How's your nutrition/body comp in the JOS?
Hey gang...
Just another one of those "poke us all a little" thread.
I struggle with my weight a bit. Before triathlon, I got up to 180 lbs or so. (I'm somewhere between 5'9" and 5'10".) My problem is really very simple: I like to eat. I just get pleasure from eating. Most of the time, my diet is pretty good, even when I was heavy, but I do eat some bad things to excess (ice cream....) and usually it's a matter of just "too much".
So from that starting point, I'll post first.
Starting at the beginning of the year, I've tried to up my protein a bit and drop the carbs a bit. Nothing radical. But no "toast for breakfast and PB&J for lunch". Or at least less frequently. :-) The other thing I've done is try to be conscious of my mindless extra eating. I've stopped bringing a pile of stuff to make lunch for the week to work and just bring my lunch every day. Simple, but if there isn't a second sandwich available, I don't eat it.
On bike test day at the beginning of OS, I was 155.5. The last couple of days, I have weighed in at 148.5, so things are going well. I would like to race below 145, but that's really very hard for me to maintain. My BF% measurement suggests my lean mass is staying stable, so that's good. (I have a spreadsheet and just subtract the BF%*weight from weight to get lean mass.)
So feel free to use this thread to post your story or your tips.
One rule (if I can set one...it's my thread! 
) is that we don't start a diet style war. Let's acknowledge up front that there are multiple "diets" that can be healthful. I'm a vegetarian who leans toward a mediterranean style, but if Paleo is your gig, fine. That's more grains for me and more meat for you. :-) I can tell you why I do what I do and don't do other things, but I'm quite convinced there is no One True Way.
Comments
Its simple eat clean and make it a life style and not a diet
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I do take quite a few supplements also to assist in rapid recovery and to have a snap, pop, and crackle for the next days wko:
Tipped the scale this morning at 158.2 lbs and 7.3% BF. Diet is very clean and consistent (details in the other Nutrition thread). The loose goal I have is to be around 152-153 for IM MOO, but I'm going to let W/kg data dictate - meaning that when I see weight loss having an adverse effect on W/kg data, I will let weight drift back up to the former "sweet spot". I use LoseIt! to track all calories taken in and all calories burned from workouts. On a typical non-workout day, I take in just over 2,100 calories, with the amount of calories adjusted to cover amounts burned on workout days (Carl, how you are holding the line on weight with such a high caloric intake and the relatively low amounts of calories burned in the OS workouts - I think I have probably topped out at just under 1,200 calories burned in the Saturday bricks. Additional training?)
As far as supplements go, I routinely take a basic multivitamin, fish oil (6g/day) and BCAAs. I occasionally use Hammer's REM caps to sleep. I also use a Green Superfood powder from Amazing Grass (I use the Energy formulation).
I've never felt better in my life and I wholeheartedly agree with Carl's point that, if you think of it as a lasting commitment rather than a short term diet, the sense of deprivation completely evaporates!
I try to track my calories with Lose It, but only really pay attention to diet when I am training for a race (the OS counts, but the "Pre-OS" didn't). My motivation to lose weight and eat right is the desire to go faster. So, I balloon a lot more than my wife (or my doctor) would like. And I cheat at least once a week. Currently, I am about 30 pounds over my goal race weight, but I have about 7 months to correct that.
Here's my tips and suggestions.
1. Become intune with your body as an engine and your stomach the gastank. Most of us know when we eat too much or too little. While training hard this is easy to feel. Think about it, feel it.
2. Sign up for something , anything, as long as its fairly close, this give you focus and increases that willpower.
3. Fuel before and during your workouts. I say again always eat before and during. You can reduce this but take in something. Most people trying to work on body comp will short change themselves here, only to binge later.
4. Don't kid yourself ... a calorie is a calorie.
There is some decent science on how HUNGER is affected by blood glucose cycles (e.g., the legendary "sugar crash"), which can make it harder or easier for people to tow the line on calories. I've upped my protein a bit in part for that reason, and in part because I tend to relax into a too-high-carb mix that contributes to bad blood chemistry (high triglycerides) if I overdo it.... but I'm hijacking my own thread here..
It's about keeping things under control, one way or another...and just trying to help with a little Mojo for anyone that might need it. :-)
This morning I saw sub-140 for the first time of the year: 139.0. I'm sure it will fluctuate around 140 and slowly come down to 137 or so like last year. I'm running a half-marathon in March and wondering if I should make a concerted effort to get down to 135 for that race.
Btw my scale says my BF% is 13-14% which is way higher than the numbers you all seem to be seeing. If I set it to "athlete mode" I get a way lower number, but the instructions say you only ought to do that if you have been training seriously for many years. I've only been in this game for 3 years now. Do you think the 13-14% is way off?
Yes.
That said, you should pick a setting for the year and then just keep it there. My BF number is around 10% according to the Tanita I have. I don't have any idea if it's right or not. It's probably close.
What's important here is that it's relatively reproducible and precise...about the same reproducibility as daily weight readings. I just watch the number go up or down. It turns out that the Lean Body Mass fluctuates about the same or a little less than daily weight. I don't have one of the fancy new scales that tries to distinguish hydration from muscle/bone mass, but i control for that by always weighing at the same point in the day....first thing. I may be a little dehydrated, but it's pretty close to the same every day. I almost never go to bed without drinking a fair amount in the evening.. And with dry feet. Showering affects the number because it changes your skin conductivity.
Based on recent posts and input from fellow JOSrs, I have started to make some tweaks and it is helping. Down 1.2lbs. this week. Tried to reduce packaged foods (miles left to go on that one...) and a little tighter with the calories on Loseit.
I'm about +3 lbs from IMFL in Nov. which honestly ain't bad. My would like to get to 140.6lbs.
Like Matt, I have bodyfat on my scale but I only use it directionally. I can't repeat the number as it is too scary.....I do weigh in every day M-F. Moday sucks, Friday is best so I compare Fri vs. Fri. weigh-ins. I think the high Monday weights are mostly a result of shifts in water that I shed throughout the week when I get back to my routine.
Why does your weekend routine have to be so different?
One thing that really helps with body composition is trying to be very, very consistent. This is actually EASIER in the OS where you don't have crazy jacked-up volume on weekends vs. weekdays (in contrast to the in-season plans which are ~5-6 hours on Sat-Sun making "consistency" impossible).
If you try to aim for consistency in the OS you will probably find a pathway to even better results!
Totally agree on reproduciblity...the key is week-over-week evolution and not the absolute number.
I too measure first thing in the morning and before showering, and try to go for the same "feet moisture"...my feet are usually very dry getting out of bed so I actually step into the shower to wet my feet, then step onto a mat to dray them...I figure it helps the conductivity. Ah, silly OCD habits!!!
Good discussion, I am guilty of not fueling well before and during, then try to eat minimalist after thinking ah ha, the caloric deficit is huge and i will win. Not. I end up under nourished the next day and more than make up the 500 cal deficit from the day before. So this OS I am really focussing on bringing in 2-300 good calories before my wko, 100 cal once wko passes 1hr and then 3-500 cal meal after. So far I think I am doing better. I try not to focus too much on losing weight Jan-Mar I try lose that initial 10-12 lbs Sep-Oct-Nov-Dec in my off-season. I get ahead before Xmas comes and that 3-4 lbs that comes with the holidays is less of an issue come OS.
I approach it like Kevin Zielke. I have my base calories for a non work out day and then I add about 3-400 cal for each hour I work out. I keep a food journal with the goal of having balanced meals with protein, carbs and fat. I also have to make sure i drink enough water. That is an area i need to work on. My weight is stable year round. I might fluctuate a few pounds but never more. I have no off limits foods but I just tend to eat clean 90% of my day. By clean I mean, not packaged, whole foods, lean meats and healthy fats. I write this with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on my counter
The reason I eat clean and keep my weight stable is because it feels good. So IM weight, OS weight, Christmas time weight - all the same.
When Steve and I got married neither of us owned a scale. We still don't. We just know how we feel. We fluctuate a few pounds here and there but we don't have a number staring at us. We just know. We modify and correct. Steve will weigh at the gym. He is 5'10 and almost always 155. Give or take. He never focuses on weight. Eat well, train and it just works for him. Lucky duck. I need more tracking.
- gained 1kg in weight
- went well over 40% muscle mass
- reduces body fat from 20% to 17%
All that on the table I can pretty clearly see that the hard work is building the muscles quite well. I don't worry about the increase in total weight as I know that I'm very responsive to workouts of longer duration to loose weight so that should fix itself just by sticking to the upcoming planned workouts in the GetFaster and IronMan plan.
So, I'm getting to this thread a bit late. And it is a very good thread. But throwing my fear of pissing my wife off for me being controversial and/or argumentative, WJ I actually disagree with the first part of your statement.
I was a wrestler all through college and it was normal for me to drop ~18lbs (most of which was simply water weight) for every single match my Senior yr at Pitt. So I understand my body really well, and have massive weight swings 'til this day. I am by no means a normal sample of the general population. For the majority of my life, I ascribed to this philosophy that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie... I've recently changed my tune on this. Granted a calorie is simply a unit of measurement of energy. So presuming that the calorie count is correct (which it rarely is) the amount of energy put into our bodies is measurable and is in fact the same regardless of the content of those calories. I experiment with what types of food I put in my body all the time (plenty of little n=1 trials). Recently for me that means Gluten Free and no Recreational Sugar. So while I'll agree that the amount of energy in a given type of food as measured in calories might be the same, how our body changes and adjusts as that energy content goes in will be (for me anyways) noticeably different. I like to think in extremes, and then take those theoretical results and push them more towards the norm to shape my beliefs on what things are moderately better for me. So here's my extreme example:
If you take 2 identical twins (Ricky and Bobby) with the same blood levels and fitness and then put them on the exact same workout regimen and give them very strict guidelines around their food intake, I believe they will have different results with the same daily caloric intake. Let assume Ricky is given 2,500 calories per day of processed McDonalds Big Macs and his brother Bobby is given 2,500 calories per day of nuts, vegetables, fruits, lean meats and generally healthy stuff, I would argue that not only will Bobby have better workouts and feel better than Ricky, but he will also lose more weight. So clearly the calories are different even though the number of calories are the same. Another way to craft this would be to give Ricky 2,500 calories of "whatever" all in one big meal at 9PM every night and have Bobby eat those same 2,500 "whatever" calories immediately after his workout and spread out throughout the rest of the day... Ricky's body will learn to store those calories as he sleeps and then to lower his metabolism throughout the whole next day to conserve energy. Where Bobby's body will be running at a higher metabolic rate all day and simply "burn" more of those calories off than Ricky will while doing the same simple daily chores.
So I agree that the Calories "In" might be the same... but weight loss is more of an equation: Calories "in" minus Calories "out" equals weight gained or lost. Sure we can change the Calories "Out" portion by working out more, but I believe there are other ways to sway this part of the equation. And this Calories "out" portion of this equation is certainly effected by what type of food made up those calories and when those calories were put into our bodies. If we can influence our body's metabolism higher by choosing certain foods or timing of that food intake, we could potentially influence the Calories "out" portion simply by choosing the right Calories "in". Some people call these "Superfoods" but I think that word is thrown around a bit much. Things like Grapefruit, Salmon, Avocado, hot peppers, green tea, yogurt, Almonds, Spinach, Cinnamon, even coffee come to mind.
To beat a dead horse even further, things like nuts have a lot of calories. Some people that "count" every calorie they put into their body might shy away from eating a lot of nuts or avocados and they may be missing out on the good healthy fats that are in them. I have found that by snacking on things like nuts, I am taking in more calories, but it actually satisfies me more for longer periods which partly goes to to the second part of your post about proteins and avoiding blood glucose swings. I have a MASSIVE omelet every morning now that is likely 2x the number of calories I used to take in with my bowl of Kashi cereal. But without the glucose spike, my body has a different insulin response so it doesn't try to store those calories as fat. I think it's this Insulin response to this high blood glucose that causes fat storage. This likely leads to the blood chemistry levels you were talking about (Cholesterol and Triglycerides, etc). I had amazing changes in my lipid panel after going "Gluten Free" for the last 2 months (as I discussed here).
Anyways. I have recently changed my lifelong belief that all calories are created equal...
I have had great results and am down ~10lbs so far in the JOS and my FTP is up by a lot. I feel great! And I have been hungry a grand total of ZERO times in the last 8 weeks. I have actively been trying to take in MORE calories throughout every day to stabilize my weight but am doing so with more nuts, raisins, fruits, etc... This is just my n=1 but it has been working for me...
Good luck to you all...
Food has been a BIG topic in the Withrow house for the past few months. Having learned a lot more over the past few years about how my body handles the work I'm putting into it, I'm now shifting my attention to improving my recovery beyond the post-workout shake and ice bath. I typically fluctuate +/-5 lbs depending on training volume, but these past few weeks I've found that increasing my focus on nutrition has allowed me to drop weight significantly earlier in the season than I have in the past couple of years. I've always eaten a relatively clean diet, but eliminating almost all processed foods, refined/recreational sugars, and giving up grains (after realizing that, in my case at least, they're called miGRAINS for a reason! And I really, REALLY like being headache-free, so more grains for you William!) has made a huge difference in how I feel throughout the day and how I perform in my workouts. Now I know that if I'm fatigued or sluggish, it's more than likely due to training and/or poor recovery and much less likely due to insulin swings.
I eat throughout the day as well - no food/fuel before an early morning workout (5a.m. or earlier) and none during unless it's >60'. I have a big protein shake after my workout (I'm all over the place with the type of protein I use, but avoid artificial sweeteners and soy... ) with a scoop of L-Glutamine, a lot of fruit and some Almond milk. The rest of the day, I've been trending toward a more Paleo diet... a lot of lean meat/fish, veggies, fruit and nuts, very little to no dairy (rice 1x/wk when I have sushi ;-)
To second what William said above - I was JUST telling John the other day that I am always STARVING on rest days! I haven't quite figured out if it's mental (ie - I am eating out of boredom!) or if I really NEED those calories... ???
Some crazy EN folks got me into the "no recreational sugar thing"
Big change this week.... No pre-wko PBJ. (About 400 calories) I instead have a Larabar (about 200 calories) which is enough to get me through, then I eat something post WKO as my dinner and post-WKO snack combined. Then I don't end up needing an additional snack later. It seems to be working, i'm getting closer to IMFL weight! Doesn't work for Tues. WKOs though. Larabar pre- brick isn't enough....
I'm still a long way off from the clean diets a lot of you have but I'm getting there!
PS I am hungry ALL the time too, esp. on rest days.
Sounds like you're doing something right, then. You should be able to moderate your hunger a bit by eating foods that are less calorically dense (vegetables are great for this) and also having some lean protein (but not a lot!!) at each meal.
But that said, it will take some time to get used to the feeling of eating fewer calories overall.
This is probably the biggest driver of my weight loss in the OS. Evening workouts = no dinner, and no dinner = save a crap-ton of evening calories.
After the workout I have half a bottle of gatorade and a protein bar. Usually a Powerbar Protein Plus...the new ones are 20g protein and only 210 calories and the chocolate peanut butter flavor tastes remarkably good...not at all like a bar full of chemicals like some of the others. The Clif Builder bars have some really good flavors but the protein ratio is worse being 23g of protein and 270 cals for most varieties.
If I'm really so hungry I can't stand it then I'll drink two glasses of water and have an apple. My general practice is every time I'm hungry and feel like snacking on something I drink a big glass of water.
If I'm REALLY FREAKIN' HUNGRY AND IT'S BEFORE 8pm I'll have 1/2 cup of Kashi GoLean cereal with 3Tb of 2% milk. Or some nuts.
Have an email in with the Core Diet folks for a consult and plan to get me there!
However, not working out at all for the next two weeks (surgery today) will probably cause a hiccup to start, that's for sure!
Just finished the 8th wk of OS and moving onto the HIM plan and get swimming again. I lost 12-15 lbs the past 8 weeks by cutting out regular coke and sweet tea, plus all the hard work I've put in lately made it possible. Eventually I'll cut the drink sugar out 98-100%, but I allow myself some sweet tea or soda a one meal during the day about every 8-12 days. Went the 21 days without at first and then allow myself a reward once in a while with a meal. Always great to read about how well everyone is doing and mostly it's just about tracking how well you are doing and when you reward yourself - maybe after a hard race, and I've done 3 half marathons the past 5 weeks and have a 15k and another half marathon the next two weeks, so a coke with the post race meal in the afternoon is a nice reward for me if controlled properly. Just gained 4 pairs of pants I can now wear, that I had no chance of wearing 8 weeks ago!!!