Now I know why I usually quit all exercise/health programs around week three. It becomes too frustrating to continue. What happens is that when I start to run longer and longer distances, I get hungry. Small portion sizes no longer fill me up, and I feel like I am constantly hungry. My solution is to eat, of course. When this happens, I start to gain weight. I’m not overeating to the point of being uncomfortable or feeling sick. Rather, I assuage my hunger pains for an hour or two. I thought last week’s weight gain might have been a fluke, but this week’s weigh-in showed that it was indeed the start of one of these trends. The scale showed me 163.0 pounds this week, and I wanted to a) throw the scale out the window, b) tape my mouth shut so I would stop eating and c) immediately find a way to not share this number with the public. I have reached the frustration stage, where I can continue to stay hungry in an effort to lose weight or I can continue to try to find a happy medium between food and hunger. At this point in time, and knowing that this is an ongoing battle I’ve faced with every single exercise program, I’m really not certain what to do here. Thoughts?
On the positive side, I managed to run four times this week, in spite of temperatures hovering in the 30s. While some part of my leg hurts with every run, the shin pain has not gotten any worse this week. I’ll take it! Week four was always my favorite week of the program; granted, I never got beyond week four. Yet, I like the music and the running/walk intervals for next week. I’m really looking forward to pounding through next week and beyond. Surprisingly, I am even getting used to running in the cold. It is rather exhilarating. So, in spite of my food issues, I am really enjoying this program and my schedule. I have no desire to quit the running portion of the program any time soon, and that is a very, very good sign.
Friday – Couch to 5K Week 3
Saturday – rest
Sunday – Couch to 5K Week 3
Monday – Couch to 5K Week 3
Tuesday – rest
Wednesday – rest
Thursday – Couch to 5K Week 3
Thanks! I'm doing interval training, so I've been mixing things up from day one. I like that it challenges me, but I've not been bored yet. As for the food thing, I've tried the small meals and while I was never hungry, I also felt like I was always eating. I actually did not like that part of it. The food part will come. I haven't been paying close attention to portion sizes lately, which I suspect is the main problem. That and a huge lack of water. I just don't drink it when it's cold outside. It's the one area I need to improve upon before I make any huge changes to my diet because I suspect some of the weight gain is water retention due to dehydration.
Tea, eh? I can try that. Given the temperatures these days, something warm in my belly would be a nice treat!
Thanks, Amy! I'm trying to focus on the exercise thing, since I tend to give up on that pretty quickly. If I can continue to run, then I know I can work on the food thing. The holidays are such an awful time to try to do this too. Even though I'm not snacking at all. It will get figured out eventually.
I don't know that I have any good advice really, other than maybe healthy snacks like carrot sticks and the like? Not sure if that would help though. BUT I saw persevere and keep going, because I'm sure it will even out and you will get there.