Sunday, January 3, 2010

2010's first post

I have been thinking about the thing that people do called resolutions. I find it a bit arbitrary and transparent. If the calendar and the months start over so should I? I don't get it and I am happy to say nothing for me is going to change. I have made my "resolution" a long time ago and have stuck to it regardless of where it falls on the calendar. And by resolution I mean get healthy and stay healthy. I am starting to wonder why I speak so much of what I used to do. I am learning to live in the present and think of where I am going to be in the future. I just think that it is funny to see a crap load more runners out there. HEY...WHERE WERE YOU 2 WEEKS AGO (when it was freezing)? Who knows may be they were out there. Just saying.


Blood sugar is the key to weight loss by far and away. Here I am 4 weeks since I began to eat a bit differently and I am reaping the benefits. Down 3 pounds a week for 4 weeks is 12 pounds and 4 cm off the circumference of my belly! For a guy who couldn't lose weight I think I finally figured it out. It is not like it is a destination, I realize I will never arrive there. It sure feels good to finally have a plan for ME and have it work. Here is a day in the life of RON these days with regard to food as requested.

7:30 am breakfast: A combination of fruit and protein. Here are some options I have. Small orange or pear, or small bowl of berries with a small source of protein; 2 eggs (I like them poached), small hand full of nuts with no salt, or to combine them with a protein shake.

10:30/11:00 feeding #2: Yogurt with nuts, or celery with peanut butter, or small fruit with beef jerky, you get the idea...
12:30/1:00 lunch: Salad with lots of veggies try for at least 5 serving of veggies, easy dressing with lots of chicken or turkey or some lean protein

4:00ish-same as #2

RUN/BIKE/SWIM....then immediately have some source of protein. I like the little Muscle milk lite shake that comes in a carton (its easy to mix because you don't, tastes good, very low sugar) or string cheese

6-7:00 Dinner: VEGGIES VEGGIES and lean protein cooked with healthy fat.

If I feel like it occasionally a same snack as before#2, but I have found that the better dinner I had I don't need a snack.

Here is what I am thinking, in part me and part what Bob thinks:
-Every meal has some carbs in the form of fruit or veggies and protein.
-Overall less calories in, in a healthy and comfortable way
-When you consume sugar you also consume protein to prevent a large insulin reaction
-No Gu's or during training nourishment (except for water) to ensure that your body will use fat for a source of energy in training or competition less than 3 hours.
-If there are less sugars around my brain actually functions better, I am able to eat small meals. Before I was sooo hungary that I would eat and eat until I wasn't hungary. Actually what happens with metabolically inefficient people is hunger is controlled by an area of the brain in charge of a chemical called serotonin which is secreted as a response to sugar. Therefore I am not hungary, I do not have unrelenting craving like I did, which means I can get less calories and still feel ok. before I was so damn hungary that It literally ruled my life. My relationships suffered as a result of this phenomenon. I am in control. First time ever.
-My food tastes so alive. If you eat a baked potato and you use a ton of butter and sour cream, why eat the potato? Its everything else that you like. So tasting fat is now negative and tasting fruit or vegetable I get the same rush I used to get with a burger or something. I think thats fun. Experimenting with new foods that previously were off limits because of taste or sheer self-limitation.
-OK so what about training with this way of eating? Its easier and cheaper. No special bars or gu's, on a training of less than 3 hours. If your out longer you need some nourishment. Studies show that you can only absorb 10-15% of what you consume during competition. Ya know that sloshing that goes on during the run? The excess that is not getting absorbed and quickly turns into GI stress. Over consumption. Having GI distress? No losing weight? perhaps you are YOUR METABOLICALLY INEFFICIENT TOO. If you get a metabolic efficiency test you can find out just what you should consume during training or racing. Then train that way and race like that...no issues. Also when I finish I am not super jittery and totally hungary. How did my week go?

Monday-4 mile recovery run
Tuesday-Spin
Wednesday-5 mile run
Thursday-4 mile run
Friday-rest
Saturday-Was supposed to be 16 miles long. Hung em up early secondary to wife's calf issue. We are training together and she will be happier if we keep a schedule together so I didn't go the distance. I went 7 or 8 or so. We will modify the schedule and get her calf better and move on.
Sunday-Bike ride of 20 miles or s0. My wife's first ride with clips so we practiced on some hills changing gears and managing clips. She seemed to into it. It took her a lot to get that going. She is stepping it up and I am proud of her. Meanwhile, I felt awesome. Are my bike legs rested? Hell yes but I also did not feel a muscular thing that I used to be limited by. Was my metabolic inefficiency limiting my bike? Time will tell, time will tell. I didn't look at the number yet but I felt fast. We will save that comment for a later post. QUOTE:

“Success, happiness, peace of mind and fulfillment - the most priceless of human treasures - are available to all among us, without exception, who make things happen - who make "good" things happen - in the world around them”
Joe Klock

Yes, ill take that. It IS available if you want it bad enough.

9 comments:

Karl Stutelberg said...

Great post Ron! I am happy for you. It sure is nice when things are working your way. Your detailed diet plan is well thought out. I believe if you are strict and consistent with it you will continue with your current progression. Your diet will of course play a huge roll in your weight loss no doubt, but you are also running quite a bit more. Dare I say twice as much. Just sayin.
I think it is a good thing that you took a decrease in weekend mileage. Remember that is important after 3-4 weeks of increasing.
Keep up the good work and remember, a good portion of your aerobic running fitness will translate over to your cycling fitness. Any weight loss will help too of course.
Have a great week!

Shannon said...

"I have made my "resolution" a long time ago and have stuck to it regardless of where it falls on the calendar."

Awesome quote!

BTW, your diet is exactly what I tell my clients to do and will be blogging about it soon. I'd like to reference your blog post. :)

Missy said...

That's great, congrats. Who needs the book, I'm just going to follow you:)

Tri-James said...

Thanks Ron - I was also a "bit heavier" a few years ago. Back then I switched to the multiple small meals and the 80/20 rule. If I ate correctly 80 % of the time I could eat anything I wanted 20% on the time. Now I am 37 years old and in much better shape. The 80/20 just does not work anymore.

Thanks for the food plan - we will all be following you!

Anonymous said...

Ron...interestingly enough..I am following the same approach to livign my life and managing my weight. It works for me, too!!

KEEP IT UP!!

And the fat oxidization ROX, doesn't it??

Ulyana said...

I feel the same about resolutions. I prefer "goals"... and the big goals seem to stretch out over years. Resolutions seem so intangible and really should be set the moment you realize that you are "lacking" in something.

Happy New YEar!

Chuck said...

Your daily food intake is almost identical to mind. I have also cut the Power Gels, GU's, Cliff bars, & sugar waters out of the life. Prior to being diagnosed with diabetes I use to eat peanut butter Cliff bars everyday and drink a lot of Gatorade. If you feel that you need nourishment for your long runs, you might want to look into Hammer Gels. Since they do not use simple sugar, they do not spike my blood sugar as much.

Karl gives great advice! Be careful when increasing your weekly mileage. You do not want to over stress yourself and get injured. Great job Ron!

Heidi Austin, PT, DPT said...

congrats on the changes you made and glad to hear that they aren't a part of a silly new years resolution! sounds like you are well on your way. i hope your hard work pays off in your racing in 2010!

But I finally made my decision for my year long clinical- I'm doing 6 months at 2 different outpatient ortho places. One is sports and the other is just a regular ortho place with a good PT. I'm hoping I might the right decision

Val said...

Man, I wish I knew youw ere having these issues! I have been following the way of eatinf ro the past year and it's what has helped my weightloss so much. Have you ever heard of Shakeology?? This stuff is like heaven powder!
http://myshakeology.com/esuite/home/kbeans

I'm actually getting ready to write a post on it tomorrow. Definitely check this stuff out.