triOK's Group - FULL (Page 11)

Yup.  I always take something with me during training.  I carry a gel with me in a pocket, just in case.  For shorter, tempo runs or swim workouts, I take gatorade.  For long runs and most rides, I take a Clif bar and multiple gels.  My tummy can handle solid food ok on runs and rides.  I eat a Clif bar every hour, and gel every 45 min.

For races, I gel before I start.  Then every 45 min after that.  I have yet to do a race where I needed solid food, but I am prepping for a HIM, where solid food is a must.  I carry just water with me on the bike, and drink only water during the race.

For nutrition in general, I am like a roller coaster.  Sometimes I am REALLY good, and sometimes I am REALLY bad.  I am always conscious of what I eat, whether it is good or bad.  While eating a burger, I am constantly thinking, "I am going to pay for this later."  And I usually do, but I make my burger indulgences rare and worth it.   Fuddruckers...mmm.

I like to break food down into a few simple categories and then try to pick and choose among them to get a variety.  

• Carbs:  simple, complex, and fiber.  Simple = bad; complex and fiber = good 
• Protein:  its all the same to me.  (I try to eat lean red meat for the iron...as athletes, this is important ESPECIALLY for women)
• Fruits and veggies:  self-explanatory.  I don't cover it in cheese or butter....if you do, it doesn't count.
• Bad stuff:  candy, ice cream, french fries, all the good stuff.

I drink a lot of milk so I usually don't think about that, but that is important too.  Get your calcium.

I also keep fast-food VERY limited.  That stuff is poison.  There are things that you can get that aren't that bad, but you can do better. 

I don't really count calories, and I don't deprive myself.  Like I said, I am conscious of what I eat, and I try to stay on top of my nutrition.  I can see a huge difference in performance and overall energy level when I eat like crap.  It pays to pay attention to what is going in your mouth.

I just thought of something else.  For those of you trying to drop weight, the reason stated above is why you DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT want to maintain a low carb diet.  You are SEVERELY limiting yourself, and could possibly cause irreversible damage to yourself.  Carbs are ABSOLUTELY necessary for triathletes.  I don't care what anyone says....

Recovery products are a vital role that not many people pay much attention to. I, too, have read studies about Chocolate milk being a great recovery drink. Who would have thunk it right!

The problem people encounter is that you have to put something into your body with the critical 15 - 45 min window after your workout. This is when your body will maximize what you put into it. Remember that you don't get stronger during your workout, it's after the workout when the body adapts to the stress you put on it. That's where recovery products come into play.

Robyn mentioned Recover-Ease. What I like about it is that it's something I can throw in my gym bag or in my car and take it right after my workout. It's in pill form so no refrigeration, mixing, etc. But then again, I'm lazy like that. ;P And I'm biased because I use it and love it. So while other products are great too, you have to find what you will be able to use DIRECTLY after your workout in the 'critical' window time frame.

Oh...in regards to PB.  Yes, it's a great source of calories.  In a good way!  Remember that everything is in moderation.  I have PB toast on my way to work every morning.  And I've been known to eat a spoonful of it as a snack.  But at the same time, I don't snack on potato chips the PB takes the place of that.  As Robyn said, be mindful of what goes into your mouth.

Ha... Would you guess that Dan is my teammate on Team Wicked Fast and he sells Recover-ease too.  I'll just say there is a reason for that, and we'll leave it there.

As far as peanut butter goes, it is very calorie dense, but the calories it does offer are not empty ones.  If you have ever read anything about sports and nutrition you will have seen them refer to "empty" calories.  Empty calories come from foods that don't offer any other form of nutrition.  These foods are high in sugar (glucose, fructose) or saturated fats.  Believe it or not, some fat is good and to athletes its very good.  Not to get too technical, but foods that are high in unsaturated fats, in moderation, can be very good for you.  The cushy stuff in your brain and all of your cell membranes are made from unsaturated fats.  Even the cholesterol in eggs is good, to a point.  Lots of hormones, especially testosterone and estrogen, are derivatives of cholesterol.

Foods like extra virgin olive oil and peanut butter are loaded with these "good" fats.  As long as they are consumed in moderation, they are very beneficial to your diet.  Personally, I think the all-natural peanut butter tastes like dirt.  I get a low sugar variety of PB (I think Jiff makes it) and put it on crackers or toast before a long workout.  The proteins in PB are beneficial too, but we all know that.

Edited to add:  Sorry.  I let my inner geek shine through.  I am a biochemist by education and training. 

I am going to place an order for Carb-BOOM products tonight or tommorrow.  If you guys want anything, let me know and I will get it in.  If you order now, it cuts down on the cost for shipping.  I have some other orders going in and I can just send it in all together.

If you want Recover-ease or Energ-ease, I can have that out to you by tomorrow morning (assuming its on my doorstep waiting for me).  Let me know ASAP!

Happy Friday!  YAY!

Where's my group!  YYYOOOOOOHOOOOOO.  Anyone out there?  Did we all have rough weekends or what?

How did everyone do this week?

Barely squeezed in 5 hours last week, when I thought I would hit it with no problem.  Not a good weekend for exercising, but managed a bit on Sunday night.

Had today off work so went to the gym this afternoon.  Decent start to the week.

5 hours planned again this week.

My apologies, guys... drama at work has led to me slacking on my mentoring.  Stupid job.

Anyway... I am working on posting the results of the tri challenge for last week.  I will have it up by lunchtime at least.

Party on...

Here's an odd thing I've learned - I can't do an underwater flip/somersault with my eyes open!  I've done somersaults since I was a kid, and I've also been able to do flips to push off the wall.

The last couple of times out, I've tried doing that with my eyes open, and my brain must get all confused seeing my legs up and over me!  The results of this so far have been one of the following: tangled in the ropes, getting "stuck" upside down, forgetting to twist back over so my stomach is down, forgetting when to push off and missing the wall completely, and sometimes breathing in! 

All of these have resulted in various intakes of water and a pause in my laps.  Sure enough though, when I get to the other side, I do it with my eyes closed and don't even think twice.

Really strange...

triOK's Group

No Mercy: 63.3%

kbkav:  100%

firstriguy:  86.4%

poke4christ:  51.4%

erjellum:  87.5%

gator22:  100%

tyroneNYC:  ??

willie05:  100%

shultzboy:  ??

gc150:  100%

triOK:  100%

Marvarnett's Group

starcorp:  100% on a HUGE week! 

mcole158:  no goal this week

Cashmason:  100%

Marvarnett:  didn't get your pledge for some reason.

Rocky Road?!?!?

I hope you start to feel better soon.  Definitely take it slow training.  We'll be here when you are ready to get going again!