TWT Day 12

Day 12...hardest day yet!!!!!

Food for today

Breakfast

2 egg omelette

Lunch

2 roast chicken legs approx 200g each

Dinner

450g pork belly with 300g broccoli and 60g cheese

Snacks

25g mixed nuts
50g cheese
250ml almond milk

Today was tough I nearly caved today it's payday and on payday we always treat ourselves to a takeaway or drinks or both

I had a early finish from work and was doing some shopping and then met my wife and the kids on the park and I was the one trying to convince her for a chinese takeaway (no rice and an omelette as main) but normally we have soup,prawn crackers and salt and pepper chicken wings (they were mentioned as well) I pushed a bit but eventually her and her friends convinced me otherwise and I feel better for not caving in

It's easy to start this test and it can be hard but it helps having supportive people around you (my family,friends and people on the group) I'm 2 days away from finishing and I would be so angry as myself if I'd have given in

It was hard today but I got through it

Thanks for reading

TWT Day 11

Day 11

Normality ensues again I'm so used to it now I take less snacks each day as I'm not hungry and craving anything

Food for today

Breakfast

2 boiled eggs

Lunch

300g broccoli and stilton soup

Snacks

Mixed nuts 50g
100g celery
20ml coconut oil in 300ml fresh coffee

Dinner (after running)

221g lettuce with 100g of tomato,100g cucumber,25g cheese with 125ml of sour cream

I'm not having to keep myself hungry like the beginning of the test I had my eggs at 7.45 and wasn't hungry for my dinner I ate because of the timing of my breaks in work so it's nice not to crave food

Running again....as I type this ouch

Did 10 miles last night on a fairly flat route did another 10.5 tonight on a not so flat route my legs are shredded but needed the back2back for my body to adjust.

I wasn't in the mood all day kept debating putting it off and going on Sunday but I stuck to my guns and it was really enjoyable I did a new route (which always helps as you're exploring or in my case getting lost) it was 3-4 miles there then a 3 mile loop x 2 then 3ish back as my legs died I stopped the Garmin at 10.5 and used the last 1.4 as cool down, I've also been increasing my warm up to the 15 + mins advised something I didn't do previously and enjoying it so far

3 days of the test left and payday tomorrow so got my shopping list ready can't wait to start cooking more ideas and adding foods in and seeing where my tolerance is

Thanks again for reading

TWT Day 10

Day 10

Running today...

Food for today

Breakfast

Broccoli 250g with 100g beansprouts two eggs and 20g cheese (I'm in more veg for breakie atm)

Lunch

Olives in lime and coriander dressing

Dinner

121g steak with 2 peppers and 2 onions cooked in EVOO with paprika and 75ml of Sour Cream

Snacks (after running)

25g Mixed Nuts
300g broccoli with 10og beansprouts 25g cheese and 75ml sour cream

Been a good day again today I'm adapting more everyday checking things I'm preparing for what I can add back in but looking forward to doing it gradually and creating foods that work for me

So I went running again did 10 miles as those who follow me on Strava can see and it was really good bit of aching towards the end and while pace was slower than January for the same loop I enjoyed it and it was consistent I've started listening to Endurance Planet podcasts (Ask The Coaches more so) on my runs and these give a lot of insight in MAF and different scenarios - I'd recommend it

I hoping for another 10 miles or little more tomorrow train myself for running on tired legs in prep for my Ultra

Thanks for reading again

TWT Day 9

Day 9

Not really much to report today no issues it's becoming normality and while food can be limited (payday awaits) with better planning from the beginning of the month it will be easier and much more food variety

Food for today

Breakfast

250g broccoli with 100g beansprouts  (surreal having veg for breakie but set me up well for the day)

Lunch

300g homemade broccoli and stilton soup

Dinner

212g Iceberg Lettuce 100g tomato 84g brie

Snacks

50g ham shank
40g peanut butter

Today seemed to go faster than most days there was less focus on planning my meals the first week is about adapt I would say my mind is already adapted my body is catching up, I'm already looking at food ideas for the future but changing things for the better can I make muffins with the kids yes but using wholemeal flour etc trying to find the best version of what I can eat.

So tomorrow and Thursday are running days...no pressure this time just 10 miles each day start the Ultra training off with a bang

Thanks for reading

TWT Day 8

Day 8.......so I've lasted a week another one to go and I'm excited for it

Today was temptation overload I've been to Blackpool with my wife,kids and her friend and her two boys

For those not from the UK... Blackpool is seaside town famous for it's Tower and Fair and typical seaside food hotdogs,donuts,ice cream, fish and chips,burgers etc all the food I can't eat

Food for today

Breakfast

2 boiled eggs and 30g of Brie

Lunch

250g mince with 90g mixed salad leaves,150ml sour cream 25g cheese 100g tomato

Dinner

Mixed Olives
King Prawns in lime and coriander dressing

Snacks

50g Mixed Nuts
Seafood Sticks (processed I know but only realised afterwards)

It wasn't that tough today overall just surreal I'm so used to being worse than the kids and craving all that type of food and getting it lol but I just didn't think about it you walk past hundreds of places selling the same things and it just wasn't an issue

It took a bit of clever timing I have my lunch at 11.30 while the kids were playing in arcade so I wasn't hungry while everyone had food including chips and mash etc not eating while other people eat aswell if strange but I fed my daughter (that's always fun haha)

Dinner was a struggle as we were planning on going KFC so I started doing my research in can I have anything I'd settled on salad with chicken but the chicken contains wheat flour and I was toying with the decision I'd half decided to have it and then fully decided not to and we couldn't go anyway, so of to a supermarket for tea and hoping for cooked chicken (no luck) and the pre packaged one most of them had rice flour in so that's a no no hence the olives and seafood.

I've enjoyed today and while not fully being tempted by things I'm sticking to my guns if asked and checking labels before hand to make sure it's suitable a practice that will become more important when adding food back in as I'll be working out what brings back my symptoms

Thanks for reading

TWT Day 7

Day 7...was interesting today

Food choices

Breakfast

2 eggs fried with 200g mushrooms and 20g cheddar cheese

Lunch

250g homemade broccoli and stilton soup

Dinner

Roast Carvery (Pork, Turkey, Beef 50g each) Veg (Carrots and Swede (Turnip),Parsnips,Green Beans, Cauliflower and Broccoli, Fried Onions,Cabbage) about 200g each maybe less

Snacks

25g mixed nuts

So after my dinner I had a symptom return I felt tired and sluggish and ended up falling asleep for 15-20 mins this was quite normal pre TWT after a heavy carb based meal, I think it was down to the parsnips and swede,

I was trying to look up if it was allowed but poor internet where I was eating so made a decision and while not the wrong one it made me question things slightly

Can I stick at this for another week or longer when adding things in?

Can I cut out things that I like such as pizza,ice cream and a meal out or takeaway etc

The answer is yes I don't miss that stuff I'm happy eating this way and while looking forward to adding foods back in if I want pizza I'll make one with wholemeal flour or buy/make proper ice cream it's about making healthier choices and finding the fun in food again I got so much enjoyment from making a soup last night it was so simple I've always liked cooking but this if different and if I slip that's fine it's about it being the exception to the rule not the normality

I thought I had ruined the test but after a few comments I'm sticking with it

Thinking about it I could put it down to a few things definitely higher carbs in parsnips compared to other veg almost double a carrot but I've not ate that amount of carbs from veg that I ate today since starting the test it was about double so it might be my body just reacting.

Also I was up quite late last night 1.30am and while I woke this morning feeling rested and ready for the day it could have caught up with me.

The one plus from this is my symptom went away almost instantly I had my sleep then 10 mins later I was fine energy levels were normal previously I would have been sluggish all day and yawning and tired I'm sat here typing this feeling the same as I did when I woke up so the test is working.

Even more fun tomorrow trip to the seaside...temptation everywhere but I'm prepapred

Thanks for reading

TWT Day 6

Day 6

MAF Test...yay then nay....then well stop overthinking it!!!

It was horrible 4.7 miles of stopping and starting HR up to 160s and 170s then down to 140s, I was up early enough gave the kids their breakfast had a fresh coffee with coconut oil and out the door

Everything was just slow and sluggish didn't enjoy it but had it happening differently in my head, I posted early re possible diminishing returns and got some good answers I think I already knew deep down it would be tough today but I was hoping I would have been better than my last MAF test but there's plenty of time for that my body and energy systems are adapting it's the TWT not 5 day test!

Food for today

Breakfast

Coffee with 20g of coconut oil (blended)

2 egg muffins (after my run)
Another coffee (no CO)

Lunch

120g fresh chicken

Dinner

250g mince, 50g mushrooms, 20g onion cooked with spices for healthy lettuce burritos with 150ml sour cream 300g lettuce, 100g tomato and 64g cheese (was really nice)

Snacks

Brocolli and Stilton soup 300g (homemade)
15g Peanut Butter

Overall good day getting some good food ideas to continue with after the test quite cheap and easy to make,taste great and healthy