So I wanted to celebrate four months of work. I had a three-prong goal: Intermittent Fasting (16:8) + Calorie Counting + Couch to 5k Running plan.
Goals: 50 lbs total, run a 5k
6’6” and 270 is where I started. 220 was my basketball playing weight and that’s the number I want to get to.
I am not a runner. I was not a runner. I hated running. But I was determined to run in order to prove something to myself. I looked at various programs and tried a couple before settling on Runkeeper. I paid for the year. I know it’s not robust compared to others but it was easy to use and “Erin” has been a really good running companion. I did each week of the six week program twice (some three times) before moving to the next week.
I varied my routes. I worked on technique and breathing. It’s been the mental thing I need to break. Often, I will get a little cramp in my side 5-10 minutes in the run but I power through it.
I have gone from barely being able to run 90 seconds without getting gassed to running a half hour. And my VO2max has gone up from embarrassing to Fair.
My 5k time has gone from 41 minutes to 34 minutes. Still slow but it’s steadily gotten better.
I averaged 50km in each of the first three months but I was determined to run 60km for Movember (60 men, worldwide, commit suicide each hour). I ended up running 70!
I had not counted calories for years but felt like I was doing okay keeping track in my head. I’d lost weight before and knew what I needed.
But when I actually began tracking... eye opener! I was eating more than I thought and worse than I thought. The mentality was “is this worth eating and admitting I ate by documenting it?” After three weeks, this became a lot easier and the hunger pangs subsided. I was eating smaller portions and getting fuller from them.
I have had plenty of “cheat days.” I don’t allow myself one a week or anything. It is, rather, event-based. A birthday. Thanksgiving. A big game on TV. Etc. I used to do the one day cheat per week but it felt... excessive.
I find I am able to eat 1500-1800 a day pretty easily. Particularly with the IF.
The IF is 16:8 but really ends up being more than that. We are usually done eating by 7 pm (we have three little kids) and I don’t eat again until 3-4 the next day. My work schedule keeps me swamped until I get home, so it’s closer to 20:4 many days, not through trying but just through my schedule.
I know I am not there yet. And I know this might seem a little presumptuous. But i wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on how far I’ve come as I enter this last stretch.
My 5k is next week. And I have 10 lbs left to go. This reflection is helping me re-focus... on a night when I made Chicken Parmigiana for my wife. Her favorite dish. And I definitely indulged and enjoyed. No guilt. And that became a major issue for me - enjoying what I was eating.
This three step approach has been great for me. The running has been the toughest.
Many days I don’t want to (I usually run every other day) but I find that if I get home and change IMMEDIATELY into my running clothes, I’m on the street running without really thinking about it. I don’t give myself time to talk myself out of running.
And I find I actually enjoy running now. And I never EVER thought I’d say that.
Hopefully I am back in another six weeks to update with a Mission Accomplished banner.
[link] [comments]
source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/k4yh79/4_months_40_lbs_lost_220_km_mostly_ran/
No comments:
Post a Comment