food for thought

Since the day after Musselman it was back to work for me. I experienced no soreness or residual fatigue after the race, which solidified the fact that I paced it perfectly. To quote Coach Jesse "You had a great well executed race at Musselman!" That's exactly what it felt like. A well executed race. I am still smiling at how good it felt to be in control of it rather than barfing on the rocks like I have done for too long.

These are the lessons we learn in our sport.

Just for fun, here is Jesse's report of IMLP and the accuracy of his coaching.

I have gotten a ton of questions abut nutrition in the past few weeks. The nutrition that Jesse / QT2 has you follow is very solid and stresses the importance of health first. There are a lot of guidelines but a few I would like to share with you:

1. We get out nutrients from wholefoods especially fruits, veggies (BERRIES) rather than from a vitamin or crazy supplement.

2. Aim for four fruits a day and four veggies a day.

3. They have greatly increased my lean protein. In addition to chicken and such I drink a Whey Protein shake, I shouldn't even call it a shake, it's the power and water (boring, but I choose it to be. You can dress it up ;-)

4. 80 oz of water per day (that's 2.5 32 oz Nalgene bottles) in addition to what you take during training.

5. Eat every 2 hours.

6. Fuel before during and after every single workout. Every single one.

7. 2 grams of EPA / DHA Omega 3 per day

8. Concentrate on low glycemic foods usually under 55 throughout the day when in non training periods. We call it "eating in the core".

9. Stay with foods with less than 15 grams of sugar per serving.

The first thing you will notice eating this way is that you literally eat all of the time. You feel incredible and you lose weight. Your energy is stable, you don't have those mid afternoon crashes.

for me this takes a lot of planning. But that's what I like, that's what works for me, so sitting down every 3 days and planning my meals, every single one.... works for me. My life is really busy so planning helps me. Some people do better on the fly..... I don't'. It's as simple as that. If it works, good. If not, what does?

My in training nutrition looks something like this: for a 60 minute bike I take in 24 oz of Power Bar Endurance and 3 shot blocks at 30 minutes. In the window before the workout I eat something higher glycemic like a Nature Valley Bar, and in the hour after the workout I take in a recovery drink, there is a protocol of what to use depending on how long / intense the workout is.

Like I said I feel like I eat all of the time. There are times I just don't' feel like it. But I have to keep blood sugar stable. This system allows me to lose about 0.5 pounds a week. I have 9 more to go before Clearwater (which adds up to be a drop in 30 seconds per mile running).

Now realize also...... I have a bad history of an eating disorder. The weight we are getting to is not the weight I will stay at, we get down, get there and get out. That's for a purpose. It is a fine line because of my history but I am in the point in my recovery where I am able to do it. Jesse knows all about my eating disordered history and in all honesty...... this is the nutrition program I needed when I was first in recovery. replacing the micronutrients and stabilizing my blood sugar, focusing on health rather than on calories.

This is the nutrition program that should be in place in the darn hospital. And it's nothing he invented, it's just information he has assembled. You know my resources:

The Ultramind Solution

The Paelo Diet for Athletes

Look those up on Amazon.

My goal and my health is extremely important to me. My health is even more important. I am willing to be anal about that. I am willing to lie in bed each night and ask myself if I ate four fruits and four veggies per day. Did I give my body the best possible nutrients that I can?

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