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I've used calorie count to lose 20 pounds over the past couple years (slow but steady!) and am generally happy with my weight. Now I'm just trying to find my way to better fitness. I've really started to enjoy running but am having trouble increasing my distance. I seem to max out at 3 miles and just can't go further. I've experimented with eating different things at different times before running assuming it's an energy thing....but no luck. I tried slowing down to see if that would help but it really didn't make much of a difference, still pooping out at around 3 miles. Any tips on how to break through? Thanks!
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Weight gain, against the math..
In the span of a few days, I've gained 2 pounds (that have been reaffirmed each day on the scale--not budging..) but I didn't have an overall surplus of calories to cause it.
Over the past week, I did have one day that went a little over budget (curse Mexican food!), but then days with a deficit to follow, so in the end, I had a net deficit.
So why did I gain 2 pounds? With a net deficit just to be safe but really intending to maintain, my measurements and weight are up.
I've been at this higher weight for a few days now, so I don't think it's just fluctuation or water weight from extra sodium. (I don't even consume that much sodium..)
Any answers would be appreciated!
Sabotage
I'm not sure if this is the right forum, so forgive me if I should've posted somewhere else.
My boyfriend is a truly wonderful man, he's thoughtful, generous, kind, amazing with my kids, and usually very supportive. In the 3 years we've been together I've gained just shy of 20 pounds. By no means do I blame him! I understand why I put it on and this is my 3rd attempt to take it off.
Here's my problem: he's always bringing crap into the house, even when I've asked him not to. For example, my son had a friend over on Saturday, he took the kids to Basking Robbins; they asked if I wanted anything and thankfully my willpower kicked in & I said no. A half hour later, they come home & he had gotten me a scoop of ice cream. I was annoyed, I only have so much willpower! He assured me that it was only 100 calories. I managed to put in the freezer and ate only half Saturday night, saving the rest for Sunday.
So last night I was pretty proud of myself, until he comes home with a half a pound of my personal kryptonite...gummy bears. There's something about biting off their chewy, fruity little heads that I find truly (albeit slightly sadistic) enjoyable. Once again my willpower kicked in & put the unopened bag in the pantry. He said he was thinking about me & after all they are fat free. Ugh!
About an hour later I swear I could hear those chewy fruity little bastards calling my name, begging me to chomp off their little heads and let them melt slowly in my mouth. I had to make the voices stop. I lost all willpower & ate 1/4 of the bag.
Mind you this is just one weekend! He does these things several times a week and brings home my favorite things that I know I shouldn't eat....and then leaves them on the kitchen counter.
OK, done with the rant. Thank you for listening. Now, I surely can't be the only one who's gone through this. Anyone have any advice on how to deal with this? I don't think he's doing it out of spite or ill will, I truly think he's doing it because he thinks I deserve it since I'm really working hard to make good choices and get in shape again. I should also probably mention that he's a junk food fiend. The worse it is for you, the more he loves it. Any advice would be HUGELY appreciated!
exercise
I would like to do some form of activity that is not just a pointless exercise. Like gardening or something. I would like to do some kind of exercise but I have tried a few things and find it really hard, boring and pointless. I am hoping someone might have an idea that would be good for me.
Fish Habit May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk, Study Suggests
Researchers found that higher fatty acid intake cut chances of disease by 14 percent
By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, June 27 (HealthDay News) -- Regularly eating oily fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines may help reduce the risk of breast cancer, a new report suggests.
These fish contain a type of fatty acid known as n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
"Increased n-3 PUFA intake has a protective effect for breast cancer," said researcher Duo Li, a professor of nutrition at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China.
Li and his team reviewed 21 different studies that looked at the intake of fish and PUFAs. The previously published research included more than 800,000 women in the United States, Europe and Asia, and 20,000 cases of breast cancer. The follow-up time varied, from four years to 20.
The new report is published online June 27 in the journal BMJ..
Fish include several types of PUFAs that are involved in chemical messaging in the brain, helping to regulate both blood vessel activity and the immune system. The fatty acids also have been linked with other health benefits, such as lower risk of heart problems.
Earlier studies have shown conflicting results about the protective effects of PUFAs that are found in fish and breast cancer risk. So Li decided to pool the results of the 21 studies and reanalyze them.
In his analysis, consumption of most types of PUFAs -- but not fish itself -- was linked with a lower risk. Women with a high intake of PUFAs had a 14 percent reduction in breast cancer risk. For every 0.1-gram-per-day increase in the intake of the fatty acids, there was a 5 percent lower risk of breast cancer, the study found.
So how much fish should you eat? "One to two servings of oily fish per person per week is suggested," Li said.
Li said he can't explain with certainty the association between PUFAs and lowered breast cancer risk. Among other possibilities, he speculated that the fatty acids may help regulate the activities of molecules involved in cell growth and in the spread of cancer cells.
Two U.S. experts who reviewed the new findings saw pros and cons to the report.
Although the number of women studied was large, the link found between fatty acid intake and breast cancer risk reduction "is not necessarily cause-and-effect," said Dr. Stephanie Bernik, chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
Dr. Joanne Mortimer, director of women's cancer programs at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif., agreed. "My take on this is it may be more than just what they eat" that helps reduce breast cancer risk, she said. "To make an assumption that the lower risk is due entirely to diet may be a false one."
The women with a high intake of PUFAs also may be more apt to exercise and follow other healthy habits, Mortimer said.
Both Mortimer and Bernik cautioned against focusing too much on fish for risk reduction or on eating too much of it. "It's no cure-all," Bernik said. And, if eaten in excess, the mercury content of some fish can be unhealthy, she added.
Besides eating oily fish, Bernik tells patients to exercise regularly, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and not smoke to reduce the risk of breast and other cancers.
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