triOK's Group - FULL (Page 16)

OK...first off, gaining weight is not necessarily bad.  If you are gaining muscle, that will help you in a race.  It means you are getting stronger, which we can all agree is a good thing.  In college, I had to trade the time I used to spend working out and playing sports for studying and busting my tail to put myself through school.  It didn't help that I was doing that by working at a brewery.  Needless to say, I gained a lot of weight my last year of college and had a really hard time getting it off.  The key you have to remember is consistency, both in diet and exercise.  Your diet "isn't that great" and that is probably a huge part of why you aren't seeing the results you want.  In order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume.  And you have to do this consistently.

Your body likes to regulate itself.  It doesn't like it when you throw something else into the mix... that's why you get sore after a hard workout.  Its really your body's way of saying, "What the heck was that?"  When you workout hard, your body retains water, noticeably.  After races I am usually around 4 lbs heavier than I normally am, and it will stay that way for a couple of days.  The same thing tends to happen if you aren't working out consistently.  Your body goes through the "what-the-" stage a lot more and will retain water.  Its not a bad thing, but it just happens.

And along the same lines with the regulation thing... if you are doing the same workout everyday, over and over, your body will adjust and stop responding.  Its called a plateau.  You need to mix up your workouts so that you never get to the plateau phase.  For example, do a bike-focused week, where you cut out a swim/run workout or two and go for a bike ride instead.  The next week do a swim-focused week.  Or do a volume week one week and an intensity week the next week.  I have other ideas that I would be glad to share if you are interested.

I'm rambling, but the bottom line here is consistency.  This is not something you can do half-time and expect to see results.  Commit to it and you will see a difference very quickly.

Zach:  After looking over your logs a little bit more, I have some suggestions for you.  Just suggestions, but it might help you in your consistency.

1.  Plan your workouts a week in advance.  Decide how much time each day you will have to workout.  Then fill in those time slots with a workout.  Tape it to your fridge, closet door, bathroom mirror, whatever... just put it somewhere you will see it a lot.  Its there as a reminder.  And it will make you feel guilty if you miss a workout.  (for me, the guilt is more painful than just getting out and doing it)

2.  No fast food.  I know those words a like poison to college kids, but just don't do it.  Subway is an exception... as long as you get a healthy choice (stay away from the meatball sub.  Its worse than a burger).

3.  Eat a salad everyday.  I get bags of pre-made salad from the produce section and eat half the bag for lunch, then eat the other half the next day.  Covering it in salad dressing, cheese and other good stuff doesn't count and makes it unhealthy.

4.  Try to eat 6 meals a day.  3 full meals, 3 little meals.  Full meal = carb serving, protein serving, veggie.  Little meal = carb serving, protein if you can.  Examples:  Full meal = pasta with marinara sauce, scoop of cottage cheese, fruit or veggie.  Salad with light dressing, tuna, cottage cheese, bagel.  Little meal = Clif bar or protien shake (Slim Fast-high protein, Boost-high protein, or self-mixed with protein powder)

5.  Keep portion sizes down (about the size of your fist). 

6.  Try to eat lean protein at least 3 times a day (lean protein = chicken breast, ground turkey, lean red meats, cottage cheese, fish, nuts etc) I have followed the Body-for-life program in the past and its wonderful.  Great for triathletes! 

Yeah, definitely can't eat like I did in high school... but then again I worked out almost 8 hours a day back then.  Yeah, I'm crazy; always have been.

Hang in there!  Be patient with yourself.  OH!  I just thought of another suggestion!  STOP WEIGHING YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!  If you absolutely must, allow yourself to do it ONCE a week.  Weigh yourself in the morning, the day AFTER your rest day, before your workouts, before breakfast.

It's definitely been cool talking to you all over the last couple months.  It's been a great motivator!  I also like seeing how Robyn and Dan train and their results.  I'd like to get to that level of training as well - someday!

I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone does over the summer as we get into the races - including next weekend for Eric!  Then the following week for Robyn with her Olympic followed by a Marathon the week after that!

The challenge we did was also a good kickstart for me to get me up to more consistency.  Thanks for setting that up Robyn!

That someday will be sooner than you think.  And don't forget that we are watching you too.  That's what I like about Tri's.  Everyone wants the other to do well.  Unlike I'm finding at pure cycling and running events, it's about the other person doing poorly.  Such a different atmosphere.

You 'guys' rock!!

All of you guys have done so well in coming this far.  True, we've had some that didn't stay with us, but I expected that.  This sport takes a lot of commitment.  Its not something you can wake up and do one day.  Its been a lifestyle change for me, and as a result, I am a completely different person today than I was a year ago.  I think its been a change for the better.

Its been really cool to watch your progress in the short amount of time you guys have been at this.  I can't wait to read your first race reports for your first tris!

 I'd never heard of Sydney Crosby, so I had to look him up on Wikipedia.  You can tell I'm not a hockey fan.

  Good one!

Awww... the taper madness starts.  Don't fret it.  Here's my opinion on tapering/racing.  Sunday is going to hurt.  You are going to push yourself to your absolute limits.  Your body needs to be fresh to be at its best.  At this point, you aren't going to gain anymore fitness for the race.  You aren't going to lose any either.  Right now, you should be resting, since that is what is going to help you the most.

Today is Tuesday... if you want to do an easy run today or tomorrow, go ahead; 3 miles in Z2 max.  After tomorrow, no more running since the impact is stressful on your legs.  Maybe an easy bike or swim on Thursday.  Friday and Saturday is rest, rest, rest.  Sunday is go time!  That's it.

You will see the most benefit from being totally rested.  You just have to trust me on this one.  I know you feel like you should be doing something, but at this point sneaking in another workout will hurt you more than help you.

I start my taper tomorrow.  Expect a lot more mindless, rambling posting going on as the madness kicks in.

Robyn is totally correct.  You will feel flat and lazy a couple of days before a race if you are tapering properly.  And that will allow your body to absolutely crush things on Sunday.

Personally, I found swimming easy is a good way to just work the body a bit but not trash your legs.  But keep in mind, you don't get a benefit from a workout until about 5-6 days AFTER you're done with it.  So nothing hard.

YOOOOO HOOOOOO!?!

I did my LT test today.  Oh.my.god.that sucks.  But now I can embrace the taper....

How did it go?  What disipline did you do it in?