Re-energize me!!

Energizer-Bunny

Female, 20
Height: 5'6
Weight: 9st 13lbs
BMI: 20.6

Aim 1: Lose a stone before christmas.
Aim 2: Get fit.

Background:
Used to be the sportiest girl you could find. Used to be called the energiser bunny(hense the name) could never sit for 5minutes, always had to be active, pucking a ball about, etc. Excelled in every sport I put my hand to. Have represented my county in ladies football, represented ireland in athletics. However I started college two years ago and everything fell apart..my course has long hours, college has no sports facilities, social life, eating badly, etc..Stopped playing all sports and thus weight began to creep on.

Three weeks ago(10st 3lbs) I started going running in a nearby woods with my bro (he's fit-plays alot of gaa) Not sure how long the run is..have no way of calculating it. Takes 50minutes outa my day anyway. We go every second day. Thats even great for me at the moment as im out on placement for college and have to work very long hours. Should start timing it so I can see the times dropping (hopefully!!:D)

My diet could be better I know..
8.30: Might have small bowl of Special K, cup of tea.
11am: 2slices of mccambridge bread inbetween ham.
1pm: 2slices of brown bread, turkey,lettuce,cheese,mayo.
3pm: cup of tea, slice of toast
4pm: go for the run
5.30pm: dinner (potatoes, meat, veg)
Water: 1.5l

Just starting this thread so I can write down stuff/get ideas/tips/motivation/help..:)

Thanks for reading!!

eclectichoney

There is loads of info in the stickies from people more knowledgable than me!

But you are obviously still pretty fit if you can run around in the woods for 50 minutes! fair play to you

I am a similar enough height and weight to you, so I'll just offer some of the things I have added int o my diet.

Your diet seems ok but could be better - i.e. there is a lot of bread in it, maybe cute down the bread/toast to 2 slices per day, and try nuts instead for the 11am/3pm snack. Also the special K is a bad choice as it loaded in sugar and salt - go for porridge or no added sugar muesli or eggs or something like that. Even weetabix is better iirc.

You probably don't have access to a gym for weights, but some bodyweight exercises like press-ups and bodyweight squats (and even doing things like lateral raises with a 2litre bottle of ballygowan!) might be good to throw in.

maybe start a fitness lot or food diary in the fitness/nutrition forums respectively??

Energizer-Bunny

Lol..don't fool yerselves by thinking im still fit. I stop and walk about 4-5times of the course. Could do it no problem back in the day of my fitness:(. Its made up of flat pieces, hills, down hills etc.
Went there with my mother today to power walk it and we ran up all the hills..so was better than nothing.

Ya bread is a downfall alright..switching to rivita.
I love porridge/eggs..thats what i usually have when im in college but im struggling to get out the door in the mornings for placement..will start getting up that bit earlier and do it this week though!

My brother has weights down in his room, but i have a clue how to use them.
Im going joining my local gym after placement (3weeks time) and go with my bro to do weights there. Will do the weights on the days that im not doing cardio.
Question though..what will weights do for me?
I know when I was heavily involved in athletics my coach wanted me to start weights but I think my dad thought I was too young and should wait till im 18/fully grown..not to burn myself out. Since I gave up athletics when I was 18 i never got to the weights stage:o

Cadrach

Energizer-Bunny wrote: »

Lol..don't fool yerselves by thinking im still fit. I stop and walk about 4-5times of the course. Could do it no problem back in the day of my fitness:(. Its made up of flat pieces, hills, down hills etc.
Went there with my mother today to power walk it and we ran up all the hills..so was better than nothing.

Ya bread is a downfall alright..switching to rivita.
I love porridge/eggs..thats what i usually have when im in college but im struggling to get out the door in the mornings for placement..will start getting up that bit earlier and do it this week though!

My brother has weights down in his room, but i have a clue how to use them.
Im going joining my local gym after placement (3weeks time) and go with my bro to do weights there. Will do the weights on the days that im not doing cardio.
Question though..what will weights do for me?
I know when I was heavily involved in athletics my coach wanted me to start weights but I think my dad thought I was too young and should wait till im 18/fully grown..not to burn myself out. Since I gave up athletics when I was 18 i never got to the weights stage:o

The easiest way, as the person says, watch the carbs (spuds/pasta at dinner and the breads), and a few small changes (e.g., porridge/muesli over special k) will make a big difference. If you aren't losing weight fast enough, you can cut out carbs more e.g., by dropping the ryvita, but it should be fine because it sounds like you'll be doing enough exercise to cope with it. Also note, 1.5l of water per day isn't enough, especially if you're going on a big run in the evenings. Try and get another litre per day in.

Weights will be good... what benefits? They make you stronger, physically fitter, burn calories and increase your metabolism. Definitely recommended.

Energizer-Bunny

Just back from the run in the woods again..timed it roughly and it takes about 35-40 minutes to go round twice.

Started to cut out the carbs a bit..on rivita instead of brown bread and cut down my intake of potatoes at dinner time.
Back on my porridge and seeds again..however I do put bit of sugar in too for taste (yes yes shoot me!!!:D) I know honey is better/natural but i just cant stomach the stuff. Been eating more oily fish lately aswell..get the ole protein/omega 3's in.

9st 10lbs today..whooo:)

rubadub

Cadrach wrote: »

Weights will be good... what benefits? They make you stronger, physically fitter, burn calories and increase your metabolism. Definitely recommended.

All true, stronger bones so less chance of osteoporosis. When you get lower fat levels you will look better "toned" for want of a better word. On the days you are not working out your body is still trying to develop and build new muscle. This can be seen as similar to pregnancy. You take 9 months to grow a 7lb child, and you need around 300kcal extra to do this per day. Muscle growth is the same, you need energy to produce/build it, as a woman you will build less muscle than a man -and do not worry you will not get "too big". As a beginner you will put on muscle easier so will be burning calories just building it- so your basal/daily metabolism is increased. Then once the muscle is "grown" it takes more kcal just to simply maintain it. So again your basal/daily calorific requirments are increased, not only making it, but maintaining it. If you ever got bigger than you need just stop lifting and the muscle will shrink accordingly. Once you are at a good level you can ease off the wieghts to simply maintain it.

BUT muscle has weight, so only focusing on weight loss as a goal is not good, you want to lose FAT not weight. I was a stable 12stone for ages, still am now, yet I was getting thinner, losing fat and gaining muscle at the same rate. This is why BMI is not a great guide (I think your calculation is wrong by the way). G'em who posts here is a size 12 or 14 and looks great, yet I think she may be clinically obese if you go by BMI standards. i.e. she has additional muscle that makes her overall wieght more. Muscle takes up ~1/3 the room of fat so even though you put on a stone it is compact, and is in all the right places.

Check out www.exrx.net and read the stickies. I do not know your BF's knowledge base, but he might not be as clued up as he should, I know plenty of guys who "do weights" yet havent a clue what they are really at. Maybe it is the old cliche of lads not asking directions, in cars, or for weight training! Even some gym instructors give poor advice.

Transform

Do weights any your progress will double

Energizer-Bunny

Just back from a 4mile powerwalk/jog there..completed in a new record of 45minutes..usually would do it round the 50min. I just had so much energy tonight (might have been the pasta i had for dinner!!:))-duno why considering iv early mornings/late nights with placement at the moment!! Felt absolutely great after that exercise anyway.

Question. When I got home I wasn't that out of breath/sweaty..could done another 4miles if I had to kinda way. Is that a good thing(am I getting fitter/getting stamina?) or not?! My poor mother on the other hand was fit to drop(Told her id get her round the roads in a new record time tonight though!!:D)

Rearing to get going on the whole weights thing now after everyones advise!!!
Will get my bro to bring me to the gym soon/when iv time and learn the basics.

Up'd my water intake aswell.

Energizer-Bunny

Completed the woods in about 30min yesterday evening.
Took less recovery time in the middle.

This week:
porridge and seeds at 8.30pm
2rivita and ham at 11pm
2rivita with lettuce,mayo,cheese and turkey at 1pm
banana 3pm
run-3.30pm
trout or meat,veg,2potatoes-5pm
Beans +2slices of toast-7.30pm

Water intake is at about 2.5-3litres per day

Would have went doing weights with my brother tonight but I got vacinations in each of my shoulders this evening and they're quite sore to touch/move.

Energizer-Bunny

Woods run again today.
Found the last two minutes of the run tough..shoulders were/still are sore.

Energizer-Bunny

4mile powerwalk/jog again today..wasn't as fast as last one.

Have gotten my head around the whole not concentrating just on weight thing. Have been a steady 9st 11lbs all week. Today I tried on a pants that once I had to put in effort to tie button..now I can tie button with no effort at all!

Diet been ok this weekend..have had few biscuits when I shouldn't have though, so will have to cut that out. Only positive thing about being on placement is that I havnt had a drop of alcohol in over a month..that has to count for something, ryt?!!:D

accensi0n

I do a 22 min run once a week, I stop 3 times for a breather....so don't feel so bad.

Energizer-Bunny

Oh stop, I no how you feel. Hvnt done the woods run without stopping for a few breathers either..especially after the step hills, they're a killer I tell ya! Have to be bit careful going up/down them aswell, wet leaves dont make for very solida ground.
Think it will be another good while before I make it around without stopping, but thats not my main aim at them moment. Want to build my stamina/fitness up little by litte..so if that means going through one section of the woods without stopping, im happy!
Little steps first!:)

Energizer-Bunny

Whoooo..so happy at the moment!!
Just trying on clothes from wardrobe there about an hour ago out of boredom and I put on a pair of shorts that I came home from America in at the start of september just gone..guess what, I could put them on myself without even untieing the button and they were actually falling off me!! I then put on same brand of shorts in a size less (wouldn't go near me in the dressing room at the time but bought them in hope of deflating when I got home:D) and they were perfect, not tight at all!

Sorry for my lilttle happy rant there but it just goes to show with regular exercise and a healthy diet you get results little by little!! (The stickies are a great source of info..thanks lads!)
So stick at it people!:)

Had no exercise today and feel terrible for not doing so..I just had to go to bed instead, was wreaked tired. Will amend it today!!:)

Energizer-Bunny

Ok, didn't amend the whole exercise thing yesterday..so kicked my ass to the woods this evening if it was gonna be the last thing I would do!!
Good run..Felt I up'd the tempo a bit/pushed myself more. Didn't have a watch so cuda been my imagination,ha.

Diet been grand this week..water intake over past 2days not been good.

Wanna get started on the weights asap..Will do when im finished placement in over a week.

Energizer-Bunny

OK..havn't ran since the above date:o..just been very busy/tired, but that's enough with the excuses!! Still been active though..never get to sit down in my job.

So went on the usual woods run today, just back 30min ago..was tough to get out and go as it was cold and raining but said that never killed anyone and off I went.
Took 35minutes. Really want to measure the damn distance but how is the question?!

Going to join the gym in the next week..finished placement friday, then heading to Kerry for the weekend with my friends (First drop of alcohol in about 7weeks. Don't want to drink though..feel i'll undo all the good I'v done/make my running all in vain/intoxicate my body!!:()

Food wise for the past week..
8.30am: porridge and seeds.
11am: tea, ryvita with ham.
1pm: tea, ryvita with lettuce, mayo, cheese, turkey.
3pm: porridge (love the stuff!!)
6pm: 2potatoes, veg and meat.
8pm: piece of fruit

Water intake has just been dreadful..really dreadful..must focus on that now for a bit!

Weight scales wise im about 9st 10lbs..been that way for the past 2weeks or so..not worried as im sure all the hills that I have to run up in my woods run are surely doing something to my muscles!:)

Energizer-Bunny

Ok..so I had time on my hands last night so I was googling weight lifting/looking at videos.
My brother has a bar and weights down in his room so I did a few deadlifts..did about 8reps at 20kg..really used my legs,swatted low. (Know its not much reps wise/sets wise, but thats another story as im just practising/first time and what not for now)
Anywho,thing is today my upper hamstrings(just below by ass cheeks) and all around to the upper inside of my thighs are sore..is this normal? (Now I know the muscle boundness is down to these muscles never been worked before) But what I want to know is are these the muscles that should be targeted by this lift or am I doing it wrong? What benefits does doing this particular weight have?
Sorry for the stupid questions.:o

No run today..was lashing outside!! I know im not a sugar lump or anything, but I wudn't have sent my worst enemy out in it!!:D