Rather than pin your good cholesterol numbers on burning up all the Calories you eat daily, you might better thank your parents for providing you with an set of genes that help you deal with your dietary choices;)

---

Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

I never eat before.

6 - 7% Body Fat is amazing!


Wow very impressive to say the least

Especially while eating whatever you want

Well maybe but my numbers are consid better than my mother's were, and she did not exercise at all; don't know about my father as he died before I was old enough to know about this sort of stuff. In any case, I'm glad I don't have to worry about what I eat!!!

---

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

As is becomes rocket hot here after sunrise, I've been testing a few things to take in some calories out of bed that will let me get right out on the road. It's still a work in progress but a cup of coffee and 1/2 of a prepackaged protein shake is pretty good. Not too sloshy, some calories. I pack a gel and water on the run, just in case. Just gotta wait for the coffee to do it's work before heading out. Usually not too long...

Ya, I've seen guys taking in calories at the pool during a 2000 yd swim, which is just absurd. :)

---

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

That is basically the diet of a teenager. I'm absolutely amazed you can hold 6-7% body fat with eating pure crap. How on earth your cholesterol is anywhere near within acceptable ranges is a genetic miracle.

Cheeseburgers, pizza and Mac and cheese are probably the worst foods anyone can eat. The only thing you're missing are fried chicken, donuts and pies.

You're so lucky to be able to get away with it. I'm not jealous as these foods would wreck my stomach, but shocked you can get away with it.

Two pages and no one has suggested you just have a gel or shot bloks? If I eat pre workout - which is rare - that is my go to.
For years I had a coffee and clif bar pre workout, discovered I can sleep longer if I do workouts fasted. If I feel like my blood sugar is getting low mid workout I just eat a gel.

---

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

Yeah, if I need to take in calories during an early workout I usually find it a lot easier to eat during the session when I've actually woken up, versus first thing when my body is still wondering what the hell is going on. Something simple like a banana or small bar usually does the job- i do a lot of group sessions, so usually I'll ride easy there and eat something while everyone's getting sorted. Swims and shorter runs I can do without- long runs I'll take in stuff as I would otherwise.

if your energy levels are dropping later in the day it might be worth looking at what you're eating after- if you're not eating after 7pm, doing a significant session fasted in the AM, and not eating well after it'll catch up with you eventually.

Personally I'm a fan of eating real food at home versus race nutrition, unless it's during the workout itself, although for the op this might be necessary. It would be very light on the stomach.

Another light real food option is eggo waffles with maple syrup, honey or nut butter on top. It's light, but depending what you add (nut butter) may provide some lasting effect to prevent a feeling of hunger early in the session.

Ya, numerous people have remarked (IRL) that I "eat like a kid", and often I get scolded for eating so badly. Lots of people, in particular girls, are always trying to "reform me". :)

---

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

Lmao! Keep doing what works for you. Otoh, I just wonder at what point those foods high in saturated fats will catch up?

Perhaps your genetics allow it, but like 99% of people would be so effed eating those foods as part of their regular diet.

Well, so far so good but I'm well aware that I may have to "change my evil ways" eventually, and I am prepared to abandon my teenage diet if necessary. However, not gonna do that before I have to. Also, one thing I might not have mentioned is that, if I don't eat enough fat, I tend to go hypoglycemic. If I eat high carbs, my blood sugar goes up and down like a yoyo. This is one reason I went back to my usual moderately high fat diet. I do have my cholesterol levels checked annually and I average around 160 total and 75 for HDL ("good" cholesterol) for a ratio of about 2.1, which is less than vegetarians (2.9) and Boston runners (3.4).

---

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

I see you! Thanks for sharing. 👊

---

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
📱 Check out our app → Saturday: Pro Fuel & Hydration, a performance nutrition coach in your pocket.
Join us on YouTube → Saturday Morning | Ride & Run Faster and our growing Saturday User Hub

Not necessarily bad foods, it depends how it's made. Processed cheese or soybean/cottonseed/canola oil in those products are bad. Those eggo waffles you mentioned you eat are trash...

You're absurd and just looking to argue with people. Cheeseburgers, pizza, mac n cheese, fried chicken, donuts, and pies over whole grain waffles in terms of nutrient content makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Typically, waffles have around one gram of saturated fat and four grams of fat. They're not loaded with sugar and they even have protein varieties.

What's wrong with pizza though? Plenty of us eat pizza before races. The likes of Brownlee brothers, Paula Fraser also vouch for pizza.

Pizza is a big gut bomb in most cases. Traditional crust is a high carb, heavy dough. It's loaded with cheese and tons of fat. Most pizza is loaded with high fat and processed meat like pepperoni, sausage, etc. The sauce has a lot of sugar. Most people I know that struggle with their weight eat pizza multiple times a week. There are healthier varieties, but most people aren't eating thin crust veggies pizza with eggplant and spinach.

You need to research beyond basic macros. Saturated fat is not bad. I did not say donuts or fried chicken are good. Your waffles have high level of damaged omega 6 oils linked to metabolic disease disorders, etc ....a pizza made with olive oil, flour, mozzarella cheese is not as bad as one from pizza hut, little Caesars or dominoes (they use soybean and other junk oils)

Be real with yourself here. How many people are eating "healthy pizza"? The vast majority of people are eating "fast food" and frozen pizzas.

I eat healthy pizza. Homemade with crispy broccolini and kale topping. And whole garlic cloves. Ricotta paste for the cheese. Pretty good.

Back to the real subject of the post. n=1, I think it's possible to get away with little to no breakfast if a ) you're pretty well trained, e.g. have good fat metabolism, b) the workout is less than 3-4 hours, and c) the weekly workload is less than ~12-15 hours. For workouts greater than 4-5 hours or weekly workloads that push 20 hours or more, I've found it very important to stay on top of morning carb intake. Also when I'm very out of shape, I find myself bonking after just a couple hours, so the more calorie input the better.