What is Healthy Eating?

In my last post I listed some of my goals for Ironman training, or pre-training right now.  The first was to lose weight through healthy eating.

Health eating and what to eat for weight loss can be controversial.  Research studies are consistently looking a different types of diet, usually low fat or low carb, to ultimately determine which one is best for weight loss.  Fad diets and opinions are all over the internet and people are very 'passionate' about their food beliefs. Between the low carb people, paleo people, vegans/vegetarians and the 'clean eating' people, it's all a little cultish ... in my opinion

As part of my master's degree, I created a website that looks at the research around weight loss, along with providing tools and tips for both weight loss and weigh maintenance.  It also has a blog which I've been trying to maintain, as much as I can with everything else I'm doing.  You can check it out here: http://bgrohmannrd.wix.com/what-fuels-you.

Basically, the research shows that no matter what 'diet' you're following, the most important factor for long-term weight loss is consistency.  

With that in my, my 'healthy eating' plan includes:

1. Reducing added sugars
2. Eating more fruits/vegetables
3. Adding beans/legumes/pulses
4. Choosing more lean meats/fish/chicken
5. Whole grains (barely, quinoa, bulger)
6. Portion size
7. Tracking everything I eat

I recently made red lentil curry with spinach ... so good.  You can find the recipe here: http://naturallyella.com/quick-red-lentil-and-spinach-curry/.  Actually, it was so good, I made it for two weeks in a row.  The second time, I doubled the batch and froze the other half.  It can be eaten with rice, quinoa (yum), naan, and as either a main course or healthy side.  When I made the double batch, I added roasted red peppers and black beans that I had in the freezer.

Healthy eating does not need to be complicated, or restrictive.  It should meet your own personal preferences, cooking abilities and schedule.

  

I'm not a foodie.  I rarely make anything from scratch (but I'm working on that) and absolute love when I can throw everything into one pot.  And with all the training I have ahead of me, I need health food that not only fuels my body, but tastes good and easy to make/reheat.        

Seems Like a Good Idea at the Time

Following friends doing an Ironman is always inspiring, and very long (note to self, get faster friends).  Right now my friend, sometimes training partner and all round good guy Wes is toughing it out at IM Copenhagen.  Sometimes I'm happy to just watch and cheer them on, but now I think it's finally time for me to get back out there.

In 2013 I trained for my second Ironman, but after 7 months I realized (the hard way) that I had took too much time off and set my sights a little to high.  So I decided to withdraw and continue my training into 2014.  That didn't quite work out as I had planned either.  I had the opportunity to do a Master's Degree in Nutrition Communication and couldn't afford to do that and the Ironman.  Now that the degree is all done, I'm ready to give it another go.

I originally wanted to give Ironman Canada another shot, but the Whistler version is apparently harder than the Penticton version and maybe that's not the best option for me right now.

Ironman Maryland looks like the one we're targeting (me, Iron Wes & hopefully we can talk other suckers ... racers, into joining us).

On the right I have a list of the races I've either already registered for.  I've also registered for a pilates class 1x/wk followed by yoga (only because I have 7 sessions left on my plan)

So, I have several training goals right now, which will likely change when I get a coach (probably in the new year):

1.  Lose ~50 lbs & change my body composition

• Yes I know doing an Ironman is not exactly the best way to lose weight because you need to eat all the time.  But I plan on focusing on losing weight during the winter before the heavy training sets in.
• I plan on focusing on whole, healthy foods (more details to come), and will be trying all sorts of new recipes, including home made energy bars.
• Luckily for me, I know a good RD with a background in sports nutrition (it's me, just in case you didn't know).

2.  Incorporate strength and flexibility

• My flexibility sucks and my upper body strength is pathetic.  I need to get those areas straightened out now before the focus shifts to long swims, bikes & runs and time becomes a factor.

3.  Distance, distance, distance

• Speed will come with the weight loss, distance will come from doing distance.

I'll be sharing with you all my trials & tribulations, success & failures, during my road to the Ironman finish line,   It won't be easy, but as one smart person once said (can't remember who) "if it was easy, everyone would be doing it"..