changing my plate.jpg

Changing my plate – fuel marathon training, stop over eating

changing my plate.jpgThis post is part of a regular series focusing on making small changes to improve our health. I shared my journey with changing my diet and moving to a clean eating approach which you can read here. I also had the lovely Katie Rainbird from Katie 180 undertake an analysis of my food intake for one day in that post, which was another step in the right direction.

Together we also offered the same opportunity to readers of Planning With Kids. We were blown away with the response and while I can’t guarantee will get to all of them this year, Katie has been busy working on many of the submissions already and we will publish as many as we can.

It is not possible for Katie to cover off everything in these posts. The aim is for her to find some small things you can change to what you are putting on your plate to help you achieve your current goal for your eating habits. You can read previous Changing my plate posts by clicking here.

Changing my plate – Anna’s day

image_katieKatie Rainbird (AKA Katie180) is a Sydney-based Nutritionist who is just as likely to be found jogging as she is baking. She is a mother to two, a keen home cook, prefers to get around in her workout gear and has a major passion for the written word. You can learn more at www.katie180.com.au.

Katie reviewed what a reader Anna (not real name as she wished to stay anonymous) submitted that she ate in a 24 hour period. This is what Katie had to say about her day:

What is your current goal with your eating habits?
Fuel marathon training, stop over eating.

Breakfast
Before a run: 1 x jam toast, no butter. Coffee made with mostly milk.
After run: 1/3 cup raw muesli, 2 large spoons of full fat natural yogurt, small handful of blueberries, hi-lo milk.

Switch jam to peanut butter or ABC spread, perhaps a lick of honey if you need the sweetness. Ensure toast is wholemeal, sourdough or other good bread (very few ingredients, no vegetable oils or added sugar). Switch your milk to full cream for both coffee and oats. Add a 1/4 cup mixed seeds to your muesli.

Lunch
Salad of spinach, cherry tomatoes, small can of sweetcorn, small can of 4 bean mix, teaspoon of mayo and large teaspoon of wholegrain mustard, can of tuna. Large handful of walnuts & brazil nuts.

Nix the canned sweetcorn and rather use frozen corn kernels, they’ll only need a minute in some fresh boiled water, sweetcorn is full of sugar and other crap. Check the ingredients on the mayo: often has high fructose corn syrup. Try for avocado instead. Otherwise very nutrient rich meal. Just ensure you rinse the beans.

Dinner
Large serve of chicken stir-fry and basmati rice.

If you don’t already: add a big handful of sprouts to stir fries and there’s always room for more seeds and nuts on them too. Stir fry in coconut oil and/or ghee for high smoke point, nutritious fats.

Snack 1
10am cup of tea and apple.

Fine

Snack 2
3pm trail bar and pear.

Check the ingredients in your trail bar, if it’s full of sugar and other crap then try making your own or rather have another piece of bread with nut butter. Or perhaps ricotta with some vanilla bean extract mixed through and fresh sliced strawberries on bread or a couple of rice cakes.

Snack 3
4.30pm 2 x cruskits with Vegemite and margarine

Cruskits and Vita Weets etc can be replaced with Pure Harvest rice cakes. Or try making a chocolate milk using a nut milk: just mix a serve with some cocoa and a splash of maple syrup then pour over puffed spelt, kamut, corn, brown rice (Abundant Earth does a good variety of puffed grains).

Snack 4
N/a

Dessert
2 small Easter eggs, 75g Smiths original chips, chocolate coated ice cream.

As this was done way back at Easter time, I’ll let it slide!

Nutritional supplements
1500mg glucosamine
3 x 3 fish oil capsules (total 9 per day)

Good as you’re running a lot.

Daily fluid intake
Lots of water.

Any further information you’d like to share or special dietary requirements to factor in?
I never wake up hungry as I always eat way too much at night! If its not chocolate, its countless cruskits or vitawheat with vegemite or peanut butter.

I see no problem with some nut butter as a late night snack but try to change what you spread it onto. You might even like to make some whole egg custard to keep in the fridge, a perfect protein rich, lovely fat treat for someone with such an active lifestyle: serve it over a sliced banana. Mmm!

Katie’s summary
For the most part this is an OK diet for someone who runs and runs and runs! I too used to to a lot of running and let’s be honest: I “got away” with eating a lot of cake and other yummy stuff like it. BUT, it’s not so much about ripping through the kilojoules as it is providing good fuel that takes part in repairing micro-injuries that occur with such a physical output as well as preventing disease. So I’ve just made the little addition suggestions to your diet but I do feel strongly about leaving processed wheat heavy crispbreads and crackers out.

Further reading

Disclaimer

Katie is a qualified nutritionist (Adv. Dip. Nutr. Med.).

Any diet or lifestyle changes that you implement as a result of reading this blog are your own responsibility.

This blog does not provide medical advice, any particular health conditions must be managed by your own health professional.

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.