Extra E(ffort)!

My efforts are worth it, or so I thought.

During my last 5K run in the hilly hills of South Forbes Sta. Rosa, Nestle had this booth for Nestle Wellness and my stats shows that I lost 8 kgs in 3 months. It just doesn't show because I am doing the wrong thing, gym-wise(?). The nutritionist told me that to be able to see the effects of losing weight and if I want to see if my arms, stomach, thighs and legs changing its size, I should use light weights as oppose to what my gym instructor told me, if I can lift heavier weights, then do.

Um, gym instructor, I want to lose weight and not be a body builder?

Anyhoo, I am starting to do what the nutritionist told me. One more thing, I was planning to go on my 'oatmeal' diet (did that 2 years ago and boy, I really lost weight!) but she told me to eat more in moderation than do the said diet because it won't help me sustain energy. I am now living in bread, water, coffee, water and once-a-day rice meal, wherever that rice meal falls, except dinner. And I am back to loving the gym, I just recently won McCormick gift pack from the dance class, Bhangra Bollywood, I attended sponsored by Women's Health and I won McCormick spices.
And at the end, all I need is MORE effort to reach my goal.

Happy (?) Feet

What to write?

My last post was about my first ever 5K run. I already had my second two weeks after that, my third would be in a couple of days and now what? I am getting hooked into this running and I am not doing anything to help myself. Well, the once-a-month footspa helps as well as the constant visit to the gym but until I have these excess weight in me, I am doing no good for my body, most especially my feet which carries all my weight, not just when I run but ALL the time. Much as I love running, please, Ivy, help yourself and have mercy on those two feet of yours. :(

In layman's term, I am still overweight. :))

Health: My First 5K Marathon

I did it! I made it to the finish line for my first 5K marathon.

It was not an easy 5K. I have to run/walk and modify my breathing technique so as not to feel the 'side stitches' and to keep up with most of the runners from all ages.

The first few minutes were grueling. I had my mind set that I would finish the race in 1 hour 10 minutes maximum since I've been practicing running the 5K loop in the gym and the results are not that good. Well, what more can I expect? I wasn't sure if my legs/feet can carry all 76 kilos of me. But my leg strengthening exercises at the gym worked. Weeks before this, I tried to add more time doing cardio and leg exercises. If I was doing 50 kg at the seated leg press, I changed it to 75 kg, from 3 reps of 12 to 3 reps of 15. My elliptical training level changed from level 5 to level 9, just to intensify and strengthen my legs. My problem that time was how my legs would carry all my weight all throughout the 5K run. Then came vertigo.

I had a week long vertigo attack and that was a week before my 5K run. It bothered me more because I want to participate in the marathon and challenge myself to finish the said race. I was even thinking that I won't be allowed to run because of this. A few days before April 18 and days after that vertigo attack, I tried to do another 5K loop at the gym and see how bad was the damage. I can barely finish 5K without getting dizzy and worst, my average speed was 13-15 minutes per kilometer. But the stubborn part of my being didn't allow anything to be a hindrance and I'm glad I am somehow(?) stubborn.

Finishing my first 5K marathon is a big deal. It means I am getting close to achieving my goal of shedding off these fats and make myself feel MUCH better. From 36.4 BMI, it went down to 33.7 and it's all because of (very) hard work. Next mission is to lose more pounds, lower my BMI and to run another 5K come May 2.