Spence Smith

We have become so accustomed to eating for eating-sake, but did you know
that your body will tell you what it needs and when? This takes a little bit of discipline and practice to figure out. But not a lot. You probably already know when you eat something bad and it doesn’t settle well within you.

I have had to train my brain to think about food as fuel, not food as a hobby or a past time or a way to medicate a problem…or just because it’s sitting in front of me.

This is what I do…

Everyday I know if I’m going to work out or not. I also know what kind of work out it will be. Running, swimming, cycling, or weights…no matter what, I know what I need to do to get ready for the workout. All of my workouts are in the morning except for swimming and what I have come to see is that what I eat the day before a workout (and sometimes two days before a really long workout, like a long run or bike ride) has everything to do with how my body performs and reacts to the training involved.

The  meal the night before a work out has to be lean and light enough for me not to have a bad night of sleep, but to give me enough energy to make it through the next morning. When I get up in the morning, I usually eat some lite like oatmeal or toast with peanut butter. I wash it down with some water and off I go. It usually takes me right to the end of the workout, unless it’s a long work out then I consume gels for extra energy and calories to get me through the training.

After the workout it’s time for good protein and carbs. One of the things I did to change my eating habits is to make breakfast my biggest meal of the day.

Once I have worked out, it’s time for breakfast. This big meal replenishes my body and gets me started for the day.

The fuel is now ready to get you through the end of the day. Generally, people are more active in the first part of the day and need more energy. Lunch is a little liter that breakfast and dinner is usually the smallest meal of the day. The major problem with eating a big dinner is that after dinner it’s usually bed time. So if you eat food for fuel, then what benefit is there to fueling sleep?

Remember…eat less, move more.

Dinner for me can be a good piece of fish or chicken, veggies, a little pasta and
I’m done. I’m a sucker for dessert and great wine, so I have to be a bit more disciplined here.

When it comes to eating out or traveling, I decide before I even walk into a restaurant, what I’m generally going to order. This sets me up to not feel the pressure of eating the bad stuff when I open up the menu.

In my head I can say, “tonight I’m having fish”. So when I get to the restaurant, I order whatever fish they have on the menu.

Again, there are so many theories on what is the right thing to eat. I like to read Runner’s World magazine and what they have to say about nutrition is usually right on the money for me. You can also read them online at runnersworld.com.

Overall, here’s what I know for the big picture. Your body was designed for protein AND carbs. These need to be good lean proteins and healthy carbs…and…all in moderation of course. The biggest benefit your body sees is when you eat fruits and veggies.

I hope I have made sense. As you know… I’m not a professional athlete, trainer or nutritionist… this is just what I have learned works for me over the years.