Dietary advice
RUNNING a race requires a mindful approach to food, since everything we eat and drink has a direct impact on our performance. So using the finest energy sources from food, smartest hydration strategies, ideal timing techniques will all make a difference to this year’s Hope & Dream 10 mile and 10k on the 05th April.
A healthy lifestyle includes a wide range of different things from the food you eat to the beverages you drink, how much exercise you do, how much sleep you get, how much work you do and much more. Don’t let anything stand in your way of becoming healthy and fit. Be active be healthy and not only will you achieve and succeed but you will be happier and studies show activity can improve your mental health.
A race car never starts a race without new tyres and a full tank of diesel, so we should not start a workout without proper nutrition. Eating before a workout guarantees that the body starts with a full tank of glycogen.
Eating before training is very important and effects how well you train or run, practicing how long you need to digest your food in training days is advisable don’t wait until the race day. Everyone is different so what works for one will not automatically work for another.
If you find it difficult to digest food before a run or training, try having a smoothie as it’s quickly digested without any effort. Carbohydrates are the first choice your body uses for energy so maybe try having a bowl of porridge with blueberries or wholegrain toast with peanut butter few hours before your training this will help as they are slow releasing carbohydrates.
Tips on everyday foods to include in your healthy lifestyle
Start every day with a glass of hot water and lemon, lime, orange or ginger for taste.
Breakfast, try to vary your cereals such as porridge, all bran, bran flakes, Weetabix with your spoonful of chia, flax or hempseeds and few spoonful’s of fruit (super way to boost your immune system)
Healthy snack, try a super smoothie orange, apple, avocado, carrot and Greek yogurt
Lunch, wholegrain wrap or sandwich with choice of fillings including tomato, onion, spinach and feta cheese or the good old beans on toast with spinach
Healthy snack mid-afternoon, something small and light just to keep your sugar
levels maintained such as a fruit pot or yogurt or slices of apple with peanut butter
Dinner, stir fry chicken, turkey, beef or fish with loads of different coloured vegetables the more colours the better and brown rice or noodles or try making homemade shepherd’s pie with plenty of veg (try sweet potato topping for a change. its yummy)
Evening time, cup of green tea and a plain biscuit or glass of milk and a little rice cake
Try and be healthy 80 per cent of your week and have your treats on the other 20 per cent.
Here are just a few healthy tips that we should all be aware of leading up to the race day
· Plan your weekly food list as this will make it easier for you to have the right food in your press and fridge
· Never skip any of your daily meals, you are only fooling your body and it’s not good for your sugar levels
· Eat little and often to maintain your sugar levels
For anyone interested in joining a beginners group to help on their journey from 0 to 10k, I am already involved in 2 beginner groups New Year’s Resolution 2,5k in Enniscorthy running track Monday and Thursday 8pm to 9pm and also Fit-Nutz in shelmaliers Gaa grounds in Castlebridge every Tuesday and Fridays at 7pm to 8pm
I will be there myself on all of the above nights or you can contact Mag 087-6366905 for New Year’s Resolution2,5k or Darren 086-8563872 for Fit-Nutz