It’s been a month since I got concussion and progress has been slow with occasional setbacks. Cutting down my typical training load of 10-12 hours per week to zero is challenging in many ways. I’m obviously getting out of shape and lacking that regular dose of endorphin rush is making me more susceptible to the scary D word. Given the ridiculous amount of cooking and baking I do to keep myself busy, some friends ask if I’m putting on weight. The quick answer is no. The pudginess that was bugging me while I was racing in Germany is gone. I’ve lost 8lb since and at my ideal hill climbing weight. Except that I think it is mostly lean muscle weight that I lost.
When the going gets tough, my appetite takes a vacation. The initial weight loss was brought on by overwhelming changes in my personal and athletic life. I’m more or less numb by those changes now but the appetite hasn’t return. A couple of weeks ago, I was a bit disturbed to return from a trip to the farmers market and great foodie neighbourhood empty handed and empty stomached. I’m a bit paranoid about eating and food simply did not look appetizing to me.
On a typical day, I subsist on coffee. Mug after mug of unsweetened brewed coffee with a splash of milk. I bookend my day with breakfast and dinner to ensure I’m getting sufficient nutrients. They are good food but I certainly do not feel the need for large portions or second helpings. This probably explains why I’ve been eating barbecue pulled pork sandwich complete with vinegar coleslaw and banana pudding yet the scale reading remains the same.
The lack of exercises meant eating doesn’t feel justified anymore. When my stomach growls, it is merely annoyance. I don’t need to worry about its effect on the quality of my training sessions. Sometimes it is even a welcomed distraction from more troubling matters at hand. Some people say control issue is how it all starts. I know for certain that I’m far from any danger. I still have races and training to resume as soon as I get healthy. I am unwilling to put myself at further disadvantage than I already am.
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The barbecue pulled pork is a tried and true recipe from Slow Cooker Revolution. I made it last year at the pit crew area of the F1 race track in Montreal so you know it is bullet-proof. I served it straight up between toasted burger buns. The coleslaw was sweet and tangy with cider vinegar and just a hint of grape seed oil, sugar, celery seeds, and black pepper. The banana pudding was another classic made with Nilla wafers, vanilla bean pudding, sliced bananas, and fluffy whipped cream. A barbecue meal with all the fixin’ reminded me of happier times road tripping through the southern states.
Let’s hope for a more upbeat post next time. Positive attitude goes a long way for quicker recovery. There are much to look forward to once I overcome this bump on the road.
