What did my training look like?
Together during this week, I ran approx. 75km, cycled 53km and spent about 2.5 hours strength and HIIT training. Together approx. 12 hours. I don’t train like this every week, I mention it to provide a better context.
Meal Preparation:
On Tuesday and Thursday, I cooked legumes, rice and soy cubes (TVP) for a few days. I grated about 500g of carrots using food processor.
This saves me a lot of time during the week when I just need to cut fresh vegetables, heat up rice and legumes, and season with spices.
Preparation on Tuesday and Thursday: 1 hour.
Preparation of food before consumption: 10 minutes.
What was different this week:
It is worth mentioning I ate fewer leafy vegetables, which is a reflection of the statement ” You won§t eat what you don’t have.”
I had a lower intake of kale, Chinese cabbage, and fortified soy milk, which resulted in a lower intake of calcium.
The second deviation from my traditional diet was the absence of flax seeds, which I try to consume at least 1tbsp a day for Omega 3s. The first days I substituted hemp seeds for flax seeds, but the next days peanut butter dominated at the expense of more nutritious flax seeds.
I don’t usually eat desserts like strudel, but when I have it, I indulge and don’t limit myself. I used to have trouble stopping myself from eating all the strudel when we had it. Nowadays I have a healthier relationship with food and I can eat it in a reasonable amount and without guilt.
Energy Intake:
During these recorded days, I ate ‘intuitively’. I didn’t try to stick to calories, macros, or nutrients. My meals were also a little less varied than usual.
It’s nice to see how hunger reflects my training. Some days I was hungry more, some days less, but in the end, my average intake over the week fell into my maintenance calories.
I am also glad that I had about 6g per kg of carbohydrates, which contributed to good regeneration, but I would increase it in the future.
Vitamins and minerals
As for the vitamins and minerals, I had them nicely covered except for minor deficiencies that I can work on.
What did I eat?
Here are examples of my meals.
Breakfasts
Every day I have oatmeal for breakfast with fruits or vegetables, some source of protein (protein powder, gluten …), and nuts.
This week I had the aforementioned strudel for breakfast for two days, which is rich in fats and carbohydrates but lacks protein. I supplemented protein one day in the form of mixed tofu and then mixed them with boiled carrots and kale.
Porridge
oats, corn groats, TVP, walnuts, apple puree, spinach. ~417kcal, 17 P, 58 C, 15 F
Strudel with Tofu & Veggies Cream
Strudel with tofu cream and cooked kale and carrot. Friday and Saturday 434kcal, 22P, 51 C, 19 F
Apple Protein Mash
Kale, spinach, carrot, ginger, vital wheat gluten, cooked apples 212kcal, 21 P, 31.6 C, 1.7g F
Lunch and Dinner
The staples of my diet are legumes, soy products, rice, and various vegetables. I won’t even despise mustard, ketchup, and now unusually horseradish.
Thursday Lunch
rice, lentils, sauerkraut, horseradish, ketchup, nutritional yeast 822kcal, 49.3P, 138.5C, 11.6 F
Saturday Dinner
lentils, colleslaw salad without mayo, soy meat, peanuts, bread with vegan soy cheese, 836kcal, 45P, 132 C, 17F
Saturday Lunch
blended beans, TVP, rice, seeds, ketchup, pastry, horse radish 768kcal, 40P, 135C, 10F
Rest Day dinner
whole-wheat giggli, chickpeas, kale, spinach, carrot, sunflower seeeds cream, soy meat 848kcal, 49P, 137C, 16.7F
Friday Dinner
lentils, cabbage, carrot, peanuts, wholewheat bun 1344kcal, 86P, 217C, 20F
Rest day lunch
beans,tvp,vegetables, seed sauce, bread, ketchup 925kcal, 50P, 143.6C, 21.6F
Desserts
Some days when I did not feel fully satisfied with my meals and wanted just something small, I reached for one of these two desserts.
Dessert
Apple walnut strudel Poppy and cherry strudel
Dessert Pudding
Apple puree with soy yogurt, cinnamon, cocoa powder
Notice
You may notice the simplicity of my meals. Simplicity is important when following a diet long-term. My meals are also quite similar from day to day, but at the same time varied enough not to be boring. For variety, just change the spices or the way you prepare the food.
You can prepare legumes as a spread, pan-fry them, or bake them in a pot and you have three different dishes from one ingredient.