tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL (Page 25)

Way to go, Paul ... 4 sprints!  LOVE that attitude!

And Scott, yes, I definitely know what you mean about running off the bike.

Hey Morgan -- sorry I've not been able to get to the forum last day or two -- anyway. Saturday might work, but I'm going down to the San Diegito (sp?) 1/2 marathon on Sunday to help a friend run in the last 3 miles. With my DH gone all week I'm not sure if he'll want to ride or sleep on Saturday morning. How early you talking about and how much mileage are you considering? Also, you know if might rain. 

Are those sunglasses with earbuds?? LOL OMG now I've seen everything!  Well...maybe not. I've thankfully not been behind someone on the bike earning their membership into the  yellow socks club.

Lynn,

Yeah, the Oakley Thumps are sunglasses with a built-in mp3 player and earbuds.  IMHO, they're fantastic!

As for Saturday, yeah, might  rain.  Sunday is looking better for a long ride, or possibly late Saturday afternoon.  If Sunday is bad and you've got the afternoon free on Saturday, I'm in.  Otherwise, I'll head out Sunday.  Ideally, I'd like to get in at least 40 miles, but I'm flexible about distance and pace.  Weather will play a large part of this.  Want to blow off meeting up until maybe next weekend? 

I'll be gone next weekend for the Pres. day. Sat morning might not work because of the rain. We could play it by ear.. let me know what you think. There's a bike race on Camp Pendleton on Feb 28th. You might want to consider it.I'm pretty sure I'll be doing it.

http://www.camppendletonraces.com/bike.html

Anyone else in So Cal might like it too, Todd? Jocelyn?

Mediation is a personal thing.  You can find all kinds of ways to try.  There are many.  From Centering Prayer to yoga, they all have something to offer.  I do centering prayer.  Single spiritual word repeated over and over until the mind calms.  Quiet place, eyes closed.  Music if you have some that is soothing.  But try several kinds.  There are probably classes near where you live.  Test out several until you find something right.  It is very mind strengthening and this is as much about learning to center the mind as it is on strengthening the body.

As for stopping overeating, there is only one thing that worked for me.  I reached a place where I was willing to do anything to change my life.  And then I made a point to get into positive routines that replaced the bad ones.  Above all, I kept it very simple in the beginning.  I used high protein, low carbs to jump start things...added carbs as the exercise increased.  I logged the calories I ate and the ones I burned ...you have to show a calorie deficit ...3,000 calories equal a pound.  It is simple math.  More calories burned, fewer eaten.  The proviso is to be sure you are eating enough to avoid your body from going into a starvation mode where it holds everything you eat for fear it won't get enough tomorrow.  It's from our days in the cave when winter set in...the body was astute enough to know that less running, fewer calories meant tough times...so it conserved fuel.  It will still do the same today.

I think people who are trying to lose substantial weight as I did tend to over think it.  More exercise, less food, and eating the right foods will equal the right results.

Also, as a once-super-sized guy I wrote about recently after he completed his first Ironman told me,  we have to look at WHY we eat as well as WHAT we eat.  Keeping a log of the food helps.  What am I eating?  How do I feel when I am eating?  Am I eating due to hunger?  Sadness?  Loneliness?  Perceived stress?  How much am I setting myself up for those emotions so I have an excuse to overindulge?  After all, a donut never went out on a date with me, never solved my loneliness, never increased my self esteem, so why was I eating so many of them when I was supposedly down? 

As for depression, Lincoln said, A man is as happy as he makes up his mind to be.  I agree.

There are some great books on the topic.  As important, I used the 12 steps to help me with letting go of the urges to eat badly.  I went to a few Overeaters Anonymous meetings and found many people who were struggling over and over again as I see in AA with alcohol and drugs, but I also found success stories.  I asked how they did it.  I did what they did.  I got the results I wanted to get. 

Good luck.     

Oh man, Susie, that's a bummer.  I truly hope you fare well at work.

Lynn,

You're right ... it's going to rain this weekend!  Looks like it's going to be delayed a day so I might be able to get a ride in at lunch today, but t-storms tomorrow and Saturday, and chances for more on Sunday.  Crap.

4 degrees feels like -10 per local weather website this morning; bed was soooo warm

had my first good run in a while this morning, at the gym in case you are wondering and I'm pleased.  over the weekend i am planning a strategy to get the training in gear and move forward ona serious routine.

first work email of the day detailed the immediate lay-off of 17% of corp.  it's been a very sad morning here for many co-workers and I'm fortunate that my number wasn't called.  more motivation to get the above stated plan into action and stave off depressing thoughts.

 I've managed to keep PF in check with routine massage; i have one every three weeks and swear that for the most part it keeps alot of maladies at bay.

Okay, I need to ask all of you for some help here ...

I haven't been in the pool in WAY too long.  I can name a ton of excuses ranging from being comfortable with my swimming ability to it being too cold at night (to wear shorts to the Y and swim in a heated indoor pool.  Yeah, I know ...).  End of the day, they're just excuses.

I know we have a "No HTFU" policy here, but I'm asking you all to get on my case about not swimming.  Tell me to HTFU, make me feel lazy, call me a slacker ... whatever it takes   Seriously, do that for a couple of days and I'll get back into it, but I currently have ZERO motivation to swim and I need a little push.

Oh yeah, can't swim tonight because I'll be taking the kids out to free up some time for my wife to work.  And it's going to be too cold here to wear shorts to the Y, and it might rain ...

omg morgan!  stop whining, throw on your windpants and bring the kids to the darn pool with you.  baby.

wow, that felt good.

That's the spirit, thanks all!

Susie, not sure what bar you are using for squats ... is it a squat rack or a squat machine?  Typical bar, when using free weights on a squat rack, is 45 pounds.  However, i haven't done squats since playing high school football in the '80s, so I have no idea what's out there today.  How long do you think it would take for me to get back to being able to squat 410lbs?