Wednesday May 26,2011 - "To Push or Not to Push"

Monday and Tuesday I took off, due to residual soreness.

I ran this morning as soon as I woke up. I really did not think about it, I just got up and got outside. It was good to start my day off with a workout, but my left ankle/lower calf was sore from the race Saturday. It was not a bad workout, just not a far one. I know i should push through some pain, but i am afraid to hurt/injure myself and then be down for longer. So, how do you know when to push trough pain/discomfort or back off so you want injure yourself?

On a side note, as I read my new Men's Health today, I came across an article about rules you should follow when it come to the foods you eat. I am posting the rules below, because I am going to do my best to follow the rules. I am going to make it a kinda of food contract with myself. I will follow the rules as closely as possible. I know I am not perfect, but I will do my best to follow the below rules to the best of my ability. I will actually start cooking more and eating out less. When I do dine out I will make a conscious effort to make healthy choices. Who would like to join me in following these rules?


Rule 1
"I Will Eat Protein with Every Meal and Every Snack"

Your Plan: Eat protein at all three meals, which can include meats and eggs or other options such as cheese and milk. You need to boost your protein intake to between 0.8 and 1.0 gram per pound of body weight in order to preserve your calorie-burning muscle mass. (That's a total of between 83 and 126 grams daily for a 185-pound guy.) That means aiming for approximately 30 grams of protein at your main meals, and two snacks of at least 10 to 15 grams of protein.

Rule 2
"I Will Never Eat the World's Worst Breakfast"

Your Plan: Eat a considerable portion of your daily calories—30 to 35 percent of your total intake—in the morning. The very best breakfast will match proteins and whole grains with produce and healthy fats. For example: fried eggs on whole-grain toast and a protein and fruit smoothie. If you have neither the time nor the stomach for a big breakfast, eat two small ones—have cereal with your coffee, then grab a yogurt and fruit to eat at your desk. But the bottom line is this: Get some protein for breakfast, and the rest of the day will take care of itself.

Rule 3
"I Will Eat Before and After Exercise"

Your Plan: Eat a snack composed of carbohydrates and protein 30 minutes or so before your workout, and eat one of your protein-rich meals immediately after exercise. One of the mantras we use The Men's Health Diet is "Lost time is lost muscle." Your body breaks down muscle during and after exercise to use as fuel and rebuilds muscle using calories that you've consumed. The longer you wait after exercising to eat, the more time your body will spend breaking down its own muscle and the less time you'll have to build new muscle.

Rule 4
"I Will Eat It If It Grows on a Tree"

Your Plan: Eat at least one serving of fruits or vegetables at every meal. You can and should eat as much of them as you want to help satisfy cravings.

Rule 5
"I Will Eat the Salad Even If It Makes Me Feel Girly"

Your Plan: At every meal, try to include a folate-rich food. The best way to up your folate intake is to eat leafy greens with as many meals as you can, and eat them first.

Rule 6
"I Will Not Drink Sugar Water"

Your Plan: Replace sodas, iced teas, and "performance beverages" with water, seltzer, or other low-calorie or calorie-free beverages. If you don't like the taste of your water, buy a home filter (like Brita), which will help take out any chemical tastes, and keep a container of it cold in your fridge. Researchers from the University of Utah found that the people who drink the most water have the highest metabolisms. In a study, subjects drank 4, 8, or 12 cups of water each day. Those who drank at least 8 cups reported better concentration and higher energy levels, and tests showed that they were burning calories at much higher rates than the 4-cups-a-day group.

Rule 7
"I Will Follow the Rules of the Ripped 80 Percent of the Time"

Your Plan: Don't let that be you. Don't try to be perfect. Be 80 percent. That'll still put you well ahead of most of the adult male population. And more important, it will send you on your way to the body you've always wanted. In The Men's Health Diet, you'll find a list of the 250 Best Foods for Men. If you want a chocolate bar, go ahead—but make sure it's the best one. (That would be Dagoba's Beaucoup