Yesterday morning's yoga session went well. I'm certainly not as flexible as I'd like to be, but I attempted all the poses and felt good afterward. What I should have done, though, was spend a little more time in corpse pose than I did. [I always cut it short; I feel like I'm wasting time just lying there doing nothing.]
Instead I jumped up, tied on my running shoes and headed out to do the four-mile loop.
Well. Let's just say that while yoga is always relaxing and mindful, it also can be, um, energizing. I was feeling quite peppy as I started out walking the first half mile.
When I picked up the pace, I told myself I would run three miles straight without stopping. I'd done this just last Saturday, the first three miles of my long run, so I knew it was possible. But I found it impossible to find a steady, slow-enough pace to go the distance without wearing myself out. I found myself essentially doing speed drills – run flat out for half a mile and then slow down or walk for a couple minutes; repeat until three miles are done.
Not a bad run, just not what I'd planned to do. I guess it's good to have a flexible mind as well as a flexible body!
M@rla, thanks for the heads-up about ChiRunning. I'll have to look for the book next time I'm at a big bookstore. I signed up for their e-mail newsletter and am intrigued by the method. And Jennifer, I did read Jenny's column about increasing stride rate, but have never actually taken the time to count my strides. That would be a good thing to do; thanks for the nudge!
Yesterday morning was good; yesterday afternoon was not so much. I'm still having trouble with sugar. After a pretty awful afternoon of too much sweet stuff, I was really happy to leave the house for a volunteer gig at the prison. When I got home, I checked e-mail and blogs before I went to bed and found this. And I woke up this morning with the little 'sugar-is-crack' mantra going through my brain. Thank you, D.
This is definitely a good thing.
I don't keep sweets in my house. Mr. Shrinking Knitter likes them, but also watches his weight and it's better for both of us if they're just not around. [I must say, though, that if I'm intrigued by those of you practicing intuitive eating. Wouldn't it be great to have a full candy dish on the end table all the time, and know that you didn't have to eat all of it at one sitting? I'm soooooooo not there.]
So how did I have such a bad afternoon? Well, I got my hair cut. Which meant I was out. And there are stores on the way home. And I had money.
Seriously, when I'm in the mood to go crazy with food, having someplace to go is the worst possible scenario. If I'd stayed home I probably would have taken a nap and slept right through the cravings.
People who give up alcohol or drugs, as I have, frequently substitute something else for their substance of choice. Learning to deal with life on life's terms is a process, and I clearly have a long way to go.
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5 comments:
Your run is why I'm still afraid to run outside! Well, that and the freaking heat wave. I have no idea yet how to run a steady pace without a number flashing on the treadmill. I know I'll get there some day when I actually run outside. And, I'm hoping to get a Garmin for Christmas (if I'm a good girl and on Santa's list), and that should help. But hey, woman, at least you are OUT THERE!
Sugar is indeed crack. And the sugar/flour/fat combo is heroin. Very addictive, scary stuff.
Shopping as a substitute for food, I can totally relate. What I do sometimes is shop online, fill my shopping cart with stuff I want, then close the website without buying anything. It's kind of satisfying in a way. I've shopped, but haven't spent anything. And it's like sugar cravings--if I can get through it, a few hours later I'm glad I didn't spend the money. But I had fun "shopping."
Yep, when you have money, opportunity, means and motive...compulsive behavior can be put into play. I'm sorry you had a bad afternoon but you'll get through it.
I'm glad the yoga is working out for you! It sounds very good for you.
D:
I'm thinking that your run was actually a very clever way to "mix things up" which is what trainers are always telling us to do!
As far as the "bad afternoon," I think the only thing bad about those situations is how I feel about myself afterwards. As if I've been a naughty child. Which, of course, makes me want to go back and repeat the episode.
I'm not saying that refined sugar isn't a potent chemical with strong physical effects, but I do think that my post-bad-afternoon shame is probably worse.
Hang in there! I'm in your corner!
-J
spontaneous speed drills can be good, just a little harder to recover from than a long, easy paced run...but maybe the yoga counters those effects.
I can so relate to the last paragraph, nice to know I'm not alone, though I hope there is an end point somewhere, someday.
Last October when I stopped salt and alcohol and I was losing weight . . . well I shopped. A lot. Which isn't healthy for the pocket book. Too bad I don't substitute all bad habits with something non-destructive.
As I read about your run, it sounded a lot like you did some interval training.
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