on running to work almost every day for a month

So, you run to work every day?

Yup.

You don’t actually run though — it’s just jogging?

What’s up with peoples’ propensity for raining on my damn parade? Just jogging? I “jog” 6 km to work M/T/T, 7 km to my WW meeting Wednesdays and 8 km to school Fridays. Just jogging. Pft.

I was reflecting on running into work for a month on my jog in this morning (and seriously considering stopping a Tim Hortons [donut place] for a tea and blueberry fritter, which is something I do every day, come to think of it…) and discovered that I have come a long way, running-wise. The first couple of weeks were difficult. Yeah, bold difficult. I was pooched at the end of every single day and my calves were absolutely on fire 100% of the time. (Spontaneous combustion of the calves can occur from running in the snow — it’s a bit like running in sand — your foot shifts just a little after every step, leaving your calves ablaze.) Now I am finding the run less challenging, my legs are no longer on fire and I am even adding cross-training a couple days a week.

There’s something empowering about running my ass into work. I like it.

Speaking of running, I am currently the weight I was when I ran half-marathons (like race day in May and again in October this-ish was my weight). So, I weigh what I did when I was training at my hardest. This is when I usually plateau out. But something is different this time. I don’t feel like I have lost all that I can lose. I don’t think there is no point to eating better because I will always be this weight or heavier. I know this is just the beginning (er middle), and that I have to keep pushing myself to achieve my goals. Maybe it is because I moved in with some people and have different support structures, or maybe it is just an attitude shift, but I am gung ho to keep losing this time around.

five percent

Despite a brief encounter with an uncomfortable food hangover post-Chinese New Year-inspired potluck, I am down 1.5 lbs from last week, and as a result have reached my 5% goal! w00t! So, that is like 8.5 lbs in a month (which slightly exceeded 5%, technically). I attribute my loss this week to keeping track, and having an hardcoreish workout schedule again this week. Pretty happy I decided to join a few weeks back. What’s this you ask?  p4, happy? Isn’t she supposed to bitch and or be melancholic and probably read a lot of angsty teen fiction whilst discussing how much she would love to eat pizza and or Oreos?

Yes folks, I am back in a good mood. That impromtu long weekend plan thing totally worked its magic and I feel like my relaxed and happy self again. It helps that my new manager has promised to act as a buffer so that I won’t actually have to communicate with the other boss who has made my work experience so frustrating these past few months (fucktard twat). Also, I have been looking into taking leave with income averaging — basically, I would take home less pay but would get to take a chunk of 5 to 6 weeks off this year. SO I have been thinking about what I might do with that time off, and that is giving me something to look forward to and smile about — the world is my frakin oyster! And I should see it. And do things other than work. Have you been anywhere awesome or done cool stuff? Any vacation suggestions? I might make a point to run a half-marathon in another country. So many options!

food hangover

I celebrated the Chinese New Year a few days early last night at a friend’s house potluck-style. There were handmade dumplings, pork buns, and hot pot (where you put thinly cut meat in like a boiling broth and the go to). I did pretty good, points-wise. Actually kept track as best as I could, avoided the cake for dessert (it was made with real whipped cream, I am lactose intolerant, le sigh) — and before heading to the shebang I had a bowlful of veggies to fill me up. Nonetheless, I totally have a food hangover today. Ever had one of those? You wake up, feel kind of gross and nauseated, you have a headache — your body is all like what the eff did you DO last night?? It is 2:30 in the afternoon and I am STILL nauseated. Ugh. Happy Year of the Ox.

on protein (part 1)

I have been doing some research on protein, so I thought I would share it with all of you. It started because my roommate, who is just a bit shorter than me and has dropped the weight I am looking to drop, adds protein powder to her breakfast every morning (oatmeal or a shake).

Having sufficient protein allows for efficient growth and repair of muscle tissues, which is hella good for let’s say people who work out a bunch. A high protein diet can turn up your metabolism; and a high protein diet combined with low carb intake can help you to burn fat. Upping your protein intake can also help you to build lean muscle mass, apparently. Consuming protein can also increase satiety and decrease hunger. It’s also good for your immune system and skin. Seems pretty sweet.

But, an article from webmd.com notes we need less protein than you may think, and that extra protein doesn’t help you build muscle, exercise does. For active women, and most men, 2 daily servings of protein totalling 6 ounces is sufficient (according to that source).

High protein, low-carb diets can cause ketosis, and may lead to excretion of calcium from your urine. (So, diets like Atkins and stuff can actually do long-term damage if used for a long time.)

The type of protein you consume makes a difference too. Processed stuff, stuff like hot dogs, deli meats and sausages are not so hot for you. Lean meats, nuts, beans, fish and all that jazz, on the other hand, are.

Am I getting 6 ounces of protein a day? I am fairly sure I am not. I’m not a big meat eater, and I am lactose intolerant, so maybe adding a bit of protein powder to my oatmeal in the morning would give my body what it needs, and help me feel more satiated throughout the morning. Also, you can get chocolate protein powder. Yes folks, chocolate for breakfast.

Anywho, I might speak to a nutritionist about this sort of stuff. Weight watchers is helpful to the max, but sometimes I think seeing a doctor would be beneficial. I am going to do a bit more research, and update you in a couple of weeks.

Here are some sources for more reading…

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/benefits-protein?page=1
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-protein-powder.htm
http://www.metabolicnews.com/benefits-of-high-protein-diet-menu/
http://www.sangsters.com/nlm/whey.shtml
http://nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/soy_protein_confers_a_multitude_of_benefits
http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/7/300/Webtablemacro.pdf

on routine

As fun and not at all positive as my recent bitch fest has been, it’s possible, reader, that you are more curious about how I dropped 5 lbs in one week than about how much of a douchebag my boss is. Even if she is really almost kind of amazingly terrible at her job. Fucktard.

Basically, as depressing as this is, I just went through the motions last week. It was a shitty, shitty time so I just stuck to my routine. A routine that was established with my weight loss goals in mind. So I ran to work, hit up the gym when I regularly hit up the gym (I do weight lifting twice a week) — although, exceptionally, I did have a cardio-a-thon on Friday which probably did contribute to the loss — made my lunches and snacks every day before bed. Also made dinner for the two nights a week I have school after work. Had oatmeal and a banana for breakfast everyday. And that’s it.

What I didn’t do was think much about what I was eating. Usually, thinking about eating leads to me justifying eating non-filling foods, and/or possibly entire pizzas to myself. So, oddly, not thinking about eating all the time (and instead being pissed off at the world) and mindlessly and depressingly sticking to my routine helped me get step closer to my weight-related goals.

If I didn’t have WW last week would have been a trigger for non-success, so thanks to everyone for your support.

defunk da funk

Am I still in a ridiculous rut? Yes. I am pissed off about work and that isn’t going to go away. Also, some personal stuff going on that is bringing me down. But, today I worked on creating an environment amenable to defunking my funk. What the funk? Yes I just made that pun. That just happened. You chuckled. Maybe only on the inside though. Well, for one I went to my weight watchers meeting, as I missed my Wednesday meeting for work(fucking work). AND I am down 5 lbs. In one week! Weird! So, I am glad I weighed in as that is giving me the motivation to keep eating well as much as I would like an entire pizza to myself and also maybe a whole bag of oreos. Also, I signed up for my next half-marathon (in May), and I booked Monday off work, using my vacation time to have a much needed impromptu long weekend. I fully intend to sit by the fireplace reading a book and having tea probably the whole day. I might take a break to nap or something.

So, I am not out of my funk, but I am creating a space to step out into when I am ready.

feeling defeated…

Ever feel defeated, no matter what you do? I have been in a funk the last few days. It started with me not going to the gym Sunday (because my ride fell through and there is a transit strike) and has just escalated every day subsequently. I am not going to bore you with the details of my hideous week, but it involves getting passed for a promotion, and being in like all day meetings most of the time. I am fucking exhausted. I’d like to achieve my weight loss goals, but liking something to happen and making something happen are hella different. Especially when things aren’t going so well, life-wise. All I want to do is watch romcoms and eat pizza. Oh! Slightly less depressing(?) I discovered why I like pizza so much.

Running into work every day gives a person time to think. I was mulling over the gloriousness of pizza the other day when it dawned on me why I like it so frakin much. Back in the day, whilst growing up, every Friday was pizza night. My whole family would eat together and have pizza and listen to the oldies and bond and laugh and be merry. So, maybe when I am craving pizza, I am homesick.

That shit was deep, eh? Like, Oprah deep. Oprah deep dish.

p.

kickin my ass

So, I kicked my ass at the gym last night, and it feels great! I *almost* quit running at about 5 km as my legs were tired from the rowing machine, but I hammered it out despite the declining will to go on, and then hit up the bike!

And, in 20ish minutes I am heading to a spinning class this morning to go and kick my ass some more.

Am I going to do this every weekend? No! But it is helping me get out of a not-really-trying-very-hard-to-lose-weight funk. I have also been tracking and eating well. I didn’t even eat the plethora of cookies my roommate had baked yesterday — just had the one. One cookie folks. Not sure if any of you find that as challenging as I do, but being able to stop at just one was also a little victory of yesterday.

weekend cardio boot camp

I have not been tracking on the weekends (for the most part) nor working out as much since the commencement of the bus strike (bastards). And it is difficult to lose weight if you take 2 days out of every 7 off. So, this weekend I am going to have a cardio boot camp in order to get myself in a positive mindset, and just basically as a means to motivate myself. What will this involve?

Friday

30 min rowing

10 km run (treadmill)

30 min cycle

Saturday

75 min spinning class

Sunday

30 min rowing

5 km run (treadmill)

60 minute spinning class

This will be hard, but I am definitely up for the challenge, and in shape enough to hammer this out. And, if they can work out for like 6 hours a day on the biggest loser, I can do it for an hour and 15 to 2 hours for 3 days.

fear, part deux

Fear (the movie) starred Marky Mark, was scary, and there was a memorable scene on a rollercoaster. But there is something even scarier than Mark Walberg lurking in the corners of your kitchen cupboard: carbs. Yes people. Carbs. These villains would batter old people– or at least not walk them across the street — if given the chance. I bet they would kick puppies, and murder babies if they could. They are seriously the spawn of Satan. Or at least that’s how they are painted.

Carbs aren’t evil, everybody. In fact, your body actually needs them, albeit in moderation. Does anyone else get dirty looks when they are eating pasta or couscous or rice or insert carb here? Or is it just me? Seriously, folks, back the fuck off. I am going to eat spaghetti sometimes. YES EVEN AT NIGHT. And I am going to do so in moderation, within my points-allotment for the day.

Mofos.