When people decide that they want to lose some body fat this is often initiated by an emotional decision.
Maybe they’ve seen a picture of themselves they don’t like.
Maybe they can’t look at themselves in the mirror naked.
Maybe they feel self conscious on the start line in their wetsuit.
From there they are super motivated, slash calories, stop eating the foods they like, go hungry, feel guilty, feel miserable and lose some weight.
It’s not a good life though and certainly not one that is worth living for the long term.
This combined with the often excessive aerobic exercise which is necessary for triathlon performance, leads to a chronic state of stress.
I’ve harped on in the past about how this negatively effects weight loss but far more importantly than this, it can ruin our health.
Do you get a ill a lot?
This could be the problem.
Think of the stereotypical stressed out person………
Perhaps they are a businessperson in their mid forties with a couple of kids.
They need to lose a couple of stone.
They already feel like they don’t have enough hours in a day.
They eat on the go – lots of pasta and the odd takeaway.
A couple of bottles of wine at the weekend.
They then decide to train for a triathlon – that will get them fit!
This doesn’t address the problem though, it just adds to the stress – how can they possibly train 6+ times a week?
They can’t.
Quite simply they need to get a few things in order first.
They need to get in control and stop being reactive to their surroundings and environment.
How?
– Yes, they need a plan
– Yes, they need to be organised
But what about their mentality, their mindset?
That is where they can get real control and where everything else will fall into place.
If you feel like this is you, like you are struggling, you need to make time to get in control, time to actively relax.
You can call it meditation or whatever you like – here is my suggestion.
Find some quite space everyday – I think the car can be good.
Put your phone on aeroplane mode and sit with a straight spine.
Take 3 deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth with your eyes gently closed.
Then imagine breathing in calm, strength, power or whatever you like – basically the good stuff.
Then focus on breathing out the bad stuff like stress.
This will sound a little wishy washy for some of you but ask yourself these questions:
“Are you doing everything to be the best you can?”
“Have you achieved your training/physiological goals?”
“Are you truly happy?”
If the answer to any of these is NO – then this could be a missing piece in your puzzle.
LINK:
This quick video helps explain it a little further:
RECIPE:
The worlds easiest, quickest and pretty tasty pudding.
100g of fage full fat greek yogurt
1/2 scoop of chocolate whey protein – http://tidd.ly/1fb370dc
Some shavings of 85% green and blacks organic chocolate
Yum Yum.
Jamie “just chillin” Leighton