Trying to get healthy and my best 1 mile run yet!

Not much really to report (besides my killer 1 mile run!) just a listing of some things I am trying to improve my health.

I have dramatically reduced my sugary snack food intake. I was eating ice cream every night and woofing down my daughters left over Valentine’s Day goodies. Now we have a massive amount of left over Easter candy in our house that I am trying my best not to eat.

Here is a listing of some healthy ideas I am trying.
1. Eat 5-6 meals per day. I like this idea a lot since I love to eat.

2. Drink six to eight 16oz cups of water per day. 96-128 oz of water per day means lots of running to the bathroom!

3. Eat more grains. I have been eating the Quaker oats lately. I hear they are not as good for you as the steel cut oats though. I make my own batch by mixing some cinnamon and raisins with the plain oats. Sometimes I cheat a little and mix some “Sweet and Low” in there too because the flavor is a little gross.

4. Increase my protein intake. I really like the Greek Yogurt. I just buy the plain low fat and mix some banana hunks in it. It really taste great and has a lot of protein.

5. Eat more fruits. I try to eat different types of fruit too.

6. Eat more vegetables. Unfortunately my vegetable intake is still low. I have been drinking some V8 but I know that is not as good for you as straight veggies.

7. Work out (hard) 2 times per week. I perform a mixture of free weights, machines, and Calisthenics. I work out for about 50 minutes. I believe this has helped my running a lot.

Here is a quick summary of my latest runs.

I did a 10 mile run on Saturday. I have been trying to keep my heart rate in the Zone 2 or below level during my long runs. My pace is a little slower than I am accustomed to but I believe it is helping me more than running 10 miles in Zone 3 and Zone 4. According to some heart rate training plans, I have read, Zone 3 is the worse zone to be in. Supposedly you get most of the tiredness but little of the benefits of Zone 4 (Zone 4 increases your lactate threshold) and Zone 3 doesn’t really help your aerobic capacity either. I have no proof of this beyond just reading it on the web. I am still learning about the heart rate training. Does anyone else out there have any heart rate zone information?

Also, supposedly, you do not really go by the maximum heart rate formula (220 – your age) to find your true zones. You need to do a lactate threshold test. The maximum heart rate formula that is based on age is inaccurate and not worth the effort. Rick Kattouf had me do a lactate threshold test and he made up my heart rate zones for me.

I did a short warm up run down to the track on Monday. I then ran a mile in my Vibrams and broke the 6:18 mark. I am really excited as that is the fastest mile I have ever run in my life. I am still hoping to break the 6 minute barrier soon. I felt really good today during the mile run.

Have a great day!

Gary