Let’s keep doing what’s working, and restructure what’s not…
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Improvement. I’m happy with it even if it doesn’t reflect on my waist yet… Consistency is the name of the game.
I’ve steadily improved my activity over the past few years, but I can tell a marked improvement since getting a smart trainer and Trainer Road subscription in April. I went from around 500 miles last year to 1200 and I still have a month and a half to put in work. Activities are up by about 25%. Although I had done a phenomenal job losing about 20-25 pounds last year, the impending stress of a new promotion, baby on the way, and COVID made for a perfect storm that resulted in a steady weight gain despite the increased activity. I’ll be the first to note that I have not made nutrition a priority, and have used it as a comfort in the last year: a habit I’m about to re-structure.
Instead of falling into the trap of enjoying the holiday foods to the fullest, and then repenting with an annual resolution on Jan 1, this year I start a new resolution to cultivate an awareness of the food I put into my mouth.
The first step: taking a snapshot of the door with the app ATE. As this becomes second nature, then I’ll work on logging calories in my fitness pal, and finally, I’ll dial in the granular analysis of my shopping and food prepping habits. In 2007, I used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT as I trained myself into the best shape of my life, and I’m getting to a point where I’m structuring my work and getting a better handle on sleep as pillars to help support this change.
Without managing sleep, my greatest weakness currently, I know I can’t expect to be successful long term. This is exemplified by years worth of start and stop cycles of 1-3 weeks on training, 1-3 weeks off. This unstructured training was also plagued by the idea that I could pick up where I had left off. Once I put my training in the hands of a program based on power, I can tell that I recover quick and am more sustainable. With discipline, I took advantage of the fall time savings to solidify my 4:45am alarm clock that allows me to spin for 30-60 min before my toddler is up and I need to get her to school and then make it to work.
If I don’t start early, there’s no hope to remake that time in a day. I pair this urgency with excitement to spin as I save a fun show or audiobook as ‘my time’ where I’m uninterrupted.
I used to define myself as an Ironman triathlete, but now my identity has changed. First and foremost I’m a father who does triathlons as a way to practice a balanced life, rich in healthy habits that I aim to instill as the norm in their upbringing.
To be honest, I really do hate running, but there’s nothing like the satisfaction of taking the first step towards a huge endeavor and celebrating bringing that adventure to a close as one sets their sites on the next day’s horizon.
2 Hour Spin, Easy, Feeling good afterwards. Protein shake, and watching nutrition. Taking the next two weeks hard while trying to balance not burning out…
“A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it.”
“An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting than sex.”
When you don’t get enough of it, no one likes you… Before I go back to work, i’m taking the whole holiday to get some rest…
2012 Hawaii 70.3
My buddy came down to pace me for a baseline indoor Tri at about 30% of the race. Looking back at our last 70.3 together in Hawaii, we pulled our splits to have some goals to shoot for. Ideally if we could cut 30 minutes off our time and be under 6 hours, we’d be happy.
I felt it quick into the swim, but we averaged around 1:25 over 500. I’m good with that. Build some endurance, and we’re there.
After a slow transition, the bike hurt after half way through. Heart felt good, but legs started to get sluggish. So much so that the run slowed me down.
We’ve got a baseline, and talked strategy to keep us going over the first month to sediment our new regimen. After about a day, I’ve plotted out most of the workouts, and now we just have to execute.
Today again with the workout too easy, I shot past my marks. I believe I’ll have to do another ramp test to get a more accurate FTP. In the meantime, I’m also noticing that my signal drops cyclically. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to upgrade to power, and could rely on the virtual power calculations, but this is a little annoying. The nice part is that the game of trying to keep within the numbers distracts from the workout. An hour and a half went by quick!
Ok, I got confirmation that I must have the virtual trainer setting off, which made my FTP (Functional Threshold Power) too low because todays spin was waaay too easy. I don’t think I’ll even be sore at all after an hour ride. I might have to do another ramp up test and then launch into the fun I have planned. I’ve plotted out all my trainer-road created workouts into TrainingPeaks, so that I can simply load them to my Garmin. I also plotted out the goals by week, ATP, and by training season. Getting excited!
195 DAYS
0.276 Pounds (969Cal Deficit) a Day
This needs to be my goal. Every day for the next half a year…
With a basal metabolic rate (BMR) of 2,184, my deficit would leave me at 1,215Cal/day.
From Diet alone, this would leave me with about 2 x 350 Cal Shakes (breakfast and dinner) and a sensible 515 Cal Lunch.
Adding workouts, I could replace only these calories with a bar, or protein and carb replacement.
Starting from 240#, I recognize that I’m aiming at a 27% Total Body Weight Loss TBWL. I’m currently at 4% TBWL. 2 pounds is almost 1% TBWL, so each week counts and counts big. Today’s the day. The biggest thing I need to do to ensure that I meet my goal is simply to track. Knowing that taking 2 minutes per day to log this data, I’ll change my habits and awareness. If the investment of 15 minutes a day in logging is my only barrier, it seems like the easiest thing I can do compared to running on a treadmill for an hour to try to burn off that treat from Caribou coffee. Unless it’s a straight-up Americano, Caribou is a waste of $5 and is a 1 hour workout… NOT WORTH IT.
I’ll follow the Nutragen cleanse over the next month and see my results.
Although I’ve used MyFitnessPal in the past, I think I’ll try MyPlate due to the great layout. Here’s a review and nice overview for anyone unfamiliar with these types of apps.
Workout:
Hit the gym as planned today. About 6 miles accomplished. Reading for work on the treadmill is not easy, but doable. Chafing legs reminds me that I’m fat. Duration and cardio at a fat-burning zone is the key here in the beginning. Consistency and dieting will help me ramp up the engine in a couple weeks. Under 230# this morning, and have vowed to NEVER be this heavy again. BMI 32, so I’m technically OBESE. At 211#, I’ll crossover to overweight. 19 pounds at 2 pounds a week is 9.5 weeks or just over 2 months. March and April. Consistency and Dedication. It will take me the entire spring and summer to get me down anywhere close to a BMI of 25, but here’s for trying!
Also today:
Bought a new snowblower, and had delivered before the storm hits tonight. Should be about a foot of snow by tomorrow. Bring it on!
Brought to you by Toro…But if they see this, I’m open to sponsorship!
First day of daddy daughter solo time, and managing work from home has been challenging. Keeping my little one busy playing in the snow as I shovel has allowed me to get some cardio, but is not the training I had in mind. Tomorrow We’ll plan to hit the gym and daycare.
When life gives you lemons….make a Tom Collins… Then just stare at it until your work is done.
Right when I thought things were going to let up at work, and allow for me to get back to a normal routine, the team got a curveball. This morning I wasn’t able to get a workout in before work, but last night I did get a workout moving piles and piles of snow. I’ll run my little one this weekend sledding and plan to get my cardio that way. Until then, it’s virgin Tom Collins and shakes until I lose the weight I need to. When you can’t get a workout in, do some sit-ups and pivot.
This weekend was not the best, and yet not the worst. I did not get my workouts done per schedule, but did manage to get the furnace fixed after a day of running around. Saturday I took for play with my little one and recovery, and Sunday was another day back at work. Back at it early this morning as well, but I’m hoping to catch a workout in the PM if all goes well today.
“Do not try this at home...”
Today I was in early for a run after a late spin last night. A 12 hour shift later, my Uber driver pulls up to my house and goes, “Where is your driveway?” to which I respond, “Great question!”
My ice caked driveway has been covered with large snow drifts. Mean looking snow devils licked across the banks as though I had just l arrived on Hoth. My empty garbage can’s lid whipped, clanging as I trudged up to my door. Without a snow blower, I turned around after a quick change, and plowed out a path by hand with a shovel and prayed it would be enough for my wife the next day. This counts as cardio. Period. Passing out after two back to back shifts to prepare myself for a loaded day. I know I won’t get a morning run in, but since I haven’t seen my little one in more than two days, I’ll be going home to chase her tomorrow after work. Diet will be parimount.
Literally my best accomplishment yesterday was going to bed when my body was calling for it. Espresso yesterday only made me functional, serving to simply re-focusing my fuzzy eyes. As soon as I read to my little one that night, I spent 15 minutes with my partner before going to bed around 7:30pm. Falling alseep by 8PM with a sleepy pill was glorious. This morning I woke up at 5AM to my alarm, but I’m afraid the pill had a drowsy effect that put me back under until my next alarm at 5:50AM. Wow, I must have needed that!
Suited up with a workout bag that was already packed, I headed out over the snow-covered ice to the bus. Today will be a quick lunch run with an after work swim. I’ll need to make up the 45 min spin, but that might have to come this weekend or chunkated over the next few days with some extra morning or night crunch sets. Right now I’m not necessarily concerned about reps, it’s all about endurance, duration, and consistency.
As much as I hated getting off slightly yesterday, I feel successful having listened to my body and preparing myself to double down and hit it hard today.
After a marathon 12 hour day, I spun in the garage for over an hour. Done!
The heat wave has passed. It’s time to bundle up again, so let’s reflect on yesterday. Monday’s are easy. When you have the weekend to prep, it’s easy to adhere to a schedule as seen below:
When one gets home later than wanted, and has less time with the family, it’s easy to want to spend some extra time with them. I allowed myself to stay up until about 9:30pm, instead of winding down at 8/8:30pm. This snowballed to me prepping for the next day later and not getting to bed until about 10:45pm, and not falling asleep until a little later. With an alarm set daily for 5AM, this was just a little too much for me to pop out of bed this morning.
There is a balance of being rested and being burned out. Today I’ll have to readjust to get more sleep and get back to 5AM tomorrow. Now to plan how to keep all of my planned activities green:
I have the luxery of being able to possibly adjust today. Maybe run over my lunch or right after work. It was tough getting the extra 15 min strength training completed, so perhaps as it gets warmer I’ll work on getting up closer to 4:30AM to check-off before going to the gym for my morning swim and run.
I also struggled not having a dinner shake. After the extra workout, I had a headache and felt I needed food when I came home. I’ll work on tracking food more closely today, and sticking to my schedule:
- 10oz Water Upon Wake (5AM)
- Nutragen Shake Breakfast by 8AM
- 10oz Water at 10AM
- Sensible healthy lunch around 12PM
- 10oz Water at 3PM
- Nutragen Shake Dinner around 5PM
- 10oz Water before bed around 8PM
Alas, try as I might and not surprisingly, I wasn’t able to get away from my work for a quick workout and the weather worsened, making me get home before a workout. On the bus ride home, I communicated with my partner about my hopes and expectations for the night to carve out 45 min to spin on the trainer instead.
Update: yeah that didn’t happen either. No workout today, but I did have a shake for dinner and did well calorie-wise. Going to bed early tonight...
10:30PM - [Scene Opens: Macbook lit] After spending waaay too long to sign up for NUT 50K and purchase flight - Go on TrainingPeaks.com to re-tweak Annual Training Plan (ATP) for 2019 and set training plan and goals (6 hours of Running, Swimming, Biking, and Strength) for next week
11PM - Lay in bed debating if I should have signed up for 100k
11:15PMish - Imagine 5k of climbing through the woods of Oregon feeling effortless
11:30PMish - Wish I had taken a sleepy pill, but too late to start now
11:45PMish - Listen to wife snore, rain starts to pound the windows [End Scene]
***
5AM - [Scene Opens: Laying in Bed] Mind Yelling “Move Legs!!!”
5:05 - “If you don’t move now, you might as well cancel that flight and race registration. These next 5 minutes will determine your success or failure over the next year”
5:09 - Body responds in begrugeoned peon voice: “Yes Me-Lord...”
5:10 - Music in, Spotify on Workout Mix, Bathroom, Weight, Multivitavin, Brush, 10oz Water, Shave (in that specific order) - Body starting to feel awake half-way through shave
5:15ish - Scramble to find backpack, coat, and cram swimsuit and work clothes in bag because I didn’t pack the night before (slept in running shorts and workout top). Can’t find sweatpants, so I run to the bus in short shorts and winter parka zipped so only my eyes show.
5:36 - Bus arrives, boast to wide-eyed bus driver that “Ten more degrees, and it’s t-shirt weather” like a real Minnesotan.
5:56 - Listen to Keanu Reeves by Logic, feel like a gangster
6:05 - Start first workout of next 215 Days [Scene Just Begins]
