To start the new year with a detox or restricted diet can be manageable for a few weeks, but as humans and especially runners and athletes, any restricted type of diet can be challenging and not great physical support for high energy and endurance levels of fitness. Clean eating is a balanced diet that focuses on natural, nutrient-rich whole foods which are unprocessed or minimally processed.
Foods in Clean Eating Diet:
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Whole grains Beans and legumes
Root vegetables
Herbs and spices
Lean meat
Eggs
Fish Nuts and seeds
Unrefined oil
This diet requires to avoid eating refined grains, additives, preservatives and pesticides, no processed foods or sugars. A clean diet is not very challenging as you have access to all types of fresh foods, cooked simply, or eating raw foods. The only challenge for some people is avoiding all the unhealthy, processed foods, snacks and treats.
To make it easier to sink into a healthy clean diet:
Cook smarter
Plan your meals
Include lots of green vegetables at every meal
Eat healthy snacks If you’re carving a sweet treat, have some nuts and fresh fruits.
Healthy fats such as nuts or nut butter helps you feel more satiated, helps lower your cholesterol level and is good for your heart.
A clean eating diet will purify your body, activate your metabolism and provide all the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The side effects of eating processed foods and sugars are linked to cancer and other diseases such as high-cholesterol levels, heart problems, diabetes. Processed foods are low in nutrients needed for overall health, and they tend to have lots of additives, which overstimulates the production of dopamine, the “pleasure” neurotransmitter, which triggers constant junk food cravings. Once you start following a clean eating diet, your body disconnects from processed and junk foods. After a few weeks, a healthy mindset settles in and our body realizes how important fresh healthy foods are to support our overall wellbeing. A clean eating diet is not restricted, it is simply based on healthy fresh foods, cooked simply with all natural ingredients that we enjoy.
Benefits for runners:
Eating foods like burgers, chips, pizza, fried foods affects the energy levels of runners. Runners eating a lot of unhealthy meals, processed foods and sugars, feel more heavy and lethargic while running. Eating a clean diet with fresh foods that have been minimally processed, contain so much nutrients that our body requires, especially for runners. Avoiding junk foods, will help you perform better, increase your energy and endurance and assist with faster recovery, post-run. A clean eating healthy diet will make you feel light and energised. Following a daily natural, highly nutritious diet will help you perform and feel better.
Importance of hydration:Remember to drink plenty of water regularly, this will help to process and digest the foods and activate your metabolism. Just 1% of dehydration can affect your running performance. Staying hydrated is very important in warmer, or more humid weather and for long-distance runners.
Train Well, Eat Well, Feel Great!