Keeping in shape over the holidays

For many of our athletes the summer break means a change in the usual regime, and a well-earned rest from high intensity training.

When it comes to diet however it is important not to completely switch off, as this will make it even harder to get back to where you were when you start full time training again.

Here are a few tips to make sure you enjoy the holidays, but don’t regret it!

• Think about portion sizes. You are unlikely to need to eat as much as usual, and any additional energy intake will result in unwanted skinfolds and weight gain. Because you aren’t doing as much high intensity training, you won’t have to do as much high intensity eating!
• Avoid skipping meals. If you have an irregular eating schedule your body won’t use fuels efficiently and can end up storing unwanted energy when you do eat.
• Time your meals. It is important to eat more earlier in the day – a big breakfast, mid-morning snack and decent lunch. This avoids the common holiday mistake of not eating enough during the day and then overcompensating with a big meal just before bed.

Rest and time away from full training can be important during the holidays, but the proper diet will leave you in a great position to start back up after the break.