Friday, September 19, 2008

There Can Be Only One...





...ideal diet, that is.

The more I learn about nutrition, the more I think genetics play a truly huge role in how we process food. IF is doing me righteous, but I think many people would fall apart on this protocol.

Today is day four of IF (intermittent fasting) as follows:

14-20 hour fasts
1500 calories
super-high quality near paleo foods.
no alcohol

I have eaten basically this for the last three days:

.5 pound red meat
6 oz dark meat chicken
1 oz cheese
one grapefruit
one pound broccoli
2 cups marinara sauce
2 oz whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
one packet "black powder"
4 GNC fish oil caps
2 TJ multivitamins
2 TJ Joint complex
2 GNC l-glutamine (1 gram)
small pot coffee, splash milk

Yesterday was a clear PR on "Grace" and I felt like I could do better.

Today in hour 14 of a fast I ran 5K, with 500 meters of elevation change in 24:45 , (and the first somewhat flatter 1.5 miles at a 7:00 pace).

I used to be a serious runner, so I am fairly certain this would translate to a 21:00 or so on a track, and this is by far the best I have felt on a run in long, long time (the last serious FLAT 5K I did took about this long!!).

And, again, at the end I felt like I had a lot left and had not pushed hard enough! Also I felt ecstatic rushes about 10 minutes into it that usually only happen at the end of a really long run (the "runner's high")- bonus!

I'm sold.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Max,

Congrats for finding a system that works for you. I'm probably one of those folks that would fall apart pretty quickly on this. I'm trying (not always successfully) to stick with my no sugar-no fried stuff diet, and so far it's working pretty well. I seem to be leaning out a bit (I know, I know, I already look like one of those little hairless purse chihuahuas) and my performance is more consistent, though not yet where I want it to be.

Daniel said...

Just finished breakfast. 1200 calories. Boo-yah!

Seriously, it does feel great to finally be doing something that feels like it's working. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop...

Ev said...

Likewise, I would freaking die on IF. I'm the polar opposite; I pretty much eat every two hours. It's such a pain in the ass. Congrats on finding something that works for you. That's awesome! Omg, James, you *do not* look like a hairless chihuahua. You're a lean, mean CF machine!

Chad Lott said...

One thing I was struck with in both of Michael Pollan's books, and pretty much verified in countless issues of National Geographic, is that all over the world, there are incredibly fit people eating and thriving on radically different diets.

The one thing they have in common is that they all go to hell as soon as food starts coming in boxes.

Good stuff on the runnning.

Ev said...

Halooo! Where's your new post???