feeling pleased with myself

[Anders]

Well done Morticia-Its amazing how our ability to run increases the more we do - I went for a 4 mile run on Sunday (~50 minutes) and am hoping to do a half-marathon at the end of Feb - I'm planning to increases my runs by 1/2 mile a week. I'm not particularly bothered by how fast I go though 5 mph is fine for now. Lost 2 1/2 pounds over the last fortnight so I'm pleased about that too.

Daisy, take it easy while on food packs - I ended up having to start RTM before I wanted too because of doing too much in the gym. As far as I'm concerned running and food packs don't mix. As our LLC pointed out, when you're in abstinence you've already "hit the wall" i.e. no glycogen reserves.

Keep up the good work everyone

 

[girloutdoors]

I'm loving running for the same reasons - quick improvement. I'm now up to 20km mix of trail and road. A few weeks ago I was so pleased to have done 12km on good quality trails, now 12 muddy km feels like a short run.

Mind you I remember when I first started running in April I was really pleased after a few sessions to have managed 500m. I still struggle to get my head around doing 20,000m 6 months on from that and not feeling particularly knackered afterwards

I'm aiming for an adventure race in March, a half marathon in May, a Mountain Marathon in July (40km over 2 days, navigating over rough dartmoor terrain running with camping kit) and a full marathon in September. Ultimate goal now is to do an ultra trail marathon in 2011 :flirt2: Fingers crossed (or should that be trainers laced?!)...

 

[Morticia]

Wow G_o that's impressive. It puts my 30 minutes run really in the shade...

Anders, that's great too. Sometimes I think I'm running more at a cantor than a run so I'm glad someone else has mentioned they are not too worried about speed. I'm loving this thread for that...

I was initially going to up my running to 40 minutes as I thought I'd be quite happy with that. But reading about you both and your goals makes me want to keep going and actually see how far I can push myself. So next goal will be 50 minutes....wish me luck peeps....

 

[girloutdoors]

Good luck I'm really not a fast runner, I figure I'm out there to enjoy it and more into the distance. I'm never going to win races (and don't want to)

 

[Anders]

Good luck - I managed 50 minutes for the first time on Sunday. I've read that you shoudn't try to increase by more than 10% a week.

I managed to up my speed for my 5k treadmill session to 9 kph (5.6 mph) which I guess is actually quite slow - not that I mind particularly

 

[Morticia]

Just did another 30 mins run this morning. According to my stopwatch on my phone it was 5k and average speed was 5.6, though I never really trust my phone. I think it overestimates.

Anyway, I think you're right Anders I should go for a jump of about 10% so next week I'll happily go up to 35 mins instead of my original goal of 40 mins. The ground will be a bit more rugged and I don't want to overdo it.

I'm impressed with your 50 mins...well done.

 

[girloutdoors]

If you're using the treadmill doing interval and fartlek sessions can help to increase speed/fitness/distance really quickly. For interval sessions do a mix of walking and running, fartlek sessions are "speed play", so vary the speed (eg. 3 mins at 8kph, 1 min at 12.5kph, 5 mins at 9.5kph etc)

 

[Morticia]

Thanks G_o, I'm going to try interval training at the gym tomorrow. I've upped my outside running to 36 minutes now. I'm loving the outdoors but the only way to do interval is to go to the gym So I'm off there tomorrow to see how different it feels.

It was absolutely gorgeous running outside this last week along the coast, getting all muddy but getting amazing views while having the ipod blasting......fabby.

 

[daisydoll]

hi there
well after 3 weeks 'away' from excercise due to being ill, going back on packs and bad timing with kids i finally went back to class today.
did an hours aerobics which was good, but the routine had changed so i had to really concentrate and was knackered at the end of it.

i'm going to try and get out for a short run tomorrow...

watch this space!

daisy x

 

[Jezebella]

Well done hun, it is great to hear from you agian, how are the food choices going, are you feeling more comfortable? And are you still managing to do the pilates?

Jez
xx

 

[daisydoll]

hi there jez
im doing ok - sort of. its really getting me down tho how i can't just eat what i want without it meaning an upward path on the scales.
i seem to have to eat less than 1500 cals a day to break even.

i lost about 8lb on 10 days of abstinence - obviously most of that was just the glycogen, and i did feel better and my waist went down a couple of inches so my clothes fit better.

however back to normal eating and its mostly back on again - i know its not 'fat' as such, but it makes me feel fat.

im staying off the carbs, mainly cos im not a big bread/potato eater so no probs there, but i'm actively avoiding pasta and rice which i used to live on. Again, i'm not feeling deprived here either as i just don't fancy it really.

what i am doing tho is craving sweet stuff -biscuits cakes etc which i never really ate before. i think being on the shakes for so long actually turned me towards sweet cravings! i remember at first thinking they were too sweet but by the end was having nothing but them!

i also just want to eat all the time - which is really frustrating. i don't want to get back into the frame of mind thinking all food is bad, naughty, forbidden etc, but its like i can't manage without the strict guidelines of 'being on a diet' - as thats all ive done for years!

went to a 40th last night and was getting loads of compliments, but i can't accept them as i feel like i'm putting it all back on again

at work on friday someone bought in a box of gingerbread cookies/bread stuff. 107 cals each - i had about 7 :-(

i desperately don't want to 'go back' - but perhaps not desperately enough, or why would i be sabotaging myself like this???

why isn't it easy?
daisy x

 

[Jezebella]

Daisy Hun, I so wish I had answers, I veer between being in a fantastic headspace thinking I can do this and manage for the rest of time, to complete and utter panic and worry that everything I eat will cause me to put on weight. So if I eat a few more cals one day I severely restrict them the next. I wish however it was all unthinking and that I could indulge in some of what I suppose are bad foods - like cake etc, although like you I am trying not to think in terms of good and bad where food is concerned. I think I mentioned in my blog, I cannot imagine eating a cheese sarmie, not because I do not want it, I really really do, but the idea of the amount of calories makes me shudder. I think mentally I almost still do what I did before, eat little during the day for the most part so I know I always have some in reserve for the evening when I can sit and eat and enjoy properly. Not a good state of mind probably. I suppose it is a bit like hoarding. ARrgh you are right, why is it not easy, I just want this to be unthinking and easy. I think atm I am not straying too much above 1400 cals but seem to average about 1300. So I am really worried about when there are no rules and I eat more, and bam! it shows on the scales.

Well hun, each day we learn, and I suppose one day it will just be second nature.

Have a wonderful week.

Jez
xx

 

[slendablenda]

Hi Daisy

It ain't easy which is why we have RTM and Maintenance. I can relate so much to what you say.
After a long time with poor eating/drinking habits they are not goingto just disappear no matter how much we wish for it.
I know i'll pay the price on the scales tomorrow.
We've been away for the week-end to seemy close friend who is recovering from breast cancer.
She went to so much trouble to prepare a lovely meal for us. She wouldn't have minded if I hardly had anything, but under the circumstances I didn't feel able to do that. I didn't over do it, but i had a little of each course, a glass of bubbly and a glass of red wine, and a nibble of cheese afterwards.
I didn't have the full English brekkie on offer this morning so it could have been much worse:cry:
However, it was the most I've had at 1 meal since doing LL and it's doing my head in. Now I keep thinking about food...........

 

[daisydoll]

thanks jez and sb
prob at moment is i still have the mindset that once i have blown it for the day i'll start again tomorrow...which is soooooo rubbish, but i can't get out of it.

i start the day well - have a blip - think well im still in calorie limit - then keep going and end up going over - so i may as well go completely over....

its stupid but i can't help myself.

the weekends are always the worst - i#ll be back on track tomorrow

ive not been to weigh in for 2 weeks and i can't go til a week on sat.

im going away next weekend with the girls for a shopping and drinking weekend so i need to reign it in severely in the week so i can relax a bit when im away
daisy x

 

[katalena]

Daisy have you tried having quinoa instead of rice, pasta, couscous? It really is worth giving it a shot. It is protein not carb. It is a seed not a grain and it is really good for us. It is light and fluffy once cooked and makes a great alternative to pasta, rice, couscous etc..

I do hope your thoughts and feelings settle down somewhat. I am experiencing alsorts in my head and I am only in RTM week 3!

I do question if habits are harder to break than our actual relationship with food which is why we give ourselves such a hard time and question so much. We know we are doing things, we know they are head wobbles hence why we question them so much yet the habit has such strength and it is that we need to break! How do we do that though? I guess we just keep bashing away at them and using the tools that we have learnt. I wish I could offer more advice!

Hope things get easier for you hun.

Kat xx

 

[daisydoll]

thanks kat
ive eaten quinoa for years ( gillian mackeith got me started on it)
its not a 'deliberate' avoidence of the rice/pasta - ive just got a really sweet tooth and eat yoghurts to fill up on then don't want my tea then get hungry later and pick etc etc
i need to get that enjoyment of being hungry back - i thought i had cracked it after my 10 days in abstinence, but it appears not!

todayi'm ready for it tho!

i'm arming myself with chewing gum,have a new nail varnish ready to paint my nails, i'm making a healthy soup and moving my toothbrush into the kitchen so i can brush my teeth if i head for the cupboard......

daisy x

 

[susianna]

Not sure how but managed to miss this maintenence section, anyhow found it now!

Daisy, I'm really cutting back on carbs and find always having the following to hand is major damage limitation for me.

Low fat hummous with raw carrots, baby corn and sugar snap peas ..yum!

Cold hard boiled eggs

Satsuma's / apples / pears

Muller light yoghurt

Sugar free jelly

For lunch I tend to eat the weight watchers soup, which for the chicken noodle is only 50 cals!! .. and then snack on the above throughout the day.

Hope it helps.

x

 

[girloutdoors]

I find I can have around 1850 cals a day and maintain (plus additional for exercise). But where I get caught out is that it takes only a relatively small overeat for me to gain weight - 1000 extra cals can easily be a couple of lbs on, which is really frustrating. Over the last 10 days I've been rather stressed by health concerns and have eaten a bit too much (though nothing massively excessive - a couple of extra bowls of cereal etc), and have gained half a stone. I know I can get that off in the next 1 or 2 weeks but still it means I'm sitting here feeling fat and bloated, and will have to be very careful for a couple of weeks for being a little un-careful for just a few days.

 

[daisydoll]

G-out-D

it makes me want to scream ITS NOT FAIR!!!! at the top of my voice!!!!!

its not!

but i guess its just the way i/we are.

the 3000 cals to put on llb of fat just doesn't seem to apply in my case.

there's no point in moaning about it tho - i have just got to get on with the hand i have been dealt i guess. just because others i know don't put on weight despite eating cakes and takeaways frequently it doesn't mean i can

life isn't fair and actually, when i think of problems other people i know have - medical, family etc etc i feel quite 'lucky' that i 'only' have this problem.

hmmmm

daisy x

 

[katalena]

From what I understand it takes 3000 cals to gain a lb of fat but if you overeat and your body has no room for the glycogen as it doesn't need the energy as it hasn't used the stores it has it will save the extra as fat.

Kat xx