Past FFJ Posts
Eating
**For those new to the 'FFJ' game, I have a maximum daily calorie goal of 2,200 which I calculated using Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook.**
Daily food calories / Net Calories*
Friday 2111 / 2111
Saturday 2022 / 1012
Sunday 2136 / 1301
Monday 1994 / 687
Tuesday 1648 / 1118
Wednesday 1979 / 1166
Thursday 1860 / 1330
Average Daily Calories 1964 / 1246
* Net calories are food minus activity
Weird things happened with food this week. The high-low pattern of last week was replaced with a steadily declining appetite. I spent the tail-end of Week 3 convinced that I had developed some kind of gluten sensitivity (oh the horror!) so I cut back on wheat in all it's varied forms. It didn't really help (but I did find some pretty amazing and super easy gluten free bread mix that I'm sticking with).
Without making you all too queasy I was basically suffering from an internal 'lack of movement'. Food was going in but not exiting at anywhere it's normal rate. This resulted in some less than comfortable side-effects including really bad stomach cramps and nausea... And lots of tooting (yeah, I said it!) My stomach hurt, I felt gross and Danny took up camp on the other couch in order to get away from my frequently musical derriere.
I tried to work out the cause and came up with these important clues; The problems had started not long after the FFJ Plan came into effect, they had been getting steadily worse and I had most of my pain and discomfort just after eating.
The truth of the matter was discovered pretty much by accident. A person doesn't feel compelled to eat much when they feel like they already have three days of food already camping out in their lower intestine. After just a day of nausea induced food restriction I felt a lot better.
When I switched to the whole 2,200 calories a day thing I thought it was awesome! I felt like I was eating so much more and guess what? I was! So much so, my body couldn't efficiently move it all through! Kind of like when you try to jam too much through a funnel, everything was getting stopped up at some point on it's journey to the outside world. I was turning into a Poop Balloon!!
Because I am vegan I don't partake in the more calorie dense foods like meat, cheese and full-fat dairy so I get to cram a lot more food into my gob to make up my daily calories (see one of my 2,100 calorie days here). I am not sure exactly how I am going to attack the last two weeks of eating for the FFJ Plan. I either need to focusing on eating more calorie dense vegan foods like nuts and dried fruit or just except the fact that 2,200 is a little too ambitious for my digestive tract to handle. For now I am choosing the latter and I am feeling much more comfortable for the fact.
Sorry if I totally grossed anyone out... Especially with that 'Poop Balloon' bit...
Exercise
Friday Rest Day
Saturday RI30 (30mins) + Easy Run (60mins)
Sunday RI30 (30mins) + ExBike (60mins)
Monday Long Run (90mins)
Tuesday RI30 (30mins)+ ExBike (30mins)
Wednesday RI30 (30mins) + Interval Run (45mins)
Thursday RI30 (30mins) + ExBike (30mins)
I moved onto the third stage of Ripped in 30 this week. It sucks... I find myself having to fall back on the beginner modifications a lot with this one so in a way it's good that I will be doing this stage for two weeks instead of one, plenty of time to get it right. But it really isn't my favourite :( The bear crawls and duck walks have left me feeling like my hips have been violently ripped from their sockets and jammed back into place. And those crazy rock and roll what-she-callsits just aren't happening for fear that the knee that went wonky two weeks ago will give up the ghost completely. I have switched those out with a move from stage two that I loved because it really works my inner thighs.
On Long-Run Monday I did my second 13k. I really do love my long runs, there is something so relaxing about it. Whatever the case, it bodes well for my 1/2 Marathon aspirations.
Week Four Results
I did not feel like I lost weight this week. Probably unsurprising seeing as I spent the better part of it with a puffed out stomach like Grover...
At the same time, I didn't feel like I had gained any. Clothes were fitting the same, I didn't feel 'heavier'...
Apparently what I 'feel' means nada...
Starting Stats
Weight 88.0kg / 194lbs
Body Fat 36.7%
Lean Mass+Water 55.7kg / 122.8lbs
Week Three Stats
Weight 89.0kg / 196.2lbs
Difference from start +1.0kg / 2.2lbs
Body Fat 34.9%
Difference from start -1.8%
Difference from start -1.8%
Lean Mass+Water 58.0kg / 127.8lbs
Difference from start +2.3kg / 5.0lbs
I could offer a million reasons for the gigantic gain; everything from the impending arrival of TTOM to the fact that I'm still not feeling tip-top regarding the Poop Balloon experience.
During my shower this morning I fumed about the scales and vowed to eat every.bloody.single fat and sugar laden thing I could get my hands on for the rest of the day. But then I got out of the shower and I ate my oats, not the loaf of bread I had intended to in my fit of rage.
I got to work and ate my soy yogurt and my apple instead of a lifetimes worth of McDonald's Hash Browns.
My intention to show the scale and this crazy body of mine who was boss were overridden by my sensible side... It reasoned with the anger inside of me and let it know that the only person I would be hurting if I took off on a gastronomic free-for-all was myself... and my bank account.
But I will be damned if I can work out why the female body was designed to 'store' excess whatever at the particular time of the month that she is just too fragile to cope with it!
I am interested to see what next week brings...
I got to work and ate my soy yogurt and my apple instead of a lifetimes worth of McDonald's Hash Browns.
My intention to show the scale and this crazy body of mine who was boss were overridden by my sensible side... It reasoned with the anger inside of me and let it know that the only person I would be hurting if I took off on a gastronomic free-for-all was myself... and my bank account.
But I will be damned if I can work out why the female body was designed to 'store' excess whatever at the particular time of the month that she is just too fragile to cope with it!
I am interested to see what next week brings...
You'd never gross me out talking about flatulence and blockages. I am the Queen of flatulence and a good portion of my posts revolve around bodily functions.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard not to be demoralised about the weight gain BUT you handled it really well - yoghurt and apples and oats are a victory over your former self. There will be some reason for the weight and you'll be lighter in the long run.
LOL That's why I love your posts so much Char :)
DeleteYou handled the weight gain well!! Don't worry about it, we all fluctuate here and there. As long as you continue with your healthy ways and don't give up, you will be fine! :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't eat 2,200 calories unless it was nutrition shakes or something. I'm lucky if I can do 1500. I think some of us just don't need what's considered "right" listen to your body, seriously it's going to tell you what's enough.
ReplyDeleteYou handled it well! I had a similar experience this past Monday, also pre-TTOM...hmmm.
ReplyDeleteI would probably starve if I were a vegetarian - at least until I worked some things out. You're awesome. That is all.
I kind of liked the poop balloon comment, not gonna lie.
Very interesting! I dont want you to have a poop balloon problem - that sounds horrible! I also predict that you will now have many people searching poop balloon come to your blog. :-) you dominated on the exercise front!
ReplyDelete