Intermittent Sleeping

The Crossfit "cool kids" are following this interesting way of eating called Intermittent Fasting. Basically, you decide on a specific "eating window" and only eat within that window - say 9 hours in a day. Or alternatively, you eat for 24 hours and you don't eat for 24 hours. I tried the 9 hour window thing and it sucked (see other posts) I've been on an eating program by Advocare right now, so I haven't been "zoning" or "if'ing" of anything in particular. however the Metabolic Nutrition System eating plan that I am following is about 16 blocks minus some fat and carb blocks. The IF idea made me curious and so now I'm trying my own new thing: "intermittent sleeping". In "Lights Out" TS Wiley talks about circadian rhythms, and sleeping about 9.5 hours a day. Sure, I agree on the science and I agree that I feel great when i do sleep that much... if only I could get paid to sleep. I should ask T.S. Wiley to send me money for "sleep studies" or something. SO anwyay, apparently all the good stuff happens in the deeper sleep states. so then is 3 horus of sleep on one night and 9 hours on the next night better than 6 and 6 ? I dunno, let's find out.

The good:
-on the 3 hour sleep day, I'm up late at night and making myself do stuff, which has actually proven to be highly effective because at 3 am there really are not many disctractions.
-Also, I managed to get a bunch of my non work stuff done.
- I get to really test out the efficacy of "energy drinks" because my energy level is really really low, I'm sore all over and I have a general "heavy" feeling.
- the mind is focused due there not being enough energy for "background" processing.
- appetite is curbed in general so time isn't wasted on preparing or eating food.
- going out in the sun woke me up considerably

The bad:
- I want to eat sugar all the time.
- I don't want to drink water
- I am not craving protien at all
- it's hard to workout on the 3 hour day.
- Some uncontrollable bouts of sleepiness


.... more info coming soon on the 9 hour night if there is one.

Food tracking week of 8/21/2006

Monday:

6oz beef
10pm 4 block shake

Tuesday:
3P meat
4P chicken breast, 6C fries and veggies
4P Protien powder, Goji berries, 4F almond butter
PWO shake
7pm: X everything Chinese food
9pm X everything - turkey sandwiches and wraps

Wednesday:
4 blocks: Protien bar, grapes, coconut (liberal on the coconut)
cream in coffee
3P beef, 10F guacamole,2.5F almond butter, 2C pear
2c2f Grapes and coconut
4F Almonds 3P meat 5F Guacamole
~10C XF pasta and salad
8P 2C 4F protien shakes post gymnastics.
Total: 18-19P, 20C, >22F

Thursday:
4P meat, 2C grapefruit 5F almond butter
3P meat, 4C wrap and veggies ?F
4P protien powder, 2C Grapes 4F coconut& almond butter
~10 blocks thai food
8C 10F candy / ice cream bar
5P 10C 10F burger and fries

total: 26P 36C 45F

Fri:
4P 2C 2F protein bar
4 Blocks meat, Pear, coconut, grapes, almonds
4 block shake
2P 6C 6F wings, chips, salad.
total: 14P 16C 16F
--> need to switch to more favorable, insoluble fiber carbs. ie. salad.


Sat:
3P 3C 6F whole eggs, coconut oil, grapefruit, pepper, almond butter


Sun:
check notes at home

Comments:
body is feeling different this week. I'm feeling a lot more muscular. Weight has remained around the 165 mark, but body is feeling harder and a little heavier. Food cravings have been in control. ROM in yoga and gymnastics has remained.

Friday was feeling really poofy and heavy. weighing in around 170. Wondering if this was enough of a growth stimulus, or if i should keep at it for another week or so....

Food Tracking for week of 8/14

Food tracking for week of August 14th.
Eat Paleo, as much as you want, whenever you want.

Mon:
- 1 grapefruit, ~1 block of grapes, 2 Tbsp of almond butter, supplements
- 6 blocks of various protiens from the salad bar, ~3-4 carb blocks worth of veggies, olive and balsamic drizzled on top.
- ~1 block of grapes
- ~5 blocks of ground beef chilli, 1 block of greens, 1 block of grapes, sprinkled coconut, 1/2 a chocolate/coconut disc...
-snacking on macadamias, Goji Berries and coffee throughout the day.
- protien bar and americano at 6:30pm
- 10:30pm, was a little hungry, ate 2 eggs fried in coconut oil, some olives and have a chocolate coconute ball: 2 Pblocks, 1 C block, ~4-5 F blocks

Tue:
- 3 block shake for brekky after rope climbing.
- ~7 blocks of meats as salad bar, ~4 blocks of veggies, drizzled with EVOO
- 1/1 cc ball
- goji berries and almonds
- ~ 1 block of grapes, 2 blocks Fat of Coconut shreds, 2 blocks of mince meat
workout: 4 rounds 400m run, 5 db Deadlift, 5 cleans, 5 puish press. Sandbag carry
- ~4C pasta, 4P Salmon, 1C grapes, 2C orange, 4C coconut?
day total (approx): 16P,16C, 12+F !!!!! hahahahaha

Wed:
3 block shake
1 slice mango cake
3P mince meat, 1C veggies, 2C grapes/cherries, 8F Coconut
2 slices pizza
2C Orange, 7 oz Salmon
3Tbps almond butter
6 slices of assorted pizza and 2 chick drinks.

Thu:
1C grapes
4P 2C Protien bar
almonds
4P4C XF corn chowder and salad
4P mince meat, 1C grapes, 4F coconut
Thai food: 6p 6C ?F
Lots of almonds late night
Cliff bar late night


Fri:
Mince Chilli, fruit, spinach, chocolate coconut balls
More Mince chilli
Thai food for dinner + blocks of wine
Thai food late night

Sat:
Turkey sandwich to start
dessert item and chocolate on 4th Ave in Van.
OD on Sushi and meat
Protien bar late night

Sun:
Grapes and coconut to start
Coffee and 4P turkey
3 Block shake
3 P mince + fruit
XCXPXPF dinner at Markaz

Comments on Week:
body is recovering from injuries, running and metabolic parts of workout on saturday sucked. Feeling stronger and heavier right now. Weight is around 165-167
Flexibilty and range of motion feels good. Extra size in upper body, lower body feels lean, belly feels larger. Gymnasticss felt good this week, managed to do a bunch of pirouettes and lots of walking. want to do more ring work this week.

IF on HOLD for now

lessons learned from IF:
- I didn't feel hungry early in the morning.
- always tried to be done eating by 6pm, but then was always feeling heavy and bloated for the workouts and especially for gymnastics.
- Tried forcing more calories in earlier in the day, but this resulted in massive drops in energy, feeling of lethary and bloatedness again. I also tended towards more concentrated carbs to get the calories in.
- recovery was crap too, I was always sore for days
- lack of energy made workout performance sub par.
- was aiming for 16 blocks with 3x fat. most of the fat was from cococut shreds and macadamia nuts.

THE PLAN for at least a week... Starting August 14th....
Eat whatever, whenever, keep it paleo as much as possible and try to eyeball around 16 blocks of protien per day, don't worry about timing, zone proportions or fat intake. Track the food anwyay to get an idea of what happens on this approach

190kg deadlift.... followed by 197.5kg