Preppy Runner – Theodora Blanchfield

[I pretend I’m writing a blog series because I really just hate picking post titles. Part I]

So, to basically just recap the past 4.5 months of my life: my job’s great, I’m really busy, and I can’t get my shit together to work out.

I’ve also been totally all-or-nothing, and that obviously hasn’t worked.

But I’m starting to get fairly unhappy with my looks, specifically the pooch that’s growing around my stomach, and I’m not talking about Bailey. Because a dog growing around my stomach would be weird.

I know there’s a few factors behind this: less strength workouts, some weird eating habits and stress.

Here’s my semi-plan:

[No plan=doing nothing; a strict plan=getting into all-or-nothing and…ending up doing nothing. Insert standard this-is-what-works-for-me language here.]

Workouts: for now, three days running and two days strength. (This will change when I start training for my tri.) Since strength is where I always struggle, here’s my no-excuses strength plan: a class (30/60/90 or MetCon3 at Equinox–or any other strength classes they have I haven’t tried yet that is strength/interval based); a DailyBurn workout if I can’t fit an in-person class into my schedule; or one of Kara Goucher’s strength workouts.

Weird Eating Habits: I usually eat breakfast around 9-9:30, and it’s totally normal. As a holdover from my stomach issues, I usually wait to eat until after afternoon meetings or after running home to walk Bailey at lunchtime, and so I don’t eat until at least 2 usually. Needless to say, I’m starving by then. (Even if I have a snack.) I’ll usually have another snack around 5 or so, especially if I have something going on after work. I usually don’t eat dinner before 9pm.

I think with this sort of schedule, something like a bunch of smaller meals works better for me, and so I need to get back to that sort of schedule. I also need to reduce the wheat in my diet, since it’s basically the only whole grain I consume right now–and I just feel better and my stomach feels tighter without it. Semi-plan plan: more protein and veggies, less wheat and more whole grains. Also, less alcohol during the week, less sugar.

Stress: LOLz. Accepting I choose to decide what I let stress me out, and not to sweat the small stuff.

Starting Weight: 140

Goal Weight: 135. This is honestly a weight that takes more effort during the year than I care to put in to maintain it, but it’s a weight I can maintain for the summer. Goal date: May 17, when I leave for Reach the Beach.

I’ll do waist/belly button measurements when I find my measuring tape.

And I’ll officially cut back on the wheat when I finish this tray of spaghetti (whole wheat) my mom sent me back with.

Also, I got an email from the Chelsea Piers PR people today that NYC runners might be interested in:

Chelsea Piers, the Meatpacking District Improvement Association (MPIA), and Icebreaker have teamed up to form a FREE running club for athletes of all levels and abilities. The Meatpacking District Run Group will hold its first run tomorrow night at 6:30pm. The group will be led by coaches from the Sports Center at Chelsea Piers and Icebreaker.

The group will meet at the Icebreaker Store in the Meatpacking District, located at 823 Washington Street, between Gansevoort St. and Little West 12th. Runners will leave the store at 6:30pm and take a short jog to Pier 46 for stretching and warm-up drills. The group will then split into smaller groups from there. If you miss the group at Icebreaker, you can meet up with them at Pier 46. Runs will last for about an hour.