You are what you eat, so planning your meals can make a big difference.
Food for runners
Did you know that a 5ft 9" tall, 11-stone marathon runner needs around 3500 to 4000 calories a day? So don't cut calories if you want to be a serious runner. Obviously, if you run for fun, you don’t need so many. Good calorie sources are porridge oats, wholegrain bread or pasta, brown rice and beans. Grab your high-carb snack two hours before heading out for a run.
As a general guide, Wendy Martinson, Sports Nutritionist for the British Olympic Association advises consuming four to five grams of carbohydrates per kg of your body weight if you run for a total of three to five hours a week. If you run five to seven hours a week, aim for five to six grams per kg.
Variety is important in any diet, but protein is the one to watch here as it helps muscle repair and recovery.
And water is also key for runners – hydrate yourself before running and if you're out for more than 30 minutes, carry water with you.
Food for weight loss
Don't forget that crazy, crash diets don’t work. You will be moody and won’t have the energy you need for everyday life. If you are thinking of losing weight, you need to change your lifestyle by doing exercise and following a healthy diet. As my grandma say, all you need to do is eat a little bit of everything in small portions – and she's 95 now so she's doing something right!
One secret is to add lots of vegetables, fruit and water to your diet. This way, you'll feel full and have a healthy digestive system. And you can have some treats, but save them for when you've eaten a healthy meal. Did you know that your body absorbs more of what you eat first? So first thing in the morning, drink a glass of water, eat some fruit and maybe some porridge or toast. And be careful of your portion sizes, choose the healthiest options and nothing can go wrong. Proteins and carbs are important to your body when taken in the right amount. More tips: replace fizzy drinks and fruit cordials with water, swap whole milk for semi-skimmed or semi-skimmed for skimmed, eat a smaller lunch than usual, stop taking sugar in tea and coffee and cut down on your alcohol intake – make it your New Year's Resolution! And remember to exercise at least twice a week.
Food for muscle gain
As we said before, 'proteins repair muscles'. When you do weight training, you're breaking down muscle meaning that protein is an important part of your diet. Carbohydrates are equally important as you're using a lot of energy in your workouts. Here are 10 foods that will help: eggs – a big source of protein and easy to assimilate, fish – a good source of Omega3 fatty acids, blueberries – loaded with antioxidants, lean beef in moderation, chicken – high in protein and low in fat, almonds – a great source of protein and energy metabolism, oatmeal – helps reduce cholesterol and a great carbohydrate, water – more in the morning kick starts your metabolism and last, but not least... vegetables – high in fibre, they keep you hydrated and help your muscles recover.
Just by thinking about the benefits of various foods and what they're providing our bodies will help us eat differently and make us all happy eaters!
