From alpha testing to the QUERCUS 200

It is 70 outside right now. I worked in 100 degree heat this week right here in East Texas. I'm setting up the tent in the morning and spending the rest of the weekend in my woods.

Run
30 mins
2.25 miles
149 bpm avg hr

My knees really ached afterwards. I iced them and took pain medicine. The run was easy, but maybe it was the cumulative stress of the week. Hell it might have been in part because of the quick drop in temperature.
 
Enjoy that cooler weather Quercus! I'm so sick of this hot humid weather. Fall cannot get here quickly enough! Hope the weekend gave you the rest and peace that I think it sounds like your body needs. You really have such a phsycially demanding job at times and being in the heat like that makes for long days!
 
I had a really good time in the woods this weekend. It wasn't as restful as I'd hoped. I cleared a trail with a machete and hand saw and cut and hauled firewood with the same. I also dug and hauled stones for the fire pit. There are plenty of dead trees for firewood, but it's a lot of work with a machete and bow saw.

My back was really sore and tight yesterday. Just muscle soreness without the shooting pains or spasms so that's a real improvement. Crows are an effective alarm clock.

I'm packed for a run at the gym tonight. I plan to make camping a regular deal this fall. It's nice being close to the house. After doing the bulk of the difficult work we went to the house and took showers and had dinner before going back out.
 
Now that's my kind of camping! Best of both worlds. And sounds like you got plenty of exercise. Glad you and your wife had a good weekend together under the stars!
 
We also managed to have coffee and a nice vegan Thai meal on Sunday. It was a great weekend!

Run
2.4 miles
30 minutes
164 bpm avg HR

The knees and back feel the best that they have after a run since pre kneebola. I came home and cooked dinner and then we cleaned out the fridge and washed all the dishes. The fridge was rather stinky. We found several fuzzy mystery bowls in the back. Bleck! I now have an apple cinnamon candle in the kitchen to oust the remnant stinkies. The fridge is shiny and rather empty and the compost and the trash are outside. I bet there will be some happy possums tonight in that nasty compost.
 
Your week-end sounds like lots of fun Q, except for finding a stinky fridge on your return! Thanks for making me laugh today. I needed that xo Cate
 
Glad to help Cate!

Thank V!

Last night the wife and I did 40 minutes of yoga

I feel that yoga is what's going to right my strength and flexibility issues. I just need to tak ethe time to do it regularly. I have the gym bag packed for tonight, but I may elect to run outside if it isn't raining.
 
Also, big deal for my wife tonight! We were leaving and a woman stopped her to say that she was shrinking. The lady works at the gym and has gone through a major weightloss over the last 2 years herself and remembered my wife from when we first started to run on the indoor track. There was a big hug too. Very motivating!
 
I am so happy for you & your wife Q. It is very rewarding when people notice weight-loss, especially if it's said the right way & sincerely meant. I love that you are taking pleasure from her positive changes. It is much easier in life if you have the support of someone else, but especially your partner. Go Mr & Mrs Q!! I hope you both live a long, healthy & happy life together! xo Cate
 
Congrats to the success your better half is having. If you like, you can tell her I said it never ever gets old.
 
Thanks SanJoseMom! It really does help.

Thanks so much Cate! My wife turned 40 yesterday and I told her that we have reached a point to make our 40s the best decade yet.

I will tell her Vee, thanks!

So the weightloss site was down for me at the end of last week.

9/18/2014
dumbbell and bodyweight strength training for about 45 minutes

9/19/2014
run
30 mins
29:50 2.4 miles which is 10 secs faster than Wednesday's run


We went out of town for a long weekend to celebrate my wife's birthday. It was very nice, but we just walked a ton and didn't do any runs or workouts.

I bought some inserts and shoes that will hopefully help with my knee pain. I will be running tonight.

I'm also very ready to get the scale moving. I am trying one last time to get it to move without counting calories. I have to make it work this week. It's my last chance to eat sensible and avoid having to count calories. I really need this to work as I always struggle with and obsess over counting calories. I hate it. I want to moderate my eating without constant focus, but I can't just let my weight stay the same indefinitely as I try to make it happen. So I will weigh tomorrow morning and again next Wednesday and if there isn't a weight loss I will commit to counting calories consistently and long term.
 
9/23/2014
run
2.4 miles
30 mins 11 secs

I took it a bit easy for the first run in my new shoes and inserts. Pain free knees this run. They feel good today. I do have some soreness, but i think/hope it's from running correctly for the first time in a while.

So 304.0 this morning. That weight is post going to bed hungry. I am a firm believer that when you have been consistently overeating for a time that when you cut calories you will experience a short time of intense hunger. I just have to ride the wave and adjust to a calorie deficit and it won't be so bad. So I have to have a weight drop by next Wednesday or it's calorie counting for the long haul. I can do this. I need to do this. Eating an appropriate amount of food without counting calories is a skill that I need and I am really trying to acquire it.
 
Quercus said:
So 304.0 this morning. That weight is post going to bed hungry. I am a firm believer that when you have been consistently overeating for a time that when you cut calories you will experience a short time of intense hunger. I just have to ride the wave and adjust to a calorie deficit and it won't be so bad. So I have to have a weight drop by next Wednesday or it's calorie counting for the long haul. I can do this. I need to do this. Eating an appropriate amount of food without counting calories is a skill that I need and I am really trying to acquire it.
Click to expand...

Q, maybe try some indirect strategies to regulate hunger / amount of food you eat? For me, I like to do it as self-imposed rules. So for example, I try to fill half my plate with veggies, and after the meal is over, I'll drink something (In most cases tea, since I don't like cold drinks when eating) until I feel satisfied.

Creativity is pretty much the limit with this sort of stuff. They don't have to be rules either, as long as it's something that will help you with the goal. So for example it could be changing the composition of one of the meals to something thats low in calories, having scheduled meals that are strictly veggies [to add bulk], or could be something along the lines of intermittent fasting or simply playing with the timing of the meals.

When I've tried eating low calories, two things that worked for me were, on the first instance, getting 40g of fiber every day [via lots of avocado, green veggies and chia seeds. I was eating about 1200 -1300 calories I think.] and on the second instance, I made a little rule of having 750 ml of water and 3 cups of veggies before my meals, and also drinking another 750 ml of water after. [Of course it wasn't pleasant, but it pretty much kept me from experiencing hunger]

I'm probably over-complicating stuff :biggrinjester: :blush5: :leaving:, but my point is that you can find a lot of ways in which you can indirectly contribute to the goal of not over eating without having to count calories, you just have to be creative and try enough of those and eventually you'll find something that will work.

Take care and good luck!
 
Quercus said:
9/23/2014
Eating an appropriate amount of food without counting calories is a skill that I need and I am really trying to acquire it.
Click to expand...

I need to acquire this skill as well. I never stay on track or lose weight unless I'm counting calories. It's definitely one thing I need to work on. I definitely do not want to have to count calories forever. It's not the most horrible thing ever, but I would like to fix a plate without having to do math or pull out the food scale. lol.
 
Good advice Athala! I am working at it at the moment. I put my plate down less than half eaten because I felt full. I felt full because I drank about a half gallon of water on the drive home and while we cooked dinner. I worked outside today and ran 2.5 miles so I wanted to hydrate heavily after all that. the cool art is that if i get hungry later I can finish dinner and not have to go to bed hungry. If I don't get hungry later then I have adjusted to fewer calories by quite a bit. Either way today will be a success.

Jen, it just doesn't feel sustainable to me. Even if I can, I don't want to count calories for the rest of my life. If I have to though I will. I don't want to feel like I'm failing on my diet because I'm in south Texas and eating out of a hotel fridge and microwave and don't have a scale or the energy to keep up with it.

Run
2.5 miles
30 minutes 30 secs
(4.92 MPH)
166 bpm

I ran 2.4 in 30 mins 11 secs (4.77 MPH) and again in 29 mins 50 secs (4.83 MPH)for my last two runs.

I need to do a 149 BPM run next time. Not having knee pain is great, but i'm going to be hurting again if I don't cool my jets.
 
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The fieldwork Friday jacked up my knee and lower back and I mostly rested and stretched this weekend. It worked and I am good to run this evening.

I may get a set of insoles for my work boots.

302 on Saturday down from 304 on Wednesday. I'm finally heading in the right direction. My problem remains binging on high calorie foods like nuts and chips and otherwise doing well.

It's coming up on 10 months since I started running and the same since I've had a drink. I've lost 31.2 pounds this year so far (38.6 by the end of June, but I regained 12.4 Jul-Aug). That's 0.8 pounds per week. That is too low and I will get the average up to 1 lb/week by year's end. I need to lose 1.6 pounds a week for the rest of the year. I was tracking at 1.54 pounds a week up until the end of June.

So 300.4 by Saturday although < 300 would be nicer. I'll be weighing Wednesday, but I've happily already lost a bit this week. i will go back to Saturday weigh-ins after that.
 
Hi Q (& Mrs Q- happy 40th! xo) I'm sorry your knee is still playing up a little. You may need proper orthotics from a Podiatrist. I was meant to wear them years ago & probably would not have had the trouble I have had in the last few years if I had taken the advice when given originally. I ended up with a bunion on my right foot, which then caused a toe to curl up quite a bit & it is very hard finding shoes that are comfortable. It would not have happened if I had worn orthotics when recommended. I wear them all the time now & am used to them. I swap them from one pair of shoes to another, including into my golf shoes or runners. I don't get any knee pain or back pain at all any more & my feet won't get worse. I think it's money well spent & they do last years before they need recovering or adjusting. Chips & nuts I think are very addictive. I think it's the salt content that calls out to you & since I was told to reduce salt I have virtually eliminated eating nuts as the salt-free ones are not so "moreish". Raw, unsalted almonds are a good snack, but not so nice that you want to keep eating them. Chips or crisps I have given up. They are demons in disguise! Cheers, Cate.
 
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