getting back to clean, not puffy

I heard a brilliant suggestion to just start. Don’t wait to be ready. Jump right in. It’s brilliant. Or maybe it was bold and ingenious. So says some guy named Goethe.

Well, JW, with food, it helps to have clean eats on hand. I’m working my way back to clean. Today I ate to appetite and recharged with a glass of fresh juice after a challenging lifting session at the gym. I did a 3000 meter row, aiming to stay under 138 BPM. I maintained an even pace and stayed in the zone. Rogier recorded the exact time – ~ 00:15:10, I think. I will repeat this in two weeks and see whether clean eating has improved my performance.

I didn’t skip meals or let myself go hungry. Yay me. I had leftover steak for breakfast and again for dinner (plus a yam instead of the beans). And I had another dinner (salad, deli roast beef, greek yoghurt, blueberries, cherry tomatoes) before French class, which I guess was more like a late lunch. I had a protein bar after the juice to try to balance what I was eating. I – I – I. I get tired of thinking, sometimes. I suppose this is my blog, so I will be talking about myself. In addition to moaning about trying to eat my way to my goal, I thought it might be useful to share a training tip or two to thank you for reading about my food choices.

Turn Goals in Plans: they’re great ideas. But. The action steps to reach them need to be in your appointment book. Not swirling around in The Land of Wishful Thinking. I train Tuesdays and Thursdays at the same time of day each week. I generally swim Tues/Fri (except when I am still coughing and then I stay home, like tonight). These are in my appointment book. I have a long run and a long ride each weekend. Generally at the same time. The tempo workouts float depending on the rest of my responsibilities and my readiness to train. I am more successful in “Doing It” when I have a date with myself that is specific as to When & Where.

Ready-to-Go-Bag: have what you need to grab & go. I have a stack of wire baskets and two fabric-covered cardboard organisers to keep my gear readily available. Swim stuff (goggles, suit, flip-flops, swim cap, towel, shampoo); Bike stuff (shoes, helmet, glasses, socks, gloves, special comfy shorts, shirts etc); Running (shoes, shirts, anti-bounce gear). You get the idea. If I don’t stay organised I waste precious training time. Like looking for the matching cap for my favorite water bottle.

So the price of falling off the wagon into the allergy zone was two pounds. I’m giving them until the end of the week to find somewhere else to live. For the record, the yummy foods I enjoyed were well worth the cost. Now, back to my regular programming. Ten more weeks until Antwerpen.

Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe