Running with LoseIt - 3/18/2019 - The Running Habit

This is a weekly post for runners of LoseIt. You can be someone who is considering taking up running, or someone who is running sub-20 minute 5Ks. All are welcome!

This post is for all your running related NSVs, training reports, weekly mileage, race reports, complaints, and for seeking answers or advice. Mostly folks come here to report how their recent running/week went.

In addition to a weekly check-in I ramble on about some running topic to stir up convo (and get past the automod).

Last week I was down with the flu. I posted a message but it wasn't long enough to get on LoseIt. I was out cold the minute I posted it. I'm back, though.

This week's topic, how to make running a habit...

The Running Habit

Most runners have a serious running habit. How do they do it? What does a running habit look like?

I've developed a 3-4 run a week habit myself. At one point I was a 5-6 day a week runner but my work schedule blows right now.

I developed this while in my high-motivation period starting running. It's built over my exercise habit. That I built during a high motivation period of my weight loss.

Using Periods of High-motivation

Motivation ebbs and flows. When it runs high, you can do anything... and you often want to do it All. Right. Now.

Running isn't an All. Right. Now. sorta pursuit though. It's an ease into it thing. It's about embracing small changes. From week to week the beginning runner needs to be motivated not by big strides, but by tiny changes in how bad, horrible, theworst! running feels. The tiny changes takes runs from theworst! to horrible, then horrible to bad, finally bad to... "Today's run didn't feel bad."

You have to use you high motivation with some discipline here. Luckily, weight loss is similiar. It is a very slow reward. Losers know patience and discipline. You know how to turn motivation into habits that take you through slow and steady progress.

Get a Plan

Use a training plan early on. Losing weight shows how planning can help keep you on track. Training plans are the same for running.

Start running with C25K - /r/c25K. Anyone who sprinted each minute of running in W1D1 will tell you how challenging that can be. It can whip your butt. Embrace it!

Once you finish that, go to Bridge to 10k. Google B210K or just look up 10K novice training plans!

What does a plan look like?

A running or training plan will have runs scheduled over 6, 8, 12, 18 weeks. They will have described runs for specific weekdays, like --

Mon - 3 miles easy. Tues - Rest. Wed - 40 minute intervals, warmup/cool down 5 minutes. Work: 5 times x 4 minutes hard, 2 minutes recovery/jog. Thurs - 20 minutes easy.
Fri - rest.
Sat - 5 miles, fast finish last 1.5 miles 20-30 secs faster per mile than average pace.
Sun - rest.

That's what a week of a 10K or half marathon training plan might look like.

Sticking to It - Pick a Race

That's all well and good. Anyone can lay down a schedule of training over months and then do nothing. Right? Not you. Time to put a little fire under your butt. (I know, it got a whopping in C25K.)

Pick a race for the end of your plan, and buy your entry now. Then get out there and train for it. A 5K is good motivation for anyone. And going from couch to running one can be done in 8 weeks. Go, go, go, go!

How do you find a race? In the USA -- take a look at local events at runningintheUSA.com.

Running is Just What You Do

One of the biggest things I do to keep at something is remove choice from my options. I get up and go running in the morning. I don't think of it as something I want to do. I don't want to brush my teeth. I don't want to take a shower. I just do them. I leave time for them and do it and then get on with my day.

Don't make it a choice. Your day begins when you are done. Your night starts when you are done. Your lunch is a run. It is your normal thing you do.

The Easy, Run-What-You-Can Bridge

Sometimes you don't have time for your planned run. Or you don't feel good. Or the weather sucks. Or it's a Monday.

Just do a short little run. Do an easy run. Something is always better than slash and burn. Losing weight really teaches this. There's always something between all or nothing.

Most people can't run 10 minutes straight let alone 20. If you are short on time, not feeling good, or it's Monday -- just go do 10-20 minutes real easy. You doing C25K? Do half the planned workout. (I do a mile as my 'I've done something') You've run. You are keeping the habit. Next time, next week, you'll be back at it.

What are your habit building tricks?

Share any running habit building tricks you have. How did you make running stick?

Weekly Check in

How did your week go? Complete your first run? Finish a week of C25K? Training for a race coming up? Got a question or complaints? Let us know!

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I reached my goal weight! Here's my story and some things I learned

Hi all! I know I haven't lost as much as a lot of people around here, and we get a lot of these, but I hope you like my story (sorry it's so long!).

In the early winter of 2017 I was headed down a dangerous path. I smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, was about 30 lbs overweight, paid little attention to my diet, drank a lot of alcohol, my weight was higher than I'd ever seen it, rarely exercised, and generally felt awful all the time. I was always so tired, things like cutting my grass would wipe me out, just walking up one flight of stairs would make my heart nearly beat out of my chest, I was always bloated, had little interest in anything, but most of all I felt like I had no control over what I was doing or where my life was going. I originally said on my 40th birthday I would make some serious changes, but my mom died a couple months before and it hit me pretty hard, so I delayed until my 41st birthday.

I had an epiphany...

I am lazy, and I realized it actually took a lot more effort to keep living the way I was living because everything was so difficult than to live a healthier life. Did I want to be tired and miserable constantly or eat a little better and exercise a few times a week? I didn't want my wife to end up a widow like my mom, and my kids to end up orphans like me (my father passed when I was 17 because he was an overweight smoker and never exercised). I made some serious changes that seemed difficult at the time, but looking back I don't miss any of them at all.

Step 1

The very first thing I did was talk to my doctor, he gave me some good advice and put me on an antidepressant. That helped me immensely mentally, in dealing with the loss of my mother and cigarette cravings. On my 41st birthday I smoked my last cigarette.

Step 2

Next was my diet. I looked at what I was eating during the day and it consisted of chips and mostly junk food, pop, other sugary drinks like Gatorade, a Red Bull in the morning, nothing really very healthy. In the evenings I'd have whatever my wife cooked or the most unhealthy thing on the menu if we went out. That was accompanied by a couple beers and a few more on the weekends.

The first thing I gave up was almost all beverages except for water and a cup of coffee in the morning. I still have maybe one or two beers a week, and the occasional diet pop, but mostly just water. After a couple days of that I didn't find it difficult at all. Next was lunch, I traded the junk food with empty carbs for more healthy things like yogurt, fruit, peanuts, protein bars, etc.

Step 3

Then came exercise. This was actually easy because I had been wasting money on a good health club every month, I just had to actually start going. I started running, lifting weights, taking yoga classes, and playing tennis. After a couple weeks I began to enjoy it.

Results

I reached my goal of losing 20 lbs for a family vacation. The first 10 lbs fell off, the other 10 took a little while longer. After that I maintained most of my healthy habits but the weight crept back up and gained about 10 back in 8 months.

Phase 2

Another vacation planned and another 20 lbs I wanted to lose, luckily my starting weight was lower this time. But I wanted to take it more seriously.

I kept hearing about keto so I decided to give it a try and failed miserably. After 2 weeks I had only lost 1 lb and I just hated it. I got the keto flu, bad breath, insomnia, and pretty much every other side effect except for the weight loss, and I didn't enjoy most of my food.

So I moved on to CICO and was surprised at how easy it was. I ate good, healthy food and did it in a controlled manner. This was a huge eye opener for me, it taught me how to make better choices, understand portions, and most of all it gave me some direction so I wouldn't just mindlessly eat like a horse all day. I reached my goal weight even quicker this time and I can finally say I'm within a healthy BMI again.

Things I've learned along the way

Don't overdo it. Other times when I tried to lose weight I would hours at the gym, reduced my calories way too far and only ate junk. I lost weigh too quickly, kept getting sick, got injuries like shin splints, eventually got burned out, and I was still pretty "skinny fat" and didn't like how I looked. Since I've started my most recent lifestyle change I haven't been sick once, have been mostly injury free, I'm liking my physique better, and I'm still going strong.

Don't forget that your main goal should be to improve your health, and that's not always the same as weight loss. Like I mentioned above, don't overdo it or do other things that will end up doing more harm than good. Don't forget to keep the big picture in mind.

Tracking what I ate was so important. It gave me control to not lose too quickly or too slowly. It helped track my nutrients and macros. Most importantly it gave me direction so I knew about how much I should be eating and not just eat mindlessly every time I got bored or hungry.

Remember it's not a diet, it's a change of diet, or a change of lifestyle. Focus on some things you can change for good and will help keep the weight off long term.

Joining a nice gym was a game changer for me. With smaller gyms I get bored so quickly. With a nicer, bigger gym I've found I have a lot more stuff I can do and I never get bored. It gives me something to do during these long midwest winters. I'ts definitely more expensive but worth every penny since I've started to prioritize my health. In the end, whatever you can stick with for the longest will be your best choice, and that was what I needed.

It's not a cure all. I don't have women throwing themselves at me, I still have some health problems and am dealing with some wicked sciatic pain. I definitely think I look better but far from being hot (hence no pics). I still feel out of shape no matter how much I exercise. I will probably never be satisfied but I will try to enjoy the small victories.

I'm not done yet

This was just one of my goals and they are constantly changing, and I still plan to keep my health going in a positive direction, so I'll never really be done. But this whole process has given me the confidence that I can actually control what I eat and have the power to make positive changes to myself.

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Looking for advice: coworker keeps shaming me for not finishing my plate

Hi everyone,

I started my weight loss journey in November last year and have lost almost 10kg (~20 lbs), thanks to this sub and /r/progresspics that I check every morning to keep me motivated and CICO.

(rant incoming, tldr below)

I work as an consultant and have to travel to my customers a lot (once or twice a month), which of course makes calorie counting really hard. We also usually go out to fatty food places (burgers, pizza etc) and for cocktails after, so to be on the safe side I try to stop myself as soon as I feel not hungry anymore, which usually leaves about half to one third uneaten.

Last week I was in Munich, where I'm extra careful because it's basically all pork and wheat there. I was there for 4 days and one of the project managers on the customer side started leaning in on me on day 2. "Hey fit-fat-Tony, I realized you don't finish your plate" I didn't really answer, just shrugged it off. But she kept doing it every meal we had together and on day 4 during dinner, when she made a remark about it again, I asked her to stop shaming me for my food choices and she immediately became defensive.

I first try to explain to her that I have a very complicated and unhealthy relationship with food, that I am just learning to pick proper portion sizes in the canteen, and in restaurants you just get big portions. She told me I should order half meals then.

By now I'm really annoyed and tell her it's none of her business to which she replies I should be able to take it as I'm usually so direct as well. Yeah sure about work stuff, stuff that is my literal business. I don't go around shaming people for what they do or don't put in their bodies. I shrug and say, if she really needs to, she should talk to someone else about it, because I won't be listening anymore.

So she proceeds talking to the person next to her about me while I am sitting opposite to her and can hear every word.

I went outside to catch some air and was preparing to leave, but another coworker talked me down and gave me a big ol hug.

She also constantly talks about how she wants to lose weight, I tell her I've lost 10kgs by counting calories, she says she already eats as little meat and fat as possible. I tell her maybe she doesn't burn enough, she says she walks her dogs every day. Clearly she is projecting her insecurities on me, but knowing that still doesn't help.

Now I'm at the customer again, dreading lunch at the canteen because I'm not sure I won't explode when she goes off on me again. I am just so triggered by someone shaming me into eating, which is what my mom used to do constantly.

So does anyone have any tips how to deal with this situation in the moment?

Tldr coworker shames me for not finishing my plate, tells me she won't stop and I have to take it.

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Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Monday, 18 March 2019? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

Welcome to r/Loseit!

So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why you’re overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

• Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!
• Loseit Compendium - Frame it out!
• FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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9 More Air Fryer Recipes for Fried Food Lovers

If you haven’t tried an air fryer yet … what are you waiting for? Unlike other TV gadgets that say they slice and dice but don’t, the air fryer is the real deal: Using superheated air instead of oil, the countertop wonder turns out cripsy fried chicken, crunchy potato chips and other fried food favorites with fewer calories and fewer ingredients than store-bought or other homemade options. Meals like these Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks use just three ingredients.

So get your hands on an air fryer and start making your favorite fried food for less the calories. Need a place to start? We’ve got you covered with PLENTY of delicious “fried” recipes right here on The Leaf.

11 Instant Pot Recipes You Need to Try This Instant

Read More

Try these 9 no-sweat recipes (with zero guilt!) that are inspired by fried food favorites:

1. Air Fryer Crab Wontons >

Calories per serving: 60

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 2 Extras

Wonton treats like these are a fried food takeout favorite, and they seem like they’d be impossible to replicate at home. But there’s a secret in your grocery freezer: Premade, pre-cut wonton wrappers. Fill them with a tasty combination of cream cheese, green onions, lump crab meat and a few spices, and you’ve got a pile of poppable snacks or a smart-portioned side dish that pair perfectly with other Flex Meals like the Asian Edamame Power Bowl. And at just 60 calories for two crab wontons, you can enjoy these creamy, crunchy favorites while staying on plan.

2. Air Fryer Baked Eggs >

Calories per serving: 81

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 PowerFuel

Omelets and other egg scrambles can be frustrating on a busy morning: There’s the pan to clean up, and the risk that in your morning rush, you might not cook the dish just right. This air fryer recipe solves both problems: The machine cooks the breakfast to perfection at the push of a button in just five to eight minutes, and you’ll eat it in the same ramekin you cook it in—so there’s nothing to clean up. It’s a tasty, flavorful breakfast to power you up for the day and keep you filled with protein and vegetable protein long into the morning.

3. Air Fryer Chili Potato Skins >

Calories per serving: 151

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1/2 SmartCarb, 1/2 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

Just because you’re losing weight doesn’t mean watching the game is accompanied just by carrot sticks. While it’s great to get your veggies in while cheering on your favorite team or binging your favorite new show—and The Leaf has recipes for amazing dips (try this popular Skinny Spinach Dip >) to accompany those vegetables—you can still enjoy indulgent favorites while staying on plan. Case in point: These chili-filled potato skins are just as delicious as calorie-filled fried food. Thanks to the air fryer, each skin—loaded with chili, cheese and sour cream—is just 151 calories.

Healthier Fried Chicken & 13 Other Amazing Air Fryer Recipes

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4. Air Fryer BBQ Potato Skins >

Calories per serving: 143

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

Not a chili fan? These skins swap out the red for pulled pork and barbecue sauce and keep the cheese and dollop of sour cream. They’re simple to make: Just crisp the potato in the air fryer for five minutes while mixing the other ingredients—including store-bought pulled pork and sauce—in a bowl. Fill each skin once it’s cooked and top with sour cream for an appetizer experience that would be welcome fare in any sports bar … but at 143 calories, these are more than welcome in your weight loss plan.

5. Air Fryer Southwestern Egg Rolls >

Calories per serving: 165

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

Many “diet” versions of your favorite fried food offer a teeny, tiny portion. Not so with these easy-to-make egg rolls: Each 165-calorie serving is six rolls, filled with chicken, cheese, vegetables and avocado. And with ready-to-use egg roll wrappers from the grocery store freezer, all that deliciousness couldn’t be easier to make. Just a few steps on the stove and 16 minutes in the air fryer, and you’re in crunchy, chewy appetizer heaven.

6. Air Fryer Pizza Rolls >

Calories per serving: 67

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 2 Extras

There’s bad news about the pizza rolls you remember microwaving as a youth: They weren’t good. Try those same rolls as an adult, and you’re sure to be disappointed—and you’ll still burn your mouth on the boiling sauce inside. But these air fryer rolls have fewer calories and more flavor: Thanks to using real ingredients like actual mozzarella cheese, your favorite low-sodium pizza sauce, and turkey pepperoni, they’ve got the real flavor of pizza swaddled in each ready-made wonton wrapper. And thanks to the magic of the air fryer’s superheated air, they’re lower in calories, too. Just watch your mouth: You can still burn yourself on these healthier, tastier rolls!

6 Sneaky Ways You’re Ruining Your Veggies

Read More

7. Air Fried Eggplant Parm Poppers >

Calories per serving: 221

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel and 1 Vegetable

Three of these poppable “fried” snacks is just 221 calories, but they’ve got a whole day’s worth of flavor. Salty from Parmesan cheese, savory from eggplant cubes at the base, spiced up with Italian seasoning, and given a smooth finish from a dip in marinara sauce, each ball offers the full range of eggplant parmigiana flavors in a single bite. Prepare them before your next big gathering or hoard them all for yourself. The recipe makes three servings, so you can enjoy these snackable favorites tonight and then as a side with other meals tomorrow.

8. Air Fryer Mexican Pizza >

Calories per serving: 325

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 SmartCarb, 2 PowerFuels and 1 Extra

Get the gooey cheesiness you love from a Mexican pizza without worrying about burning it: The air fryer makes it easy. After browning some ground turkey with cilantro, green onion and spices, you’ll add it into the air fryer on top of a tortilla with spinach and cheese. In less than 10 minutes, your pizza is ready to be topped with salsa and avocado for a perfect Flex Meal you’ll love—and love to share. The recipe makes 4 servings, so cut it up and make this Nutrisystem-friendly meal something the whole family can enjoy together.

9. Air Fryer Orange Tofu >

Calories per serving: 103

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 PowerFuel and 1 Extra

If you don’t love tofu, get ready to change your mind: These air fried tofu cubes are crunchy and breaded from a panko breadcrumb and cornstarch coating and bursting with the flavors of orange, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. They’re a surprising appetizer that your family or guests will love—and ask you to make again for your next get-together. Best of all, they fit right in with your healthy lifestyle: Each serving of orange tofu is just 103 calories, leaving plenty of room in your Flex plan for more of your favorite foods … or another serving of these tofu bites!

No time for cooking this week? Check out our menu filled with ready-to-go versions of your all-time favorite foods >

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Stuck at the same weight for more than a year now

I am female, 5'6" and currently weigh around 148 lbs, at 29 % body fat. In 2017, I lost 22 lbs in a slow but steady way, counting calories each and every day, going to the gym 4-6 times a week, and it worked perfectly.

But at some point when I hit my current weight in early 2018, nothing has really changed anymore. Luckily, I was able to maintain my weight but I still kept trying to lose some more, my goal weight would be around 130 lbs.

I tried to live on somewhere between 1200-1400 calories from that point on (because losing weight at 1500 calories like before apparently didn't work anymore), changing my approaches and sometimes being successful, but then I let go a little bit and put the 4-6 lbs I had lost on again quickly.

I am trying to figure out what I have been doing wrong in the grand scheme.

My fitness trainer said I shouldn't eat below about 1400 calories a day. She says this is my BMR. But I feel when I eat around 1400 calories a day, nothing really changes. Or maybe the slip ups that didn't matter so much before now make that much difference?

I guess I am seeking for some inspiration how I can continue. I believe in calories = calories and it worked for me, but it seems to have stopped working now...?

Please send me all your weight loss tipps!!

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Two questions: Am I supposed to feel hungry? How is TOPS?

As in the title:

​

1. This may sound extremely stupid--sorry for the ignorance, I'm still learning. Am I supposed to feel hungry on a calorie deficit? I'm about 390 lbs 5'7, Male, and consume about 2500-2800 calories per day. My TDEE calculator suggests 3700 (due to light exercise and being on my feet) is my maintenance goal. So I'm at about 1000 calorie deficit, but going to bed I'm always very hungry, which can make it difficult to sleep. Is this normal at first? Does it go away after a week or so/do you get used to it?

​

1. Has anyone tried TOPS weight loss support? Is it okay for men to join too? If I'm male in my mid-20s would that be strange or would I be welcome?

​

Thanks for any and all comments.

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