Overtraining + Me = Mandatory Rest

As the post title states, I have been diagnosed with the condition of "overtraining." Now, I didn't even know there was such a condition. Sure, you always hear of people training too hard or too much for a race, but there is an actual condition?? To my surprise, there is.

Overtraining

Many athletes train hard in order to succeed at their chosen sport. They log many miles, spend many hours at the gym and work hard day after day, driven to achieve their athletic goals. However, too much training can actually lead to a decline in performance. This decline is due to a condition called Overtraining.

What is overtraining?

Overtraining is classified into two types: overreaching and overtraining (staleness). Overreaching is the first phase of overtraining and is more easily reversed. Overreaching is unusual muscle soreness that occurs when an athlete does not allow for a sufficient amount of recovery time between hard workouts. This usually occurs after several consecutive days of hard training.

Overtraining or staleness occurs when an athlete ignores the signs of overreaching and continues to train. Many athletes believe that weakness or poor performance signals the need for even harder training. So, they continue to push themselves. This only breaks down the body further. It is very difficult to recover from overtraining and can require weeks or months of time off. This can be challenging for someone whose life has revolved around training and competing. Identifying overreaching early is important.

Athletes are more susceptible to breakdown and overtraining if there are other stressors present in their lives: work, school, relationships, etc. An athlete should use "down time" from training to work on evaluating and balancing these other important aspects of life.

What are the major warning signs and symptoms of overtraining?

Training related

• Unusual muscle soreness after a workout, which persists with continued training
• Inability to train or compete at a previously manageable level
• "Heavy" leg muscles, even at light exercise intensities
• Delay in recovery from training
• Performance plateaus or even declines
• Thoughts of quitting or skipping training sessions

Lifestyle-related

• Prolonged general fatigue
• Increase in tension, depression, anger or confusion
• Inability to relax or poor quality sleep
• No energy, decreased motivation, moodiness
• Things once enjoyable are no longer

Health-related

• Increased occurrence of sickness
• Increased blood pressure and morning pulse
• Irregular menstrual cycle or loss of menstrual periods
• Weight loss, appetite loss
• Constipation, diarrhea

Source.

This is a hard post for me to write because I have to admit that I am doing too much. Also, it is hard to admit that I struggle with having to take a mandatory reduction in intensity, duration, and amount of exercise I can do on a weekly basis. The thought of not being able to push my body and exercise 6-7 days a week is scary! And that is why I debated posting this because perhaps admitting this it makes me look weak and crazy and perhaps obsessive that I (a) enjoy exercising every day and (b) feel like I should exercise every day. I know others may not understand what I am dealing with, not see it as a big deal, etc, but for me, this is unwelcomed shake up in my new lifestyle. I love my new healthy and active lifestyle. And summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors hiking, biking, running, etc. I really do like exercising and running and being fit. To now have to take days off, limit my running, and scale back is hard.
I know I need to let my body, especially my knee and hip, heal. And if I am honest with myself, I have to admit that I have no energy lately, I don't sleep well, I can't push myself at the same level I could a month or two ago, I can't relax, etc. But, knowing these things and doing the things to fix the problems (ie: REST) are two separate things. Nevertheless, I am nearing the completion of my first scaled back week. I AM TRYING!!! Sure, I wish I could run and jump do whatever I wanted, but I can't. My body is saying "let me rest." So, body, I am resting.

Recap of last week's exercises:
Monday: 5.5 mile run
Tuesday: Easy 3 mile run/walk
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 4.57 walk
Saturday: 5 mile run
Sunday: Rest due to awful headache

So, how is my weight now that my exercise is scaled back? Well, today it was a pound or two up. But, we had a wonderful 4th of July weekend with family (which means lots of yummy foods like ribs, apple pie, strawberry pie, banana bread, pancake breakfast, etc). And you know what, so what that it is up 2 pounds!? I don't. I am okay with it. It will come off.

How to be active

What do you do when your car is in the shop getting fixed, leaving you stuck at the car shop? You go for a walk!!! Being that I am on a restricted workout schedule due to my hip and knee injuries (more on that to come), I couldn't go for a run. But, nevertheless, I grabbed my ipod and my garmin and went for a nice 4.57 mile brisk walk for a hour! It was an amazing way to pass the time along and totally beat sitting in the waiting room on an uncomfortable chair watching CNN while smelling stale popcorn (the auto shop has a popcorn machine and CNN blaring.....no offense to CNN lovers!!). I was pretty proud of myself for fitting in a way to be active and get some exercise in a rather unconventionally inactive situation!

Operation Beautiful

I love Post It Notes. They come in very handy, especially for writing down reminders of things to do and also motivational reminders to keep me on my lifestyle track. After all, I currently still have the motivational post it notes on the food pantry door to make me stop and think about what I am going to eat. Now, I have another reason to love post it notes....

Have you been following Caitlin's Operation Beautiful movement? It is a simple movement to stop the negative fat talk and embrace the beauty that each of of us possesses inside and out! Such a simple thing but profound. All you have to do to join the movement is spread the word.....post anonymous post it notes around your town encouraging women (and men) to embrace their beauty.

Here are some examples of people who have joined the movement and posted messages around their town for unsuspecting viewers to see.


Amina wrote, “Attached is a note I left on the mirror of a Starbucks bathroom in Silver Spring.”

Tiana wrote, “During the night, my sister and I took chalk and wrote “You’re Beautiful” all down the sidewalk on our street and on the cement ramp on our front lawn. This morning, I glanced out the window to see a female jogger stop running to read the message. She smiled, looked up at the house and met my eyes, and continued jogging with a grin on her face. It was so worth it. I’m 15, my sister’s 13. We’ve never had more fun with sidewalk chalk than last night.”
(All photos and captions are from Operation Beautiful's site. Check it out and spread the love, positive imagery, and smiles! All for FREE!!!)

Fat Phobia

Fat Phobia--that's me! Sure, I will admit that I have a phobia about regaining weight, but that is not the true purpose of this post. Rather, I am talking about my phobia eating fat. I avoid foods with high fat quantities. I try to eat natural foods, lean proteins, and low fat foods. I don't use any oil when I cook. I eat (and enjoy) salads drizzled in balsamic dressing (no oil). I bypass mayo. I drink non fat lactose free milk. When purchasing foods with nutrition labels, I try to make sure those items have a 2:1 ratio of protein to fat (twice as much protein as fat). And, at the bare minimum, if the 2:1 ratio doesn't work, the food has to have more grams of protein than fat. Otherwise, the item is put down and not purchased.

So, how is my limited fat diet working for me? Well, I am starting to think that I might be taking the no fat concept a little too seriously. Heather over at Heather Eats Almond Butter wrote a post yesterday about her experiences loosing weight (and keeping it off) and how we shouldn't fear the fat! This, combined with some comments I have been getting over the last couple of months from family members about my dull and non-shiny hair/nails has really made me think about changing things up. And then today, I did a simple goggle search and found some really interesting articles, particularly the one below about fat phobia as seen in dieters and how our bodies actually need fat. The article is long (click on the title for the entire article) but I pasted and highlighted some important portions that really apply to me below (and added my own commentary for your enjoyment!).

Fighting Fat Phobia: Help clients reintroduce moderate amounts of fat into their diets.

By Susan Kundrat, MS, RD

Here's an all-too familiar scenario: A client is venting her frustration about not being able to lose weight, and you're uncertain how to advise her. You know she's been working hard, dedicated to her workouts and extremely aware of her diet. She's eating what appear to be all the right foods--plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole-grain products, skim milk and the occasional grilled chicken breast. Still, she just can't seem to make any noticeable progress. What could be the problem? (HMMM, THIS SOUNDS LIKE ME!)

You may be surprised to learn this client may be too concerned about her diet, especially her fat intake. (AGAIN, ME HERE) That's right...Fat. Viewed as "bad" and to be avoided at all cost, fat has become the pariah of the food pyramid in the last several years. The myth abounds that eating fat will directly and immediately result in fat deposits on the hips and thighs and around the middle. Eating fat has even taken on a moral value as many people have begun to equate the amount of fat they consume each day with how little willpower they have. What has been lost in the equation, however, is that eating too little fat can cause serious health problems and lead to an unhealthy obsession with food.

Why We Need Fat

Fat is as critical a component of the diet as carbohydrate, protein or water. Fat supplies our bodies with essential fatty acids that can be found only in food. These essential fatty acids help manufacture hormones and nerve cells and are important for carrying and absorbing fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Fat also helps maintain healthy skin and hair; two of the telltale signs of a lack of fat in the diet are dry, brittle hair and scaly skin.

Fat intake can also affect the rate at which the body absorbs nutrients. Consuming a moderate amount of fat will cause food to be absorbed more slowly, allowing energy to be released into the muscles gradually and consistently. For example, eating a bowl of nonfat cereal with skim milk for breakfast can leave you hungry within an hour or two. Yet simply adding a slice of toast spread with a little peanut butter (which adds fat as well as other important nutrients) can delay the food's absorption, helping you feel full longer.

Perhaps the most insidious outcome of a severely limited fat intake is the domino effect it has as other nutrients are eliminated from the diet. Clients on an overly restrictive diet typically suffer deficits in several important dietary components, such as calcium and iron. The body needs calcium to maintain strong bones, carry nerve signals, keep the heart functioning, contract muscles and clot blood. Iron is essential for supplying oxygen to red blood cells and maintaining energy levels. While red meat is one of the best sources of iron, it is often shunned by those on a restrictive diet because it is mistakenly assumed to be too high in fat.

In fact, because fat contains nine calories per gram, it provides considerably more energy than protein or carbohydrate, each of which yields only four calories per gram. This means our bodies get more than twice the energy from fat as they do from protein or carbohydrate. When total energy intake is low, which can easily occur with a very low fat or nonfat diet, individuals may simply lack the fuel necessary to build muscle mass and repair tissue.

This lack of energy is of special concern for those who exercise regularly. Despite frequent meals, these clients may never feel full or satisfied and often lack sufficient energy to work out. (THIS IS ME LATELY) "Without a doubt, one of the biggest problems we have in our strength and conditioning room is young women and men who do not get proper nutrition and then try to exercise," says Carol Kennedy, MS, program director for fitness and wellness at Indiana University's Division of Recreational Sports. The reason is that clients struggling to control their diet frequently don't get enough fuel, of which fat is a primary source. "It is so common that we tell our exercise consultants to inquire about what clients have eaten that day if they are having trouble getting through workouts," Kennedy said.

(INTERESTING ARTICLE, HUH? Well, maybe comment sense to all of you, but it was very interesting to me!)

And now, onto the amount of fats we should aim for on a daily basis:

• Total fat intake should be between 20 and 35 percent of total calories.
• Less than 10 percent of calories should come from saturated fats, such as those found in animal products (meat and full-fat dairy).The American Heart Association recommends we consume less than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat.
• Most fat should come from monounsaturated or polyunsaturated sources (for instance, fish, nuts, canola and olive oils and spreads.
• We should keep consumption of trans fats as low as possible (anything that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated on the label). The American Heart Association recommends a trans-fat intake of less than 1 percent.
• We should consume less than 300mg of cholesterol a day
• Meat, poultry and dairy selections should be lean, low fat or fat free.
• We should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of oils a day (cooking oils, and those in salad dressings and mayonnaise).

So, what am I going to do now? How I am going to change? Well, honestly, I am not sure. It is hard to change a habit overnight. Perhaps eat some almond butter or peanut butter?!!! As always, I am sure I will blog about the change and keep you updated!

Monday's Run Down

What's going on with me? Here is the run down:

• My body is hurting. My body is telling me it is tired. Even though I am trying (successfully) to get more sleep, I am exhausted each day. I think I might need to add another rest day into my workouts (so working out 5-6 days a week instead of 6-7.) In addition to my sore knee and sore hip, my neck is bothering me big time. I think I threw it out of alignment during my softball slide/belly flop/fall. It hurt all last week after the game, culminating in pain on Saturday. I woke up due to the pain and could hardly move my neck at all. I got a massage and it helped a bit, but the therapist said it is time to see a chiropractor. So, I need to do that. Saturday's day of pain led to a much needed rest day from any exercise (especially since I could hardly move). Sunday, I attempted to get in a gym workout and I did about 40 minutes of cardio and called it a day. I just had no energy or desire to workout.
  
• On the food front, I am really trying to watch my calories and fill up on fresh veggies and fruits. Lucky for me summer fruit is in full force meaning tons of fresh plums, peaches, strawberries, and watermelon!!! Yum, yum, yum.
  
• On the weight front, I am now only a little over a pound from my starting weight when I pledged to start the 10 pound challenge. I am very very happy about this since I had gained over 7 pounds.

Happy Monday!

I am........

Sandrelle at Keeping The Pounds Off had a great post the other day that hit home. I love, love, love the picture above that she posted. To me, it is inspiring and also a great reminder of all the different facets of myself. Some words jump out at me as things I could certainly say I emulate. Others are things I strive to be, so seeing them is a great reminder to continue striving! If I could customize it, I would add the words athletic, strong, and focused. Oh, and also emotional because I am certainly that! :-)

What word(s) suit you? Don't be shy! Be proud about who you are and what you can do!!

Positives and Negatives: Today I am Positive

I am feeling better about my body today. In the past two days, my weight has come down 4 pounds. I am still up 3 pounds from where I was when I started the "Lose 10 pounds by August 1st" challenge, but that is okay. I am making a big effort to get more sleep, ice my hip and knee, stretch and use the foam roller, and take it easy. Yesterday I got in a very nice 5.2 mile run, the first time I have run in almost a week and a half. My knee and hip felt pretty good the entire time.

After my run, I had a softball game. Overall, the game was a ton of fun except for the heat (almost 100 degrees). There is a reason why I always work out in performance wicking gear; our cotton jerseys don't breathe at all. I got in some good hits and managed to score a run, but not without some drama (and injury on my part). Picture this: Me running to home wearing a knee brace. A few feet from home plate, I felt my knee buckle and totally give out. I knew I was going to fall....and fall in the form of going a belly flop onto the grass. I managed to reach out and tag home in order to score a run. But man oh man, that was not my plan on how to score. Everyone thought I was getting really into the game and sliding. But nope, just my knee totally giving out on me! I have a few scraps and cuts on my knees but am generally okay, except for my neck. I think the fall through my neck out of whack and it is sore and tight. But, nothing that some ice, heat, and stretches can't fix. Hopefully that is.

So, bottom line, I think I am back to being positive about my lifestyle journey, even with all of its ups and downs. Take that scale! Mind over weight.

I Need to Turn Over A New Leaf

As I stated the other day, my blogging has been sparse. I have been in a funk and I really haven't been wanting to blog about it and bring others down. I don't want my posts to always be negative, dreary, or depressing because that is not the person I am and I don't want to come across like that. With that being said, I do have to admit that the past week or two have been rough. I am struggling big time with emotional eating, major stress, lack of sleep (and the sleep that I do get is not restful), major weight gain as reflected by the scale, and body injuries.
And, if I am honest with myself and with you, I guess I need to share that certain parts of the healthy living journey can be rough. So, I hereby dub this phase the rough patch. However, I also hereby declare that I am going to move on and turn over a new leaf. Wallowing in self pity and self loathing that my weight is going up will not (and I repeat to myself: NOT) get me anywhere.

Here are my current struggles and ideas to improve them: (Feel free to share some of your ideas as well!)

• Lack of sleep--try to go to bed earlier; perhaps pop in the yoga dvd and relax in the evenings
• Stress--this is a hard one to eradicate, as stress follows me wherever I go!
  
• Weight--up 7 pounds in 2 weeks. This is scary to me. I am now
  
• Emotional eating--get rid of the tempting foods (check!) and stock the pantry and fridge with fresh fruits and veggies (check!); post signs up to make me stop and think before I snack (check!)
  
• Exercise--keep it up! (I am trying!) The problem I am facing with this is that my body is hurting. I have done something to my right knee. I have knee pain when I bend my knee, which makes running and the stairmaster hard. Also, my right hip is now in pain as well. I am not sure what I did but whatever I have done to the right side of my body is causing lots of problems. I NEED to exercise. I feel guilty when I rest. And my body doesn't shed weight by solely watching what I eat, I am a "watch what I eat and exercise" kind of gal. So, I am at a cross roads on how to heal my body while getting in some exercise.
  

So there you have it in a nutshell: what has been going on in my life over the last two weeks and why I have limited my posting. But, I HAVE to make a change. I HAVE to focus on the positive. And, there is no time like TODAY to make that change.

To end this post, how about some positive imagery and statements??!!

When you decide to do something different to change your life for the better, you are turning over a new leaf.

Turning over a new leaf is like turning over a new page ("leaf") in your life and seeing what is on the other side.

You turn over a new leaf when you commit to changing your life for the better

I am here.

Posting has been light this week (as has been reading others blogs). Why? Well, a combo of things. The big one: STRESS. Work stress that is. And weight stress. I have a big project due on Monday which equated to many 12 hour days this past week and working this weekend as well. Stress and long days = little sleep. Add those up along with a dash of emotional eating and it is no surprise that my weight has gone up. However, I am majorly surprised that the scale has said I have GAINED 6 pounds over the past week and a half. Umm, come again scale?? I am beyond perplexed at that. Yes I have had some emotional eating but I have been sticking to healthy eating for the most part and have worked out 5-6 days a week. I think my body is revolting due to the lack of sleep and the stress. I am hoping it is just that. My supportive husband has reminded me that the extra stress of worrying about my weight on top of work stress does no good and that I shouldn't worry about the weight thing until Tuesday. So that is my plan. I will keep you all updated! Happy weekend!!

I Am Weak

Too much stress + mindless eating + a Costco sized bag of trail mix purchased solely for my husband's consumption and not mine = having my husband store the trail mix in his trunk so it is out of our house and out of reach from my hands and mouth.

I debated posting this because man oh man, I thought I was better than this. But oh no, I am weak. (Hangs head in shame). But, I am trying to put a good spin on this. Perhaps without this great temptation (and the funny thing is that I don't even really like trail mix, I was just eating it due to stress induced snacking), I can focus on not eating after dinner and really cutting back on snacking. Once I build up to that, then I think I will have a better base to ward off the trail mix temptation.