It's a Hard Knock Life...Post Race

I know I only posted my race recap a couple of days ago but seeing as I technically started that one a week ago I don't see why I can't bring you another scheduled interruption from your Facebook life.  Face it, we get on Facebook to creep around on people in the first place.  My blog just takes you a little deeper down the rabbit hole.  I'd hate to leave you unfulfilled.

Basically, my personal trainer I work out with on Monday took a look at my food log two week ago and sent me an ominous email that began with, "So, I looked at your food log....and we need to chat missy!"  I won't deny that I completely expected it.  It was terrible.  I had wanted to eat everything in site and I cheated.  A lot.  I was grossly over my calorie budget.  The unsightly red that splattered my pretty green bar graph looked like Dexter Morgan had forgotten to clean up after himself.

So, the week of my race I was given an 1,800 calorie budget each day and told to stop lifting weights five days out with all cardio stopping three days out. I put in my last run that Wednesday and tried to stay within calorie budget.  Oh, and avoid carbs unless they were whole wheat.  So no Taco Bell and no Texas Roadhouse rolls.  I was mostly successful.  Mostly meaning I followed the exercise instructions, ate mostly whole wheat and was usually within my calorie budget.  Having 300 extra calories a day made it easier to stay under.

And so you know how my race went if you read the last post.  But I was obviously starving Saturday and Sunday.  I had burned 1,700 calories during my race!  That's not to say I didn't eat back every calorie and then some Saturday.  I asked for a reprieve on sending my food log for race week since Monday was going to change everything.  Permission granted!  And now the past is behind me.

Everything I did pre half marathon is essentially out the window.  All the carbs?  Gone.  Eating back my exercise calories?  Gone.  Eating whatever I wanted but just in moderation?  Gone. *quiet sob before putting on my big girl panties*  So what exactly does all of that mean?  How about I just list my eating guidelines below.

Breakfast: 2 eggs and 3 egg whites, a banana (and of course my obligatory cup of coffee)
Snack: Nonfat Greek yogurt (After trying several I decided I like the Oikos Fruit on the Bottom with Strawberry the best.)
Lunch: 4 to 5 ounces of lean mean (example: chicken and fish) and a cup of vegetables
Snack: A protein shake
Dinner: 4 to 5 ounces of protein (I can have red meat in the form of steak but I want to try and limit that to only a few times a week if possible.) and a cup of vegetables

I excitedly asked about my cheat day only to instantly be corrected that it was a cheat meal.  One cheat meal.  Just picture me with an instant sad face.  I've mentioned over and over my love for food.  Most importantly, my love for bad food.  Bad, greasy mexican food.  It was only Monday but I already knew my cheat meal would be Saturday and most likely involve the one thing I love more than any other food.  Chips and salsa.

But what about my cardio?  I want to be able to keep up my ability to run a 5k nonstop so that when my next half marathon comes up training won't require me to start from the bottom up.  I had anticipated running a couple of interval runs and then a long run of about five to six miles every week.  *Insert the buzzer noise from Family Feud here*  Intervals are ok.  Prescribed actually.  But my long runs should be no more than three miles.  Oh no.  Ooooh no.

Why no more long runs?  I'm glad you asked.  I tried to explain this myself but found it put more eloquently at livestrong.com.  "Rachel Cosgrove warns that running every day depletes the calorie levels needed to sustain muscle mass, so program your running for two or three times a week rather than daily. She also suggests sessions be kept to a maximum of 45 minutes, beyond which time, necessary muscle-building calories are burned off. There is natural muscle loss during sleep, so a morning run on an empty stomach is a recipe for
losing more muscle."  Even with weight training you'd still see some loss of muscle mass.  Not to mention you retain more body fat as a marathon runner.  Most likely because you are chipping away at your muscle mass.  So, you might look skinny in clothes but you don't look good nekkid.  I, for one, want to look like the latter.  But that doesn't come easy.  I love the runner's high you get after tackling a few miles.  Furthermore, you think you are in shape when you can run three miles nonstop or heck, even tackle a half marathon.  But intervals?  You learn quickly that you want to die after a 30 minute interval workout.  Intervals supposedly make you a faster runner and help increase your long distance run speeds.  We shall see.  I just know right now I am not near as in shape as I thought I was.

Are you wondering how this week went?  Great, actually.  Much better than I thought. The red blip was obviously Saturday night.  Note:  I also overestimate caloric intake a bit to make sure I don't go over budget.  I have two driving forces behind all of this.  The first being I want to lose weight.  Marleah, my trainer, said all of the above is what I have to do if I want to lean up.  And I do.  I'm ready to see that goal weight when I step on the scale.  I'm ready to see muscle.  I'm ready to see other women make life changes because they want the body I have.  (And I may or may not also want to see a pang of jealously flash across their face.  Mwhaha!)  I'm not sure a six pack of abs can be obtained after having a kid but I'd be ok with maybe just a four pack.  Haha!  This week I saw a 2.4 pound drop just from adhering to the guidelines she gave me.  I have no doubt it's water weight but it means I am three pounds from my goal weight.  It also means I could very well see myself dip below that number!  It's also challenged me to get back in the kitchen and get creative with cooking healthy.  I like cooking it's just that I need to the meal to be easy and quick.  Interestingly, easy and quick can mean healthy and non processed.  You just have to stop and think about what you are about to season your food with and how you plan to cook it.  Baking, grilling and steaming are simple ways to make cooking easy.


My Saturday night meal was a treat rather than the expected nightly fare.  I enjoyed every bite because I felt like I had earned it.  I also wear my necklace every day that my run buddy gave me after finishing our race last week.  It's a constant reminder that everything I am doing is not in vain.  It has a barbell for my weight lifting, a running shoe for my running and a piece that says "Anything is possible" because it is.  Some people can eat anything they want every day of the week and never see the affects on their body.  Some of us have to work for it.  I am in the second category but I enjoy every minute of it.  I want to be a good example for family and friends.  I want those struggling with a healthy lifestyle to be able to look at me and say, "If she can do it, I can do it."

It's all a mind game.  Either you are willing to make a lifestyle change to achieve the look you want or you aren't.  If you aren't willing then you'll constantly sit on the sideline and make excuses.  I can only plant the seed for your decision to get healthy.  You have to nurture the seedling in order for it to grow.