Carpe Diem 2012!

December 28 has become my Carpe Diem for it was the day in 2009 that I made the conscience decision to do something about the physical aspect of the person I had become. I tipped the scales at 215lbs, my all time heaviest and have reached 151.6lbs and currently sit at 158lbs.  I look upon that day and think of that first 20 minute session I did on the elliptical that almost killed me and think what I have done since then.  A return to competitive cycling with some notable results, 100mile bicycle rides, countless 3+ hour training sessions on the bike, 7 to 12hr training hours per week, 10 continuous pull-ups; I wouldn’t have imagined that 3 years ago!

See last year’s comparison photo.  This year’s photo is coming soon.

Over the last three years I have adopted different eating styles to test the effectiveness of weight loss/satiety and to fuel my body for the rigors of weight lifting and cycling.  Needless to say it’s been challenging; not so much in the way of eating, but balancing the intake of food to accommodate weight loss / maintenance, muscle growth and energy needs.  Through this journey I have read and learnt a lot on nutrition (both conventional and unconventional) and have learnt what works best for me.  With that knowledge, I have been successful in loosing or maintaining my weight without extreme caloric reductions while building muscle and fuelling my body for cycling.

One of the biggest revelations I’ve had is the fluctuations in weight experienced on a daily or weekly basis.  These fluctuations are primarily water based and can sway in the range of 3 to 5 pounds.  Deplete your glycogen through reduced carbohydrate intake or exercise and you can easily drop 3 to 5 pounds in less than a week and appear and feel thinner.  Replenish your glycogen and watch those same pounds return.  The reason for this is the glycogen/water relationship.  For every gram of glycogen stored in your liver and muscles, your body will store approximately 3 to 4 grams of water.  So say for instance your liver stores 100g of glycogen and your muscles store 400g, your body will store approximately 2000g of water resulting in 5.5lbs of weight (1g = 0.00220462lbs ).  With this knowledge, I became less concerned with these daily fluctuations and relied more on body fat percentage rather than weight.

As an example of this, last winter in my attempt to shed body fat for the forthcoming cycling season, I changed up my macro nutrient intake consuming approximately 160g of protein (1g per pound of body weight to maintain lean muscle mass), no more than 100g of carbohydrates and the remainder of my caloric requirements (approximately 2400cal) in healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avacados, nuts etc.).  Within the week I dropped approximately 4lbs (glycogen depletion + accompanying water) bringing me from 164lb to 160lb.  From there until the 1^st of April, I lost an additional 8.4lbs for a total of approximately 12.4lbs and 3% body fat according to my scale.  Approximately 7lbs were lost in fat and the remainder (5.4lb) in glycogen/water and likely some lean tissue.  During this time I had periods (weekends) of carbohydrate loading where I would consume approximately 350 to 400 grams of carbohydrates, 160g of protein and the remainder of my caloric requirements in healthy fats (approximately 40g).  After this period, my weight would increase by 3 to 4 pounds but then drop when glycogen was again depleted.  It was interesting to observe and gave me a better understanding of the cause/effect of food.

So into a new year I will again challenge myself but with a new way of eating.  One drawback of my previous way of eating was the financial requirement due to the increase in meat proteins I was consuming.  I’m about to try a lacto-ovo-vegetarian/pescatarian approach but model it similarly to the above (primarily health fats, 1g of protein per pound of body weight and minimal carbohydrates to keep my glycogen depleted).  I have yet to work out the details but suspect I will rely on eggs, dairy, fish (pescatarian) and powder sources for protein.  In time, I may reduce if not eliminate eggs and dairy just because as I have no ethical issues with eating these nor meats.  Fish I will continue due to the health benefits.  I find it’s good to change your way of eating up as it keeps things fresh and keeps me motivated.

Dietary Concerns and Carbohydrate Refeeding

I am entering my third week on a Paleo / Primal eating plan in an attempt to lean out and lose unwanted fat weight and for the most part, it is easier than I expected. How could it not be when you have eggs and bacon to look forward to for breakfast! I am hovering about 300 kcal below maintenance on average and found the most challenging aspect is learning to eat less. Previously I was eating huge amounts of lean protein, moderate carbohydrates and low fat. Now with high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrates, gauging fat intake to stay below maintenance levels is critical as it is easy to go over daily caloric requirements if you do not reduce the volume of food consumed. An online food log source such as Calorie Counter is an invaluable tool to track daily caloric intake. Some of those that advocate a Paleo, Primal or a general low carbohydrate eating lifestyle claim that calorie counting is not a requirement as it is not fat that make us fat; it is that “evil” carbohydrate. I am not yet convinced although I see the validity in the statement but in perspective of what is eaten, when and how much. To err on the side of caution, I still weigh and log my food to track daily macro nutrient and caloric intake but analyze over the course of a week due to the daily fluctuations in both caloric input and output. I would encourage tracking calories as a requirement more so on a high fat diet.

During these last two weeks I have been concerned about the loss of both lean muscle mass and strength, decreasing levels of energy and stamina and of course fat gain. My protein intake is approximately 1g per pound of body weight which I understand is necessary to preserve lean muscle mass. My workouts in the gym on Monday and Wednesday were great, no loss of strength on both days and actually lifted heavier. Friday however was another story but it is too early to determine if strength has been affected as my sleep was short and restless. Although my scale tells me my fat % is increasing (by a whopping 4%!), the mirror is telling me otherwise as I can see a difference both in my mid section and legs. Veins are starting to reappear on the surface of my quadriceps which tells me my legs are leaning out. Going forward I'll rely more on the mirror and skin fold pinch tests and less on that “lying” scale!

As for my energy and stamina concerns during cycling workouts, anything you read these days emphasizes the necessity of a full glycogen tank for training. But is that need too broad? After all, these authors are writing for the masses. Can I get away with less in the tank for shorter intense workouts? Logic would suggest glycogen would come in handy when energy demands are needed at an accelerated rate during high intensity workouts. What about longer less intense workouts? Again, logic would suggest that your body could obtain its energy from local fat stores as the energy demands are lower giving you body time to convert fat to glucose. My cycling workouts presently range from an hour to two and a half hours in length. The intensity is currently low to moderate. In the coming weeks my mid week sessions will become more intense while my weekend sessions will remain long in duration and low to moderate in intensity. I have yet to experience any ill effects while cycling however to err on the side of caution, I have decided to include a 48 hour carbohydrate refeed cycle in my week.

The carbohydrate refeed will replenish depleted glycogen stores and provide me with an adequate amount of energy to complete the workouts without concern. Initially I will start the reefed cycle on the Friday morning and end it Saturday night to coincide with my longer, less intense weekend workouts (and meal time with the family) but will continue to evaluate myself during and after the shorter more intense workouts during the week. Should I find the higher intensity workouts are affected, I will adjust the reefed cycle. The reefed will be high in carbohydrates (=> 60%) and low in fat (<= 10%) and I’ll only consume lean proteins such as unprocessed tilapia fillets. I'll continue to maintain a caloric deficit to further encourage fat loss.  Having completed my first reefed cycle this past weekend, simply eating natural carbohydrate sources such as potato, sweet potato, vegetables and oats (yes for the reefed I will also break away from the no grains approach of Paleo / Primal), will enable me to consume the required amount of carbohydrates and fat without much effort… excluding the effort of consuming a larger volume of food than I would on a high fat diet.

In the two weeks while being on a Paleo / Primal eating plan and the initial week of intermittent fasting, I have lost the 8lbs of weight gained since September plus an additional 2lbs putting me down to 158lbs; my lowest I achieved last year. I suspect some of this weight loss is due to glycogen depletion and the accompanying hydration loss. The carbohydrate reefed on the weekend added 2lbs so I’ll use that as a measure going forward. Cross my fingers and hope this is all attributed to fat loss and not lean muscle mass!

Paleo / Primal Eating - Let the Shredding Begin

With the Christmas season behind me, I was fortunate enough not to pack on any extra pounds. I did okay resisting most temptations but did treat myself to a few occasional desserts. As I look ahead, my cycling racing season is a mere three months away and I am now looking at losing fat stores I have not been able to shed to date. Since September, I have been in the gym working on muscle development and most recently strength and have put on approximately 8lbs of weight in that time with both my body fat percentage and water retention rising slightly. I hope to shed the fat while maintaining the muscle mass and retain the strength gains. To do this, I have decided to follow a Paleo / Primal way of eating. The process is new to me, both the diet and the challenges I will face, therefore as the weeks go by, I'll have to evaluate myself, my energy and strength and make adjustments where necessary.

A Paleo Diet is based on the understanding that the best human diet is one in which we are best genetically adapted. It includes foods believed to be eaten by our primal ancestors that promote good health such as fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meats and seafood that are all high in beneficial nutrients such as soluble fiber, antioxidant vitamins, phytochemicals (having the potential to affect diseases), omega-3, monounsaturated fats, are low on the glycemic index scale, low in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. A Paleo diet further encourages the replacement of dairy and grain products with fresh fruits and vegetables.

For the most part, I will follow a Paleo Diet (more specifically a diet based on the Primal Blueprint) and eliminate all grain products however I will not limit the amount of dietary saturated fats and will not eliminate dairy as I know I have tolerance for it. To me, the approach is very similar to Atkins which I did years ago however the carbohydrate intake will not be highly restricted at first. On Atkins during the Induction Phase, carbohydrates in the form of vegetable are limited to 20g. I will limit myself to 75g to 100g of carbohydrates or approximately 15% of my net daily calories in the form of vegetable, fruit, nuts, natural plain yogurt and sweet potato. I will continue to consume a moderate amount of protein, approximately 1g per pound of body weight from fish, chicken, turkey, pork or beef. The remaining calories will be consumed from fat sources such as olive oil, butter, avocado and coconut.

My expectations are that I will begin loosing fat stores as my body will more readily rely on its fat stores for energy as stored glycogen will be depleted. However I do expect muscle to be cannibalized which I hope the moderate protein intake and continued weight lifting will alleviate. I expect my energy levels will be lower so high volume cycling sessions will be affected and not highly recommended, therefore my cycling sessions will be limited in volume but intensity will increase. This will coincide nicely with the ending of my weight lifting strength phase and the beginning of my High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) both in the gym and on the bike.

To prepare myself for this change in diet, I have already completed one week of Intermittent Fasting (IF) where I ate only between 12pm and 8pm daily. The remaining time I was in a fasted state and water was the only intake. I'll write more about IF in a later post. I began this primal eating this past Sunday and to date I already feel lighter, look a little leaner and weight has decreased by a few pounds since IF'ing. In the gym this past week I lifted heavier on all exercises but noticed a decrease in energy while training on the bike. Fatigue could have been a contributing factor so I'll continue to gauge.

I’ll report on my progress in the weeks to come.  I welcome any comments or suggestions from those having success loosing fat while retaining muscle and strength.  In the meantime, if you are interested to learn more, check out the links above or this book.

A Better Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 - 3 tablespoons cream (optional)
• salt & pepper taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen organic peas & carrots, thawed
• 3/4 cup frozen organic green beans, thawed
• 1 pound ground grass-fed beef or bison
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour or almond flour
• 3/4 cup beef stock or broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Break the cauliflower into chunky pieces and steam until just tender. Put in the food processor with 2 tablespoons butter and process until smooth. Add salt & pepper to taste. Optional: Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth but still fairly thick. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté several minutes until soft. Add beef and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to break up the meat so it browns evenly. Add peas, carrots and green beans and cook another five minutes.

Stir in the coconut flour. Add broth and herbs and reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from skillet and put into a 9-inch pie pan. Spread the cauliflower over the top.

Scatter 2 tablespoons of butter cut into small pieces on top of the cauliflower. Bake 30–35 minutes.

2 Year Progress

To the right is my two year progress comparison photo.  I looked like I was stung by a bee back in '09... my all time heaviest!  I am wearing the same belt which is a good indication of the number of inches lost. I count about 5 inches but that belt looks a little snug!

Read related posts on how I achieved this...

Eating for Life

I am often asked by those who have not seen me in a few years what I did to lose all the weight.  Initially I took offense and would often ask them, "Why... did you think I was fat before?"  "No", they would say; "Just… er, bigger!” they would embarrassingly add.  Soon I became to realize just how far I had come with my weight loss and how I might be able to help others that want to lose weight or have struggled with weight loss in the past.  Fortunately I am not one of those people who had tried every conceived weight loss program available, but I did follow a few programs that in the long run, would not allow me to manage my weight effectively.

Initially I was sold on the low carbohydrate approach as advocated by Atkins.  After considerable research, I forged ahead for three months on the program losing 30lbs in the process but the net effect was a lack of sustainable energy once I started exercising.  Additionally, limiting myself to the carbohydrates I could consume; notably vegetables, legumes, nuts and berries; made it very difficult to continue.  I soon lost my motivation and fell back into my previous way of eating.  A little over a year later, all the weight I had lost was back.

With my latest attempt, a little less than two years ago, I was prepared to go the low calorie approach.  As the months went by, I was again shedding the pounds.  However in time, the weight loss stopped likely as a result of inadequate food intake, increase in lean muscle mass and/or my body getting use to the exercise and unable to adapt further.

After months with no significant change, I began to research more into why I had hit a plateau.  What I learned was food intake is a lot like water intake.  Drink an adequate amount of water and your body sheds stored water weight.  Eat an adequate amount of “sensible” food and your body sheds stored fat weight.  If you limit the amount of water consumed, your body will retain water as a precaution.  Likewise if you limit the amount of food consumed, your body will retain its fat stores also as a precaution.  Give your body both water and food and watch the weight melt away!  Now of course this an oversimplified statement as there are a number of variables involved but this is what I observed during the period in which my weight loss had hit a plateau and I began following the approach described below while exercising at a higher intensity.

1. Create an account on Calorie Count and begin logging your food intake without making any significant changes to your diet.  This will give you an idea of the quality of your diet and quantity of your calories.

What was most surprising to me was how off I was with my diet.  For the exercise, duration and intensity I was performing, I should have been eating approximately 2,600 calories per day.  In reality, I was lucky to get 1,400 to 1,600 calories per day.

2. Take your body measurements (neck, chest, waist, biceps, quads) every week or two to gauge your progress.  The scale is fine and convenient but it is not a true representation as your overall weight will fluctuate (water, lean muscle mass, hormones etc.).  If you have a scale that reports on body fat, it is better than a scale alone.

3. Calculate your daily caloric expenditure.  To loose weight and up to 1lb a week, consume 500 less calories a day.  Theoretically, a 500 calorie reduction equates to 3500 calories per week or the equivalent of 1lb of fat.  In reality, you will find your weight loss will fluctuate.  Some weeks you will loose more than 1lb and some weeks you may stop loosing or even gain weight.  Do not be alarmed.  Rely more on how clothes feel and body measurements than to the scale.  If you are doing any strength exercises, remember the volume of lean muscle mass pound for pound is less than fat.

4. If you want to reach a specific goal weight, calculate it here.  Keep in mind to loose weight, you must eat.  Drastic caloric deduction will do you more harm than good as your body will go into starvation mode and store food intake as fat.  YOU MUST EAT TO LOOSE WEIGHT!  Drastic caloric reductions are generally reserved for the obese or those who have a considerable amount of weight to loose.  They are also monitored by doctors.  Typically those that reduce their calories drastically, when returning to normal eating habit, gain all the weight back.

5. Purchase a scale to weigh your food portions.  This keeps things as accurate as possible.  If making a meal which combines ingredients such as a casserole, weigh and track each ingredient added to calculate the total calories.  Then weigh your portion size to get an approximate calorie count.

6. With your daily caloric expenditure calculated, divide the calories consumed into the following 6 meals:

• Breakfast - 25% of total calories
• Mid morning snack - 8.3% of total calories
• Lunch - 25% of total calories
• Mid afternoon snack - 8.3% of total calories
• Dinner - 25% of total calories
• Evening snack - 8.3% of total calories

By eating more frequently, your body will remain fuller and satisfied longer and you are less likely to over eat at one meal.

Some also advocate eating more calories earlier in the day and less in the evening.  There’s some sense to this as your body requires the energy early to fuel your body for the day.  You can change the percentages above but I would still recommend the 6 meals (or 5 at the least).

7. Your macro-nutrient ratio (Fat, Protein, and Carb) should be based on your activity level.  The more active you are, the more carbohydrates you will require.

• If exercising (weights, cardio - treadmill jogging brisk walking cycling etc.) use F-20% P-30% C-50%
• If exercising extreme (running cycling hard intervals etc.) use F-20% P-15% C-65%
• To maintain weight use F-20% P-20% C-60% w/o caloric reduction

Nutrient Sources

• Fat (unsaturated fats in fish, oils, nuts)
• Protein (lean meat, fish, nuts, eggs, quinoa etc.)
• Carbohydrates (100% Whole Wheat breads, 100% Whole Wheat pastas and 100% Whole Grain rice, fruit, vegetables etc.).  Eliminate refined carbohydrates found in white bread, white pastas and white rice.

If your activity level is less than moderate, increase protein and decrease carbohydrate.

8. Try to balance your nutrient intake at each meal or at the very least, consume protein with carbohydrates and when possible, consume vegetables first, protein second and remaining carbohydrates last.

9. Drink fluids!  Eight 8oz of fluid a day should be your target.  Your urine should be a pale yellow and odourless.  If not, you are dehydrated and retaining water.  Fluid intake does not have to be limited to water, 100% fruit and vegetable juices will also work but be mindful of the caloric expense.

10. Follow the Canada Food Guide or your own region's food guide for recommended servings

11. Low to moderate exercise will burn more fat (up to 80% of your energy will come from fat stores) however you will have to exercise longer to loose fat.  Moderate to high intensity (HI) exercise will burn more carbohydrates (up to 80%) but fat is still burned and will continue to burn after exercise (known as the after burn effect).  HI exercises are completed in shorter durations.  Recommend low intensity and gradually increasing the intensity as your body and will allow.

12. Change things up every once in a while as your body will get use to the food and the exercise.  By changing things up, it confuses your body and avoids weight loss and exercise adaptation plateaus.

13. Shop the outer isle at the grocery store.  There you will find vegetables, fruit, dairy, bread and meat.  Limit or eliminate the amount of processed food and refrain from eating refined carbohydrates as these spikes your insulin levels and may contribute to over eating.  This includes any carbohydrates including the words enriched in the ingredients (e.g. enriched white floor, enriched wheat flour etc.).  Stick to wholesome carbohydrates found in breads and vegetables.

Outcome... in the 6 months following this approach, I broke through my plateau and shed an additional 14lbs of fat and dropped from 172lbs to 158lbs.

Too Fat To Be Fit

December 28 would become my Carpe Diem for it was the day in 2009 that I made the conscience decision to do something about the physical aspect of the person I had become. I tipped the scales at 215lbs, my all time heaviest. To put that into perspective, at the peak of my athletic period at 20 years of age, I was 145lbs. I was on a downhill spiral at the age of 37.  At a little over 5' 8", it placed my BMI in the obesity range.  I was officially “Too Fat To Be Fit”!

The excessive weight was having an impact on daily life. Becoming increasingly difficult to tie shoes and becoming next to impossible to play with my children on the floor or at the park. Although never officially determined, I'm sure my health was suffering as well. Two months earlier a friend and co-worker had congestive heart failure. Within a month, another co-worker also had congestive heart failure. Was I on that same road?

December 24^th of that same year, as typical of many men, I was out Christmas shopping for the kids and my wife.  I wanted to get a gift the entire family would enjoy and we could play with together.  I have never been a fan of board games but I did like the odd video game.  I had only heard of Nintendo WII weeks earlier.  Five stores later and becoming increasingly frustrated by the non availability of the WII, my last stop was Toys ‘R Us.  Almost sure they wouldn’t have a unit, I asked the cashier in the electronics section.  I could sense her reluctance, but after a few moments she asked me to wait one moment.  “It’s the last one”, she said.  “Great, thank you!” I said excitedly.  “Do you have WII Fit as well?“ I asked.

So my initial attempt to get back into shape started with WII Fit.  Between that and a revised diet that did not contain refined carbohydrates and an increase in water intake, I slowly began to shed the pounds.  At that same time, I dusted off the elliptical trainer in the basement and did my first 20 minute workout.  It almost killed me!  It became quite apparent that the level of intensity had to be reduced significantly.  I had read an article on training with a heart rate monitor by Mark Allen.  Mark was an accomplished triathlete in the 1980s.  The concept was that you work out at intensity no higher than your maximum aerobic heart rate to utilize more fat storage for fuel.  The net effect, I was going no faster than a walking pace!  In time however and as your aerobic fitness increased, the speed at which you worked out would increase.  For the next three months I watched movies on the elliptical trainer from anywhere from 1 hour to 2 and a half hours a day while maintaining my HR between 130bpm and 140bpm.  Starting out no faster than a walk and over time I became faster and faster.  I was developing my base aerobic conditioning while limiting the fatigue allowing me to exercise longer.  In that same time, I shed almost 30lbs.

With a new lease on life, I joined a local gym.  I wanted to develop both upper and lower body strength.  One to always shy away from the gym scene, I thought it was best to get some personal one on one instruction on the use of the equipment, free weights and most importantly, proper form.  Craig would become my Personal Trainer for the next 2 months.  During that time, I completed two phases; Hypertrophy and Strength.  During the Hypertrophy Phase, 3 days a week for 4 weeks, Craig had me work with a mix of machine and free weights.  The idea through this phase was to train both the muscle and mind, keeping the weight low to moderate and lifting slowly.  Each week the weight and/or reps were increased to encourage adaptation.  The second month included only free weights for the upper body and a mix of free weights and machines for the legs.  During this Strength Phase the weight was increased, the times between reps were decreased but the rest between sets was increased.  This phase focussed more on strength and muscle development.  Throughout this time, the weight loss stopped however my body fat percentage continued to decline and the waist line continued to shrink.  The result of loosing both body fat and gaining lean muscle mass.

One aspect I had to contend with was not relying on what the scale was saying and maintaining my patience.  I wanted the weight loss, but I wanted to do it right.  7 years ago I had followed the Dr. Atkins Low Carb approach and although I lost a significant amount of weight, it all crept back on when I returned to my regular eating habit.  I’m now being mindful of maintaining a balanced yet a caloric reduced diet consisting of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat, fish and healthy fats.

6 months into my new life lease I was ready to get back on the saddle, the bike saddle that is.  As I worked downtown in the city, had an hour and a half commute both ways, raising a family of three kids, there was obviously little time left for exercise.  My solution was to waken at 4:00am each morning and be on the bike at 5:00am.  During the work week I would ride Tuesday and Thursday for an hour and a half or ~40km.  On Saturday and Sunday I would ride anywhere from 2hrs (~55km) and by the end of the summer, up to 4hrs (~ 110km).  Wednesday and Friday was reserved for upper body strength workouts in the gym.  Monday was always a rest day.  I had stopped lower body workouts as they were too fatiguing and affecting my ability to ride.  By the end of the summer I felt really good about myself.  I developed both upper and lower body strength and my aerobic conditioning had vastly improved.

By the end of 9 months, my weight loss had all but plateaued which I contributed to both the increase in lean muscle mass and the additional demands the cycling was taking on me.  I was either eating enough to satisfy my daily caloric requirements or I wasn’t eating enough and my body was in starvation mode thereby retaining body fat.  Either way, I was satisfied where I was at.  At my lowest I reached 172lbs for a total loss of 43lbs.

As the days became shorter, my ability to ride in the mornings all but disappeared.  My motivation to ride in doors was not there yet so I returned to the gym more frequently and started to reintroduce lower body exercises.  Perhaps the new found strength I had made me overzealous, but I soon found myself crippled in pain and had a considerably difficult time walking for almost two weeks.  Although I did not feel the weight I was lifting was overly excessive, the shear number of lower body exercises and reps obviously had a compound effect.  I had still a lot to learn about weight training.  It would take me time to slowly reintroduce each leg exercise again.  By the time my legs started to feel better, I then damaged my right rotary cuff when using the pec deck machine as I overextended my shoulder when returning the weight.  That injury had thrown my weight training and motivation off for the remainder of the year.  I tried to exercise through the pain but just could not lift the same weight or at the same intensity.

I spend a considerable amount of time reading and researching exercise and nutrition and had come across an interesting advertisement for a book of Chris Carmichael’s called “The Time Crunched Cyclist”.  Chris is famously known for coaching Lance Armstrong but was also an accomplished professional cyclist himself having competed in Europe with Team 7-Eleven.  The TCTP program is designed to work around busy schedules by applying greater intensities to achieve bigger gains with fewer and shorter rides.  In short, it is quite possible by following the TCTP approach; I could once again consider becoming a competitive cyclist, targeting a specific goal or event.  After reading through the book I was stoked for the New Year!  I really never thought it would be possible to be competitive again as I just did not have the hours in the day or week to follow a traditionally high volume/high mileage cycling program.

My year ended quietly having for the most part maintaining my weight with no major relapses.  I did gain 5lbs between October and Christmas but during this time I would expect that.  My exercise volume had decreased quite significantly without any major changes to my diet.  I vowed to begin the process yet again on December 28^th, 2010 to elevate my fitness to that next level.