I can now say I used my treadmill so much I have literally run it to ribbons. I had to order a new belt which showed up today. A replacement of the same quality that I previously had, with padding and fabric top, would have been $550! I went for the cheapo flat rubber conveyor belt type instead. I'll try to install it sometime this week, I hope. Classes are already hitting back. All my workouts are taking place in very small windows of time, usually when I am taking someone else to the Y for a class or something. I have to run as fast as possible for 20 minutes and call it an interval, I guess. Getting my home treadmill working again will be a big help. That'll reduce the time I need to get a good run in. I start and end on my back porch, and I am never too far away if I realize it's getting too late.
I have to add that something has definitely shifted in my eating habits since Europe. My attitude is much more effective. I can't explain it really, but I think a part of it is some kind of competition between my brain and my body. I know for a fact that I don't need anywhere near as many calories as I normally eat, so I have simply stopped eating them. I figure if my brain is dumber than my body, then I shouldn't be in grad school. Willpower does exist. It's just not very powerful. It should probably be called something more like will-inclination, or will-tendency. It is not that I am overpowering my physical urges with my will as much as somehow getting rid of the urges in the first place. Cleansing the mind of "need" is useful. The examples I saw on vacation were extremely helpful in bringing to life the concepts of portion control and eating frequency.
Let's see if it sticks. One pound a week will have me down over 30 pounds by the Moose. I would consider that a pretty big victory in itself.
Which would mean I will need another new belt...for my pants.
3 comments:
That competition between your head and your body is called the Horse/Rider mentality. The rider knows the right thing to do, but by god if the horse will do it. Ask anyone who has tried to get a horse to cross a bridge the first time.
The horse can be trained, but it takes time. I think your riders time is coming, so it seems. Horses can be tricky.
This is the concept between running fast and slow. You have trained to a fitness level, you believe you can do it faster, but when you try your body lets you know it is not going to happen. So, it appears you have to trick your body, over time to run a little faster every week or three weeks in my case. I don't believe if I take my 5k time from 25 mins. to 23 mins I am in any better shape, I have just convinced my body it can do it, so to speak. Jim, probably has some scientific reason for this, but I will live with my Horse/Rider Analogy until someone explains it better to me.
So you are saying I can't blame my "horse" for not losing weight?!?! Man that's a drag.
Very soon I'm going to be counting calories. With the workouts it seems very difficult to do my typical "diabetic/low carb diet". So I'm going to make an attempt at strict calorie counting. Scientifically, I can't fail with that method. My bridge would be 200lbs.
As a side note. The guy that did Ironman Lake Placid this year. Picture Jerry an inch or 2 shorter, bigger from the waist up. yeah ripped. So he said at IMLP he weighed 157. (July 22nd). He's now 170. He came back from IMLP very psyched and happy with the results but at the moment he's burned out and saying he probably won't do it again next year even tho he's pre-registered for it.
I guess you have to keep in mind you can't be at 100% all the time.
That's awesome that you shredded a belt!!! My proudest related moment is breaking the shock off of a stair climber while doing intervals,....but never a treadmill belt.
I do have some scientific reasons for Craig's thoughts, but I'll spare you the details. In essence, I think you are likely in better shape, or you have paced yourself better during the race. The best performance strategy seems to be 51-49% for pacing (1st half vs. 2nd half). Either way, if you are faster, GREAT!
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