We're doing great. We've lost weight. Look awesome. Ran our first 5k. Completed a marathon. Or an Ironman.
And then, perhaps complacency sets in...
We aren't quite as careful... the exercise drops off, the good eating habits slip. And there's a bit of denial... I still look good, my clothes still fit, I've only gained two pounds. Four pounds. Then ten pounds.
But the reality is, often we relapse from the good habits we've adopted.
That's a position I find myself in. After Ironman, my exercise has decreased dramatically, as it should -- 20 hours of exercise per week is way too much. I'm still working out six or seven days a week, but the intensity of those workouts has decreased, or they're shorter. I walk/run with the dogs and call that cardiovascular exercise, when that is nothing compared to what I used to do.
And I'll have to admit, my eating habits haven't adapted entirely to that change. And here I am, seven pounds heavier than when I finished Ironman Lake Placid.
It's time to get back on the wagon..
I'm writing down everything that I eat. I'm being more mindful of my portions. And, I'm making sure that I get an hour of cardiovascular exercise every day.
I will do better. We all can. Tomorrow is a new day, and going forward, I will get back to where I was.
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6 comments:
I'm no Ironman, but same thing happened to me after a summer of training. Fall, "off-season" and a few surprise pounds. I just completed a two-week "cleanse" (whole, vegan foods-based) to retrain the brain on portion sizes and to grab the whole food, not the processed foods. Just needed a kick in the pants!
Thanks for the reminder! I ran a 10k and lost 60lbs, but since then...hmmmm. I've gained 5lbs back and while that isn't a ton, I am afraid that 5 will turn into a 15 or 20!
I really enjoy reading your blog and find myself in the same spot as you! I have no big races on the horizon, am tired of the same training, and have been very free with my diet. Glad to see you're getting back on track-I will too!
How could you be inside my head?? I stopped running in late June due to injury. Kept exercising...swimming, biking, etc., but - still have gained 8 lbs. And few of my clothing fits comfortably. 8 lbs at 5'2" is a lot.
So last weekend, I started writing everything down again. It's so easy to get complacent, and so important to start paying attention at 10 lbs, and not 20, 30, or 40.
I'm fortunate (?) in that I lose weight when I exercise less and tend to gain when I'm training harder. Go figure.
Good luck!!
I'm really trying to be mindful of portions, I always have way too much of everything.
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