Nutrition & Food Logs

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I almost titled this post "Food" but I noticed the trainer talks in terms of "nutrition" and less so "diet". It's an emphasis on the positive - providing the right mix of fuel. Diet has such connotations of deprivation.

Anyhow, I ran into a friend at the gym whom I was telling about SparkPeople and he was asking what I ate. I thought I'd post three of my better days of food logs to share the types of things I eat and I am likewise interested in the favorite types of foods and meals of others. I can get in a rut eating very similar kinds of things.

The two keys for me seem to be pre-planning my food for the day to drastically reduce the likelihood of bad impulsive choices, and to keep my meals really simple with a mix of food groups.

Made the goal!

I made my weight goal with some room to spare - 128.2! Then I let loose at the neighborhood cookout tonight (yum - an actual burger WITH a bun AND cheese) and it's back on the straight and narrow tomorrow. I want to keep eating clean, feeling good, and maintaining/building on what has been accomplished to this point. The workouts and nutrition go hand-in-hand and I'm wasting my time if I don't keep both ends up.

One of my neighbors has been strongly urging me to consider trying the Sun Trust marathon in Richmond on November 15. It'll be his first marathon too. He runs with another fellow I know so I said I'd consider it but I wanted to see their training plan. He said they talk and joke and such while they're running and it passes the time. That's good because I can't see doing more than 12 or 14 miles alone, I'd go nuts.

I'll see how the half-M goes first and then run it by JRP to see what makes sense. I'm thinking it might be too soon. There's also a half-M in Roanoke on November 22, or a half-M option for the Richmond race too.

10 miles and counting

I had a solid 10 miler on the Huckleberry Trail. I didn't leave until 8:15 am and it was like running on the autobahn -- quite busy with dogs, strollers, bikes, runners, and walkers. I finished in 1:33, but more importantly I enjoyed it and felt strong! I am happy to see progress in my running and am looking forward to the halfM.

Approaching equilibrium

Things seem to be back in better balance again in terms of nutrition, activity levels, energy, motivation, and attitude. I'm grateful for the nudge and vigillance of JRP. I've been hovering just at or just over my 130# goal for 8/24 (literally 130.0 and 130.2 on Wed and Friday), but not yet below. It'll come. More importantly, my food logs this week have gotten the rare seal of approval so I know I am on the right track and it's really about the longer term changes.

I'm eating SO much differently than four months ago and I feel dramatically better. And maybe it is a control thing, but this lifestyle makeover has reduced the oppressive feeling I had that the tail was wagging the dog and it was just all wrong. Last spring was so stressful and out of control and put me in a place I did not like being.

Running, playing tennis, and lifting let me step out of my life and get the perspective I need to make better choices. I intend to continue reclaiming time in my life, time I need for me and for my family. I am determined to gradually "unbusy" my life and stop sweating the small stuff.

And on to other topics...tomorrow I will do the whole Huckleberry Trail. It's 11.5 miles, but I only need to do 9 - 10, so I will just walk the first and last .75 miles or so. Then next week I get to run the whole thing. I hid a Gatorade along the way...hope I can remember where I put it. I was very tempted to do the run today as it is beautiful, but I am trying not to deviate from the plan since it seems to land me in trouble!!

My runs have been feeling stronger and more joyful and my confidence is returning. The IT bands are an omnipresent issue, but that continues to resolve. It was interesting that the massage therapist could sense a change on Thursday. My knee isn't a source of acute pain any longer, but I'm experiencing tightness half-way up my thigh now and on both sides. Somehow, she was able to describe my experience precisely without me saying a word!

Lots left to do to get ready for fall, but ready or not, here it comes! I need to focus and use the available time this weekend and just knock it out now that Scholar (new course management system) and I have made our peace. I'm excited for classes to start next week.

ciao...

Interesting start to the day

This morning I woke up with quite a case of bedhead but I didn't give it a second thought because I was heading out to run on campus, it was still pretty dark, and I figured I wouldn't see anyone. However, I ran into the entire corp of cadets out on some big hoo-ha run around campus with cadre folks stationed at many of the intersection. They made a lot of noise and it was pretty motivating!

I think the early morning runs are tougher on my legs since they get less of a warm-up. So I came home and put my knees on ice. I had just gotten two of those gel ice packs and I put them on my knees with stretchy wraps while I ate breakfast. I have to admit they felt extra cold compared to my typical bag of ice cubes and it was rather painful as the area finally numbed. I figured that meant they were working extra well! Darned if those things didn't freeze the crap out of my skin!! When I finally took them off, my skin was all white, dry, wrinkly, and paper-y. So I re-warmed my legs in the tub and they still look raised, red, and deformed. Lesson learned. Gosh, I've had to say that a lot this summer. I always think I know better, but it's scary how often I don't!!!

I was a slacker in terms of eating last week but have pledged to keep it all clean and tight this week and beyond. I am dangerously close to not making my 8/25 goal. I was 132.8 yesterday and need to get to 130. JRP set new parameters for carbs, fat, and protein, so I am mapping out my food the night before and sticking to the plan. That helped tremendously yesterday. If I focus on my eating plan and working the numbers, I focus less on the actual eating, if that makes sense.

I'm also going to drink more plain water. I was doing some no-calorie drink mix stuff but I really think the artificial sweeteners can increase my appetite and cause me to crave more sweet stuff. I feel that I am back on track now, so even if I don't make 8/25 it'll be right around the corner. As I transition to fall and the new schedule, I'll have to be even more vigilant to preserve new patterns of eating and fitness.