I have already downloaded several of the New Yorker short stories to my iPhone. If you are into that and want to know which are probably best, just sort the iTunes list according to popularity. I love short stories and look forward to listening to some of those. For now though, Rob Lowe has my attention
Nicely done, Mimi. Great idea on the audiobook, I am considering doing the same when I get my Samsung tablet soon. Anything that stops me from constantly checking progress has to be a good thing!
I noticed running became a lot easier when the weight came off, isn't it amazing how much difference it makes?
My HR rocketed up to 170-175 while running, too, compared to it's normal exertion level of 120ish - 140ish on an elliptical trainer mission, so I don't think that's too far outside the boundary. In time I believe it will come down as your heart muscles get used to the level of blood pumping out.
Those 5K programs on the treadmill look really good - was taking a look at the random courses on it the other day. They are much more realistic than doing a permanent incline or a flat level (which most people do) because they also have downhill. We need to learn to pace downhill so we don't go too fast, as well. Hope it's a pleasurable change for you.
You've been a 10k runner already though, DD, so your body is already adapted to longer distances. Good that you will be in maintenance by then, though, that should help.
Now you've got me off another Google task - to find the website where all the free audio books are. Maybe some health and fitness podcasts, too? The TED talks?
I love that last sentence, I may steal it as my motivation quote.
Good news, since I doubled up on iron pills and I'm being good and eating my healthy greens again (man, if you haven't tried 1 tsp salted butter, 1 tsp EV coconut oil and sauteing some curly kale until it crisps, you haven't lived!!! Om nom nom - tastiness) I am feeling more like myself. The blood is returning to my lower eyelids, my capillary refill rate is back to normal and I don't feel fatigued anymore. Going to keep on top of it and maybe go back to running in 2 weeks. I don't mind walking as an alternative, and hubby's promised to take me swimming next Friday (although that poses some anxiety over the loose skin bunching on the backs of the knees and thighs, but oh well, it's no worse than all that fat padding).
Amanda, that's great news that you are feeling more like yourself!
I've only had kale in soup, but since we are trying new foods in the summer thread I may just have to try it your way
And I hear you about the loose skin concerns, I was never one to wear shorts even growing up, as I always thought my thighs were huge even when I wasn't overweight. So I started wearing shorts to soccer once I lost a bunch of my weight, but then noticed I had a bit of loose skin on my inner thighs so I worried too much about how that looked running around and went back to pants! I tell myself it's silly, but I still can't bring myself to put on the shorts. Hopefully you won't give into the insecurity and besides, remember you will be in the water most of time
I have already downloaded several of the New Yorker short stories to my iPhone. If you are into that and want to know which are probably best, just sort the iTunes list according to popularity. I love short stories and look forward to listening to some of those. For now though, Rob Lowe has my attention
Thanks for the links ladies! I hope everyone has a great weekend.
I've only had kale in soup, but since we are trying new foods in the summer thread I may just have to try it your way
Hopefully you won't give into the insecurity and besides, remember you will be in the water most of time
Oh, trust me, if you like toasted coconut you will LOVE the kale sauteed in it. The secret is to not have the pan too hot or it burns the butter and flattens the coconut oil flavour out. I let both melt and stir them together with a wooden spoon then toss the kale in and keep turning it so it's nicely coated in the oily mix, then turn up the heat so the leaves crisp up. Little sea salt or pink himalayan rock salt makes it a super tasty side for any rich or greasy meat (awesome with duck!) Haven't had any vegetable that I enjoy this much in a long time. Drawback is that hubby is going to complain about lack of variety soon. LOL
Being in the water sounds like it should be a good thing, but do you ever sit in the bath and watch the loose fat float? I think I'm less concerned with being in the pool than I am getting from changing room to pool.
I hear you on the thighs issue - being a massively disproportionate pearshape meant that I haven't worn shorts since I was around 9 -way too self conscious for that. I also have chunky knees so never wore short skirts either. Of course, without the fat, that is where most of the loose skin is bagging - around the inner thigh, backs of the thighs the lower butt and behind the knees. I know some of it will go over time as I reduce the BF% but I am also realistic enough to know that if I want to make swimming a part of my future (and I would like to, living in Texas) then I need to consider some form of "lift" surgery. As my parents-in-law live next to a lake and love fishing and boating it's kind of hard to avoid, unless I go swimming muslim-style. LOL
Ambitious, I like it. However, there is something to be remembered with running. Short runs are more about burst, you are using fast twitch muscle fibers which, due to the way they are used, need to be fueled soon after exercise. Long runs use slow twitch and it is more about endurance. This is where your body is going to be taking one heckuva hammering which IP is not designed to address. No matter what level of prefueling you have, no matter how many stored ketones or the number of bars you take with you, this is potentially going to cause you blood sugar fluctuations and may very well result in you burning muscle to produce glycogen. Because you are continuing to run THROUGH that process it is the fastest conversion rate for your body to handle (other than pulling glycogen from storage in the liver and muscles - which you no longer have as a result of ketosis). Please, please, think carefully about whether you really want to do this. If you do, see a registered dietician who understands nutritional ketosis and can help you navigate your way through this level of running without wasting your time on a protocol that may be completely ineffective.
5K is a relatively short run that healthy people should be able to account for by smart pre- and -post fueling. 10K is pushing catabolic metabolism just a little too far to be truly safe while on IP.
Hoping you can find a way to balance what you want, with what your body needs. Be smart, this is your health and your weight loss that is on the line.
EDIT: Here's an article that tells you about what is going on while you run, but it doesn't address nutritional ketosis as part of that. I haven't found any articles with direct links to NK and twitch muscles, but when I do I will come back and link them for you.
Briael- Thanks so much for the info and the link!
I had a check up with my doctor last night, and your response encouraged me to talk to her about my diet and exercise plans. She was super proud of my mindset and progress so far, but did have some concerns about pushing myself too hard. We talked about how I can make it work and I agreed to call her at the end of C25K if I decide to continue into C210K.
She's also fantastic and sent me for a blood test for my thyroid before I even asked about it.
I had a check up with my doctor last night, and your response encouraged me to talk to her about my diet and exercise plans. She was super proud of my mindset and progress so far, but did have some concerns about pushing myself too hard. We talked about how I can make it work and I agreed to call her at the end of C25K if I decide to continue into C210K.
She's also fantastic and sent me for a blood test for my thyroid before I even asked about it.
Did I mention how much I love my doctor?
Awesome Sharkie!! It's fantastic when you find a doc that you just "click" with. The three times in my life it's happened to me I've either moved continents, they've had a change of duty station or (current) are about to retire.
Glad the link was helpful and thankful that you got some professional advice.
Another interesting article on Why Meal Timing Does Matter, but only if you are actively trying to build muscle.
Checked out a handful of the quoted references and they all confirm the article is genuinely relevant.
So, if you're TRYING to build lean muscle (runners, gym rats) as you shed fat, then you may want to consider a protein supplement before bed to ensure that the MPS (Muscle Protein Synthesis) continues during the traditional "fasting" overnight period.
Another interesting article on Why Meal Timing Does Matter, but only if you are actively trying to build muscle.
Checked out a handful of the quoted references and they all confirm the article is genuinely relevant.
So, if you're TRYING to build lean muscle (runners, gym rats) as you shed fat, then you may want to consider a protein supplement before bed to ensure that the MPS (Muscle Protein Synthesis) continues during the traditional "fasting" overnight period.
I thought this article was really helpful, thank you. Debunked a couple things for me, and made me feel more at ease about trusting myself a little more, esp. since I'm not training as hard as some.
We asked Mike Ormsbee, PhD, an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science and Sports Nutrition at Florida State University to weigh in on this subject of night time eating:
“In 2010, we published a number of studies that look at eating at night — just small portions. If you’re eating small, 150-calorie, protein-dense meals before bed, we’re finding that it improves muscle protein synthesis and you can actually maintain muscle mass in your sleep, which is great for athletes trying to recover or older individuals who are trying to maintain muscle mass as they age.
We did this work in fit men and found an improvement in their metabolisms. The only group that did not find any improvement was the group that did not eat anything before going to sleep. (These findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.)
We repeated this design in obese women, and we found that eating protein at night improved some markers such as blood pressure and metabolic function especially when combined with exercise training (5).”
Moreover, Professor Luc J.C van Loon who has done an extensive amount of work on night time eating showed that ingestion of protein prior to sleep represents an effective nutritional intervention to increase plasma amino acid availability, stimulate post exercise muscle protein synthesis, and improve whole body protein balance during overnight sleep (6).
Thank you Amanda. I liked this article in combination with the last one, because there is just so much information out there. My life experience tells me it is better for me to eat a small protein snack in the later evening, and I know IP recommends that also. I started to get a little thrown by this "intermittent fasting" that people seem to like, and was starting to get some "shoulds?" in my brain, so this helped settle it.
I think for my particular body, esp. given my weaknesses in insulin production and blood sugar stability, that eating at regular intervals including at night works best, and keeping track of macros and calories etc.
Thank you Amanda. I liked this article in combination with the last one, because there is just so much information out there. My life experience tells me it is better for me to eat a small protein snack in the later evening, and I know IP recommends that also. I started to get a little thrown by this "intermittent fasting" that people seem to like, and was starting to get some "shoulds?" in my brain, so this helped settle it.
I think for my particular body, esp. given my weaknesses in insulin production and blood sugar stability, that eating at regular intervals including at night works best, and keeping track of macros and calories etc.
It's interesting that you had come to that same conclusion alone. On my Feb bod pod test I had lost lean mass. I had been having my evening snack about an hour before I went to bed (if I am hungry or cold I cannot get to sleep) but was also concerned that it was not the best way to refuel with the increased exercise level from ramping up the C25K running segments, and had moved the fueling to immediately prior and shortly afterwards to begin the muscle rebuild.
My nutritionist commented that it was not good to be losing lean mass, even though my BF% was plummeting alongside it, and told me to increase my protein intake.
The months before that had seen me lose barely 0.75% lean mass, and my March reading saw me regain that with returning to a protein powder shake within an hour of going to bed. I have my April bod pod test next week so I'll be able to see what the lean retention has been for a concurrent month.
I agree, it's certainly helpful to know when the best times are for protein top ups in order not to sacrifice more muscle and lean mass than is absolutely necessary.
Considering the level of exercise I'm doing I was surprised not to lose more, until I checked my percentages of protein. Although the recommended value for a keto-dieter is between 0.5 to 0.8g per lb of body weight I have actually been swinging between 0.875 and occasionally up to 1g per lb.
When I first noticed it I wondered if it was contributing to slower loss (as I know that protein will be converted to glycogen in the absence of sufficient carbs or fats), but it seems to have stabilised. Most of my variance with weight seems to come from water retention in constantly repairing muscles, hormone fluctuations due to perimenopause (likewise the anemia) and an overindulgence of artificial sweetener when I am struggling with water intake.
I really like the principles behind the IIFYM, it seems fairly solid science for maintenance and doesn't advocate imbalance within food groups. I like that they have the Calculators linked from their home page and that they advocate so many different styles of macro management based on individual needs.
I think I'm going to repeat Week 3 before moving onto Week 4- my body hasn't quite adjusted to the 3 minute jogging intervals, and I want to be comfortable with them before moving on to the 5 minute intervals.
Great job ImAShark, and definitely repeat the week if you feel you need to. It's not safe or healthy to overdo it while on IP and it does get more taxing on the body as the run intervals increase, so don't forget to add an extra packet or egg when your body is telling you you need it (dizzy, lightheaded..) as previously discussed in this thread.
Still doing 5k three times a week, and it's still hard! I'm hoping that it does get easier. Though I think it's mostly mental not physical that makes it hard right now as it's been a few weeks that I've been running the full 5k regularly.
I hope everyone is still running strong and staying OP!
I think I'm going to repeat Week 3 before moving onto Week 4- my body hasn't quite adjusted to the 3 minute jogging intervals, and I want to be comfortable with them before moving on to the 5 minute intervals.
Hope everyone is having a great week!
Any time you are feeling like you want or need to repeat, do it. It won't harm you to put an extra week in here and there. Listen to the bod, it won't mislead you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeterminedDieter
Great job ImAShark, and definitely repeat the week if you feel you need to. It's not safe or healthy to overdo it while on IP and it does get more taxing on the body as the run intervals increase, so don't forget to add an extra packet or egg when your body is telling you you need it (dizzy, lightheaded..) as previously discussed in this thread.
Still doing 5k three times a week, and it's still hard! I'm hoping that it does get easier. Though I think it's mostly mental not physical that makes it hard right now as it's been a few weeks that I've been running the full 5k regularly.
I hope everyone is still running strong and staying OP!
Yay, nice going DD!!! I'm still struggling with running so trying to get the fast walking and gym routines back in place until this knee decides to play nicely once more.
I did wonder whether the interval training to increase my pace has thrown me off so badly that my breathing and pace are out of sync and that is what's making me struggle mentally; because I know it's not just the painful knee - I've been running through that for so many weeks that it's more of an irritation than a game ender.
Decided that as most of the serious 5K events in this area start in September I'm going to pick it up again at the end of June and start the running intervals at the pace I want to be at, so I don't have the same problems later. So annoying when the 30 mins at the slow pace was so very doable.
On a side note, I was reading about the veteran Boston marathon runner who has just hung up his boots, and the method he advocated for learning to run a 5K. He suggested that to run for a preset time taught one to push through for an interval, rather than listening to the body and allowing it to develop a natural running/breathing rhythm that was maintainable. He suggested that you run until your body feels under pressure, walk until it recovers then run again. Never do less or more than a 30 minute session. It was an interesting philosophy and I found a lot of sense in it. As children we run almost effortlessly, we don't have goals .. we run until we are too tired to run, we hear the body's messages. As adults we look for shortcuts.
Glad to hear that you're getting your runs in - I am envious, but proud of you, DD.
After repeating Week 3, I finally tied my shoelaces, hitched up my running shorts, and moved on to Week 4 with the 5 minute running intervals.
I've been steadily increasing the speed on the treadmill each week, made it to 4.8 last week, but today I pulled it down to 4.6 for the 3 minute intervals and 4.4 for the five minute intervals. Just as challenging as running the 90 second and 3 minute intervals at 4.8 last week, and I was able to complete all intervals feeling beat but strong. Quite happy with myself!
