Fat Fasting, running, and some other neglected stuff...

Oomph. I have been WAAAYYYY too lazy this winter. Oh, it's spring? You almost wouldn't know it. This morning I had to wear my heavier coat, gloves, AND carry an umbrella! What's up with that?

So, about the lazy part...Yeah. It's not like I did nothing productive this winter, but I have to admit that I was pretty mentally beat up after deciding NOT to do a marathon last fall. Don't get me wrong - I loved doing the Mighty Niagara Half Marathon with our Run For God team, and though it wasn't my best half-marathon time, I enjoyed running the race. And that's what it's supposed to be about, right?

But the mental (or maybe I should say emotional) breakdown happened somewhere in early September, I think it was. I went out for what was supposed to be a simple 5 mile run (which sounds laughable, but when you train for a marathon, a 5-miler really isn't the biggest of your worries), and I got about 2 miles in, and had to stop. My feet were killing me (which hadn't happened at all once I started running "barefoot"/natural), my calves were cramping, and I couldn't get my breath. I walked the next 3 miles (I had to get home, after all), and for the next 5 months, basically did nothing running wise (especially once the Mighty Niagara HM was over), and beat myself up emotionally because I couldn't complete the training.

So, Thanksgiving comes, and then Christmas, and New Years, etc. And the scale has been slowly creeping up on me, and I feel even more sorry for myself.

So along comes January and February and my friends Brian and Jack start planning the next Run For God session, and I have to admit, as good as I knew it was for our community, and our fellow believers, I didn't want to do it. Yep, I said it. I have put on about 30 pounds (yep, putting it all out there today, boy...) and I feel like a slug. I can't even run 2 miles anymore without feeling dizzy and out of breath. What makes me qualified to help other people NOT feel like I am feeling?

Well, "Too bad," God said. "Get out there and do it."

So, we've been into the RFG session for 4 weeks now, and I admittedly have not changed my habits much. Still eating the wrong foods (for me), staying up late, not running (though that is changing), and generally being lazy in my personal and Christian life.

But I am taking steps, starting today:

1. When I first started to lose weight a few years ago (2007?) the blogging helped me stay on track, partially because I felt accountable to the 2 or 3 people who actually read this (thanks y'all!). So expect a few blog posts a week.

2. I am GOING to MAKE A HABIT of running. It won't be fast, right away anyway. But I WILL do it. I am accountable to a group of people who for some reason look to me as a leader. God has put me in a position to do this, so I need to step up, be a man of God, and DO IT!

3. Today I am starting something called a "fat fast". I am hoping it will give me a jump start into dropping those pounds I put on over the fall and winter. If you are a low-carber (like I should, and NEED, to be), the concept may seem familiar. Basically, I am reducing my calorie intake for 5 days (between 1000-1200), and trying to make 90% of those calories come from fat. I am sure that will seem crazy to a lot of you, but the research is there that HIGH fat, MODERATE protein, LOW carb lifestyles WORK! I hope to share some of the research that is out there in this blog. Anyway, after those 5 days, I go to 2 days of an "induction-level" plan. Again, this is going to be familiar to low carbers, but it's basically NOT calorie restricted, but still stays under 20 net carbohydrates a day. You cycle this a few times, and then go back to your "regular" low carb plan. The fat fast is going to be tough, but again...man up, right?

4. Bible Study and reading - I have been VERY negligent in this. Agree with me or not, but I know that I need to do it. The YouVersion Bible app has tons of study plans, and I plan on starting that today.

5. Family time - this most recent spring break brought sickness, cold days, and maybe 1 day of nice weather...I wish that everyone (including myself) had felt like getting out more, but it didn't happen. I want to get outside, and we are ALL eagerly anticipating getting out of our doldrums, getting out of the house, and having some good family time. We can't until we can get camping, either...

So those are the steps. I am sure there will be some stumbles...but I want to quote a verse on that subject...RFG'ers will hopefully recognize it.

"...for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes." (Proverbs 24:16)

Man have I fallen...but hopefully with God's help, I can rise again.