10 Ways To Improve Your Training Through Food

1) Timing
Timing is essential to eating and training. Try not to eat a big meal 2 hours before a big training session. If you are going for longish run, heavy training or fast intervals, try eating a small snack 30min before running, and finally, after training aim to eat 30min. All these allow your body to get all the essential nutrients and energy it needs to run at it’s best

2) Protein
Protein is key to recovery as it helps the muscles repair and regenerate, building new lean muscle as well as may other essential components in our bodies. Protein should make up 25-35% of your daily diet

3) Hydrate
Water is vital for life, even a 1% drop in liquid levels can affect performance, so getting enough in is vital. You should be talking in 30-40ml of water for every kg of body weight, plus more when exercising.

4) Pre Training Snacks
Ideally your pre training snack should be a mix of simple carbohydrates and protein. Avoid fibre and foods that give you gas. Remember it is a snack so keep it small. Finally watch out for energy bards and liquids as can contain 200-500kcal so use only where needed.

5) Good Basic Nutrition
The rest are final details, but if your basic diet is poor, nothing you do above will have as much affect as a good diet - lean protein, healthy fats, wholegrain and other good sources of carbohydrates, mixed in with plenty of vegetables and fruit.

6) Listen To Your Body
Most of us are used to putting on our plate what we think is a good enough portion, and then eating away until we are finished. Instead start to learn to listen to what your body is telling you - how full is it, is it really hungry or just craving food, is it thirsty etc.

7) Eat foods that are high in antioxidants
Antioxidants help protect the bodies cells from damage. Great food sources are - dark choc, mixed berries, stir fry vegetables, and sweet potatoes to name a few

8) Improve performance
Increasing your uptake of foods that are rich in manganese, magnesium and copper. Good foods to eat are - nuts, green leafy veg, beans, apples, bananas and sweet potato, plus many more

9) Reduce Muscles Soreness
You can reduce muscles soreness by increasing your vitamin C intake, eating oranges, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, cauliflower and potatoes.

10) Increase Your Omega 3
Omega 3 helps balance out your inflammation response, and help the body make its own natural anti-inflammatories. The best sources are oily fish, seafood, flaxseed, enriched eggs and walnuts