Hellooo! Happy 2012! I hope you all had an amazing New Years! I did, and I spent most of yesterday recovering from it!
Before the partying began on NYE, I went to have a sports nutrition appointment at a sports medicine clinic in London. I found out so many things about my nutritional needs, what I need to work on, etc. These are the main things I learned:
- I’ve lost over half a stone since I was last weighed at the doctors a few months ago. That came as a bit of a shock, as with the amount I’ve been eating over this festive period, I would have suspected a gain more than anything else! I had noticed clothes feeling looser but I dismissed it as being in my head. I was quite upset about this because I thought I had been maintaining well, but the nutritionist reassured me that this happens, and it’s probably since I started training hard regularly with my team in October that I started losing weight. We looked into this and determined that I need to fuel better post-run. I usually just have a chocolate milk, but you should apparently have around 300-400 calories within 30 mins after a workout. We also decided that I should start weighing myself once a month or so just to make sure that I’m on track. I will talk more about this later though, because I’ve got a lot to say!
- I need to watch my iron intake more carefully. I used to be anaemic (about a year and a half ago), but now I’m in the safe zone. However, I am at the lower end, and as a female vegan runner, I definitely need to watch this! She recommended having figs every day, as they are a good source.
- Apparently you should get your fats from sources other than nut butter all the time. Something about healthy variety!
She said I should have avocadoes a couple of times a week, as well as chia seeds and flaxseed more regularly.
- Must eat a Brazil nut every day, because that provides 100% of your daily selenium.
- I need to make sure that I replenish my salts properly. If you sweat a lot (which I do pretty much daily!), you need to rehydrate fully by replacing them. Just using more salt in your food isn’t enough, because that’s just sodium, which is only one of the four essentials. I am particularly lacking in magnesium and potassium apparently. So I’m going to be having Nuun tablets or preferably Powerade Ion 4 (because that provides some calories too) after every workout.
Those are the main points I left with. It was only a 30 minute appointment, but it was pretty in-depth! She also gave me a few meal plans, just to give me an idea of how much I should be eating at each meal more than anything else. When I posted about it on Twitter , a lot of people seemed interested in seeing a meal plan, so here is one of them (note: I altered a few items to make it more suited to my tastes, but the calories and amounts are the same):
2400 Calorie Vegan Meal Plan for an Athlete
Breakfast
2 wholewheat English muffins
1 medium banana
peanut/almond butter
1 serving figs
Total Calories: 600 calories
Lunch
vegetarian chili
WITH
vegan cheese
Wholewheat roll
An orange and an apple
Total Calories: 450 calories
Snack
Homemade Trail Mix:
1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cup Raisins
1/4 cup cereal of choice
2 T dark chocolate chips
Total Calories: 400 calories
OR pre-run options of:
1. Oatmeal, with 1/2 cup oats, banana, raisins and soy milk
Total calories: 35o calories
2. Clif bar and a large banana
Total calories: 400
Post-Run snack:
Chocolate soy milk and a large serving of blueberries
Total calories: 350
Dinner
wholewheat pasta
WITH
vegan pesto
chopped veggie sausages
mixed veggies
cooked tomatoes
Salad
Total Calories: 550 calories
I have a few other vegan meal plans too, ranging from 1800-2200 calories, so if anyone is interested, please feel free to email me and I’ll send them to you 
And just because you should know about the highlight of my day, here is documented the first run in my new tempo shorts:
You know you’re a weirdo when that is the highlight of your day! I love them though and I am more determined than ever to collect the Nike Tempos in every colour and variety. They brightened up the oh-so-fun 9 miler on a treadmill with no air con and with no entertainment!
What was highly entertaining was a family game of Pictionary later in the evening. I love this game, despite my lack of drawing skills.
I have no artistic talent whatsoever unlike certain bloggers I know …any guesses?
Just in case you didn’t get it, because it’s just so clear to see, that is a panther. I don’t know why my team failed to get it either.
Are you arty? Clearly not haha! Art was the only subject I failed in school, and I dropped it as soon as I could!
What was the highlight of YOUR day? Running in my new tempo shorts and Pictionary!
What is something you need to work on, nutrition-wise? My family have all set eating 5 fruit or veg a day as their challenge in the new year, and mine are all listed above! I’ve gotta fuel right to run better!
Have a great day friends! <3
Hellooo! Happy 2012! I hope you all had an amazing New Years! I did, and I spent most of yesterday recovering from it!
Before the partying began on NYE, I went to have a sports nutrition appointment at a sports medicine clinic in London. I found out so many things about my nutritional needs, what I need to work on, etc. These are the main things I learned:
Those are the main points I left with. It was only a 30 minute appointment, but it was pretty in-depth! She also gave me a few meal plans, just to give me an idea of how much I should be eating at each meal more than anything else. When I posted about it on Twitter , a lot of people seemed interested in seeing a meal plan, so here is one of them (note: I altered a few items to make it more suited to my tastes, but the calories and amounts are the same):
I have a few other vegan meal plans too, ranging from 1800-2200 calories, so if anyone is interested, please feel free to email me and I’ll send them to you
And just because you should know about the highlight of my day, here is documented the first run in my new tempo shorts:
You know you’re a weirdo when that is the highlight of your day!
I love them though and I am more determined than ever to collect the Nike Tempos in every colour and variety. They brightened up the oh-so-fun 9 miler on a treadmill with no air con and with no entertainment!
What was highly entertaining was a family game of Pictionary later in the evening. I love this game, despite my lack of drawing skills.
I have no artistic talent whatsoever unlike certain bloggers I know …any guesses?
Just in case you didn’t get it, because it’s just so clear to see, that is a panther. I don’t know why my team failed to get it either.
Are you arty? Clearly not haha! Art was the only subject I failed in school, and I dropped it as soon as I could!
What was the highlight of YOUR day? Running in my new tempo shorts and Pictionary!
What is something you need to work on, nutrition-wise? My family have all set eating 5 fruit or veg a day as their challenge in the new year, and mine are all listed above! I’ve gotta fuel right to run better!
Have a great day friends! <3