Nutritional Science is killing us!

Now I know what you are thinking - B.J. has gone off the rails and has eaten too much fruit!  But hang on and let me explain.  Today we live in a society of counting nutrients and calories.  We want to make sure we have this many vitamins, this many calories, this type of protein, this kind of fat, etc.  On the surface these seem reasonable, but here is where we lose sight.

Nutrients, by themselves, are almost meaningless.  If nutrients were the only thing that mattered, then we could take a few pills filled with nutrients and call it a day.  However, Mother Nature does not work that way.  Real, whole foods are complex - we are just beginning to understand how they work.  When we “fortify” food, or add in nutrients, we are losing the benefit of eating the food in its natural state.  We aren’t smart enough to trick Mother Nature.  We can’t strip a food down to its single nutrient and serve it up as meeting our daily recommendations.

What about all the nutrients we do not understand or know about yet?  How can we believe that taking a product like wheat, refining it, stripping it of all its nutrients and then trying to make it healthy again by adding in nutrients is a good thing?  The best example of this is children’s cereal.  At its core, cereal is made up of highly-processed flour and sugar, and is devoid of any nutrition.  It is a box of worthless flour and sugar, with chemicals added to make it bright and colorful.  Then “Big Food” adds in some “fake nutrients” and calls it healthy because it meets all the requirements for nutrition.

Really?  Do we truly believe that this stuff is healthy?  It does not end there. Most packaged foods are created the same way.  If you eat packaged foods from the pantry or freezer - then be aware that you are not giving your body the true nutrition it needs.  When this happens, your body will continue to crave more food until it finds what it needs.

The only way to give your body what it needs is to eat real, whole foods in as natural a state as possible.  The more it is cooked, processed, and altered - the less nutritious it is.

To make sure we are eating a well-balanced diet, we must eat a variety of foods, making sure there are plenty of colors – greens, yellows, reds, etc.  If you do this, then for the most part you will be eating a healthy diet.  You won’t have to worry about all the single nutrients that most people get caught worrying about.

When absolutes matter!

Well that is a great question for sure.  When it comes to diet, exercise, or daily routines, absolutes can be a challenge!  For me there are some absolutes and then there are guidelines.  I think too many people try to live by absolutes and get to caught up in minor details - losing sight of their overall goals.  If we focus so much of our energy around a specific food or food type, or specific guidelines, it can cause us to go a little overboard in our efforts.  However, on the other hand, there are some absolutes that I always follow no matter what.

Absolutes also take the daily decision-making out of choices. This can be a good thing because sometime we start down a slippery slope and go backwards in our progress because we had one cookie, one cheat meal, or one “whatever”.

Here is my suggestion: follow your own ideas, gather the data and make your own decisions.  Do not let one article, one reference, or one person dictate how you behave when it comes to your fitness journey. 

For example, someone can say “you should not eat carbs.”  Ok, so what does that mean?  Does it mean absolutely no carbs whatsoever?  Or could it really mean no processed foods that are carb-based?  I eat a ton of veggies and they are made up of a lot of carbs.  However, I do not eat pasta or bread.  So am I following this rule?  For me the answer is yes, because it is processed carbs that have a negative impact on my goals, and the same with sugar.  When someone says “no sugar” I would tend to agree because sugar and all its ugly friends create a trigger for me that can derail my efforts - even short term.  Now I do eat the occasional sweet, or 88% dark chocolate, but I have eliminated the day-to-day sweets that prevented me from reaching my own goals.

Meat is another absolute. I decided a few years ago that I did not want any meat in my diet, so it is an absolute and I do not even have to think about it.

I sometimes cringe when people say “I do not eat fruits and veggies because they are high sugar or high carb” - but these items are real foods!  They should not be considered the enemy.  The enemy is the processed and refined foods, and foods that are devoid of nutrition.

In the end, YOU must decide what is right for you.  Study the facts, understand what works and what doesn’t, and set your own guidelines and absolutes.  Know what you can and can’t do day-to-day.  Make your decisions easy and the goals will be easier to obtain.

Living Plant Powered In A Meat-Eating House!

Guest Post I wrote for http://www.talkvegantome.com/home/blog/guest-post-the-ultra-motivating-b-j-tucker

First of all, whenever one person in the house makes dramatic changes, they cannot expect others to follow immediately no matter how hard you try.  Over the course of a year, I went from eating the SAD (Standard American Diet) to eating tons of fruits, veggies and ultimately - giving up meat and 98% of the dairy!  To add more to the equation, I do not eat sugar or processed grains except for the occasional treat. 

I am a father of five kids and have been married for 27 years.  While the family sees the dramatic results of my changes, they are not on board with many of the changes I have made.  I went from a sedentary, overweight person, to a plant-powered ultra-athlete.  We cannot force our ideas onto others - they must make them their own and I have seen some changes in their eating habits.  We put some limits on the things the kids have access to at home, but our panty still has cereal, cookies, chips, and a fridge full of milk, cheese and meat.

For me personally, I support what the kids want to eat (within reason), and I make and eat my own foods.  Since I am not the main cook during the week it works out pretty good.

On the weekends when we have family dinners, I still cook a regular meal which includes some sort of meat for everyone.  I am the Grill Master and can still cook a mean steak or chicken; however, I have changed the meats that I buy.  I only buy high-quality meats and avoid the processed stuff all together.  This has raised the price of the meal, but I know in the long run it is well worth it.

I also buy most of the foods that I eat, making sure to get enough to share with everyone else.  The kids do eat more fruit and my wife is now making smoothies in the morning.  In the long run I think they will come around to eating healthier, but when your kids are athletic and relativity thin - they do not see the down side to what they eat.

This is my challenge!  I made this change after the kids – except one - were all teenagers, so their ways were already set.  It is much easier to start them on the right path early in life, but that is not the case here.

If the head of the grocery-shopping is on board, then it makes the journey much easier as they control the food that comes into the house.  Limiting the amount of processed foods is key and providing lots of healthy options will help them to make better choices.

The way I have managed to maintain my healthier lifestyle is to cook simple dishes for myself. I am a man so simple is good!  I do pretty well eating my own dishes without adding a lot of complication to dinner time.  I make my own smoothie in the morning, take my own lunch to work, and graze on raw food throughout the day.  So when dinner time arrives I do not need a very large meal. 

I share my thoughts with the family, share examples of how much better I feel, and from time to time I mention to them what the foods they eat do to their bodies in the long run.  In the end they will remember these lessons, but it is up to them to follow them.

Finally, do not make dinnertime a time of stress!  You want the kids to feel comfortable eating as a family, and some sacrifices and compromises will need to be made.  If kids grow up resenting dinnertime that can have long term negative effects on them and may foster a bad relationship with food.  This can lead to much larger issues as they begin to see the negative effects of their lifestyle.

In the end, stay true to your beliefs; create a positive environment around food, and work hard to get them to eat healthier foods by making it fun, creative and enjoyable.

Why working out can make you fatter!

I know what you are thinking:  B.J. - you have lost your mind!   Now you’re telling me not work out?  Well not exactly….to build on my previous blog about health and fitness, I wanted to dive into an area where I think many people have it wrong.  Working out by itself will not make you lose weight. In fact - some people may actually gain a little weight.  Here are my observations and see if you can relate.

“I run to eat!” 

People think just because they run or work out, they can eat whatever they want!   Anyone ever hear of Jim Fixx?   The challenge here is that running will burn a few extra calories, but it will never overcome a bad diet.  To burn approximately 2500/3000 calories or, as some say “a pound of fat,” you would have to run the distance of a marathon – 26.2 miles!  Ready, Set, Go!   Ok, now that you are back, let me continue. 

If we use this type of logic - then we have a lot of running to do!  What is even worse is saying “I can have the extra ice cream or cookie because I do run”.  The running may help with the weight you have now, but if you are adding even more bad food choices, then you may add more weight!

“Running or working out makes you hungrier! “

This IS a problem – as you work out, your body will crave more food and calories.  If you work out and do not add the extra calories (because you are cutting back) then you will feel miserable and be very lethargic - making it even harder to continue working out.  Listen to your body, feed it when it is hungry, but do not feed it junk!

“I use Sports products to make my workouts more productive!”

This is the industry’s biggest lie and myth!  You do not need Gatorade, or power bars, or anything else for a typical 1 - 1.5 hour workout.  Our bodies are designed with about 90 minutes of pure fuel in our system.  We do not need to consume unnecessary calories through sugary sports products to get us through them.  Note – I am not referring to endurance athletes or longer workouts.  If your workouts are in the 60-90 minutes range, then all you need is water – period!!!!  Water is the best thing to take.

Have you even been to a marathon or a triathlon and seen the athletes that are at the back of the pack?  Do you not think these folks are working out on a regular basis?  Then why are they still heavy if they have been at it for a while?  It is because they have only changed one aspect of their life and not dealt with the food!

I also see a lot of people at the gym taking some protein powder or “secret” drink during their workouts.  What do they hope to accomplish?  By the time the product reaches the muscles through digestion, you are home taking a shower and the workout is finished!  Most of these products also contain sugar and chemicals which are detrimental to our health.

The lesson here is this:  do not assume that working out will overcome a bad diet.  The truth is it takes a very balanced approach.  Don’t take television shows like the “Biggest Loser” at their face value, and don’t be lured in by fitness gadgets.  Nothing worth having is ever easy and when you take short cuts - you will be disappointed in the end.

Work hard, stay committed, but do it the right way.

Top Do’s and Don’ts before a Big Race:

Do not wear new shoes!  You can buy them before the race but do not run in them during the race!

Do not try something new such as new fuel, new socks, new waist belt, etc.

Do not overeat before a race – you always hear about pasta loading but overdoing this will do nothing but send you to the port o potties on race day!

Do lay out all your gear the night before in one place – this includes shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, race bib, watch, headphones and waist belt.

Do apply glide or Vaseline very liberally on areas that tend to chaff and on your feet

Do bring an extra shirt or jacket that you can toss aside after the race begins – this will prevent you from becoming too cold before the gun!

Do not be late – this will create a lot of extra stress on race day, plan your route to the race ahead of time

Do not worry if you do not get a full night’s sleep the night before, it is ok to be nervous.  However be sure to get as much rest as possible the day leading up to the race.

Do not try and cram in extra miles days before the race, this will do nothing but make you tired and will not allow you to run on fresh legs

Do not over hydrate!  This may seem contradictory but runners tend to drink too much water before the race and then have to make multiple stops early in the race

Do start slow, even below your race pace.  Allow your body to get in a groove in the first few miles.  If you let the adrenalin take over you may find yourself too tired at the end of the race

Do smile at the cameras – show the world you are having fun and this is YOUR big day!

Do trim those toe nails days before a race, this will prevent bruising or toenail loss

Do thank the volunteers and police officers along the course, this will also help you relax

Do charge all your devices the night before – GPS, headsets, watches, phone, iPod etc.

Do bring extra clothes and shoes to change in to after the race, especially if you are staying to cheer on others

Do bring cash for parking

Why Health and Fitness are not the same!

Health is what we put into our bodies and how we live; fitness is what we do with our bodies through physical activity!

Let me explain further…..

When someone says “healthy” they should be referring to a person’s quality of nutrition - how their vital signs look, how balanced and normal their blood is, how they typically feel on a regular basis and so on.  You can be a healthy couch potato, minus the chips of course.  Health is derived by eating high quality, nutritious foods given to us by Mother Nature.  As we feed our bodies a variety of high quality natural foods, our bodies will reward us with good health, very few illnesses if any, and a long life barring any genetic issues or injuries.

Fitness is our ability to run, lift weights, perform well in sports, etc.  Fitness is derived from a high level of physical activity.  This can be achieved by doing repetitive sports or workouts, lifting weights, yoga, and many other forms of regular exercise.  The body has an amazing ability to increase endurance and increase its ability to perform at higher levels as you regularly do the sport or activity.  Fitness may also be defined by our tone and physique.

So what does this all mean to you?  You see a person at the gym and think “WOW that person is fit!” but they could have underlying issues with their health.  I personally know many people who are very active and strong, but have very poor health.  You could meet a person who can’t run a mile, but they can be very healthy on the inside and out.  We tend to think of becoming healthy by working out.  I say not so fast…..you really should be striving to have both!

By making changes in your diet you can make the fitness part easier and more rewarding.  With proper fuel for the body - your workouts can become easier, you will experience faster recovery, and your level of endurance will quickly improve.  I tend to recommend to folks that they must make changes in both areas of life.

I run across people all the time that want to lose weight and the only thing they change is their activity level.  I think going to the gym or out for a run is great, and I hope it leads to other changes, but it will not make you healthier.  Once you understand these principles then you can make more informed decision.

My own story reveals how I was able to make a lot of changes over the course of a year – both in my own health and physical endurance.  Balancing both sides of the equation made my own journey enjoyable and injury free!

The Journey to a 50K!

Photo on the left is me and Amber - to the right is from the Rock & Roll Marathon

The last 2 ½ years for me have been an amazing journey.  I have lost over 75 lbs. without dieting; I am stronger than I have ever been; and I am now an Ultra Runner!  All of this is great, but here is the rest of the story……

Running my first Marathon with Amber

Sticker next to my desk at home

In December 2012, when I was at the Dallas Marathon Expo, I ran into a few Ultra runners.  We spoke for a bit and they made it sound easy to do an Ultra!  I then purchased a 50K sticker at a booth thinking I had to put this on my bucket list of running things to do!  I posted the sticker next to my desk in my home office and I saw it every single day! 

So, since then some amazing things have happened.  When you decide to run an Ultra - you cannot do it alone - you need help.  I started to listen to podcasts, read more books on endurance athletes, and got more engaged online with fitness groups and other elite/endurance athletes.

The amazing part of the journey has been all the new friends I have made and the opportunities I have had to help other people.  When you make big lifestyle changes that people can see, or read about on Facebook, you get a lot of questions.  I started my personal blog to journal some of my activities and I created a Health and Fitness Facebook page.  I was asked to be a guest on America’s Angriest Trainer podcast with Vinnie Tortorich andAnna Vocino.  I simply had some questions for Vinnie and he wanted to interview me on his show to discuss them.  Shortly after the podcast, I joined a few others and started the Plant Powered No Sugar No Grains Facebookgroup.  Here we discuss living the NSNG lifestyle while avoiding animal products.  Locally I become more involved in our Waxahachie Runners Club.  There I was able to meet up with other local runners and train with some new running friends.

After I ran the March Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Dallas, I transitioned my training to become a “fat-adapted” athlete.  This meant slowing down my long runs and staying in Zone 2 heart rate training.  I also eliminated sugar from my fueling and started using bananas and nut butters.

In April I signed up for marathon training - again with the Jeff Galloway group in Dallas - but I already had the itch to run a summer marathon.  I found a small race in San Antonio that was occurring in early July.  I ran the “I Ran Marathon” on July 2^nd.  I PR’ed it by 30 minutes and got first place (I will admit I was the youngest of 20 or so runners that day)!

Shortly after the race, I signed up for three more races:  the San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon, the Dallas Marathon (formally White Rock), and the Fort Worth Cowtown 50K Ultra.  It is best to sign up early to get the best pricing and to get these races on your calendar.  I wanted to break the four hour time on my marathon and I figured having two races on the calendar would provide options.  I then heard about this little club called the Marathon Maniacs (thanks to Angie on Marathon Training Academy Podcast).  This is a group of runners that call themselves Marathon Maniacs after completing a set of qualifying marathons.  The minimum requirement is running three marathons in 90 days.  Since my Ultra was over 90 days past the first marathon, I needed another race.  I found that Allen (a small town north of Dallas) was hosting a marathon on New Year’s Eve and another one on New Year’s Day.  So I signed up for the New Year’s Eve race!

Allen Double Medal and Shirt

Training was going as planned and I was a guest two more times on the Angriest Trainer Podcast.  At this point I was very active in helping others with their health and fitness goals.  I ran the Dallas Running Club’s half marathon in early November with a PR time of 1:50.  This confirmed that I was ready to run a four hour Marathon!  I was so excited.

San Antonio Race week arrived.  I scheduled a few days in San Antonio prior to the race for business, and then enjoyed two restful days at the well-known Menger Hotel.  Race Day arrived and I was ready; however, Mother Nature had different plans for us runners.  The race started out very warm and humid, but the clouds were holding back the intense heat.  However, at mile 19 the sun popped out of the clouds and it reached 85 degrees.  The race entered into an open area near the river and there was NO protection from the heat.  I knew then that I was done.  All I could do was finish the race, not get hurt, and look ahead at Dallas.  While I was disappointed in the weather, I did clock my 2^nd fastest marathon time! 

Somewhere along the way I was notified about the hardware being given away at the Allen Double Marathon if you ran the race on both days!  I was excited and knew I must have that big medal, so I added the half marathon race to my schedule for New Year’s Day.  This meant I got the big medal and only had to run an additional 13 miles.  This sounded like a great idea and I knew could handle this!

Mid-December came and it was time for the Dallas Marathon; however, Mother Nature decided to hit Dallas with a crippling ice storm!  Everyone was on pins and needles.  The problem was people like me -  we would run the race whether it was safe or not.  We are just wired to not have any reasonable senses when it comes to our races.  Luckily the race was officially cancelled - it was the right thing do to.  So in a panic, I still had to get my three marathons in within 90 days.  I sent an email to the Allen Double Marathon Director that Friday and my upgrade to a Double Full Marathon was accepted.  Good news, right?  Well, kind of - I had never trained to run an Ultra event; I have never even run any long runs back-to-back.  Heck - I never did anything to prepare for this type of event!  First I had to come to terms with not breaking the four hour goal this season.  It did not make sense to try and run two marathons in two days while setting PR’s.  I had to respect the race and my own capacities.

So race day arrived!  My goal was to run a decent pace the first day, stay strong and not push too hard.  The second day was sort of a gamble - I was not sure what to expect.  I had only put in a few double runs and nothing to really count on.  The goal the second day was to finish in less than five hours.  I accomplished both goals, got the big medal, and really enjoyed the experience.  It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I was now Marathon Maniac #8433 and not only did I meet the minimum requirements - but because I ran back-to-back Marathons - I qualified as an Iridium Maniac (level 4 out of 8)!

Completing the Allen Double!!

Now I had seven weeks to prepare for the 50K (31.07 mile) Ultra.  I had the base mileage in the tank and now it was planning the ultra race strategy.  I ended up running a 31 mile training run just before my one week vacation in Maui - this was four weeks before the race.  Looking back, I should have only run 25 to 28 miles - 31 was too much.  I had some minor knee issues crop up and just never felt fully recovered from the Allen Double and this training run. 

During this period I was also a guest co-host for two episodes of Plant Run Family with Stephen Baldridge.  This is a fun podcast about training, being plant-powered, and raising a family.  It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it.  I was also a guest on the Ben Greenfield podcast.  Ben is an Endurance Athlete and Trainer and he is very well known in the Endurance sport community.

Then it was time to race the Ultra!  While I was not worried about the distance, I was worried about my goals and expectations.  It is only five more miles right?  However, you must accept the fact that the race is not the same as a marathon; this is where a runner has to reach inside himself to overcome the mental challenges.  My race plan went off without a hitch.  I completed the race five minutes over my goal and - given that it was fairly warm and sunny - I was pleased.  Recovery (as I write this) has been a little harder than I expected.  I have been to the gym a few times to work things out and I expect to close to 100% in a few days.

In the past 14 months I have logged over 1,674 miles, been going to the gym consistently four days a week, and started going to Hot Yoga once a week about eight months ago.  It is not hard when you work up to the training; my nutrition has been very critical to my success.  If you do not fuel your body to handle the load - it will break down.

What’s next…

Rest……but not too much!  I have been marathon training for over 20 months now.  I need to take some time off from the distance running to reset the body a bit and rest up.  I am not sure what races I will do yet.  I still plan to break four hours or less on my marathon time this season.  I may do another ultra event, but I will try something different - like the Capital to Coast relay.  It is 223 miles from Austin to Corpus Christi in 6 or 12 person relays.  I will do one or two marathons this year for sure.

Post Script – Here is my Ultra Race Report if you want to see the details of the experience.

The Cowtown Ultra Race Report, Running a 50K

5:19 Finishing Time

19^th out of 46 in my age division

131st out of 250 in the overall Male division

For my first 50K Ultra, my original goal was to just finish the race.  I bought a 50K sticker back in Dec 2012 before I even ran my first marathon, after a 14 year hiatus.  I knew then I wanted to do something more than just run a marathon.   As the race got closer, and after a successful back-to-back marathon, I figured I could complete the run in 5:10 to 5:15.  Given the temperature and humidity, I was not far off the goal.  I am also sure that I was not fully recovered from the double marathon seven weeks prior.

Race morning was very typical for me - coffee with coconut crème and a banana.  I brought a 2^nd coffee for the car ride and added some coconut oil to it.

For the race, I had my daughter Amber meet me along the path with my fuel.  I hate carrying a belt!!!

During the first part of the race I seemed a little sluggish.  I wondered if I ate too early or not enough because I got to the race 1 1/2 hours early and it was a one hour drive.  The course had some hills and a few road hazards, but I really enjoyed the course.  Fort Worth is full of history and the crowds were great.

The other cool part of the experience was wearing an “Ultra” sign.  Along the way I was singled out from the other runners with additional cheers and waves from the spectators.  I even ran to all the kiddos along the way giving out high fives!  You just can’t pass up the opportunity to thank the little ones out there cheering us all on.

Fueling the race:

I drank 2-3 cups of water at each water station during the race (about every 2 miles).

I took two salt sticks around mile 8/9.

I met Amber at mile 15, ate my first banana and grabbed two more salt sticks.  I also took a nut butter with me and ate it around mile 20.

I had some more banana quarters at the aid stations at mile 19 and 21.  I did refuse the beer at mile 22….and the smell was awful!

I met back up with Amber at 23.  I had just two more salt sticks to eat on the spot and a Honey Stinger to finish the race.  I won’t debate if honey is vegan or not, but it is sure healthier than GU….LOL!  I knew I would not see her again so I also traded out my Bluetooth headset.  I refused to have mine die towards the end of the race.  She asked “is that it? is that all your taking?”  I confirmed and took off!

Finishing the race:

At mile 25 the Ultra runners split off to do an out-and-back to add the additional five miles to the race.  This part of the course was different because there was hardly anyone there but the runners.  It was a path that ran along the river.  I kept a decent pace going and added in a few extra walking breaks since we were now in direct sunlight and it had reached 70 degrees.  Overall I felt pretty good and all of us on this part of the race were cheering each other on - we were part of the Ultra group!  I took the Honey Stinger around mile 27 at the water station.  I probably should have taken it sooner, but I wanted to make sure I finished strong and had water to wash it down.

At mile 30 we rejoined the other runners finishing the marathon.  I was amazed at how strong I felt compared to the other runners.  I may have had two or three people pass me, but I was passing a lot of runners along the way.  As I approached the last half-mile and could see the end, I turned it on and went blazing in to the finish.  Blazing is a relative term after running 31 miles….. This is what building a solid base will do for a runner.

In the end I have no regrets.  It has been amazing journey.  I never thought after deciding to run an ultra a year ago that I would end up running four marathons in between.  Going fat-adapted and being plant-powered has made a huge difference in my racing and I am ready for the next challenge.  Most people cannot believe it is possible to run such long distances on so little food!  This year I will be focused on speed, but don’t rule out another ultra-event….I have a few ideas I am entertaining right now.