Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

weight loss

I might have a drinking problem

Week 6, Day 1. Brrrr. That’s how we started the morning. Barely 40 degrees. Wearing pants and headgear. The kids have the best spot on days like this. They stay toasty warm under a blanket in the jogging stroller. Gloves are the next must-have for my running gear. Cold fingers = not fun.

Today’s training included some walking again. 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking; 8 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking; 5 minutes of running. I felt extra confident when we started. Since we had “conquered” the 2-miles, no walking a few days ago, I was sure today’s plan would be a breeze. Ha. The last 5 minutes nearly did me in. I have no explanation. We have only one more day that includes any amount of walking; after that, we’re all running, all the time. Exciting. Scary. Challenging.

I haven’t lost any weight the last two weeks. I gained a pound a week ago and stayed the same this week. I’m kind of disappointed. But I think it’s my fault. See,  I have a drinking problem. Actually, it’s an eating problem. We usually run in the morning, and since the first day, I haven’t eaten any breakfast before we run because I don’t want to throw up. So, when the run is over, I’m starving. A friend warned me about this: runners who actually gain weight from eating too much even though they’re burning calories by running. Typically, I eat a bagel with peanut butter. Maybe not the best post-run choice? Sometimes followed up by a banana or orange or some yogurt.

I’m not sure breakfast is really the problem, though. I’m a bit of a snack-a-holic. Especially if I’m tired (which is a lot lately) or bored (only occasionally). There’s also the monthly hormone-induced chocolate attack. Basically, I lack self-control when it comes to eating. Phil says I need to drink more when I feel like I’m starving. Our post-run drinks include one of these lovely Powerade Zero beverages and water, water and more water.

Any thoughts? What is good post-run food? And do you have any tips for curbing the snackies?

I’m grateful for the exercise we’re getting and I know that even if I don’t lose a bunch of weight, my body is getting healthier in other ways. But I’m pretty sure I should be losing weight as part of this plan, too.

3 is the magic number

Week 3, Day 1. Saturday’s training included a 3-minute run, no walking. So far, that’s our longest stretch of straight running. I was a little nervous, but like anything else, it’s partly mental. And, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, also like the rest of the running so far. We took the kids again, even though the temperature when we left the house was barely 50 degrees.

Because of the chill in the air, I made a rookie mistake: wearing pants. By the time the run was over, I was hot from the waist down. My husband, who is more experienced at running in a variety of weather conditions and temperatures, said it would have been better to wear shorts and a long sleeve shirt instead of long pants and a long sleeve shirt. I think I agreed with him afterward but would love to hear how others of you deal with the cold while running. The 5K we’re looking at is the weekend before Thanksgiving, and I don’t know what the temperature will be like. But the next month or so should give me a better idea what running in cool weather is like.

We’re learning to be flexible and creative with our running schedule, making a point to find three days in a week to fit in our run. I shed a little more weight this week, and Phil was asked today if he’s been losing weight. He doesn’t rely on those sorts of measurements to track his progress, but I’m hoping we both see results, physically, from this training.

Another set of 3 minute runs tomorrow. I can’t believe I actually look forward to this now.