A new week, a new look for my blog!!! While this week wasn't exactly a win in the exercise department (-20s with windchill is not my ideal running weather), I did take some very positive steps forward in an effort to clean up my eating habits. I was fortunate that my 6 week "Food Free-For-All" didn't have a significant impact on the number on the scale, but it really gave me a kick in the ass energy-wise.
So, with the exception of a couple of drinks at Friday Night Wine Book Club, I did pretty well with my eating this week. (The food journaling habit seems to be taking a while to kick in though). I am also working really hard at kicking my "on-again, off-again" love affair with diet coke, which had returned to a passionate "on-again" relationship of late.
Even though I didn't get out for my planned runs this week (I'm still blaming the weather...), I did manage to sneak in some workouts in my basement thanks to some old favourite workout DVDs video tapes. (How retro!!) I promised myself that, no matter the weather, I was going to get out for a run this weekend. I am trying to re-establish a solid 5K base so that I can start working the "Bridge to 10K" program.
I had trouble choosing an outfit that would solve the old "Not too hot, hot too cold" conundrum, (I had thought that -3 would feel like BIKINI weather after what we had to endure last week. Not so), but eventually I settled on something. Makenna decided to join me as well for her first run since the December 1st Santa Shuffle. (Yay!) We planned on a 4K+ route in our neighbourhood and headed out around 1pm with the sun blazing.
It felt REALLY good to get back out there. Everything seemed to come together and it was as if I hadn't taken 6 weeks off to Eat, Drink and be Merry. After the first 2K I overheated and had to take off my jacket, but overall this run felt totally fantastic. No cramps, no side stitches, no knee pain. I am also FINALLY closing in on a 7 mins/km pace. I couldn't help but think that this may have had something a lot to do with how well I ate during the week and how well hydrated I was. I have heard it, I have read it, I have even preached it to my Weight Watchers members, but I definitely experienced it today - you are what you eat. Everything you put into your body is fuel and your engine runs so much better on premium fuel than the crappy, over-processed, low-grade fuel that we so often find in fast food restaurants and the frozen food aisle.
I've noticed that a lot of my Facebook friends are embracing the "Paleo" style of eating. In short, you eat only foods that would have been available during the "Paleolithic Era". If a caveman ate it, you're good to go. If not, steer clear. Really, this style of eating makes a lot of sense to me - good, clean, wholesome eating. Nothing packaged, nothing processed. I'm not quite sure if I could adopt this diet for the long haul (No Grains! No Dairy! No Chocolate!), but I'm contemplating adding in a week of Paleo-style eating maybe once every month or so just to see how it affects my training.
Looking ahead to this week, I have 3 quick 4K runs scheduled during the week as well as my "long run" on Sunday. (My long run is currently only 6K, but we all have to start somewhere). Add in a yoga class and a couple of my vintage home workouts and I should start seeing my energy levels returning to their former glory sooner rather than later.
Until we eat again,
J :)
Hey! Long time!! I haven't checked blogger in a VERY LONG time!! I am on day 18 of paleo and love it! Yes, there are some really tough days when all I want are carbs, carbs, carbs in the form of pasta and bread, but overall, it's been easier than I thought. I lost 5 pounds the first week alone! I'm doing strict paleo for as long as I can, then I plan on maintaining it until I reach my goal weight (only 14 more pounds to go!). I'll allow myself a cheat here or there but for the most part the competitive side of myself is seeing how long I can go completely clean!
ReplyDeleteThe energy level is really awesome too! No complaints here! And if you want chocolate and dairy, check out primal - very similar to paleo but allows for grass fed dairy products.
I'm still getting back into running! After injuring my legs last summer, I kind of fell out of it, doing various weeks of c25k here and there until the fall. Since then I've been starting over at week 1 to up my pace. Yesterday was the first time I just went and ran to see how long and fast I could go and it felt great!
Sorry for the long rambling response - but I'm a paleo pusher :) see you on twitter if you're still there!
Howdy, Stranger! It's funny....I popped onto your blog not too long ago to see what you've been up to but I don't think you had posted in quite a while. Good to hear from you! I haven't been on Twitter much in the last several months. I pop in every now and then to see what's happening, but I haven't posted a lot.
DeleteThat's great you are trying the Paleo diet. I would like to try it but I know it will be HARD to give up those carbs! I think I will commit to trying a week and then see how it goes from there. I know that I feel so much better when I eat clean, and I could still clean up my diet a whole lot more for sure.
Glad you are back into running! I took some time off over Christmas so it was hard to get back to it, but it does feel good to be back out there. I just wish it was warmer! Do you have any races coming up in the spring that you are training for??
Hope all is well! :)
Talk soon!
J :)
Just take it one day at a time or even just a week at a time! Too much pressure and you'll cave!
DeleteNo current races scheduled but I'm hoping to at least run a couple this year - met some friends on twitter that live close by that we're trying to find a few to do together!
Definitely haven't posted in a long time... maybe one day in the future. Been spending too much time reading and writing in other places to blog :)