Beating the Horse

As I don’t think it’s QUITE dead yet.  So, to pick up where I left off yesterday…

What did I learn about myself?

1.  I definitely had some habits to break, but it wasn’t impossible to work on that with the right attitude (no “I deserve this” mentality).  I did pretty well (minus some slips yesterday) with eating intentionally and purposefully, but it was something I had to be very conscious about.  I think when I go back to maintaining, as long as I keep the conscious and not worry so much about the calories, I’ll be in better shape.

2.  On a normal day, where I am eating healthy and nutritious food (not trying to save calories for a special meal or booze), and not affected by emotions/hangover/etc … I seem to be most comfortable consuming about 1500-1600 calories and burning about 300-400 calories in my workout.   Going to try to roll with this most days.  Except when life gets crazy and I have to do differently.  Like this week.  Heh.

3.  Eating a little more mid-afternoon seems to help combat the OMG-it’s-8-and-I-just-got-home-from-working-out-need-food-now pantry scramble.   As long as it’s not anything ridici-spicy or greasy, it doesn’t seem to screw up my tummy.  Half marathoning really worked out those issues for me.  I can down some food and go run within the hour no problem because I had to learn how to do it.

4.  I might need to cool it on chocolate and super un-nutritional sweets for a while.  I felt so much better and more satisfied with the frozen fruit bars or even the greek yogurt as a treat in a way that just didn’t cut it with candy or cake or ice cream.

5.  Just like running, it really is all mental.  It’s about enduring a little mental discomfort to reach a goal.  I know there is an end to this phase.  Just like there is an end to each run.  Luckily, I seem to have hit my stride the first week (thank goodness, I was afraid it would be MUCH rougher), now I just need to keep up the pace until my time on the treadmill is up.

6.  I am ok with less food than I realize.  Especially with the smaller workouts per day, my appetite has gone from universe sized to small-galaxy-sized.  Things I would take down in one meal and look for more now last me a meal and a snack (the subway foot long) and things that I think will no way fill me up seem to suffice (the quiznos small and cup o soup).  I need to remember that I don’t have to be FULL after each meal, just not hungry is ok, and there is RARELY a time that I am away from a place where I can grab something healthy if I am getting dizzy from hunger.

7.  Being hungry is not an emergency.  It’s just like being tired, or muscle soreness, or a slight headache, or a slight bad mood or a mild hangover.  It’s something that at low levels, you can work your day around.  Occasionally, you have to endure it and put it in the back of your mind.  Contrary to (my) popular belief, I will not fall over and die at the first sign of not being full.

8.  I am not as much of a carnivore as other people.  I’ve stopped really focusing on getting a bunch of protein each day, and guess what?  I’ve had less of a problem being full on less calories.   I still feel like it’s important to start my day that way (although, I used to do good on big dose of fiber too so I might test that out soon), but I’ve noticed that I just don’t feel FULL when I OD on meat.  I like a small serving of meat, a decent serving of carbs, and a mess-ton of veggies.  That fills me.  Not to say that the other way doesn’t have its benefits (during the mid-stages of my half training, I just couldn’t get enough protein) but too much meat and too much fat doesn’t sit well with me.  I generally am right near the bottom, if not a little below my protein/fat each day, and I’m feeling good.  Different strokes for different folks, I guess!

9.  I will have bad days.  After one mostly great week, I am having it ROUGH.  I’ve had to get up super early to be off work by 6 (we’re back on crazy hours again), take care of the ‘guana, and then go work out after.  The next two days, I have to be up by 7-7:30 and work out in the morning, because my social calendar just filled up after work.  I am exhausted, grumpy, generally hungry, and not feelin’ it (any of it), but seeing the scale go down?  Right now?  Honestly worth it.

Verdict: Last week was pretty much a win.  This week’s goal is pretty much to replicate last week and be under 160 by next Monday.

Week #2 Workouts:

Monday: 30 mins DDR and strength session after work (500 calories)

Tuesday: 45 mins run after work (500 calories)

Wednesday: 5k run in the morning (400 calories)

Thursday: 45 mins elliptical at the gym (500 calories)

Friday: off

Saturday:  run/weight intervals at the gym after work (600 calories)

Sunday: 60 mins DDR (600 calories)

On tap for the week, is trivia Wednesday night, and Italian buffet Sunday lunch for my dad’s birthday, and I’m sure there will be random happy fun party times either Friday or Saturday, as that is normal.  Wednesday I must be up by 7:30 again to get out to run by 8, and I plan to eat at home, but need to have a few more calories for a wine or 2.  Friday/Saturday might switch depending on what the plans are by the weekend, and I MUST complete a MAJOR sweatworthy workout Sunday morning as at 1pm we will be descending upon Cannoli Joe’s, a very high end Italian buffet, for a bit of heaven.  I plan on blowing my (calorie) wad pretty much in the one meal, but I’d like to have at least a salad for dinner or something…

Week #2 consumables:

Monday: 1200 + 500 workout = 1700

Tuesday: 1200 + 500 workout = 1700

Wednesday: 1200 + 400 workout = 1600

Thursday: 1200 + 500 workout = 1700

Friday: 1200

Saturday:  1200 + 600 workout = 1800

Sunday: 1200 + 600 workout = 1800

So, a little more burnage than last week, but not by a huge amount.  Mostly to combat weekend chomp and sloshing, and the unknown of having lunch brought in each day (though I haven’t had a problem finding the healthy-ish option each day, pizza day always looms).

Mostly – just try to hold the line.  Keep the momentum going.  Not be frustrated that I am losing the same weight I lost in Jan-March 09 but be thankful I was able to get back on the wagon quickly enough that it was 10 lbs and not more.

Trying to lose weight and be a normal human is kind of exhausting, but at least there is a light at the end of the end of the tunnel.  I just gotta get there.  So, how is YOUR day going?