Still plodding on

[JoolieB1]

I graduated about 2 years ago now and moved up to four weekly runs a few months ago. Three x 5 and a 10 is my ideal. Lately, I have had to drag myself out and re introduce walk breaks so I have increased from 5 to 6k to compensate! Just can't seem to get back on track, I have put on a stone and eating is not in check and my motivation is low, mostly due to unsuccessful job searching. Any tips, I want to lose weight again and have more of a spring in my step too

[misswobble Graduate10]

Hi there 🙂

Getting the weight down will put the spring back in your step and hopefully then your mood will pick up as you will feel better

I remember the feeling vividly. Losing enough weight to get that spring in my step was the catalyst for change. I was like Zebedee, boing! 😃

Cleaning up your eating is not difficult. Just clear the decks and crack on. Do it!

Once you commit, get organised, you can move forward with positivity. walk more! I find that always helps

Good luck 😃🏃‍♀️✔️👍🍏🍌🍒🍅🌶🥚🍎🍉🍑🍆🥔🍐🍇🍍🥒🍠🥓🌰🍋🍈🌽🥜🍤🍊🍓🥝🥕😋

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

Very true. I am tracking all food from today again as I lost 2 stone doing that before. I agree, feeling fat and bloated does no good for energy or confidence and losing weight again will improve my energy and running. Here goes then!

[Maddee_6333 Graduate10]

I am a big fan of tracking food. Especially since I took up running - it's far too easy to justify a bar of chocolate these days by saying to myself 'it's fine because I ran this morning'.

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When I started this whole process, c25k and general life turnaround, I was also jobhunting. I have jobhunted since too It is very stressful and you feel unproductive all the time dealing with all the rejections. I find planning my runs, planning meals (things I'll look forward to) and basing myself in cafes/libraries instead of working at home all helps. Maybe listen to things that interest you while you run - podcasts, favourite music, one of those much missed couch to 5k podcasts... Hope things pick up soon

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Oh gosh!!! Horrid when the motivation is a bit elusive... didn't you start a new job about 6 months ago...

Well..lots and lots of yummy green stuff around at the moment, and some excellent Low Carb recipes in this book, I use this a fair bit.. as part of Mr OF and my eating regime ... ( he is Type 2 diabetic) This one written by Michael Mosley and his wife, also a Dr..

amazon.co.uk/8-Week-Blood-S...

Route changes... ? Some short but speedy Strides, maybe... a long but very slow run...? Just no pressure runs? Be loopy like me and run backward for a while

Make lists.. I love lists...things you can change and things you may not be able to.. often just seeing the big list of things you can sort, makes you feel better.. then prioritise... top of the list; a run... the maybe a walk, then how long you are going to spend on job search each day, etc etc...

[runningnearbeirut Graduate10]

Getting out and achieving some goals will really help.

Try mixing up your runs a bit. Same old, same old isn't too motivating if you're not feeling motivated in the first place.

You've done brilliantly to get to running 25km in a week. OK so you're not quite at that same point, but looking back to W1R1 I think you should be impressed with yourself.

Job searching is a deeply demoralising process, but you've succeeded before so there's no reason why you can't do so again. In the mean time, routine is probably key (and moves you out of the house away from tempting things that probably shouldn't be in your cupboard anyway). Can you do some volunteering anywhere? Local schools used to love having people in to listen to children read, but I think that's more tricky these days with all the million and one checks you have to go through (hopefully by the time you'd jumped through the hoops you'd be settled in a new job!). Meals on wheels? Just visiting shut in neighbours (especially in the heatwave you're having) and seeing if they need anything or just give them some company?

Back to the running thing, you've been running a fair amount for a while now, so perhaps it's a good moment to cut back on the volume and try something different. A few short runs where you reach your goal will help. Lots of ideas above.

Hope you get your mojo back soon. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it x

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to runningnearbeirut]

Thanks, I do volunteering, the demoralising thing is I was a Manager of a charity but funding cuts have destroyed my career and not only did the service close but there are few jobs to apply for. I am trying some Bank work in care so I can continue my volunteering

[IannodaTruffe Graduate10]

Have you programmed in run free weeks every so often?

You might just be overdoing it.

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Never, should I?

[IannodaTruffe Graduate10 in reply to JoolieB1]

Read this runnersworld.com/running-ti...

It is a good idea to have a run free week every few months. You will return reinvigorated.

[Joy57 Graduate10]

I haven't got anything to add to the sage words above, but I hope you can do it and we'll be following your progress!

[trying2persist]

Multible things to tackle makes it more challenging, i can see why you feel the way you do. Lots of good suggestions here already so not really much new to add.

If you now feel that you need to drag yourself out, four times a week means maybe one time too many. I would decrease back to 3 since the increase has not made you more comfortable. Maybe that way you can take a day off everything that is going on and you do not feel happy about. Do something else but not eating. Like occupying yourself by helping others as was suggested.

If I feel a bit lost, I clean cupboards etc as it gives me feeling of achievement, order and ontrol. Letting go of old stuff is physically and mentally a good exercise.

Try different exercise, maybe running is not your one and only "love".

Give yourself some rewards for little successes. You are doing well since you are taking steps to get back to the good old routine.

Workwise, something will come along, don't give up. If you can, try temping jobs. Gives you opportunities and creates routine. Good luck!

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to trying2persist]

Temping jobs are horrible! I was doing Data Entry and it was killing me mentally. I'm going to try some Bank work in care, that will allow me time for the things I love to do

[trying2persist in reply to JoolieB1]

I know, they can be. I did shredding for hours in one place, no more said about that ... but, I have found perfectly good interesting jobs by temping first and was made permanent.

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to trying2persist]

Depends on the agency and how they see you. At 53, I want something a bit challenging and interesting so I hope I have now found something I will enjoy