Meanwhile, as I mentioned a few posts ago, this season is my 'marginal gains' season - I may not be able to train quite as long or far as I have before, so I'm going to look for the other things I can improve to try to wring every last drop of possible performance improvement. And sleep is a big factor.
My personal and professional lives met this week when, for World Sleep Day (today, btw), we worked on some great digital and social content based on a survey we did at Philips to identify sleeping trends around the world and the things that prevent most folk from getting a decent night of shut-eye.
Meanwhile, as I mentioned a few posts ago, this season is my 'marginal gains' season - I may not be able to train quite as long or far as I have before, so I'm going to look for the other things I can improve to try to wring every last drop of possible performance improvement. And sleep is a big factor. It's cold, rainy and pretty miserable in Amsterdam at the moment. And - for us Brits at least - nothing says winter comfort like a piping hot Shepherd's Pie. Here's my attempt at a low carb version! Mexican food makes a great basis for low carb high fat eating. The largest part of Mexican classics consist of garlic, corriander, chilis, lots of vegetables and some form of meat or fish. Fresh, easy, quick and tasty. The problem, of course, occurs when you add the taco shells, fajita wraps and nacho chips that often accompany the dishes. Fortunately, there are no sugar no grain options, such as 'oopsie rolls'. On the whole, I don’t tend to miss most of the processed and unnatural foods that are a no-no when you move to a more primal or paleo lifestyle. Bread was a great love of mine, but it doesn’t really register now. Nor pasta, for the most part. But sometimes you do want to dive into something big, bold, tasty and comforting like a lasagna. This one is perfect as a weekend treat and makes at least 4 triathlete-sized portions! Lasagnas essentially comprise of repeated layers. The layers are going to be made up of: · Courgette (taking the place of the pasta sheets) · Mince · Tomato sauce · Cheese The courgettes are a little fiddly but easy enough. You can create long thing strips, by using the wide blades on a cheese grater. You’ll want about 1-1.5 courgettes worth. There are many things that the Dutch are famous for – beautiful windmills, mastery over the seas, fields of bright tulips, total football… but food isn’t one of them.
By and large, the local fare isn’t all that inspiring but, credit where it’s due, the Dutch serve up a decent range of hearty winter fare and no dish sums that up more than stamppot. Fortuntely, it’s super quick and easy to cook, there are various versions – so you can personalize it as much as you like – and it’s easy to make a healthier no sugar no grain version. A change is as good as a rest, they say. Madonna and Bowie were so successful because they constantly reinvented themselves, they say. Even grumpy snakes, they (honestly) do say, are happier once they’ve shed their skin. Waffle? Yes. But pointed waffle. After a couple of minutes of thinking and literally seconds of scribbling notes on a receipt, I’ve decided that it’s time to make some small changes to this here blog that you all know and love... or know and accept. To truncate a protracted anecdote, a few years ago I started playing with my race nutrition due to some small problems with, well, vomiting my guts up and being doubled over with excruciating gut pain during longer races. This led me to LCHF (low carb high fat) eating, and all manner of exciting (read: geeky) things like fat adaption, metabolic efficiency and ketosis. |
AuthorMatt. Brit in Amsterdam. Triathlete. Ultrarunner. AG30-35. Slightly in front of the middle of the pack. Slightly behind the front of the pack. Categories
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June 2015
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