About ~3 years ago I decided that 'I want to be able to run well' (weird I know). When I started, I was very unfit and could only run a couple fo hundred metres
My advice is to find the distance that you need to run and run it timed. Do this a couple of times a week ~ 3 or 4 preferrably. I liked to do the same track every time, because I could liken times on my watch to landmarks along the route I was taking ("yesterday I passed that bench at 10mins, toady at 9:30!). This let me always be able to push myself that little bit harder ("today I WILL pass that bench by 9mins!) every time.
The other thing to be aware of is that you were in decent shape before and it has not been that long, you'll likely quickly speed up once your brush off the cobwebs.
I won't weigh in on the broader topic of what exactly you should be eating in your diet, but as the others hav ementioned, just eat well and get plenty of rest.
Good luck!
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No diet that highlights focusing on one or two food groups and cutting out the rest is a reliable diet. Any diet that says you can't eat carbs/sugars/fats is a scam (unless you have a pre-existing medical condition [such as diabetes or glucose intolerance]), all one has to do is look to the right source for information.
I don't think anyone here is saying to completely cut out carbs just that the standard American diet just happens to have way more carbs in it than what is healthy. What most people think is a "normal" number of carbs is actually an excessively high number. Then again, this has nothing to do with the OP.
OP, I would suggest just running the 1.5 miles everyday until you can do it. Distance jogging is really mind over matter more than anything else. Normally, I would suggest doing sprints to increase your aerobic capacity, but the test is coming up on you soon.
I agree with most of what you are saying, but 70% protein is extremely high and really overkill for pretty much anyone. There's little need to go beyond 30% protein, at a 2000 calorie diet 30% protein is 150g of protein, which is more than enough even for a beginning lifter.
You're right. I exaggerated greatly, and wasn't necessarily trying to point out numbers but rather showing what's more necessary in your diet.
Most people will just flat-out benefit from dramatically reducing their carb consumption and increasing their protein/vegetable consumption. The easiest way to say this is to just tell people to avoid dedicated carb sources like the plague. Beans/nuts/vegetables provide just about all the carbs you need unless you're physically active anyhow.
I'm going to disagree with most of the comments here - if you want to improve quickly, don't just keep running 1.5 miles - you actually want to run longer. Doesn't matter if you're going at a slower pace, the extra endurance and fitness will allow you to improve that 1.5 miles at a much faster pace. You do NOT need to run fast - you do NOT need to do sprints or interval training - this should ONLY be done after you've already built a base and are already in shape.
Trust me on this - the biggest improvement you'd make is by increasing your mileage. If you're doing 1.5 miles now, try increasing it to 2.5-3 miles. If you're running three times a week, increase to four. If you really want to push things, do cross training on your off days. Of course, don't push past what your body can handle - the general rule of thumb is don't increase mileage more than 10% per week, but I've never personally followed this, YMMV. Since you've been running in the past, it may be easier for you to push your mileage a little faster than that.
I ran track and XC in high school and college - you don't start off just running as fast as you can, since you don't have the endurance or fitness to do so. Instead, you build a base, run long and build that endurance. Speed comes naturally with that. Put another way, you don't train for 5ks by running 5ks... you train for 5ks by running 5-10 miles a day.
You're right. I exaggerated greatly, and wasn't necessarily trying to point out numbers but rather showing what's more necessary in your diet.
Most people will just flat-out benefit from dramatically reducing their carb consumption and increasing their protein/vegetable consumption. The easiest way to say this is to just tell people to avoid dedicated carb sources like the plague. Beans/nuts/vegetables provide just about all the carbs you need unless you're physically active anyhow.
No, it's better to tell people to just eat healthy food and keep their portion sizes in check. Carbs are not bad for you. Processed carbs are bad, but healthy carbs are not. Low-carb may work for some people, but this is almost always because they are cutting calories, not because it's some magical diet.
the test to become a cop is 21 pushups and 33 situps?
are you kidding me?
In fairness that is bare minimum for the PHYSICAL portion.
He probably doesn't live in an area of high crime and danger, I doubt cops are chasing people on foot or getting into fights that often.
1.5 miles in 13.5 mins seems okay tbh. I probably wouldn't quite make that but I'm slow as hell and way out of shape. I would say don't' sweat it though, if you are making 16ish in hiking shoes and up and down hills you can do 1.5 miles in 13.5 on a track. When jogging to practice I would recomend going for about 2ish miles though to get some endurance. Not just the exact 1.5, making the test easier than your routine should help give you a little confidence on the test.
Tbh imo the most important thing is to sleep right and eat right, you don't need a diet, and if you are trying to have energy to run you shouldn't be doing some stupid no carb crap diet anyway. Just lay off junk food and make sure you are getting enough rest as well as working out. There isn't really a secret to being fit, just some self-discipline.
No, it's better to tell people to just eat healthy food and keep their portion sizes in check. Carbs are not bad for you. Processed carbs are bad, but healthy carbs are not. Low-carb may work for some people, but this is almost always because they are cutting calories, not because it's some magical diet.
The only appreciable difference between "processed" and "healthy" carbs is their fiber content.
processed carbs remove whatever fiber the what product may have had, leaving it entirely carbs and a bit of protein and fat. It also strips away some vitamins, but most people tend to eat multi-vitamins so it's not as big of an issue.
And, no, it's not enough to tell people to just eat healthy. What is healthy? What is appropriate portion size?
When I was obese, my eyes and stomach told me what was an appropriate portion size. Reality told me that I was eating 2x what I should have been eating. Willpower sucks man.
When I finally decided to lose weight, I moved onto eating just chicken/beef/beans/tasty nuts and frozen vegetables (cause they're easier to handle) for a good while. I could stuff myself to the gills and I would still be eating a good ... 3/4 or so less than I used to. Because I was no longer eating a bowl of rice at every meal.
Yes. Carbs are not bad for you. In fact, they're crucial for your body to move. The problem is that people are eating too much of it, especially if they live a sedentary life. You really do not need a lot of carbs if you're sitting 10-12 hours a day.
Yes, of course you're cutting calories if you remove dedicated carb sources from your diet. But for the majority of people that simply brings them down to eating whatever they should have been eating in the first place, instead of 2-3x their daily caloric requirement.
No, it's better to tell people to just eat healthy food and keep their portion sizes in check.
I totally disagree. Nutrition education is awful in this country and a lot of people have a very incomplete view of both what is healthy and what is a reasonable portion size. Most people vastly underestimate how many calories they are taking in until they start tracking their intake exactly.
Carbs are not bad for you. Processed carbs are bad, but healthy carbs are not.
Agreed, but as magick said most people get way more carbs than they need. The more one is active and exercises, the more important carbohydrates become. It's not hard to figure out that most people who are asking for weight loss advice fall in the "less active" category.
In addition, simple carbohydrates are one of the easiest macronutrients to gorge on, since simple/sugary carbs have a very low satiety factor. Cutting them out makes it harder to overconsume, since fat and protein consumed without sugar are very satiating.
Finally, low-carb does not imply no-carb. You can go no-carb, but many "low carb" diets just mean "lower than what the average person consumes". The average person consumes around 60% carbs, many low-carb strategies aim for 20-25% carbs.
Low-carb may work for some people, but this is almost always because they are cutting calories, not because it's some magical diet.
Studies have shown that for people who have developed insulin resistance (common in the overweight and sedentary crowd), a low-carb diet has more effect on weight loss than a low-fat diet, and that's controlling for calorie intake. I can link studies if you are interested.
The only appreciable difference between "processed" and "healthy" carbs is their fiber content.
processed carbs remove whatever fiber the what product may have had, leaving it entirely carbs and a bit of protein and fat. It also strips away some vitamins, but most people tend to eat multi-vitamins so it's not as big of an issue.
And, no, it's not enough to tell people to just eat healthy. What is healthy? What is appropriate portion size?
When I was obese, my eyes and stomach told me what was an appropriate portion size. Reality told me that I was eating 2x what I should have been eating. Willpower sucks man.
When I finally decided to lose weight, I moved onto eating just chicken/beef/beans/tasty nuts and frozen vegetables (cause they're easier to handle) for a good while. I could stuff myself to the gills and I would still be eating a good ... 3/4 or so less than I used to. Because I was no longer eating a bowl of rice at every meal.
Yes. Carbs are not bad for you. In fact, they're crucial for your body to move. The problem is that people are eating too much of it, especially if they live a sedentary life. You really do not need a lot of carbs if you're sitting 10-12 hours a day.
Yes, of course you're cutting calories if you remove dedicated carb sources from your diet. But for the majority of people that simply brings them down to eating whatever they should have been eating in the first place, instead of 2-3x their daily caloric requirement.
Sigh.
Weight loss is nothing more than eating less calories than you burn. That's it. There's no magical formula or diet.
Yes, I'm aware low-carbs has worked for some people. Yes, I'm aware the majority of overweight people have no idea what a healthy diet is or what a normal portion size is. But this is why you - get this - educate people! It's really not that hard either - stay away from processed, fried and junk foods, make it a point to eat fruits and vegetables, eat smaller meals throughout the day.
You don't just tell them to follow a fad diet. It worked for you - great. I can assure you it will not work for many others, and they won't be any healthier for it.
...And as for totally sedentary people getting too many carbs... you really don't what the actual problem is? No, it's not getting too many carbs. It's that they're totally sedentary!
I totally disagree. Nutrition education is awful in this country and a lot of people have a very incomplete view of both what is healthy and what is a reasonable portion size. Most people vastly underestimate how many calories they are taking in until they start tracking their intake exactly.
As I said, this is irrelevant, it's not difficult to educate people.
Agreed, but as magick said most people get way more carbs than they need. The more one is active and exercises, the more important carbohydrates become. It's not hard to figure out that most people who are asking for weight loss advice fall in the "less active" category.
In addition, simple carbohydrates are one of the easiest macronutrients to gorge on, since simple/sugary carbs have a very low satiety factor. Cutting them out makes it harder to overconsume, since fat and protein consumed without sugar are very satiating.
Finally, low-carb does not imply no-carb. You can go no-carb, but many "low carb" diets just mean "lower than what the average person consumes". The average person consumes around 60% carbs, many low-carb strategies aim for 20-25% carbs.
Not sure what you're trying to argue here, I never said low-carb diets were bad. I even said it's great if it works for you. What I AM saying is just telling people to cut carbs isn't the answer - it's eating less than you burn and eating healthy.
Studies have shown that for people who have developed insulin resistance (common in the overweight and sedentary crowd), a low-carb diet has more effect on weight loss than a low-fat diet, and that's controlling for calorie intake. I can link studies if you are interested.
I'm well aware of this. First of all, low-fat diets are even worse than low-carb diets. Second, this again has to do with terrible eating habits (And terrible exercise habits), not necessarily with carbs. All you guys are doing is substituting the root of the problem (Diet and exercise) with a fad diet that may or may not work.
If it works for you and manages to change your eating habits and lifestyle, then great. But stop trying to act like it's some magical cure to obesity - it's not.
First off, restricting carbohydrates is not a fad diet. I get that you think it is, but by repeating "fad diet" and "magical solution" over and over you are just trying to shout down our points instead of actually addressing them. No one here is saying restricting carbohydrates is magical, in fact, we have given you many reasons why it works the way it does.
Restricting carbohydrates is a valid strategy for the sedentary overweight and obese who can't just jump off their couch and turn into Michael Phelps. If this guy is having trouble passing the physical minimums to be a cop, he qualifies as someone who probably isn't very active. No offense OP.
...And as for totally sedentary people getting too many carbs... you really don't what the actual problem is? No, it's not getting too many carbs. It's that they're totally sedentary!
The problem is actually both. Even if an overweight/obese sedentary person starts becoming more active, they should be changing their food intake as well. Food intake is much more important to weight loss than exercise, in fact, many studies recently have shown that steady-state cardio is a neutral weight-loss activity in practice because people's bodies signal them to eat more to make up for the extra calories burned.
As I said, this is irrelevant, it's not difficult to educate people.
Are you serious?
Not sure what you're trying to argue here, I never said low-carb diets were bad. I even said it's great if it works for you. What I AM saying is just telling people to cut carbs isn't the answer - it's eating less than you burn and eating healthy.
Just repeating "calorie deficit is the only thing that matters", in addition to not even being true, is not helpful in practice. Human beings are not mechanical furnaces, our weight loss is shaped by a billion different processes within our body that regulate our food consumption as well as fat storage.
I'm well aware of this. First of all, low-fat diets are even worse than low-carb diets.
The studies I've seen controlled against typical macronutrient ratios as well, and low-carb diets outperformed them in the insulin resistant crowd as well.
Second, this again has to do with terrible eating habits (And terrible exercise habits), not necessarily with carbs. All you guys are doing is substituting the root of the problem (Diet and exercise) with a fad diet that may or may not work.
You do know that macronutrient ratios fall under the large tent of "Diet", right?
So evidently getting the majority of your calories from protein sources and getting the FDA-recommended fiber amount, though considerably more is better, is a fad diet.
Ok.
The issue I have with the whole message of eating "healthy" is that it's incredibly general. I will ask again, what is healthy? What is the recommended amount?
You seem to be thinking that when I say low-carbs, I'm saying something like the atkins diet or keto. I'm not.
Keto diet doesn't even want you eating vegetables, because they have carbs.
Atkins is so heavily butchered by people who thinks that it means they can get a lb of rib-eye or some piece of steak that is heavy with fat at every meal and don't bother eating vegetables.
I'm not suggesting either of them. That's sort of why I intentionally say protein source. You can eat a piece of fish at every meal. you can eat a combination of lean chicken and a bunch of nuts. Hell, you can go completely vegan and just eat beans/vegetables if you want to. The point is, you do not need dedicated carb sources if you are mostly sedentary. The sheer amount of vegetables and the beans/nuts you have to consume to stay sated alone provide you with 20-50g of carbs/day, depending on the individual and his specific need. That is low carbs by modern standards, but it is not restriction. There is a difference.
The only relevant thing is that you keep proteins as your primary source of calories instead of carbs as the modern diet is. That and you eat a ****-ton of vegetables.
The funny thing is that you can be sedentary and still lose weight. If you are obese, you just need to be eating at your calorie requirement and be very patient. If you are merely overweight, then you may need to add exercise, depending on your particular body composition and quirks. The easiest way to do this is to remove dedicated carb sources (because they are not very filling) and eat protein sources/vegetables (because those are very filling).
As a bit of an addendum- I don't even like the concept of losing weight. That's not what your goal should be. You want to be leaning out, not losing weight. The scale is irrelevant, and it's sad that so many people pay attention to what the scale says instead of what the mirror and your basic strength level says.
Why this turn into a weight loss thread? Sure fit does often equal losing a few pounds but the op goal is to run a 1.5 mile test in less than 13 mins. Last thing op should do is radically decrease carb intake, carbohydrates make you gain weight because it give you energy which if not burned turns to fat. I know this is a really obvious statement but my point is telling op who wants to be high energy for this test to cut alot of carb intake might be bad advice. OP should just lay off fatty foods, eat a reasonably health diet, and sleep well. My additional personal recommendation is run about 2 miles for your practice to make the test easier.
No reason to get into an agruement over diets in this threat, its a tangent at best.
No, I have absolute confidence that the op can make it. If he's running 1.5 miles in 15 or less several months ago, then he won't have a problem getting back into it in 3-4 weeks, provided he doesn't slack off or anything.
Why this turn into a weight loss thread? Sure fit does often equal losing a few pounds but the op goal is to run a 1.5 mile test in less than 13 mins. Last thing op should do is radically decrease carb intake, carbohydrates make you gain weight because it give you energy which if not burned turns to fat. I know this is a really obvious statement but my point is telling op who wants to be high energy for this test to cut alot of carb intake might be bad advice. OP should just lay off fatty foods, eat a reasonably health diet, and sleep well. My additional personal recommendation is run about 2 miles for your practice to make the test easier.
No reason to get into an agruement over diets in this threat, its a tangent at best.
Even worse is the fact that I don't even know what they're arguing anymore. Seems like they're just arguing for the sake of arguing now, either that or they're angry that I called their magical weight loss solution a "fad diet".
Here's the bottom line, in case you missed it: Yes, you can lose weight on a low-carb diet. You can also lose weight on any numerous other forms of dieting. Low-carb diet isn't anything special, stop acting like it is (And yes, you are, that's why you've derailed the thread trying to advocate to people about it).
As for the OP, I stand by what I said earlier: If you want to improve your times, you first have to improve your fitness. Increase your mileage, don't worry about speed. Speed will come naturally with fitness.
Even worse is the fact that I don't even know what they're arguing anymore. Seems like they're just arguing for the sake of arguing now, either that or they're angry that I called their magical weight loss solution a "fad diet".
It's not magical.
Here's the bottom line, in case you missed it: Yes, you can lose weight on a low-carb diet. You can also lose weight on any numerous other forms of dieting. Low-carb diet isn't anything special, stop acting like it is (And yes, you are, that's why you've derailed the thread trying to advocate to people about it).
It's not "strictly better" in Magic terms, but it is "special" in that it has advantages over other food intake strategies in certain situations.
As far as limiting (not eliminating carbs) goes, an easy strategy to keep the energy up is to plan your carbohydrate intake around your intense physical activity. Not only will eating carbs an hour or two before intense exercise get rid of the energy drawback of limiting carbs, but you will ensure that those carbs have a lower chance to be sent to long-term storage since you're using them for fuel.
I would also recommend refeeding on carbs the day before the test. There is nothing wrong with "carbing up" before a critical day of physical activity, and in fact many strategies advocate having a "carb up" day every week to restore leptin levels (a hormone that regulates fat storage) and muscle glycogen
Telekinesis, I could have gotten to those particular pieces of advice quicker if you would stop trying to shout me down without adding anything to the conversation.
I haven't read the past several posts, but I do want to make note that 'carboloading' is a thing runners do before they run. Your diet shouldn't consist of that, but it does provide your body with necessary energy. Just be sure it is healthy. (Side Note: As a rule, Americans do get way too many carbs in their diet, just be responsible with it)
@Coffee: Hope all is going well and I couldn't agree more that you should be running 2 miles each time you run or more. In this, there is no downside to over-preparation, plus being ready earlier would be nice. Be sure to post what your running time is now that you have had some time, and really try to run more than once a day, it helps so much.
Telekinesis, I could have gotten to those particular pieces of advice quicker if you would stop trying to shout me down without adding anything to the conversation.
I'm not shouting anyone down, I'm saying your tangent is completely irrelevant to the discussion. And it is. I haven't argued your points because I'd rather not derail this topic further.
I haven't read the past several posts, but I do want to make note that 'carboloading' is a thing runners do before they run. Your diet shouldn't consist of that, but it does provide your body with necessary energy. Just be sure it is healthy. (Side Note: As a rule, Americans do get way too many carbs in their diet, just be responsible with it)
I personally wouldn't do any carboloading for anything under a half marathon, there's no need and there's even a possibility of it hurting your performance.
Not to mention, 1.5 miles in 15 minutes shouldn't be too difficult given some training involved.
I'm not shouting anyone down, I'm saying your tangent is completely irrelevant to the discussion. And it is. I haven't argued your points because I'd rather not derail this topic further.
Finding the most efficient way of cutting fat and retaining lean body mass isn't relevant to making someone move more quickly? That's new to me.
Finding the most efficient way of cutting fat and retaining lean body mass isn't relevant to making someone move more quickly? That's new to me.
Considering the OP said absolutely nothing about his weight, and considering he said the test is in three weeks (At most, you'd stand to lose between 3-5 pounds with healthy dieting in that time, which won't really improve anyone's time much at all), and considering the fact that you went off on a tangent about completely sedentary people, which obviously doesn't relate to the OP who is currently running/working out...
Need I go on about why your tangents have nothing to do with this topic?
@Coffee: Hope all is going well and I couldn't agree more that you should be running 2 miles each time you run or more. In this, there is no downside to over-preparation, plus being ready earlier would be nice. Be sure to post what your running time is now that you have had some time, and really try to run more than once a day, it helps so much.
What a convenient week to get sick
Caught a cold, so I've been taking it relatively easy. Still running my hilly neighborhood, still running in hiking shoes. Today was my 3rd run since Wednesday (Wed/Fri/Sat). I ran 9/10 of a mile in 8:13, walked the last tenth for a time of 9:20. I figure, if I add half that again that puts me at 13:30.
Obviously, that's not exactly how things work, but I'm seeing measurable gains. I imagine I'll see the biggest improvements over this next week, as I continue to acclimate to running again. I'm optimistic though.
I've decided to make it my goal of meeting the required time for the age bracket beneath me (Required time for males 20-29 is 12:53. I'm 35, my bracket requires 13:25).
Thanks all for the advice on running over 1.5 miles. Though my cold is holding me back a bit, I fully intend to run 2+ by the time I take the test.
Caught a cold, so I've been taking it relatively easy. Still running my hilly neighborhood, still running in hiking shoes. Today was my 3rd run since Wednesday (Wed/Fri/Sat). I ran 9/10 of a mile in 8:13, walked the last tenth for a time of 9:20. I figure, if I add half that again that puts me at 13:30.
Obviously, that's not exactly how things work, but I'm seeing measurable gains. I imagine I'll see the biggest improvements over this next week, as I continue to acclimate to running again. I'm optimistic though.
I've decided to make it my goal of meeting the required time for the age bracket beneath me (Required time for males 20-29 is 12:53. I'm 35, my bracket requires 13:25).
Thanks all for the advice on running over 1.5 miles. Though my cold is holding me back a bit, I fully intend to run 2+ by the time I take the test.
Not exactly. The test to get into the POLICE ACADEMY is 21/33/13:25, for a male aged 30-39. Additional physical conditioning happens at the academy.
Getting a cold shouldn't stop you from exercising - as long as you don't have a flu or something like that, you shouldn't have any problems with running. In fact, some even say exercising helps your cold.
If you can't keep up the entire distance, try run-walking. Run 5 minutes, walk one minute, run 5 minutes, etc. It'll make things much easier to get your mileage up.
As being someone who works in a prison, I understand the worry about the run. I almost didn't pass my pre-academy run to get into the Department of Correction. One of the biggest things, especially this time of year (winter climate areas, anywho), is breathing. As stupid as it sounds, do a little pre-and-post-workout yoga to improve your breathing. This will help a lot with being sick and you mindset for the run.
Also, trying doing some stationary machine work (elliptical, treadmill, bike). They will work some different muscles than you using during running but will improve your overall cardiovascular conditioning.
Good luck, Coffee.
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Getting a cold shouldn't stop you from exercising - as long as you don't have a flu or something like that, you shouldn't have any problems with running. In fact, some even say exercising helps your cold.
If you can't keep up the entire distance, try run-walking. Run 5 minutes, walk one minute, run 5 minutes, etc. It'll make things much easier to get your mileage up.
Someone never had a cold before or something?
A good (bad?) cold can destroy your energy and make you fatigue alot quicker, if you are congested it can also make you run out of breath signifigantly quicker.
Op said he still is working out a bit with a cold, just laying back a little which he should. Also some exercise is still good with a cold I've known from personal experience over-straining yourself with a cold is only going to make it worse.
A good (bad?) cold can destroy your energy and make you fatigue alot quicker, if you are congested it can also make you run out of breath signifigantly quicker.
Op said he still is working out a bit with a cold, just laying back a little which he should. Also some exercise is still good with a cold I've known from personal experience over-straining yourself with a cold is only going to make it worse.
From my experience having a cold doesn't really impact your energy at all. It does clog up your nose, but you shouldn't be breathing through your nose anyway (All those people saying breathe through your nose and out through your mouth when running are wrong... I hope you guys aren't doing this). I just had a cold a couple weeks ago, I did have to bring some tissues along to blow my nose a couple times but I still had no problems running 7+ miles on hills.
Everything I've read (Though no exhaustive search by any means) says that there's no problems running with a cold either...
From my experience having a cold doesn't really impact your energy at all. It does clog up your nose, but you shouldn't be breathing through your nose anyway (All those people saying breathe through your nose and out through your mouth when running are wrong... I hope you guys aren't doing this). I just had a cold a couple weeks ago, I did have to bring some tissues along to blow my nose a couple times but I still had no problems running 7+ miles on hills.
Everything I've read (Though no exhaustive search by any means) says that there's no problems running with a cold either...
Maybe its just cause I'm asthmatic but running with a cold makes it noticeably harder to breath period, through nose or not.
Course if that is just me that is a bit disconcerting.
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the test to become a cop is 21 pushups and 33 situps?
are you kidding me?
About ~3 years ago I decided that 'I want to be able to run well' (weird I know). When I started, I was very unfit and could only run a couple fo hundred metres
My advice is to find the distance that you need to run and run it timed. Do this a couple of times a week ~ 3 or 4 preferrably. I liked to do the same track every time, because I could liken times on my watch to landmarks along the route I was taking ("yesterday I passed that bench at 10mins, toady at 9:30!). This let me always be able to push myself that little bit harder ("today I WILL pass that bench by 9mins!) every time.
The other thing to be aware of is that you were in decent shape before and it has not been that long, you'll likely quickly speed up once your brush off the cobwebs.
I won't weigh in on the broader topic of what exactly you should be eating in your diet, but as the others hav ementioned, just eat well and get plenty of rest.
Good luck!
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I don't think anyone here is saying to completely cut out carbs just that the standard American diet just happens to have way more carbs in it than what is healthy. What most people think is a "normal" number of carbs is actually an excessively high number. Then again, this has nothing to do with the OP.
OP, I would suggest just running the 1.5 miles everyday until you can do it. Distance jogging is really mind over matter more than anything else. Normally, I would suggest doing sprints to increase your aerobic capacity, but the test is coming up on you soon.
Good luck!
You're right. I exaggerated greatly, and wasn't necessarily trying to point out numbers but rather showing what's more necessary in your diet.
Most people will just flat-out benefit from dramatically reducing their carb consumption and increasing their protein/vegetable consumption. The easiest way to say this is to just tell people to avoid dedicated carb sources like the plague. Beans/nuts/vegetables provide just about all the carbs you need unless you're physically active anyhow.
Trust me on this - the biggest improvement you'd make is by increasing your mileage. If you're doing 1.5 miles now, try increasing it to 2.5-3 miles. If you're running three times a week, increase to four. If you really want to push things, do cross training on your off days. Of course, don't push past what your body can handle - the general rule of thumb is don't increase mileage more than 10% per week, but I've never personally followed this, YMMV. Since you've been running in the past, it may be easier for you to push your mileage a little faster than that.
I ran track and XC in high school and college - you don't start off just running as fast as you can, since you don't have the endurance or fitness to do so. Instead, you build a base, run long and build that endurance. Speed comes naturally with that. Put another way, you don't train for 5ks by running 5ks... you train for 5ks by running 5-10 miles a day.
No, it's better to tell people to just eat healthy food and keep their portion sizes in check. Carbs are not bad for you. Processed carbs are bad, but healthy carbs are not. Low-carb may work for some people, but this is almost always because they are cutting calories, not because it's some magical diet.
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In fairness that is bare minimum for the PHYSICAL portion.
He probably doesn't live in an area of high crime and danger, I doubt cops are chasing people on foot or getting into fights that often.
1.5 miles in 13.5 mins seems okay tbh. I probably wouldn't quite make that but I'm slow as hell and way out of shape. I would say don't' sweat it though, if you are making 16ish in hiking shoes and up and down hills you can do 1.5 miles in 13.5 on a track. When jogging to practice I would recomend going for about 2ish miles though to get some endurance. Not just the exact 1.5, making the test easier than your routine should help give you a little confidence on the test.
Tbh imo the most important thing is to sleep right and eat right, you don't need a diet, and if you are trying to have energy to run you shouldn't be doing some stupid no carb crap diet anyway. Just lay off junk food and make sure you are getting enough rest as well as working out. There isn't really a secret to being fit, just some self-discipline.
Now if only I could take some of my advice.
The only appreciable difference between "processed" and "healthy" carbs is their fiber content.
processed carbs remove whatever fiber the what product may have had, leaving it entirely carbs and a bit of protein and fat. It also strips away some vitamins, but most people tend to eat multi-vitamins so it's not as big of an issue.
And, no, it's not enough to tell people to just eat healthy. What is healthy? What is appropriate portion size?
When I was obese, my eyes and stomach told me what was an appropriate portion size. Reality told me that I was eating 2x what I should have been eating. Willpower sucks man.
When I finally decided to lose weight, I moved onto eating just chicken/beef/beans/tasty nuts and frozen vegetables (cause they're easier to handle) for a good while. I could stuff myself to the gills and I would still be eating a good ... 3/4 or so less than I used to. Because I was no longer eating a bowl of rice at every meal.
Yes. Carbs are not bad for you. In fact, they're crucial for your body to move. The problem is that people are eating too much of it, especially if they live a sedentary life. You really do not need a lot of carbs if you're sitting 10-12 hours a day.
Yes, of course you're cutting calories if you remove dedicated carb sources from your diet. But for the majority of people that simply brings them down to eating whatever they should have been eating in the first place, instead of 2-3x their daily caloric requirement.
I totally disagree. Nutrition education is awful in this country and a lot of people have a very incomplete view of both what is healthy and what is a reasonable portion size. Most people vastly underestimate how many calories they are taking in until they start tracking their intake exactly.
Agreed, but as magick said most people get way more carbs than they need. The more one is active and exercises, the more important carbohydrates become. It's not hard to figure out that most people who are asking for weight loss advice fall in the "less active" category.
In addition, simple carbohydrates are one of the easiest macronutrients to gorge on, since simple/sugary carbs have a very low satiety factor. Cutting them out makes it harder to overconsume, since fat and protein consumed without sugar are very satiating.
Finally, low-carb does not imply no-carb. You can go no-carb, but many "low carb" diets just mean "lower than what the average person consumes". The average person consumes around 60% carbs, many low-carb strategies aim for 20-25% carbs.
Studies have shown that for people who have developed insulin resistance (common in the overweight and sedentary crowd), a low-carb diet has more effect on weight loss than a low-fat diet, and that's controlling for calorie intake. I can link studies if you are interested.
Sigh.
Weight loss is nothing more than eating less calories than you burn. That's it. There's no magical formula or diet.
Yes, I'm aware low-carbs has worked for some people. Yes, I'm aware the majority of overweight people have no idea what a healthy diet is or what a normal portion size is. But this is why you - get this - educate people! It's really not that hard either - stay away from processed, fried and junk foods, make it a point to eat fruits and vegetables, eat smaller meals throughout the day.
You don't just tell them to follow a fad diet. It worked for you - great. I can assure you it will not work for many others, and they won't be any healthier for it.
...And as for totally sedentary people getting too many carbs... you really don't what the actual problem is? No, it's not getting too many carbs. It's that they're totally sedentary!
As I said, this is irrelevant, it's not difficult to educate people.
Not sure what you're trying to argue here, I never said low-carb diets were bad. I even said it's great if it works for you. What I AM saying is just telling people to cut carbs isn't the answer - it's eating less than you burn and eating healthy.
I'm well aware of this. First of all, low-fat diets are even worse than low-carb diets. Second, this again has to do with terrible eating habits (And terrible exercise habits), not necessarily with carbs. All you guys are doing is substituting the root of the problem (Diet and exercise) with a fad diet that may or may not work.
If it works for you and manages to change your eating habits and lifestyle, then great. But stop trying to act like it's some magical cure to obesity - it's not.
Anyway, this is way off topic.
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Restricting carbohydrates is a valid strategy for the sedentary overweight and obese who can't just jump off their couch and turn into Michael Phelps. If this guy is having trouble passing the physical minimums to be a cop, he qualifies as someone who probably isn't very active. No offense OP.
The problem is actually both. Even if an overweight/obese sedentary person starts becoming more active, they should be changing their food intake as well. Food intake is much more important to weight loss than exercise, in fact, many studies recently have shown that steady-state cardio is a neutral weight-loss activity in practice because people's bodies signal them to eat more to make up for the extra calories burned.
Are you serious?
Just repeating "calorie deficit is the only thing that matters", in addition to not even being true, is not helpful in practice. Human beings are not mechanical furnaces, our weight loss is shaped by a billion different processes within our body that regulate our food consumption as well as fat storage.
The studies I've seen controlled against typical macronutrient ratios as well, and low-carb diets outperformed them in the insulin resistant crowd as well.
You do know that macronutrient ratios fall under the large tent of "Diet", right?
Ok.
The issue I have with the whole message of eating "healthy" is that it's incredibly general. I will ask again, what is healthy? What is the recommended amount?
You seem to be thinking that when I say low-carbs, I'm saying something like the atkins diet or keto. I'm not.
Keto diet doesn't even want you eating vegetables, because they have carbs.
Atkins is so heavily butchered by people who thinks that it means they can get a lb of rib-eye or some piece of steak that is heavy with fat at every meal and don't bother eating vegetables.
I'm not suggesting either of them. That's sort of why I intentionally say protein source. You can eat a piece of fish at every meal. you can eat a combination of lean chicken and a bunch of nuts. Hell, you can go completely vegan and just eat beans/vegetables if you want to. The point is, you do not need dedicated carb sources if you are mostly sedentary. The sheer amount of vegetables and the beans/nuts you have to consume to stay sated alone provide you with 20-50g of carbs/day, depending on the individual and his specific need. That is low carbs by modern standards, but it is not restriction. There is a difference.
The only relevant thing is that you keep proteins as your primary source of calories instead of carbs as the modern diet is. That and you eat a ****-ton of vegetables.
The funny thing is that you can be sedentary and still lose weight. If you are obese, you just need to be eating at your calorie requirement and be very patient. If you are merely overweight, then you may need to add exercise, depending on your particular body composition and quirks. The easiest way to do this is to remove dedicated carb sources (because they are not very filling) and eat protein sources/vegetables (because those are very filling).
As a bit of an addendum- I don't even like the concept of losing weight. That's not what your goal should be. You want to be leaning out, not losing weight. The scale is irrelevant, and it's sad that so many people pay attention to what the scale says instead of what the mirror and your basic strength level says.
No reason to get into an agruement over diets in this threat, its a tangent at best.
No, I have absolute confidence that the op can make it. If he's running 1.5 miles in 15 or less several months ago, then he won't have a problem getting back into it in 3-4 weeks, provided he doesn't slack off or anything.
Even worse is the fact that I don't even know what they're arguing anymore. Seems like they're just arguing for the sake of arguing now, either that or they're angry that I called their magical weight loss solution a "fad diet".
Here's the bottom line, in case you missed it: Yes, you can lose weight on a low-carb diet. You can also lose weight on any numerous other forms of dieting. Low-carb diet isn't anything special, stop acting like it is (And yes, you are, that's why you've derailed the thread trying to advocate to people about it).
As for the OP, I stand by what I said earlier: If you want to improve your times, you first have to improve your fitness. Increase your mileage, don't worry about speed. Speed will come naturally with fitness.
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It's not magical.
It's not "strictly better" in Magic terms, but it is "special" in that it has advantages over other food intake strategies in certain situations.
As far as limiting (not eliminating carbs) goes, an easy strategy to keep the energy up is to plan your carbohydrate intake around your intense physical activity. Not only will eating carbs an hour or two before intense exercise get rid of the energy drawback of limiting carbs, but you will ensure that those carbs have a lower chance to be sent to long-term storage since you're using them for fuel.
I would also recommend refeeding on carbs the day before the test. There is nothing wrong with "carbing up" before a critical day of physical activity, and in fact many strategies advocate having a "carb up" day every week to restore leptin levels (a hormone that regulates fat storage) and muscle glycogen
Telekinesis, I could have gotten to those particular pieces of advice quicker if you would stop trying to shout me down without adding anything to the conversation.
@Coffee: Hope all is going well and I couldn't agree more that you should be running 2 miles each time you run or more. In this, there is no downside to over-preparation, plus being ready earlier would be nice. Be sure to post what your running time is now that you have had some time, and really try to run more than once a day, it helps so much.
MTGS egos at their finest.
Thoughts on proxies:
I'm not shouting anyone down, I'm saying your tangent is completely irrelevant to the discussion. And it is. I haven't argued your points because I'd rather not derail this topic further.
I personally wouldn't do any carboloading for anything under a half marathon, there's no need and there's even a possibility of it hurting your performance.
Not to mention, 1.5 miles in 15 minutes shouldn't be too difficult given some training involved.
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Finding the most efficient way of cutting fat and retaining lean body mass isn't relevant to making someone move more quickly? That's new to me.
Considering the OP said absolutely nothing about his weight, and considering he said the test is in three weeks (At most, you'd stand to lose between 3-5 pounds with healthy dieting in that time, which won't really improve anyone's time much at all), and considering the fact that you went off on a tangent about completely sedentary people, which obviously doesn't relate to the OP who is currently running/working out...
Need I go on about why your tangents have nothing to do with this topic?
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What a convenient week to get sick
Caught a cold, so I've been taking it relatively easy. Still running my hilly neighborhood, still running in hiking shoes. Today was my 3rd run since Wednesday (Wed/Fri/Sat). I ran 9/10 of a mile in 8:13, walked the last tenth for a time of 9:20. I figure, if I add half that again that puts me at 13:30.
Obviously, that's not exactly how things work, but I'm seeing measurable gains. I imagine I'll see the biggest improvements over this next week, as I continue to acclimate to running again. I'm optimistic though.
I've decided to make it my goal of meeting the required time for the age bracket beneath me (Required time for males 20-29 is 12:53. I'm 35, my bracket requires 13:25).
Thanks all for the advice on running over 1.5 miles. Though my cold is holding me back a bit, I fully intend to run 2+ by the time I take the test.
Not exactly. The test to get into the POLICE ACADEMY is 21/33/13:25, for a male aged 30-39. Additional physical conditioning happens at the academy.
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Getting a cold shouldn't stop you from exercising - as long as you don't have a flu or something like that, you shouldn't have any problems with running. In fact, some even say exercising helps your cold.
If you can't keep up the entire distance, try run-walking. Run 5 minutes, walk one minute, run 5 minutes, etc. It'll make things much easier to get your mileage up.
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Also, trying doing some stationary machine work (elliptical, treadmill, bike). They will work some different muscles than you using during running but will improve your overall cardiovascular conditioning.
Good luck, Coffee.
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Someone never had a cold before or something?
A good (bad?) cold can destroy your energy and make you fatigue alot quicker, if you are congested it can also make you run out of breath signifigantly quicker.
Op said he still is working out a bit with a cold, just laying back a little which he should. Also some exercise is still good with a cold I've known from personal experience over-straining yourself with a cold is only going to make it worse.
From my experience having a cold doesn't really impact your energy at all. It does clog up your nose, but you shouldn't be breathing through your nose anyway (All those people saying breathe through your nose and out through your mouth when running are wrong... I hope you guys aren't doing this). I just had a cold a couple weeks ago, I did have to bring some tissues along to blow my nose a couple times but I still had no problems running 7+ miles on hills.
Everything I've read (Though no exhaustive search by any means) says that there's no problems running with a cold either...
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Maybe its just cause I'm asthmatic but running with a cold makes it noticeably harder to breath period, through nose or not.
Course if that is just me that is a bit disconcerting.