Yoga and Diet

So I had a few questions/comments that I felt I should address in a full post rather than the comment session.

Yoga- Specifically is it worth giving up one training hour a week?

Hells Yes! Doing yoga has made my core stronger, has helped my balance, has kept both hips in better alignment, and has just plain helped me to take a moment and relax and focus on my body and how it feels when it isn't running. For those that are wary of giving up those calorie busting training hours I'd recommend something that mixes in yoga like qualities, like Pilate's or perhaps a fitness class that also takes 15 minutes to address flexibility. Find a class that is a bit more laid back at first, laugh at your inflexibility and (if you are like me) weak upper body, and then work to increase flexibility and strengthen your weak areas. Your body will thank you for it! If you are a bit shy to go to class check out this video podcast available on I-tunes, I haven't had a chance to try it out yet but have previewed a few of the videos and it looks like the teacher does a great job explaining everything!

Diet- How the heck did I get from 130+ to a consistent 118

I think a bit of this is trial and error. My body seems to go in cycles. I start a new activity and my body responds by losing weight and buffering for 6-12 months then I gain again. Start new cycle, add new activity etc.

This time around though I tried a few things that have stuck and I think have been key to my success. First I cut out alcohol for a month and afterwards stuck mostly to red wine and limited my intake. Second stopped drinking coffee and switched to tea. I am a sugar fiend when I drink coffee so I think this was probably a major factor. Third for about two weeks I counted calories. I used some free site and did my best to count every single calorie that was going into my mouth. I calculated my basic calorie needs if I did nothing and what I needed if I worked out for an hour each day. ( I wish Wil would have had up this nifty equation back then I could have been even more accurate with it) I adjusted my portions a bit when I realized I was just plain eating too much if I wanted to lose a few pounds. I cannot count calories everyday so I use those two weeks as a reference and just try to be true to the amount I can eat. I know if I have a harder training day I can eat a bit more, light day I eat a bit less. Fourth I have consistently been waking up in time to sit down and have a bowl of cereal (usually cheerios), a cup of tea, and a glass of OJ every morning. I firmly believe starting my day off with some calories in the bank keeps me from craving junk later.

Another thing I try to do is eat my meals right after running when possible. I think this is important for muscle recovery, but I also think your body is more likely to actually use these calories at this time then store them for later in your donut.

Other factors that are probably helping me now: Strength training, 2-3 servings of fruit every day, swimming, take the stairs every day, oh yeah and running a lot

I'm a big believer in listening to what my body craves. If I constantly have a taste for sweet potato fries, there is a reason for it. I know that a craving for ice cream every night probably isn't healthy, but if I want a tin roof I have it and just make sure to have an extra glass of milk the next day in case I need more dairy.

Since April I have not varied from my weight more than from 116-120. This month I have been struggling to stay at 118 because of all the long runs and have been low. I'm sure Thanksgiving will get me right back up there though :) Going into an ultra I think I'd rather be heavy than light so this week I will be sure to listen to all my cravings!