The Whole30 & Training Update

It's been a long time since I have written a post specifically about my training and me personally.  Majority of my posts have revolved around my daughters and my family.  Granted, those posts are probably more interesting then listening to me talk about my training, racing, nutrition, etc.  But truthfully, now that I have been blogging for over a year, I have grown to use this platform to get stuff off my chest, express myself, share my struggles and successes, and a place for me to just "figure stuff out."  I have used this website to share my dreams, no matter how far fetched, my struggles balancing my racing career with raising 2 daughters, and even many recipes that we have made at our home.  My blog is not a typical blog, focused on one aspect of life.  But rather a full encompassing site where I share my life.  As much as my life revolves around my kids and my racing, there is much more to me and who I am.  As I continue to grow as a father, husband, friend, triathlete, police officer, this blog will be here for me to share my life. This blog is me...

Anyway...As many of you probably have read, I started the Whole30 program/detox/cleanse this past Monday (January 20th).  The program itself is rather simple, but can become as specific/difficult as you want to make it.  The rules to the Whole30 are rather simple... (Or check out The Whole30 Programs Rules)

1. Eat REAL food - Eat meat, eggs, seafood, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts, and seeds.
2. Avoid added sugar of any kind, real or artificial, alcohol in any form, grains, legumes, dairy, white potatoes, carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites, and no "Paleo-ifying" baked goods, treats, or junk food.
3. The last rule is you are not allowed to step on a scale throughout the duration of the 30 days.  

Now, like I said you can make this program as specific and as difficult as you choose.  You can consume products that are sold in cans, jars, bottles, packages, etc.  But you really need to look closely at the ingredients list.  If the product has any of the forbidden ingredients the food should be avoided.  Why such the strict diet?  Certain food groups (sugar, dairy, grains, and legumes) can significantly have a negative impact on your health without even knowing it.  An example of this can be best shown with the growth of "gluten free products."  Gluten is the protein found in wheat and has a highly inflammatory response in many people.  This response causes several different symptoms in people, including bloating, gas, indigestion, migraine headaches, and allergies, just to name a few.  The other food groups listed above can have similar responses.  So how do you know if a certain food group negatively effecting you?  You simply cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you've been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you've been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health.

Why for 30 days?  It generally takes 20-30 days for our bodies to truly reset themselves and clear out and heal from previous damaged caused by foods.  It also is enough time to mentally change the way you think about food.  Many foods can have a significant psychological effect on you and your brain.  Specifically, sugar.  Sugar can act like a drug, causing a dangerous addiction that leaves you wanting and needing more sugar to fulfill your "need" for sugar.  Just watch the video below.

In order to break the vicious cycle of sugar cravings, you need to take time to reset your subconscious to learn a new, healthier way to eat.  

So why have I decided to do the Whole30?  Simple...I need to change my eating habits.  I do not eat as healthy as one may think.  Yes, I do eat pretty damn healthy, especially compared to the majority of middle aged Americans.  But, I do not want to be average.  I want to excel, I want to be the best I can be.  I want to be fast, fit, and healthy.  Over the past few years, I have found myself eating healthy most of the time, but then usually once a day, I break down and go on a binge.  Typically, my binges consist of some form of sweet, whether chocolate, ice cream, baked goods, granola bars, sugar filled cereals...you name it, I've pigged out on it.  I have taken down an entire box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in one sitting after work one morning, I polished off a bag of Hershey Kisses, I usually eat most of my kids granola bars before they get their second one.  Yea....I have a problem.  I struggle to eat to comfortably full, usually, I eat until I am stuffed.  Evidently I hide this pretty well, because most of my co-workers think I am the healthiest eater they know of.  Maybe it's because I am relatively fit and look like I am in shape, but I guess when you train as much as I do, it makes it that much easier to hide the excess calorie intake.  I have developed many of the above listed symptoms.  I may not have a severe reaction to many of the aggravating food groups, but I can tell you with a large degree of certainty, wheat does not fully agree with my stomach.  My sleep lately has slowly gotten worse, my attitude has been less then desirable, and I am up over 20 pounds from when I was in my athletic peak.  I really just need to hit the "reset" button and relearn healthy eating habits.  

During my Whole30, I have personally decided to add caffeine to the list of foods to avoid.  Similar to sugar and other foods, caffeine has a significant effect on your hormonal response and your brain.  You also develop an addiction to caffeine which can greatly effect sleeping patterns.  Typically it takes about 10-14 days to reset your bodies response to caffeine, but I figured if 14 is good 30 is better!  

Like I said, I started the program on Monday the 20th which means I will complete the program on February 18th.  On the front it sounds easy...it's "just 30 days."  But when you look at it, that's a fricken month.  But, I am committed to this, I am committed to become a better person, a healthier person.  I am committed to developing healthier eating habits.  I am fully committed to the Whole30.  Here are some examples of the foods/meals I have been eating thus far during my Whole30.  I fried up a small sweet potato with an apple and unsweetened coconut flakes with some Ghee (see "Making Ghee")) for a post workout meal.  The flavors actually blended together nicely.  I made a coconut curried chicken in the crock pot on Tuesday for dinner for the family, which went over well with everyone.  For my lunch at work, I have been packing vegetables along with a small tin of sardines.  I can honestly say, that in just the couple days I have been eating super clean, I have been sleeping better, have not had any digestion issues, and have been in a better mood all around.  I must admit, I have been generally more tired then usual, but I am writing that off due to my cutting off caffeine with no real weening off.  I am anticipating my energy levels to come back up to normal and even exceed where I was prior as I progress along the next 30 days.

As far as my training, it has been a very prolonged off season for me.  Much longer than I am used to.  Unfortunately, it's not by choice.  I am still not running due to a diagnosed stress reaction (fracture) in my lower right tibia (shin bone).  This has been a very difficult time for me.  I have really been struggling mentally this winter.  I don't know if it is just a mid winter funk or something more.  I know that life has been a little more stressful then usual with the anticipation of our third kid, who is due to arrive in mid-March.  I have also still been trying to solidify some new goals for my future.  In the past I have always been training for one specific goal in mind, now that is gone.  I have since come up with a few goals, such as running a sub 3 hour marathon, qualifying for Team USA, and running a 50 mile ultra marathon.  Unfortunately all those goals revolve around me running, which is just not happening and hasn't happened for over 2 weeks now.  I know it has just been 2 weeks, but it's killing me mentally.  I bagged my previous training plan in favor of a more general base building plan where I honestly kind of fly by the seat of my pants each and every day and do at least an hour of training and day in either the pool, on the bike, or on an elliptical, or some combination of 2 of the 3.  I can't even begin to describe how bad a just want to go out and run and be "normal" again.  I feel like a waste, I feel like I am working out, as opposed to training.  I have basically given up on my goal of running a sub 3 hour marathon at the Green Bay Marathon on May 18th, as time is just running out.  I am having an extremely difficult time wrapping my mind around the idea that I will not be able to run 30 miles on my 30th birthday - as I have been planning this event for over the past 2-3 years now.  It's depressing.  It puts me a dark, gloomy mood just writing about it.  

I am also having a difficult time comprehending the fact that I will be turning 30 years old in a month and a half.  I am refusing to accept the idea that it is all downhill from here and that my best racing years of my life are behind me.  I am just refusing that let that happen.  I still have so much I want to accomplish and I fear that as I get older and my kids get older, it will become that much more difficult to achieve them.  I am also realizing that I can not eat like I did when I was younger (see the entire post above...) and I do not recover like I used to.  Life is getting rough, I don't like it one bit, and frankly, I am dreading it greatly.  Things are just not going how I saw them going for me in 2014.  It's been a rough first couple weeks of 2014 and quite honestly, it's got me in a funk.  Hopefully, by this weekend I am easing my way back into running and slowly building my mileage back up where I'd like it to be.  With only 27 days left of the Whole30, hopefully I am on my way to becoming a healthier athlete, which should have me in a better mood with higher spirits with my expectations and goals back in sight for the upcoming race season!