Posts by lianih14

probably.  i hope this isn't tmi, but your urine should be the color of lemonade before you start.  you should also drink during your run if it takes you more than 20 minutes.  you can get one of those belts that holds a water bottle so that you don't have to carry one.

trust me on this one, staying hydrated during a run makes everything easier and better.  there's a reason why there are water stations every mile on a marathon route.

12586/17500

hey there...i feel your pain.  i gained 30 lbs in the 2 years after high school.  i've been able to lose most of it since i graduated college.

here's the deal.  if you're working out 5 days/week, 1200 cals is way too little to eat.   your metabolism has come to a screeching halt!

i know "eat more, lose more" sounds counterintuitive, but your body needs fuel in order to metabolize.  try bumping your intake up.  the easiest way to figure out your calorie needs is to find out what you burn without working out (use the CC burn meter and put in your stats and put sedentary as your level) then add the amount of calories you burn during your workout.  then once you have this number, subtract 500-1000.  your net burn should never be over 1000, othw your metabolism will stop again.

as for workouts, find something fun to do if you dislike the gym.  i took up running outside - not saying you have to, but it's something i like to do, therefore i do it!

and finally, you don't have to stop drinking!  i still drink occasionally during the week and socially on weekends.  the key here is moderation, and incorporating the calories from the alcohol into your daily allowance.  also find substitutes if your favorite drink is high in calories.  one example is switch to diet soda, or get a twist instead of fruit juice.

hope this helps!  don't lose hope; we've all been there, that's why we're here on this site.  good luck!

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the number one cause of headaches and fatigue is dehydration.  not to go too much into detail but you should be drinking enough water so that your pee is the color of lemon juice (very pale yellow)

the second is not fueling your body properly.  you should not workout on an empty stomach, and you should also eat a healthy well proportioned snack right after your workout.  depending on what youre doing, mix the ratio of carbs to protein - if your workout was cardio heavy, increase the carbs.  if it was strength training, increase the protein.

third, make sure you are getting 6-8 hours sleep.  too little (or too much, in fact) can cause headaches as well.

i used to suffer from headaches and migraines all the time.  now that i make sure i drink enough water, eat well before and after workouts and get enough sleep, i rarely get them at all; now it's only when i'm really stressed out.

yes, please do get fitted for proper running shoes, that's probably the most important thing.  also when i had shin splints, a sports doctor recommended calf strengthening exercises.  a good one is calf raises - stand on a step with your heels hanging off the edge, then push up using your toes (think like a ballerina or something).  do this 8-12 times on each foot, and feel free to put your hand on a wall or banister for balance.

The same thing happened to me.  Last summer I had to take 3 months off of running due to a stress fracture and ended up gaining almost 10lbs (I kept eating as if I was still running...oops).  I got the all clear to start running again in October, but did not see the weight come off until now. 

Also be sure that your calorie intake isn't too low for a runner.  I'm 5'2", 126, run 20-30 miles/week and eat around 1600-1800 on sedentary days and anywhere from 1800-2500 on running days.  Eating too little stops your metabolism in its tracks, plus it makes you feel like crap during and after runs, so be sure to fuel up!

Original Post by jc24:

...Peanut butter for sure, one little dip turns into half a jar and it's like where on earth did all that go??...

 OMG yes me too.  the whole foods by my job has a machine that grinds fresh nut butter in 4 flavors.  i am doomed. :)

2417/17500

please sign me up for 17500 - 5 pounds.  thanks!

Hey there.  I'm a runner too; I have run a number of half marathons and am training for my first full.  From personal experience, I advise that you mix in some cross training - whether it's cycling, elliptical or whatever, anything but running!  Last July I developed a stress fracture in my heel and my orthopedist said it came from too much running - the repetition without relief from cross training did a lot of damage to my bones.  I was in a cast for 3 months and had to slowly ramp back up to my prior condition.  It's been 4 months since I got the cast off and I'm still 30 seconds behind my pre-fracture pace.

My advice is swap two days of running with cross training.  You'll also find that your performance will improve too, as your conditioning will become more "well rounded".  Also remember to rest and consume enough food!  A typical female runner needs 2000-2500 cal/day.