Komi

We went to Komi for B's birthday. It was a wondrous experience.

Here is B in Komi Lala-Land just following the main course, which was a side of goat. Or something like that.

What I enjoyed most about our experience wasn't the food alone. It was literally everything about the evening. From the moment our server (we had multiple, kind of like everyone does everything type of deal) told us "we have no menus, so just sit back and relax while we cook for you all night" (they ask for dietary restrictions when you make the reservation, which MUST be a month in advance!), I knew it was going to be a glorious night. Lovely wine, fabulous company and a very laid back ambiance made for a perfect evening.

But yes, the food was incredible. Some of the major stand-outs were the pork belly, scallops (a number of different preparations), the salted caramel (holy COW - heavenly) ... and the goat. Said goat kind of sums up why I feel Komi does in fact deserve its #1 ranking. It was just entirely unexpected. It literally fell off the bone, and the accompanying sauces/goodies were so perfect...but honestly, I just loved the simplicity of the whole thing. It was like good old North Carolina BBQ...if North Carolina BBQ suddenly turned Greek. You know what I'm sayin', right?

Speaking of NC BBQ - Chapel Hill this weekend! And the OBX all of next week! Life is good. G-O-O-D. I also start working at Conte's tomorrow. Believe it. Come visit and buy lots of things. On that note, a parting gift. It was a moment of weakness.

Tour Champion - Cannondale from Peter Nicoll on Vimeo.

Wone

Did anyone else follow this trial? HOLY COW I cannot believe they all got off.

So Reston Was Fun.

I love that course. LOVE it. I came in 5th. Felt like crap the entire time. I have a number of excuses, but I shall refrain from listing them. Won a really sweet red backpack full of things I will never use but probably should. Thank you LP for sharing this lovely photo of me. I look super special.

Anywho, props again to the IVs who stuck it out - I think we started with around 30, and maybe half of that ended up finishing. Fun race. Next up will be our Giro...perhaps I should start riding my bike for a bit longer every now and again.

Thoughts on Soy

One of the (many) reasons I stopped eating processed foods was because I eliminated soy from my diet. I believe I've mentioned before that I think soy sucks. Here is a quickie link that further discusses the matter: Westin A Price Foundation (thanks to the cat who directed me to that site, btw!). But for me, soy was one of the ingredients that appeared to be messing up my tum. So away it went, and along with it everything between the dairy and produce aisles at Whole Foods.

Seriously. If you ever take a gander at the ingredient labels on "organic" or "natural" processed foods (cereals, bread, crackers, cookies, frozen dinners, soup, and so on and so forth....) I would be surprised if soy (in some way, shape or form) didn't pop up as the first or second or third ingredient. I used to swear by Kashi products...until I realized that all it is is puffed up soy. Sorry Kashi.

Granted, soy is a good source of protein, and if you don't eat meat/chicken/fish and you get sick of beans, I suppose this can be an option (if soy doesn't upset your stomach). But I would opt for it in it's least processed form (edamame - baby soybeans, perhaps?). Make sure it's cooked, however...apparently it's toxic to humans in raw form (from wikipedia: For human consumption, soybeans must be cooked with "wet" heat in order to destroy the trypsin inhibitors (serine protease inhibitors). Raw soybeans, including edamame, are toxic to humans, swine, chickens, in fact, all monogastric animals.^[12]). Tofu and tempeh and all the other faux "meats" are easier to digest, but they are out for me...since they are primarily just versions of congealed soy. I'd rather have an egg! Yum, I heart eggs.

Required Reading

1. The Paleo Diet for Athletes - Dr. Loren Cordain & Joel Friel

• Why? Learn how to make your own homebrew for post-ride recovery. Way better than any store-bought shenanigans.
• On top of that, while normal Paleo Diet peeps don't eat any grains, the PD for Athletes does encourage ingesting whole grains in your recovery phases. So that's good news for you gluten-loving peeps.

2. Racing Weight - Matt Fitzgerald

• Why? For those of you who are curious how many grams of protein, carbs, fats, total calories, etc...you should be taking in based on your weight and training volume, he has the answers. There is, however, something to be said for just eating according to the way your body feels - as long as you are getting the right ratio of carbs/fats/proteins in your diet. Just ask Nell. Love her blog & she is a Paleo Purist.

3. The End of Overeating - Dr. David Kessler, MD

• Thank you KenBob for recommending. This book will make you never want to eat at Chiles, TGIFridays or Applebees again. But why would go there in the first place? I digress. But seriously, ick. It may also make you feel kinda bad about eating at fancy restaurants too.
• This cat was the FDA commissioner under Bush and was instrumental in the new nutrition labeling regulation on food. He kinda knows a lot.
• I should add...there is room in everyone's diet for a splurge here and there. Especially if you ride your bike for 7 hours on the same day. You shouldn't feel badly about eating a really crazy good dinner or sweet that you totally enjoy. But only do it every once in awhile. This book explains why it's so hard to only splurge every once in awhile (for some people)...that the way certain foods (fast food, for example) are processed and prepared makes it such that your body is wired to overeat it. Ack! Scary.

I am also currently reading Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain. Loved his first book, Kitchen Confidential. This book is way different, but still highly entertaining. More on that in a subsequent post.

Oh My...

Just came across this total gem. I realize that you can't believe everything you read on the internet, I do. But I've read enough (and learned from other reliable sources) to know that this cat is spot on. Even the eating protein before bed part. Plus, I got the link from a nutritionist I trust. Yes, what he's telling us sounds like a lot of work, and it is. But riding your bike is hard work too, no? Why wouldn't you go for that extra edge?

In other news, I learned today that taking calcium and iron at the same time inhibits the iron absorption. Drat. This is the liquid iron supplement I take, btw...thank you Katie for recommending!

I should add...that I am also getting tested for anemia by my doc, just to be certain. I have been anemic in the past (common in women endurance athletes) and had success with a supplement. In the meantime, I am not taking a full dose...and am adding more lean red meat into my diet. Important! Real food is always better than any supplement.

New Discovery

As I may have mentioned once or twice or thrice...I don't do lactose. Which means I don't do milk, of any kind.

Until...now! Very exciting moment. But first...a little history. I have experimented in the past with soy milk and almond milk, but processed soy sucks (and is no longer a part of my diet) and almond milk just didn't do it for me taste or consistency-wise. Neither of these products do much in the nutrient department, either.

So now, let me introduce to you...hemp milk. Yes, crazy! But true. I found a brand at WF that I really like - it's Living Harvest's "tempt." How playful of them. Anywho, it tastes delicious (in my opinion) and is packed with goodies.

1 cup is only 70 calories, and while it does have less protein than skim milk and soy milk, it has way less sugar and far more healthy fats - the hard-to-get Omega 3 and 6 fatty cids that are so critical to functioning like a human. It's also:

DAIRY & SOY FREE • VEGAN • TREE NUT FREE • GLUTEN FREE
CHOLESTEROL FREE • NON-GMO • KOSHER • LOW SODIUM
Hemp contains no known allergens

Ingredients Hemp Nut Base (Filtered Water, Hemp Nut [Shelled Hemp Seed]), Natural Flavors, Tricalcium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12.

And no, it doesn't get you high...there is no THC in the products at all.

I use it in smoothies and you can also use it in place of regular milk for cooking and baking! Haven't experimented with that just yet, but will report back.

Dynamic Duo

Heal fast guys, thinking of you both. Mabra misses you!

'scream

I would like to know if it is going to rain all day or not so I can get my butt on the bike. Or maybe I should just stop being a wuss and ride. Anywho...

I gave Arctic Zero a whirl the other night. I liked the idea of being able to eat the entire pint and not then feel like a total cow, plus the minimal ingredients seemed Meg-friendly (even though it's processed...gluten-free, and "lactose-intolerant friendly" - whatever that means). However...I have a sneaking suspicion that this product MIGHT be too good to be true.

About 130 calories total for the entire pint. Yet...

From AZ's site:

Is the Arctic Zero calorie count off? How does one serving of a pint of “Chocolate” provide 32 calories per serving when it has 11 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein?

We get the standard 4 calories per gram nutrition question several times a day. Per the FDA requiring us to do so, we have to list total carbs on the label regardless of whether they have an impact. In addition to our proprietary ingredients, we also utilize the patented Whey Low sweetener that has been on the market for more than a decade. Whey Low has 75% fewer calories than traditional sugar, because only 25% is absorbed by the body and it has a 70-80% lower glycemic index to boot.

Huh? I don't get it. But in any case, this product destroyed my stomach. I shall not be buying it again. Shoulda known. Too many different "gums" in the ingredient list.

INSTEAD....I need to share with you the most glorious dessert I've ever experienced. This is literally the BEST THING EVER. Seriously, best. I usually add a frozen stawb or two, a little avocado (love the creamy texture) and some apples on top for added crunch. Way better than any store-bought ice cream.

Okay, must get on bike.

Listening to the Bod

I've been trying to get this post together for awhile. I think I've finally got it.

I've been on a mission to pay attention to the way my body feels. I've really been listening hard. It's quite amazing what I've learned from it!

I used to overtrain like a madwoman. When I first got into cycling about a year and a half ago (post triathlon days), I would go out on group rides almost daily, get my butt kicked, and then do it again the next day. I never gave myself time to recover, rarely took a day off and generally just suffered through the workouts - because I thought it's what I needed to get stronger. I was out of shape, having come off of a bout with mono (worst EVER, btw) and about 10 lbs heavier. I thought you were supposed to lose weight on mono. BOO MONO. Anywho, I digress. The point is, it took me a really ridiculously long while to come to terms with the fact that more + harder + all the time certainly does not = better. I was tired and hungry 24/7 and only near the end of last summer did I start to see any significant improvement in my riding, namely due to some of the weight coming off.



At the same time, I was eating whatever the eff I wanted...and my stomach was a total disaster area. I was stressed from work and travel, and my sleep was extremely sub-par. Combine all of those factors - and my bod was screaming at me to lay the heck off. It wasn't until after cross season that I finally began to listen.

I started to change my diet, slowly but surely...eliminating dairy, then soy, then grains...and starting in March of this year, I pretty much stopped eating anything processed. My stomach did a 180. It wasn't overnight, but I am about 100% happier in the gut region than I have ever been in my entire life. Meanwhile, after a very thorough round of tests by my doctor, I found I was deficient in magnesium, of all things, as well as iron. Rather than blindly taking supplements, I decided to track how low I was on a day-to-day basis.

I use www.fitday.com, and I really like it. You do have to be fairly precise with what you eat, and I'm sure it's still not super accurate. But what I found was that my iron, calcium and vitamin E were way below the RDA every single day. Low iron often means low energy and crappy workouts...calcium is obviously critical to building and maintaining strong bones as well as muscle contraction. Kind of important. Magnesium plays a crucial role in our systems as well - who knew? - it's involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the bod.

More on magnesium, from wikipedia: "Spices, nuts, cereals, coffee, cocoa, tea, and vegetables are rich sources of magnesium. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach are also rich in magnesium as they contain chlorophyll which is rich in magnesium. Observations of reduced dietary magnesium intake in modern Western countries as compared to earlier generations may be related to food refining and modern fertilizers which contain no magnesium.[17]"

I eat a ton of spinach & veggies and drink coffee every day - but I still wasn't coming anywhere near the RDA. I now take a calcium supplement that also has magnesium in it, a gluten-free liquid iron supplement...and I'm kinda sorta taking a fish oil capsule, but it tastes like fish and I definitely don't like it. I need to do more research on it as well before I commit.

As far as training goes, I am much more generous with my days off. Some weeks I even take three days off, if I feel I really need it. And I never go super hard more than 3 days a week. One thing I still need to master: carb intake. I am often really lethargic during the day or on rides due to my lower carb intake (product of a gluten-free diet...my carbs come from yams, fruits & veggies - and it's really hard to get to the 350 grams/day Matt Fitzgerald recommends as a minimum for my weight and the amount I train. If you haven't yet read it, Matt's book, Racing Weight is phenomenal - a post to come on that one of these days).

Anyway, the moral of the story: just for kicks, pay attention to your body if you don't already do so. I feel better than I have in a very, very long time, although I still have a ways to go when it comes to riding. But I see progress, I do! Put good stuff in your body, and you'll produce good stuff, me thinks. Or something like that.

Shakes

A few things on shakes.

1. Shakes are awesome. I have one almost every day for a snack.

2. I mix some kind of fruit (frozen bananas are always in there, plus maybe bluebs or strawbs or cantaloupe - YUM), egg whites in place of protein powder (the kind in the carton from Whole Foods - I go through WAY too many of these a week...I don't use protein powder b/c it has a ton of calories and I've never really found one I like, although Matt Fitzgerald suggests whey protein is best), some kind of veg (spinach, swiss chard, kale, cuc), Honest Tea unsweetened green tea, water, ice and BOOOM...best shake ever.

3. Here is a great little list for making your own best shake ever: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/super-shake-creation

4. Wonji Juice just opened up a little juice bar at the Whole Foods in Glover Park. I tried a Green Goddess yesterday - kale, parsley, cucs, broccoli, pear, pineapple & lemon. It was greenlish-ous. I am thinking about getting a juicer. Seems to be the thing to do these days.

Sally Ride

I believe it was on the last lap that I realized the name of the road was Sally Ride. Probably should have been more focused on NOT blowing up on the final straightaway. But anywho. Great race, good times, good girls out there. Love the MABRA cat IV scene these days.

Digging this photo - credit Lesley Olson.

Strawbs

Can't wait to figure out what to do with these! All of these plus a huge zuchinni...$13.00 at Homestead Farms. Pretty good deal, me thinks!

PS Droid phone pics will just have to do.

Zuppa!

I am thrilled to report that my CSA share started up this week! My fabulous teammate, Lindsey, suggested I split a Waterpenny Farm share with her this year, and I concurred. We picked up our first delivery on Wednesday, and I've been having way too much fun in the kitchen ever since.

Firstly, ground turkey "tacos." I have a borderline obsession with Cholula hot sauce, and thus most things I make must blend well with said ingredient. I cooked up some fresh ground turkey, peppers and mushrooms, added the hot sauce, and wrapped them up in the ginormous lettuce leaves (part of the CSA). Side of avocado. It was a filling yet light and refreshing meal, and perfect for us grain-free humans!

Secondly, garlic scapes! I'd never heard of these before, but they are the tops of garlic bulbs and look like chives (which is actually what they taste like). Brian and I sauteed some of these up with lemon & olive oil, added our fresh asparagus (CSA) - and it was literally the best asparg I've ever had. So crunchy and clean-tasting. We also pan seared some of the Whole Foods frozen scallops with turkey bacon to go along with, atop fresh CSA spinach. Quite enjoyable.

Currently, I'm experimenting with a gazpacho/blended salad concept that is shockingly delightful on a day like today. I combined baby carrots, the ginormous lettuce leaves, garlic scapes, avocado, mushrooms, salt & pepper, about a cup or two of water...and voila. Chilled gazpacho/blended salad goodness. I added some Cholula to spice it up a bit, which balanced things out quite nicely.

One of these days I'll get a new camera.

In other news, first race since BikeJam this weekend - Ride Sally Ride. Looking forward to it. I think I am still recovering from last Saturday's 7 am ride, however. Hm.

In closing, go get yunself a CSA share!