Fat Club Thursday 22nd - Health + Injury

the lamb

22/08/2002 at 08:38

Hi everyone! This is a very despondent lamb speaking! Weighin yesterday had not lost anything despite 10M on Sunday and a 9.5K speed session last night. I just don't understand :(

V-rap - what am I doing wrong??

the lamb

22/08/2002 at 08:44

And to make matters worse, I just got Big Tim's reply to my request for a temp running partner near maidstone which gave me a name and said she was also quite slow! *sob!* Help!

running muppet

22/08/2002 at 09:07

Oh, poor lamb. I find that I have a time delay thing where say for the marathon although there is a little effect immediately afterwards and in the two days after in terms of feeling thinner/lighter, the main effect happens in the weeks after. I don't know if there is a scientific explanation for this or if it's something that is just in my head and not based on fact at all. V-Rap, what's the score?

And don't you worry about what that Big Tim says. Speed is always relative. I was most put out by something in one of the running mags which said something like 'from sub 30 minute 10k men to 4 hour marathoners, there's something for everyone'. I thought my 4 hour marathon was the pinnicle of achievement which, for me, it was (although I'd now like to try to go faster). It took lots of training and hard work and a few years ago, it was beyond what I could imagine ever doing and yet, there it was in black and white, classed as the bottom end of the scale. :(

Glenn

22/08/2002 at 09:39

Hi Lamb and everyone else too. I've just been lurking here so far, but since I weigh 15st 2lb, 5'8" I'm sure I qualify for this thread.

Lamb - remember that each pound of fat is about 4000 calories. Your two sessions are probably worth 2000 - 2500 calories (depends on your weight), so in themselves about 1/2 pound. You're also likely to be converting fat to muscle which can have the affect of pushing your weight up in the short term - but you'll feel a lot better for it.

Michelle

22/08/2002 at 10:12

Hi everyone,
Don't be despondent poor little Lamb! I was really good last week ('cept for the BBQ on Sunday), and I actually put on a 1lb - despite running 21 miles in the week - which was the most I'd ever done. But, I totally agree with Running Muppet.. I don't think that good running & good diet show up immediately, but in the following week/s. This week I seem to be losing the weight I should have lost last week (does that makes sense??). And as Glenn says, you're probably converting fat to muscle, so let's not pay to much attention to scales (..she says, she who is a slave to the scales..!!), how are your clothes fitting? Any looser? I bet they are! You just keep up the good work Lamb - all of you are this 'Fat Club' are such an inspiration to me and give me the motivation I need to keep at it - even though I only need to lose 10lbs - it might as well be 10 stones for how hard I find it.. but let's all just keep doing what we're doing - if nothing else, we're sure gonna be fit fat club members!! Just going out for my run now!
Take care all.
Michelle x

22/08/2002 at 10:46

What Michelle said!!

I started off the day with that "can't get out of bed" feeling but had to take my car to be repaired (again). So I ended up getting up early. 4 days into my holidays and I still haven't had a lie in!!

Welcome Glenn! It doesn't matter what weight you are in this thread - I think we even had someone in it last week who didn't need to lose weight at all but it's all down to motivation and support (like Michelle said).

Lamb -- stop it with the scales, they'll ruin your life, your sanity and take all your marbles (can lambs play marbles..?) Anyway - I think what the others said, are good points - also V-rap is onto something with the "eat-to-lose" thing. Have you ever read Susan Powter's book..? "Stop the Insanity" it's called - it's a very good motivator and also pretty much common sense - it just has to be adapted for athletes rather than couch potatoes. Try and get it from a library - it's a few years old now but very good.

She

22/08/2002 at 10:48

Hi Glenn. Welcome to Fat Club. Went to gym last night but it was v busy so only managed 15 minutes going up hill on the treadmill and 15 on the step machine thingy. Thighs a bit sore today as hadn't been on step machine for a while. Then undid it all by going to pub quiz and have a few shandies, so double blew it with bacon butty this morning. Fruit bowl on desk now empty, which means that I've scoffed 5 apples and 5 nectaries since Monday, that must be good for me! Having a rest day today, but already looking forward to long run on Friday.

running muppet

22/08/2002 at 10:55

I've noticed that a fair few of us have an 'all or nothing' approach to this eating healthily/running shenanigans. She, you didn't magically undo all your work in the gym by having a few shandies. You were rewarding yourself with a few shandies and so adding to all your good work whilst chilling out with friends and having a good time. A bacon butty isn't so bad either - good to have some protein at breakfast. It's a question of balance. I believe it's healthy for the soul to have indulgent and comfort food - don't beat yourself up about it.

running muppet

22/08/2002 at 10:59

Okay, my update is that I went for a 5 mile easy run last night with two friends. It was really really good. I felt quite frisky near the end like I had an extra gear to go into where-as when I started back again, there was only one pace which was slow and painful. Although I found another pace last night when they made me laugh so much that my legs went all weak and I literally couldn't walk, let alone run. I was crying with laughter.

Tonight, I'm off to the running club for a speed session and am now trying to drink plenty and eat plenty to make sure I'm well hydrated/fuelled to cope with the extra effort.

Mini RM is with Grandma today as I have a dentists appointment this afternoon. Eeek!

She

22/08/2002 at 11:01

Thanks RM. When I said a few shandies .... Anyway, I do agree wholeheartedly with you. I'm just feeling a bit hungover this morning, which never does much for usual positive self. Bacon butty was delicious and I savoured every moment of it!

the lamb

22/08/2002 at 11:02

Just makes me wonder whether I'm ever going to cross the magic boundary. I've got to this stage before, but no further.

Glenn

22/08/2002 at 11:10

What has gone wrong in the past? Do you ease back on the running or your weight just stays where it is despite the training?

the lamb

22/08/2002 at 11:14

I guess in the past I've started eating more again, I love my food! not necessarily bad stuff just higher volume, pasta, rice etc. I've only been running really for about 8 months, before I did a lot of team sports but they just don't burn the calories like running. This is the first time I've been running AND trying consciously to lose weight and I just don't understand why it's not coming off - I'm not starving myself, I'm keeping clear of too much fat, not eating high carbs in the evenings etc etc. Any advice?

Glenn

22/08/2002 at 11:30

I'm a bad person to give advice. I've been running since 1974 but I have long breaks when the lard stacks on. I got back to regular training (20 miles + per week) at the start of July. In the first three weeks I put on a few pounds, but since then I've lost 10 pounds and - like v-rap - am worried that it's too fast. Certainly started to feel very tired.

What I know is true is that you shouldn't try to lose more than a pound a week. This is a daily calorie deficit of around 550, which you could achieve by eating normally but running for an average of fifty minutes or so. If you reduce your calorie intake beyond this you'll find it hard to train properly and risk losing other tissue rather than fat.

I hope that v-rap will give me a verbal slapping if I've got anything important wrong here.

Wicked Witch

22/08/2002 at 11:34

Lamb try to get your fat measured, maybe your local gym can do this. It doesn't seem to matter how much exercise I do I never actually lose weight but I do lose fat, and notice that clothes fit better and even better drop a dress size.

the lamb

22/08/2002 at 11:40

Yeah, I'm training for GNR so each training session is at least 50mins, the long run around 90. I've even got speed sessions, which are supposed to be good fat burners!!

the lamb

22/08/2002 at 11:41

Clothes are very slightly looser, but it's hardly noticeable. I'd be happy not to lose the weight so much if I dropped a dress size and lost fat! Do you think GPs will measure fat?

Don Minquez

22/08/2002 at 11:50

Yup... weigh yourself once a week at the same time first thing in the morning and after a quick pee. I came back from my run the other day and was 3pounds lighter than when I went out!!! after a bit of water (quite a bit actually!) I soon got back to normal.

Just wanted to show how much it can fluctuate!

running muppet

22/08/2002 at 11:58

Hi Lamb, How long have you been training for the GNR? Just asking because when training for the FLM, I noticed that my clothes got noticeably looser 2 months into training at 30 miles per week. I know you said you'd been running for 8 months but wondered if all of this 8 months, you'd been running like you are now. Does this make sense? I hope so.

the lamb

22/08/2002 at 12:01

Yes, I've been running for about a year, but not really properly ie consistently until this january, when I started my london preparation. So yes, have been running more or less like this for a few months now...