Back to the sugar deal, if the label just says sugar & nothing else, does that mean it's not HFC, or should I stay away from it?

Hey theroadagain3, If sugar is listed at the begining of the ingredients list, than its going to be one of the primary ingredients which in turn means that there alot of it in that food. Above the ingredients list on most food products is a Nutrition Facts label that gives you a portion guildeline of actual ingredient amounts. Sugar amounts are found in the carbohydrate column. If the sugar amount is higher by volume than any other nutrient listed, than its loaded with sugar and should be avoided by anyone trying to monitor their sugar intake.

Also remember that the food manufacturers will cleverly hide additional processed sugars under names like sucrose,dextrose,maltose and fructose. High fructose corn syrup is a really nasty form of processed sugar and the FDA requires it to be listed by name. Were you surprised to see all of the foods that were loaded with this stuff? Than you start to understand why so many people are stricken with diabetes. Sad is'nt it?

Some of you may have read my first few posts. For those of you who haven't, I just had open heart surgery 2 weeks ago which in itself is a life altering event. Let alone that I have to be off work 3 months without any income because my heart disease was pre-existing. Now I have to make a lot of serious changes in my lifestyle because I won't get a second chance.

I have little doubt that my cardiologist will put me on some kind of cardiac rehab program in a few weeks once I've healed some. I do have another issue working against me when it comes to exercise. A little over 3 years ago I had spinal fusion at L4 L5, L5 S1 with rods, screws and cages. This limits the types of exercises I can do. Weight training only if I have some support. Walking is fine up to a point when I must rest a minute until the pain eases off. Hopefully cardiac rehab will be able to give me a program that takes it all into account.

Suggestions appreciated,
Rick

Hey Rick, I'm sorry to hear about your heart disease, its a very serious health issue as I'm sure you are well aware of. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have had open heart surgery, but there is a bright side, you are still with us. I'm sure that you cherish every moment of everyday now more than ever.

Given your past health issues with your back and spine and being fresh out of OHS, your rehab will be really slow and probably involve alot of water aerobics and exercising in a pool. The bouyancy of being in the water will take alot of the weight and strain of gravity off of your back and spine and allow you to exercise more before fatigue sets in . Swimming is also an excellent form of cardiovasclar exercise which will be a very important part of your rehab. I'm sure that you'll enjoy this part of your rehab, especially if theres a cute nurse helping you along the way.

The bottom line with rehab is helping you to slowly regain your strengh so that you can feel comfortable about performing your day to day functions. This is your time to focus on you. Forget about work for now and concentrate on getting yourself back strong and healthy and eatting a good clean healthy diet, your life depends on it. Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

The water rehab sounds good but there is no pool available in Russellville where they do rehab. I had my surgery in Little Rock but that's way too far to go.

As far as my diet goes I'm already making major changes even though they told me to eat "normal" the first few weeks to get my strength back. It seems almost impossible to buy the kinds of products I need. I've learned that if something says low sodium it's because they've lowered the portion size. I found that to be true with canned soups. Turkey and chicken lunch meats are low fat but loaded with sodium. Even milk has sodium. I know that if I buy canned veggies to drain and rinse them before heating. Wal-Mart does now have individual, microwaveable portions of veggies in like 6 packs similar to applesauce which will be fine when I go back to work in May. Right now I'm trying to find low sodium, low fat products to give myself some variety and there is really very little out there that qualifies on both counts.

Rick

hate to say it, but if you want to eat healthier, it's gonna involve a lot more "real" cooking & food preparation... and a lot less pre-packaged, microwaveable stuff! lol

my ex has had 4 back surgeries. driving a truck was nearly impossible for a while. and i could not convince him the only way to prepare to go back to work is to exercise, etc to rebuild strength. you should check with local Y, high school, etc to see if they'd allow you to do PT in their pool for short-term. aquatics really is the best - and probably least stressful - manner of therapy.

good luck to you. keep us posted.

There are no public pools in Russellville,Arkansas. You would think that in a town of almost 25,000 people plus Arkansas Tech that there would be better facilities but there aren't. There is no YMCA. There is a wellness center that is similar to a Y but it doesn't have a pool. It is part of the St. Mary's Regional Hospital. Cardiac rehab is done at what is called CORF, which is part of St. Mary's Regional Hospital. It doesn't have a pool. Besides, I can't swim anyway.

Rick

That is pretty amazing that there is no public schools in the area. It's too bad that the community doesn't have something more accessible. Hang in there, though!

Hey Lil Daddy, I noticed you mentioned you carry some weights with you... do you carry hex dumbbells or plates? Hex dumbbells would be easiest, but I've thought about carrying some handles and around 100 lbs in plates (or so) so that I can switch the plates with other accessories (such as a neck harness, etc.) and potentially add all the weight to one handle for heavier lifts, if necessary. I know it might be wise to watch how much is carried in the cab, but was just thinking about this. Do you carry any other equipment with you? With limited space and all, what do you think would be the wisest stuff to carry? I've also thought about investing in a foldable roman chair I saw on E-Bay that can be used for reverse hyperextensions as well as ab work. A truck driver can NOT strengthen the stomach and lower back too much...

I carry 2 50lb dumbells and an exercise ball. I can do numerous weight training exercises with these and they don't take up alot of room. The dumbells do have the plates so that I can easily adjust the weight if I need to.
I also have a bar attached to the ceiling of my sleeper so that I can do pull-ups. I can get a pretty decent workout in the truck, but every chance I get I'm in the gym. Theres really no substitute for heavy steel. I just love it.
After driving all day or all night, a trip to a good gym leaves me feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and feeling like a million bucks.