2013 Official Chaz Weight Loss Challenge
- Thread starter skittledoo
- Start date
Ok - so when you say you could benefit from the break, do you mean that you physically need a break from it because you are going to get injured if you don't? Or, just that you've done quite a few of them and you don't feel like training for it?
I mean, if you are physically able to, and it's something you want to do, then why not go for it?
I did a butt and guts class on Monday. I did a mile on the Elliptical, and a mile on the treadmill, then stayed for a really awesome Zumba class on Tuesday. I felt so awesome. It felt really good to be doing something for myself. All the frustration that I've been having with work has been causing nervous energy that I couldn't find a way to get out. Those were the first two days that I've felt better.
However, the trainer at the gym the other day recommended that I not come 5 days a week to start. She said that's how people burn out and injure themselves. Since I didn't have a Yoga mat to do the Yoga yesterday, and it's just my first week, my boyfriend suggested that I take two days off. Especially since I'm going to do Zumba again tomorrow and a Pump class on Saturday morning. My boyfriend is very smart, and always has my best interests at heart, and I know that he was right.
However, now I feel guilty. I wanted to go 5 days a week and I feel like I'm letting myself down by not going. Logically, it make sense. Muscles that are used to being couch potatoes are suddenly being forced to actually work. I feel like if I don't act while I have the motivation, it won't become habit and I'll start slacking. Am I just being too hard on myself?
I mean, if you are physically able to, and it's something you want to do, then why not go for it?
I did a butt and guts class on Monday. I did a mile on the Elliptical, and a mile on the treadmill, then stayed for a really awesome Zumba class on Tuesday. I felt so awesome. It felt really good to be doing something for myself. All the frustration that I've been having with work has been causing nervous energy that I couldn't find a way to get out. Those were the first two days that I've felt better.
However, the trainer at the gym the other day recommended that I not come 5 days a week to start. She said that's how people burn out and injure themselves. Since I didn't have a Yoga mat to do the Yoga yesterday, and it's just my first week, my boyfriend suggested that I take two days off. Especially since I'm going to do Zumba again tomorrow and a Pump class on Saturday morning. My boyfriend is very smart, and always has my best interests at heart, and I know that he was right.
However, now I feel guilty. I wanted to go 5 days a week and I feel like I'm letting myself down by not going. Logically, it make sense. Muscles that are used to being couch potatoes are suddenly being forced to actually work. I feel like if I don't act while I have the motivation, it won't become habit and I'll start slacking. Am I just being too hard on myself?
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The break is mental, not at all physical. I always take a break to recover after a race and it doesn't take very long to get back to 100%, about two weeks really. But from a mental standpoint, this year was really hard. I went from being around people who were also active and supportive to being around people who weren't active at all, and not exactly NOT supportive, but if I ran zero miles or thirteen was pretty much exactly the same. It was a strange culture shock, it was actually kind of draining, and I had a hell of a time. It's easy to be active and healthy around active and healthy people - it's difficult to be active and healthy around people who don't care at all about activity and health.
This year was the worst training season I have had since I started running. Only about the last week did I finally start feeling good about what was about to happen. By then I had lost about three months of feeling good about my runs.
I asked advice from other runners and basically got "You're burned out and you need to take a break." I don't disagree.
Ultimately I would LIKE to move on and be surrounded again by people who are active and healthy, which if that happened and I was like "oh yeah I'm doing the 10K..." I would be upset with myself. I know what I am capable of. I'm capable of more than a 10K. Is it letting myself down to do less than I'm capable of? Is it BAD to give myself a break once in a while? Do you really always have to give 110%? 90% is still an A...
I am harder on myself than anybody else could possibly be. My trainer told me he was going to be hard on me because he knew what I was capable of - I told him he could not possibly be harder on me than I am on myself. So I am at odds with myself. While I know I could benefit from the break from a mental perspective, and it would be a delight to not have so much of my time eaten up by training just for one year, I am capable of more - and feel like therefore I should do more.
Yes you are probably being too hard on yourself. Welcome to the club. ;>
Your trainer and boyfriend can't answer this for you - you have to know what kind of person you are. Some people need to ease into things. Other people succeed by jumping in 100% and hitting it hard right from the top. Neither person is more likely to succeed than the other. Look at it from the reverse - quitting smoking. Some people wean themselves slowly off cigarettes, some use a patch, some use gum. Other people throw away their remaining cigarettes, say THAT'S IT. I'm DONE with smoking. People have succeeded with both methods. The real key to success is to determine which kind of person you are. If you are the sort of person who needs to ease into things, then absolutely, throwing yourself into it hard and fast is going to burn you out quickly and you are more likely to fail - and vice versa for the sort of person who needs to just give it their all and go and eases into it instead.
OTOH there's a quite legitimate concern as far as health goes and making sure you don't injure yourself. You can absolutely overtrain your muscles and get a significant injury that will sideline you for much longer than you want to be sidelined for.
That said I don't think you're going to hit over training by doing Zumba, yoga, and a single Pump class in a week. To start with, those are quite different activities. Cross-training is a good thing. Doing cardio, resistance training, and yoga all together is a good thing.
And don't worry about dropping the ball right away: habits are formed in six weeks - not just one!
Could be your boyfriend knows what type of person you are and which path is more likely to make you successful. Honestly, you're in a phase right now where you're also just trying out the different options available to you at the gym. Maybe you decide you hate yoga and decide to do something else instead, or maybe you decide instead of going to the gym that day you'd rather run outside at the park or do some body weight exercises at home. I don't outright think you're engaging in any negative behaviours right off the bat. The only thing I would be wary of is saying you have to go to the gym five days a week. You definitely don't need a gym to work out. If you miss going to the gym but you worked out at home, you're not failing. You just maybe misdirected your goal.
Days off, including two back-to-back, are not at all bad things. Rest days are awesome and certainly your body will benefit from them!
This year was the worst training season I have had since I started running. Only about the last week did I finally start feeling good about what was about to happen. By then I had lost about three months of feeling good about my runs.
I asked advice from other runners and basically got "You're burned out and you need to take a break." I don't disagree.
Ultimately I would LIKE to move on and be surrounded again by people who are active and healthy, which if that happened and I was like "oh yeah I'm doing the 10K..." I would be upset with myself. I know what I am capable of. I'm capable of more than a 10K. Is it letting myself down to do less than I'm capable of? Is it BAD to give myself a break once in a while? Do you really always have to give 110%? 90% is still an A...
I am harder on myself than anybody else could possibly be. My trainer told me he was going to be hard on me because he knew what I was capable of - I told him he could not possibly be harder on me than I am on myself. So I am at odds with myself. While I know I could benefit from the break from a mental perspective, and it would be a delight to not have so much of my time eaten up by training just for one year, I am capable of more - and feel like therefore I should do more.
Yes you are probably being too hard on yourself. Welcome to the club. ;>
Your trainer and boyfriend can't answer this for you - you have to know what kind of person you are. Some people need to ease into things. Other people succeed by jumping in 100% and hitting it hard right from the top. Neither person is more likely to succeed than the other. Look at it from the reverse - quitting smoking. Some people wean themselves slowly off cigarettes, some use a patch, some use gum. Other people throw away their remaining cigarettes, say THAT'S IT. I'm DONE with smoking. People have succeeded with both methods. The real key to success is to determine which kind of person you are. If you are the sort of person who needs to ease into things, then absolutely, throwing yourself into it hard and fast is going to burn you out quickly and you are more likely to fail - and vice versa for the sort of person who needs to just give it their all and go and eases into it instead.
OTOH there's a quite legitimate concern as far as health goes and making sure you don't injure yourself. You can absolutely overtrain your muscles and get a significant injury that will sideline you for much longer than you want to be sidelined for.
That said I don't think you're going to hit over training by doing Zumba, yoga, and a single Pump class in a week. To start with, those are quite different activities. Cross-training is a good thing. Doing cardio, resistance training, and yoga all together is a good thing.
And don't worry about dropping the ball right away: habits are formed in six weeks - not just one!
Could be your boyfriend knows what type of person you are and which path is more likely to make you successful. Honestly, you're in a phase right now where you're also just trying out the different options available to you at the gym. Maybe you decide you hate yoga and decide to do something else instead, or maybe you decide instead of going to the gym that day you'd rather run outside at the park or do some body weight exercises at home. I don't outright think you're engaging in any negative behaviours right off the bat. The only thing I would be wary of is saying you have to go to the gym five days a week. You definitely don't need a gym to work out. If you miss going to the gym but you worked out at home, you're not failing. You just maybe misdirected your goal.
Days off, including two back-to-back, are not at all bad things. Rest days are awesome and certainly your body will benefit from them!
Absolutely weight gain is often a side effect of steroids.
Often they increase appetite so people eat more. If you're not eating more we can rule that out.
Are you gaining fat or just weight? Steroids generally make it easier to build muscle, which will make the scale go up but is definitely not the same as gaining fat. And if you're working out more that could also add to the muscle growth.
Steroids also can increase your fluid retention. So you gain water weight, not fat. Of course water weight adds inches (that's why those "magic wraps" work, they dehydrate the body and remove excess water weight.)
Steroids also can just plain mess with your metabolism which is all kinds of boo.
Call your doctor and see if it's a side-effect (it most likely is) and ask if they have any advice. I know you had a doctor recommend trying paleo before. I wouldn't recommend any significant changes to you without doctor assistance since, y'know, controlling the seizures is kinda important... and you don't want to do anything that will mess with the meds.
Often they increase appetite so people eat more. If you're not eating more we can rule that out.
Are you gaining fat or just weight? Steroids generally make it easier to build muscle, which will make the scale go up but is definitely not the same as gaining fat. And if you're working out more that could also add to the muscle growth.
Steroids also can increase your fluid retention. So you gain water weight, not fat. Of course water weight adds inches (that's why those "magic wraps" work, they dehydrate the body and remove excess water weight.)
Steroids also can just plain mess with your metabolism which is all kinds of boo.
Call your doctor and see if it's a side-effect (it most likely is) and ask if they have any advice. I know you had a doctor recommend trying paleo before. I wouldn't recommend any significant changes to you without doctor assistance since, y'know, controlling the seizures is kinda important... and you don't want to do anything that will mess with the meds.
Yes - you can gain weight from medication and no diet changes/lifestyle change. Happens with steroid use like prednisone or similar. I recommend talking to your doctor about it.
Beanie - I know what you mean about being around people that aren't like minded in respect to exercise. But, like you said, you had a hard year and you could really use the break. Mental health is very important. What do you gain by running in the marathon? A feeling of accomplishment? Will it decrease the feelings you've been having? Or will you just resent the fact that yet again you are training for something? I don't know much time it takes for you to train, but if its a significant amount of time and you are going to feel like you are missing out on other, maybe enjoyable things, hen you should should sit this one out. Run for fun. Take the dogs out for a run. Take them to the park, meet some new people.
In this situation, I don't think it would he letting yourself down. If you do another 10k, can you think of that as just a day of training for a longer one? I.e. I did this 10k in preperation for my ##k and I did better than I was expecting. I think this next one will be easy!
We are all our own worst enemies, I think.
Please excuse any typos. My phone is being a pain.
Beanie - I know what you mean about being around people that aren't like minded in respect to exercise. But, like you said, you had a hard year and you could really use the break. Mental health is very important. What do you gain by running in the marathon? A feeling of accomplishment? Will it decrease the feelings you've been having? Or will you just resent the fact that yet again you are training for something? I don't know much time it takes for you to train, but if its a significant amount of time and you are going to feel like you are missing out on other, maybe enjoyable things, hen you should should sit this one out. Run for fun. Take the dogs out for a run. Take them to the park, meet some new people.
In this situation, I don't think it would he letting yourself down. If you do another 10k, can you think of that as just a day of training for a longer one? I.e. I did this 10k in preperation for my ##k and I did better than I was expecting. I think this next one will be easy!
We are all our own worst enemies, I think.
Please excuse any typos. My phone is being a pain.
My family, fortunately, has been supportive in my journey to a new life. They haven't been "with" me on it so far, but the kids at least seem to be trying to be cognizant of their portions now. Tonight, my wife was preparing dinner in a lighter style when I got home. I asked her if I had time for a run and I'd be about 30 minutes. She said it would be done before then, but she'll keep it warm for me.
I got back and was outside stretching/cooling down when they came out, looking down the street for me. I called out to them and they came over to check on me and told me that dinner was ready. Turns out that they waited to eat so they could eat with me
As for the run, it mapped out a full 5K around town. I hadn't done a 5K road race in years (over 20 at least, 25 since the last competitive 5K I've run). I was originally hoping to finish without puking. I finished and did it in 26:54. I'll take that.
I am going to run in a 5K benefit on Saturday morning. It is for http://www.smallstepsinspeech.org which provides resources for kids with speech/language/communication disabilities. This is "close to home" for me, as my 13 year old daughter has been in speech therapy since before she entered kindergarten plus my family are long-time barbershoppers, who's main charity for years was the Institute of Logopedics in Kansas. Their slogan was "We Sing that They Shall Speak".
Anyway, sorry for rambling
I got back and was outside stretching/cooling down when they came out, looking down the street for me. I called out to them and they came over to check on me and told me that dinner was ready. Turns out that they waited to eat so they could eat with me
As for the run, it mapped out a full 5K around town. I hadn't done a 5K road race in years (over 20 at least, 25 since the last competitive 5K I've run). I was originally hoping to finish without puking. I finished and did it in 26:54. I'll take that.
I am going to run in a 5K benefit on Saturday morning. It is for http://www.smallstepsinspeech.org which provides resources for kids with speech/language/communication disabilities. This is "close to home" for me, as my 13 year old daughter has been in speech therapy since before she entered kindergarten plus my family are long-time barbershoppers, who's main charity for years was the Institute of Logopedics in Kansas. Their slogan was "We Sing that They Shall Speak".
Anyway, sorry for rambling
I survived and had a blast! I came in 133rd overall. Not sure where I placed in my age group (40 to 49) but I know that I didn't medal in the 1st or 2nd position. That's fine, though. This was more of a "get my feet wet" race and it was for a great cause.
I mentioned that my younger daughter has been in speech therapy for quite some time. She and my older daughter said, almost simultaneously upon hearing that I was doing this, "You need a shirt". So they made one for me and one for her (her name is Jenna).
Mine says, "I Run 4 Jenna". Hers simply says, "I'm Jenna". The back has the name of the event on it.
And afterwards - The one in the "Wilkes" shirt is mine and the one on the end is not technically mine, but may as well be, since she's been a consistent fixture in our lives for the last 10 years
And a couple more
Stretching before
In the home stretch
In "the chute"
And just having a drink post-race
I mentioned that my younger daughter has been in speech therapy for quite some time. She and my older daughter said, almost simultaneously upon hearing that I was doing this, "You need a shirt". So they made one for me and one for her (her name is Jenna).
Mine says, "I Run 4 Jenna". Hers simply says, "I'm Jenna". The back has the name of the event on it.
And afterwards - The one in the "Wilkes" shirt is mine and the one on the end is not technically mine, but may as well be, since she's been a consistent fixture in our lives for the last 10 years
And a couple more
Stretching before
In the home stretch
In "the chute"
And just having a drink post-race
Woohoo! Eddie you look awesome!
I'm getting back into personal trainer time. It's rough since I was sick but I did it last week and I'm sore. Very sore.
I've been cooking all day, which is not as bad as I imagined. It's kind of fun, really. That's a big goal of mine- to actually plan and prepare food and not eat out. i'm going for paleo-ish... Kind of cheating since I have potatoes in the roast going right now but it's better than grabbing fast food like I like to do. Anyways, I have food for about 4 days now. And it smells great.
I'm already planning what the next grocery store trips are going to be. So far I have paleo pork carnitas on lettuce srapws that sound AMAZING. Anyone have any other easy paleo recipes? We're starting small. I'm super excited about this new food, lol.
I'm getting back into personal trainer time. It's rough since I was sick but I did it last week and I'm sore. Very sore.
I've been cooking all day, which is not as bad as I imagined. It's kind of fun, really. That's a big goal of mine- to actually plan and prepare food and not eat out. i'm going for paleo-ish... Kind of cheating since I have potatoes in the roast going right now but it's better than grabbing fast food like I like to do. Anyways, I have food for about 4 days now.
And it smells great.I'm already planning what the next grocery store trips are going to be. So far I have paleo pork carnitas on lettuce srapws that sound AMAZING. Anyone have any other easy paleo recipes? We're starting small. I'm super excited about this new food, lol.
PaleOMG - http://paleomg.com/
Civilized Caveman - http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/ His banana bread... forever.
NomNomPaleo - http://nomnompaleo.com/ Not necessarily always easy, but she has kids so often they are really simple because she doesn't have a ton of time. Also I love that she posts the kid's lunches because it lets me add to my list of "stuff that I can pack up and take to an agility trial with me."
and FastPaleo - http://fastpaleo.com/
Civilized Caveman - http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/ His banana bread... forever.
NomNomPaleo - http://nomnompaleo.com/ Not necessarily always easy, but she has kids so often they are really simple because she doesn't have a ton of time. Also I love that she posts the kid's lunches because it lets me add to my list of "stuff that I can pack up and take to an agility trial with me."
and FastPaleo - http://fastpaleo.com/
Thanks Laurelin!
My wife had been worried that I'll get hurt, get sick, etc. while running around town and she's been after me to ensure she knows what route I'm taking and such. I started wearing my old army dog tags in deference to her wishes on that. That seemed to appease her but she was further worried that they didn't have a phone number on them. I stopped at the Pet Valu while out at lunch and bought a dog collar tag engraved with our home number, her cell number and my doctor's name and number on it. Hopefully, she'll feel better about it and I'll never need it.
My wife had been worried that I'll get hurt, get sick, etc. while running around town and she's been after me to ensure she knows what route I'm taking and such. I started wearing my old army dog tags in deference to her wishes on that. That seemed to appease her but she was further worried that they didn't have a phone number on them. I stopped at the Pet Valu while out at lunch and bought a dog collar tag engraved with our home number, her cell number and my doctor's name and number on it. Hopefully, she'll feel better about it and I'll never need it.
My mom has always been worried about my runs around town as well. Earlier this year I found something worth taking with me. Now I have a spare ID card tucked into it and can bring my phone with me in case anything happens, too.
http://www.nathansports.com/hydration/handhelds/quickshot-plus
It's small and not annoying to carry!
http://www.nathansports.com/hydration/handhelds/quickshot-plus
It's small and not annoying to carry!
That's pretty cool. Looks like it's not too bulky.
On my 5k this weekend, official results were posted today. 133rd overall as noted. 27:28 was my official time. I counted and I was 13th in my age group (40 to 49 year old males). Gives me a stake in the ground to start.
I also came across a website to help me plot my routes. www.routeloops.com lets you put in your starting location, how far you want to go and it presents you with a google maps layout of your route. You can drag the route to change it, put in way points and recalculate and turn on/off an altitude plot to show you how hilly it is. I managed to have it draw up a perfect 5K for me around town, so I've done that a couple of times as well as my other routes. I also used it to draw up a route for when I go on vacation next week.
On my 5k this weekend, official results were posted today. 133rd overall as noted. 27:28 was my official time. I counted and I was 13th in my age group (40 to 49 year old males). Gives me a stake in the ground to start.
I also came across a website to help me plot my routes. www.routeloops.com lets you put in your starting location, how far you want to go and it presents you with a google maps layout of your route. You can drag the route to change it, put in way points and recalculate and turn on/off an altitude plot to show you how hilly it is. I managed to have it draw up a perfect 5K for me around town, so I've done that a couple of times as well as my other routes. I also used it to draw up a route for when I go on vacation next week.
It's really great! The way it straps onto your hand and sits there, it's really easy to forget that you're "carrying" water - because you don't have to actually hold it. So you can still have your hands loose and open. I have one without the pocket that I used the past several years, so I was happy to buy this one this year. It does make me feel better when I've got my phone with me, especially when I was doing really long runs and was all the way on the opposite side of town from home.
Way to go Julee!!
My first week of calorie-tracking is down and I successfully shoveled the correct amount of calories into my throat every day. Some days were just barely into the range (one day was 1703... still technically counts...) and other days I did much better. I feel a LOT better eating the right amount of calories... so I think it's working.
Way to go Julee!!
My first week of calorie-tracking is down and I successfully shoveled the correct amount of calories into my throat every day. Some days were just barely into the range (one day was 1703... still technically counts...) and other days I did much better. I feel a LOT better eating the right amount of calories... so I think it's working.
I really like it thusfar - I had to work to keep up towards the end, but didn't at any time feel like I couldn't complete it.
I feel fine now, but I'm not sure I stretched properly beforehand/afterwards. Any particular stretches I should be doing?
Yay, Beanie! The QuickShot Plus thing looks really awesome.
I feel fine now, but I'm not sure I stretched properly beforehand/afterwards. Any particular stretches I should be doing?
Yay, Beanie! The QuickShot Plus thing looks really awesome.
Stretching beforehand is important, but don't stretch COLD muscles. Take a brisk walk, light jog or whatever first, then stretch the obvious muscles (calves, hamstrings, etc.). Don't neglect the "front calf" stretches. Sort of do a wall-pushup and come up on your toes. You'll feel it down the front. Stretch the groin, too. Side lunges and good for that. Your muscles will tell you which ones you are not stretching enough.
Post run, don't neglect stretching. No less than 10 minutes. This video shoes some basics http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-detail.asp?video=46
Also, when you get up to doing some distances - check out that routeloops site I linked to above. I've been going nuts creating routes all over the place with it.
Post run, don't neglect stretching. No less than 10 minutes. This video shoes some basics http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-detail.asp?video=46
Also, when you get up to doing some distances - check out that routeloops site I linked to above. I've been going nuts creating routes all over the place with it.
