It's really great to be upping my mileages again. Not just cos it's getting me closer to my Gold Challenge target (see http://www.goldchallenge.org/gc/user/hannah.miller). But mainly because I love running and so I love being able to run more. It was so frustrating earlier in the summer when a persistant virus meant that I would be completely floored after only doing relatively little.
But the thing that comes with running more is the fact that I am getting really really hungry! I do a big weekly shop when I get to the office on a Monday morning where I stock up on my breakfasts, lunches and snacks for the week. This approach minimises the chances of me sneaking downstairs in the middle of the afternoon and buying cakes or chocolate bars! But I realised that I'd upped my activity levels without a corresponding increase in what I was buying on a Monday morning. So the cake trips were sneaking back in as I just wasn't eating enough.
What was odd though was that I didn't fancy the cakes and wasn't really enjoying them. What I fancied was another Nakd bar (I'm a big fan of the cocoa mint ones - http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/store/nakd-nudie-bars/default.aspx) and the sugary rubbish the cakes wasn't really doing it.
A year or so ago, we got going on the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sissons (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/). It's a bit American but once you get past that there's some really useful theory in there. And I've found that cutting out the unecessary carbs and sugars has helped me cut weight that I didn't need, improved my stomach happiness and given me more constant energy levels for training. That probably helps to explain why my body hasn't really been craving cakes...
So here's what I do tend to eat on a daily basis. My one criticism of myself being the lack of variety...
Pre-run to work - banana
After run - apple
(stretch and shower)
Breakfast - 2 teaspoons nut butter (almond / cashew) off the spoon, whole rolled oats mixed with ground seeds etc / hot water and a dollop of jam, with banana on top
Morning snacks - little Nakd bar, apple
Lunch - hummus, 2 slices rye bread, carrot, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, yoghurt
Afternoon snacks - little Nakd bar, yoghurt, apple
With the occasional cake sneaked in if it's someone's birthday :-)
And so now I have to think about what else can be added to that when I'm running 20k in a day with a weights session at lunch...
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Run to work (Hannah)
My run to work is ten miles. So I have to be feeling up for it. Partly cos ten miles is quite a long way to run before breakfast. But also cos it involves a 5.30 wake up call to ensure I have enough time at the other end for a good stretch.
Cos I've not been on top form for a few months I've had to insert a train into the run which makes it a more sensible distance but goes against the idea of saving money and not relying on public transport or being bound by timetables.
Well, this week I started running to work again. And it was great. I just really like knowing I've got there under my own steam, that gives me a real feeling of freedom. And all the autumn colours were out in Hyde park too which made it even more enjoyable.
The only thing I'm going to need to remember is that I'll need to up my calorie intake! Whilst I can afford to drop a couple of kilos I don't want to lose too much weight as we're heading into the cold and flu season.
In terms of food, I have a banana before I leave home. One of my tricks though is having a pot of nut butter at work. Almond at the moment. A teaspoon of that with breakfast and another with lunch is a reliable way of getting good fats and some protein. And it helps keep me full too. I do get some funny looks in the office though as I'm digging into the jar - not sure it's quite the professional image I should be striving for!
Cos I've not been on top form for a few months I've had to insert a train into the run which makes it a more sensible distance but goes against the idea of saving money and not relying on public transport or being bound by timetables.
Well, this week I started running to work again. And it was great. I just really like knowing I've got there under my own steam, that gives me a real feeling of freedom. And all the autumn colours were out in Hyde park too which made it even more enjoyable.
The only thing I'm going to need to remember is that I'll need to up my calorie intake! Whilst I can afford to drop a couple of kilos I don't want to lose too much weight as we're heading into the cold and flu season.
In terms of food, I have a banana before I leave home. One of my tricks though is having a pot of nut butter at work. Almond at the moment. A teaspoon of that with breakfast and another with lunch is a reliable way of getting good fats and some protein. And it helps keep me full too. I do get some funny looks in the office though as I'm digging into the jar - not sure it's quite the professional image I should be striving for!
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