Eat to Train: “To Train Your Best, Eat a Variety of Foods Every Day From All of the Major Food Groups”
Eating a balanced, nutritious diet every day is more important than the pre-race meal. Making proper, wise food choices every day leading up to your competition should be given considerable thought. The pre-competition meal cannot compensate for a poor training diet. Also energy from the pre competition meal will not reach the muscles in time to help performance during competition. Inadequate fluid intake can also lead to a poor performance.
How do you put it all together? Well the simplest way and something you have probably heard over and over again, is to follow Canada’s Food Guide. Consume a variety of foods from all of the four food groups: Fruits and Vegetables, Grains, Milk Products and Meat and Alternatives. Each meal should contain at least one food from each of the four groups, preferably more of fruits and vegetables. Every snack should contain at least two food groups. The amount of food you need every day from the four food groups and other foods depends on your age, body size, activity level and whether you are male or female. Smaller more frequent meals are more beneficial than three large meals per day. Do not forget your fluid intake, a minimum of 2 litres per day!
Training Sessions
Come to practice well nourished. This means having a good nutritious breakfast on training days which includes foods from all of the four food groups. For those that cannot tolerate solid food prior to exercise, focus on getting some carbohydrate in liquid form or try an instant breakfast.Bring a day pack with water and some light snacks such as cereal bars, dry cereal, bagel, fruit or yoghurt drinks or small piece of fruit such as a banana. or fruit and/or vegetable bars. If you like to bring your lunch to the hill, consider purchasing a hot thermos and bring hearty soup (minestrone or noodle) to have with your lean meat sandwich or pack some leftover pasta or chicken and rice stir-fry. Do not forget the fresh fruit and yoghurt or milk. If you purchase your lunch make wise choices such as a bowl of soup, sandwich, pasta, rice bowl. At lunch avoid chips, french fries, donuts, chocolate, candy, high fat processed meats (salami, bologna). Come to practice well hydrated. This means drinking a minimum of 500mL (2cups) of fluid. This would include water, fruit juice or kool-aid type drink or a sports drink. Caffeine containing beverages do not count as they actually can contribute to dehydration. Any type of soda pop or carbonated beverage is unacceptable.
Take a drink pause (120mL or ¼ cup) every 15-20 minutes if possible (every one or two laps on the training hill). Average fluid loss per hour during hot weather is 2L or 2 cups and during colder weather it is 1.5L or 5 cups. Just because it is cold out and you are surrounded by snow or you do not feel thirsty does not mean you are well hydrated. If your lips are chapped or your skin is dry, you need more fluids.
After training, try to drink at least 250 to 500mL or 1 to 2 cups. Sports drinks are only beneficial if you plan to train intensely for longer than one hour. It is most effective to primarily drink water to stay hydrated. After training, go home and have a good snack.
Good choices would include bagels, cereal bars, graham crackers, yoghurt, and dry cereal or fruit drinks.
Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide
