2. Fuel Your Body Proper is essential for optimum performance. Never skip meals when training as it slows your metabolism down and hinders your performance. Skip the sugars, lolly binges and junk food - many athletes believe they can eat anything because they will simply burn it off! However, unless you are exercising more than two hours, sugars will only lower your immune system, cause blood sugar spikes and pits, fatigue, mood swings and deplete you of minerals e.g. Magnesium. Every meal should have a portion of protein to help with muscle repair and recovery. Plan ahead - never leave the house without healthy snacks e.g fruit and nuts.
3. The 80/20 Rule Eat 80% of the time to nourish and fuel your body but we are all human, so it is alright to give yourself a treat once a week. Also by never getting hungry and never getting too full, you will allow your metabolism to work for you rather than against you. You lose weight faster and increase your energy by eating more often, rather than starving for hours and then overeating.
4. Timing Is Everything Your meal before a race should ideally be eaten two hours prior consisting of medium GI carbohydrates (not wholegrain as it is difficult to digest) e.g. nut spread on wholemeal toast with fruit. After exercising, you have a 20 minute window in which to replenish your muscle glycogen stores. Muscles that are not refueled can lead to a reduction in lean muscle mass. Most professional athletes will take the time to eat their meals, something the rest of us should follow to improve digestive and give the body a more accurate sense of feeling full. Avoid eating on the run - give yourself 20 minutes to sit and eat.
5. Banish The Gremlin In the weeks or months prior become aware of your negative self talk and practice refocusing your attention on your training. Visualise your race from your preparation prior, your warm up, your race plan and final outcome. Actually imagine and feel yourself in the race so that it becomes second nature to you, convincing the brain that this is exactly how you will perform. To keep your mind on track write some positive affirmations on your ultimate racing ability!
6. Rest And Repair If you are doing more than 1 hour of exercise a day, you will need to rest and sleep more than usual so listen to your body! Nominate a rest day each week when you do no exercise to allow your body to rest and repair and you will find that you perform better and faster for the rest of the week. Most people forget but stretching after you exercise when the muscles are warm helps reduce lactic acid, muscle soreness and stiffness. Deep breathing helps control stress and nerves, which athletes report improves cardiovascular endurance and less fatigue. Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds and out for 6 seconds.
7. Grab Your Own Gold Medal Everyone has their own Olympic Games - no matter how small or big. The most important thing is not winning, but simply to take part. Just as the most important thing in life is not the goal in the end but the journey. So have a go and enjoy it! With a positive attitude, miracles can occur. Go for it!
