Five Days Until Richmond!

I can’t believe race day is almost here again! Almost all of the miles are done, the gear has been checked, the weather is being stalked.  Yikes!

Here’s a random hodge-podge of a mental dump….

How awesome is my race shirt?

I’m a huge Tom Petty fan so this seemed quite fitting.  Seriously, 85% of my playlist will be TP.  I’m pairing it with this skort from InknBurn

Kinda BA, no?  Of course, it’s now supposed to be freezing at the start – which is good because I prefer cold but… whew, that’s cold!  Thank goodness I bought a new pair of heavy arm warmers!  They kept me cozy on my cool and drizzly 8 miler on Sunday so I am hopeful they will be enough.

See the knee strap?  Yeah, that’s been bothering me for about 3 weeks now.  It’s getting better but I still can’t run without it.  I plan to tape the crap out of my leg (red and black skull KT tape!) and then put on the strap.  Just keep it together, body!

My goals range from 4:15 (pie-in-the-sky, perfect day) to 4:45.  Hell, I’d be “happy” with anything less than 5:xx – but I know I can do better than that!  The trick will be staying out of my freakin’ head. I need to do my best and forget the rest!

I’m planning to follow the same nutrition as I did for Blue Ridge, since it served me well there.  I’ve started my caffeine fast today and will start my NOx load tonight.  It is supposed to improve your blood flow.  When I’m doing a load, my veins get super big and it’s a bit freaky looking.  But, if it helps…

On Race Day, I will primarily use the Isagenix AMPED line – e+shot at the start and one or two during the race, the AMPED Fuel gels, AMPED hydrate in one of my water bottles (plain water in the other), and a few other things in case I need it (fruit bar from Trader Joe’s and some peanut butter pretzels).  I’ll also have some electrolyte capsules but I probably won’t need them if it is as cold as predicted.  I will also have some toast with almond butter and honey in my room and then a banana at the start line.

My family will be spectating (with my son wearing a Peanut Butter and Jelly costume and handing out fruit snacks and Nutter Butters for part it!) 

I will see some of my MRTT sole sisters on the course.  I sure am lucky to have such a great support system.  I’ll be honest, though, I will be looking for the guys with the Jim Beam again!  They saved my bacon last year! 😀

Of course, my thought in the final .2 will be “don’t trip!!!”!

Hell of a downhill finish!!

See you on the flip side!

 

More on Isagenix

See Part One of my review here.

So, what can’t you eat?  Not too much, really.  No dairy, red meat, minimal fruit (only if you are following the strict 30 day program), white foods (white potatoes, white rice, white bread), carrots and peas (high sugar).  That’s about it!  You’re encouraged to drop coffee or use their low-acid version.  Honestly, I’m finding my coffee dependence greatly lessening.  I’m down to just half a cup a day now.  I used to drink 4-5 cups a day!

Here’s what I ate yesterday: thick chocolate shake for breakfast with a Natural Accelerator; mid-morning snack of egg whites, avocado, and a brown rice cake (all things I like – I have a long list of snack options); lunch of another shake (I could have had vanilla, strawberry, or mixed berry but grabbed chocolate by accident), an IsaDelight chocolate, and another Accelerator; afternoon snack of a small apple and raw almond butter; and dinner of savory sweet potato waffles , poached eggs, and a side salad with balsamic vinegar.  Hardly a deprivation diet.  And water.  A LOT of water.

What about cost?  The initial start up package cost me $342 for the month (there was a “new year” benefit that offered free enrollment – the initial cost may be higher/lower for you) but, here is a comparison of our average grocery bills for the past few weeks (yes, we spend a lot on groceries.  We live in an expensive area and never eat out. Don’t judge me :D)

Before Isagenix:		Trader Joe’s		$162
		Giant		$77
		Total		$239
After Isagenix:		Trader Joe’s		$124
		Giant		$57
		Total		$181
		Difference		$58
		Savings per month		$232

That monthly $232 savings is just on groceries. It does not include Starbucks, migraine medicine, or other things I no longer need.  Based on just grocery savings along, it costs me less than $30 per week extra to use the base system!  That’s pretty reasonable, if you ask me.

 

Can I lose xx lbs in a month??  It’s hard to say how much you will lose.  Everyone is different.  I’m not being dodgy but there isn’t a clear answer to this. Don’t expect a magic pill, though.

Can I use this and train heavy? Yes.  There are actually quite a few pro-athletes that use Isagenix (I did not know this) and there is a large Facebook group dedicated to runners who use the program and are willing to share their experience and perspective.  It includes people just starting to those who run ultras and Boston.  I’m sure there are also other groups for weightlifters, cross-fitters, etc.

How much are you exercising? A shit-ton.  In addition to my running, I am walking two miles at work almost every day (one of my goals was to walk more during the day #nailedit) plus cross training at least twice a week. That said, only the walking is beyond my training plan.  I didn’t suddenly go into overdrive to make the diet work —  but you will see better results if you exercise and try to move more.

Run The Year Challenge

Is the science valid? I am not a scientist nor a nutritionist. They are using studies from, and are publishing in, main-stream, peer-reviewed journals.  Take that as you will.  They do cite everything so you can easily read the source articles.

Isn’t it just a MLM that’s only looking to make bank?  Eh, I don’t think so.  Sure, you are encouraged, and compensated, to sign people up but you are not penalized if you don’t.  You can easily use the program successfully and never talk to a soul about the products.  There are a lot of various coaching/support groups.  Some may be more high pressure than others.  The ones I am in are seriously low key.  If you are in one that is too sales-y, move on.

What will you do different this month?  Like I said, I like the cleanses but they are rough since I don’t have two “off” days in a row in my training plan.  I think I am going to try just cleansing on just Monday’s for this next month and see what that does for me.  They say that 80% of the fat loss is on the second day but if it helps with the inflammation and I can stick to my training schedule, that will be okay with me.

I am also going to try a “belly buster” option – it is basically a scoop of their straight protein (not the meal replacement shakes) with a scoop of their “fruits” mix and you take it 30 minutes before bed.  The idea is that you will sleep more soundly, enhancing weight loss, and your body will be able to burn more fat more easily.  Here is what it is based on.  I’m willing to give it a month.

Is that all?  I think so 🙂  Overall, I like the products and I like how it’s encouraging me to focus more on my nutrition.  I feel it is working quite well with my training goals.  Feel free to comment, if you have any questions that I didn’t cover!

(Nuts, I didn’t get talk about the the AMPED performance line.  I think that will have to wait until another post)

 

Nutrition Plan: Week 3

I just finished week 3 of my Eat All the Things nutrition plan and my body seems to really appreciate it!  I had a couple off “off plan” meals due to extenuating circumstances but I tried to follow it as close as I could.  Overall, other than this lingering cold that has been going on for two weeks, I feel great!  I feel like I have more energy for my runs and I am recovering more quickly.  I’ve gotten over the feelings of guilt when I eat as planned on a rest day and I’m not feeling as tied to the scale as I was the first couple of weeks.  I also being careful to refer to this as a nutrition plan and not a “diet”. When I’m on a diet, it all about what I can’t eat.  Everything is off limits.  The food is bland.  I can’t have chocolate.  Guess what!  On this nutrition plan, I can continue to have my Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Honey Mint every day with lunch and NOT FEEL GUILTY!  And that one is all I need.  I’m not even tempted by the bag of Oreo’s that I buy my son!  Previously, I would definitely sneak one three whenever I could. I think I’m finally getting the swing of the idea of giving my body high quality fuel and not a bunch of junk!

Hardly a deprivation diet

Even though I have a couple more weeks on my free plan, I went ahead and signed up for the 12 week special Max Muscle was offering (buy 6 weeks, get 6 weeks free).  Twelve weeks will get me through the Marine Corp Marathon and into the first few recovery weeks.  I’ll be curious to see how my body reacts when the mileage isn’t quite so insanely high.

The Numbers

Week 0 – 196 Starting body fat: 31.3%

Week 1 -194 / 30.3%  and gained .5 lbs of muscle

Week 2 – no data

Week 3 -191 / 29.3% but lost just a smidge of muscle

Week 1

Week One is done!  I am still struggling with knowing what/when to eat on my long run days but, overall, it has gone well.  It’s a bit odd to not be hungry all of the time and I have not done any mindless nibbling. I confirmed with my nutrition counselor today that the calories consumed and burned are viewed cumulatively for the week so I think I need to cut back a bit on non-run days so I have more for the long runs

My typical menu includes:

Breakfast – granola, banana, protein shake

Snack – 3 hard boiled eggs and almonds

Lunch – meat, rice, 2 cups of veggies.

I often go with a homemade lean hamburger patty and a mix of tomatoes and fermented sauerkraut

Snack – apple, almond butter, jerky

Dinner – meat, veggies, 1/3 c. beans

Fajita chicken and onions/peppers that I made for my husband. I just omitted the tortilla on mine

Late evening – protein shake

The Numbers

Starting weight: 196 Starting body fat: 31.3%

Week 1 194 / 30.3%  and gained .5 lbs of muscle

A new look at (my) nutrition

I’m still here, running, training, nursing a bum IT band, but I don’t want to talk about that right now.

What I want to talk about is my new nutrition plan.  For the past several years, I have been using MyFitnessPal to stay pretty close to 1700 calories, as adjusted for the day’s workout.  Though I have slowly lost a tiny bit of weight, it’s been pretty stagnant, even with my increased activities.  Honestly, I’m frustrated by my body’s inability to lose fat.  I see people who lose 50 pounds in a year (or less) and I want to scream!  I have always been a super slow loser and my body fights me for every ounce.

Two weeks ago, I won a four week personalized nutrition plan with Max Muscle Sports Nutrition, Springfield as part of my Mom’s Run This Town chapter’s anniversary party.  I was a little leery of changing my diet in the middle of marathon training but Corry, the owner, and Zach, the consultant with whom I would be working, were emphatic that this is a good time to make the change.

My initial consultation with Zach lasted an hour.  He outlined the five “laws”  that they follow: consume protein first thing in the morning, consume 10g of protein every 3-4 hours, don’t eat carbs alone (always pair with protein), drink 1/2 oz. of water per pound of body weight, and stay within 500 calories of your daily expenditure. He then took a body comp reading and went over my typical diet.  Finally, he started plugging in numbers into his massive spreadsheet.  Bottom line – I need to eat more, by A LOT! Huh.

I am on my third day and I am mentally having a tough time with this.  This is a lot of food!  I am struggling with the desire to add additional workouts.  I’m also confused as to how to stay within 500 calories if my daily diet is an average of my exercise for the week.  For example, I did not work out yesterday but I ate the same as I did today when I will run 4 miles.  Yesterday I was within 500 calories but I will not be today unless I eat more.  I obviously need to ask more questions!

I’m going to follow the plan and their advice, to the letter, for a month and then reassess.  For the sake of transparency, I’m letting it all hang out here and will update each week.  I already told Zach that I have very low expectations but he is certain that I will see results.

The Numbers

Basal Metabolic Rate: 1,629

Previous Calorie base: 1,720

Average Caloric need, adjusted for average exercise amount: 2,348 (with 186 g of protein!!)

Starting weight: 196

Starting body fat: 31.3%

Fuel options

I mentioned the other week that I was trying Generation UCAN on my longer runs.  The idea is to take a serving 30 minutes before the run and then another mid-run, if longer than two hours, and a third (one of the protein mixes) when you finish.  I chose the Tropical Orange.  I drank a glass before my long runs (including both my successful 17 miler and my failure of an 18 miler). I also made a super concentrated mix (with 3 oz of water) and bagged it up so I could take it mid-run.  I’ll be honest, the flavor and texture is rough.  Using very cold water helped but I can see that being a problem for a lot of people.  On the plus side, I did not get an upset stomach from it, not even cramps.  My stomach was growling towards the end of my run but I didn’t feel like I was flagging too much.  I felt like I got a little boost of energy right after I took it but didn’t really notice a major change during the run.  It wasn’t really bad but I’m not sure it was worth the $2 per service price.

For comparison, I ran my long run with my “old standby”.  I had my pumpkin porridge (recipe below) and a cup of coffee about an hour before my run.  I then ate 1/4 of a Bonk Breaker every so often after mile 8.  I had raisins with me but didn’t use them.  I forgot my raw honey (Trader Joe’s raw honey is super thick. I usually just spoon it into a snack size baggie and then bite the corner off when I need it. It’s especially helpful if I start coughing or my throat is bothering me during a run).  I had a banana and packet of Justin’s Honey Almond butter waiting at the finish.  I also took two Endurolyte tabs from Hammer Nutrition about half way through. I would have taken more if it had been warmer.  I drank plain water.  Bottom line, I felt great!  I had no energy problems.  I had no stomach problems. I did not have a headache at the end.  I was hungry when I finished but my stomach wasn’t growling mid-way through.

For cost, taste, and convenience sake, I’m sticking with my tried and true method.  I might use UCAN on long bike rides but for runs, I definitely prefer real food.

Pumpkin Porridge (serves 3)

1 can of plain pumpkin

3 ripe bananas

3 eggs

2 Tbsp crunchy almond butter

1 tsp Pumpkin pie seasoning or cinnamon and nutmeg

Mash it all together and cook over low heat until it is thick. The consistency will depend on how much almond butter you use.

Top with nuts and dried fruit (I like walnuts and golden raisins, sometimes shredded coconut).

Cramping My Style

My word, do I get cramps!  I’m talking full contraction, writhing in pain cramps.  They happen during exercise and, even worse, while I’m sleeping.  The ones that hit my calves when I am asleep can be felt for 2-3 days after the incident.

I have tried just about everything under the sun.  I sweat a lot so I hydrate constantly, I use EFS for at least half of my water during exercise, I eat more bananas than a monkey, I eat a lot of dark greens (including at least 3 protein shakes a week made with Trader Joe’s Power to the Greens mix of kale, spinach, and one other green and coconut water).  I’ve even tried drinking pickle juice!  Some times I think that is enough and then I go through a mysterious “bad spell” where I cramp again at the drop of a hat.  It was so bad a few weeks ago that my HANDS cramped up during TRX and I could barely move my fingers for a few minutes (I swear it wasn’t me giving my trainer the finger during a hard move, it was the cramps!! 🙂 )

Obviously, I can’t go on like this.  I’ve talked to various doctors and sports nutrition people and they all go “huh, it’s a puzzle all right”.  Thanks, guys!

In my quest to figure this nonsense* out, I’ve added a magnesium supplement to my nighttime routine – in addition to everything I’m already doing.  Word of caution, magnesium can have unexpected digestive consequences so start out with a super low dose and gradually increase it.  I’m up to taking a teaspoon a night and, knock wood, I haven’t had any cramps in a week.  I’m also stretching A LOT – in between classes, after my runs, and before bed – and that might be helping as well.  I seriously hope I have finally found my answer to this mess*!

Are you a cramper?  How do you manage it? Have you found anything that works?

*I’m trying to swear less…