real-life nutrition planning

By Tony Hammett

Do you ever wonder what it really takes to get all of your fruits, vegetables, protein and other nutrients in day after day? As athletes with busy schedules, this can be challenging to say the least! I have found that step one in the process is proper planning at the beginning of each week.  It is best to think about and write down a basic list of grocery items and stick to that list when you go shopping.  Storing your list in a smart phone or some other electronic device works well and seems to be the easiest and most convenient method for managing the list. Another tip is keeping and maintaining only one list so you don't lose or forget about any items.  However you choose to record your items, it is best to add to your list each day of the week prior to your shopping day so that by the time you reach your shopping day, you have your final list ready to go. When planning your list, also think about how the upcoming week looks for you from a time management perspective.  If you have a busy week and time is short, it is best to buy items that can be prepared in advance by cooking certain meals on the weekends or just after your purchase them in preparation for busy evenings during the week.

Step two in the process is ensuring you maintain a balanced diet and mixing up the choices encourages a sensible and balanced approach. Make sure you eat a few servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day and have a variety of selections for each day and each week. You should not only ensure you have several different colors on your plate and in your refrigerator, but change it up by trying foods you might not normally consume.  Do you typically have a banana and bagel at breakfast? Try tossing some berries into your yogurt or oatmeal instead, or make a smoothie with some fresh fruit. Eat an apple at lunch each day? Why not switch it up and try a pear, peach or other in-season selection? This will not only be welcomed by your body but it will help fight the boredom of eating the same foods over and over again.  Also, work to include an assortment of lean protein sources in your diet, such as turkey, chicken, eggs and fish.  Again, aim to vary your choices and target several different quality proteins throughout your day for best results.  For carbohydrate consumption, it is wise to select from a wide range as you move from meal to meal.  For instance, if I eat bread or a bagel at breakfast, I will avoid a sandwich at lunch and choose brown rice or my favorite, quinoa, with a touch of olive oil. My dinner carbohydrate will then be a sweet potato or possibly a small serving of pasta.  Another trick is to eat your meals and snacks around the same time each day as it helps you maintain a schedule with your food intake and avoid feeling sluggish or low on energy. 

Step three is to make sure you plan your snacks properly as they will be the connection between your meals and assist you in dodging the dreaded peaks and valleys you might experience when you miss a meal or are over-scheduled. One of my favorites is a combination of Greek yogurt and fruit for either a mid-morning or late day snack as it is a great blend of carbohydrates and protein and has enough calories to keep me moving through the day.  Another favorites and a great quick snack if I am short on time is a mix1 as it has all of the nutrients I need to satisfy my hunger in a smart and healthy way.  Another option includes almonds as they are a quick and intelligent way to bridge lunch and dinner or while you are on the go. 

Always purchase the freshest and highest quality foods you can afford.  You are a finely tuned athletic machine, so fueling your body is similar to how racing teams might fuel a race car for competition.  Consuming quality nutrition will not only make you perform better but will do wonders for your overall well-being even if you’re not an endurance athlete you’ll notice a real difference with quality fuel.  If you are an athlete in training, simple choices can make a big difference on a daily basis as well as on a long-term basis.  It is best to buy items with minimal ingredients.  The fewer items on the ingredients list the better!  I also have an “80% Rule”. That is, I like to eat until I am 80 percent full, and then back away from the plate. This simple trick helps me stay on track with each meal, especially at dinner which is most commonly the meal where people consume the most calories and tend to over-eat.

Tony Hammett is a competitive age-group triathlete and Endurance Coach at www.enduranceconcepts.com. He coaches and guides athletes of all ages and abilities from 5k road races to iron-distance triathlons and feels nutrition is a key component to your success. You can reach him at tony@enduranceconcepts.com