So last year (2012) my push goal was getting fit.
This year I plan on just maintaining my fitness. Yes I still have fitness goals, but my fitness goals are different to what they were.
For example in June I set these goals:
- Get to 62kg
- Run a sub 55min 10km
- Run a sub 25 5km
- Finish a half marathon
- Run a half marathon
But now those goals are:
- read/listen to 30 books
- run 7 fun runs
- run 3 half marathons
- be a pace runner for a run
- run a fun run in another state
I should mention that these are in no particular order.
The other thing that I’m fine tuning is what I’m eating.
Notice I didn’t say diet.
That’s right, I’m not on a diet. I’m just eating way better. I’m eating way more veggies and whole foods. I’ve cut down my carbohydrate intake and increased my protein intake.
My protein intake use to be anywhere from 10-20% of my total food intake. Which is really low. I was eating anywhere from 40-80 grams of protein a day. Which in the grand scheme of things is not a lot. My carbohydrate intake was insane! It was anywhere from 180 grams to 300 grams a day!
Protein is important as it helps to build and sustain muscle. I also found out recently that our body will naturally convert protein to carbohydrates if it’s needed (how cool is that).
So my percentages for my carb/protein/fat intake was as follows: 55% Carbohydrate / 15% Protein / 30% Fat.
I’ve now changed it to the following: 40% Carbohydrate / 30% Protein / 30% Fat.
It’s taken me a month to get use to the changes, but let me tell you, eating more protein has done many things.
- It’s filling me up faster.
- I’m not feeling as tired
- I’m not craving sugar as much
And those are the things I have noticed. I still have to fine tune it, but I’ll get the hang of it.
The other thing I’m doing is I’m trying out a lot more new recipes. Especially paleo recipes.
Why Paleo? Because that’s what our ancestors ate. And no I’m not talking cave people (although they would have been paleo eaters), I’m talking our ancestors of just 100-200 years ago. In the sense of if they didn’t grow it, kill it, or make it themselves they wouldn’t eat it.
I don’t know if I will ever go full paleo because I know carbohydrates have a place in a runners diet. And well I’m a runner (and I do like my carbs), but I will try to make better choices.