Nutrition
Well I've had a few requests for how I look after my body, so I'm giving the punters what they want!
In truth, I'm not anal or obsessive about what I eat/drink, but I would say I was fairly sensible. As I rule, I eat a lot, and I'll eat ice cream and chocolate but make sure I get the good stuff in as well. A typical day is something like:
Cereal (muesli/special K) or toast for breakfast and maybe a banana after my morning run. I just get out of bed and do my run, I'm not one of those who gets up early to have breakfast beforehand!
May have a hot-cross bun/bagel at about 11am or so.
Sandwiches for lunch with some fruit, maybe a choccy bar also or a flapjack or something. Sometimes a jacket potato instead of sandwiches.
Have quite a big dinner, always have carbs in there like spag bol or chilli with rice, or a stir fry. Don't eat microwave meals, actually enjoy the cooking really, as long as I have time! Will prob have a yoghurt after, sometimes chocolate as well. I try and get lots of veg in and salad if I can. Try and get red meat in there as well as chicken. I vary it basically.
This is fairly typical for me, but I don't NOT eat pizza, chips etc. now and then. I just won't have them every night of the week. I'll try and put good stuff in after a hard run, and then I'll snack on not so good things after that. i never just eat rubbish in place of a main meal and I drink a fair bit of coffee and tea, but also lots of squash/juice/water.
As for beer, yep, I drink it. I pick and choose the times for it though and don't often go out and get really drunk (though it happens!), unless I've got some time fof running. Runnign is actually my excuse not to drink, so tend to go off the rails a bit when I'm injured, but I don't think this is that awful a thing. I don't count calories, and I have health at the back of my mind at all times but I don't ever feel guilty about snacking on chocolate. My philosophy is 'eat a lot, make sure you get the good stuff in there; then snack if you like' =D
Hope this is fairly interesting?
Ben
Comments On "Nutrition"
Thanks for the offer
Hi 'Sammy A',
Ben Posted on August 18th, 2009I'd love some rice pudding. And 'Lila', I do have a girlfriend yes. She has the same name as you! What a coincidence. It sounds like Sammy A is keen to woo someone with his rice pudding and alcohol.....
Cross training
Hi Ben, I found what you said really interesting, you're a good communicator. I don't know if you have a girlfriend or not, but what's your view on abstinence before competing? Or do you see this as a form of nutrition?
Lila Posted on August 14th, 2009Dietry demands
You look like you need a good feed Ben, I make excellent rice pudding. Do you drink much alcohol?
Sammy A Posted on August 14th, 2009Hi Dave and Andy,
Ben Posted on August 12th, 2009Dave - no, my coach doesn't really have any input into my diet, except for some advice if he thinks my iron levels may be low etc. He certainly doesn't impose anything on me - just expects me to be sensible and knows me well enough to know I don't need to be told what to eat and has never asked my weight or anything like that.
Andy - I'll have something like a bagel/banana/cereal bar a couple hours before a track sessions as I hate feeling hungry and weak going into them. As for long runs, I've been known just to get up and do them in the morning and deal with hunger when I get back - I'm not sure this is the best approach though! Definitely something bread/banana based a bit before just to boost blood sugar levels would be a better approach!
Ryan - yeah, I think we're pretty standard! I don't know many runners how are really obsessed by diets, and I also don't know many who get far by eating crap!
Pre-Session snack
Ben,
Andy Posted on August 11th, 2009Just wondered what you ate as a light meal/snack prior to a hard session or long run? Also how late do you have something before you train?
I'm currently experimenting with various snacks and have found either a banana sandwich or bagel is good with a yoghurt about 1.5 hrs before training.
Dietary advice and treats!
Think that distance running is tough mentally and physically as well as time consuming- therefore the occasional junk treat is a small compensation. Ben does your coach have any input into your diet/nutritional needs? There have been past horror stories of control freak coaches weighing runners weekly and inflicting actions on anyone putting weight on!!!
Dave Hill Posted on August 10th, 2009Cannot believe how strong Colin Jackson was with his total ban on any fat at all during his peak!!!
When you crave junk do you think-PERFORMANCE-TRAINING AND RUNNING FIRST?
Just off for a big mac (run there-walk back)
This sounds a lot like my diet so I echo those thoughts Ben. As long as you get the main meals in with plenty of fruit and veg, the rest will just get burnt off with the mileage!
Ryan Posted on August 10th, 2009I treat myself now and again to stop those binges I may feel the urge for if I haven't had a pack of cookies for a month or so.