After the gorgeous and unseasonably warm weather we had last week here in Northeast Ohio, we're certainly paying the price this week. High temperature dropped about 35 degrees overnight, and all it's done now for over 2 days is rain. Hurricane Sandy is taking her good old time moving along, and in the meantime, it just keeps raining here. Now the wind has started to pick up too, and a lot of the area schools are already starting to close for tomorrow. Overall, it's downright miserable. Cold, gloomy, dreary, windy, and rainy. Day after day, night after night. And according to the weather forecast, none of that is going to change for another 4 days!!!!!!!! Blah! (I must applaud myself, by the way, for choosing this week as my week off of work - such skill at picking a nice week to enjoy...) In case you think I'm exaggerating, schools are closing (as I mentioned above), news outlets are warning people to stock up on generators and food staples, and there's even speculation of post-poning Trick-or-Treat.
Needless to say, these are less than ideal conditions for running, at least in my opinion. I'll just come right out and admit it: I'm not one of those people that runs outside in the rain. I know there are plenty of runners who do, and plenty that also say you're not a true runner if you don't run in the rain, snow, ice, freezing temperatures, etc. Well, don't call me a runner then. I don't care what those people think. I run to relax, to take in the world around me, to release my stress from the day, and to feel that sense of accomplishment when I'm done. I don't run to torture myself. And to me, running outside as rain pelts me in the face so I can hardly see and have to squint to try to keep the rain from hitting me square in the eyeball would not be enjoyable. I don't mind a sprinkle here and there while I run - those might even be kinda relaxing - but a steady rain or better just isn't my thing. Why put myself through that when I have a treadmill in my basement? No, I don't enjoy the treadmill as much as running outside, but compared to running outside in sideways rain, it's a total joy. :o)
As I mentioned before, I have this gorgeous week off of work. One would normally think this is a great thing for my running/exercise routine and my healthy eating. Wrong. I'm the type of person that operates best on a routine schedule. Weekends are always my downfall, so a whole week of "weekend-like" days could be dangerous. Today happened to be no exception. I decided to bask in the glory of sleeping in and waking up without the aid of an alarm (come on, how often does anyone really get to do that?!?!?!), and then started a DVR marathon from the comfort of my couch. There's just something about weather like this that makes sweat pants, the couch, a blanket, and the TV seem like a fantastic idea. Unfortunately, this type of situation also usually leads to snacking for me. My husband worked all afternoon, and he started laughing at me when he came home and I told him that I can't be trusted to stay home by myself with food in the house. He made me admit to him that I scarfed down 3 Reese's cups, a can of pop, some cookies, some popcorn, and even a couple bites of ice cream, just to name a few. Sure there were a few healthy items mixed in there, but it seemed like I just kept eating all day long.
As the evening started to roll around, I realized that all of this crappy eating was actually making me feel pretty gross. Now, I'm the type of person who eats junk food, chocolate, cookies, etc. as comfort foods. They make me happy - they make me feel better. But these days, when I over-do it like I did today, I feel disgusting and sluggish. I made up my mind right then to turn the day around, get up off the couch, and run. Since outside wasn't an option for me, I wasn't going to let that stop me, so I hopped on the treadmill, determined to stick with my plan to run 3.5 miles for these next 2 weeks (as part of my plan for progressing towards 4 miles). I felt tired (probably from all the junk food), but I felt pretty good too. I pushed past the tiredness and tried to focus on relaxing to take my mind off of it. Before I knew it, 2 miles had gone by, and I was still feeling good. It got a little harder from there, but I was determined not to walk. When I ran 3.5 miles outside last week for the first time ever, my pace was a little over 10 minutes per mile, so I purposely set the treadmill at 10 minutes per mile tonight. The plan was to keep that pace the whole time without stopping to walk, and then to pick up the pace right at the end so I could finish with an average pace under 10 minutes per mile this time. I seriously thought about stopping a couple times - especially when I really wanted a drink of water. Let me tell you, taking a drink of water while running 6 mph on a treadmill is simply not possible. I know because I tried. I didn't want to stop but I also wanted a drink. Well after spilling it on myself and almost chipping a tooth on the water bottle, I gave up without taking a drink. Hahaha! It was one of those times I was glad no one was around....
Anyhow, I ended up making it through my run just like I'd planned, in 34:45 - just under 10 minutes per mile. I felt so much better after I ran and was no longer sluggish. I re-arranged some of the furniture in the basement we'd been meaning to do, and even put the basement railing back up by myself. I guess there really is something to that saying about exercise making you less tired. Now if I can just stay on track the rest of this week... :o)
Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Taking the Next Step
After my crazy meltdown on Monday, I relaxed and realized there were several more days this week with an awesome weather forecast for me to enjoy outside runs. And did I ever take advantage of that! I was out there every day this week, basking in the glory of the nearly 80 degree temperatures in late October. I knew this was most likely my last chance to run in weather like this until spring. The 10-day forecast showed high temperatures in the upper 40's every day next week - yes, this is the type of weather we deal with in Northeast Ohio. 80 degrees one week, followed by 40 degrees less than a week later.... And everyone wonders why I get upset about the end of summer!
Anyhow....I decided to take full advantage of this miracle weather and ran out the door onto the bike trail the minute I got home from work every night. One day early in the week I was running along, completely in my element, loving every sight and smell, and enjoying the feel of the warm air on my skin. I was relaxed and smiling on the inside, thinking more about my surroundings than my actual run. Then I realized that I was coming up on my halfway point - I was almost to a mile and a half - and that I felt really really good. I'm usually longing to walk at that point, but I didn't even feel tired yet. I just kept running, losing myself in the beauty and peacefulness of the world around me, and I continued to feel just as good. As I passed the 2 mile mark, I started thinking about my plan to eventually start adding distance to my runs. What a perfect opportunity to try this out, I thought. It's a beautiful day, I was feeling fantastic, and there was still enough daylight left to add 5-6 minutes onto my run. And I really wanted to try it out outside first rather than on the treadmill. There's just something more satisfying to me about achieving my goals outside. I didn't want to over-do it though, even though I knew I wouldn't have many more opportunities for outdoor running for quite awhile. I decided on 3 and a half miles - just 0.4 of a mile more than usual. I thought that was do-able - although sometimes those last couple tenths of a mile seem to be longer than the entire rest of my run!
So I passed 3 miles, and 3.1 miles and just kept going. Don't get me wrong, I was starting to get tired, and the thought crossed my mind to just stop at my usual 3.1. But I was too curious. I had to know if I could keep going. Plus, I'd already made up my mind to stick it out for 3.5 miles. Quitting before that would have been too much like giving up, and I'd be disappointed in myself. Long story short, I ended up making it. It was harder than I had anticipated for just a short distance further, but it honestly felt really good. I really didn't feel too bad! And I wasn't all that much slower than my normal pace either. I actually think I was slow because I was too caught up in enjoying the weather and nature - and because I was afraid to pick up the pace if I was going to try running further than usual. (Sometimes I wonder how much better I could be if I wasn't so darn conservative all the time!)
So as I cooled down I thought about the run and realized that was the farthest I had ever attempted to run. And that meant it was also the furthest I had ever actually run too! Awesome! I was actually feeling kinda "bad-ass" at that point. Hahaha! Not only could I run 3.5 miles, I could also keep up a pretty average pace while doing it. Take a bow.... :o)
After I was done with all the internal gloating, I came home and vowed to start incorporating the longer distance into my routine over the next few weeks when I could. Unfortunately, I haven't yet had the chance again. I was going to attempt it again the next night, but I ran out of daylight before I even hit 3 miles (and I'll admit that my legs were really really tired from the extra distance the day before). The daylight was again an issue with my next run, but I'm hoping to get in another run tomorrow - although inside - and I'll shoot for 3.5 miles there. Gotta keep working towards that long-term goal of running a 10k next summer!!!!
Anyhow....I decided to take full advantage of this miracle weather and ran out the door onto the bike trail the minute I got home from work every night. One day early in the week I was running along, completely in my element, loving every sight and smell, and enjoying the feel of the warm air on my skin. I was relaxed and smiling on the inside, thinking more about my surroundings than my actual run. Then I realized that I was coming up on my halfway point - I was almost to a mile and a half - and that I felt really really good. I'm usually longing to walk at that point, but I didn't even feel tired yet. I just kept running, losing myself in the beauty and peacefulness of the world around me, and I continued to feel just as good. As I passed the 2 mile mark, I started thinking about my plan to eventually start adding distance to my runs. What a perfect opportunity to try this out, I thought. It's a beautiful day, I was feeling fantastic, and there was still enough daylight left to add 5-6 minutes onto my run. And I really wanted to try it out outside first rather than on the treadmill. There's just something more satisfying to me about achieving my goals outside. I didn't want to over-do it though, even though I knew I wouldn't have many more opportunities for outdoor running for quite awhile. I decided on 3 and a half miles - just 0.4 of a mile more than usual. I thought that was do-able - although sometimes those last couple tenths of a mile seem to be longer than the entire rest of my run!
So I passed 3 miles, and 3.1 miles and just kept going. Don't get me wrong, I was starting to get tired, and the thought crossed my mind to just stop at my usual 3.1. But I was too curious. I had to know if I could keep going. Plus, I'd already made up my mind to stick it out for 3.5 miles. Quitting before that would have been too much like giving up, and I'd be disappointed in myself. Long story short, I ended up making it. It was harder than I had anticipated for just a short distance further, but it honestly felt really good. I really didn't feel too bad! And I wasn't all that much slower than my normal pace either. I actually think I was slow because I was too caught up in enjoying the weather and nature - and because I was afraid to pick up the pace if I was going to try running further than usual. (Sometimes I wonder how much better I could be if I wasn't so darn conservative all the time!)
So as I cooled down I thought about the run and realized that was the farthest I had ever attempted to run. And that meant it was also the furthest I had ever actually run too! Awesome! I was actually feeling kinda "bad-ass" at that point. Hahaha! Not only could I run 3.5 miles, I could also keep up a pretty average pace while doing it. Take a bow.... :o)
After I was done with all the internal gloating, I came home and vowed to start incorporating the longer distance into my routine over the next few weeks when I could. Unfortunately, I haven't yet had the chance again. I was going to attempt it again the next night, but I ran out of daylight before I even hit 3 miles (and I'll admit that my legs were really really tired from the extra distance the day before). The daylight was again an issue with my next run, but I'm hoping to get in another run tomorrow - although inside - and I'll shoot for 3.5 miles there. Gotta keep working towards that long-term goal of running a 10k next summer!!!!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Anger Management and Running in the Dark
I'd been looking forward to this evening all weekend. It was supposed to be a 70 degree day today, full of sunshine. What a perfect opportunity to run outside! I got into work early with all the motivation of getting out of there as early as possible to enjoy the sun and temps with a much-anticipated outdoor run.
If I've learned anything so far in life, it's that if I get my hopes up for something, it generally doesn't work out as planned. Lo and behold, this time was no different. Surprise, surprise. I ended up having to stay late at work to help get a project done and meet some client deadlines. I worked furiously, watching the sunlight slowly fade each time I happened to get up and catch a glimpse out of the windows. I wanted to cry. I don't mean this figuratively either - I was practically fighting back tears as I listened to others head home to enjoy their nights. The longer I sat at the desk, the more frustrated I got. I alternated between anger, disappointment, frustration, and defeat. I finally got to a point where I could leave the office and finish the rest from home later tonight. I've never packed up so quickly in my life. I watched the clock for the entire car ride home, knowing it was already too late to run outside. It was already past sunset (according to my weather app), and we were all driving with our lights on. I honestly don't believe I did this, but I lost it on the way home. I know it wasn't entirely about missing a perfect day for a run, but I felt silly anyway. I felt a few tears in my eyes and on my cheeks and did my best to suck it up. Then I got angry, took out my frustration on my steering wheel, and then started crying again. (I swear I'm not hormonal!) After I pulled myself together, I switched to defiance, deciding that work and darkness weren't going to stop me from enjoying a run outside today.
I ran inside when I finally got home, threw some food in the cat's dish as I got changed (the poor thing puts up with so much), and then grabbed a flashlight and headed out the door. I did another thing I can't believe too - I scooped up my glasses off the counter as I rushed by, deciding last-minute that my safest bet was to try wearing them. (A little background here - I can't see far away all that well, and it's significantly worse when it's dark. But my prescription isn't strong enough for contacts, so I just have to wear glasses at night or in dark settings, like movie theaters.) Anyhow, I felt ridiculous as I headed out the door in the dark with my glasses on and flashlight in tow. The trail I run on is not lit and crosses several roads, but my plan was to light my way with the flashlight and just keep circling between the two roads bordering my stretch of the trail. If I got uncomfortable, I vowed to just go home - at least I would have tried.
I was in such a hurry and still so frustrated that I didn't even walk to warm up. I just took off running. My mind was everywhere and I could tell I wasn't focusing on form, pace, or breathing. About a quarter of a mile down the trail, I came up on the paved pathway from my neighborhood onto the trail - and I had an epiphany. The streets in my neighborhood are lit with street lights. Duh!!!!! I quickly turned around and headed down the path into my neighborhood instead. I couldn't believe how dumb I was not to even think of running on the streets instead! It's definitely not my preference - the neighborhood is small (just three small cul-de-sac's) so I have to keep looping around, and it's basically all hills (which I hate). But it was better than running in the dark or not running at all at this point.
I was pretty distracted for most of my run and tired out quickly because of it. I wasn't relaxed, which also didn't help. I only ran 2.25 miles, and it actually ended up being a pretty miserable excuse for a run. I was slow and tired. My glasses kept sliding off my face because I was sweating. But guess what? I felt better by the time I got home. Even if it wasn't my best run ever and even if I almost broke my glasses a few times, I let off some of that steam from earlier today and got to take in the beauty of the day as I walked to cool down. I rejoiced in the feel of the still-70 degree temps on my skin and felt the post-run satisfaction and relaxation settle in. I was feeling more like myself again, even if I didn't run far or fast.
I suppose I should stop procrastinating though, and get back to that work project. There are a couple more nice days in this week's forecast that I'm looking forward to, so hopefully they turn out better than today!
If I've learned anything so far in life, it's that if I get my hopes up for something, it generally doesn't work out as planned. Lo and behold, this time was no different. Surprise, surprise. I ended up having to stay late at work to help get a project done and meet some client deadlines. I worked furiously, watching the sunlight slowly fade each time I happened to get up and catch a glimpse out of the windows. I wanted to cry. I don't mean this figuratively either - I was practically fighting back tears as I listened to others head home to enjoy their nights. The longer I sat at the desk, the more frustrated I got. I alternated between anger, disappointment, frustration, and defeat. I finally got to a point where I could leave the office and finish the rest from home later tonight. I've never packed up so quickly in my life. I watched the clock for the entire car ride home, knowing it was already too late to run outside. It was already past sunset (according to my weather app), and we were all driving with our lights on. I honestly don't believe I did this, but I lost it on the way home. I know it wasn't entirely about missing a perfect day for a run, but I felt silly anyway. I felt a few tears in my eyes and on my cheeks and did my best to suck it up. Then I got angry, took out my frustration on my steering wheel, and then started crying again. (I swear I'm not hormonal!) After I pulled myself together, I switched to defiance, deciding that work and darkness weren't going to stop me from enjoying a run outside today.
I ran inside when I finally got home, threw some food in the cat's dish as I got changed (the poor thing puts up with so much), and then grabbed a flashlight and headed out the door. I did another thing I can't believe too - I scooped up my glasses off the counter as I rushed by, deciding last-minute that my safest bet was to try wearing them. (A little background here - I can't see far away all that well, and it's significantly worse when it's dark. But my prescription isn't strong enough for contacts, so I just have to wear glasses at night or in dark settings, like movie theaters.) Anyhow, I felt ridiculous as I headed out the door in the dark with my glasses on and flashlight in tow. The trail I run on is not lit and crosses several roads, but my plan was to light my way with the flashlight and just keep circling between the two roads bordering my stretch of the trail. If I got uncomfortable, I vowed to just go home - at least I would have tried.
I was in such a hurry and still so frustrated that I didn't even walk to warm up. I just took off running. My mind was everywhere and I could tell I wasn't focusing on form, pace, or breathing. About a quarter of a mile down the trail, I came up on the paved pathway from my neighborhood onto the trail - and I had an epiphany. The streets in my neighborhood are lit with street lights. Duh!!!!! I quickly turned around and headed down the path into my neighborhood instead. I couldn't believe how dumb I was not to even think of running on the streets instead! It's definitely not my preference - the neighborhood is small (just three small cul-de-sac's) so I have to keep looping around, and it's basically all hills (which I hate). But it was better than running in the dark or not running at all at this point.
I was pretty distracted for most of my run and tired out quickly because of it. I wasn't relaxed, which also didn't help. I only ran 2.25 miles, and it actually ended up being a pretty miserable excuse for a run. I was slow and tired. My glasses kept sliding off my face because I was sweating. But guess what? I felt better by the time I got home. Even if it wasn't my best run ever and even if I almost broke my glasses a few times, I let off some of that steam from earlier today and got to take in the beauty of the day as I walked to cool down. I rejoiced in the feel of the still-70 degree temps on my skin and felt the post-run satisfaction and relaxation settle in. I was feeling more like myself again, even if I didn't run far or fast.
I suppose I should stop procrastinating though, and get back to that work project. There are a couple more nice days in this week's forecast that I'm looking forward to, so hopefully they turn out better than today!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Finally!!! Sub-30!!
I'm a firm believer that no matter how busy you are, you can still find a way to fit exercise into your life. In fact, it's why I started running in the first place - I wanted something quick, but super intense. And something that didn't require a gym or a lot of equipment. With the bike path in my backyard, running seemed like the most reasonable answer. No driving to a gym, no equipment to buy and set up; just walk out my back door and walk back in when I'm done. Even less excuses not to exercise.
Well things have been a little busy for me this week, but I wouldn't sacrifice running (maybe my blog, but not the running). There were even a couple nights I didn't start running until 9:30 at night on the treadmill. Not exactly ideal...but still better than skipping it all together. In fact, one of those nights produced a personal best for me on the 5k distance (although I'm not yet convinced that it counts when I'm running inside on the treadmill).
I got outside a couple times too, and was itching to get out again today. As I sat all day working, I couldn't wait for 5:00 to arrive so I could hurry up and change and get out the door. It was actually pretty decent weather, and I wasn't going to pass that up. So I headed out, still thinking about the personal best I'd achieved earlier in the week, of 30:08 for 5k. I was SO close to being under 30 minutes. Just 9 seconds. How frustrating. But then again, as I said before, I wasn't entirely convinced it counted anyway, because it was on the treadmill. It's so easy to manipulate the speed of the treadmill as you're running to figure out how fast you need to be going to get a PR. Sure, I still have to keep up, but I feel like the treadmill is kinda helping me keep that pace. Not that it's easier (on the contrary - I feel like running on a treadmill is much harder than running outside) - it's just easier to pace yourself and figure out how fast you're going and need to be going.
Anyway, this was all on my mind as I headed out the door, and I just wanted to validate my treadmill runs outside. It was like I needed to prove to myself that I really could do it, and that meant I had to do it outside on my own. I felt really good for the first mile, and was going at a good pace. As I ran, I couldn't help calculating if I was on pace with my treadmill run from earlier in the week (my nerdy accountant personality just won't go away sometimes). Turns out I was doing pretty good. And as I kept running, I was keeping up. It was a little chilly outside, so I was having some trouble breathing through my nose, but I couldn't let that stop me. As I got closer and closer to the end of my run, I was getting excited. I just wanted to hear my GPS tracker tell me I'd reached 3.1 miles in some time frame that started with 29 instead of 30 or 31. I'd never heard that before.
I passed the 3 mile mark and was just a few seconds over 29 minutes. I knew I had to hurry, and I really took off at that point. Not that I had much energy left. But I didn't care. I made energy. And before I knew it, that woman's voice was telling me I'd reached 3.1 miles in "29 minutes and 54 seconds." What?!?! Really???? I didn't really think I was going to make it!!! Sure, it was only 6 seconds under 30 minutes, but it was under 30 minutes anyway! :oD
I was so tired and so out of breath that I actually stopped completely and bent over to try to catch my breath. (I know - bending over does nothing to help me breathe, but it was the only thing my body could do right then.) I really just wanted to sit down right there on the ground without caring who saw me - yes, I was that exhausted. Embarrassing, but I was. It must have really been my lucky day though, because as I looked to my left, I was standing directly in front of a bench. I couldn't have been happier. I just ran a 5k in under 30 minutes for the first time ever, AND I had a bench to rest on. Now I realize this is the exact opposite of what I should have done - I should have just kept walking - but it was a special occasion and I felt like I deserved a short sit on the bench, especially because it was so conveniently located right in front of me.
I finally got up and walked a bit to cool down (after a motivational meow from the local attack cat - a stray cat in the area that thinks it's amusing to spring out of the weeds as people run by). And I felt so good. Not only had I validated my treadmill run, but I had also reached one of my goals by running the 5k distance in under 30 minutes. :oD I'm sure I have a ways to go before my runs are consistently under 30 minutes, but that means a new goal for me. I'm thinking of increasing my distance this time to work my way up to 4 miles. I have already decided that I want to try a 10k race next summer, so I'll have to start increasing my distance eventually. Why not now?
Well things have been a little busy for me this week, but I wouldn't sacrifice running (maybe my blog, but not the running). There were even a couple nights I didn't start running until 9:30 at night on the treadmill. Not exactly ideal...but still better than skipping it all together. In fact, one of those nights produced a personal best for me on the 5k distance (although I'm not yet convinced that it counts when I'm running inside on the treadmill).
I got outside a couple times too, and was itching to get out again today. As I sat all day working, I couldn't wait for 5:00 to arrive so I could hurry up and change and get out the door. It was actually pretty decent weather, and I wasn't going to pass that up. So I headed out, still thinking about the personal best I'd achieved earlier in the week, of 30:08 for 5k. I was SO close to being under 30 minutes. Just 9 seconds. How frustrating. But then again, as I said before, I wasn't entirely convinced it counted anyway, because it was on the treadmill. It's so easy to manipulate the speed of the treadmill as you're running to figure out how fast you need to be going to get a PR. Sure, I still have to keep up, but I feel like the treadmill is kinda helping me keep that pace. Not that it's easier (on the contrary - I feel like running on a treadmill is much harder than running outside) - it's just easier to pace yourself and figure out how fast you're going and need to be going.
Anyway, this was all on my mind as I headed out the door, and I just wanted to validate my treadmill runs outside. It was like I needed to prove to myself that I really could do it, and that meant I had to do it outside on my own. I felt really good for the first mile, and was going at a good pace. As I ran, I couldn't help calculating if I was on pace with my treadmill run from earlier in the week (my nerdy accountant personality just won't go away sometimes). Turns out I was doing pretty good. And as I kept running, I was keeping up. It was a little chilly outside, so I was having some trouble breathing through my nose, but I couldn't let that stop me. As I got closer and closer to the end of my run, I was getting excited. I just wanted to hear my GPS tracker tell me I'd reached 3.1 miles in some time frame that started with 29 instead of 30 or 31. I'd never heard that before.
I passed the 3 mile mark and was just a few seconds over 29 minutes. I knew I had to hurry, and I really took off at that point. Not that I had much energy left. But I didn't care. I made energy. And before I knew it, that woman's voice was telling me I'd reached 3.1 miles in "29 minutes and 54 seconds." What?!?! Really???? I didn't really think I was going to make it!!! Sure, it was only 6 seconds under 30 minutes, but it was under 30 minutes anyway! :oD
I was so tired and so out of breath that I actually stopped completely and bent over to try to catch my breath. (I know - bending over does nothing to help me breathe, but it was the only thing my body could do right then.) I really just wanted to sit down right there on the ground without caring who saw me - yes, I was that exhausted. Embarrassing, but I was. It must have really been my lucky day though, because as I looked to my left, I was standing directly in front of a bench. I couldn't have been happier. I just ran a 5k in under 30 minutes for the first time ever, AND I had a bench to rest on. Now I realize this is the exact opposite of what I should have done - I should have just kept walking - but it was a special occasion and I felt like I deserved a short sit on the bench, especially because it was so conveniently located right in front of me.
I finally got up and walked a bit to cool down (after a motivational meow from the local attack cat - a stray cat in the area that thinks it's amusing to spring out of the weeds as people run by). And I felt so good. Not only had I validated my treadmill run, but I had also reached one of my goals by running the 5k distance in under 30 minutes. :oD I'm sure I have a ways to go before my runs are consistently under 30 minutes, but that means a new goal for me. I'm thinking of increasing my distance this time to work my way up to 4 miles. I have already decided that I want to try a 10k race next summer, so I'll have to start increasing my distance eventually. Why not now?
Friday, October 12, 2012
You Can't Out-Exercise a Bad Diet
"You can't out-exercise a bad diet." I've heard this saying many times but it's suddenly very determined to prove itself true in my life. If you happened to read my last post, you know I let my weight get out of my maintenance range. I hit the trail and the treadmill with a vengeance this week - I ran 5 days in a row, Monday through Friday, completely ignoring my rest day (I know - a big "no no" in running, but I just felt guilty if I didn't run). I even got a personal best on my 2 mile route (18:53) and came close a couple times on my 5k route. I certainly wasn't taking it easy.
My diet was a different story. It was more like a rollercoaster compared to my steamroller of a running routine this week. I started out the week really well. I reverted back to my healthy eating habits with pride and motivation, only to slowly face a fight with my own self control as I walked by the chocolate chip cookies several times a day, watched my friends eat taco salads and pasta for lunch, and listened to my hubby whine about the lack of "hearty" food anymore. I began to slide again. I'd pig out for a whole day. Or start out the day really well but eat a bad lunch and then follow it up with too much food for dinner and chocolate chips or cookies later at night.
I am just having such a hard time in the self control area lately. I'll exercise till I'm blue in the face. I'll run my heart out till I can't feel my legs and I'm ready to pass out from lack of oxygen. But ask me to pass up a box of chocolate chip cookies or a bag of chocolate chips that I know are in the cupboard? That's actually harder for me than running 3 miles in under 31 minutes.
And needless to say - the old saying is true - for me at least. Turns out I really can't out-exercise my bad diet. Because the scale hasn't budged. Well it budged for a couple days while I managed to control myself and eat well. Then it shot right back up out of range as I lost that control. I'm not anywhere near my highest weight, but I'm still not happy with myself. I'm hoping that I can suck it up from here on out and get back into my healthy eating habits. Once I'm back in the habit I'm certain I'll be fine. I just have to get over craving the chocolate and the sweets so much. Ha! Wish me luck!
Although my love of chocolate has led me to an awesome discovery! In my endless searching of Pinterest, I came across a recipe to make a "skinny" version of boxed brownie mix. I thought this might be a great way to help me get through my cravings while not eating so poorly, so I decided to give it a try. Plus it would give my hubby something seemingly unhealthy to chow down on. I crossed my fingers and gave it a shot. The recipe called for using a boxed brownie mix, but replacing the oil with half the amount of 0% fat greek yogurt, and using double the amount of eggs but only using the egg whites, and then using the same amount of water as the box says. The mix seemed really watery compared to normal, but I stuck it in the oven anyway. (Side bar - I added some baking chocolate chips to the mix - which raises the calories - but this is what I always do and the husband and I adore it. I also added frosting, which the recipe doesn't either. So - not as healthy as the recipe, but still healthier than if I had made them the regular way.) I tried one a bit later and was pleasantly surprised! They actually tasted normal - and really good! I didn't even tell the hubby they were the "skinny" version, and he couldn't tell when he ate one! This recipe comes highly recommended: "Skinny" boxed brownie mix
Anyhow, wish me luck this coming week that I only eat the "skinny" brownies and can stay away from copious amounts of junk food! I've done this before; I know I can do it again. I just have to believe in myself. :o)
Monday, October 8, 2012
But I Love Chocolate and Cookies....
I know I haven't been writing much, and to be completely honest it's because there hasn't been much to write about recently. I was slowly letting my eating habits slip, with multiple birthday celebrations, dinners and lunches out, cakes and desserts, and other emotional eating to deal with stress at work. I knew my weight was at the top of my maintenance range, but I just kept going. After all, one bad meal or one bad day doesn't ruin everything, right? Too bad I was having more than one bad meal a day some days and more than one bad day a week. And when I start to eat poorly, I get lazy and tired. Which means I make excuses not to workout. All this to say that I finally woke up one morning, stepped on the scale, and to my horror saw a number above my maintenance range.
Now, I'm not normally a person who's motivated by stuff like this. When things start going downhill, they usually keep going - faster and faster - because it gets me down, I get defeated, and I start thinking that it's all too hard and just not worth it anymore. I've been there before. So when I got off the scale and looked at myself in the mirror, I could honestly see that I'd gained back some pounds. I'd been ignoring it but it was time to face the facts. And I had a decision to make.
I was arguing with myself - it would be oh so easy and so wonderfully enjoyable to just keep sliding and revert back to my old habits. It was so tempting. Cookies, ice cream, lots of sitting on the couch, pizza, fast food, and pasta. I love it all. I looked at myself in the mirror again. I didn't smile. And I thought about how proud I used to be and how big my smile was when I was at my fittest and was still shedding the pounds (in a healthy way). I thought about how good I felt - not just about myself and my body, but about what I had pushed myself to accomplish along the way and how much less sluggish I felt on a daily basis. I loved that feeling so much. But I love junk food and chocolate so much too.
I went back and forth and finally decided that I needed to stop being a pansy, suck it up, and get back to work. I could still have chocolate and cookies and pizza - just not everyday and not in large quantities. I'd just gone overboard the last couple weeks. It wasn't the end of the world. I needed to give myself a good swift kick and a dose of motivation. I'd done this before and could do it again. I wanted to be proud of myself again and promised there and then that I'd get back there.
I'm still out of my maintenance range as of this morning, but I told my wonderful hubby/personal trainer that I needed a little more help and guidance, and I know he'll be wonderful. I made us a great healthy dinner last night (a great pork lo mein dish that you can find here: Pork Lo Mein - and surprise surprise, I didn't have all the ingredients, so I swapped out the teriyaki glaze for some reduced sodium soy sauce I had on hand - absolutely amazing results. Highly recommended by both of us!), and I got back on the treadmill today. It would have been so easy to skip my run again tonight. I had hurried home from work, ate a small portion of our leftovers for dinner, then rushed outside to try to get the grass cut before dark. Mind you, I was also trying to cut grass in 43 degree weather. Needless to say, I ran out of daylight before the grass was done, and my hands were so cold I had contemplated going back inside for gloves. Not ideal conditions for a run by the time I stopped cutting the grass. And there was vacuuming to be done, dishes to be washed, bills to be paid, and clean laundry to be put away. Lucky me - I had that brand new treadmill waiting for me in the basement. I could have easily skipped my run again with all I had to do around the house, but I prioritized. I reminded myself how embarrassed I was of letting my weight get out of range and how badly I wanted to feel good again. Before I knew it, I was downstairs in my basement running. And boy do I feel good now. I feel refreshed and motivated - ready to get back on track and start making myself proud again! After all, I already set a goal for myself to run a 10k next summer, and I'm not exactly going to be able to do that if I stop running now... ;o)
Now, I'm not normally a person who's motivated by stuff like this. When things start going downhill, they usually keep going - faster and faster - because it gets me down, I get defeated, and I start thinking that it's all too hard and just not worth it anymore. I've been there before. So when I got off the scale and looked at myself in the mirror, I could honestly see that I'd gained back some pounds. I'd been ignoring it but it was time to face the facts. And I had a decision to make.
I was arguing with myself - it would be oh so easy and so wonderfully enjoyable to just keep sliding and revert back to my old habits. It was so tempting. Cookies, ice cream, lots of sitting on the couch, pizza, fast food, and pasta. I love it all. I looked at myself in the mirror again. I didn't smile. And I thought about how proud I used to be and how big my smile was when I was at my fittest and was still shedding the pounds (in a healthy way). I thought about how good I felt - not just about myself and my body, but about what I had pushed myself to accomplish along the way and how much less sluggish I felt on a daily basis. I loved that feeling so much. But I love junk food and chocolate so much too.
I went back and forth and finally decided that I needed to stop being a pansy, suck it up, and get back to work. I could still have chocolate and cookies and pizza - just not everyday and not in large quantities. I'd just gone overboard the last couple weeks. It wasn't the end of the world. I needed to give myself a good swift kick and a dose of motivation. I'd done this before and could do it again. I wanted to be proud of myself again and promised there and then that I'd get back there.
I'm still out of my maintenance range as of this morning, but I told my wonderful hubby/personal trainer that I needed a little more help and guidance, and I know he'll be wonderful. I made us a great healthy dinner last night (a great pork lo mein dish that you can find here: Pork Lo Mein - and surprise surprise, I didn't have all the ingredients, so I swapped out the teriyaki glaze for some reduced sodium soy sauce I had on hand - absolutely amazing results. Highly recommended by both of us!), and I got back on the treadmill today. It would have been so easy to skip my run again tonight. I had hurried home from work, ate a small portion of our leftovers for dinner, then rushed outside to try to get the grass cut before dark. Mind you, I was also trying to cut grass in 43 degree weather. Needless to say, I ran out of daylight before the grass was done, and my hands were so cold I had contemplated going back inside for gloves. Not ideal conditions for a run by the time I stopped cutting the grass. And there was vacuuming to be done, dishes to be washed, bills to be paid, and clean laundry to be put away. Lucky me - I had that brand new treadmill waiting for me in the basement. I could have easily skipped my run again with all I had to do around the house, but I prioritized. I reminded myself how embarrassed I was of letting my weight get out of range and how badly I wanted to feel good again. Before I knew it, I was downstairs in my basement running. And boy do I feel good now. I feel refreshed and motivated - ready to get back on track and start making myself proud again! After all, I already set a goal for myself to run a 10k next summer, and I'm not exactly going to be able to do that if I stop running now... ;o)
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Different Strides
I finally had the perfect opportunity to try out my new treadmill last night. I had a hectic night and never really got home until about 9:00pm. It was clearly way too late and dark to run outside. But wait - this girl has a treadmill now! That means my excuse of darkness is no longer valid. So I laced up my running shoes and headed down to the basement. After figuring out how to operate everything and a brief warm-up walking, I took a deep breath and hit the button to increase the speed.
I don't have a ton of practice running on treadmills, but in my limited experience, I had always thought treadmills were so much harder to run on than running outside. 6 mph on the treadmill was nearly impossible compared to an average of 6 mph outside. Maybe it was all in my head. But I took it easy anyway and set out just over 5 mph for the first quarter mile. It actually felt really good - almost a bit slow - and I kept increasing the speed. I ran most of my 3.1 miles at 6 mph after this, and then bumped it up near the end to finish at 6.5 mph. I honestly have no idea what my true time was - by the time I was done running, I'd forgotten how much time had elapsed during my warm-up walk. I need to figure out if there's a way to incorporate a warm-up walk into my treadmill runs without having it tracked in my stats (both distance and time) for my runs. I know it's petty, but I've always thought it was such a hassle to try to keep track of your warm-up stats to subtract them out; either that or stop the machine, clear out the workout, and start another one - also a pain. I'll have to look into all the program things that came built-in with it to see what I can do. I know - I'm silly. But I can't deny that it bothers me.
Aside from this, I thought my run actually went really well! :o) I was a little slower than outside, but I also started out slower on purpose until I get the hang of this whole running inside thing. I was tired, sweating, and out of breath - just like running outside - but as soon as I was done with my cool down walk and actually stopped the belt, my legs felt weird. I felt like a land-lubber feeling out her sea legs. Suddenly I could tell I had used some different muscles than I normally used to run outside. I couldn't help but remember a comment I'd overhead at a running specialty store one day, when one of the employees was explaining to a customer that his stride would change and/or be different when he ran on a treadmill than when he ran outside. I hadn't really thought much of it at the time, but now I wondered if there was something to it....
I was sure to stretch out my legs a little longer than usual, but despite the weird feeling in my legs, I was happy. I hadn't been in a very good mood when I got home (I was tired, worn out, and starting to get that defeated feeling I have when I'm overwhelmed), but I was refreshed and feeling renewed after the run (once I cooled down and got my breathing under control again, of course!). It was one of the most obvious examples I've ever experienced of how exercise can really turn your day around and even make you less tired. It was late, but it was worth it I decided! I was now even more excited to have the treadmill in the house - I was so happy with my birthday present.
But no matter how happy I was, I couldn't pass up a chance to run outside today. It was such a nice day for Northeast Ohio, so I was excited to get back outside for a run. I hurried home from work, threw on my running clothes and shoes, and raced out the door onto the trail. The same weird muscles I had noticed tingling last night flared up and my legs tired out very quickly. I was very disappointed. I only ran 2 miles (I was also trying to get the grass cut before dark), but it was slow and didn't feel good at all. So much for my high hopes of enjoying a good run outside on a beautiful day. Even sitting here now I can tell my legs are still tired.
I'm not sure how long it will take my body to get more used to running on a treadmill so it can stop sabotaging my outside runs, but hopefully not long. I'm willing to give it a chance; I just hope I don't end up adapting too much to a treadmill run that running outside becomes the hard part once spring rolls around again. Running outside in the beauty of nature was my first love (and one of my favorite things about running in the first place), and that will never change. I'm ready for summer again! :o)
I don't have a ton of practice running on treadmills, but in my limited experience, I had always thought treadmills were so much harder to run on than running outside. 6 mph on the treadmill was nearly impossible compared to an average of 6 mph outside. Maybe it was all in my head. But I took it easy anyway and set out just over 5 mph for the first quarter mile. It actually felt really good - almost a bit slow - and I kept increasing the speed. I ran most of my 3.1 miles at 6 mph after this, and then bumped it up near the end to finish at 6.5 mph. I honestly have no idea what my true time was - by the time I was done running, I'd forgotten how much time had elapsed during my warm-up walk. I need to figure out if there's a way to incorporate a warm-up walk into my treadmill runs without having it tracked in my stats (both distance and time) for my runs. I know it's petty, but I've always thought it was such a hassle to try to keep track of your warm-up stats to subtract them out; either that or stop the machine, clear out the workout, and start another one - also a pain. I'll have to look into all the program things that came built-in with it to see what I can do. I know - I'm silly. But I can't deny that it bothers me.
Aside from this, I thought my run actually went really well! :o) I was a little slower than outside, but I also started out slower on purpose until I get the hang of this whole running inside thing. I was tired, sweating, and out of breath - just like running outside - but as soon as I was done with my cool down walk and actually stopped the belt, my legs felt weird. I felt like a land-lubber feeling out her sea legs. Suddenly I could tell I had used some different muscles than I normally used to run outside. I couldn't help but remember a comment I'd overhead at a running specialty store one day, when one of the employees was explaining to a customer that his stride would change and/or be different when he ran on a treadmill than when he ran outside. I hadn't really thought much of it at the time, but now I wondered if there was something to it....
I was sure to stretch out my legs a little longer than usual, but despite the weird feeling in my legs, I was happy. I hadn't been in a very good mood when I got home (I was tired, worn out, and starting to get that defeated feeling I have when I'm overwhelmed), but I was refreshed and feeling renewed after the run (once I cooled down and got my breathing under control again, of course!). It was one of the most obvious examples I've ever experienced of how exercise can really turn your day around and even make you less tired. It was late, but it was worth it I decided! I was now even more excited to have the treadmill in the house - I was so happy with my birthday present.
But no matter how happy I was, I couldn't pass up a chance to run outside today. It was such a nice day for Northeast Ohio, so I was excited to get back outside for a run. I hurried home from work, threw on my running clothes and shoes, and raced out the door onto the trail. The same weird muscles I had noticed tingling last night flared up and my legs tired out very quickly. I was very disappointed. I only ran 2 miles (I was also trying to get the grass cut before dark), but it was slow and didn't feel good at all. So much for my high hopes of enjoying a good run outside on a beautiful day. Even sitting here now I can tell my legs are still tired.
I'm not sure how long it will take my body to get more used to running on a treadmill so it can stop sabotaging my outside runs, but hopefully not long. I'm willing to give it a chance; I just hope I don't end up adapting too much to a treadmill run that running outside becomes the hard part once spring rolls around again. Running outside in the beauty of nature was my first love (and one of my favorite things about running in the first place), and that will never change. I'm ready for summer again! :o)
Monday, October 1, 2012
Happy Birthday - Here's a Treadmill!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been taking a short break to rest my foot because the tendonitis in it has been really aggravated. It got to the point where the foot actually cramped on me several times in one night - I'd never experienced a cramp like this before, so I decided I needed to take it easy and back off for a bit. There was a lot of icing and some anti-inflamatory meds, along with a lack of high heels. I'm fairly certain my co-workers thought I had gone crazy, sitting at my desk in my business casual dress clothes with an ice-pack on my foot periodically throughout the day! But it hurt!
In the meantime, I worked on finding a strength-training program I'd like and seriously considering my options for running in the winter. After a long talk with the hubby, he convinced me that it was worth our money to buy me a treadmill. Plus, if I spent the money on it, he knew I'd feel too guilty not to use it. I'm an accountant - I hate wasting money. So when I buy something, I always try to get my money's worth out of it, and I'm assuming he knew a treadmill wouldn't be any different. :o) Sneaky sneaky....
Saturday was my birthday (we won't get into how old or young I turned!), and by some miracle, my husband actually had the day off, so we were able to spend the whole morning and afternoon together before I had to head to a volunteer event in the evening. (Yes - I know. But at the time I volunteered for the event, I didn't know the date of it was going to be on my birthday! Haha!) Anyhow - I digress. We slept in (since I run in the evenings, this isn't an issue!), and then headed to a casual lunch of my choosing. After lunch, we decided to head across the street and check out the treadmills. Just to see what was out there.
An hour later, we were heading home with my birthday present - a floor model treadmill for less than half of the original price. Now, I'm the type of person who commonly has buyer's remorse - or more accurately, buyer's freak-out. When I make bigger purchases, I tend to start second-guessing myself the minute I walk out of the store or the second the loan agreement is signed. I can't help it. I'm a worrier. I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic - just unreasonably aware of ALL the things that could potentially go wrong with EVERYTHING. And then they keep me awake at night and stressed out during the day. So I think the bigger the purchase, the more magnified my freak-out. So I had my freak-out, but after a great deal of elbow grease, sore muscles, and scuffed walls, the treadmill made it safely into the basement. Whew.
Now just to find out how well it works and how well I like it. Today happened to be a rather nice day though, so I wasn't going to stay inside and run just because I wanted to try it out. So I laced up those shoes and headed out the door, happy to be back on the trail after my week of rest. I'm not going to lie - I started out too fast after taking a break, and my splits showed it. Each of my 3 miles got increasingly slower. Overall, though, my time wasn't too bad - I still averaged exactly 10 minutes per mile for the 5k route I ran, so I couldn't be too disappointed. The disappointment is in the fact that my foot still hurts now that I started running again. I'm sitting here with my trusty ice pack on it right now, hoping that I didn't start up again too early. I guess I'll see how it feels tomorrow!
By the time I got back home from my run, it was after 7:30pm and pretty dark (how depressing - I loved the nights where I could start my run at 8:00pm and it wasn't even dark by the time I was done). I was starving, and my husband would be coming home from work pretty soon. After a birthday weekend, I was actually craving something light and healthy. Hmmm....that screams fish in my mind!!! As much as I never used to eat fish, I've come to embrace it. Not only is it healthy with all the protein and omega 3's, etc., but it's light, and oh so quick in the oven compared to meats and chicken. I consulted my golden recipe box of healthy recipes on Pinterest and in my Weight Watchers cookbooks I'd purchased, and decided on Tilapia Oreganata (except I only had cod - good enough!). Here is the link to the recipe: Broiled Tilapia Oreganata
Now, my fish did not looks anything at all like the fish in the recipe's picture. Here's mine:
Not nearly as cute or fancy looking. However, my husband and I were very pleasantly surprised. This was great! And tons of flavor! It quickly made its way onto the "make again" list of new recipes. So I guess it doesn't have to look good to taste good. :o)
It may have been yet another long crazy day, but I still managed a pretty successful run and a great-tasting dinner (even if we did eat it at 9:15pm). And I got a nice little confidence booster today when I returned a call from a friend who'd left me a voicemail during my run. I called her back and apologized for missing her call, explaining that I was out running at the time - and in response, she proceeded to tell me how proud she was of me for doing this and really sticking with it. That certainly brought a smile to my face and was something I needed to hear today!
In the meantime, I worked on finding a strength-training program I'd like and seriously considering my options for running in the winter. After a long talk with the hubby, he convinced me that it was worth our money to buy me a treadmill. Plus, if I spent the money on it, he knew I'd feel too guilty not to use it. I'm an accountant - I hate wasting money. So when I buy something, I always try to get my money's worth out of it, and I'm assuming he knew a treadmill wouldn't be any different. :o) Sneaky sneaky....
Saturday was my birthday (we won't get into how old or young I turned!), and by some miracle, my husband actually had the day off, so we were able to spend the whole morning and afternoon together before I had to head to a volunteer event in the evening. (Yes - I know. But at the time I volunteered for the event, I didn't know the date of it was going to be on my birthday! Haha!) Anyhow - I digress. We slept in (since I run in the evenings, this isn't an issue!), and then headed to a casual lunch of my choosing. After lunch, we decided to head across the street and check out the treadmills. Just to see what was out there.
An hour later, we were heading home with my birthday present - a floor model treadmill for less than half of the original price. Now, I'm the type of person who commonly has buyer's remorse - or more accurately, buyer's freak-out. When I make bigger purchases, I tend to start second-guessing myself the minute I walk out of the store or the second the loan agreement is signed. I can't help it. I'm a worrier. I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic - just unreasonably aware of ALL the things that could potentially go wrong with EVERYTHING. And then they keep me awake at night and stressed out during the day. So I think the bigger the purchase, the more magnified my freak-out. So I had my freak-out, but after a great deal of elbow grease, sore muscles, and scuffed walls, the treadmill made it safely into the basement. Whew.
Now just to find out how well it works and how well I like it. Today happened to be a rather nice day though, so I wasn't going to stay inside and run just because I wanted to try it out. So I laced up those shoes and headed out the door, happy to be back on the trail after my week of rest. I'm not going to lie - I started out too fast after taking a break, and my splits showed it. Each of my 3 miles got increasingly slower. Overall, though, my time wasn't too bad - I still averaged exactly 10 minutes per mile for the 5k route I ran, so I couldn't be too disappointed. The disappointment is in the fact that my foot still hurts now that I started running again. I'm sitting here with my trusty ice pack on it right now, hoping that I didn't start up again too early. I guess I'll see how it feels tomorrow!
By the time I got back home from my run, it was after 7:30pm and pretty dark (how depressing - I loved the nights where I could start my run at 8:00pm and it wasn't even dark by the time I was done). I was starving, and my husband would be coming home from work pretty soon. After a birthday weekend, I was actually craving something light and healthy. Hmmm....that screams fish in my mind!!! As much as I never used to eat fish, I've come to embrace it. Not only is it healthy with all the protein and omega 3's, etc., but it's light, and oh so quick in the oven compared to meats and chicken. I consulted my golden recipe box of healthy recipes on Pinterest and in my Weight Watchers cookbooks I'd purchased, and decided on Tilapia Oreganata (except I only had cod - good enough!). Here is the link to the recipe: Broiled Tilapia Oreganata
Now, my fish did not looks anything at all like the fish in the recipe's picture. Here's mine:
Not nearly as cute or fancy looking. However, my husband and I were very pleasantly surprised. This was great! And tons of flavor! It quickly made its way onto the "make again" list of new recipes. So I guess it doesn't have to look good to taste good. :o)
It may have been yet another long crazy day, but I still managed a pretty successful run and a great-tasting dinner (even if we did eat it at 9:15pm). And I got a nice little confidence booster today when I returned a call from a friend who'd left me a voicemail during my run. I called her back and apologized for missing her call, explaining that I was out running at the time - and in response, she proceeded to tell me how proud she was of me for doing this and really sticking with it. That certainly brought a smile to my face and was something I needed to hear today!
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