10 pounds short? Just add carbs!

So, I’m currently sitting between 185-188 lbs. That’s just about ten pounds short of my 178 goal by race day. <Insert sad face here> I had some distractions the last couple of months and really couldn’t get back into the groove once I dropped below 190 lbs.  I’m not sure what those 10 lbs will equal on race day, but I do know the 20+ pounds I did loss should be pretty significant.

That being said, starting tomorrow I begin carbohydrate loading.  That means about 75% of my diet will be carbohydrates.  Unfortunately, that does not mean I can have a steady diet of Twinkies and Little Debbie’s, all though that does sound pretty good.  What it does mean is about 1 cup of Bulgar wheat, 3-4 times a day until the race.  I’ll also be supplementing the Bulgar with pasta to change it up a bit.  All said and done, it’ll be about five meals a day for a total of 600g of carbohydrates, about 2400 calories in carbs alone… ouch!  I wish some of those calories were Margaritas! No worries, I’ll still be getting my protein though.

Carb loading saturates the muscles with glycogen (energy to the muscles) which helps keep you moving and preventing the dreaded “BONK!” which is one of my biggest fears for such a long race.  Fueling the body is critical and without the fuel, it could be a short day or a very, very long painful day.  This will also cause me to retain water, which means I’ll probably be even heavy at the start of the race.  Not a big deal since the first hour and half I’ll be swimming and the water in my muscles will slowly absorb as the day presses on.

As far as the last ten pounds, it’s not over after the race.  The goal will be to finish off the last ten pounds by the end of June.  I haven’t done any strength training since I started training for the Ironman and I am really looking forward to getting back into the gym.  Studies have shown that the best way to lose weight is combination of cardio, strength training, and a clean diet. So, I’ll hit weights, stay on the cardio, and keep it clean.   I’ll be shredded in no time!  We’ll see about that…

Wednesday is three days and a wake-up!

Week 30 - This Is The End

The End - The Doors

This is the end, beautiful friend
This is the end, my only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes, again

Can you picture what will be, so limitless and free
Desperately in need, of some, stranger's hand
In a, desperate land

Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane, all the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah
There's danger on the edge of town
Ride the King's highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby
Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles

Ride the snake, he's old, and his skin is cold
The west is the best, the west is the best
Get here, and we'll do the rest

This is the end, beautiful friend
This is the end, my only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes, again

Can you picture what will be, so limitless and free
Desperately in need, of some, stranger's hand
In a, desperate land

Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane, all the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah
There's danger on the edge of town
Ride the King's highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby
Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles

Ride the snake, he's old, and his skin is cold
The west is the best, the west is the best
Get here, and we'll do the rest

The blue bus is callin' us, the blue bus is callin' us
Driver, where you taken us

The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on
He took a face from the ancient gallery
And he walked on down the hall

He went into the room where his sister lived, and, then he
Paid a visit to his brother, and then he
He walked on down the hall, and
And he came to a door, and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother, I want to, fuck you

C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us

And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin' a blue rock, on a blue bus
Doin' a blue rock, c'mon, yeah
Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill
This is the end, beautiful friend

This is the end, my only friend, the end
It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die
This is the end