I have not been a very good blogger of late. Personal issues
have kept me from being able to concentrate on writing, but never fear, I am
here to update you on last few months.
Over the summer I was having a big plateau issue, I reached
me goal of 100 lbs. lost and then I just stopped losing, I had upped my
workouts, I had upped my running and pace time, I had maintain my diet, so what
gives. I go to see my doctor, she said “Robin you have put yourself into an
exercise starvation mode. You must eat more food.”
As I sat there and heard what she said, my fat girl inside
that was a skinny girl on the outside screamed “NOOOOOO!!!!”
But as always she was right and I upped my calories and my
body was grateful I started to lose inches and pounds again.
So let’s see why I was in starvation mode. I had hit my goal
of 100 lbs. lost, and then I stopped losing, so I upped my gym work outs.
Instead of twice a week at the gym and running 6 days a week, I upped my gym
workouts to 5 days a week with running 6 days. Here was my schedule:
Monday morning: Meet with Personal Trainer at the gym
Monday evening: Cross Training on elliptical with weight
machines
Tuesday morning: Run 6 miles
Tuesday evening: Cross Training on bicycle with free weights
and machines
Wednesday Morning: Run 6 miles
Wednesday evening: Rest
Thursday Morning: Run 5 miles & meet with Personal
Trainer at the gym
Thursday evening: Cross Training on elliptical only
Friday morning: Run 6 miles
Friday evening: Rest
Saturday Morning: Run 8 to 12 miles
Saturday evening: Rest
Sunday Morning: Run 4 to 6 miles
Sunday evening: Rest
My running speed and endurance increased exponentially, I
went from a 14 minute mile to a 13.5 minute mile in a month. Now I am at a
12.75 closing in on a 12.5 minute mile.
Cross training works, it helps build muscles that you don’t
use running, therefore increasing your endurance and speed for running. Just
make sure you eat enough calories to keep you running. If not you could end up
in starvation mode and gain weight or worse, lose time on your pace.
Another problem I was having was eating out of the vending
machines. I mean a bag of chips that is 160 calories is the same as a yogurt
with fruit that is 160 calories. Or a Chocolate chip cookie that is 250
calories is the same as Veggies, cheese and peanut butter that is 250 calories,
Right? Wrong! Let me say it again.
Wrong! Even though the compared food is the same calories, they do different
things to your body. Your body can process yogurt and fruit, easier and faster
and use the calories for fuel better than Doritos. The same goes for the
veggies, cheese and peanut butter (I mean natural peanut butter) vs. a Mrs.
Fields Chocolate Chip Cookie. I lost a total of 6 lbs and a whole belt notch
because I brought my snacks to work and stopped putting coins in that vending
machine.
 |
| My actual tracks in the Snow |
So with the new cross training and eating habits, I was able
to run (willing got out in it) in the snow, with out being of afraid of
falling. I read an article about getting out and running in the white stuff, it
will exhilarate you and give you a dream like experience like kind of being in a
Fairy Tale, and it was like that. I would have liked for it to be during the
day, I ran at 4:30 in the morning. But it was still an awesome experience.
Every one should try it at least once in their lives. I hope to do it again.
