Turkey Trot Training Nutrition

Between now and November Annie Deremeik, our Fit N Fun Nutritionist, will be guest posting for us! Annie is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist.

Last week, when I walked my oldest daughter (her first day of Kindergarten) and the neighborhood kids to school I realized how quickly time passes. I feel like it was just yesterday that we were gearing up for having a great summer of pool days, trips to the beach and watermelon parties.   With the new school year kicking off and summer now in the rear view mirror, I realized the holiday season is just around the corner. If this fall semester passes as quickly as the summer did, we better get planning to be our best for the Turkey Trot!

Training for a run, whether it be a marathon, a 5K or a 1-miler, takes more than just making sure you can put one foot in front of the other. Nutrition and healthy eating have a place in any successful training plan.

We’ll start out with a few guidelines to ensure that you can run your best, and maybe lose a little weight while you're at it.

   

    Eat Real Food- The bulk of your diet should come from real, whole foods such as vegetables, fish, poultry, whole grains, nuts, low fat dairy and fruits. You get more nutrients eating whole real foods compared to convenience/highly-processed foods.  Remember, the less processing a plant/food receives the more nutritious it will be.  Do your best to focus on eating at home where you can control what is added to the food and how it is prepared, enabling you to provide your body with the most nutritional value from meals.

  

    Choose Superb Carbs- If you want to run super, be sure to make superb choices when choosing the right carbohydrates for your body.   Carbohydrates fuel workouts and nourish tired muscles, so they should be an important part of your diet. Be sure to make most of your carbs come from whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

  

    Have a Drink- OFTEN!  Drink fluids that hydrate your body.  Fluids are an essential part of any runners training plan. Staying hydrated will boost your performance.  Leap over options like fruit juice, soft drinks, and alcohol.  Remember, sports drinks are good for when you have exercised at moderate/heavy level (heart beating fast and sweating) for over 1 hour.  If you just went for a hard run but only for 30 min- water is the best option.

   

 

  Write it down!  Keep a log of everything you eat for a few days.  This will help you to identify areas for improvement in your diet. You’ll be surprised at what you notice once you start writing things down.

    Everything in Moderation!  Allow yourself a treat, whatever that might be for you…desserts, cocktails or a salty craving.  Just keep it in check.  Watch your portions and how often you allow yourself a treat. 

These tips might seem overwhelming at first, especially if you have room to improve on your eating habits so take it slowly.  Make small changes every week.  If you completely revamp your diet in 1 day, it will be harder to maintain than if you make gradual changes.  We want to make eating habits that will stand the test of time.   

From now until the Turkey Trot you’ll be hearing from me about how you can make sure you are eating for optimal training and for the race day.  Many of the topics we will cover will also be provide a good foundation for an overall healthy diet. 

If you’re a parent, make sure to include your kids when making dietary changes. Studies show that healthy eating habits established during the younger years lead to more healthy adults.   I know that for me personally, instilling healthy eating habits and the knowledge to be able to make healthy choices is something I take seriously. Role modeling is the easiest way to teach and reinforce a healthy lifestyle. 

Real food picture source: http://kymperfetto.com/2011/12/20/eat-real-food-to-drop-real-weight/

Food journal picture source: http://www.askthetrainer.com/accountability-when-it-comes-to-eating-healthy/