Oh September, here we are again. The unofficial end of summer and the beginning of that all-too-rapid slide toward the end of another freaking year. Why does time fly so fast? With the ZOOMA Great Lakes 10k looming less than two weeks away, I’m trying to build a little running mileage. Think I waited long enough? Here are last week’s workouts:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Trail Run 4.5 miles
Wednesday: Run 2 miles, bike 10 miles
Thursday: Trail Run 4 miles
Friday: Unintentional rest day
Saturday: Trail Run 4.5 miles
Sunday: Strength training + Stepmill
This is the first week in a long time that my Garmin actually approved of my workouts. It’s been tough to watch my VO2max take a gradual nosedive over the summer but at least this week Garmin proclaimed my workouts to be “productive” so there’s that.
There’s something about a new month and a new season that inspires us to look back and assess things a bit. Did you do the things you wanted? Did you stay on track with training or health goals? Do you need to “adjust the sails” going forward?
My summer goals went something like this. The items in green were resounding successes. The orange and red items? Not so much.
Recover from Tokyo and London
Reduce running miles and run for fun
Lift heavy
Swim!
Celebrate high school graduation and savor our final months together before Thing 1 heads to college
Try intermittent fasting
Crack the code on menopausal hormones and get rid of this g_d dang belly fat once and for all
Before I get to those last two items that are not in green, I’m going to own my successes. I took a lovely break from distance running and really relaxed and enjoyed my meditative time on gorgeous, shady trails. I paid no attention to pace whatsoever and walked when I felt like it. My Garmin still registers most of these trail runs in HRZ 4 so yay!
Strength training-wise, I got myself right up to the squat, deadlift and bench PRs I set more than 20 years ago. I may not run like I once did but I can build muscle like a boss. All great things there.
I probably don’t have to remind you that I am no fan of the pool, and yet I showed up for fairly regular swim workouts. Pushing out of our comfy zones and doing things that challenge us pays off physically and mentally. I may not enjoy swimming and I may not be good at it, but it’s really nice to know I CAN DO IT when I want to/have to.
I savored and enjoyed time with my kids and have been amazed by all that they have accomplished.
I did not travel this summer, unless you count two trips to Atlanta and a wonderful weekend in Michigan at Empower Summer Camp. However this was by design. It’s easy to forget I have two international trips under my belt this year: Tokyo and London in March and April.
Intermittent Fasting
I started this right after the 4th of July and have stuck with it on most days. Typically I stop eating by 8pm at the latest and don’t eat again until noonish the next day. Maybe I’m being unfair here because I haven’t weighed or measured myself, nor have I tracked macros, because I loathe all of that. I’m not going to mince words: While I feel less fatigue and brain fog, I don’t see physical results and my clothes aren’t fitting differently. I’m looking at you belly fat. I’m not a wild snack binger. Other than an occasional kombucha I don’t drink alcohol. We don’t eat out very often and I’ve kept my big green salads with protein as a lunchtime staple. Clearly something is still missing, and I’ll tell you what I think it is in a sec.
Hello Perspective My Old Friend
Here’s where I was going to go into a whole litany about menopause and how, no thanks the hormonal roller coaster that goes along with the territory, I’ve become a cranky, frustrated fat magnet. In fact I had it all written out before I went to the gym this morning. When I got to the gym though, I saw the husband of one of my workout friends who’s been living with cancer for the past couple of years. I asked how she was doing as I hadn’t seen her in months. He said she’s “hanging in there”. He went on to say she doesn’t do much anymore because she has “uncontrollable bleeding spells” and they can’t figure out what’s causing them. That tidbit of information made all the bitching I’ve been doing about belly fat, hypothyroid, etc. seem completely inconsequential. I’ll bet she’d trade me her cancer for some belly fat any day.
So I’m not going to bitch and wine about my mid-section. I’m going to figure it out. While I feel like it is unfair for someone who is as active as I am to have these issues, I well know life is not fair. When I look back at the kinds of activity I’ve done this summer, I see that something is missing: Intensity. Sure I’ve been lifting heavy and running easy. Since Coach Lucifer left the CrossFit Box, I’ve been doing my own strength training and avoiding the Assault Bike. I hit the stepmill from time to time but clearly it is not enough. I haven’t been pushing myself the way Lucifer did, and that’s what’s going to change.
The Plan Going Forward
Build Intensity. Through speedwork, tabata, HIIT, and supersetting my strength workouts with cardio (assault bike, rowing, running etc.) I can dial in my nutrition more too. Let’s see how this goes.
How was your summer? Are you adjusting your sails going forward? Does perspective hit you upside the head sometimes?
I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Join us!
A good honest bit of perspective there – thank you for sharing. I’ve got a fight on my hands at the moment as the drug I’m on has a side effect of HUNGER and I am normally good at knowing when I’m actually hungry but I have had a few times when I’ve eaten more than I really needed to, and I need to get that under control. And I’m having to run-walk to keep my heart rate under control But I’m in a Western country with a good healthcare system and an understanding doctor and I’m going to grit my teeth and count my blessings.
And well done for all your other achievements. I’m so pleased you’re still running and still obviously loving running.
Look, there’s always someone worse off than yourself.BUT — and it’s a big but — it’s also your life, your stress, your problems. Sure, things like that can put what you’re going through in perspective, but you also don’t want to push your own feelings down. Just sayin’.
I do intermittent fasting . . . intermittently. LOL! I find it hard to go much more than 12 hours most days that I run because I don’t enjoy running fasted. So there’s usually only a couple of days I go about 15-16 — which is actually. I actually think that’s a better way to do it, at least for me — those longer fast absolutely seem to reet something, and my weight may have crept up a few pounds but then it seems to drop back to what is normal for me afterwards.
We’re all different though. I think you needed to dial things back this summer, and should count that as a win.
Seriously? I eat pretty healthy. Sure, I have a sweet tooth & I indulge it but far less often than I used to. I rarely eat pasta or bread. It’s still really hard for me to lose any weight, and I don’t have any thyroid issues. It isn’t even necessarily our age, our height doesn’t help much and sometimes our metabolisms just suck even without the thyroid issues.
Keep fighting the good fight — it makes you healthier in the end.
Yes of course to put things in that perspective, your probs seems minute. However I seem to find myself in the exact same place. I don’t think I can possibly do more exercise and I eat well 9/10 of the time. I swear my belly just keeps getting bigger too. Doesn’t seem fair does it?
If you do crack the code on the menopausal hormones, by all means, you win the jackpot. I think it’s about an elusive a code as there ever was. It’s seriously incredibly frustrating. Coupled with hypothyroid and other fun things, it’s not a fun time of life. You are right to put it into perspective with your friend’s illness, however, any kind of stress at this point in our lives only adds to the menopausal fire, I’ve found. I’ve been working with an RD all year to get a handle on things holistically and have seen some progress, but it looks a lot different than it did even 3 years ago. Hang in there.
Wow, I can believe that the ZOOMA Great Lakes 10k is only 2 weeks ago. Where has the time gone?
Congrats on all of your successes this summer. I see a lot of items marked in green!
Isn’t it funny how a chance encounter can totally change your perspective? I’ll be keeping your friend in my prayers and sending her good vibes. Cancer is such an unrelenting disease. I just wish the medical field could find a cure for it – it’s ruined so many lives 🙁
I totally get what you’re saying about putting things in perspective. I saw a friend who was battling breast cancer during my last marathon. I was whining about the running hurting me, and she said she wished she could run. Really changed my focus for sure!! I haven’t hit menopause yet, but have stopped having my periods this year. I think that’s due to the amount of my physical activity though? Otherwise, menopause has been a non-event for me, which I don’t think will be the case when it happens. Wishful thinking!
Your reality revelation echoes what I experienced two years ago post-emergency surgery. I was SOOOO envious of all the peeps running (and sweating in the heat, which is my favorite time of year). Then, I realized that although I could not run, I could walk…and I was pretty fortunate I could that much. My staph infection could have been so much worse. And, I’m sure there were numerous side-lined runners who would have gladly been able to at least walk rather than have no weight-bearing activity on their recovering bodies. Yes. Gratitude smacked me upside the head, and I was thankful for my wake-up call, too. Onward, soldier 😉 You’re moving in the right direction, and I’d bet there are things already in motion that aren’t yet visible with your progress.
Sometimes shifting focus can be beneficial. I had a forced break earlier this year due to injury, but it caused me to look forward to long distance training again. I took the whole year off of marathons and am planning one for fall 2020, but it gave me the opportunity to get back to racing for fun again. Sometimes you need that! Good job on the strength training, I need to get better at that.
I’m with you on the “how do I exercise as much as I do and still have these few extra pounds that just won’t budge” For me part of it is that I run (==>and eat) a lot more than I used to, part of it is being north of 40, and part of it is that at this point in my life there are so many perspective lessons and weight loss just isn’t anywhere near top priority. Here’s to you and me both in figuring it out.
Really does help t put things in perspective doesn’t it?!
I will say that if you crack the code on the menopot you will forever be my hero. I have not found a solution and it really does irritate me to no end!
Wow. That does put everything into perspective. Hormones and weight loss are a tricky subject. I’ve had quite a few people recommend the book Roar. I haven’t read it yet but friends have talked about the chapters with women, exercise and hormones, especially with peri-menopause and menopause.
I appreciate your honesty. It seems like you’re doing all the right things, so I can imagine it must be very frustrating to not be losing the weight as you should be 🙁
Congrats on recognizing what you did well – there’s a lot of green. Hormones are an evil bitch. PCOS makes me many kinds of crazy, so I sympathize
You’re right, it’s important to keep perspective but you do have to own your concerns too! There’s always someone who has it worse. I too am distressed about the belly fat and yep, while I’ve definitely made a dent in it, it’s going to be a battle going forward. I’ll be interested to hear if you crack the code. Menopause is evil and I just hate what it does to us!
Great post and, for me, difficult topic. What can I say as a cancer survivor and after my many fractures (5) since 2007? We must forget the troubles and enjoy what we can do.
You are running, You have run important marathons (and not only), you are a mom and a wife and a lot of other good things: I admire your attitude.
You definitely had lots of successes!!! I do agree that people do have it worse than our own “little” problems but they’re still our problems. We are still allowed to be concerned about them.
You had a lot of successes this summer! I’m sure it so frustrating to be doing everything you should be doing and not getting the results you want. But situations like that really do put things in perspective right?
When you are so fit and active it’s frustrating to struggle with belly fat. Sure it’s a minor problem compared with what others face, but the struggle is real! I think upping the HIIT is a great idea. I have a lot of room for improvement in my eating habits ….
As you know, I had been lamenting about my weight gain a good part of last year. I knew deep down I wasn’t putting in the work necessary to take it off, but I honestly fantasized for a bit that I could blame it on my thyroid or some other hormonal issue. No matter my weight, I never had belly fat, and it had reared its ugly head in a major way. I was not going to have it.
I had my physical in April and I had an honest discussion with my MD about the weight gain. I trust him explicitly and what he said was peri- and post-menopausal hormone changes don’t necessarily make us gain weight, but they do make it that much harder to lose. And of course my thyroid levels were completely normal. Alrighty then.
I revamped my eating and ramped up my physical activity. I started the first week in May and dropped 10 pounds in the first month (a late-May trip to PV was a good motivator) and have dropped another 7 or 8 since. I’d still like to lose another 8 or so and I know if I make some additional changes (like not drinking wine every night of the week) I can do it. It’s definitely a different ballgame when the weight comes from bad habits versus legitimate medical reasons.
I know a few people who have lost weight with intermittent fasting. I’m sure I could do it since I’m not a big breakfast eater, but I’m not sure it’s for me.
It’s nice to sit back and get a fresh look on everything! You have had some many accomplishments as I’m sure you are inspiring to those around you!
I am so curious about intermittent fasting, I have some friends that do it and love it and others are so so about it. I bet it all depends on the person though!