Club Blog

Marathon Magic Foods

When training for a marathon or any long run, nutrition can play a vital part in maximizing your performance. For long distances, runners need all of the energy they can get, and a big source of that is what they eat. Certain foods produce better performances, and ultimately it can make or break your fitness goals. See what Gemma Carter has to say as she takes you through the basic foods of a runner’s diet as well as performance maximizing foods and drinks.

Eat well, train well:

At the foundation of any runner’s diet should be a balanced range of nutrients generally high in carbohydrates, low in fat and with moderate amounts of protein. Eating well should be part of your routine just as much as the training itself.

La Jolla Health Fitness Trainers say to maximize your performance as an athlete, it is important to make sure you are getting the right ingredients from your diet, and in the right quantities. This is a great way additionally to fight off infection, keep your energy levels high and sustain yourself throughout your training. Make sure that you fuel up before and after a run, preferably 2 hours before a long run to give your system enough time to digest the food fully and aim to refuel after a run as soon as is suitable.

Here are a few of my top foods:

Greens (kale, broccoli, spinach, asparagus) – a great source of iron fueling the body. Low iron restricts your body’s ability to produce haemoglobin, and thus reduces its oxygen-carrying capacity. So your mum was right after all, eat your greens and become Popeye!

Kiwis, tomatoes and red peppers – packed full of vitamin C. They boost your immune system and fight off illness. Most colorful fruits should have high levels of vitamins in them so why not vary your fruit intake and every time you visit the supermarket try a new one. Some fruits and vegetables such as apples and red onions are rich in the antioxidant of quercetin, which boosts muscle endurance.

Carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes, rice and cereal) – this is your body’s main fuel and important energy foods for hard training. Look for foods with slow release energy instead of sugary snacks.

Seeds and nuts (almonds) – many runners love eating these as they are easy to take with you when you travel and a great energy booster, packed full of the right kind of fats – Omega 3/6.

Eggs – a great source of protein, especially for those of us who are vegetarian. If you are not a fan of eggs try something like kidney beans (full of protein also)

Frozen vegetables and frozen fruits – being frozen they are packed with the nutrients straight from the ground that may have been lost otherwise such as vitamin B and C and Beta Carotene as well as many other minerals.

Mixed salad leaves – great for any meal, low in fat and tasty. This can be a great source of iron as well as a great variety of other minerals and vitamins depending on the leaf.

Fish (E.g.-salmon) – as well as being great brain foods, fish have high levels of Omega 3/6 in them which reduces heart disease and can lower blood pressure.

Magic marathon food and drinks:

Here are a few extras that you can add to your diet when training just to give you that extra boost:

Flat cola – great post run drink, with caffeine to boost muscle recovery and keep energy levels high. Having the cola flat is easier on the stomach.

Bananas – a great source of magnesium, reducing muscle cramps.

Chocolate Milk – a source of Calcium and great recover drink after a run.

Ginger and mustard – strange but true these ingredients are great for muscle aches.

Green tea extracts – packed with antioxidants which fight off infection. If you don’t like green tea try white tea or a herbal tea like peppermint instead.

Herbs and spices – herbs like rosemary have great anti-inflammatory properties, whereas parsley, mint and coriander can be great for digestion and stomach cramps. Be sure to stock up on these. Try adding them to your cooking. So go on be adventurous!

So there we go, be adventurous and experiment with a good range of basic food substances! If you are not sure of the properties of some foods, look at the labels and don’t be afraid to do a bit of research. With a healthier diet, you’ll feel more energized and happier. So get cooking!

On a final note – don’t forget to hydrate, hydrate!!! I can never remind you enough of the importance of getting enough water before, while and after training. It is so important for optimizing performance and preventing cramps and muscle aches by flushing out the toxins in your body built up from exercise. Water also cools the body down and can prevent exercise induced headaches.

La Jolla Sports Club and Camelia Clum invite you into a special retreat where you can lose track of your daily stress from the outside world… at least temporarily. Relax, reflect, rejuvenate, and rejoice in your La Jolla Sports Club spa experience.

Camelia Clum, La Jolla Sports Club’s massage therapist, will guide you to a heightened level of luxury as they indulge your senses and pamper your skin and body with an advanced therapy, custom designed for you. We hope that we will not just meet your expectations, but exceed them. Retreat, indulge, rejuvenate, relax and enjoy. Enjoy Spa Services and packages that include skin care therapy, waxing, massage therapy and body therapy.

Fitness gym boot camps may be one of the fastest ways to go from zero to fit. The setup is simple enough: A La Jolla Sports Club Staff trainer leads a group of clients through an intense hour of cardio and functional-strength training. The secret lies in the circuit-style workout that toggles between cardio and muscle building. This leaves little if any down time, and the shuffling of routines prevents boredom and exercise ruts. For people willing to put in the work, boot camps enable exercisers to see results quickly, the better to stay motivated.

Boot camps have some special features. Many are held outdoors and often incorporate common environmental features such as stairs or ledges for cardio as well as functional exercises using only body weight or free weights. Encouragement comes not just from the instructor, but also from the other participants, who cheer and clap for fellow campers. And people are often paired or grouped for friendly competitions, fostering a camaraderie and support not usually found in regular fitness classes.

Come check out boot camp classes offered at your local La Jolla Health Fitness Gym.

Clark Gracie is a member of the family synonymous with the art of Jiu Jitsu. He’s a brown belt with the Clark Gracie Team, four-time national Jiu Jitsu champions. Clark was trained under his father, Carley Gracie, who is known today as one of the most technical instructors in the discipline. Clark Gracie has found a home here at the La Jolla Health Fitness Gym, where he is the resident Jiu Jitsu instructor.

Jiu Jitsu is the art and skill of controlling and resisting opponents in ways that force them to submit. Because the majority of physical confrontations end up on the ground, combined with the fact that control is generally easier on the ground, much of the technique of Jiu Jitsu focuses on taking the opponent down to the ground with the idea of leveraging dominant control positions that render the opponent helpless.

Classes are taught five times a week. Come and try an introductory class, we’re confident that Jiu Jitsu will not only become a new favorite La Jolla Sports Club Fitness program, but also one of the most cherished and enjoyable aspects of your life. It will give you a confidence, knowledge, body dexterity and fitness that a few people will ever know.

Spin classes are a great way to get in a vigorous workout — burning calories and keeping your muscles in shape — especially during the off-season. If you love exercising on a bike and being pushed by other spin-enthusiasts including a La Jolla Health Fitness Trainer, this could be a satisfying alternative to your normal routine.

Pros

• An effective workout
• Allows you to train in the off-season if you are a serious cyclist
• Varied routines keep things fresh
• Great for all ability levels

Cons

• You’re not outside and lose that relaxing aspect of a bike ride
• Classes can become monotonous
• If you don’t like exercising with others, you will not enjoy being surrounded by people in one room

Description

Spin classes are done in a La Jolla Health Fitness Center Gym fitness studio, with various light and music settings to create an energized atmosphere. Instructors guide participants through workout phases. Warm-up, steady up-tempo cadences, sprints, climbs, cool-downs, etc. You control resistance on your bike to make the pedaling as easy or difficult as you choose. Constantly adjusting your resistance is normal. All you’ll need is normal workout clothes, a towel and a water bottle. Check it out!