Weekly RAW: Gluten-Free Update - 8 Week Progress, Week 1 of RABC Classic

Greetings RAW Warriors,

It has now been 8 weeks of going more Gluten-Free in my diet. I haven't totally been able to eliminate it, but have greatly reduced it.  I eat two meals a day at the school with my job (breakfast and lunch) and some days I just have to eat something with gluten, but I try to put a limit on it.  Some ways I've done this are:

Instead of raisin bran, a main course and two slices of toast, I just take the main course, try a rice or corn based cereal (usually corn flakes or crispy rice) and no more toast.

For main lunch meals, if its a sandwich I will just have one sandwich, and watch more bread intake overall if there are other choices wheat-related. I also have a salad each day and ceased on some dairy based or pasta based salad choices.  Even on days when pasta is a main choice, I will keep it limited.

I try to eat very little pasta now, since I now have put the two together and noticed how horribly bloated I used to feel after pasta meals. I used to eat a lot, thinking it was a great carb choice as an athlete. Now, that's gotta change for something better.

No more wheat based cereals either, its all basically rice krispies or corn flakes, or rice/corn Chex cereal too.

I can certainly feel a difference by cutting back on wheat/pasta overall and replacing it with rice/corn stuff.

Overall with these dietary changes and exercise plans I have been doing, its been a nice 14 pound weight loss and 3% drop in body fat.  I was 202 and 17%, now down to 188 and a hair under 14%.

When I run now, it is feeling so much better when I run.  No more bloaty feelings or discomfort in my gut any more.  I just ran on the treadmill for this workout on Friday, and it felt really, really great:

1/2 mile in 4:00
1/2 mile at 6:40/mile pace
1/4 mile at 8:00/mile pace
1/4 mile at 6:40/mile pace
1/4 mile at 8:00/mile pace
1/4 mile at 6:40/mile pace
1/2 mile at 8:00/mile pace
1/2 mile at 6:40/mile pace

This was 1.5 miles of 5K pace for me, and 1.5 miles of easier pace running as warm-up and recovery periods between the 5K pace periods.

This took me approximately 21:30 to get 3 miles in. Granted it was on a treadmill, not quite the same as a 65 degree day with a calm wind, but its a good measurement to see how I could handle summer 5K paces with recoveries.

Overall, this was a change for the better and a change for permanent sake of feeling better.

I can't wait to see what a season worth of running with the track kids as their coach will bring.

For the book that started it all for me in opening my eyes to gluten sensitivity and the changes I needed to make, check out the Gluten-Free Edge. Its under $10 on Amazon Kindle's store. I was lucky enough to get mine on a great sale for only $2.64 way back when, but even $10 could help you discover more about this dietary change.  It is not a 'fad diet', its a very real thing.  My cousin just recently was diagnosed with an extreme case of gluten sensitivity before any more damage could arise.  I get nothing for recommending this book, but I feel its important enough to share with people who may have the same experiences I used to have with gluten foods:

http://amzn.com/B007JN6ZIW

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Week 1 of RABC is what we'll start with for next week.

I will try to keep it more semi-daily now, and post every other day and with some track workout updates for something fresh to view.

Week 1: Day 1 - Ideally for Monday

Deadlifts: 3 x 5
Bench Press: 3 x 5

Pulldowns: 3 x 8
Windmills: 3 x 5 per side

3 Minute Warning:
20/10 x 2 each exercise

Pushups
Mountain Climbers
Total Body Extensions

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Don't forget about trying a kettlebell challenge, or giving some good old Track workouts a try.  Two key guides of mine could help you with both:

Just Swing It! and Just The Track Workouts are key tools for discovering the benefits of kettlebells and good old awesome Track routines.  Check them out at http://tinyurl.com/rkofp

Don't forget to check out the RABC Manual and Just The Workouts for more insight on the basic RABC plans here, too.

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak