Me @ 30: Food!

As I mentioned in my Week 3 recap, I'm trying to eat better.

Earlier in the year, I used a low-carb diet to lose half of the 30 pounds I had gained last fall. It was effective, but then I hit a plateau and couldn't lose any more weight.

In hindsight, I think some of it had to do with my portion control. I would eat as much as I wanted, stuffing myself, so long as it didn't have carbs. But, I'm sure I was taking in 2,000 calories, if not more, with those habits.

So, now, I am interested in counting calories. The other pet peeve I have about a low-carb diet, is I found myself eating a lot of processed, fake sugar foods. Don't get me wrong, I still love and will always love my Splenda, but I was not eating much "living" foods.

Friday I gave my kitchen a makeover. I bought snacks in 100-calorie packs to start teaching myself about portion control. I bought fresh fruits and veggies. I fell in love with Naked's Green Machine -- tons of fruits and veggies in one smoothie-type drink. I'm also keeping a food diary and counting calories throughout the day. It's been rough. I keep eating smaller portions and finding myself ravenous afterwards. My 100 calorie Pringles had like 7 chips in there. Ahh!!!!!

My trick so far? Drinking water or Crystal Light until I feel full. Even still, I've been so hungry this past weekend. When will this get easier??

Calories
Friday: 1,370
Saturday: 1,420
Sunday: 1,355 (got in a 5.5-mile run, which burned 712 calories)
Monday: 1,310 (lifted weights for an hour)

My basic metabolic rate (the amount of calories I'd burn if I stayed in bed all day) based on a few calculators is anywhere between 1,400 and 1,700 depending on the website.

Calculator 1
Calculator 2 - also tells you how many calories will lead to fat loss.
Calculator 3  - pick sedentary to see you how much you can eat if you did NOTHING all day.

Running to Storytelling

I ran 3.68 miles today in 40 minutes! The longest I've run so far.

How, might you ask...

My new (well, refurbished) Ipod came today. I have an RCA MP3 player, but it doesn't play audiobooks, so it was time for an upgrade.

I got the idea to run to audiobooks after reading this blog post, and this one too. I found out that music alone is not enough to distract me from counting the seconds on the treadmill clock (or my watch), but watching television does. So, I figured that audiobooks might help me zone out when I run outside.

I signed up for audible.com (First month free, and a free book download each month), and downloaded "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything."

Well, I didn't run outside today because Snowmaggedon part 2 reared its ugly head here in CT. But, as a result of the snowfall, my gym had no childcare and then closed early. So I ran on the old, dusty treadmills at my apartment complex. Yes, the ones that click and buzz and feel dangerous to even walk on.

CNN glared loudly on the TV -- the TV with no buttons and a missing remote control -- but it couldn't hold my attention, so I ran the first 21 minutes with just my thoughts. Then, I remembered, try the audiobook!

That's how my 30-minute run turned into a 40-minute run. And I probably could have gone farther, but it was after 9 pm and unknown male neighbors started showing up to work out. I can't wait to run again and hear what happens next!

Net Carbs: 15 grams (saving my carbs for tomorrow -- hubby's 30th bday)
Workout: Running
Days 'Til 5K: 31

A Good Run & Carb Hallucinations

Before today's noon to midnight shift, I squeezed in a 30-minute treadmill run and an hour of Zumba. 

I had a great treadmill day. I ran 12-minute intervals and it felt really good. I slowed the pace down to 5.2mph so I wouldn't get so out of breath or overheat. My max heart rate stayed around the mid-160s, and I finally got into a comfortable stride. Yes, it's slow (11:30 min/mile), but once I get to 3 miles, I can always work on my speed.

Today, I had terrible cravings. I've been doing well on Atkins for the last 4 weeks, without cheating. I'm still keeping between 20 and 30 grams of carbs, mostly because I'm an all or nothing person, and if I start letting myself eat "more" carbs I will eat "all" carbs. But, for some strange reason, I kept smelling food aromas that made me crave carbs like Bruschetta, and fresh-baked Italian rolls.

I resisted. But... man did I cheat in my mind.

Back on the Treadmill

Looks like I'm not doing anymore outdoor runs this week. Boo.

To be honest, I don't think I could bear another day so soon of running with legs weighed down by soaking wet pants, the wind blowing rain directly into the small hole I left myself in my hood, and freezing afterwards drenched with sweat and rain. It was definitely an impulse run.

Today's run went well. I was due to run 3 intervals of 9 minutes walking with 1 minute of walking. The first interval went smoothly. The second, I found myself counting down each minute (59... 58... 57...). I took a longer walking breaking after that interval (3 minutes total) and ran 7 minutes for the last interval.

2.52 miles in 30 minutes.

Tomorrow's run is supposed to be 2 10-minute runs and an 8-minute run. EEK!

Net Carbs: 25 grams

Workout: Run only

Days 'Til 5K: 52

My (free) Atkins Quick-Start Kit

I signed up for the free Atkins Quick-Start Kit during week 1 and the kit came this week!

This isn't the first time I've done Atkins, but I thought it would be cool to see what this kit was all about. Plus, I tried a couple of Atkins bars 5 years ago, didn't like the flavors and have never looked back. So this was my chance to try them again without wasting my money (I do love the South Beach Diet bars, which also have comparable Net Carbs).

The kit came with 3 bars, a pocket-sized carb counter book that lists the number of carbs in most foods, and a quick-start guide. I tried two of the bars -- Chocolate Oatmeal Fiber Bar and Chocolate Caramel Mousse Bar and they were delicious! Maybe they've stepped up their game since 5 years ago. I'm willing to give them a try again now.

I am, however, leaving the third bar - the Sweet and Salty Almond Crunch Bar - for hubby to try. I'm not so sure about that combo and I'm not that brave.

If you're interested in low-carb, check out Atkins' interactive tools and sign up for your free kit.


Days 'Til 5K: 55
Workout: Off day

Anatomy of Our Low-Carb Fridge

Avoiding the Apple Pastry

Every Wednesday morning, we have 5 consecutive hours of mandatory lecture (ouch). As a peace offering, trays of bagels, pastries and muffins sit next to coffee containers on a table outside the lecture hall door. I'm not a big baked goods person and the bagels are usually a little too dry for my taste, but the pastry with the apple stuff in the center... heaven.

Of course, this heaven would cost me 2 days worth of carbs.

In preparation of this temptation (or torture, depending on how you look at it), I packed a goodie bag that would keep me so well-stocked that I would never even desire to walk near the table o' carbs.

In my snack bag:

• Piece of a spinach omelet hubby made on my way out the door
• Dannon Light & Fit Carb Control Yogurt (3 net grams)
• Del Monte No Sugar Added Peaches (or Mandarin Orange)
• Blueberries & Blackberries
• South Beach Diet Bar
• Atkins Shakes - vanilla and strawberry
• Sugar-Free Twizzlers
• Water bottle

The big news of the day...... I did a treadmill run after lecture and increased today's intervals to 3 minutes running with 1 minute of walking, which means I ran a total of 23 minutes, and walked 7 minutes. No shin cramps, no gasping for air! 

Maybe I really can do this...

Net Carbs: 36 grams (so far)

Weight: woke up late, forgot to weigh myself before I got dressed.

Low carb ice-cream and more running

While grocery shopping, I found slow-churned vanilla ice cream with Splenda (6g net carbs) and low-carb taco tortillas (7g net carbs)... Both kept me from cheating today!

Net carbs: 29 grams

Weight: -2 lbs

8-Week 5K Plan: Run-walk drills on the treadmill for 30 minutes (2 miles), plus Zumba class afterwards

Counting Carbs

Using the Atkins Carb Tracker, I've started counting carbs today. 

Usually, during the first two weeks of Atkins, you should limit your NET carbs to 20 grams a day. I'm planning on allowing up to 40 grams a day given all the running I'll be doing. 

Unfortunately, I surpassed both guidelines today: 75 grams of net carbs.

On a brighter note, I used a free pass to Healthtrax gym and joined the 1-hour muscle strength class this morning.