Don’t Eat That! Ok…. Maybe Just One

As part of my recovery for this season, I had a visit with a dietician here at UNB.  I just wanted to see if there were any problems that may have come as a result from a long season of training.  Diffiencies in vitamin levels for example.

Most athletes from what I’ve seen typically eat healthy.  No whites, or large amounts of candy, fast food and the skip on processed foods.  They fulfill their diets with lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

Funny thing about this.  I tried to stick to a constant diet rich in "healthy foods".  Turns out I could be hurting myself more than I thought.  After the first meeting with the dietician I left her with a typical day of what I consume.  Well, I just had a visit yesterday where she crunched the numbers and found out that I was a little low in fat.  In fact, I was so low in fat that she said she’s never seen someone eat so little!  She told me I eat less than people who have disorders!

What does this mean?  I get to go and scarf down cookies and cakes?  Well, actually yes.  I have been blessed with a body that is very good at keeping the same body weight.  Having told her this she said that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start taking in fats through sweets, oils and meats such as ground beef. 

Now, I know the amount of excercise I end up doing is on the excessive side but turning up the sweets dial to meet my fat contents is less that ideal.  Getting fats from nuts and fish are better resources but enjoying a cookie from time to time won’t kill me.

For those who want to improve on what they eat and just make minor changes.  Just eat in moderation.  A restrictive diet usually means that you will crave whatever you are starving yourself from.  This leads to  binging.  Binging, excessive eating, is one of the leading causes of weight gain.  To counter this let yourself eat some bad things (cookies, chocolate, and whoopie pies) or to some of us good things!  This should lead to less sugar cravings. 

I’m off for a swim!  Happy training everyone!

Cliff