Tags
5:2 fast diet, exercise, fatigue, health, HIIT, intention, life, weight loss
Just thought I’d let you in on how I was doing with my self torture project of becoming slightly fitter: I’m still at it, I’m pleased to say. I can do brisk 1 hour walks most days of the week now, and without my hips or knees crying halfway through, pulse down from 150 to 130; or 20 min on the crosstrainer at level 5 (started out at 2-3, 10 minutes). Physical antics leave me pretty exhausted most days, and sweaty as a galley slave. Sometimes I simply do short bursts at a very high setting for 5 minutes, then collapse on the floor panting, but not as dripping wet.
It’s definitely had an effect on the amount of time I spend in the studio, which I’m NOT happy about: it seems I can’t do both.
I managed to dodge too much xmas food and cookies for the most part, so that was another win. I fast* twice a week, which usually comes very easily; I could do three if it wasn’t more complicated to negotiate. I often have more energy on those days in fact, which to me proves that we basically eat too much overall even when we’re not gluttons. You spend all of your resources constantly digesting!
And let’s be honest, most of our appetite is generated by the imagination…
My weight and measurements haven’t improved very much, but I’m hoping for at least some health benefits. I always had low blood sugar, cholesterol etc. but the way I look now there has to be some visceral fat going on (unless we know of any alien species that are 3+ years pregnant?), and then there’s the joint pains which surely won’t get better if I remain seated. Those have improved too, but not the sore, tired muscles, yet.
As for the strong training headaches I mentioned, they were likely caused by betablockers keeping my pulse too low during motion and instead increasing the pressure to get enough blood flow for oxygen to the muscles. I decided to try half the dosage to give me a more natural span, even if it meant my resting pulse went up to 95. I was hoping that conditioning would help lower it instead of medication, and it has. In fact I’ve just now skipped the meds entirely and sit here writing at you with a normal (for me) pulse of 80 instead of the 100+ it was when I started on betablockers (stress related). High pulse is a strain on the heart, but so is having to pump with more force, so I could basically choose between not moving much or take less. Forces me to become better at stress management… (and yes, it eliminated the instant migraines – I was seriously worried for a while I’d have an aneurysm!)
I’m not really enjoying any of this however, so I try to look at the sporting side of it, the challenge, but would like some visible results to keep going long term. It’s working splendidly on G however, so each month I look forward to recording his new, smaller results and try to ignore my own.
* Fast days: 400 kalories, other days ~1500 kalories. Amazing that I only drop about 1 kg a month, isn’t it? Ok, so I have cake on weekends, but really?! I’m guesstimating a 35-40% reduction!
P.S. I’m totally on the move planning a gazillion weave drafts. Just hang in there.
Colour Cottage 
the trouble with all of this exercising and eating properly is that it takes so much effort, and makes you constantly focus on it, to the vast exclusion of all else. However, I am so glad to hear that it seems to be working, in that you are able to reduce meds with good results. The weight loss will come with time, I guess. Meanwhile, don’t; you wish studio time burned calories?
Glad you are feeling better overall, no headaches, etc. Sore legs will go away as you keep going, I am sure.
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Yes, it does take a lot of focus besides the physical exhaustion. But there’s nothing for it or I’ll be a 200 pound midget before I reach 60. Not happening, even if I have to take all my future meals from a dessert plate.
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meals on a dessert plate is not a bad thing, you know. 🙂 You can always think about seconds. Anyway, I think you are doing great, and maybe it will eventually become second nature, so that you can at least spend your exercise time thinking about studio time so that you are ready to roll when you get there. 🙂
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I do think a lot about studio project as I’m draped across the couch in a near faint after a session! Unless I fall asleep which also happens a lot. 😉 Sometimes I write it down.
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🙂
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And no chance for seconds, no elevensies, no snacks!
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That should do it. 🙂
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Not that I ate more than 2-3 times a day before, but we’ll just keep reducing until it happens!
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Don’t go so far down that road that you aren’t eating healthily, though. Just eat the right things and it should all work out.
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I do eat healthily and always have. I hardly use any prefabricated food, no soda, plenty of fresh vegetables every day. So it has to be the portion sizes, mainly dinner, that are a problem. But honestly I didn’t think I was eating all that much at any time to gain so much.
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Well, that is discouraging, if you already are doing so much that is right! That means something else has changed, it couldn’t be age. 🙂 But whatever it is, I hope that what you are doing to change things up works soon.
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Kære Pia. Det er meget svært at tabe sig ved alene at reducere kalorie-indtaget. Kroppen sætter forbrændingen ned, fordi den tror der er hungersnød. Så måske burde du spise mere – altså ikke kager, men god mad – de dage, du ikke faster? Diæter osv. kommer før eller senere ind under huden, det er sjældent, jeg er nødt til at tænke over FODMAPperiet, når jeg køber ind og laver mad længere. Det lyder godt at det går fremad trods alt. Jeg er også i gang med noget lignende – babyskridt er vejen frem.
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Videnskaben siger, at det er kun hvis man sulter sig over en lang periode, at forbrændingen går ned, og at man derfor ved at faste enkeltdage skulle beholde sin sædvanlige forbrænding. Jeg spiser hjemmelavet mad af gode råvarer og eget brød. Men forbrændingen falder jo med alderen uanset hvad man gør, det er vist ikke ualmindeligt at få tantekrop når man rammer overgangsalderen. Det helbredsmæssige kommer først, og det er bare ikke sundt at veje det dobbelte af hvad man burde – havde jeg mit helbred som for 20 år siden tror jeg ikke udseendet ville betyde så meget (men for 20 år siden var jeg 20 kg lettere, så måske det går hånd i hånd)
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PS og jeg tror jeg HAR spist mere end før gennem en periode, men uden at regne på det. Jeg er jo ikke så høj, så den daglige standard anbefaling i kalorier ligger noget højt for mig – og mens jeg havde diskusprolapsen bevægede jeg mig kun når jeg byggede værksted., det var dér jeg skulle have skåret ned, men man kører jo i sine vaner. Så nu står jeg her uden muskler til at hjælpe med at brænde krudt af, og det er så det jeg prøver at lave om på. Men det trækker tænder ud. (for 20 år siden kunne jeg også cykle 20 km om dagen og arbejde 12 timers vagter, damn!)
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Well done, and good luck as you continue. Fasting is no good for me – I have a family to feed!
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Sounds like smaller portions are the way to go – that is, if you feel the need to do anything.
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What a commitment you’ve made! And it sounds like you’re seeing progress so that will be motivating. Have you seen a doctor, to be sure there’s no thyroid issue that’s making weight loss slow?
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My thyroid numbers are just above the low border of normal, especially T3, which means doctors here regard it as just as “normal” as if they had been close to the top border. I’m not even going to discuss it, because they simply can’t be bothered. So if I still haven’t lost weight some months in with both exercise and calorie reduction, then I can prove it’s not just because I have cake on weekends.
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