After an internet connection crisis I'm back!
To the point :)
I've commented before that I've been having, dealing, battling sugar cravings. I don't know if it is the training load or if I'm not balancing proteins and carbs right...I really don't know. What I do know is that I have to confront them and find a way to deal with them.
I am taking a few steps in order to do this:
First, researching and reading to try to find out if I am eating right.
Second, eating right ;)
If I can't make the cravings stop then I have to satisfy them with a healthy snack but since I've never been into sweets I don't have a clue about sweet healthy snacks. With this being said I am announcing that I am currently on the road to discover a new world of sweets...that is until I can make the cravings stop!
Yesterday I made myself my very first very healthy -no sugar- sweet snack...A SMOOTHIE.
I love the tropical touch of the orchid in the pic.
Maybe a smoothie is a no-brainer for many but for me is a hassle. Ok, it is not a hassle but it is definitely not my first snack choice. It turned out to be so simple to make that I decided to share the secret recipe with all those non-smoothie makers like me.
- 1 strawberry yogurt (I use the no sugar kind)
- 1 banana (I discovered I can keep them frozen)
- 1 cup of skimmed milk (I use lactose free)
- 1 little spoon of protein powder (all those with none to small athletic activity can skip this or consult a professional)
Directions> Mix in the blender and enjoy.
Another thing I am using is self motivation. It is not as tasty but it is encouraging. It was exactly one month yesterday that I started training for my first marathon (read in tone as if I am trying to convince myself) and to keep myself motivated I keep track of the total distance I've ran, the amount of calories I've consumed and time records to see if they've improved.
I track my workouts at Dailymile. Here you can type in or upload your workouts and I love it because it's really friendly and they have a cool app to share my last run on my blog.
Lifetime stats!
I L-O-V-E! the one that says how much donuts I've burned. Almost 50 donuts. How could anyone deny this is the coolest thing in the world.
Keeping track - and this goes for non athletic activities as well- is a way to remind myself of any achievements. If I'm not feeling like running 5K I can look at the chart and see that I've ran a total of 134K! What are 5 more? The number 134K makes a 5K look extremely easy. A matter of perspective.
Regarding my training I decided to share what my schedule has been so far:

Click to enlarge
My overall feeling is good. I haven't felt the training to be particularly hard and right now my focus is on learning to keep a steady pace, learning about hydration and nutrition and most important staying injury free.
The biggest challenge I would have to say is coming up with routes for my long runs. I have to feel safe when running so I have to stay within certain areas making it hard to run a 17K route without looping and I really don't like to run in loops.
I've missed pretty much all Friday's runs but I feel rested for my long run so I am listening to my body and learning to know how much I can push it.
Another challenge has definitely been the food. I am feeling hungry more often and I don't want to embrace the I-work-out-so-I-can-eat-what-I-want mentality. I try to keep myself from getting too hungry by snacking before I'm starving and ready to eat anything. I've realized this is when I make poor food choices.
As for products these have been my biggest discoveries so far:
1. My Garmin. I really didn't understand what the big deal with Garmins was until I had my very own. They measure distance and pace and that is more than enough for me to have a passionate relationship with it. When I got it my husband looked at it and asked "why is that watch so big? so you can see what time it is with big numbers?" and I said..."actually it doesn't tell you what time it is". We still laugh because he couldn't believe that a "watch" that size wouldn't give me the time. I have the Garmin Forerunner 205 and yes, it is big on size but it doesn't bother me when I am running so I would say size is not a negative aspect.
2. Brooks shoes. They are the lightest shoes I've ever had. I used to run on Aesics before and I have great things to say about them but they did get to feel heavy when running for long distances. Brooks are light weight without sacrifying good support.
3. Compression calf sleeves. I have tight calves and these sleeves help me recover so much faster than before. I am getting another pair.
As the training continues and distance get longer, I really hope my motivation will get bigger as well. I love to have the challenge of a marathon. It gives me energy and purpose which are two things I must have in life.