owl_girl's Group --- FULL! (Page 7)

No worries, Amy!!!   I can understand everything you are talking about!

Oji-Cree would be my first, Germany my second then French and English.

I am not aboriginal in my skin colour but was born  adpoted and raised in northern Canada

Wow!  How fantastic!  I wish I could speak something other than English!  You are lucky!  Cheers!!!

Specking is not the issue it the spelling grammer and puncuation that are killer

Well glad to know it not as bad as he seem last night. looking forward to our lesson for today

Amy, you're doing great. If you hadn't said anything, I doubt anyone would have known.

Tracy, I'm looking forward to your responses to the Nutrition questions.

Swimming tonight followed by Spinning.

I think I've got about 8 people at my office who are going to do a Sprint Tri this summer. We've got each other for support.

That's awesome! Around here it seems like I'm the only that even does regular exercise. I can only discuss this with my co-workers in little bits.

Amy,

I was looking at your training plan and I am wondering why you picked this one. It looks like the sort of a plan that's designed to get a completely inactive person up off the sofa so that they can do a short sprint triathlon. Is this your starting point? You said earlier that you swim like a fish. If this is the case, then limiting yourself to 100m of swimming just because that's what the plan says doesn't make sense to me.

Can you give us an idea of your current fitness level and experience with each event: swimming, biking, and running?

Thanks, Nicole 

Hi Guys!!!  I just got a PM from someone that wants to join our little group.  I think we can handle one more so I told her to come here and introduce herself.  Her name is celena.  (I think I got the spelling right.)  I'll add her to my blog.

I'm gonna eat some lunch (cheese tortellini with pesto sauce and a salad) and get busy with those nutrition comments!  Cheers!!!

If anyone wants to add the cool mentor group list I've got, then insert this text into your goals section:

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<strong><a target="_blank" xhref="../forums/thread-view.asp?tid=98367&amp;posts=10&amp;start=1">Owl Girl's Mentoring Group</a></strong><ul>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=41878">owl_girl </a> </strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=47534">MDHillSlug</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=75802">Baowolf</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=31058">celena</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=74937">mac3116</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=57944">michaeldhess</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=30034">princessamy</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=81653">Rodney</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=72839">ronislye</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a xhref="index-weekly.asp?memberid=57797">sdbryant </a></strong></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></p>

Good job resisting the fast food urge! I know what you mean about eating too much of even healthy foods. That is exactly what I struggle with. It wasn't until about last March when I started keeping a food journal and tracking my calories that I really started to lose weight. I would exercise like crazy, then go home and consume 2000 to 3000 calories of "healthy" food throughout the day, and couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing weight. Once I started tracking it and realized how many calories I was eating the mystery was solved :). I limited my calorie intake to about 1400 calories a day and the weight started coming off. Now that I have increased my training I upped that to 1700, but haven't been real good about journaling through the holidays and it's starting to show. Time to get back to it!

There are some great calorie calculators and such on www.my-calorie-counter.com where you can figure out how many calories you should be eating based on your current weight,  activity level, and weight loss or maintenance goals.

Roni

MMMMM!  Yummy lunch!!!

GENERAL NUTRITION GUIDELINES

• Protein: 12-20% of caloric intake
• Carbohydrate: 55-65% of caloric intake
• Fat: 25-30% of caloric intake
• Water: 2-3 quarts/litres per day

HOW DO I DETERMINE CALORIES?

• 1 gram protein = 4 calories
• 1 gram carbohydrate = 4 calories
• 1 gram fat = 9 calories
• 1 gram alcohol = 7 calories

HOW DO I ESTIMATE MY DAILY CALORIE NEEDS?

• Females Age 19-30 = 2,000 to 2,400
• Females Age 31-50 = 1,800 to 2,200
• Females 51+ = 1,600 to 2,200
• Males Age 19-30 = 2,400 to 3,000
• Males Age 31-50 = 2,200 to 3,000
• Males Age 51+ = 2,000 to 2,800
• Source:  US Dept of Agriculture, 2005

OK.  These are the basics.  Here are a couple of other things to keep in mind:

Carbohydrates are very important for physically active adults.  They provide the main fuel for working muscles.  They are also stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen.  (More on glycogen later.)  If you exercise more than one hour every day, you should be consuming 65% carbohydrates.  If you exercise every other day, you should be at the lower end of the scale (55-60%).

Protein is a surprising nutrient.  Endurance athletes need to be consuming at the higher end of the scale than body builders.  High protein diets are dangerous.  First, they rob the body of that all important carbohydrate and, second, excess protein can lead to dehydration and excess stress to the liver and kidneys.

We all need a little fat in our diets.  It provides energy for low intensity exercise.  It is also necessary for some vitamins.  Choose low fat or no fat options when you can.  Avoid trans-fats like the plague!

Here is an interesting tidbit of information from the "ACE Personal Trainer Manual, third edition".

• The body has total glycogen stores (both liver and muscles) equal to about 2,500 calories
• Each pound of body fat equals about 3,500 calories
• An athlete weighing 163 pounds (74 kg) with 10% body fat has 16.3 pounds (7.4 kg) of fat which equals 57,000 calories!!!!

Ponder that for a little while!!!!!

This is just some general stuff.  If you think you have some special needs, it would be best to find a Registered Dietician (RD) who is familiar with endurance sports.

Everyone should keep a food journal for at least one week.  Be honest with yourself.  If you eat fast food during that week, write it down.  If you only eat salad, write it down.  A food journal will show you where you need some assistance.

OK.  On to some of your individual questions!

Mac and Amy have a problem with waking up in the middle of the night with hunger pangs.  Mac, good for you for keeping healthy snacks around for late night noshing!  Yes, Amy.  You are going to need more food as you exercise longer.

Have you guys examined why you wake up?  It may be as simple as an uncomfortable bed, the need for a new pillow, too warm, too cold, the dog scratching all night or the cat sleeping on your head.  Some medications can make you restless.  Too much alcohol can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.  Caffeine and sweets before bed could be the culprit.

How long before bed do you have your last meal or snack?  When do you exercise in relation to when you go to bed?

Until you figure out the cause, keep low calorie snacks close and drink water.

I can swim yes but I have never run or biked at all in my adult life.

my fitness level is just ok to poor depending on who we are comparing too.

I read plans and picked this one cuase of just getting out of the cast for the 4 time in 6 months

and cuase it seem do able like I be ready to do one race and see how it felt

The swim is driving my nuts , and the bike last night felt fast but my feels it today

I not tried running yet and don't think I should for a bit yet  although my leg was never hurt jsut was told take it easy for a weeks cuase it was not moble 8 of last 26 weeks.

if in Feburay i still feeling like it might be wrong I will change it

Mac and Amy have a problem with waking up in the middle of the night with hunger pangs.  Mac, good for you for keeping healthy snacks around for late night noshing!  Yes, Amy.  You are going to need more food as you exercise longer.

Have you guys examined why you wake up?  It may be as simple as an uncomfortable bed, the need for a new pillow, too warm, too cold, the dog scratching all night or the cat sleeping on your head.  Some medications can make you restless.  Too much alcohol can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.  Caffeine and sweets before bed could be the culprit.

How long before bed do you have your last meal or snack?  When do you exercise in relation to when you go to bed?

Until you figure out the cause, keep low calorie snacks close and drink water.

I eat last snack at  at about 7pm in bed by 10. My stomach is growling  is what normally wakes me up. I know it not all in my head cause when my friend spends the nite he has woke me up before cuase it so loud. I do take my meds right before bed but that just the pill and a vitiam.  I like to be done working out by the time i get off work. 

Nicole, I'm so glad you brought up the body fat issue.  Too many people are fixated on the scale.  Body fat percentage is a great way to assess your ideal weight.  The most cost effective and pretty darn accurate way to get this done is to find a Personal Trainer who uses calipers.  (Make sure you use the same Personal Trainer every time they figure your body fat.)

GENERAL BODY FAT PERCENTAGE CATEGORIES

• Women Essential fat = 10-13%
• Women Athletes = 14-20%
• Women Fitness = 21-24%
• Women Average = 25-31%
• Women Obese = 32% and above
• Men Essential fat = 2-5%
• Men Athletes = 6-13%
• Men Fitness = 14-17%
• Men Average = 18-24%
• Men Obese = 25% and above

This is an easy calculation.  Let me know if you would like the formula.

Your leg cramps could be due to dehydration during the bike ride or lack of doing brick workouts.  Remember to drink 4 to 8 ounces of water every 10 to 15 minutes during exercise.  Sports drinks should be used if your workout will be lasting longer than one hour.  More on this later.

After months in a cast your leg is bound to be weaker than the other one. I certainly understand why you want to take it easy with your leg, especially with the running. However, if you can swim, and you enjoy swimming, you should swim! It will improve your cardiovascular function which will aid in your biking and running training. 100m of swimming is hardly worth getting wet.

Sarah, it sounds like the food log needs to be your best friend for awhile!   Seriously, you'll be amazed and shocked by what you find out about yourself.

I have a problem with eating in the morning, too.  I have to force myself to eat breakfast.  Oatmeal is the thing that gets me by with the least amount of GI trouble.  Breakfast is very important.  Don't skimp on it.  As for an early morning workout, take a granola bar with you on your way to the gym.  Drink some fruit juice before you leave the house.  Those things will get you through your workout.  After your workout, be sure to eat within a half hour.  You should have a snack that includes both protein and carbohydrates.  Peanut butter on whole grain bread is a classic example that travels well.  (Unless your allergic to peanuts! )

Ask your doctor about deep water running, too.

Very funny about your daughter and her friends!!!

Didn't your mama tell you not to eat and then go jump in the pool!!!   Seriously, the nausea you experience is due to the blood being shunted from your gut (where it is trying to digest food) and go to your working muscles.  That food just sits there.  Ugh!

Sounds like you have some race related nutrition questions.  Here is a little bit and then I'll delve into this a bit more later.  Great question!

First of all, you need to figure out what your body can handle, food-wise, before you try it in a race.  (My body loves eating pizza the night before a race or big workout.  (My friends think it's crazy, but it works.)  Sometimes it takes a little while to figure it out.  Temperature and humidity can play a role in what your body tolerates.  (My body has decided that Gu with caffeine is the devil incarnate when it is hot!  I get the worst cramps!  Other people swear by it!)  You definitely should find out what sports drink is being served in the races you plan on doing.  You will have lots of time to get your body used to it during training.  If your body just can't tolerate it, then you know to bring something of your own.

I've never tried FRS.

I never trust those estimated calorie things.  As a general rule for running, you will burn 100 calories per mile.  It doesn't matter how fast or slow you do the mile.  I'm not sure about biking or swimming.

OK.  That was a lot of information.  Lets talk about long duration workout nutrition and race nutrition over the weekend.

What type of sports drinks, gels, bars, etc. has everyone tried?

That's pretty awesome that you have so many active people around you!  You guys should do a short workout during lunch together!

What type of sports drinks, gels, bars, etc. has everyone tried?

0 nothing not a one  not even Gatoraid althought i do buy that for my son during lasscrosse season and when he running track