real food and training/racing

Have you noticed how food is becoming medicine? Cheerios lowers your cholesterol. Activia yogurt keeps you regular. Milk builds strong bones. We no longer are encouraged to eat food simply because it tastes good. It should also correct some medical condition we have.

There is a similar trend going on in sports nutritional products. Athletes seem to be coming to the conclusion that sports bars, protein drink mixes, electrolyte concoctions and more are healthy and a good source of what we need to improve performance. Athletes comment on such supplements as if it is a foregone conclusion that this stuff is not only healthy, but also the best source of whatever it is we need to become faster and more enduring.

I believe just the opposite: A diet high in such highly processed stuff (I don’t think of them as “food”) is unhealthy. Nature has been making foods such as fruits and vegetables for millions of years. We have survived quite nicely eating these along with animal products. Such foods seem to have everything we need to not only survive as a species but to thrive as athletes.

On the other hand, sports nutrition scientists have been making their stuff for about 30 years. And it’s only been for the last 15 years or so that athletes have preferred to carry a bar in their pocket on a bike ride rather than a banana. Now we’ve come to the point where many (most?) think that the best possible food to eat post-workout is something out of a plastic bag. Some even carry this preference for sports nutritionals into their daily lives eating stuff throughout the day that was unheard of just months ago.

Here are a few guidelines I believe will help you when it comes to making food selections.

• If the product comes in plastic packaging eat it only in very small portions, preferably during exercise, and then only because of convenience.
• If the product has more than five ingredients listed on the package it’s best avoided or eaten in very limited quantities. Eat these only when “real” food is not readily available.
• The foods you should be the most wary of are those that proclaim loudly to be “healthy” or “all natural.”
• Typically, the more expensive a product is per calorie, the less healthy it is.
• The less advertising there is for a food, the healthier it is.
• If your grandparents could not have eaten it, it’s best avoided.

This is not to say that you should never eat sports bars or the like. There are times and situations when they are convenient. But the primary time to eat them is during exercise, and then only very long or very intense workouts. Generally, if you are in decent shape and the workout lasts less than two hours all you need is water, assuming you had a meal sometime in the last few hours before starting the session. For such short workouts you really don’t need all of that sugar or the other stuff (protein, sodium, magnesium, vitamins, minerals, etc) we’re told are some how necessary for sports performance.

For optimal health and sports performance simplify your diet.

running on a broken toe & Saffron Extract Satiereal

I'd been cycling with my seat at the same height for years. Recently I've started having some pain at the tops of my knees, that's a sign of my seat being to low. I think the seat height got pushed down when I got ran over by a vehicle last September. I raised the seat height up on Saturday, not only did I feel more comfortable, but I was faster and didn't get fatigued as quickly.

On Saturday I completed my 1st workout since I got sick and broke my toe last week. By the middle of the one hour bike workout my foot had swelled up to the point where my foot was too big to fit in my cycling shoe. Even though my foot had swelled during the ride I felt no pain so I decided after the bike ride to go for a quick run to see how my toe/ foot held up. I felt ok at first, but the pain would start to build up and I'd have to walk after a couple minutes. I kept the run/walk up for about 20 minutes. After the run my toe was hurting quite a bit and my foot had swelled up to the point that it was difficult to get my shoe off. The Dr had said working out would cause me pain but that it probably wouldn't cause any more damage as long as I did it in moderation. Moderation is a difficult thing for a triathlete to interpret. A triathlete who works out in moderation works out much more than the average Joe. So is that moderation for an average person or me? I figure I'll just start out slow and watch how my foot holds up.

Most of the swelling in my foot has gone down, so on Monday I'll try cycling again. If my foot is ok after Monday's bike ride then I'll try running again on Tuesday.

I've been struggling with my weight a lot recently. I've gained 25 pounds since April, and I'm hoping to get back down to around 180 pounds by August. To help accomplish my goal I've been taking Saffron Extract Satiereal, which is an appetite suppressant. It hasn't been very successful for me, it's a miracle in regards to suppressing hunger, but it doesn't do anything to stop the behavioral aspect of eating which is what I struggle with. It doesn't stop social eating, eating because of boredom, or celebration. I'm currently weighing 198 pounds, I want to lose 18 pounds in 5 1/2 weeks which is a 3 1/4 pounds a week. That kind of weight lose is a little too fast to be healthy for a triathlete in the middle of a hard training season, it would of been much better to have never gained the weight to begin with.

I'm hoping my foot has healed enough to race again by August. I'll keep you updated on my weight lose struggles and when I feel up to racing again.

Thanks for tuning in.

The 2012 Grady Williams Lake triathlon cancelled

I just received an email from the race director of the Grady Williams lake triathlon, the 2012 race has been cancelled. There were only 10 athletes registered, they'll be sending out refund checks to anyone who had already registered. Bummer. That sucks, I'd been wanting to race that one for a long time. If it's canceled this year it's highly likely they wont put it on next year. I hope they try to hold this race again in 2013, I've heard from a lot of people it's an awesome format.

sick and injured, season goal in danger?

I got sick 6 days ago. I feel better, but still not well enough to bike. I can't remember ever being sick for this long. Earlier in the triathlon season I pulled my quad and it took almost 3 weeks until I felt 100%. I'm telling you, I'm getting old.

I broke my toe on Saturday night. It feels much better. I can walk with only a small limp, but I'm not even close to running yet. Needless to say between the toe and the illness I won't be racing the Tri Raider triathlon or the Grady Williams the next two weekends. I may end up missing even more races than those. My goal this year was to win the South West Challenge Series. Now that I'm not able to train or race for awhile I'm a bit worried I'll lose the top spot in the 35-39 AG I currently hold.

time off of cycling for illness?

For years I made bad decisions in regards to training. I'd train while sick, injured, within days after competing in Iron distance triathlons, I'd train hard year round without taking an off season.....

For the last couple months I've been doing training I haven't done in a couple years; lots and lots of speed work for short course training. My body isn't adapting as quickly as I thought it would. I'm constantly in a slight state of  over training and I got sick as a dog on Thursday. This was the 2nd time in 4 weeks I got sick. Today my lower back was achy and I still had some lower GI problems, but as usual I was planning on doing my cycling workout anyways. I was determined to ride today. I justified my decision because I broke my toe on Saturday and I knew I won't be running for awhile. Cant run, must cycle right? Somehow, someway I finally made a good decisions, I'm taking the next couple days off of training. On Wednesday I'll resume training with a 50 minute bike with speed work. Until then I'm resting up and healing. I must be getting old.....

I broke my toe, among other things....

It's been a very rough couple weeks.

A couple weeks ago our van broke down, it cost $400 to fix. A few days later the Suburban my wife and I saved up and purchased broke down, $1,600 to fix. On Thursday the air conditioning stopped working and our trunk stopped opening on our van, $1,089 to fix. Over $3,000 worth of repairs in a 2 week long period.

 Friday morning when I woke up I had a horrible flue. I had the body aches, chills, and a fever. Somehow I manned up and sill went to work. Friday night was MISERABLE. One minute I was burning up with fever and had the air conditioner at work on full blast, the next I had the chills and put on my jacket. Thanks to some prayer and Gods grace I was able to tough it out and didn't have to use any sick leave.

On Saturday I broke my little toe by stubbing it on a door frame. The Dr said the best he could do was tape my broken toe to the one next to it to stabilize it. I manned up and still went to work that night for a 12 hour shift. By the middle of my work shift my foot had swelled. I took my boot off to see what my foot looked like. My toe was black and was so swollen it was as thick as my big toe, my foot had also swollen up so badly I couldn't get my boot back on. I had to take some ibuprofen and apply ice for a couple hours before I was able to put my boot back on. The Dr told me it's a simple fracture, and it should heal in 6 weeks. Below is a picture of my toe this morning, my toe is about half the size in this picture as it was last night.

I'm determined not to stress about things. My wife and I are going to pray and ask God for help. We'll accept his will whatever that may be.

Mather 6:34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

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Matthew 6:27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
God is great.

Luke 12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

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1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

After Exercise Ice Bath - Does It Help Recovery?

When I switched from Iron distance triathlon training to sprint distance training my legs were constantly sore and fatigued for 4 straight weeks. I was walking the line of over training. Last week I started soaking in ice baths after my speed days to see if I could speed up my recovery time. This entire week my legs have felt great. I'm convinced, ice baths are a miracle training tool! I found a lot of articles on ice baths on the web, I found this one on runners magazine. I found it a great read, enjoy. 

Ice Baths: Cold Therapy

Ice baths are one of the most effective ways to offset the damage done on a run. By Nikki Kimball Image by Aaron MeshonPublished 08/01/2008

Nikki Kimball, a physical therapist in Bozeman, Montana, was named USATF's Ultrarunner of the Year in 2004, 2006, and 2007.

Long runs are essential to the training distance runners because they enable the body to adapt to running greater distances safely and efficiently. Unfortunately, long runs also increase the runner's risk of injury, which can result in unplanned—and unwelcome—time off. One simple way to offset the risks inherent to long bouts of running is cold-water immersion, known to many runners as the ice bath.

Cryotherapy ("cold therapy") constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown. Once the skin is no longer in contact with the cold source, the underlying tissues warm up, causing a return of faster blood flow, which helps return the byproducts of cellular breakdown to the lymph system for efficient recycling by the body. "Ice baths don't only suppress inflammation, but help to flush harmful metabolic debris out of your muscles," says David Terry, M.D., an ultrarunner who has finished both the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run and the Wasatch Front 100-Mile Endurance Run 10 consecutive times.

Though you could use individual ice packs, cold-water immersion generally produces a greater and longer lasting change in deep tissues and is more a more efficient means of cooling large groups of muscles simultaneously. The discomfort associated with sitting in a tub full of ice water scares off some athletes. I admit that after my long runs I'd rather reward myself with a hot shower and a big plate of scrambled eggs than an ice bath. However, I have been running ultramarathons for nearly 10 years without any significant injuries, and I credit my ritual of post-workout ice baths for much of my orthopedic health.

Over those years, I've discovered tricks to make the ice bath experience more tolerable. First, I fill my tub with two to three bags of crushed ice. Then I add cold water to a height that will cover me nearly to my waist when I sit in the tub. Before getting in, I put on a down jacket and a hat and neoprene booties, make myself a cup of hot tea, and collect some entertaining reading material to help the next 15 to 20 minutes pass quickly.

Though scientific research exists to support the use of ice baths to promote recovery, no exact protocol has been proven better than others. In general, water temperatures should be between 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, and immersion time should ranges from 10 to 20 minutes. Among top runners, I see ice bath techniques that vary within and on either side of these ranges. My favorite method is the post-race soak in a cold river or lake with fellow competitors.

The New Mexico State penitentiary triathlon training center

This morning I ate pancakes made at the New Mexico state penitentiary level 2 (minimum restrict) kitchen, then ran to the New Mexico corrections academy track and did speed work. Then I did a 45 minute strength training at the New Mexico corrections academy weight room. Then I rode my bike to the level 2, had the inmates shine my boots while I grabbed a garbage bag full of ice from the level 2 kitchen, went home ate a meal of lean protein and fruit while soaking in an ice bath to speed up recovery. Who needs to live at the Colorado Olympic training center when I have all this at my disposal? I'm telling you, I'm a very lucky man. I love my life. I love my job. This is living life to the fullest! I'm almost sorry that I'll be retiring in less than 3 years.

Saffron Extract Satiereal an appetite suppressant and triathlon training

Here are other posts cronicalling my use of safrom extract:
1-22-13
http://cody-the-clydsdale.blogspot.com/2014/01/saffron-extract-and-hunger.html
June 24th 2012
http://cody-the-clydsdale.blogspot.com/2012/06/running-on-broken-toe-saffron-extract.html
June 7th 2012
http://cody-the-clydsdale.blogspot.com/2012/06/saffron-extract-satiereal-appetite.html
June 6th  2012
http://cody-the-clydsdale.blogspot.com/2012/06/weight-triathlon-diet-and-change-of.html

This morning around 2:30 I was so hungry I just about lost my mind. Rather than eat an unscheduled meal I decided to take my first dose of Saffron Extract Satiereal,  which is an appetite suppressant I'd ordered. Within half an hour my hunger was gone! So far, 8 hours into using the Saffron Extract Satiereal pills, they seem to be working as advertised. Two of the side effects I've felt so far is that I have dry mouth and the mild depression I'd been suffering through the last few weeks is completely and totally gone! I feel upbeat, chipper, and motivated to go out to run and ride bikes.

Daily I'm eating 1,600 calories plus replacing all of my calories burned from exercise. My metabolic rate is 3,200 calories, so in theory I'll be losing on average 3.3 pounds a week.

I'm sure there will be a lot of concerned friends, fellow triathletes, and loved ones of mine reading this and wanting to write me to tell me what a bad idea appetite suppressants are, I lovingly request one thing from you, that you read yesterdays blog post before you make give any well meaning but ultimately hurtful opinions, comments, or suggestions. I've disabled comment posting on this blog post for exactly that reason. If you still feel the need to contact me feel free to comment on yesterdays blog post, but please, be gentle, this has been a hard month. There's been a lot going on that I haven't posted about on my blog because it's personal. 

I've spent a lot of time investigating Saffron Extract Satiereal before buying it to help me lose weight more comfortably. Almost every web site I'd read said virtually the same things.

I'm posting the information I found about Saffron Extract Satiereal from web MD below:

Uses:

Possibly Effective for:

• Depression. Taking specific saffron extracts (Novin Zaferan Co, Iran seem to improve symptoms of major depression after 6-8 weeks of treatment. Some studies suggest that saffron might be as effective as taking a low-dose prescription antidepressant such as fluoxetine or imipramine.
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Some clinical research shows that taking a specific saffron extract (Department of Cultivation and Development of Institute of Medicinal Plants, Iran) significantly improves symptoms of PMS after two menstrual cycles.
• Menstrual discomfort. Some clinical research shows the taking a specific product containing saffron, anise, and celery seed (SCA, Gol Daro Herbal Medicine Laboratory) reduces pain severity and duration during the menstrual cycle.
• Alzheimer’s disease. Some research shows that taking a specific saffron product (IMPIRAN, Iran) might improve symptoms about as well as the prescription drug donepezil (Aricept) over 22 weeks of treatment.Asthma.

Insomnia.

Cancer.

“Hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis).

Cough.

Stomach gas.

Early male orgasm (premature ejaculation).

Baldness.

Pain.

Other conditions.

Side effects:
Saffron seems safe for most people when used as a medicine for up to six weeks. Some possible side effects include dry mouth, anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, change in appetite, and headache. Allergic reactions can occur in some people.

Taking large amounts of saffron is UNSAFE. High doses can cause poisoning, including yellow appearance of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes; vomiting; dizziness; bloody diarrhea; bleeding from the nose, lips, and eyelids; numbness; and other serious side effects. Doses of 12-20 grams can cause death.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Don’t take saffron in amounts larger than those normally found in food. Larger amounts of saffron can make the uterus contract and might cause a miscarriage.

Not enough is known about the safety of using saffron during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Bipolar disorder: Saffron seems to be able to affect mood. There is a concern that it might trigger excitability and impulsive behavior (mania) in people with bipolar disorder. Don’t use saffron if you have this condition.

Allergies to Lolium, Olea (includes olive), and Salsola plant species: People who are allergic to these plants might also be allergic to saffron.

weight, triathlon, diet, Saffron Extract Satiereal, and a change of mind

Below the links is my post. The links are my trial and posts about Saffron Extract Satiereal:
June 24th 2012http://cody-the-clydsdale.blogspot.com/2012/06/running-on-broken-toe-saffron-extract.html

June 7th 2012 http://cody-the-clydsdale.blogspot.com/2012/06/saffron-extract-satiereal-appetite.html

June 6th http://cody-the-clydsdale.blogspot.com/2012/06/weight-triathlon-diet-and-change-of.html

Last month I'd said that I'd start writing on my blog about my struggles with food. At first when I decided to write openly about my weight and food issues I felt great. I felt like I was getting years of junk off my shoulders , and the possibility of helping others who struggle with their weight like I do was even better. But I've decided I'm not going to post on my blog that I struggle with an eating disorder very often anymore. My skin just isn't thick enough. Many of the comments I received were well meaning, but they hurt my feelings.

One well meaning fellow told me when I succumb to my over eating I am sinning against God, that I was an adulterer, and an idolater. He said if I continued to fall off the wagon and overeat then my sin was the same as a homosexual who succumbed to his desires, and that if I continued to overeat I should question if I had truly accepted Christ into my heart. Ultimately I agree with what he said about sin, but the delivery was totally unacceptable. As a more mature christian he should have attempted to lead by the biblical model, like Jesus did, by teaching with love in his heart. I believe a much better approach would have been to say my overeating is a sin, Jesus loves sinners, and that there's healing through Jesus. At that point he could have gently and kinly explained how that was possible through Jesus Christ. But I feel instead he was trying to make me feel bad enough about myself and my sin that I may be led to turn to Christ out of guilt or fear. But for me the opposite is true. I love Jesus so much that my love for Him motivates me to repent of my sins.

This well meaning fellow also advised me that there is no such thing as addictions, the struggles I'm faced with are caused by my heart being filled with sin. So in that case I'll attempt not to use the phrase addiction anymore, I'll call it what it always has been, an eating disorder.

From now on I'll be more than happy to help anyone who struggles with their weight, or their relationship with food. Simply email me and I'll jump to offer all the assistance I can muster, but I wont be writing about my eating disorder very often on my blog anymore, it's not worth the heart ache.

Thanks to me gaining 20 pounds earlier this year I'm not gaining speed from my training as quickly as I had the last time I was training for sprint distance triathlons. And thanks to me dieting to drop the the extra weight I'd packed on I'm not recovering as quickly as I normally do. My legs are constantly tight, sore, and I feel fatigued. I'd still be healing quickly enough to be responding well from my training if I was dieting moderately, but I'm attempting to drop 3 pounds a week. That means cutting out 1,500 calories a day from my diet. I've been miserable with hunger every second of the day since dropping to this low of calories, so I ordered some Saffron Extract Satiereal. I heard about Saffron Extract Satiereal on the Dr Ozz show, it's a hunger suppressant that has no stimulants in it. I know that it's stupid to use hunger suppressants, especially while training as hard as I am now. I've never used any pills like this before, I just want to get back down to my dream weight of 179. After being attacked from my posts on my eating disorder, and because of the suddenness and severity of the crappy feelings that was a result of them, I just want a quick victory to lift my spirits. My desires to feel happier and me justifying my actions doesn't mean it's ok, I know it's a bad decision, but it's my consequences to suffer. I'm currently weighing in at 189, I have 10 pounds to lose. With the use of the Saffron Extract Satiereal pills 10 pounds of weight loss should take me 24 days. I've always been honest here on my blog. I'd prefer this not to become a debate and I'd prefer to not end up reading some more well meaning but ultimately hurtful comments. If you have any feeling on this matter, kindly keep them to yourselves, I don't think I can handle anymore "loving guidance" for awhile.

tired triathlon legs

Today my legs were really tired! No matter how long I attempted to warm up I couldn't get my legs to loosen up or feel ready for today's speed work. After more than 25 minutes of warming up and I decided to start my workout regardless of how I felt. I ran 8X300 meters with 100 meters of active recovery. Even though my legs were still sore and tight from Saturdays 66 mile bike and yesterday's cycling speed work I ended up having a fantastic workout! All 8 of the sets I ran were within 4 seconds of each other.

Since my legs were still so sore I decided to try and speed up my recovery by soaking in an ice bath after my workout. That usually works miracles.