Fuel and tire balance with kids in the back

Here's a picture of me and my cousin K.J. taken on Saturday. He is a lively and energetic kid in his own way. It's rather remarkable how much language he actually understands even though he can't always express himself clearly. He can form partial sentences at times, though mainly to communicate his wants and needs rather than carry on a conversation. I was quite amazed that he can say the name of his favorite exercise apparatus, "TRAM-po-line."

I saw both Dr. Mike and Dr. G yesterday. Gina showed me some additional strengthening exercises to improve the strength of my IT band and core:

1. Stand on one leg for up to two minutes, using a chair or other surface for support. Hike the opposite hip straight up for more effect. This strengthens the upper part of my IT band.
2. Tense the transverse abdominal muscles just above the hip bone. (Coughing makes it clear where these are.) Keep them tense while breathing deeply. This strengthens core muscles that help stabilize the hip against lateral motion.

That second one is interesting – as a salsa dancer, I'm very accustomed to moving my hips laterally. It would explain how these muscles in my case have ended up being underutilized.

On the dieting front, I've spent two days in full weight-maintenance mode, and it's becoming quickly apparent how radically my attitude toward food has changed; it probably helps, too, that there's less stomach these days to fill with food. Indeed, I'm having an exceedingly difficult time so far eating all 2,300 calories in my daily budget. Add another 300-400 calories on days I go running or dancing, and my budget grows from large to gluttonously stratospheric. I figure I will even lose a little bit more weight until I get used to eating to full capacity.