Thursday, February 16, 2012

Checking In With the Ol' Scale

After running a marathon, I've found, I have a magical two-week window where my weight stays where it is despite the loss of miles during taper and recovery. Post-Houston Marathon in late January was no exception. I sat pretty at 127 pounds or so despite not really worrying about what I was eating (including birthday cake and celebratory meals out). At one point my weight even dipped into the 126-point-somethings, a place it hadn't gone even at the height of my mileage.

But now that lovely honeymoon is over.

My last couple of trips to the scale have registered numbers that range from 129 to 131. That's the wrong direction to be moving when I'm trying to get faster.

So it's time to get back on the Mario Lopez wagon: lean foods, meal planning, no sweets.

Yep, it's time.
It's also time for my annual Catholic girl ritual of giving up sweets for Lent, which begins next Wednesday. I've had good success with this most years, ending up leaner and with fewer cravings than when I began. And it's not a two-month-plus period of absolutely NO chocolate. The "rules" for Lent, which is a 40-day period of reflection and self-restraint before Easter, say that sacrifices made for the season don't apply on Sundays because Sundays are themselves mini Easters (and if you count, you'll find you can only hit the 40-day total by leaving the Sundays out). So it works out well for me--I eliminate most of the junk but still get a treat every Sunday.

Wish me luck! Despite the recent creep upwards, I'm starting at a weight that's almost 10 pounds lower than where I was at this time last year. Losing even two pounds should help me meet my speed goals for the spring.

16 comments:

  1. i'm trying to give up ice cream for awhile (coincidentally the same time as Lent).  i did give up sweets for Lent a long time ago and was successful but, damn, it was tough.  good luck! 

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  2. Good luck !  Maintaining/loosing weight is such a pain.  I've not run for a week now and I put on my jeans this morn and they were tight!!  Grumble -- so I sympathize!  Here's to Mario working out for you.  

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  3. Good luck! The older I get, the harder it gets.

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  4. Oh Mario how I've missed you! It's time for me to pull the choke chain on sweets as well as I'm seeing numbers I haven't seen in a long time. I keep telling myself it's muscle but chocolate cake doesn't exactly build muscle no matter how may beets I hide in it. All the best with those speed goals! :)

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  5. Good luck with that, I'm just going to be happy being FAT! LOL.......

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  6. Interesting that Sundays are mini-easters. I had no idea!!   That is good news for me, because church snacks are always the BEST.

    Too funny that Mario is leading your nutritional charge. :) He is inspiring ;) haha.

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  7. I was wondering just this morning how Mario was doing and if he was still living in your kitchen!  

    10 lbs lower than last year is fantastic - congrats!!  I think I found your 10 you lost...plus someone else's 10 :(.  The gluten thing is working and I am "feeling" better...so hopefully this will all turn around by early summer!  

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  8. I know just what you're talking about! I seem to always go through it too. Bring on Mario! (and lent). Good luck.

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  9. I so need to get you that shirt since I know how much you love Mario! 

    I never knew that about Lent.  Hmmm, maybe I should give up something too.  I am not Catholic but every couple of years I jump on the Lent bandwagon.  I like the idea of it and have actually enjoyed doing it.  Good luck with the scale and giving up sweets. 

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  10. I love that magic "can't gain weight window"...10lbs less than last year is quite a bit - no doubt you'll set some PRs this Spring!

    I'm on my annual 'lose 5lbs' eating plan right now...just wondering how I'm going to get the chips and guac to fit in my calorie intake for next Tuesday.  But don't worry - I'll make it work!!!   Funny thing is - is no matter how much I weigh - I *always* feel like it needs to be 5 lbs less.  :)

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  11. I usually do the same thing for Lent, with sweets!  Although I didn't know about the Sunday trick... hmmm, I like that.  We're not Catholic (Mennonite background) so we follow the basic idea.  I'll do it with you!

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  12. I also try to select something to focus on each Lenten season. One year it was chocolate - that was tough - and some years it's been pop (soda). Best of luck with your endeavor. I'm still trying to decide what mine will be.

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  13. I once gave up tv for Lent.  Longest 40 days of my life.  Anyways, I just read a blog where the blogger was saying she's up 10 pounds, but has never been faster as a result of strength training.  I just thought that was interesting, but probably totally irrelevant to this.  I'm full of random nonsense as I slowly atrophy away on bed rest.

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  14. I hate those days when I step on the scale and scream, "Eeeks!  Where did THAT come from????".  Sorry that THIS honeymoon is over but you'll soon have another of delightful, lean bliss!  :-)  Boo-hoo about no chocolate for two months, though.  Hey, I thought the latest is that chocolate is GOOD for us???  :-)

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  15. Good luck! But we also run to be free to eat a little bit more ......

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  16. Meal planning.  Fun. I hope it works!  As you know, I need to do the same thing!

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