The Diet Train

Trains are ingenious feats of engineering. They ride on a rail in a set direction to a predetermined and well planned destination. The only thing that changes on the journey is the speed at which the train travels. And the faster it’s going, the more difficult it is to stop or change direction.

Dieting is not much different. You have a destination (Goal Weight) and you have a set direction (Diet program or training program). Getting started is tough just like getting that train rolling, but once you get started, it’s pretty easy to just keep rolling.

Last week, my train went off the rails. I had been rolling along at a slow pace, but in the right direction. Then on Wednesday, we took our son to a restaurant for his birthday supper. That turned into a weekend of birthday party celebrations with Chinese food, chips, and cake.

So I found myself this week, having to put on the brakes, and start back in the other direction. Back to working out during lunch, watching what I eat, and cutting out late night snacks.

The first goal of the week is to get back to where I was when I changed direction. Yes changing direction means going backwards if you are not travelling towards the destination.

So remember, momentum is key. Get that train rolling and do whatever is necessary to stay on track. And if you go off the rails, or start rolling backwards for a bit, get the cars back on the track and start chugging in the right direction.

Healthy Eating Tip

Here is a little discovery I made this past weekend. If food is within reach, (good or bad) it’s more likely to be eaten.

Let me explain further. My wife brought home a full pineapple on Saturday. I cut it up, put it in a bowl, and tried to put it in the fridge. Problem was there was no room. Instead, the bowl full of fresh cut up pineapple went on the Island in the middle of the kitchen.

That’s when I noticed that every time my 9 year old walked by it, he took a piece and ate it. Then my 5 year old, copied her older brother and did the same. It could have very well have been candy, or potato chips, but it wasn’t, and throughout the day they both ended up snacking on about two servings of fruit each.

Convenience is a huge factor in eating habits. If healthy snacks like fruit are packed away in the bottom drawer of the fridge, that’s likely where they will be when you lean out the fridge two weeks later. Conversely, bars, crackers, pop tarts, chips; etc will likely be in the cupboard right at eye level. When the urge hits, that’s where you will go first.

I am going to try to keep some fruit out on the counter, in a nice bowl, looking inviting and yummy. Hopefully they will get eaten on the way to the chip cupboard.

Try it and make it a habit.

Battling Through A Crappy Workout

Not every workout or training session feels like magic. For a whole bunch of reasons you may be off, and feel like quitting. And sometimes that’s the right thing to do.

But sometimes it is worth sticking it out, and battling through. Take last nights masters workout. It started poorly. The water felt light and thin and I felt slow. Non swimmers may think light water is a good thing, but experienced swimmers know what I mean. To really swim effectively, you have to reach up, bend the elbow, and catch a ball of clean water and scoop it past you. Dara Torres explains it very well in her book.

But as I battled my way through it, and got some encouragement from my lane mates, I started to come around, and by the fifth and sixth 200m pieces, I was back to the old feeling, and swimming well. I even got some comments on my flip turns, a new skill for me.

So the moral of the story, find a focus point and battle through. At the end of the session you will feel fantastic, and will be looking forward to the next session.

Why I do Triathlons

This was originally posted in May of 2009 on my other blog

I came across it while researching another post, and when I read it I thought it was a pretty decent post. So I decided to place it here as well. Enjoy.

I just received my Triathlon Newsletter from TRIFUEL. There is usually a mixed bag of articles about training, nutrition, racing, and just triathlon in general. Some interest me, some don’t.

The latest edition did have a particular article that sparked my interest. Ben Greenfield asked “Why Do YOU *Really* Do Triathlons?”

In the context of the article, and after some careful reflection during the last spin class of the year, I concluded the following:

 I don’t do it to receive accolades from friends and co-workers. In fact I find it a little uncomfortable talking to non triathletes, about my accomplishments. Maybe I just get sick of explaining how far an Ironman is, and maybe I get sick of the look on their face after I tell them.

 I don’t do it so I can wear my Ironman Florida Finishers shirt in public, for similar reasons as above, plus most people just don’t have a clue anyway.

 I didn’t start it because a couple of my buddies decided to try it, nor do I continue it for the social aspect. I enjoy others people’s company if the opportunity arises, but due to my family schedule, I train most of the time alone. If my motivation was social, I would have quit long ago.

So why then. What motivates me?

 The idea of being active and competitive and setting a positive example for my family, especially my kids, is a definite motivator.

 Having something to focus on, outside of my family and work life helps me mentally. It’s a healthy distraction.

 I crave an athletic outlet to focus on. Without it, I would have no reason to be active, and watch my diet, and I would be big as a house.

 But I think one of the biggest reasons is simply because I love the sport. Some sports like curling, synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, will spark heated debate over their legitimacy as a sport. But there is no dispute about the purity of competition of a race, in the water, on two wheels, on foot, or all three combined. There is no 8 out of 10 for form or artistic impression. It’s simple. First over the line wins. I feel privileged to be a part of that.

 Perhaps the biggest reason, is because I can. When you need motivation, think of someone stricken with cancer or ALS who can’t, then get off your butt and go.

Jackie Warner New Video

So much to write about, and no time to write it.

But for now, I’ll share my wife’s latest request. She is queen of the workout video. She has a closet full of them, but unlike a lot of other people, she actually uses them.

The latest one she is requesting is the newest offering from Jackie Warner.

When she get’s it, and does the workout, I’ll entice her to write a review.

Recipe Spaghetti Sauce

After checking in on my analytics account, I see there is a lot of interest in my sample menu from the P90X program. The post is here.

I also noticed that there was a request for the homemade spaghetti sauce that I listed as my supper choice that evening.

It’s actually my wife’s concoction. It’s really tasty, and tough not to go back for seconds. I am not 100% sure how she makes it but it starts something like this.

2 lb pack of lean ground beef
2 14 oz cans or jars of spaghetti sauce
1 14 oz can of stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup
1 medium onion
1 medium pepper
1 cup of chopped mushrooms
2 or 3 cloves of garlic

No rocket science here, brown the beef and drain off any excess fat. Sweat the veggies in a skillet. Then throw it all in a pot, dutch oven, or crock, and simmer it for at least an hour.

The key is to find a ready made spaghetti sauce you like. You can cheap out on a canned versions, or you can opt for a high quality jarred low sodium, organic sauce. Once you hit on a sauce you like, you need to start experimenting with spices to get it to your liking.

This makes a pretty large pot full. Enough for a couple of meals. You can freeze the excess, or use it to make a baked pasta dish with rigatoni, or fuzilli, topped with cheese.

Obviously the protein comes from the beef, the veggie servings from the onion, mushrooms, peppers, and tomato sauces.

Enjoy, and get back to me with comments.

I originally started this blog to track my progress with the P90X program. That was last year, and I have since let this blog slide while concentrating on my other blog. However, I notice there are still interested people checking me out. So I decided to revive it.

Given the time of the year, it’s understandable that there are people scouring the internet looking for information to get in shape, or get back in shape.

I have a little experience with this. On at least 3 occasions, I went through changes in my life and career and experienced an unwanted transformation from a fit athlete, to an overweight slob. Stay tuned for more on those.

I am currently the former as a competitive triathlete with 10 years under my belt, and a ton of races completed including an Ironman, three half Ironman, and a host of Olympic and sprint distance races. You can also read about those on my other blog

I am not an expert, not a nutritionist or dietitian. I am not a personal trainer, although I have completed coaching courses in both cycling and triathlon.

But when I write, I write from the heart, about topics that interest me, and I believe will interest you.

Read me for Motivation, Inspiration, and Information. And Please Please Please, don’t be a lurker. Let me know what you think. Good Bad or Indifferent.