Hit a Peak, Need Advice, Becoming Demoralized

Wisks

Hello everyone, I've come across a problem that I can't see to resolved so I thought I'd come to you good people for advice.

Since this past January, when I topped the scales at 296 I began to run again and eat better in order to become healthier. When I started to run again, I could only run maybe for five minutes before I had to stop which was depressing since I use to run in marathons and compete in Olympic triathlons just a couple years ago. Regardless I kept up the running and now I've lost approximately 50 pounds and I run 5-6 days a week between 5-7 miles a day.

I am very proud of my progress thus far but over the past month I've definitely seem to hit some sort of plateau. My weight loss has slowed to a crawl and whereas I would run a little farther and faster each week (I keep very detailed notes on my runs including miles, time, pace, time of day, hours slept, weather, etc...) I am not getting any faster and my endurance has eroded slightly with no difference in my training or eating. As you can imagine this has been extremely frustrating. In fact, lately it seems as though my running is more labored even at the same distances I was easily running just a month ago.

My thought is that I need to begin to run smarter, more strategically. Since I began running again I basically would race up my shoes, go outside and run as far and as long as I could. I am not doing any interval training, any weight lifting, core exercises, etc.... Is this a common occurance for people who have recently gotten back into running to face? How do I break through this invisible wall to run faster and farther and also begin to drop weight again? I'd like to continue to drop the pounds and get down to 200 but I've been struck around 250 for about a month and beginning to become demoralized. Mostly I am afraid of backsliding and gaining the weight and stop running completely.

I appreciate any advice or suggestions you might provide.

Aaron

nikkicarter13

I would add some cross training in there. I run a lot, but I also go to the gym and do classes (like boot camp and spinning). Also try weight training as well to help you break through the plateau. Sometimes just switching up your workout helps kick your body back into gear.

Getting back to the running thing. I like to mix up my running workouts. Throw in some sprints, do some hill workouts. The sprints have really helped me to increase my speed. I try doing at least one speed workout a week.

Good luck and keep with it!

JRMcCaghren

Sounds like your body needs a change. It's probably used to what you're doing. I would suggest walking with intervals of sprints mixed in. Also, everything I've seen about exercise shows that weight lifting is a key to weight loss, so you might throw that in a couple days a week as well. Best of luck, and congrats on your success so far!

foreverloved

Sounds like it could be a few things that are common.

1. Your body has just gotten used to the running you are doing because you haven't switched up your routine. You should really look into doing some HIIT training, that will increase your V02 max and help your endurance for running, and you really should do some strength training if you want to keep losing weight because if you don't use your muscle you will LOSE it while you are losing all that fat as well.

2. Is it possible you aren't feeding yourself enough? Would explain the decreased performance and metabolism. Lowfat Chocolate milk is one of the best things you can have after a run. If you don't have a HRM get one and eat back a good percentage of the cals it says you burn!

Wisks

Nikki, thanks for the advice. I would like to try some interval or speed workouts to pepper into my routine. Do you have any specific workouts which have worked for you?

nikkicarter13

Nikki, thanks for the advice. I would like to try some interval or speed workouts to pepper into my routine. Do you have any specific workouts which have worked for you?

Sprints have worked best for me in bringing my pace down. I usually do speed work on the treadmill since its easy to keep track of speed/time/distance. I like going for about 1 minute per mile faster than my mile time...I do that for 0.25 miles then I walk at 4.0 for 0.1 miles. I usually repeat anywhere from 5-10 times.

I also like running hills, which is pretty easy for me to do when I run outside since I live in a hilly area. But I also will do this on the treadmill, just knock up the incline and maintain a speed.

I do cross train a lot as well, that I like just to keep me from doing the same old running routines all the time. I find that if I run too much I end up getting bored with it. So I like the variety.

Wisks

Thank you everyone for their words of advice and encouragement. They must have helped because I went out this morning and did 8.5 miles, even though it was at a leisurely 6/mph pace, which was the furthest I've ran since I took up running again in January.