Athletes commonly vary between easy and hard days in training. It can be an advantage to plan food and nutrition around these training cycles and use a technique called carb-cycling. As sports nutrition shows us, some diet changes can help enhance our athletic performance, particularly in weight sensitive sports. They can even help us lose fat and improve performance, which is particularly helpful as we get closer to a race or competition.
We all know sugar tastes good and it’s hard to stop at just a small sample of anything deliciously sweet. But are you addicted? It’s certainly possible, as sugar activates opiate receptors in your brain to make you feel good emotionally, even if only in the short term. But once the sugar high wears off, you can be headed for an energy crash, headaches and fluctuating hormones which becomes a vicious cycle as you reach for the next quick ‘pick me up’. There are clear benefits of quitting sugar on performance for athletes, so it’s time to get real and look at what happens to your body when you give sugar the flick for good.
A lot of nutrition advice will focus on the big stuff like the macros of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, or what makes the perfect post training breakfast. If you are on a decent training program and expending plenty of energy each day, you will likely need snacks between your meals too. Snacks can go either way… they are often where discretionary or ‘treat’ foods start to sneak in, which can add empty calories without extra nutrients. Or we can look at snacks as a chance to really amp up our nutrition and to get extra goodies in every day.
Protein bars have become hugely popular as a way of consuming protein in a quick and convenient snack. Gone are the days of the humble muesli bar; the protein bar has firmly taken over supermarket shelves and gym bags. We are using them for recovery, weight loss, convenience, meal replacement and snacking. Let us take a closer look at what is in your protein bar, and decide if it really is benefiting your health?
Deb Thorley is one of those people that simply sparkles when she smiles. Her Instagram handle @debbs_adventures describes her perfectly. This easy-going runner and triathlete from regional Queensland simply won’t let anything stop her from finding adventure and taking on new challenges. Deb entered Ironman Cairns (her first ever Ironman) only one week before race…
Five years ago, Bailey Christie from Perth, Western Australia started out riding with a friend. His first bike was a Toys R Us dual suspension, and now he is a gravity Enduro and Cross-Country Mountain Bike Champion. We had chat with this self-driven and funny teen to find out his cycling story, and how he…
