Banish Cravings, Burn Fat and Run Faster with Less Cardio

June 16th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (4 Comments)

You’ve probably heard about “The Fat Burning Zone” when it comes to exercise and cardio – I think it was the elliptical machine equipped with a heart rate monitor on the handle bars at my university fitness center that clued me in to this concept a dozen or so years ago.

Keep your heart rate between here and here and you’ll burn more fat!

Really? Sounds good to me!  I’m ready to start burning fat! I’m ready to start burning so much fat that we set this place on fire!

But the “fat burning zone” never seemed to get me anywhere back then, and there was no explanation to these grand fat burning claims on the cardio equipment – so now what?

I won’t bore you again with my weight loss story (punch line: food plays the biggest role when it comes to lasting weight loss) but for the first couple years after I lost 35 pounds in 2008 I probably worked out too much, largely out of fear of gaining the weight back if I didn’t.  Exercising a lot leads to feeling hungry a lot, which makes it easy to over do it with food, even the healthy stuff.  This can lead to feeling like you need to workout harder/longer tomorrow –> hungry, hungry, hungry, gimme gimme gimme carbs!  I Want Sugar! –> cue more running –> head –> desk –> I cannot live like this.

It was Mark Sisson’s Case Against Cardio that first helped me make the connection that all of my running was why I was struggling with carb and sugar cravings, and often feeling like a bottomless pit when it came to hunger.  Of course I was craving carbs and sugar! My muscles were demanding to be fed and my glycogen stores need to be stocked and ready for whatever insanity I was going to pull tomorrow.  I eventually figured out that I didn’t have to workout for so long or run all the damn time in order to be fit, healthy and happy.

Fast forward to the present (what?) I just recently found myself in this running, carb craving madness cycle again after half marathon training this spring.   Lots of running and increased mileage led to increased, annoyingly insatiable hunger and struggling with carb and sugar cravings.  Fortunately I recognized what was going on a lot sooner this time, but I still turned to The Primal Blueprint for some help in getting myself and my carb cravings straightened out.

This is all to explain why I’ve been experimenting with heart rate training for about a month now.  It’s working out so well that I’m excited to share what I’ve learned – especially for my fitness loving friends out there who might have a tendency to do over it when it comes to exercise.

How a Heart Rate Monitor Can Help

At first I thought “I’ll just run easy”, but my hunger levels didn’t really change.  A quick check of my pulse at the end of a run about a month ago proved that I wasn’t running as easy as I thought I was.  I clocked my heart rate the old fashioned way with my fingers and watch and found it upwards of 160 bpm.  That’s nearly 85% of my maximum heart rate!  Not anywhere near the 55 – 75% “fat burning zone” that Mark Sisson (and many others) recommend when it comes to burning fat as opposed to burning carbs for fuel.  (If you burn a lot of sugar, you’ll crave a lot of sugar!)

I’ve been running with a heart rate monitor that pairs with my Garmin 405 for a few weeks now.  It’s helped me see what pace I need to run to keep my heart rate in the “fat burning zone” – and it’s WAY slower than I ever would have guessed.

Garmin Heart Rate Monitor

Not only have I been running slower, but running less too.  In place of running I’ve been doing more walking, more yoga (and loving it!) and more easy bike riding.

The results so far?  I’m definitely not battling carb cravings anymore – it’s actually a huge relief.  And I’m really enjoying my low key approach to fitness right now as well.

Armed with this concept and my fun new gadget, I’ve been devouring books and websites for more details on the subject of Heart Rate Training and how to best apply it.  Come to find out, getting rid of sugar cravings and reducing hunger isn’t the only good thing that can come from doing less cardio – targeted heart rate training can be helpful when it comes to achieving other goals like fat loss and improved running times as well.

Books on Heart Rate Training

Getting Started

You can use this calculator to figure out your various target heart rates based on your age.   I’ve been aiming to keep my heart rate between 100 and 140 beats per minute (bpm) on my easy running days.  (As mentioned above, that’s 55 – 75% of my max heart rate.)  With the heart rate monitor I have learned that my heart rate easily stays in the “fat burning zone” during bike rides, but I have to make a conscious effort to run slow enough to keep my heart rate there during runs.

And when I say slow, I mean S L O W.  Like, OMG-I-Feel-Stupid-Running-Like-This slow.  But it’s OK!  It’s really good, I like it – and I especially like heading out the door knowing I’ve got a super easy, enjoyable workout ahead of me.

So is There Any Truth to This Fat Burning Zone Thing?

Many trustworthy sources say that there really is a “fat burning zone” when it comes to cardio – and low intensity is key.  While it’s true that you burn more calories with high intensity exercise, a higher percentage of those calories come from glycogen in your muscles, and that burn comes at a price:  needing to refuel with carbohydrates!  You burn fewer calories when you work out at a lower intensity, but a larger percentage of those calories are coming from fat – which means you’ll skip the sugar cravings that your body sends to your brain to ensure you refill your glycogen stores.

This is what Stu Mittleman’s book - Slow Burn: Burn Fat Faster by Exercising Slower – is all about.

Slow Burn by Stu Mittleman   

Slow Burn describes how slow, easy running trains your body to burn fat for fuel and why fat is a more efficient fuel source.  Even if your body fat percentage is low – you’ve still got plenty of stored body fat to get you through a long work out – trust me.  (Well, trust Stu.)

Stu explains that keeping your insulin levels low is the other key aspect to training your body to burn fat for fuel – this means (surprise!) eating less sugar, less grains and other refined carbohydrates.  It means building your meals around protein, healthy fats, vegetables and low sugar fruits.  This message is very much in line with the dietary guidelines of Mark Sisson, Dr. Catherine Shanahan in Deep Nutrition and The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf (that I just finished reading and loved!) as well.

But what if you are an endurance athlete?  Training your body to burn fat can be beneficial to you too.

Improved Running Times

As it turns out, most runners run too hard on their “easy” days.  Says who?  Well, says John Parker, the author of Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot.  Another book with the same theme, Run Less, Run Faster from Runner’s World.  Run Less, Run Faster prescribes three training runs a week with two days of cross training.  One long (slow) run, one tempo run and one speed work session.

Heart Monitor Training Run Less Run Faster

The underlying principles in both of these books is to explain that if you run every run hard (or even harder than you think you are) you will have nothing left in the tank to REALLY go hard on your fast days and get the most out of your training.  Cutting back and running really easy (again, easier and slower than you might expect!) can allow you to make the most of harder training sessions like speed work and tempo runs - the workouts that help you run faster.  These books agree that running slow helps teach your body to burn fat for fuel, and when your body gets really efficient at burning fat, you’re less likely to “bonk” on long runs because you’ve used up all of your muscle glycogen.

I’m not going to go into much detail in terms of the training plans outlined in each, but if you are looking to improve your speed and/or your endurance, these are two resources I recommend for further explanation and guidance with training plans for all levels of runners – from newbie to advanced.  (I couldn’t find the Heart Monitor Training book at the library, so I bought it used on Amazon for $2 bucks!)

Other Benefits to Training with a Heart Rate Monitor

You don’t NEED a heart rate monitor to put these concepts into practice – but I’m really glad I bought one.  It can help give you some new awareness when it comes to the intensity of your workouts.  I find myself staying present and actually paying attention to what I’m doing, how I’m feeling and how hard I’m working.  (Imagine that!)  It’s been very freeing to realize you can do less cardio and work out at a lower intensity and still get the results you’re after.

My Approach

Before learning more about heart rate training, I was running 2 – 3 days a week, each run at my normal pace 4 – 6 miles, maybe throwing in a couple of sprints or speed work session once a month.  Each summer since 2008 (with the exception of last summer with a newborn!) I have trained for some long distance race – either a half marathon or full marathon.  This summer I plan to just play around with these ideas and chill the heck out.

My current weekly workout plan:

1 slow run (usually 30 – 45 minutes, 3.5 – 4 miles)

1 easy bike ride (40 minutes)

1 – 2 vinyasa yoga classes (often riding my bike to and from the studio for a nice warm up and cool down, 4 miles/20 minutes)

1 speed work session every 7 – 10 days when time and energy allows (that “energy” bit is important – I’m only doing speed work when I’m feeling really good!)

and/or 1 short Cross Fit style workout at home (I blame that damn Paleo book!)

This usually leaves me with 1 – 2 rest days per week, which typically ends up being an “active” rest day with a short, self-guided yoga session or a 30 – 60 minute walk.  Kaz is currently loving rides in the jogging stroller, so I’m taking advantage of it!

What I Hope to Achieve

A faster 5K time!  I ran a 5K in May and will be running another in August – I hope to see some improvement between now and then from my speed work.  I’ll let you know how it plays out!

Fat loss!  At nearly one year after baby (!!) I feel good about my level of fitness and mostly good about how I look in my clothes these days, but I wouldn’t mind leaning out a bit more.  I do have a few pair of shorts that don’t fit quite as well as they did before Baby #3 and would really, really like to get back into them without calorie counting.  (This is actually what I’ve been working on since last December – I feel like I’m finally figuring it out!)

To continue to feel good when it comes to hunger and food.  I have no problem eating healthy and making good choices, but I don’t want constantly struggle with carb and sugar cravings!  Clean eating helps with that, but I’m coming to really understand that less cardio is key too.

I expect to expand more on this topic over the summer months as things continue to progress and I have more experience to share.

Any other heart rate monitor users out there?  Are you a former cardio junkie who’s had good results cutting back on your workouts?  Any advice, links or words of wisdom to share with the rest of us?

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Sardine Salad (Be Not Afraid!)

June 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Lunch - (8 Comments)

There’s been a lot of talk about juicing around here lately.  I think it’s time we veer wildly off the juice beaten path to talk about sardines.  Sardines!  Aren’t you excited?  Well get excited!  Sardines make a fanastic salad!  So fantastic that I’m going to keep increasing the amount of exclamation marks I use when I talk about them throughout this entire post!!  See!!!  Isn’t this getting exciting?!!!!

Sardine Salad with Olive Oil and Lime

No?  I suppose that was getting a little out of hand.  But I am still excited about the sardine salad I made for lunch yesterday, it was surprisingly good!

“Surprisingly” because Sweet Mother of All that Swims Upstream or Downstream – sardines scare me a little.  I don’t know why, they’re just… SARDINES.  People are supposed to respond “BLECH!” when you say “do you want some sardines?”  Much the same way I felt about spinach as a kid whenever I watched Popeye open a can of the stuff and shoot it into his mouth.  I didn’t care that it made him big and strong – spinach is gross!  Look at that blob of green stuff from a can!  And he puts straight into his mouth?!  You have got to be kidding me IamNEVEReverEVEReatingspinach!  Please pass the Fruity Pebbles.

Yeah.  So maybe I was wrong about that spinach thing.  Turns out I was wrong about sardines too.  (And I was definitely, definitely wrong about the Fruity Pebbles)

I’ve eaten sardines one other time before and I did remember that they weren’t so bad – they didn’t seem that much different than tuna.  I also remember having to get past the part about them looking like FISH when I pulled the top off the can.  Don’t be alarmed when you open them up and discover that they look like they came straight from the ocean, someone only taking the time to chop off their heads and tails before throwing them into a tin and then slapping them onto the grocery store shelf.

I know what you’re thinking: stop being such a girl and get over it.  If you want to eat them then you gotta look those fish in the face.  Except not the face because their heads are cut off.  But yes, sardines do make you think a bit more about where your food comes.  At least they made me think about it.  (Sardines comes from the ocean.  I know that because I looked it up.  The Internet would never lie to me.)

But I’m here to tell the truth and nothing but the truth: these headless fish freaked me out a little.  There.  I said it.

And so I closed my eyes, dug them out and started chopping them up to make my salad.  (OK, so maybe I did open my eyes a little while I was wielding a knife around my fishy friends.)

Wild Planet Sardines

For dressing, I used the olive oil they came in (plus a little more from my own bottle because I had a big pile of greens) and the juice from one lime.

Lime Action Lime Shot

Action shot!  I added some salt and pepper too.

All on a bed of mixed greens including arugula and spinach, Popeye.

And I have to tell you (thus me writing a blog post about it) – this salad was pretty stinking good.

Sardine Salad

I kept expecting it to be overpoweringly fishy in taste, but it wasn’t.  It was just delightfully fishy.

Now on to the “why” part of this post, since we’ve already talked about the “how”.  (On salad with olive oil, lime and salt and pepper, are you paying attention?  Come on people!)

Because why on earth would you subject yourself to eating sardines without a dang good reason?  I mean, they taste good, that’s one reason – but you don’t know they taste good until you eat them.  And if like me you just said “BLECH!” anytime someone ever offered them to you, you have no idea that they taste good, so there’s no chance in H E double fish sticks you’ll be buying them without another reason.

During Sardine Salad Chow Time I dug out my trusty 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth to see if sardines made the list, and sure enough – there they are!

Read About Sardines

Everywhere I looked for sardine nutrition facts, I found the same general information: sardines are a rockin’ good source of Omega 3′s, B12, Selenium and calcium – they are high in protein and low in mercury too.  Omega3′s are good for cardio-vascular health and can even add years to your life.  Selenium can protect you from cancer, heart disease, and does all sorts of groovy stuff for your immune system and thyroid too.  (You can also scarf some Brazil nuts for selenium, FYI and FYImmuneSystem.)  B12 does super mega important things for our bodies and calcium, yeah – we all know that calcium does good stuff for our bones too.  (How’s that for scientific and informative?  You’re welcome.)

In short, sardines do a body good.  When I was eating this salad I kept saying “NOM NOM Omega 3′s.  Mmmmmm, Selenium.  B12! You are SO GOOD B12! NOM NOM NOM”.  You’ll be saying the same things too.  Just you wait.

Be sure to buy sardines packed in their own oil or olive oil – NOT vegetable oil.  Don’t be alarmed that they are a little boney (no big deal, just chomp right through them!) and as I already mentioned – try not to scream when you open the can and see a pile of little fish.  Do NOT expect to see a hunk of meat like you do when you open a can of tuna.

So what do you think?  Are you a sardine lover or do you say “BLECH”?  Do you have a favorite way to eat them?  Please tell us!  Or tell me, anyway.  I want to make these guys a more regular part of my diet and wide open to new tried-and-true ideas for sardine cuisine.

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40 Day Juice Fast? Done!

June 1st, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Weight Loss - (8 Comments)

Well, he made it! Zak has completed his personal juice fast challenge of consuming nothing but fresh fruit and vegetable juice for 40 days straight.  The produce drawer in the fridge is less packed, his pants are looser and I made coffee for both of us this morning.

Here he is at the start of his fast, 40 long days ago.  April 22, weighing in at 195 lbs.

Juice Fast Day 1

And today, June 1 – 41 days later and 32 pounds lighter.

Weight Loss End of Juice Fast

You can find more photos of his progression in the 4 weeks update, and some frequently asked questions in the 2 week update as well.

Here’s the updated version of his weight loss trend graph,  he lost 16.6 % of his body weight according to our home scale.

40 Day Juice Fast Weight Loss

He won his office Biggest Loser competition too – according to the scale at work he lost 15.48% of his body weight.  (The second and third place winners lost 4.42% and 3.6%.)  It was a $25 entry fee to be a part of the contest.  Winner takes the pot.  With 13 participants, he’s now $325 richer

After we took his “Before” picture on Day 1, he took a couple pictures of his belt buckle too.

Belt Buckle Before Juice Fast

Almost at the very end of its rope there… he pointed out that the end of the belt couldn’t even reach the belt loop.

Belt Buckle Before Juice Fast

(It also took me a second to realize that his hand is in the picture because he’s holding his belly out of the way.)

He took an “after” picture of his belt today, with the belt hole punch because he needed to add a new hole!

Belt After Juice Fast Weight Loss

(The same belt hole punch that was used to add holes to the other end of the belt.)

Moving forward, his plan for the next 40 days is to ease back into eating regular food by juicing for breakfast, having a salad for lunch and something with protein for dinner.  No gluten, no dairy, no sugar.  After juice and (black) coffee this morning, his first solid meal was a simple salad made arugula straight from the garden and carrots tossed in a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salad booster.

First Lunch After Juice Fast

Good news, he remembered how to chew!

As for physical activity, now that he’s eating more calories, fat and protein, he plans to continue walking, to start doing yoga once a week as well as one short, high intensity workout per week.  He hopes to continue to lose some fat while building muscle and improving his fitness.  He says he feels like he could still use to lose another 10 lbs of fat, but doesn’t want to be overly concerned with what the scale says and is in no rush for his body fat percentage to drop further.

A few noteworthy items for anyone who might embark on a similar fast some day:

About two weeks into the fast he got a canker sore that was painful and slow to heal.  We initially guessed it was from drinking so much citrus, so he cut back on the lemons, limes and oranges in his juice.  I later found some anecdotal evidence in a blog post and more information in a juice fasting article that said his canker sore was an expected detox symptom.  It did eventually heal and did not return, and just like that blog post mentions, frequent tooth brushing did help with pain relief.  He said he noticed the feeling of a “coated tongue” that both of those sites mention, and that his tongue did feel different the entire time.

If you don’t want to read about bowel movements, start scrolling down now!  At first he was having bowel movements every other day (still solid) but they did decrease in frequency over the course of the juice fast.  It wasn’t that he was uncomfortably constipated, but there has just been very solid matter to… uhhh, you know – poop out.

A few other points, straight from Zak who says we should start a Juice Club.

The Rules of Juice Club

Breville Juicer for Juicing

Rule 1 – Tell people about Juice Club.  If you are going to set a juice fast goal for yourself, make it public.  This goes for any goal.  If you tell people about it, it helps hold you accountable and makes it easier to muster up the willpower to follow through with it.

(I’ve written about it here obviously, but he also announced it on his personal Facebook page.)

Rule 2 - Wash your juicer immediately.  The juicer is a pain to wash but is much easier to clean before the juice and fiber has time to dry.  Make washing the juicer your last step of making juice.  Don’t even drink your juice until the juicer is washed.

Rule 3 – Only one beet per glass.  Too many beets can have a laxative effect.  Some people use this as a detox method, but if you are planning on going out or any place where you don’t have easy, fast access to the bathroom, I recommend 1 beet at a time.  1 beet with beet greens is fine.

(Should we ask him how he knows this?)

Rule 4 – Be mindful while juicing.  It’s important to pay attention to your energy levels, what your body needs and how hydrated you feel.  There is no such thing as being too mindful.  Check in with yourself and how you’re feeling as frequently as you can.

And with that, Zak’s juice fast has come to an end.  (Thank God, I’m ready for him to start eating again!  I’ve missed sharing meals and being able to go out to eat together!)

Do you have any questions or remarks for him?  Fire away in the comments, or feel free to send an email as well.  He’ll gladly share about his experience and respond to you on or off the blog.

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Zak’s Juice Fast Update: Four Weeks

May 22nd, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Weight Loss - (18 Comments)

Alternate Title: The Incredible Shrinking Man

So here he is in all his glory (with his underwear strategically hidden behind red squares, for your viewing pleasure) –  Zak the Juice Fasting Maniac:

April 22, 2013

Juice Fast Day 1

May 13, 2013

Day 22 Juice Fast

And today, one month exactly from the juice fast start date,

May 22, 2013

Juice Fast Day 31

(Don’t mind the toys on the floor that we failed to kick out of the way for this picture.)

A little excel spreadsheet chart to see his weight loss trend:

Juice Fast Weight Loss Chart

(missing data points are dates he didn’t record his weight)

And some Biggest Loser style stats (cue beeping scale!) he’s lost 13.6% of his body weight so far.

According to this ideal body weight calculator, as a 5′ 10″ man with a medium frame, his ideal weight is between 151 and 163… so he’s still got a little way to go before he reaches “ideal”.  (Awww, he’s already ideal to me!  Corny, I know.  Shut up.)

While putting this post together I asked him when the last time was that he weighed this little.  He guessed high school (that’s the early to mid 90′s, folks.)  He’s definitely the smallest I’ve ever seen him in our 15 years together - it’s crazy to wrap my arms around him and I try not to say “where did you go?!” every time.

Even though his continued weight loss is expected, I’m still amazed by it all.  I think I’m also amazed that he’s gone so long without eating.  Like many people, I’m sure I *could* do it… I just don’t want to.   I want to eat.

While we’re talking about juice, I’ve got another new juice recipe from this week – Orange Juice.  Orange in color thanks to orange and red vegetables, no actual oranges.

orange juice ingredients

A bunch of carrots, two sweet potatoes, half a cantaloupe and a whole red pepper.

(Speaking of the early 90′s, does “cantaloupe juice” remind anyone else of this Friend’s episode where everybody tried Carol’s breastmilk and Ross totally freaked out? “It tastes like… cantaloupe juice.”)

(Kaz DOES really like cantaloupe, for what it’s worth.)

Moving on, sweet potato juice isn’t nearly as weird as I expected it to be, and cantaloupe in juice is really good!  Cantaloupe also makes surprisingly little pulp.  This is a great combo of ingredients and flavors if you’re looking to try something different.

This quantity of ingredients made enough juice to last him all day!

orange juice

I’m resisting the urge to worry, but he’s drinking a lot less juice now than he was at the beginning of the fast.  He often points out that he’s very sedentary with his 9 – 5 desk job and doesn’t burn a lot of energy throughout the day.

He also says he’s become very aware of when his stomach feels contentedly full.  He use to drink a 16 oz glass of juice each time, but has cut that down to probably 12 – 14 oz per glass now. (Again, trying not to worry!)  He says he drinks when he feels hungry, and he’s also added coconut water (for the potassium and electrolytes) and drinks plenty of water, tea and Kombucha sometimes too.

FAQ #4 What About Protein?

Where are Frequently Asked Questions 1 – 3?  Here!

He’s been getting the protein question a lot lately, people are asking me this question too!  According to Joe Cross (The Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead guy) green juices have some protein.

I really like that Joe says:

if you decide to do a Reboot and it works better for you to add more protein, then you should do so! A Reboot is meant to be personal so it really is about creating what works best for you.

Joe also lists spirulina as a source of green vegetable protein.  When I read that I ran out and bought him a green kombucha and made him drink it while standing in front of me.

Green Kombucha

1 gram of protein per serving? (click to enlarge)

A Little Protein

I’m not impressed, Spirulina.

FAQ #5 What Kind of Juicer Do You Have?

We have the Breville Juice Fountain Plus. We are also the new owners of a hand-me-down Omega Masticating Juicer from my mother who just recently upgraded hers.  It is a lot slower than the Breville though and needs the vegetables to be cut into small pieces, so he’s been sticking with the Breville for now because it’s easier to use and any juice he makes doesn’t sit around for more than 12 hours.  We’ll probably play around with the Omega more once his juice fast is over.

More juicer questions?  This guide is really helpful and answers a lot of common questions about the differences and pros and cons between juicers.

FAQ #6 Can You Make Juice in a Blender?

Yes, but you’ll need a nut milk bag to strain out the pulp.  Further explanation here.

9 Days to Go

Today was the first day I heard him say that he’s looking forward to the juice fast being over.  He’s joked that the he’ll be breaking his fast with a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate!  (I started drinking coffee again a few days ago.  Coffee, I missed you.)

If I might weigh in here (har har) I would guess that he’ll gain some weight back once his juice fast is over at the end of next week (Friday, 5/31 will be the last day, it will be time to chew on June 1!) but in my own opinion based on our lifestyle and the kinds of meals that I prepare, as well as some of his new awareness with fullness cues and working to be a more mindful eater, I don’t think he’ll have much trouble keeping most of the weight off… but of course, time will tell.

I do think he’s lost some muscle mass, and so I think at the very least he’ll regain some muscle weight as he starts eating more protein again.  He’s just recently begun to do some body weight exercises and kettle bell swings on a more regular basis, both activities he’s done on and off in the past.  Beyond that, any activity he does is pretty much limited to walking 1/2 to 1 mile per day – sometimes simply going for a walk,  as well walking to and from the bus stop for work twice a day, three times a week.

I guess that’s it for this update!  Zak had a lot of fun responding to your comments and questions in my last post about his juice fast, so feel free to hit him up with specific questions if you’ve got any in the comments!

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Go Ahead and Cry Over Spilled Beet Juice

May 18th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (2 Comments)

In my post about Zak’s juice fast, a couple of you asked about some of his favorite juice recipes.  Let’s just say that there has been a lot of experimenting on his part lately.  He often makes what he calls “Kitchen Sink Juice”.  I’m sure this title needs no explanation (but here I go anyway.)   He basically piles together whatever he finds in the fridge and then proceeds to shove it into the juicer.  From where I stand there does appear to be some rhyme and reason to what he makes for himself – often adding greens, carrots and beets for the nutrients, plus some apple, pear, lemon, lime and/or ginger to help with the flavor.  But then there was that time that he juiced an onion.  And that day when he juiced 4 cloves of garlic.  We’ve put garlic in juice before – but not 4 cloves.  And not until we had that vampire problem.

Now call me crazy, but I like to make predictably good tasting juice.  Today I’ll be sharing a few of my newer favorite tried-and-true juice recipes.  No garlic.  No onions.  No Listerine gargling required.

I love green juice, but I’ve really been into red juice lately.  This is my new favorite that I’ve been coming back to morning after morning for a couple weeks now.

1 beet, 2 oranges (peel removed), 3 – 5 carrots and a inch or so of ginger root.

Favorite Red Juice Ingredients

This particular bag of carrots had really skinny carrots, so I used more than five here. I’ve also adjusted the number of beets based on size, so keep in mind this is just a general guide.

So red.  So pretty.

Beet Carrot Orange and Ginger Juice

So scary when you look in the toilet the next morning.  But then you remember that you drank beet juice yesterday and hang up on the receptionist at your doctor’s office.

The above combo makes a nice big glass of juice for one person, throw in a few more carrots and maybe another orange if you’re making juice for two.  It is seriously delicious.  Even if you think you don’t like beets, this juice will totally change your tune.  And the color of your pee.  (Sorry.  You must be warned.)

Different red juice, different day.  This is the same combo of vegetables plus 1/2 a red bell pepper.  It doesn’t seem like a big change, but red pepper has a very distinct, very enjoyable flavor, I can’t believe I’ve never juiced a pepper before!  We’ve also added jalapeno with good results – but only if you’re into spicy foods, and err on the side of caution.  Try half a jalapeno before throwing the whole dang thing in.

Beet Orange Carrot Juice with Red Pepper

And definitely remember not to give any jalapeno juice to your juice loving baby.

Also remember to dry your hands off before moving your last little bit of juice to the fridge “for later”.

Spilled Beet Juice

I didn’t cry, but it’s possible a couple of choice words escaped the beet shaped hole I call my mouth.

Even with my new found love of red juice, there’s still plenty of green juice to go around.  My latest twist on green is to replace my usual lemon and apple with lime and pear a la celery, ginger, lime and pear juice.  Lime is more subtle and less harsh than lemon while still making it very easy to drink the juice from green leafy vegetables.

This glass was kale, cucumber, celery, parsley, pear and lime.

Green Juice

Another noteworthy item:  Zak and I have each noticed (separately) that juice made with a lot of nutrient dense ingredients holds you over much longer than juice made with watery, less nutritious veggies.  (Again, I’m not on a juice fast, but I’ve been starting my mornings with juice and then eat my next meal whenever I feel hungry.)  Juice made with a lot of dark leafy greens, beets and carrots keeps hunger away longer than juice that is heavy with vegetables like cucumber, celery or leftover vegetable scraps like broccoli and kale stems.

This seems obvious to me now, but I never noticed or gave it much thought until we started juicing a wider variety of vegetables and varying the quantities as well.  I always expect to feel hungry about an hour after I drink fresh juice (on an empty stomach) but we’ve both come to notice that juices made with a lot of nutrient dense vegetables absolutely leaves you feeling fuller longer.

That’s it for today!  They’ll likely be more juice recipes to come, as well as an update early next week with the latest on Zak’s weight loss, more FAQ’s as well as more juice fasting thoughts and experiences.  Today is Day 27, 13 days to go.  Stay tuned!

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Good News Bad News Chocolate Avocado Pudding

May 16th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (5 Comments)

Good news!  I’ve got an awesomely healthy delicious snack to share with you.

Bad news.  I’m not actually sharing this with you.  I’m only sharing the recipe.  If you want some you’ll have to make it yourself.

Good news: Zak is still on his juice fast.

Bad news: You can’t juice an avocado.

Good news: I am not on a juice fast.  I can eat all the chocolate avocado pudding I want.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

The concept of avocado pudding was first introduced to me by Lisa at Thrive Style a few months ago.  I started making this in the winter and it’s just recently made it’s way back into regular snack rotation.  I realized I’m past due to tell you about this high fiber, healthy alternative to the not-so-awesome, not-at-all-good-for-you, probably-not-even-chocolate treat.  Forget the magical mystical ingredients of whatever is in those little plastic cups with the tear off foil lids.  Avocados are where it’s at.

There are many variations on avocado pudding (AKA, avocado mousse) out there on the interwebs, so know that there are lots of ways to make this based on your own tastes and what you have in your cupboards.  The way I’ve been making it is simple and easy, and those just happen to be two of my most favorite adjectives ever.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding Ingredients

Lisa is a fellow coconut oil lover, and I followed her lead by adding coconut oil to my avocado pudding as well.

Not a coconut fan?  Good news!  Coconut oil is completely optional.  (It only gives it a very slight coconut taste anyway.)  I’ve made this with coconut oil and without it, and honestly it’s good both ways.  It seems smoother and more rich with coconut oil though, so that’s how I usually make it – but know that it’s not an essential ingredient.

Good news: this is gluten free, nut free and optionally dairy free

Bad news: this is not calorie free

Good news: this is not chocolate free

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Chocolate Avocado Pudding For One (or maybe for two, but really one)

1/2 – 1 avocado
1 – 2 Tbsp cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 tsp sugar, maple syrup, honey or a small chunk of ripe banana for sweetener.  (I usually use maple syrup or banana.)
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil (optional)
also optional 1/4 c milk or other liquid to thin it out a bit. I’ve used cow’s milk, almond milk and coconut water.

Combine ingredients in blender, food processor or with a hand mixer until smooth and dig in!

Making this in the Vitamix?

Good news: quick and easy, makes it really smooth.

Bad News: I can’t reach my tongue (or spatula) under the blades to get every last little bit out of the blender.

Making this with a Hand Mixer

Good news: also quick and easy.  Very easy to lick the bowl clean without getting any in your hair.

Bad News: You’ll probably get some on your forehead and nose though.

More Bad News: it’s not as smooth with the hand mixer (but still just as good.)

Feeding This to the Kids?  

Bad news: With the exception of 10 1/2 month old Kaz Man,my kids run in the opposite direction as soon as they hear the word “avocado”.

Good news:  More for me.

Bad news: the pesky baby like this stuff

Good news: Babies can’t have chocolate.  Go away, Baby.  This is mine.

Bad news: He won’t be a baby forever.

Good news: At least one of my kids will eat chocolate avocado pudding some day.  I would love for them to eat this.  Assuming there’s enough, of course.

Bad news: If you eat this with a spoon, you won’t be able to get every last morsel out of the bowl.

Good news: You can eat this with a spatula instead.

Spatula Instead of Spoon

Good news: You can easily double or triple this recipe and make it for a crowd.

Bad news: If every body cancels on you, you just might have to eat all 1000 calories of chocolate avocado pudding yourself.

Good news: That’s not really bad news.

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Zak’s Juice Fast Update: Two Weeks In

May 7th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Weight Loss - (69 Comments)

As I mentioned in my last post, Zak is on a 40 day juice fast.  To quickly recap, Zak watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, a documentary film by Joe Cross about his 60 day juice fast that lead to an 82 lb weight loss, freeing himself of his autoimmune disease and getting off all his prescription medications.

I watched this documentary a few weeks ago, but Zak watched it when it was first released in 2011.  He was very inspired by the film and has talked about doing a juice fast “some day” ever since.  Thanks to a Biggest Loser style weight loss competition at work, he decided the time is finally here.

With that, his juice fast began about two weeks ago and on Day 1 he weighed in at 195 pounds.

Zak the Juice Man

This morning on Day 15 he weighed 178.6

That’s a 16.4 pound weight loss in two weeks!  I am freaking shocked, people.  Of course he’s got a major calorie deficit going so obviously he’s going to lose weight quickly, but still – it’s crazy fun to chase him into the bathroom each morning to see what the scale is going to say.

Weight loss was not his primary objective here, but he knew a juice fast would lead to weight loss and he’s not sad about that.  He says his clothes fit noticeably better and he definitely feels smaller.  He looks thinner too.  (He was last in the 170′s in 2011 and very kindly and thoughtfully gained weight along side me during my pregnancy with Kaz in 2011 – 2012.)

Zak’s main reasons for doing a juice fast were to detox from caffeine (coffee) and sugar.  He was also looking forward to the opportunity to improve his relationship with food and to be more mindful when it comes to eating.  Like so many of us, he’s prone to mindless snacking, raiding the candy dish at work, going back for second and third helpings simply because something tastes good, not because he’s still hungry.  I’ve totally been there and still struggle with these issues myself from time to time – mindful and intuitive eating is most definitely a journey.

With all that said, here’s a run down of some noteworthy items from the past two weeks:

The First Week

was the toughest.  He had caffeine withdrawal headache on Day 1, again on Day 2 (but less intense) and only intermittently on Day 3.  He battled insomnia on and off during the first week as well.

The Second Week

At the start of the second week, he started sleeping very soundly through the night, waking up feeling unbelievably refreshed and full of energy – more so than he ever remembers before.  He says he wakes up feeling great and extremely well rested, instead of sluggish and groggy and in need of caffeine NOW.

Frequently Asked Question #1 – Aren’t You Hungry ALL THE TIME?

Nope.  He says juice is surprisingly filling and satisfying.  When he feels hungry, he drinks juice and his hunger goes away.  He also drinks herbal (unsweetened) tea and water throughout the day.  He drinks Kombucha occasionally as well.

Even though he doesn’t feel constant hunger, he does admit that it’s hard to watch other people eat and to smell food cooking too.  He says he definitely misses eating.

(“Missing eating” makes me hungry just thinking about that.)

Frequently Asked Question #2 –  What Does a Typical Day Look Like?

He makes a big (28+ oz) container of juice twice a day.  He takes the first round with him to work for breakfast and lunch.  He juices again when he gets home from work for dinner, and sometimes drinks a fourth glass if he feels like he needs it, or he saves it for the next day.  Most days he drinks three to four 16 oz glasses of juice.  Like any new habit or lifestyle change, it took some time to find a groove, but he seems to have settled into a rhythm that’s working well for him.

Two Glasses Beet Juice Breakfast and Lunch

Frequently Asked Question #3 – Don’t You Need Fiber?

It’s a little awkward to write about the final step in the digestion process (are you catching my drift?) but in short, the frequency of BM’s has slowed down, but beyond that they continue to be the same.

(And yes, he gets asked about the end of digestion a lot.)

The Grocery Bill

The grocery bill has gone up some, but not as much as I initially expected it to.  The cost of extra produce for juicing is being offset by the foods I’m NOT buying.  While I’m buying more produce, I’m buying less of other things.  I’m not buying coffee and creamer (both organic, neither exactly cheap!) right now either.  He’s also no longer going out to lunch a couple days a week or stopping for coffee on his way to work if he didn’t have time for a cup at home, so we’re cutting food costs there as well.

He also juices a lot of veggie scraps that would otherwise go to the compost.  Broccoli stems, leafy green stems (like from kale).  That was one way we’ve been able to stretch the produce budget a tiny bit more.

An Unexpected Perk For Me

I don’t have to make dinner!  I feel like I’m on a little vacation!  Of course I’m still making food for myself and the kids, but I’ve been keeping it very simple.  There’s less planning involved and less worrying about the timing of dinner with the other things we’ve got going on during the day.  Somehow it just feels easier.

Another perk?  I’m drinking more juice right now than I otherwise would!

Beet Juice with Cuppow

This morning is was beet, kale, cucumber, apple, ginger and lemon.  With a wide mouth Cuppow lid to save me from a beet mustache.

Now Some Perks for You!

The timing of Zak’s juice fast just so happened to perfectly coincide with the 2 year anniversary of Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  In honor of their celebration, I’ve been given the opportunity to give TWO readers a Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead prize pack!

Reboot With Joe Giveaway Prize Pack

Each winner will receive a “I Juice With Joe” Reusable To- Go Tumbler, a DVD copy of Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, the companion book, and a nutrition guide for getting started with juicing.

Even if a juice fast isn’t for you, it’s still an excellent film, and juicing can be a great way to get a lot of nutrition in a condensed package.  And who doesn’t love free stuff?!  Keep these for yourself, give  them to an interested friend, donate the DVD to your local library! (So long as they’ll agree to wave your late fees for the next year for you of course.)

Wanna chance to win one of these prize packs?  Leave a comment below telling me if you’d ever do a juice fast (doesn’t matter what your answer is!) and I’ll randomly choose two winners and update this post on Friday morning, May 10, 2013 announcing who won.  (This giveaway is open to continental US residents only.)

This giveaway is closed as of 5/10/2013, 7:55 AM EDT.

The winners of the Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead giveaway are

Courtney, who wrote:

I would love to try this, but as I am the cook for 3 young girls and a husband, it doesn’t seem doable for quite some time. So, for now I will be content to add juice to my diet and hope to benefit from the concentrated nutrients.

Kate, who wrote:

I probably would not do one, though the idea intrigues me. I have a hard enough time giving up my nightly scoop of ice cream (I have gotten it as low as a single spoonful, but for some reason I always feel like I need it!) so I can’t imagine giving up all solid foods for any real period of time.

Congrats ladies!  I’ve sent you both emails to get your juicy winnings on their way to you!

But what if you don’t want to play if you didn’t win and just want to watch the film already?   I mentioned this in my last post but it’s worth mentioning again – you can watch the movie for free on YouTube right now during the anniversary celebration.

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead

That’s it for now, more juicy observations and notes to come in the weeks ahead.  In the mean time, got any questions for Zak?  Fire away in the comments!

As always, please don’t confuse Zak’s experience for medical advice.  Don’t do anything that feels unsafe to you, please seek the support of your trusted health care professional before doing a juice fast.

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April Links to Love (Warm Lemon Water, A Juice Fast and WHOA Harper’s Bazaar!)

April 30th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Good Reads - (6 Comments)

I’ve been hoarding links and things to share all month – I better get down to it before the month is over!

Why You Should Drink Warm Water and Lemon

After I read that article (the comments in particular!) I decided to try it.  Hot water with just lemon?  And no tea or anything else?  It was very simple, and I felt like it was worth a shot.  (a shot of lemon.)

It was… nice.  And then I made coffee (with coconut oil) because coffee is nice too.

How Warm Lemon Water Links to a Juice Fast

Fast forward a few weeks, Zak’s company starts a friendly “Biggest Loser” style weight loss competition among employees.  Zak decides to join them (if you ask him, he’ll say he doesn’t have a goal weight in mind, but in my wifely estimation I think he’ll wind up in the low to mid 170′s, which will mean a 20 – 25 lb weight loss.)  (Yes, I have his permission to blog about this and yes, we took a “before” picture… but he was in his underwear so I have some photo editing to do.  You’re welcome.)

With the weight loss competition as his impetus, he’s decided to do a juice fast.  He watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead when it was first released a couple years ago and like countless others, he was seriously awed and inspired by the film.  Since then he’s talked about doing a juice fast “someday” and always wanted to try it.  The detox part is his primary motivation, but the weight loss certainly plays a role in his interest in it too.  He says he’s ready for a break from sugar and caffeine (and has been reading Deep Nutrition!) and so with all that, the time for his juice fast is here.

Long story short?  Zak’s 8 days into a 40 day juice fast.  Our fridge looks like a farmer’s market.  And he’s down 11 lbs already.  (Seriously.)

And so because of his juice fast, I took a closer look at Joe Cross’s website to check out his variety of juice fasting plans and recipes.  Wouldn’t you know that each of his sample plans has you starting your day with hot water with lemon?  I’m not doing the juice fast, but I am starting each day fresh juice right now simply because the juicer is always running!  I’ve added hot water with with lemon into my morning routine and I’m digging it.

Zak’s juice fast includes getting off coffee though, and I’ve done that for now too – in part for myself, and in part for him so I don’t torture him with the smell of fresh brew each morning.  (I drank green tea for the first few mornings and managed to escape with no caffeine withdrawal headache.)  I am NOT giving up coffee forever, but now that it’s not so cold in the mornings I don’t feel like I need it, and I don’t mind taking a break from coffee every once in a while either.

The warm water with lemon is proving to be a refreshing, different start to each day.  If you’re at all intrigued, I highly suggest you give it a try!  (Even if you make yourself a cup of coffee immediately afterwards.)

You Can Watch Fat Sick and Nearly Dead For Free On YouTube for a limited time!

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
By pure coincidence (seriously!) I got an email from the folks at Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead at the end of last week asking if I’d help spread the word about their celebration of the 2 year anniversary of the release of the film.  I was really excited to learn that you can watch the documentary for free on YouTube right now and couldn’t wait to pass the word on.  If you haven’t already seen this movie, it’s a must-see.  (And did I mention it’s free?!)

Speaking of Weight Loss

I’ve mentioned Intermittent Fasting here a number of times before – it’s what I used in 2011 to lose a pesky 10 (*ahem*15) lbs that crept on during an emotionally taxing time, and I still practice IF in various forms today.

Even though Intermittent Fasting has been around for a long time, it’s really starting to catch on and get some attention by the mainstream media, thanks in large part to a best seller book that was published in February called The Fast Diet by Dr. Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer.

A couple months ago a writer for Harper’s Bazaar contacted me to ask me about my experience with Intermittent Fasting for an article he was writing – and the article is in the May issue!

Harpers Bazaar May 2013

Lose Weight Fast? by Bill Gifford. My experience is mentioned (just briefly) in his article.

Intermittent Fasting Article in Harpers Bazaar May 2013

I like the way IF was presented in the article, you can read it online or check it out the next time you’re waiting in line in the grocery store.  (Although I’m sure Harper’s Bazaar would prefer that I recommend you actually buy a copy of the magazine instead of just reading it at the store… squealing in the magazine aisle like I did is optional.)

More Pure Coincidence

Your Fat Has a Brain.  Seriously.  And it’s Trying to Kill You.

This article showed up in my facebook feed a few weeks ago and only by chance did I happen to notice the author’s name: Bill Gifford.  Bill Gifford… where had I heard that name before?  Oh yeah!  The Harper’s Bazaar guy!  Apparently he writes for Outsider magazine too.  (Outsider is probably more my speed than Harper’s, but whatever.)

Anyway, the Brainy Fat article is a longer read than the IF article, but it’s entertaining and I enjoyed it, I think you might too.

The Easiest Way to Teach a Kid How to Ride a Bike

This is a link to an old post of mine, but with the arrival of the warm weather I’ve been reminded of the stress free way Ava and Maxine learned to ride a bike – without pedals!  The trick is learning how to balance first, THEN add pedaling later – instead of the other way around – a la training wheels.

If you’ve got a little one who will be learning to ride a bike this year (Maxine was 4!) a pedal-less bike is seriously the easiest way to do it.

Alright, that’s what I’ve got for you today.  Got any links you’re lovin’ on lately?  Thoughts or experiences with warm lemon water, juicing, fasting or bike riding?  Do tell!

(And I’ll definitely be sharing more about Zak’s juice fast in the weeks to come!)

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2013 Flower City Half Marathon Race Recap

April 29th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (7 Comments)

So it’s done!  The Flower City Half Marathon has been run.  By me.  And 2,364 other people too.

Pre-Race

My day started dark and early around 5 AM.  I spent the early morning hours puttering around the house getting ready to go – putting together things for Zak, the kids and my mom who would be coming along later, and packing up my own bag too.  The race started at 7:30, so I had a little something to eat around 6:30 to give myself an hour for digestion.

Pre-Long Run Breakfast

A banana, a couple of the direct fuel bites I’d made the day before plus a few ounces of coconut water.  I aimed for something high in carbs (the banana and dates in the direct fuel bites) with a little bit of protein and fat too (coconut oil and walnuts).  During breakfast I filled my hand held water bottle with coconut water and put three direct fuel bites the zippered pouch wrapped in a small piece of wax paper.

The friends I was driving with came to pick me up around 6:45, and as I was climbing into the back seat I said “I think I have everything!  My bib, my sneakers – what else could I need?!”

Ummm, how about your watch, lady?  The one you put on the charger this morning and were going to be sure to remember before you walked out the door?

Except I didn’t say that to myself.  And nobody else said it either.  It was a Forehead-Smacking, Flopping-Back-and-Groaning moment when I realized I’d left my Garmin behind – but it was too late to go back now, and I immediately decided that it wasn’t a huge deal.  I didn’t need it to run, and if anything, it gave me good reason to practice staying completely present, focusing on how I was actually feeling to gauge my pace (imagine that?!) instead of relying on my watch to tell me how I was doing.

Miles 1 – 13.1

I probably went out a little fast at the start, it’s easy to get swept up in the pace of the other runners.  I was feeling good and breathing normally, but I knew I was running faster than usual.  I was definitely curious to hear the time announced at Mile 1 to know what my pace was, but somehow I completely missed the announcer.  (I found out later he was there, but on the opposite side of the road as me, announcing the time without a megaphone… the pack was still really thick at that point and we were also in a throng of spectators, so I didn’t hear him.)

Around Mile 2 the 1:50 pace group caught up with me.  I kept the pace with them for a while, but I had already accepted that this year wasn’t going to be a PR for me, so I eventually eased off and let them pull ahead.  They were probably running an 8:20/mile pace and it was too fast for me to hold on to knowing we still had 11 miles to go.

At Mile 4 I spotted a spectator wearing a watch and asked him the time – he said it was 8:04.  Doing the running math in my head – 4 miles in –> 34 minutes from the start = about 8:30/mile average pace.  I was feeling good, being mindful of my toes and feeling very glad that I wore a short sleeved shirt even though it was a chilly 50 degrees at the start.  I was plenty warm now!

At the 10K mark I noticed a man check his watch and asked him the time.  He said 53 minutes.  (6.2 miles, 53 minutes, an average 8:31/mile pace.)  I was a little shocked I was still comfortably running an 8:30.  I figured I wasn’t going to be able to hold on that pace for much longer, but it made me realize I could definitely pick up the pace during my week day runs here.

I spotted my family just before Mile 7 and swooped out of the pack for fly-by kisses and high fives for everybody.

At the 8 mile mark I asked another watch-wearing spectator the time, but before he could answer a runner behind me told me we were 1:13 minutes in – I knew I was now at about a 9:00 minute pace.  We had just finished the hilliest portion of the course, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that I’d slowed down some.  I then figured out that with 5.1 miles left, if I held on to my 9 minute pace for the rest of the race I could potentially finish in under 2 hours.  I had some hope, but knew I would be cutting it really close to the 2 hour mark and started to reconcile that I would probably be finishing after 2 hours.

That thought was confirmed when I was passed by the 2:00 pace group a few minutes later.  I tried to keep up with them but I was losing steam.  I had eaten 1 direct fuel bite about 5 minutes earlier, and decided to eat another one before I felt like I had even less energy.  It’s best to eat something BEFORE you feel like you need it.  (Looking back I should have gotten a direct fuel bite out when I ran through the gel stop at 10K mark – I wasn’t thinking about it though because I was focusing on running up our first of four big hills!)

At Mile 10 a spectator told me it was 9 AM, so that meant we were 1:30 minutes in.  With 10 miles behind me and 3.1 miles left to go, that would mean 10 minute miles for the last three miles to finish in under 2 hours.  It seemed possible, but doubtful – I was really starting to feel tired now.

Around Mile 11, one of my friends caught up with me.  I was so happy to see her and was glad to have her to chat with for some distraction for the final miles.  I was TIRED and very ready to Stop. Running.  When I asked her the time she said her watch had died at Mile 10, so our finish time was still a question mark!  We passed the Mile 12 sign and I was so glad to be in the home stretch.  With half a mile to go we passed an analog clock in front of a building and I saw the time was 9:30.  I remarked that we weren’t going to come in under two hours and she said light heartily ”no big deal!  it’s been a great day!” and I knew she was totally right.

When the finish line came into sight, I could see that that clock said 2:0-something.  We picked up the pace for the home stretch and the time was 2:03 when I ran underneath it.

The End

My official time was 2:03:38.  An overall average pace of 9:26/mile.  72nd in my age group (F, 30 – 34) and 1132 out of 2365 runners.  Top 50 percent!  I’ll take it.

Although I’ll admit it’s a bit of a bummer that it wasn’t even close to the 1:51 I ran in both 2010 and 2011, I truly am happy with the way it all worked out.  Kaz was 10 months old yesterday!  I was definitely not in half marathon shape 12 weeks ago - it was well worth all the effort of the last 3 months to cross the finish line with a big smile on my face.

(I was also reminded of the thought I had exactly 10 months ago yesterday as I finished – “I Am So Glad That is Over”.  Big races and child birth definitely have some things in common.)

Other noteworthy items?

The Best Signs Made By Spectators

“Pain is temporary.  Your time will be on the internet forever.”

“Worst parade ever.”

Local Celebrity Sighting

I ran the entire race with Bob Lonsberry, a radio personality from Rochester.  I had no idea I was running near him until someone shouted out his name around Mile 5.  I unintentionally ended up staying with him for the rest of the race, and got a kick out of all the people who recognized him and shouted out “Bob Lonsberry!”, “Let’s go WHAM 1180!” and “I’m going to be your first caller on Monday morning!”  He was friendly and responded to everyone who called out to him.  (and I finished 22 seconds ahead of him!  WOOT!)

Post Race Food

At the finish I ate a banana and a couple Barenaked smoothie samples, and by the time I got home I was more than ready for breakfast.

Post Half Marathon Breakfast

A spinach, mushroom and red pepper omelet (that fell apart) with leftover sweet potatoes – it is not a mystery to me why food tastes even better after a big long run!

If you made it this far through my race recap, allow me to hang a medal around your neck!  Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, both online and in real life.  If you’ve got a half marathon or any big race coming up soon, good luck to you!  And be sure to remember that pain is temporary, but your time will be on the internet forever.

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The Day Before the Flower City Half Marathon

April 27th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (8 Comments)

Less than 12 hours until Flower City Half Marathon!  I felt more excited about the race today than I have all week – the day almost here!

Workouts The Week Before a Race

I ran Monday and Tuesday this week (5.75 and 4 miles respectively) and 40 minute bike rides on Wednesday and Friday, 8 miles each.  I spent today taking it easy to rest up, although I did ride my bike to a yoga class and back (2 miles each way) this afternoon to help loosen up my legs and get my muscles moving just a bit.

FOOD the Day Before

I made Direct Fuel Bites today for my own race day nutrition like I did for the Steamtown Marathon in 2011.  I could use the gels they’ll be offering on the course, but now that I know how to make a more “whole foods” version of an energy snack, I much prefer to go this route.  (Does that make me seem snooty?  Probably.)  Oh well, these are really good!

Cutting Up Direct Fuel Bites

Made with coconut oil, dates and cocoa powder like the original recipe, but this time I added some chia seeds, goji berries and chopped walnuts too.  I’ll stick a couple of these squares into the pouch of my trusty handheld water bottle that I’ll be carrying tomorrow.  I plan to fill the water bottle with coconut water and sip a little every couple miles, and I’ll refill it with water at a water station if needed.

Direct Fuel Bites

I’ll probably eat a direct fuel bite near the one hour mark, or whenever I come upon the gels they’re giving out on the course.

In other Day-Before-A-Half-Marathon food news, we’ve been experimenting with all sorts of new juice combos lately (Zak’s doing a juice fast, more on that soon!) – this morning I made juice from 1/2 of a (large) beet, a couple carrots, two oranges and a few stalks of celery.

Beet Carrot and Orange Juice

Holy Magenta this was SO good!  I have never juiced oranges before, I think it’s safe to say this was sweetest juice I’ve ever made – and it was really friggin’ good.

For lunch it was my typical big salad with lots of greens that I like to be sure to eat the day before a big run.  I made an avocado smoothie with banana, blueberries and spinach about hour before yoga.  And for my pre-half marathon dinner, it was grilled salmon, steamed broccoli and roasted sweet potato.

Pre Half Marathon Dinner

Race Day Expectations

My half marathon PR was in the fall of 2009 for the Rochester Half Marathon with a 1:48.  I’ve run the Flower City Half Marathon twice before – in 2010 in 1:51:11, and in 2011 in 1:51:32.  For the 2012 race I was 7 months pregnant.  Kudos to you pregnant runners out there – that was not me.

So this will be my third time running this race, my fourth half marathon.  I do NOT expect to beat any personal records tomorrow.  To get near 1:50, I would need to average 8:30/mile, and I’m simply not running that fast these days.  I would really, really like to come in under 2 hours, which would mean a 9:00/mile minute mile pace, but honestly that’s probably wishful thinking.  We’ll see, race day endorphins can do crazy things!

Either way, I’m doing my best to keep in mind that the point of this race this was more about having a reason to stay motivated to run all winter, and was getting back to running some longer distances after after Kaz was born in June of last year.  It probably sounds terribly corny, but I really am going to simply enjoy all the fun that comes on race day – especially with a big race!  The palpable tension at the start, the beautiful weather we’re expecting tomorrow, the  super supportive spectators and really, just running with 2,500 other people through this city that I love.

(I’ve had way too much time to reflect on this race today.  Get the hook!)

And with that, I’m off!  I’ll be back with a race recap tomorrow.  If you’re racing this weekend, good luck to you!  I hope you ate something green today!

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