Getting it right

This last week has been a real challenge as I have not been preparing the food myself. I have run out of supplies e.g quinoa, Udos oil. I have eaten what has been given to me and this has included some toxifying foods and meat. I noticed after having risotto and pumpkin I became irritable and had to go to bed earlier than normal. It was the extreme fatigue which really irritated me.

I have mastered my lunches which are prepared the night before. I have salads with humous and cottage cheese and vary it with various non wheat breads. I get enormous energy, do not get the post lunch slump, and feel full for at least 5 hours. These are forming the staple of my food for the day and I enjoy eating them regularly.

On weekends lunches are different and I have been eating more eggs than normal. I need more variety in my diet and this is the very next step I must take. I want to find meals I enjoy eating, support my lifestyle and give me lots of variety. It is up to me to make this happen and then follow through with it, even when other people are not eating the same foods around me.

I will now look for the recipes and meals I lilke. It might take a while but I see this as the corner stone to my whole ambition to change my nutrition for good.

First week of Thrive in 30 days

This week has been very interesting. I have read the information provided on the Thrive in 30 day emails. I have watched my eating habits and notices several things.

1. I don’t let myself eat even when I know I should be eating. I get absorbed in my work and make a conscious decisions to work rather than eat and hydrate.

2. I do not have snacks to eat

3. Eating a salad actually kept me full for a very long time but I did have snacks to keep me going and then I ate carbohydrates late at night (pasta)

4. I can eat a lot of fruit

5. I eat large amounts of food at one time

6. I do not have enough variety or raw food in my diet

To learn from these observations the actions I must take are to have snacks to eat. Eat a big salad with protein, have smaller regular meals, drink water. Try to eat lighter at night.

To make this happen I am  prepared to go to the supermarket and have  enough time at lunch time to do so. I can make the decision to put my health over my work when I should be eating food. I can eat raw foods and drink regularly.

In my training for the Etape De Tour I also take multivitamins, antioxidants, Udos oil, mineral salts and I will be looking into Mannatech products.

When I have eater raw food I have more energy and are more alert. The problem is I begin to feel gaunt and lose weight. I need some carbohydrates in my diet and these maybe better eaten during the day. I can also crab load for long rides and alter my diet depending on my training. This is a big learning curve but one I hope to pass onto others and make it a life long change.

Foods I eat that take away energy

In my first step of the Thrive in 30 days I am to list the foods I eat regularly which I think take away energy from me. The list is below:

Meats: Chicken, Turkey, bacon, pork

carbohydrates: Prêt sandwiches, Prêt soups, Rice (too much), processed buns, Chocolate, cakes, pasta, cream, soft drinks

Take away foods: Kebabs, Burgers, subway, chinese, coke

Processed food: gym protein bars, ice cream

I tend to eat a lot of food at once and eat heavily late at night.

In the next week I will try to eat smaller regular meals, drink alkalised water, look to learn about juices and see if my juicer is working and start juicing, I will add 1 big salad to my diet each day.

 

Starting the Thrive in 30 days Vega nutritional educational series

Today I have noticed my recovery from my bike training for the Etape du Tour is substandard. I take artificial products like SIS protein powders and eat loads of carbohydrates. I feel tired and lethargic and recover very slowly.

Bredan Brazier is a Vegan Ironman athlete who has designed a range of products and educational videos and books to help the everyday person learn more about eating wholefoods to maximise their health. Some of the benefits include:

• Decrease body fat
• Diminish visible signs of aging
• Boost energy without caffeine or sugar
• Cultivate mental clarity
• Enhance mood
• Eliminate junk-food cravings
• Improve sleep quality
• Build a stronger immune system
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduce biological age

I like all these benefits and if it can help my recovery in training and sleep I want to know what to do.

You too can start the Thirty day challenge on http://thrivein30.com/sign-up-now/

The key is to complete the action plan with each lesson. The videos with each lesson is exactly the same as the text in each lesson so watching the video can be faster if you learn this way.

The first lesson action plan is described below:

Take Action:

• Examine your current diet. Write a list of all the things you eat that you think might be taking away from your energy or aren’t supporting your health and fitness goals.

• Plan for success as you take action over your 30 day journey to thrive. The changes you make throughout this program will be most effective when you can make them your new habits. The following five habits are the tools that will make it easier to get the most from this program—they’ll help you succeed if you develop and follow them consistently:

1. Eat throughout the day—eating several small meals helps maintain energy levels, eases digestive strain and spreads nutrients to sustain you all day
2. Drink a nutritious smoothie each day—you’ll get whole food nutrition that’s easy on your digestive system and provides lasting energy
3. Eat a big green salad every day—these are a staple when eating to thrive (you’ll learn why over the next 30 days)
4. Eat a raw energy bar every day—they’re an easy way to pack nutrition into a convenient, easy to carry form
5. Eat a substantial, balanced afternoon snack—you’ll get the nutrition you need so you won’t be famished when it comes to your evening meal

Next Lesson Preview:
Stress has a BIG impact on your health! You’ll get an in-depth look at different kinds of stress and empower you to reduce stress’s ill effects with simple dietary choices.