We hope you had a great weekend and you are ready for a new week of working towards your goals, whatever they may be!
It’s October bank holiday weekend and for most of our clients and marathon runners there is only one date on their mind – the 29th of October!
The Dublin Marathon!
We are so excited to see you there and we know first-hand the amount of work and preparation that goes into an event like this. Well done.
Did you know…
Nutrition and carbohydrate intake have a direct impact on performance.
⛔️ Don’t ignore this part of the puzzle.
A few key considerations:
- The days in the lead-up to the race; i.e. carbohydrate loading
- Traveling and dinner/meals out
- The morning of the race
- During the race
- Hydration
- Gut issues
- Nerves
- Post-race
Carbohydrate loading, what is?
A strategy used by athletes to fill up their carbohydrate stores in the body to ensure they have plenty of energy heading into an endurance event. Stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. You want these storage sites filled up so that you can exercise for longer before fatigue sets in. This helps prevent ‘hitting the wall’.
Common Errors
- Eating only plates of pasta, potatoes, rice and oats
- Eating too much protein, vegetables, and fatty foods
- Feeling full, bloated, lethargic
- Going long gaps in the day without carbohydrate feedings
- Only focusing on dinner the night before
- Trying to carb load for a week
- Using foods like pizza (pizza is mostly fats)
- Overeating
- Not hydrating
- Not practicing in training
👆 These are some of what you should NOT do 👆
Did you know – carbohydrate loading begins 36-48 hours before race day?
Recommended targets are between 8-12 grams/kg of body weight.
But, HOW?
Reduce fibre intake!
Reduce fat intake!
Reduce spice intake!
Instead, choose fast-digesting carbohydrates – jam, honey, granola, fruit smoothies, juices, toast, dried fruits, fruit yogurts, ambrosia rice, jellies, flapjacks etc.
Less volume, more carbohydrates, more success.
If you need support around carbohydrate loading and how to structure it so suit you and your lifestyle, get in touch today!
Email or call Sean or Alanna today!
Sean@myhealthmatters.ie
Alanna@myhealthmatters.ie
Check out our website for more information and to book your nutritional consultation, VO2, or metabolic test HERE.
Yours in Health and Fitness,
The Health Matters Team
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