A Long Introduction with Questions
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wwhite72082
Posts: 36 Member
Hi,
My name is Walt and I’ve been an MFP user, off and on, for a couple of years. It all started ~2 years ago as a New Years Resolution. My wife and I had a beautiful baby girl and I didn’t want to be a fat Dad. I wanted to be able to run and play with my daughter as she grew up.
I made the decision to start eating better and downloaded MFP on my phone. Over roughly 6 months I lost about 40 pounds and was feeling great. I watched what I ate and got in exercise whenever I could (either an early morning walk on the weekends or in the evening while pushing a stroller).
All of my hard work fell apart when I went away for a few days to cover a cigar event (I am a cigar enthusiast and co-founder of a cigar website). A few days of calorie dense food and all the free beer I could drink absolutely destroyed my MFP diary.
I thought I could come home and pick up where I left off. No problem, right? It was easier said than done and I spent less and less time tracking my intake. Before long, I wasn’t tracking it at all and stopped going out for long walks.
As time went on, I periodically stepped onto the scale and made excuses. ‘Eh, I’m up 10 pounds but I’m still down 30, overall’. 10 turned to 20. 20 turned 30. And so on and so forth. After about two years I was a couple of pounds over my old starting weight.
Opening My Eyes:
My daughter is a very active toddler and loves to run and play. My eye opening moment came while we were running around the house. Before I knew it, I was out of breath and telling her ‘daddy needs a break’. My daughter had the saddest look on her face and said ‘but daddy, I want to play with you’. I knew right then and there that something had to change.
To add insult to injury, I got a really good look at myself, the following day, and didn’t like what I saw. A few weekends out of the month I shoot competitive pistol. In an effort to better my performance, I record myself shooting. Generally I use a POV camera and have a friend follow me through the stages with a second camera. This particular weekend I went to a multi-camera setup and placed 2 cameras down range. I got a multi-angle view of myself running around and was mortified. I started my lifestyle change the very next day and have been logging ever since (Just saw the 30 day notice on MFP a few of days ago).
Putting in the Work:
Unlike the last time I decided to make a change, this time I wanted to be more active. Instead of walking 5-6 miles a couple of times per week, I wanted to start jogging. I wasted no time and went to a local paved trail to get started.
I couldn’t have gone more than a quarter mile before I was panting and sweating all over the place. I refused to give up and pushed on. I jogged as far as I could then walked until I could jog again, rinse and repeat. I went a little over a mile then turned around and did it all over again. By the time I got back to my car I was a sweaty mess and my legs ached. Every step I took sent a spark of pain down my shin and up my calf.
I thought that, given enough time, I could push through the pain. I hit the trail again the very next morning and the jog was agonizing. I kept telling myself that the beginning would be the hardest part, I just had to keep going. I finished my run and started staggering my runs after that. I ran every other day for a couple of weeks, icing and stretching whenever I could, before the pain reached its crescendo during a run. I refused to stop, hobbled through the rest of my route, and sat in my car until I felt like I could move my legs enough to drive home.
By this point I was able to cover a half mile before I needed to do any walking. It wasn’t a huge accomplishment but I was proud of it. I decided to take a week off and give my legs a much needed rest. Throughout that week I stretched and iced my legs, feeling better and better each day.
The following week I hit the trail, after some stretching, and started to run. I came to the half-mile point and kept going. Things got rough at the three-quarter mile mark but I pressed on. I passed the one-mile mark and struggled to reach my turnaround point at 1.11 miles. I made it and I couldn’t have been more surprised or proud.
When I turned around and started walking, I developed a dull ache in my right calf. I decided not to push it and walked most of the route back. Two days later I repeated my accomplishment and developed the same dull ache in my calf when I stopped running.
For the past two weeks I’ve been doing the same routine. Run for 1.11 miles then turn around and walk until I feel like I can run some more. Today the dull ache came back before I stopped running but I pushed on anyway (despite knowing better). My leg doesn’t ache anything like it did in the first couple of weeks but I’m feeling like the pain is holding me back again. I have the stamina to run more I’m just afraid to get to the point where I have to take another week off for the pain to subside.
Where I am Now:
As of this morning I am 15 pounds lighter than when I started. I saw the biggest decrease in weight the first week and immediately started seeing a change in my face (it looked thinner). The second week I saw another big decrease in weight and my pants were a tad looser. I saw little change the week I stopped running but it was a decrease nonetheless. I lost about 3 pounds last week and expect to see a 2 to 2.5 pound decrease at the end of this week. I think I’m about at the end of the big initial weight loss due to my lifestyle change and hope to see a 1.5 to 2 pound decrease each week, going forward.
My current routine is to run Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and/or Sunday (If I’m shooting on a day that I would otherwise be running, I may consider it a wash and not run - I’m typically walking around and on my feet for several hours that day).
On Monday I plan to begin strength training at a local gym (I lost my membership card and its been so long since I’ve been in that they can’t find me in the system - although they haven’t stopped billing me every month - I hope to have this straightened out by then). I’ll have to get creative with my schedule but I hope to get to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Enough Intro - Now for Questions:
Does anyone have suggestions on how to alleviate the ache I’m experiencing in my calf? One of the doctors in my family practice is a marathon runner, If I can’t straighten this out soon I’m going to make an appointment to see him. Right now stretching and icing helps but if I stretch my calf too much, the ache starts sooner. I’m thinking that the pain is from overuse and that if I strengthen the muscle, without beating it up too much, it will stop aching.
Right now I’m using the settings from MFP to determine my Calorie Goal and Macro settings. It has been going pretty well so far (I don’t feel hungry throughout the day) but I’m not sure if I should alter it when I start hitting the gym. Should I make adjustments to account for the added strength training and if so, when should I make the change?
My biggest hurdle with the gym is going to be making time on Wednesday (My wife goes to school in the evening and there isn’t enough time between when I’m done with work and when she has to leave for class). I’m considering picking up a Kettlebell to use at home when I can’t make it to the gym. I’ve watched a bunch of beginner videos but I’m still unsure where to begin. Would you recommend one program over another and at what weight should I start (I can’t find used Kettlebells locally and they are kind of pricey to wind up with something too light / heavy).
Thanks
-Walt
My name is Walt and I’ve been an MFP user, off and on, for a couple of years. It all started ~2 years ago as a New Years Resolution. My wife and I had a beautiful baby girl and I didn’t want to be a fat Dad. I wanted to be able to run and play with my daughter as she grew up.
I made the decision to start eating better and downloaded MFP on my phone. Over roughly 6 months I lost about 40 pounds and was feeling great. I watched what I ate and got in exercise whenever I could (either an early morning walk on the weekends or in the evening while pushing a stroller).
All of my hard work fell apart when I went away for a few days to cover a cigar event (I am a cigar enthusiast and co-founder of a cigar website). A few days of calorie dense food and all the free beer I could drink absolutely destroyed my MFP diary.
I thought I could come home and pick up where I left off. No problem, right? It was easier said than done and I spent less and less time tracking my intake. Before long, I wasn’t tracking it at all and stopped going out for long walks.
As time went on, I periodically stepped onto the scale and made excuses. ‘Eh, I’m up 10 pounds but I’m still down 30, overall’. 10 turned to 20. 20 turned 30. And so on and so forth. After about two years I was a couple of pounds over my old starting weight.
Opening My Eyes:
My daughter is a very active toddler and loves to run and play. My eye opening moment came while we were running around the house. Before I knew it, I was out of breath and telling her ‘daddy needs a break’. My daughter had the saddest look on her face and said ‘but daddy, I want to play with you’. I knew right then and there that something had to change.
To add insult to injury, I got a really good look at myself, the following day, and didn’t like what I saw. A few weekends out of the month I shoot competitive pistol. In an effort to better my performance, I record myself shooting. Generally I use a POV camera and have a friend follow me through the stages with a second camera. This particular weekend I went to a multi-camera setup and placed 2 cameras down range. I got a multi-angle view of myself running around and was mortified. I started my lifestyle change the very next day and have been logging ever since (Just saw the 30 day notice on MFP a few of days ago).
Putting in the Work:
Unlike the last time I decided to make a change, this time I wanted to be more active. Instead of walking 5-6 miles a couple of times per week, I wanted to start jogging. I wasted no time and went to a local paved trail to get started.
I couldn’t have gone more than a quarter mile before I was panting and sweating all over the place. I refused to give up and pushed on. I jogged as far as I could then walked until I could jog again, rinse and repeat. I went a little over a mile then turned around and did it all over again. By the time I got back to my car I was a sweaty mess and my legs ached. Every step I took sent a spark of pain down my shin and up my calf.
I thought that, given enough time, I could push through the pain. I hit the trail again the very next morning and the jog was agonizing. I kept telling myself that the beginning would be the hardest part, I just had to keep going. I finished my run and started staggering my runs after that. I ran every other day for a couple of weeks, icing and stretching whenever I could, before the pain reached its crescendo during a run. I refused to stop, hobbled through the rest of my route, and sat in my car until I felt like I could move my legs enough to drive home.
By this point I was able to cover a half mile before I needed to do any walking. It wasn’t a huge accomplishment but I was proud of it. I decided to take a week off and give my legs a much needed rest. Throughout that week I stretched and iced my legs, feeling better and better each day.
The following week I hit the trail, after some stretching, and started to run. I came to the half-mile point and kept going. Things got rough at the three-quarter mile mark but I pressed on. I passed the one-mile mark and struggled to reach my turnaround point at 1.11 miles. I made it and I couldn’t have been more surprised or proud.
When I turned around and started walking, I developed a dull ache in my right calf. I decided not to push it and walked most of the route back. Two days later I repeated my accomplishment and developed the same dull ache in my calf when I stopped running.
For the past two weeks I’ve been doing the same routine. Run for 1.11 miles then turn around and walk until I feel like I can run some more. Today the dull ache came back before I stopped running but I pushed on anyway (despite knowing better). My leg doesn’t ache anything like it did in the first couple of weeks but I’m feeling like the pain is holding me back again. I have the stamina to run more I’m just afraid to get to the point where I have to take another week off for the pain to subside.
Where I am Now:
As of this morning I am 15 pounds lighter than when I started. I saw the biggest decrease in weight the first week and immediately started seeing a change in my face (it looked thinner). The second week I saw another big decrease in weight and my pants were a tad looser. I saw little change the week I stopped running but it was a decrease nonetheless. I lost about 3 pounds last week and expect to see a 2 to 2.5 pound decrease at the end of this week. I think I’m about at the end of the big initial weight loss due to my lifestyle change and hope to see a 1.5 to 2 pound decrease each week, going forward.
My current routine is to run Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and/or Sunday (If I’m shooting on a day that I would otherwise be running, I may consider it a wash and not run - I’m typically walking around and on my feet for several hours that day).
On Monday I plan to begin strength training at a local gym (I lost my membership card and its been so long since I’ve been in that they can’t find me in the system - although they haven’t stopped billing me every month - I hope to have this straightened out by then). I’ll have to get creative with my schedule but I hope to get to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Enough Intro - Now for Questions:
Does anyone have suggestions on how to alleviate the ache I’m experiencing in my calf? One of the doctors in my family practice is a marathon runner, If I can’t straighten this out soon I’m going to make an appointment to see him. Right now stretching and icing helps but if I stretch my calf too much, the ache starts sooner. I’m thinking that the pain is from overuse and that if I strengthen the muscle, without beating it up too much, it will stop aching.
Right now I’m using the settings from MFP to determine my Calorie Goal and Macro settings. It has been going pretty well so far (I don’t feel hungry throughout the day) but I’m not sure if I should alter it when I start hitting the gym. Should I make adjustments to account for the added strength training and if so, when should I make the change?
My biggest hurdle with the gym is going to be making time on Wednesday (My wife goes to school in the evening and there isn’t enough time between when I’m done with work and when she has to leave for class). I’m considering picking up a Kettlebell to use at home when I can’t make it to the gym. I’ve watched a bunch of beginner videos but I’m still unsure where to begin. Would you recommend one program over another and at what weight should I start (I can’t find used Kettlebells locally and they are kind of pricey to wind up with something too light / heavy).
Thanks
-Walt
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Replies
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Does your gym have child care? You get a little more flexibility time-wise if you can take your daughter with you.
Welcome back
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Look for the group Eat Train Progress. They are very knowledgeable and would be able to answer your calorie questions.
Congrats on making the change for yourself and your family!0 -
First I want to say congrats on getting started and for the success you've already achieved.
I'm not an expert but I as far as the running goes, I think you did too much too soon. Maybe work your way up with a program like C25K (Couch to 5K). Also, If you are planning on going to the gym already, look into Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are excellent beginner programs.
The "Eat, Train, Progress" group here on MFP would likely be very beneficial to you:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
Good luck to you.0 -
I'm not a doctor, NOR a marathon runner, but my guess is that you're going to need a lot more protein than you are currently taking in. That, a few other nutrients. Definitely go to the Eat, Train, Progress group for help!
Good luck!0 -
Coming from someone who has ran a marathon before, and started right where you started (not being able to run 1/4 mile without feeling like you're dying) it sounds to me that you definitely need to let your leg rest. Do keep on with the stretching, icing. And keep jogging some, but maybe slow your pace down some. I definitely started running at a pace much faster than I could keep up at for a long distance. And my knees killed for a while until my body got used to it. You may also try a knee brace when you are not exercising. It will get better with time. Theres a fine line between pushing hard, and going too far. But you can do it! If you can run a mile, you can run a marathon!
Feel free to add me0 -
1. Do you have good running shoes that have been properly fitted? If not, you might want to go to a running store and have your gait analyzed.
2. Try doing toe and heel raises on non-running days to strengthen your lower legs. Stretch before and after, push it till you feel it, but it shouldn't be painful.
3. Don't increase your running time or distance by too much each week. Couch to 5k is a great program.0 -
There is something called sports tape. Here is one example on how it works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By5ztNxwgYY 0 -
Congratulations on deciding to change your life! great job so far; you should be proud. Your daughter and wife are both lucky ladies to have a dedicated man in their life
The best advice I can give you from my own experiences- eat back exercise calories if you are using MFP's setting for calories.
In regards to kettlebell, see if you can take a class at the gym BEFORE starting a routine at home. Kettlebell is EXTREMELY effective if done right. Form is beyond crucial, though, so without proper training, you could end up with an injury. If you do this, they should have various weights available for you to try out, as well.
Best of luck to you and feel free to friend me 0 -
I would check with the doctor about the leg pain. I just today completed the couch to 5K program. Everything I have ever heard from everyone says to go get fitted for running shoes and it will eliminate a multitude of pains. We don't have a running store here but if you do, please give it a try. Being fitted for the correct shoe for your gait will help you tremendously.
Congrats on wanting to be a fit and active dad. Our children learn by example and there will come a time when she will want to run with you!0 -
Does your gym have child care? You get a little more flexibility time-wise if you can take your daughter with you.
Welcome back
I was on the fence about joining a gym with a children's area but decided against it due to cost. I'm the typical over-protective first time dad and would have probably struggled with the idea of my daughter being left in a strangers care (even if it was for an hour while I worked out).Look for the group Eat Train Progress. They are very knowledgeable and would be able to answer your calorie questions.
Congrats on making the change for yourself and your family!
Thanks, I joined the group and look forward to joining in.First I want to say congrats on getting started and for the success you've already achieved.
I'm not an expert but I as far as the running goes, I think you did too much too soon. Maybe work your way up with a program like C25K (Couch to 5K). Also, If you are planning on going to the gym already, look into Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are excellent beginner programs.
The "Eat, Train, Progress" group here on MFP would likely be very beneficial to you:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
Good luck to you.
I was actually looking at doing C25K but decided against it. Nothing against the program, my wife's best friend had a lot of success with it, I just had that 'how hard could this be' macho moment and started running with no real plan.
The trail that I run on is about 3 miles long, so it might work out really well if I tried picking up the program somewhere (right now I'm running a 10 minute mile).I'm not a doctor, NOR a marathon runner, but my guess is that you're going to need a lot more protein than you are currently taking in. That, a few other nutrients. Definitely go to the Eat, Train, Progress group for help!
Good luck!
I was thinking along those lines, that my protein intake would need to be increased when I added in weight training. I'll have to do some reading to find out how I should adjust my macros and when.Coming from someone who has ran a marathon before, and started right where you started (not being able to run 1/4 mile without feeling like you're dying) it sounds to me that you definitely need to let your leg rest. Do keep on with the stretching, icing. And keep jogging some, but maybe slow your pace down some. I definitely started running at a pace much faster than I could keep up at for a long distance. And my knees killed for a while until my body got used to it. You may also try a knee brace when you are not exercising. It will get better with time. Theres a fine line between pushing hard, and going too far. But you can do it! If you can run a mile, you can run a marathon!
Feel free to add me
There are most certainly times when my pace creeps up higher than it should, then I have to slow down to try and balance it out. Otherwise I'm spent and gasping for air. Its an interesting balancing act. Too slow and my legs tire quickly, too fast and I'm out of breath.1. Do you have good running shoes that have been properly fitted? If not, you might want to go to a running store and have your gait analyzed.
2. Try doing toe and heel raises on non-running days to strengthen your lower legs. Stretch before and after, push it till you feel it, but it shouldn't be painful.
3. Don't increase your running time or distance by too much each week. Couch to 5k is a great program.
When I started running, I was using an old pair of sneakers. My feet hurt so I started looking at running shoes. I didn't want to go to one of the local stores (Super-Shoes, Foot Locker, etc) because I didn't expect great service and I didn't want to get sold on a pair of shoes just because they were expensive. I would up doing a little research and ordered a pair of Brooks. They've made a huge difference and my feet don't hurt at all.
I typically stretch before running but not after (just a cool down). I'll give that a try as well as the toe and heel raises
My plan was to increase distance next week (I don't want to cover the ~2 miles that I currently run, too quickly - I have a target of 30 minutes) but now that the leg pain is back, I'll probably hold off on that for another week or two then reevaluate.There is something called sports tape. Here is one example on how it works.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By5ztNxwgYY
Thanks for the link
Congratulations on deciding to change your life! great job so far; you should be proud. Your daughter and wife are both lucky ladies to have a dedicated man in their life
The best advice I can give you from my own experiences- eat back exercise calories if you are using MFP's setting for calories.
In regards to kettlebell, see if you can take a class at the gym BEFORE starting a routine at home. Kettlebell is EXTREMELY effective if done right. Form is beyond crucial, though, so without proper training, you could end up with an injury. If you do this, they should have various weights available for you to try out, as well.
Best of luck to you and feel free to friend me
At this time I'm not eating back exercise calories. With changing my activity level, I'll have to start.
Unfortunately, cost was a major issue when selecting a gym Where I'll be going (Planet Fitness), my options are limited. I'd have to check but I'm not sure that they have Kettlebells and if they do, I'm not sure what they offer in the way of training. I may have to look elsewhere for that. I have an aqaintence that is a personal trainer but I don't know what his experience is when it comes to kettlebells (he does a lot of aerobics, I believe, but it wouldn't hurt to ask)I would check with the doctor about the leg pain. I just today completed the couch to 5K program. Everything I have ever heard from everyone says to go get fitted for running shoes and it will eliminate a multitude of pains. We don't have a running store here but if you do, please give it a try. Being fitted for the correct shoe for your gait will help you tremendously.
Congrats on wanting to be a fit and active dad. Our children learn by example and there will come a time when she will want to run with you!
Thanks, she loves to run and play so I wouldn't be at all surprised if she wanted to go running with me when she gets a bit older.0 -
Gyms with child care are expensive, try the ymca which is also expensive, but as a non profit you practically anyone can get a scholarship to have cost each month reduced0
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Yesterday was my first gym experience in quite a while. I was planning on being there for 45-ish minutes but wound up walking out the door about 90 minutes after I arrived. While the place was busy, there wasn't much wait time for machines and I was able to bounce around.
I didn't really have a plan so I just went from one machine to the next. Once I felt like I got a solid workout, I finished off the trip with 30 minutes on an elliptical. I was shocked at how much easier it was compared to what I've been doing on a local trail. While it won't be puling me away from the trail anytime soon, I think I'm going to stick with 30 minutes of cardio at the end of a workout.
I woke up pretty sore this morning but I like it (makes me feel like I've accomplished something). I can't help but feel sort of like a T-Rex. My arms are so sore that it is a great effort just to scratch my nose. I'm hoping that most of the soreness will be gone by Wednesday so that I can do it all over again.0 -
Good job0
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Muscle cramps and aches can also be caused by an electrolyte imbalance. A proper combination of potassium, sodium and hydration can reduce those conditions.
You've started with some excellent momentum! Don't give it up!0
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