MNK, thank you for the info on the unsweetened Biochem protein! The description on the web was not very informative.
Rode for 1.5 hours this morning and kept very close to a PB pace (which still isn’t saying much, grrr), so I guess that’s progress.
Working tomorrow, so will be on my feet for a solid 8-9 hours (we don’t have chairs or stools for the nurses at my facility). Don’t think I’ll be working out at all tomorrow.
BB, did you get to the page for a specific product that shows the nutritional label and all ingredients?
Here’s the link to that article about the heavy but fit runner. It’s a good read and shut my mouth up for awhile.
http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/ultra?cid=synd_womens_health-pubexchange
abasket, that’s a pretty good calculator. I like that it distinguishes between activity levels at work and activity levels outside of work and that if you use the advanced and expert settings, you can enter your lean body mass. Your existing body composition will impact on your BMR level. There are formulas that will factor this in such as the Katch-McArdle formula.
I really struggle with estimating my activity level with those calculators. I think I am overestimating.
Pilates training session this morning, then I went to the gym for a fitness clinic billed as stretching. Well, it was dynamic stretching, but I found it to be more of a workout. I realized today I can do pushups much to my surprise.
Yard work this afternoon, will run tomorrow. I read that article in Runner’s World - I weigh more than I would like to now and I just can’t imagine the pounding on your joints. For reference, that woman is my height and weighs what I did back in 2009.
I thought that the story on the overweight runner was great.
I agree with the concern for her joints, however.
She sounds like an amazing woman.
OK guys I need a pep talk! I’ve been super-stressed about a personal situation (everything’s fine, no one is dying - but you know how things go - it’s an ongoing chronic stress and I’ve even sought professional help over it) … bitten my nails to the quick … and started stress-eating and not working out - I haven’t worked out in a couple of days and feeling not motivated to do anything. Help!!
@Pizzagirl, several years ago, we had a family crisis. I was so tied up in knots that I couldn’t think of anything else. It was literally the worst time of my entire life, and this is coming from someone whose love of 7 years died in a horrible car accident when I was a junior in college. So, it’s saying a lot to say this was the worst period of my life.
The treadmill literally saved my sanity. I wouldn’t necessarily say you need to give up all those coping mechanisms-go ahead and have the chips or whatever. But really, get on your bike or go to one of your classes. Don’t make feeling motivated be a condition for doing it-do it anyway. I promise that even though it won’t solve your problems, it WILL help you feel better.
Take care.
I would focus on one thing - think about what you can and cannot control and focus on a plan for self-care - what can you do to take care of yourself during a difficult time? Exercise is an excellent form of self-care! I know you like Pilates - schedule a session with a trainer - heck, schedule several! I have found that if I have several structured, scheduled activities it’s hard to deviate from the plan. Buy some new workout clothes to wear. Buy some really nice body cream to use after you workout. I have found it very difficult to stress eat while exercising so that will take care of itself. I guarantee you will feel better. Schedule something for tomorrow and Saturday - make it work in your schedule.
Sometimes you really do have to “just do it”. You are very disciplined in your work and very responsible for the things in your life, pizzagirl. Schedule a workout the same way. Put it on your calendar and get it done. Make it tolerable- maybe not the 5am stuff, but put something down that you will do. Sabaray’s idea of setting up some Pilates sessions is a good one. You aren’t going to want to go, you are going to be mad that you have it on your schedule, but afterwards you are going to feel better.
I have taken to doing a short dreadmill run when I get home from work- in addition to my “real” run in the morning. Driving home from work I decide that I’m not going to do it. I’m tired. I want a beer. I want to eat dinner. BUT- when I get home I tell myself that it’s just a mile (or two) and I throw on the shorts, shoes and sports bra and go down to the basement and put the news on. I do the short run, do some exercises on the TRX (Jungle Gym) and I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. It’s not so much a sense of accomplishment because I did a short run, but because I did something I really didn’t think I wanted to do. It works better than drugs for me, really. Then I’m ready to relax into my evening.
Pizzagirl, I know just what you mean. Been there. You feel so emotionally and physically drained that you sink into almost a paralysis of inactivity that becomes a vicious cycle because the situation stresses you so you don’t work out and then not working out just adds an additional layer of stress which makes you feel worse about the situation and the cycle repeats. For me, I find that part of the solution is to force yourself to break the pattern by doing some type of physical activity even as you are mired in lethargy and weariness. The activity will make you feel better, will help you feel more resilient and refresh your energy. The toughest part is pushing yourself to ignore all of the down feelings and just get started. But once you do, you’ll feel better, even if it’s just for the period of the activity. Pick something you know intellectually you enjoy, get your heart rate up and bask in the endorphins!
An hour of gardening and more trimming bushes tonight mixed with lots of mosquito swatting - dang critters!!!
PG, you know you need some YOU time. Someone who was going to classes 2 or 3 times a day MUST have enjoyed it! Carving out a little time just for you will make you better equipped to handle the stress of work/life. And a work out of your choice would be much more satisfying than chewing your nails! Commit to something - an hour class, a 20 minute brisk walk at lunch, time on the treadmill - pick ONE that suits your fancy and as MOWC says, “just do it”. Not doing it is the easy way out. ( <<< that’s TOUGHLOVE!) 
You guys are great. I really needed that.
Nice little hike today. Short 3 mile round trip, but pretty steep with some rock scrambling on the way up. Definitely a good workout. I saw an 87% of my max heart rate at one point.
Dozens and dozens of hikes carrying rain gear in my pack on sunny days paid dividends as a completely unforecasted rain squall swept across Lake Winnipesaukee while I was on the summit of Mt. Major. Sideways rain and wind sent me scurrying to the rain jacket on an otherwise gorgeous summer afternoon. 8 gazillion people on the trail, which was a little surprising mid-week. But, this is a super popular “family hike” on the shores of NH’s biggest summer resort lake.
BB: the Vanilla Cream SuperStarch protein powder drink I mix for hikes is sweetened with monk fruit extract. I don’t know if it’s good for you or not, but it’s not sugar, it’s pretty sweet, and it doesn’t have a disgusting aftertaste.
http://generationucan.com/vanilla.html
The chocolate version is sweetened with sucralose. It’s pretty tasty, but I really detest the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. I tried both and settled on the vanilla for that reason.
Almost left my shake in the car again after drinking the first bit as I pulled into the parking lot. I remembered to grab the thermos, but I’ve got to start writing myself a note or something!
I think I’m starting to feel like I want to do something competitive again. I power hiked up Mt Si recently, and did about 1:19:30 time going up (4 miles, 3700 foot elevation gain). It was so satisfying passing 33 hikers on the way up, with the last group being young twenty-something guys, who made a couple of comments, and swore after I passed them. I never considered myself that competitive, but the pure joy of being a sweaty, disheveled, middle aged woman blowing past all these young people was really fulfilling. Is it wrong of me to feel such pleasure? Or should I keep searching for ways to do these kinds of things again? I wonder what the sports are that older people can do, that they have a shot at sticking with or beating the young ones?
Well, running is by age groups so you can collect hardware that the younguns might not get.
Great that you are feeling competitive. Sounds like you and iDad both had good hikes.
Hardware would be a very nice touch, that’s for sure. However, it would be even better to beat them, also. I have noticed that in competitive stair climbing, older folks do pretty good overall.
busdriver:
That’s amazing! The only people I ever pass have fallen and can’t get up… 
[We’re not worthy!](We're not worthy!! - YouTube)
Think of the shame for the young guys you dusted. They have the double humiliation of being “chick’d” and “geezer’d” at the same time. Yikes, that’s a blow to the ego!
Yeah, right, idad. I’ll bet you pass people all the time. Plus, you’re probably carrying a 50 pound backpack!
I must admit, I have never been so pleased to hear so many four letter words directed my way. It was near the top, they were really tired, so I know how it feels. My dad used to pass people all the time, and he was in his seventies, hiking with crutches. He really enjoyed that. But realizing that this could be serious motivation, I think I would like to figure out some other sports that would be good. They have some of these Tough Mudder events. I wonder if this is something that old people stand a chance at.