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Good nutrition and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to fuelling for activity. A common mistake for people training for events is not thinking about nutrition until the day. It is important for everyone to eat a well balanced diet from the four food groups (breads and cereals, vegetables and fruit, milk and milk products and meat and/or meat alternatives) and drink plenty of fluid.
Eating well ensures you train well and recover well. Depending on whether you are training for the 6km or 12km walk, nutritional guidelines will be quite similar. The only difference is that participants training for the 12km will be expending more energy and may need to eat and drink more to maintain training and everyday activities. But do remember to choose the right foods!
Before Exercising
A well balanced diet that supplies the right amounts of energy and essential nutrients is important for everyone regardless if you are an athlete training for events or someone who enjoys recreational physical activity. The most important fuel for an active person is carbohydrate which is stored in the muscles as glycogen. To maximise your energy stores glycogen needs to be topped up each day. The best way to achieve this is to have a carbohydrate rich snack 2-4 hours before exercise. Your meal or snack choice should also be easy to digest, low in fat and be familiar and enjoyable. Here are some pre-exercise eating ideas:
- Breakfast cereal with milk and fruit
- Porridge with low fat or reduced fat milk plus fruit juice
- Toasted crumpets with honey or jam
- Roll or sandwich with banana or honey
- Jacket potato stuffed with creamed corn
- Baked beans on toast
During Exercise
The most important thing to remember is keeping up your fluids, especially if it is a warm day as you will be sweating and losing fluid. During the event there will be drink stations along the way this should not be a problem. The other option is to take your own drink bottle so you can drink when you need to.
Because walking is not a high intensity activity, eating during the event is not essential, however if you are exercising for three hours (training for 12km walk) you may want to consume an appropriate snack such as a banana or muesli bar to keep you going.
After Exercising
When you have completed an event or training session you will have used muscle glycogen stores, some body fat and protein, and lost some fluids. It is critical to replace carbohydrate (glycogen stores) and fluids soon after exercise whereas fat and protein will be replaced at your next meal. Try and have a post-exercise snack within two hours after exercise, although the sooner the better. Make sure your food choices are high in carbohydrate and moderate in protein and drink adequate fluid to replace sweat losses during exercise. Here are some post-exercise snack ideas:
- Banana sandwich
- Fresh or canned fruit
- Cheese and crackers
- Fruit bar
- Low-fat yoghurt
- Fruit smoothie
- Fruit bread with jam
- Spaghetti or baked beans on toast
- Ham and salad roll
Fluid must be replaced as soon as possible as even slight dehydration will affect your recovery and your ability to carry out daily activities. Continue taking fluids at regular intervals until clear urine is passed. Drink alcohol sensibly as it can interfere with rehydration. If you choose to drink alcohol make sure you have replaced fluids and energy first before you enjoy an alcoholic beverage.
Fluids
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Dehydration can ruin both the enjoyment of the event and your performance. Don’t wait until you are thirsty – you will already be too dehydrated to perform at your best.
It is important to be well hydrated before exercise to minimise any fluid loss that will inevitably occur. Aim to drink at least two cups of fluid before exercise. During exercise, drink at a rate that is comfortable and practical – for you this may mean carrying a drink bottle and taking regular sips or waiting until you reach a drink station. During your training have a think about what will work for you on the day of the event taking into account the weather – be aware of greater sweat losses in hot and humid environments.
Water is an excellent choice. It is particularly good for events that are low intensity and of short duration. Drink small amounts frequently to minimise any gastrointestinal upset.
Cramp and Stitch
Cramp and stitch can both be painful experiences and you need to know how to avoid these during exercise. The most common place for cramp to occur is the calf muscle. It is thought that cramp is caused by low salt levels due to sweating, dehydration and heat or cold stress during exercise. If you get cramp the best way to alleviate cramp is stretching out the muscle. Training well, drinking plenty of fluids, eating well and stretching before exercise can help prevent cramp.
The stitch is a common abdominal pain. Drinking too much fluid and jolting movements like running and walking, are common causes of the stitch. Ways to help prevent this from occurring are not eating a meal or large snack before exercise (2 -3 hours), making sure you are well hydrated, and avoid highly concentrated drinks such as fruit juice, cordial, energy drinks and soft drinks during exercise. Water is the best choice.
Adapted from an article by Hiedee Hantz and Katie Duncan
Preparation is the key to an enjoyable and safe event.
Best of luck with your training!
Last updated: 29 March 2010