You have all heard the tag lines before: The breakfast of champions, do what the big boys do. Or how about this one you have heard all your life since you were a child: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The meal we call "breakfast" is exactly what it looks like a BREAK in a FAST. Breakfast is included on the long list of champion nutrition benefits.
You haven't eaten in several hours while you were sleeping and the first meal of the day is what will give you energy to keep going for the rest of the day. Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast perform better at work, at school and at any other activity that requires thought and concentration. Food is fuel for the brain as well as the rest of your body.
Now that we have convinced you to eat breakfast, what about the rest of the day? Of course people need to eat lunch and dinner. New studies are proving that in order to keep glucose levels balanced during the day, people should each a snack in the morning between breakfast and lunch and one between lunch and dinner.
By eating five meals a day your glucose levels will not fluctuate. This means your blood sugar levels will stay more level, resulting in more energy, better moods, and greater concentration. You will not experience that slump in the afternoon. Your exercise performance will be better during practice sessions or during period of exercise. You will experience less lethargy and less irritability.
People can find a lot of reason to not eat breakfast. People say they are too tired to eat in the mornings, they do not have enough time, they are not hungry, they are not sure what they should be eating, or they are saving all their calories for the day for that one big evening meal. The facts are in. Our bodies are designed to consume food every two to three hours.
For those who say they don't have time or cannot figure out what to eat for breakfast or for snacks, these are some suggestions that will help you gain champion nutrition benefits:
*Whole fruit is always an easy option and most of it is highly portable so you can eat it on the run.
*Rice cakes with peanut butter or another nut butter, 100% fruit jams or applesauce
*Whole grain toast with nut butters or 100% fruit jams
*Frozen whole grain waffle or pancakes with fresh or frozen fruit
*Instant organic oatmeal
*1/4 cup of nuts
*Raw veggies
*Celery stuffed with peanut butter or other nut butter
*Plain yogurt with fresh fruit
*Whole grain crackers and low fat cheese
*Bowl of whole grain cereal
*Granola bars
*Baked corn chips with salsa
*Hard boiled egg
*Popcorn with Mrs. Dash butter flavor instead of butter
Don't forget the leftover option for breakfast or for snacks. Most leftovers can be reheated in a minute or two in a microwave. Champion nutrition consists of eating not only the proper foods, but the proper foods at the proper time. By eating 5 - 6 meals a day, you will never feel hungry and you will energized all day long.
Another way to stay energized it to take a vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure you are getting all the proper nutrition you need to be a champion. Eniva's Vibe in liquid form is a great way to get the nutrition your body needs to be a champion. Champion nutrition benefit Vibe is a nutraceutical advanced technological breakthrough to ensure that 98% of all vitamins and minerals are absorbed into your body. Vibe is available at Nutrition for Champions.
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope a SEO Specialist at Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for http://www.NutritionForChampions.com.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Champion Nutrition Benefits
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Runners Supplements: Yes? No?
Any endurance athlete needs to be conscious of their nutritional requirements. Marathon runners and tri-athletes may ask, is a runner's supplement right for me? Supplements play an important role in two different ways.
The Proper Diet Challenge
Because of the athlete's high demand for energy during performance, getting enough carbohydrates and protein they need every single day can be very challenging. Runner's supplements can help. Sports drinks, energy bars and meal replacements allow an athlete to fuel their body without having to eat a lot of carbohydrate heavy foods.
It seems as if the athlete never quits in their day to day on-the-go lifestyle. The idea of eating 5 to 6 meals can be daunting, if not impossible for some. Carbohydrate supplementation via sports drinks and meal replacements can be a viable option.
The Protein Issue
The protein issue poses another barrier to round-the-clock eating. Protein comes from animal sources such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products. Trying to eat 5 to 6 meals a day that include protein is a problem because most people will not carry a chicken breast or a piece of around with them to meet those nutritional requirements. So, this makes sticking to a proper nutritional plan even more difficult.
Protein powders offer quite an advantage. They are easy for the body to absorb, making your daily protein goal much easier to achieve.
Food or Supplements?
Many athletes want to know if they should eat supplements or just follow a good diet. The answer to that question is both. If an athlete is hoping to hit their peak, they need to start with a good nutritional plan. This plan should include high carbohydrates for energy needs and protein for muscle repair and growth and along with small amounts of fat.
Proper nutrition should always be the primary goal for any athlete, so spending a fortune on supplements doesn't have to happen. If you are sticking to a 5-6 meal a day plan, you will probably not need runner's supplements, like sports drinks. If you find yourself skipping meals because you are pressed for time, then you may want to consider runner's supplements.
Vibe Works
Whether an athlete is eating 5-6 meals a day or supplementing their diet with energy bars and powders, a good multi-vitamin is essential to good health.
Vibe for performance is a major development in the area of nutrient delivery technology. Not only does Vibe provide essential vitamin, minerals, nutrients and cofactors needed for the body to thrive, it does so in a nutrient delivery system that makes sense - liquid. Vibe is available atNutrition For Champions
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for Nutrition For Champions.
The Proper Diet Challenge
Because of the athlete's high demand for energy during performance, getting enough carbohydrates and protein they need every single day can be very challenging. Runner's supplements can help. Sports drinks, energy bars and meal replacements allow an athlete to fuel their body without having to eat a lot of carbohydrate heavy foods.
It seems as if the athlete never quits in their day to day on-the-go lifestyle. The idea of eating 5 to 6 meals can be daunting, if not impossible for some. Carbohydrate supplementation via sports drinks and meal replacements can be a viable option.
The Protein Issue
The protein issue poses another barrier to round-the-clock eating. Protein comes from animal sources such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products. Trying to eat 5 to 6 meals a day that include protein is a problem because most people will not carry a chicken breast or a piece of around with them to meet those nutritional requirements. So, this makes sticking to a proper nutritional plan even more difficult.
Protein powders offer quite an advantage. They are easy for the body to absorb, making your daily protein goal much easier to achieve.
Food or Supplements?
Many athletes want to know if they should eat supplements or just follow a good diet. The answer to that question is both. If an athlete is hoping to hit their peak, they need to start with a good nutritional plan. This plan should include high carbohydrates for energy needs and protein for muscle repair and growth and along with small amounts of fat.
Proper nutrition should always be the primary goal for any athlete, so spending a fortune on supplements doesn't have to happen. If you are sticking to a 5-6 meal a day plan, you will probably not need runner's supplements, like sports drinks. If you find yourself skipping meals because you are pressed for time, then you may want to consider runner's supplements.
Vibe Works
Whether an athlete is eating 5-6 meals a day or supplementing their diet with energy bars and powders, a good multi-vitamin is essential to good health.
Vibe for performance is a major development in the area of nutrient delivery technology. Not only does Vibe provide essential vitamin, minerals, nutrients and cofactors needed for the body to thrive, it does so in a nutrient delivery system that makes sense - liquid. Vibe is available atNutrition For Champions
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for Nutrition For Champions.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
How Can A Cyclist Get Proper Nutrition Without Overeating?
As with any sport, to be the best possible, a cyclist has to know the best foods to eat. It may seem like an obvious fact, but the food a cyclist eats should go down easy and stay down.
Variety and moderation are two words to remember when racing or touring. Moderation means there are no good foods or bad foods, but rather healthy foods and not-so-healthy foods. Variety is important because nutrients are distributed in many foods. No one super-food contains everything you need.
A cyclist will burn more calories than a sedentary person, but that doesn't mean the cyclist has a license to eat anything they want. The correct eating plan will give you energy for an entire race or tour.
A diet of low fat and high carbohydrates will provide the needed energy. While a high carb diet is normally taboo for a normal dieter, they are not evil as many are taught to believe. Carbohydrates are actually the body's preferred source of energy.
Good sources of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, rice and pasta. Round out your diet with lean meat and small amounts of fat.
About an hour before you ride, fuel your body with a high carbohydrate snack or small meal. Some fruit and whole grain toast is a good idea or perhaps the athlete's friend: a bagel with peanut butter.
If you are going to be riding for more than an hour, replenish your carbs with a sports drink or energy bar during your ride.
It is equally important to eat within sixty minutes after a ride to replenish lost nutrients and to aid in muscle recovery.
Water is essential for hydration and maintaining fluid balance. To estimate your rate of fluid loss, weigh yourself nude before a race and then again after a ride. This is the amount of fluid you have lost during a race or a tour. Your rate of sweating can exceed a liter an hour in hot weather, so it is difficult to keep up. Drinking on a bike is always a good idea to keep up with fluid loss.
To ensure proper nutrition without overeating, a nutritional supplement is recommended for cyclists. Vibe is an great choice for an all natural nutritional supplement. This nutritional supplement is great tasting, convenient, and economical. It is a powerful way to get the balanced nutrition an active cyclist requires. More information about Vibe is available at Nutrition for Champions
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for Nutrition for Champions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Vertigan_Pope
Variety and moderation are two words to remember when racing or touring. Moderation means there are no good foods or bad foods, but rather healthy foods and not-so-healthy foods. Variety is important because nutrients are distributed in many foods. No one super-food contains everything you need.
A cyclist will burn more calories than a sedentary person, but that doesn't mean the cyclist has a license to eat anything they want. The correct eating plan will give you energy for an entire race or tour.
A diet of low fat and high carbohydrates will provide the needed energy. While a high carb diet is normally taboo for a normal dieter, they are not evil as many are taught to believe. Carbohydrates are actually the body's preferred source of energy.
Good sources of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, rice and pasta. Round out your diet with lean meat and small amounts of fat.
About an hour before you ride, fuel your body with a high carbohydrate snack or small meal. Some fruit and whole grain toast is a good idea or perhaps the athlete's friend: a bagel with peanut butter.
If you are going to be riding for more than an hour, replenish your carbs with a sports drink or energy bar during your ride.
It is equally important to eat within sixty minutes after a ride to replenish lost nutrients and to aid in muscle recovery.
Water is essential for hydration and maintaining fluid balance. To estimate your rate of fluid loss, weigh yourself nude before a race and then again after a ride. This is the amount of fluid you have lost during a race or a tour. Your rate of sweating can exceed a liter an hour in hot weather, so it is difficult to keep up. Drinking on a bike is always a good idea to keep up with fluid loss.
To ensure proper nutrition without overeating, a nutritional supplement is recommended for cyclists. Vibe is an great choice for an all natural nutritional supplement. This nutritional supplement is great tasting, convenient, and economical. It is a powerful way to get the balanced nutrition an active cyclist requires. More information about Vibe is available at Nutrition for Champions
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for Nutrition for Champions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Vertigan_Pope
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Runner's Nutrition Tips for Peak Performance
It is hard to know exactly what constitutes proper nutrition for a runner, or any athlete for that matter. A ton of information is available online. The hard part is separating the good info from the bad. Some of the information is simply common sense. This article will give you a few pointers about nutrition for runners.
High-Protein Dieting is Wrong for Runners
High-protein diets help people to loose weight. A word of caution, however. High-protein diets are not good for athletes, especially runners. If you are currently on a high-protein diet, don't count on having very much energy. High-protein diets do not fuel the body with essential carbohydrates a runner needs for endurance. High-protein diets often suggest reducing your carb intact, thereby forcing your body to use protein to make sugars for brain fuel.
As a result, the person develops what is called ketosis. Ketosis is basically a partial breakdown of body fats which causes increased loss of fluids. Many people are excited when they first begin a high-protein diet because they loose a lot of weight in the first weeks. This weight loss is mostly a loss of water.
This type of weight loss is devastating for a runner. If weight control is an issue for you, then rather than cutting down on carbohydrates or increasing your protein intake, increase your running distance five to ten miles over the course of the week.
Weight Loss Tips
You have probably heard this before, but it bears repeating. If you are having trouble getting rid of a few pounds, then start a food journal. My preferred method is using a small notebook that fits easily into a pocket or purse. Every time something goes into my mouth, it goes into the journal at the same time. I have been at this long enough that I can estimate the calories in many things I eat on a regular basis. Keeping a running total helps to control what I am tempted to eat later in the day.
Drinking lots of water is a good weight loss trick. Besides drinking water, eat foods that have plenty of water in them naturally, such as vegetables, fruits and low-fat or fat-free milk. Pair them up with fish, poultry or beans, which are low calorie foods that have ample bulk. Soups, stews, casseroles and pasta with lots of veggies will help with your intake of water. Adding blueberries to your breakfast cereal or eggplant to your lasagna will give you more food, and not add a lot of calories.
Low Fat Dieting is Wrong for Runners
The body gets energy from fat, which can mean a loss of endurance if a runner doesn't consume enough fat in their diet. Fat is not a bad food. Vegetables cooked in olive oil may actually reduce your chances of developing various forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis. If you are running more than thirty-five miles a week, then 30 to 45 percent of your caloric intake should be in the form of fat. It is a simple concept. Runners need more calories.
These few simple tips can help you improve your performance when running for long distances. VIBE for runners is a great way to add much needed vitamins and antioxidants to your diet. This all-in-one nutritional supplement is convenient, great tasting, and economical. Within seconds after taking VIBE, a full 97% of the nutrients you need for performance are absorbed into your body at the cellular level. It is a powerful way to receive balanced nutrition for an active runner. A more complete, proven combination of healthful goodness in liquid form can't be found. You can get VIBE at Nutrition for Champions
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for NutritionForChampions.com
High-Protein Dieting is Wrong for Runners
High-protein diets help people to loose weight. A word of caution, however. High-protein diets are not good for athletes, especially runners. If you are currently on a high-protein diet, don't count on having very much energy. High-protein diets do not fuel the body with essential carbohydrates a runner needs for endurance. High-protein diets often suggest reducing your carb intact, thereby forcing your body to use protein to make sugars for brain fuel.
As a result, the person develops what is called ketosis. Ketosis is basically a partial breakdown of body fats which causes increased loss of fluids. Many people are excited when they first begin a high-protein diet because they loose a lot of weight in the first weeks. This weight loss is mostly a loss of water.
This type of weight loss is devastating for a runner. If weight control is an issue for you, then rather than cutting down on carbohydrates or increasing your protein intake, increase your running distance five to ten miles over the course of the week.
Weight Loss Tips
You have probably heard this before, but it bears repeating. If you are having trouble getting rid of a few pounds, then start a food journal. My preferred method is using a small notebook that fits easily into a pocket or purse. Every time something goes into my mouth, it goes into the journal at the same time. I have been at this long enough that I can estimate the calories in many things I eat on a regular basis. Keeping a running total helps to control what I am tempted to eat later in the day.
Drinking lots of water is a good weight loss trick. Besides drinking water, eat foods that have plenty of water in them naturally, such as vegetables, fruits and low-fat or fat-free milk. Pair them up with fish, poultry or beans, which are low calorie foods that have ample bulk. Soups, stews, casseroles and pasta with lots of veggies will help with your intake of water. Adding blueberries to your breakfast cereal or eggplant to your lasagna will give you more food, and not add a lot of calories.
Low Fat Dieting is Wrong for Runners
The body gets energy from fat, which can mean a loss of endurance if a runner doesn't consume enough fat in their diet. Fat is not a bad food. Vegetables cooked in olive oil may actually reduce your chances of developing various forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis. If you are running more than thirty-five miles a week, then 30 to 45 percent of your caloric intake should be in the form of fat. It is a simple concept. Runners need more calories.
These few simple tips can help you improve your performance when running for long distances. VIBE for runners is a great way to add much needed vitamins and antioxidants to your diet. This all-in-one nutritional supplement is convenient, great tasting, and economical. Within seconds after taking VIBE, a full 97% of the nutrients you need for performance are absorbed into your body at the cellular level. It is a powerful way to receive balanced nutrition for an active runner. A more complete, proven combination of healthful goodness in liquid form can't be found. You can get VIBE at Nutrition for Champions
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for NutritionForChampions.com
Monday, March 31, 2008
Nutrition for Runners Who Want to Go the Distance
Proper nutrition is crucial for a runner, particularly if you are a long distance runner, if you want to have enough energy to complete a race, or to simply meet your personal running goals. When running, your body needs 10 to 20 times the energy it needs while resting. Proper nutrition will ensure you have the energy you need when you need it.
Simple and Complex Carbohydrates
It is understood that runners need to get most of their calories from carbohydrates. The problem is many people do not know exactly what foods are high in carbs. Even pasta is only about 80 percent carbs with the rest being protein and fat. To get enough calories that are beneficial to you means your diet should consist of 15 to 20 percent proteins, 30 percent fat and 50 to 55 percent carbohydrates.
To make things more difficult, there are two kinds of carbs: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates include sugar, honey, sweet and soft drinks the get most of their calories from sugar. Runners should get only 10 percent of their carbohydrates from simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates come from the starch in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, pasta, legumes and bread.
The Glycogen Story
When training for a marathon, or even a half marathon, the average person will likely require about 2,500 calories a day. This is necessary to maintain glycogen stores in the muscles. Glycogen is a polysaccharide of glucose which provides quick energy storage in a human's cells. It is an energy reserve that can be quickly mobilized to meet a sudden need for glucose. The only problem with glycogen stores is that they are easily depleted and must be replenished.
Normally, a body can store about 2,000 calories of glycogen. Because a runner depletes this amount by about 100 calories a mile, by around mile 20 in a race, runners experience extreme fatigue. This can be delayed by carbohydrate loading before the race. The night before the race, or even a long practice run, it is important to consume a carbohydrate rich meal. It is advisable to top off the tank, so to speak, by eating a light carbohydrate meal right before bed.
Practice Makes Perfect
Every runner is different, so practice what works best for you. Some runners prefer eating a breakfast that carbohydrate rich before the race. Check to see if this routine will upset your stomach before taking off on a marathon race. Practicing ahead of time will let you know what foods work best with your metabolism. Don't wait until the day of the race to find out this information.
Hydration is Important
Once the race starts, hydration is very important. But like figuring out what food routine works best for you, take time to figure out what drinking routine works best for you.
Drinking while running isn't easy, but it can be learned with practice. Gulp the fluid too quickly and you could spend a mile coughing and gasping. If you stop to drink at the aid stations, you will loose time. Unless you grip the cup carefully, you will spill half the contents onto the ground. Learn the technique before your race begins. Also learn how much water you should drink during the race so you will not spend precious time in the restroom along the route.
Multivitamins are Essential
Multivitamins are also essential to ensure that you are getting enough of the proper vitamins and minerals in your diet without eating to excess. Vitamins in table form often deliver only about 10 percent of the nutrition to the body. VIBE solves that problem.
Liquid VIBE is different. Within seconds after taking VIBE, a full 97% of the nutrients you need for performance are absorbed into your body at the cellular level. And that is important. Because the faster needed nutrients get to your cells the more you'll be able to get out of your exercise and training regimen.
Vibe is available at NutritionForChampions.
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for http://www.NutritionForChampions.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Vertigan_Pope
Simple and Complex Carbohydrates
It is understood that runners need to get most of their calories from carbohydrates. The problem is many people do not know exactly what foods are high in carbs. Even pasta is only about 80 percent carbs with the rest being protein and fat. To get enough calories that are beneficial to you means your diet should consist of 15 to 20 percent proteins, 30 percent fat and 50 to 55 percent carbohydrates.
To make things more difficult, there are two kinds of carbs: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates include sugar, honey, sweet and soft drinks the get most of their calories from sugar. Runners should get only 10 percent of their carbohydrates from simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates come from the starch in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, pasta, legumes and bread.
The Glycogen Story
When training for a marathon, or even a half marathon, the average person will likely require about 2,500 calories a day. This is necessary to maintain glycogen stores in the muscles. Glycogen is a polysaccharide of glucose which provides quick energy storage in a human's cells. It is an energy reserve that can be quickly mobilized to meet a sudden need for glucose. The only problem with glycogen stores is that they are easily depleted and must be replenished.
Normally, a body can store about 2,000 calories of glycogen. Because a runner depletes this amount by about 100 calories a mile, by around mile 20 in a race, runners experience extreme fatigue. This can be delayed by carbohydrate loading before the race. The night before the race, or even a long practice run, it is important to consume a carbohydrate rich meal. It is advisable to top off the tank, so to speak, by eating a light carbohydrate meal right before bed.
Practice Makes Perfect
Every runner is different, so practice what works best for you. Some runners prefer eating a breakfast that carbohydrate rich before the race. Check to see if this routine will upset your stomach before taking off on a marathon race. Practicing ahead of time will let you know what foods work best with your metabolism. Don't wait until the day of the race to find out this information.
Hydration is Important
Once the race starts, hydration is very important. But like figuring out what food routine works best for you, take time to figure out what drinking routine works best for you.
Drinking while running isn't easy, but it can be learned with practice. Gulp the fluid too quickly and you could spend a mile coughing and gasping. If you stop to drink at the aid stations, you will loose time. Unless you grip the cup carefully, you will spill half the contents onto the ground. Learn the technique before your race begins. Also learn how much water you should drink during the race so you will not spend precious time in the restroom along the route.
Multivitamins are Essential
Multivitamins are also essential to ensure that you are getting enough of the proper vitamins and minerals in your diet without eating to excess. Vitamins in table form often deliver only about 10 percent of the nutrition to the body. VIBE solves that problem.
Liquid VIBE is different. Within seconds after taking VIBE, a full 97% of the nutrients you need for performance are absorbed into your body at the cellular level. And that is important. Because the faster needed nutrients get to your cells the more you'll be able to get out of your exercise and training regimen.
Vibe is available at NutritionForChampions.
Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for http://www.NutritionForChampions.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Vertigan_Pope
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Nutrition for Champions
There is a huge amount written about nutrition for athletes. Much of the advice is dauntingly long and complicated, and some of it is contradictory. As a new runner, you won't go far wrong if you stick to these general.
- If you exercise regularly, you need to eat and drink more. If you start exercising but go on eating the same amount, you will lose
weight. (This may be what you want, in which case see the article on losing weight.) Running, jogging or walking a mile burns about 100 calories; and if you run regularly, your resting metabolism will increase. If you run 40 miles a week, you'll need to eat about 600-700 calories a day extra.
David Street rehydrating
after a marathon - Eat plenty of a wide variety of fresh or unprocessed foods. Your body needs carbohydrate, protein and fat, as well as vitamins, mineral, trace elements and water. If you deny it those things, you are likely to become lethargic, ill or get injured.
- Drink lots of water. Try to consume at least 2 litres a day. Always have a bottle of water on your desk at work, and sip regularly during the day. Put a bottle on the kitchen table and sip whenever you walk past. Being properly hydrated will improve your running and your complexion! Tea and coffee don't help: they are diuretic (ie they make you urinate more) so they increase the need to drink water. (Herbal tea is OK.)
- Eat more carbohydrates. About half of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. This means lots of potatoes, pasta, bread, cereals and fruit. Where possible, try to eat unprocessed foods. Unfortunately, most pasta (the runner's staple) is refined: try wholemeal instead.
- Eat a low fat diet. You should not eliminate fats altogether, but they should not form more than about 15 per cent of your calorie intake each day. This is not much fat.
- Replenish your carbohydrates within two hours of exercise. Your muscles will recover much more quickly, and your body will increase its capacity to store glycogen, if you eat easily digestible carbohydrates (eg bananas) or drink a recovery sports drink soon after exercise – preferably within half an hour, and certainly within two hours.
- Keep a food diary. You might be surprised by what you are really eating, even if you think you have a healthy diet. For a week, keep track of everything you eat, and break it down into carbohydrate, fat and protein.
- You probably don't need vitamin supplements. If you eat a varied diet and you ensure that your fruit and vegetables are fresh, you should get the vitamins and minerals you need. But some runners on a heavy training schedule take a multi-vitamin tablet each day, and if you are prone to infections you might want to take Vitamin C and Zinc supplements.
- Eat little and often. Ideally, start the day with a big breakfast with plenty of carbohydrates, such as muesli or toast. This will give you more fuel for the day, and help to increase your carbohydrate intake. Then eat every 4 hours or so. It is better to keep your body topped up than to let your blood sugar levels swing.
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