21 December 2013

Something different



I believe that life is a process of learning. In my view, if you aren't learning you're standing still and stagnating. Learning is growing and changing. Learning can occur in many ways, not just through school. You can learn a craft by doing it. You can learn history by reading about it. You can learn from doing just about anything. I have spent the last few years learning a lot about food. It started with cutting calories via weight watchers. Eventually that led to eating clean, and the natural progression of paleo. All of them worked for a while but then they stopped working. Paleo was good, but once I stopped I have had the hardest time getting back on it. I was determined that over this break I would get back on it, but then I stumbled across I book I had that tweaks paleo just a little. It focuses on eating fat and burning fat. I won't go into great detail here, but you can read about it here: http://www.artandscienceoflowcarb.com/, it makes a lot of sense. You body has enough fat to last you for days or weeks, why on earth does it use carbs for fuel? Well, that's the way we have trained it with the standard american diet (SAD). They don't propose eliminating carbs completely, though wheat should be out, but they do suggest that carbs should be kept below 50g a day. Makes sense to me. Also, unlike paleo, they don't propose you eat tons and tons of protein. They recommend you keep it to 71-149 g a day. The majority of your calories should come from fat. This makes sense to me and let me explain why.

In my adventures with marathons and triathlons, nutrition has always been in the forefront. You have to fuel your body right in order to be able to perform and to go the distance - literally. What I have noticed is some patterns with the human bodies involved in these kind of things. First, if you drink plenty of water, your body does not retain water. Everyone knows that. If you don't drink enough water, you start to get puffy looking. So if you provide your body water, it will not hold on to it. Hmmmm...Now with the marathoners and triathletes I know I have noticed a similar situation with salt. Those that use a lot of salt usually end a race covered in salt from their sweat. Those that don't use a lot of salt generally don't end up covered in sweat. So it would seem that if you eat a lot of salt your body doesn't hold on to it, but if you don't eat a lot your body does. Hmmmm.... Now understand, none of this is scientific, just some anecdotal things I have noticed that seems to always hold true. So it would seem that if your body is provided the elements it needs to function, it does not need to store those items but it can release them knowing it will get more. Could that be the same situation with fat? Your body needs fat to function, but if you restrict your fat intake, your body goes into storage mode and you end up getting fatter. Hmmm..... It makes sense to me. That also explains why some people lose weight and get their body fat % down but as soon as they stop working out for a short time, the body fat % begins to creep up. The body has been storing fat this whole time, there has just been a balance between what is being used and what is being stored. Stop using as much and the scale tips a bit. This just makes so much sense to me as a scientist. The human body is an amazing machine and we do not consider how complex and awesome it truly is.

Back to me. For the next few weeks I am going to try eating more fat. I'm going to use butter and homemade mayonnaise and homemade dressings. I'm going to eat lots of avocados and fatty meats. It is very much like eating paleo, just tweaking it a bit. I'm willing to give it a try. And, as always, no wheat, no sugar, and no processed food. I will keep you posted.

Okay, time to get serious



I love new starts, new beginnings, looking at things as a clean slate.... Love. It. Today school ended. Woot!!! But instead of looking at it as something ending, I'm looking at it as a new start. I now get to focus on myself for the next two weeks. I now get to rein in my eating, ramp up my workouts, and make a dent. It begins tomorrow. The schedule looks like this:

6-7:30: work on paper
7:30 - 10:00; crossfit, breakfast, shower, etc.
10:00 - 3:00; work on paper.
3:30 - off to school for parade, winter ball

It will be a full day and I have to get the paper done, or really close to done since it is due on Sunday.

Right now I'm tired, really, really tired. So it's off to bed because rest is as important as anything else.

19 December 2013

Small steps



I have not been able to get a complete handle on the eating (she types with a sugar cookie in her mouth) but I'm working the exercise part of the equation. I have been to Crossfit five times since Saturday. And I have worked hard, really hard. So I am getting there. I have work christmas party tomorrow, the christmas parade and dance Saturday, and the box christmas party on Sunday. On Monday it is over. I will be home. I will work out as much as I can. And I will eat clean. I seriously can not wait. I need to use this time to get myself back together and get started on my new year!!!!

18 December 2013

A faint light



Last night, after I posted about kicking myself, I was able to keep everything in check until I went to bed. I did not eat anything more so that was good. I went to bed still feeling kind of crappy and woke up feeling yucky. Not a stellar way to start the day. I have not gotten on the treadmill even though I have been up for an hour. I have been reading info about injuries and the human body and such. So let's try it again.



For just one day I will eat clean and workout. I have nothing special going on at work today so there is no reason why I should eat any junk. I am giving myself permission to eat junk on Friday, so I will avoid it until then. So one day. Just one stinking day. Eat clean, Crossfit, and no dessert. That's all. For just one day. That is all I ask.

17 December 2013

Kicking myself



I updated my post from this morning about my not so stellar eating today. After I posted that, I ate 2 cookies and then had dinner. I have been sitting here since then feeling like I need to go the bathroom but can't, my stomach is so bloated I feel like I'm pregnant and I have a headache. Really??? What else do I need to have happen to convince me I'm a mess? I just watched the Biggest Loser and I'm all pissed off at myself. I am over this. I know what to do, why don't I do it? Why do I let myself feel like crap and not stop? WTF?????? I'm over it!!! Over it I say!!! I did not go to Crossfit tonight and I have a dentist appointment in the morning so I'm going into work late. I am going to get up in the morning and get on the treadmill. I will do 30 minutes on that puppy and run for some of it even. Maybe I'll start the couch to 5k program. I am over this. Over it completely!!!!

For just one day


I will eat right, avoid sugar and wheat, drink lots of water, and go to Crossfit. Just one day. I need this for me, so for just one day I will do this.

I was getting dressed this morning and my fat pants were tight. Now for the last 3 days I have been eating cookies and sweets like they are being outlawed. So for today, just one day, I'm going to eat well, drink lots of water to flush this stuff out, and get my WOD on later. I was debating about going to Crossfit tonight as this will be my 4th day in a row, but I'm going. I need it. I will have a good, healthy dinner and that is all once I get home. I can do this for just one day.

Only 14 days until 2014! I can not believe it. I began a post the other day about the new year. I haven't finished it yet, but I will be soon. I need to have goals and things to work towards, otherwise all kinds of other nonsense get in the way. So I will finish that up and post it soon. 2014 is going to be an awesome year, I just know it. But today, I focus on today and me.

Update: Well, the day did not go as well as planned but it was not a complete failure either. I had some chex mix a student bought me this morning. Then I had a small piece of candy this afternoon. And I did not make it to Crossfit, I was just too tired. But the good news is, I gave away 2 pieces of candy I had and I had a decent lunch. So the day was not a complete loss. I will be having a good dinner and no dessert. The good news is, tomorrow is another day.

15 December 2013

It's all about modification



Since I missed Thursday and Friday, I decided to go to Crossfit today. I don't usually go on Sundays. They are usually my big rest day/errand running/paper writing/napping day. Also, the workouts on Sunday are brutal. Last Sunday I could not finish it and got really down on myself. But, I've been working very hard on self acceptance and this was a good trial. The WOD was:
50 double unders or 150 single unders
40 cleans
40 pistols
50 double unders or 150 single unders
30 shoulder to overhead
30 pull ups
50 double unders or 150 single unders
20 overhead squats
20 hand stand push up
50 double unders or 150 single unders
10 burpee muscle ups

I looked at that and normally I would have started getting upset. I can't do double unders and jumping rope really wrecks my knee. I can't do pistols. I can't do pull ups, well, not 30 of them. I can't do hand stand push ups. Overhead squats kill me. And I can't do muscle ups. So most of the moves I can't do. But instead of getting upset, I immediately started modifying it in my head. For the jump rope, I was not going to do 150 singles. That would have meant 600 jump rope. Yeah, my knee would have been a disaster. So I just decided to do 50 single unders. Coach gave us a unique modification for the pistols that I could do. Pull ups became ring rows. Hand stand push ups became banded pike push ups. And burpee muscle ups became regular burpees. Done, done, and done. Did I work hard? You bet your butt I did!!! Did I work as hard as anyone else? Yes!! These moves are hard for me. So while someone else can do a handstand push up, a banded pike push up kills me, so we are even. I felt good about myself and I did the entire workout. Woo hoo!!!! I am proud of myself. It really is about attitude and modification.

Conversation with Hubby

 So yesterday morning I presented my idea of working out at home to the Hubby. Once I presented it to him, he said he was in. I told him I h...