I ran this weekend! Twice! For a total of roughly 3 miles. So... not very much. But hey, considering it's been several weeks, just getting out, twice, was a challenge, and I'll consider it a small victory.
I'm supposed to run a (very informal, small town) 5k in 2 weeks. Last night's 1.8 mile run, just after eating supper, let me know that I'll be able to do it. I kind of doubted I had enough time to get myself into that shape, but I'm not as far off as I had feared. I'm always worried about how far I've fallen once I take a break, and I'm always terrified of confronting that reality in starting back up. I'd go so far as to say that fear of honestly confronting the unpleasant reality is the single biggest barrier for me in getting off the couch.
Knowing that I need to confront my habits again, I've actually accelerated the bad recently. Sooo many snacks. Lots of ice cream. I ate almost an entire pie over the past 3 days. Lots and lots of soda. And some beer too (Surly's Over Rated, which was new to me (is it new, generally?), and very good.).
So here's the honest reality I need to confront: I basically haven't worked out for a month, I've lost muscle mass which has artificially kept my weight lower, I've eaten too much, and now my weight has gone back over 205, reflecting these bad habits. I'm not moving the right direction, and haven't been for a month.
Today, I'm keeping track of calories. This whole week. I'm not forcing myself to keep to any particular limit, though I suspect just counting will help me stick closer to the 2000 mark than I've been doing. It might be a tough week, since we don't have daycare, and that'll end up taking up a fair amount of time (driving to the cities to drop of kids with my sister, driving up again to pick them up in a couple days, etc.), but I'm gonna make sure I do something - even if it's just lifting and stretching while I watch TV - 4 of the 5 days this week. Small steps, but that's where I am right now. Hopefully they'll be bigger strides soon.
Monday morning, time to get it working again.
Whether running three miles is "not very much" depends on what kind of shape you're in and how much running you've done. For me, running three miles over two days would be a lot, because I've done very little running in my life. I can ride the bike for a long time, but running, no.
I’d go so far as to say that fear of honestly confronting the unpleasant reality is the single biggest barrier for me
in getting off the couch.This feeling versus last-minute panic at a deadline describes way too much of my life.
Yeah, fitness isn't the only area I face this issue.
Ha! It's good to know I'm not alone in this world.
speaking of keeping track:
Rode 51.4 miles yesterday w/ NBBW, and swam open-water a mile with my Tri-training buddy Cindy - sure helps to work out with someone else..
July wasn't terrible but wasn't great. I essentially maintained my weight or at best lost a little over a pound. I did one awesome running event and averaged between two and three days exercise/week.
I have fallen off of the wagon of calorie counting, but I've gotten into a pattern where I essentially eat the same things almost every day. There have been a few trips where I didn't eat healthy or low cal at all. I am still not drinking soda but for once every other week or so.
August so far has been good. I have been exercising nearly every day with the Insanity DVD and I feel really good about the lunch temptations I've declined. I have lost a total of about 40 lbs since February 1... which was my original weight loss goal. So, yay, I met my goal. I feel like I have a good 10-15 pounds of "fat" left to lose. I need to buy new clothes, but I am going to wait until October 1 to do so because I want to challenge myself to rid the last pudge possible before investing in new threads. My pants are cinched under my belts and my shirts hang awkwardly now.
I continue to have the orangest of carrots dangling in September. A backcountry hiking/hunting trip that will serve as my motivation to keep it up for another 4 weeks. This trip was the catalyst to start my exercise/weight loss regimen in the first place. I will now weigh less with my pack fully loaded for 5 days of camping than I did naked in February.
I will now weigh less with my pack fully loaded for 5 days of camping than I did naked in February.
That's something else, smalls. Way to go.
Agreed! Can't tell you how tangible that makes your efforts.
It's a good thing I don't have the twitter machine.
Good job.
Good show, Smalls.
I too have the thing where the belt has notched in and the pants are cinched in. I guess a good problem to have, huh.
I just broke my two mile run record by 28 seconds (down to 17:31). That feels good.
That's a big drop. Congratulations!
That's awesome!
My times have steadily gotten better over the summer, but when I look at my shadow as I run I still look like an injured kangaroo trying to find a shady spot.
three straight days of working out here in Santa Fe. all prelude for the pound of pulled pork and one-third rack of ribs and sausage and guacamole and and and I had tonight at the big party. catered from Whole Hog, if that rings a bell for meat.
Nice temps this weekend here in Connecticut.
Got in 7 mile training run on Sat AM with 1000 yd swim that evening.
This morning a 4 hr (53 mile) jaunt around Bloomfield, Windsor, E. Windsor, Suffield, and Granby, and an mile open water swim at Lake Terramuggus.
Also got in some serious weeding in the back yard - are you kidding me - weeds taller than me by a foot! Natch.