As mentioned in last week's post, 2012 ended on a positive running note, with a four-mile run on December 31st and then a six-mile run on January 2nd...both of which I completed at decent paces (and without pain!). On the other hand, however, the long runs had caused me to become a little lazy with adhering to a healthy diet, and for the first time in a year, I had gained weight in a calendar month.
The primary problem was that my body needed more carbs to fuel the longer distances, and although the South Beach Diet allows for some carbs, it definitely limits the intake of that particular piece of the nutritional puzzle (comprised of carbs, proteins, fibers, and fats). As such, I pretty much ignored the South Beach "rules" in December and decided to fuel myself with carbs for the longer runs. What I didn't do, though, was reduce my portions of protein and fat, so in essence I was adding calories with the carbohydrates without an offset...which translated to weight gain.
So it was time to reevaluate the meal plan and start fresh with a balanced approach. What I knew I needed was to track everything I was eating, as well as all of my running (and other exercise). Rather than calorie counting on my own, I decided to go with Weight Watchers Online, which through its PointsPlus system pretty much tracks calories on my behalf (as long as I am diligent in entering everything I consume). In addition, I enter all my running (and other exercise) statistics, and Weight Watchers gives me some extra points to play with for the week. At the end of it all, I pay Weight Watchers are fairly nominal fee each month to count my calories for me and to tell me how much I can eat while continuing to lose weight...
My most important job in the Weight Watchers model is to be honest with myself and with the tracking of what I eat (and how much I exercise). If I want to continue losing weight, I know I need to enter every single item of food I consume and to track every minute of easy, moderate, or high intensity exercise. While that seems daunting at first, it's something I've gotten used to...and it's tough to argue with the results. Since January, I've experienced a nice, steady weight decline by maintaining adherence to the program...
January 5, 2013 - 228.9 Pounds (Total Loss of 46.7 Pounds since January 2012)
February 4 - 215.7 lbs (Total - 59.9 lbs)
March 4 - 208.3 lbs (Total - 67.3 lbs)
April 1 - 201.5 lbs (Total - 74.1 lbs)
April 29 - 195.3 lbs (Total - 80.3 lbs)
Like I said, it's tough to argue with positive results, and it's also nice to know that as I am now increasing my exercise (running longer distances, cross training), I earn even more points that allow me to have a little extra at the table once in a while...as long as I track it!
Unlike the past, this isn't just about diet. It's about a complete lifestyle change. It's about having a detailed exercise schedule (and adhering to it). It's about watching (and tracking) everything I eat. It's about having races on the calendar to keep motivations high. It's about picturing and then ultimately living a life of complete physical fitness.
And every dessert I've skipped, every "tough" mile I've run, every revolution of the pedals I've spun on a stationary bike, and every ounce of food I've weighed have all been worth the time and effort. It's not always easy...but it's always worth it. But let's get into some of those things next week.
Until then, enjoy your journey...
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