Sunsway's journal - Take Two

[Sunsway]

My last 'strategy' didn't work too well so it's time to edit this post! =D

So, I'm going about it the hard way and counting calories. If I just record stuff but don't count then I tend to lie to myself. I rather enjoyed lieing to myself when it comes to food, so this is an adjustment. neutral Counting calories was a fail. New plan: wing it.

Most of my focus will be on running, but I'll keep track of my diet and try to balance it out. I don't think my calorie intake will get too low because I need carbs to run well. If I eat rabbit food all day then the only thing I'll have energy for is sleeping.

My starting stats:
Age: 20
Height: 5"7
Weight: 139 lbs
BMI: 21.8

Goal: 125 - 130 lbs

Week 1: 138 lbs: - 1
Week 2: 138.5 lbs: + .05
Week 3: 137.5 lbs: -1
Week 4: skipped
Week 5: 138.5 lbs: +1 (5 weeks for a loss of .05 lbs! Teehee)

Net loss 0.05 lbs
A loooong way to go. Well, it wouldn't feel like an accomplishment if it was easy. smile

For reference:
- Calories consumed
- Calories burned (running only)  

[A Touch of Evil]

That sounds like a great idea! Being optimistic always works wonders. I hope you reach your weight goals! biggrin  

[Stars in my Pocket]

The C25K running program is fantastic, "couch to 5k in 9 weeks". They also have "gateway to 10k" and something for a half-marathon, too. Coolrunning.com has the timetables, and if you look up their links, DJ Beatsmith has a "Podrunner" series of songs with cues for walk/run according to the C25K program. I went from sedentary to walking (2 weeks) to starting the program, I've never run or been able to before, and now I'm getting in 6-8 miles per week! I'm only 1/3 through the program though.

Best of luck, focusing on athletic goals is definitely the way to go!  

[Sunsway]

Thanks for the support. =) It's great to have another runner here! Running seems a bit underappreciated -- people think it's boring because it's so repetitive. But it's a good place to be. I just had a brief look at coolrunning.com and I'll definitely come back to it -- it has a wealth of resources. Runningplannet.com is a great site also -- it has all sorts of information under 'Training and Running Articles'.

Okay, so the previous two days I didn't do too great food-wise. I definitely didn't have enough vegetables (but plenty of bananas). It was the weekend as well, and if I don't have a structured day I don't pay as much attention to my food. I should get out of the house more (that's not gonna be a problem soon when uni starts in a few weeks). <_< And I'm actually 139 lbs (weighed in on Saturday), not 138 like I thought. O well, more to lose.


Training log:

Sat 17 Jul 2010: Running - evening session - 6 km - 33:33.
Sun 18 Jul 2010: Running - evening session - 6 km - 40:51.

I'm going to be increasing the distance very gradually (following a rather painful lesson that luckily didn't grow into something serious), and I want to work on speed.  

[Sunsway]

I got some photos from my Ukrainian relatives. I remember how disciplined my grandparents were when I lived there. Three solid meals a day, very healthy. They're asking for pictures too, and I know I'll feel a bit embarassed sending them. =C I mean, it's not like they have food problems anymore, but still.

Ah, anyway. Training log:

Mon 19 Jul 2010: Running - evening session - 4.5 km - 30:25.
Tue 20 Jul 2010: day off.

I ate my vegetables the past few days. smile  

[Euthanasia Phase]

Congrats on the running and the veggies! smile

Running actually seems like one of the least boring exercises there is - you can vary the scenery, and you're actually going places instead of the same five feet on a treadmill, for instance. After switching to running outside for the past few weeks, it may be a permanent adjustment. Good luck achieving your athletic goals!  

[Sunsway]

Thanks. =) Unfortunately there's not much to look at where I run -- I go along the cycling path that runs next to the highway (well, there are some bushes...?). Or laps around a field in my neighborhood. But there's a really great place (to which I can drive on the weekends) that's next to a river; there are some lakes too, and birds (black swans! xO and something that looks like wild water chickens) -- it's awesome!

Training log:
Wed 21 Jul 2010: day off =(
Thu 22 Jul 2010: Running - evening session - 6 km - 38:52

I had plenty of water today -- 1.8 L plus tea. Quite happy about that.  

[Sunsway]

Training Log:
Fri 23 Jul 2010: Day off
Sat 24 Jul 2010: Running - 11.8 km - 1:20:29
Sun 25 Jul 2010: Day off.

Yup, I had my weekly long run this Saturday. No speedwork, purely a distance thing. I don't think I'll be upping my regular distance (currently 6 km) for this coming week -- rather, I'll try to make my sessions a bit more intense. I don't think I'm ready to go farther yet.

LAST WEEK's total distance: 22.5 km. The long run will be counted at the end of this week.

Also, I weighed in on Saturday -- 138 lbs. I lost 1 pound. I'm fine with that -- I'm not exactly sticking to a very controlled diet so a pound a week sounds reasonable. I think I can also expect to gain some muscle eventually. <_<

I had a mini-hike today -- just about an hour of walking around in a hilly bushland with my parents. We snacked on chocolate so I don't think I burned any excess calories, though! sweatdrop

My objective for this week will be do drink more water -- I'd like to do at least 3 bottles a day (1.8 L) on days when I'm not working, and at least 2 bottles (1.2 L) on days when I'm working. Also, try to cut the time on those running sessions -- at least a few of them. And have a minimal total distance of 22.5 kms.  

[Sunsway]

Training log:
Mon 26 Jul 2010: Yoga - morning - 30 mins;
" Running - evening - 6 km - 39:00
Tue 27 Jul 2010: Running - evening - 6 km - thirty-something?

I pressed the wrong button on my watch and messed up the timer. =(

As far as my eating goes:
Veggies - not enough
Fruit - kinda-ok
Water - mostly-ok (a few bottles of water and plenty of tea. I should still drink more.)

A fail there, I guess. I just don't have the willpower for proper dieting.

Why can't I look like Natalie Portman? stare  

[Sunsway]

Training log:
Wed 28 Jul 2010: day off
Thu 29 Jul 2010: Running - evening - 6 km - 40:11

I went running after work today, which I'm usually pretty lazy about, so quite happy with that. =)

Uni starts next week, and between that and work I'm afraid I won't have as much time for exercise. I'll try to keep up with it, but I don't expect to fit as much in. Otherwise, I'm actually almost looking forward to classes -- it's getting a bit boring.

I'd like to look for some simple recipes, because I've been munching on bread the past couple of days. <_< And I do mean simple, I'm not great in the kitchen (erm, understatement). And preferably vegetarian -- not too fond of meat. And not too many ingredients. Any help with that would be much appreciated.  

[A Touch of Evil]

If you have access to a toaster oven, you could toast wheat bread with a slice of mozzarella cheese and veggies (I like to use bell peppers and olives, but you could put onions, mushrooms, broccoli, anything you like) or if you have access to a stovetop, try scrambling an egg with veggies and using a wheat tortilla to make a small burrito. Those are my personal favorites. Those are veg friendly assuming you are ovo-lacto vegetarian. If you are vegan, they have vegan cheese (brands: Daiya, and Toffuti are the common ones) and substitute tofu for scrambled eggs.

I so badly want to be vegetarian, but it's nearly impossible when I live with my family who only cook meat. I hate feeling like trouble trying to make a separate grocery list just for me, or if someone cooked something for me, I don't want to be rude and turn it away even if it had meat. I'm currently trying to stay away from as much meat as I can, so I don't consider myself a vegetarian by any means. I guess when I finally decide to move out, it'll be easier.  

[Sunsway]

I'm not actually a vegetarian, I just don't like meat. =) I'm mostly okay with poultry and fish, though! Just, uhm, not cooking it. Sorry that your be-a-vagetarian quest seems so grim, but from your journal it actually seems like you're not eating much meat at all?

I actually cooked something today. I let some capsicum and tomato fry for a bit, then poured an omelette (with a bit of soy milk -- I reeeallly don't like real dairy milk) over the top, and added some herbs and pea sprouts. It's a big accomplishment for me. I cooked. biggrin

I also used to wrap up fresh veggies with hommus in a corn tortilla wrap (I was in my detox-therefore-no-wheat phase). I've never tried making it with anything cooked. I may try that next time. Eating the same stuff gets boring, so I strayed a bit from the healthy stuff.

Training log:
30 & 31 Jul 2010: nothing. =( I'd like to have my long run tomorrow. If I'm up to it. There's also some cleaning to do.

I weighed myself this morning and I'm 138.5 lbs, which means I gained 0.5 from last week. =( I have to stop being lazy and be more concious of my diet. Eating right will probaby get easier next week when I start study -- structured days are great like that. But despite the numbers, I feel better now than I did last week. More awake and energetic.  

[Stars in my Pocket]

Alright, if no one's going to say it, I will.

Holy moly I wish I could run a 6k in 40 minutes.
If you just find 40 minutes 3x per week to run, the weight will melt off of you I'm sure!

Most of us in the guild regardless of weight cannot run even a 5k, so don't take your ability for granted! I'm working hard to be able to do it, and you'll be fit in no time, darling.  

[United Paper People]

I absoloutley agree.
Stars took the words right from my... er... keyboard.
I'm jealous about your being able to run 6km. Like... I've never had the will-power or the endurance to do that.

I wish you all the best in your goals. And your running :3  

[Sunsway]

Ah, thanks guys! I'm not too sure about the weight-melting-off though, I think it loves me too much. D= So, I've been at it for two weeks but concentrating solely on exercise doesn't seem to work too great, so I'll put more emphasis on the diet. I don't like recording everything I eat, but hey -- if I gotta post everything here, I wouldn't wanna embarass myself by, erm, eating 'as usual'. So, there's some motivation. Yippie. < ~ sarcasm

Breakfast: Weet-Bix with pear, chia seeds, honey, and soy milk

Snack: 4 cherry dumplings (? whatever it's called) (Ukrainian dish)

Lunch: - Sandwich: 2 slices of wholegrain bread, lite Philadelphia cream cheese, a small amount of vegetables;
- 1 tiny (literally 2 bites) waffle;
- half of a muesli bar (which was a year old! Found it in my hiking backpack and shared with dad;; almost broke my teeth on it - good times, good times)

Snack: 1 slice of bread with honey; 1 slice of bread with cherry jam

Dinner: homemade soup (quite light)

Dessert: 1 slice chocolate pie (from frozen).

And... no running today. BUT! I have an excuse and it's a pretty good one. cool I went hiking for a few hours with my dad, and the terrain was quite hilly. With a few cliffs. Actually the cliffs weren't a part of the trail, but we had to get off the trail because we, erm, walked onto a marching colony of rabid, feral giant ants. They were ferocious. If we didn't tiptoe over them (with haste) I'm quite sure they would have eaten us. SO we took a "detour" by climbing down a cliff, through bush (quite prickly, that), and sort of went parallel to the trail for a few kms. I have battle wounds and everything.

So in a nutshell, no long run this week and I doubt I'll be increasing my regular distance. But that's fine, the trail was quite exerting anyway and it's nice to break the cycle and exercise differently.