McFuzz's New Athlete Group (CLOSED) (Page 6)

All,

Shall we welcome Colleen and Kate to the group?  With that, I'll go ahead and CLOSE the group. 

Kate, as I said in my bio, I want this group to focus on people starting to make lifestyle changes.  Even though you have more than 5 months experience, you're trying to make the lifestyle changes just like others in the group, and if you want to join, I'll accept you.  (Hey...it was my rule to begin with, so it's my option to change it, isn't it? ) 

As I said in an earlier post, while the group is named after me, it isn't "My group" it's Your GROUP!  I'll do administrative things, and Kim and I will do our best to inspire and answer questions.  Collectively, you have already started to answer questions for one another, which is great!  Please keep doing so.  Keep inspiring one another also.  While the mentor program is structured to be 3 months long, there are no "rules" that the group must disband at that anniversary.  If I am successful as a mentor, at the end of 3 months, the group will be self-sustaining.  The group can live for 6 months or a year or longer.  I have met a few proteges from my earlier groups, sometimes a year or two later.  (Jo-Anne, I'd like to run Comrades.  I was signed up to run it in 2013, but life changed and I wasn't in a position to make the trip.  Maybe I'll recruit a friend or two for the trip and would certainly appreciate a personal welcome to RSA.) 

Thanks Kate,

(this is for everyone)

The human mind is incredible in its ability to resolve inconsistencies between reality and what replays in our heads.  If you're focused or thinking about what you have been, your mind will try to get reality to line up to eliminate the discomfort of inconsistency.  This is how people get trapped into perpetual weight struggles or poverty or misery.  If you've "always been X" your mind wants to make that true whether X is fat or an uncoordinated/pathetic athlete or broke or dumb. 

You can harness this capability to achieve what you want for the future too.  Instead of focusing on what you have been, focus on what you want to be, and start doing the things that support that new vision of yourself.  (If you missed my post on page 2 of this thread, make sure you read it.) 

Be confident!  Be confident you can swim.  Be confident you can bike.  Be confident you can run.  Be confident you can weigh a healthy weight.  Be confident you can make the eating choices that support a healthy weight (no matter what crisis you are facing). 

If you've been told you are a strong cyclist, accept that gift graciously rather than doubt the compliment.  Use that confidence to become a runner that doesn't use the adverb "slow."  (When you use "slow runner," where's the focus?  Yup...on "slow" rather than "runner."...)

I can't take credit for this thinking.  I went through a program years back put on by Lou Tice and the Pacific Institute and this was one of the key elements of that program. 

My reply to Kate got posted twice, but I was going to issue a "challenge" to everyone as I typed that, so here it is: 

From now until the end of January, banish negative adjectives/adverbs from your posts/blog!  No "slow" adverbs.  No "just" modifiers to what you hope to do in training this week or racing this year.   Instead, be factual.  Write about your actual pace/distance, etc.  I'll have to work at this too, my foot has been bothering me so I haven't run nearly as much as I normally do, and it's easy for me to excuse what I've done as "just 5 miles" even though there's a reason I'm not running more.  My foot is feeling better. 

If you want to use phrases like "slower than normal" as a comparison to what you have done, that is acceptable, but please accompany it with factual information.  "My run was 8:20/mile, slower than my normal 8:12 pace." 

I hope all of you are logging your workouts and any thoughts about them.  The changes you are making come slowly and may be hard to perceive progress.  Reviewing your old logs lets you see what your progress has been. 

Great idea!! I love it. I'll try one now.

I had the night shift which means I was awake for 24hours before I could get a rest. Needless to say, sleeping during day time is not a quality sleep. Allthough I planned a short run, I decided to hit the bed very early tonight. After all, respecting the needs of your body is way more important then trying to overdo yourself. Tomorrow is another beautiful day and with a good night rest training for the rest of the week will be awesome. I'm sure of that! :D

@Kate

Welcome!

Colleen,

That sounds like a great story!  We all try to juggle the activities and you aren't the first person to rationalize "lack of time" because of family to avoid working out.  Hang in there, and while it seems selfish to invest time in your health, it absolutely isn't.  In fact, is is healthy to make that investment in yourself.  Your children will get along without you for a half-hour or hour several days per week. 

If your plan starts in a few weeks, you can repeat the first few weeks of workouts, or work out so you're prepared to start the training plan when it is supposed to start. 

Colleen,

That sounds like a great story!  We all try to juggle the activities and you aren't the first person to rationalize "lack of time" because of family to avoid working out.  Hang in there, and while it seems selfish to invest time in your health, it absolutely isn't.  In fact, is is healthy to make that investment in yourself.  Your children will get along without you for a half-hour or hour several days per week. 

If your plan starts in a few weeks, you can repeat the first few weeks of workouts, or work out so you're prepared to start the training plan when it is supposed to start. 

A good day's rest is as much part of a training program than active training itself. And by the amount of training you have done the last 2 weeks, it's well deserved!.

@Colleen

My best tip to get some training done, is stop watching TV :D You won't believe how much hours you spend sitting in front of the TV.

Joe,

You might pose your question in the nutrition/weight loss forum where people more attuned to nutrition can contribute. 

I don't worry too much about the nutritional breakdown of any single item.  I know I eat some things that are bad for me, but as long as I limit the amounts of these "bad" foods, the overall impact isn't too bad.  What is the right amount of calories/fat/protein/sodium for a food?  The better approach might be to say "of my daily 2500 calories, this is 180 of them, and is this how I choose to use them?  Same thing with sodium or fat.  A Snickers bar is about 250 calories, and way too much fat and sugar.  I still eat one or two a month and really REALLY enjoy them. 

On the choices you list, the Wotsits are the lowest calorie choice if you are satisfied eating one.  If you end up eating two, it isn't a lower calorie choice, and if you eat one and aren't satisfied because you really like the crunch bar instead, that's also not so good. 

Also want to say it is good that you are looking so you at least know what you are consuming.