marathon training

Shocking revelations..

Preface: This post is to hold me accountable.  I am by no means a nutrition expert or health care provider.  I am just trying something that I know has worked for me in the past.  Discipline. 

You’ve heard me discuss before about my disdain with the numbers that show up on the scale each week, and several times I decided this was it, those TEN lbs were going bye bye…

Yet just as quickly as I decided I was going to do about something about the “oh you’re 40 now, and can’t just eat whatever you want” weight, I found myself having late night snacks or splurging at the taco bar at work…I’m a distance runner, and am constantly hungry.  Normal, right?

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Sure…but if I am going to snack, I need to find healthier alternatives than handfuls of pita chips loaded with roasted red pepper hummus.  A little hummus=good fat.  An entire container of hummus=bad choice fat.

My clothes were all feeling tighter, and despite the fact I know that SOME of it is muscle (my legs), a lot of the weight well, ISN’T muscle…my every growing gut tells me so, daily.

But I didn’t truly realize it, until I saw the free race photos we could download from the half marathon I just ran.  I was super excited to see the pictures after seeing several friends post their pictures online, until of course, I viewed my photo.  Upon viewing said photo, I was appalled.  And I may or may not have lowered my head in shame.

I haven’t weighed what I weigh right now since the following months after my second daughter was born.  And I need to stop using my age as an excuse.

So this week, I’ve shut down my previous ways of thinking, and am restarting my system.  I’ve been making my own lunches, snacks, and a protein shake to start my day.  I’ve been tracking all of my food in My Fitness Pal, and exercising daily.  I’ve limited snacks at night (Ok, last night I DID cheat with a piece of Italian salami, YUM), and making sure I am in bed by 11 pm which gives me 6-7 hours of sleep (still working on the sleep issues but its been better, at least).  I’ve also been trading pasta and rice for veggie noodles instead.

Pic cred: Pinterest
Pic cred: Pinterest

I can feel the toll this extra weight is causing my running/knees and it’s time.

“It’s only 10 lbs.,” I hear so often…”You look great!” everyone says.  But 10 lbs is A LOT on a smaller framed person and I don’t feel great about myself right now.

3 days in, and I’m down 1 lb…praying this is the road to a positive change.

Just because I am a distance runner and a Chef wanna-be, doesn’t mean I can EAT. ALL. THE. FOOD.

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Put the fork down, Michelle.

How do you control cravings?  Any good go-to healthy snacks?

Thanks, y’all!  Keep Movin’ forward!

❤ Michelle