Gazelles On Crack Rotating Header Image

weight loss

Me & my magic metabolism

Nov 15th, 2010
by gazelle.
1 comment

(It really makes me happy when I can have a relevant, alliterative post title.) (Also, this post is long, probably boring, and beset with parentheticals.)

So – Friday, I went to see my naturopath. This was my second visit with her. My first visit was due to an extremely cheap groupon that also involved a massage. (Also, best massage ever – totally fixed my back problem I’d been having for TWO MONTHS!)

So – we talked about weight. Specifically a) my distaste at having put on 15 lbs in the last year, b) my inability to shed said poundage, and c) my fear that I would gain 15 more pounds in the six weeks I was booted.

In my visit, she measured my lean body mass vs fat and my basal metabolic rate (~1600 on 10/1). She gave me a diet to follow. Which I followed for one day, and then had surgery, and just ate whatever people brought me, because I have no room to be picky when I can’t walk.

Fast forward six weeks. Appointment #2 (11/12). I have lost 1.5 pounds since 10/1. Which, honestly, win. Seriously. I haven’t exercised since 10/3 – I would’ve been happy with no loss.

So – we did the same measurements as before. My basal metabolic rate is now ~1720. I didn’t write down my lean mass & fat information, but my lean mass had increased, and I’d lost ~7lbs of fat. That means that, by doing nothing for 6 weeks, I converted lots of fat to muscle & upped my metabolism by a lot.

Yay for me! I’m a winner!

She went over my blood work, and we talked a little about WHY I’m made out of magic. I suggested lazing about & never exercising again as a potential new weight loss book and tv show (lose weight the easy way – use crutches for 6 weeks and eat whatever you want! no other exercise required!), but she wasn’t too keen on that idea.

Her theory, based on some of my blood work & what’s been going on here (and the fact that I’ve been pretty active over the last few years) is that I am insulin-resistant. This is, apparently, not terribly uncommon in women with endometriosis.  I am now talking about things I don’t really understand. I think the gist of what she told me (next time I’m bringing a notebook & taking notes, because I like to verify everything with Dr. Google – although while googling insulin resistance & running, I found this. Which is crazy/awesome.) is that since I’ve been so active in the past that I’ve been burning through my glucose & keeping my metabolism lower than normal. (Apparently my feeling that I was inactive all summer because I was only working out 4x per week on average, and not running more than 4-6 miles/week were odd, and means that I hang out with the most active people on the planet, thanks for making me feel all inferior, FRIENDS! I’m dropping you all for some lazy people!)

So – she wants me to try a wicked low-sugar diet to see if that keeps boosting my metabolism & makes the weight start dropping off once I start exercising in a very mild gentle way (she’s okayed walking, swimming & yoga to start; wants to get my metabolism stabilized before I start running lots again).

So – my new diet?

Each day, I am allowed the following:

  • 2x protein drinks (i.e. protein powder, either mixed with water or added to something else)
  • 2x lean protein (i.e. 2 eggs, 3 oz lean meat, 1 oz cheese)
  • 1x whole grain (1 slice whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, oatmeal, etc.)
  • 1x nuts (i.e. 1 TB peanut butter, 1 serving almonds, etc.)
  • 1x starchy vegetable (potato, corn, sweet potato, beets, squash)
  • 2x fruit (i.e. ONE banana = two servings; or two of other, less sugary fruits)
  • 4x fat (i.e. olives, salad dressing, butter, olive oil)
  • 1x legume
  • 0x dairy (that’s right – ZERO dairy)
  • unlimited vegetables (excepting the starchy ones previously listed)
  • no beer or wine AT ALL. If I am going to have a drink (and I can have one/day); it should be hard liquor.

I am not tracking obsessively (ha, whatever, I am totally tracking obsessively), but am giving it my best shot. Last night, the architect & I went to Lucky Lab (which has pizza AND sandwiches….yum!), and I had soup (corn chowder = 1 starchy veg) and 1/2 of a Greek Salad (2x fat; 1x protein/cheese; loads of unlimited veggies). Oh – and I had beer. BUT, baby steps!

I am going to follow this plan to the best of my ability through 12/10 when I have my next appointment to see what effect it’s had on my lean body mass & metabolism in the next 5 weeks. Should be interesting! There will obviously be days that will make tracking exclusively a little problematic (hello, Thanksgiving!), but I think overall, if I can have foot surgery & be mostly imm0bile & helpless for 5 weeks, I can certainly do this for the same length of time! (Right?)

And, since the boot comes off tomorrow, I can start my baby steps of exercise, too! I am walking exclusively for the next 2 weeks, and then have my first REAL workout scheduled for 12/1/10 – a swim date with the Ambitious One (I decided to not swim alone for my first time back in the pool, in case I’ve forgotten how & drown immediately). As soon as I can walk fairly well again, I’m planning on heading back to yoga. I am also ready for some weights + light cardio (elliptical and/or bike).

I am still hoping to have my first real run by the end of 2010. (I am already registered for two races in spring 2011 – so I’d better get started!)

I am feeling pretty positive today. I think that as long as I keep the recovery moving forward slow & easy that it will all fall into place. A 5K in 4 months does not seem out of reach when I can already go up & down my stairs with only one crutch! And shower alone!

Training Goals 10/19 – 10/25

Oct 18th, 2009
by gazelle.
13 comments

The recap is pretty weak. I was sick much of the week, and even missed 1.5 days of work.

Training Goals 10/12 – 10/18

Monday: Run 2-3 miles with the architect – FAIL!

Tuesday: Weights/yoga – FAIL!

Wednesday/Thursday: Bike to work at least one of those days. – FAIL!

Friday: Easy 3-4 miles in the morning, weights in the afternoon. – Half SUCCESS! I ran 3 miles!

Saturday: Bike 20ish miles, swim 30 minutes – FAIL!

Sunday: Easy 4-5 mile run. – Well, I did run. 2.5 miles. I don’t think my body has completely recovered from the exciting combo of marathon + sick. My quads hurt AND my lungs hurt. So – I cut it short.

Training Goals 10/19 – 10/25

Monday: Bike to work

Tuesday: Run 3-4 miles

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: Bike to work

Friday: Run 3-4 miles

Saturday: Swim (lessons, maybe?)

Sunday: Run 4-5 miles.

I decided to NOT do the 5K race coming up next Sunday. I’m just not in a place to race, and I don’t want to pay money to go out for a 5K run. I do want to do one more timed 5K this year, but I need a little more time to recover & get back into shape.

In other training news, I met with my nutritionist on Friday, and we made an eating plan for me to start losing that weight. She did mention that one of the biggest inhibitors to losing belly fat (which is where I carry most of my extra weight) is stress! Although you can’t spot-lose, staying stress-free (which I haven’t been doing well lately) definitely helps control the belly fat. Ways to stay stress-free involve lots of things I can’t control, but apparently consuming at least 2 meals with Omega-3′s a week can also help. So – I will be having my once/week tuna AND this week, I bought salmon. I do not like salmon, so any guaranteed delicious recipes would be fantastic.

Other things that I am doing is, instead of counting calories, counting servings per food group. I get 6 grains, 5 protein, 5 veggie, 3 fruit, 3 dairy, 5 fats, and 150 calories of “extras” (i.e. full-fat cheese, beer, etc.). How am I doing?  you might ask. Today I had 1 fruit, 3 veggies, 3 grain, 3 protein, 2 dairy & 2 oils. I did manage to get my “extra” beer in though. I definitely have some work to do. One thing that I’m going to have to be better at is menu planning & making my lunch the night before (which I have already done today). Not only will this help me nutritionally, it should also reduce stress & save money – both of which are excellent benefits.

My goal is to lose between 1 – 1.5 lbs/week for the next 10-15 weeks (although last night I dreamed that I weighed 115 lbs, and that was kind of cool, if a bit unrealistic). Ideally I will hit my goal weight by about the beginning of February – just in time to start some possible training.

Now what?

Oct 8th, 2009
by gazelle.
7 comments

So – it has been four days since the marathon. I am feeling pretty good, physically. It doesn’t even hurt to go down stairs anymore (as of this morning). I am not a ravenous beast (and actually, wasn’t – even in the first couple of days). The only lingering effect is extreme tiredness – which might have almost as much to do with the travel & mild cold as the marathon.

I am ready for my first run post-marathon (Saturday!), but my bigger issue is – what next?

I’ve been training for something since April (first it was a couple of half marathons, then a triathlon & the marathon). Now I am at loose ends. I know that ‘going rogue‘ will not work for me – I need a plan!

I also think that my plans to do a 70.3 in 2010 are probably not going to work out. I’m not sure what I was thinking when I thought that a relatively stressful job + an intense graduate program + serious training = doable. HOWEVER, I also don’t just want to give up & do nothing but work & school for the next 2 years.

I think my next step will be planning for the next 4 months (Oct-Jan). I have a few goals I’d like to accomplish in that time – weight loss, strength gain, that one, elusive pull-up! Plus, I’d really like to increase my overall fitness & decrease my overall waist measurement. AND, I want to do all of that without it stressing me out.

I haven’t finalized my plan yet, but some of the things I’m looking at:

1) back to the nutritionist to develop a 4-month eating plan that will help me lose the weight I need to get off

2) back to yoga at least once/week

3) strength training (I really, really need my quads to be in better shape before my next long-distance race)

4) swimming lessons again

5) more biking

6) running, duh!

Ideally, I will swim & bike twice each week, run 2-3 times, yoga once & lift twice.  That is 9-10 workouts/week. That seems like a lot, when I consider that I also spend 2-3 hours each day on school work, 8ish hours 4 days/week at work, a couple hours a day commuting, and 8 hours sleeping.

I think that means that in an average week, I have 128 hours accounted for. I guess that still leaves 40 free hours, right? For eating & gardening & hanging out with the husband & friends…plenty of time!

However, since I’m not training for anything specifically at this point, I really do need to remember that flexibility is key. I am taking four months for myself & my health & sanity, and then, by February 1, 2010, I should know what the NEXT BIG THING will be! (I can pretty much guarantee that it won’t be me, though!)

***

I lied to you

Dec 29th, 2008
by gazelle.
25 comments

Internets – I have a confession. I did not go to the gym this morning. I meant to. I went to bed early last night. I set my alarm. I woke up when it went off. I thought about going to the gym this morning.

But I didn’t.

My hamstrings were sore last night – not sure why. (I’m sure it had nothing to do with the 90 minutes each of elliptical & yoga on Saturday followed by a 7.5 mile run.)  I slept poorly – couldn’t fall asleep. Couldn’t stay asleep. I was restless. Noticeably restless, I’m guessing – once when I woke up, the architect was sleeping on the floor next to the bed. I decided that I could really use an extra 1.5 hours of sleep this morning instead of a workout.

Of course, I’ll definitely hop on the elliptical when I get home & crank out 45 minutes or so.  I might be lazy but there’s still HBBC points to rack up!

In other pieces of exciting news:

  1. I have graduated from knee-hab! Today was my very last day. I kinda wanted to hug my PT – she’s pretty awesome & we got along great – but I didn’t. We shook hands instead. I’m not much of a hugger anyway.
  2. I lost 2.8 lbs in the last week! Woo! That not only makes up for the 1.6 I gained last week, but adds a little something extra (1.2 lbs extra). Perhaps the past three days of a) cookie abstention; b) LOTS of water (80 oz or more each day since Friday); and c) my ramping up of the working out is paying off! Since I started publicly posting my weight at the end of November, I have lost 4.8 lbs! Only 13-19 more to go! (I haven’t quite decided yet – it depends on how I feel once I get to goal #1.) If I can continue my trend of losing approximately 5 lbs a month, I should be in the next weight decade by my birthday (what a great birthday gift to me) and smokin’ by the end of April! I am not planning on increasing my mileage lots until March or so, when I get SUPER SERIOUS about my marathon training. Right now, I’m just trying to build up a good base of 20-25 miles/week with 3 runs each week (my PT says I will never be a ‘run every day’, or even ‘run 2 days in a row’ on a regular basis – at least not if I want to be healthy).

 

In weird, not good news, I think it’s snowing. My work is at a higher elevation than much of Portland (as was my last job), so it snows here more than downtown. Of course it’s also sunny. I think the weather is confused. 

Look What I Made!

Dec 17th, 2008
by gazelle.
2 comments

Check out my new sub-site – “You Are What You Eat!“  I decided to fancy up my food/exercise/weight recording page. Now with (crappy) pictures! And some recipes! Because I have nothing else to do with my time.

It’s linked from my Pages on the left sidebar. There will be some design changes happening over the next few weeks, so feel free to leave any suggestions, comments, compliments, credit card numbers, etc.

← Earlier Posts