About training and running ...

Sports and Hobbies
21
Ah ok, but the panorama programme isnt just about that... it says....

"are those pricey trainers worthwhile... can sports drinks really help you work out for longer? are protein shakes effective" etc.

I guess you use sports drinks and energy bars during long workouts or? Am I right in saying that you are only railing against things like daily vitamin tablets?

22
I do use those gels on marathons as they are a convenient way of getting energy and I would look a bit silly carrying a bunch of bananas round my neck but for training runs I do take normal food that's easy to eat on the way.

But protein shakes etc are just an excuse for not cooking properly.

If you look at the dietary habits of Olympic class athletes, most of them eat a fairly normal diet (albeit with variations to help them in their specific sport).

Usain Bolt is a pretty good runner, wouldn't you say, and he doesn't take supplements.

On the day he broke the World 100m record:

All the bare-foot running stuff now is showing that those all expensive shoes aren't really necessary either.

23
yep and david beckham swears by super noodles.

I guess the vote isnt in yet on the barefoot stuff, but it is interesting. I have read a few of the popular books on the subject like Born to Run. Its interesting but I am not throwing away my nike's just yet.

24
Me neither - and I didn't see a single person wearing the bare foot shoes in the last marathon I ran. However, that may have been because they were all in front of me.

25
It is funny how the discussion is deviating from the initial topic ....

But, coming back to barefoot running, I am using five fingers and I am really happy about.

26
It's a thread hijack!

Did you do your 100K in five-fingers?

27
I might be crazy, but not enough to run 100k in five fingers ...

I've already done the Jungfrau marathon in five fingers, but I think it is easier than running barefoot a flat one.

28
On the supplement front I'm a firm believer in supplementation, yeah sure you could get it from natural sources but the sheer amount you'd have to consume or prepare makes it unfeasible. What's more there are plenty of scientific studies into stuff like glutamine, creatine and protein it's not as if they just popped up out of nowhere.

On the visualisation front I'd agree you have to be mentally strong to achieve things but physically people aren't able to regardless of how mentally strong they are.

You're telling me a 50kg female could carry 25kg over 8 miles in 2 hours, because she believes she can?

29
Re: Suppliments - your generic multi-vits and minerals are ok, if used as a "top up" mechanism to a reasonably balanced diet.

But the "booster" editions (eg: 1000% RDA vit C, 500% Vit D etc) are worth avoiding - theyre a waste of money, and potentially dangerous in prolonged use.

30
Totally agree with you Silverburn high dosages over prolonged periods of time of vitamins etc can be detrimental to your health. I have been known now and again to dose up on Vitamin C when I have a cold though

31
My argument is that your diet is reasonably balanced, you don't need to "top-up" so why waste your money?

Suggesting that you need to is just another marketing ploy.

32
How do you know if your diet is well balanced? what is the definition of a balanced diet?

Given the cost of meat here it's much more cost effective and convenient to consume protein shakes

33
Some supplements are effective, some aren't - it requires doing research beforehand.

Taking a protein supplement is an effective way to aid in recovery from heavy weight training. Creatine supplementation also is proven to be effective.

Going into a "sports nutrition" store and just buying something based on the label without doing proper research beforehand is just stupid, and yeah, you deserve to get ripped off if that's how you do things.

Regarding the expensive equipment debate - it's the same story. Do your research. Some equipment is worth it, some isn't.

34
Every day there are news articles published concerning what is needed for a balanced, healthy diet and yet an adult still need to ask this question?

No wonder we have so many problems with food and diet in the West.

Google it.

Eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, fish etc etc

35
Research? He doesn't even know of what a normal healthy diet should comprise, don't expect him to look into the difficult stuff.

36
Yeah like the 5 a day theory which turned out to be a farce beacuse it has to be 5 completely different fruits or vegetables that you have to eat.

I'll admit I'm quite a fussy eater therefore vitamins to help plug these gaps in my diet come in pretty useful. I just love the way people generalise these issues, oh eat a healthy balanced diet and you'll be a picture of health nothing is that simple or straightforward plus you're assuming everyone can eat these types of food

37
Eggs - only effective when raw. The cooking required to kill salmonella also destroys most of the protein as well.

Beans - specifically which ones? Good luck with Heinz...you'll get a good sugar rush from the sauce, but not much protein.

Lentils - Same as above, but with extra boredom and blandness.

Nuts - Yep, agree here. Pity they're full of fat too...

Fish - ...is even more expensive than meat, and half the volume. And if sea caught, contain high levels of mercury and plastic derivatives.

38
Not to high jack the subject intent, but in all the great effort with whatever aids, equipment, keep a good eye and inner voice in tow with your joints.

I was a confirmed distance runner (10k-Half marathon) in my former life, loved very minute of it, but slowly developed osteo in both hips coming in to my 40s.

Had them both 'resurfaced' in Nov 2002.

Disclaimer- I am not dissing distance running, just a gentle heads up with the joints.

39
Considering the digestive process breaks down most proteins to their constituent amino acids, this is a moot point.

40
Is that as horrific as my mind thinks it is? I have visions of a dirty car garage somewhere, and the mechanic bodging a tired block by reboring the cylinders...