Quitting is easy, so why Quit? (Week 2)

16 Days into my Challenge and……

It’s at this point in any challenge that most people quit (if they haven’t done so already). and I am seemingly stuck, particularly if I judge my progress on weight lost. I stepped on the scale and was shocked to find that I am only 0,5kg less than when I started focusing on this new direction a fortnight ago.

Fortunately I know that I am in the most critical phase of my new Journey and I need to revisit a few things. Why did I start? What is my Vision? What is my Purpose? How will my mantra of Burning the Boats help me now?

Truth be known, my ultimate success or lack of it will depend on how I answer the above questions and also how I respond to this challenge within a challenge. I cannot quit now, I have to persevere, remain committed and pull through, as this ‘week’ may define many of my future successes or lack of them.

“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight” (Jim Rohn)

The early days, seems like I’m having to dig deep once more!

1.      Why did I start?

I believe that the majority of us have been eating badly and arguably the biggest culprits are Ironman athletes, as we can seemingly get away with it due to the hours spent swimming, running and cycling. I am living proof of that, but I’m also starting to ask myself have I realized my potential; how has all this junk that I’ve been eating affected me inside my body; has the food I’ve been eating (in the past) been a contributor to my poor sleeping habits or my energy levels?

The more I read the more I believe I’m heading in the right direction and it may take months, or years to reach my new destination, but I am sure it will be worth it. One thing is for sure it will be an interesting Journey.

2.       My Vision?

Bill Hybels said in his book Courageous Leadership that Vision “Is a picture of the Future that creates Passion!” I have a Crystal Clear Vision of my future, of being healthier, of being more streamlined and this picture of the future is creating sufficient Passion for me to stay focused and to remain committed.

3.       My Purpose?

It was the tragic passing of my 19 year old Stepson Reece that was the catalyst to me getting started and that little spark became a fire within, enabling me to chase my dreams and compete in ironman competitions worldwide. My transformation appeared to encourage others to want to dream again, to want to get off the couch and back into the game of life.

So this has become a huge motivator for me, trying to encourage others, to inspire people to change direction in an effort to pursue a new direction within their lives.

4.       Burning the Boats?

The beauty of Burning the Boats and committing your Goals to Stone is that you cannot simply erase them, or rub them out. This is one of the reasons I Burnt the Boats and why it is so much easier for me to push on and to persevere. What message would I be sending out now if I called in and said sorry (to anybody following this weekly Blog), it’s a little tougher than expected so I’ll start again next month, or next year?  (http://ironmansa.com/2013/08/22/burn-the-boats-maximise-your-potential/)

Week Two and how am I progressing?

Perhaps the only progress I have made this week is that I know I’ve broken a really long, bad habit. I no longer desire some of those really bad refined carbohydrates, things like chocolates, biscuits, chips, rusks and muffins. Before I proceed let me record my gratitude to my wife Michelle, who is supporting me in my efforts but more importantly preparing the meals… thanks very much!

I stuck to my Plan very well, yes I had a couple of Light beers and Future Life on one of the days (my Treat Day- never call it a Cheat Day as you want to digest positives not negatives), but other than that I did great and stuck to my Plan to a T! My one concern is, should I be cutting out the Capuchinos (a big weakness), so if you have an opinion on this I’d be grateful to hear from you?

My reactions to the week: Well sticking to the Plan was so much easier than I thought it was going to be and it was a case of building upon the momentum of the first week. Strangely enough I never seem to be very hungry any more which is a great sign and I think now I’m snacking (nuts and kudu biltong) purely out of habit. It’s important to snack, but I probably do snack too often and in too large quantities, but it was important that I snacked often those first two weeks, but this will be one of my key focus areas going forward.

I even had two social commitments including a staff braai and drank 2 glasses of red wine and snacked on carrot sticks and nuts, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Strangely enough I had no desire to sample the chips & dips, nor the pasta or potato salads, something I would have got stuck into a few weeks ago.

My energy levels have been more constant and I think I am sleeping a little better. Even going to the toilet is different these days and one big plus is that there is far less gas emissions around the home.

But while I chalked up a big Plus on the Plan, I must say it is very disappointing that the weight is being stubborn and not falling off me like we would all hope it does. (If anyone has any encouragement or rationale on this please let me know as I would be grateful for that but it would be great to share it with those who face similar challenges?)

Do Not Let the How Limit You?

I’m not sure of the How, but I cannot afford to let the How limit me. I do know that some of the best Visions are the ones that we have no idea how we are going to achieve them. Somebody once said let imagination be your only limitation.

I can recall a bike ride in 2007 when I wasn’t very fit or in great shape and somebody asking me what is my ultimate goal. I said I’m aiming to get to the World Championships and challenge for a Podium in my Age Group. Sure he laughed and so did I, as I had no idea if it was possible and it certainly appeared not, except for one thing…. I had a vivid imagination and if you can imagine it, it is Possible. It was Possible! View Las Vegas race report here (http://ironmansa.com/2011/11/13/the-riddle-of-the-iron-man/)

I have no idea how successful I will be on this new challenge, but I can imagine it and I’m starting to see myself as I can become and no longer as I am, which is an amazing vision. I don’t know the How, but I’m inspired and while it is important to me, there is something ‘bigger’ than me at work here. I am hoping that others can learn from my experiences, my mistakes, my successes with this challenge and improve the quality of their lives, or enhance longevity.

This week I took a phone call from an old University friend, Douglas Gerber, who now lives in America and he is struggling with similar weighty issues since a back operation (must be an age thing), but a little over a year ago he ran a 33 minute 10km, which is inspiring in itself. So come on Douglas time to get back on track. Also chatted to Mark Wolf, who is seemingly a fundi on Nutrition and I hope I can learn a trick or two from him. In the meantime I’m sampling some of his recipes.

Australian cricketer Steve Waugh once said and I live by this motto..

“If you want something to happen with all of your heart, you will always find ways to make it happen: If you do not really want it with all your heart, you will find an excuse to explain why it did not happen!”

It’s important to remember that life begins at the end of your comfort zone and nothing worth achieving is easy, so it’s time to get into the trenches and put your back into something. Unfortunately most Goals (Vision) fail either at the start or in the execution, as we never expected it to be stubborn or difficult, which is what I am experiencing. But, I am going to keep fighting back, getting up once more than I am knocked down and I will finish strong!

So  this week will be trying to do a few more training sessions (last week was particularly poor as I hurt my shoulder at swimming so only swam twice and ran & biked once, but both were very short). However, my main focus will be on pushing through on the new Nutrition Plan, trying to stay away from refined carbohydrates. I will be bold, it will be measurable and I will be accountable and in time I will start seeing the benefits.

Enjoying the Journey, although it is very Challenging!

Cheers for now, Alec (@alecriddle)

During the course of this week @davepearce76 sent me a link to an article by Ben Greenfield entitled ‘Does endurance exercise make you age faster?’ Wow, this was a wake-up call and below is a brief extract from Ben’s article, together with a link to the article. I highly recommend that you read it, you may just view Life through a different Lens thereafter.

For a long time, Chad stayed fit on the outside, but broken on the inside, and it eventually caught up with him. Within just a few years, Chad will barely be able to do any of the exercise that he relied on for so long to keep him sane and keep him lean. Even simple movements will hurt.

And Chad will quit enjoying life. 

If Chad had taken the trouble to have some tests done, he would have discovered…..

-hampered fat metabolism and a pre-diabetic condition from excessive sugar, starch, carbohydrate and high-glycemic index carbohydrate intake…

-chronically elevated cortisol hormone levels, systemic inflammation and blood vessel and nerve damage from oxidative stress and free radical production…

-skin, joint and connective tissue breakdown from hormone depletion and high levels of inflammatory markers like HS-CRP, fibrinogen and interleukins…

-rock-bottom vitamin D, depleted omega-3 anti-inflammatory fatty acids and plummeting testosterone levels from a low-fat diet combined with energy depletion from overexercise…

-a leaky intestinal wall, fungus overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract and severe neurotransmitter and sleep imbalances related to a broken gut…

-depletion of elements crucial to the heart’s electrical activity, such magnesium and trace minerals, combined with excessive levels of oxidized cholesterol and plaque formation…

Read more: http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2013/03/does-endurance-exercise-make-you-age-faster/#ixzz2dpCnJXm1

YES, you Can, you Will, you Want to!!

Nutrition 101 (by Gordo Byrn)

NUTRITION 101 Practical Suggestions for Working Athletes Gordo Byrn is a top Ironman athlete who wrote a book “Going Long”, which is highly recommended for Ironman athletes, particularly newcomers to the sport. He shared this article on his experiences and sorting out his eating habits. These are the first steps that he took in order to begin his transition towards a healthier lifestyle, here are his thoughts. I’ve no formal training in diet or nutrition and have always found it very useful to consult with experts in all fields.  A few sessions with a good sports nutritionist are very valuable and I would recommend this to any athlete seeking to improve their performance, recovery or body composition.  The ideal consultant will be an athlete themselves and have experience working with others in your sport. Motivation I think it is important to understand our motivation in making the food choices that we do and, therefore, I’d like to share a few points on my relationship with food over the years. Food as a Signal – Thinking back over the years, the times when I have been making the poorest food selections have been the times when I was under the greatest levels of stress.  Stress can come from a variety of sources; training, relationships, children, work, finances, partner alignment with life goals and others.  When these sources of stress have been reduced, my food choices have improved. In this sense, my poor eating habits were merely a symptom of a wider issue in my life that I was failing to address. Food as Nourishment – Food is essential for our survival, period.  In the past, there have been times where I felt a certain sense of guilt at every meal.  It was almost like food had become an enemy and was preventing me from achieving my ideal self.  This is a very dangerous situation because it sets up a negative cycle. When we view food as a source of strength, it is far easier to establish a virtuous cycle where our strong nutrition choices move us towards our ideal self.  By acknowledging my flawed view of food, it became easier to see food for what it really is… a source of energy and pleasure. Food as Self – I have also had periods of my life where I believed that I was a “good” person when I ate well and a “bad” person when I made poor food choices.  Over time, I have realized that I am the same person regardless of my food choices.  I think this is an important point to realize, particularly in conjunction with why we like certain types of food (see below). In order to gain power over food, I believe, that it is best to avoid defining ourselves by the food choices that we make.  Once a choice is made, it is gone.  Regardless of its nature, all we can do is focus on the next choice.  Worrying about the past is a waste of time. Wiring By the way, have you ever wondered why you like fatty or sugary foods?  It’s because they taste good and make us feel good.  It’s not because we are losers! I think it is important for people to take total responsibility for their food choices.  While it may be interesting to know each of our personal life struggles, there is only one person who decides what we eat.  With a few medical exceptions, our body composition is completely dictated by a huge number of tiny decisions that we make on a daily basis.  In order to change ourselves, we need to take responsibility for ourselves. Remember that… What we look like today… Is based on decisions that we have made in the past. Likewise, What we will look like tomorrow… Is based on decisions that we start making right now. It is a classic conflict between short-term pleasure and long-term gain.  When you see an elite athlete standing before you, you are looking at the result of tens of thousands of little decisions that they have made over many years. What’s is it Worth? Before getting into the techniques that I have used, you should ask yourself what you are willing to commit and how important improvement is to you.  Why? Because there are no short-cuts and good nutrition is a lifestyle decision. That may sound intimidating, but I find it somewhat relaxing knowing that I get a fresh start every morning.  That makes it easier for me to deal with set-backs (and we all have set backs). Like any endeavour, our results are completely dictated by our commitment and dedication. Getting Started I believe that the first step is gaining information about your current position.  Start by keeping a food log for an entire week.  When I have my athletes do this, I tell them just to record “what” they are eating.  I tell them that I don’t care how much they are eating, I want an honest assessment of their current eating habits. When you are keeping your log, BE HONEST.  Anyone can “eat right” for seven days.  There is no point in fooling yourself and your advisers.  I have had people present me with food logs that are completely inconsistent with their appearance.  In order to make changes, you need to have an honest assessment of where you are. Armed with the log, you are now in a great position to visit that sports nutritionist.  By combining that log with your training diary, your professional advisor will be able to give you some excellent advice on how to make progress. Or you can read on…. Energy Dense versus Nutrient Dense Foods What do I mean by “energy dense foods”?  Energy dense foods are those that are high in calories relative to their size or volume.  Some examples: cheese, whole milk, butter, french fries, burgers, sweets, energy bars, and soft drinks.  These types of food can put a lot of calories into you at times when you don’t need them. There is a time and place for many energy dense foods.  However, when you are trying to lose weight, you need to know what you are eating.  In general, athletes that are seeking to improve their body composition should limit their intake of energy dense foods. Nutrient dense foods are foods such as: fruits, vegetables, fish and lean cuts of meat. Now… get yourself a highlighter pen and mark the energy dense foods on your log. Starting To Change The next step is to swap half of your energy dense choices for nutrient dense choices.  Why only half?  Several reasons: We all have limited willpower and we should apply it sparingly.  The people in your life that appear to have tons of willpower are just the same as you.  However, they have learned to apply their limited willpower to gradually mold themselves closer and closer to their ideal self. Radical change does not work.  We are trying to change habits that have been formed over years and, quite often, generations.  This is some powerful programming that needs to be adjusted. Cold turkey is not required for results.  While “cold turkey” works for some people, they often return to their old eating habits once they have shed their poundage. Our ultimate goal is to develop a healthy, long-term lifestyle that brings out your ideal self.  We want to make this long term change in a manner that maintains your quality of life. Reality Check Gordo, you make it sounds so easy.  Write a log, swap half my food and PRESTO, I’ll be transformed into my perfect self.  I don’t believe you! Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear.  What we are talking about is a long-term transformation.  It could take up to six months before you notice a major transformation (although your pals will notice before that).  Why is that?  It is because our bodies change very slowly.  Nature is slow and you will need to have patience.  However, if you make the changes then the results will come.  If you don’t believe me then drop me an e-mail and I will put you in touch with some of my athletes that have followed this advice. Tips and Suggestions Some “tricks” that work for myself and others. House Cleaning – Get yourself a box and clean out all the foods that are inconsistent with achieving your ideal self. I’ve always found that it is much easier for me to make excellent food choices when they are all around me.  I like to keep plenty of fresh fruit at my office, home, car and training sites.  This makes it a lot easier for me to stick with my plan. Treats – Think about some of your favourite foods.  During or after your long sessions, treat yourself to a moderate amount of these foods.  I like to focus on eating these foods slowly and consuming nutrient dense foods alongside them (this helps me moderate my intake). Acceptance – Constantly remind yourself that your goal is to bring out your ideal self.  Visualise the person within that you are helping to strengthen and bring forward.  This philosophy has been very useful to me for making positive choices in all aspects of my life.  It changes my mindset from “denying a candy bar” to “feeding my ideal self an apple”. Serving – Serve your meals in the kitchen rather than having large plates of food on the table.  If there is food in front of me then I will continue to eat well past when I am hungry (invite me over to dinner to see this in action!).  When I have been trying to improve my body composition… I serve in the kitchen; I use smaller plates and bowls; I tell myself that I can eat as much as I want, but that I have to wait 5-10 minutes between servings; I make a conscious decision to eat slightly slower than usual; and I increase my intake of foods that are high in fibre but relatively low in calories (apples are a favourite of mine). Patterns and Habits – Each of us has our own particular patterns and habits that either result in poor food selections or lead us towards poor choices.  Pay attention to when and why you are engaging in self-sabotage.  Show yourself some compassion and see if you can understand the motivation behind the feelings or situations that lead you down familiar paths. For example, my morning “bowl” of cereal has been a long-time habit of mine.  I love loading up on food in the morning.  Once I noticed the pattern, I made a substitution of a huge bowl of fruit salad.  I was just as full and able to shave a little out of my energy intake.  It doesn’t take many changes to start heading in your desired direction and once you are heading the right way, it gets easier. Perhaps, you have a habit of “pizza and beers” a few times each week.  By changing that pattern to “stir fry at your place” you might be able to achieve better food choices and see your pals at the same time.  When I lived inHong Kong, my friends got a lot of free meals at my place! Another example is fizzy drinks.  I had a friend in university who achieved significant results from switching from Coca-Cola to Club Soda.  Sometimes a simple change is all it takes. Scales – Personally, I think that scales are often counterproductive for athletes trying to improve their body composition.  Why is that? Scales encourage a short term focus while nutrition is a long-term strategy. Scales give artificial highs and lows.  Wake up down two pounds lighter and you are happy all day.  Find out that you are up three pounds and the world better watch out! Scales give inaccurate feedback.  What we weigh says very little about our ability as an athlete (and our worth as a person for that matter!).  While there are a number of sports where it is beneficial to have a high power to weight ratio, many athletes lose power faster than they lose weight. Athletes that have an excessive focus on weight tend to under hydrate and skimp on recovery nutrition.  They have a desire to “save” the weight that they just lost.  In reality, the fat has been burned and food/water is necessary to replenish glycogen, rebuild muscles and restore hydration levels – all essential in order to be able to train and burn more fat.  Proper nutrition is an essential part of this virtuous circle. Finally, and most important of all, it’s not about how much you weigh.  It is about how you look, how you feel, how you recover and how you perform.  A scale tells you nothing about these (although your mind might trick you into thinking that it does!). Spend some time considering your relationship with your scale.  It is affirming your ideal self, or helping the part of your mind that beats you up?  You may be better off pitching it in your housecleaning box. Go Natural – Probably the easiest thing to remember is to maximize your intake of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fish and lean cuts of meat.  Focus on achieving a balanced, natural diet and you are well on your way to good health. Cooking – Many athletes have limited time in their lives.  I like to say that we all have the same amount of time, the only difference is how we use it.  In order to save time, I always make extra when I cook “healthy” that way I have leftovers for the days when I am busy. Fat – In the past, I have gone on very low fat diets.  This method of eating can involve a lot of stress as there is a high degree of “background hunger” associated with avoiding fats.  I have found that a more moderate approach to fats works for me.  These days, I am including small amounts of “good” fat in my diet.  My sources of dietary fat come from small amounts of olive oil, nuts, and avocados as well as substantial amounts of lean meat and fish. Starches – When I am choosing sources of rice, pasta, breads and other foods with a large amount of starch, I choose foods that have been subject to minimal processing.  As a result, I avoid boxed cereals, white breads, white pasta and white rice.  I favour wholegrain breads, unsweetened grain based cereals, whole wheat pasta and other grains that have been subject to minimal processing.  I tend to consume the majority of my starchy foods after training and look to combine them with nutrient dense foods. Listen to your Body – I believe that our bodies will tell us what they need.  The secret is learning to interpret the signals that we receive.  In the past, I have been prone to misinterpret these signals.  The classic one is when we feel hungry.  Somehow my mind might convince me that I need a box of Raisin Bran (maybe your mind likes bacon cheeseburgers).  When I started giving myself balanced nutrition, I discovered that I felt better and many of my cravings went away.  They still appear from time to time but I can better deal with them through treats and the other strategies above. By putting the above tips into action, I was able to realize that I didn’t really “need” all the poor food choices that I thought would make me happy.  By caring for my ideal self, I found it became easier and easier for me to make smart choices that support my long-term goals. Final Words You can do it!  There are many, many people that have been in exactly the same position as you.  They were full of self-pity, self-hate, despair and fear.  Despite their doubts, they decided that enough was enough and started a journey towards their ideal self. Make a decision today and take it hour by hour.  There will be hurdles to overcome but the rewards are worth the dedication required.  Always remember that you get a fresh start every morning and can take it one meal at a time. Show compassion to yourself, make gradual changes and build the habits that strengthen your ideal self.  Soon you will see that it was there all the time. Good luck, gordo