Thursday, August 2, 2012

Eat to Train vs. Train to Eat

Many people train so that they can eat whatever they want.  This sounds like a great way to justify unnecessary calories... "I just burned 3600 calories during that 5 hour bike ride...bring on the Swiss Cake Rolls dipped in Nutella with whole milk to wash it down!!"  (And yes...I have witnessed this exact indulgence after a day of cycling on RAGBRAI!!)

Just for the record...donuts are NOT something I would ever choose to eat...YUCK!!

Your body is a machine and like most machines, it requires proper fueling.  If you put dirt in the gas tank of your car, you probably aren't going to get very far.  Likewise...if you put junk into your body, you aren't going to feel good and your training/racing efforts will not be at their peak.

I've decided that for Ironman 2013, I will EAT TO TRAIN (a phrase I first heard coined by Bob Seebohar)!!  I will be limiting my intake of refined sugars and processed foods.  When I get home from a tough/long workout my body's immediate response is to refuel.  I want to make sure I'm properly refueling my machine for peak performance during training and racing.  By preparing meals/snacks from fresh foods before I leave for my workout, I won't be tempted to go out to dinner, indulge in unhealthy calories or eat more calories than are necessary when I return from my workout.

I will also be cutting alcohol from my diet for the entire year before Ironman 2013.  For me, this means that from September 9, 2012 through September 8, 2013 (race day) I will not be consuming alcoholic beverages.  Alcohol has many adverse affects on the human body.  During training and racing, these adverse effects are not worth the few pleasures that come with alcohol consumption.  I will have one year of alcohol abstinence to help promote good overall health, favorable training sessions and peak racing performance.

Properly fuel your machine...Let's EAT TO TRAIN and feel like a CHAMPION!!


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