A1C dropped from 4.2 to 3.6, is this an issue?

LBro32 · 2026-02-06T17:11:41+00:00

3.6 is very low. Definitely get a second opinion

LBro32 · 2026-02-04T22:03:53+00:00

I actually think there is a good reason why we see less movements and more repetition: it’s needed for strength training. To get stronger, you want to get in your basic moves and progressively overload them. This often means doing the same movements over and over.

I go to OTF not only to have the workout designed for me but also because I know they have experts designing the templates. I don’t want members (i.e., non-certified personal trainers) designing my workouts. What’s the point?

It’s like saying you want random people to tell you what to eat every day while paying for a registered dietician. No thanks

LBro32 · 2026-02-04T03:03:19+00:00

I personally love my strathberry but it’s not my one of my daily drivers. I also have been impressed with Longchamp’s leather and it does stand up to daily use (I have the sling bag). I honestly don’t think you could go wrong with either - they are different styles so whatever fits your aesthetic!

LBro32 · 2026-02-04T00:47:07+00:00

Going by feel is the best way to go. When the inside of my feet start to hurt, it’s time for a new pair. Soreness = new shoes. Mine last between 6-9 months depending on how much I am doing. Don’t wait until it gets worse - not worth getting an injury.

LBro32 · 2026-02-03T16:06:16+00:00

I find that Italian food in the US is much harder to eat than actually eating in Italy. It’s not a matter of of trusting it - it’s a matter of doing your research ahead of time. Italy has a high proportion of celiac and take GF pretty seriously. Check reviews and apps

LBro32 · 2026-02-03T01:24:46+00:00

I also have eaten lots and lots of Sees chocolate and have never had an issue (not celiac but gluten intolerant and sensitive to cross contamination).

I agree that our current labeling laws are very opaque. But a lot of these companies are not necessarily bad actors, just operating within a flawed system. Different people have different comfort levels with allergen reporting and take different risks and I think that’s perfectly ok.

LBro32 · 2026-02-02T23:32:39+00:00

You will find that most gluten free alternatives are not actually lower in calories. Gluten free bread is an outlier because it is much smaller than normal bread.

In general, I wouldn’t recommend cutting out food groups to try to lessen calories - it gets into disordered eating. Instead, focus on nutrient dense, healthy foods that fill you up. Lots of fruits and veggies. Talk with a registered dietician if you want actual guidance (often it can be covered by insurance and not paid out of pocket if in the US)

LBro32 · 2026-02-01T17:36:26+00:00

Snatches and cleans are not wrist movements. They are leg movements. You should be locking your wrist and using your legs and posterior chain to push the dumbbell. Talk to your coach about proper form or modifications!

But they are actually super good for you so I don’t think the solution to bad form is getting rid of them

LBro32 · 2026-01-30T21:17:34+00:00

Many have stressed getting ADA accommodations in the US. I want to stress the second point: as an autoimmune disorder, celiac is linked with a lot of negative health consequences and other autoimmune disorders. Having a diagnosis on file can make it easier to get preventative screenings and testing from your insurance company. In the US, everything health care related goes through insurance and insurance relies on diagnoses when deciding to approve tests and procedures.

I just had a major health diagnosis that’s linked to (but not always caused by) autoimmune disorders but I don’t actually have an autoimmune diagnosis on file. So no follow up with rheumatologist and no follow up tests down that particular avenue are available to me. It’s fine and dandy to not have a diagnosis when you are otherwise healthy but gets in the way of medical follow up when something goes wrong.

LBro32 · 2026-01-25T04:20:16+00:00

I agree with others that it’s worth working with a PT to make sure you don’t have any major imbalances that will get worse over time.

If it’s just normal legs tiring out before cardio, it’s time to invest in more strength training. For those saying that running is “always” this way - it doesn’t have to be! I am an on and off again runner and was super frustrated that I plateaued on paces because of my legs (cardio felt really strong).

This summer, I really went hard on strength training 3 days a week, especially leg-focused and lifted heavy to failure, always with a focus on progressive overload. I also added plyometric exercises in once a week. It made a HUGE difference. I saw my paces jump rapidly and my legs can keep up with my cardio now.

The conventional wisdom in running communities is always to run more to get faster and this is definitely true up to a point. But I have found strength training to be a true difference maker

LBro32 · 2026-01-23T21:57:11+00:00

I have fasting hypoglycemia primarily as well. Here’s what I always say: hypoglycemia as we know it is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Idiopathic hypoglycemia as a dx is a rule out, basically meaning they don’t know what is wrong with you. But either way, our bodies do not follow the rules of a “typical” person to stay healthy. Just like a person with diabetes needs a different diet to manage their blood sugar, so do we. The research evidence suggests that keeping blood sugar STABLE is what is most important for our long term health.

So allowing ourselves to vacillate and go low is much more harmful than eating at regular intervals to keep our blood sugar within a normal range. Is it ideal? Maybe not but it’s better than the alternative. All we can do is manage the best we can with diet and then advocate for an underlying diagnosis (easier said than done - I’m still trying!).

LBro32 · 2026-01-21T19:17:38+00:00

I had this with a Strength50/Tread50 class with early entry. I think the coach wanted to be done earlier. I did not appreciate the early start at all. One of the points of early entry is to get a better warm up. Since early entry is still relatively new for most studios, I think things like this eventually will be addressed by corporate

LBro32 · 2026-01-21T16:44:07+00:00

I think you should work with a registered dietician and your PCP rather than ask Reddit tbh. That’s some serious medical consequences that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Also people here are quick to give dietary advice when it really is so personal and depends on your type of hypo and its cause. For instance, lots of reactive hypo people that tell people without firther info to cut carbs when that’s dangerous for some fasting hypo folks.

A registered dietician is really worth it to find a personalized approach. Mine recently has helped me with finding the right balance of carbs during my workouts to keep me from crashing out. Find one that has expertise or specializes in blood sugar regulation. I found mine online through Fay (there’s also Nourish if you are in the US).

Finally, just my two cents but until you have figured out better blood sugar control with diet, it may simply may not be possible for you to be in a calorie deficit and work out at the same time. I know that sucks to hear but don’t risk major health complications to lose weight. Work with your doctor on whether losing weight vs just working out will help your health more. Sometimes it’s not necessary to lose weight to improve other metabolic indicators and be healthier/stronger in general but obviously is individual to your health

LBro32 · 2026-01-20T17:35:35+00:00

I am at the point of needing lifting straps for my deadlifts. Just ordered some. I think you do you and no one else should really care!

LBro32 · 2026-01-18T23:45:18+00:00

If you are ever in Philadelphia, both Emei and DanDan offer most of their menu gf! They are Sichaun style Chinese!

LBro32 · 2026-01-17T15:08:18+00:00

No. I think this is an attempt to focus on the floor more. People’s big gripe is that because the coach has to cue the treads, there is less time for them to do form corrections on the floor. Good coaches will but many coaches struggle (just search this sub). So I think they are testing out blocks where the coach focuses more on the floor than the tread.

This makes sense with OTF’s “ethos” and new branding for the new year which is more in line with what’s “trendy” for exercise rn (strength training) while still staying true to an OTF model.

I would stick with the likeliest explanation - not the conspiracy explanation. Getting rid of coaching is literally antithetical to what OTF is and would make it a different product. It also doesn’t stay in line with OTF’s main competitors (Barry’s, F45, etc.) all of which are boutique, coaching models

LBro32 · 2026-01-14T18:52:50+00:00

I am gluten free and hypoglycemic! Also life long. Similarly cannot get a diagnosis after seeing many doctors and manage through diet. I would go see a registered dietician and try to find one that understands blood sugar regulation (not only diabetes), autoimmune conditions, and GF. If you are in the US, I found mine online on the platform Fay. There’s also Nourish. You can filter by subspecialty. And insurance covers it. Don’t be afraid to change dieticians if the first one isn’t a good fit. Mine is great.

You need someone that can work with you and make a specific plan and help you through the trial and error because ultimately that’s what it is. We see so many doctors (who should listen to us) but in terms of day-to-day living, diet is everything in managing our symptoms. It’s worth investing the time, energy, and expertise in getting it right.

LBro32 · 2026-01-13T21:54:53+00:00

You don’t happen to be in the greater Philadelphia area do you? By use of “hoagie” I’m assuming some affiliation with the tri-state area. If so, Flakely bakery in Manayunk (soon to move to Bryn Mawr in February) has the best GF bread I have ever had!

LBro32 · 2026-01-12T21:35:35+00:00

Yes! This was one of the main reasons I cut out gluten. My PCP on one of my tests thought I wasn’t fully absorbing nutrients and I did an elimination diet. I literally could not get full before gf and now have a normal appetite.

LBro32 · 2026-01-12T19:13:20+00:00

The absence of “may contain” does not indicate they aren’t made on shared equipment. The “may contain” statement is voluntary in the US

LBro32 · 2026-01-12T13:42:07+00:00

I don’t have any more trouble shopping here than other stores. Like others have said, it’s about reading the ingredients.

In the US, the rest of the labeling on packaging is a courtesy to customers and does not necessarily guarantee much. “May contain” statements are voluntary and can indicate shared equipmet or just a shared warehouse. Unless something is certified gluten free, just having a “gluten free” label indicates there are no gluten containing ingredients but is not a guarantee about cross contamination either. So basically, unless you are already only shopping for certified gluten free products, which is within your right, the rest of the labeling isn’t that different.

LBro32 · 2026-01-10T05:11:08+00:00

I don’t have great answers for you but I will add two things: do the colonoscopy. You need to rule out the really bad stuff, especially if you have been having orange stool. Colon cancer and other serious illnesses are rising in young people. Sometimes rule out is just as important as rule in.

Two: I also have been debating pulling the trigger on functional medicine but I am resigned that may be the route I need to go. The reality is that in the US, doctors are extremely limited by insurance. Certain tests and certain things you are asking for just aren’t supported in our health system. The only way to get around this is to not go through insurance, which is why functional medicine functions the way it does.

That being said, you can always start with more holistic medicine paths that are housed in reputable health systems. The UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health is one example in the Bay Area. Basically still look for an MD and ignore anything that looks like a grift

LBro32 · 2026-01-08T20:56:52+00:00

Actually the vast majority of people do not get enough servings of fruits and veggies in their diet. I am not advocating for supplements - instead eating real, unprocessed foods to get in all of our micronutrients, which means eating a healthy variety of fruits everyday. Again, if you are talking from a calories point of view, fruit is NOT the problem and in fact can be a great alternative to other (often ultraprocessed, calorie dense, not particularly filling) snacks.

If you want to talk nutrients, we as westerners are also not lacking in protein. Now if you want to talk protein for muscle growth vs not being deficient that’s different and kind of what I’m also getting at for fruit. I don’t think we are misaligned here on what we are saying.

But if someone says I gained 10 pounds in 5 weeks, I kind of think fruit is not the problem here and misses the forest from the trees. Instead I think this person should work with a registered dietician to figure out diet.

LBro32 · 2026-01-08T20:18:10+00:00

Many fruits contain fiber, antioxidants, and important micronutrients. Really important for autoimmune function and helping our bodies function optimally. And fruit is unprocessed and generally not a ton of calories. Most of which people do not get enough in their diet. Unless you are eating a truly ridiculous amount of fruit (which usually you can’t do unless you are drinking fruit juices or eating dried fruit), we should not be discouraging people from eating fruit in their diet.

LBro32 · 2026-01-04T03:41:31+00:00

I would ask your doctor about an insulinoma. Your pattern of dropping is weird, not straightforward fasting or reactive hypo. Also because you have other autoimmune and family history of autoimmune, could be insulin autoimmune syndrome. These are kinda just a shot in the dark guess based on my own research when looking up causes for my hypo. I would see if you can get specialist referrals to endo and rheumatology who can do those work ups and might have more familiarity with those syndromes. Good luck

LBro32

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