<p>I kind of feel I should run 5 days a week to make progress. </p>
<p>Do I really need a true full day off? What about walking on those days to at least get in 11k steps?</p>
<p>Mathmom - I’m actually enjoying all these things which is an amazing feeling for me.</p>
<p>I don’t think you need a day off. If you get run down, take one. Do as I say, not as I do!</p>
<p>I’ve run at least a mile a day so far this year so I guess you could call a mile a rest day for me - or injury rehab. If you’re used to or capable of running four or five miles, running one, even on a bad day, should be possible short of a very serious injury. It may not be fun if you’re sore from a new kind of workout but I think that someone that runs moderately can always crank out a mile, even with a low-grade fever.</p>
<p>“Keep the goal, The Goal.”</p>
<p>I always knew my core is weak. It is so bad that I could only do about 1/3 of the Insanity abs exercises. </p>
<p>I read that each lb lost typically equals 2 seconds off your pace. If I hit the target (-25 lb) this time, that will be almost 1 minute off. Plus the training program, I am even dreaming about sub 4 hours.</p>
<p>PG, I used to run 4 days a week with two X-training days plus one day off when I was going to the gym. Many a times, I would also run 2 ~ 3 miles at a slow pace on those X-training days just to burn so calories. </p>
<p>The training program talks about many ways of runs - easy, tempo, interval, and long ones. That is about 4 ~ 5 days running per week.</p>
<p>PS. Just saw your post 28754. Why not pick up a copy of insanity? Every thing is well planned for you. Just pop in the DVD and go.</p>
<p>PG–I’d try to get in some kind of strength training at least 3x a week (looks like you’ve got two sessions–working with the trainer and Pilates). I’m not a runner, but I walk every day (push myself–so that I’m going at a 14-15 min. per mile pace) in addition to walking, I’ll do strength training. I get cardio workouts from spinning–which is an incredibly efficient way to burn calories. I suggest you try it; you’ll be amazed at the calorie burn. You could substitute one day of spinning for the running.</p>
<p>PG, I like running 3-4 days a week. Seems like the knees, ankles, and muscles have liked this schedule thus far. 
</p>
<p>Stretch/strength/core at home, or else something like bike/elliptical/weights at the gym on the alternate days.</p>
<p>1 day per week off. </p>
<p>I could add in more or switch it up with different activities. Not really wanting to go to 5 days a week of running at this point.</p>
<p>Thought you might be interested in seeing the difference between Hal Higdon’s novice and intermediate 5K training plans and what level of prep is recommended before starting in on the intermediate plan to benefit from it.</p>
<p>[Hal</a> Higdon Training Programs](<a href=“http://www.halhigdon.com/training/50933/Novice-Training-for-your-first-5K]Hal”>Novice | Hal Higdon)
[Hal</a> Higdon Training Programs](<a href=“http://www.halhigdon.com/training/50934/5K-Intermediate-Training-Program]Hal”>Intermediate | Hal Higdon)</p>
<p>Most of today spent in car. I did get to briefly see my daughter, yay! :)</p>
<p>Need sleep.</p>
<p>[Insanity</a> Cardio Abs](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>Heh, heh, heh… I’m gonna do the workout the cat is doing! :)</p>
<p>“PS. Just saw your post 28754. Why not pick up a copy of insanity? Every thing is well planned for you. Just pop in the DVD and go.”</p>
<p>I have Chalean Extreme (same general concept) but I’m worried about it stalling my weight loss with the muscle build,so I think I should wait to lose another 10 before going hard core on the strength. Maybe I’m too hung up on the number but my current number is still unacceptably high to me.</p>
<p>Pizza girl, forgive me if this is a stupid question, but if you’re working out the ways you’ve described, wouldn’t your muscles be in recovery most days anyway? That’s what adds the water weight, which is temporary…and of course, te muscle weight is what you want anyway in terms of shape.
Are you afraid that if you just go by measurement instead of pounds you’ll fall off the weightloss wagon?</p>
<p>I’m nowhere near as active as you (actually, likely as anyone on this thread :)) but I did once do a strength + weightloss years ago. I was still able to lose 20 pounds but it was the measurements and body composition that was most dramatic.</p>
<p>Since it sounds like shape is more the goal then weight, maybe defining your progress by measuring tape and not pounds would serve you better.</p>
<p>MOWC - glad wildchild gf gets to go to Vegas! And thanks for the fashion report! Re: fruit…I’m pretty certain one who has run 1,000 miles this year can afford fresh fruit all day long, and left to my druthers, fresh summer fruit is my favorite thing. </p>
<p>Just so you know im not hatin’ on fruit…Now that I’m taking my sweet time about the balance of goal pounds, I’m clocking a lot more fruit on weekends. The only reason I mentioned its sugar-effect is because DadII has himself fast-tracked on a weight goal, at which time, everything that goes into your mouth counts if you want predictable results :)</p>
<p>Eg I have a lovely sister who struggles with her weight. She’s got the healthy food part down pat – doesn’t eat anything that’s not organic, etc. She can never figure out why she’s not losing weight. She will say these things to me while preparing a thousand calorie, fresh organic fruit and yogurt smoothie with honey in it – as a snack 
I try to explain that said smoothie might be very healthy, but has more calories than my dinner!</p>
<p>No food is “caloriically innocent” per se, and in balance, very few foods are truly evil 
and endurance athletes rarely have to concern themselves with much in terms of limits unless there’s a goal weight at hand :)</p>
<p>PS, DadII, while a bit pricier, I like the taste and composition of Shaklee’s protein products, which also test clean (my trainer friend had em tested so that her athletes that use same would not be inadvertently doping.). The market is not regulated at all, and a paid organization I subscribe to that tests nutritional products recently issued a report on several shake products that did not have in them what the label said. My link to this info is at the office. If you want it, I can post it later, but since it won’t let you in if you’re not a subscriber, I can also check to see what brands failed the test.</p>
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<p>Idad, me too!</p>
<p>I personally have always NOT relied on the scale to tell me how I’m doing. But I know a lot of people need to see that number. It just seems overkill to me when I hear of people weighing daily or more than once a day - and naturally getting frustrated when the number goes up or down a little bit - that would be WAY too much worrying for me!</p>
<p>If a better “shape” is what you are ultimately after (as sounds above for a couple of people - including me), think about this. How many people know your weight NUMBER? Do you wear it on a sign on your back? Do you use your number when you are meeting someone for the first time? (“Hi, I’m Abasket and I weigh 140 pounds today”)</p>
<p>People don’t see your number, they see your body, dressed in clothes (or even, um, not dressed in clothes…) Whether you are out shopping, out running, at church - whatever - your visual appearance is what people see - and what you see when you look in the mirror. So if you tone, gain muscle , lose a pant size - isn’t that the real success in daily life? Being blunt, seeing your legs jiggle less? Finding your waistline? Looking at your side view and not noticing so much of a stomach pouch???</p>
<p>Either takes lots of time and energy. Losing weight, toning up. I prefer to see my results in the mirror, in my clothes, etc. - it’s not the up and down of a couple of pounds on the scale and is more motivating to me to get out there and keep on toning.</p>
<p>I weigh daily, but the fluctuations are not a big deal. At this point, I have about a 3 pound “swing” window and I’m good with that. The measuring tape has been a huge motivator and physically I can see a real difference not necessarily tied to how much I actually weigh. </p>
<p>Very happy that this week is a recovery week (week 5) on the 5 to 10 k program. One more week of D at home - we’ve been eating a lot more grains and fruit with her here. </p>
<p>I’ll be joining the cat’s workout group as well.</p>
<p>1 mile yesterday on the treadmill and dips and pullups and walking around in Boston.</p>
<p>No knee sleeve or strap today in the office. I felt good enough to not wear anything in - actually the sleeve and strap are a nuisance and when the pain level is at a very low threshold, the nuisance factor means that I don’t wear it. I brought the strap to wear for my run - which looks to be inside today. I think that I’m going to run outside every third day and keep the distance low. We have some very hot and humid weather this week so keeping the distance low is probably a good idea anyway. I might start carrying a water bottle with me outside.</p>
<p>I weigh once a week, not every day, so I’m not “obsessed” at that level, but I’m not yet at the point where I think I can just reshape what’s there. I am 5’4", 48 yo, no health issues, and medium build. 132 is my goal weight and I’d be ok in the low 140s if I were super toned, but I’m not there yet. MOWC knows what I look like so I think she will attest - no one would look at me and say, gosh, how heavy, but they would say - she could lose a bit.</p>
<p>Just restarted couch to 5k this morning at a 7 mph treadmill - so 8:34 mile - but this is just the beginning phase where you alternate 1.5 min brisk walk with 1 min of running. A “burst” at this pace is all I can handle. I’m no MOWC :-).</p>
<p>Target + 18.4</p>
<p>Will come back after work to read the rest of the posts.</p>