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What do top athletes eat to stay in peak condition? England rugby player Jonny Wilkinson shares his daily dietary habits. Plus: he reveals how to bounce back from an injury
I am lucky: I get to play the game that I love every day. To sustain this level of activity, I need to drink and eat well. As my job requires my body to be at its best at all times, I have developed a dietary routine that I tend to stick to most days.
Breakfast
Water. Your body is at its most dehydrated in the morning. Considering that you have spent eight hours without any intake of fluids while you have been sleeping, it is a good idea to start the day with a drink of water to make sure you are hydrated from the outset.
Muesli with fruit. One of your five-a-day, and also thought to help lower blood cholesterol concentration.
Low-fat skimmed milk. I tend to steer clear of high-fat foods.
Eggs/egg-white omelettes. Egg whites are fat-free and rich in high-quality protein. I try to have high-protein foods at every meal.
Carbs. You need energy at all points during the day, so carbohydrates such as toast or porridge could be incorporated into your morning routine.
Lunch
Fruit, protein, salad. I tend to keep my lunch healthy and simple.
Healthy fats. I often eat avocado – it contains monounsaturated fat and is great for energy release throughout the day.
Carbs. Carbohydrates such as pasta and potatoes make sure your energy levels are at performance level for the rest of the day.
Beetroot. Beet greens are a very good source of calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. Beetroots are an excellent source of folic acid, which helps you rebuild your body after training.
During training
Water. I take on water whenever possible, especially since moving to France, to make sure my body is fully hydrated and in tip-top condition. I keep a Volvic bottle with me and take sips little and often. This technique has made the challenge of drinking 1.5 litres a day really easy.
Dinner
Few carbs. In the evening it is best to avoid a high intake of carbohydrates, as they will release energy during the night that could affect your sleep.
Oily fish and chicken. I love eating out and normally order chicken or oily fish, as they are an essential source of Omega 3, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Recovering from injury
Unfortunately, injuries are something that I have had a little bit of experience with. Immediate physical treatment is necessary to reduce the swelling and avoid further injury, such as elevating the injury above the heart and applying ice to the affected area. Your immediate mental response to injury, however, can often be more important than your physical response, because it sets you up for your long-term attitude towards recovery.
Something I have learned is that remaining positive is one of the best things that you can do to aid recovery. You can often tell how bad an injury is the second that it happens, and remaining positive is extremely important. Even when I am in pain and shock I try to block out any negative thoughts. Combating the initial stress can be really hard, but staying open-minded and focusing on recovery, rather than worrying, is the best way to avoid “locking in” any negative feelings that can linger throughout your recovery period.
Modern medicine can work wonders if you are in the right frame of mind and do everything possible to help out the doctors. When I sustained an ankle injury before the 2007 World Cup, many people wrote me off for the entire tournament. Thanks to the great work by the medical staff and physiotherapy team, and by doing everything I possibly could to aid my own recovery, I ended up missing just two games of the championships. I was back playing weeks before most people thought I would be.
I put this down to the positive approach that I took to my recovery, which helped me heal at the fastest possible rate.
To continue the series I want to address the people who you will want to coach. If you are reading this series as a possible client you may see yourself in one of the categories mentioned.
First Timers
This is a group of folks that have decided for the first time in their life to really take on their health. They are ready to take an honest look or have been motivated recently to take care of themselves. Often one would associate this with age, but I see a trend that it is about awareness of their personal health condition. They may have recently visited their doctor, taken an honest look in the mirror, or even heard someone say something when they thought they weren’t listening. Something has them thinking about needing to make a change without any knowledge of how to get started, more or less to finish the journey successfully. They need someone with the expertise to do it right and teach them how to make it stick!
- Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Yo-Yo’s
I was one of these so I have particular affection for them. This person is someone that tries to lose weight, in fact often has tried many times. They may have had some measure of success. The hard thing for them is the ability to find it inside to try one more thing. Why would they think this diet would work for them, everything else failed at some point, why this one? They don’t understand why and they don’t know about metabolism and diet, they just know they have really tried and failed. They need someone that understands they are serious about it, they just struggle with something that keeps them from succeeding. Often they are the hardest to get to try again. They need an uplifting coach to believe in them and motivate them to give it effort and determination that this time they will succeed.
The Expert
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
This bunch is a hard bunch to even get to work with. They know it all. They have read every book. They have tried everything, and yet they have not reached optimal health. Another version of these wonderful people show up at trade fairs and run when they see a weight loss booth. They know nothing will work for them. I was also part of this group. I was convinced that nothing would ever work and that somehow I had messed up my body so bad that I would never be able to lose weight. I knew that there was no magic pill, no patch, no abs system, and it seemed like there was nothing that would work. If there was certainly I would have found it already, after all wasn’t I the real expert on what would work for me. This group has one question to ask them: Are you happy with the results you are getting now? If the answer is yes, they automatically become un-coachable. To be coach you have to be willing to admit you don’t have all the answers.
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This last week was the first time in months that I was feeling so bad I had to take some time off from work and workouts. I came down with a cold or flu and just before that I had pulled something in my back during one of my last weight trainings. Reminder to self remember to stretch more. So imagine for a few short moments coughing and sneezing with your back spasms that would normally bring me to my knees if I could just get out of bed. That was just two days ago and this morning I was back up and walked out 2 miles.
No, I am no superman. I did have to dig in and find that hero I wrote about recently. I had to get back at it as soon as I was able. Why you ask? Well because it was the workouts and the weight loss that turned what would have been a full weeks worth of illness to just half a week. That’s right my recovery was faster because my body was stronger. It wasn’t hauling around an extra 100 lbs. It was not in the constantly worn down condition of no sleep and no reserves. When I got back there where still people out from the same or similar bug.
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I went and got my back adjusted as I had gotten it out of alignment. Feels much better today. Again a recovery that would normally take a couple of weeks before I would even think of going back to working out. In talking to the chiropractor we talked about recent vacations he had taken this last year and I commented that I used to think that action, fun-filled things like hiking and snorkeling where out of the question for me just one short year ago. That this last year I had hiked the Grand Canyon for the full day and loved every minute of it. I look forward to my next tropical vacation where I can get back in the water and enjoy the fish and swimming without feeling like I was going to run out of breath.
To answer the question I used for the title, I realized on my walk this morning that the way to recover is to start back at it. It doesn’t matter if it was illness or lack of weight loss that slows us down. It doesn’t matter that we are discouraged or feeling a bit let down. It matter how we overcome that feeling. It matters that we do what we can do. Last week it was keeping the hands out of the chocolate jar at work. This week it was going for a walk rather then slacking another day. All of it based on choices that stacked up over this last year that made it even possible to do it in the first place.
That’s right loosing weight and working out made me stronger and recovery was faster. Small price to pay to have along with it more energy and determination to keep going. What goal are you working on today? What are you willing and able to do to get there? Think about it and DO Something about it today!
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Well this week was a down week for me. After running a 5k, keeping up with a walking competition at work and traveling every night it finally all caught up with me this weekend. No I didn’t get the dreaded H1N1 but I did come down with a doosey of a cold. Aches and pain, stuffy nose and congestion all rolled into one. You can push your body till your body pushes back. So I got a few days off. I still did some walking to help clear my lungs and today I did do the Nike+ routine I am working with to work on my running form. Fortunately today was an easy workout.
Great thing about all of the recent workouts and hard work is that even though I was sick I recovered quickly and felt much stronger by the 3rd day than I would normally. Given that I am in a high risk group with all the changes in the last year and my age I suppose that beats the heck out of the alternatives.
Oh just to show the world doesn’t stop when you are down for the count I picked up two new health coaches to help with the goal to help more people this next year. They are coming on strong and excited to work with folks to finish this year strong and start out their new year even stronger and more committed. This will be a year to see people loose 1000’s of pounds and get off meds and live longer and fuller lives.
So the race is on, here is to the continued journey and the ultimate goals that each of us have for the soon to be dawning new year. Come on and join us!
More From CoachRick
On my last post I talked about the many reasons I (and many I meet) use to not even begin to work towards weight loss or physical fitness. They are the excuses that kept me from taking an honest look several years earlier. I am not saying anything about the way we make choices other than to address it from a single question: Why? We have a society here in America that second only to maybe Great Britain and it is becoming the most obese society in the world. We top the research in the world in figuring out that obesity kills and robs the quality of our lives, yet the numbers are still climbing. I know I was one of those statistics. We look for the magic solution or the right surgery for the quick fix. We don’t want to look at the behavior.
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In part two I wanted to address exercise. You know the saying “No Pain No Gain” I used this as a mantra when I was at 297 lbs and trying desperately to loose weight. I would repeat that I was just one more workout away from getting strong enough to keep going. Facts where I was too heavy, was pushing too hard, and I needed to figure it out. Meanwhile my joints where killing me because of all the extra weight and my blood pressure was still shooting up through the roof. Finding a way to drop the weight saved my life. Keeping it off and keep reaching for the right weight was the next level of determination.
On to workout/exercise excuses that I hear when I talk to people about my life these days. And yes I have used them as well in the past.
“You only live once – Hell enjoy life and stop worrying about when you are going to die.” Now I am not a big fan of worry and self loathing, however I found out if you use this one long enough the quality of life goes down pretty quickly. What is enjoyable about having to say “No I don’t have the energy!” or “Sorry I am hurting all over my body and I am just not up to it!”. Or my favorite one “Hold on I need to catch my breath!” This one always came out when I felt my heart thumping through my chest and wondered if it was going to burst. Truth – You only live once – Why not enjoy it with a healthy body and an active life. Being a couch potato isn’t all it is cracked up to be. There is a whole lot more fun out there waiting to be had.
“The weather sucks today, guess I can’t do my workout.” This is a great excuse. I could use it when it was too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry, and even if the wind was blowing or not. This one only fails on the perfect day. As long as you never define the perfect day to some one that cares about you, then you can pull this one out almost any day. It fits in well with “I didn’t sleep well last night and I am too tired, besides it is raining out.” Fact was the gym was less then a 10 minute drive from the house and inside. Funny thing about the gym it is almost always the same temperature and lighting settings. This last year I found out that you can do a lot right in your living room to get fit. Oh and running on a cold wet morning even has some great moments. If nothing else you know you have joined the ranks of people that realize that every step towards health matters.
Image by ninahale via Flickr
“I travel all the time.” Now this was not one of mine. I do hear it from people when they ask about the changes they see in my physical condition and here about my workouts these days. Well if you fit into this one there are portable resistance bands, inflatable balls for all kinds of exercises, etc etc. More and more hotels have exercise rooms or in Seattle I even found a hotel with an agreement with Ballys gym to allow us to work out there while staying. As you might guess this one doesn’t work for me either.
“I just had a baby.” Well I can honestly say I have never used this one! I have heard it more than once however. Some good friends of ours had their new baby boy last year when I was in the middle of my weight loss phase. And she was back at it right away. She had to work past many of the other excuses because of the baby not getting on schedule right away, odd sleeping patterns, etc. She and my wife just did a walk with a local woman’s fitness challenge where the baby carriage was pushed up hill and they both (baby and mother) had a great time. All because she worked out before the baby was born and got right back at it afterward.
“I’m too (fill in the blank here ..)” The universal I am too this or that excuse. Let me give you an example of some of my old I’m too’s. I am too old. I am too fat/heavy. I am too out of shape. etc. etc. What it really was I was too wrapped up in what wasn’t working and not find things that would work for me. I relied on having the excuse to keep from having to do the work. Sure I worked out, heck I even tried many diets. I just never took the time to stick with it till I found the right combination. I relied on what I knew and it wasn’t till I found some one with some answers to help me that I got started in the right direction. From there it was like gliding down hill, the longer you stick with it the faster you go.
Point of all this excuse busting is that excuses will change the quality of life you live tomorrow. They will rob you of your health. They will steal time away from you with your loved ones. They will take your life breath away until you don’t have the breath to speak them. Maybe even get you to the point you want to quit trying. Time to find something that you want bad enough that you will work to experience more of it. Maybe that is a relationship, or something you love doing. Maybe it is a purpose you always wanted to full fill to some how change the world around you. But find it as the pull to live longer and healthier. Start with help if you need it, but start. Baby steps or leaps, the only thing that matters is the journey anyway. GO FOR IT!
Well after getting in some training tomorrow will be my first 5k. So I will make another of my goals for this year. After looking at South Beach Steve’s last 100 day challenge it just seemed like the right way to celebrate my weight loss this year.
The great news is that the run is along the Greenbelt in Garden City and the weather looks like it will be a cool 60’s and clear. Sounds like a beautiful day to run. I have to laugh just writing that. Me being excited to run is like some one else being excited about a tooth extraction. I have trully gone over the edge.
It is amazing what the force of habit can do in one’s life. You start living with health in mind as a habit there is more strength and want to there. Napoleon Hill calls is Habit Force. When the habit drives you more then the want to.
Another fitting kismet to all of this is the guy who used to eat everything he saw, now is running a race to supply the food banks. The cosmic significance isn’t lost on me with this one. I figure this race will be the slowest time I will record for many years and will be one of many to come. So tomorrow is all about getting the first one under my belt and getting another goal in before the end of a perfect year. I wonder how many more first’s I can get in before the New Year!
I often work at show where I see “tons” (pun intended) of people. They walk by and look at the background and see that we work with weight loss and changes in health and lifestyle and they will often back up. The ones that stay the furthest away are often the ones that are in the most need of making a change. What they don’t know is my history and that I realize like any good coach that you can’t take anyone where they aren’t ready to go.
All I can do is tell my story. Just one short year ago I couldn’t run a block and this weekend I will run my first of what should be many 5k’s. We are going to be blessed with the perfect weather and I will at least finish and it will be a great day. Why so great? Let me explain.
A year ago I would not have even thought it possible. A year ago I was resolved that life at my age was just going to keep going downhill from here. I had given up. So when they avoid us like the H1N1 virus I understand perfectly where they are. They are still using the same faulty reasoning I used before I felt I had no other choice but to find an answer or die.
Here are some common excuses I hear often:
“I will do it soon or I will do it after the holidays (works for many this time of year)” Translation: I am not ready to do anything about it no matter how serious I know my condition is. I have watched people that could barely walk use this when I know they are just a few months from a wheel chair.
“I am too old” This was one of my favorites. I would justify that I didn’t have it left to do the workouts and whatever it was going to take to get the weight off. I had tried everything so my metabolism must be so slow that I was going to die fat and miserable. At 54 this year I feel better than I did at 30 so this one wasn’t working well for me.
“I am big boned or I have bad genetics”. My version of this was the 70’s must have screwed up my body worse than I thought cause I could not do anything to change my weight and my health. When it gets down to it and you burn up a big boned person verses a smaller boned person the difference is about 4 lbs. And oh genetics although often used is very, very, rare.
“I don’t have time to eat right.” I have even used this one. Another version is I can afford to eat right. I found out when you use this one long enough you can make is a self fulfilling prophesy. You will have time when you are out of a job because of your obesity and then you won’t have any money to spend of food. Truth here is if you don’t spend the money to eat right and exercise, you will spend it in health care.
“I enjoy food too much and diets are too restrictive…” Add on to this that diets have never worked and you have the excuse trifecta. What it really says I don’t have the discipline to do what it takes to change my lifestyle and habits. What they don’t realize here is that this excuse make them a perfect candidate for a coach and a support system.
Check in with me again and I will write up part two of this article as we examine the excuses for not doing exercise. What I found over the years I piled up the weight. I piled up the excuses. And I added more and more damage to my health and body. When I look at the research now I realize how much life and fun I gave up to hold on to my excuses. One year’s worth of work has change my life and many others around me. Was it worth it? Yes and in fact I hurts to think how easy it was and how much sooner I could have been enjoying my life more. But what it got down to was I had to be ready. I had to be willing. I had to find someone to talk to that could tell me they could help me get past all my excuses and life a fuller more healthy life. When is your day? You know you could finish out the year strong and well on your way to a new you for next year. What do you say?
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