Sunday, November 04, 2012

Back to square 1

Dear Diary,

I hit 170 again this week.

That's right, a solid 18 extra pounds over where I was about a year ago. Clothes don't fit again.

I know, I know, it seems insane that after running 62 miles I would have put on weight, but then again my workouts have been pretty sporadic. I told Sweet Baboo about the 170. he immediately channeled Columbo, and asked in a kind, but questioning manner, "I wonder if it has anything to do with all the Brie you've been eating?" This by the way, is a therapeutic technique that we both employ with clients, and the irony was not lost on me.

"No," I said automatically. Desperately. And then, "well, I'll experiment. No Brie for a month. See what happens."

There is no faster way for my body to gain weight weight than my favorite indulgence: Brie with truffles, frm Trader Joes, on triscuits. And as I told Dread Pirate, "low fat Brie sucks. It's like low fat butter. What's the point?” Of course, if one peruses my posts, one immediately notices that they are increasingly about food. I have been eating. A LOT. The day before Javalina, for instance. I ate a whole pizza. It's hard to not slip into this mentality, I'm going to burn 6000 calories tomorrow. So I can eat this pizza. But for me, that's never worked. It's not the big-assed workouts, sporadically done. It's not even always about the food. It's the regular exercise.

So. I tried the low carb diet; that was a disaster. The truth is, for me, I have to run, run, run. I hate this weight. This is not a good weight for me. I'm happiest under 160, preferably 150. I feel like a Blimp. My clothes hurt. My panties roll up into thong-like garments repeatedly thoughout the day, and they're not thongs. Several pairs of pants simply can't be worn. I have a brand new leather skirt I bought last summer when at 150, and it's never been worn.

I can start exercising regularly again. I still have the Bandera 100k looming on the horizon, January 12. It will be the hardest 100k I've done, and i have 24 hours to do it. I need, no MUST lost 15 lbs by then as well as increase my leg strength.

How I'll do it:

  • One long climbing hike every weekend. By long I mean at least 3 hours
  • One long slow run every weekend. By long I mean at least 15. If not 20, miles.
  • Short runs on the treadmill or around the hills during the week. Most likely Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
  • Strength training, 2x week. I like the workouts in the Power 90 series. Most likely Monday and Friday mornings.
  • Core workouts, including yoga, 2x week. I like yoga and Power 90. Yoga on Tuesday or Thursday evenings and power 90 ab 100 on the weekend.
  • Calories, under 1500 per day. Low fat, high protein, high fiber.

No Brie for a month. Boo.

Private comminique to my beloved: Brie, It's not you. it's me. we need a break. i will see you after thanksgiving, but only as a small weekly reward for sticking to the workout plan each week.

 

Good thing the holidays are coming, right? That always helps.

 

...

 

23 comments:

  1. Agree 1 million percent with your little cartoon above. I look at a piece of pizza and i put on weight....

    ReplyDelete
  2. I so feel your pain. I'm hypothyroid and even with medication I've never been able to lose or even maintain like I used to. I've been injured since April with 2 stress fractures and a torn plantar tendon in my left foot, which unfortunately went undiagnosed until October. I'm in a cam boot now so absolutely no running, but even as I struggled all summer into the fall to run and keep up my other exercise, I gained somewhere around 15 pounds. I'm miserable and had to go buy new pants just so I wouldn't go to work naked (they won't let me, can you believe that?).

    I hate that it comes on so easy and takes so much work to get it back off. I so feel your pain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:44 PM

      I am on synthroid and levthyronine. But I don't gain weight...love to swim/bike/run/yoga and lift and chase around preschoolers all day so maybe that's why.

      Delete
  3. I'm with you sistah. I hate people that just inhale junky food and never gain weight.
    I've been working on ten pounds for, oh 14 months or so now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kim, all rose 100-milers you do, too! I wish you the best of luck.

      Delete
  4. Nice job on the 100k! Did you beat your 2010 time? Also, Flagstaff is pretty blue...you should consider races in N. AZ next year, we have 2 marathons and an ultra now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did not. In fact, I was about 2 hours slower. BUT. I wasn't crying, and wasn't suffering, just had aching feet.

      Delete
  5. Yeah, the sad thing is I know how to do it, I've done it in the past, I've just had a hard time actually doing it again. Probably a big part of your problem is how happy you are. When life is good, I gain weight. Not that your life hasn't been good all along, but it seems like overall things have been really going well. Good luck with getting back into more regular exercise...and with avoiding Brie's pleading take-me-back phone calls. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:42 PM

      when your life is good you gain weight? huh. Then my life must be shit as I haven't gained since 1971 or so...

      Delete
    2. dear cheryl,

      much as I love you as a fellow human, your comments strike me as thoughtless, insensitive, and completely lacking in empathy. For you to come forward to say things as you have done on this page can only imply that you are judging the rest of the world for not being like you. Trust me when I say it is easy to get past your attempts at diplomatic language and get exactly to what you're saying: you seem to think everyone who isn't like you is somehow wrong. It's pretty cold, and it serves to make others feel inadequate.

      Also, if you're gonna say judgey things (as you have a propensity to do), then please have the balls not to remove your comments -- keep them out there so that others may see what kind of judgemental advice you have to offer, and respond accordingly.

      Delete
  6. You aint alone here
    My brother can eat a house and be as skinny as he is. How annoying is that??
    New to your blog.
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  7. I feel your pain. I hate that my loose jeans just fit and I'm afraid to put on others. I love/hate that my running clothes always fit and I run lots of miles so that deludes me into thinking that I can't be gaining weight. I hate that I eat very clean (mostly) and still don't lose weight. I hate that I might have to consider the drastic step of omitting cream in my coffee as that is the only good thing I haven't given up yet! I hate that my plan to cut back on running a little after the Honolulu Marathon (to give my legs a rest) coincides with the holiday (aka cookie) season. I hate that at 47 I weigh 10 pounds more than I did at 44. Or even 45. I hate that food is so very, very delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous2:41 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. As hard as it will be when you go back to Brie make sure you get single cream. Not the triple. Not as smooth and creamy but way less fat. And it'll still give the hit. (PS Brie has a best friend named Prosecco. The bubbles pair beautifully with the smooth creaminess)

    ReplyDelete
  10. It,s the stress that makes me gain weight. Having adult children in the house is pretty stressful. Happiness makes me skinny :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I KNOW IM NUTS---but sometimes square one feels good?

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  12. I know this will probably sound like an informercial, but how would you like to lose that 15lbs before your next race and still eat? Seriously, try Paleo for Athletes. It is not low carb, it is NOT Atkins. What it IS is 40/30/30 - LOTS of vegetables, protein, and probably more fat than you are used to. No dairy (unless you follow Primal (Mark Sisson) - then it's FULL FAT dairy). Nutrient-dense carbs for endurance (sweet potatoes, butternut, acorn squash - which are in abundance this time of year). No grains or legumes.

    Look into Practical Paleo - it's been on the NYT bestseller list for three weeks in a row now, and is #1 in nutrition on Amazon. She has a 30-day Paleo plan for athletes as well - and it's a fantastic book full of wonderful recipes and good-tasting food. The website is BalancedBites.com. They have great podcasts too.

    No doubt there will be challenges during the holiday season, but it works if you stick to it. The biggest point - DO NOT UNDEREAT. Just because you are taking out the grains/dairy/legumes doesn't mean you don't EAT. Eat the right foods and you can get to where you want to be.

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes it does sound a little like you're seeking me a pyramid scheme, but that's okay. I'm interested. I will investigate.

      Delete
  13. I agree with Di Tri-ing. Your yoyo dieting of restriction and indulging is too hard on your body and mind. Be kinder to yourself by allowing yourself to eat real food and real fat. Try low-carb again. Paleo for athletes is great. And stick with it for at least a month or two. I don't think you stayed with low-carb long enough to get over the initial "carb-flu" which can last 2-3 weeks. That's when you feel crappy and tired and like you have no energy at all for exercising. It gets better. Much much better. Like you can't believe how great you feel better!!! Robb Wolfe's plan is awesome (with some added butter and cream) and no feelings of deprivation because you are eating REAL food and lots of yummy fat. No crappy boxed products and artificial junk or cheap carbs and fake low-fate products. Real satisfying food with BUTTER!! Yum. Here's another website for getting a great 30-day start:
    http://whole9life.com/#
    Best wishes and hugs, Helen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't feel crappy whe. I tried low carb. In fact, I felt pretty good, plenty of energy for the day, etc., UNTIL I tried to run. Then I didn't feel crappy, I simply couldn't run. I am intrigued by the pales for athletes.

      Delete
  14. I meant to say paleo diet for athletes. It's really difficult commenting on an iPad.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Well, I don't know if they hooked you but I'm going to look at Paleo again. I have this thing, however, of not doing any "diet" or dietary changes I'm not willing to do for the rest of my life. Right now I have an IM at the end of the month and can pretty much eat with abandon but I know once that race is over, I'm dead meat. I'm STILL getting that last 1-2 kg off from last year's indulgence after the IM.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Not being naturally skinny sucks. I know Cheryl doesn't get it but for some of us our bodies waste no calories ever. They are used or stored - generally in our legs and asses. Stupid biochemistry.

    For what it's worth, and I rather loved it myself, there is a guy in my race club who is not yet 40 so he's one of those guys who should be able to stay really thin and yet when his wife had twins and he didn't have time to eat really good food he gained 40 pounds even though he was training for WS100. IT EVEN HAPPENS TO BOYS! So there's that.

    I'm sorry you can't eat brie for a while. The low carb thing is my savoir but that doesn't mean it will be yours. You'll get in to your skirt again because you want to and you will make it happen.

    ReplyDelete

Comments containing links to commercial websites from people with invisible profiles are deleted immediately. Spammers are immediately deleted.

Moved.

 I'm no longer involved in multisport or endurance sports. I've started my own business, a psychotherapist specializing in anxiety d...