FOOD! What I've been eating.

First of all, I want to announce that I feel AH-MAZING today. I must have gotten over some kind of nutritional hump because I woke up bouncing off the walls! My legs also feel surprisingly fresh for running a combined total of 17 miles this weekend. I want to lace them back up and head out there for another 10, and I honestly feel like I could with no issues.

My boyfriend made this for me! Asparagus,
frozen scallops, tomatoes cooked in butter and
lemon juice! SO GOOD and only 10 mins!

But I won't. Because rest is important, Kids.

Today's post is about FOOD! I've had a couple people ask me about my diet, so I thought I'd chime in with some tips and tricks I've found.

Essentially, all I'm doing is taking out a lot of processed foods, sugars and a good amount of carbohydrates. The first couple of weeks I intend on being fairly strict, omitting even starchy vegetables like some squashes and potatoes, and also omitting a lot of fruits. I include a lot more healthy fats (and some saturated), and a moderate amount of protein. If you want the percentages I've been averaging is 20% carbs, 30% protein, 50% fat.

The first week was ROUGH, and yes, I am only on day #1 of week 2. The hardest part was taking out sugars since I was so hooked on them. I found myself desperate for any sugar I could find, and my mood swings and chills made it really apparent at how addicted I was to them. No bueno! I also came home Friday night and crashed for 13 hours of sleep.

I have been using MyFitnessPal to keep track of my nutrition, and it has been amazingly helpful. The app has improved drastically since I first used it in the late 2000's. You know it was a really long time ago because I listed myself as "sedentary". I feel like every kind of food has been entered now, so it's a breeze finding exactly the brand you've eaten and the portion sizes. It also organizes your total nutritional content and connects to Strava, Fitstar and my Withings scale.

Strangely, one of the biggest obstacles has been that I have trouble eating enough calories. I just am never super hungry anymore. The fat is almost TOO satisfying. I still need to figure out how to solve this issue actually.

My typical lunch sans the tofu that I already
ate.

Mmm toasted coconut!

Some of the foods I swear by during the week are boiled eggs, tofu, unsweetened shaved toasted coconut (you can find this in the bulk section of whole foods and get a giant bag for cheap!), nuts (cashews are surprisingly sweet once you take sugar out, also walnuts pack a lot of good fats in a little package), half & half for my coffee, and a lot of greek yogurt and cheeses.

Pico de Gallo stuffed Branzino from Whole
Foods.

I also eat a mass quantity of veggies. Red bell peppers are a favorite, as well as plenty of greens and mushrooms! As for meats, I've been loving our fish nights. We splurge and get our fish from Whole Foods or the farmer's market. It's totally worth it. Trust me. Make sure it's fresh! As for all the other meats, I think it's important to get free range, organic and free of nitrates. After growing up in rural Michigan, I never thought I'd say those words...

This tea is tha BOMB. Caffeine free, sugar free, and cheap!

If you have a sweet tooth, I've been putting a little bit of whipped cream on some raspberries for dessert. Be sure to get the fuller fat versions because not only does it provide more calories but often times companies dump more sugar in to makeup for the loss of tastiness from taking out the fat. I also have been exploring new teas! Passion, by Tazo, is pretty tart but satisfying if you're craving fruit. My go-to at home is Trader Joes' Harvest Blend tea, which is full of ginger and cinnamon tastes with hints of apple. I plan on stocking up this season so I can have it all year long. Trader Joe's also nailed the gingerbread taste in their gingerbread flavored coffee.

The Gingerbread Coffee from Trader Joes

Additionally, I have been taking vitamin D3 supplements because my blood work says it's low. Little did I realize how much vitamin D can make a significant difference in your athletic performance and immune system, so make sure you are getting enough!

A few things I've noticed are that I don't have dips in energy anymore. I don't get that starving panicky feeling that I used to get when I go too long without food. My skin does seem a bit more oily but not breaking out. It wouldn't bother me except that I have bangs. It might be in my head, but sensitivities to certain foods seem to have lessened, like my ability to process lactose (I eat a lot more dairy than I used to and I seem to be completely fine) and my garlic/onion sensitivity seems non existent now (although I'm not going to push it).

I am still discovering new things daily and it's a learning process for me so take my tips with a grain of salt. I'm DEFINITELY not a doctor the last time I checked, so check with your doctor if you have any concerns. Oh, and read this book with me! The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing by Phil Maffetone if you want to learn even more.

Here are a couple of other articles and books to check out.

• Fuel on Fat!
• Outside Magazine: Is Fat Making a Comeback?
• Metabolic Efficiency: Sunny Blende
• The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance
• Cutting Back on Carbs for Weight Loss
• Phil Maffetone - Trail Runner Nation Podcast