We all know that it’s important to change our training as the cold of winter sets in. It’s not a great idea to be training as if there’s a race around the corner, unless you want to be the legendary “King of December!” So essentially, it’s a change to much more aerobic mileage, efficiency workouts and an opportunity to build back some of that basic and core strength by spending some time in the gym.

But what about our nutrition? Does it need to change too? And if so, what changes can we make to get the most out of our training?

First, we need to realise that for most of us the training is the easy part. A disciplined diet is very difficult for an average modern human. A twentieth century diet is actually not that conducive to being the best you can be as an endurance athlete. And as any bodybuilder will tell you: Nutrition is 90% of the game!

So here are just a few suggestions that will help you to achieve the maximum out of your winter training:

• Cut out the sugar! This goes for the summer too. Simple sugar causes spikes in blood glucose that initiate your body’s defence mechanism, the final result of which is an increase in stored body fat. Have a careful look at where there is sugar in your diet and get rid of it. If you do nothing else, this tip will radically alter your body composition. The exception to this rule is while exercising, but even here there are rules to be followed – look out for a future post or contact me at Will Newton Multisport Coaching to get the lowdown on how to make the most of your workout nutrition.
• Limit the starchy carbs in your diet. Rice, pasta, white flour & potatoes are the staple of so many athletes’ diets. And yet they’re actually often present in such great abundance that they constitute a negative rather than a positive for most athletes. Unless you’re stick-thin, you’d be better off getting your carbohydrates from other vegetables. Not only does your body have to work harder to digest these, thus avoiding a similar glucose spike to sugar, but they also contain a lot more in the way of vitamins, minerals & enzymes, which actually help with digestion & boost your energy levels.
• Make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet. Endurance athletes need similar amounts of protein to bodybuilders (as much as 2g per kg bodyweight per day!). And if you’re adding time in the gym to your routine, you definitely need to keep an eye on this.
• Avoid the fat-free stuff. You’re not doing yourself any favours by eating this highly processed rubbish. Rather look for wholefood options that look like food and aren’t packed with all kinds of additives that are intended to replace the flavour that fat gives to food. Also, your body needs fat in order to aid healing (does this sound like recovery?), balance your hormones & if you’re trying to shift those extra pounds, convince your primal brain that you’re not starving!

The above is by no means an exhaustive list, but if you just follow these few points, you’ll already see & feel a dramatic difference.