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!