Keeping Hydrated

I did my 5km in 58 mins yesterday,Yay!!

While I was doing my workout last night,I came to realise the importance of keeping yourself hydrated. I did not drink enough water before doing my work out (after being dehydrated during the day because of fasting) and I actually felt quite dizzy and light headed while doing the work out. At some points in time, I felt as if I was not really there yet my feet were still moving. I felt extremely dizzy towards the end, which is why yesterday I only decided to do a 5km and not push any further. It got quite scary because at one point I felt like collapsing, but I went on. I know I should have stopped and slowed down but I wanted to finish.

I now know keeping yourself hydrated before a workout is essential.

According to this Article I read "Sipping Points" by Karen Asp :


"Dehydration causes your blood volume to drop, which lowers your body's ability to transfer heat and forces your heart to beat faster, making it difficult for your body to meet aerobic demands."


The article  mentions to drink 8 to 16 ounces (0.5L - the measurement of one of our standard water bottles we have) one or two hours before a run.Iced coffee and tea are fine, too. And in the event you didn't plan ahead? 15 to 30 minutes before going out, to drink at least 4 to 8 ounces (0.3L) of fluid. I shall make sure I do this from now on before any workout.

So remember people to always stay hydrated before any work out!

ARGH!!

Sigh. This puasa thing is really getting to me. Not because of the no food or energy or anything to do with that whatsoever, but mainly because it is messing up the timing of things in so many ways!!

I feel so very frustrated!!

I MUST do a workout tonight, I haven't done so in two days (because I was resting my foot due to the ankle pains), BUT I also need to do my work tonight. My night run can only start at 9pm which will end at about 10pm and by the time I get back to my work it would be 10.30pm!!! ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!


If I could have done my run in the morning, I wouldn't be faced with this problem! I could just continue doing my work, quickly eat , break fast and get back to it.

Sigh.

I am thinking if it would be possible to do a workout from 6pm to 7pm, and finish just in time for break fast. Then I could get back to my work earlier.

Problem is, is that I don't think I would have the energy to do so because I don't wake up in the mornings to eat sahur (maybe I should start doing this, but then I don't think I should be waking up, eating and then going back to sleep). The last time I would have actually eaten a sort-of meal would be 7.30pm yesterday, having my yummy sad baked potato for dinner. My mom said my dinner looked so sad lol.

 It does look sad. lol. But it was yummy!!

I feel like I have to come up with a solution for this work out thing. I gotta find a better way to do this. I can't stop the workouts. Suggestions anyone?

Fallen Tree

This morning I went to my favourite park to do my usual workout at the TTDI Park (aka Taman Rimba Kiara Park).Took it slightly slow today because I don't want to aggravate my foot too much, so I did not do a 5km under an hour today. Also there was an obstacle in the way today at the TTDI park on the usual jogging track :

Apparently last night there was a storm and a tree fell onto the track. I took the above picture after someone had cut it up to provide a pathway, but before that I had to sort of hop over a branch to get across. Did this for about two rounds until it was cut, and there were lots of pauses while waiting for everyone to hop over the branch. I feel this slightly slowed me down today. 

But never mind, still did a work out today! Yay!

 The foot was slightly more painful than it was yesterday, but it was not too bad. I've got to keep reminding myself to take it easy. I need this thing to heal, and I gotta go for a physio therapy sessions ( which I have yet to schedule). 

I always feel good after a workout at this TTDI park. I love going there in the morning. Sad to say it will all have to come to a pause once puasa month hits. Then it shall be Desa Park City at night all the way for me till Raya. Booo, I don't feel as energised at night compared to the morning. 

But I will not stop this workout!! I will go on!! I will not make excuses for myself, just because it is puasa month it does not mean the exercises will stop. 

 

Frustration!

Today was another down day. My body just seems to not want me to run. I started off fine, hyped because I rested my feet yesterday an I wanted to run today, but the minute I started running today the shin pains kicked in followed by my stupid ankle pains. I haven't had this ankle pain in a long time, but today was the day it decided it wanted to return!

It could be because I have been slacking on my ankle strengthening exercises. I have to remind myself to keep doing it, along with the exercises to prevent shin splints. These are a must do! I need to strengthen my feet! I feel so frustrated with all these leg pains! All I want to do is run!

Today I did not hit my 5km under one hour lap time once again, so I did 6.4km. I did however do a personal best on the 6km marker at 1hr 14mins. Slightly better than Tuesdays work out. But I still feel quite disappointed in myself and extremely frustrated with my ankle. I just could not run. Argh!!! And now after the work out, it decides to be a complete bitch. 

I know, I know, these things take time. You can't push yourself to the extreme to a point where you ignore signs of pain and keep going (which I was wrongly doing today). It's your body's way of telling you to ease up. 

The doctor appointment that was supposed to be yesterday did not happen. Some complications and it had to be moved. I am thinking of just taking things into my own hands and not relying on my mother to get me an appointment. I need to know what I can do about this ankle. I don't want to have to give up what I am doing. 

Anyway, hopefully I will do better tomorrow. I shall do my feet exercises today. I'm glad however that I did the workout and I did the 6km. I find the below quote very motivating :

My ankle is being scary painful. I need to see a doctor. 

Keep Going!

Today was not the best of days. Woke up with cramps, and achy legs. I was a bit worried and was thinking of resting today, but then when I turned on my phone and saw my wallpaper which is this :

I decided to suck it up and get out of bed.

Doing a work out with cramps is not the easiest thing in the world, to add to that I may have pushed myself a bit too much yesterday and my legs were really achy. I just could not run today, so I decided to make today full on power walking day. Since I couldn't run, I power walked 6km. I did reach my personal best for 6km which is 1hour 15 mins, previously my times were 1hour 20mins, 18mins, 17mins. So I guess today wasn't so bad. 


I did not meet my 5km time today, I was a bit slow because of the walking and no running, I felt kinda disappointed that my body was acting up. But I guess its my body's kind of way to say "take it easy". 


I have to remember that this is a long journey. I can't push things too fast. Small steps! Small Steps! 


I am glad I got up and at least did a work out today. I think I have to pace myself, I can't run ever single day because I am still too heavy and I have to take it easy on my feet. But at least, I have to do some sort of work out, as long as I do it. I told Wils I was disappointed with myself today, and he said to me the quote below, a famous motivational running quote :

I'm glad I got up.

Down Day

Gosh, I feel more tired than I felt yesterday. But I think it's the not enough sleep thing hitting me. I need to get to bed earlier. My head feels very heavy today.

I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow. The weekend is the time to re cooperate! On weekends I do the work outs in the evenings, because the weekends are the only time I get to sleep in. And sleep is very much needed.

I decided today would be a rest day from the walking/running routine, BUT that doesn't mean I don't do any exercise. I know have to keep my body going everyday. I pushed myself to get my ass out of bed and wake up at 8.30am today and then swam 600meters within 20 minutes, which apparently is the equivalent of 500 calories, much more calories lost compared to when I run. But I guess that's cause swimming is a full body work out.

I ALMOST wanted to screw swimming this morning because I felt so extremely tired and have a full on rest day, but then I remembered I just gotta keep the momentum of exercising going. I can't stop, even for a day. Even if I am too tired and need a down day, I must force myself to do some form of exercise that day, never mind it be low intensity, as long as it is done. I must keep going and keep my self disciplined.

Gosh, all I want to do now is to just crawl back into bed curl up like a ball and sleep. I need my sleep.

Tired.

Today my time was 14 seconds faster than it was yesterday at my 5km lap. I feel a lil unsatisfied that I couldn't break that 1 minute and do 5km in an hour,but I know, these things take time, I can't expect to be so much faster in a day. It took me a month to move from 4km to 5km. I must remember small steps!! Slowly and hopefully I will be able to do it.

Also, I feel so extra tired today after the run. I know it's the lack of sleep, got a bit dizzy today at one point in time. Sigh,getting home at 12.30am, sleeping by 1am and waking up at 6am to work out only gives me 5 hours of sleep. I lack sleep. Even more this week I did it 4 days in a row, which I normally don't do. I break on Wednesday and do a swim.  If I swim, I get to wake up at 8am, that is two whole extra hours. I gotta get to bed earlier, sleep is an essential.

Waking up in the morning with lack of sleep is extremely hard, and there are times that I just want to fall back into bed and continue sleeping. But then I remember this :

I didn't want to regret not working out, so I got my ass of the bed and went to the park. 

Setting down the goals

So here I am , attempting once again to lose the weight I need to lose. I need to lose 40 kgs to be my ideal weight for my height.Will it be possible? I hope so, I shall do so in small steps.

Before anything, lemme explain why I named this blog "Small Steps". I dont know where this quote originates from but I believe it's an old Chinese proverb:

"It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward." 

I look at this quote in terms of losing weight and achieving my goals. If you try to hard, and push yourself way too much because you want to lose the weight faster or get to your goal faster, you will come to a point where you cant take it any more and give up, this is what ALWAYS happens to me in the past. I get too tired of everything and I give up. Which is why this time around, I have decided to take everything in small steps, slowly but eventually and hopefully I will get there.

Also,this time around, I have someone who I know will push me and help me get through this long long journey to becoming a normal healthy person. Hopefully he will stick with me throughout this journey and not give up.

I want to be able to do the activities I have never been able to do because of my weight, I want to shed the fat and get out there and do things! Hiking, Rock Climbing, Running etc. I want to be able to Ice Skate (something I have always loved) and not have my feet hurt because of the weight on two thin blades.

I have realised, I am turning 25 this year and I think it is about time to turn my life around. If I want to get out there and do things, the time is now and I have got to get it right this time around. 

I have tried many times in the past, but have fallen off the horse and never really bothered to get back on. Lack of motivation, and of course my love for food.

But it also could  be because I realise that is because I never set  a proper goal for myself, there was nothing really motivating me to shed the weight. 


However this time around,I have something proper now, a really good friend, Wils, has inspired me to pick up running. He seems to have a lot of passion for it, and he set a small step goal for himself to complete, and he has recently done it. His long term goal is to run a full marathon in two years and I believe he can do it. He inspires me and motivates me. 


In order for me to be able to pick up running, I need to shed the weight  and train hard. My goal for now, as of today in which I have exactly 1 year to complete, is to shed weight (maybe not all 40 kgs, because that would be impossible and unhealthy but a whole major part of it), AND to complete a 10km run. Never mind about the speed, for now I just want to be able to complete it.

I know it's going to be a huge struggle, and there will be times I would just want to give up and it has happened before, but I now I feel I have something else to keep me going. I have support from my friends.

Previously I felt weight is always a sensitive and embarrassing issue to talk about, I didn't like to talk about how big I was amongst my peers, I kept it all inside.But now, I have realised that I should just be open about it. I really want to lose weight more than anything in the world, I want to be healthy, I want to be able to do the things they do with them! And when I finally got the courage to talk to them about it,the response from my friends were great, they were supportive and encouraging.

All this while, I realised I should have just opened up to them earlier, what is there to be embarrassed about? If they are your friends they would support you and motivate you if you want a healthier lifestyle. And I am so thankful to them. I finally got over the first step most people face, admitting you have a problem.

Anyway, I hope that I can carry this on, and I hope people will stick with me while I am doing this. I am really thankful to Wils who got me started on all of this.  I hope you will help me along the way, especially when I want to give up. Thank you for being my sunshine= for keeping my day bright, and for being my rock, ever sturdy to lean on.

I have started this regime with him on the 29th of May 2012. I started with walking 3 times a week, a distance of 4km (sometimes 4.5km) within an hour. I now have dropped one pants size, and lost 3.5kg and have taken the small step of upping the distance to 5km, occasionally 6km. When I first started, the very first time, 2km in of walking I thought I was going to die. But he told me "when you think you're going to die, and can't go on any more, you can actually do twice the distance" and I did it! I always keep his words in my head when I am doing my walks.

My next small goal for now is to be able to do 5km in under an hour and to slowly start running intervals. I would have to fix my ankle along the way, but I have to do it.