoping I can hold this weight for the remainder of the week, if so then that will give me about a ~3lb net gain.

It's clear that the carb reload was a good idea, as I've had more energy throughout the week so far. I'm going to do another reload this weekend, but I'm going to limit it to a single day instead.

*2 hour post meal glucose measurements*
Meal 1 = 92
Meal 2 = 89
Meal 3 = 88
Meal 4 = 76
Meal 5 = 81


----------



## Send0 (Jul 16, 2021)

*update for July 15th 2021*
Good day, had a killer back workout. High energy, good mood. I think starting on July 16th I will start to re-introduce carbs, at about 100g - 150g per day. I seemed to do just fine with my weekend carb reload, so I'm curious to see if my body is ready to accept *some* carbs now. We will see.

*2 hour post meal glucose measurements:*
Meal 1 = 94
Meal 2 = 88
Meal 3 = 80
Meal 4 = 78
Meal 5 = 88


----------



## Send0 (Jul 16, 2021)

*Blood work update*
I also received my blood work results _(I forgot to include IGF in the requisition, I'm going into the lab today to have that test done)_.

*Insulin related*
The results related to insulin sensitivity came back with positive results

fasted glucose = 85
Hgb A1C =  4.9% _(less than 5.7% is consistent with the complete absence of insulin resistance/diabetes)._
Insulin = 2.6 uIU/mL _(optimal is anything <=19.6)_
*Anemic/iron related*
However what surprised me was that it seems that I'm still anemic, despite adding red meat, cooking in iron skillets, and taking an iron supplement. I'm not sure what to do here... I need to research if I just have some condition that prevents me from properly absorbing as much iron compared to the average person. What's unusual to me is that both my RBC and Hemoglobin shot up a significant amount from my previous blood work, but my Iron, Ferritin, and Mean corpuscular values show pretty low. In addition, my RDW is way way too high. Below are the relevant markers.

Iron - Total = 69 mcg/dL _(range = 50 - 180)_
Ferritin = 15 ng/ml _(range = 38 - 380)_
RBC Count = 6.05 million/uL _(range = 4.2 - 5.8 million)_
Hemoglobin = 15.3 g/dL _(range = 13.2 - 17.1)_
MCH = 25.3 pg _(range = 27 - 33)_
MCHC = 30 g/dL _(range = 32 - 36)_
MCV = 84.4 fL _(range = 80 - 100)_
RDW = 21% _(range = 11% - 15%)_
*Estrogen/SHBG related*
Another surprise was my E2 results were 35pg/ml. This isn't too high for most people, but it is pretty high for me considering I normally hover around 16pg/ml. It's also surprising because my SHBG is 11; which is a normal value for me. I'm not too worried about this since it's easily fixed, but it does explain why my libido seems to be fading in and out lately.

E2 = 35 pg/ml
SHBG = 11 nmol/L _(range = 10 - 50)_
*Testosterone related*
These are the results for my total and free testosterone. I am on 140mg of test enanthate per week. The blood/lab was done 3.5 days after my last shot, and I did not take any test prior to having the lab work done that morning. I'm considering going to a micro-dose regimen; which will give me slightly lower levels of Total and Free test, and also help with E2 and SHBG management.

Total testosterone = 1012 ng/dL _(range = 250 - 1100)_
Free testosterone = 328.2 pg/ml _(range = 35 - 155)_


----------



## Skullcrusher (Jul 16, 2021)

Send0 said:


> *Blood work update*
> I also received my blood work results _(I forgot to include IGF in the requisition, I'm going into the lab today to have that test done)_.
> 
> *Insulin related*
> ...


This covers a lot. What test is this? Or is it more than one?


----------



## Send0 (Jul 16, 2021)

Skullcrusher said:


> This covers a lot. What test is this? Or is it more than one?


It's multiple tests, but most of it is part of the standard CMP, CBC, and sensitive hormone panels. The Hgb A1c, insulin, iron, and ferritin are not typical tests that the bodybuilding community uses _(although they should get it checked occasionally)_.

I have a number of other tests that were done at the same time, but I only posted the results that were "interesting".


----------



## Send0 (Jul 17, 2021)

*update for July 16th 2021*
Good day, but my workout was kind of shit... just couldn't get into it. Other than that I had plenty of energy and very positive mood. I did add carbs yesterday, and my glucose readings were solid. Let's see if this holds up over 1-2 weeks.

I've looked into my iron issue also, and I think I know what it may be. Ironically it is diet related; I'll elaborate in another update later this afternoon.

*2 hour post meal glucose measurements:*
Meal 1:

Carbs = 38 grams
Glucose = 86
Meal 2:

Carbs = 42 grams
Glucose = 94
Meal 3:

Carbs = 59 grams
Glucose = 81
Meal 4:

Carbs = 45 grams
Glucose = 87
Meal 5:

Carbs = 11 grams
Glucose = didn't measure it.. I fell asleep.


----------



## Send0 (Jul 19, 2021)

Didn't measure my glucose this weekend; had a lot going on and forgot to take readings.

With that said, I woke up today and I'm over 160lbs again. I did look slightly fluffy, so no doubt I've likely lost 1-2lbs of LBM during this little endeavor, but it's nothing I'm worried about. I have no doubt I'll easily regain it before the start of my next blast.

I also started my new workout split today, and it was pretty damn good. Today was chest and back, with a couple of accessory lifts for shoulders and triceps. This took me 2 hours to complete; so I'll definitely be "tuning" my workouts so I can get them done in <= 90 minutes.


----------



## Send0 (Jul 19, 2021)

Here is my chest/back routine I did today, for anyone that's interested.

All exercises are paired as super sets, unless stated otherwise. I'm currently lifting low rep (3-5 rep) and heavy on the big compound movements; trying to get my strength back up post shoulder rehab. I'll probably do this until my next blast.. hoping to regain my previous strength numbers by October.

Flat bench (camber barbell) and lat pulldown
Incline bench (dumbbell) and wide grip bent over rows (camber barbell)
Cable flys and bent over rows (dumbbell)
Cable flys (low pulley) and pull overs
Chest dips and pull ups
Tricep cable push down and tricep extension
Reverse dumbbell flys and bent over reverse cable flys
Lateral dumbbell raises and lateral cable raise
Seated overhead press (dumbbells) and front dumbbell raises


----------



## Send0 (Jul 20, 2021)

*update for July 19th 2021*
Lots of energy, positive mood, felt slightly stronger. Glucose readings have remained solid with the small amount of carbs I've added back into the diet. Yesterday was the first day of my new workout split, and it was pretty good. The chest pump was solid the entire time, though I feel like I have a poor mind/muscle connection with my back; something I need to work on. 


*2 hour post meal glucose measurements:*
Meal 1:

Carbs = 36 grams
Glucose = 80
Meal 2:

Carbs = 42 grams
Glucose = 86
Meal 3:

Carbs = 56 grams
Glucose = 75
Meal 4:

Carbs = 10 grams
Glucose = 84
Meal 5:

Carbs = 11 grams
Glucose = didn't measure it.. I fell asleep again.


----------



## quackattack (Jul 20, 2021)

How is your shoulder feeling?


----------



## Send0 (Jul 22, 2021)

quackattack said:


> How is your shoulder feeling?


It feels good, but weak. The extra shoulder workouts I'm throwing in has helped a bit; I can even see the tiniest bit of capped delt starting to show. However I'm still horribly weak on the bench press, not that I was every impressively strong. Before injury I was benching 225 for 8-10 reps. Now I'm only benching 160lbs. My plan of action here is to move to low reps (3-5 reps), and lift as heavy as possible over the next 2-3 months. I'm hoping I can at least get back to 200lbs before I start my next blast in October.

Other things to note; my left shoulder still feels pretty rough doing incline bench, and overhead presses. I was avoiding these exercises, but now I've started doing them again at a ridiculously low weight (only using 30lb dumbbells). I'm hoping that between the extra shoulder work, lifting heavy for my pressing exercises, and re-adding incline bench and OHP, that I can strength the shoulders enough to be in a good spot before the next blast off.

We will see... thanks for asking brother!


----------



## Send0 (Jul 22, 2021)

*update for July 20th 2021*
Had a great leg workout... almost fell down the stairs because my legs were so far gone, like they were made out of Jello. Glucose readings remain good, and I imagine that they will be even better once I drop the GH from my protocol... but that is still quite a few months away.

*2 hour post meal glucose measurements:*
Meal 1:

Carbs = 34 grams
Glucose = 84
Meal 2:

Carbs = 76 grams
Glucose = 85
Meal 3:

Carbs = 26 grams
Glucose = 80
Meal 4:

Carbs = 9 grams
Glucose = 74
Meal 5:

Carbs = 2 grams
Glucose = 80


----------



## TeddyBear (Jul 27, 2021)

I’m a big fan of your formatting and organization. I assume you’re on a computer, and therefore refuse to feel bad about my mobile word vomits.


----------



## Send0 (Jul 27, 2021)

dted23 said:


> I’m a big fan of your formatting and organization. I assume you’re on a computer, and therefore refuse to feel bad about my mobile word vomits.



The first time I think I did this on the computer, and I've just copied and edited most of the updates from my phone since then. So about 90-95% are done on my phone, but don't be impressed because I'm lazy and I'm just copy/pasting/editing 😎


----------



## Send0 (Jul 27, 2021)

Also, I think my day to day glucose readings have been fairly stable. So I'm going to move to checking my glucose on only about 3 days out of the week from now on.

Pretty pleased with my progress. Now if only my strength would return to pre-injury values at the same rate I have improved insulin sensitivity, then life would be perfect. 😂


----------



## Send0 (Aug 5, 2021)

just lovely... decided to suck it up and ask the doctor to look at my left shoulder, as I don't feel it's healing as it should. He sent me to get a preliminary x-ray, and an orthopedic doctor did an analysis of it. Here are the findings... sigh. The only thing I can think of is that maybe years at a keyboard, paired with being an inactive person for 10 years, accelerated something that was going to happen to me anyway in the future?

*"FINDINGS:
There is no acute fracture or dislocation. The bone mineralization is normal. There is no evidence of lytic bone lesion. Degenerative changes are present with joint space narrowing and sclerosis and early osteophytosis at the left acromioclavicular joint.*

_*The visualized soft tissue are within normal limits."*_

I interpret this to mean that I may potentially have osteoarthritis in that joint. How in the living f'? I'm 42 years old, and I have not abused my body. 

If I do have the early start of osteoarthritis, then that would explain why I feel constant pain/irritation/inflammation in that area. I'm a little depressed, and not sure what this means for my ability to continue to do pressing movements going forward. 😢

Time to schedule a follow-up with the orthopedic doctor.


----------



## Trendkill (Aug 5, 2021)

A lot of people will recommend glucosamine but that has never done anything for me.   MSM (methylsufonylmethane) on the other hand has been amazing.  It's cheap, readily available anywhere and works quickly.


----------



## Skullcrusher (Aug 5, 2021)

My glucosamine:





						Amazon.com: Glucosamine 1500mg (per serving) + MSM, Schiff Tablets (150 count in a bottle), Joint Care Supplement, Helps Support Joint Mobility and Flexibility, Helps Support Healthy Structure of Cartilage* : Health & Household
					

Buy Glucosamine 1500mg (per serving) + MSM, Schiff Tablets (150 count in a bottle), Joint Care Supplement, Helps Support Joint Mobility and Flexibility, Helps Support Healthy Structure of Cartilage* on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders



					www.amazon.com


----------



## sfw509 (Aug 6, 2021)

I had similar findings in both my shoulders and neck in my mid 30's (41 now). It just means you have to be more deliberate and conscious of your training. 

For me I have to actually warm up and do some stretching. I still do push days. But I definitely listen to my body and back off when I need to.

Schedule the follow up and see what the doc says. There are treatments and supplements/medication that can keep you going. 

You got this bro.


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 9, 2022)

Have you looked into incorporating explosive training into your routine? There's a trainer I follow on IG who talks about this and highly recommends box jumps, short duration sprints. plyometric push ups and most of the Olympic style lifts, claiming that this type of training improves insulin sensitivity.

I'm going to give it a try myself because my morning fasted glucose is also a little bit high but thankfully my A1C is 5.2. The cut off range for that is 5.6. Morning glucose can be 101 to 115. There's also what's called the "Dawn Effect" which results in higher glucose readings in the morning. You can look into that. But ultimately if that's what's going on with you then you shouldn't have to worry. They say an AIC test is the best indicator to determine if one is a diabetic. But what would probably be a good idea is if you can get an actual insulin test to see what your output is. Also there's an insulin tolerance test that can be done in a doctor's office.

Article below touches on the explosive training and the benefits for insulin sensitivity:

Three Reasons to Train Explosively

Getting back to diet, you can switch out white rice for white potatoes. I did this and now get nearly 14-17g of fiber with my meals (that I didn't get with rice) and at the serving I eat I get nearly my entire day's worth of potassium (4,700mg) which most people don't even come close to. Not getting enough potassium could possibly lead to your body making less insulin.

The Link Between Diabetes and Potassium

My father was a diabetic and didn't make it past his mid fifties. Granted, he had no regard for his health and didn't care to eat well. But I worry for myself and look into this as much as I can.


----------



## Send0 (Oct 9, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> Have you looked into incorporating explosive training into your routine? There's a trainer I follow on IG who talks about this and highly recommends box jumps, short duration sprints. plyometric push ups and most of the Olympic style lifts, claiming that this type of training improves insulin sensitivity.
> 
> I'm going to give it a try myself because my morning fasted glucose is also a little bit high but thankfully my A1C is 5.2. The cut off range for that is 5.6. Morning glucose can be 101 to 115. There's also what's called the "Dawn Effect" which results in higher glucose readings in the morning. You can look into that. But ultimately if that's what's going on with you then you shouldn't have to worry. They say an AIC test is the best indicator to determine if one is a diabetic. But what would probably be a good idea is if you can get an actual insulin test to see what your output is. Also there's an insulin tolerance test that can be done in a doctor's office.
> 
> ...


For my insulin sensitivity / blood sugar; I'm actually good now. I've still got slight dawn effect, but my blood sugar is stable at 80-85 after I've been awake for an hour. Also 3 hours post meal I am consistently at 80-85 as well. It just took more dialing in cardio, diet and reducing body fat further.

The attached screenshot shows the last time I had my A1c tested; which was in February I think. It was 4.9, which is equivalent to an eaG of 94mg/dL.  Fasting glucose is 85mg/dL, and insulin was 2.6uIU/ml

Now I'm fine even without cardio. I don't have any issue with any carb sources now. I also don't have to take any supplements to control it anymore. I don't eat simple sugars, but I can have a piece of cake or some candy without spiking my blood sugar as well without issues.

For my shoulder; this is still unknown. I do have ganglion cysts on my long head bicep tendon, and that is grinding in the joint (I can feel it when my shoulder is really inflamed). However I think I was aggravating my own issue. I was avoiding lifting to failure out of fear of making things worse, and I was trying to supplement volume to try to work around it. In retrospect I think it was the volume and not resting enough making things worse.

I've had to take time off due to hernia surgery (8 weeks recovery time), followed by being in a car accident that put my right arm in a cast for 10 weeks. So right now my shoulder is well rested and feels good in day to day activities; where as before it felt like dog shit even doing the most mundane things.

Now that I'm healed, I'll be lifting heavy to failure with fewer sets and much less volume, and I'll make sure to get more rest per week. I will keep this approach until I stop seeing results; which shouldn't happen for a long time IMO.


----------



## Bro Bundy (Oct 9, 2022)

im rooting for ya sendo


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 9, 2022)

Send0 said:


> For my insulin sensitivity / blood sugar; I'm actually good now. I've still got slight dawn effect, but my blood sugar is stable at 80-85 after I've been awake for an hour. Also 3 hours post meal I am consistently at 80-85 as well. It just took more dialing in cardio, diet and reducing body fat further.
> 
> The attached screenshot shows the last time I had my A1c tested; which was in February I think. It was 4.9, which is equivalent to an eaG of 94mg/dL.  Fasting glucose is 85mg/dL, and insulin was 2.6uIU/ml
> 
> ...



That's great. I do not put much weight into supplements to control my glucose levels. Cinnamon and berberine did absolutely nothing for me.

I'm going to start doing plyometric exercises, incorporate Olympic lifts with some explosive movements. And for diet I'm sticking to preparing whole foods and making it all myself. No packaged premade stuff. The only thing I'll consume that is the most prepared is two scoops of whey protein powder per day for protein. And the type I take is pure unflavored, unsweetened whey with no other added ingredients. But that's it.


----------



## Send0 (Oct 9, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> That's great. I do not put much weight into supplements to control my glucose levels. Cinnamon and berberine did absolutely nothing for me.
> 
> I'm going to start doing plyometric exercises, incorporate Olympic lifts with some explosive movements. And for diet I'm sticking to preparing whole foods and making it all myself. No packaged premade stuff. The only thing I'll consume that is the most prepared is two scoops of whey protein powder per day for protein. And the type I take is pure unflavored, unsweetened whey with no other added ingredients. But that's it.


The diet will be the primary driver behind improving insulin resistance. It takes time though; don't give up if you only see "marginal" improvements over the next 6 months... I promise it will continue to get better progressively.

Plyometrics might work similar to cardio if it gets your heart rate going; that also helps for improving insulin resistance.

I'm not convinced on this last one, but I definitely felt better after eating by doing it... Take a brisk 15 minute walk after 2-3 of your largest meals.

Other than that, pay attention to which carb sources seem to be harder for you to reach normal glucose levels 3 hours post meal.

For me, I stuck to mostly fiberous carbs and legumes until my blood sugar seemed to remain consistently in the 85 range. Then after that I started to ease back into starchy carbs. Again, I have no evidence for this approach... It's just how I chose to do things when I saw how certain carb sources effected me.


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 9, 2022)

Nothing wrong with going by what works for you anecdotally. I am a firm believer in that. Studies that prove/indicate that "this" or "that" work are based on a majority. 

I am also big on taking brisk walks after eating. I love walking. That's in the Vertical Diet by Stan Efferding whose diet guidelines I pretty much adhere to. He suggests walking after every meal for about ten minutes. Or any form of low impact cardio will do as he said in a youtube video I watched a while back.

He's the one who suggested switching out the rice for potatoes if your glucose levels are too high. I have his Vertical Diet PDF I snagged from the internet.


----------



## JuiceTrain (Oct 10, 2022)

Bro Bundy said:


> im rooting for ya sendo



Same here send...🤘🏾


----------



## BigBaldBeardGuy (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> Have you looked into incorporating explosive training into your routine? There's a trainer I follow on IG who talks about this and highly recommends box jumps, short duration sprints. plyometric push ups and most of the Olympic style lifts, claiming that this type of training improves insulin sensitivity.
> 
> I'm going to give it a try myself because my morning fasted glucose is also a little bit high but thankfully my A1C is 5.2. The cut off range for that is 5.6. Morning glucose can be 101 to 115. There's also what's called the "Dawn Effect" which results in higher glucose readings in the morning. You can look into that. But ultimately if that's what's going on with you then you shouldn't have to worry. They say an AIC test is the best indicator to determine if one is a diabetic. But what would probably be a good idea is if you can get an actual insulin test to see what your output is. Also there's an insulin tolerance test that can be done in a doctor's office.
> 
> ...


Did you look at the references cited by that TNation article. It doesn’t say explosive exercises are any better.  Exercise in general is better. 

That being said, plyometrics and Olympic lifting is fun to do. Just don’t hurt yourself as you learn new movements.


----------



## IronSoul (Oct 10, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> Did you look at the references cited by that TNation article. It doesn’t say explosive exercises are any better. Exercise in general is better.
> 
> That being said, plyometrics and Olympic lifting is fun to do. Just don’t hurt yourself as you learn new movements.



Which is so damn easy to do, especially Oly stuff. Even more so if you have my shit flexibility. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 10, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> Did you look at the references cited by that TNation article. It doesn’t say explosive exercises are any better.  Exercise in general is better.
> 
> That being said, plyometrics and Olympic lifting is fun to do. Just don’t hurt yourself as you learn new movements.



We're talking about insulin sensitivity. Clearly stated in part 1 of the article I provided:

A study published in Diabetes and Metabolism Journal found that *explosive forms of training expand the storage capacity for blood sugar in your muscles and improve insulin sensitivity (1)*. This happens because your muscles post-training are depleted of glycogen (the primary fuel used for high-velocity muscular contractions) and are ready to eat up some more.

Did you overlook this part of the article? It has a "(a)" meaning that this is from the first source in the references below.


----------



## Send0 (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> We're talking about insulin sensitivity. Clearly stated in part 1 of the article I provided:
> 
> A study published in Diabetes and Metabolism Journal found that *explosive forms of training expand the storage capacity for blood sugar in your muscles and improve insulin sensitivity (1)*. This happens because your muscles post-training are depleted of glycogen (the primary fuel used for high-velocity muscular contractions) and are ready to eat up some more.
> 
> Did you overlook this part of the article? It has a "(a)" meaning that this is from the first source in the references below.


To be fair, any training will help control diabetes. It depletes circulating blood sugar, and at some point you will begin to pull from glycogen stores. Doesn't matter if it's training from cardio or resistance training. 

I have not read the article or it's sources, but I think what it's really saying is to train really damn hard. Whether you call that explosive, heavy, intense, whatever... it creates the same result.

If you want to do plyometrics, "explosive"... train with high intensity, or do oly lifts... then do it with max effort.

Even if a person didn't use max effort, but instead trained for a long enough duration then they'd eventually get to the same place (from a blood sugar/glycogen perspective)


----------



## BigBaldBeardGuy (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> We're talking about insulin sensitivity. Clearly stated in part 1 of the article I provided:
> 
> A study published in Diabetes and Metabolism Journal found that *explosive forms of training expand the storage capacity for blood sugar in your muscles and improve insulin sensitivity (1)*. This happens because your muscles post-training are depleted of glycogen (the primary fuel used for high-velocity muscular contractions) and are ready to eat up some more.
> 
> Did you overlook this part of the article? It has a "(a)" meaning that this is from the first source in the references below.


Hey pal?

I read it. Did you? Look at the title of the referenced study. Does it say “explosive” or “Regular Exercise”.  ANY exercising when done for an adequate amount of time will deplete glycogen.


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 10, 2022)

Send0 said:


> To be fair, any training will help control diabetes. It depletes circulating blood sugar, and if training is hard enough (either cardio or resistance training) then you will begin to pull from glycogen stores.
> 
> I have not read the article or it's sources, but I think what it's really saying is to train really damn hard. Whether you call that explosive, heavy, intense, whatever... it creates the same result.
> 
> ...



Hym, I don't know. I'm going to incorporate some explosive movements again. It's been years.  I train very intensely in the gym, more than most people around me who aren't sweating as much and are usually chit chatting and are on their smartphones. But most of what I've been doing in the gym for the past year or so has been to focus on hypertrophy, not power and my glucose readings are not that great (at least in the morning).

Maybe it's a coincidence that my glucose is gradually getting higher along with my A1C. After all I am now in my fifties. I'm no spring chicken any longer. But if I note improvements after incorporating some explosive training then I write it off as working for me anecdotally.


----------



## TODAY (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> Hym, I don't know. I'm going to incorporate some explosive movements again. It's been years.  I train very intensely in the gym, more than most people around me who aren't sweating as much and are usually chit chatting and are on their smartphones. But most of what I've been doing in the gym for the past year or so has been to focus on hypertrophy, not power and my glucose readings are not that great (at least in the morning).
> 
> Maybe it's a coincidence that my glucose is gradually getting higher along with my A1C. After all I am now in my fifties. I'm no spring chicken any longer. But if I note improvements after incorporating some explosive training then I write it off as working for me anecdotally.


Have you measured these improvements with a blood glucose monitor?


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 10, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> Hey pal?
> 
> I read it. Did you? Look at the title of the referenced study. Does it say “explosive” or “Regular Exercise”.  ANY exercising when done for an adequate amount of time will deplete glycogen.
> 
> View attachment 29803



That's the title of the source. You're inferring that just because it has the word "regular" in the title that it can't possibly cite a published study about explosive training in a well respected medical journal which is what the author of the T-Nation article did.


----------



## Send0 (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> Hym, I don't know. I'm going to incorporate some explosive movements again. It's been years.  I train very intensely in the gym, more than most people around me who aren't sweating as much and are usually chit chatting and are on their smartphones. But most of what I've been doing in the gym for the past year or so has been to focus on hypertrophy, not power and my glucose readings are not that great (at least in the morning).
> 
> Maybe it's a coincidence that my glucose is gradually getting higher along with my A1C. After all I am now in my fifties. I'm no spring chicken any longer. But if I note improvements after incorporating some explosive training then I write it off as working for me anecdotally.


Just in case it came off as an argument; no one is saying you won't benefit. All forms of exercise are beneficial. I think the main thing being questioned is if explosive training is more beneficial over other forms of exercise; because the reference cited by the article says "regular exercise". Tnation is known to post inaccurate information, or information that's not actually applicable. 

Anyway, neither here nor there. Like you said, try it and track your progress using a blood glucose monitor to see if it makes a difference for you specifically. Ultimately that's what matters anyway.


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 10, 2022)

TODAY said:


> Have you measured these improvements with a blood glucose monitor?


Improvements? I said my glucose readings and A1C are getting higher. That's a bad thing.

And I have two glucose reading kits at home. I use both in the hopes that I can get a more accurate reading on my glucose levels.


----------



## TODAY (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> Improvements? I said my glucose readings and A1C are getting higher. That's a bad thing.
> 
> And I have two glucose reading kits at home. I use both in the hopes that I can get a more accurate reading on my glucose levels.


Ah, missed the "if". Apologies.


----------



## BigBaldBeardGuy (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> That's the title of the source. You're inferring that just because it has the word "regular" in the title that it can't possibly cite a published study about explosive training in a well respected medical journal which is what the author of the T-Nation article did.


What journal? It's a stand alone study. Here I can give you the link. Find "Explosive".

The author in T-nation made a reach to "explosive" and it's fine, because it's an exercise. But it's no different than any exercise. I'm not arguing with you. I'm correcting the T-nation "source". Other people read these posts without commenting. There's no reason for everyone to be jumping around if it's not the appropriate exercise for them.









						The Effect of Regular Exercise on Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
					

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of regular exercise training on insulin sensitivity in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using the pooled data available from randomised controlled trials. In addition, we sought to determine ...




					www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


----------



## Send0 (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> Improvements? I said my glucose readings and A1C are getting higher. That's a bad thing.
> 
> And I have two glucose reading kits at home. I use both in the hopes that I can get a more accurate reading on my glucose levels.


Consistent tracking is good enough IMO. It's the trend that matters more than anything. 

I have a Bayer contour; which is one of the most accurate on the market. I also have a cheaper glucose monitor, that is always about 10 points higher than the Bayer, but is very consistent.

The cost of the Bayer testing strips is kind of pricey. I can get a pack of 150 test strips cheaper than a 50 pack of the Bayer.

Do what you think is best for you, but if saving some cash matters.... then as long as your meter is consistent then that's good enough. Simply tracking the trend is what matters.


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 10, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> What journal? It's a stand alone study. Here I can give you the link. Find "Explosive".
> 
> The author in T-nation made a reach to "explosive" and it's fine, because it's an exercise. But it's no different than any exercise. I'm not arguing with you. I'm correcting the T-nation "source". Other people read these posts without commenting. There's no reason for everyone to be jumping around if it's not the appropriate exercise for them.
> 
> ...



The Diabetes and Metabolism Journal which is stated on the top of the page you just provided.


BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> What journal? It's a stand alone study. Here I can give you the link. Find "Explosive".
> 
> The author in T-nation made a reach to "explosive" and it's fine, because it's an exercise. But it's no different than any exercise. I'm not arguing with you. I'm correcting the T-nation "source". Other people read these posts without commenting. There's no reason for everyone to be jumping around if it's not the appropriate exercise for them.
> 
> ...



I'll reach out to the author of T-Nation to ask what's going on. I'll suggest that he remove or alter his article if he can't provide an explanation. I can't do that now. It'll have to be later. I have to scoot to work.


----------



## BigBaldBeardGuy (Oct 10, 2022)

roidmedangerfield said:


> The Diabetes and Metabolism Journal which is stated on the top of the page you just provided.
> 
> 
> I'll reach out to the author of T-Nation to ask what's going on. I'll suggest that he remove or alter his article if he can't provide an explanation. I can't do that now. It'll have to be later. I have to scoot to work.


Lol, you don't need to contact T-nation. He's ok for using "explosive exercises" because those types of exercises meet the criteria that showed good results in the study.  I'm just clearing up, and I believe so is @Send0, that the exercises aren't limited to those explosive exercises only. High intensity Interval training would also be good, whether on a bike, sprints, stairs, etc. are also examples. All exercises would work it would just obviously take longer because the intensity is much lower.

I wasn't arguing with you. I was clearing it up.


----------



## roidmedangerfield (Oct 11, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> Lol, you don't need to contact T-nation. He's ok for using "explosive exercises" because those types of exercises meet the criteria that showed good results in the study.  I'm just clearing up, and I believe so is @Send0, that the exercises aren't limited to those explosive exercises only. High intensity Interval training would also be good, whether on a bike, sprints, stairs, etc. are also examples. All exercises would work it would just obviously take longer because the intensity is much lower.
> 
> I wasn't arguing with you. I was clearing it up.



I didn't contact the website. I contacted the author of the article. He used the word "explosive" in his article and I asked him to show me where that was said (or anything similar) in the source that he cited.

He responded but then sent me a completely different article from pubmed. In other words, it appears that the source cited in his T-Nation article was "overreaching." Be that as it may, here is a reputable source being more specific about plyometric exercises having favorable results on blood glucose levels.

Also, I never said nor implied limitations on what can be done to improve insulin sensitivity in terms of training "only." I was citing a source that clearly delineated a type of training that improved insulin sensitivity. I inferred it was optimal given that there are many approaches to resistance training. All exercises might work, as you claim. But compound movements involving multiple muscle groups to be worked at once are more effective for obvious reasons. They use more energy than someone using isolation machines to work just one muscle. Not to mention, I want to make the best use of my time in the gym.


----------

