Thanks @Classof2015 !
Thinking of @FallGirl and her first 10k! Hope she has the great weather we do tomorrow.
@makemesmart - it’s almost the end of the month and I bet race registration fees for the half will go up on Monday - what did you decide?
Adjustments to my workout schedule have me feeling good. I’m starting to build up my base to train for a 10 miler. Thursday I had an easy short run, Friday a private Pilates session where we worked on some of the exercises introduced during the workshop and then this morning I had a quick 4.1 miles in beautiful cool weather. This coming week my favorite circuit class will be back and I am looking forward to it.
Here’s some weekend reading for anyone who is interested - it’s lengthy but worthwhile.
https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/everything-you-know-about-obesity-is-wrong/
From that article - “As early as 1969, research showed that losing just 3 percent of your body weight resulted in a 17 percent slowdown in your metabolism—a body-wide starvation response that blasts you with hunger hormones and drops your internal temperature until you rise back to your highest weight.”
How does this work if you lose/gain/lose/gain/ etc.? Seems like eventually you will have almost no metabolism at all…
@sabaray That article was so depressing. Am I wrong thinking that its conclusion is —once you have gained weight you will never lose it? I find that so disheartening.
Bingo. I can’t tell you how many restrictive diets I’ve tried. Eat this but only in combination with this. High fat. Low fat. High carb. Balanced. There were points during this thread that I was consuming 800 calories or less a day and exercising a lot. Definitely not healthy and not recommended.
I haven’t looked at any of the studies referenced in the article, but these are the points that really stuck out to me. We have such an emphasis on being “thin”. My mother is thin. Is she healthy? Not even close. Would I like to weigh less? Yes. But not if it means eating tiny amounts of food and regaining the minute I start to eat more.
I think it is possible to lose weight, but I think a change in habits has to be a part of it. And that is really difficult. I’m still working on it. It’s so tempting to say - I’m going to do Whole 30, or Weight Watchers, or Nutrisystem (just kidding) and have everything figured out for me. Having to examine what you eat and why you eat has been really challenging for me.
My D is on the larger side as is Mr. Sabaray. Both of them are very, very good at their jobs and are well regarded by their current employers. But, I think of both of them when I read things like this:
My honest opinion is that besides eating poorly, and sometimes it’s genetics, most folks just don’t exercise hard enough, smart enough or long enough.
My health care provider asks me at each appt. if I get 30 minutes of exercise daily. That’s simply not enough. But something is always better than nothing.
I tied my “clean” PR today. I was feeling good, even though Friday’s workout was tiring. I probably set my PR a couple years ago and haven’t approached it until today. I tried an extra 5 lbs, 3 times, and almost had it. But alas I failed at a PR. Then a 30-minute HIIT.
I am a bigger person who has yo yo’d 40-50 pounds several times. I exercise regularly (walk/jog, weights, tennis). Two years, eight months and 29 days ago, I quit drinking sodas. (I drank 20 oz/day) and the cravings were incredible, but no weight loss. One year ago today, I decided to cut out processed food especially high fructose corn syrup. No cravings and over the year I have lost 40 pounds and feel very in control of my eating. I’m amazed at the difference because I never went more than 4-6 months on a restricted diet. I also look at the plate of food before I eat and ask myself- are these foods good for me?
One of my kids has been larger since birth. She was a D-1 athlete while being larger and was diagnosed with an endocrine problem after college. She is a wonderful teacher now and any school system is lucky to employ her though I know some people would look at her and think she lacks self control. Their loss, but it is hurtful.
Don’t you get a new age group PR or something like it, @sushiritto?
@busyparent - that’s great. I still have an occasional diet soda and wish I could quit. No willpower! I do pretty well on the unprocessed foods though. I’m lucky to have a doctor with a sensible approach who actually spends time counseling. His greeting to me is usually “what did you run this morning?” Or “I saw you running Saturday.” Following his recommendation of an anti-inflammatory diet has been very helpful.
My new habit this week is “smart carbs”. This is my struggle. I’ve never met a carb I didn’t like!
Down another pound and a half this week. My “problem” with carbs is that I only like “bad” carbs. I dont actively dislike things like brown rice or quinoa. I just find them totally unsatisfying. I’d much rather double up on my protein than have those things. So as a result I am now eating a relatively low carb high protein diet, except for fruit and well the chocolate. Lol. Can’t give that up. But not finding it that hard to limit it. A small amount works fine.
Race report:
I finished with my sore hip merely talking to me and not screaming or cussing me out 
. Ran with some of the women I run with on Saturdays who were in my 10K training group and we did intervals. My overall finish was “back part of the pack” but I’m OK with that. We were blessed with decent weather and dead snake count was zero!
Really besides finishing my first 10K, my big win was mental. On the drive to the race I told myself that I wold just look at this as running with my running friends like we do on Saturdays and not worry about it being a race. Just get there and enjoy it. First race where I did not have the “why did I sign up for this?” feeling at the start and didn’t feel like throwing up at the finish. Just felt good that I did it.
Nice report @FallGirl
WTG!
That’s awesome @FallGirl! Sounds like a great morning.
@sabaray You’re right! I didn’t even think of it that way. I have moved into the older age category since my last PR with cleans. Thanks! That helps. There was a young guy in the gym yesterday going thru his CF workout and he was unknowingly helping me push my limit(s) yesterday.
Today is a run-only day. But I’ll have to delay it until this afternoon. I’m going to attend the Stanford-USC women’s soccer game at Stanford. #1 versus #2! Many of these women will eventually make it to the senior National US team.
Congrats! @FallGirl ! The mental game is almost everything. <:-P
@sabaray
I registered my first half! Lol. Hubby still thinks I should not do it but I think if I could not finish the running, I will just walk.
Ran 90 minutes today, did 8.3 miles. My longest non-stop running so far. I was very slow in certain part of the run when the elevation was pretty deep. But I think I am progressing ok. Aiming to do 9 miles next weekend.
@FallGirl
Yeah! Congratulations! And I will suggest epsom salt bath again if you have not already done so.
@makemesmart - Ill be taking the epsom salt soak soon!
Good luck on the half. When is it?
I’m having some sciatica pain. I’m taking a long road trip to see one kid, then the other, and I’m hoping sitting in the car for all those hours isn’t too uncomfortable.
I’m really, really looking forward to seeing the kids, and getting away from work for a short time. It will be fabulous for my mental health and I’m hoping I get back home feeling refreshed.
We plan to do some hiking, and also hoping I don’t see any snakes! I’m taking the dog with, only because I know it will give the kids so much joy to see him – even if it will be a bit of a PIA to have him along.
Buckling down on work today and tomorrow to “get ahead”.
Fingers crossed for great weather.
@FallGirl
The half is in five weeks! I don’t know whether I am scared or pumped as my heart rate starts to increase just by thinking of it. Lol.
@Midwest67
Try the Pigeon pose (https://yogainternational.com/article/view/seven-tips-for-a-more-pleasant-pigeon-pose) for some relief of the sciatica pain? I bet the weather will be great when you see the kids!
I hope you have a great trip! I’m sure the pup will be happy to see his kids too.
Actually got my tail out of bed this morning and ran with the group. Just 4 miles. I messaged my coach to figure out a workable schedule - I need those rest days but I want to run and continue with Pilates too. Have to see what she suggests.
@Midwest67 IT Bands! Look up some exercises for your IT band, including rolling them out. Runners are especially prone to IT Band issues, although IIRC, you’re a hiker, not a runner.
@makemesmart I bet you could run your 1/2 right now and not have to walk at all. If you can 8-9 miles now, then you’re literally “there” already or very close. Also the course makes a difference, if there are elevation changes.
I’m considering changing my programming. I might start new program tonight. I’m not sure, because you can’t go back and forth from one to the other. So, its pick one for week and do it.
I went with the new programming tonight. It has lot of variety, at least today it does. Separately, PR’d my front squats by 15 lbs tonight. I ran a 5K Sunday, so my legs weren’t exactly fresh. A good couple days for me. Finished with a 2K row.