Matt, you might check out this link, http://www.triathloncoach.com/...les/fuelforlife.html, for an interview with a close friend of mine who practices a very particular diet, and who enjoys extraordinary health.

Excerpts below:

While there are many schools of thought regarding what constitutes proper and healthy nutrition, I think all persons can agree that general health is profoundly affected by diet. With this in mind, and as you ponder the merits of Tom’s nutritional practice, consider the following:

• Tom exercises 4-5 hours per day (swim, dance, yoga, run)
• Sleeps 4-5 hours per night
• Has never had so much as a sniffle in the 7 years that I have known him
• Reports not having been sick or had a cold for 18 years
• General persona is vibrant, engaged, and in the moment

Stats & General Background:

· 40 years old

· 5'11, 140-145 lbs

· Blood pressure is generally around 115/70. Resting heart rate is 30-40. Cholesterol level is very low, difficult to get an accurate reading. Body fat is around 4-5%.

· Former Classical Ballet Dancer, Chicago Ballet

· Current Occupation- Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Levi Strauss & Co., San Francisco, CA

4-5 hours per night of sleep after 4-5 hours a day of working out!? YIKES! I'd be a force to be reckoned with on such little sleep!

Well, apparently the physical benefits are related to heart disease, lowering cholesterol- drinking a glass or two of wine particularly red wine. Some research has also demonstrated one to two drinks helps people reduce stress (as a psychologist this is my interest). Now the question becomes: if you are living a healthy life style- eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, focusing on activites/life choices that reduce stress- why would you need alcohol?

" if you are living a healthy life style- eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, focusing on activites/life choices that reduce stress- why would you need alcohol? "

Because red wine is great. :-)


Same as with dark chocolate, red wine contains a number of natural anti-oxidants - a substance called resveratol and a few others. It's believed that these substances play a part in reducing LDL cholesterol levels and preventing heart disease. Also alcohol itself may have a beneficial on the heart by temporarily lowering your BP. Of course we're talking in moderation. Too much is a very bad thing.

If somebody is living an unhealthy lifestyle the last thing to tell them is to "drink more" but numerous studies have clearly indicated that moderate drinkers are generally more healthy than abstainers. Red wine consumption might also explain the "French paradox" in which the French and Mediterranian cultures eat food rich in fat but have far less heart disease than in the USA.

My two vices - dark chocolate and red wine. Feel no guilt, they're both good for you.

[reply]Because red wine is great. :-)
dark chocolate and red wine. Feel no guilt, they're both good for you.[/reply]

Right you are. I didn't mean to suggest that I abstain. I, too, like red wine....and white wine.....and beer. You are right, all in moderation.

when you quit cold turkey, what snacks did you keep around? like pre-cut fruit, dried fruit, ... what else? i need to keep convenient stuff around so i don't eat the super-convenient, super-bad stuff....

Although I could have done without the picture, interesting article. I especially latched onto this paragraph.

"Is your diet for everyone?

NO! Each person is unique - by inherited constitution, age, sex and occupation and environment. I don’t believe in people dispensing general diet advice. I don’t believe in fad diets, such as all-protein diets, no-protein diets, all fruit diets, cottage cheese diets, no-salt diets, low-salt diets, high fat and no-fat diets, carbohydrate diets, vegetarian diets. All these diets fail because they are man-made and cannot be followed for a lifetime. I don’t believe in anyone who touts that he/she has discovered the perfect diet. Each person needs to find what works for him/her. It is a personal journey – and a very worthwhile one."

I think this is ultimately true and very simialr to training in general. All things don't work for all people. This is exactly why I'm looking for general information and will "ease" into this thing. I think if I jumped right into "someone elses" program it likely woudl not be right for me.

I'd love to be able to get away with 4-5hrs sleep...hell I'd love to feel rested on 7-9hrs I get, or don't get now.

~Matt

hmm...miami79 turned me on to Stretch Island Fruit Leathers, which are equal to one serving of fruit. I have apples, non-fat plain yogurt, GRAPES are key for me, little individual organic apple sauce servings, purefit bars, cottage cheese, rice cakes. I'm a creature of habit, so I tend to eat the same stuff everyday with lunch items being varied. I honestly have found I'm better off eating smaller portions of food like every 2-3 hours, so I never get to the point of starvation where I'll grab anything.

oh yeah, Dried fruit is great IF you can get it without added sugar! A lot of them add sugar, so read the label!! :)

perfectly said!! I totally agree!! I've taken a lot of different nutrition thoughts and have tried to come up with what works for me!

I thought of this thread last night when I went to the fro yo shop and indulged in a nf frozen yogurt treat! :D No one's perfect all the time! :)

Whew!! Thanks CG. I thought I would have to tell KestrelKerri she could not come back to VineMan if this misinformation wasn't recanted. ;-) The wine biz is our largest segment of the economy here (Sonoma County).

I think like everything else it is about moderation. Yet moderation is something we type A triathletes have a tough time with (I know I do). Having said that I believe a glass of wine with a meal is one of life's great pleasures and is proven to be healthful. It is the old French paradox thing. I think what is killing America is the supersize mentality and lack of natural foods.

Michael, do you have any experience of applying your training principles to multiday events such as stage racing?

thanks for the tips. frozen grapes are a great snack too!

Carbohydrate-rich foods produce changes in the brain that can reduce
the negative effects of stress. During emotionally trying times, the brain quickly uses up its supply of serotonin, a chemical that imparts feelings of well-being. Eating foods that are high in carbohydrates such as fruit, whole grains, and yes chocolate too can quickly raise low serotonin levels making you feel less stressed and more relaxed.

On another note, there is also a relation between B-6 intake and mood.
Research suggests that foods high in vitamin B-6, such as bananas (an
athlete favorite), potatoes, and prunes, can relieve irritability and stress,
making people feel a bit better. A vitamin B-6 deficiency is also associated with low serotonin levels which can cause feelings of negativity.

Someone also brought up caffeine. While coffee/caffeine can produce a
quick zing that can momentarily make you feel more relaxed and confident, it also stimulates a stress hormone called cortisol as well as
insulin, which makes you feel more stressed than you did before and
triggers a decline in blood sugar. If you add sugar, you also see even
more dramatic of a spike in blood sugar which makes you more susceptible to moodiness and irritability.

Healthy regards,

Kim Mueller*, MS, RD (formerly Brown)
Sports Nutritionist
www.kbnutrition.com

---

Kim Mueller, MS, RD
Sports Nutritionist
http://www.kbnutrition.com

"A vitamin B-6 deficiency is also associated with low serotonin levels which can cause feelings of negativity. "

Interesting. Serotonin is made in the body from the amino acid tryptophan. B6 is needed in the conversion of this to serotonin.

Serotonin is also involved in the sleep process. One of the old folk medicine cures for insomnia was to mix brewer's yeast with milk. Brewer's yeast is rich in B6 and milk with tryptophan.

Nutrition effects on mood?

Food makes me happy :) especially if it tastes good.

Seriously - I think a clean vegetarian diet is great for energy. By 'clean' I mean lots of whole fruits, veggies, good grains.

---

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

<Michael, do you have any experience of applying your training principles to multiday events such as stage racing? >


Duncan, I can't say I have much experience with stage racing. Certainly the same general principles can apply, and appropriate focus periods can be added on a timely basis which take into account the specifics of the stage event----# of days, distances, terrain.

I did work this year with a 60 year old fellow, a veteran and serious cyclist, who improved his Death Ride (129miles with 16k of vertical) time by one hour. Later in the summer he went to Switzerland to participate in a 2 week event averaging I think some 80miles per day--will check, and with considerable climbing. Although not a race per se, the event does become competitive.

Again, my rider reported a significant jump in his performance on key days through alpine passes, as well as his ability to carry through the 12 days. Maybe he had not matured as a rider in his 50s and at 60 is now just coming into his own.

Where so many folks are now asking about winter indoor riding, "base", etc., it is worth noting that the Rider's winter base training was 2x Computrainer sessions of 1hr duration, downhill skiing on weekends. No need for videos/DVDs or other similar distractions to somehow pass the time. Focused, purposeful training versus mind and butt-numbing grind-a-thons. Relevant article on my website is Rethinking Base Training.

Training from April and end of ski season was 2 Computrainer sessions, 1-2 road rides per week as travel/work permitted.

Michael McCormack

www.triathloncoach.com

Thanks for the reply. I'm quite familiar with your article Rethinking Base Training, but mostly your site is geared towards one day events, where recovery is not the issue that it is in multi-day events - hence my question. My recovery has always been relatively poor, but last year, when I was training for an 8-day mtb stage race, it did appear to improve when I put in a relatively heavy training load. However, I am not convinced my training was optimal, and am thinking about how to improve it for another attempt next year. My current thoughts are more intensity and less volume during base, and then periodizing the heavy load, race-simulation work to closer to the race. Even so, I'm not sure I could see myself reducing the volume during winter to the levels you often prescribe!

Duncan

< Thanks for the reply. I'm quite familiar with your article Rethinking Base Training, but mostly your site is geared towards one day events, where recovery is not the issue that it is in multi-day events - hence my question. My recovery has always been relatively poor, but last year, when I was training for an 8-day mtb stage race, it did appear to improve when I put in a relatively heavy training load. However, I am not convinced my training was optimal, and am thinking about how to improve it for another attempt next year. My current thoughts are more intensity and less volume during base, and then periodizing the heavy load, race-simulation work to closer to the race. Even so, I'm not sure I could see myself reducing the volume during winter to the levels you often prescribe! >

Recovery a function of fitness. Despite my quality versus quantity training approach, this in no way means that there is not a place for periods of volume focus. Certainly a multi-day event will need to see specific training that considers how many days, distances, terrain.

Periodization which you describe is what I generally advocate. Training focus is on hitting key workouts as opposed to amassing shapeless training hours---you should be able to hit 3 per week as cyclist---so long as you accomplish these workouts, you can add to this as motivation and weather permit.

Feel free to e-mail me directly. mccormack.m@comcast.net

Michael

I got some cabernet dark chocolates at one of the wineries, Markham maybe. Anyway, If you like red wine and chocolate, you'd love these. I actually bought them as a thank you gift for my mom for babysitting while I went to SF.......kj

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

Whey Protein, right before you go to bed.

Serotonin is a brain chemical important for mental performance, sleep regulation and appetite control. Seratonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan, found in whey.

A whey protein shake before bed will assist in recovery from your last workout, improve your quality of sleep and boost mental performance the next day.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

this seems like it would be pretty good for losing a few pounds too - did you notice any weight loss with this?