SaraRuns Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 The lack of sunlight could definitely be impacting you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted November 5, 2014 Moderators Share Posted November 5, 2014 I had an interesting conversation with a Buddhist acupuncturist last week in which he suggested that a certain level of sadness is normal. The idea that we should be happy all the time is what's out of whack. I know that's no real consolation, but I do think letting go of the mythical norm in its myriad manifestations is part of good health. I also use a goLITE sunshine simulator from September until June or so, and have since I moved away from the bright sunshine of Texas 20 years ago. So, I'll second the legitimacy of that theory as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 LadyM, thanks. I will check it out. Also I noticed that I still have some Vitamin D supplements in my cupboard that I was taking last winter. Maybe it's time to get those out again. Yesterday was rough. It wasn't cold but it was just dark and gray all day. It says you are in the 'Midwest' so I'm sure you were getting the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Now that we've hit November, I'm trying to be more consistent with taking my Vitamin D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Sara, do you find it helpful? I bought some last year and was really inconsistent with taking it. Planned marathon training last winter to keep me focused on something and help me get through winter. Not this year, though. I need something I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted November 6, 2014 Moderators Share Posted November 6, 2014 Definitely take your vitD. And omega-3. They're both cumulative (like the light) and part of my winter blues arsenal. It is worth getting your blood levels tested, actually. I did years ago and was surprised at just how big my dose needed to be to get my levels up to par. There are long term consequences for low levels of both. MS is linked to low vitD levels, for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'm still around but will just be using this space for occasional updates now.. Feel free to PM me anytime, anyone if you can't get my attention in a post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Hope all is okay! Miss your regular posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 Update, quickly. Things are going okay. Weight pretty much stayed the same during November. Refocusing in December. Thanksgiving was fine. Filled up on on the turkey, cabbage, plain potatoes, butternut squash, and Brussels sprouts. Had a small piece of pecan pie and a small piece of pumpkin pie. Didn't stuff myself. It was so liberating to be able to approach Thanksgiving like this. Makes me realize how far I've come in having a healthy relationship with food. Everyone in my family (14 of the 17 people who were with us on Thursday) came down with a 24-hour stomach virus. Not fun. I have increased my running a bit, but making sure I am running slowly. I am building my base back up to about 40 mpw and will probably keep it there until late spring when I start marathon training again. Mood has been up and down. The sunlight is almost nonexistent for the past week or so I've been taking some Vitamin D supplements to try to help. Could just have been a leftover reaction from Thanksgiving pie. I know that refined sugar really craps out my mood. Hope everyone is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Glad to hear about your positive experience with food at Thanksgiving. Sorry about the stomach flu! Keep up the running! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted December 4, 2014 Moderators Share Posted December 4, 2014 Congrats on recognizing how far you've come in your healthy relationship with food! And hey, keeping a stable weight this time of year IS a success. Please don't be down on yourself about that. Plateaus are normal in the larger scheme, and if you keep doing what you're doing, the number will start to decline again. I've started a supplement that has really helped my mood. Have you heard of 5-HTP? It's supposed to help stabilize blood sugar AND help with seratonin levels. It's made a big difference for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 Hey all. Sleep has been decent. Still haven't taken the Rx sleeping pills again. Melatonin a couple of times a week. And limiting caffeine to early morning. Running has been good. Just base-building right now. Ran a 10k race last weekend. It was my first 10k in over 2 years, so I crushed my previous PR by 19 minutes. Eating has been bad. Evening binges! Not good. And I pay for it in my gut and in my mood. Maybe it's time for a post-Christmas W30 on 12/26? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted December 15, 2014 Moderators Share Posted December 15, 2014 Congrats on the race! Great stuff. Knowing when it's time for a reset and following through on it is a win, too. Go for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Congrats on the race! I missed my 5-miler on Saturday, but I'm motivated for next year. A reset sounds like a great idea. Be kind to yourself during the holidays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Happy New Year, everyone! Just a quick update. Have been doing well. Christmas was no problem. Made a one-day offroading and didn't let it turn into a six-week downward spiral. Weight hasn't really been coming off quickly, but it is coming off, and I'm feeling better. I've cleaned up my eating and things are going well, so I decided not to do a reset. Sleep has been so-so. Some nights are better than others. Running is decent. Trying to stay at around 50 mpw over the winter, and filling out my 2015 race schedule. Dealing with a little bit of PF for now, but nothing too serious. Hope everyone is doing well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Yay for Christmas not being a problem! And great mileage, I'm happy to be eeking out 12-15 miles per week. Bad PF!!! Roll, roll, roll! I roll hard on a tennis ball, but have also heard a frozen golf ball after a run is supposed to be great. Glad you are doing well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thanks, Sara. My drug of choice for rolling is a frozen water bottle. Foot is improving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 So I've decided to get back into daily journaling. I think it was good for me and I felt like I made my best gains (losses) when I was posting here. No Whole30, but I will stay pretty close. Some things that are occasional for me: white rice, beans, corn (and popcorn). Still mostly avoiding: other grains, dairy, soy, peanuts, sugar, and sweeteners. Also, I won't freak out too much about the small stuff like if sugar is the fifth ingredient in a seasoning I'm using, or if there is a little bit of soy in my tuna. Carbs are a little higher these days to support my training and to fight off cravings. When I tried to cut the carbs down too much during the day, Still focusing on getting my fat and protein, though. I got the knowledge that I wanted through W30, to the point where I feel like I can make smart decisions on my own. Current weight is about 168. Goal is to be at most 140. 135 might be a better racing weight; 130 is probably optimal. We will see when I get closer. M1: Hamburger, 1/2 avocado, Hash Browns cooked in CO M2: Tuna, Guacamole, Spinach, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Carrots, Apple M3: Turkey Chili, Olives, Grapefruit Movement: Short Treadmill run + body pump Caffeine: 2 cups of coffee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted January 14, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 14, 2015 Wow, Derek. You're aiming for quite a low weight. How have you come up with those goals? I'm curious because I'm not entirely sure what my goal weight should be or how to decide. I waffle between "I'll know it when I get there" and "Don't aim too low"/"You'll never think it's low enough." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I am with LadyM on the "You'll never think it is low enough", although I know where I am isn't exactly the right fit. I think you are right about W30 giving us the skills to make good decisions for ourselves. It will be nice to have you back in here more regularly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I'm impressed and envious that Christmas was no problem. That's my goal for next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 LadyM - I am only 5'-5", so the weights seem low. 150 would put me just at the high end of healthy BMI. I should aim lower than that, i think, because I am pretty young still and not overly muscular. The 130 comes from a rule of thumb that runners run their best when they weigh 2 pounds per inch of height (for men, anyway; not sure if that's true for women). Ballpark, I know, and I can adjust when I get there. Biggest test for me is the 'standing naked in front of the mirror' test. I think we all have pretty good judgement on what healthy body should look like. I have tried measuring my waist with a tape measure and measuring body fat with a caliper, but I'm not sure I'm doing either right so it's hard to go by those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted January 14, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 14, 2015 I don't know that I'll ever be happy with the reflection of my naked body in the mirror, but I guess I can try. I'm aiming for the high end of the healthy/ideal BMI range, too, and I'm about 10 pounds away right now. I figure I'll reassess then and try to discern what will be maintainable. Also, I like my curves, so I wouldn't want to get rid of them altogether, and distance running, I've learned the hard way, just ain't my thing. Thanks for your perspective. It's helped me better articulate mine. Cheers to both of us in manifesting bodies in which we're happy to move through the world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Jen - Christmas Eve was no problem because there was plenty of compliant stuff around (and noncompliant stuff too). Christmas Day I offroaded a lot, but got right back on it the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Next year I need to resist the urge to have any of my FWNB's around. Trail mix is crack for me. And I only had myself to blame as I bought it myself. Sigh. I'll do better next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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