The best source of protein I've found is chocolate milk. Tastes delicious, and it's fantastic for your muscles.

7/18/2009 2:45:50 PM

^troo story

7/18/2009 3:33:16 PM

There isn't one ideal 5K pace. It all depends on what level of fitness you're at and why you intend on running a 5K. If your intention is to lose weight, get in shape and and are using a run/walk strategy in training ( which is what the Penguin on Runner's World recommends for newbie runners) , a 30+ min 5K is actually pretty good. In fact it's far more important you're out there building up your endurance and running at a limit your body can tolerate, before attempting faster paces.

That being said, I'm glad any of y'all are off the couch running . Keep it up!

7/18/2009 7:56:56 PM

I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm more of a Mathlete than an athlete. Time and again on swim team I've busted my ass in practice every day, only to lose races to people who never practiced.

Running ... forget it. My legs must be short or something. Even at my best I get my ass kicked by people who haven't run in years. I run for my health, not to improve my pathetically slow 5k time. Sure I could work on speed but for what benefit - to move up from "way below average" to merely "below average?"

And drinking 250 calorie, sugar-packed chocolate milk sounds like a fabulous idea! I can't wait to experience the fantastic benefits for my muscles. Just hope I don't bulk up though

7/19/2009 12:36:04 AM

250 calorie, sugar packed chocolate milk is better for you than gatorade after you work out.

7/19/2009 12:55:08 AM

haha, more like 0% organic milk with a dab of chocolate.

It really is the best thing for you to drink after working out though.

7/19/2009 12:55:31 AM

Nerdchick, women don't bulk up excessively from exercise unless they're taking drugs (i.e. steroids) and doing serious-ass weight lifting for competition. This is a very common misconception. If you're swimming a lot, you should know that at most your shoulders and back are going to get a little bigger and toned, but probably nothing more than that. I have trouble fitting into my non-stretch button down shirts now, but I have big shoulders/arms anyway.

Another misconception: There's also no ideal body type for running- I've seen smaller, more proportioned runners whip right past tall, lanky runners in cross country and track meets. Not sure about elite running though- if anyone wants to post the statistics on body type for elite runners feel free to.

7/19/2009 4:10:39 PM

I was going great there for a while, slowly getting the weight down. I skip a day and go to a cookout (only drank water - no soda) and gained 8 pounds in one day. Crazy. Now I'm worse off than when I started.

It's only been 3 weeks. Gotta stick with it despite this ridiculous weight gain.

7/19/2009 6:32:16 PM

i don't know what your goals are, but if you're trying to get into shape and all that jazz, don't just measure progress by your weight. Use mile markers and your exhaustion to see how you're improving.

7/19/2009 6:35:42 PM

Just to lose weight. Well not even so much that as to take about 2 inches off my waistline. If I get in shape during the process, so be it

7/19/2009 6:39:06 PM

How did this thread get to page 3?

7/19/2009 7:10:45 PM

Gaining 8lbs at a cookout is really nothing to worry about. My weight easily fluctuates +-10lbs a day depending on how much I eat, hydrate, and use the bathroom. But then again, I'm not trying to lose weight or inches off my waist so it doesn't bother me. I have gained several extra notches on my belt that I did not have before this summer though, and that's kinda nice, (Not that I was overweight before. I've gone from being about 6'1" and 180lbs to 6'1" and about 170ish.)

7/19/2009 7:32:40 PM

^^^ Try weighing yourself at the same time once a week, if you want to keep track of your weight consistently. I would measure it around a day where your schedule has been pretty consistent - for example, the middle of your work week.

Also, have a friend take your measurements with a seamstress measuring tape (bust, arms, waist, hips, thighs) and track as you go along. As these might change slower than weight, I wouldn't do this more than once or twice a month.

7/19/2009 9:28:10 PM

i weigh myself most mornings right after i wake up. it gives me a consistent timeframe and its easier to catch a pound or two more creeping on rather than 5 or more later, thats why i like to do it daily.

7/19/2009 9:47:50 PM

Yeah, I weigh myself every day at the same time with the same scale. I'm writing off Sunday as a fluke.

7/20/2009 7:09:50 AM

as far as controlling or observing your diet, i've been using
http://www.fitday.com (mind you im using it for medical purposes-my caloric intake is wayyyy too low and so is my metabolism so my dr. and i are trying to fix that). but its really easy and i like it a lot

7/20/2009 7:23:27 AM

seeing a link in this thread reminded me to post this.

http://www.mapmyrun.com

really handy tool that accurately measures the distance you travel on a run. It's a really useful tool, plus it's free. You can also see routes other people have mapped out.

7/20/2009 10:00:28 AM

Quote :

"Nerdchick, women don't bulk up excessively from exercise unless they're taking drugs (i.e. steroids) and doing serious-ass weight lifting for competition. This is a very common misconception. "

I know. I was being sarcastic in response to Atlas' silly claim that chocolate milk would make me grow muscles when I know it would just grow fat

7/22/2009 6:28:28 PM

Quote :

"I know. I was being sarcastic in response to Atlas' silly claim that chocolate milk would make me grow muscles when I know it would just grow fat "

I never made the claim it would make you grow muscles, all I said is that it was the best source of protein that I've found. I'd much rather drink two glasses of chocolate milk after a workout than drink a giant disgusting protein shake.

Considering there was a post about how your diet was lacking protein, I thought it was an appropriate comment.

7/22/2009 8:44:46 PM

i have designer whey protein (pomegranate flavor) and it mixes really, really well. surprisingly well.

so not all protein shakes are gross

[Edited on July 24, 2009 at 4:09 PM. Reason : rhtyt]

7/24/2009 4:08:50 PM

Quote :

"Running ... forget it. My legs must be short or something. "

ok, so I have ridiculously short legs compared to my height (I have shorter legs than my 5'3" friend, and I am 5'7". no joke.... please don't laugh...)

DESPITE that... I have fallen in love with running- thanks to this city (and seeing as you live here too.... hint hint ) The thing is, it took me months to reach the point where I could even last 1.5 miles (thanks to all those cigarettes...). The day I broke 2, I dragged my friends out to celebrate. Just a month or so ago, I ran 7. Right now, I can go 4+ on a standard run, and that's after taking a couple of weeks off to work, travel, and play a little ultimate. Seriously, don't worry about the muscle-growth or other big diet/training plans. Just keep running! It will take a long time if you're not used to it. But if you only go once or twice a week (or less), you're not going to see the improvement you want. I started at 4-5 days a week, and still aim for 5 (sometimes life just gets too busy, unfortunately.) And if you ever want a running buddy, well my number hasn't changed, and I'm almost always up for it The bridge is always a good one (even if you can only run half of it!).

[Edited on July 29, 2009 at 9:45 PM. Reason : /]

7/29/2009 9:45:19 PM

Quote :

"The thing is, it took me months to reach the point where I could even last 1.5 miles (thanks to all those cigarettes...)"

thats bs btw. congrats on getting better etc, but that is bs.

7/29/2009 9:49:24 PM

smoke from middle school til after college and try to start running, silly.

7/29/2009 9:51:10 PM

If I go out and smoke a cigarette I can definitely feel it while exercising the next day. It's god awful.

7/29/2009 9:53:34 PM

yall are weaklings then. i could go out tomorrow and run a couple miles if i wanted to. and i smoke about a pack a day and haven't run jogged regularly for upwards of a year

[Edited on July 30, 2009 at 12:19 AM. Reason : not trying to discount her achievement. just dont like how she used smoking as an excuse]

7/30/2009 12:15:23 AM

I didn't say I couldn't do it, I just said I would be able to feel it.

7/30/2009 2:52:19 AM

yeah sorry i got a bit on my high horse with that. i apologize

7/30/2009 3:08:04 AM

Quote :

"yall are weaklings then. i could go out tomorrow and run a couple miles if i wanted to. and i smoke about a pack a day and haven't run jogged regularly for upwards of a year"

People are different, Einstein.

[Edited on July 30, 2009 at 10:06 AM. Reason : .]

7/30/2009 10:06:07 AM

i want to start running again, my problem is my breathing. when i first started running it took me almost a year before i could breath normally while running. i would pant instead of taking long deep breaths. i noticed my distance increased exponentially once i could finally breath while i ran... i am just not looking forward to the period of breathlessness again :/

that and i find running boring as hell... i run better with a buddy, so i need to find someone else to run with again!

7/30/2009 10:53:15 AM

One trick that I used is exhaling on every other step. So if I were running I would breathe in on my left foot, then out on the next step my left foot took, and then in again on the next step my left foot took (if that makes any sense). This is especially true when I'm tired, or when I feel like syncing up my breathing with my running.

7/30/2009 11:59:53 AM

When I ran (well, walked/ran) races I always had a weird minor anxiety attack at the end because I would get so excited and would basically forget to breath (it'd be really tight and difficult to breathe). I only had these attacks on short courses with music on and I'd always know it was coming. It even happened what I was training some times.

I want to get back into running but how do I take the avoid these attacks?

[Edited on July 30, 2009 at 12:24 PM. Reason : ]

7/30/2009 12:23:11 PM

xanax?

7/30/2009 12:26:01 PM

Quote :

"When I ran (well, walked/ran) races I always had a weird minor anxiety attack at the end because I would get so excited and would basically forget to breath (it'd be really tight and difficult to breathe). I only had these attacks on short courses with music on and I'd always know it was coming. It even happened what I was training some times. I want to get back into running but how do I take the avoid these attacks?"

Uh- Perhaps run long courses with no music? Haha. More seriously, do you have any history of asthma or anything? If you can't push through and force yourself to breathe normally (I recommend trying regulating your breathing like I suggested in my post above yours), then perhaps you should talk to a doctor.

7/30/2009 12:33:42 PM

No history of asthma. 5k's i get anxious, but i did a half marathon and was fine (and that was a lot more exciting).

idk, probably all in my head.

7/30/2009 12:47:21 PM

That's bizarre haha. I've never heard of anything quite like that, but I'm sure if you just worked on it you would be able to move past it.

7/30/2009 12:50:54 PM

i think i am just going to try to go for a run tomorrow morning and see how it goes to assess how well my lungs are doing... i am a carrier for alpha-1 so my levels are kinda low and i sometimes wonder if that contributes to my breathlessness. i find myself yawning sometimes when i run because i don't feel like i am getting enough air (i do this pretty often when my breathing is shallow). the anxiety attack thing is pretty intense, has that always happened to you? i've never heard of anything like that, maybe you should get it checked out... good luck either way

7/30/2009 11:11:50 PM