Is this realistic?

Alright... so I'm slacking in a major way lately. I haven't gone to Zumba. Work has been really busy lately and I've been getting out later than usual.

I've also been reevaluating my family time. I was really missing out on the kids during the week between work and zumba. So I am looking for a better balance. The kids are at an age that I really need to be available to listen and I just don't want to miss that. Soon enough they won't need me.. Right now I am thinking of doing Zumba Wednesday nights and then dragging my butt out of bed for Friday's 5 am class. Once my schedule switches from Fridays off to Mondays off I will be able to get a workout in during the day while the kids are in school. Plus once the weather finally breaks I will be able to be active on the weekends.

We have been incorporating some of the clean eating recipes lately and so far they aren't bad. I skip over things that I wouldn't eat or the kids won't eat, but there are enough left to fill our dinners. I think that this will definitely help us try new foods and eat healthier. Also we have made a tossed salad part of the meal every day which is new. I haven't been tracking for WW though and I totally spaced on weighing in today. I will tomorrow. Probably won't be good but oh well.

My husband approached me about doing the 21 day fix. I was really surprised but he said "I can do anything for 21 days". lol Good! So I'm going to get the containers and we will do it together. He's going to do the 30 minute videos daily with me too. Progress.

Waiting2goback said:

He is having his aunt and friend run it with him too. She is an experienced runner. She has done a couple runDisney races, she has done the Marine Corps Marathon, etc... But, it should be a fun race and I'll go help him however I can. It will be tough though as my brain tells me I should run as fast as I can once they say go but I won't be able to do that most likely. His friend has never run a race either, he is doing this to help my co-worker.

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That sounds like an interesting group. Running a 10k at a slower pace might work if you consider it just another long training run and put your 80/20 training to work. I do this with most of my longer distance races leading up to the marathon.

Waiting2goback said:

I did Sport Beans last year and I like them. They don't bother my stomach. I think Yoga will help with the cramps. I know I was just tight. I couldn't have been dehydrated. I had been drinking water and eating salty food all week before to pack on the water weight.

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Glad you liked the sport beans. I am hopeless when it comes to dealing with the packaging and tiny beans on the run, but I do like them. As for cramping, it's not just hydration you need to worry about, it's electrolytes, too. The beans have carbs but not much in the way of electrolytes, and IIRC, you didn't take salt tabs during your marathon, right? That could be a big big difference. I always carry Shot Bloks in the Margarita flavor in addition to the orange I prefer because they have added salt.

StayCool said:

Yay for enjoying the treadmill! I hope I can get there some day. I use music and a tv on closed caption to get through. lol

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Me, too. And intervals so that I'm only looking at the monitor to see where I am until I can speed up or slow down.

StayCool said:

I've also been reevaluating my family time. I was really missing out on the kids during the week between work and zumba. So I am looking for a better balance. The kids are at an age that I really need to be available to listen and I just don't want to miss that. Soon enough they won't need me.. Right now I am thinking of doing Zumba Wednesday nights and then dragging my butt out of bed for Friday's 5 am class. Once my schedule switches from Fridays off to Mondays off I will be able to get a workout in during the day while the kids are in school. Plus once the weather finally breaks I will be able to be active on the weekends.
We have been incorporating some of the clean eating recipes lately and so far they aren't bad. I skip over things that I wouldn't eat or the kids won't eat, but there are enough left to fill our dinners. I think that this will definitely help us try new foods and eat healthier. Also we have made a tossed salad part of the meal every day which is new. I haven't been tracking for WW though and I totally spaced on weighing in today. I will tomorrow. Probably won't be good but oh well.
My husband approached me about doing the 21 day fix. I was really surprised but he said "I can do anything for 21 days". lol Good! So I'm going to get the containers and we will do it together. He's going to do the 30 minute videos daily with me too. Progress.

Click to expand...

Balance is important. Your kids are old enough they could join you for a bike ride once in a while, couldn't they? A little group exercise never hurt anyone. It sounds like adjusting your plan could give you that room, which is nice.

Congrats on working the clean eating in and getting your husband to buy in as well. It's probably good that you're just making small changes if you're not used to experimenting with food or have picky eaters. (I have a nephew who won't eat anything green, but my brother sent a pic of him this weekend eating the orchid garnish that came with his mom's meal.) I took a page from your book this week, actually. Instead of getting a shopping list, I ordered the ingredients for a couple of full meals for delivery. There's a company that's called ScratchDC and they let you order meals on Friday based on the weekly menu they send out two weeks in advance. It's enough for 2-4 depending on the options you choose and comes with everything you need except pantry basics. Today I will have the makings for spinach and goat cheese ravioli and on Thursday I'll have chicken pot pie. Next week is Moroccan chicken and chicken au poivre.

I am finally feeling better. I got sick Tuesday night and didn't start feeling like a human again until midday on Sunday. Now I have to start running again because I have a half marathon in 14 days

Hi everyone

Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I got sick Saturday and haven't made it to work yet this week. Hopefully I'll feel better soon. So, no excersise in a few days. I wish I was feeling better!

Sounds like you are all are making forward progress and that's how you win

StayCool said:

Will your medical insurance cover a dietician? If it does, why not try that out first? Although it would be pretty cool to have Tara help. And if you do you need to tell us all about it!

Click to expand...

They would probably cover a nutritionist/dietician but I have been to a general nutritionist before. I was considering hiring Tara, or Carissa Bealert (she is the runDisney announcer but she works for Tara as well). I feel funny saying this because I don't think I qualify as an "athlete" but I wanted a nutritionist who works with athletes/runners. I thought losing weight would be easy from running but as I am learning/hearing it actually is harder as you do the longer races as the body thinks it needs to conserve to fuel the endurance workouts. Anyway, that was the thought process. If they cost too much I probably won't do it but I will email her soon to find out.

StayCool said:

Alright... so I'm slacking in a major way lately. I haven't gone to Zumba. Work has been really busy lately and I've been getting out later than usual.

I've also been reevaluating my family time. I was really missing out on the kids during the week between work and zumba. So I am looking for a better balance. The kids are at an age that I really need to be available to listen and I just don't want to miss that. Soon enough they won't need me.. Right now I am thinking of doing Zumba Wednesday nights and then dragging my butt out of bed for Friday's 5 am class. Once my schedule switches from Fridays off to Mondays off I will be able to get a workout in during the day while the kids are in school. Plus once the weather finally breaks I will be able to be active on the weekends.

We have been incorporating some of the clean eating recipes lately and so far they aren't bad. I skip over things that I wouldn't eat or the kids won't eat, but there are enough left to fill our dinners. I think that this will definitely help us try new foods and eat healthier. Also we have made a tossed salad part of the meal every day which is new. I haven't been tracking for WW though and I totally spaced on weighing in today. I will tomorrow. Probably won't be good but oh well.

My husband approached me about doing the 21 day fix. I was really surprised but he said "I can do anything for 21 days". lol Good! So I'm going to get the containers and we will do it together. He's going to do the 30 minute videos daily with me too. Progress.

Click to expand...

I hear you on the family time thing. I feel guilty sometimes too. And the wife has been making it harder to workout on the days I get out at 6:30. But, I just tell myself I do nothing for myself and all I want is to exercise and that I need it to keep myself happy.

Glad to see the family is on board with the changes. The 21 Day Fix is from Beachbody, right? If so, I think you will find success with it assuming you can both stick to it. I even considered it too.

Chiomaca said:

That sounds like an interesting group. Running a 10k at a slower pace might work if you consider it just another long training run and put your 80/20 training to work. I do this with most of my longer distance races leading up to the marathon.

Glad you liked the sport beans. I am hopeless when it comes to dealing with the packaging and tiny beans on the run, but I do like them. As for cramping, it's not just hydration you need to worry about, it's electrolytes, too. The beans have carbs but not much in the way of electrolytes, and IIRC, you didn't take salt tabs during your marathon, right? That could bea big big difference. I always carry Shot Bloks in the Maragarita flavor in addition to the orange I prefer because they have added salt.

I am finally feeling better. I got sick Tuesday night and didn't start feeling like a human again until midday on Sunday. Now I have to start running again because I have a half marathon in 14 days

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Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It will just be a training run for me. I have only been doing the 80 part of 80/20. I figured I'd just worry about putting in miles to keep up my base for now and once I can get outside I will worry about the 20% speed runs at that point.

I forgot the salts packets for the marathon. I was thinking of having a container of salt water on my water belt this time to prevent/fight off cramps. I don't know if that will work or if I need to take it as straight salt? I also used skittles during training runs and the marathon as well. Sugar is supposed to be good for the boost of energy. Basically, I still have a ton of stuff to learn, which is why Tara might be worth the money.

Glad you are feeling better. As long as it doesn't come back (the people at work that were sick 2 weeks ago are all sick again) you should be good for the 1/2 marathon.

~~Darci~~ said:

Hi everyone

Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I got sick Saturday and haven't made it to work yet this week. Hopefully I'll feel better soon. So, no excersise in a few days. I wish I was feeling better!

Sounds like you are all are making forward progress and that's how you win

Click to expand...

Sorry you are sick too. It seems like everyone is. Spring is just around the corner though.

I have been feeling blah too. I woke up yesterday not feeling well but at the end of the work day I felt pretty good so I went to the gym. I got on the treadmill and my chest because burning so I just took it easy and only did 2.5 miles. I figured it was better than nothing. Of course I woke up today feeling worse so I skipped the gym today. I'll just play it by ear to prevent making things worse.

Chiomaca said:

Glad you liked the sport beans. I am hopeless when it comes to dealing with the packaging and tiny beans on the run, but I do like them. As for cramping, it's not just hydration you need to worry about, it's electrolytes, too. The beans have carbs but not much in the way of electrolytes, and IIRC, you didn't take salt tabs during your marathon, right? That could be a big big difference. I always carry Shot Bloks in the Margarita flavor in addition to the orange I prefer because they have added salt.

Balance is important. Your kids are old enough they could join you for a bike ride once in a while, couldn't they? A little group exercise never hurt anyone. It sounds like adjusting your plan could give you that room, which is nice.

Congrats on working the clean eating in and getting your husband to buy in as well. It's probably good that you're just making small changes if you're not used to experimenting with food or have picky eaters. (I have a nephew who won't eat anything green, but my brother sent a pic of him this weekend eating the orchid garnish that came with his mom's meal.) I took a page from your book this week, actually. Instead of getting a shopping list, I ordered the ingredients for a couple of full meals for delivery. There's a company that's called ScratchDC and they let you order meals on Friday based on the weekly menu they send out two weeks in advance. It's enough for 2-4 depending on the options you choose and comes with everything you need except pantry basics. Today I will have the makings for spinach and goat cheese ravioli and on Thursday I'll have chicken pot pie. Next week is Moroccan chicken and chicken au poivre.

I am finally feeling better. I got sick Tuesday night and didn't start feeling like a human again until midday on Sunday. Now I have to start running again because I have a half marathon in 14 days

Click to expand...

I really liked the sports beans. I actually have a bunch left from last year. lol Thankfully I haven't experienced the cramping.

My kids love to ride their bikes and that is part of the plan once it gets nicer. And they really enjoy the time together. I just feel bad because I was working late 2 nights and then zumba 2 nights... so I didn't see the kids until Friday. So now I need to adjust..

I think that overall we are all enjoying the new recipes. My kids will eat veggies so that part is easy. They don't like a lot of spices and nothing hot. That makes it a bit more difficult. Healthy foods need spices for variety imo... That is awesome that you can order that stuff and they deliver. There is a thing online called Plated that delivers to your door like that. I thought it was pretty cool. And easy way to try new stuff.

Glad you are feeling better! It has been a tough year with illness.

~~Darci~~ said:

Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I got sick Saturday and haven't made it to work yet this week. Hopefully I'll feel better soon. So, no excersise in a few days. I wish I was feeling better!

Click to expand...

Hope you are feeling better!

Waiting2goback said:

They would probably cover a nutritionist/dietician but I have been to a general nutritionist before. I was considering hiring Tara, or Carissa Bealert (she is the runDisney announcer but she works for Tara as well). I feel funny saying this because I don't think I qualify as an "athlete" but I wanted a nutritionist who works with athletes/runners.

I hear you on the family time thing. I feel guilty sometimes too. And the wife has been making it harder to workout on the days I get out at 6:30. But, I just tell myself I do nothing for myself and all I want is to exercise and that I need it to keep myself happy.

Glad to see the family is on board with the changes. The 21 Day Fix is from Beachbody, right? If so, I think you will find success with it assuming you can both stick to it. I even considered it too.

Click to expand...

Gotcha on the nutritionist. Makes total sense. And you ARE an athlete. Non-athletes don't run marathons.

Zumba was the main thing I was doing for myself but it made all my interactions with the kids difficult. They need me too so I just need to work around it.

21 Day Fix is from Beachbody. I'm just excited to get him going. He still hasn't put my workout room back together. Blah.

I did weigh in today although I really wanted to skip it. I was down 0.4 lbs. I will take it. Going to try to force myself to go to Zumba tonight. I know I will feel good if I go...

~~Darci~~ said:

Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I got sick Saturday and haven't made it to work yet this week. Hopefully I'll feel better soon. So, no excersise in a few days. I wish I was feeling better!

Click to expand...

Sorry you're feeling poorly, take care of yourself!

Waiting2goback said:

I feel funny saying this because I don't think I qualify as an "athlete" but I wanted a nutritionist who works with athletes/runners. I thought losing weight would be easy from running but as I am learning/hearing it actually is harder as you do the longer races as the body thinks it needs to conserve to fuel the endurance workouts. Anyway, that was the thought process. If they cost too much I probably won't do it but I will email her soon to find out.

Click to expand...

As Stay Cool says below, you are an athlete. I don't mind calling myself a beginner runner, but I am an athlete, no qualifications. So are you. I am curious what you think those particular dieticians would do for you as opposed to someone else that's aimed at athletes though? Do you track your food?

Waiting2goback said:

I forgot the salts packets for the marathon. I was thinking of having a container of salt water on my water belt this time to prevent/fight off cramps. I don't know if that will work or if I need to take it as straight salt? I also used skittles during training runs and the marathon as well. Sugar is supposed to be good for the boost of energy. Basically, I still have a ton of stuff to learn, which is why Tara might be worth the money.

Click to expand...

A bottle of salt water sounds disgusting. On hot days I use Nuun, specifically the watermelon or tangerine lime flavors, because they're full of the elctrolytes you need but none of the carbohydrates. The advantage is that you can drink the Nuun and eat sports beans/candy whatever because you aren't going to be overloading on sugars. If you do Gator/Power/Whatever aide, you need to stagger that with the fuel which you should take with water to prevent the sugar spike. Skittles would be fine as long as you augment with electrolytes - I've been known to run 13 miles on red swedish fish and starburst. Dont' think I'd do 26 that way, though.

StayCool said:

I think that overall we are all enjoying the new recipes. My kids will eat veggies so that part is easy. They don't like a lot of spices and nothing hot. That makes it a bit more difficult. Healthy foods need spices for variety imo... That is awesome that you can order that stuff and they deliver. There is a thing online called Plated that delivers to your door like that. I thought it was pretty cool. And easy way to try new stuff

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Time to start developing those young palates, even if they avoid hot for now. I do think that's sort of acquired, it varies in my family since my brother and mom like foods to be much hotter than I do. I do a lot of flavor with oils and vinegars, and garlic. I've seen Plated, and Blue Apron is similar, too. With the DC company, everything is locally sourced and prepared that morning for delivery, so I feel like I'm supporting many local businesses and farms in the process. I was pretty pleased with dinner last night - easy to follow directions, exactly the right portions for two meals, and tasty. Probably won't order this particular meal again since it was really rich between the ravioli filling and sauce, but I'll keep using them.

I'll have to look up that fix, too.

StayCool said:

Gotcha on the nutritionist. Makes total sense. And you ARE an athlete. Non-athletes don't run marathons.

21 Day Fix is from Beachbody. I'm just excited to get him going. He still hasn't put my workout room back together. Blah.

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I emailed her last night. The price was what I thought it would be. It is $150 for the initial consult which included a lengthy questionnaire, medical history, food log, exercise log, etc... Each follow up is 45 minutes for $45. I probably wouldn't need many of those.

I am probably going to give it a try. It's a lot of money but I haven't spent any and I have actually put on about 4 lbs since early December. I am doing something wrong.

I know I am athletic. I just feel funny calling myself an athlete because I think of elite athletes when I think that word.

I have several Beachbody programs and everyone of them works as it is designed if you put in the effort and commit. I love that company.

Chiomaca said:

As Stay Cool says below, you are an athlete. I don't mind calling myself a beginner runner, but I am an athlete, no qualifications. So are you. I am curious what you think those particular dieticians would do for you as opposed to someone else that's aimed at athletes though? Do you track your food?

A bottle of salt water sounds disgusting. On hot days I use Nuun, specifically the watermelon or tangerine lime flavors, because they're full of the elctrolytes you need but none of the carbohydrates. The advantage is that you can drink the Nuun and eat sports beans/candy whatever because you aren't going to be overloading on sugars. If you do Gator/Power/Whatever aide, you need to stagger that with the fuel which you should take with water to prevent the sugar spike. Skittles would be fine as long as you augment with electrolytes - I've been known to run 13 miles on red swedish fish and starburst. Dont' think I'd do 26 that way, though.

Click to expand...

I have listened to a lot of podcasts and done a lot of reading since I began running. I have heard many famous people, Jeff Galloway, Tara Guidus (on the Mickey Miles podcast), and many other famous runners on the Runner Academy podcast, say that it is actually hard to lose weight once you begin doing the longer distances. The theory is that the body begins to hold onto its fat during endurance events and training because it doesn't know when it will eat next so it slows down the metabolism. I would normally read a million books to figure stuff out but by the time I by them all and read them all I will have spent as much on books and this will cost me.

Might I be wasting my money, possibly. But, I figure someone who is runDisney's official nutritionist you would think she can help a runner lose weight???

I do track my food. I weigh my chicken. I measure my pasta. I don't measure my fruits and veggies as closely because the difference between 1 cup of grapes and 2 cups of grapes in like 50 calories, for example. So I always round up. If I have grapes I put 2 cups so if I am under I miss in favor of less calories. I only drink water, etc... I am following the same recipe I did last year when I lost 30 lbs and now I gained 4-5 pounds. I need to reverse the course.

Salt water is gross but hamstring cramps are not enjoyable either. I don't like the gu's, gels, NUUN's, or the "ade" drinks because they bother my stomach. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Swedish fish.

I need to figure it all out because with each pound gained my goal of qualifying is getting further away. I wanted to be below 210 by now and I am at 220. Not good.

I have tomorrow off. If I feel better I will make my way to the gym. Keeping the fingers crossed.

Waiting2goback said:

I emailed her last night. The price was what I thought it would be. It is $150 for the initial consult which included a lengthy questionnaire, medical history, food log, exercise log, etc... Each follow up is 45 minutes for $45. I probably wouldn't need many of those.

I am probably going to give it a try. It's a lot of money but I haven't spent any and I have actually put on about 4 lbs since early December. I am doing something wrong.

I know I am athletic. I just feel funny calling myself an athlete because I think of elite athletes when I think that word.

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That's not a bad price at all for a private consultation. It's a lot when you're trying to save money, but I don't think you'll find a much better price for the kind of personalized work you need to address something so individualized. If you only followed up once a month or so, a year could easily be within your budget.

I agree the distance running makes it hard to lose weight. My weight has been pretty steady but I try to be careful about how much I increase my intake when my mileage goes up. But I don't see it start to shift until I start running 30+ miles a week. I don't want to offend you, but your weight gain is probably more related to the long winter and loss of motivation than it is your running. And the fact that it's a lot harder to lose weight the closer you get to your ideal. I think you should definitely go for the consult because it's a good incentive to follow-through and it seems like a reasonable cost.

I'm surprised the Nuuns upset your stomach since they're so low profile compared the the "-Ades", which I only like on the hottest of days. Sounds like the salt tabs are your best bet so you can get the electrolytes you need.

Snowing here again and OPM closed the government at 3am, so I get to have a chill day. Dogs are already petitioning for some outdoor frolic time.

Finally got off my butt and took the pups out for a four mile run in the snow before it got too thick. 4-6 inches on the ground, nothing to what you northern types get, but enough to shut us down. Dogs got two romps out in the school field as well. The great thing is that it felt GOOD. I was worried that after two weeks without running, I'd be miserable.

Chiomaca said:

That's not a bad price at all for a private consultation. It's a lot when you're trying to save money, but I don't think you'll find a much better price for the kind of personalized work you need to address something so individualized. If you only followed up once a month or so, a year could easily be within your budget.

I agree the distance running makes it hard to lose weight. My weight has been pretty steady but I try to be careful about how much I increase my intake when my mileage goes up. But I don't see it start to shift until I start running 30+ miles a week. I don't want to offend you, but your weight gain is probably more related to the long winter and loss of motivation than it is your running. And the fact that it's a lot harder to lose weight the closer you get to your ideal. I think you should definitely go for the consult because it's a good incentive to follow-through and it seems like a reasonable cost.

I'm surprised the Nuuns upset your stomach since they're so low profile compared the the "-Ades", which I only like on the hottest of days. Sounds like the salt tabs are your best bet so you can get the electrolytes you need.

Snowing here again and OPM closed the government at 3am, so I get to have a chill day. Dogs are already petitioning for some outdoor frolic time.

Click to expand...

I'm glad you got out and got in a run. I am dreading my first run when I am able to start back. This head cold is getting progressively worse each day. I figure I will just rest until Sunday and hope I am good to go by then.

We got 10 more inches of snow this week. I don't even say it anymore on here because if feels like groundhog day. I just keep telling myself April is not far away.

I made a mistake. The follow up sessions are $95 for 45 minutes, not $45 for 45 minutes. I don't think I will need many follow ups but I will play it by ear. I agree though, I think it is reasonable.

I'm not offended. I agree the winter and inconsistent exercise as a result, is probably the reason for the gain. It is still not acceptable though. I have a huge goal and it will take near perfection for it to happen. I am going in the wrong direction. And, I don't want my girls to be ashamed of their dad at the Father/Daughter dance cuz I am fat so I wanted badly to lose more, not gain. It will all work out though.

Chiomaca, have you ever met Eddie McCoy? I was watching some of his videos from his Disney races and he was running the Avengers 1/2 with Lee and Laura. You ran that race with them too, right? So, you must know him too?

He qualified for Boston after just a year of running. It gives me hope I can do it too.

Hi guys

StayCool said:

I did weigh in today although I really wanted to skip it. I was down 0.4 lbs. I will take it. Going to try to force myself to go to Zumba tonight. I know I will feel good if I go...

Click to expand...

A loss is a loss!!! Run with it(see what I did there)

Waiting2goback said:

They would probably cover a nutritionist/dietician but I have been to a general nutritionist before. I was considering hiring Tara, or Carissa Bealert (she is the runDisney announcer but she works for Tara as well). I feel funny saying this because I don't think I qualify as an "athlete" but I wanted a nutritionist who works with athletes/runners. I thought losing weight would be easy from running but as I am learning/hearing it actually is harder as you do the longer races as the body thinks it needs to conserve to fuel the endurance workouts. Anyway, that was the thought process. If they cost too much I probably won't do it but I will email her soon to find out.

Click to expand...

First of all anyone that runs a marathon is an athlete! That is such an amazing accomplishment don't take that away from yourself.

On that same note I had bought a fit bit surge and it says the resting heart rate of an athlete is 40 to 60 and I was at 58 and I told my husband I'm no athlete this must be a mistake. Now I know the heart rate monitors are not always accurate. I guess your comment made me stop and think that yes I DO excersise 4-5 times a week. I AM an athlete. I think your comment when you think about "athletes " you think about elites is spot on for me too.

Feel better soon! This yuck is awful this year!

Chiomaca said:

Finally got off my butt and took the pups out for a four mile run in the snow before it got too thick. 4-6 inches on the ground, nothing to what you northern types get, but enough to shut us down. Dogs got two romps out in the school field as well. The great thing is that it felt GOOD. I was worried that after two weeks without running, I'd be miserable.

Click to expand...

I'm sure the pups loved their run! I'm glad your run was good after a 2 week break. Do you think it's because you've been running awhile?

Dizzyr~how are you doing?

I'm starting to feel better. I'm so glad. Im thinking I'll hit the gym this weekend if I can breathe AND not have my nose run away

I bought a bike seat from Amazon. It looks super comfy but not racing aero dynamic. I'm Going to give it a shot to start with because I JUST started riding at the gym. Comfort for now with the practice.

Speaking of practice it's supposed to get to the 70's this weekend and the 7 day forecast looks great so I'm going to try to get a ride in!!

Waiting2goback said:

I know I am athletic. I just feel funny calling myself an athlete because I think of elite athletes when I think that word.

I do track my food. I weigh my chicken. I measure my pasta. I don't measure my fruits and veggies as closely because the difference between 1 cup of grapes and 2 cups of grapes in like 50 calories, for example. So I always round up. If I have grapes I put 2 cups so if I am under I miss in favor of less calories. I only drink water, etc... I am following the same recipe I did last year when I lost 30 lbs and now I gained 4-5 pounds. I need to reverse the course.

Click to expand...

In order to be athletic you must be an athlete.

Is it possible that you have just hit a plateau? You say you are doing the same thing you have been doing. Also rounding up on your calorie intake can be just as bad for weight loss and over eating. I have had a few times where I was not eating enough and got stuck. Or I was on a plateau and it actually helped for me to increase my calorie intake for a few days to help bust through.

Chiomaca said:

Finally got off my butt and took the pups out for a four mile run in the snow before it got too thick. 4-6 inches on the ground, nothing to what you northern types get, but enough to shut us down. Dogs got two romps out in the school field as well. The great thing is that it felt GOOD. I was worried that after two weeks without running, I'd be miserable.

Click to expand...

Glad you are feeling better! Sometimes I wish I lived where they shut down for just a little bit of snow. My normal commute is 1 hour and the other day we had an ice storm and it took me 2 hours. Blech. Anyway, I am glad you had a good run and the dogs had a blast.

Waiting2goback said:

We got 10 more inches of snow this week. I don't even say it anymore on here because if feels like groundhog day. I just keep telling myself April is not far away.

Click to expand...

Agreed. We are supposed to have 3 or 4 days with temps in the 30s and 40s. I have to say I am super excited.

~~Darci~~ said:

A loss is a loss!!! Run with it(see what I did there)

I bought a bike seat from Amazon. It looks super comfy but not racing aero dynamic. I'm Going to give it a shot to start with because I JUST started riding at the gym. Comfort for now with the practice.

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lol

Glad you found a bike seat you like. And enjoy the warmer weather. I'm jealous.

They finally started a yoga class on Saturday mornings so I am going to check it out this weekend. May have talked my hubby into it too but he may still bail. I've been thinking about why I don't want to do zumba anymore and I think that it just is not as exciting as it used to be. And I'm not really friends with the people in the class now. :/ So there is no social draw. Time to find something else to do...

Just checking in but don’t have much to report. Spring break here is the next two weeks so my schedule will be off – not sure how much working out I’ll get in. My kids will be gone the second week so it’s like a mini vacation for my husband and I. No cooking, no bedtime ritual, no yelling at them to clean their room and do their homework – a little slice of heaven LOL! It’s the next best thing to actually going away. I seem to have caught another cold so I’m not feeling like doing much. The sun is shining though so hopefully it will stay through the weekend.

Ok I’m not sure I like this new format. I thought there were no new posts and then once I hit reply two more showed up and then I noticed under one of them it said “there are more posts, click here to see them all” and a bunch more showed up! I’ll have to go back and read through them on the weekend to get caught up!

Waiting2goback said:

Chiomaca, have you ever met Eddie McCoy? I was watching some of his videos from his Disney races and he was running the Avengers 1/2 with Lee and Laura. You ran that race with them too, right? So, you must know him too?

He qualified for Boston after just a year of running. It gives me hope I can do it too.

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Yes, I've run and had lunch with Eddie. Met him at several races including this past January. I didn't hook up with Lee and Laura at Avengers because I was there with my family. Eddie's a great guy, and he seems to have been a bit of a gifted runner given the times he ran his first couple of half marathons. More importantly, he was super dedicated. You want to get there, but you're not putting in the work yet. Once you do, I think you'll make it.

~~Darci~~ said:

On that same note I had bought a fit bit surge and it says the resting heart rate of an athlete is 40 to 60 and I was at 58 and I told my husband I'm no athlete this must be a mistake. Now I know the heart rate monitors are not always accurate. I guess your comment made me stop and think that yes I DO excersise 4-5 times a week. I AM an athlete. I think your comment when you think about "athletes " you think about elites is spot on for me too.

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Yes!

~~Darci~~ said:

I'm sure the pups loved their run! I'm glad your run was good after a 2 week break. Do you think it's because you've been running awhile?

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Darci, it's always harder to restart mentally than it is physically. Once I get over my "But I feel icky, and it's snowing, and it's cold, and...and...and" set of excuses and just go run, I feel better. And I feel better about myself. That's why getting into the habit of exercising even when you're not feeling it is important. 5-10 minutes in and you're happy you got out there. Or, in the words of one of my favorite running blogs "Shut Up and Run!"

StayCool said:

They finally started a yoga class on Saturday mornings so I am going to check it out this weekend. May have talked my hubby into it too but he may still bail. I've been thinking about why I don't want to do zumba anymore and I think that it just is not as exciting as it used to be. And I'm not really friends with the people in the class now. :/ So there is no social draw. Time to find something else to do...

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Sounds like a good time to rotate classes. What else do they offer?

dizzyr said:

Just checking in but don’t have much to report. Spring break here is the next two weeks so my schedule will be off – not sure how much working out I’ll get in. My kids will be gone the second week so it’s like a mini vacation for my husband and I. No cooking, no bedtime ritual, no yelling at them to clean their room and do their homework – a little slice of heaven LOL! It’s the next best thing to actually going away. I seem to have caught another cold so I’m not feeling like doing much. The sun is shining though so hopefully it will stay through the weekend.

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Sounds like the perfect time for a little self-imposed boot camp to me!

Brought my swimsuit to work and found an office mate who swims, so starting next week, he's going to grab me when he goes down and help me learn to swim more efficiently. That way I can work towards triathlons. And it's supposed to get up to around 30 tomorrow, though I'm afraid our 7:30 group run start time won't be nearly as warm. Still, I committed to driving someone who lives near me, so I have to go. (Self-inflicted motivation FTW!)

~~Darci~~ said:

First of all anyone that runs a marathon is an athlete! That is such an amazing accomplishment don't take that away from yourself.

On that same note I had bought a fit bit surge and it says the resting heart rate of an athlete is 40 to 60 and I was at 58 and I told my husband I'm no athlete this must be a mistake. Now I know the heart rate monitors are not always accurate. I guess your comment made me stop and think that yes I DO excersise 4-5 times a week. I AM an athlete. I think your comment when you think about "athletes " you think about elites is spot on for me too.

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I know it is a huge accomplishment. I just feel if I was an "athlete" my hamstrings wouldn't have cramped up and I would have had a more respectable time. I feel like I willed my way through more than my physical ability got me through. I am hoping for a much different outcome this year.

I have been thinking about getting a FitBit but there are so many things I could buy this year and I want to make the right decisions to get the most bang for the buck. I want everything to have a purpose as opposed to buying for the fun of it. So, I haven't bought anything yet.

StayCool said:

In order to be athletic you must be an athlete.

Is it possible that you have just hit a plateau? You say you are doing the same thing you have been doing. Also rounding up on your calorie intake can be just as bad for weight loss and over eating. I have had a few times where I was not eating enough and got stuck. Or I was on a plateau and it actually helped for me to increase my calorie intake for a few days to help bust through.

Agreed. We are supposed to have 3 or 4 days with temps in the 30s and 40s. I have to say I am super excited.

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Very good point. I hear what you are all saying. This is just how my mind works. If I qualify for Boston I will be disappointed if I didn't do it in under 3:00. It is just how I operate unfortunately.

I have hit a plateau, no doubt. I feel good about spending the money on this. If she tells me I am doing everything right and just change a couple minor things I'll be fine. If she makes a major change and the weight starts falling off again, it will be money well spent. Either way it won't be me wondering to myself and getting frustrated.

We are supposed to warm up to the 30's too but I just found another huge leak so I will be back on the roof again tomorrow. It's my oldest daughter's birthday tomorrow so its the roof and then whatever she wants to do for her birthday. It is a really high part of the roof so I am NOT looking forward to this.

What are you going to do if Zumba is not working for you now? Any ideas until you can get outside?

dizzyr said:

Just checking in but don’t have much to report. Spring break here is the next two weeks so my schedule will be off – not sure how much working out I’ll get in. My kids will be gone the second week so it’s like a mini vacation for my husband and I. No cooking, no bedtime ritual, no yelling at them to clean their room and do their homework – a little slice of heaven LOL! It’s the next best thing to actually going away. I seem to have caught another cold so I’m not feeling like doing much. The sun is shining though so hopefully it will stay through the weekend.

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I like when the kids aren't home even for a little while. It's weird to be here in silence but so peaceful at the same time. Enjoy it. Hopefully the cold is short.

Chiomaca said:

Yes, I've run and had lunch with Eddie. Met him at several races including this past January. I didn't hook up with Lee and Laura at Avengers because I was there with my family. Eddie's a great guy, and he seems to have been a bit of a gifted runner given the times he ran his first couple of half marathons. More importantly, he was super dedicated. You want to get there, but you're not putting in the work yet. Once you do, I think you'll make it.

Darci, it's always harder to restart mentally than it is physically. Once I get over my "But I feel icky, and it's snowing, and it's cold, and...and...and" set of excuses and just go run, I feel better. And I feel better about myself. That's why getting into the habit of exercising even when you're not feeling it is important. 5-10 minutes in and you're happy you got out there. Or, in the words of one of my favorite running blogs "Shut Up and Run!"

Brought my swimsuit to work and found an office mate who swims, so starting next week, he's going to grab me when he goes down and help me learn to swim more efficiently. That way I can work towards triathlons. And it's supposed to get up to around 30 tomorrow, though I'm afraid our 7:30 group run start time won't be nearly as warm. Still, I committed to driving someone who lives near me, so I have to go. (Self-inflicted motivation FTW!)

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Yeah, he is gifted. He does 7:00 miles. I love hearing him talk about running though. Very positive and motivating. Once I can get back out on the streets I plan to step up the dedication and put in the miles.

Darci, she is correct. It is way harder mentally to get started. Once I force myself to exercise then it becomes easier.

Chiomaca- you can't do triathlons....because then I will have to. I said I wouldn't do one this year but I secretly look at the races. I convince myself the swimming wouldn't take away from my marathon training because it would be cross-training. I just don't know if I am ready to buy a bike yet.

I am still not feeling great. Still having hot flashes, stuffy, etc... I am giving myself until Sunday (if my wife doesn't go out that night) or Monday (if she goes out Sunday) to start working out again. If I am not healthy by then I will work it out of myself.

I have a job interview Tuesday. Money is about the same but I will be back to a normal schedule and have weekends off. And, it is working for a bank which will get my foot in the door for what I want to do when/if I get my CFA.

16 degrees this morning at run start. The coach has finally started using pace groups, which is nice because instead of starting off all in one big pack or figuring out who runs your pace by default, we have an idea from the beginning and the rabbits can take off first. I ended up running with a new partner who was in the 10:15-10:45 range, which seems comfortable. I was only planning to do 8 miles since I hadn't run the last three (!) long runs, but she wanted to do 11 and we're both running the Shamrock half on the 22nd, so as we closed in on what would have been my turn around point, I agreed to go up to the five mile marker. And then it was only half a mile further to get to an 11 mile run, so off we went. It felt okay, and we ran more miles in the low ten minute range than we did in the 11 minute range, which was mainly because we kept trying to find a useable bathroom. Nope. And the first/last half mile was all ice, so we walked that.

Rock Creek Park was beautiful though - all snowy and crisp, with the trees throwing snowballs at us as we ran through the woods. Totally worth the extra mileage and I'm feeling better about the race, too.

Waiting2goback said:

Very good point. I hear what you are all saying. This is just how my mind works. If I qualify for Boston I will be disappointed if I didn't do it in under 3:00. It is just how I operate unfortunately.

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You need to work on this. Setting and failing to meet unrealistic goals is demotivating. Set yourself a stretch goal - something that you have to work hard and put forth the level of work you know you are capable of doing, and then work for it. Saying that you're always going to be disappointed in your performance is NOT how your mind works, it's how your parents and wife taught you to think. You are better than that.

Chiomaca said:

16 degrees this morning at run start. The coach has finally started using pace groups, which is nice because instead of starting off all in one big pack or figuring out who runs your pace by default, we have an idea from the beginning and the rabbits can take off first. I ended up running with a new partner who was in the 10:15-10:45 range, which seems comfortable. I was only planning to do 8 miles since I hadn't run the last three (!) long runs, but she wanted to do 11 and we're both running the Shamrock half on the 22nd, so as we closed in on what would have been my turn around point, I agreed to go up to the five mile marker. And then it was only half a mile further to get to an 11 mile run, so off we went. It felt okay, and we ran more miles in the low ten minute range than we did in the 11 minute range, which was mainly because we kept trying to find a useable bathroom. Nope. And the first/last half mile was all ice, so we walked that.

Rock Creek Park was beautiful though - all snowy and crisp, with the trees throwing snowballs at us as we ran through the woods. Totally worth the extra mileage and I'm feeling better about the race, too.

You need to work on this. Setting and failing to meet unrealistic goals is demotivating. Set yourself a stretch goal - something that you have to work hard and put forth the level of work you know you are capable of doing, and then work for it. Saying that you're always going to be disappointed in your performance is NOT how your mind works, it's how your parents and wife taught you to think. You are better than that.

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Glad you had a good run. You may be sore tomorrow but it will be worth it. I'm sure when I get to run again I will be sore too. Just out of curiosity, what is your normal pace? I can't remember if you have ever said or not?

Your story about running in the snow and ice got me to thinking. I was already thinking of running outside this week. Then I read your post and thought for sure I might have to. Then I just looked at the forecast and it is showing 40's. It will mean running on wet roads from the melting. But, it might be just what I need to break out of this grouchy mood I am in. And the 40's will feel like summer around here.

You are correct, I need to work on many things. If I am able to qualify for Boston I know I will be happy and satisfied. I also know I will try to do better the next year. But I will keep working on my many issues. It will take time to undo 40 years of thinking and living a certain way. I will get there though.

More and more negative thoughts are creeping back into my mind. I know the winter, and not being able to workout consistently, being up on the roof trying to battle all these leaks, etc... is a HUGE part of it.

I'm still a little stuffy but feeling better. If the wife doesn't go out tomorrow night I will be at the gym. If she does I start back on my routine Monday.

Sorry to be such a downer. Hope everyone has a good night.

Hi guys!

I am NOT going to do the quotes. it took forever because I'm using my 2 in 1 and well, its a big hassle.

Staycool~Did you try yoga? How's the meal plan going? Is your husband still in?

Dizzyr~How's the river running going?

Chiomaca~11 miles is great! I envy your pace! Your lucky to have found a running group. I've looked and haven't found a beginning group yet. Triathlon will be fun. Have you found one you want to do?

Waiting2goback~Get outside and run! I think it'll help with mood and give you a netter idea of your current pacing. On another note I returned the Surge because even though I really liked the features it was just too big for my wrist. I ordered the Charge. HR because its smaller and only lacks 2feaatures of the Surge, music volume control (who cares?) and GPS. I normally run inside on the track so not necessary. Plus it was $100 cheaper.

It was 70 today. My new bike seat is HUGE! My bike is designed for 5'3 to 5'6. I'm 5'3(almost) so the new seat makes it hard to reach. I can't win. As far as pace I'd like to drop from 14:28 to 13:30 or better. When I did the treadmill I was hitting this. 13:05 actually. I just don't really know what to do besides run.