Weigh-in Wednesday: 10/22/14

It’s weigh-in Wednesday.  This morning I weighed in at 118.8 pounds.  That’s my lightest weigh-in this year, and it puts me within one pound of my goal.  I lost the pound I gained on my week-long trip for the Appalachian Series, and I lost another pound on top of that.

It helped that I did a race that was closer to home this past weekend, to there was less temptation to eat large restaurant meals.  I also showed more restraint on this trip.  On Saturday, I had pizza for dinner, but I only ate enough to satisfy me.  Instead of stuffing myself, I brought the last two slices back to my hotel.  After my race, I was able to skip most of the post-race food offerings, knowing I could reheat the leftover pizza when I got back to my room.

For dinner Sunday, I went to a restaurant that was known for its drink selection, not knowing what type of food I would eat.  I discovered a black bean burger that was tasty and satisfying, but lean.  Since then, Deb was able to find similar black bean burger patties at a co-op where we sometimes shop.  Now I’ve added black bean burgers to my repertoire at home.  They make a light entrée that tastes good and has some protein.

Last night I made my second batch of Minnesota Winter chili.  This was a recipe from “Eat and Run.”  I tweaked the recipe to cut back slightly on tomatoes and add more black beans.  Mostly, I did that to satisfy our personal tastes, but it also give the recipe a little more protein.

My recent race schedule (six marathons in nine days) hasn’t been conducive to running fast, but I’m hopeful I’ll eventually be able to race faster now that I’m losing weight.  I still need to make some improvements in my training, but this is an important piece of the puzzle.

Yesterday, I had an encouraging workout.  It was my first run since the Mankato Marathon, so I expected to be a little bit sluggish.  I didn’t sleep well Monday night, and I had done weight training in the morning.  That’s three reasons why I could have had stiff or tired legs.  Instead, I felt surprisingly energetic.

Now for the bad news.  The racing season in Minnesota and neighboring states is winding down.  For the rest of the year, I’ll have to travel farther for my races.  That’s going to make it more challenging to watch my diet.  My next trip is a five day trip to Ireland for the Dublin Marathon.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I gain weight on that trip.  Part of the experience of visiting another country is dining out and sampling the local cuisine.  If that means eating a few heavier meals, so be it.  An international vacation is not the place to skimp on meals.  I’m going to enjoy the experience without any guilt.  If I gain weight, I’ll have to work harder to lose it when I get back.