Metabolic Efficiency + The Athlete's Diet

"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver." ~Mahatma Gandhi

In addition to working full-time, running The BMK, cooking for a handful of special clients and tending to the needs of four rescued cats, Adam and I also train for triathlons. This year we've got 4 half Ironman races (1.2mi swim, 56mi bike, 13.1 mi run) and one full Ironman race (2.4mi swim, 112 mi bike, 26.2mi run) on the calendar. One of the most frequent questions I get is, "What do you guys eat?!" The answer? A lot! But, not as much as you'd think.

Finding the right balance between nutrition and exercise has been an ongoing endeavor. I follow a few basic rules:

1. Fresh, real, un-packaged, unprocessed food as often as possible.
2. Adjust the quantity of food with exercise load (heavy workout days = more food)
3. Adjust the timing of meals with exercise time (two early a.m. workouts = larger meal at breakfast, lighter meals as the day goes on).
4. Remove all the "White Devils" - white rice, white bread, white pasta, white sugar.
5. Double up on vegetables, eat half the amount of starches and grains.
6. Plan weekly menu and shop on Sunday. (Reduces trips to store, impulse buys, $ spent)

Earlier this year, our Coach gave a talk on the principles of Metabolic Efficiency (see Bob Seebohar's books for more info!) and I spoke briefly about how to translate these principles to the dinner table. The general principle behind Metabolic Efficiency is that our bodies use two main sources for energy - carbohydrates and fat. We have a limited store of carbohydrate calories in our body at any given time, but our stores of fat calories are vast. You can train your body to tap into those fat stores for longer by doing two things - exercising at a lower heart rate (thus improving your aerobic capacity) and by weaning your body off the highs and lows of carbohydrate dependency. 

A quick note here - carbohydrates are NOT bad. They are necessary, vital and beneficial when consumed from quality sources. Nutrient rich whole grains, psuedograins, tubers, and fresh fruit are healthy sources of carbohydrates. Enriched, bleached, refined grains, sugar-laden packaged foods and nutritionally vacant foods are empty carbohydrates that offer your body no more than a quick fix and a guaranteed crash. What we want to do, as healthy eaters and/or athletes is to remove the junk from our diets and replace it with food that can readily translate into fuel for our bodies. Fueling our bodies with real, fresh, nutrient dense foods enable us to not only perform better, but allows our immune systems to fight off stress, fatigue, colds, and chronic illness. A healthy, balanced diet requires eating good food at regular intervals - this gives our body and our brain a steady stream of fuel to carry out our daily activities. 

Eating a poor diet that's high in empty carbohydrates, refined sugars, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and deep fried fat flavor keeps us eating more, but results in undernourishment. We depend on synthetic vitamins to provide nutrients our diets lack, but those nutrients require more effort for our bodies to break down and are often lacking in the full makeup our body needs to perform optimally. Our blood sugar swings wildly from "Oh-my-gosh-I'm-so-full" to "I'm-starving" and our mood responds accordingly. Without thinking, we reach for the nearest food source that satisfies our hunger cravings and our addiction to empty food. Breaking this cycle takes work. Healthy food may even seem bland at first! Allow your taste buds a few weeks to adjust to the taste of real, fresh food and I guarantee you that after 4 weeks, you will not find your old foods tempting to the taste.

Below I've included a PDF to a guide I put together for our team. In it I discuss some possible meals and ideas based around healthy eating and metabolic efficiency. While we are mostly vegan, the guide is for omnivores and I plan on creating a more specific plant-based only guide to go along with this one as well as a Sample Week Menu.

MET_EFF_GUIDE -

Perspective

Photo by the talented Wobsarazzi

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.  

~Rabindranath Tagore

It rained on Wednesday and I had a million excuses to not get my 7 miles in. It was cold. It was wet. It hailed earlier in some parts of OC. It would probably start raining again. I'd been feeling a little under the weather. I debated dragging myself to the gym to soldier it out on the treadmill, but I wasn't feeling too excited about it. Then, the rain ceased and the sky parted slightly just as I was getting ready to go and I took it as a sign to get my ass outside. 

It was cold and I could feel my body's heat evaporating quickly off my running shirt. I forgot the caps to my little running belt bottles so I was stuck carrying a larger bottle which is always annoying. The first few minutes of my run there's always a bit of inner whining, bitching and complaining going on. Seems like with as much as I cart workout stuff to and fro, I inevitably leave something behind. Socks. Water bottles. Sunglasses. Sports Bra. And I refuse to go home before my run since 99% of the time, that will end in my butt on the couch!

I settled into my stride and began to wake up and enjoy my surroundings. I pulled my head out of my work day, and began to notice the sheer beauty of the world around me. It's a startling contrast - the dull drone of my job compared to the vivid, colorful vista of the Back Bay. I noted the ominous clouds ahead of me hanging out in the foothills and figured there had to be a rainbow somewhere. Sure enough, as I started my first tempo interval into the freezing wind, I spotted a huge rainbow arcing up from the ground into the clouds. I felt calm and it dawned on me that you'll never see any rainbows if you're not willing to be caught out in the rain. 

In running, as in life, perception is everything. If you think something's going to suck, it will. If you think something's impossible, it will be. If you think you can, you will. I work a full-time job (and do four different jobs there), train 10-14 hours a week, have a little side business catering to a handful of co-workers, and cook with Adam all of our  meals from scratch (no joke, we grind our own flours). There's a million reasons I can come up with to not do a workout, to sleep in, to cut a run short, to bail on a ride. I was reminded by a friend this week that shortcuts are for wimps. It made me laugh and it rang true. The journey is always the reward. Cutting short the journey cheapens the destination so, so much. When I am frustrated or want to quit or cut things short, I think of a positive. Instead of, "Ugh! This run is SO long!" I think, "How lucky am I to be able to be healthy, have legs, and be able to run free of pain." Instead of, "I don't want to go workout on Friday after work" I think of how good it feels to be faster now and to cross finish lines quicker. I think of how nice it is outside, and how some of the most beautiful days are those with inclement weather. I look forward to the sunrises and sunsets, and try to catch one or both daily.

As I wrapped up my tempo intervals and headed back towards the Back Bay, it began to get windier and colder. The dark clouds from the foothills were swiftly moving towards me. I felt great for getting outside and finishing my workout. I felt the sense of accomplishment that comes with hard work and perseverance. As I got closer to the entrance of the Back Bay under Jamboree, I could tell the sunset was going to be a keeper.  Sure enough, right as I rounded the trail under Jamboree I was greeted by an unforgettable view. I hollered out a hello to a photographer who's always hanging out in that spot taking long exposure shots (it really is one of the best spots on the bay) and he remarked how this was really one of the best. The sun dropped  under the clouds a bright shaft of light rushed across the water towards me. I watched it, running, as it sunk into the bay. I was in complete awe. This day, this moment, this world, this life... there is nothing better and the expression of gratitude on a consistent basis is the only form of prayer that I know. It was the clouds, not the sun, that made the sunset so spectacular. It was the rain too, not just the sun that made the rainbow appear. It is the sum of all things that make existence magnificent and marvelous, and I am grateful for understanding how to value the whole sum, not just certain parts.

Beauty and the Beast (Triathlete)

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself." - Anna Quindlen, author

This is a post from last year that sat incubating till today. Enjoy!


Adam and I were cooling down from a long ocean swim / trail run brick at Crystal Cove State Park awhile back when we began chatting with a park ranger. He asked us which triathlon we were training for. We must have looked a little surprised so he gestured to our skintight spandex tri outfits, hydration belts, sockless shoes, interchangeable lens glasses and said, "You know, the outfits give it away". We looked down at ourselves and at each other and realized...we're 100% dorky from top to toe. There's just no use caring what you look like in triathlon. Usually my primary concerns are: Am I comfortable? Will this chafe? Is it UPF? Is this top quick dry? Are my girly bits going to be happy in these bike shorts on mile 60? I began to think about how my body image has changed over the years, particularly with my involvement in triathlon.

I come from a family of tiny women. My mom is 5'2" and looks like she's about 100lbs. My sister is tiny with an hourglass figure and a waist the circumference of my right thigh. I've always been taller and bigger and nothing I did was going to change that. I've been in shape, out of shape and somewhere in between and my happiness with my body has usually fluctuated in accordance to how healthy I feel. Yet, I am a girl and when I started triathlon I recall feeling too fat to wear tight shorts, worrying about how I dorky I look and wondering if other athletes look at me like I'm a poser in my fancy workout gear. I realized this day as the ranger laughed at/with our attire, that my body image has shifted quite a bit.

To be honest, with all those endorphins kicking in from the exercise, I feel pretty awesome when I'm working out. In my mind, I'm coated in spandex and I look sort of like the Lara Croft of triathlon.  One photo from a race makes me question my connection to reality! My first tendency is to criticize myself, but it's easier to hit the mental switch to credit my body, imperfect as it is, for what it provides me. I am strong, I am healthy, I am flexible, I am working hard on achieving the goals I want in my life and in my body and I don't need to beat myself up. Accepting my body as it is allows me to just have fun. There's no contest, there's no competition, and there's no shame. I'm not worried about my thighs shaking when I run. I'm not worried about sweat marks on my tank top, make-up being right, hair being neat or what my dress size is. I'm free to focus on my workouts and on how I feel.

Being active has healed those self-criticisms and fractures in my confidence and it has abated any need to compare myself to anyone else's body image ideal. I view the beauty of the human body differently. It is a machine built to perform, not an idle work of art to be perched on a pedestal for display. I see perfectly tanned bodies and I love my zebra-stripes of mismatched tan lines more for my lines represent hours spent in bike shorts, running skirts, and swimsuits. I see well manicured and pedicured nails that have never changed a dirty bike tire and have never been bashed to the point of falling off in running shoes. I see thin bodies with skin stretched over bone and I see weakness, frailty and lack of power. I see perfectly smooth skin and I chuckle at the memory of each scar, abrasion, callous and scratch that represent a stepping stone on my way to where I am today. I see more beauty in a body that is being used by it's inhabitant and feel a sense of pride and contentment in my own imperfect perfection.

It's not easy to undo decades of marketing, advertising, criticism from self and others, and false images of what women should look like. The mental conditioning about who you are and what you look like begins the moment you're born. You learn it unwittingly, and it becomes written into your every action and moment. Every glance at a reflection merits judgment, assessment and comparison. It takes time and effort to slowly break those habits and learn to look at yourself and your body in a new light. Learning to silence the self-criticism is the first step to actually being able to hear the myriad of things your body is trying to tell you. Your body will let you know when it feels good, strong, sick, like it’s fighting a little bug off, sore, strained, hungry, and tired. Your body will clue you in to what you need to adjust in your workouts, your diet and your routine. Try viewing your body as a vehicle for experiencing life, as opposed to treating it like a decorative shell.

Feed your body the good food it needs to grow, heal and perform. Hydrate your body with nourishing water. Stretch your body so that your muscles are limber. Exercise to strengthen and tone your body, heart, lungs, and mind. Love your body for what it is, instead of hating it for what it isn’t. Without the constant criticisms and nagging worries, your whole outlook shifts to a brighter disposition and nothing’s more attractive than self-confidence.

Training Update: 2 Half Marathons & More

2012 is off to a busy start! At the end of last season, I signed up for two half marathons to ensure that I would focus on my run training during off season. The run has always been a bit of a problem for me, as I don't come from a  running background. Historically, each time I tried to train for half marathon I'd lose steam half way through my plan, injure something, or simply not start laying down consistent base miles for enough time before ramping up distance or speed. Running itself is not hard to do, but to do it correctly and remain injury free, that takes some work. Since I'd signed up for four Half Ironmans and a Full Ironman, I figured I better get on the ball with this running business. My first half marathon was in January of 2010 at Surf City in HB and I showed up under-trained due to a foot injury (plantar fasciitis) and decided to run anyways (bad choice). Needless to say, it was an unpleasant experience and it hurt like hell. I finally dragged my sorry ass across the finish line in 2:32:39. My next half marathon was at the end of Orangeman 70.3+ in September. I thought I was relatively trained for it, but again the run hammered me into the ground with a depressing 3 hours. Granted it was over 14 miles and it was hills AND it was after swimming 1.2 mi and riding 56 mi of Ortega Highway, but it was NOT the half marathon I wanted and I vowed to never repeat that miserable run/walk/cry again.

I logged plenty of miles in November and December and even ran a nice slow 13.1 on Christmas Day. My mileage felt comfortable and I felt confident that I could get through and possibly even improve my time for the half marathons in January and February. Once I signed on with Joby as my coach, he switched my Sundays from long slow runs to speed-work with add-on slower mileage afterwards. Each Sunday was under 13 miles, but Joby assured me the speed-work sessions would handle the half marathon. The speed-work sessions were brutal and I endured largely through the camaraderie of teammates, our mutual suffering and the confidence that the work now would pay off later. 

A great 13.1 with a sweet group of girls!

The last weekend in January found me at the extremely early Tinkerbell Half Marathon with my co-worker and friend Tristan and two super cool runner chick friends of hers! I can't recall the last time I was at Disneyland, but it's been ages. I figured it would be kind of neat to run through the empty park, but had no real expectations and was following a tempo/speed-work plan Joby set out for me to do for the duration of the race. I was tickled by the flood of memories that came back from my childhood as I jogged through what seemed like every square foot of Disneyland. What a trip! Since it was empty, I could clearly pinpoint areas I'd been as a child. I waited in line there. We bought candy there. We went into that shop on Main Street. We watched the parade from here. Never in a million years did I think I'd ever be allowed to run all out through Disneyland! It was a blast, really well organized and a nice way to start my official 2012 season.

Tinkerbell Half Marathon 2012 Results

The following Sunday was the Surf City Half Marathon in Huntington Beach. Joby had backed my training load off a bit the week prior giving me some well needed rest and recovery. On Saturday he sent me 5 pacing options for the race. I realized that I'd be actually racing a half marathon for the first time. There's a big difference between finishing and racing. To be honest I felt nervous about his plans. I knew I could do the slowest plan which had me running pretty much 10:00 min/miles with a little speeding up half way through. What I wasn't sure is if I could run the fastest pace plan which had me running 9:15 min/mi. That's a big difference. Every mile would have to be 45sec faster than the slowest plan and my regular easy/long run pace is more towards 11:00 min/mi. Yet, our speed sessions had often involved around 5+ miles and I had to do bonus miles afterwards that I often ran at a 9:30-10:30 pace. I decided that if I woke up feeling strong, I'd go all in and aim for the fastest pace plan and the 2:00:00 goal. 

And here I'm in the happy-fun-fun first 5 miles

I woke up feeling great but still unsure about that 9:15 pace. I decided it didn't matter what happened out there. This is not an "A" race for me and I'm not a runner.Freeing myself up from those expectations, I didn't have to care if I blew up at mile 10 or wound up ascending my pace/mile. After an easy warm up, I got in my corral and waited for the start. Surf City is a really, really big race. Over 20,000 people packed onto Pacific Coast Highway to run either the half marathon or the full (which fortunately starts earlier). I took off and began my run hoping to clear away from the crowds as soon as possible. With 20,000 people, there's no real breaking away from the crowd. The crowds are everywhere. It took a bit more navigating around people than I would have liked to have wasted time doing, but I was committed to my pace. 

A little more serious now...

The first 5 miles went fantastic. I was having to hold myself back and even cruised up the one uphill section. I wasn't sure when I'd need my E-gel that I brought with me, but I usually can spot the cues from my body when I need to take it so I wasn't worried. Until I I began to slow down. I felt like I was running just as fast, and I was going downhill, but no matter what I did, my pace kept ticking up and up and up. So much so that I figured my Garmin was just having an issue, but it stayed at 10:07 and I realized it wasn't being flaky, I was actually slowing down. I realized too late that due to the huge increase in pace, my body switched over to burning glycogen much sooner than usual and I needed food NOW (well, actually half a mile before this). Fortunately Adam was riding by at the same time on his BMX (taking pics) and I snagged his water to get my gel down with. Not surprisingly, my pace went back to normal!

Bringing it home!

I never got back to that awesome feeling I had for the first 5 miles. I knew I was on limited time until my sugar was depleted again, and I had no real plan. The food they had on the course (shot blocks) don't tend to sit really well with me so I was going to have to just do what I could with what I had. I was starting to lose focus when Tammy Lynn came up behind me and said some really words of encouragement. I was so happy to see her and felt renewed. I pulled up every trick in my head to get myself back on track for 2 hours. It was getting hot, I was getting a bit cranky with the crowds and I just wanted to get it done. The next five miles were a push. I pushed and I pushed and I pushed. I mentally tied myself to people in front of me and used them to pull me forward. I played games with my cadence. I counted. I set up mini-races to get ahead of certain people. I dug deep and had very little left. I took what I had and pushed it into the last mile and crossed the finish line in 2:01:11. That's good enough for me!

I'm really pleased with my time. Not too shabby for a 31 year old ex-smoker who only started seriously trying to run a few years ago! It's reaching goals like these that make me realize that anything is truly possible and it's experiences like this that make me understand how crucial the right people being around you are to your success. I'm so fortunate to have a core group of people who not only support and encourage me, but believe I can do things that I'm not even sure of. I spent most of my life trying to do things on my own and I got pretty far. From this side of the fence, I can tell you, life is so much easier when you have a reliable set of friends to help you on your way to your dreams. 

Surf City Half Marathon 2012 results