To Eat or Not to Eat...

Pasta, pasta....

I got all excited when I began to believe that I could do the whole triathlon. I've heard so much about carbo-load dinners the night before a big race. How perfect, permission to eat all the pasta I want! When I mentioned it to Joe he immediately laughed and said something about glycogen levels and our short race. Drat, carbo-load dinner is definitely in the "not to eat" category.

Then I had an the experience of digestive discomfort while biking. It may not have been a coincidence that I had a larger breakfast than usual that morning. I'm sure there are numerous graduate theses in sports medicine that address the relationship of the food we put in our bodies and sports performance. Since I don't have time to look for them I went to my local expert. "Joe," says I, "what do you recommend that I eat or not eat the morning of the triatlon?" After all, he reads about this stuff all the time and has actually done triathlons before so knows more than I do.

According to the aforementioned expert, there are lots of different opinions but the advice boils down to eat lightly and avoid fatty foods. Aha, maybe it was the bacon that bothered me the other day. My current plan is some whole grain cereal, skim milk and banana. Joe approves; definitely in the "to eat" category.

Triathlete's Breakfast

Just for kicks I googled "exercise and eating". Bingo! Mayo Clinic offers 5 tips about eating to maximize your workout. Number one is eat a healthy breakfast. Guess what they recommend. Yup, whole grain cereal, skim milk and banana. They also add juice to the list but I generally like to chew my calories so don't drink juice. Maybe I should add some citrus to the meal though. And, thank God, they say coffee is okay if its what you normally have in the morning.

Number two tip, in case you are wondering, is to adjust the amount of food to the amount of time between your eating and your exercising. For triathlon day with 2 to 3 hours between breakfast and start time, I should eat a small meal. Sounds good.

The other tips are all in line with what I'm doing: snack well, eat after you exercise, drink lots of water. They list suggested foods and more detail about quantities. If your interested check out http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ00594_D/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Okay, now I'm feeling good about my approach to food and exercise. If Joe and the Mayo Clinic support what I'm doing it must be right.

Hydration

A funny thing has happened for me on the way to this triathlon. I seem to be more in touch with and happier about my eating and my body. I keep finding myself enjoying the healthy food and, perhaps, craving the unhealthy stuff a bit less.

There may be several reasons for that. I started the triathlon training just after I got back from Europe. Like many folks after a vacation, I reminded myself that I couldn't continue to eat and drink at home like I did on the trip. Somehow this is especially true for me after being in Italy. How many piattis does a person really need after all?

The other influence on my appetite and attitudes toward food is acupuncture. My niece, the Chinese doctor, is treating me for several things so I told her to poke a few places to help me lose weight while she was at it.

Never the less, I'm sure the exercise has contributed to the benefits I'm feeling. I have lost a few pounds. I'm more satisfied when I eat healthy food and I think my posture has even improved a bit. I seem to be more in tune with what's happening in my body. This exercise stuff is really good for you!