Workout Week 26.08–1.09.2013

In Workout Week posts I will tell you everything about my last week’s workouts.

On Monday I decided to visit my grandmother so me and mom cycled to the city and back. All together about 1 hour of casual cycling. In the evening I had a normal 30 minute walk with my dog. Decided to take it slow and not have a “real” workout because my legs felt so tired. I decided to listen to my body more: if you really feel tired, don’t torture your muscles with extreme workouts; if you feel hungry, eat; if you’re sleepy, go to bed etc.

Tuesday as always was rest day. Had a nice long walk with my dog and enjoyed last bits of summer. It was actually so hot that when we reached a shadow under a bridge, my dog just sat down and then layed down and looked at me like I was murdering him. On Tuesday I also switched over to counting net carbs. Before I was eating 20 grams of total carbs (and that would be under 10 grams of net carbs, no wonder I started feeling tired and lack energy). So now 20 grams of net carbs (total – fiber = net) is like 30–40 grams of total carbs. The first day was aweful, I ate 32 g of total carbs and felt like cheating big time. But I felt more energetic by Tuesday evening. If fiber doesn’t raise blood sugar or insulin or even digest in my system, why count it as carbs?

On Wednesday was the last class with my best friend aka instructor in a long time. I have no idea when we’ll work out together next, maybe in October if our schedules fit together. I’m gonna miss her classes! I felt my energy coming back and I was giving it my all. In the morning did a 30 minute walk with my dog.

Thursday morning I stepped on the scale and – BOOM! – weight had reduced! Yay! I felt like going running or something but I had just had breakfast so I had to wait a few hours. Running too soon after eating: never a gret idea. On my run I managed to have an average pace of 7:42 min/km which is a lot better then my last runs. In the evening I also cycled to the city and back, all together 45 minutes, some of it in really strong wind.

Friday was prepping for my grandma’s 80th birthday party: cooking, baking slicing and dicing. In the evening had a walk with my dog and went cycling for an hour.

Saturday started brigth and early: first thing was stepping on the scale (and I was so disappointed again… what’s up with my weight?!) and then an hour walk with my dog in fog. Then it was prepping for gran’s birthday gathering. In the afternoon all my relatives came over from all over Estonia and it was party time. I managed to stay on the LCHF track and only have a couple of pieces of dark chocolate (although it was sweet, it is still considered LCHF). But I did eat too much of everything and felt too full by the end of the night. Me and mom cooked everything for the birthday and the food was just too yummy again. Had lots of veggies, meats, cheeses, fish, liver pate etc etc etc.

Sunday was a total fail for me. After birthday breakfast. All the food around. I was good and sticked to my low carb plan. Then cake and coffee time came. And somehow something in me was like: “You had gained weight yesterday. Lets eat the delishious strawberry banana whipped cream cake you made.” Oh boy. I ate a big piece of that and some apple pie. And then felt too full. I hadn’t had cake in such a long time, about 6 months. But no regrets: it tasted good and I enjoyed it… Until the stomach pain began: the whole day I was like a balloon and had pain in my tummy. I really felt seriously ill. Sugar is such a drug. In the evening I pushed myself for a run. I was slow, my stomach pain got worse and after working out the nausea hit me in addition to everything else. After this horrible experience with overeating and sugar I swore not to do this to myself ever again.

 

In total:

3 hours 30 minutes of walking

2 hours 45 minutes of cycling

1 hour of aerobics

2 hours of running

Workout-wise it was a great week but the Sunday cake fail was a true fail. I don’t know if I even want to step on the scale next week. 

But from next week everything will be different. Monday is my last day at home and on Tuesday morning I’m going back to school. No more cooking for my family, only allowed foods in the fridge, working out at the sports club and doing pretty much only group workouts, no more cycling, a lot less running. And a lot of studying and bachelor’s thesis that needs to be written…

I need to get myself together again. I am very motivated to lose those last 5–7 kilograms by Christmas. 

Workout Week 19.–25.08.2013

In Workout Week posts I will tell you everything about my last week’s workouts.

Monday was cycling day. Did my regular lap, about one hour. But after my workout I felt so nauseous, like I was going to throw up but couldn’t. Does anyone know what that’s all about? Nausea sometimes happens to me after working out… I read it could be drinking too much or too little water before, after or during workout, simply overdoing it or that a lot of blood flows to othermuscles during working out and less goes to the stomach so that causes nausea. And there were other reasons. What should I do/eat/drink after working out to not get nauseous? Besides cycling I ofcourse walked with my dog for half an hour.

Tuesday was Estonia’s national holiday and also rest day for me. Did an hour long walk with my dog.

My dog. Always a great companion on my walks 🙂

On Wednesday we did about half an hour of aerobics and half an hour of muscle exercises with my instructor friend. She’s a great teacher! Then I had to take a 30 minute walk home. Most of you don’t know this but during summer breaks, holidays and weekends I am staying with my parents near the city of Jõhvi in northeast Estonia, I live in the countryside. (When in school, I live in the city of Tartu.) And the bus schedule at my “real” home is well… not so good. So usually I cycle to the towns near me (about 30–45 minutes total). But when I go further in distance, I have to take the bus. That’s the case with our Wednesday workout classes. So to do 1 hour class at 6 PM, I leave home at 4 PM, take one bus to the city. Then wait and take the next bus at 5.15 PM. Then work out from 6 to 7 PM. Then wait and take the next bus 10 minutes before 8 PM and then the next right after that. And the last bus stops about 2,5 km from my house, so walk home 30 minutes. Not so comfortable, but what can you do, right. (When the family car work – not thw case right now – I leave home after 5 PM and get back before 7 PM. Much better.)

On Thursday I had some stuff to do in the city so I cycled there and back – about 40 minutes in total. After that I had a regular walk with my dog. It started raining. Again. My legs felt weird for the who-knows-how-many days in a row. I seriously debated whether I should go for a run or not. I went, I wasn’t terribly slow but not fast also.

Friday morning started with going for a walk with my lovely dog. In the evening I went cycling for an hour. My bike which is 10+ years old is seriously starting to fall apart. The noise it makes… Let’s just say that all people just jump away when they hear me approaching because they think it’s a motorcycle or something. But the weather was so nice, I really enjoyed myself.

Saturday was rest day aka walk for an hour with your dog day.

Sunday was running day. Went on an hour run in the afternoon. To my surprise I discovered the sun still tans although it is late August. My legs still felt weird, it’s like they barely move. I can feel my muscles screaming at me. 

Overall I haven’t been feeling myself. I’ve gained some weight 2 weeks in a row although I’ve followed my diet completely, my mood is down, I feel sad and bad and lack energy. Something is not right. I think I should maybe exercise less and/or eat more? But I’m scared to do that because I’m afraid my weight will go up even more. My current routine is not working (there, I said it!) but I’m scared to change it also. I could really use some help but I don’t know where to seek it from. My family is telling me to quit “my stupid diet” and not to run anymore. I feel like I’m all alone on this journey.

In total:

2 hours of running

2 hours 40 minutes of cycling

4 hours of walking

30 minutes of muscle exercises

30 minutes of aerobics

 

Lets hope next week brings better thoughts and feelings.