Nutritionally Challenged

I've decided that working out just isn't cutting it. I've lost 4lbs, gained back 2 and I've only lost one inch off my hips in a month of busting my ass. It's time for some more drastic measures.

No, I'm not quitting. For crying out loud, put your pants back on.

It's time I started actually following a sensible diet. One that doesn't include binging and purging (not that I've ever done that, but I hear it has fantastic results-- and terrible consequences), starving, weird foods (I will not eat 10 bell peppers a day), or laxatives. I have a terrible addiction to all things sugary. I love sugar, and not just the white stuff you sprinkle in your coffee. I love all sugar and refined carbs. From white bread to brownies, I just can't get enough of the stuff.

And it's making me fat.

So, it's got to go. I've tried to just randomly select healthier options when I make my meals, but that's not working. I need structure, discipline and a plan to follow. That's the whole reason I'm still doing Crossfit. If I'm told what to do, and I understand the directions, I'll do what I've been told all day. If I have to chose for myself and the two options are mashed potatoes, white bread or salad with dressing, I couldn't tell you which one of those things is the best option.

Crossfitters typically follow one of two diets. The Zone Diet is less restrictive, but easy to follow and divides foods into three categories: protein, carbs and fat. The idea is to get equal "blocks" of each. The other diet is the Paleo diet. I don't know much about it, except that it requires you to give up dairy. That includes cheese. I refuse to be a vegan freak (sorry, herbivores) and therefore I will try the Zone Diet.

The Zone consists of "blocks", you get a certain number for each of the three categories listed above. The easy thing is that you get the same number for all, all day. For instance, according to the Zone Calculator, I get 15 blocks protein, 15 blocks carbs and 15 blocks of fat. There are downloadable charts that show what a block of each is. A block of carbs would consist of far more food than a block of fat.

Another way of looking at it, to simplify further, is to divide your plate into thirds. One third should be full of lean meat, while the other two thirds should be full of vegetables or fruit.

With Tony's G-day creeping ever closer (the day we will both have to give up eating gluten), I am sure that my diet will adapt to this style of eating quite quickly.

---

For those of you who take pleasure in reading of my day's activities at the gym, here is today's update.

Today's WOD was to do as many rounds of the following in 10 minutes (Buttercup level):
Row 250 meters
Sumo Deadlift High 45lbs, 15 reps
10 assisted pullups

I've never seen a sumo deadlift before today, so I tried the move out with the 45# bar first. I did a few of them, being careful when I pulled the bar up to my chest, because I read that the upright row can shred your shoulders. This part of the move did not feel comfortable to me, so I kept mostly to the lower portion of the move. I also tried to do a power clean, as well as an overhead squat, both of which I was terrible at, so I practiced basic movements and squats until I felt warmed up and ready to go.

Then I did 10 pushups and 10 situps. Situps are nothing, but the pushups are still brutal. I'm doing them on my knees, but I hate them by the 5th one every time.

Finally, I went up to the cardio room, because the rowing machine and the assisted pullup machine are very close to each other in that room, and I decided to skip the 45# bar for dumbbells instead. The Y won't let me bring a bar upstairs (I haven't tried, but I know what they'd say), and since these rounds were as many as I could do in 10 minutes, it made no sense to run downstairs and up again, where someone would most likely be using the equipment I needed by the time I got back.

The gym I go to has one working rowing machine. Never before have I ever seen another human being on it. I practically had to dust it off the first time I used it. On top of that, every time I do use it, I get odd stares from people as if they’re not sure what it is I’m doing. Today, however, the slowest woman in the world decided to use it for a half hour. When she finished, I thought I would get to use it, so I went to gather up my stuff, but by the time I looked up, a 95 (or thereabouts) year-old man was settling down on it. I wanted to scream.

So, I substituted running 100 meters for rowing. I had read that this was acceptable, but it still made me mad. I was able to complete three rounds in just over 10 minutes, but my legs were screaming by the second round. This workout was definitely not my favorite.

---

Also, one last irritation to share. On Friday, I skipped the WOD in favor of some good old fashioned running. I went two miles, and I was disappointed that I was only able to clear it in 18:57. However, I took some pride in knowing that this was still far better than what I was able to do even a month ago, and I've never ran so fast or so long in my life.

That day, Tony called me up and left me a voicemail just as I was in the shower. He wanted to compare 2 mile times. His was something like 17:30. This is his second time running in over eight months. I screamed at him on the phone. I was so angry. I will not rest until I beat him.