The world of diets and nutrition is so complicated: regimens that work for some do not work for others, diets that are miraculous for Titius are disappointing for Titius.
Assuming that in this specific case we are referring to a dietary regimen undertaken by a friend to integrate himself into a certain course of physical preparation for very demanding competitions, and assuming therefore that he did not “go on a diet” just to lose weight but for a specific reason, this program seemed interesting to us because it solves a limitation common to many diets: quantities.
Gianandrea had made others before but had had trouble following them because due to work and logistical issues he could not always weigh the ingredients. So they worked for a while until they drove him crazy. Then he found one–under the supervision of a specialist–that freed him from the burden–of the weight of food.
The following is an individual testimony and we always, always, always recommend following the guidance of a specialist, but we thought it was an interesting point of view.
In 2019 I ran the Passage au Malatrà of the Tor des Geants. An experience that marked both my quads and my imagination. The first because it was the first trail I ran at those altitudes and with those gradients, the second because I got the urge to attempt the Tot Dret (the 130km).
This year I was counting on running the Passatore and in 2021 the Tot Dret.
The whole first part of the season is postponed until 2021 so there will be a traffic jam of long distances both road and trail, and I thought reducing the weight would not be a bad idea.
I start at 82kg for 180cm and arrive at 75 which would already be perfect.
I have already had some experience with nutritionists, very good ones, but with an approach I can’t handle: that of weighed portions for every moment of the day. Too complex for people like me who are often on the road.
In addition, I have a problem that is quite serious but common to many runners: my stomach closes under exertion and I get sick, which is not pleasant especially if you still have 20/30km to run.
At Pistoia/Abetone I had problems at km 9, km 24 and km 38.
So I have to try to feed and hydrate myself without too much backlash.
Meanwhile I was reading, and I am finishing it these days, the monumental book“Training for the uphill athlete” by Steve House. Scott Johnston and Killian Journet, a book that also just came out in translation and which I recommend, I tried with a new doctor at a sports medicine center in Cremona, Italy.
The approach is this:
- Breakfast: free. Sugars and sweets in the morning and coffee without sugar but with honey
- fruit in mid-morning and afternoon (not all kinds in the afternoon but only the less sugary kind)
- Carbohydrates and vegetables at lunch (legumes and potatoes only at lunch)
- Vegetables, eggs, white meat, fish in the evening
- limit cheeses (ARGH!)
- Water away from meals.
The (partial) result
After 40 days in which I took some liberties, ran without overdoing it, and went to the gym regularly to tone my upper body, the first checkup yielded surprising results.
| Area | starting value | present value |
|---|---|---|
| Grease | 24,74% | 17,41% |
| Subcutaneous fat | 6,8% | 4,8% |
| Visceral Fat | 13,5% | 9,5% |
| Muscle | 36,67% | 38,18% |
The weight had remained stable because I was not yet running at a steady state, as I had been doing for the past 8 days, and it has already dropped steadily by 1.5kg.
The benefit, even psychological, is enormous, and I see a decrease in times in the range of 20 seconds per km (oh, I am 61 years old and have been running for 6 and I AM NOT FAST). The estimate with the weight reduction to 75kg is in the range of 35 to 40 seconds per km, but more importantly, less joint stress and less uphill fatigue.
The journey has just begun and the real test will be in late September at the 35km Adamello Ultra Trail.
Gianandrea Facchini