Face It Friday: Fueling For Fitness 8/1/14

I maintained my weight loss for over two years before I really starting feeling any problems. Now the problems began when I completely changed my routine, but also increasing my activity even more threw me for a loop as well. When I started Weight Watchers in 2009, I was a gym rat, but not the right away. I would go to the gym for a couple of hours - yes an hour on the Stairmaster and an hour on the Elliptical. Then refuel with tater tots and beer.

Huh? Why wasn't I losing weight. I don't get it.

Then I joined Weight Watchers and learned that the calories burned on the machines at the gym were FFFAAARRRR from accurate. I learned about Activity Points and fueling your body.

After a year and a half on Weight Watchers in June 2011 (once I was cleared for activity post back surgery), I took up run again. I fell in love with it. I became addicted to it.

I loved that I could eat and drink more as a result. Hello balance!

Now when I started back running I was doing mainly 5ks and a half here or there.

But as time passed and years have gone by I have gone farther and farther into the distance running. I look back at 2014 and see that I had already completed three marathons by the end of April. Not quite the same mileage as I was putting in at the beginning.

When I ran my second-ever marathon in November 2012 (I signed up for it the day I hit goal), I didn't track as closely. Why would I need to? I was earning enough Activity Points to cover any indulgences.

EH! Not so much.

See I like to eat. I like tater tots and french fries. I can mindlessly snack on an entire bag of Stacy's Pita Chips to the tune of 29 pts. Yeah I know that about myself.

So I need to continue tracking while training. It is actually the ONLY way I can properly fuel AND lose weight/maintain my weight loss. If I throw the "Eh I ran today I can have an extra helping of ____," the pounds will come back on.

I don't have the control about myself. It is something I've learned and am still working on to this day.

That is why I needed to refocus and recharge these past 7-8 weeks. My Activity Points are now constantly in the high 90s to low 100s. I need to keep an eye on making sure I am refueling enough and properly.

I have used all 49 Weekly Points since the first week of WW (well back then it was 35, but you know what I mean). I am not about deprivation.

And you know what, I perform better and have more success with the scale when I use those extra points. I think of myself as a car - a hot car - and I need to keep enough gas in the tank. If not, the body holds on to the weight for fuel ... and nobody wants that.

So I am back to my balance ... back to fueling for the athlete I want to be ... back to feeling in control.

Look who wasn't in the negative this week? :)

Now where's my beer? I need to carbo load for Sunday's long ride. ;) #balance

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Additional notes from this week:

^ I am now 5.6 lbs from my happy weight. Yay!

^ I have tracked or guestimated every day since June 13, which has to be one of my longest streaks since hitting Lifetime in February 2012.

^ I have attended a WW meeting every week since June 13 making it a priority again. It may not be the groups I lost my weight with (I did all that in Chicago), but it is great to zone out and be with people who understand

^ Getting back to weighing every week. I was in the habit with Lifetime to just weigh in once a month, but personally I need that check-in since training has me hungry and always ready to eat. ;)

^ Some days I wish I could be those people who just needed the help knowing what to eat to lose the weight and keep it off, but for me it is far more emotional and mental than I ever thought. But I accept that and know I need to watch for the rest of my life probably as emotional/mental habits are life long struggles.

^ Thank you for all continuing to take this ride with me. Losing weight and maintaining big weight loss is not linear - it is all about the peaks and valleys.

^ Resurrecting Face It Friday has been very cathartic for me. It forces me to really look back at how the past week went. Holding myself to being honest with you keeps me honest with myself!

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Finally, there is still time to sign up for the F.A.S.T. virtual 5k/10k run/walk to benefit Tedy's Team. Did you know: About 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year?

16 spots remain and registration ends August 10!