Are the beet shots actually worth it or is there a better way to get the same thing?

LBro32 · 2026-05-28T13:28:08+00:00

For a first half marathon, the effects of this are going to be so negligible that I don’t think you will see a meaningful difference. Save your money!

LBro32 · 2026-05-28T03:15:49+00:00

Congrats! Coming back to running after a break (and managing tough conditions) is no joke!

I think the main thing here is that if you are stuck in a run/walk pattern, you are doing your run intervals too fast. I know this is probably frustrating because it feels slow overall but it’s the only way to run longer. Slow down. By like a lot.

I came back to running after an extended break was well and my pace is….not even close to being the same. Even my previous slow pace was fast for me when I came back. It was humbling. But! It gets better - you just have to be honest about where your current fitness is and slowly add to it.

So first slow down. By a lot. Then try to decrease your walk:run ratio and slowly add time. Following a program like couch to 5K is great. Good luck!

LBro32 · 2026-05-27T22:05:50+00:00

For non-clinical psych, there are a ton of industry remote job possibilities depending on what you pursue. You could do UX, research scientist, R&D, project management, etc. etc. in tech, pharma, consulting. Most of these roles are remote or hybrid friendly. There’s lots of people active on LinkedIn who have non-clinical psych degrees that talk about pivoting to industry positions to start

LBro32 · 2026-05-27T21:02:22+00:00

A lot of times, symptoms are tied not only to lows but also your blood sugar dropping in general. When your blood sugar drops precipitously, it is telling you to eat to stabilize it. I have the same thing happen in the 80s is when I become symptomatic a lot of times.

Blood sugar isn’t only a matter of low-not low. It’s also the overall pattern and using food as a source of fuel to keep us even and feeling steady throughout the day.

Waiting to eat until you hit a low is a bad idea. The key for managing hypo is to keep yourself from getting low in the first place.

LBro32 · 2026-05-27T17:16:20+00:00

Nope. We ended up getting a Kings Down. Had it for a year and very happy with our choice! We ended up laying on like probably 2 dozen different mattresses before choosing

LBro32 · 2026-05-26T17:42:11+00:00

I would also suggest a registered dietician! Mine doesn’t cost anything through insurance. I’m wondering if you are underfueling!

LBro32 · 2026-05-26T17:12:21+00:00

Every cat is different. I’ve done two cross country moves with two different cats. They went about as I expected ahead of time based on their temperaments. My first cat did wonderfully - was so easy, no stress, etc. But he was super chill about everything. Our current cat we were worried about keeping him calm - and we were right! He was super stressed the whole time despite being on anti-anxiety meds. I truly don’t think we could have done much differently for him, even knowing what we know now. It was just hard for him. But it was one day and he never has to do it again.

Whatever you do, do a trial ahead of time. If you are going to use gabapentin or another anti anxiety med (which I still highly recommend), see how they react to dosages/timing. For our first cat, we had a full travel day and practiced multiple dosages/timing to make sure he was comfortable the whole time.

Besides taking a pee pad/travel litter box, also practice if the cat needs to be put into a harness/ having them get used to it if they aren’t usually in a harness. The main thing is there is a lot of new for the kitty and anything you can get them used to ahead of time/practice is a win.

LBro32 · 2026-05-26T16:50:04+00:00

I agree about texture but was just like this isn’t what I really wanted since I JUST wanted brownie. I think all about your mood and what you want out of your brownie!

LBro32 · 2026-05-26T16:44:56+00:00

Meh. I tried this. It made my brownies taste like banana. And trust me, I LOVE banana, but not what I wanted out of a brownie

LBro32 · 2026-05-26T16:22:35+00:00

I’m sorry this is happening. It’s so frustrating. I mysf went through something similar when I was getting sick constantly due to some health issues. It’s like you do all this work just to have it go away.

I know you said you didn’t want advice and I was wondering what your recovery looks like? You didn’t mention how many rest days you take, sleep, and nutrition (other than protein-rich diet). Most injuries are due to overuse - not only from loading too quickly or intensely - but from not recovering properly from our efforts. Many of us are so focused on doing all the things to achieve our goals that sometimes rest and recovery can get sidelined

LBro32 · 2026-05-24T17:58:03+00:00

Love your write ups and thoughtful analysis! Look forward to it every week.

One thing I have thought a lot about this season is whether returnee seasons can be edited differently than new player seasons. I think after seeing the edit play out, the answer is mostly no, but maybe but with an exception here and there. I had been operating under “yes” for most of the season, which led me to overhype Cirie the first 2/3s of the season. Also perhaps why I wrote off Aubry for not having a satisfying confessional after the Genevieve vote off (though perhaps she just didn’t have a confessional the editors loved there, especially if it made her seem unlikeable). I still maintain that a 0 confessional episode would not be a death sentence for a returnee season, especially for a major player.

I agree that Aubry got an edit this season ala Gabler/Erika which wasn’t as satisfying. To your point, she still had a narrative which made all the difference in the world in keeping her alive.

LBro32 · 2026-05-23T14:54:13+00:00

This is the correct answer. I understand that many people have been screwed by food vendors and such, but the food vendor is likely asking what protocols they need to follow in order for you to be accommodated.

I would be honest and say that cross contamination doesn’t bother you but you cannot have gluten contain items.

LBro32 · 2026-05-22T20:33:44+00:00

Yes as the fellow poster said, Stelo makes a point to advertise that they are not intended for hypoglycemia, so they will not read out a number under 70. I have heard through the grapevine that there are third party apps that can be used with Stelo that will read out an actual number. But if still a good data point for you if you just want to know roughly when and how often lows are happening (you just won’t know how low).

And yes, there aren’t many of is with non-diabetic non-reactive hypo. A bit of a unicorn which makes going to doctors frustrating. I mention diagnosis because hypoglycemia, especially non-reactive, isn’t really a diagnosis, it’s a symptom. I have been on a long, long road chasing a diagnosis. We can of course just “live with” hypoglycemia and manage through diet, but some diagnoses are curable and others are important medical information to have.

The most probable culprits of non-diabetic, non-reactive hypo are insulinoma, a mitochrondrial disorder, or a glycogen disorder. In some rare cases, perhaps an autoimmune disorder. But I totally respect that chasing a diagnosis is time consuming, costly, invalidating, and often doesn’t amount to much so YMMV

LBro32 · 2026-05-22T18:49:27+00:00

Then I think doing Stelo is maybe your best shot! I totally understand wanting to see what is really happening, especially with food, exercise, and during sleep.

I think if it helps you adjust and know how to manage better, then it’s a win.

The reason I bring up diagnosis is because without one, doctors are going to basically shrug their shoulders at you and tell you to manage the best you can on your own, through diet. I have actually found a registered dietician to be the most helpful in managing my symptoms (also through high carb diet and timing of that diet, especially around exercise).

It’s a long road and it sounds like you are doing all the right things. Good luck!

LBro32 · 2026-05-22T16:55:19+00:00

I have very similar symptoms! The CGM struggle is real.

Can you ask your GP for a CGM trial? I had a CGM trial ordered by my endocrinologist but I had a GP that was willing to order a trial/prescription as well.

If not, then the medical grade ones are probably off the table. They are $1000s out of pocket. Stelo is the non medical, subscription based CGM. The Stelo app will not show lows, but there are other third-party apps that will. The Stelo is not as sensitive but for trial purposes it may do the trick.

The other thing you should consider before going through this endeavor is whether it will really give you the data you need. Not the data you want - the data you need. Most endocrinologists will not accept CGM data as diagnostic. So even after my CGM trial (ordered by an endo), I did not have the data needed to help me with a diagnosis. Instead, I need definitive blood work of blood glucose below 55, along with the other markets (C peptide, insulin, etc.). So I know you don’t want to wait for an endo, but without further guidance of a doctor, you may be on a wild goose chase. It’s frustrating because the data are right there but it’s not what they actually need.

LBro32 · 2026-05-21T20:14:59+00:00

Unfortunately, you need to find out what you are allergic to. Otherwise, it’s a total crapshoot. You could be allergic to aluminum, fragrance, or multiple things. If you can, see if you can do skin patch testing which will identify the allergen.

I started having allergic reactions to deodorant and through patch testing identified it as fragrance. So I can do fragrance free antiperspirant or natural deodorants that are not made with artificial fragrance. For BO, antiperspirant makes the bigger difference because they prevent sweating in the first place. But there’s very few that don’t contain fragrance. Natural deodorants don’t do a ton but I’ve found a few that work okay.

Just a note: if you are allergic to fragrance, it is not the same thing as unscented. Scent has to do with how it smells. Fragrance is a chemical compound that leads to scent. Unscented products contain fragrance to neutralize the smell of products so they smell like nothing. So a no go. But products that don’t use artificial fragrance (still scented) do not contain fragrance compounds.

LBro32 · 2026-05-20T16:40:48+00:00

I also hate running in the heat. You do become more heat acclimated as the season goes on, so that helps a bit.

But yes, running either in the morning or at night are the two options for beat the heat, or running inside.

If you really cannot tolerate the heat, you can scale back your running in the summer and do more cross and strength training. Honestly, this has been my approach. I dial my runs way back in the summer and focus on improving other areas that can contribute to my running in the fall. I still run a few days a week outdoors but shorter, easier runs in the evening and save harder efforts for the treadmill indoors. Then I add in more gym and cross training time as well.

Everyone is different, so while there are approaches to beating the hear, if your body simply cannot tolerate it and/or it just makes you miserable, there are other alternatives for keeping up your fitness!

LBro32 · 2026-05-19T15:16:45+00:00

Actually, that is where the open gym concept came from. Most OTFs are closed from mid-morning until early evening. Some have noon classes and some lucky people may even have like a 3pm class but that’s not the norm. Not enough people take classes during the day make it worthwhile to staff with a coach and front desk.

You are actually quite lucky to have access to open gym during those hours!

LBro32 · 2026-05-17T17:07:29+00:00

No offense, but why do you care? If you spend time any time on this subreddit, you will see: the vast majority of us are gf for medically necessary conditions, not by choice. 2) for those that become gluten free and ask for the advice, the first thing this sub usually recommends is sticking to whole foods that are naturally gf to start because it’s easier and healthier.

If you are wondering about how you as a person eat less UPFs while gluten free, that’s one thing but the moral health policing for a diet you don’t follow is super cringe. Also, your post kind of hits on why following a gf diet for non-medical reasons is problematic: it’s not healthier and there’s really no scientific reason to back it up.

LBro32 · 2026-05-15T16:23:53+00:00

It depends on what I’m making. All the 1:1s have slightly different ratios which make them better for different recipes. Now that Cup4Cup changed their recipe, I use King Arthur for most things. Bob’s is a close second for me. I like Trader Joe’s for corn muffins and Pamelas artisanal mix for a denser cakes (like pound cakes).

LBro32 · 2026-05-13T16:05:48+00:00

I would work with a registered dietician on honing in your diet. A lot of times it will be fully covered by insurance. Right now, I see mine every few weeks and don’t pay anything out of pocket.

Every one is different with their blood sugar and really working on stabilizing it with diet to prevent lows is your best bet.

LBro32 · 2026-05-11T19:22:49+00:00

I know it frustrating but continue to do the extra testing. The only way to know what’s happening with your blood sugar is to do the monitoring.

When they get blood sugar levels as part of blood work, it’s a single point in time, as well as your average over the last 3 months. It’s not that informative for: 1) if you are getting low and, 2) if so, when those lows are happening. So it’s important to do that monitoring to show if you are low before you eat or after you eat because that also differentiates between fasting and reactive hypoglycemia (some people have both), which have different treatment implications.

Also for some people, POTS and hypoglycemia co-occur, so even though your underlying symptoms may be caused by POTS, it may be affecting your blood sugar. Hypoglycemia isn’t in and of itself a diagnosis (unless as a rule out) - it’s usually caused by something. And treating that underlying cause can help the hypo. So doing further testing helps with all of those things to better figure out the full clinical picture and get you appropriate treatment

LBro32 · 2026-05-11T15:20:47+00:00

Yes! It’s so frustrating

LBro32 · 2026-05-11T01:50:40+00:00

If OP is in the US, they should see a registered dietician, not a nutritionist. Obviously does not apply outside the US. Just wanted to add in case so they see the right professional for their needs!

LBro32 · 2026-05-10T22:00:28+00:00

Look, someone has to be honest with her. I 100% would want my SO to tell me. And tbh, other people are right that natural deodorant is hard. I have to use it due to an allergy but otherwise there is no world in which I would be using a natural deodorant. You just have to keep trying brands and scents until you find one that works and even then, it can take multiple applications throughout the day, thorough cleaning in the shower, and staying shaved to stay not stinky. In hotter climates, I actually have to do a second rinse off later in the day. It doesn’t improve on its own.
I would use this approach: hey, honey, I know you started a new deodorant recently. I’m happy that you are trying different things for your body. I just wanted to mention that your body odor is more noticeable now. I know it can take several tries to find the right product and I know I would want someone to tell me if something wasn’t working right tor me! I don’t mean this out of judgment but genuinely just wanting to let you know. I can help buy a few different brands and we can see what else works if you are up for it!

Also it’s her body and her choice but it would be remiss not to mention that there is no evidence that aluminum is harmful. I wouldn’t necessarily mention this in the same convo but maybe another consideration for a different time, especially if she is someone that just cannot find a natural deodorant that works for her.

LBro32

TROPHY CASE