Muscle and Fitness Hers Forums - View topic - Back to it...

gfraast · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:48 am Post subject:

oh, sorry, i did miss your birthday! i wish you all the best, hope you had a great day!!!
and congrats on your losses, you are constantly losing, so you are doing it right hm! Very Happy

Anne-Marie · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:54 am Post subject:

Thanks! Well...I have hopped on tht scale 3 more times and it is not aas low Sad

I don't know wht thhat means... I doubt I gained 3 kilos in one day, or lost them either... Iwill see about measuring every day for the next few days and see what the average is and change my results to that. grrr as I really liked that low number! But Ido notice changes in how my jeans fit... looser pretty much to the knee!!!

Today: Warm-up: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes
Run 3 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 7 times.
Cool-down: Walk slow & easy 5 minutes

Was a little bit hard, but I ran faster than usual since I know I can do it, so that and being a week since the last run would account for the challenge. I *hope* I am able to fit in another run during the week, but I ok with it if I don't. (well, mostly ok.)

britbabe · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 12:18 am Post subject:

Anne-Marie,

Don't worry too much about the scales, our weight fluctuates all the time. I see a big increase if I have eaten a lot of carbs or had some wine, but then the next day it tends to disappear...! I like to weigh in daily as I feel more in control. If I am being good there does tend to be a decrease (only little) each day, but if I have been bad then I can see it straight away and it will (hopefully) motivate me to work harder!
x

Anne-Marie · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:24 am Post subject:

oh. well. there was some badness yesterday. i didn't eat enough during the day and then craved dessert at night. and showed only enough self-control to chew with my mouth closed. i admirably restrained myself from shoving my husband to the floor when he got in my way as i reached for the next piece of chocolate. sigh. indeed the higher number on the scale is reality-based.

today i will eat according to my plan, and drink more water. see how the scale looks tomorrow.

i went to the doc yesterday, and she said there is nothing at all to worry about with my knees. so, i am pretty much cleared to go ahead with any activity i choose.

lizzyb · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:58 am Post subject:

It is good that you 'caught' yourself nonetheless........and setbacks, and sometimes even self-sabotage can be a reality. Great to be mindful of all!! Scales are such evil little contraptions that have way too much power, lol!

Now with your doc's approval, there is nothing to stop you....GO woman!!

Anne-Marie · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:49 am Post subject:

I'm really unhappy. I am so tired and overwhelmed I have to restrain myself from bursting into tears. I am late for everything. I fantasize about napping all day.

I don't know what to do about it. I hoped it would pass, but I am going to bed at my usual time (1030-11pm) and struggling to get out of bed at 730. I have a little trouble falling asleep, but less than usual. I often wake up to use the bathroom (going to cut out drinking tea after 9pm to help with that) but I do usually fall right back asleep.

I last remember feeling 'good' last Monday, after I'd slept about 24 out of 48 hours on the weekend. By Tuesday, I was tired again.

I feel unsuccessful. I am not able to run or otherwise workout except Sat-Mon because I'm so tired. But that is when I am taking care of my house and social life. I am going to talk to my boss and possibly quit my job as I suspect that is playing a big part, but I don't know if that is the 'real' problem. I worry a bit about chronic fatigue since I did suffer from that in the past, but this feels much more 'normal' - like, related to what's going on and not a crazy fatigue overreaction. I am late for school, then work... the world continues to turn, even tho I am late and often haven't done/finished my homework. But I am so worn out all the time.

What can I do to change things?

nolto · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:22 am Post subject: Just wondering...

You sound exhausted and overwhelmed to say the least. I am sorry for that! We have all been there at different times of life. I am not sure what everyone will say to this and I don't want anyone upset with me, but I've even heard a few serious athletes say it so for what it is worth - maybe taking a "guilt-free" week off would do some good. The "guilt-free" might be the very hardest part for you, it would me. But approach it as if you have a week and maybe it will turn out to be just a few days that you need. If you feel like tossing in a short, easy work out in there, do so. If not, don't beat yourself up! You will not lose all that you have gained and worked for in that short of time. And what tiny loss may exist would be fixed in no time. Stick to eating as healthy as you can during this time to keep the track level. Spend the time recuperating, maybe even consider a new plan and approach to your days. If you don't want to think about it at all for a few days, don't! Allow yourself to rejuvinate as recently, a lot has fell into your lap. A friend said to me when i was lamenting about how I could not figure out "what I was supposed to be doing with my life" "Maybe you are thinking about it too hard and too much. When you relax and let life come towards you instead of trying to chase it down it may show itself to you." Sorta like the dog who chases it's tail madly and can't catch it. Rest, take a few breaths and try a new approach to "catching that tail" (Not comparing you to dog! I am not great with words Laughing

) I am a list maker, right what problem is,,,why it is and then some steps, ideas how to fix, accomplish. Allow yourself some downtime without beating yourself up about it. A week, days, a day. Whatever you need. That time could make all the difference and save you from a crash. Ironically, we all want to be healthy, sometimes at the expense of our own health!!

Forgive me if I have over stepped. I know you have given me and others some great talks and you should turn that great positive attitude on yourself. You deserve it!

Sophie · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:28 pm Post subject:

Sounds like you need a break like what was suggested above. When's the last time you gave yourself a week off?

lizzyb · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:31 pm Post subject: Re: Just wondering...

gfraast · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:09 am Post subject:

hey, hope you already feel better, i just want to say that i'm thinking of you, and everything will turn out positively for you!!
have a nice weekend!!

Anne-Marie · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:02 am Post subject:

Hi there - well, yup, I feel MUCH better today. I went to bed an hour earlier than usual, and had not even tried to do more than make dinner, and my husband did (almost) half of that! I woke up still tired, but not that bone-weary, angry and frustrated about it before even getting out of bed kind of tired! I also found out today that I can get reimbursed for transit fare to school - which doesn't save time, but does save 1+ hour of cycling per day... or more maybe when the wind is high or the winter rains come.

So, I have a new plan. Next week I will
1. do all my homework before classes for the week begin, and not do any more homework on school nights. If I am not able to finish then I will just leave it - see how much it is really. This means I have to do homework on Sunday.
2. take the tram to school.
3. see if I have the energy to go for a run on Thursday night (when there is nothing on TV anyways! lol!)
4. head to bed at 1030 - like, get ready before and at 1030 upstairs and under the covers! Not at 1030 tidying up and cleaning the kitchen and brushing my teeth and hanging out the laundry....
5. consider doing the grocery shopping for the whole week in one day, instead of going to the grocery every day.

Thank you all for your support. Just so you know, you cannot overstep (unless you call me names or something!) because even if I end up deciding I don't agree with your view, I still respect it and for my own development try to consider whether it would/does apply to me.

The only hesitation about a rest is... I don't feel like I am doing anything much. I don't have kids, I only work part-time, I only go to school part-time, my house is usually a bit of a mess, I usually don't have time to put on makeup or do more than comb my hair (unless it's really bad and I need to disguise it with a barrette or something), there is always laundry and dishes waiting for my attention, the garbage doesn't always get put out in time, my homework is usually submitted late, I don't socialize that much (yet!!), my workouts are down to 1-2 runs/week, and, well... so on!

Anne-Marie · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:10 am Post subject:

Also I've weighed myself every morning a few days now, and looks like I didn't lose that extra kilo after all... revised numbers here (still good tho!)

britbabe · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:13 am Post subject:

Anne-Marie,

I think you are doing what I do - you are seeing all these things that in an ideal world you would fit into your day and you feel if you did these things you would feel complete/perfect.... or caught up?!?!? and then you kick yourself for not getting them done. Why didn't I just do the dishes straight after eating last night, I wouldn't be faced with a kitchen full of dirty pots this morning.... Why can't I just get to work on time? etc... I think as soon as this thought process begins, it gets worse, everything becomes harder to do and then you become overwhelmed and tired of the whole lot of it!

I think your next post was a lot more positive and you have taken some steps out of this mindset. I would suggest having a poke around on the flylady website www.flylady.net/ - this may give you a few bits of inspiration. Going to bed earlier is a great start - it always amazes me how I can take things completly out of proportion if I am tired ... it maybe that this is the only change you end up needing to make....

Also try to remember exercise gives you energy, so you may not feel like going for a run but chances are you'll have more energy afterwards and sleep better?

Very Happy

Anne-Marie · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:26 am Post subject:

hahaha bbabe- I used to belong to the flylady website! I stopped only because it stopped being relevant to me (and a dispute over the flylady calendar delivery charge for a the calendar i never got... lol!)

that website i think changed my life!!! i HAD to learn about 'good enough' for my own sanity!!! It can hard to generalize to other areas... as the pattern of thinking itself isn't always affected by a change in one area or another.

and really, i think the biggest problem I ever face is that I WANT to do more than is possible, and I don't want to choose. So I push myself and worry and I see that changing a bit lately....

I suspect that I will be able to make some changes in my life to give me a bit more balance. I have free time 3 days/week (but not 'free' as that is errands, homework, socializing, personal time), and booked solid (in with other people) time 3 days/week. So maybe that can be reconfigured.

On the eats side, I am finding portable snacks for when I am working and to bring to school, lunch remains a *bit* of a challenge as preparing ahead isn't always a good idea (ummm... chopped apple the next day? ewww) and I often come home impatient for prep!! But, I think that is a small problem.

Activity wise - well, I hope to do 2 runs before Wednesday... and we'll see how the new schedule goes for running on Thursday evening.

I'm going to email the two gyms close to me and ask them to send me some info (no prices online!) as we just practiced this kind of letter in school anyway, and I want to join one next month!

Lately this has been a psychological journal, less a fitness journal... which is great as those have been the types of challenges coming up lately, but weird as well because I am quite active!! Log for the week:

Monday - 38 min scheduled run, cycling 40 min (errands)
Tuesday - 30 minutes cycling, 3 hours walking carrying post + heavy bag
Wednesday - 100 minutes cycling, 2.75 hours walking with load
Thursday - 70 minutes cycling, 2.25 hours walking with load
Friday - 90 minutes cycling, 2.5 hours walking with load
Today - 15 minutes cycling, 1 hour slow walking with friend looking at shops etc... but may do more later hmmm?

Anne-Marie · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:54 am Post subject:

wooo hoo!! I called my boss (not expecting him to answer at 5:30 pm on a Saturday) and discussed how I am feeling about the amount of work and trying to balance things. He suggested changing my route to one closer to home, smaller, and giving me a pushcart to make things easier and faster!! So, he will make arrangements for that next week - I probably would start next week or the week after and I'll give it a month or so to see how it goes! It should mean that I work 2 hours or less 4x per week, instead of lately 3 hours or less 4x per week, plus cut out the 20-40 minutes cycling! (from 14 hrs down to 8!!)

I've also arranged to take the week off of school next month as holiday from work as well... for me, being in Europe is exciting and I'd like to maybe take a little trip somewhere!!