Today’s entry is one
that is all too common during this time of year. Training volume dips, days get
shorter, the air gets chilly and your pants start getting tighter. We often
find ourselves endlessly tempted beginning with that Halloween candy in October.
The temptation continues right through the Thanksgiving turkey, the Christmas ham, don't forget New
Years bubbly, and even into February with Super Bowl parties galore. Next thing
you know its summer and you are 5 maybe even 10 pounds heavier than you were last year.
I was recently asked by an athlete how she could get back on the right track nutritionally speaking, quickly shed a few pounds, and be ready for an early season “A” race on the 2012 calendar.
My answer was that if she's going to try to lose the weight she gained these past few months, she needs to start now, today. Timing is critical because high-level training while trying to lose weight is not conducive to high-level performance. Losing weight is just one more stress on your body while it's already dealing with the stress of quality training. It's best to try and drop weight early in your off season, while the training is general and not race-specific. If you wait until after the New Year, the hole you'll need to climb out of will undoubtedly be deeper, and that race date circled on the calendar just that much closer. This is when workouts are becoming more "race like" as well. Once you enter this phase of training, it's best to accept your weight and focus on quality training. Trying to manage both will increase the likelihood of injury and illness.
I told this athlete that given this is an “A” event that she will taper and peak for; the price to be paid for carrying extra pounds will cost her time should she not get back to racing weight. Each extra pound will slow an athlete down by approximately 2 seconds/mile running, and 5 watts climbing a hill. Multiply that by the number of pounds by which you exceed race weight and you'll see how it can quickly add up. Being 10 pounds over race weight can cost 20 seconds/mile running and 50 watts on a climb.
As we approach Christmas, with Thanksgiving now behind us, begin to think like an athlete, not a dieter. Depriving your body of calories will slow your metabolism and sap your energy. Instead, focus on steady weight loss to provide energy for training while increasing your chance of keeping the weight off for good. Enjoy your family feast, but remember to have one serving not two or three, and be careful with the empty calorie alcohol you may consume.
I was recently asked by an athlete how she could get back on the right track nutritionally speaking, quickly shed a few pounds, and be ready for an early season “A” race on the 2012 calendar.
My answer was that if she's going to try to lose the weight she gained these past few months, she needs to start now, today. Timing is critical because high-level training while trying to lose weight is not conducive to high-level performance. Losing weight is just one more stress on your body while it's already dealing with the stress of quality training. It's best to try and drop weight early in your off season, while the training is general and not race-specific. If you wait until after the New Year, the hole you'll need to climb out of will undoubtedly be deeper, and that race date circled on the calendar just that much closer. This is when workouts are becoming more "race like" as well. Once you enter this phase of training, it's best to accept your weight and focus on quality training. Trying to manage both will increase the likelihood of injury and illness.
I told this athlete that given this is an “A” event that she will taper and peak for; the price to be paid for carrying extra pounds will cost her time should she not get back to racing weight. Each extra pound will slow an athlete down by approximately 2 seconds/mile running, and 5 watts climbing a hill. Multiply that by the number of pounds by which you exceed race weight and you'll see how it can quickly add up. Being 10 pounds over race weight can cost 20 seconds/mile running and 50 watts on a climb.
As we approach Christmas, with Thanksgiving now behind us, begin to think like an athlete, not a dieter. Depriving your body of calories will slow your metabolism and sap your energy. Instead, focus on steady weight loss to provide energy for training while increasing your chance of keeping the weight off for good. Enjoy your family feast, but remember to have one serving not two or three, and be careful with the empty calorie alcohol you may consume.
There is no best way to
deal with the extra calories that it is inevitable you will consume, plan
accordingly and burn the calories BEFORE you consume the food. Go out and get an extra workout or two in
before the binging begins and know just how many calories you can consume
without gaining weight. I always feel it
is better to be ahead of the curve than to always be playing catch up. It’s a mental attitude and is much easier to
stay ahead than try and catch the fast moving train that just past you by.
Now go out there are
enjoy your holidays, just remember to stay ahead of the game.
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