Nutrition!!! Fun right? We put our bodies through loads of ridiculous stress and training, so it is the least we can do to feed it what it needs to rebuild itself and keep it healthy. Now contrary to popular belief, a twinkie is not a good post workout food.... it is actually not a good food in general. Is it even food? I mean those things are faker than Pamela Anderson. But seriously, your body will only put out work as good of quality as you put into it. Will a twinkie let you run a mile...maybe. Will it like it? Only if your body likes to puke. Besides nobody wants to write their name on the puke buckets in the box.
Now I am not telling you to find a diet and go gung ho on that thing. That would not be advised, but slowly adjusting to it would be best. Also, diets are not specifically designed for any one person, so feel free to tweak it to fit your lifestyle better. Cupcakes fit no lifestyle for those of you who are wondering.
For example, I follow the Paleo diet, and it is amazing. Makes such a different in my energy, but I had to tweak it a little bit. I do lots of endurance training as I train for my triathalon and marathon, so there is no way I can cut out all starches. They are a necessity for endurance training even though they are not paleo. That quick energy is needed but how I get it is in my control. Whole grain only. None of that enriched white boo boo crap, commonly known as death in my mind.
When planning your diet there are several key factors to take into account. Diversity of choice, colories, timing, and goals.
Diversity of choice: Eats lots of different fruits and veggies. Don't limit yourself to a few or be boring about it, keep it entertaining and delicious. The more you limit yourself the harder it will be to eat enough.
Calories: If you workout a lot you need to eat a lot PERIOD. I have struggled with this because it is hard to eat a lot when you don't have a large appetite. Fix this by eating high calorie foods like avocado, some nuts and foods of that nature. As for myself I try to eat 3,200 calories a day.
Timing: This is a lifestyle type choice. Whatever fits in best. Ideally, to keep your body healthy try to eat mini meals throughout the day. But be careful because when you do this it becomes easy to mistake a mini meal with a snack. Bad JuJu right there. Protein should be the centerpiece of each mini meal. ALWAYS! If you cant do mini meals then fit meals however fits in best but make sure you are getting the calories and protein needed.
Goals: Now weight loss and Muscle gain goals can vary greatly. Lean muscle and weight loss go together, but trying to gain sheer mass is way different. If you want to gain mass, start packing on the protein and post workout carbs with mando amounts of calories. For weight loss, eat lots of lean protein, low carbs, and hit the veggies up son!
Workout
Foot pain. Maybe bruise or ache from running to much lately. The earlier I rest the faster it will heal. I hate not being able to run or ride my bike, but I know my rest will be rewarded with fast healing. Besides no matter who says what two to three rest days will not leave you out of shape, it may feel like it, but on a physiological level you may be even stronger and more rested. So enjoy the free time.
Soccer training tonight.
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