<p>I too would like to hear from Dad II about the marathon training/experience. </p>
<p>Tons of pollen which is making me miserable. I did manage to run yesterday and today, however, just short 3 milers with a little extra. I looked back on Runkeeper and it was nice to see some improvement from last year. </p>
<p>If I start walking when I’ve been running, I can’t ever get going again. So my hat’s off to those of you who can! </p>
<p>VABl, abasket has the right idea. My exercise for a long time was walking the dog. I didn’t even think of it as exercise. How about power walking at the mall? </p>
<p>Walking is what I like best so just need to get out there or on the treadmill. I have a total knee replacement so don’t run, not that I ever did. I joined a gym for a while but it’s just not my thing due to the nastiness factor, those disgusting hulking sweaty men who don’t wipe down the machines. I would warm up on a recumbent bike then finish up on an elliptical then do the circuit machines. It always felt good to get it done.
Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>VaBluebird, some days I feel sooooo tired that I do no want to lift a finger when in get back from wok… I feel your pain. Even though I love running, sometimes too much of a good thing is not such a good thing. So I run just a little or do weights. I treat it as a vitamin that needs to be taken daily. OK, when I’m really sick I do not take it. Colds can be really nasty and can leave your body feeling like an old mop that was completely wrung dry. It can be hard to get going after not being able to do much for so long. As MOfWC says, ease your way into something that you like or at least can tolerate. I also find it motivational to come here and post. Good luck!</p>
<p>I too would like to hear how Dad II did today. </p>
<p>Race report! I did my 3rd half marathon today, and I feel like it was a good race. My time will be terrible, but I have excuses!! </p>
<p>First, I should have made one more bathroom stop before the start, because during the first mile I realized that I really had to pee. So at mile 1, I got in line for the portapotties. That cost me several minutes but the upside was I was no longer concerned about a pr.</p>
<p>The course was beautiful, but omg the hills! And in some places it was so narrow you had no choice but to walk, because the path was so crowded. I eventually caught back up to the pace group I wanted to run with and I thought I might actually be able to finish with them. But then around 11.5 miles, my feet and calves started cramping up, so I had to resort to run/walk to finish. I was determined to run across the finish line, but my one calf just seized up when I was almost there, so I kind of hobbled in lol. I have got to figure out how to stop this from happening. </p>
<p>Looks like Dad II had a successful marathon debut! I won’t “out” him, but if he’s reading CONGRATULATIONS!!! I’m glad I talked him into getting real running shoes! :)</p>
<p>Ohio, thanks for the true to life report. Congrats on making it through and I’m sure your time isn’t terrible. You did it! Sounds like a tough course, too. </p>
<p>Congrats blankmind! Whoo hoo to DadII, come back to brag! </p>
<p>Sorry the run/walk didn’t work for you MOWC, I think why it’s working for me is that it breaks the run into segments, I know I can run 3 minutes so it keeps me going. Gives me confidence but I think you are all set there ;). But it stinks that it isn’t working for you. </p>
<p>VaBluebird, welcome! You are taking the first step, good for you!
Here are a few things that have worked for me. First, you need to build up tolerance for working out. Start out small and keep building. Before you know it, you will have more energy not less after work when you push yourself to get a little bit of exercise. It won’t happen right away, it’s something you have to keep working at and then it becomes easier. </p>
<p>Find what you like to do or what doesn’t stink so bad! I like to be outside, put me on a treadmill and it’s torture. I am terrible at it but I’m learning to play golf. We can’t do it this year (H had surgery but he will be back to golf soon). H and I found a couples group. They play a scramble and it’s with your spouse. H isn’t a terrible player so he makes most of the shots. ;). We play and then the group goes out to dinner. I get out of making dinner, H and I walk the course and get some easy exercise. I’m running now but I walked for a long time. I like to walk outside so that’s what I do. </p>
<p>Get the right equipment. If you are walking in cheap old shoes, buy a good pair. Buy a pair you use to walk in, they are your walking shoes. Buy new ones every so often. If you buy a new pair and your feet hurt more than the old ones, buy another pair don’t use the old ones. If you are walking in jeans and a cotton t-shirt, buy one of those tech fabric wicking shirts and yoga pants. Buy a bra that wicks moisture. You will be surprised how more comfortable you are. Get a pedometer, a cheap one is fine. Try to increase your activity every week. Keep a log. </p>
<p>Exercise becomes a habit when you keep doing it. It becomes more enjoyable the more you do and the more confidence you get. It doesn’t happen overnight but keep at it and it will. </p>
<p>Blankmind, yay!!! Oh the portapotty stories! I stood in line for 40 minutes before heading out to the start line of my Boston race. D had her own wonderful story to tell (also related to toilet hunting) after her half. </p>
<p>On cramping up: you are most likely depleting electrolytes that Gatorade or whatever drink does not replenish. I highly recommend the ttip given to me by my marathoner friend: Endurolite capsules. Take some with you in a baggie and wash a couple down with water at mile 8 or so (or sooner if it is really hot). Helped me to eliminate cramping issues and to avoid drinking too much GuBrew. </p>
<p>I think that you have perfectly encapsulated what is wrong with the whole approach to weight loss and fitness. The implication is that is all our fault and if we just had more willpower to “Just Do It” then we wouldn’t be overweight and out of shape.</p>
<p>Does an overweight six month old just need to have the willpower to exercise more? Does an 18 year old kid grow six inches in a year because he’s eating too much? Or, does the eating result from physiological/hormonal causes? There’s a very strong hypothesis that weight gain is driven by hormones and the fact that our bodies are storing much of what we eat as fat causes us to be even hungrier and less interested in exercise. If this hypothesis is true, the answer is not forced starvation, but rather trying to understand what we can do to change the hormonal balance in our favor, which will make our bodies less prone to storing fat, less hungry, and more interested in physical activity.</p>
<p>Watch this one hour program from the University of California. I guarantee it will be an incredible eye-opener and change the way you think about the challenge. Especially the bit at about the 23 minute mark:</p>
<p>As for exercise, with a knee replacement and significant weight to lose, I would start by walking. Not for hours. Fifteen minutes. 30 minutes. Find some nice places to walk near or your house, or a nature trail or a park. Do that 3 or 4 times a week and that’ll be fine. It’s not exercise to “burn calorie” (see above!). It’s exercise to make you healthier and start to change the mental self image into, “hey, I can be a fit person!”</p>
<p>As for diet, I personally had better luck making a succession of small changes rather than trying to dive into the deep end and live up to some super strict calorie counting/points counting all-or-nothing diet. What change can you make this week? For me, the early weeks were easy. Stop drinking Pepsi. Stop eating Doritos. Stop eating Red Twizzlers. Stop eating french toast with butter and maple syrup as a late night snack. But, just pick something (sugar is the best place to start) and commit to it this week.</p>
<p>You can do it. Just set a goal of five pounds and get rolling. It’ll be fun… :)</p>
<p>deb- I’m not at all giving up on the walk/run. I’m hoping I just had a bad day for some reason. I’m sure it would hve been even uglier if I had tried to run the whole thing! :)</p>
<p>MOWC, I downloaded “The Run-Walk-Run Method” by Jeff Galloway. Like most books like this there was some helpful information and some not so helpful. But the thing I got from the book is that Jeff thinks that the key is changing the run-walk-run ratio until you get the ratio that works best for you. </p>
<p>Then again maybe it was a bad run. I only have those every other run it seems like lol!</p>
<p>Gonna be an ibuprofen night. Cycling (sunny but cool), racing (paced a hs 5k runner on miles 1 and 3) and track 200/400 intervals. Good meal tonight at a local italian place. Not Idad but a good alternative. </p>
<p>When I did my 100K and 50 miler back in the early 80s we did a 9/1 ratio. The running part was a lot faster than I run now, though. My walking pace today was 16 plus to 18 plus.</p>
<p>VABluebird, I second Debs suggestion of wearing appropriate clothing for exercise thAt not only makes you feel good (wicks the sweat, is loose but not too loose, etc) but also makes you feel GOOD - as in “hey, getting out of a frumpy pair of stretch pants and my husbands old tshirt and into a pair of pants and shirt MADE for exercising actually makes me feel better and dressed the part!” </p>
<p>VaB–you have to find some type of exercise you enjoy or you won’t do it. If that’s walking, then start with walking. I have managed to lose 40 pounds and struggled to keep it off–regained 15 and finally shred it. I found that I really enjoy the gym and that I’m really strong. I started out by getting a trainer–you don’t need one (Idad is a great example of someone who does weight training and knows as much as any trainer)–but when you’re starting out, it really helps. First, you’ve paid for the services and you’re not going to blow it off. Second, a trainer can start you on a program that you can do on your own and help you find the strength training exercises that you can tolerate. </p>
<p>With respect to a gym–is there one geared toward women only in your area? In my area there’s are two gyms that only work with women–Get in Shape for Women and Health Works. I think that the first is a franchise. If there isn’t a place just for women, then start looking at the other gyms. Get a tour and talk to someone at the gym about the type of members that go there. It might take time, but it’s important to find a place where you are comfortable. Another option is pilates for strength training–there are pilates studios pretty much everywhere and men rarely take pilates classes. Start with the reformer. You can do private or semi-private. Once you get a sense of what you’re doing–you can probably take a reformer class. IME those are generally small–4 people.</p>
<p>Exercise isn’t going to help you lose weight but it will help your health. I keep struggling with food and won’t offer any advice about that (except to say that you should quit diet sodas. It will make a difference). I haven’t been struggling with exercise–I’ve come to enjoy it and like going to the gym and working out and I’m consistent–5-6 times a week doing something, e.g., strength training, yoga, TRX, spinning class, etc. I never participated on any sports teams in high school or college–I was a real couch potato. If I can do it, anyone can.</p>
<p>Sorry, none from me. For some reason I’ve stopped listening to music on my hikes…but ay be tat started because I hadn’t found a good pair of blue tooth headphones for under a hundred </p>
<p>So, BB, ask Mr. B what it is that one is doing wrong when a gas powered 18" chainsaw gets irrevocably stuck in a downed tree…</p>
<p>Yes, after tonight’s shenanigans, mch is never gonna let yours truly get her OWN chainsaw…in part because I may end up buying my pal a new one, and in part because the whole boondoggle ended up involving a hatchet and sledgehammer and kayak strapping and me rolling around in the mud nd some Herculean farmer carry’s :)</p>
<p>However, the trail is now clear, so YAY. Back to exerstriding up the hill tomorrow…if i can walk, that is ;)</p>
D had her own wonderful story to tell (also related to toilet hunting) after her half. </p>