Am I really unfit??
Replies
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My distance won't be an issue for a while yet but I know that once I start training properly for a marathon the lifting will take a back seat and I'll just do enough to try keep what little muscle I've built.
I don't know if I'm doing enough generally, my steps during the week are around 12,000 including the runs, weekends are about 4-5000 including the runs. I'm on my feet at work 24 hours a week but gym, work and purposeful exercise aside I don't do a lot. I sort the kids, the house, we might go for a walk but it's not every weekend.
I've just set my calories to 1600 to try see a small loss, my TDEE is approx 1900.0 -
My distance won't be an issue for a while yet but I know that once I start training properly for a marathon the lifting will take a back seat and I'll just do enough to try keep what little muscle I've built.
I don't know if I'm doing enough generally, my steps during the week are around 12,000 including the runs, weekends are about 4-5000 including the runs. I'm on my feet at work 24 hours a week but gym, work and purposeful exercise aside I don't do a lot. I sort the kids, the house, we might go for a walk but it's not every weekend.
I've just set my calories to 1600 to try see a small loss, my TDEE is approx 1900.
You're probably tuned into this already, but with a deficit that small (which is appropriate!), it's essential to be on point with logging accuracy/completeness, and even if fat loss is proceeding apace, there can be periods of a few weeks where water weight/digestive contents weirdness will play peek-a-boo with fat loss on the scale, and may make it appear as if you're not losing when you actually are.
I went through a long period of re-losing a few pounds that had crept up over my first 4-years-ish of maintenance, didn't have the enthusiasm for a big deficit, so went really slowly. At one stage, there was a month or perhaps a bit more where even my weight trending app thought I was maintaining or even gaining, when I was pretty sure I was losing slowly. Sure enough, some weeks out, the expected loss showed up semi-suddenly. Bodies are weird.
(Yes, I know why, in my case: I'd resumed progressive strength training after a hiatus. I pretty much always add a couple of pounds of water weight when I re-start lifting, and hang onto it until I stop lifting regularly again. If fat loss is half a pound a week, and water weight jumps up by a couple of pounds, you can see how the scale would mislead for a while.)
It's a good plan you have, so don't let any pseudo-plateaus knock your confidence, if you're sure you're on track. Give it time to play out.1 -
My scales this morning tell me I've jumped up from 51.9 a week and a half ago to 53.1! I've been logging everything correctly as far as I can tell apart from last Friday when I had to guess. I logged my breakfast as normal but lunch ended up being a wrap and then dinner was a starter and a main. I came in at just over 5600, 4500 was for the wrap and the dinner, the rest was wine and my usual breakfast which is less than 500 calories.
Apparently I'm exercising too much but not moving enough but I genuinely don't know how to improve that. I can't walk anymore than I already am doing because I'm either at the gym, at work (walking) looking after the kids or having a well earned sit down.0 -
1kg is nothing, really. Just a certain point in your menstrual cycle can make you retain more than 1kg in water, depending. A new exercise, a bit more salt, a bit more carbs relative to other macros will all do that. This most certainly is just water, and it's normal. Unless you've eat 1000 calories over your maintenance calories every single day there's just no way this is bodyfat. I know it's not easy, but water fluctuations are normal. You could weight yourself every morning under the same conditions (naked, after loo) and you'll see that the weight will be higher on some days, and lower on others. Or just once a week and be on a very, very slow downward trend for 6 days, and then something happens and the flood comes, and on scale day you're heavier.0
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1kg is nothing, really. Just a certain point in your menstrual cycle can make you retain more than 1kg in water, depending. A new exercise, a bit more salt, a bit more carbs relative to other macros will all do that. This most certainly is just water, and it's normal. Unless you've eat 1000 calories over your maintenance calories every single day there's just no way this is bodyfat. I know it's not easy, but water fluctuations are normal. You could weight yourself every morning under the same conditions (naked, after loo) and you'll see that the weight will be higher on some days, and lower on others. Or just once a week and be on a very, very slow downward trend for 6 days, and then something happens and the flood comes, and on scale day you're heavier.
Definitely not unless I've seriously underlogged my dinner out which I don't think I have. I'm about 2000 calories over maintenance last week so that would mean I've eaten but not logged a good 5000 over a week which I absolutely haven't. Hope I will see a drop soon enough. People have told me I look smaller than I did at the beginning of the year so it's definitely noticeable what I have lost.1 -
No worries. It will happen. For menstrual cycle retention I'm usually experiencing 2 days past the point (for me, flood comes with menstruation and the water is gone 2 days after it's over, but for others at other points). The worst is water retention from flights. Go on a 2 week summer vacation, pack hiking pants that fit perfectly. After the flight they don't fit for a whole bloody week - and then there's the annoying night where I have to go to the loo several times, and then they fit. Same for return flight of course, but it's less annoying as I prefer home office suitable 'pants'
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Not a particularly helpful response but I absolutely feel this. I'm a fitness instructor, super fit in many ways, but one thing I am NOT is a long distance runner 🤣 give me 100m sprint any day of the week, i'm good at that! But anything long distance is like torture for me. Lots of interesting tips on here so maybe I'll give them a try sometime, although to be honest (much unlike you) I really haven't got the desire to make it a regular hobby 😂😂.0
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Not a particularly helpful response but I absolutely feel this. I'm a fitness instructor, super fit in many ways, but one thing I am NOT is a long distance runner 🤣 give me 100m sprint any day of the week, i'm good at that! But anything long distance is like torture for me. Lots of interesting tips on here so maybe I'll give them a try sometime, although to be honest (much unlike you) I really haven't got the desire to make it a regular hobby 😂😂.
I was also a sprinter vs long distance in school but I feel like this is achievable for me if I put my mind to it. It's hard work and it sucks but there is a huge sense of achievement when I've ticked off my run.0 -
I tried Couch to 5K and failed because I couldn't breathe. I really was that unfit. So I took long (2+ hours) brisk walks for a few weeks. This helped get my muscles started and helped with my breathing. As of my next run, I'll be in week 6 and breathing isn't my problem. Sore calves are, but they'll get used to it.1
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My scales this morning tell me I've jumped up from 51.9 a week and a half ago to 53.1! I've been logging everything correctly as far as I can tell apart from last Friday when I had to guess. I logged my breakfast as normal but lunch ended up being a wrap and then dinner was a starter and a main. I came in at just over 5600, 4500 was for the wrap and the dinner, the rest was wine and my usual breakfast which is less than 500 calories.
Apparently I'm exercising too much but not moving enough but I genuinely don't know how to improve that. I can't walk anymore than I already am doing because I'm either at the gym, at work (walking) looking after the kids or having a well earned sit down.
First: I agree with others that the "gain" is certainly water weight and/or digestive contents on their way to becoming waste, not fat regain. Just stay on course, I'm betting it drops off soon.
In case you haven't seen it, this is good, especially the article linked in the first post, so be sure to read that:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683010/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-fluctuations/p1
That said, there's also a whole thread where various MFP-ers share ideas for increasing daily life movement, some of which don't require extra time in one's day. Maybe file this one for future reference, since you're already going great guns on your running:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1
. . . because overdoing/overtraining is also a thing, and increasing all-source challenges (a.k.a. stressors) gradually is a good plan.
Best wishes!
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My scales this morning tell me I've jumped up from 51.9 a week and a half ago to 53.1! I've been logging everything correctly as far as I can tell apart from last Friday when I had to guess. I logged my breakfast as normal but lunch ended up being a wrap and then dinner was a starter and a main. I came in at just over 5600, 4500 was for the wrap and the dinner, the rest was wine and my usual breakfast which is less than 500 calories.
Apparently I'm exercising too much but not moving enough but I genuinely don't know how to improve that. I can't walk anymore than I already am doing because I'm either at the gym, at work (walking) looking after the kids or having a well earned sit down.
First: I agree with others that the "gain" is certainly water weight and/or digestive contents on their way to becoming waste, not fat regain. Just stay on course, I'm betting it drops off soon.
In case you haven't seen it, this is good, especially the article linked in the first post, so be sure to read that:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683010/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-fluctuations/p1
That said, there's also a whole thread where various MFP-ers share ideas for increasing daily life movement, some of which don't require extra time in one's day. Maybe file this one for future reference, since you're already going great guns on your running:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1
. . . because overdoing/overtraining is also a thing, and increasing all-source challenges (a.k.a. stressors) gradually is a good plan.
Best wishes!
I've looked at the ways of increasing neat and a lot of it I already do. When I'm driving to work/school I park far away because I don't have a choice of parking closer, I can't park any further away because it's already tight getting to work on time.
Today I finished work, walked a small distance to the car, drove to school, parked and walked a bit further to the actual school. Got home, had a sit down and since then I've been doing jobs. Right now I'm waiting for the microwave so I'm pacing the kitchen on my phone.
I'll do a few more jobs then it's relax time which I absolutely need. No exercise today because I've injured my knee but I'm at the gym tomorrow then taking the kids swimming. Sunday I need to clean the car and then catch up on more house jobs like cleaning, washing, ironing.
I already feel guilty every time I sit down and I really don't want to make that worse and end up constantly moving, I already struggle to switch off so need to take time out to relax.1 -
My scales this morning tell me I've jumped up from 51.9 a week and a half ago to 53.1! I've been logging everything correctly as far as I can tell apart from last Friday when I had to guess. I logged my breakfast as normal but lunch ended up being a wrap and then dinner was a starter and a main. I came in at just over 5600, 4500 was for the wrap and the dinner, the rest was wine and my usual breakfast which is less than 500 calories.
Apparently I'm exercising too much but not moving enough but I genuinely don't know how to improve that. I can't walk anymore than I already am doing because I'm either at the gym, at work (walking) looking after the kids or having a well earned sit down.
First: I agree with others that the "gain" is certainly water weight and/or digestive contents on their way to becoming waste, not fat regain. Just stay on course, I'm betting it drops off soon.
In case you haven't seen it, this is good, especially the article linked in the first post, so be sure to read that:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683010/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-fluctuations/p1
That said, there's also a whole thread where various MFP-ers share ideas for increasing daily life movement, some of which don't require extra time in one's day. Maybe file this one for future reference, since you're already going great guns on your running:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1
. . . because overdoing/overtraining is also a thing, and increasing all-source challenges (a.k.a. stressors) gradually is a good plan.
Best wishes!
I've looked at the ways of increasing neat and a lot of it I already do. When I'm driving to work/school I park far away because I don't have a choice of parking closer, I can't park any further away because it's already tight getting to work on time.
Today I finished work, walked a small distance to the car, drove to school, parked and walked a bit further to the actual school. Got home, had a sit down and since then I've been doing jobs. Right now I'm waiting for the microwave so I'm pacing the kitchen on my phone.
I'll do a few more jobs then it's relax time which I absolutely need. No exercise today because I've injured my knee but I'm at the gym tomorrow then taking the kids swimming. Sunday I need to clean the car and then catch up on more house jobs like cleaning, washing, ironing.
I already feel guilty every time I sit down and I really don't want to make that worse and end up constantly moving, I already struggle to switch off so need to take time out to relax.
Yup: Recovery - physical, mental, emotional - is also an essential part of the process. No need to feel guilty about that!
P.S. I'm not trying to pressure you in my PP. Not knowing where you are in all of these terms, I'm just sharing information I found helpful along the way. You're doing fine!0 -
I am doing well considering a lot of people don't even do half of the exercise I do. According to my Google fit my heart points are 5 times what the weekly recommended is even without doing 10,000 steps at the weekend. Not half bad! I also tried a bikini on today which fit and I even took a photo for my progress which I would never do previously. I am always so hard on myself because I'm not perfect, I have wobbly bits, a c section stomach but actually I'm in pretty good shape and I should be proud of that without tearing myself down.3
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I am doing well considering a lot of people don't even do half of the exercise I do. According to my Google fit my heart points are 5 times what the weekly recommended is even without doing 10,000 steps at the weekend. Not half bad! I also tried a bikini on today which fit and I even took a photo for my progress which I would never do previously. I am always so hard on myself because I'm not perfect, I have wobbly bits, a c section stomach but actually I'm in pretty good shape and I should be proud of that without tearing myself down.
1000% - seriously.0 -
I did a 20 minute run yesterday which I was very proud of myself for. A friend wants me to do a 10K race in October so it would be nice to be able to do that. Maybe a half marathon next year too.
I am going to struggle to fit everything in though, it's proving tough doing 3 running days and 3 weight training days as well as having small kids and a job.
The kids are too young to be left alone and I'm at work 4/5 days they are at school so I'm relying on my husband to be at home but he also needs time to get his stuff done. Don't really know what the solution is other than dropping something/doing one run after a weight session so I can drop one evening.
Maybe I have too many goals, run far, lift heavy, lose weight, build muscle 🤔
When I was a little older than you, 41-42, I took on running to supplement my riding. I had two young kids and a goal, to run a half with my cousins. My husband was also an endurance athlete, but we found only one of us could seriously train at any given time. We used to trade off training years. I would start my training during his taper for his favorite spring race and take the next year to try and PR in running/riding events.
He still exercised when it was my year, but when time was tight, my workouts would take priority. We would often pass the kids off at the Y, me finishing my workout, him starting his. Like you I was fit for other activities, but was crap at running. I started too fast, but was still embarrassed at how slowly I was going. I mean my friends were super stars, and here I was huffing and puffing. I just couldn't get my breathing rhythm to settle in. Hubby would tell me to SLLLOOOOOOWWWW down, my heart rate was too high and my breathing too labored. I was running my long runs as if I had something to prove not like I was easing through life. It took some time, and my breathing never totally settled, but it got manageable. My first public race was the local 2 mile race, and it wasn't exactly fast, but I did it and NOBODY laughed at my speed. They were just happy I was out there participating. That gave me a little more confidence and the ability to slow down without feeling judged.
I ran my first half about 6 months after I started running, and met my secret goal of beating my male cousin. Still wasn't fast, but I got it done. Over the next 6 months I continued to work adding in speed drills. I am innately competitive, especially with myself. Long slooow runs, short tempo runs and a weekly track session. Because riding was still my primary sport, I would often do brick workouts, ride then run or ride then lift. Weekends I raced either running or biking. It worked. By the end of my training year, my 5k, 10k & half all made me proud. Next year I stuck to riding and 5ks while hubby trained to run Boston as he did every other year.
The kids still got to all of their events, we even had dinner at home once or twice a week as a family. It was a nice balance, with the exception of the one time we both thought the other was picking our daughter up from the Y child care (I was teaching spin, he came in to lift). We both left without her. Oops! I only tell you this because even when we seemed to have it all together, there were hiccups. Nothing permanently scarring, just a funny story she tells from time to time about how my friend Greg picked her up and took her for a cinnamon roll.
You can do this, and leave time for family. It might mean combining activities or finding time where you can. When my daughter was at gymnastics, I'd get my short runs in. When I made dinner, hubby did his. Laundry was always an issue, but we never totally ran out of underwear.
Good Luck!1 -
I just wanted to update and say that I just ran my first 5K in 35 minutes. I wasn't sure how long 5K would take me but I knew from the other day that 30 minutes wasn't quite long enough. I stopped running at 35 minutes having no idea how far I had got until I got home and looked at my data.
What a difference a few weeks can make, I've gone from struggling with the short runs to finding the longer ones actually semi enjoyable.
Got my first 5K park run in a couple of weeks then a 10K in autumn. Next year maybe half a marathon.3
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