Eating and drinking right

The good news is that you can get all the nutrients and energy you need from everyday food and, because you’re going to be burning up so much energy, you’ll be able to eat more.

• When you’re on the move, keep drinking small amounts of water – every 15 to 20 minutes
  or so, even if you’re not thirsty.
• If you’re running, cycling, or walking for more than 90 minutes try and nibble on the way – bananas, cereal bars, dried fruit, sports drinks and ‘gels’ are all good options. Find the right one for you.
• Eat plenty of carbohydrates – breads, pastas, fruit and vegetables (see below) – and drink plenty of fluids (not coffee, tea or alcohol) everyday to keep your fuel and fluid stores topped up between working out.
• Change the food you eat from day-to-day – that way you’re more likely to get all your essential nutrients.
• Keep the alcohol and caffeine (tea and coffee) to a minimum – especially before the event itself – as they will make you thirsty (dehydrated).

Water

Water is essential. It’s needed to sweat in order to keep your body cool and to keep your vital organs working properly (brain, liver and so on). If your body gets less than it needs it stops working, fast.

Unless you’ve got the knack to drink from a cup while running, you’ll probably find it saves you time to stop for a second – drink your drink – and then carry on, rather than splashing the drink all over you.

• Drink plenty of fluids before setting out –
  at least half a litre (one pint).
• Try and drink at least half a litre (about a pint) of water every hour – more if it’s hot or you
  are a big person.
• Keep drinking throughout, even if you don’t
  feel thirsty. Take three or four gulps every 15 to 20 minutes whatever activity you are doing, even in the wintertime. (You’re aiming to drink between half a litre (one pint) to one litre (two pints) of water every hour depending on what activity you are doing.)
• Drink lots of water or juice when you’ve stopped.
• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink – by the time you feel thirsty you are dehydrated (don’t have enough water in your body).
• If your pee is the colour of whisky (yellow) you’re dehydrated – it should be more like the colour of gin.
• Specialist drinks – isotonic drinks – often have a little carbohydrate and salt (sodium) in them and can be a useful way of restocking your body’s supplies. These are particularly good if you’re on the go for more than 90 minutes and exercising hard (running or cycling, for example) – they’ll help you restock your energy supplies.
• Remember that tea, coffee and alcohol will actually make you more dehydrated.

General food rules

There is no such thing as the right or wrong food, only right and wrong meals. Don’t feel you should never eat a cream éclair again or stop drinking alcohol, just make sure that what you eat over a couple of days balances out. Simply put your ‘daily plate’ needs to look like the following:

• Two thirds (50 to 70 per cent) carbohydrates
• A fifth (15 to 20 per cent) proteins
• A fifth (15 to 20 per cent) fat
• At least five portions of fruit and vegetables
• It takes about one to two hours for your body to digest a light and low fat meal (a bowl of pasta, for example), so give yourself time between eating a meal and training. A large or fatty meal – such as a full English breakfast – will take longer, anywhere between four and five hours.

If you’re exercising – training or on the event – for more than 90 minutes, try to snack regularly to keep your energy levels up. Keep nibbling on energy bars, isotonic drinks, bananas or dried fruit. Sweets like Jelly Babies may also be just the trick.

• When you’re active, you should be eating about 5 to 10g of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight. For example if you weigh 70kg (11 stone) you eat between 350g and 700g every day.
• 350g of carbohydrates could be made
  up of:

2 slices of bread (wholemeal is better)
2 large bananas
1 glass of fruit juice
1 large jacket potato
1 large plate of pasta
¾ large tin of baked beans
cereal bar
pint of semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
large bowl of breakfast cereal (with low fat milk).

• An hour and half before training or setting out eat about 1g of carbohydrates for every kilogram you weigh. So someone weighing 70kg should eat 70g of carbs – something like a large bowl of pasta or porridge.
• After training, or when you’ve stopped, try eating a banana or a couple of slices of bread within 20 minutes and then again in the next two hours.
• Within two hours after stopping eat a properly balanced meal – high on carbs, but with plenty of vegetables and lean protein.

If on a trek or cycle tour abroad, pay close attention to personal hygiene – wash your hands regularly, especially after going to the loo – this way you’ll cut down the chance of getting some nasty tummy bug.

• Foods that are high in protein include lean red meat, tuna, chicken breast, green, leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.
• Protein foods can be good sources of vitamins and minerals.
• Red meat, for example is a good source of iron, which is important in helping your blood carry oxygen throughout your body.

Fat

Some fat in your diet is important to help the body repair itself and store certain vitamins.

• Try and get your fat from healthy sources like fish (mackerel and herring), seeds and olive oils.
• Animal fats (saturated) – often found in things like pastries, butter and creamy sauces – is less good for you.

Now read keeping motivated.