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Thursday, August 16, 2012
The Next Crazy Idea
I want to run a 50-mile ultra marathon next October in Cuba, New Mexico.
Here we go......
Here we go......
Day 4, Week 2 - 12 week Half IM training
Incredibly sore from yesterday's CF WOD.
Could hardly get out of bed. Decided to take a rest day today instead of tomorrow.
Down another pound. Ate a ton of food at dinner but didn't eat anything after 7 PM.
Recovery day Menu:
morning smoothie (2c kale and spinach, 1c blueberries, ice, water, 1/4c fresh pear juice, 1/2 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp hemp protein, 1/2tsp maca powder, 1/2 tbsp spirulina powder).
Drank half of it this morning...saving the other half for before dinner.
Dinner - large raw salad, cauliflower bisque, lentils
Dessert - strawberries, cashews, celery and carrots with almond butter and tahini, frozen bananas
Could hardly get out of bed. Decided to take a rest day today instead of tomorrow.
Down another pound. Ate a ton of food at dinner but didn't eat anything after 7 PM.
Recovery day Menu:
morning smoothie (2c kale and spinach, 1c blueberries, ice, water, 1/4c fresh pear juice, 1/2 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp hemp protein, 1/2tsp maca powder, 1/2 tbsp spirulina powder).
Drank half of it this morning...saving the other half for before dinner.
Dinner - large raw salad, cauliflower bisque, lentils
Dessert - strawberries, cashews, celery and carrots with almond butter and tahini, frozen bananas
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Day 3, Week 2 - 12 week Half IM training
Woke at 5:30 AM.
CF WOD
For time:
135# back squat x 50
40 pullups
135# shoulder to overhead x 30
85# front squat x 50
40 pullups
85# shoulder to overhead x 30
65# overhead squat x 50
40 pullups
65# shoulder to overhead x 30
31:08
Total time 45'
This was pretty tough although not as tough as I had imagined.
I did the first set of squats in sets of 10, pullups were 15-15-10, S2O was 10-5-5-5-5...took 11:20.
Second set was 15-15-10-10 on squats, 20-15-5 on pulls, 10-10-10 on S2O...took 9:57.
Last set was 15-15-10-10 on squats, 15-15-10 on pulls, 15-15 on S2O...took 9:51.
Interval Run
8x200m with 45" rest
1 - 35.08
2 - 35.01
3 - 33.99
4 - 35.36
5 - 34.52
6 - 37.45 (even numbers were into a head wind...that and the short recovery finally caught up to me)
7 - 35.52
8 - 37.27
Good run. Ran on ACU Track at lunch.
Total time was 21:09
Total distance = 1.5 miles
Menu:
Post WOD - smoothie (2c spinach/kale, 1c blueberries, 1.5 water, 1c ice cubes, 1/2 tsp maca powder, 1/2 tbsp spirulina, 1 scoop vega protein, small piece of ginger, 1/2 tbsp chia seeds)...that one was really good.
Dinner - large raw salad, Cauliflower Bisque, pinto beans
Dessert - carrots and celery with almond butter and tahini, handful of cashews
CF WOD
For time:
135# back squat x 50
40 pullups
135# shoulder to overhead x 30
85# front squat x 50
40 pullups
85# shoulder to overhead x 30
65# overhead squat x 50
40 pullups
65# shoulder to overhead x 30
31:08
Total time 45'
This was pretty tough although not as tough as I had imagined.
I did the first set of squats in sets of 10, pullups were 15-15-10, S2O was 10-5-5-5-5...took 11:20.
Second set was 15-15-10-10 on squats, 20-15-5 on pulls, 10-10-10 on S2O...took 9:57.
Last set was 15-15-10-10 on squats, 15-15-10 on pulls, 15-15 on S2O...took 9:51.
Interval Run
8x200m with 45" rest
1 - 35.08
2 - 35.01
3 - 33.99
4 - 35.36
5 - 34.52
6 - 37.45 (even numbers were into a head wind...that and the short recovery finally caught up to me)
7 - 35.52
8 - 37.27
Good run. Ran on ACU Track at lunch.
Total time was 21:09
Total distance = 1.5 miles
Menu:
Post WOD - smoothie (2c spinach/kale, 1c blueberries, 1.5 water, 1c ice cubes, 1/2 tsp maca powder, 1/2 tbsp spirulina, 1 scoop vega protein, small piece of ginger, 1/2 tbsp chia seeds)...that one was really good.
Dinner - large raw salad, Cauliflower Bisque, pinto beans
Dessert - carrots and celery with almond butter and tahini, handful of cashews
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Protein Myth - thought for the day
#funfoodfacts
What is a "complete protein"? You hear that all time. Meat, milk, eggs...all "complete."
That means that the protein in those sources is made up of all 9 essential amino acids. There are 20 total, 11 are made by your body, you need 9 from food.
The belief used to be that you had to get all 9 essential amino acids (what protein is essentially made up of) into your belly all at once or it was no good.
The belief also used to be that the North American continent didn't exist.
What studies have found in recent years (which have yet to break through the animal protein juggernaut) is that your body is a lot smarter than we think.
It doesn't need all 9 amino acids. There doesn't have to be food combining at every meal.
Your body will store the amino acids and as long as it gets them all, it will still make protein.
So all you need to do is eat a wide variety of plant-based, whole foods, and you won't need to worry about "complete" protein because your body will make it complete when it has all the parts.
The only trick is to get it all the parts. So if you eat donut sticks all day, you won't be getting the complete protein you need.
Lots of green leafys, lots of legumes, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, spirulina, chia seeds...you know, the usual stuff.
What is a "complete protein"? You hear that all time. Meat, milk, eggs...all "complete."
That means that the protein in those sources is made up of all 9 essential amino acids. There are 20 total, 11 are made by your body, you need 9 from food.
The belief used to be that you had to get all 9 essential amino acids (what protein is essentially made up of) into your belly all at once or it was no good.
The belief also used to be that the North American continent didn't exist.
What studies have found in recent years (which have yet to break through the animal protein juggernaut) is that your body is a lot smarter than we think.
It doesn't need all 9 amino acids. There doesn't have to be food combining at every meal.
Your body will store the amino acids and as long as it gets them all, it will still make protein.
So all you need to do is eat a wide variety of plant-based, whole foods, and you won't need to worry about "complete" protein because your body will make it complete when it has all the parts.
The only trick is to get it all the parts. So if you eat donut sticks all day, you won't be getting the complete protein you need.
Lots of green leafys, lots of legumes, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, spirulina, chia seeds...you know, the usual stuff.
Day 2, Week 2 - 12 week Half IM training
woke at 5:30 AM.
Interval bike
5x5'TT with 2' rest
interval, watts, distance
1 - 257, 1.72
2 - 258, 1.78
3 - 265, 1.85
4 - 280, 1.93
5 - 303, 2.03
Total time was 43'
Distance was 12 miles
I thought I was going hard on those first two but they ended up being much less than what I probably could have gone...that's why I love the power meter.
Before that last one I said to myself, "this is going to hurt...but get 2 miles in"...and I did.
Had my bike pointed toward the east and watched the sun come up over the field by our house. Cool scene.
CF WOD
3 x
10 squat clean with 105#
10 push jerk with 105#
30 DBUs
8:22
Total time 20'
Got the first set unbroken then the last two were 6-4 on the cleans and 5-5 on the jerks...
Menu:
post bike - smoothie (lots of spinach, 1c blueberries, 1c ice, 1c water, 1 scoop vega protein, spoonful of chia, ginger)
post-WOD - smoothie (lots of spinach, 1c blueberries, 1c ice, 1c water, 1 tbsp spirulina, 1/2 tsp maca root powder, ginger)
Dinner - large salad, cooked veggies in no salt canned tomatoes, pinto beans
Dessert - 16oz strawberries, LARA bar, handful of carob raisins, frozen bananas and cashews
Stuffed...but stopped eating at 8 and wasn't full when I went to bed.
Interval bike
5x5'TT with 2' rest
interval, watts, distance
1 - 257, 1.72
2 - 258, 1.78
3 - 265, 1.85
4 - 280, 1.93
5 - 303, 2.03
Total time was 43'
Distance was 12 miles
I thought I was going hard on those first two but they ended up being much less than what I probably could have gone...that's why I love the power meter.
Before that last one I said to myself, "this is going to hurt...but get 2 miles in"...and I did.
Had my bike pointed toward the east and watched the sun come up over the field by our house. Cool scene.
CF WOD
3 x
10 squat clean with 105#
10 push jerk with 105#
30 DBUs
8:22
Total time 20'
Got the first set unbroken then the last two were 6-4 on the cleans and 5-5 on the jerks...
Menu:
post bike - smoothie (lots of spinach, 1c blueberries, 1c ice, 1c water, 1 scoop vega protein, spoonful of chia, ginger)
post-WOD - smoothie (lots of spinach, 1c blueberries, 1c ice, 1c water, 1 tbsp spirulina, 1/2 tsp maca root powder, ginger)
Dinner - large salad, cooked veggies in no salt canned tomatoes, pinto beans
Dessert - 16oz strawberries, LARA bar, handful of carob raisins, frozen bananas and cashews
Stuffed...but stopped eating at 8 and wasn't full when I went to bed.
Monday, August 13, 2012
How to Cool a Stove Top
Just a quick thought I had while conversing with my wife over the weekend:
Our current health care system is completely absurd. Not to put blame on any one entity or sector entirely because it's everybody's fault.
It's like getting mad at all the gossip magazines and reality TV shows that keep popping up every time you turn around. Well guess what? If people didn't demand that stuff and consume it with ferocity, it wouldn't exist...so there's plenty of blame to go around.
I'm also not talking about ObamaCare or any sort of health care plan or new bill or saying anything political.
I'm talking about the nuts and bolts of the system. The foundation. What it's built on. Which is one thing: treatment.
That being said...
Let's imagine a hypothetical stove top in a hypothetical household kitchen (can you ever really imagine any other kind?).
All four burners are on. They're on high. The stove top is burning a bright, hot red. Got the image?
OK...now we have an assignment: get the stove top to room temperature.
Easy enough. The simplest and most effective strategy would probably be what you've already thought of inside your head...yes...turn the knobs to "off". Problem solved.
But what if we tried something else?
What if someone proposed the idea that to get the burners cool, we need to use ice or cold water to counteract the heat of the coils.
What would that strategy look like in execution?
See where I'm going with this? It would be extremely complicated and it would cost MUCH, MUCH more than the first and easier method.
But THAT'S the system.
We could all be healthy very easily by making better and more intentional choices about what we fuel our bodies and minds with.
But instead of doing that...aka shutting the knobs off and going to do something else more fun...our health care system is fumbling over itself trying to treat high blood pressure with this medication, then treat the side-effects of that medication with another medication.
Before you know it, you're running out of room in your medicine cabinet and have to buy a whole new medicine cabinet just to hold all your medicine.
Billions of dollars go in to treatment research each year...and that's great. But think of the good some of that money could do if we simply turned the knobs off and prevented diseases in the first place?
How simple! But at the same time how incredibly far-fetched and unrealistic...and how sad.
Until we start trying to prevent diseases, the vicious cycle will never be shut down.
And in my opinion, you can prevent and stave off diseases by eating a plant-based, whole foods diet (notice I didn't say you had to completely eliminate animal products although I believe that is the most effective method), getting good sleep, exercising regularly, and staying calm and relaxed.
Until everyone starts doing that...we're just going to keep trying to cool off the stove with a complicated and expensive ice water cooling method instead of just turning the blasted thing off.
Our current health care system is completely absurd. Not to put blame on any one entity or sector entirely because it's everybody's fault.
It's like getting mad at all the gossip magazines and reality TV shows that keep popping up every time you turn around. Well guess what? If people didn't demand that stuff and consume it with ferocity, it wouldn't exist...so there's plenty of blame to go around.
I'm also not talking about ObamaCare or any sort of health care plan or new bill or saying anything political.
I'm talking about the nuts and bolts of the system. The foundation. What it's built on. Which is one thing: treatment.
That being said...
Let's imagine a hypothetical stove top in a hypothetical household kitchen (can you ever really imagine any other kind?).
All four burners are on. They're on high. The stove top is burning a bright, hot red. Got the image?
OK...now we have an assignment: get the stove top to room temperature.
Easy enough. The simplest and most effective strategy would probably be what you've already thought of inside your head...yes...turn the knobs to "off". Problem solved.
But what if we tried something else?
What if someone proposed the idea that to get the burners cool, we need to use ice or cold water to counteract the heat of the coils.
What would that strategy look like in execution?
- You'd need a lot of ice or cold water.
- You'd need a way to keep that cooling mechanism continuously flowing onto the burners 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- You'd need a way to funnel the run off in such a way as to not flood the surrounding kitchen.
- You'd need someone to monitor the situation.
- You'd need a supplier of cold water or ice.
- You'd need someone to handle the run off.
- You'd need someone or something to constantly check the temperature of the stove.
- Then those people are going to need insurance.
- And you'll probably need to get some insurance for that system of gutters and flowing water you've set up in the kitchen.
- Someone needs to monitor those people to make sure they're not sleeping on the job...
See where I'm going with this? It would be extremely complicated and it would cost MUCH, MUCH more than the first and easier method.
But THAT'S the system.
We could all be healthy very easily by making better and more intentional choices about what we fuel our bodies and minds with.
But instead of doing that...aka shutting the knobs off and going to do something else more fun...our health care system is fumbling over itself trying to treat high blood pressure with this medication, then treat the side-effects of that medication with another medication.
Before you know it, you're running out of room in your medicine cabinet and have to buy a whole new medicine cabinet just to hold all your medicine.
Billions of dollars go in to treatment research each year...and that's great. But think of the good some of that money could do if we simply turned the knobs off and prevented diseases in the first place?
How simple! But at the same time how incredibly far-fetched and unrealistic...and how sad.
Until we start trying to prevent diseases, the vicious cycle will never be shut down.
And in my opinion, you can prevent and stave off diseases by eating a plant-based, whole foods diet (notice I didn't say you had to completely eliminate animal products although I believe that is the most effective method), getting good sleep, exercising regularly, and staying calm and relaxed.
Until everyone starts doing that...we're just going to keep trying to cool off the stove with a complicated and expensive ice water cooling method instead of just turning the blasted thing off.
Day1, Week 2 - 12 week Half IM training
A "Juice Monday"...
Interval Swim
5:2.5
6:3
7..done.
33:30 total
Total distance = 1,500 yards
After a 10' warmup including a 3.5' 200yard swim, I did these three long intervals.
Swam 313y in five minutes.
Then got 368y in the six minute set.
Last set was an even 425 (8.5 laps) which I was happy with. Felt good in the water.
A full week of solid eating made a difference today.
Menu:
"lunch" juice - broccoli, spinach, sweet potato, celery, carrots, apples, ginger
"dinner" juice - broccoli, romaine, apples, celery, carrots, apples, ginger
herbal tea before bed...
Interval Swim
5:2.5
6:3
7..done.
33:30 total
Total distance = 1,500 yards
After a 10' warmup including a 3.5' 200yard swim, I did these three long intervals.
Swam 313y in five minutes.
Then got 368y in the six minute set.
Last set was an even 425 (8.5 laps) which I was happy with. Felt good in the water.
A full week of solid eating made a difference today.
Menu:
"lunch" juice - broccoli, spinach, sweet potato, celery, carrots, apples, ginger
"dinner" juice - broccoli, romaine, apples, celery, carrots, apples, ginger
herbal tea before bed...
Week 1 Breakdown
Swim: 1:42 (4,321 yards)
Bike: 2:20 (45 miles)
Run: 1:44 (12 miles)
CF: 1:10
Total volume: 6:56
Bike: 2:20 (45 miles)
Run: 1:44 (12 miles)
CF: 1:10
Total volume: 6:56
Day 7, Week 1 - 12 week Half IM training
Benbrook Sprint Triathlon at Benbrook Lake east of Arlington.
Finished 3rd in the 30-34 age group with a time of 1:10:14. 12th overall.
500m Swim: 10:00 (45th place)
13 mile Bike: 37:50 (11th place)
5K Run: 20:05, 6:26 mile pace (14th place)
T1: 1:30
T2: 46"
Happy with transition times. Fun race. All within the park. Crazy to think that the Ironman swim took 10 minutes longer than this entire race did...ha!
Woke at 4:45 AM. Had a banana about 45' before race start.
No wetsuit. Water felt great.
Menu:
didn't eat much until dinner time then had a bunch of stuff from Sprouts (trail mix, wasabe peas, cashews, LARA bar) and a bean burrito and a couple of cookies. Not a great eating day but I had a really good week of eating and tomorrow is a Juice Monday.
Day 6, Week 1 - 12 week Half IM training
Long Bike
25 miles
20.32 mph
134 HR
192 watts
1:13:50 time
Rode up and around lake. Good ride. Wind not too bad. Legs still very fatigued but I think this ride will loosen them up a little bit for my race in the morning.
Menu:
Post-Wod - smoothie (2c spinach, 1c blueberries, 1c water, 1c ice, vega protein, flax seed)
Dinner - spaghetti squash, large salad, lentils, strawberries, broccoli and homemade hummus
Note*
Was extremely full after eating all of that for dinner but shut down the eating at 8 PM. Felt great and was down another pound today.
25 miles
20.32 mph
134 HR
192 watts
1:13:50 time
Rode up and around lake. Good ride. Wind not too bad. Legs still very fatigued but I think this ride will loosen them up a little bit for my race in the morning.
Menu:
Post-Wod - smoothie (2c spinach, 1c blueberries, 1c water, 1c ice, vega protein, flax seed)
Dinner - spaghetti squash, large salad, lentils, strawberries, broccoli and homemade hummus
Note*
Was extremely full after eating all of that for dinner but shut down the eating at 8 PM. Felt great and was down another pound today.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Day 5, Week 1 - 12 week Half IM training
Interval Swim
15x25 on 30"
so after a 10' warmup I swam two 25y sprints every minute for 7.5 minutes.
Got them all at or < 20. First one was 18. Got a few sub 20s thrown in there throughout the WOD.
Tougher than I thought it was going to be.
(28' total)
Played basketball at lunch.
Menu:
post-WOD recovery smoothie - see pic below
Dinner - salad, spaghetti squash topped with no salt canned tomatoes, pinto beans, broccoli with hummus, berries for dessert
15x25 on 30"
so after a 10' warmup I swam two 25y sprints every minute for 7.5 minutes.
Got them all at or < 20. First one was 18. Got a few sub 20s thrown in there throughout the WOD.
Tougher than I thought it was going to be.
(28' total)
Played basketball at lunch.
Menu:
post-WOD recovery smoothie - see pic below
Dinner - salad, spaghetti squash topped with no salt canned tomatoes, pinto beans, broccoli with hummus, berries for dessert
Post WOD recovery
Feeling pretty sluggish during swim today and playing basketball.
Needed something with a little more "oomph" than just the vega protein in water.
1 scoop vega protein (pictured above): 93 calories, 10g protein, 2g fat, 8g carbs
1 cup blueberries: 84 calories, 1.1g protein, 0.5g fat, 21.4g carbs
2 cups spinach: 14 calories, 1.7g protein, 0.2g fat, 2.2g carbs
1 tbsp flaxseed: 40 calories, 1.5g protein, 3g fat, 2g carbs
Total: 231 calories, 14.3g protein, 5.7g fat, 33.6g carbs
58% carbs
21% protein
21% fat
Pretty good breakdown.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Pic of Dinner
So to give an idea of what and how much I typically eat at dinner.
Keep in mind that all I've had before this is 1 scoop of vega protein mixed in water.
- Far left: medium to small sized spaghetti squash (which makes quite a large amount but it's super low in calories - 1 cup has about 80 calories) topped with cooked tomatoes and cooked mushrooms (I cooked the veggies in some water and a little bit of red wine vinegar).
- Small glass bowl: pinto beans we slow cooked on Monday - topped with a spoonful of jalapenos
- Small white bowl: homemade hummus - hemp seed, tahini (2 tbsp each), garlic powder, 1 can of no salt added garbanzo beans, juice from 1 lemon (ate about 3/4 of it)
- Bigger white bowl: raw broccoli crowns (I didn't eat the whole bowl)
- Salad - mixed greens, tomato, red onion, celery, sunflower seeds, walnuts, 1/2 avocado
- Dessert - strawberries, shared the 16 oz container with the girls
I was very full by the time I finished dinner at around 7 PM. I had 1 carrot with tahini right at 8 PM and that's all I've had. See post below about sleep...gonna let the leptin start to work!
Sleep...Precious Sleep
Want to maximize your fitness gains and burn the most amount of fast possible? Get good sleep.
The circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle of hormones and transmitters our bodies produce for maximum efficiency. However, our society has done a great job of completely hay-wiring that rhythm with long work days, late night TV watching sessions, only getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night, etc...
You've probably heard of melatonin, it's the hormone your body releases at night to get you ready for nighty night time.
In the morning, the light of the new day brings melatonin secretion to a halt which makes room for cortisol (think fight or flight, adrenaline, little aliens smashing metal pots together inside your head).
Ghrelin is also released in the morning. This hormone makes you hungry...it's an appetite enhancer. Your brain saying "I need energy to survive, go get me some energy."
If you don't get a dose of sunlight first thing in the morning, your cycle will be all funky, you won't really wake up (ever wonder why rainy days seem like "lazy" days? Not a coincidence), and your body will have a hard time secreting melatonin that night which further enhances the problem.
Cortisol secretion begins to slow down in the evening making way for leptin (my favorite hormone), the appetite suppressor. Leptin does the opposite of ghrelin. It says, "time to get ready for bed, I'm shutting down the stomach furnace and will now get energy from fat stores while we sleep."
BUT - if you eat dinner late at night, or eat a normal dinner then eat a late night snack, you can hinder leptin production and won't get full fat-burning potential when you're counting sheep.
When melatonin is at its peak secretion (roughly 3 hours after sunset), there's another compound released called agouti protein which, if not balanced out by leptin, will make you hungry...and the vicious late night hunger cycle begins.
So you eat dinner, everything's fine, then you eat a snack (maybe a piece of fruit or a sandwich), so the leptin that makes you NOT hungry isn't fully functioning, melatonin causes agouti protein to be released, leptin is gone, you get hungry again, and you eat some more unneeded calories...even if they're "good" calories...they're still not needed.
Melatonin also does a lot of crazy stuff when you're sleeping, too, and if it's production has been hindered by ill-timed food or a lot of blue light (think TV and computer) retina exposure, it won't work.
That crazy stuff includes burning fat, regulating thyroid function, rebuilds muscle tissue (vital for athletes and kiddos), and releases human growth hormone (yes, the stuff the baseball players used).
So in conclusion, limit bright, artificial lights after dark, don't eat a couple of hours after it gets dark, and expose yourself to sunlight first thing in the morning and you'll take full advantage of all the amazing things the body is designed to do during the amazing process we call sleep.
All of the information in this post came from the August issue of LAVA magazine.
The circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle of hormones and transmitters our bodies produce for maximum efficiency. However, our society has done a great job of completely hay-wiring that rhythm with long work days, late night TV watching sessions, only getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night, etc...
You've probably heard of melatonin, it's the hormone your body releases at night to get you ready for nighty night time.
In the morning, the light of the new day brings melatonin secretion to a halt which makes room for cortisol (think fight or flight, adrenaline, little aliens smashing metal pots together inside your head).
Ghrelin is also released in the morning. This hormone makes you hungry...it's an appetite enhancer. Your brain saying "I need energy to survive, go get me some energy."
If you don't get a dose of sunlight first thing in the morning, your cycle will be all funky, you won't really wake up (ever wonder why rainy days seem like "lazy" days? Not a coincidence), and your body will have a hard time secreting melatonin that night which further enhances the problem.
Cortisol secretion begins to slow down in the evening making way for leptin (my favorite hormone), the appetite suppressor. Leptin does the opposite of ghrelin. It says, "time to get ready for bed, I'm shutting down the stomach furnace and will now get energy from fat stores while we sleep."
BUT - if you eat dinner late at night, or eat a normal dinner then eat a late night snack, you can hinder leptin production and won't get full fat-burning potential when you're counting sheep.
When melatonin is at its peak secretion (roughly 3 hours after sunset), there's another compound released called agouti protein which, if not balanced out by leptin, will make you hungry...and the vicious late night hunger cycle begins.
So you eat dinner, everything's fine, then you eat a snack (maybe a piece of fruit or a sandwich), so the leptin that makes you NOT hungry isn't fully functioning, melatonin causes agouti protein to be released, leptin is gone, you get hungry again, and you eat some more unneeded calories...even if they're "good" calories...they're still not needed.
Melatonin also does a lot of crazy stuff when you're sleeping, too, and if it's production has been hindered by ill-timed food or a lot of blue light (think TV and computer) retina exposure, it won't work.
That crazy stuff includes burning fat, regulating thyroid function, rebuilds muscle tissue (vital for athletes and kiddos), and releases human growth hormone (yes, the stuff the baseball players used).
So in conclusion, limit bright, artificial lights after dark, don't eat a couple of hours after it gets dark, and expose yourself to sunlight first thing in the morning and you'll take full advantage of all the amazing things the body is designed to do during the amazing process we call sleep.
All of the information in this post came from the August issue of LAVA magazine.
Day 4, Week 1 - 12 week Half IM training
Long Run (12 PM)
10' jog (5 laps)
5x800m with 1:1 work:rest ratio
10' cool down jog
Took 50'
HR averaged 160 for the entire workout...that's high...really hot.
1 - 2:58 (hr 168)
2 - 2:59 (hr 168)
3 - 2:59 (hr 170)
4 - 2:59 (hr 174)
5 - 2:59 (hr 174)
Those heart rates are REALLY high...so dang hot. I just barely hung on to sub-3' the whole run but I'm happy I was able to do it.
Plus I'm SUPER sore from 50 1-legged squats yesterday.
CF WOD (5:30 PM)
5x3 bench press
185 on all sets. Probably could have done more but #1) didn't have a spotter and #2) didn't want to tweak my back again after it has started to feel much better.
Total workout time about 20 minutes
Menu:
post-run - vega protein shake
Dinner - see pic above.
No food after 8 PM
Drank a gallon of water today.
10' jog (5 laps)
5x800m with 1:1 work:rest ratio
10' cool down jog
Took 50'
HR averaged 160 for the entire workout...that's high...really hot.
1 - 2:58 (hr 168)
2 - 2:59 (hr 168)
3 - 2:59 (hr 170)
4 - 2:59 (hr 174)
5 - 2:59 (hr 174)
Those heart rates are REALLY high...so dang hot. I just barely hung on to sub-3' the whole run but I'm happy I was able to do it.
Plus I'm SUPER sore from 50 1-legged squats yesterday.
CF WOD (5:30 PM)
5x3 bench press
185 on all sets. Probably could have done more but #1) didn't have a spotter and #2) didn't want to tweak my back again after it has started to feel much better.
Total workout time about 20 minutes
Menu:
post-run - vega protein shake
Dinner - see pic above.
No food after 8 PM
Drank a gallon of water today.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Day 3, Week 1 - 12 week Half IM training
woke at 6 AM.
Long swim
WU: 400
MS:
12x 25 (ez/med/fast) on 10" rest
400 on 20" rest
2x200 on 15" rest
4x100 on 10" rest
200 easy
3x150 with paddles
6x50 fast on 10"
CD: 200
3,200 yards
1:03:49 total time. Good swim. ACU rec center...only one in the pool this morning. This workout took me about five minutes longer last year.
CF WOD
2000m row
50 pistols
30 hang clean with 155#
19:42
Total workout time 30'
Did the pistols standing on top of a box. No support on way down or up...doing it off the box just means you don't have to keep your other leg out straight. Rx'd was 185# but my lower back is still feeling a little funny and I didn't want to push it. 155 was plenty.
I can tell that my extra pistol work has made a difference.
Menu:
post-swim - vega protein shake
lunch - salad with celery, onions, jalapenos, cucumbers
Dinner - small salad (romaine, cucumber, celery, carrots, sunflower seeds, walnuts)
rest of the hummus from yesterday with broccoli
spaghetti squash with cooked mushrooms and tomatoes (yuuum)
Snack - frozen bananas, blueberries, walnuts, carob powder, almond milk all pureed together. Hope ate half of it...like chocolate, banana ice cream...incredibly good. Leftover bean wrap from girls dinner last night.
Popped amaranth at around 10 PM...been a while since I've had that.
Gallon of water every day this week, too.
Long swim
WU: 400
MS:
12x 25 (ez/med/fast) on 10" rest
400 on 20" rest
2x200 on 15" rest
4x100 on 10" rest
200 easy
3x150 with paddles
6x50 fast on 10"
CD: 200
3,200 yards
1:03:49 total time. Good swim. ACU rec center...only one in the pool this morning. This workout took me about five minutes longer last year.
CF WOD
2000m row
50 pistols
30 hang clean with 155#
19:42
Total workout time 30'
Did the pistols standing on top of a box. No support on way down or up...doing it off the box just means you don't have to keep your other leg out straight. Rx'd was 185# but my lower back is still feeling a little funny and I didn't want to push it. 155 was plenty.
I can tell that my extra pistol work has made a difference.
Menu:
post-swim - vega protein shake
lunch - salad with celery, onions, jalapenos, cucumbers
Dinner - small salad (romaine, cucumber, celery, carrots, sunflower seeds, walnuts)
rest of the hummus from yesterday with broccoli
spaghetti squash with cooked mushrooms and tomatoes (yuuum)
Snack - frozen bananas, blueberries, walnuts, carob powder, almond milk all pureed together. Hope ate half of it...like chocolate, banana ice cream...incredibly good. Leftover bean wrap from girls dinner last night.
Popped amaranth at around 10 PM...been a while since I've had that.
Gallon of water every day this week, too.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Day 2, Week 1 - 12 week Half IM training
Woke at 7:15 AM.
Was going to wake up early and run but just couldn't wake up. I'm out of the "waking up early" routine...need to fix that.
Interval Run
5:2.5
6:3
7...done
Did 1,250 meters the 5' set. (HR 159)
1,500 the 6' set. (HR 162)
1,750 the 7' set. (HR 165)
I've run faster on that WOD but was happy with the workout. Legs/body feel great.
Did these as 400m shuttles on Liberty street by my house so my distances were a little less than if I'd been on a track.
Total run time was 33:30
Menu:
post-run - vega protein shake
Dinner - homemade hummus and broccoli
(hummus - 1 can of no salt white kidney beans, 2 tbsp tahini, juice from 1 lemon, 1 tsp each of garlic powder and dill, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper)
16 oz of strawberries, baby carrots, green tea
No food after 8 PM.
Was going to wake up early and run but just couldn't wake up. I'm out of the "waking up early" routine...need to fix that.
Interval Run
5:2.5
6:3
7...done
Did 1,250 meters the 5' set. (HR 159)
1,500 the 6' set. (HR 162)
1,750 the 7' set. (HR 165)
I've run faster on that WOD but was happy with the workout. Legs/body feel great.
Did these as 400m shuttles on Liberty street by my house so my distances were a little less than if I'd been on a track.
Total run time was 33:30
Menu:
post-run - vega protein shake
Dinner - homemade hummus and broccoli
(hummus - 1 can of no salt white kidney beans, 2 tbsp tahini, juice from 1 lemon, 1 tsp each of garlic powder and dill, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper)
16 oz of strawberries, baby carrots, green tea
No food after 8 PM.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Day 1, Week 1 - 12 week Half IM training
Interval Bike
5 x 1M with 90" rest
Interval - Speed - Watts - Time
1 - 25.44 - 304 - 2:21
2 - 25.77 - 286 - 2:21
3 - 26.84 - 304 - 2:15
4 - 26.99 - 316 - 2:14
5 - 27.79 - 323 - 2:09
Did this morning. Good way to start the training.
Total time of 27:20
Workout 1 of about 120 in the next 12 weeks.
Also have three races to use as tune-ups as well within that time frame.
CF WOD
8x
20" of muscle ups
10" rest
20" of 135# clean and jerk
10" rest
16 MUs
18 C&J
Total time of 20'
I did 2 MUs every set of 20". Don't think I could have averaged much better than that even on a really good day.
Did 3 C&J the first and eighth round...2 every other round. Did them pretty slow and deliberate.
Slight pain in my lower back from the last 10 days (overhead walk, clean and jerk a few days ago, etc...). Going to chiropractor on Thursday morning...should fix me right up.
Menu:
post bike - vega protein shake
Lunch juice - broccoli, apples, carrots, romaine, spinach, cucumber, sweet potato, beets
Dinner juice - same as lunch
5 x 1M with 90" rest
Interval - Speed - Watts - Time
1 - 25.44 - 304 - 2:21
2 - 25.77 - 286 - 2:21
3 - 26.84 - 304 - 2:15
4 - 26.99 - 316 - 2:14
5 - 27.79 - 323 - 2:09
Did this morning. Good way to start the training.
Total time of 27:20
Workout 1 of about 120 in the next 12 weeks.
Also have three races to use as tune-ups as well within that time frame.
CF WOD
8x
20" of muscle ups
10" rest
20" of 135# clean and jerk
10" rest
16 MUs
18 C&J
Total time of 20'
I did 2 MUs every set of 20". Don't think I could have averaged much better than that even on a really good day.
Did 3 C&J the first and eighth round...2 every other round. Did them pretty slow and deliberate.
Slight pain in my lower back from the last 10 days (overhead walk, clean and jerk a few days ago, etc...). Going to chiropractor on Thursday morning...should fix me right up.
Menu:
post bike - vega protein shake
Lunch juice - broccoli, apples, carrots, romaine, spinach, cucumber, sweet potato, beets
Dinner juice - same as lunch
Friday and the Weekend
CFE bike
8x.25M with 2" rest
Interval - Speed - Watts - Time
1 - 31.4 - 458 - 28
2 - 32.61 - 469 - 27
3 - 32.15 - 475 - 28
4 - 33.9 - 467 - 27
5 - 38.4 - 512 - 25
6 - 37.1 - 514 - 25
7 - 32.73 - 502 - 28
8 - 39.93 - 529 - 21
Good workout....LOVE training inside with powermeter.
Took rest days Saturday and Sunday since Half Ironman training starts Monday.
8x.25M with 2" rest
Interval - Speed - Watts - Time
1 - 31.4 - 458 - 28
2 - 32.61 - 469 - 27
3 - 32.15 - 475 - 28
4 - 33.9 - 467 - 27
5 - 38.4 - 512 - 25
6 - 37.1 - 514 - 25
7 - 32.73 - 502 - 28
8 - 39.93 - 529 - 21
Good workout....LOVE training inside with powermeter.
Took rest days Saturday and Sunday since Half Ironman training starts Monday.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Thursday
CF WOD
15 x
115# power clean x 30 every 30"
7.5 minutes total...really just a glorified warmup
then...
5 x
30" HSPU
60" burpee box jump, 24in
90" 10 meter shuttle sprint
60" rest
I did 42 reps in first round, 41 in last and lost track in between...I'm thinking it was somewhere around 210 total reps...totally terrible workout.
CFE tempo swim
1,750 yards (35 down and back)
33:07
Decent swim considering how incredibly sore I am from yesterday's run and hero WOD.
Menu:
vega protein post WOD - coconut water
strawberries after swim
Dinner - homemade hummus and broccoli, celery/almond butter, black beans mixed with avocado, little bit of leftover spaghetti squash, frozen fruit (same as yesterday), cashews, 1/2 pita pocket and 1 small Ezekial tortilla
15 x
115# power clean x 30 every 30"
7.5 minutes total...really just a glorified warmup
then...
5 x
30" HSPU
60" burpee box jump, 24in
90" 10 meter shuttle sprint
60" rest
I did 42 reps in first round, 41 in last and lost track in between...I'm thinking it was somewhere around 210 total reps...totally terrible workout.
CFE tempo swim
1,750 yards (35 down and back)
33:07
Decent swim considering how incredibly sore I am from yesterday's run and hero WOD.
Menu:
vega protein post WOD - coconut water
strawberries after swim
Dinner - homemade hummus and broccoli, celery/almond butter, black beans mixed with avocado, little bit of leftover spaghetti squash, frozen fruit (same as yesterday), cashews, 1/2 pita pocket and 1 small Ezekial tortilla
Wednesday
CFE time trial
10 miles
Ran in the heat of the day. Over 100 degrees.
1:25:51
HR averaged 157.
To put that in perspective, my heart rate over a marathon running FASTER than that pace is about 140. It was in the 160s for most of the last six miles. Heat is hot.
CF WOD
HubCity Lubbock
"Paul"
5 x
50 double unders
35 knee to elbows
135# 20yard overhead walk (rx'd was 185...little too heavy for me to control correctly and safely)
Menu:
pre run - 16 oz strawberries, coconut water
Dinner - broccoli and homemade hummus, celery/almond butter, carob cubes, cashews, frozen fruit (papaya, banana, strawberry, pineapple), dried mangos
10 miles
Ran in the heat of the day. Over 100 degrees.
1:25:51
HR averaged 157.
To put that in perspective, my heart rate over a marathon running FASTER than that pace is about 140. It was in the 160s for most of the last six miles. Heat is hot.
CF WOD
HubCity Lubbock
"Paul"
5 x
50 double unders
35 knee to elbows
135# 20yard overhead walk (rx'd was 185...little too heavy for me to control correctly and safely)
Menu:
pre run - 16 oz strawberries, coconut water
Dinner - broccoli and homemade hummus, celery/almond butter, carob cubes, cashews, frozen fruit (papaya, banana, strawberry, pineapple), dried mangos
Wheaties...Breakfast of Redundancy Breakfast
OK...this is hilarious. The second ingredient-breakdown of the blog, and one of the most ridiculous health claims of ALL TIME.
Wheaties - breakfast of champions.
Look at the health claim - "More Whole Grain than any other ingredient!"
Does that strike anyone else as being a bit silly? You're WHEATies...should you be bragging that WHOLE GRAIN (aka Wheat!) is your #1 ingredient???!!! That reminds me of a time in the film room in high school that I made a tackle in a game and bragged to the coach. He whacked me on the head with his pointer and said, "Hey, Rogers?! That's what you were SUPPOSED to do. You didn't do anything spectacular...you did your job...now shut your mouth."
That health claim is like the Dallas Cowboys bragging "The 2012 Dallas Cowboys...more football players on our team than ANY OTHER type of athlete!" Yes...you're a FOOTBALL TEAM. Of COURSE football players are the most prevalent athlete on the roster.
Or Gap Kids saying "Gap Kids - with more kids clothing than any other type of clothing!" Yes...of course!
Or a taxi cab driver jumping out of the cab and screaming out "I GOT MY FARE TO THE RIGHT DESTINATION!" Yes...you did...that's what you were SUPPOSED to do.
You're WHEATIES for crying out loud!!!
How can that be a health claim???!!!
I am minor-ly outraged by this. Hilarious, yet also frustratingly maddening.
Let's take a look at the ingredients.
There are six.
1 - whole grain wheat...good! Yes! WHEATies!
2 - sugar...hmmmm. Why is that needed in the Breakfast of Champions?
3 - salt...unnecessary.
4 - Corn syrup...more sugar? Really? What kind of Champions is Wheaties trying to make? Pre-Diabetic ones?
5 - Trisodium phosphate - cleaning agent, food additive, stain remover, and degreaser....good (sarcasm).
6 - BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) - preservative, fat-soluble organic compound, controversy surrounded this compound in the 70s as it was thought to be linked to child hyperactivity and cancer.
So you may want to rethink the ole Wheaties as a champions breakfast and use it more in the realm of Lucky Charms or Cocoa Puffs. Good, yummy cereal...just not what's going to make champions of the kind normally pictured on the box.
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