A few beginner questions

Whispered

About a year ago I started working overnight shifts. I haven't put on weight according to the scales, but I do feel very unfit and feel bigger and I suppose loose. It's likely to do with the fact that - while I make sure I get my daily walk with the dogs in - everything else is done as lazily as possible just so I can get to bed. I also imagine that my body my not be metabolising food as it should because I sleep during the day and eat at night for half of the week. Something about this needs to be done.

As well as a 4k walk, I'm trying to fit in another activity, yesterday I decided to jog around a local GAA pitch........ :eek:. I was ridiculous. Huffing and puffing after 1 lap. I regularly walk up 10 - 12k, so thought a couple of laps would be fine. How different jogging is from walking. All I managed was to walk around 3 times, and jog it twice. I'm fairly ashamed by that to be honest. My legs just gave up and the dinner I had an hour earlier just sat in my stomach like a lead weight. So my first questions are - why is jogging so much harder? Do the benefits of jogging far outweigh those of walking? Is there a technique I just need to get used to? How do you get through the initial feelings of wanting to give up when you're starting to tire (that feeling of not being able to make your legs do as you want)?

10 mins after the jog I was not tired, not hot, it was as if I had done nothing. But I burned out very quickly while doing it. Other exercises that would do the opposite would interest me. Something that gets gradually harder and leaves me feeling like I had done something for a while afterwards. Tonight, we're going to have a game of tennis. Looking forward to that.

I'm also having problems getting my diet under control. It's difficult to know how I should eat on days that I work. I'll give a schedule of the last 2 days and see what you think.

• 10am home from work, bowl of all bran with skimmed milk. 4k stroll.
• 11.30am - 6pm sleep
• 8pm dinner was large salad, lettuce, onion, tomato. 2 ryvita crackers, small portion of quorn mince with tomato sauce from a jar, 1/2 courgette baked with chilli.
• 11pm in work 1 apple
• 1am bowl rice krispies with full fat milk
• 6am 1 apple

• 10am home from work, 2 thin slices of wholemeal bread with one easy single. 4k stroll
• 11.30am - 5pm sleep
• 6pm - 2 med/small potatoes, portion peas. approx 200ml OJ
• 7pm - jog (problem with still feeling food jiggling around in my stomach after dinner)
• 9pm - 1 slice wholemeal bread, spread dairy gold, 1 apple.
• 10pm Mcdonalds cappucino
• 11pm - in work, 1 apple
• 2am - another slice wholemeal bread, easy single
• Haven't decided on brekkie yet. Most likely all bran.

There are glasses of water in there too, but admittedly not enough. I know it will be suggested that I cut back on carbs, but I find it very difficult. On the first day outlined above I felt very sick and tired getting to work, I think it was a lack of carbs with my dinner. The salad felt terrible in my stomach. I was weak, tired and vomity. Last night however I felt great having had a lot of bread (4 thin slices) and the two potatoes. Is there a way I can tone up and loose a bit without drastically cutting out carbs? I'm veggie but I do eat meat replacements, so suggestions that involve meat are fine as I can just substitute. I've totally cut out junk foods like choc, crisps and I don't take sugar with anything.

So having read all of the above, can anyone see a relationship between my diet and my ridiculous lack of stamina when I tried jogging yesterday. Any suggestions on improving my diet would be appreciated as would any tips on how best to eat when working nights to keep my body metabolising normally.

Very long post, fair play if you got to the end.

ray jay

You shouldn't jump to conclusions based on your first attempt. It's very common to improve in leaps and bounds for the first few running sessions. Look up couch to 5k, it's a beginner's program for building up your running ability.

dahat

Twice round a footie pitch is not as bad as you think.
Go with the Couch to 5k programme,helped me get going and thousands like me.

As for eating and running,I personally try not to eat 2/3 hours before a run if afternoon/evening.
For morning runs i just have a cup of coffee and a banana 1 hour before i go,i found out that i do my best work on a reasonably empty stomach,this may or may not suit you.
P.S.........ditch the bread,rotten stuff tbh!