You Are What You Eat?

Changing your lifestyle is not just about working out every day but you have to have a closer look at what you are eating too - and how much. When I wrote down what I normally ate and went through my "food diary" with the Personal Trainer, she only had a couple of things to change, mostly reducing the amount of sugary fruit juices and adding protein to my diet. When the disappointing two-month results were in, Sanna decided to make a new diet for me after all - cutting even more of my (full grain) carbs and the overall portion sizes of basically every meal of the day. It was time to step it up, since the exercise alone wasn't doing the trick.

So what have been the biggest changes? Well, for example my breakfast has changed from porridge with berries or quinoa-spelt muesli to boiled/fried eggs - turkey/tuna/salmon - vegetables - nuts/seeds/olive oil - combo. I have also increased my protein intake considerably, even making myself a nice protein smoothie after my gym sessions. I eat more nuts, seeds and avocado or add extra olive oil or coconut oil to my food. I changed my sugary fruit juices to freshly pressed vegetable juices instead (apple-celery-cucumber-broccoli-kale-ginger, yum!) and have just one glass per day. My portions have become smaller, too. Oh, and I have changed my milk chocolate to raw dark chocolate - but I wasn't eating too much chocolate earlier anyway. Honest!

I also had to readjust my eating rhythm, trying to eat every 3 hours or so to keep the food intake steady. It has definitely helped me since I don't get incredibly hungry anymore. Also, sometimes having just an apple as an afternoon snack didn't really keep me satisfied and I felt hungry again in no time. The added protein has changed that now.

During the workdays my meals are divided more or less like this:

07:00 Breakfast
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Afternoon snack
18:00 Dinner
21:00 Evening snack

In addition I try to drink at least 1 litre of water during the work day and additional 1 litre at home. Plus another 0,5 - 1 litre during a training session, so in total about 2-3 litres or water per day.

Oh yeah, I read this Forty Reasons Your Diet Isn't Working article the same day I had the first meeting with the Personal Trainer and found it quite interesting. Some of the mentioned reasons I already knew, some can be figured out by using common sense, but there were a couple of new tips and tricks there too, if you are interested.

What are your favourite diet tricks - or healthy treats?

RUNNING LOG - Pain Is Good

Sometimes running can feel nice and easy enough - you feel like you could still keep going after reaching your target. Saturday was not one of those times.

My Personal Trainer Sanna told me to do my weekly longer run a) with a little bit faster pace or b) covering a 100 m longer distance compared to my previous run. Well, I almost managed to do both since the pace was exactly the same as on my previous run but I also ran a little bit further: 10,5 km to be exact. I was actually planning to go for 11 km, but my lower back started hurting pretty badly after the first 6,5 - 7 km or so and it was quite a struggle to keep running. I decided to bite through it but I must say that the last kilometres were not enjoyable at all and my pace slowed down a bit too. I think my lower back muscles were still too stiff and sore after Friday's gym session, which mostly concentrated on training the back muscles. Apparently not a good combination!

Photo: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/exercise-pain

Another thing that annoyed me during the run was that we (that's me and my husband) could only go running when it was already getting dark. There is only a stretch of 1 km with street lights around where we live so you have to time your outdoors exercise carefully during the autumn-winter season. For half of the run it was near impossible to see the road clearly and knowing that there are a lot of random potholes everywhere I felt like I had to tip-toe, trying to avoid stepping in them and hurting my ankles or some other part of my body. That obviously didn't help with the pace either...

Anyway - positive thinking: I ran a bit further, the pace stayed on the same level even though my back was killing me and I had to be careful with the potholes. Looking forward to next Saturday and the change in the running scenery - have to find a good route in Tampere!

Date	Distance	Time	HR	Pace/km	Kcal
6.10.2012	10,5 km	1:15	164	7,08 min	1016
29.9.2012	10,1 km	1:11	163	7,08 min	912
21.9.2012	8,3 km	1:04	156	7,43 min	775
2.9.2012	8,1 km	1:01	153	7,34 min	666
26.8.2012	7,4 km	1:00	149	8,09 min	632

Brazil On My Mind

T-minus four months and counting - we will be on our way to Brazil in exactly 4 months today! We just booked the flights from Helsinki to Rio de Janeiro and back two days ago so yes, the holiday we have been planning ever since my brother started talking about him possibly moving there for a 10-month long work project is really happening. We are so excited! 

Here's what we have been planning, in a nutshell: a bit over 2 weeks of traveling, 5-7 places to visit. Doable? Let's hope so! We will look into booking South America air passes to cut down the travel time and the total price. Some domestic flights seem to be pretty reasonably priced too, so have to compare them to the flight passes first.

Our first stop will be Rio de Janeiro, to join "a couple" of other people going there for the carnival period. Such a once in a lifetime opportunity, that we decided to go for it. Fingers crossed we will get tickets to see special groups' samba parade at the Sambódromo! Of course there are so many other carnival events happening in the city that we will be absolutely spoiled for choice.

 Photo: http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2012/02/brazil-carnival-2012.html, AP / Victor R. Caivano

Since our initial plans also included a visit to Iguassu Falls at the border of Brazil and Argentina, I insisted on going all the way to Buenos Aires too. I've heard some people say that Buenos Aires is their favourite city in all of South America, so of course we need to see it - since we're "nearby" already. And by "nearby" I mean 1340 km / 18 hours by bus / 2 hours by plane from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú... 

Photo: http://www.hoteldascataratas.com/web/ogua/iguassu_falls.jsp

The capital of Uruguay, Montevideo is also just a three hour ferry trip away from Buenos Aires so we might pop in there as well. So the trip isn't just about Brazil anymore, it also includes a quick stop in Argentina and possible Uruguay too! We will probably decide on going to Montevideo or not when we see how much time we want to spend exploring Buenos Aires.

We also want to visit Salvador da Bahía, which is more of a historic city where the Afro-Brazilian culture is also strongly present. The historic center of Salvador, Pelourinho, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and apparently the most important historical center of colonial architecture in Latin America. My husband probably wants to see the local capoeira performers in action while we are there. Well, I think I won't mind either!

Photo: http://www.soulofamerica.com/phpwcms/picture/upload/Image/international/Salvador/Salv-Capoiera_martial_artis.jpg

And finally, we will visit a normal, more quiet Brazilian city to see the local way of life. We will have a couple of nights' stop in Imperatriz, where my brother and his wife will be staying for the most of their 10 months in Brazil. My sister-in-law warned me that there isn't really anything special to see there but of course we must see where they live.

Photo: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfFDxFjEg_mDWTELjIw4ElsshM1Xc8zrB0C8uWsXap_H6LqPGZEYtgtQD7XG3gs1OylQM5REbQNP-z_oEk5m4BXYF1CDrLDxk0e-5TmwQMv2aKO-MyV5Uq4aBpKy-gQXg-gg0x_risyA/s1600/IMPERATRIZ_MA_TOCANTINS2__FOTO_BRAWNY_MEIRELES.jpg

These plans will probably still change, only the dates when we are flying to and from Rio de Janeiro are fixed.

Any hints and tips are very welcome!

Valkee To The Rescue!

Once again we have reached the time of the year when my system is slowly starting its hibernation procedures. I'm a summer person through and through - which makes me wonder why I was born in Finland of all countries..

I have suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder - or Winter Blues or whatever people want to call it - for as long as I can remember. Around the time I was in my teens people started talking about autumn or polar night depression/tiredness and I realised what made all of my energy to disappear. The period between the end of September and end of January here in Finland - and during the three years I lived in Scotland - were a complete nightmare. I felt constantly exhausted, anxious and miserable, I snapped because of the tiniest obstacles (like dropping a paper or pen on the floor - how dramatic!) and completely lost my sense of humor. I was graving foods with high levels of carbs and starch, so I was overeating them and gaining weight. I felt like the darkness was consuming me and felt trapped. It's hard to describe the helplessness I felt. Over the years I've tried the bright light lamps, wake-up lights, added D-vitamin etc - and they have helped a little but haven't brought the much needed overall help to make me feel normal again during the autumn and winter months. 

http://timoahopelto.wordpress.com/

I first heard of Valkee in 2011 and like so many other people, I laughed. It does sound absolutely ridiculous, doesn't it? Bright light ear-plugs? You stick them in your ears?! However, I was desperate and the results Valkee had shown already by then encouraged me to give them a try.

It took me a couple of weeks to notice anything and even when I thought Valkee was helping I was still doubting the impact. It was around late November when I suddenly realised "Oh wow. It's almost December and... I feel normal?! No anxiety? No overwhelming tiredness and feeling completely miserable? My husband can tease me and I'm not trying to bite his head off? I don't get rage attacks and throw things around? I haven't even been over-eating!" My husband agreed with my observations, he too had noticed that the "SAD-me" had not surfaced that year. To quote him: "I should send Valkee a thank you letter for giving me my wife back".

www.valkee.com

This will be my third year using Valkee and I'm never going to give it up. Even the long snowless autumn last year made it even darker and more miserable here in Finland but I felt like my normal self, even in the middle of the stress of completing my Master's thesis. That's another thing I've noticed - it seems like using the ear light has decreased my stress levels too. I have also gotten rid of my regular migraines and other PMS issues. I simply cannot believe the difference a tiny ear-plug device can make.

I have to point out though that I have been using Valkee, a bright light (SAD) lamp and a wake-up light nearly every day during the autumn and winter months, so I'm not totally sure if there is some kind of combined impact, but I do know that just the bright light lamp and the wake-up light didn't make such a huge difference. My husband has been using it for one autumn/winter period too and noticed having more energy - and feeling suddenly cranky or incredibly tired if he missed a day or two of treatments. I have also recommended Valkee for my friends, still warning them that it may not work for everyone, but I have only received positive feedback from them, too.

I know there are people who say that it's fake or it's just placebo, but I really don't even care. It helps me and it has given me back the five months that were missing from my year.

Illustrations by henrihakkinen.com (photosensitive brain areas) for Valkee, 2011 

Do you have experiences of Valkee? Have you even heard of it before? I'm interested in your opinions of the gadget.

RUNNING LOG - First 10km Run

I figured it could be interesting to keep track of my longer runs to see the progress and to keep an eye on the pace and distance development. My running training also includes interval training sessions but I won't write them down here since they are a bit more difficult to compare.

First things first: I have to share a big milestone with you guys: on Saturday I did my first ever 10 km run! I think I did a little "Woohoo!" when Sports Tracker showed that I had covered the distance. I was meant to go for an hour's run, about 8 km long, but I decided to stretch it a little and go for a full ten. I felt fantastic afterwards - and so proud of myself! Just need to push myself a little bit more every time to improve the results. I was actually very pleasantly surprised when I saw the average pace - I didn't expect it to be so much better compared to my other longer runs. Good stuff, well done me!

My weekly training plan includes just one longer run, but there's also the above mentioned interval training sessions and some lower intensity workouts too. And of course the gym workouts, developing the muscle strength.

Anyway, here's my latest four runs. I'm trying to keep my pace as close to 7,00 min/km as possible, hopefully my new GPS heart rate monitor and its clear pace display will help me in that. Can't wait for it to be delivered!

Date	Distance	Time	HR	Pace/km	Kcal
29.9.2012	10,1 km	1:11	163	7,08 min	912
21.9.2012	8,3 km	1:04	156	7,43 min	775
2.9.2012	8,06 km	1:01	153	7,34 min	666
26.8.2012	7,36 km	1:00	149	8,09 min	632

PROGRESS UPDATE - (week 12) Finally!

It was time for another one of those dreaded Body Composition Analysis things yesterday and I had been mentally preparing myself for another disappointment. My weight isn't really going down, but then again I do feel there's a difference since some of the clothes I wear have started to feel looser and baggier. Also, when I summed up my last week's workouts I realised that I had burnt 2700 kcal in total by exercising. That made me realise that I really shouldn't stare too much at the kilos the scale is showing but keep working out and being active and trust that eventually I will get there. Every single workout session burns calories and fat and improves my fitness level.

And then the results: I guess it really pays to be pessimistic - yesterday's analysis showed considerable improvement. Here are the most important figures from 24 August and 24 September results compared to 2 July starting figures (the first figures show the progress after 2 months and the second figures show the progress of last month alone):

Weight: -1,4 kg / -0,5 kg = -1,9 kg in total
Body fat percentage: -1,8 % / -4,2 % = -6 % in total
Body fat mass: -2,2 kg / -4 kg = -6,2 kg in total
Muscle mass: +0,8 kg / +3,5 kg = +4,3 kg in total
BMI: -0,4 / -0,2 = -0,6 in total

In addition, the fitness level tests (restHR, crunches, push ups and squats) showed that I had moved from average range to good.

After staring at the figures and graphs at home I was absolutely amazed to notice that my fat percentage had dropped twice as much during just one month compared to the progress in the first two months. Even better with the gained muscle mass: over four times as much muscle mass gained! Wow. My Personal Trainer has definitely found the right mix for me now - especially if you consider that I spent one week in bed because of the bronchitis and had to start slowly after the sick leave.

I was so pleased with the results that I had to toast myself with a lovely glass of freshly pressed apple-celery-cucumber-kale-broccoli-ginger juice, seasoned with spirulina and wheat grass powder. (I can so hear some of you go "Ewwww!" right now... Trust me - it tastes better than it sounds. Or looks!)

I have to say the graph that made me the happiest was the one showing my body fat percentage being within the healthy range for the first time since the beginning of July. Back then it was nearing the obese range, which was a major wake up call. That one result right there is why I'm really doing this: to be healthy. 

All in all, I'm very pleased with the results and determined to keep going. I would love to see similar or even better results in next month's analysis!

Runner's High?

You can blame this on my recent high fever or possibly runner's high. Something I have always thought of as impossible and utterly unreachable for me has really started to fascinate me lately: running a half marathon! I realised after completing my first successful 60 min run/jog (covering 7,35 km, pace 8.09 min/km) that hey - if that workout felt so easy, if I'll try a little harder each time and if I'll keep doing these workouts regularly throughout the winter season... I just might be able to handle a half marathon in May 2013, right? Right? That would be absolutely amazing for me and something I would feel very proud of for years to come. Yes, I really want to do this!

Now I just need to get myself some proper winter running gear. Speaking of which, I would love to get this Nike 21st C. Windrunner jacket to be really visible in the dark Finnish autumn and winter evenings. Asics winter running shoes are a must as I hate running on ice and snow when the shoes are slipping all the time. You can't even call it running! Also, freezing your toes during an hour's run is not a good idea...

 

Well, there's always the possibility of running indoors, too. I'm not exactly compatible with a treadmill (serious balance issues) but there is an indoor running track at Kouvola ice hall that is available for the general public. The shorter length of the track (261 metres) is the only real downside: If I want to run 10 km I will have to do 38,3 rounds on it. *Yawn* But then again - no slippery and dark roads, no extremely cold weather, no blizzards or pouring rain. I think I can live with a bit shorter track!

I did some research about the average half marathon times for beginners and I also found a little table for calculating your own goal time at Maratonkoulu.fi (in Finnish). If I would go with the slowest time the goals would be as follows:

Goal time on marathon: < 6.00 (8.34 min / km)
Training per week: 30 - 40 km
Goal time in 10 km test or competition run: 1.00 - 1.15 (6.00 min/km - 7.30 min/km)
Goal time on half marathon: 2.15 - 2.45 (6.24 min/km - 7.49 min/km)

Doable, right? I already managed to run 8,06 km in 60 min (pace 7.34 min/km) before my sick leave. Basically I just need to push a little bit harder every time I go for a run to get to 7.00 min/km or so and to be able to cover longer distances, too. Let's knock on wood now and hope for a healthy and injury-free training period and maybe you will see me completing something I thought I could never ever do. Now I'm just waiting for the Helsinki City Run registration to start, download some jogging music suggested by Jog.fm and go go go! 

Who's with me?