Eat For You Dietitian

Book and Podcast recommendations at over halfway through 2019

August 11, 2019
In the beginning of the year I made a primary goal of reading at least 2 books a month. Even though I love reading a paper book this year I also grew interest in podcasts and then audible. I hardly ever listen to music anymore when out and about, it’s either podcasts or audible books. At the moment I am listening to Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker which I am finding a bit harder to get through as it is quite scientific but amazing facts and explanations. Why do we purposely deprive ourselves of sleep when we know it is beneficial?
Paperbacks/ Hardbacks

Songs of a humpback whale by Jodi Picoult

The joy of running

The little fires by Celeste Ng

Harvesting the heart by Jodi Picoult

Just Eat it by Laura Thomas

Salem falls by Jodi Picoult

Mercy by Jodi Picoult
Orthorexia – When healthy eating goes bad by Renee McGregor
Is butter a carb? By The Rooted Project Dietitians
Happy Fat by Sofie Hagen
Training Food by Renee McGregor

Audible

Can’t hurt me by David Goggins

Educated by Tara Westover

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

Something in the Water by Caroline Steadman

Top 3 book recommendations if I have to read/listen to again

Happy Fat by Sofie Hagen

2. Orthorexia by Renee McGregor

3. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

Please let me know if you read/listen to any of the above.

Why I run?

August 1, 2019

It’s the 1st of August of 2019.

I think we’re all thinking, where has the year gone and how do we only have 1 month left of summer left?

If you have yet to put your bikini on, do it today. If you have yet to wear that summer outfit you’ve been looking at for ages, do it today. Sometimes I feel we are always waiting for tomorrow or next week/month/year before starting something new. Let’s all stop waiting. It doesn’t have to be a new year or new day to be ‘healthy’ or ‘fit’ or whatever. Every move you make is shaping your health over the long-term. Let’s bring it back to basics; sleep well, rest when your body is telling you, move daily, eat for you, explore books, places, culture …

Today I wanted to write about my progress and Why I run?

I run because:

I can

And one day I won’t be able to

I look forward to listening to my audiobook/podcasts/music

I’m looking forward to the meal/snack waiting for me at the other end

To get me from A to B when commuting (when it takes me the same amount of time walking and then train)

Even though that person ran past me I am still a runner

19 days and counting since I completed by first ultra-marathon. In case you didn’t know, I think I’ve said it enough time to friends, family and work colleagues.

After such a big race you need to give your body sufficient amount of time to recover as although it was a positive physical and mental challenge for me, it also created a lot of stress on my mind and body. I’ve had to prioritise sleep, food (when don’t I prioritise food) and most importantly rest. Resting was annoying, especially last week when the trains were delayed due to the heat and I couldn’t cycle to work as it would be 2 hours cardio in total.

But I’m back this week and gearing up for my next running challenges. Even though they seem like a fraction of the distance of an ultra-marathon I know they will be tough and exhilarating. I want to train to be faster. 5km, 10km and 21km (half marathon) are scheduled for the next couples months, which doesn’t give me a lot of time but the race days are still just days. My running goals will forever continue.

I’ve never been one to follow training plans and I have recently been recommended to find an online running coach to support me in my training. I think I have almost found one who is highly recommended, so I look forward to learn more about how effective training actually looks like, as opposed to me ‘winging it.’ I have also finally committed to seeing a physiotherapist as I will still like to walk/run pain free in 50 years time and it is time to stop ignoring niggles. You wouldn’t ignore a bleeding cut so why ignore a painful niggle?

As a registered Dietitian I work in the NHS and primarily within the community setting which ranges for IBS, weight management, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic conditions, oncology, supporting individuals at risk of malnutrition and many more. I do not specialise in sports nutrition and it is not a focussed area as part of dietetic training. Therefore I have been doing my own research and learning within the areas of sports nutrition. My eating habits are not perfect and the amount of growing evidence on how to optimise your training through a food first approach is fascinating. My favourite book so far is Training Food: Get the Fuel You Need to Achieve Your Goals Before During and After Exercise by Renee McGregor. You don’t need additional protein shakes, bars etc. Granted I use sports energy gels for long distance running (2hrs+) however during my ultra marathon I made my own energy drink (water, orange juice, salt), followed by orange squash, mini cheddars and freddos at pit stops and then made up dioralyte solution half way (yep the sachets they recommend when you have diarrhoea – it’s the electrolytes!). I only had 2 out of my 5 energy gels I carried with me as my body at the time was craving real food. My next step is to make my own energy gels or balls to trial on long runs. I’m thinking a key ingredient should be peanut butter or jam.

What’s coming up for the rest of 2019?

Upcoming races:

Victoria Park 10k this weekend (fun race)

Richmond Run Fest 5k (aiming for sub-25minutes) mid-september

Ealing Half Marathon (aiming for sub-2hours) on 29th September

My training will include:

Cycle commuting which is about 2 hours

3-4 runs per week – usually running home from work, We Are Runners run club, parkrun

Stretching daily (must remember)

Yoga sessions at least twice weekly

Strengthening sessions either bodyweights or resistance bands at least twice weekly

I’m a massive fan of the Fiit app which allows me to work out and move from home whenever suits me. If you haven’t tried it yet and are tired of going to the gym or to a class I would highly recommend!

Can you set yourself a non-aesthetic based goal today? What have you always wanted to do?

Completing my first 50km (plus 1km extra) ultra marathon

July 18, 2019

Last weekend I did it! I completed Day 1 50km Race To The Stones! It involved tough terrain, hills (up,down,up,down etc.), beautiful views, all the snacks every 10km or so, mentally challenging and then I saw the finish line. I am still in awe of the runners and walkers who completed the full 100km distance non-stop and in 2 days as after I completed 50km+ 1 distance I could not imagine doing that again! But then again I said that after my first 5km, 10km, half marathon races but here I am. An official ultra-marathoner.

Before Race Day: Hydration and Carb Loading key aspects to cover

I had a bit of an issue in achieving the carb loading aspect which carried on during race day. IBS-related symptoms were quite severe making me feel quite bloated and full. When you have to achieve at least 300g carbohydrates in your meals and snacks, feeling full constantly did not help.

Hydration always comes easy to me as I love water and easily achieve 2.5litres a day. Please add up how much fluid you drink (water,tea,coffee) as I have met an extraordinary amount of people who drink less than 1 litre a day. How??

Race Day: What to eat for breakfast? This is different for everyone. I stick to 3 options – wholegrain toast with peanut butter and jam OR weetabix with berries and nuts OR wholegrain toast with scrambled eggs. For me it depends how I’m feeling in the morning and it always has to be accompanied with a strong instant black coffee and eaten at least 2 hours before the start time. Any shorter then I will feel very uncomfortable when I start.

Stepping up to the start line: Everyone who took part will agree the traffic up to the car park for the start line was insane. Everyone had to abandon their family supporting them to walk to the start line. I missed my wave so my partner could see me off and I only made it with 2 minutes to spare and I needed a bit of time to chill.

8:05am was the countdown!! Despite still feeling bloated and full, running felt amazing with the wave group.

Everyone was buzzing and excited. I took my easy pace 6.30-7min/km as planned and taking it the whole atmosphere.

Then the hills! Who told me I didn’t need to do regular hill runs? Luckily I did do a few Richmond Park runs which is full of hills but nothing could’ve prepared me for the inclines. I took a note of everyone I was with who was walking (not that I could’ve run up anyways) up the hills.

But then something even worse for me, extreme downhill. Now I have this fear of falls flat on my face so unlike other people racing it down I was being careful as it was rough trails and loads of logs/stones everywhere. Made it down, phew and I started running again about 12km in I was loving it … one tiny distraction at around 15-17km and I trip over a big log hard on my left knee. Ouch!

You can imagine that a swelling knee impacts on your ability to continue walking let alone running. But I still had at least 30km to go. Mentally the last 30km were the most challenging I’ve had to face. First of all I had to make it to Pitstop 2 with a bloody knee and then 10km+ in between pit stops made it a bit easier. Friendly faces welcoming me to all the drinks and refreshments felt like I could carry on till the next one until I finally I reached basecamp (half way point for those continuing the full 100km).

Somewhere in the last 20km it actually hurt less to run than it did to walk but I could only bring myself to run for 2-3km at a time. I wasn’t out of breath but each kilometre felt like it was a mile.

If you truly want to know it took me 7hrs16mins to complete 51km in total. On average it is 8.14min/km. If you think that’s slow then that is your opinion but it won’t hide the fact that I finished an ultra marathon race. And I did it with a smile … followed shortly with a free plate of pasta.

One of my favourite thing about races is all the FREE food

100% Body Neutral

July 7, 2019

How did I realise that I neither love or hate my body, I’m finally neutral about my body? Body confidence or positivity for me doesn’t have to be you loving your body 100% but feeling that you don’t need to change to better yourself. You are good enough just as you are.

A few weekends ago before starting my new job (promotion!) we went for a country break away in a Center Parcs near Suffolk. A long weekend, zero social media, cycling everywhere, afternoon naps, and all the food of course was a perfect trip before the craziness of settling into a new job. If you’ve been to Center Parcs then you will know about the amazing swimming pool with all the slides. As we got to Center Parcs in the early afternoon it wasn’t quite time to check-in yet so we did the obvious thing and go for a swim.

Putting on a swimsuit and knowing I will be standing in front of strangers has always come with feelings of anxiety and being self-conscious. You can’t help but compare yourself to other women and criticise your own body. When you think about it it’s a crazy thought as you’re around people also in swimsuits so who actually cares. The massive family-friendly changing rooms leading to the swimming pool had no mirrors anywhere and I realised this was the first time I put on a bikini and did not stand in front of a mirror thinking about what could be better about my body. Instead I jumped straight in the pool, ready to have fun. Because you know what if anyone has an issue with my body, that’s there problem and not mine.

I then realised that I am finally at peace with my body shape. I don’t love it and I don’t hate it. The amount of hours I must have wasted on hating different parts of my body, probably since the age of 7 when I was first told I was fat by a family member. I wished for it to be different in every way and idolised the ‘thin, tall body.’ Now I am done. I think this is the reason I enjoy moving daily, particularly running because I have achieved things that as a 7 year old or even my closest friends and family never thought possible. I am a marathon runner, soon-to-be ultra-marathon runner and I will continue to challenge my body because we can achieve much more than we think we can. Never let anyone tell you you can’t do something, even the person who you’re closest to.

If you continue to point out the negative areas of your body as we are very much in bikini season, please stop. No One Body is the same. Your body does not describe your lifestyle. I am UK size 10 with rolls around my tummy (no abs in sight), cellulite on the back of my thighs, fat under my arms and I don’t wish to change anything. None of my aesthetics eliminates my achievements nor will one run or workout change my body to be the perfect athletic body. My goals are based around what I can do as a person, get faster as a runner and cyclist, and continue my professional development as a Registered Dietitian to support my clients to implement life long improvements to their lifestyle.

3 weeks countdown till my first 50km ultra marathon

June 21, 2019

An ultra marathon is ‘a long-distance running race that is longer than a marathon (which is strictly 26 miles 385 yards/42.195 km).’

A few months ago I signed up to my first ultra marathon following the motivation and inspiration from taking part in the Long Run Race Series held by Twice The Health duet in preparation for April/May marathons.

So, which ultra marathon am I taking on?

Dixon Carphone Race to the Stones, a UK based ultra trail marathon that takes place over 2 days in July. In total the challenge is 100km along Britan’s oldest path, The Ridgeway. Luckily for me this challenge can be split in 2 days with the option of camping in the middle to rest up before the remainder of the 50km, or you can choose to do 50km on either Day 1 or Day 2. My chosen option is 50km on Day 1 which I think is a good choice for my first ultra marathon.

I’ve done quite a bit of reading around advice and tips for completing your first ultra marathon and the most common advice I have seen is that the main pro of ultra marathons in comparison to other races is that there is no time pressure. You can run, jog or walk. My goal is to complete it in under 6 hours.

Have I been following a training plan?

Nope. I know I probably should be but unfortunately I never found one that is flexible around my schedule. However I do recommend following a training plan as it structures how to build upon mileage and training etc. Unfortunately I have experienced injuries this year highly likely from incorrect training which I have treated with expert advice. From all the advice I have received there are specific training sessions that I make sure to include on a weekly basis

For example:

Monday – 6.4km/4miles – 40 minute Easy Run plus 25 minute Power Yoga workout

Tuesday – 25 minute Cardio Resistance Band workout (focusing on maintaining a high heart rate)

Wednesday – 2 hours+ long walk OR 2 hours+ bike ride

Thursday – 25 minute Strengthening Resistance Band workout (focusing on reps and form) plus 10km/6.2miles Easy Run

Friday – 2 hours+ long walk OR 40 minute Power Yoga workout

Saturday – 20 minute bike ride plus long walk OR 50 minutes Cardio and Strengthening Resistance Band workout

Sunday – 21km/13.1miles Long Run at marathon pace

This is a mixture of how the last 6 weeks have been in a combination so not every week has looked like this. I have a few tools that make it straight forward such as following Fiit 4-week Resistance Band Training Plan which includes 4 workouts – one of which is a yoga or stretching workout. This is a great reminder to ensure I am including strengthening and conditioning work which majorly supports a good form whilst running.

Adjustments to training recently

Most recently I have started a new dietetic position which has allowed me to incorporate active commuting – cycling and running to/from work which I am super excited about as I have grown to love moving! It makes me feel great and energised ready for the day.

Cycling along the Thames Path is gorgeous and running through Chelsea is interesting for a very non-Chelsea type girl.

I now have a folding bike, bike pannier bag, running commuter bag which all accumulated to a cost. My tips to keeping costs down is folding bike (not a Brompton FYI) bought on 0% interest free 12 month finance, bike bag on amazon and went for good reviews not most expensive, Ronhill running commuter bag bought on eBay which saved me £55.

As the weeks go by I will keep you posted on nutrition and tapering prior to ultra marathon …

Double races recap in 2 cities in prep for my 1st Ultra Marathon

May 30, 2019

London and Edinburgh races in 2 weeks

Hackney Half Marathon (2.06) and Edinburgh Marathon (4.45) ✅✅ You would think I’m done now but it’s all in preparation for my first 50km Ultra marathon as part of the Race to the Stones weekend. Why did I sign up? 2 girls, 1 passion = Twice The Health inspiration who are undertaking the full 100km non-stop. So technically I’m taking the easier option but will still definitely be a challenge going beyond that marathon distance.

Another reason I signed up for my first ultra-marathon is because at the beginning of the year I set myself the goal to run a sub 2 half marathon (which I achieved on a training run) and a sub 4 marathon. Following a couple injuries and illnesses that have derailed my speed training I soon decided to focus on distance and not time. Yesterday I went to Urgent Care Centre as it turned out I ran Edinburgh Marathon with an infected big toe which had to be drained and when I told the nurse it grew bigger after I ran a marathon. She asked me what my time was (I hate that question) and then she said ‘Oh you were going slow then.’ It was late and I wasn’t in the mood to discuss if she had run a marathon before but the fact that she belittled my achievement was astounding.

Anyways Hackney Half was a spur of the moment last minute bib which I am happy I did. Amazing atmosphere, no idea where I was running but overall a flat route. Despite being a Londoner I’ve never really ventured towards Hackney very much so it was an exploration run for me too. Highly recommended and the race village is great too. Not that great signposted though to baggage drop off. It was topped off by mobility flow sessions near by run by Fiit outside their headquarters. The cherry on top for me.

Edinburgh marathon was the race I was originally planning to run a sub 4 time but as already explained this was off the table. Imagine waking up to pouring rain before you have to head to work, the dread that you feel that you have to leave your bed to travel to your work which is likely to be inside so really you don’t have long in the rain depending on your commute. Now imagine you wake up to pouring rain and you know you will be outside for at least 4 hours straight. Luckily it was already raining the day before so I bought a poncho. Rain carries on to the start line so I kept my poncho on until I felt comfortable it wasn’t going to pour down again. The route was along the beautiful coast of Edinburgh which made it difficult for my friends to cheer me along the way as transport links that way are difficult. During the run the weather kept us on our toes, we had beautiful sunshine (my tan lines are proof) followed by strong winds pushing against us. It definitely warmed up a lot as I found I had to refill by 300mls water bottle I carried 4 times at the water stations. Usually I can manage 300mls over 13.1miles but I knew I had to hydrate and when you see people passed out on the side it reminds you to not ignore that very crucial factor, I later found out that in the strong gusts it was over 30mph winds It was 26.2miles full of emotions and an aching big toe for me, which I later realised was infected and I’m grounded from running for at least a week.

I was disappointed as I had to go from run – walk- run for the last 10km and I probably would’ve achieved a PB had I managed to run for longer rather than walk. I soon got over this disappointment as I was congratulated by many and seeing my friends at the finish line pushed me to sprint (as much as you can after running 42km/26.2miles) to the end. As I write this blog post the disappointment is coming back to me in waves as last night I had to go to Urgent Care as my infected big toe was growing with fluid (likely too much information here). As I spoke to the nurse who was triaging I told her the above story in summary and then she asks ‘How long did it take you to run the marathon?’ I don’t mind answering this question but it does bother me sometimes as we always like to quantify things. For example, weight, calories, grams of carbohydrates, protein, mile/km splits of our runs and we can often ignore that we actually feel good when running and the time is irrelevant. Anyways, I told her and then she says ‘Oh so you went slow then.’ It was late, I was tired and I couldn’t actually believe what she had responded with. I think she asked a couple other questions but I stood with a blank face and then she sent me back to the waiting area. Also, can I point out she triaged my infected big toe without looking at it. Luckily the nurse who actually treated me was lovely and laughed when I asked her when I can start running again.

Have you ever had anyone disintegrate your achievement in one sentence?

This has happened to me many times and I don’t plan to say who from but I have grown to learn that by reflecting on these negative comments again and again will only make things worse. They are irrelevant. My only regret on this occasion is to not actually clarify whether the nurse herself had run a marathon. I don’t think anyone who has run a marathon in whatever time, whether they were professional or a run/walker would’ve said such as comment.

Looking forward this stupid big toe has to heal so I can get back to running the long distances in prep for 50km. In the meantime I have power yoga, resistance bands and cycling workouts to enhance.