Friends,
Training these days has been a combination of running, swimming and Crossfit. I have found a lot of success with increased strength training which has not been much of a focus these past few years. Personally, when people ask me about any form of exercise, I respond with the way in which it is most helpful. Since beginning at Crossfit Tantrum in Murrysville back in early May, I’ve noticed that I have not done ANY physical therapy on my shoulders which have plagued me over the years. I feel this is because of the different exercises we do, and how important that is to keeping them strong. I have been attending at least 3x/week since then, as use it as cross-training for distance running and swimming. My pool routine has been 3-4x/week, and distance running 3-4x/week. This routine leaves me with at least 9-12 workouts each week, two-a-days 3x/week. I highly recommend Crossfit, and hope it helps you in other ways than physical strength! Join us anytime!!
I have also dropped close to 35lbs since September 2013 when I was at my heaviest for a channel swim at 235lbs. Currently sitting around 200lbs, my focus is to keep my body at that weight, but to add the muscle and drop the fat. I feel amazing, and am very glad to have that extra weight off. I get asked a lot about my eating lifestyle, and how it plays into my training. I built a lot of muscle in my ‘meathead’ days of college (at one point weighing 260lbs) therefore strength training and adding size has always come naturally to me. Believe me through, I wish I still had my old metabolism! Many people have heard of the ‘Paleo Diet’ which basically means if you cannot pick it, or stab it, don’t eat it. While I have never read any books, or was ever given real instruction, the lesson is pretty simple. I have cut milk and dairy out of my diet (soy or almond milk for calcium) along with pasta and all forms of bread. My carbohydrates come primarily from fruit, protein from meat and snacks are in the form of nuts and avocados. The other facet of eating this way is to portion your meals – making them ahead of time is the easiest way. Sunday nights I typically grill, or fry pan up a mixture of greens (broccoli, squash, snow peas, zucchini, etc.) for the week, along with grilled chicken (steak, chops, fish etc.) for a few days. The crock pot has always been a great ally, as I mix up a healthy chili or stew to eat as well. Average meal: Take a scoop of the veggie mix, piece of protein and heat that up. Carbohydrate intake (fruit) is determined by the amount of exercise I have in the AM, or PM. This can vary. I will also admit that I use supplements while working out, such as Gu-products, Shot Bloks, Carbopro and Cytomax. While these may not all ‘fit’ into what I would like, they have always worked well for training, and not sure how they will fit into future events. Losing weight is not difficult if you just know which foods to eat, and keep moving! Your weight isn’t going to fall off overnight, but the more you try, the better the results you’re going to have. Nothing drives me crazier than people who say they want to lose weight as they are sitting eating leftover pizza, pasta or some massive sandwich. God didn’t bless you with an ability to add weight any faster than anyone else. We all struggle as we age. The key is to analyze what you’re eating, and find better substitutes. PORTIONS, portions, portions… Send me an email or private message on Facebook if you have ANY questions, as I would love to help you achieve your dreams!!
I am hitting it hard in preparation for the 105k Northern Ireland Coastal Run (Carrickfergus Castle – Giant’s Causeway) while over in Northern Ireland for Ki
mberely Chambers’ crossing of the North Channel. This run will come after she has completed her attempt; therefore I do not have an official date set yet, but should be between 30 August – 7 September. If it happens, it happens! So excited to get back over there as I’ve always said Northern Ireland has been my most favorite place I have visited!
In September, I have signed up for the North Coast 24-hour Endurance Run along the Lake Erie shoreline outside of Cleveland. This run is a 1-mile paved track along the water, which loops around to the starting line. You have 24-hours to complete as many laps as possible (sounds like a blast, right?!) which amounts to your total mileage run in 24-hours – essentially you are racing against the clock. My goal is 100-miles. I feel since I’ve already swum for 24-hours, it’s about time to hit that mark running! The longest I have run in my life was the 2009 Mohican Trail 50-miler, which definitely stretched me at that point due to my stress fracture I was running on for 9:38. Very excited for this opportunity!
CHEERS TO ADVENTURE!
Darren