Ironman Crusade: Nutrition, Im always hungry

20th Sept 2013

It's true, I don't think there is hardly a time when I'm not hungry. I have always been relatively slim, in fact I used to worry that one day I would disappear. Of course as you get older weight can be become an issue, but its not a big deal.

I have a fast metabolism if I am exercising and start getting hungry I need to fuel up fast otherwise I simply cant function. I eat a fairly healthy diet, plenty of protein, vegetables and good carbs, I eat wholemeal bread and pasta and have muesli or porridge in the morning, I eat lots of fruit too. Sounds very good eh!  However, I need to drink more water and I drink far too much coffee which is something I need to sort out.

I barely touch alcohol and never really have, I have the odd glass of wine or beer but very rarely, I don't smoke but did in my younger days, I was a 20 a day man and smoked for more than 10 years. Even back then I was always doing some sport or other.

So what about when I'm exercising, pre exercise I will knock down a coffee! a couple of bananas and maybe a cereal bar. During a long run or cycle I will take gels, energy bars and some water. Post workout I eat whatever I can get my hands on depending literally what I can find in the kitchen.

I try and avoid biscuits, chocolate and crisps but of course if there in the house I will eat them. Basically I always say to friends and family, if you put any type of food near me I will eat it, if you want to loose weight don't buy the bad food, its simple really.

I weigh 12 stone about 78kg (I think) losing a few pounds for me makes a big difference on the bike and run. A lot is made of making bikes as light as possible so we can go faster, surely shifting a few pounds off the waistline is the way forward, not to mention being a darn sight cheaper!

I remember doing a cycle last year and on the way home I realised I had nothing to eat, it was a warm day and I literally felt the energy drain from my body, each pedal stoke was an effort. I sat up on the bike and tried to gather myself, there were still a few hills to go and I was beginning to feel desperate for some fuel. I carried on a couple more miles but it was getting serious, I started going a little dizzy, I was in the middle of nowhere.

I felt a sticky cold perspiration around my neck, the sort that you get when you feel faint...Just as I was beginning to literally fall off my bike through exhaustion and weakness I saw my saviour. There on the side of the road was a big beautiful blackberry bush.  I dived off and got stuck into the little red nuggets, it gave me the sugar boost I needed. A couple of cars passed by and I got some strange looks as they were looking at a man in Lycra ripping off blackberries with the purple juices of the blackberry stained all over his face. I didn't care, I got my fix I rode the rest of the way home like Lance Armstrong, only my fuel was legal!

Anyway, I have a lot to learn about nutrition, I was thinking about salt tablets and how often I should take on board fuel during the bike and run leg of Ironman. I will try this out in training, but if you are reading this let me know what you do. I have a feeling that there are some gains to be made from getting the right nutrition strategy

bye for now David Ed Smith