mchubri's Crazy Awesome Training Group - CLOSED (Page 10)

mchubri` - 2010-04-21 4:18 PM What's going on team? 

I've started to use mydailyplate.com to keep my nutrition in check during these next two weeks where my training is unstructured an not putting in the hours I was before.  I really need to watch to keep my weight in check.  The website seems pretty cool, however I highly question the allowed calories it projected for me.  It says I am allowed 3300 cals per day to lose 1lb per week, that is absolutely INSANE! 

I am really nervous, I am going on vacation next week and I know my food options will be severly limited.  I will be spending a few days in Disney and there is not a whole grain, or eggwhite anywhere on the 4 billion acres they have down there.  I plan to pick up some quaker oats, Peanut Butter, bananas and maybe a loaf of whole grain bread before we check in, but grabbing something on the go is going to be rough!  It really is amazing when you look at the obesity epidemic in America then look at the nutrition choices the majority of establishments offer children, chicken nuggets and french fries!  It really angers me!  All I will want for breakfast is a few eggwhites on whole wheat bread and lunch, a piece of grilled chicken with a green veggie, or a salad constructed with something other than nutritionally void iceburg or romaine lettuce, and I know it will not be available to me. Broccoli, Stringbeans, Spinach, Black Beans are dirt cheap, yet they insist on frying potatoes and serving them with everything!

Sorry for the rant, I'm struggling with nutrition this week and freaking out about next week! 

Other than that, I put a 5 mile run in today at easy pace, RPE/Z 2.  I have my weekly masters swim tomorrow AM.  I am really struggling to fit in bike workouts and that is really starting to bother me.  I need to get on my bike more often. 

That's it, just checking in.  Anything on your mind?  Need to rant too? 

Cutlass454 - 2010-04-21 7:04 PM
I really need to get motivated to get up and work out in the early morning.  Anyone have any suggestions on accomplishing this?

n.k - 2010-04-21 11:17 PM

Here are some tips that I use that help me be in the routine of working out in the early morning:

• Go to bed early.  I put my son down at around 7:30 and then hang with my wife for an hour.  By 8:30 we're moving towards bed.  Sometimes it'll be later (like last night when I went out to the bar to watch a ball game with a friend), but most of the time I'm asleep by 9pm.
• Lay out all your workout clothes and equipment the night before.  Doing this means when the alarm goes off you just have to fall into you workout clothes.
• Have breakfast pre-made.  Its one less thing you'll have to do in the morning.
• Lay our your work clothes the night before too.  That way when you get back from your work out you just have to shower, brush your teeth, and quickly put on your work clothes.  Often times I get back from my workout 15 minutes before I have to leave for work and because my clothes are already out I can make it work.
• Go to sleep thinking about your workout the next morning.  Set goals. Plan your route. Etc.  I find that when training is the last thing on my mind as I go to sleep, it'll likely be the first thing on my mind when I wake up.
• Get in the routine.  After a few weeks of doing this, your body will totally adapt and it'll get easier.

Hope some of those ideas help. 

Tkimble01 - 2010-04-22 1:20 PM Its nice to see that everyone here is human and has some issues with eating.  Working out makes it more intense also.  I am hungry all the time now.  I am adjusting though.

As far as morning workouts go.  If I get at least 6 - 7 hours of sleep the 5:30 wake up is not an issue but if I have a restless night I don't even try to get up as I know if I do and workout by lunch I am done for the day.  Not good.  I also lay everything out and think about my workout for the next morning.  I keep a little flex in it for small adjustments as needed.

Thanks for the note Brian.

Have A Great vacation
Tom

n.k - 2010-04-22 5:20 PM So, Brain, or anyone else, I could use some wight loss advise. I'm in my tenth week of training and  starting three weeks ago I finally started to see some weight loss.  That's when I started taking my nutrition serious and logging everything I eat.  In the first week I lost 5 lbs and in the second week I lost 7 lbs!  Which, obviously, I'm very pleased with. 

However, this week I haven't lost a pound yet and Friday's are my weighing in days.  This weekend I didn't eat great (I was at the in-laws all weekend) and this week is my 'recover' week where all my training times are down.  But I still feel like I should have lost a pound or two?!? 

What makes matters worse is that I am right at 233 lbs, which is the number I never seem to be able to get below.  Its been about 3 years since I've been under that weight and every time I start shedding lbs I can't bust through 233.

Any advise or suggestions would be great.  Feel free to take a look at my logs which have all my training and sports as well as every single thing I've eaten and drank.

Thanks.

Tkimble01 - 2010-04-23 6:22 AM I have a sprint tri this weekend. This morning I practiced my transition from the water to the bike.  It seemed like it took a while to get my socks on my feet which were still a bit wet even after drying them.  Has anyone done the sprint bike and run without socks?  If so what was your experience? I am thinking about ditching the socks. 

Also I actually used a shamwow that my wife had to dry off and it works great.  Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tom

titeloops - 2010-04-23 8:59 AMMany people do the entire race with no socks. In fact, I'll bet the winner of your sprint doesn't wear them at all.  I ride without, then add socks in T2. Definitely takes extra time to put on socks. However, as you've read here a million times, "Nothing new on Race day". If you've been training in socks, wear socks!

n.k - 2010-04-22 5:20 PM So, Brain, or anyone else, I could use some wight loss advise. I'm in my tenth week of training and  starting three weeks ago I finally started to see some weight loss.  That's when I started taking my nutrition serious and logging everything I eat.  In the first week I lost 5 lbs and in the second week I lost 7 lbs!  Which, obviously, I'm very pleased with. 

However, this week I haven't lost a pound yet and Friday's are my weighing in days.  This weekend I didn't eat great (I was at the in-laws all weekend) and this week is my 'recover' week where all my training times are down.  But I still feel like I should have lost a pound or two?!? 

What makes matters worse is that I am right at 233 lbs, which is the number I never seem to be able to get below.  Its been about 3 years since I've been under that weight and every time I start shedding lbs I can't bust through 233.

Any advise or suggestions would be great.  Feel free to take a look at my logs which have all my training and sports as well as every single thing I've eaten and drank.

Thanks.

Tkimble01 - 2010-04-23 7:22 AM I have a sprint tri this weekend. This morning I practiced my transition from the water to the bike.  It seemed like it took a while to get my socks on my feet which were still a bit wet even after drying them.  Has anyone done the sprint bike and run without socks?  If so what was your experience? I am thinking about ditching the socks. 

Also I actually used a shamwow that my wife had to dry off and it works great.  Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tom

mchubri` - 2010-04-23 7:31 AM

Noel,

1st off, weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint and tracking your weight you must trust the law of averages.  5 & 7 lbs per week is not a normal pace for an active male like yourself to lose weight.  Like I mentioned earlier when we 1st met, a realistic weightloss goal should be about 1 - 1.5lbs per week.  If you take your total weightloss to date and average it out over the number of weeks you have been dieting, I bet you will see that average fall into place.  ALSO, (and I am a complete hypocrite by saying this, do as I say, not as I do), don't become a slave to the scale, it will F with your head.  You will have bad weigh-ins you will have overly generous weigh-ins and it seems like you have experienced both.  Stick with your plan, make adjustments as you go along...  You will hit plateaus and, beleive me I know from experience, it takes dedication, hard work and serious willpower to get through those! 

With that said, I took a look at your excercise and nutrition log over the past week and can offer some suggestions.  I offer this as advice only and hopefully motivation...

Beer, chips etc.  They may seem harmless in small doses but they add up over the course of the week. Alchol dehydrates you and salty food causes you to retain water, both are weightloss killers.  Cut these out M-F and allow yourself a "treat" on the weekend, in moderation!  I cut these out completely if I am stuck at a plateau. 

Whole Grains, I saw some brown rice in there but try to incorporate whole grains across your diet.  Make sure your wraps for your burritos are all whole grain, swap the sourdough for a whole grain roll, macaroni can now be found in a variety of whole grain varieties, my favorite is Ronzoni healthy harvest, loaded with protein and fiber.  Swap out the low fat tortilla for a whol grain one, don't sweat the fat content.  However, in my experience, watch out for wraps in general, they can be calorie bombs! Try to limit your wrap to 110 cals per serving, or 1 wrap. The reason for whole grains is this.  Whole grains break down much slower in your system than refined grains (white) the slower breakdown process allows your body to utilize that energy over time and burn more of it off.  Refined grains, or refined carbs in general convert to energy very quickly and whatever your body doesn't use, it stores as fat.  This brings me to...

Incorporate more Low Glycemic foods... Directly related to the above, normally sugary foods, refined carbs, foods generally lower in fiber are high on the glycemic scale.  Although they seem and are generally are harmless, apples, oranges, bananas, grapefruits are higher on the glycemic scale, convert to energy quickly and is stored if not burned.  Space these items out throught the day instead of eating together.  Do a quick google search for Glycemic index and you should be able to get a list of foods and where they rank.

Make sure you make your workouts count, I see you started in incorporate intervals into your training.  Interval training SLAYS FAT!  If you are going to do intervals, make sure the segments of high intensity are exactly that.  Really push yourself during the interval.  Not only will this torch fat, they will make you faster.  Vary your workouts between easy, moderate and hard sessions.  Unless your plan calls for it, don't coast through a workout, (I'm not saying that you do, just a generality) it is called a WORKout for a reason. 

It is also possible that you have gained lean muscle mass over the course of your training.  Muscle weighs a lot more than fat. The only real way to know this is to measure your body fat %, if you belong to a gym they may be able to help you calculate this and track it over time. You do lift weights and put a ton of time in on the bike, this is a real possibility.  Chrissy is absolutely right when she said to pay attention to how your clothes fit.  This is a great indicator of a change in your body composition.  


I highly recomend the "Abs Diet" by David Zinczenko.  It is a tremendous book that doesn't preach a "Diet" but teaches you how to eat, what happens to your food once you eat it and how to eat efficiently.  I re-read it every year and have circulated my copy around to dozens of friends, we all swear by it.

Losing weight is not easy and it is not quick.  You are doing a fantastic job, have seen results and have a plan.  Stick to it, make adjustments where they are needed and work hard!  No one is perfect, we all have our flaws.  It is a war not a battle.  Don't stress the setbacks, just try to do your best every day to keep on track. 

I hope this helps! 

-B

n.k - 2010-04-21 11:17 PM
I am a morning person, so view that through this lens.  But I do 95% of all my workouts in the morning.  I love the feeling of having everything done (workout-wise) before most people even wake up.  Plus, I find that I usually have zero distractions because my family, co-workers, etc. are still sleeping!

Here are some tips that I use that help me be in the routine of working out in the early morning:

• Go to bed early.  I put my son down at around 7:30 and then hang with my wife for an hour.  By 8:30 we're moving towards bed.  Sometimes it'll be later (like last night when I went out to the bar to watch a ball game with a friend), but most of the time I'm asleep by 9pm.
• Lay out all your workout clothes and equipment the night before.  Doing this means when the alarm goes off you just have to fall into you workout clothes.
• Have breakfast pre-made.  Its one less thing you'll have to do in the morning.
• Lay our your work clothes the night before too.  That way when you get back from your work out you just have to shower, brush your teeth, and quickly put on your work clothes.  Often times I get back from my workout 15 minutes before I have to leave for work and because my clothes are already out I can make it work.
• Go to sleep thinking about your workout the next morning.  Set goals. Plan your route. Etc.  I find that when training is the last thing on my mind as I go to sleep, it'll likely be the first thing on my mind when I wake up.
• Get in the routine.  After a few weeks of doing this, your body will totally adapt and it'll get easier.

Hope some of those ideas help. 

n.k - 2010-04-23 1:56 PM

Chezz - 2010-04-23 2:04 PM

These are great, I have a lot of trouble getting up early but that is my biggest goal for next month!