Whatever it takes to get you through to the larger intervals. :)

I didn't "run" for 3.1 miles, probably 2 miles at most .. but I did the entire distance so I understand the pacing for it a lot better than doing 2.5 miles.

It's great to see everyone hanging in here, I can't wait to join you in being able to run a 5k. It has continued to be below freezing here with constant snow and ice, so not ideal for hitting the pavement (unless it's my butt smacking the pavement when I slip and fall).

I've started Jillian Michael's 30 day shred with the hope it will help me strengthen my core and build up some cardiovascular endurance I can be strong when I tackle the couch to 5k challenge once it finally warms up. Finished day 2 today, which is a major victory cause I've never made it past the first day, haha. :dizzy: Hoping if I can get three days under my belt I'll really have some momentum to make it all the way through.

Keep up the good work, everyone!

Awesome job getting past day 1 Pishposh!

Completed the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5K. Ticker time was 36:47 (just under 12 min miles, slightly faster than my training pace). It is definitely easier doing it in an organised event - the crowd enthusiasm and cheering you on spurs you to keep moving even when you think you can't.

According to hubby I came 29th in the 50-59 category and just under 500 on the total event. My bib was 1837 so I know I definitely wasn't last! :)

Hopefully it'll help with the rest of the C25K program. Debating taking a day or two of rest before resuming week 8 on Wednesday. We'll see.

Hope everyone's doing well on program - keep going! :)

I was thinking about you and your run today Amanda, glad it went so well, great job! It must feel great to not only complete it, but to beat your training pace. Week 8 should be a breeze for you :)

Congrats, Amanda!!

Wow, Amanda! You were terrific. That's a great time. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the C25K program goes after you have already done a 5K. You should be so proud. :carrot::carrot:

I didn't run the entire way though - I kept taking little breathers to swallow (for some reason I can't swallow when I run, so I end up with a horribly dry throat, and I forgot to take my spry gum), but I think I ran about 70%.

500th out of 587 runners.

I'm debating redoing week 7 (the 25 min runs) until I can run it consistently, rather than every other run. I really want to be running the entire 5k on April 4th, rather than having walk breaks.

I was SO wiped out with lack of sleep and yesterday's fun that I slept for 13 hours last night. Feeling better, and the fluid I was retaining has started to go. Had a nice Mexican meal yesterday afternoon for hubby's birthday and I'm still down this morning. Up on Tuesday's WI weight, but I'm sure it'll balance out at some stage.

Thanks for the well wishes. :)

Fastest female runner came in on an average of 6 minute miles. Oh, how I wish I could do that. :)

Congrats!!! So proud of you for getting out there and doing the 5K, what a great accomplishment! :hug:

I think it is definitely worth considering repeating a week that you have had trouble completing consistently. Another month and you will be set for completing your next race.

I have thought when I come up to a week that I have real trouble with, I would repeat it. I was a little worried about week 4. While it is nothing like you are running now, I moved from running for 9 minutes of the time to 16 minutes. I ran day 1 this morning, and it went really well. I was more fatigued and sweaty in the latter few minutes of the running than I have been previously, but it was nothing that I wasn't equipped to handle. I tell myself what Amanda said previously - breathing good, legs good, the brain just needs to be convinced to keep going. So I am glad to report that week 4 looks like it will go very well. Yipee!

Yesterday, I went and saw the movie McFarland. Kevin Costner stars in the movie. It is based on a true story, and it is a movie about a very impoverished high school that started a cross country team and went on to win multiple state championships and change the lives of the runners. It was very enjoyable.

Question for everyone...how are you doing this activity on phase 1? I thought there were downsides of doing that such as not losing weight/ fat. Or, did I misunderstand and you are all beyond p1/p2?

Most of us have been on IP for a while, so we know what our energy levels are like. Even so, we still plan to have some carbs/protein BEFORE our run, and some again afterwards.

I started out with small amounts in the early weeks, because the running intervals were short and I had already been walking 3 miles per day. Now that the running intervals are 25 mins, 28 mins, 30 mins, I need to put more carbs and protein in both before and after.

I see a nutritionist at the Army Wellness Center, and she has recommended adding in a small amount of sweet potato with a good protein like egg or beef within an hour of exercise. While this isn't totally P1 compliant, I know that my body needs it for muscle synthesis. There is research indicating that synthesis from protein alone is slower than when it is carb triggered. (Basically, insulin triggers synthesis of protein in the muscle - which both repairs damage and develops endurance in existing muscle).

One thing I can say is that I am definitely losing body fat, my muscles are more apparent in my legs and that weight loss has slowed considerably this week (it is, however, the first week in a long while that I haven't and TOM is also due, so I cannot draw a definitive conclusion on running being the cause). I have done the research and know that this can be a result of the muscle building. Muscle needs more water to function than fat, and it also retains additional water during the repair process. I weigh every day so I am seeing the scales bounce around all over the place. Tomorrow is WI day so it'll be interesting to see if it stabilises slightly up, at, or below last week's WI.

EDIT: Just wanted to confirm that you DO lose fat - just that it is can be masked by muscle gain. 2 weeks ago my body fat percentage was 35.3%. This morning it was 34% on the nose. While the weight is still 2lbs up from the last weigh in, this is not a negative reaction to the running. Ultimately, lean mass burns more calories, so it will help my metabolism as I phase out through the 4 IP stages into maintenance.

Hope this answers the question for you, Ro22. :)

Thanks, Amanda. I guess, even though I have been doing the program for 7 months, I don't know mine. I know I am suffering from symptoms that sound an awful lot like keto-flu that is getting close to 2 months now. And, I know I have a coach who refuses to adjust anything for me to workout. I am going to a doctor tomorrow for a blood test and overall evaluation. The good news is that the doctor is familiar with medical weight loss including ideal protein program and also has an exercise physiologist on staff so I am hoping I get some long-anticipated answers tomorrow as I am amazed what you are able to do as compared to how I'm feeling.

Congrats on the run/performance, btw :)

If you can, have them perform a resting metabolic rate test on you. This will give you a definitive number that your minimum caloric intake would normally be if you weren't on a ketogenic diet. If you are tracking your macros on IP then you will see the natural deficit that your body is producing every single day (give or take the odd variance for IP food choice, of course) and see what loss you should be experiencing.

What was your energy level/feeling of wellness like in the months preceding the keto-flu symptoms? Was it a gradual decline or a BOOM fairly sudden change? Have you tried putting back complex carbs like potato and seeing what it does?

Fingers crossed that the blood tests can rule out any hormone imbalances that would account for failure to lose. Hopefully s/he will test for ketone level, blood glucose level and other associated hormones. There has to be a reason why it all suddenly stopped showing results for you.

I suspect that you have a by-the-book "coach" who doesn't have the knowledge or experience to guide you through making changes that she can't calculate what is needed to fix it, and is reluctant to try because you are having issues already. It may be time to pay more attention to the doc who knows dietetics rather than the coach who evidently doesn't. :)

I am not having issues losing weight when following phase 1. My issue is the light-headedness and weakness, etc which triggered my going off p1 to try and make myself feel better but it didn't. I did have complex carbs but maybe it wasn't for long enough to counter whatever deficit built up in 5 months as I only went off for brief periods of times (days) during Feb.

I quickly lost what I had gained when I went off p1. I just can't function like this with the way I am feeling so I am putting energy, strength and feeling well above weight loss.

These feelings came on abruptly or seemed to come on abruptly. They started right after months of intense activity of home remodel where I literally would be on the go for 18 hours a day and not sit down. They started in mid-Jan after a couple of weeks where I was starving, which also was new as through end of last year, I can honestly say I was never hungry, not even once and told everyone that this was the easiest thing I have ever done.

I am not starving while following p1 now but I have this weakness, constant headache and light-headedness. I am pretty sedentary as a result - I even took myself off the road from traveling for work until I get answers and fix the problem. From what I have read, my electrolytes must be out of whack. I don't know about blood pressure or iron (I don't eat red meat) so going to get that checked too. I guess if I fix these things, then I can strength train even though my coach is adamantly opposed to this.

I'm also looking to understand if another 15 pound loss is appropriate so stay on p1 or if it is time to transition.