Food and Nutrition

I love my food!  Maybe a little too much at times.  My portion sizes could feed a small family.  You would think eating more would give me more energy.  I have found that eating right is the key.  A balanced diet and foods at the right time.  Being tired after eating is a key sign of 1/ the wrong type of foods 2/ Too much on the plate. A lot of these things I know but slip back into the bad habits of loading a plate.  I am very lucky in the position I am in to have good food at my finger tips.  I have definitely changed my eating habits the older I get.  I would say I eat healthy most of the time.  Dont get me wrong I still get a take away meal from time to time. I usually regret it after, unless it is a good Indian with fresh produce.  Sweets, Chocolate and Crisps can slip in from time to time but I am trying hard to ditch them for good.  I have ditched fizzy drinks and soo glad I have.  As I sit here now I have a bowl of fresh fruit.

The flavours are amazing and to compare them with sweets, Chocolate or Crisps is just a no contest.  Yet we still find ourselves craving such foods and getting nothing from them.  Try as I do to completely stay away from them.  I find myself falling back into the bar of chocolate and a coffee twice maybe three times a day.  If I could even limit it to a bar a day.  This week I have had none and so far no major craving.  Maybe it is because I am back on porridge in the mornings.

 

Another way I take fruit is blended with water.

Breakfast... The most important meal of the day I was always taught.  Yet I wasn't a breakfast person and have had to almost force myself to eat breakfast.  What worked for me was to start with a glass of Orange.  When I got used to that I turned to Toast, pancakes or a toasted soda.  I then found myself having bread every day.  I have got myself back on porridge and try to take it every morning.  If not porridge I take scrambled eggs and brown bread toasted or wheaten bread toasted.

Snacks, comfort food or just addiction.  As mentioned I can eat a lot in one sitting.  You would think being full up would stop me eating snacks after a meal.  I found myself eating straight after and between meals.  No need or reason for it except addiction.  Part of me getting fit again was trying to train my brain that I dont need this.  I have found myself having to stop on the way to pick up a snack saying into myself "You don't need it"  Training the brain is as important as fitness training if not more important.  It is so easy to give in and say sure I enjoy it.  Do you enjoy it? I find the more I take the less I enjoy junk food but get hooked time and time again.  I done the whole of lent 46 Days when I didnt eat sweets, crisps, chocolate, fizzy drinks, take away foods etc.  Completely off them not just cut down.  Then comes easter and I say I deserve a bit of chocolate for lasting 46 days.  Deserve it!  It is like calling it a treat.  It is so far from being a treat but we have been taught to believe these are treats.  Back to the fruit and that is really a treat.  Yes you have to wash sometimes peel and deseed it but isn't that part of it? Like opening that bar of chocolate.

Suppliments are something I have taken from time to time.  Cod liver oil capsuals, Whey Protein, Creatine (When I was gym training)  Do they work?  Well science say they do when taken properly along with a balanced diet.  Why then is running times slower now than in the past.  My Father and others who ran for Ballinascreen have recorded better Marathon times than most at the peak of their performance at the same level in today's terms.  I am not aware of any of them taking suppliments before, during or after training.  A balanced diet and maybe extra eggs for protein.  I am no where near my Dads best times.  Maybe over shorter races but his best Marathon time is in the 2h 50 area.  I am nowhere near that but I blame my laid back attitude in the past.  He was committed and had a good group of Irish Champions around him.  I am not making excuses just saying how it was.  Could that change.. I think if I keep going the way I am going.  Keep the positive attitude and STRUCTURE my damn training I could get close or beat his time.  Is it something I am trying to do?  Not at the minute, my goal is the Ultra Marathon.  Not something to be taken lightly and definitely not something to be looking for a fast time.  Put it this way when I finish it, I will have set a personal best so thats my long term goal for now.  So back to the suppliments and I am giving them a go again.  Whey Protein from www.fitrution.com a local company. 

 

Been a long time since this glass seen a Harp

If the owner Paul's results are anything to go by then with a bit of hard work it certainly won't do any harm.  I have only started taking it this week. First impressions are great for flavour and texture.  I remember one I used to take and was nice on drinking but it left a seriously bad after taste.  Glad to say this is super nice.  To early to feel any benefit yet but I will keep you posted.   Keep who posted is anyone still reading this.  Is this blog for anyone other than a way for me to track my progress.  If you are reading it and take anything from it then happy days thanks for sticking with it.  I will admit that these are my experiences, feelings and ways to do things.  They might not work for you but maybe reading this is enough for you to think I need a goal in my life.  Or I would like to challenge myself somehow.  Things I have done from being inspired by someone or something have shocked me at times.  If I can do it anyone can do it.

Before finishing the ultra I have to break down the goals into daily and weekly targets.  Eat right, STRUCTURE the training, follow the right training plan for my needs.  It is a work in progress and should finish with another achievement.  Positive attitude and hard work.....