Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Different Approach This Time
Those of you that know me can remember my running injury that took place a couple of years ago...I was doing some things that I think could have contributed to becoming injured. This time around, as I am training for a half coming up in March, I am doing a few things differently. To start, I am eating much less restrictively. I was pretty much a vegan back then, with the exception of fish sometimes. I was trying out a very restrictive approach to my eating because first of all, I really love fruits and veggies, and after reading some books, I became convinced that a vegan diet was extremely healthy. I wanted to at least give it a try. During that time I was also running quite a bit....increasing distance, speed, and adding lots of pretty steep hills. It was during a fast 5k that I actully felt the injury happen and when I tried to run a few days later, I realized I couldn't. It was much worse than I orginally thought and I stopped running for about 4 months. I started back super slow with still pain at times. Even today I can still feel it.
Although everything came back great with my blood work, I thought, as well as my doctor, that my calorie intake was just not fueling my body enough for the kind of energy I was using up. Also, I had very little fat in my diet as well. I was stiff, sore, and lacked energy later in the day. I think I could have been deficient in zinc and calcium.
This time I am trying to be smarter and more balanced. My goal is to fuel my body with nutrients, proteins, antioxidants, and fat. I realize now that when I run, my body needs to be replenished and sometimes a red bell pepper and fresh greens are not enough.
So, here are some things I am doing to help me be stronger and injury free this time:
Hopefully, this plan will get me through the training and the run on March 6th!
Although everything came back great with my blood work, I thought, as well as my doctor, that my calorie intake was just not fueling my body enough for the kind of energy I was using up. Also, I had very little fat in my diet as well. I was stiff, sore, and lacked energy later in the day. I think I could have been deficient in zinc and calcium.
This time I am trying to be smarter and more balanced. My goal is to fuel my body with nutrients, proteins, antioxidants, and fat. I realize now that when I run, my body needs to be replenished and sometimes a red bell pepper and fresh greens are not enough.
So, here are some things I am doing to help me be stronger and injury free this time:
Eating lean red meat once a week
Adding whey protein isolate to my smoothies for extra calories and protein
Adding flax seed meal to yogurt, smoothies, and oatmeal
Eating eggs...and lots of them
Eating some form of protein with every meal and snack
Still eating tons of green veggies and berries
Using real butter and low fat and full fat cheese
Lots of seeds and nuts
Greek yogurt--can't do without this yummy stuff!
Green tea...still a staple
Skim milk
Regular pasta sometimes, but still prefer whole grain
Fortified cereals like Total to give me much needed vitamins since I can't take a supplement
Hopefully, this plan will get me through the training and the run on March 6th!
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
5 Comments:
I will be praying for you as you seek to be more balanced and train for this race. Sounds like you have done research and listened to your body. Praying it goes well this time around.
Wasn't it great to have our kids around again for the holidays?!
Yeah for you! My swimming coach back in college used to say a hard boiled egg was almost a perfect food. I'm not a fan of meat, either, but I do eat it for the same reasons as you (and I just ran my 11th half marathon on Thanksgiving Day!). I would encourage you to investigate rolfing and see if there is a rolfer in your area. They can repair chronic injuries by working on the fascia that lines your muscles. It's much like manipulative massage or sports massage except more concentrated on muscle groups and manipulating them to loosen and realign. It's not invasive at all - usually the rolfing session is an hour or 90 minutes - and it certainly can't hurt anything. It would also be a great addition to your recovering and progress for your half. So excited for you and your race!
Thanks to you both. I pray that God will allow me to run the race with no injuries! I still think plant based is the best, but sometimes we need more. I like the idea of a plate full of fresh veggies and/or salad and a small serving of meat. Some of my lunches are still vegan or vegetarian, because I just like that.
Kim, so glad you have found a good balance for your body. These all sound like great options. I wish you all the best as you train for your 1/2 marathon.
Hi, my name is Daisy (from California). Came across your blog when I found a bunch of homeschool blogs a couple of years ago, and visit your blog every now and then. Thanks for the post. I think I'll print it out. :)
I started running a year and a half ago, and am recovering from injuries that I discovered was due to improper stretching - over and over again. But eating has definitely been a challenge as well...(I love to eat!) Thanks for sharing and thanks for the inspiration. I'm excited for you on running your half in March!
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