Sugar-free living and running: Week 1.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! 

I'm back with an update on my first week of this sugar-free journey I'm on.

Running

My first week of running since going sugar free was tough. 

I lacked energy. I had very little pep in my step. My mileage was waaaay down -- to just 16.4 miles. 

Whoa.

And the miles were a struggle. Until yesterday, that is. My first 4 runs were bleh. In fact, my first run was aborted after a measly half mile because I felt so completely energy-less.

On Saturday, I ran 5 miles at a 9:30 pace. It was brutal. My effort level felt like I was running much faster -- I finished feeling more like I had run 8 miles at a 7:30 pace rather than what I'd actually run.

Honestly, it was a little depressing. 

I had to wonder: Is this new way of eating worth it? Will a sugar-free diet ever pay off? What if I never regain my energy for running? I love running, do I want to sacrifice that?

I kept wondering. And yesterday gave me hope.

Sure, it was cold. Sure, it was super windy. Sure, I was worried I'd struggle. But I headed out for 4 miles and they were the most uplifting miles I'd run in quite a while.

I felt good. No, not great, just good. And, at this point in my sugar-free journey, good is what I'm going for. 

The wind was brutal in my neighborhood, whipping me in the face for most of the run. But compared to my other runs last week, it felt effortless. 

This sugar-free thing might actually work.

I sure hope I didn't just jinx myself! 

Everything I've read and that people have told me (thanks for all the supportive comments, here and on Facebook!) has led me to believe that the beginning is tough and then your energy starts to come back after your body adjusts. I'm hoping that is what is happening to me. I still have one week left before half marathon training starts so if I can be adjusted by then, that would be awesome.

Eating

I also made a few changes to my eating yesterday, which I think helped. First, I ate avocado for lunch, about three hours before I ran. Second, I ate an orange (I'm allowed fresh fruit) about two hours before I ran. This combination of healthy fat and the fruit may have increased my energy. 

I'm going to keep playing around with my food combinations but, for now, I'm happy that yesterday's worked. I may just duplicate it today! 

So, what else have I noticed this week? A few things: 

Unsweetened almond milk rocks! 

Apples make a great dessert. 

Bacon is my friend. 

I'm sure I'll have a ton more to report as the days and weeks go on. Trial and error, you know. 

Feel free to leave me a comment with any of your own tips -- I always appreciate good advice!

Have a great week!

~ Felice