Eat, drink and be merry – because you can! Now you’re burning up all those carbohydrates from last night’s fish and chips, and sweating out that bottle of wine, exactly what should you be eating and drinking to help you in your quest? Well here’s your top 5 countdown to help you find the right balance:
5. Drink like a fish! You should be drinking at least two litres of water a day (and your urine should be pale yellow or clear) to keep hydrated, because when you run you’ll lose up to a litre of liquid an hour. Avoid too much tea and coffee as they are what’s known as diuretics which means they force water out of your body. Fizzy drinks are also best avoided.
4. Whilst we’re on the subject of drinking, why not try using one of the many energy drinks on the market. They have a high carbohydrate and electrolyte content which will replace the energy you burn and salts you sweat out. Test the drink that will be available during your race (for example Lucozade Sport) in training to see whether it suits you.
3. Eat little and often: It’s better to eat 5 meals a day with a moderate amount of food rather than 3, to keep your energy levels up and to ensure you’re getting enough fuel into your system. Snack as much as possible (whenever you’re hungry) on things like Fruesli bars, bananas, flapjack and Jaffacakes – all quite low in fat and high in carbs!
2. Eat at least 2 hours before exercise – and as quickly as possible afterwards. That way you won’t feel ill whilst you’re running and you’ll maximise your recovery. A small snack like a banana half an hour before a run should be fine, but experiment with what works best for you.
And at 1…. Pasta is King – in fact anything that’s crammed full of carbs is great, for example rice and potatos. If you have a choice, go for wholegrain as it burns slower (like coal on a fire) and will therefore keep you going for longer.
Don’t worry too much about being some kind of Paula Radcliffe–esque running machine. We all want our burgers and chips from time to time, but the above tips will help you to keep you going when the going gets tough and allow you to have that guilt free Saturday night out!
