What creates a winning performance? There are many answers to this question – but, in my opinion, the simple answer comes down to consistent training and adequate recovery. Without question, rowing is a very physically demanding sport and nothing will substitute the hard work and long miles we have to put in on a daily and weekly basis to be good enough to win. There is, however, little point in putting in that work if we aren’t recovering from it. To put it simply: good training + good recovery = increased fitness.
One of the main components of recovery is the food we eat. Read on to find out some of my top nutrition tips.
Eat the rainbow
Fruit and vegetables contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals, which have countless functions in the body. I strongly believe that the recommended five-a-day should be more like 10-a-day, especially for athletes. So pack them in!
So what does the science say? In simple terms, the colours of fruits and vegetables are determined by the polyphenol compounds within them. These polyphenols are rich in antioxidants and other compounds, which help fight inflammation and help prevent illness and injury. They also reduce the damage done to your cells (via oxidative stress) during exercise.
Eat wholefoods
Wholefoods are natural or very close to their natural state, where nothing will have been added or removed. Therefore, they retain the highest levels of nutrients; including vitamins, minerals and fibre. Think fresh vegetables, sustainably sourced meat, beans, legumes and nuts. Wholefoods will support your body to work at its optimal level.
On the other hand, highly processed food such as sugary cereals, pastries and microwave meals may have higher amounts of preservatives, chemicals, added sugar and unhealthy fats. This may cause inflammation, oxidative stress and a weakened immune system – none of the things we want! On top of that, eating processed foods may influence numerous health concerns, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. They certainly won’t enable your body to thrive under the stress of a high volume rowing programme.
Carbohydrates: quality matters!
Carbohydrates are our main energy source. We break them down into glucose, which is either used immediately as fuel, or stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen to be used at a later date. The type of carbohydrates you choose is very important, as some are healthier than others. Healthy grains, such as wholewheat bread, rye, quinoa and wild rice are my preferred choice over the refined alternatives like white rice and pasta. They will keep you satisfied for longer, you will be fully fuelled for the duration of your long sessions and they will help you avoid ‘hitting the wall’ when you have run out of energy.
These healthy grains, unlike the refined grains, contain an abundance of vitamins, minerals and fibre. In the UK most people don’t eat enough fibre. The recommended average intake is 30g/day*, however, the average intake is 17.2g/day for women and 20.1g/ day for men. Some less common grains to try are: amaranth, millet and buckwheat. I like to substitute white flour for buckwheat or spelt flour in my baking.
Beautiful bacteria
There is growing evidence around the role that our microbiome (the combination of good and bad bacteria in our body) has in creating a strong immune system and governing overall health.
Here are some simple tips to help maintain a healthy microbiome:
■ Eat more probiotic foods. My go-to options include live yoghurts and fermented milk drinks. Foods such as kefir, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut (unpasteurised) and miso all encourage a diversity of bacteria in the gut.
■ Eat a diverse range of foods.
■ Eat fibre-rich foods. Fibre promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria.
■ Reduce refined sugar consumption.
Essential fats
Fat has a vast array of functions. It makes up part of every cell in our body, provides energy, and assists in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, to name just a few! We simply can’t live without it.
Back in the 1970s, fat was vilified and the public were told to cut fat consumption right back because saturated fat was thought to influence heart disease. This led to people cutting out fats and even the healthy and essential fats were removed from foods, rather than just the saturated fats.
The good news is, you should be eating healthy fats! I enjoy eating creamy avocados, use butter not margarine, drizzle salads in extra virgin olive oil, eat eggs daily and embrace a handful of nuts. The essential fatty acids – Omega-3 and Omega-6 – are, as their name suggests, essential. To ensure that I consume enough Omega-3 and 6, I eat two to three portions of oily fish per week, such as mackerel or salmon. If you aren’t a fan of fish, chia seeds and flaxseeds added to porridge or granola at breakfast is another of my favourites.
The sour truth of sugar
A lot of rowers have a high sugar diet and we are advised to reduce our sugar consumption because excess sugar may promote unwanted
inflammatory responses, which may affect recovery. Refined white sugar also provides zero nutrients and ‘empty’ calories, and it can be linked to tooth decay. To keep it simple, we all need to be mindful of our sugar intake.
Sugar can be highly addictive because it releases feel-good chemicals in your brain which can encourage you to eat more. Like most people, I enjoy something sweet, so I am not saying never enjoy a brownie – just not every day! I am aware of the damage too much sugar can do, so I try to monitor my intake. To enjoy some sweetness in your diet, concentrate on eating natural sugars such as fresh or dried fruit or even maple syrup and raw honey, in small quantities. One of my favourite post-dinner sweet treats is dates stuffed with almond butter.
Final thought…
Food should be a source of energy but also of enjoyment and part of our everyday happiness. There is a lot of power, good and bad, in the food we eat.
