Weight Loss & Intermittent Fasting

I went back and forth on posting this for awhile. The thing is, anytime I talk about weight or body image, I feel like I'm inviting people to roll their eyes at me. I know I weigh less than the "average" American woman and wear smaller sizes. I know that it's not "in" to care about your weight and what you look like. But the truth is, we all have our optimal bodyweight and size where we are happiest, and this is my blog so...I'm going to post about it. This post isn't about anyone else's size or body but my own, and just because I have hangups about mine doesn't mean I'm judging people who look different than I do.

If you want to roll your eyes, that's fine. No one's forcing you to read this. But it's important to me, so I'm going to write about it.

Since mid-June or so, I have been practicing some form of intermittent fasting, specifically a modified "Leangains" method.

Source

Here's the thing: I don't really believe a lot of the hype around IF health benefits, but I have noticed some anecdotal pros to eating this way for myself personally.

Source
Honestly, this all sounds fake to me.

I first started IF because in the summer I sleep pretty late anyway, so waiting to have breakfast until after 10am came naturally. Because I'd already been following a heathier diet since late May and had already seen some results, I decided to make the whole "late breakfast" thing more purposeful. I had already been "dieting" (for lack of a better term) for two weeks and had lost two pounds when I started.

Matt and I tend to finish dinner around 9pm, sometimes later in the summer depending on when I get home from my runs. I've pushed breakfast back to 12pm, although some days I'll eat an hour earlier or later depending on how I feel. I'm not being very strict about the whole thing. Surprisingly, I've discovered I can run on an empty stomach in the morning without any problem, too.

The payoffs I've personally seen are:

1. I don't feel hungry when I first wake up. 
2. I'm not dealing with nearly as much bloating as I usually do. 
3. I'm drinking more water (and tea).
4. I've been able to continue my weight loss and maintain my new weight, which until just recently was my "steady weight" that I'd been at for literally 10 years.
5. When I have a day of overindulgence - like that weekend in Captiva when I ate donuts and cupcakes Steph brought from Parlour Bakery and then had a huge serving of coconut ice cream - it's much easier to get back to healthy eating without feeling like I've derailed all my progress. 

I've mentioned in a previous post, briefly, that I successfully lost about six pounds this summer and have honestly felt like an entirely new person. I had really resigned myself to the whole "when you hit 30 your body just changes" thing, which is probably partially true, but I'm feeling more energized and confident than I have in awhile. 

I was so unhappy when I ran the SUP & Run 5k because my skirts weren't fitting and I just felt sluggish and awful. It was that weekend that I decided to change my eating habits, and I've been really successful. Adding some semblance of intermittent fasting has helped me stick to those new eating habits.

Here is a "before" picture - it was taken a week after the SUP & Run race and I had already started eating healthier.

It feels really, really good to be back to my usual weight and for all my clothes to fit again.

Now, all these positives could obviously also just be due to eating more balanced, healthy meals and cutting way down on junk food and mindless snacking, but I think it's a combination.

I can see a difference, even if it's slight, and I feel so much better and more confident.

I'm hoping that as I transition into the school year (I go back today!), I can keep this habit up. It'll make my morning routine much faster, so I'll get more sleep, and I'll be able to continue to see the positive results.

Right now, this is working for me. It feels sustainable physically and mentally. If it stops working, I'll change it up. And that's that on that.

ABK

Myths About Gluten

I've been hemming and hawing over writing a "how to be gluten free" post for months now, but every time I started to write it, I realized I had too much to say and not enough focus.

Some history: I've been gluten free since I was 11. I was diagnosed with Celiac just before Thanksgiving that year, and spent Thanksgiving crying in a bathroom because I couldn't have gravy, cornbread, stuffing, pie...or a variety of other scrumptious fare. So when I say I'm "gluten free", I don't mean "when I feel like it/because it's a fad/just recently." I mean: I do not eat anything with gluten in it, ever, and haven't in well over a decade.

Before the diagnosis, I was extremely underweight and always sick. Check out those knobby knees!

(I'm going to try my best not to be preachy, but damn, this is such a soap-box issue for me.)

Let's start with a definition. Most Celiac research groups (and the FDA) agree that anything with less than 20 ppm (parts per million) of gluten is considered gluten free. (If you're eating something with 5 ppm and you eat a lot of it, and then the total is more than 20 ppm, then can it still be considered GF?) Also, the "20 ppm" rule isn't an actual federal regulation. So more specifically, I consider "gluten free" to mean that it's made with non-gluten-having ingredients.

There are two kinds of people who may find relief in going gluten free. The first are those with a diagnosed sensitivity or intolerance, such as a gluten allergy or Celiac. The second are those with other autoimmune disorders or intestinal disorders, such as Crohn's Disease. Either way, your doctor should be the one telling you to go gluten free, not some trendy fitness magazine.

Especially during New Years, when people set out to try new diets and lose weight, I see too many articles on the "value" of going gluten free. Here are a few myths debunked:

Myth 1. Cutting out gluten is good for everyone and anyone! FALSE. Unless a doctor has told you that you would benefit from cutting out gluten (or ANY food), it's probably not going to benefit you. Studies have shown that those without a medical cause who cut gluten from their diet showed no actual improvements in their health.

Myth 2. Going gluten free is a great way to lose weight! FALSE. There are just as many high-sugar, high-calorie, high-saturated-fats foods that are gluten free. These days it's so easy to find GF food, and so much of it is unhealthy. The only way going gluten free will help you lose weight is if you don't replace your usual foods with gluten free options, which really just amounts to following a low-carb diet anyway, and avoid snacks like candy, ice cream, French fries, etc.

(Fun fact, I gained a ton of weight quickly when I was diagnosed because I was so malnourished before. So if you really have Celiac, you may even gain weight, not lose it.)

Myth 3. I have Celiac, but it's okay to eat some gluten once in awhile! FALSE. I really hate this mentality. If you've cut out gluten and your body has started to heal itself, it becomes more susceptible to the dangers of gluten if you ingest it. Go 100% GF if your doctor has told you to.

Unfortunately, with Celiac, you can't pick-and-choose; all gluten needs to be avoided. (From mimiandeunice.com)

 (I get how hard the transition can be. I was lucky; I was diagnosed late but my sister had been GF since she was 18 months old, so GF food was already a staple in my house and my transition was easier. But sometimes you just need to suck it up and do what's right for your body, especially when the long-term effects could include osteoporosis and cancer.)

Myth 4. No one "needs" to be gluten free; it's just a fad! FALSE. Yes, it's become a fad thanks to Hollywood/celebrities and diet trends, but 1 in 133 people have Celiac, and gluten allergies really exist. There is no pill or cure other than to completely cut gluten from your diet. (I think the abundance of people going gluten free without a diagnosis has helped to create this fourth myth.)

Believe me, the side-effects of gluten for those of us who really need to be gluten free are proof enough. (But in case you're still doubtful, I have the blood tests and the endoscopy images to prove it!) If gluten intolerance were a made-up affliction, my mom wouldn't have spent my childhood cooking two meals (one regular, one GF), baking GF bread, or spending tons of money ordering specialty foods from Canada.

Delicious, easy to find in stores, and you have to love the whole grain option...but not cheap.

Being gluten free is expensive. Special options at restaurants often cost an extra $3-5. A loaf of gluten free bread usually runs about $4, compared to just over a buck for regular bread. Who would choose to spend that extra cash if it weren't medically necessary? (In fact, if you have proof of diagnosis, you can sometimes get a tax deduction because of the cost of GF food.)

My point here is that if I had a choice, I wouldn't be GF. I would eat the cheaper options; I would partake in the potlucks at work; I would enjoy the snacks my students bake for me during the holidays.

All this is to say that when you're looking into a way to make your daily meals healthier, cutting out gluten (or any single food group) isn't the way to do it. Add more vegetables to your diet. Eat more lean protein. Learn what a serving size really is and abide by it. Avoid overdosing on saturated fats and high-sodium foods.

And if you've noticed a correlation between your mood, bodily functions, and energy levels and gluten-rich meals, see a GI. An actual diagnosis is the right place to start.

Visit Celiac.com for lots of excellent information on Celiac, GF recipes, foods that contain gluten, recent research, and more.

What myths or misconceptions have heard about gluten free diets?
Do you have Celiac or another diagnosed reason to avoid gluten? Share your story!
Do you have any questions?

ABK 

My Students Are Faster Than I Am

Last night's run was rough. My legs felt like lead from the beginning, the route we took was short so we had to do quite a few repeated loops, and my body just felt like it was moving through wet cement.

Did it turn into an "I'm glad I went!" run? Kind of. I mean, today I'm still disappointed in how it went, but I'm glad I went.

Before the run, Matt and I went to the last XC meet of the year. A bunch of my students are on the team, and it was emotional to watch them run. In middle school their meets are 2 milers, so that's what they ran. Our top girl came in 9th of over 250, making it to states in November, and finished in around 15 minutes. All of the girls had strong races...most PR'd. The boys went the same.

The girls take off!

The best part was that at the end of their race, the girls stayed to cheer the boys on...and like true runners, cheered for every boy from every school. Talk about a "the kids are alright", feel-good moment.

After the meet and the run, I was not at all hungry. My dinner was an avocado. Delicious, but not really balanced. 

Saturday is my 10k. Last time I ran it in about 58...I'm hoping to break 62 this year. My last 10k in May was 67, so I know if nothing else this will be a more positive and fun race for me!

My finishing sprint this time last year.

Look for a race report sometime this weekend...maybe I'll even have pics!

What's your favorite race distance?

Are there any races you like to run yearly?

Did you run XC in school? I didn't begin running until after I graduated. I'm sad I missed out on team meets and races, and that I rarely attended my sister's track meets! (She was, and still is, speedy!)

ABK

"Diet" is a Four Letter Word

As counterintuitive as it may sound, many women begin to see the numbers on the scale increasing along with their mileage. This can be blamed on gaining muscle, but it can also be caused by being "rungry"...You know, that feeling you get where no matter how much you're eating, you never feel full?

(I am going to spruce up this post with pictures of foods I'm eating on vacation. I'm enjoying every bite of them and intend to continue enjoying food even as I more carefully monitor my choices. Because food makes me happy and keeps me alive.)

Gluten free red velvet cupcake and ice cream?! YES PLEASE.

I make it a point to never step on a scale unless my pants suddenly stop fitting. I spent too many years weighing multiple times a day, stressing about the number, and letting the results determine my mood. I've never been "overweight", but eating disorders are rarely just about weight. The scale was a powerful and cruel master. 

I'm in a place now where I'm very happy with my health, fitness, and fit of my clothes. Until, of course, I went to pack my favorite jeans for California and realized the waistband was snug. Very snug.

Animal fries from In N Out Burger? YES PLEASE.

So how do you "diet" as a woman who has a history of disordered eating? You don't.

Diets don't work. Anything that asks you to drastically change how you eat, has a cutesy name, or seems unsustainable for a lifetime of eating isn't a good choice. 

And how we eat has to be about good choices. 

A good food lifestyle and relationship should allow you to enjoy foods you like, eat socially, avoid obsession, and fuel your body.

Crab mac n cheese in a homemade gouda and fontina sauce? YES PLEASE!

For me, this means I'm going to be more true to my motto: "Everything in moderation." Moderation is key, and I need to be eating with my lifelong health and marathon in mind.

The first step to this is to find out how much I actually burn a day. You can't just go around cutting huge chunks of calories out of your daily intake. Using this basal metobolic rate-calculating equation, I'm going to spend the next few days figuring out how much over my necessary intake I'm going, and why. 

(Hint: cheese-laden and dessert-oriented fare is probably the culprit.)

How will I measure success? Why, by how my favorite jeans fit, of course! The scale is just going to have to find another victim.

Linked within the BMR article is one about fad diets, and I thought I'd share some key points. This is generally why I dislike diets. (I have no idea why these won't line up like nice little soldiers. Just deal with it.)

I don't mean to sound like a paleo-basher, but the lack of evidence in support of this diet drives me nuts.

I've ranted on this before because I'm gluten free for actual health reasons. If you're going gf because you think gluten is inherently bad, you're doing it wrong. Also, if you're going gluten free and then eating gluten free pastas and breads, you're missing out on the conventional stuff, which is cheaper and can be way healthier. Whole grains, anyone? (Gluten free breads are notoriously high in calories and low in nutritional value.)

I feel so strongly about this. If you cut out an entire food group, you're depriving yourself. What happens when you tell yourself you can't have something? You obsess. It becomes all you want. The next thing you know, you're eating pounds of that "forbidden" food and feeling like a failure.

(Don't even get me started on "good", "bad", and "safe" foods.)

I really think the bottom line here is that if you love something, you should eat it. My idea of a healthy food lifestyle is one that allows you to be social, eat what you enjoy, and fuel your body to its optimum level.

Have you ever tried any crazy fad diets?
How do you monitor your food choices?
Have you ever gained weight during periods of more intense training?

ABK

Protein Bars and the Gluten Free Lifestyle

Up until recent years, if I was looking for a convenient, portable, filling, and healthy bite to eat, I would find myself wandering the cereal aisle searching hopelessly for granola bars that weren't full of wheat, barley, and oats. Eventually, some companies began putting out nut bars, which are great...but are somewhat lacking in the texture and flavor departments.

These days, protein bars line grocery store shelves in abundance; many of them are labeled GF, and some of them are tasty to boot! Now if I'm in the need of a quick snack before a workout or a mid-morning nosh between my 6:00am breakfast and 12:49pm lunchtime, I can easily grab one of many varieties.

For a long time, I was loyal to Lara Bars. They come in over a dozen flavors and they are ALL 100% gluten free!

I'm partial to the fruit flavors, but the carrot cake and cashew cookie are fantastic, too!

The only problem I ended up having with Lara Bars is that they can taste a bit acidic. (But, I found this feature refreshing at 4am before a run; the flavor is bright and sharp, and helps to wake me up a little bit.) I love these because a quarter of a bar can easily prep me for an early-morning run without weighing me down or doing anything funny to my digestion.

Another pro of the Lara Bars is that they are purely made from fruits, nuts, and spices. They have about 4g of fiber per bar, and 5g of protein.

Three ingredients, and it really tastes like cherry pie!

When I felt a little overdone on Lara Bars, I began trying ThinkThin bars. I was wary, because these have a more usual protein bar consistency, which I sometimes find unpleasant - too sticky and dry.

I also hate their name. It just seems like empty marketing to me. 200 calories isn't exactly a "thin" snack. But, I've had some luck with these.

I'm definitely a fan of this flavor!

All the bars in this brand are also GF, but they're pretty hit-and-miss on flavor and consistency. I've had the most luck with the "smooth" flavors, like peanut butter and chocolate fudge. The cookies and creme flavor was awful and gave me heartburn the moment I swallowed it. The chocolate covered strawberry flavor is okay, but tastes artificial.

If I'm in the mood for an indulgent, candy-coated bar, I'll grab one of these. And don't get me wrong; I LOVE the PB and chocolate fudge flavors! But they're not for an early morning workout, and I'm not willing to try the other flavors based on my experiences with the cookie and strawberry. These bars also have a lot more ingredients than the Lara Bars.

That's a long list of ingredients, for sure.

The pros for ThinkThin bars, though, are worth noting. They're filling, chewy, and easy to find in stores. Plus, they have 0g of sugar and 20g of protein! This probably explains the taste factor. I make sure to stock up on them because sometimes, they're just the bar I want.

Finally, I decided to try a bar everyone raves about, and very quickly learned why. The Luna Bar is supposedly designed with women in mind. I don't know about that, but I do know that for under 200 calories you get the indulgence of a candy bar and the full-but-not-too-full feeling you get from a protein bar.

These babies are tasty; even the mint and cookie flavors aren't chalky!

Luna Bars are completely GF, including the cookie dough flavor, and don't leave that dry/crumbly protein aftertaste I associate with whey protein and the like. They're chewy. They're chocolatey. They're scrumptious!

Now, a word of warning. These are NOT morning bars. They're great for a mid-morning snack or a pre-run or pre-gym bite in the evening, but they're way too sweet to be eaten first thing. I mean, that's just my opinion, but as someone who makes sure to eat at least one serving of chocolate daily, I think that's saying something.

Luna Bars boast 12g of protein and 3g of fiber. Their ingredient list is a little lengthy, but the ingredients are all pronounceable and dairy free.

I have yet to find an honest-to-goodness granola bar made from GF rolled oats, but until then, these will definitely suffice. I'm thankful that the market has expanded to the point that I don't need to eat a PayDay and hope the protein outweighs the sugars and fats!

What is your favorite protein bar brand?

What do you snack on pre-workout?

ABK

On My Radar

Just because I'm sidelined for the time being doesn't mean there's not some running stuff out there worthy of a mention. (Health update: today my voice is gone. If the timelines of past colds are anything to go by, I'll be feeling 90% better by Monday, so hopefully May won't be entirely run-less.)

Things on my radar right now:

1. Caffeine helps alleviate pain symptoms. Suddenly, ingesting caffeinated chews and goos during races makes a whole new level of sense. (My source for this one is this Cracked.com article; not always reliable, but certainly amusing.)

YES! Another reason to be addicted to this stuff!

2. Evan Longoria, nearly-everybody's favorite Ray, participated with his girlfriend in the Miles for Moffitt, a walk/race to raise money for the Moffitt Cancer Center. When I was fifteen, I spent a harrowing day there being probed and tested by extremely friendly and caring doctors. Luckily, everything turned out fine for me, but cancer is a bitch (pardon my French - I get a little zealous about it) and I can always get behind a race meant to support its destruction. It's just a bonus that a big name brought in some extra publicity.

Miles for Moffitt founder Karen Dalton with Longoria and girlfriend Jaime Edmondson

3. Runner's World posted an article today via their twitter on gluten sensitivity. As someone actually diagnosed with Celiac, I nearly shouted "Hallelujah!" when I saw this article. Don't get me wrong; I love that gluten sensitivity is in vogue right now. It means easily accessible GF food for me. But it's pretty frustrating to hear so many people SWEAR that cutting "most" gluten out of their diet has done wonders.

To me, it's all or nothing. All I'm saying is: if you think you're gluten sensitive, GET TESTED. Cutting out gluten if you don't need to isn't any healthier; lots of GF foods are TERRIBLE for you, and you can't get the added benefit of, say, whole grain wheat. (Stepping off my soapbox...)

Click here to read the full article.

In other news, I gave Matt whatever I have. Hey, sharing is caring, right?

What other sports (besides running) do you follow? Baseball...minimally...and mostly just to keep Matt happy.

How do you get your caffeine boost?

Do you follow any special diets, either by preference or necessity? As someone forced to be GF, I am adventurous and will try anything I'm not intolerant to; I stopped being a vegetarian shortly after my diagnosis.

ABK

Orthotics Aren't Just for Grannies

I've seen a lot of friends talking about kale and green smoothies, but I simply don't have the time or the ambition to learn to mask the taste of leafy greens in a smoothie. I don't even have time to make fail-proof smoothies loaded with fruit. Luckily, Tropical Smoothie has come to the rescue.

Yum!

First of all, anyone who says, "You can't taste the spinach!" is either a liar or isn't putting enough spinach in. Or, a third option, perhaps their tastebuds are broken. Here's the thing: you can taste the spinach (and probably the kale too, but I'm not sure what it tastes like on its own so who knows?), but it's not a bad flavor. There's an earthy, rich taste below the sweetness of the fruit in this smoothie that is definitely discernible as spinach. If you hold the smoothie on your tongue for a moment, you can really pick out the flavors.

That said, it's really a delicious choice. Not only is it healthy and low-calorie, but it also doesn't pack too much wallop in the sweetness department. It's refreshing and thirst-quenching, as a smoothie should be.

Plus, bonus points for drinking something that looks like slime!

Could be pea soup? Who knows?

I know the Naked Juice brand (or whatever it is) offers a "Green Monster" flavor, but they use wheat grass and I'm uncomfortable drinking it due to the whole Celiac thing. (Wheat grass is supposedly gluten free, but I'm not testing that theory.)

I didn't run at all this week other than the four miles I did on Tuesday. After weighing my options regarding leg pain and getting new shoes, the best way to squeeze 150 more miles out of my beloved Kayanos was to get some insoles. As Fit2Run has now opened in my area, I was able to walk on in, get my foot pressure tested, and be fitted for some orthotics that would do just that.

Pricey, but cheap than new shoes.

I could immediately tell a difference when I put them in my shoes. My feet felt more supported and the cushiony spring I've been missing in the Kayanos was back. They don't make the shoes feel too much heavier, so I'm hoping I don't notice a huge difference in that during the race tomorrow.

Apparently I have high arches; my right arch is higher than my left.

They also noticed the ridiculously awkward way I had my shoes laced - half parallel, half standard criss-cross - and showed me how to completely skip the eyelets where the laces tend to hurt the top of my foot.

Nice open space where my foot tends to feel bruised.

Archie and I spent the last day of spring break lying by the pool. KS comes in tonight, so I should probably get some grading done...and I really might...eventually.

ABK

Sundry Running Things

I just cannot seem to enjoy the treadmill the way I enjoy running outdoors.

Call me crazy, but give me mosquitoes, 84% humidity, 91 degrees, lightning, and rain any day. The redundant clumpclumpclump of feet on the treadmill, the annoying whirring sound, and the impossibility of setting an organic pace just kills me. Not to mention the boredom. I'm not one who can read while running, and watching TV feels almost counterproductive. I'd rather be focusing on my stride, my pace, the excitement of coming to a landmark that signifies the halfway point.

It's funny, really, because earlier in the summer I was so bummed about the heat and humidity. And yes, it's still not pleasant by any means. I come back from a two-mile run looking like I've gone swimming, and trying to add any distance this summer has been a brutal undertaking.

Still, I'd rather deal with all that. The treadmill has been a nice option for when it storms too hard to run through, but the blinking lights of the "track" and the distance/calorie/pace monitors are distracting.

My IT band has been wonderful ever since I began wearing the velcro strap above my knee. I've also begun to use my visitor pass for the gym to do some strengthening exercises. After doing all that research, I discovered the IT band is too big of a muscle to really stretch effectively, and the best defense against injury is strengthening it. So I've been doing some weight-training. I'm excited to see the improvements in my running as my gluts, hips, quads, core, and hamstrings finally grow stronger.

Along that some vein of general improvement, I've also added chia seeds into my diet. I'm not really sure what the specific benefits are supposed to be, or how I'll see them, but I used to take flax seed and I've heard chia is very similar. I'm varying my breakfasts with fresh gluten free oatmeal with apples and cinnamon, instead of just my usual cold cereal with banana. This summer has definitely been a time of scrutinizing my routine and changing things that could potentially improve my running. I hope these changes stick when school starts up again.

No matter the changes, the goal is always the same: be a better runner.

The other day I was able to run through a local park, and instead of setting a particular course, I just took the paths wherever the spirit moved me. It was so nice and freeing to just...run. There's something almost magical about just following your feet, letting your mind go, and leaving the usual course behind. Yesterday my run was much later, and it was dark and threatening to rain, so I wanted to stick to my tried-and-true loop. The loop is about a mile, and I planned to add distance by completing it twice and then running half of it again. But by the time I'd finished one round, I was already bored. I veered off down the sidewalk and onto the main road and added distance that way. I felt like tethers had fallen off me, and coming back to the loop for the finish was tedious.

I think I need some new routes! But the difficulty lies in timing it correctly. If I run too early, it's too hot out; if I run too late, it's too dark.

I'll leave this post with a brief article on mental blocks and overcoming them. My mental blocks almost always come into play if I'm running a route I've done poorly on before, or if I'm coming off an injury. One of the points in the article is the ability to say "I'm a runner", and the importance of owning this identity. I love knowing I'm not alone in that one in particular; I've overcome it now, but it was one I struggled with for awhile.

One final quick note: my running buddy is healing happily post-birth of her second daughter. I'm so excited to have her rejoin me on our runs in the not-too-distant future!

That's all for now. Happy running!

ABK