Getting into shape

[Freed Roger]

Another running race tip. For someone like me-running even to negative splits produces a better result. Run the 2d half faster than 1st. Somewhere I read most records from 1500M to marathon are run with even splits to negative.

Mentally this approach is helpful-kind of go comfortably fast until you hit a mark where you feel like you can kick it full blast until the end.

I work similarly when I train for matches. I'll jump rope or do jumping jacks or kick a bag for 12 rounds of 2 min, with a 1 min break in between. Start working hard, but leave a bit in the tank and crank out the last 20 seconds at sprint speed, simulating finishing a match with a flurry of kicks despite fatigue. Plus sometimes it takes a little work for your body to warm up to optimal performance.

I tend to do the same thing, start easy to warm up - amp it up as I go a bit, and then finish the main workout run, or gym work with whatever big push I can muster.

Negative splits for an endurance race, is different though - they end up more even effort than above. assuming one is warmed up for a race -Actual effort and resources used at the beginning is almost always much more than the perceived effort. Human nature tends to trump this common sense and we fly out of the gate amped up, and then run out of gas. The time savings banked from a jackrabbit start are used up and then some by the end.

I've experienced it by mistake and on purpose in races and training (an occasional on-purpose crash'n burn with a struggle to finish is probably more for building mental toughness than physical.)
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related workout thought: a running hack for when you don't want to or can't run so much.
I think I can still maintain/or improve at running by doing an overall gym workout - and finishing off by running home 1.5miles, or hopping on an elliptical or something cardio for the final 10 minutes. The logic is -that last bit of cardio - or running with already fatiqued legs and body is the same as running or cardio for a much longer distance or time. (technically not entirely correct.)

[Fat_Bulldog]

I think I am about a week or two away before I can begin lifting and working out again.

[jim]

I'm not sure but mine might slowly be getting better, but I might be weeks if not more. It's amazing how my injury has morphed. I've had low achy type pain at the side of my ear, I've had sharp knifing pain in the middle of my neck, I've had soreness in the trap, stiffness at the base of the skull in the middle of my neck, weird grinding popping sounds when I rotate my head. It just moves all over, day to day, hour to hour. The one constant is if I take my left hand and push down on my right shoulder, I get pain in the back of my skull by my right ear. When I get up in the morning I have pain in the back of my head that is relieved if I kind of raise my shoulder just a hair. But if I let it just hang normal, there is pain. That generally goes away through the day. If I put my had over my forehead and move my scalp around, I feel a little achy pain in the back by my ear.

I have no idea what I have done.

[Fat_Bulldog]

That sounds bad.

[jim]

It's weird, and a little scary because I've had a few dizzy spells with it and even some ringing in the ears. But I'd take this over what you are dealing with. I can manage it, and I can run, do core ... I'm not laid up, just uncomfortable.

[IMADreamer]

I'm getting more serious about eating better starting this week. I didn't want to just say ok I'm on a diet because I'm pretty sure that would lead to failure. However now that I'm losing some weight it's time to put that next piece of the puzzle together. I still don't want to go full on diet because damn it I'm going to drink milk and have a cheeseburger once a week. I can improve though. Do you guys have any suggestions on some good lunch time meals I can either have cold or make in the microwave? I'm always on the go so I'd probably need something I could grab in about 5 minutes on my way out the door in the morning and then take to work to heat up or eat cold.

[Fat_Bulldog]

When I don't have a lot of time I'll replace a meal with the pre-bottled Muscle Milk shakes. I get 32 g of protein for 160 calories and I feel full for about 3-4 hours afterwards.

This is my breakfast everyday and sometimes lunch. I feel full and good.

[jim]

I have a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter handy. Without jelly a PB sandwich is probably - 300 calories? 350? Pretty low, and it tends to stick with you more. Add a glass of milk with it and that's 500, alot of protein, and you won't be full or anything but it will actually feel like you ate something. If you had a healthy breakfast, you might be at 750 calories at lunch which is pretty low.

If you are careful with them almonds. I just bought a giant bag at lunch today, I'll take a handful and make that an afternoon snack. But I have to measure those out - 25-30 maybe - or else I'll go crazy. Again, you eat those and while it isn't much food, it feels substantive. Not full by any stretch, but at least it isn't eating a carrot or something. Lots of salt but sunflower seeds in the shell. An entire bag of David's is 400 calories, and your mouth will rot if you eat 1/2 a bag.

[lukethedrifter]

Keep a variety of non [expletive] things to snack on handy. I slice carrots and celery and put them in water in the fridge so they're handy. Some nuts or granola.
You're on the the right track imo staying away from dieting instead looking for ways to eat better foods more often.
If you want to eat more salads but you find lettuce boring keep sunflower seeds and canned chickpeas maybe some feta and other stuff like that around. If you toss the salad in a covered container it's much easier to use less dressing.
Mix in whole grains when you can. I eat white rice and regular pasta but I mix different grains like pearl couscous and quinoa into the rotation. Then I keep the leftovers in the fridge to throw into a salad in the next day or two.

I also recommend picking up a spice blend or two from penzeys in maplewood.

[Freed Roger]

When I don't have a lot of time I'll replace a meal with the pre-bottled Muscle Milk shakes. I get 32 g of protein for 160 calories and I feel full for about 3-4 hours afterwards.

This is my breakfast everyday and sometimes lunch. I feel full and good.

I do that a lot too, but almost only on workdays. when, I get hungry at work, all I keep at my disposal is either fruit, nuts, sometimes a vegetable or the staple - protein bars. I like to call them Snowpiercer blocks (the movie).

Dreamer- - A lot of weight control & exercise science seems to be gearing towards boosting metabolism and becoming a better fat-burner. The basics of that is cutting back on carbs. exercise in the AM -before eating. the bulk of the exercise should should be longer and mostly easier. That short strenuous stuff - it just burns glycogen. Look at NFL linemen.

I'm hearing more about fasting for this. Not like days, but maybe don't eat for 10-12 hours - burn thru the glycogen and teach body to access fat. decent sleep, and managing stress level - I think body hoards fat when you stress a lot.

Or you can go to a Dr for first time in a decade for a back/neck problem and find you have super high LDL cholestoral. that is like a gun to my head until I find out if statins work. lost 5lb rather quickly.