Nutrition - Does One Size Really Fit All?

In the past 2 weeks I have done a complete overhaul on my diet. For breakfast I have a Odwalla Green Superfood shake, and once you get past the smell of artichokes and algae it's pretty good. Lunch is a lean protein, usually fish, and a veg, I have a Mix1 protein shake and my Joint Juice for a snack, an FRS low cal energy pre-workout and for dinner I will have a lean protein, veg, and a unrefined carb. I won't lie, the first few days I was sick. Not a little sick, but really sick. To be honest, part of it was because my daughter brought home her cold, but realistically, most of it was in part to my body ridding itself of toxins from diet coke, refined carbs, refined sugars, alcohols, and fats. I think I told Warren I was going to die about 10 times, and then something happened. It was Monday and I felt alright. Not 100%, but pretty good. All of this got me to thinking about all of the nutrition advice I have been given: some good, and some bad. The real question is: Why do a lot of people out there assume nutrition is "one size fits all?"

True story: I was in my spin class back in April. Now, my spin class is great. My coach leads the class and it's geared towards endurance athletes, but newbie friendly. People come back week after week for this class versus an typical class in which most new comers are so frightened they swear off spinning forever. One of the best parts about this class is the "conversations". You want to ask Coach Steve about cycling shoes, do it! You want to know about heart rate levels and monitors, then it's a class discussion. Trust me, this in no way impedes the quality of the class. It's all done during recovery. Well, one day we talked about nutrition. He told us this story about an athlete he coached that lost 40lbs over a season. That's when I tuned in because hey, I too have 40lbs to lose. I asked what she did beyond the training. Then he tells me she only consumes 1200 calories and eats 5-6 times a day. I was FLOORED! I asked how her recovery was assuming she had to be exhausted all the time. Nope, not so much. Then, after years of advice and testing everything, it hit me: Nutrition and workouts aren't a simple mathematical equation, nor is any of it one size fits all.

Yesterday, while working, I was listening to a past episode of Jillian Michaels on KFI 640 online. I won't lie, I'm a "Biggest Loser" junkie. What is more inspiring than watching these people get their lives back and have hope and obtain something they never thought they could? Well, she was explaining that she never went below 1200 calories with the women...ever! Then, she explained to this group of elite medical professionals that the women on her team had come to a complete halt in losing weight. They ran all the usual tests and come back and told her "800 calories for the women". She protested because it went against everything she every knew as a trainer and registered dietitian. The doctor explained to her that there have been case studies that the "magical" number for obese women to lose weight is 800. It's not for everyone and should never be done without the care of a medical professional and dietitian, but that the women would be fine. She put them on the lower calorie diet and not only did it work, but they had far more energy and when it came time to bump back up to the 1200 calories they didn't gain.

What does all this mean? I means that there is a reason why I was the only person I have ever known to gain weight on Weight Watchers (and I just wanted to lose 5-10lbs), why some people cannot eat gluten, why some cannot digest red meat, why if you have a deficiency in anything your metabolism could stall just because of your biology. So, here it is, the absolute basics that aren't "One Size Fits All" but can be tailored and advice on who to see for an overhaul:

1. YOU NEED FAT! I know, you are thinking "Hey fat lady, why are you telling me to eat fat?" Look, the fact of the matter is that I wasn't always at this weight. I have been a vegetarian, a full blown meat eater, and have comfortably landed somewhere in between. A semi-vegetarian if you will. I have ALWAYS been athlete. I too was shocked when I learned this lesson, and I learned it on my own in the most obscure place possible: The Colorado Spring Olympic Training Center. When my daughter was 2 months old I left my house at 6am to catch a flight to Colorado Springs for My USA Triathlon Coaching Certification weekend. Three planes later I was finally there. Now, I had just started running 2 weeks prior after getting the okay from my doctor and the final stitches removed from my c-section. I was at a snail's pace of a 13 minute mile....but I swam still pretty fast. I was terrified and when I checked into my room (that was up 5 flights of stairs) all I wanted to do was eat. I had never been more intimidated in my life. What the hell was I thinking? I had a baby with her first cold at home that was maybe 10 weeks old, I was in no shape to keep up with anyone....and I thought "well, at least everything will be steamed and it will be a no-fat weekend". I have no idea why I assumed this. I walked into the cafeteria and the familiar aroma of Thai food filled the place. I thought that soup would be a great choice, so I got the Beef Thai Noodle Soup...people, I kid you not, IT HAD FAT. I know it's silly, but it clicked: Olympians NEED fat to succeed as an elite athlete. I will say it just once: WE ALL NEED FAT! Now, the difference is we need fat from nuts, avocados, and lean meats. We do NOT need fat from fried foods, sauces, etc. That's it. Plain and simple. It's not brain surgery folks.

2. What works for you is not going to work for me. Let me tell you, anyone can become a nutritionist. Really. If you send me an email I will send you no less than 5 links for places that will take your money and BAM! you are now a certified nutritionist all from the comfort of your own home. Everyone thinks they are an expert and wants to tell you what you MUST do to lose weight. Nothing drives me more insane. Here's the deal: never, ever in my life have I had to lose more than 5-10 lbs until after I had my daughter. On the bright side, I haven't gained weight, but I sure as hell haven't lost much either. Why? I'm hypothyroid and have very minor issues with gluten (which aggravates my allergies). However, I am totally serious when I tell you I have lost track of how many people who think they hold the key to the shackles of my 35-40lbs weight loss and refuse to acknowledge that I have circumstances that will not let me fit in their "mold". I guarantee you, nobody reads a label like I do. I refuse to consume high fructose corn syrup (with the exception of my diet coke, but that's all behind me now). When you get someone who is an "expert" and tells you to try product xyz and it's got added refined sugars, you run. With all that said, if you get someone that is giving you a cookie cutter nutritional plan, then run far, far away. If they aren't a registered dietitian that works with whatever type of athlete you are then don't hand over money. A great RD that deals with sports nutrition for endurance athletes will go a long way.

3. Really do eat 4-6 times a day. That's it. Just do it. Otherwise, you aren't burning fat and are dipping into your muscle.

4. Booze. Alcohol. Hooch.....be it one drink, or you really tied one on last night. It's no good for losing weight. Now, here's the deal: If you do not need to lose weight and are happy with how you are preforming the occasional drink or two isn't going to hurt, as long as it's just that: A DRINK OR TWO! Now, for the rest of us slow fat asses, it's bad. Hold on, I'll repeat that: BAD! B-A-D! Alcohol doesn't just slow the metabolism. It does it for 48 hours! So, that drink or drinks you had last night will stick with you for the next 2 days and your metabolism will pay for it. You will never ever lose weight that way. So, until you reach your goals, or it's a family meal during a holiday, skip the booze.

5. You cannot do it alone. You really can't. You need a support group and you need support at home. You could have all the support in the world, but if none of it comes from home then the odds will be stacked against you.

6. Be accountable for your actions, and be proud. I registered for 4 marathons, 3 half marathons, 3 10ks, a few 5ks, a couple of triathlons and a dualthon. I didn't finish some of them because of poor training and lack of mental preparation. I know now what to expect and be prepared for in my 2009-2010 season. I will not lie, I am addicted to racing. I'm not shy about it. Anyone who knows me knows this. If I don't cross the finish line I am not a failure, I am under prepared, but know when to stop before injury. If I do not show up, and it's not because of family obligations, then I have failed. There is a HUGE difference. Not showing up in life is like failing in life for me. I get this now. I struggled with this for so long. Not showing up to the gym, eating healthy, being healthy and setting an example for my daughter and everyone around me is failing. Do the best that I can and then taking it one step further to safely push my boundaries is winning.....I want to win!

Just remember, everyone in the world can offer you advice, but it doesn't mean it will work for you. That doesn't mean you should ignore it. What I do in my life it a collaboration of advice and concepts: a little from here, a little from there. Just make sure you don't do anything blindly!

The Difference Between Training And Racining For Weight LossA

People ask me all the time "if you race so much then why do you still have to lose 35 to 40 pounds?" The answer is simple, but highly confusing at the same time. Without getting into the bio mechanics and fueling for a race here is the simple answer: racing is not a good tool for weight loss, however, training is a great tool for weight loss. Here is the deal: when you train you have the time to focus on exerting more of the energy (aka: carbohydrates and fuel) you take in. When you race you focus on getting the right amount of fuel in your body to sustain you for whatever the distance maybe, and this is done over several days in a week, then you focus on the post race recovery which involves....yeah, you guessed it: food. As a result, maybe you will lose a few pounds over the course of a single racing season, but at the end of the day when you are "in season" that is the WORST time to focus on losing weight. So, here I am post race season with another season staring me down. What am I going to do to lose weight, take the pressure off my joints and PR at most every single race WHILE having fun and enjoying each and every experience? Well, it starts with me, and making me healthy for the first time in a very, very long time.

I gave up a lot of "toxins" this past week and my body is a wee bit angry with me. No refined sugar, no alcohol, semi-vegetarian which means red meat maybe one time a week, chicken one time a week and fish and seafood 2-3 times a week. To add to it, I have asthma and very severe allergies and the wonderful LA smog decided to make an appearance in full force over the last 2 days which lead to not one, but two asthma attacks. It's not enough to make me give in. I feel a lot better, but at the same time feel awful and am sleeping a bit more. I am literally going to bed at 8:45pm and waking at 6pm. Beginning Monday I'm setting the alarm for 4am to get a morning workout in. by then it'll be time to add it in and the moisture in the air will keep the asthma at bay if it's still a problem. Today I'm going swimming. I desperately need the workout and the moist air will feel good in my lungs right now.

Oh, and to make it all the better, with the guidance of a good nutritionist, I'm going on a short detox from Saturday to Tuesday. I'm making soup ALL weekend. Thankfully, I've already incorporated a green machine shake into my daily diet otherwise i suspect it would be too much at one time. At the end of the day it really is about how I treat myself. What I do for me inside is truly a reflection of my outward appearance and personality.

Well, here's to healthy living and training!

Out With the Old, In With the New....

SO, my 2008-2009 season officially ended on June 14th after the Trek Women's Duathlon at Disneyland. I have to say, it was quite the interesting race for various good and negative reasons. The race course itself was a memorable one, however, when you have a race that doesn't ahve course officials on it you know a lot of people are going to find a way to cut it short or break the rules...and it happened A LOT. We started out for a 1.5 mile run through Disneyland and back out to the transition area where we set off for a 10 mile bike course (that ran long to more like 12 miles) which was a 2 loop course. Here's where the trouble began. Now, I'm not the world's greatest cyclist, hell I loathe hills with a passion. However, anyone who has ever ridden with me knows that you give me not just flat, but a false flat and I will eat the road up alive. So, I am hammering out on the course and I passed quite a few people, including the people I left transition with. I pass my first loop, it's the same on the second loop and when I am coming back for the last legt the same people I left transition with for the bike leg AND passed are going out for their run.....yes, there was a lot of disappointment. However, the only race that at the end of the day I have control over is my race. Due to the fact that I haven't run off the bike in a long, long, long, long time my legs were going nowhere. At least I know what I need to work on thise week after spin class! I finished the race and felt great. Yet, the best part was that my friend Monica finished her first multisport endurance race as well! And she did amazingly well...WAY TO GO MONI!

SO, here I sit two days later preparing for a dynamic 2009-2010 season which begins Spet 6th. There is a lot that needs to change: rededication to my sports, no longer being the worlds laziest endurance athlete, nutritional changes, and taking all the knowledge that i have and changing my "do as I say not as I do" mentality. I alone am my biggest asset to my training, and I alone am my biggest foe if I allow myself to be. Making peace with failure and dedication to success is what I did on Sunday on my way home from the race. Yes, that pain in my foot going into the LA Marathon was a bruised bone, now I have nursed it and the bruising and pain are gone. Yes, I managed to not lose any toenails, but that was simple luck, not preparation. Yes, a diet coke always sounds really good at mile 20 of a long run or marathon, but the toxins have been served and eviction notice and the no vacancy sign in my body has been switched on. The past is the past, right now I train for the future.

I've spent so much time in my life reflecting on what could have been and what I could have done differently in life, relationships, how I treat myself and how I have allowed others to treat me. I can't change people, I can change me. I'm not the type of person that is caught up in the drama of assuming that a person I knew years ago is the exact same person today. Well, that applies to me too. The person I was five, ten, even twenty years ago doesn't even remotely resemble the person I have become. I am a mother, a friend, a sister, a daughter, an athlete and a role model to my child. Everything else is just passing scenery. Now, it's time to refocus and take the time to live and train smarter.

LA Marathon - Memorial Day 2009

So, I ran, er should I say, I walked the LA Marathon exactly one week ago today. I can now officially state for the record that walking a marathon is far more difficult than running a marathon, and I will never do that again. From here on out I will run! This means actually kicking my training into high gear....once my feet heal. Never before have I had blisters like this. I grabbed the wrong shoes at 4:30am and didn't notice until I was parked at Pershing Square. Jeebus, I knew that this was going to be a HUGE mistake. Nonetheless, the buzz and excitement was overwhelming and needless to say I forgot about the shoes.

It was a perfect morning for a run.....here are the stats:

Miles Run: 7.2
Miles Walked: 19
Number of runners: Approx 16,000 (largest race I have ever been apart of)
Temp: 72
Crenshaw: home of the largest Walmart I have ever seen. And I lived in Florida....they have some big Walmarts there

Most BBQ Joints: Mid City

Korea Town: let's face if folks, most of us are driving through K-town and never actually notice it smells like bulgolgi and rice

Oddest Person: a toss up between the guy dressed up as a set of testicles for cancer awareness and the drunk homeless guy at mile 23 standing in the middle of the road giving hoigh 5's to runners and then telling them to get off his damn street

Number of People I knew: 5, including Michael Hunter who'd voice I heard frist at mile 16 and thought "huh, what? Michael Hunter? I haven't heard from him in years" and there he was cheering on the SRLA students running.

Number of blisters: 6....all rather large and painful

Days of recovery: 5, versus my usual one day of recovery. Really, walking took a lot out of me.

Future Plans:

June 6th: Wrigley River Run 5k
June 7: LA Tri Express Triathlon at Bonelli Park
June 14: Disneyland All Women's Duathlon
Sept 6: Disneyland Half Marathon
Spet 20: Long Beach Tri
October 11: Golden State Triathlon
Nov 2009: San Gabriel Turkey Trot
Dec 2009: Rose Bowl Half Marathon
Feb 16: 2nd Annual Pasadena Marathon
Feb 2010: Catalina BUffalo Run
March 2010: LA Marathon
March 2010: Catalina Marathon

HAPPY TRAINING AND RACING!