Training Goals - Nutrition

  As the countdown to Berlin Marathon Training Day #1 progresses, I continue to think not only about race goals but also, of course, about training goals.  For me, training needs to be more than a running schedule.  It needs to be a holistic approach to my life that includes nutrition, sleep, and intellectual and spiritual pursuits that support a positive mental outlook.  Training is draining.  I've learned that I have to make an effort to implement systems that make it easier for me to make healthy decisions.  Because nutrition has been a blind spot for me in the past, one system I have implemented is keeping ingredients for smoothies on hand.  All plans for healthy cooking and eating can be completely derailed when I return home from a long day at work followed by an exercise class, absolutely starving.  Its too easy to reach into the cabinet and eat a box of cookies, or grab the leftover bag of chips and hummus and plop in front of the television and tell myself its fine to eat junk for dinner because, hey man, I just did squats and lunges for an hour!  Instead, and because I have these ingredients on hand, I often immediately make a smoothie to tame my hunger while I prepare dinner.  Tonight's smoothie consists of almond milk, dairy-free yogurt, almond butter, banana, mango, blueberries, cherries, hemp protein, flaxseed, chia seed, and cinnamon.