It has been 2 weeks into my post workout Ice-cream sandwich test and I am done. Ive collected enough of my own data based on how my body is responding to know that I am done. For those that didnt catch the post, I am typically a bro-foods or clean eater. I limit sugars from refined sources and strive to eat foods that are micronutrient dense or as close to what Mother-Nature provides. I wanted to test how my body would respond to the post workout glycemic spike from sugars and if it would be positive, negative or the same. Seeing how my body rarely has refined sugar, I noticed changes pretty rapidly from incorporating them into my diet. Here is what happened for the Positive- 1. My weight stayed the same. Which was to be expected as it is an energy balance and I was simply swapping the same calories from my bro-science foods with simple sugars. 2. It was fun for about 2 days because I hadnt had ice-cream in ages and that helped break up some of my habits. That is really it for me on the positive. Now for the cons- 1. Sugar cravings spiked. I typically have zero desire for sweets. Having the ice-cream sandwiches (skinny cows) in the freezer was tempting, even when I knew they were solely meant for post workout. I abstained because of years of learning to control cravings, but it was difficult. 2. I was lethargic and less energetic at home and at the gym. I just wanted to sit around and be entertained, where I normally am much more enthusiastic and love to create. I didnt want to go workout and that isnt good because I love to exercise. 3. Joint pain and inflammation like I couldnt believe. Lifting weights hurt my shoulder and knee joints. It was very unpleasant and detracted from my performance. I just felt achy all day and it became unpleasant. 4. I would get winded fast and side aches. I simply couldnt perform to the level I was used to. I had to drop total weight used because I was shorter on breath. Doing barbell lunges, my legs had the strength to perform, but I had some gnarly side aches that made me stop short. I never get side aches! I would also get side aches while doing very light cardio. 5. Packing my 2 ice-cream sandwiches in a cooler became a nuisance. I also felt like a glutton scarfing them down within 10 minutes after I finished my workouts. I felt ridiculous and shameful, especially as other gym goers would pass me and glare at me while I was eating them. 6. Fuzzy teeth. I noticed that I had greater plaque build up on my teeth, too which isnt cool. I brush 2 times a day, but felt like I needed to brush more when having the Ice-cream. My final assessment: it isnt worth it to me. It may be worth it to many of you. You can have sugary treats, have it fit your macros and see progress. However, I ask if it is optimal? From my experience, I dont believe it is. If you must treat yourself, the post workout window is going to be the optimal time to have it, but for me, Im going to stick to my bro foods. I perform better, I dont hurt, I have better energy, better recovery and to me, that is worth way more than the 2 minute indulgence the Ice-cream sandwich offered.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 23:31:25 +0000
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