Post Bootcamp Maintenance - Nutrition

As bootcamp comes to an end this week I was asked to write a little something about how to maintain a healthy balanced diet in the long term that is less restrictive than the one that my bootcampers have been following.

First of all I would ask you to consider how you feel now, having cut those things from your diet, do you feel fitter and healthier with more energy? If the answer is yes than maybe you should consider sticking to your new diet long term - I promise you will feel awesome!

I understand that is not for everybody though so here are some tips......

1. Designate a "Cheat" meal or even a cheat day during which you eat anything and everything.

2. Gently re-introduce a little dairy or wheat into your diet and see how you feel, keeping it in moderation and hopefully really enjoying and appreciating it when you have it.

3. You could try a basic form of carb-cycling where you have carb days where you allow yourself moderate amounts of pasta and bread etc, and no-carb days where you eat super clean. A week could be alternate days with a cheat meal on a Saturday night.

4. When you do your weekly shop only buy a small block of cheese (or other banned substance that tastes nice!) and make it last for the week, maybe enjoying a small amount daily, and when you run out you are not allowed any until next week.

5. Eat bad foods and carbs within 1 hour of exercise as your body is more likely to use the food for muscle repair and recovery rather than store it as fat.

6. By all means start drinking coffee again, but keep it under control, so you don't rely on it. 1 cup per day should be fine and don't sweeten it. Try and have at least one day off the black stuff per week, or try a more mellow option like green tea which is pretty good for aiding weight loss too.

7. Booze will always make you fat without fail so steer clear wherever possible. Choose when you want to drink and enjoy it guilt free, but don't slip into the habit of another drink in the evening just for the sake of it or due to habit.

I hope these pointers help you out post-bootcamp as I want all of my bootcampers to stay fit and healthy and education is key if you are going to achieve this.

As a point of interest I personally eat a Paleolithic diet which is pretty strict and I have never felt healthier, fitter or leaner in my life and I am a ripe old 31 now! To me it does not feel a chore to miss out grains and dairy 90% of the time as I feel so good compared to when I used to load up on pasta and rice and feel bloated lethargic. I really feel that this is how humans were designed to eat and I would encourage you all to investigate it for yourselves and ask me if you have any questions. I particularly recommend you read a book called "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf. It is amazing and could change your life!

Stay Strong

Ben

Caffeine is like Crack

Yes, I admit it, I LOVE coffee, and have graduated over the years from cheap instant with lots of milk and sugar (glorified coffee milkshake!) to strong dark filter coffee without milk or sugar and I look forward to it every time. Coffee is my crack cocaine and it is the hardest part of my diet to control and moderate. I can walk past Dunkin Donuts, or the fish and chip shop and stay strong, but if I have been working hard, feel a little slow or tired or need a pick me up to train, then coffee is hard to beat.

I am also fully aware of the negative effects that caffeine dependence due to lack of sleep and chronic stress can have on your health and also your weight. It all stems back to a hormone called cortisol, known to many as the "Stress Hormone" as our bodies secrete it in times of stress, originally to fuel our fight or flight instincts. Cortisol, in turn raises our blood sugars, and decreases our insulin sensitivity, leading to an increase in fat storage around our bellies. Basically stress releases insulin which makes us fat. Simples!

So, how does caffeine tie in here? Often when working and partying hard we do not get enough quality sleep, which, when combined with the stresses of work, money and family life means that we live in this cycle of fatigue, dependant on stimulants like caffeine to keep us going and that mask the truth - YOU ARE TIRED ALL OF THE TIME AND NEED TO ADJUST YOUR LIFESTYLE. To further add to the argument, consuming caffeine also has a detrimental effect on the quality of your sleep, further fuelling the fire.

Currently my bootcampers are in week one and trying to cut out caffeine in all of its forms, and they are finding it hard work. If you are a hardened coffee drinker then going cold turkey will leave you like Ewan MacGregor in Trainspotting, so it is best to cut it out over the course of a week or maybe change to a low-caffeine coffee for a few days before cutting it totally. Once off of the caffeine you will experience better sleep, and improved response to stress, and potentially less fat storage around your tummy.

Remember if you don't try it, you will never know! Cut out the coffee and go to bed early.......

Stay Strong

Ben