Quick update on the past month of exercising, now that I'm really in the swing of things. My weekly routine is now:
Monday: quick 20-25 min run (or bike for about 45 min)
moderate strength training (core & arms)
Tuesday: 50min tempo run (5 min warmup, 10min @ 10:00 pace, 1min walk, 15min @ 9:15 pace, 2min walk, 15-20min @ 8:30-9:00 pace)
strength training (abs/core, arms, light legs)
Wednesday: off (or bike only)
Thursday: 45 min interval running (5 min warm up; 1min walk/jog, 1min hard run, 1min taper to walk/jog...repeat 10x; finish w/ 10min run @ 9:30-10:00 pace)
60 min hard strength training (full body, incl 15 min abs/core)
Friday: Easy day (or off day); 2-4 mile run or 45 min bike
Light strength training
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: Long run at Chastain Park (hills!), currently 7-9 miles (& increasing)
This has been my routine since the start of 2012. I was consistent thru the end of 2011, as much as possible, but I've definitely been more routine since starting the new year. I started keeping a food log for the first 4 weeks of the year until I kind of got it all figured out. Now, I don't log every food every day, but I try to do it at least half the week, to keep myself in check.
I start most days w/ a healthy breakfast (egg whites w/ whole grain toast or cereal w/ almond milk); I have a mid-morning snack (lately fruit or something similar); Lunch is turkey/chicken on whole wheat tortilla wrap w/ lettuce and a few pretzels and almonds on the side; mid-afternoon snack is cottage cheese w/ fruit (yum!); then I have some carb drink mix before the workout and some carb w/ light protein drink after; Dinner typically consists of salad w/ tuna (or similar), or stir fry, or black beans and rice w/ salsa. I'm pretty basic, I eat the same foods over and over. Here's my problem area: after dinner I snack. I often have a glass of wine w/ dinner, but since I never drink while I eat, I finish eating and have a glass of wine, which I end up wanting to eat something with. I snack light, but it's consistent...either trader joe's popcorn, whole wheat pretzels, dried fruit, etc.
Either way, my total caloric intake is usually in the 1600-1800 range. I haven't added it up this week, so I need to double check. With the amount of calories burned at the gym, that should be a decent range for me. I have a pretty high metabolism, so I don't gain weight easily...except when I work out apparently! I have begun to build muscle, but not yet started losing the fat I want to lose. I am not trying to lose a ton of weight, but I do want my hard work to show. I have gained over an inch in my waist and my legs feel bigger too. I don't feel small at all! I keep hoping it's step 1, and that step 2 involves fat burning. Usually, this is the point in the working out when I get discouraged and quit. I can't quit now though, I'm just getting started.
I just hope that the increase in inches is only temporary and that I will, in fact, be able to burn the fat and have something to show for my hard work.
Oh, side note... I hit 10 miles for the first time. My third Chastain run was 10.3 miles! I signed up for the Zooma Half-Marathon on April 22. It's on. I'm also thinking of signing up for the Atlanta Publix Half-Marathon on March 18...it's a week after my Spartan Sprint and 2 weeks after my 10k, but I could do that one simply to gauge what it'll be like. I dunno, it's a possiblity.
No comments:
Post a Comment