What a difference a good breakfast makes…

Thursday morning was a rest day for me, so I slept in an extra hour, getting up at 6 AM instead of 5 AM.  It was nice to take my dog for a walk and not rush to leave my place to drop him off for day care. 

In the interest of getting to work earlier than I normally, I do I rushed through my morning routine and didn’t have my usual breakfast of 4 eggs, spinach, and bit of protein delivered through a whey powder.  I instead opted to eat a balance bar.  Not a good idea.

I have balance bars because I like to eat something before my morning Crossfit workouts yet I have a hard time eating any normal food, as it makes me feel heavy, or I find myself burping and farting the entire time, something my 6AM brethren wouldn’t appreciate.  It’s one thing to be the fat guy, but to be the smelly fat guy is a whole another imposition. 

I started eating before my workouts after reading the article linked here by Clarence Bass.  Clarence sites a study done by Syracuse University revealed that when subjects consumed protein and carbohydrates prior to a workout that they increase their Resting Energy Expenditure (the amount of energy required to live, and includes the energy required to rebuild muscle), and a decrease in the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (a ratio which measures the amount of oxygen inhaled to the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled, it tells you whether carbohydrates or fat is burning to supply energy, the lower the ratio the higher the fat burn). 

The conclusion, pre-workout consumption of the right amount of Protein and Carbohydrates and you increase the calorie and fat burn.

So back to my lesson of the day, balance bars have been my non paleo choice of a pre-workout snack.  So I figured no biggy today I will use it as my breakfast. 

The entire day yesterday I found myself with the urge to snack, and I was constantly hungry, but not hungry in a visceral physical sense of fucking feed me now, but more of a I don’t feel so hot so let me eat more shit.  Fortunately I have been carrying around a couple bags of proportioned nuts, hardboiled eggs, and a couple pieces of fruit.

Yesterday was the first day I went through all of my snacks, and even bought a bag of New Family Kale Crisps, which are supposedly dried kale with Paprika and other spices.  They taste good, and with the price being $6.50 a bag it makes you stop and ask if you really want to eat some because who the fuck spends $7.00 on a snack food item…or you may only experience this if you are Korean.

By 6 PM yesterday I had eaten my two catalyst meals, all of my proportioned snacks, a bag of Kale Chips, and I was still hungry.  It may just be coincndinese, that the first day I felt like devouring everything around me was the day I didn’t have a proper breakfast, or it could also be that I’ve been exhausted the last week, and just now starting to feel better. 

I would have thought the exhaustion played a role, but I’ve gotten two straight nights 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.   I for now will choose to make sure I eat a normal breakfast even on my off days.

12/16/2011 Workout Recap

When I read last nights WoD for today, I thought, oh great 5 rounds with 4 minutes of rest between each round.  I knew that I should temper my feelings of joy, because WoD’s that give you rest between rounds or work are normally there for a reason.

•  WoD 5 Rounds
• 1 Minute Row for Calories
• 1 Minute Thrusters with 40 lbs Dumbbells
• 4 Minutes Rest

Round 1

During the first round, I thought this isn’t so bad, I’m going to do well today.  At the end of the first minute of rowing, I felt good.  The thrusters weren’t so bad, except for my left groin feeling tight. 

End round one 20 Calories, 13 Thrusters

Round 2

When I started the second round I still felt good, and I pushed a little harder on the rowing.  When I started the thrusters, I decided I want to just keep moving.

End round two 22 Calories, 14 Thrusters

Round 3

At the start of round three, I could feel in my legs that the rowing was doing it’s damage.  I had to concentrate on pulling to get a full extension, and the last 10 seconds were tough.  When I started the thrusters I set a goal of 15 reps having done 14 the previous round, I was barely able to get 13.

End round three 21 Calories, 13 reps.

Round 4

At the start of round four, I told Chesley who was working next to me that this was the suck round.  The rowing was awful, the last 30 seconds I had to give everything I could to make up for the first 30 seconds which sucked.   When I started the thrusters my legs were sore, and trying to do the thrusters became difficult, I had to do sets of 3, and was able to complete 11 reps.

End round four 21 Calories, 11 reps.

Round 5

At the start of round five, I went for broke on the rowing, which netted me a whole 1 extra calorie from my highest round.  I was trying so hard to get to 25 total, but 23 is all I could muster.  The final round of thrusters was like trying to pull myself out of a sand trap without any arms.  I’m sure a few times the 40 lbs dumbbell was wavering off to the side.

End of round five 23 calories, 14 reps.

My grand total for the WoD 172 Rx bitch, that’s right it was prescribed.  I now have half a dozen WoD’s finished as prescribed.  I am the man, and you suck.  No…actually proving that I am not really Asian I incorrectly wrote 150 on the whiteboard. 

In maintaining my breakfast routine I had 4 eggs with spinach, but was given a surprise when I cracked open the big egg and found two yolks.  Started the morning with a prescribed WoD and a second yolk in my egg, Damn Right It Was A Good Day.