Matt's nutrition, the next level

They are tearing out the windows in the house as I type this. Within the first 5 minutes of them being here I am already concerned. The guy measures the window space he just cleared. Goes to the selection of windows delivered yesterday and says “There’s no match. Closest thing is off by an inch and a half. Let me call the boss.” I already know what is going to happen next. He’s going to come back and say. “No problem, it will work.” I was close, he said “Nah, it’s alright.” Ah yes, that gives me confidence.

So nutrition. I had mentioned in an earlier post that I had read the Thrive diet written by a vegan Ironman triathlete. The book has inspired me to add more variety to my diet as well as adding supplements. So many people at this point would be thinking, you shouldn’t be taking vitamins, just eat better! Which is ideal, but not easy to do, and they aren’t vitamins. At least I don’t think so, this is where I’m curious what Craig and Tamara think about what I’ve chosen.

The first product is Gary Null’s “Red Stuff” (don’t be scared off by the technical name). This product is a fruit mix. Cranberries, apples, cherries, red raspberries, peaches, pears, papayas, mangos, watermelon, red currant, nectarines, pink grapefruit, blood orange, pomegranates, pineapples, lemons, limes, tangerines, apricots.

The second product is “Enriching Greens”. Alfalfa, barley grass, wheat grass, carrot, spirulina algae, probiotic culture, kelp cranberry, rosehips, bilberry, soy lecithin, Dandelion, Beet, Eleuthero, bromelain (from pineapple), artichoke, soybean, tomato, Milk Thistle, ginkgo biloba, grape seed.

The third I have yet to add is going to be sea vegetables of some sort. I haven’t found one I like yet. Thinking Kelp, Chlorella, seaweed stuff.

The concept here is that it’s somewhat of instant variety to your diet. I’m certain I don’t eat everything on that list on a monthly basis. Some might question why would you need to eat all that stuff regularly? Well that’s just it. Here is the concept I’m working off of as I try to take my nutrition to the next level.

If your body is missing nutrition of any sort, your brain is triggered into having cravings. It seems to me that some people are more tuned into what these cravings actually require to be satisfied. (anyone that has been pregnant might be able to tell me if that statement has any validity at all). Well, I feel that I haven’t a clue about what I need to eat when I have a craving, I just feel hungry and I eat randomly. The result can be eating many extra calories as you are searching for satisfaction. How many times do you eat a snack which is filling but you are left still not satisfied, so you eat more or find something else to eat?
Well I feel that by using fitday.com I definitely dialed in some level of cravings at the macro-nutrient level. (Carb/Fat/Protein). If I get hungry at an odd time, I can look and see if my eating has been unbalanced and make sure I eat the right thing to balance. The result of figuring that out helped me go from 205-175 pounds.

Well I’ve been stuck at the 175-180 range for at least a year now. So I’m hoping this might take it to the next level. This is an attempt to satisfy all of my micronutrient needs and other essential proteins and fats which the body cannot create. My thinking is that if I satisfy my nutrition needs at this micro level. Maybe I will be able to function at the calorie intake that will put me closer to weighing 165 pounds.
That 165 is not a goal number. I’m trying very hard not to get on a scale. I should be able to look at myself and decide if there is room to improve. That is the “scale” I’m planning on using. Once I feel that I’m there, then maybe I’ll hop on just to see what that number happens to be. Then the scale might be useful again to keep me from going back up? I guess I’ll decide on that if/when I get there.

Comments, suggestions?

Spirit of Morgantown

Got an email from them today. They are definitely responding to the problems reported.

* New swim exit next to transition area (just 30 meters from the TA entrance)
* New swim course (keeping well north of the lock)
* New bike courses on smooth roads (totally new routes and roads)
* New single lap 13.1 mile run course for the half iron
* New earlier start times with the half iron going first at 7:00am


Not that it matters for me. I believe it's scheduled to be the day after the Tango.

Home Projects

I guess our house is going to go through some changes in a big hurry. My contractor calls me today and starts asking me questions that only Genine can answer. Of course Genine is swamped at work but I really have no other choice than to pass along the call to her. Genine calls me on her way home and tells me there will probably be 10 or more people at our house on Thursday. They are going to replace all the windows. Tear apart the back porch and start framing in the new walls and do some of the siding up on the dormers. Needless to say it's been busy. Just trying to think through all the decisions and then prepare the place for having all this work done. It feels like it's happening too fast but I guess we prefer that to never hearing from the guy and nothing being done.

On the fitness side of things, my lungs still aren't clear but Genine and I managed a 3 mile run Monday night. First mile was ugly Once I warmed up I felt like I could go for awhile. Fortunately we called it at 3 miles, I can definitely say my cardio is way ahead of my muscular conditioning right now. I'm fine with that. I think that says I've successfully de-trained. (although it wasn't completely planned).

Eating plan is still very much on track. I need to write about that soon. I'm curious about what Craig and Tamara would say about my attempt to take my nutrition to the next level. It's something I think they've worked on before. More on that later tho'. It's late.

Weekend Warrior

That seems to be what I have become recently. It's Christmas at Bloomingdale's. Added to that is a store visit from our CEO, Director of Stores and President of Stores every other week until mid November. Ugh! I am trying my best to battle my insomnia and prepare myself to withstand the numerous 12-14hour days on a continuing basis. It is not easy. By the end of the week it's like night of the living dead! I swear I used to be able to keep up with this schedule....when did I get too old for this job?! Anyway...I'm counting the days until Nov. 13th, when the worst will be over and I will just have the "normal" holiday retail rush to contend with.

Until then, I am relishing my weekend workouts even though I feel slow and sluggish. I have been able to get to IntenSati the past two Saturdays....aahhh....so good. Last weekend I also got in a spinning class and a short run. Not a single workout this past week. :::sigh::: But, today Matt and I went out for a bike ride. The weather was just glorious!! The sun was shining and the leaves were in peak color. We just did our short 12.5 mile loop as it was Matt's first workout in over a week due to his lung infection/coughing. He felt good at the end of the ride, so that was good news for his recovery. I feel badly that he has been out of commission for so long. Hopefully he will be back up and running soon!

We are planning to get the bike trainers set up in the basement this week. I am hoping that by having the trainer and treadmill ready to go, I can squeeze in some short 30-45min workouts in during the week while work is still crazy. Other than that, I am focusing on maintaining healthy eating and trying to figure out how to manage my insomnia. Sleep is so critical. I am trying valerian root tonight for the first time. I really want to avoid having to take any prescription sleep meds if possible. I also have some meditation cd's that Tiffany gave me to listen to when I wake up in the night. Keep your fingers crossed! I'll let you know how it works. Any other natural sleep suggestions that anyone knows of are welcome!

Snapshots

Here is something I've been waiting to write about for awhile.

About a month ago I received an email from a pro triathlete, Laurel Wassner. She had seen the pictures I had taken of her at Uberman and when the designers of an ad campaign asked her for some action shots, my shots were among the pictures she submitted. She put me in contact with the ad agency so that I could send them the higher resolution images to try in the layout. This is when I found out that it was going to be a Nike ad.

Obviously I was very excited about all of this. This is not something that happens every day. So of course I had started to type up a post for the blog about it. Then I went to Laurel’s blog and realized she hadn’t let the cat out of the bag about the ads yet. So then I modified it to be very generic and posted it… for all of 15 minutes before I deleted it. I figured I’d just wait and see if it really happens before saying anything.

Well I’m still jumping the gun here. It’s not official but I figured now that Laurel has posted about the campaign I’ll also post, because not only is it Nike. It’s LIVESTRONG! How cool is that? It just kind of falls into place very nicely with what we are all about.

Hopefully I didn’t jinx myself by posting this early but it’s exciting. Heck, I always thought it was fun to see my pictures hijacked from my Flickr site just to show up on athlete’s facebook pictures, blogs and websites. This takes that feeling to a whole new level.

Oddly enough, not a week later, one of our friends sends us an email asking us to send a high resolution picture that Genine took of her at the Black Bear Triathlon in 2008. Turns out that Coach Don Fink is writing a new book and would like to use that image in his book. We’ve already signed the release forms for that picture but the book isn’t going to be released for another 12 months or so.

Fun right?
Once again proving that the internet is a cool place. Laurel would have never seen these pictures if not for flickr. Not to mention the fact she could just send an email to contact me from the same site. Then when the ad agency needed the pictures. I didn't have to dig through negatives or FedEx anything. I just created a set on flickr and sent them the link.

Great abs workout.

Cough for 7-10 days straight. Make sure you string enough reps together that it really hurts.

Hopefully I'm at the end of this. I haven't felt feverish for the last couple days and coughing seems to have become effective.

My left foot seems to be tracking better the last few days when I walk. Maybe that will fall into place as well.

Our new roof is finished and it's been raining quite a bit today. I haven't noticed any leaks yet. One less thing to worry about now.

Pretty boring stuff. That's all I've got.

Why?

There is a thread on Trifuel right now that asks "So what's your most irritating question people ask you about triathlon". The overwhelming response appears to be when people just ask "Why". I think people get upset when asked this question, because the person asking is basically saying to you that they think triathlon is a waste of time.

Of course as I was reading this, I couldn't help but think about the fact that my answer to "Why" is different than most people racing. The Fundraising for Dr Guinan's research is "Why" for Genine and I, and our "mission" has been brought back into focus this week.

My cousin Katie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and has already started the chemotherapy. She's married and has 4 young children.

Those of you that have gone through this with someone close, can appreciate how you feel totally helpless. You know you aren't going to wake up one day and think up a solution to this problem. It is out of your control. Fortunately there are things you can do to help that are in your control.

1) Register to be a Bone Marrow Donor. Typically all that is required is a mouth swab. Other times the registry is held along with a blood drive. Everyone should be on the list.

2)Donate Platelets. You can do this every 3 days but no more than 24 times a year. Start by checking with your local Red Cross. Next check with your local hospital's oncology ward.

3) Give Blood. Find a blood drive near me.

My never ending chest cold suddenly doesn't seem like such a big problem. I will get over it. Then I'll get back to training. You know Why.

Running class #1

SO I started my beginners running class last Thursday w New York Road runners. It was cool, figuratively and literally. The weather stunk, dark cold and rainy. Everyone showed up (20 of us gals, no men). We met at a local public school, did a basic warm-up routine in the gym then headed out to Central park (boat basin) to do our first workout: 1 minute run, 2 minutes walk, 7X.   Easy breezy.

I swore to myself that I would run at a faster pace than my regular shuffle mode. After all the purpose of this class is to get me to the 10minute mile goal. We run as a pack with the coach at the front leading and shouting "run!" or "walk!" The people who get to the front of the pack have to loop (turn around and run to the back of the pack) to maintain the pack pace. I was always somewhere in the middle, running behind the same ladies who were having a great conversation about asking for a raise, though by the end of the class I was in the front row. I guess eavesdropping is a byproduct of running in a pack. The same gazelles kept passing the rest of us and looping back. The pace was good, not too strenuous, I felt a nice warm up feeling but then we only ran for 1 minute intervals.  Tonight we go up to 2 minute intervals.

Things that I learned:

1. you hit the ground heel first. Not toes, not mid sole, but heel. For me it's a big adjustment. I always jog leaning forward, to let gravity pull me forward and thus land on my toes. To be able to strike heel first I had to lean back, straighten my spine. I did discover that my knees thanked me later and I was not hobbling home  as I usually do after running (but then again only 1 minute intervals- the last long run I did was 1 hour long so it's a huge difference in workout and in the pounding of the knees)

2. you hold your hands as if you're grabbing butterfly wings. Arms bent 90 degrees, relaxed, middle finger and thumb touching (ohmmmm) thinking about my hands forced me to relax my arms which I never think about when I run since all I can usually think about is my aching knee (see #1).

3. Wear a hat with a visor when it rains.  I had one but noticed my classmates had to squint through the whole run. It also absorbed the sweat so I found myself not having to wipe my brow every ten seconds. Why didn'tI think of it sooner?

4. bring an extra pair of DRY socks when it rains (for the freezing subway ride home)

5. wear Gloves.  I thought I would eventually take them off but I never did. Glad I had them.

The biggest discovery was the roadrunner website http://www.runningcoach.com/
(Does it count as a discovery if your teacher tells you about it?)

It's filled with great tips AND the workouts for each class along with the homeworks. I am sure there's bound to be something of interest for everyone. Even the Ironfolks!

More later!

Knee problems

Jerry and I are continuing on our P90X adventure. Tonight will complete one round for me. I have to say...I am enjoying it. I can certainly see how it will help. Unfortunately given the height of the basement ceilings, we aren't able to take full advantage of the workouts...pull ups are difficult, forget jumping jacks, and there's no way to jump high unless you like hitting your head on the ceiling (just ask Jerry how he cut the top of his head). Regardless, we continue on....making the most out of it. I guess we could buy a new house with higher ceiling...alas---we are too practical.

On a different note - my knees are really bothering me (the right knee more than the left). It started after the 1Tough Cookie trail run and hasn't seemed to improve. I've not been running since the Liberty Run at the end of September but it doesn't seem to be improving. There's a substantial amount of grinding when I walk up or down the stairs. Sharp pains...difficulty bending my knee when standing. There isn't any obvious swelling although there have been times when it's felt swollen/stiff. Any suggestions? Should I ice after I work out? I don't want to become an Ibuprofen addict. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated (well except that I should stop exercising...that's not an option...I'm on a mission!)

Until then....BRING IT...P90X style :)

Feeling like junk.

If I felt better, I'd be going stir crazy. I have done a whole bunch of nothing lately. We went to the pool Saturday and I got about 40 minutes in, if that. I left figuring I'd do pushups and pullups later. Nope.
Sunday, I felt worse and I did more nothing. The fever comes and goes and my lungs are a mess. Maybe I've got H1N1 or some of these other newsworthy illnesses. I may go to the doctor tomorrow although I'm not sure they can do anything.
The good news is we are still very on track with our eating. I've read the Brendan Brazier Thrive Diet Book. There isn't a chance in the world that we could manage that diet right now. Yet I did come away with a few things we could change. We've been working hard at adding more variation to our nutrition. This way hopefully we are getting more of the essential building blocks required to keep us going. I also realized there are some things I'm just not going to get in my diet. Like omega 3, 6 & 9. I eat fish once a week and buy omega eggs from time to time but that's not going to do it. So we are taking them as supplements. I'm guessing once I'm over this cold I might actually feel the effects of eating so well...

Slow week

In terms of workouts, it's been slow. In terms of recovery, I think I'm doing alright.
I ran (slowly) on Wednesday morning (34 degrees) and my left elbow and bicep didn't complain. That evening we went to masters swimming and that also didn't present a problem. So I'm feeling that I've recovered from that bit of over training.
My left foot is still not 100%. It's just not tracking as it should. So I've switched up my footwear to neutral. After 2 days of wearing my Birkenstocks to work it's starting to feel more normal. Hopefully that will continue to improve. I may try neutral running shoes as well. The right shoe seems to be very important at the moment.

The weather is cold and rainy. Which is perfectly fine with me. Keeps me from wishing I was out biking or running. Which I don't feel like doing because I've got a bit of a cold. So I guess it all works out.

I'm also driving myself a bit crazy trying to determine how to get the loan for the house projects. Too many choices and too much lingo. Remove the lingo please. Just give me the numbers. Numbers are easy to understand....

P90X "Superstar"

So Jerry and I have started to use P90X. He's further into it than me. Again I will blame my lack of commitment on football. The other evening it was YogaX night. I must say it was one of the most entertaining evenings. I never realized how inflexible Jerry was until we started this. Moves that I do with ease are virtually impossible for him. We laughed every time the instructor said "Downward facing dog" in his monotone somewhat "stoner" voice. It became all that more entertaining when in "DFD position" our dog decided to rigorously lick Jerry's head. After multiple scoldings Dudley finally took refuge ON Jerry's yoga mat (aka - the towel).

So here are my current observations of YogaX

1. The whole time I was doing the workout I was thinking...I wish I had Tiffany here to help me. I am sure I am not doing this properly (no clearing your mind when thinking the whole time....rrrr)
2. Additionally, It's impossible to clear your mind of all worries when your dog is licking and/or nibbling on you during the workout
3. It's even more disgusting when your cat (who typically shows very little interest in you) decides to lick your hands while in a yoga pose...forget about clearing your mind!!!
4. HOWEVER--the most disgusting thing....MEN who fart while doing yoga!! I am sure you can guess who I am referring to.

Jerry did Leg/Chest workout last night (P90X - he's loving it!). I intended on joining in but had an unexpected trip to the emergency room. Jordan separated his shoulder in the football game last night. We are heading to an orthopedic surgeon this afternoon. Hopefully we will hear Rest/Ice and nothing more.

KB2 Rocks on.......

No news about Kona yet but I thought you'd all be interested in knowing that Cindy Schuster from the KB2 09 team ran the 1/2 marathon this weekend. She finished 22nd overall and first her division with a time of 1:39:59. I sent her a congratulatory email.

Kona

I think Genine is more into triathlon than I am. We had my computer streaming the live feed from the championship at Kona on Saturday. It was kind of hard to hear and when someone would start mowing or power washing... I'd look over and see Genine leaning into the computer speaker trying to hear what was being said. Fortunately I have a pair of exernal speakers which we hooked up which fixed that problem.
It was pretty cool watching Andy Potts leading the swim. A straight line of about 5-10 people and then a huge pyramid of pros back behind. He was doing really well on the bike too. Watching Chrissie Wellington start her bike was awesome. She was passing people like they were standing still. These are all pros! Awesome to watch.
We decided we had better go do something ourselves instead of sitting in front of the computer for 9-10 hours straight. After we got back from some shopping and a swim, the leader board was completely changed... on the men's side. Chrissie of course was leading the women.
Genine had quite a list of numbers scratched out on a napkin beside the computer. This way she could use the athlete tracker to find out how everyone was doing. Potts, Wellington, Lovato, Wee, Gabreski, Haughton... (Here it is 2 days later and I asked if the napkin is still around, she says what do you need to know? And she starts naming the athletes and their number. Ha!)
Anyhow, it was very cool to watch and very fun to go to different people's blogs to read their race report even if they were only watching. Ironman couldn't ask for a better champion than Chrissie Wellington. She is incredibly inspiring.
Those of you in Warren, please let me know if/when there is an article about Patty Gabreski post Kona. The heat in Hawaii was incredible and she finished. I'd love to hear about her preparation and her race day. As it's unlikely any of us will ever get to race Kona.

In other news. The last 2 weeks have easily been the most lazy I've been in the last 3 years. (when not sick). Between my foot bothering me my bicep strain and tendonitis in my elbow, I figured it was time to give it a rest. Genine's schedule was crazy as well, so I went into support team mode and all is well. The 3 day weekend has included a ton of sleep so we are ready to get back into it. For the record, one thing is certain. I feel much better when I'm working out. Without the workouts, I actually have felt more stiff and sore!

The big thing both of us want/need to do is get back to eating perfectly. (Ignore the previous posts picture of the dessert). The scale is not a pretty sight right now. So we have been preparing food and planning our meals.
This whole weight loss thing kind of falls in the same basket as the twenty pullups or 100 pushups... I mean this week will mark 3 years of working out... a lot!! You would think I'd have these things figured out. Perhaps it just goes to show how difficult some things are. I'm not buying that. I think it's a matter of being consistent and smart 24/7/365.
I don't plan on weighing myself this time around. At least not for a couple/few months. The scale can make you crazy. I can weigh plus or minus 3 pounds in a day. I just plan on trying to keep my head focused on eating as "on plan" as often as possible. It's nothing I haven't done before. It's just a matter of staying focused on it.... forever. The weight loss part if much harder than the maintain part is all.

I might wait another week before doing pullups. I'm going to give pushups a try today.
Biking is back on the schedule. We had a nice 30 mile ride yesterday.
Running, I've been really slack. Of course I want to run but I also want this foot thing to get better. I have wondered about the bone spur possibility. I'm going to give it a bit longer before seeing a podiatrist.

I'm sure this has nothing to do with it

How could I forget...... Although we are most likely taking a small, regional trip to celebrate our anniversary this weekend, we did go out to Carrabba's for dinner this evening. Mostly so I could enjoy one of my favorite desserts EVER (from a restaurant that is)...the Sogno di Cioccolata, otherwise known as the Chocolate Dream. And boy is it ever!! It is described on the menu as a rich fudge brownie brushed with Kahlua, crowned with chocolate mousse, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It is simply heaven...mmmmm. I wonder if this has anything to do with why my pants are feeling tighter! I really need to be back to a regular work schedule so I can back on a better workout schedule. Less training + More eating= Too many LBS. Oh boy.......

15 years ago today...

Today is our 15 year wedding anniversary. In some ways it seems like yesterday (or maybe last week). But yet when I think about it, I have a hard time remembering my life without Matt in it. We have been friends for so long...almost 25 years! We've been through a lot together. Mostly good times, some difficult times...but thankfully we have been able to lean on each other when the going got tough. As I was looking through some of our wedding photos, I was also reminded of the strong friendships we have been blessed with. When this whole "triathlon thing" started to take shape and I was telling people the story behind our motivation, most could not believe how long many of us have known each other...and that we are still such close friends. We are so grateful to have you in our lives! And so as Matt & I celebrate our 15 years together, we also raise a glass to toast to all of you.....our Venerable Companions.

October 8th, 1994

Bummer

The relay option for Mooseman is no longer an option. I'm not sure what to think yet.
It certainly makes me appreciate the last 2 years a bit more. Those were some good times.
I'll be talking with the relay people and see if we can't come up with a plan B.

If you want to read the thread check it out here. Keith Jordan is the race director FYI.

Downtime... Sort of

Genine has been working nonstop since we been back. So our workouts have been kind of... missing. Which is probably just as well. I definitely strained / sprained my left bicep last week doing pullups. (I guess you don't tough through the last of them if it doesn't feel right). It's getting better but even my pushup and pullup plan has been put on hold temporarily.
I haven't been running much either. I ran Saturday and my legs felt like lead. I may have been going faster than I thought I was but it didn't feel awesome.
Sunday Genine and I got a 14 mile easy bike ride in. She was exhausted but it was a beautiful day and it was nice to be outside.
I've had the boot for my foot for a week now. It's definitely feeling better. Massaging that part of the foot is no longer causing me to cringe. I do feel like my achillies and other tendons at the back of my leg near my heel feel a bit awkward at the start of the day. I'm guessing that's normal because they are being stretched all night. It is amazing how you unknowingly walk differently to avoid the foot pain from the plantar fasciitis. My walk is starting to feel more "correct" now.
It's a beautiful time to be out training but it's also a really good time to heal up. (or at least that's what I'm going to tell myself)

So Chris. IMLP next summer. Does that mean you won't Tango next summer? It's on Aug 7th.

2010 Mooseman/Timberman

Well I’ve signed up and paid for my three main races for 2010.
Columbia, Mooseman and Timberman. I’m sure I’ll be at the Tango as well but I don’t have to register for that one yet.
It’s a drag that other races that I’d like to do happen the same weekend or a week before / after. Jerseyman (20 minutes away), Black Bear in the Poconos (80 min away) and NJ State Triathlon (30 minutes away) are 3 of the races I’d like to race some year.
I put the travel time in there because it seems like I drive a long way to race all the time but that is somewhat deceptive. Yes, I drive a long way, but going to Warren and New Hampshire are kind of like going home. I only have to get a hotel for Columbia. Oddly enough Columbia is my co-worker Doe’s hometown. She can tell me all the great places to go eat. Wahoo!

I’m feeling kind of beat up right now. I seem to have sprained something in my left bicep or elbow or something. I’m not capable of overhand pull-ups right now. Underhand doesn’t seem to cause a problem.
Then of course I’m still dealing with my left foot’s plantar fasciitis. I’ve been using the boot Jim let me borrow. I think after 3 nights, I’ve finally started to dial in how to adjust it properly for a good fit. So hopefully I start to see some progress there.
My big toe on that foot was sore after running 4 miles with Genine tonight. No shooting pains like I had last Sunday but it’s not perfectly happy.
After our run I did 100 squats, then the pushup plan, then some planks.

In non-triathlon related news, I’ve had 2 contractors come to the house to give me quotes on a new roof and new windows. The first guy was total salesman I expected he’d have the higher quote because he wasn’t going to sell me anything but top of the line. The second guy was no nonsense. He measured everything and gave me a quote before he left. Well I finally got the quote from the first guy tonight. I figured he’d be 50% more. I was wrong. He was 145% more. I hope to have my financing figured out this weekend and get work started on the house soon.