As part of my training for Ironman (2.4 miles swim, 112 miles on the bike and a full marathon in a row) as well as nutrition is very important for such a big challenge. Food is our fuel so we should care what we eat. I am going to provide a few essential nutrition hints.
Hint no 1. Calories
We need to think of calories and select the foods that works best for you. It's not so much about how to get rid of them but how to get them in. Your calories (or your energy) comes from carbohydrates, fats and proteins. I burn around 500-700 calories per hour during my training.
Aim for balance of 55-60% for healthy carbohydrates (whole-grain products such as breads, cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables and green leaf salads). Good choice of fat (20-25 %) include olive oil (organic,cold pressed, unfiltered), nuts,(organic and raw) seeds,(organic and raw), avocado and fish,(wild fish NOT farmed fish...unless it says WILD then it will be from a fish farm, even organic fish is from a fish farm), swordfish, shark and tuna have high mercury levels, smaller fish like sardines, mackeral and salmon and trout are safer) coconut oil, full fat butter, raw milk. Protein is purely for muscle-tissue building, repairing and recovery. Choose chicken, turkey, fish, round steak, yogurt and milk. The balance should be around 15-20% per day...
Robin's comment:
This is ok as a general guide but some people will need more protein and fat and less carbs depending on their genetics and personal biology...this is where Metabolic Typing comes in.
I wouldn't call grains and cereals a healthy food, they will give you energy but not much nutrition and 99% of athletes eat far too many of them!!!
It would be good if you advised to eat organic foods where possible.
The QUALITY of food is far more important than the quantity.
I eat daily 4-6 smaller meals including snacks. My typical day of eating is:
Breakfast: porridge with strawberries and raspberries
Snack: Nuts
Lunch: Chicken with broccoli and cauliflower
Snack: Carrot juice
Dinner: Salmon with spinach and potatoes
Desert: Blueberries with yogurt
Hint no 2. Hydration
A good starting point is to drink 2-3 liters of water per day. It doesn't include milk, juice or tea. Also very important is to rehydrate during and after your workouts. The optimal way to keep hydrated is drinking water by sipping it through the day...
Robin's comment:
A good way is to weigh yourself in kilograms and divide that number by 0.003 and drink that many liters of water per day or find out how many pounds you weigh and drink half that number of ounces of water per day...this is just a guide to aim for...many people will not be able to drink so much water and they shouldn't force themselves to do so...drink as much as you feel comfortable with.
Weigh yourself before and after exercise. It helps you to know how much sweat you lost and how much you need to replace. For every half kilo you lose, drink 0,5 l of water. Also headaches, cramps and fatigue are signs that you didn't drink enough fluids.
Hint no 3. Training fueling
Athletes should be able to get through workout for 60 to 90 minutes without needing extra nutrition.
I prefer to use natural foods for my training such a banana, cereal bars or raisins with nuts. As my energy drink I drink water with a pinch of sea salt and raw honey. Instead of water you can use fresh squeezed orange...
Robin's comment:
Just orange juice may be too sweet for most people, better to dilute it with water to suit your own taste.
Another way of refueling is energy bars, gels and a sports drink containing electrolytes. Choose the one you like. Taste is important. From my own experience some gels may affect your stomach which cause stomach cramps.
Hint no 4. Recovery
First priority after exercise should be to replace the fluids you lost. After short training water is the best. If you train more than 90 minutes choose drinks high in carbohydrates or natural fruit juice.
Robin's comment:
I would eat something with protein/fat and carbs in it..Meat and veg is ideal but Pine nuts and a banana would do the job.
Muscles absorb nutrients better immediately after a workout. It's handy if you have an energy bar or fruit or whole-grain bread with almond butter with you. My favourite recovery food is milk and banana.
Happy eating! ;0)
