Quick Start Apps for Getting Into Shape

Seems the smartphone is the new computer. You are no one if you don’t have one. In fact, many Millennials have indicated they would give up their car before they give up their smartphone!! Thank you Steve Jobs!! 😉

I’ve been playing with a few Apps as I begin my new chapter in multisport and wanted to share some of the ones I really dig. So, in no particular order:

Lose It: While there are numerous Apps out there which allow you to track nutrition, Lose It! is by far my most favorite. The UI is brilliant, the database is nearly complete, and I love the “scan barcode” function. You can even set a weight goal and the daily calorie count will automatically adjust. So far, I’ve lost 8 pounds with this app.
EveryMove: Earning rewards for your workouts is nothing new, it has been around for a few years. GymPact and AchieveMint are the real pioneers. However, I fell in love with Every Move recently and have been earning rewards happily ever since. Instead of cash, you earn discounts with online retailers, usually in the 10%-30% range. I recently saved $24 when I earned a Reward for Kaidel Sportswear and purchased a stylish new cycling jersey. You can also view a Leaderboard of how you perform in relation to other people your age or other people in your City. Very cool!
FitDeck: When looking for inspiration for a workout at the gym, FitDeck provides a simple package of workout flash cards conveniently located on your smartphone. I found these guys originally on an episode of Shark Tank. My experience has been with the Bodyweight deck, which includes Pushups, Bear Crawls, Lunges, and Planks, to name a few. It provides an illustration of how to do the movement with suggested intervals/counts. The shuffle feature allows the user to create a random workout at the click of a button. Other “decks” are available for purchase including Yoga, Vertical Jump, and Core Blast. Way cool!!

While the App universe is full of millions of Apps which claim to help you achieve fitness, the three listed above are proven to work based on my experience with them. As always, consult with a doctor before starting any workout routine or altering your diet. Happy Getting into Shape!

Triathlon Training Dashboard: Chart Two

In my first installment on the topic of creating a triathlon training dashboard, I discussed a few issues surrounding the data, some challenges with metrics such as tracking intensity and some feedback on a popular online workout tracking solution.

In the time since I published the last post, an entire triathlon season has gone by and I am a little more experienced on the fitness and triathlon analytics front. So much so, I created TrainingMetrix, LLC, a company dedicated to producing simple, yet sophisticated, analytics for athletes, triathletes, beginners, and anyone interested in fitness analytics in general.

The Purpose

Now that the shameless plug for my company has been accomplished, let’s get back to our second installment of building a training dashboard in Excel. The concept behind chart two is simply a check to see if the amount of time you are investing per day to accomplish your goals is appropriate. The question is, “How much time am I investing each day toward my triathlon goals?”

The Chart

Chart two for the triathlon training dashboard is “Average Workout Time Per Week” seen below:

As you can see, the data shows that I only spend about 20 minutes per day training. What does this mean? Well, it means that my triathlon goal is only worth 20 minutes per day to me, at least according to my actual time since August 1.

Chart in Context

Of course, the question will come up regarding how much time should I spending working out per week? For a full distance triathlon, such as an Olympic, about 12 hours per week is normal. This translates to 1:42:51 per day. Compare this to my 0:20:26 average and it is clear that I won’t be finishing any Olympic distance triathlons anytime soon and the goal is to start increasing the daily workout time to a minimum sprint distance of 8:00:00 per week or 1:08:34 per day.

Note that I have not created a stacked series by sport, I am only looking at overall time per week. The high level metric wouldn’t show the same meaning broken down by sport, which make it difficult to conclude “yes” or “no” to the question of investment. In the context of sport, the “Weekly Training Summary” chart I discussed in the first installment is appropriate for more detailed sport analysis.

But Wait…

But, you might asking yourself why the “Weekly Training Summary” chart I presented in the first part of this series wouldn’t accomplish the same task. I thought about this as well and I think both charts deliver separate meaning. The Weekly Training Summary chart gives perspective on where I am spending time and how it is trending over time against distance. The “Average Workout Time Per Week” chart takes a simpler approach by asking “how much time am I investing in my training on a daily basis.” Both are similar, but they tell different stories.

The Next Installment Is…

With TrainingMetrix coming up to speed and I continue to experiment with fitness and workout analytics, there is a lot on this topic still to come. In fact, I would like to address the issue of tracking workout intensity over time in a simple, yet sophisticated way that anyone can do without expensive software.

Until later… Happy Triathloning!

Survey: Triathlon Training Solutions

One thing that is near and dear to my heart is analytics. The second thing that is near and dear to my heart is triathlon. What happens when you put the two together? Triathlon analytics that can be applied to race results, triathlon training and nutrition.

It is such a fascinating topic to me that I recently created a solution called TrainingMetrix, which is still under development. One of the goals of TrainingMetrix is to produce the best triathlon training analysis solution that gives you the feedback to perform. I call it focused performance.

If you currently track workouts and nutrition via a 3rd party online solution, Excel, or just a simple notebook, please take the following survey (via SurveyMonkey): Triathlon Workout Tracking Survey. The information will help me create the next generation solution that will help you perform your best.

Cheers!

Simple Nutrition for Athletes?

Is there such a thing as simple nutrition for athletes? Is is possible to break nutrition and the need to fuel properly down to one or two rules?

I am a huge fan of K.I.S.S., not the band, but the saying “Keep It Simple Stupid.” But, the books I’ve read regarding nutrition for athletes, endurance or otherwise, talk a lot about what type of nutrients are needed and when. Reading these books was a lot like reading science experiment written by someone who had forgotten what English was, replaced with technical garble.

So, I was overwhelmed with the thought of getting the exact amount of protein for my body at just the right time. Let’s not forget that I am an overworked Analyst by day and I don’t have much time to spend buying food, cooking, and eating in addition to the job, triathlon training, and rest of life. As much as I tried to make it work, it was just too complicated for this triathlete.

I even tried the paleo diet for a while and have to say that it made life a lot worse. While it was simple, the complexity in carrying out the diet while at work and with busy weekends just couldn’t work for me. The paleo diet eliminated some foods that were okay by some diets and were convenient for busy people like me.

So, is there such a thing as simple nutrition for athletes? If we strip away the metabolic typing, the protein and carb calculators, and even the calorie counting bank recording calories in versus out, what is left? In my opinion, there is a lot left that can be considered simple nutrition for athletes. Let’s take a look, but keep in mind that if you are going to get technical on me, please don’t send me hate mail.

This is what simple nutrition for athletes is in my mind:

Avoid the sweets: Sure you can have a little cake and ice cream at the neighbor’s kids birthday, but don’t have a small amount of sweets more than once a week.
Avoid processed foods: Processed foods are anything that doesn’t resemble its natural counterpart any longer, such as anything made with flour, those frozen chicken nuggets, and anything that comes out of a drive through window. This is the paleo influence on my simple nutrition for athletes. Don’t eat white breads, processed sausage, cakes, or pastries.
Eat lean protein: Protein is what helps build muscles and aids in recovery post-workout. Having a small amount of protein with every meal and a little before and after workout will help you recover and build muscles. Eggs, chicken breasts, lean pork, salmon, and buffalo burgers are great choices.
Consume fresh vegetables and fruits: Salads, greens, citrus, and berries are a great source of fiber and provide much needed energy for your workouts.
Cook with the intention of creating leftovers: Cooking four chicken breasts even though you are only going to eat two gives you two extra to eat during the rest of the week. Package up some salad mix into tupperware and toss on some cheese and other veggies while making a salad for your weekend lunch. Consume a salad right after a workout to help recover as well.

So, simple nutrition for athletes broken down to five rules. It is not all inclusive list, but is a great place to start when getting a handle on what you eat. You might be surprised just how simple this can be while achieving race weight and feeling great about yourself. There is such a thing as simple nutrition for athletes after all.

The Daylight Savings Time Triathlon Checklist

Daylights Savings Time is a little inconvenient in that we lose an hour, but it marks a great time for triathletes to conduct a reality check. With March marking the start of the triathlon season, this is a great time to run through a checklist and get ready to rumble; taking inventory of your planning and gear. Preparedness is a huge part of a successful triathlon.

Here a few things to check to make sure your season gets off to a good start. The list is not entirely complete, but it covers the most important concepts to help you be prepared:

Planning
- Have you made a list of your races and ranked them by A, B and C?
- What are your goals? How many people know about your goals?
- Do you have the first few weeks of your training plan scheduled?
- Is your gym membership renewed? Have you paid your triathlon club dues?
- If you are using a coach, have you communicated your races and other needs to them?
Swim
- Check your goggles, are they in decent shape? The lens too scratched? The strap worn? It might be time to replace them.
- Do you have a skull cap that fits you well? Skull caps can wear out and be ill-fitting. Silicon skull caps tend to last longer than latex and have a more comfortable feel.
- Does your suit fit? Whether you are wearing a speedo in a pool or a wetsuit in the ocean, does it fit? Poorly fitting suits that are too large can cause access drag in the water and slow you down.
- Do you have enough anti-chafing gel for your first triathlon? Now is the time to stock up.
- A small amount of baby shampoo. When applied to the inner side of the goggles, it will prevent fogging and not sting the eyes. (Thanks coach for this tip!)
Cycling
- Is your bike clean? If it is still sitting in the corner yet to come out of winter hibernation, now is the perfect time to dust it off and get it looking sparkling again.
- Take the bike for a ride around the block; is everything in working order? Do the brakes work? Is there any hesitation in shifting gears? Make note of anything that is abnormal.
- Take the bike in for a tune-up. Whether or not there is anything wrong with the bike from your test ride, take it to a good bike shop and have a tune-up performed. This will help lube bearings and make any minor adjustments.
- When you pick up the bike, get fitted. You would be amazed at how minor adjustments to the fit can make a huge difference in your performance and your body can change since last season.
- Check you helmet and make sure it hasn’t been damaged or shows signs of rot and that it fits properly. If the helmet is damaged and needs to be replaced, it will be obvious. Make sure the fit is snug and the straps are appropriately trimmed.
- Grab your cycling shoes, shorts, and jersey and make sure they still fit. Again, loose fitting clothes cause drag, so invest in new ones if need be, especially the shoes.
Run
- Since we just took a look at your bike shoes, check your running shoes next. Running shoes should be replaced about every 300 miles. If they show the slightest bit of wear on the bottom, go ahead and buy a new pair, your feet with thank you.
- Check your running shorts and shirt. Replace if they don’t fit right or perhaps show off more than many people care to see.
- Are you a FiveFingers wearer of the barefoot running movement? Ah, okay, so when was the last time you washed your FiveFingers? Maybe that is why you are running alone?
- Adjust the fit of your hat and make sure it is snug but not tight. Also, wash your hat.
- Grab your running belt and make sure the zippers work and it is in good shape. If it needs to be washed, wash it. If it comes with matching water bottles and you’ve lost one, consider buying a new running belt as the bottles need to fit snugly into their holsters.
- Do you have a number belt? If so, make sure it too is in working order. If not, toss some safety pins into your running belt. You don’t want to arrive at a race and not have a way of securing your number to your clothing.
Nutrition
- Have you made a nutrition plan? Are you going Paleo?
- Have you documented your race fueling strategy? If not, makes notes of how long your events are and what your caloric needs are. You’ll have to experiment, but start by writing down a preliminary strategy and modify as you train.
- Is your training/race fuel in your workout bag? Nothing like leaving the house to start a long run to realize you left your fuel at home. Always put extra bars in your workout bag.
- Are you near your race weight? If not, consider losing a few pounds. Your feet will thank you.
Transition
- Do you have a transition bag? If not, consider purchasing one like one of the GYST bags. They will make you more organized with less work as I demonstrate in my YouTube video.
- Do you have a spare towel?
- Consider purchasing a helium filled balloon to mark your transition area for the upcoming season. They can be re-used with a helium refill only costing a few bucks at the store.
- Have you made your transition area checklist? I’ll post one in coming weeks.
Other Stuff
- Do you have a foam roller? If not get one as I recommend foam rolling and stretching every night before you go to bed.
- Purchase a RoadID. If anything happens to you during training or a race, this simple strap can give emergency personnel much needed information at a glance.
- Replace the batteries in your heart rate monitors and GPS devices. I was on a long bike ride (30 miles) when my GPS’s heart rate strap battery gave out and it sucked.

I hope this list helps. It is rather comprehensive, but there is no time like the present to give yourself a triathlete reality check and kick off your season right. Taking a little time now to buy a few new pieces of gear and getting the bike tuned up can save you a major headache and possibly a “DNF” later.

Available at the following link is a triathlon race day equipment checklist to make sure you don’t forget any essential equipment on race day. <Download our Triathlete_Race_Checklist>

Cheers!

PS If I left anything out, please leave me a comment or send an update to @AricInTraining on Twitter.

The Food Cloud Goes Paleo

The Paleo Diet is the latest and greatest of fads in the realm of diets. We have gone from Weight Watchers to Atkins to South Beach only to realize that what our ancient ancestors ate is probably what we should be eating too.

After all, homo erectus didn’t have the convenience of grabbing a burger and fries from the local fast food joint while looking for a new cave. No sir or maam, the diet that the human race survived on is no joke.

So, with all of the hype about eating paleo and reading paleo blogs like Mark’s Daily Apple and Son of Grok, I decided to try the paleo diet. It was time to cut out the processed foods and consume fresh vegetables, fruit, lean proteins, nuts and good fats with a little luck thrown in.

I expected to do well on the paleo as I did quite well with the No Flour, No Sugar diet in 2009. It really isn’t that much different, although it is much more strict about what you can eat (no potatoes, no vinegar and no grains). So what could happen?

Well, I found out just how hard it is to eat paleo consistently.

For me, I need to have each meal prepared ahead of time or else I will settle for something more convenient than paleo.
The somewhat limited food items get boring after a while, so creativity in the kitchen is soon to be expanded.
The diet requires a lot of preparation ahead of time, so squeezing in time in the kitchen is hard with my already packed schedule.
The grouchiness is a little like giving up coffee as the body is adjusting to life without an abundance of refined foods.

wordCloud3 — My paleo food cloud for the past week

Well the word cloud to the left shows exactly what I have been eating. While I haven’t been sticking to the diet per se (burritos and mochas aren’t paleo!), I do see the beginnings of ridding processed foods from my diet. Getting rid of the tortillas and buying a coffee versus a mocha will be the next steps. I’d also like to see more lean proteins in the cloud as it appears that chicken and bacon are the primary meats I’ve eaten. What is good are the nuts, fruits and vegetables, but those too can use a bit more variety.

What are the initial results of going more paleo? I feel like I have increased energy and clarity of mind. My weight has only dropped three pounds, which is within a normal fluctuation so I can’t say I’ve lost weight. Also, my kitchen is being used more and my stove is happy to see me, if for a limited time on the weekends. My grocery bill has also gone up, but my fast food bill has dropped significantly. So there are pluses and minuses involved, but overall I think the changes have been positive.

However, Before coming to further conclusion, I’d like to gather more data, both physical and workout data. Theoretically, the paleo diet will help me improve my fitness performance and if its true, the results should be clear in my triathlon training dashboard. Only time will show.

Have you tried the paleo diet? What are your experiences?

Mapping 2010 Workouts

One of the cool things about using a GPS enabled heart rate monitor, such as the Garmin 305, is that you can easily map your workouts. Not only does this provide you with pace, distance, and elevation data, but it also gives you an entirely new source of motivation and inspiration.

Take the images below, for instance. I took all of the data from Garmin Training Center and imported it into Google Earth. Suddenly, in front of me was an entire year’s worth of workouts and races. Wow…

Greater Santa Barbara and Goleta Area

You can see in the above map how concentrated my workouts are in certain areas of greater Santa Barbara/Goleta. The waterfront of SB, to Goleta, the airport, and UCSB. Included in this map are the UCSB Triathlon, Santa Barbara Triathlon, Chardonnay 10-miler and my Jesusita Trail runs.

Looks I got around on foot and the bike, but one thing bugs me… how isolated the groups are. Perhaps, in 2011, I will have to bridge the gaps.

Carpinteria

I had some issues where Google Earth would not draw Carpinteria routes with Santa Barbara. So, the above map is the area just off the right of the Santa Barbara/Goleta map. Workouts in this area include the turn-around for long bike rides via the 150 and the Carpinteria Triathlon course. Most of these workouts originated at East Beach in SB, but some started at the Carpinteria State Park.

Oxnard, Ventura and Points South

This area is where 2010 began, with the Boney Mountain Trail Run, which is mapped in the lower right of the map. We also have the Ventura Triathlon, Strawberry Fields Triathlon and the Camarillo Duathlon (not as an official participant) mapped out as well. Pretty exciting.

2011 Inspiration

Looking at these maps has already provided some inspiration for 2011. As I noted before, I would love to start connecting the gaps between Goleta, Santa Barbara and Ventura. This is going to mean climbing some gnarly hills, many, many more miles on foot and on the bike. But then endurance athletes are known for their insane abilities.

I seriously can’t wait until next year, when I can review the 2011 maps and see where I have been. Who knows, maybe I’ll get some training in outside of California!