Hi guys, its Sally over here, I'll be guest posting for Grace today on a really important topic of diet in the athletic world. Whilst a lot of the physiological gains of running performance come from a thorough training programme and a lot of hard work; the impact of factors such as diet, sleep and recovery can also play a substantial role. Nutrition is a topic that has increased in exposure over the last few years and many more athletes are conscious of the food they are eating and how it may contribute to performance. When it comes to fuelling for training and performance, there are no secrets, short cuts or magic remedies. The key is balance; both in terms of energy intake/output and variety of the diet. Most importantly, it's about finding out what works for you and consuming the foods that allow you to train and race to the best of your ability. As with most science based topics, there are a lot of complicated explanations and detailed descriptions of how things work and how things interact with the body. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that every athlete is different and the way in which they respond to training, nutrition and recovery will not be the same as the next athlete. However for the sake of this post, I'm going to keep things super simple and discuss a few nutrition related topics below in the most readable/understandable way. Carbohydrates A runners best friend. Despite the bad press 'carbs' often get relating to diet/weightloss and other aesthetic goals, carbohydrates are the key energy source for most middle/long distance training and racing distances. It's recommended to consume a carbohydrate rich snack/meal 1-2hours before training or racing. This may include but is not limited to; porridge, pasta, toast, bagels, cereal, rice etc. I usually train late morning and so my ideal breakfast would be a bowl of porridge with peanut butter, sliced banana and chia seeds. Additionally the consumption of carbohydrates after a hard training session or race can help to replenish glycogen levels, which have been depleted throughout the activity. An energy bar/flapjack after training is always a good option to fill the gap before a balanced meal is consumed. Protein Recovery, recovery, recovery. Protein forms the building blocks to repair and recover muscles after exercise, put simply. Whether in the way of shakes and bars on the go, or as part of a balanced meal, it's good to incorporate an adequate amount of protein into your daily intake. Whey protein and shakes are not essential however they're very convenient for a quick top up after training or even as a snack in between meals. I tend to blend Greek yogurt with whey protein and ice to make a thick cold smoothie bowl and top it with fruit and peanut butter as a snack or dessert after a meal. When it comes to meals or packed lunches; chicken, salmon, eggs and tuna are all great sources of protein and will have the same effect as a shake or bar if consumed straight after training. Fat Whilst most athletes strive for a very low body fat percentage; the importance of fat in the diet is often underestimated. Not only is it a source of energy during aerobic exercise, it protects vital organs, allows women to have regular periods and is essential for the healthy maintenance of a demanding athletics lifestyle. Whilst I wouldn't necessarily encourage the consumption of vast amounts of burgers, chips, chocolate, cake and ice cream on a daily basis, a couple of treats a week are absolutely fine. Fat sources such as eggs, avocado and nuts/seeds can be incorporated into meals on a daily basis and often carry many more nutritional benefits such as being rich in iron. Weight Always a sensitive topic in athletics but one that needs addressing and talking about more. The prevalence of eating disorders in sports such as distance running are high and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has friends and knows of athletes suffering from eating disorders and dangerously low weight. Put simply, the lighter an athlete weighs, the faster they can run as physics taught us work = distance x weight. The danger here is that athletes can perform to a VERY high standard despite being severely underweight for a fairly long time (often a couple of years), before being forced to stop through injury/illness/fatigue. Being underweight can also put an athlete at risk of developing low bone density, amenorrhea in female athletes and other complications such as chronic fatigue, electrolyte imbalances and anxiety/depression. The 'ideal' weight for an athlete is the one at which, enough energy in the way of food is consumed to support daily training, recovery, sleep and regular functioning. The key here is that everyone is different and that my ideal weight will not be the same as the next persons. Equally so, it's ok to experiment with weight and see if losing or gaining 2-3kg makes any significant changes in training and performance. But most importantly, focus on athletic achievements and goals rather than weight and appearance. Eating for performance It's good to be conscious about the food you consume as an athlete, but it's not necessary to get too caught up over the exact macro and micro content. A balanced diet including a few treats is a reasonable goal to aim for in order to sufficiently fuel performance. As mentioned, every athlete is different and to really nail the nutritional aspect of any programme, a lot of learning and experimenting with different foods is required. But as a rule of thumb, if you find something that works for you, stick with it. An example daily meal plan can be found below; Breakfast - porridge (40-60g oats & milk) topped with sliced banana, peanut butter and chia seeds Post session snack - protein shake or energy bar Lunch - 2 slices of sourdough toast with smashed avocado, tomato and poached eggs Dinner - sweet potato wedges, grilled salmon and steamed veggies Dessert - 2 scoops of ice cream or frozen yogurt I would just like to say thank you so much to Sally who wrote this blog post for me and I think she has some really good information we could all learn from. If you want to follow her on instagram, her username is @adventureswithsal and she has some of the best food pics out of any instagramer I know. Her blog is also worth a read for sure!
Love G x
2 Comments
1/25/2018 10:08:50 am
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HelloI'm Grace, a 18 year old runner, and fitness fanatic. Join me on my crazy journey through life, squeezing in an adventure in every second of spare time I have. Archives
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