The long awaited return is just around the corner for many, but don't just jump back in. Grab a cup of something and take 5 minutes to read my top 5 tips on planning your return.
Many of us will be returning to training over the coming weeks and, although it’s something we have been waiting for, we have to be careful that we do it properly and don’t jump straight back in. We want to make the most of our training, whilst making sure that we don’t overdo it; doing too much too quickly can lead to injury and compromise your immune system, neither of which you want. Making sure that you are properly fuelled before training and having a good recovery routine in place are key to helping you ease back in.
Doing too much too quickly can lead to injury and compromise your immune system, neither of which you want.
Top tips for optimising your diet:
1. Fuel
As the amount or intensity of your training changes, so does your fuel requirements. To make sure that you maintain energy balance, and avoid an energy deficit, you need to match what you consume to what your body uses during training and your normal daily activity.
Don’t rely on your appetite as a trigger to start consuming more. Changes to your appetite can be delayed by a couple of days, but changes in your diet need to be made from the get go. It has been shown that only three days of energy deficit can lead to disrupted menstrual function in females, which is an early warning signal for other negative effects on health such as hormonal imbalances and bone health. These negative effects on health also affect males, it’s just that there isn’t such an obvious warning signal.
2. Protein
Protein is important for muscle recovery and your immune function. Your body can’t store protein (any excess is excreted or stored as fat), so you need to top up regularly. Focus on making sure that you are consuming high-quality protein, spread throughout the day.
High-quality proteins contain all of the essential amino acids, sources include meat, fish, eggs, dairy produce, quinoa, buckwheat, soy.
3. Recovery
For optimum refuelling, the magic window is 30-45 minutes after training. During this window your body is seeking protein and carbohydrate to rapidly repair your muscles and replenish your glycogen stores; outside of this window, your hormone levels change and your ability to do this so quickly is reduced. This window is even more important on days where you have a double training session, or a late evening session followed by an early morning session.
A good recovery routine includes a mix of protein and carbohydrates, along with water.
4. Micronutrients
This doesn’t mean supplements; if you have a balanced and varied diet, you will not need to take supplements. Including three portions of vegetables, two portions of fruit, wholegrains and dairy products in your daily diet will provide you with a range of vitamins and minerals as well as fibre and calcium. If you don’t consume dairy products it is important to check your calcium intake as it is not only vital for bone health, but also muscle contraction.
Iron deficiency can be a concern for female and adolescent athletes as well as those who consume a vegetarian or vegan diet. If you are concerned, ask your GP for a test.
5. Anti-inflammatory Foods
Inflammation is caused by stressors such as an illness, exercise or toxins such as cigarette smoke. Short bouts of inflammation can help us to stay healthy, however, chronic inflammation can have the opposite effect.
Inflammation is a natural part of the adaptation to exercise, but consuming anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce the effects of this inflammation and help you to recover quicker. Intense periods of training and competition can cause chronic inflammation, which can compromise your immune system and increase your risk of illness. Although certain foods can help reduce inflammation, and play a part in reducing the effects that an illness can have on you, this does not mean that they can protect you against an illness.
Anti-inflammatory foods include omega 3 fatty acids (found in oily fish), olive oil, nuts, green leafy vegetables, fruits such as apples, oranges, blueberries and strawberries.
Although certain foods can help reduce inflammation, and play a part in reducing the effects that an illness can have on you, this does not mean that they can protect you against an illness.
Returning to training may be something you have been looking forward to, but there is a need for caution. After a break from training what you would consider an intense session might have changed, think about how you feel returning after an injury or the off-season; your training schedule might need to be adjusted, rather than picking up where you left off.
Your main focus should be on your health and being the healthiest that you can be right now. This might not mean being the fittest, the strongest or the fastest that you can – instead this means finding a balance between getting the most from your training while safeguarding your immune system.
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