Self-experimentation: Decaf

Sometimes Mother Nature has other plans in store for us all. 

Today is shaping up to be a wonderful day so far - it's the first of the week, and while Sundays (Mondays) can have us feeling a bit disoriented, dazed or fatigued, I've been noticing the recently I am really well prepped for the beginning of the new work week. It feels great.

I think it's because I have good weekends, really enjoyable weekends, and thus I feel refreshed and eager to resume a new work week. Sometimes I feel like the weekly cycles are just that - cycles. A cycle is inherently repetitive...so in order to redirect sensations of ennui, I've been listening to motivational podcasts, uplifting information and thus helping myself to view each day in a positive light. Specifically, that each day is full of new potential, surprises, unexplored possibilities and brimming with my creative capacity. I think that each day can be made even more significant and unique by creating something new. Perhaps writing a new poem, a new blog entry, a new article, or for those who are more artistic - creating a piece of art or taking some pictures that represent an artistic view on things that others may not capture at first glance.

I was hoping to go rollerblading this morning for a change however it was raining quite heavily and thus plans changed. I still had a window of opportunity to get a workout in, if only I scooted to the gym. I had an awesome HIIT cardio session on the treadmill, 45mins and I felt really uplifted. I normally prefer to workout for 1.5 hours to feel like I'm doing something, however, the experts all agree - you should workout even when you're strapped for time: 15min, 20 mins, 30mins... So considering I had 1 hour, it was an opportunity goldmine. 

You just have to identify, decide and go for it.

DECAF COFFEE EXPERIMENT

Since last week I am trying to stay on decaf coffee in the morning pre-workout to see what changes I experience in my body and mood. Caffeine causes our adrenal system to get into high-gear in order to clean it out of system. Add to that the stress and cortisol induced by exercise, work stress, relationship and life/road stress, and you can see how adrenal fatigue easily manifests and can take a toll unless you actively apply relaxation techniques (yoga, meditation, deep breathing, massage, and such). 

Adrenal fatigue impacts energy levels and also sleep. And so, last week I had decaf coffee Friday-Wednesday. Everyone says that missing your regular cup o'Joe will make you feel cranky, moody or else "not yourself". I admit, the first 2-3 days that I was going sans-caffeine I did feel slightly moodier, 'off' and like I was missing that extra zest or fire. In fact, one of my friends noticed during our lunch together that my eyes were a bit tired, as if I had not slept well. I had slept just fine, however it was my first workday without the caffeine. Anyhow, I just got on with it. The more we live, the more I realize that you just have to crack on and not get too attached to a minor physical temporary discomfort since it's ephemeral, and there will be discomforts anyways so it's more about the mental strength of facing that unease, accepting it and overcoming it/moving past it.

In terms of exercise:  At first, in the beginning of my workout I was a bit calmer than usual however by the time I was 30mins in, I was energized as I normally am and pushed on. In any case, I rationalized that in reality the energy for the weight I'm moving comes from muscle glycogen stores, and these were replenished since I have my oats pre-workout. So basically, I can manage well w/Decaf coffee before a workout. Yes, Caffeine has that desirable fat-burning mechanism...well, I just have to trust that I am working out and giving it my best shot to build muscle which will in turn increase my metabolically active lean body mass and thus burn more calories and fat overall throughout the day.

It's recommended to avoid caffeine after your workout because your body's cortisol levels have been elevated by the exercise and thus you want to avoid further increasing cortisol production since it wouldn't be beneficial in the post-workout window.

Excessively elevated Cortisol --> Belly fat!

How I felt after 6 days caffeine-free:

Wednesday night, Feb 5, completing the 6th day caf-free, I slept amazingly well. So deep, full and wonderfully. I awakened on Thursday eager and joyous to seize the day and attack my full-body circuit workout. It was awesome.

These days, I am really well-energized for my workouts and sleeping well. Overall, I think comes down to prioritizing sleep 7-8 hours per night, cutting the caffeine, and I also take Valerian Root, 5-HTP, and Magnesium at night pre-bedtime. Keeping a regular, consistent sleep/wake schedule might also be beneficial since the body is allowed to maintain a healthy, stable rhythm of bodily processes. I also don't smoke or drink alcohol...

The oats+protein powder pre-workout are my staple now in the morning, and it's been really pleasant to have this meal in my nutrition. I added the oats (30g carbs) on December 17, 2013 (almost 2 full months ago) after reading Layne Norton's article "The Ultimate Cutting Guide". So let's see. Since then, I've also incorporated 1 TB milled flaxseed and 3g Black Chia Seeds into the Oats to deepen the nutrition and make the plain oats more exciting. I add 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt and mix different spices such as nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, cardamom, coriander, and cinnamon of course!

Oats are yummy and good all around. Simple, quick and nutritious - a real power-food in my kitchen.

Other power-foods in my kitchen aka favorites:

- Chia seeds, flaxseed, coconut oil, coconut butter (manna), cinnamon, dark unsweetened cocoa, celery, spinach, ginger, nuts, and Raw Protein powder (although I love the other commercial protein powders that are not so chemical-free). These are the ones that first come to mind.

Eating well and nutritiously is satisfying, fulfilling and medicinal - I love it! 

Hippocrates: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”