 Before I start I should probably bring your attention to some people who really know what they're talking about: head over to Motion Nutrition for a load of articles that explain holistic eating, nutritional science and general wellbeing in much better detail than me. Being horribly under-qualified, I can only speak from my humble perspective... so I'm going to do that anyway, but if you'd like a more comprehensive nutrition blog, those are the guys to ask! But anyway, I'll get started on what I've discovered. I think it's super easy to give yourself a health problem by worrying too much about food. In the past, I have literally driven myself to stomach pain because I feel as though I've not had enough protein, or not reached the right numbers. That's ok; don't beat yourself up about it. You're just trying to be the best you can be, and there is nothing wrong with that. However to make the experience of being your personal best slightly more pleasant I think it's worth considering a few things. People can live off sausages and chips. No, it's not nutritionally ideal. But remember that one famous guy in Scotland who was interviewed following a lifetime of eating literally just sausages and chips? If you miss your protein quota or just couldn't be bothered putting together a 12 part salad for one or two days, it's ok. You're not going to die and you definitely shouldn't worry about it. I suppose I'm writing this blog from the perspective of someone who is much more likely to get neurotic about food than lazy about food. I'm saying that because I don't want it to come across as though I would recommend eating potatoes and meat as a staple. I'm saying it because faced with the choice between something to eat that doesn't 'fit' my mental bill, and not eating at all, in the past I've tended towards the latter. So some really basic stuff that I've found super helpful over the last few years, added to some tips that I've picked up from other athletes: |  1. Feed your brain Our brains like variety and change. The wider the variety of food you put in your body, the more our little receptors and processors have to work. And they like it. Our moods, hormones and physiology are massively affected by the foods we eat, and it's worth the effort of mixing it up. 2. A word on food prep I'm actually not that into food prep. I get a bit of satisfaction from making too much dinner and eating it for lunch the next day. The things I do try to pre-prepare is stuff that needs to sit for a while, like sauerkraut and ginger shots. But I enjoy cooking and prefer to wind down at the end of the day making dinner. Although food prep can be extremely economical and helpful during a training camp! 3. I'm going to talk about protein and I'm not sorry I know this is seriously annoying for some people. I think it comes from athletes and nutritionists singing high praises to protein in terms of recovery and performance. Yes, it's over-sold. Yes, I think it's true. The best I feel is when my protein intake per day is between 1.5 and 2 grams per kilo of bodyweight. So around 120 grams for me. I discovered the role of protein in my life after a talk by David Dunne, a nutritionist helping GB canoeing athletes. I'd spent a couple of years feeling increasingly worn down and ill as a result of over-training and poor recovery. Changing the way I looked at protein, and more importantly rest, has changed the way I think about sport completely. It's up to you where the protein comes from - your body probably doesn't mind too much. But I'm going to do a whole separate article on protein because I can go on for hours... 4. You need vitamins and minerals I don't like getting into debates about supplements because I actually don't think it matters how you get your vitamins as long as it's clean and healthy. Vitamin C is an athlete's best friend; you can get that everywhere. If you don't want orange juice, try making sauerkraut. If you don't like sauerkraut, I make a ginger, lemon and blackberry shot (which is god-awful but makes my brain happy) to slap the vitamins in. You need them, they help your immune system. Green things are important, and if you don't like them you haven't tried hard enough! |
