**The following was written for the Smashfest Diaries. You can check out more from the Smash-Dimond Women's Team HERE.**
Showing posts with label triathlon training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label triathlon training. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Friday, September 2, 2016
Ironman Coeur d'Alene: Finding Aloha before the Big Aloha!!
Two weekends ago I broke my longest non-racing streak since 2012 at Ironman Coeur d'Alene, my first Ironman since November!! 9 very long months.
I bring this up because in the last few months I've had so. many. people. question why I would be racing Ironman CDA so close to Kona (7 weeks apart). I completely understand why most people would opt not to do this, and as I've discussed with my coach in the past- when I share my dreams and plans openly I leave myself open for judgement. And I'm 100% OK with that. I think more than anything, it's an opportunity for me to share the whys and hows of racing Ironman.
In the past 3 years my racing schedule has looked like this (not including any half iron distance races, olys, sprints, trail races, ultramarathons, or running races of any sort.... of which I included plenty in between!)
2013: IM Texas--5 weeks-- IM CDA -- 13 weeks-- IM Lake Tahoe--8 weeks--IM AZ.
2014: IM Texas--16 weeks--IM Wisconsin--10 weeks-- IM AZ.
2015: IM Texas--10 weeks--IM Lake Placid--8 weeks--IM Lake Tahoe--8 weeks-- IM AZ.
And here's the thing, since I have started working with Hillary in January 2014, I've had good races and I've had not so good races. I've been really, really fit for some races, and so-so fit for others. We have built my plans with all of these races in mind and even squeezed in IM Lake Tahoe at the last minute last year when I had a really good race at Placid and we wanted to build on that fitness some more before IM AZ. Not every race is an "A" race, but we try to use EVERY race to build fitness and confidence. I've never regretted a single race I've done, have learned something in every race I've done, and have continued to grow as an athlete.
I LOVE to race. I'm not an athlete that could sit on the sidelines holding all my cards for ONE race. A) I would be bored out of my mind and B) putting all my eggs in one basket I think I would be limiting myself and would end up disappointed if it didn't go exactly as I wanted. By racing often I'm never out of practice and if I have a not so great race, it's fine because there is always the next one.
The other thing is that in the past 2.5 years since hiring Hillary I have recovered better and faster than I ever did before. And none of that is on me... I'm just getting older... it is everything to do with her and how brilliant she is at incorporating recovery into our programs. Keep in mind, as my #bff pointed out, I am OCD and do exactly as I'm told. Never more. And never less. I give my best effort every day. If I am told to go easy, I go easy. If I am told to go hard, I go hard. So I do take some responsibility for that aspect. There's no more guilt about missing a key session and trying to make it up somewhere, doubling up or working extra hard the next day. My training schedule is written with my life in mind so there's no need to miss any workouts.
But back to Kona. Here's something you probably don't know unless you've followed me for a while. The very first time my husband raced Kona (2009) I took my bike to train while we were there. I was getting ready for IMAZ. I did my long ride on the course and when I finished what was at the time the hardest ride I've ever done (which was ridiculous considering I only made it 75 miles)... I declared that I never wanted to race in Hawaii. To say it terrified me was an understatement. I was bonked, dehydrated, and an absolute hot mess after a miserable ride.
Two years later, I felt differently. I had grown and changed and thought, maybe I could actually do it and survive. And 2 years after that I was actively pursuing qualification.
Despite the growth and confidence I've built over the last 4 years, Kona has remained this enigma that seemed, seems still, very surreal. For me, coming out of IM AZ last year, I knew that I didn't want Kona to be my first race of the season. I need that first race to remind my body of how much it hurts, and make any last minute adjustments to my nutrition / hydration plan and to get mentally prepared for the big day. I know it sounds crazy, but my confidence comes from racing (good, bad or otherwise) and learning from those experiences.
I endure more pain (physical and emotional) in training than in a race, and every one of those training sessions is vital to my success. But it's the race experience that allows me to utilize my training, to put it to the test, and see where I stack up against my competition. Race day is the icing. The reward.
IM CDA was the absolute perfect tune up race for me, completely by chance. I watched the weather leading up to race day so I would know how to pack. 10 days out the forecast was 70s and sunny. Then the forecast started to heat up, and there was some concern for rain. As it turned out, it was warm, but not hot. I never saw the final weather report for that day, but my guess is it didn't get warmer than 83 degrees. A forest fire started west of town and blocked the sun on my 3rd loop of the run, which actually caused the temps to drop a little so it never reached the expected high for the day.
But it was windy as fuck. The wind on the second loop of the bike was unreal. I was having flashbacks to St. George 2012. And I honestly think this was worse than 2012, but I was prepared for it so it didn't hit me the same way. There were times I felt like I was going backwards. And yet, no one was passing me. "They" always say, everyone is dealing with the same conditions so you can't let them get the better of you, and this was the perfect example. No matter how shitty I felt on the bike, I was still out front. Every once in a while some dude would go by me. And then I would be alone for miles at a time.
The wind is my kryptonite and definitely the thing I've feared most about Kona. Being able to push my watts on this day, and come off the bike feeling decent was huge for me. It gave me the confidence to stop thinking about "just getting to the finish line" on October 8. I know now that I will be OK. I can stick to my plan, execute my race and have the day that I've worked so hard for.
I have always said that Ironman Coeur d'Alene is my favorite race and I think this still holds true. It was my 20th Ironman finish, and 20% of those finishes have been at CDA! The venue is beautiful. The bike course is challenging, yet rewards those who have worked hard in training and remain fearless in execution. And the run course is well supported and beautiful.
I didn't have a perfect day at CDA. In my post race analysis with the boss, we discussed my struggles: I was STARVING all day long-- which has never happened to me before. I didn't change anything in my pre-race diet and build up. In the past I've struggled fueling on the bike but I've never gotten on my bike at mile 1 and been like, geez I'm hungry! Hillary felt that it was most likely just bad timing with some normal hormone fluctuations. So actually, until I cleaned up my diet, I hadn't had a regular cycle in quite some time. Since working with Katie at OWN Nutrition for the last 6 months, I've actually seen some progress in this area-- which though inconvenient is a really, really good thing. When you deprive your body of nutrients, regardless of how many calories worth of cookies you're eating, you can set yourself up for loss of bone density and injury.
Good news is this likely won't be a problem in Hawaii (thank goodness it's 7 weeks and not 8!!). And by keeping better tabs on my fluctuations we can pinpoint when this is likely to occur and be prepared. In any case, I was pounding calories all day long and still felt hungry, and this eventually caused my second lap of the run to be significantly slower. However, I was able to recover and actually have a very successful 3rd lap and a strong finish. I've NEVER come back from calorie depletion before!! Typically when it occurs, which used to be all the time before we started focusing on it, I'm done. I think part of my success was because I recognized my hunger immediately and was diligent about taking in as much as I could to try to stave off the bonk as long as possible. So I was pretty happy overall about how things played out. Yes, I would have loved to have been on the podium (I was 6th), but the lessons I learned and the takeaways for October were a small sacrifice for the places I lost.
You've probably heard the term "racing into shape" and that was my plan for 2016. I started the year with Oceanside after about 2 weeks of triathlon training under my belt, and have continued to gain fitness through each race. Our target since November last year has been IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! I am prepared to arrive on the starting line in peak shape for the year!
THANK YOU to our good friend, Jeff, who cheered us on all day, took some awesome pics and helped pull me out of my bonk on lap 2 of the run! Enjoy a little photo collage from our adventures in CDA!
I feel like the final photo deserves a bit more of an explanation. I am terrified of heights. When I was in college, I visited my boyfriend at his summer job and he took me up to the roof via a ladder. I got up there OK, but then panic set in and I couldn't get back on the ladder to come down. It's not that I avoided situations that put me at height. I love roller coasters. I've been rappelling.
In grad school my sister and I visited an amusement park and we went on this reverse- bungee- jumping thing where they strap you into a harness, pull you backwards and up very, very high. You pull the "rip cord" at the top and you free fall till the tension of the line catches you and then you swing back and forth. When they started pulling us upwards, I grabbed hold of the attendant and would not let go. He had to pry my fingers off his arm. In the video you can hear me screaming the entire time we were being raised which felt like forever. The second my sister pulled the rip cord -- silence. It was exhilarating, terrifying, enlightening.
It's like watching a scary movie. I hate them but I love to watch them. It's the kind of fear that draws you in.
I spent our last evening in CDA with my husband and 2 other friends. We ate a lot, and drank a little and somewhere along the way we decided we were going to go swimming. And then our friend who is local to CDA suggested cliff jumping. I was all in. Leading the way down the trail. Let's do this. And then I stepped out onto the edge of the rock.... and absolutely froze.
Lastly I wanted to share an article written by my coach. You can find it by clicking HERE. The article is titled "Top 5 Defining Characteristics of our Kona Team". She is referring to Team HPB, which is the group of athletes coached by Hillary, Alyssa, and two other very talented professionals. This year we have 10 athletes (out of about 40) who qualified and will be racing the Ironman World Championships. I could not be more proud to be on this team of dedicated, hard working individuals and am so excited to represent in Hawaii. I hope that some of these characteristics are evident in my daily pursuit of #findingkona.
I bring this up because in the last few months I've had so. many. people. question why I would be racing Ironman CDA so close to Kona (7 weeks apart). I completely understand why most people would opt not to do this, and as I've discussed with my coach in the past- when I share my dreams and plans openly I leave myself open for judgement. And I'm 100% OK with that. I think more than anything, it's an opportunity for me to share the whys and hows of racing Ironman.
In the past 3 years my racing schedule has looked like this (not including any half iron distance races, olys, sprints, trail races, ultramarathons, or running races of any sort.... of which I included plenty in between!)
2013: IM Texas--5 weeks-- IM CDA -- 13 weeks-- IM Lake Tahoe--8 weeks--IM AZ.
2014: IM Texas--16 weeks--IM Wisconsin--10 weeks-- IM AZ.
2015: IM Texas--10 weeks--IM Lake Placid--8 weeks--IM Lake Tahoe--8 weeks-- IM AZ.
And here's the thing, since I have started working with Hillary in January 2014, I've had good races and I've had not so good races. I've been really, really fit for some races, and so-so fit for others. We have built my plans with all of these races in mind and even squeezed in IM Lake Tahoe at the last minute last year when I had a really good race at Placid and we wanted to build on that fitness some more before IM AZ. Not every race is an "A" race, but we try to use EVERY race to build fitness and confidence. I've never regretted a single race I've done, have learned something in every race I've done, and have continued to grow as an athlete.
I LOVE to race. I'm not an athlete that could sit on the sidelines holding all my cards for ONE race. A) I would be bored out of my mind and B) putting all my eggs in one basket I think I would be limiting myself and would end up disappointed if it didn't go exactly as I wanted. By racing often I'm never out of practice and if I have a not so great race, it's fine because there is always the next one.
The other thing is that in the past 2.5 years since hiring Hillary I have recovered better and faster than I ever did before. And none of that is on me... I'm just getting older... it is everything to do with her and how brilliant she is at incorporating recovery into our programs. Keep in mind, as my #bff pointed out, I am OCD and do exactly as I'm told. Never more. And never less. I give my best effort every day. If I am told to go easy, I go easy. If I am told to go hard, I go hard. So I do take some responsibility for that aspect. There's no more guilt about missing a key session and trying to make it up somewhere, doubling up or working extra hard the next day. My training schedule is written with my life in mind so there's no need to miss any workouts.
But back to Kona. Here's something you probably don't know unless you've followed me for a while. The very first time my husband raced Kona (2009) I took my bike to train while we were there. I was getting ready for IMAZ. I did my long ride on the course and when I finished what was at the time the hardest ride I've ever done (which was ridiculous considering I only made it 75 miles)... I declared that I never wanted to race in Hawaii. To say it terrified me was an understatement. I was bonked, dehydrated, and an absolute hot mess after a miserable ride.
Two years later, I felt differently. I had grown and changed and thought, maybe I could actually do it and survive. And 2 years after that I was actively pursuing qualification.
Despite the growth and confidence I've built over the last 4 years, Kona has remained this enigma that seemed, seems still, very surreal. For me, coming out of IM AZ last year, I knew that I didn't want Kona to be my first race of the season. I need that first race to remind my body of how much it hurts, and make any last minute adjustments to my nutrition / hydration plan and to get mentally prepared for the big day. I know it sounds crazy, but my confidence comes from racing (good, bad or otherwise) and learning from those experiences.
I endure more pain (physical and emotional) in training than in a race, and every one of those training sessions is vital to my success. But it's the race experience that allows me to utilize my training, to put it to the test, and see where I stack up against my competition. Race day is the icing. The reward.
IM CDA was the absolute perfect tune up race for me, completely by chance. I watched the weather leading up to race day so I would know how to pack. 10 days out the forecast was 70s and sunny. Then the forecast started to heat up, and there was some concern for rain. As it turned out, it was warm, but not hot. I never saw the final weather report for that day, but my guess is it didn't get warmer than 83 degrees. A forest fire started west of town and blocked the sun on my 3rd loop of the run, which actually caused the temps to drop a little so it never reached the expected high for the day.
But it was windy as fuck. The wind on the second loop of the bike was unreal. I was having flashbacks to St. George 2012. And I honestly think this was worse than 2012, but I was prepared for it so it didn't hit me the same way. There were times I felt like I was going backwards. And yet, no one was passing me. "They" always say, everyone is dealing with the same conditions so you can't let them get the better of you, and this was the perfect example. No matter how shitty I felt on the bike, I was still out front. Every once in a while some dude would go by me. And then I would be alone for miles at a time.
The wind is my kryptonite and definitely the thing I've feared most about Kona. Being able to push my watts on this day, and come off the bike feeling decent was huge for me. It gave me the confidence to stop thinking about "just getting to the finish line" on October 8. I know now that I will be OK. I can stick to my plan, execute my race and have the day that I've worked so hard for.
I have always said that Ironman Coeur d'Alene is my favorite race and I think this still holds true. It was my 20th Ironman finish, and 20% of those finishes have been at CDA! The venue is beautiful. The bike course is challenging, yet rewards those who have worked hard in training and remain fearless in execution. And the run course is well supported and beautiful.
I didn't have a perfect day at CDA. In my post race analysis with the boss, we discussed my struggles: I was STARVING all day long-- which has never happened to me before. I didn't change anything in my pre-race diet and build up. In the past I've struggled fueling on the bike but I've never gotten on my bike at mile 1 and been like, geez I'm hungry! Hillary felt that it was most likely just bad timing with some normal hormone fluctuations. So actually, until I cleaned up my diet, I hadn't had a regular cycle in quite some time. Since working with Katie at OWN Nutrition for the last 6 months, I've actually seen some progress in this area-- which though inconvenient is a really, really good thing. When you deprive your body of nutrients, regardless of how many calories worth of cookies you're eating, you can set yourself up for loss of bone density and injury.
Good news is this likely won't be a problem in Hawaii (thank goodness it's 7 weeks and not 8!!). And by keeping better tabs on my fluctuations we can pinpoint when this is likely to occur and be prepared. In any case, I was pounding calories all day long and still felt hungry, and this eventually caused my second lap of the run to be significantly slower. However, I was able to recover and actually have a very successful 3rd lap and a strong finish. I've NEVER come back from calorie depletion before!! Typically when it occurs, which used to be all the time before we started focusing on it, I'm done. I think part of my success was because I recognized my hunger immediately and was diligent about taking in as much as I could to try to stave off the bonk as long as possible. So I was pretty happy overall about how things played out. Yes, I would have loved to have been on the podium (I was 6th), but the lessons I learned and the takeaways for October were a small sacrifice for the places I lost.
You've probably heard the term "racing into shape" and that was my plan for 2016. I started the year with Oceanside after about 2 weeks of triathlon training under my belt, and have continued to gain fitness through each race. Our target since November last year has been IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! I am prepared to arrive on the starting line in peak shape for the year!
THANK YOU to our good friend, Jeff, who cheered us on all day, took some awesome pics and helped pull me out of my bonk on lap 2 of the run! Enjoy a little photo collage from our adventures in CDA!
 |
| Race morning. Photo credit: Jeff Wruble |
 |
| 2 Lap swim course. Photo credit: Jeff Wruble |
 |
| Not afraid of leading a few green caps. (aka: men). Photo credit: Jeff Wruble |
 |
| Bike course! Super scenic. |
 |
| Focused determination. |
 |
| For 2 miles I was "2nd Place Female" with my own bike lead!! First time ever! |
 |
| Run course hurt box. Photo credit: Jeff Wruble |
 |
| Finishing lap 2 with a friend! |
 |
| Finish line!! I'm always as happy as the very first time! #findingaloha |
 |
| Hugging LP -- crushing her age group in 3rd place! Photo credit: Jeff Wruble |
 |
| Finish #20!! |
 |
| Racing with my better half never gets old. Photo credit: Jeff Wruble |
 |
| Revealing the softer side if #findingkona. Photo credit: Jeff Wruble |
I feel like the final photo deserves a bit more of an explanation. I am terrified of heights. When I was in college, I visited my boyfriend at his summer job and he took me up to the roof via a ladder. I got up there OK, but then panic set in and I couldn't get back on the ladder to come down. It's not that I avoided situations that put me at height. I love roller coasters. I've been rappelling.
In grad school my sister and I visited an amusement park and we went on this reverse- bungee- jumping thing where they strap you into a harness, pull you backwards and up very, very high. You pull the "rip cord" at the top and you free fall till the tension of the line catches you and then you swing back and forth. When they started pulling us upwards, I grabbed hold of the attendant and would not let go. He had to pry my fingers off his arm. In the video you can hear me screaming the entire time we were being raised which felt like forever. The second my sister pulled the rip cord -- silence. It was exhilarating, terrifying, enlightening.
It's like watching a scary movie. I hate them but I love to watch them. It's the kind of fear that draws you in.
I spent our last evening in CDA with my husband and 2 other friends. We ate a lot, and drank a little and somewhere along the way we decided we were going to go swimming. And then our friend who is local to CDA suggested cliff jumping. I was all in. Leading the way down the trail. Let's do this. And then I stepped out onto the edge of the rock.... and absolutely froze.
I stood at the top for what felt like an eternity, my heart racing. I went through a lot of thoughts but finally settled on "the water is my home, it will catch me." And I jumped. So glad I did. All worthwhile ventures take a leap of faith.
 |
| The moment I jumped. #findingaloha |
Lastly I wanted to share an article written by my coach. You can find it by clicking HERE. The article is titled "Top 5 Defining Characteristics of our Kona Team". She is referring to Team HPB, which is the group of athletes coached by Hillary, Alyssa, and two other very talented professionals. This year we have 10 athletes (out of about 40) who qualified and will be racing the Ironman World Championships. I could not be more proud to be on this team of dedicated, hard working individuals and am so excited to represent in Hawaii. I hope that some of these characteristics are evident in my daily pursuit of #findingkona.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Food for Thought: Finding Aloha in Meal Planning
You've probably heard the phrase "you can't out-train a poor diet." Well, I have a confession. I've been the poster child for "poor diet" for the last couple of years.
Here are the facts:
1. I love to cook. Love. There is nothing better than taking a bunch of ingredients and making something fantastic to feed to family and friends. Food is love, after all. I used to spend hours poring over cookbooks looking for something new to try. At least one new recipe each week. Sometimes more. Not everything I made was great. Not everything I made was edible. But everything I tried was an adventure.
2. I haven't seen my kitchen in... well, years. (sad face). I am often gone from my house by 430 am, arriving home sometime around 7 pm, and fall into bed by 8 pm. That gives me roughly 60 minutes to eat, unwind, and get my shit together for the following day (rinsing water bottles, laundry (ha! j/k), bags packed, etc). Sadly, my schedule had gotten so out of hand that I was literally eating from a drive-thru two meals a day, and then eating a bowl of cereal for dinner at night. Snacking on anything I could get my hands on in the break room in between meals. Totally not kidding. And totally not cool. So not cool.
3. I have had conflicting feelings about how and what I eat. I love the idea of a plant based diet but in practice, right now, it feels overwhelming, and condescending. I know, right? How can food be condescending? Several years ago I committed myself to eating plant based (vegan) for 30 days. I was very strict for this 30 days and you know what? I felt fantastic. (This was also back when I had time to cook). I told people I wasn't doing it for "political" reasons, I just wanted to see how my health might change by eating plant based. After that 30 days, I followed a "less religious" plant based diet. Meaning I wasn't "that guy" when I went to eat with family or friends. I didn't turn down an invitation to a holiday meal with friends. And I didn't beat myself up if I ate a piece of bacon or sushi.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped having time to prepare food and so I was driving through Taco Bell for a bean burrito, cause there's no meat in that. Or grabbing a veggie pizza from the place down the street. We joked about how much pizza I was consuming, but it truly was 5-6 times a week. Often 3 meals in a row. Ultimately, my brain tied my lack of being vegan and my poor diet together, and I stressed about it even more. I felt horrible because I was eating crappy food. And even more horrible because sometimes it was In N Out Burger. *gasp* The horror of it all!
I would still go grocery shopping once a week. And out of guilt and a feeling of obligation I would buy fruits and vegetables which inevitably got thrown out at the end of their life span- untouched. I felt worse wasting food and throwing so much away. The smell of rotting produce in my fridge shamed me every time I reached inside.
I tried a couple of meal delivery services. What I found was that the portion sizes were much smaller than I would normally consume and sometimes I just didn't like the food that was delivered. Some people can choke down something they don't like because it's good for them or they paid for it. This is not me. So this wasn't a realistic long term solution for me.
During my training for Arizona, I listened to a podcast during which my coach talked about her transition to a plant based diet. She said that she did it abruptly and her training did suffer the effects of "trial and error" because it wasn't necessarily the healthy plant based diet that she follows now. In the podcast she speculated that for someone to switch to a vegan diet there would be an adjustment period, potentially up to a couple of years, while said person was figuring out how to eat the right amount and types of nutrients. When I heard this it was kind of an epiphany. I had been putting a lot of pressure on myself and this helped me to realize that what I was feeling was probably pretty normal. At that time I started to think about other options for cleaning up my diet.
I had already decided I needed to address my diet last fall as the next step in the process of #findingkona when I qualified for Hawaii in November. At that time I had nailed down my race nutrition strategy but my daily diet was still a disaster. A friend of mine had worked with a dietitian last year during her preparation for Kona and gave me a referral. I held off on contacting her because she is not based in Arizona and everything would be done online or via phone consult, and I wasn't sure how this would work.
I sat down with a couple of nutritionists locally last fall to talk about what I needed. I got a similar response from each which was something along the lines of, I don't write meal plans, I am going to teach you how to eat properly. *sigh* I know how to eat healthy. I just don't do it because I lack time to plan to eat healthy. I almost signed on because my preference in life is to support local. But in the end, I went with what was going to be best for me and I called Katie of OWN Nutrition.
Over the course of a couple phone calls and email correspondence I gave her my deal breakers. I don't have time to "cook". I want someone to tell me exactly what to eat (and when?!) and it needs to be assembly only. And I don't eat poultry. Ever. I breathed a sigh of relief when Katie was excited to help me and encouraged me in the process. She assured me that after a few months, I WOULD learn what my body needed, but for now she would handle the thinking part of it.
My first meal plan arrived in my inbox. 7 days, with detailed meals and snacks. A shopping list (hallelujah!). "Recipes" for any meals that required some assembly. And a handout on portion sizes. OK, I admit, I didn't print out the portion sizes handout.
My first trip to the grocery store was a little bit overwhelming. I was still learning and hadn't yet compiled a concise list so I was running back and forth between different departments as I read down my list for the week. I have since learned and now spend 10 minutes making a list for produce, meat, frozen goods, dry goods, etc. Now I can be in and out in 30 minutes.
Week 1 I had something on my plan called the "side salad". When I set out to prep my side salad I was shocked to find it was anything but a "side"! 4-5 cups of greens (spinach, arugula and romaine), with tomatoes, almonds, and protein (some days this was salmon, others it was beans and quinoa).
Most of my assembly is done on Sundays and Thursdays when I have an hour in the evening to prepare meals. I prepackage my lunch and dinner for the week, including all snacks. Once or twice a week I'll throw all my protein on the grill. I'll have a big salmon filet going on one burner, and a couple of filets on another. And my husband (who is not following my meal plan) let's me grill up some pork or chicken for him along with a big batch of quinoa once a week so that he's not scrambling for healthy options either. And every once in a while, he'll eye something that I'm eating and offer to share it with me. Among our favorite is an avocado-tomato-cilantro salad (with protein of choice on top!) It has been no trouble at all to transition to this meal plan.
I'm past the 30 day mark now and I'm as happy as the day I hired Hillary to coach me. I have eaten more vegetables in the last month than I have in the last 2 years combined. I have more energy. More stable energy-- no spiking and bottoming out in the middle of the day. I have been trying things I've never made before. Pork carnitas in a crock pot for example. Everything is super simple, but tasty and satisfying.
And the best part is, I don't find myself craving sugar all the time. I find myself content with what I've eaten, and when I do get hungry, instead of ravaging the junk food pile at work or at home I find myself looking for something more satisfying. Yogurt and berries is a big favorite. Apples with peanut butter. Trail mix (homemade!). I'm not a dietitian, but from my observation my diet is chock full of vegetables, protein and good fats. Lots of fats. I think moving away from 95% carbs has helped a lot in the reduction of cravings and blood sugar spikes.
Once a week I have a phone consultation with Katie. And if I email or text her with a question I usually hear back within a couple of hours. She has helped me to realize that being ravenous on Monday means that I'm not fueling and re-fueling on Sunday appropriately after my long day. We made a few adjustments and I no longer wake up hungry, and Monday is just like every other day of the week-- steady energy intake and output. It is nothing short of amazing!
I think someday I would like to try moving more permanently to a plant based diet, but for now, I am eating healthy and feeling great. Even my stress level has improved dramatically. I don't know if it's all the good fats allowing my brain to function appropriately, or just the fact that I'm not eating drive thru meals 10 times a week. I still eat pizza. Just not every day. And I still eat sweets. Just not every day. I'm eating slower and finding pleasure in food again.
Food is love, and I'm definitely on the road to being happier with myself and how I'm treating myself. And this move is central to my theme of #findingaloha in 2016. Love my food, love myself.
Here are the facts:
1. I love to cook. Love. There is nothing better than taking a bunch of ingredients and making something fantastic to feed to family and friends. Food is love, after all. I used to spend hours poring over cookbooks looking for something new to try. At least one new recipe each week. Sometimes more. Not everything I made was great. Not everything I made was edible. But everything I tried was an adventure.
2. I haven't seen my kitchen in... well, years. (sad face). I am often gone from my house by 430 am, arriving home sometime around 7 pm, and fall into bed by 8 pm. That gives me roughly 60 minutes to eat, unwind, and get my shit together for the following day (rinsing water bottles, laundry (ha! j/k), bags packed, etc). Sadly, my schedule had gotten so out of hand that I was literally eating from a drive-thru two meals a day, and then eating a bowl of cereal for dinner at night. Snacking on anything I could get my hands on in the break room in between meals. Totally not kidding. And totally not cool. So not cool.
3. I have had conflicting feelings about how and what I eat. I love the idea of a plant based diet but in practice, right now, it feels overwhelming, and condescending. I know, right? How can food be condescending? Several years ago I committed myself to eating plant based (vegan) for 30 days. I was very strict for this 30 days and you know what? I felt fantastic. (This was also back when I had time to cook). I told people I wasn't doing it for "political" reasons, I just wanted to see how my health might change by eating plant based. After that 30 days, I followed a "less religious" plant based diet. Meaning I wasn't "that guy" when I went to eat with family or friends. I didn't turn down an invitation to a holiday meal with friends. And I didn't beat myself up if I ate a piece of bacon or sushi.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped having time to prepare food and so I was driving through Taco Bell for a bean burrito, cause there's no meat in that. Or grabbing a veggie pizza from the place down the street. We joked about how much pizza I was consuming, but it truly was 5-6 times a week. Often 3 meals in a row. Ultimately, my brain tied my lack of being vegan and my poor diet together, and I stressed about it even more. I felt horrible because I was eating crappy food. And even more horrible because sometimes it was In N Out Burger. *gasp* The horror of it all!
I would still go grocery shopping once a week. And out of guilt and a feeling of obligation I would buy fruits and vegetables which inevitably got thrown out at the end of their life span- untouched. I felt worse wasting food and throwing so much away. The smell of rotting produce in my fridge shamed me every time I reached inside.
I tried a couple of meal delivery services. What I found was that the portion sizes were much smaller than I would normally consume and sometimes I just didn't like the food that was delivered. Some people can choke down something they don't like because it's good for them or they paid for it. This is not me. So this wasn't a realistic long term solution for me.
During my training for Arizona, I listened to a podcast during which my coach talked about her transition to a plant based diet. She said that she did it abruptly and her training did suffer the effects of "trial and error" because it wasn't necessarily the healthy plant based diet that she follows now. In the podcast she speculated that for someone to switch to a vegan diet there would be an adjustment period, potentially up to a couple of years, while said person was figuring out how to eat the right amount and types of nutrients. When I heard this it was kind of an epiphany. I had been putting a lot of pressure on myself and this helped me to realize that what I was feeling was probably pretty normal. At that time I started to think about other options for cleaning up my diet.
I had already decided I needed to address my diet last fall as the next step in the process of #findingkona when I qualified for Hawaii in November. At that time I had nailed down my race nutrition strategy but my daily diet was still a disaster. A friend of mine had worked with a dietitian last year during her preparation for Kona and gave me a referral. I held off on contacting her because she is not based in Arizona and everything would be done online or via phone consult, and I wasn't sure how this would work.
I sat down with a couple of nutritionists locally last fall to talk about what I needed. I got a similar response from each which was something along the lines of, I don't write meal plans, I am going to teach you how to eat properly. *sigh* I know how to eat healthy. I just don't do it because I lack time to plan to eat healthy. I almost signed on because my preference in life is to support local. But in the end, I went with what was going to be best for me and I called Katie of OWN Nutrition.
Over the course of a couple phone calls and email correspondence I gave her my deal breakers. I don't have time to "cook". I want someone to tell me exactly what to eat (and when?!) and it needs to be assembly only. And I don't eat poultry. Ever. I breathed a sigh of relief when Katie was excited to help me and encouraged me in the process. She assured me that after a few months, I WOULD learn what my body needed, but for now she would handle the thinking part of it.
 |
| Boiled eggs: 10 min prep. A week's worth of snacks. |
My first meal plan arrived in my inbox. 7 days, with detailed meals and snacks. A shopping list (hallelujah!). "Recipes" for any meals that required some assembly. And a handout on portion sizes. OK, I admit, I didn't print out the portion sizes handout.
My first trip to the grocery store was a little bit overwhelming. I was still learning and hadn't yet compiled a concise list so I was running back and forth between different departments as I read down my list for the week. I have since learned and now spend 10 minutes making a list for produce, meat, frozen goods, dry goods, etc. Now I can be in and out in 30 minutes.
Week 1 I had something on my plan called the "side salad". When I set out to prep my side salad I was shocked to find it was anything but a "side"! 4-5 cups of greens (spinach, arugula and romaine), with tomatoes, almonds, and protein (some days this was salmon, others it was beans and quinoa).
 |
| Peppers and zucchini wrapped in strip steak with sauteed spinach. |
Most of my assembly is done on Sundays and Thursdays when I have an hour in the evening to prepare meals. I prepackage my lunch and dinner for the week, including all snacks. Once or twice a week I'll throw all my protein on the grill. I'll have a big salmon filet going on one burner, and a couple of filets on another. And my husband (who is not following my meal plan) let's me grill up some pork or chicken for him along with a big batch of quinoa once a week so that he's not scrambling for healthy options either. And every once in a while, he'll eye something that I'm eating and offer to share it with me. Among our favorite is an avocado-tomato-cilantro salad (with protein of choice on top!) It has been no trouble at all to transition to this meal plan.
I'm past the 30 day mark now and I'm as happy as the day I hired Hillary to coach me. I have eaten more vegetables in the last month than I have in the last 2 years combined. I have more energy. More stable energy-- no spiking and bottoming out in the middle of the day. I have been trying things I've never made before. Pork carnitas in a crock pot for example. Everything is super simple, but tasty and satisfying.
 |
| Carnitas!! In the crock pot!! Prep time: 10 minutes. *Boom* |
 |
| Big ol' salad! This is my mainstay! |
Once a week I have a phone consultation with Katie. And if I email or text her with a question I usually hear back within a couple of hours. She has helped me to realize that being ravenous on Monday means that I'm not fueling and re-fueling on Sunday appropriately after my long day. We made a few adjustments and I no longer wake up hungry, and Monday is just like every other day of the week-- steady energy intake and output. It is nothing short of amazing!
I think someday I would like to try moving more permanently to a plant based diet, but for now, I am eating healthy and feeling great. Even my stress level has improved dramatically. I don't know if it's all the good fats allowing my brain to function appropriately, or just the fact that I'm not eating drive thru meals 10 times a week. I still eat pizza. Just not every day. And I still eat sweets. Just not every day. I'm eating slower and finding pleasure in food again.
Food is love, and I'm definitely on the road to being happier with myself and how I'm treating myself. And this move is central to my theme of #findingaloha in 2016. Love my food, love myself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)