I really need to post a photo of the orange Nike Pacer shorts that I picked up at Marhsalls a few weeks ago. I *heart* these shorts...sooooo comfortable. Today I wore them on my 6 mile run/walk with Hubby.
And as of this afternoon, I have a 2nd pair in a lavender-ish color.
It gets better. I just discovered that in addition to a little pocket for my key, they have a 2nd pocket in back. Presumably for an ipod. Didn't even know it was there until I took them out of the dryer inside out the other day. So it's like a bonus pocket. Woot!
I'm also enjoying my two pairs of Nike-some-other-model-that-I-haven't-figured-out shorts. Not as much as the Pacer shorts though. Those are far and away my favorite.
What I'm *not* loving this season are my Running Skirts. Last year I was all about the Running Skirt and didn't really have any running shorts.
So what changed? Well, it's not the Running Skirts' fault.
I've got this issue with an ever expending midsection. And thighs. And butt. Basically the entire section of my body that the Running Skirt is supposed to fit has gotten bigger. And trying to shove a bigger body into a Running Skirt that is now too small and then run?! That's a recipe for all kinds of trouble. Trust me on this.
I started out trying to lose 5 lbs. That was such a resounding success that I found myself upping the number to 10 lbs. Now it's more like 12-15. I basically suck at losing weight. I'm good at finding it though.
In the simplest sense, it's a matter of Calories In vs Calories Out and I'm fairly certain that my issue is on the Calories In side of the equation.
I've been doing the whole Eat-Less-More-Often thing. To a certain extent, that helps keep me from totally pigging out at dinner. But it's not sufficient to get my weight to move in the correct direction. Probably because my version is more like Eat-Less-a-Whole-Lot-More-Often.
I've also tried writing down everything I eat. It hasn't helped me decrease my food consumption. It just makes me feel bad when it comes time to write it all down. So now I probably need psychological help too.
Just kidding.
Sort of.
Here's my serious question to you all. Who out there that likes to eat has been successful at losing weight? How did you do it? What specifically have you done that helped you eat less? No logging tools or tricks are going to work for me if I'm still hungry. I need to figure out how to kill my appetite and do better with portion control more than anything else.
Sorry darling! The bad news are: There is no easy way! Trust me on this. I love eating and half the reason for training is so I can eat - lots! Even Alberto comments sometimes that I eat the same amount of food as him! *blush*
ReplyDeleteNow: You can get yourself Glandular Fever. That worked for me but I'd understand if that's not an option for you. Portion control is the key. You stomach will shrink and you will eat less naturally.
I found that the more sugary foods I eat the more appetite I have so maybe try and reduce sugar intake?
Cravings inbetween meals? Eat fruit.
If you can't reduce the in than the only other option is to work on the out side of the equation.
Have I mentioned that there is no easy way ...?
I love to eat. I love beer. more... For me, the key has been eating smart. Five meals a day. Never any seconds. I used to open my lunch and say, who the hell is going to eat all of that? Then I would eat it all because I don't like to waste anything. Sheeesh. So, now, I pack my lunches after dinner, when I'm full, and my mind is working right.
ReplyDeleteDo you go by Marni's blog? She recommends a two hundred calorie snack, with protein 30 minutes before dinner to supress your appetite. Think cheese and pepperoni or something like that.
The key is enjoy what you eat, but eat smart, and its really hard :-)
I LOVE to eat too! I have had success following the ABS diet for women. I wouldn't really call it a "diet" because it's more of a way of eating. You don't deprive yourself of anything, it's basically the idea of eating lots of "powerfoods" and eating frequently. Infact for a while I had a hard time keeping up with eating enough! Anyway, you can google and learn all about it. I bought my book at the local barnes and noble. I would recommend it!
ReplyDelete1. I have a love for Nike shorts now too, but I believe they are yet another different version than yours and the tempo. I'll probably post on that eventually....
ReplyDelete2. Two things for the food.
2a. I lost 10 pounds when I moved to Arizona (mainly because I wasn't binging on college food any more, but this too) I had a protein filled breakfast to really hold me over. 2 or 3 egg whites, 1 yolk, with a smattering of parm cheese (because it's stronger you need only a little), and then a slice of toast. I think the solid breakfast helped.
2b. Have lots of water on hand. If you feel like you want to snack, have some water and see if you still want a snack in 10 minutes. A lot of the time we're thirsty or just looking for something to do, and not really hungry.
Weight Watchers worked for me - the principles of tracking everything you eat and counting "points". That said, I could definitely stand to lose some right now and I'm struggling to find my focus again. I just want to ea,t eat, eat.
ReplyDeleteI have found that adding some intensity to some of my workouts seems to have a positive effect on loosing weight.
ReplyDeleteWhen I just noodle along my body seems to adapt real quick and even adding more volume does not fix the problem.
I really WISH I could help you out here. I'm a horrible eater. You're right though - calories in has got to be lower than calories burned. Unfortunately, we are at that age when we are burning less calories than we did ten years ago.
ReplyDeleteUse smaller plates.
Eat a veggie filled salad prior to your meal.
Eat mostly proteins and veggies.
Drink A LOT of water (to fill you up).
Fruit makes a good dessert
Save the calories in for the things that REALLY matter. ;)
See? I'm really no help. Sorry.
I'm in no position to give advice -been gaining lately. :(
ReplyDeleteMy thighs rub together when I run. I have never found a pair of shorts, besides, compression shorts, that I can wear comfortably while running. sigh.....
ReplyDeleteAs for the weight issue. I wish I could help. after I had my son (three years ago), I found it near impossible to lose the weight. I was going to the gym like clockwork, but I was now over 40, and my job is sedentary, you do the math...
I tried WW and lost maybe 8 lbs. total then plateaued for weeks. I gave up. I started training for triathlons in February. That finally seemed to do it (albeit slowly).
I can only offer this. When I started training I didn't really change too much how I was eating or how much I was eating. I did try to be aware of the banking calories trap. If I wanted to eat something because I felt like I could b/c I had a hard workout, I thought first about what I had eaten already that day and if I could "afford" it.
I have lost weight since training, but I am sure I am still not on goal (I haven't stepped on a scale in a month or more, just going by clothes that I can finally fit into). I love food and I too love beer. I do try to make good food choices, but I don't always, and one beer is usually enough to satisfy the "ah!" factor on a hot day.
One thing too. I am trying to make changes in my diet, but not all at once. I am letting small changes take hold before adding others. I think it's too hard to make big changes all at once. Except for the very few, we are doomed to fail. For real, who likes change? It takes a while to acclimate. We weren't running 6 miles on the first day (I could barely run 50 yds!), it's gradual.
I worry a little, b/c after next weekend my group training with TNT is over and I am on my own. Will I train enough? Hard enough? I may have to join a running group or something to stay motivated and "honest". Weight has always been a struggle for me. Sorry I couldn't be more help and sorry this was so long! lol.
Smaller plate? I know one strategy people use is to eat their dinner on a salad plate instead of a full size dinner plate. That way, you ensure portion control, but don't have to think too hard or calculate anything.
ReplyDeleteEveryone already left a ton of great tips. I lost 30 pounds about 11 years ago and have kept most of it off, with an occasional 5ish pound fluctuation due to holidays, vacations and carb loading, but I've always been able to keep everything pretty even keel. I did weight training and 20 minute high intensity interval training for cardio, and had 6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 (portion control), with relatively even ratios of fat, protein and carbs. I did this with help of a personal trainer. It was a lot of work. It's still a lot of work, which is why I'm back to working out with help. It does become a lifestyle if you stick with it, and I do like the results. It's also good for my state of mind.
ReplyDeleteHow are you keeping track of your food? With a program or just writing it down? You might want to check something like Fitday.com or The Daily Plate, or another on line nutritional tracking site. Not only is caloric intake part of the deal, but so are macronutrients.
The hard part is finding what works for YOU. You already lead a very active lifestyle, so it's a matter of fine tuning everything. Would you ever consider seeing a nutritionist? Just a thought.
Great post. It looks like you've opened the door for some great discussions!
As you know I have no answer to your question, but I did want to say that you rock! And if you figure it out let me know.
ReplyDeleteSo far (all of 2 weeks, so I ma no expert) WW has been good and filling up on boring-ass salad (the kind where you think maybe, just maybe you tasted a 'hint' of dressing, but you aren't sure) before I eat lunch or dinner has been helping with the portions.
On another note, I find the fact that you CAN run in running shorts totally awesome! Mine would be swallowed by my thighs and I would end up looking like I have a diaper on.
The only way I can lose weight is my counting calories -- I try to "net" 1600 calories, which means that I eat 1600 calories/ day PLUS whatever I burn running/ biking/ swimming.
ReplyDeleteIt's SO hard for me to lose while training though... I'm so freaking hungry ALL OF THE TIME ...
Water water water. The body often sends hungry signals when it's really thirsty instead. Good luck with you quest. it's not easy. :o)
ReplyDeleteIf only there was a magic pill that could take the weight away - I'm good at maintaining, I just want the excess to go so I can maintain a lower weight - is that too much to ask???????
ReplyDeleteWhat I try to do at least once a year--usually Jan./Feb. is go on a total detox/decrease diet: no sugar, no alcohol, low carbs, basically nothing that I like to really indulge on, for 2-4 weeks and that sets me up for the year. Its a slow time of the year anyway so it works. And of course, a beach vacation helps motivate me.
ReplyDeleteSmall frequent meals and drinking a lot of water work best for me. Oh, and at least one snack a day is a small number of almonds. The combination of protein and healthy fat seems to keep the "snackies" away for me.
ReplyDeleteNow if I could just limit meals out on the weekend and drink a few less beers, I could stop the lose and regain cycle I have going on here.
MCM Mama
For me it's not a matter of suppressing my appetite. It's changing one thing at a time - at the moment I'm NOT eating 1/2 pack of rice crackers after work each day. Once I've broken that (I eat a bowl of steamed veggies with chilli sauce instead) I'll work on something else (probably portion sizes, sigh).
ReplyDeleteWeight Watcher recipes - teaches me how to cook healthier versions of the stuff we love and portion control - since I have a hard time with correct portions!
ReplyDeleteOk, well I lost weight the first time by using the South Beach Diet. Now this isn't really that do-able with all the mileage I log, because I need the carbs. I say adding snacks throughout the day is the way to go. So long as you pick healthy snacks. It is so tough maintaining weight when you are hungry from working out. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI have this problem too. Probably why I'm still hanging on to a few pounds I'd like to drop. Training makes me hungry so I eat more and still haven't figured a good way to make it all work.
ReplyDeleteMy issue is calories in, too.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have been able to lose weight, I've done it by cutting out small things, like the handfuls of jelly beans I regularly.
hm glandular fever that was a nice suggestion.
ReplyDeletei have to say that i lost 30lbs...by making small changes consistently. that worked best for me.. I didn't try to overhaul everything at once... then I started focusing on what I wanted to eat (i.e. 2 servings of fruit 4 veggies) rather than what not to .. that change in my thought pattern helped a lot.
I've been eating lately becuase i'm pissed about my injury...doh but now I'm working back and it's with a focus on enjoying healthy foods rather than avoiding other things
i heart food, and rarely stray from food that i want. i gained about 5 lbs when training for my marathon and afterwards started drinking a fruit smoothie with oatmeal, organic frozen fruit, a banana and protein powder and i swear those 5 lbs flew off! everyon is different.
ReplyDeletealso when i'm trying to watch my weight i don't eat carbs at night, i do at lunch, just not at dinner, that seems to help my mid-section quite a bit. but i don't like cutting out entire food groups! so that's my solution! :)
Sorry, I don't have much advice as I'm not someone who really loves eating. But I read an article in a local tri publication last year that said a high carb diet, rather than just excess calories alone, often causes unwanted weight gain amongst marathoners and endurance athletes because it promoted a nutritional deficiency and a chemical imbalances in the brain. Maybe talking to a nutritionist might help?
ReplyDeleteLogging what you eat (writing or computer) isn't a trick.
ReplyDeleteSeeing in black and white what you have already eaten can be the beginning of getting real about that appetite thing.
Most of America is overweight: You aren't alone! Best wishes.
PS
ReplyDeleteWeight Watchers works if you do the program. We 3 lost a total of more than a hundred pounds.
You can do it!!!