On Sundays, I will answer some readers' questions in a post. If you have a question that you would like me to answer here on the blog, just send me an e-mail with the subject "Q&A", and I may include them in a future Q&A post. They don't have to be about weight loss or running--anything is game! (Remember, I'm not a doctor or dietician, or any sort of medical professional--I can only answer questions from my own experience).
Q. My
question is about clothes....during your weight loss, how did you manage to dress yourself in clothes that fit without buying 10 different wardrobes in different sizes? I think I'm down a size and I need SOMETHING new....maybe just a belt to keep my pants up...I just don't know what to do...spend money on something that I will (hopefully) shrink out of in a few months...or look frumpy in my current clothes?
A. I dropped sizes pretty quickly while I was losing weight--approximately one size per month. I went from a size 24W to size 4 in 16 months, so I went through a LOT of clothes. But I didn't spend much money! Because I only wore each size for a month or so, I knew I only needed a few pairs of jeans and a few different in-season tops. I didn't need new pajamas, or dresses (unless I had an event), or undies. I love to shop at thrift stores and garage sales (even now--95% of my wardrobe comes from either a thrift store or garage sale).
So while I was losing weight, and realized I needed the next size down, I would go to the thrift store and buy 2-3 pairs of jeans and a few tops to get me through the month. It's not a huge variety, but I didn't mind wearing the same things over and over for a few weeks while I was losing weight.
I wore my underwear and pajamas until they were too baggy, and then I obviously had to buy new ones. Just for the record, I don't buy used panties ;) As I got too small for my jeans, I cut them up into squares and eventually put them all together into a quilt:
So you really just need enough to get by, if you're losing weight consistently. And don't be afraid of used clothes! I bought most of my (name brand) jeans for $1 or even less at garage sales.
Q. What kind of aches and pains did you have when you first started running? My hips are killing me!
A. I think it's very common for hips to be sore when you've just started running. Even now, when I do a longer run than usual or I run harder than usual, my hips will be sore for a day or two. There is a difference between pain and soreness, however. If you think something is wrong, you should definitely get it checked out by a doctor. But I think most people get sore in the hips and even hamstrings (back of your thighs) when they first start running.
Another common complaint is of shin splints--a sharp pain in the front of your lower leg. This can be remedied by stretching after a run, by warming up before you run, by wearing well-fitted shoes (make sure you get fitted for the right shoes!!) and by easing into running rather than running like hell your first time out the door. And, of course, my favorite remedy--rest days! ;) One or two days rest really works wonders when you feel achy. And if it doesn't get better, you may have injured yourself and should probably get checked out by a doctor.
Q. I was wondering what you use for
water/hydration while on your runs? I run regularly, but only for short
distances as I hate carrying water, and find that fanny pack type things bounce
too much so I end up not bringing any water with me. I'm starting to
train for a half marathon, so I will need some way to incorporate water into my
runs, and hoped you would have a solution for me.
A. This was an issue I just recently had myself. I trained for my half-marathon without carrying water, but now that I'm training for a full, I knew I'd need water during my long runs. There are a few solutions:
1) Plant water bottles along your route the day before your long run. This takes effort and time, and I just didn't want to be bothered doing that;
2) Plan to run loops so that you pass your house, or your car, or some building where you can get water. For example, on a 12-mile run, plan to run three 4-mile loops so that you pass your car or house twice during the run. This was my plan, until I discovered...
3) Buy a hydration belt. I was 100% sure I was going to hate wearing a hydration belt. I don't like to carry things with me when I run (even an iPod is annoying to me). But Jessica bought one, and I gave hers a try on a long run. I was really surprised that it didn't bounce or slosh around or ride up or anything like that!
We found that the secret is to wear it up around your natural waist (the narrowest part of your midsection) and wear it pretty snug. I tried to wear it low around my hips, but it bounced around like crazy.
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| See how high up I wear the belt? It doesn't bounce. |
And now a question for all of you...
What is your current favorite TV show?
I am LOVING "Shameless" on Showtime. It's a guilty pleasure of mine (like listening to Eminem!) but I can't get enough. Love it!
