5150 Berlin

I met with my trainer on Wednesday to discuss whether I could reasonably try to lose weight while training to a high level for an Oly Tri. I gave him the Time Crunched Carmichael plan. He says yes, reasoning that the plan is high-intensity, not long duration. Most sessions are under 90 minutes. He suggests for the next two weeks that I eat normally, under 100 grams of carbohydrates, no fueling during sessions. No sugar, chocolate or sports drink either.

Last night I registered for the race on 1 July in Berlin. So this morning was the first planned cycling session after registering. I set up the TACX program last night (to save precious morning minutes) and learned how to plot a course with Google Earth. So now I can train "on" the course in Berlin (or the hills in Limburg).

5:45 AM (alarm) (f$ck training; I'm not doing it this morning). Hit snooze button
6:15 AM awaken before the alarm returns
6:20 AM [coffee + banana] [stare blindly into a computer, catching up with people's posts]
6:40 AM okay, let's get going.
7:00 AM on the bike, warming up. Legs are a little stiff. I'll quit early - only do an hour of the 90-minute ride
8:00 AM I'm cruising. why go to work when I can pedal.
8:30 AM As I finish the ride, I get thumbs up from the garbage collectors who are down on the street below my window.

When my stomach started growling at 8 AM, I nearly panicked. What if I starve to death? My trainer said no extra food.... I refueled with, get this, a spinach sweet potato egg white smoothie and seven dextrose tablets. It wasn't too bad. 

race day nutrition

I wrote up some thoughts for my friend Emily that might be useful to post here.

I promised some pre-race & race day fueling ideas. These are from Joel Friel's Paleo Diet for Athletes, and what I learned from Jeff Galloway. Also Dean Karnases' 50 Marathons in 50 Days (insane, but he did them). He has a free download from his audio book.

The key is to practice & experiment during training and then to do nothing new on race day. No sampling of free yogurt drinks at the start..... :)

Take a look at Dean's three-day countdown. I would emphasize drinking a lot of water during the days leading up to the race. It will help your body store more glycogen and your muscles will work better. There's only so much you can absorb the morning of the race without ending up with a full bladder and no pot.

When you wake up on race morning: right away, drink 700 ml water and eat 150 calories of carbs (pre-race fueling); then eat 200-300 calories per hour up until an hour before the race: mostly carbs (no dairy) (the longer before the race, the lower glycemic load - in other words, don't crash!).  Examples of what to eat: low fiber; high Branch-Chain Amino Acids (egg whites; protein powder with applesauce) - (jarred baby food) Bananas. Not berries (too much fiber). Drink water. Some people like to eat meal replacements like Ensure. (groan).

In the last hour: drink only water. No more food.

10 minutes before the start: high glycemic fluid - 100-200 calories of sports drink/juice/honey water or water + go-gel.

During the race: It depends on the duration of the race: under 90 minutes: goal is to prevent dehydration: 4 oz water per 10 minutes. Avoid solids & gels. @ 1 hour: maybe a carb drink. Research is contradictory.
**edited to add: this number seems too high. I'll have to go back and check.  I've read often that the point is to drink enough to replenish water lost through sweat, but to not gain weight during the event. So, weigh yourself before & after training runs under race-like conditions to see how much you sweat. I never tried this, but it seems like a good idea.

90 min - 4 hours: 800 ml fluid per hour. If maximum intensity: 200-300 cal/hour, divided into equal doses every 10-20 minutes. At least 1 calorie per pound of body weight per hour. This means 50-75 calories every 15 minutes. If Gel = 100 cal + 8 oz water. Some say that products like accelerade, which mixes protein into the carbs, work better. I've found similar kinds of mixes here. So for me: 1100 calories to eat during a 5.5 hour race.

After the race - recharge within 30 minutes - makes recovery easier. I usually eat a smoothie (carb & protein mix). I have a recipe for this, but I can't find it in my training journal. Holler if you want this too.

I have to admit, after 4 -5 gel packs, I want to puke. And during the marathon I felt slightly sick to my stomach from trying to consume enough to fuel my effort. During my training runs, I was happy to eat bananas, dates, and stuff like that. I did not want anything in my stomach during races, though. I switched to apple juice and sweetened black tea.

Always - this advice depends on your body, not mine. You might process fuel faster, sweat more, sweat less, whatever. See how it goes.

And be sure  look at the recommendations of how much fluid to drink during a long race. Not too much and not too little.

Wishing you success!

12 steps for getting started with Paleo Nutrition

I like Dr Kurt Harris' no-nonsense approach to nutrition. He suggests to avoid justifying our choices based on pseuodo-science assumptions as to what early humans must have eaten, since it's so clear what they Didn't Eat.  When I compare these ideas to typical instructions on how to lose weight, I have to admit I am totally confused.  I look at one book that says low-fat milk over a small serving of Special K is a perfect breakfast. Other folks say bacon and eggs is the way to go.  

Because of my own blood chemistry and my own reactions to pancakes, maple syrup, orange juice, etc., I want to give this plan a serious try.  The science behind avoiding diabetes seems to be to be quite sound.  Most diet books lack any scientific reasoning.  

My own experience matters a lot.  When I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the hospital nutritionist recommended bagels for breakfast since I was having trouble keeping food down. I stayed off insulin by eating ham and grapefruit, and no grains (pasta, rice, etc.). I was lucky to have an OBGYN who had recommended The Zone diet to me. When I started following the diet, I saw my face change. I lost that puffy look - I looked healthier and the hollows of my cheeks reappeared.  Dr Harris posted an anecdote about recovery from diabetes.  Here are his suggestions for getting started.

1 Eliminate sugar (including fruit juices and sports drinks) and all flour 

2 Start eating proper fats - Use healthy animal fats to substitute fat calories for carb calories. Drink whole cream or half and half instead of milk.

3 Eliminate grains

4 Eliminate grain and seed derived oils (cooking oils) Cook with butter, animal fats, or coconut oil.

5 Get daily midday sun or take 4-8000 iu vit D daily

6 Intermittent fasting and infrequent meals (2 meals a day is best)

7 Fruit is just a candy bar from a tree. Stick with berries and avoid watermelon which is pure fructose. Eat in moderation.

8 Eliminate legumes

9 Adjust your 6s and 3s. Pastured (grass fed) dairy and grass fed beef or bison avoids excess O-6 fatty acids and are better than supplementing with 0-3 supplements.

10 Proper exercise - emphasizing resistance and interval training over long aerobic sessions

11 Eliminate milk (if you are sensitive to it, move this up the list)

12 Eliminate other dairy including cheese- (now you are "orthodox paleolithic")

More on Paleo Nutrition & grouse

I have been feeling very blue lately and figured that maybe VLC was to blame for low serotonin. Maybe it is slacking on my exercise in the winter darkness.  Or working some very long hours in January and February.  Regardless, I have been eating more carbs this week, and I feel a little better, particularly with some major deadlines behind me. But still worried that it's not the right direction. Grabbing m&m's by the handful just isn't a long-term solution.  Nor is snacking on the pastries at work, which call to me when I'm in the right mood.

But I am still (1) wanting to lighten up (mood & body fat); (2) maintain good health and avoid the  shark swimming in my gene pool, Type II diabetes.

The PaNu blog I like included a link to this new forum, PaleoHacks. I thought I'd share (and mostly keep track of it for myself by putting it into a post).  I will start writing down my food again and keeping good records.

My legs are wanting to go for a run. My knee is crunchy & coach says walk. I stretched today and did some bending exercises to lubricate the joint. Standing in the kitchen made me "aware" of my knee. It didn't hurt. But it felt a little swollen or puffy or something. So I am taking the nastiest supplement of collagen derivative, gelatin and glucosamine, plus highly refined fish oil.    And trying to figure out how many slacking bad habits I can repent.

The slack started when at the beginning of this year, I felt like I had reached my #1 and ONLY goal for 2009 (regain my fitness and lose weight) and I should now deal with finances and other aspects of my life.  My brain took that as "Instead" of health, not In Addition to health.  When the weather turned icy, I stopped riding my bike to work and started skipping mid-week runs.  And after Odie bit me I started asking my son to walk him in the evenings.  Now I have a crunchy knee.

I have bigger plans in my life than being sidelined due to a crunchy knee.  I found a goofy body weight training program that is so silly I won't name it. But it looks like a good program, even though I am a sucker for the Point-N-Click Download it now.  Looking at the materials, I keep thinking, I could do this.  So I will be sure to take before-n-after photos so I can create a cash-cow someday a la 4HWW.   Or maybe this guy has a better idea about work.

Even better, what to do with your unique talents and why I like what I do for a living. It's not work, it's a calling. So here's the plan. Do the PaNu 12 steps. Take Notes. Post here.  Live big. Start my new body weight exercise mission.  And take the dog for a long therapeutic walk tomorrow. And maybe run a tiny bit?  I'll check with the knee first.

finally a sensible plan

I feel like I finally found the holy grail for my body type and metabolism, etc. 

Paleo Nutrition.  Dr Harris, who writes the PaNu blog, was interviewed on a low carb podcast.  He presented his views with clarity and good sense.

And http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/ provides some straight-forward ideas for weight training and fitness.

And this review on Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes.  In 2007 Science Friday hosted a very interesting interview with Gary Taubes. As a journalist, he simplifies complex topics.  I found another interview on that same low-carb pod cast.  I enjoyed hearing in the second interview about the difficulties of changing the dominant paradigm. Taubes compared it to piloting a cruise ship from a lifeboat alongside.

My blueprint for success in 2010

The 80/20 rule means that what I eat produces the greatest effect on my body composition. I can't outtrain a crappy diet.  I am adapting the principles outlined at Mark's Daily Apple. I ordered Mark's book and look forward to reading it.

1. Eat lots of plants and animals

Focus on quality sources of protein (all forms of meat, fowl, fish), lots of colorful vegetables, some select fruits (mostly berries), and healthy fats (nuts, avocados, olive oil). Observe portion control (calorie distribution) week to week more than meal to meal. Eliminate grains, sugars, trans- and hydrogenated fats from my diet.
Start with Protein.  I need nearly one gram per pound of lean body weight. For me, that means between 90 and 110 grams/day.
Add some healthy carbs. My goal is to control insulin and avoid inflammation. I want to use body fat or dietary fat for fuel. To lose body fat, I need to keep carbs under 80 grams per day.
Heavy work out days? eat more.  Add up to 100 grams per hour of heavy exercise. When I reach my ideal body composition, increase to 100-150 grams per day.
The point is to keep good records and analyse the results. 
Eat lots of colorful vegetables. No sugars or grains. A few starchy veg.
Fats. Fill out the rest of my daily caloric requirement with fats. Keep protein and carbs constant. Fats are the variable.
If I feel like I need more fuel (and I’ve already covered my ases with protein and carbs)? Reach for something with fat. Nuts, avocados, coconut, eggs, butter, olive oil, fish, chicken, lamb, beef, the list is a long one.
100 grams of fats per day would only add 900 calories to my daily average.

Example:

Protein: 320-440 calories
Carbs: 400-600 calories
Fats: 900 calories
Total: between 1620 and 1940 calories a day.
Even if the model averages somewhere between 1400 and 2200 calories per day over a few weeks, as long as she pays attention to protein and carbs, her body composition will shift to lower body fat and more desirable lean mass. If she decides to do some walking, a few brief intense weight sessions and a sprint day here and there, that process would accelerate greatly. If she gets to a point where she’s content with her body fat, she can even add in a little more fat to provide energy that she previously got from her stored fat.
2. Move around a lot with pleasure.

Do some form of low level aerobic activity 2-5 hours a week, whether it is walking, hiking, easy bike riding or swimming. Ideally, and when possible, find time to go barefoot or wear as little foot support as possible. Low-level activity is necessary (especially if you find yourself chained to a desk every day). The combined effect will be an increase in capillary perfusion, fat-burning and overall integration of muscle strength and flexibility. Medicine for the mind.
3. Lift heavy things

Go to the gym and lift weights for 30-45 minutes, 2-3 times a week. Focus on movements that involve the entire body and in wider ranges of motion – not just on isolating body parts. Emulate the movements of our ancestors: jumping, squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, twisting, etc. This will stimulate your genes to increase muscle strength and power, increase bone density, improve insulin sensitivity, stimulate growth hormone secretion, and consume stored body fat.

4. Run really fast every a couple times a week
Do some form of intense anaerobic sprint bursts several times a week. This could be as simple as six or eight (or more) short sprints up a hill, on the grass, at the beach… or repeated intense sessions on a bicycle (stationary, road or mountain bike). These short bursts also increase HGH release (HGH is actually released in proportion to the intensity (not the duration) of the exercise).

5. Get Enough Sleep.
6. Play
7. Get some sunlight every day.
8. Avoid trauma.
Eliminate self-destructive behaviours. Solve problems.
9. Avoid poisonous things.
Chemicals, bad foods, sugar, processed food, mercury.
10. Use my mind.
Be inventive, creative, read, write, play a musical instrument.  Be sociable.   Learn something. Work with my hands.   Happy at home. Happy at work.

suggestions for avoiding foot pain, drinking water, and combatting fatigue

Suggestions for addressing my foot pain:

1) find a shoe that will not hurt the foot, and 2) don't limp or change my stride because of the pain in the foo. No worries if it does not get worse. I will go back to the store and see if I can find a shoe that will work for me.

On water consumption, Jeff suggests:

Remember that you should not consume more than @ 600ml per hour. Drinking more than this can produce a dangerous situation called hyponatremia. On long runs, the camelback or the fuelbelt products are used most commonly. Choose a route that allows you to refill at the half way point.

I think my consumption levels are below his recommendation. I will need to measure the flasks to see if I'm right.

Jeff suggests

When you are feeling flat, just take an extra day off, or run extra easy all
week--no fast running.

This is exactly what I did last week. He also suggested eating

a simple carbohydrate snack of about 250 calories, within 30 minutes of
finishing a long or fast run. On the short runs, eat a snack of about 100
calories of simple carbs.

After my long run, I ate 3/4 c veggie fried rice and shrimp, and then jumped on my bike. I bought some sports drink during the ride. Afterwards, I wasn't hungry. I think I didn't eat enough dinner that night.

Ready Set Run

To prepare for my Saturday long runs (which start at 8:15 when my buddy shows up at the front door), I make sure I drink all my 80 oz of water in the day before ~ no point trying to catch up the next day & slosh around while running.

I get up early (by 7 am) and eat Low Glycemic ~300 calorie balanced breakfast (30F-40C-30P) - usually a raspberry & strawberry fruit smoothie with whey protein powder and fish oil (can't taste it - I swear) - even though some say to avoid the fiber. I have a wand mixer that makes this very easy.

I also have two espresso's with a little milk - even though some say don't eat dairy before a run....I like the caffeine.

I drink 8-10 oz of water as soon as I am standing in front of the stove to make the coffee.

Getting up early gives my body time for its morning "toilet" routine, so I don't feel the call of nature on the run.

I bring sports dextrose tablets with me on the run - they're like lemon sugar wafers. I eat one about every half hour. They're about 15 cal each. More frequently towards the end of the run, if I'm feeling a little low. They dissolve. They're not sticky - not gummy bears or hard candy (blech...). This helps me avoid bonking.

I keep myself on a low-glycemic, moderate protein (~80 grams a day), No-White-Food (skip the wheat & white rice, mainly), calorie-deficit diet (trying to burn excess fat...). So I consider the tablets to help me guard against low blood sugar and make up for glycogen depletion while running. This could be pseudo-science on my part, but it works for me.

My running buddy carries these little water bottles on an elastic strap. I have some somewhere in a box I haven't unpacked yet.... But at the mid-point of my run, I'll drink about 6 oz - or what I'm thirsty for.

When I finish the run, I go to the kitchen and refuel within 30 minutes ~ a good carb selection with some protein - usually fresh grapefruit fruit juice and cheese sticks or a boiled egg, deli meat, whatever I can rummage in the fridge. There you go.