I work 12 hour shifts on my feet. My day starts at 4:00 and I try to get into bed by 22:00. I always eat more during this time than on a rest day, so the amount I eat will probably be significantly less for the usual 9-5 worker. I can also afford to add a few pounds for the race weekend.
My healthy lifestyle is designed to fulfill and NOT make me go hungry. If you are going hungry on any type of diet then it is not a healthy diet or an effective way in losing weight if you wanted to.
Our metabolism is like a fire and needs to be ignited and burn throughout the day, starting from when you wake. The food I eat is to give the maximum energy levels and works for my running lifestyle.
I am always experimenting with my diet. So far I find I feel clear and more energised on a high fat, fruit and vegetable lifestyle with fish and some dairy. Fat is a big energy source of mine but without the sugar and grains. If this is added then the metabolism changes and the body will store the fat instead of using it as a fuel to burn.
I am always experimenting with my diet. So far I find I feel clear and more energised on a high fat, fruit and vegetable lifestyle with fish and some dairy. Fat is a big energy source of mine but without the sugar and grains. If this is added then the metabolism changes and the body will store the fat instead of using it as a fuel to burn.
I still eat brown rice and pasta on occasion, but only as an evening meal and much less than I used to.The body needs fat in our diet as an energy source more so than a high carbohydrate diet.
I have only natural fruit sugars in my diet, but this week I am consuming extra water dense fruits and vegetables with very little grains or wheat. I want to get the extra energy levels and maximum nutritional benefit before my next ultra race.
I have also been adding more salt into my food as the summer temperatures are higher than usual and they look to stay here for the next two weeks...
Friday 5th July
Breakfast 1:
4:30
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie with banana berries pure apple juice and coconut water
Fat coffee
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
One avocado
Amaranth porridge with pine nuts and dried dates
Green Tea
Black coffee
Lunch:
Broccoli with butternut squash mash and olive oil
1/4 cantaloupe melon with spinach and sunflower seeds
Snacks:
Nakd raisins
Apples
Pear
Banana
Peanut butter on rye
Dinner:
Glass of water with super green powder
Small cup sweet potato mash
1/4 Galia melon
4x strawberries
6th July:
5:00
Breakfast 1:
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie with olive oil and coconut water
Coffee with organic cream
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
Three egg Kale cream and cheese omelet with sweet potato mash
Fish oil supplement
Lunch:
50g Cashews and pine nuts
1/2 Galia melon with 10 cherries
Bowl oats with seed mix and raisins
Black coffee
Green tea
(Felt tired and lethargic after the oats within a few hours)
Snacks:
Apples
Banana
Peanut butter on rye
Nakd raisins
Cashews and pine nuts
Dinner:
1/2 sweet potato with slices aubergine
1/4 honey dew melon
One plum
7th July:
5:00
Breakfast 1:
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie
Fat coffee
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
1/4 Honey dew melon
10 cherries
50g cashews and pine nuts
Fish oil supplement
Snacks:
Nakd raisins
Apples
Banana
Peanut butter on rye
Cashews and pine nuts
Lunch:
Roast aubergine
Spinach and pesto
3 new potatoes
Dinner:
Sweet potato
1/4 Galia melon
8th July:
5:00
Breakfast 1:
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie
(without the protein powder)
Coffee with organic double cream
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
3 Egg omelette:
1x tbs double cream
1x tbs olive oil
Large handful spinach
Few slices cheddar cheese
Served with small roasted sweet potato.
Green tea
Black coffee
Fish oil supplement
Snacks:
Cashews and Brazil nuts
Apples and a banana
Peanut butter on rye
Nakd raisins
Green tea
Peppermint tea
I have only natural fruit sugars in my diet, but this week I am consuming extra water dense fruits and vegetables with very little grains or wheat. I want to get the extra energy levels and maximum nutritional benefit before my next ultra race.
I have also been adding more salt into my food as the summer temperatures are higher than usual and they look to stay here for the next two weeks...
Friday 5th July
Breakfast 1:
4:30
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie with banana berries pure apple juice and coconut water
Fat coffee
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
One avocado
Amaranth porridge with pine nuts and dried dates
Green Tea
Black coffee
Lunch:
Broccoli with butternut squash mash and olive oil
1/4 cantaloupe melon with spinach and sunflower seeds
Snacks:
Nakd raisins
Apples
Pear
Banana
Peanut butter on rye
Dinner:
Glass of water with super green powder
Small cup sweet potato mash
1/4 Galia melon
4x strawberries
6th July:
5:00
Breakfast 1:
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie with olive oil and coconut water
Coffee with organic cream
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
Three egg Kale cream and cheese omelet with sweet potato mash
Fish oil supplement
Lunch:
50g Cashews and pine nuts
1/2 Galia melon with 10 cherries
Bowl oats with seed mix and raisins
Black coffee
Green tea
(Felt tired and lethargic after the oats within a few hours)
Snacks:
Apples
Banana
Peanut butter on rye
Nakd raisins
Cashews and pine nuts
Dinner:
1/2 sweet potato with slices aubergine
1/4 honey dew melon
One plum
7th July:
5:00
Breakfast 1:
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie
Fat coffee
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
1/4 Honey dew melon
10 cherries
50g cashews and pine nuts
Fish oil supplement
Snacks:
Nakd raisins
Apples
Banana
Peanut butter on rye
Cashews and pine nuts
Lunch:
Roast aubergine
Spinach and pesto
3 new potatoes
Dinner:
Sweet potato
1/4 Galia melon
8th July:
5:00
Breakfast 1:
Glass water with super green powder
Kale smoothie
(without the protein powder)
Coffee with organic double cream
Nettle tea
Breakfast 2:
3 Egg omelette:
1x tbs double cream
1x tbs olive oil
Large handful spinach
Few slices cheddar cheese
Served with small roasted sweet potato.
Green tea
Black coffee
Fish oil supplement
Snacks:
Cashews and Brazil nuts
Apples and a banana
Peanut butter on rye
Nakd raisins
Green tea
Peppermint tea
Lunch:
One avocado
1/2 Galia melon with 8 cherries
One banana
Black coffee
Dinner:
Water with super green powder
1/2 cucumber
One pear
One plum
4 dried dates
9th July:
8:00
One plum
3 dried dates
Breakfast:
One avocado
1/2 Galia melon with 8 cherries
One banana
Black coffee
Dinner:
Water with super green powder
1/2 cucumber
One pear
One plum
4 dried dates
9th July:
8:00
One plum
3 dried dates
Breakfast:
(working the night shift today)
12:00 (Pre-Run)
12:00 (Pre-Run)
Glass water with super green powder
Black coffee with tsp coconut oil
1x tbs peanut butter
50g Amaranth with chia seeds and dried dates
Black coffee with tsp coconut oil
1x tbs peanut butter
50g Amaranth with chia seeds and dried dates
(Post Run)
Pinch Himalayan sea salt with apple juice
Lunch:
15:45
Fat Coffee
Vegan protein, Kale, banana and coconut water smoothie
1/4 honey dew melon
Nettle tea
Nettle tea
Dinner:
Sliced Aubergine with sweet potato mash and kale in olive oil
Fish supplement
Green Tea
Snacks:
Nakd raisins
Chopped dates
Cashews and pine nuts
Banana
Apple
Peanut butter on rye
Green tea
Green tea
Late dinner:
One avocado
One plum
1/4 honey dew melon
Amaranth porridge with chia seeds, pine nuts and chopped dates
Flaxseed supplement
Black coffee
Peppermint tea
Flaxseed supplement
Black coffee
Peppermint tea
10th July (night shift)
15:00 (pre-run)
Glass of water with super green powder
One apricot
One plum
16:30
(Post run)
Black coffee with tsp coconut oil
Spinach, vegan protein, berry, banana, olive oil and coconut water smoothie
Nettle tea
Nettle tea
Dinner:
21:30
Smoked mackerel with spinach, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and olive oil
Black coffee
Green tea
11th July
00:30
Tbs pine nuts, sunflower seeds
One Apple
Three Pears
Flaxseed supplement
Black coffee
Peppermint tea
Snacks:
Nakd raisins
Chopped dates with cashews
Two Bananas
Green tea
7:00
Apple
Peanut butter on rye
(Sleep)
11th July
12:00
Day off
Glass water with super green powder
2 dried dates and tsp peanut butter
Nettle tea
(Sleep)
15:00
Fat coffee
Vegan protein with spinach, raspberries, strawberries and coconut water
18:30
(Pre-run)
Two slices honey dew melon
Small handful cashews
20:00
Dinner
Glass of water with super green powder and pinch Himalayan salts
Fish oil supplement
4 slices of boiled yam with spinach and tomato stew in olive oil
Black coffee with tsp coconut oil
23:00
Few Cashews and chopped dates
Handful of salted plantain chips
Late snack:
Slice yam
One banana
Conclusion:
I have worked a 72 hour week of 12 hour shifts, working through the day and night. So this was perfect timing keeping my diet, pure and rich as possible with good fats, fruits and vegetables.
Although my diet has always been balanced and varied, I have felt much more alert and energized than before whilst working long hours. I usually have a lull and feeling of tiredness after my dinner breaks. But this week I only felt that after eating a bowl of oats. The other days I felt I had a pure clean energy and had no hunger pains. I also snacked fair less with the increase in fats during the week.
I feel lighter, leaner and less bloated after 7 days, and my mileage has also been low. So on a normal training week it will be interesting to see how I feel and look.
My ankle injury today feels lots more supple and I can move the ankle without any discomfort. I no longer require ice. Today was the first day I felt no ache whilst running.
I have the Race to the Stones 100k this Saturday so hope that my diet will work some magic on the day!
Whatever food choices you decide, make sure to keep a balanced and nutritious lifestyle, full of a variety of fruits and vegetables, beans, pulses and lentils, quality fish and meat (organic where possible). Everything in moderation is not a bad choice, but when it comes to treats, keep them rare. If you expect or give yourself a cheat day or treats every week, all the hard work of a pure diet goes to waste and over time without sugar, you will not miss the temptation. I find if I have anything sugary sweet or refined I really suffer the next day with a headache hangover type effect.
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