I think Jen over at Prior Fat Girl must have been reading my blog last night and stole my idea for my entry tonight.
Running has made me feel strong. I feel stronger physically. Sometimes I feel strong mentally (I wish this happened more often than it does now).
Physically, my legs don't hurt as much as they used to when I run. When I started this endeavor, I couldn't jog without shin splints. I would have to stop every so often and stretch my muscles with the hope that it would make the pain go away. It usually did for a little bit before I would have to stop again to stretch. At the end of my walk/jog for that day, my shins would be so tight that I couldn't even point and flex my feet to stretch them. I don't have these problems anymore. Now it is more my breathing that is difficult during my runs. It's like my lungs just can't keep up with the rest of my body. Anyway, after getting home from my runs and when I am done stretching, my legs feels strong! I mean, I actually want to torture myself with squats and lunges. I want to point my toes like they do on So You Think You Can Dance, and lift my leg up gracefully.
I don't wake up in the middle of the night any more with painful charlie horses. Some people had told me to eat more bananas to get rid of cramps but I can't, because they make my throat swell up.
I really think I can only get stronger, especially if I start working in some more strength exercises. If I already feel so much stronger, I can't even begin to wonder how much stronger I am going to feel soon?
My mental and emotional strength hasn't been quite so strong. I came to the realization, like Jen, while peeing that I haven't been making the best food choices over the past few weeks. I really just NEED to get back into the mindset that I want to do this for myself. I have the opportunity to make the great decisions but something comes over me, my loss of control. My mom just tells me I really have to want it.
The plan is to get up tomorrow morning before work to get a run in, make great decisions during lunch (by staying out of the damn snack box at work), maybe get a walk in during lunch (since it's supposed to be nice), and then make good food decisions at a customer appreciation dinner I am going to tomorrow night. I just have to get through one day at a time, right?
I keep telling my self that. One day at a time and one step at a time.
ReplyDeleteYep, one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteSYTYCD never fails to motivate or inspire me. After almost 15 years of dance training, I can still watch that show and think about what I could have again.
Strength training will definitely help your shins, so will intervals. I think you might have the intervals thing down since you've been doing a lot of running, but look up some leg exercises or go to the gym and ask a trainer (not sure if you go to one?) You'll find it really helps. I think my strength training I've been doing since November is helping to PREVENT shin splints now that I'm doing C25K!
ReplyDeleteKeep it up Amy!