Rise and Shine

Yesterday I began my day with a daybreak run along the River Blackwater.  It is a tidal estuary and the mix of mud and water, lit by the pink and blues of the Spring sky was a delight.  There are lots of birds arriving back here now too.  My own personal symphony.  I paused briefly to snap the view with my phone for the picture today. 
 
Have a great day, whatever you are up to.  
 
 
Exercise 
  
In my time in the group I have seen lots of questions from people about exercising.  People ask those who have posted about successful weight loss if they exercise.  There are others who are concerned about fasting on a day when they are due to exercise or are training for a specific event.  I make no claims at all to have any expertise in any such matters.  There others in the group though who have clearly done a lot of research in this area and are always on hand to provide advice and support (that’s why I love this group!) I am however happy to share my own ‘history’ with exercise. 
  
Throughout my school years I was fairly active, school netball teams, basketball and volleyball and I played Hockey for a local club (ladies and mixed).  I’ve never had much hand/eye co-ordination and anything involving a racquet or bat wasn’t really my thing and likewise, with my heavy build/large bust, running was never one of my favourite activities 
  
As I transitioned from student to worker and from living with my parents to with my partner my ‘formal’ exercise participation declined and in my 20’s was fairly limited.  During my 30’s I did quite a variety of classes and went to gym/swam on alternate days, 6 days a week.   Then I changed jobs and got dogs and the gym membership was cancelled as I was walking up to 3 hours a day with them. 
  
Towards the end of 2016 the dog walking dropped significantly and although I was still doing daily litter picking walks I decided to give the NHS Couch to 5K plan a go.  I’d tried it once before when I was heavier and it had been too much for my joints and I gave in at week 2. 
  
For anyone not familiar with the way that the program works, you begin with running for very short periods, with lots of walking between.  Over a period of 10 weeks you build up to running 5K without stopping. 
  
It really wasn’t as tough as I thought it might be and before long I was easily able to run the 5K.  I’d become a runner! 
  
To complete my personal running goal, I needed to run, without stopping, a parkrun during 2016.  I decided to do that on Christmas day 2016.  I finished in 37 minutes and a new goal for 2017 was born.  I’d parkrun again on New Years Day and then once each month, all year.  I also decided that I would aim to run 3 times a week. 
  
Inevitably some of those runs would have to be days when I was fasting (I have a busy social calendar that involves much eating and drinking) and I did wonder how I would cope with that.  Would I be more hungry, would I have less energy, would I get headaches. 
 
For me, I've found that it makes very little difference.   I get back from my run, enjoy a drink and get ready for work as usual.  I wonder if my attitude towards it helps; like with 5:2 eating plan, I have taken the view that it is what I want to do and simply get on with it.  Overthinking it, worrying that it might be too difficult that I'll fail etc, etc isn't for me.  If it needs tweaking, I tweak (an extra day of rest or a few extra calories isn't the end of the world) 
 
I may ponder that some more.  What do you think? 
 
Weight 11.4 stone  (72.3.kg) (-1 lb) 
Height 5ft 7 inches 
Age 49 
BMI 24.7 
BMR 1374 calories 
TDEE 1649 calories 
Snack Count – zero 
 
Black coffee 3 
Tea and skimmed milk 1 
Coconut water 2 
Water 1 
Sparkling water 2 litres 
 
Hard boiled Eggs  
Spinach 
Lettuce 
Tomato 
Cauliflower 
Radish 
Cucumber 
Green bell pepper 
Red cabbage 
Strawberries
Greek Yoghurt
Rice Cakes