The Low-down on Carb Loading

Carb loading is an important part of preparing for any serious running event (such as a half marathon) lasting 90 minutes or longer and can significantly improve performance.  However, eating as much bread, pasta and potatoes as you can is not good enough.  It is important to eat carbohydrates that provide the long-lasting, slow-releasing energy you need to get through the race, and ideally you should be eating carbs which will deliver optimum nutritional value as well as energy. 

Some tips on planning your training and pre-race diet:

·         Carb load every day whilst training, not just before a big event. Aim for around 60% of your daily calorie intake to come from carbohydrates.  

·         Reduce your training 2 weeks before the event but continue to eat the same – this can double your glycogen stores and so you will last longer before hitting the wall.

·         Ensure you do eat protein (0.6-0.9 grams per lb of body weight is recommended for a sports diet) as well as carbohydrates. Sources of good quality protein include chicken, fish, turkey, quinoa, nuts & seeds, lean beef and pulses.

·         Do not fat load – only 20-25% of your daily calorie intake should come from fat when on a sports diet. Replace fats with carbs where possible – i.e. have fruit jam instead of butter on your toast.

·         Have wholegrain, wholewheat, wholemeal – fibre rich wholesome foods will release energy more slowly than refined foods and are more dense in nutrients. 

·         Plan ahead: make sure that you know what you are going to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper and to drink the day before a race.

·         Hydrate – drink extra water the night before a race, and avoid dehydrating fluids like alcohol, tea and coffee, or at least limit them.

·         Always eat breakfast!

·         Use common sense – choose healthy carbs to load on. Try porridge with stewed apples, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for breakfast, potassium rich baked potato with baked beans or tuna for lunch, wholemeal pasta with vegetables and chicken for dinner, and snack on oatcakes with cottage cheese or low-fat cream cheese, watermelon and low fat yoghurt. 

The Battle with New Year Resolutions

Struggling to keep your resolutions going? No wonder, most people set themselves massive challenges – and then beat themselves up for failing to achieve them!

“I am going to lose 3 stone by March.”

Really?  This means losing 4lbs a week – which means burning 12,000 calories a week (equivalent to walking 120 miles) – is this really going to happen?

Only in a controlled environment can this work. Boot camp works on a model of reduced calorie intake of about 800 calories per day and an average burn of 2,500 calories per day – resulting in at least 1lb of weight loss per day. Therefore the average weight loss is 8-10lbs on a 7 day boot camp.  But to recreate this in your own environment, with the pressures and temptations of everyday life, and the dark evenings meaning less time than ever for exercise, would be close to impossible.

So let’s set better resolutions… ones that will make you proud when you do actually achieve them!  The way to do this is to make them SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely).

1. Specific
– I want to lose 1-2lbs every week for 8 weeks until I next review my results and programme, and I’ll do this by eating healthily (especially avoiding chocolate and crisps) and walking my dog around the park (1 ½ miles) 5 days a week.  It says it all in one sentence.
2. Measurable – Does it have a number? You can then say whether or not you achieved it – i.e. did you manage 5 times? Did you avoid chocolate and crisps – did you have any?
3. Achievable – You’re not going to walk the 120 miles a week described above, so make it achievable – you don’t want to fail before you start. So start lower, and if you achieve your target easily then increase it next week.
4. Realistic – is it? If not then change it!
5. Timely – do you have a check point? For example, in 8 weeks I will review my results and programme.  But I will keep on track before then by weighing myself to see if I am losing the 1-2lbs per week that I set myself. You need a time-frame – otherwise you risk going off track.

Time to make new SMART goals rather than resolutions which usually fail within a couple of weeks!  Keep it going – it is ultimately down to you!

If you do need extra guidance or motivation then Enhance is here to help. We offer:

• Personal training (in a variety of locations) – some of the best instructors in the industry
• Nutrition consultation (in person, or on the phone) – by Caroline Forster (BSc Human Nutrition)
• 7 day boot camps – to kick start weight loss (lose 8-10lbs in 7 days) or improve fitness
• Detox retreat – for those who want more relaxed weight loss and to detox their system
• Bespoke boot camp – if you’ve got a group of friends who want to join in let us organise it for you

www.enhancebodybootcamp.co.uk