Losing Weight, Scotland and More...
So 2.5 weeks ago, I started a marathon plan. I also set out on a plan to lose ten pounds to get myself to my peak marathon weight before the plan got too intense. I had a good first week and then lost five days of running due to a miserable bug. Here's what's up:
Since the bug left, I've run seven days in a row. I've got two more scheduled before a rest day on Friday. Today's a short recovery run and tomorrow's an interval workout. Because I've been pretty good about going easy on the easy days, I'm feeling pretty fresh.
Most surprising, I've already dropped eight of the ten pounds I wanted to lose. This is good, because pretty soon the miles are going to be piling up and dieting when you're running 50 miles a week really isn't a good idea.
I'm no dietitian, but here's how I've managed to lose most of the weight:
1) Switched from cereal to oatmeal for breakfast. If I had to pick one thing, this is the big one, as I don't even get a little hungry now until 1.
2) For my lunch, I'm having peanut butter with celery. Not a big lunch, but the fiber from the celery keeps me from getting too hungry until supper.
3) I used to have two cans of Gatorade after running. 43 carbs worth. Now, I'm drinking diet soda. This would be a bad move in the summer, but I'm ok with it in the winter.
4) I quit drinking alcohol for a week and switched to light beer after that.
5) I've increased my caffeine intake. Not to crazy levels, mind you, but I had myself down to a little more than one coffee and two sodas per day. Now... well, let's just say I'm having more.
Reading that, it sounds rather unhealthy. I say: so is running a marathon with ten pounds of excess baggage.
One of the cool things about being diabetic is you can see how much insulin you're taking during the day (assuming your blood sugars are in control) and you can pretty much tell if you're overeating or not. In the book "Pumping Insulin," they suggest a total insulin dosage of 42.5 units for a 170 lb. man, 40 for 160 and 37.5 for 150. (Your mileage may vary.)
When I'm firing on all cylinders, I typically weigh 157 and will consume enough insulin for about a 170 lb. man, due to the added carbs needed for distance running. In the past two weeks, I've averaged 35 units of insulin - the approx. dosage for a 140 lb. man, but have also ran about 30 miles per week (aside from the layoff). In doing so, I've gone from 167 to 159.
In other news, I'll be heading to the UK in a week, starting in Scotland for two days, followed by five in London. It's a work trip, so it'll be hard fitting the miles in, but there's no better way to see a place than running it. We'll be in Edinburgh first - where the World Cross Country Championships were last year. I've got no idea if the course is marked, public or open, but that's at least one goal I've got when I'm there. And if I can shed the last two pounds before I get there, I won't mind if I eat well and gain a few back. There's always more celery when I return...
Since the bug left, I've run seven days in a row. I've got two more scheduled before a rest day on Friday. Today's a short recovery run and tomorrow's an interval workout. Because I've been pretty good about going easy on the easy days, I'm feeling pretty fresh.
Most surprising, I've already dropped eight of the ten pounds I wanted to lose. This is good, because pretty soon the miles are going to be piling up and dieting when you're running 50 miles a week really isn't a good idea.
I'm no dietitian, but here's how I've managed to lose most of the weight:
1) Switched from cereal to oatmeal for breakfast. If I had to pick one thing, this is the big one, as I don't even get a little hungry now until 1.
2) For my lunch, I'm having peanut butter with celery. Not a big lunch, but the fiber from the celery keeps me from getting too hungry until supper.
3) I used to have two cans of Gatorade after running. 43 carbs worth. Now, I'm drinking diet soda. This would be a bad move in the summer, but I'm ok with it in the winter.
4) I quit drinking alcohol for a week and switched to light beer after that.
5) I've increased my caffeine intake. Not to crazy levels, mind you, but I had myself down to a little more than one coffee and two sodas per day. Now... well, let's just say I'm having more.
Reading that, it sounds rather unhealthy. I say: so is running a marathon with ten pounds of excess baggage.
One of the cool things about being diabetic is you can see how much insulin you're taking during the day (assuming your blood sugars are in control) and you can pretty much tell if you're overeating or not. In the book "Pumping Insulin," they suggest a total insulin dosage of 42.5 units for a 170 lb. man, 40 for 160 and 37.5 for 150. (Your mileage may vary.)
When I'm firing on all cylinders, I typically weigh 157 and will consume enough insulin for about a 170 lb. man, due to the added carbs needed for distance running. In the past two weeks, I've averaged 35 units of insulin - the approx. dosage for a 140 lb. man, but have also ran about 30 miles per week (aside from the layoff). In doing so, I've gone from 167 to 159.
In other news, I'll be heading to the UK in a week, starting in Scotland for two days, followed by five in London. It's a work trip, so it'll be hard fitting the miles in, but there's no better way to see a place than running it. We'll be in Edinburgh first - where the World Cross Country Championships were last year. I've got no idea if the course is marked, public or open, but that's at least one goal I've got when I'm there. And if I can shed the last two pounds before I get there, I won't mind if I eat well and gain a few back. There's always more celery when I return...
Hi Marcus,
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what your BG numbers are doing? Is your average going up or down?
Al
Well, Marcus,
ReplyDeleteBesides whether the cross country course in Edinburgh is open or marked, I would wonder if it is frozen solid and covered in deep snow.
Have a great trip!