Losing Weight
This is the start of the 11th week of my marathon training. I was talking to a friend who has ran at least 10 marathons, 5 of them were within 7 days of each other—which in my opinion is not healthy, but I digress. So I was explaining to my friend that I had just run 13 miles that day and I have lost 20 pounds doing nothing but exercising and eating pretty much the same way I’ve always eaten. “In fact,” I said, “right after my run I went to QuikTrip and bought two donuts.”
“You’re silly,” he said.
I kept on talking like I usually do when I’m explaining something to someone who could really care less, and then halfway through my monologue, my tongue skidded like a cat on a wet linoleum floor. “Wait a minute, what do you mean I’m silly?”
“I mean you’re silly to be training so much and not eating right,” he said. “Does that even make sense? I mean you’re already doing the exercise, and not just any exercise, but running 13 miles? That’s insane considering less than three months ago you were just lying around doing nothing. And then you go and blow it all by buying donuts afterwards? That’s not even silly, that’s dumb.”
“Well that’s what I was craving,” I said, “and I felt like deserved it.”
“I’m not saying you didn’t deserve it. I’m just saying if you didn’t have 40 extra pounds riding along with you, maybe you wouldn’t have to work so hard when you’re running,” he said.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I’m already doing the hard part—exercising 5-6 times a week. Then my officemate said, “Your friend’s right. It’s like you’re handicapping yourself. Imagine putting a 40 pound pack on and running around with it. That’s what you’re doing by not eating right and carrying that 40 extra pounds.”
So I’ve decided that I will start eating right. I’ve heard that in order for an idea to manifest you need to make a goal, and in order for a goal not to just stay a dream, you need to write it down and to tell people about it; so that’s what I’m doing right now.
So here it goes: By 10/11/10 I want to have lost 38lbs that would put me at 195lbs. I haven’t been less than 200lbs in at least five or six years. I’ve already lost 20lbs in 11 weeks eating whatever I want, so I want to see what happens when I follow a strict diet and stick to my training program.
I’ve used the book Body for Life in the past and have lost weight twice following the program outlined in the book. The reason I gained the weight back was because I stopped eating right and exercising. This time I want to live the lifestyle not just follow the diet. I know there’s no magic pill, unless you count meth but I already have enough dental problems, so I guess I’ll have to do it the old fashioned way with diet and exercise. I’ll post a few pictures along the way to keep me honest. Sorry, there’s no witty ending today but it’s summertime, stop reading this crap and get out and do something.