Preparing For The Toughest Event On The Planet… Tough Mudder - Diet and Nutrition
CollegeTimes have partnered up with the toughest event on earth, Tough Mudder…
As well as offering a 10% Discount to all readers who sign up through CollegeTimes using the discount code COLLEGETIMES10 , we’ve decided to get in on the act ourselves…
For the next 16 weeks some of the team have volunteered / been forced to take part in some pretty tough training. Partnering up with Fitter, Faster, Stronger gym, an elite training facility in Dublin that specialises in Strength Training, Metabolic Conditioning and Functional Training, the guys and girls will be put through their paces with the hope that they can conquer the toughest event on earth.. But we want to help you guys as well... So we've got Kieran and Rory (below) from FFS to share some important training, diet and mental endurance tips with our readers over the next 10 weeks...
More than 20 percent of the people that enter Tough Mudder won’t actually cross the finish line. To be successful, you’ll need the endurance of a distance runner, the functional strength of a CrossFit junkie, and a solid mental game.
Each week the guys will go into a little bit more detail, and as we get closer to the event we'll update you on the progress of our Average Joe's to see how they're getting on...
This week, Rory McInerney walks us through getting YOUR diet and nutrition right before your training starts.
Week 1 - Diet & Nutrition Preparation
If you’re training for a challenge like tough mudder you're going to be consistently testing your physical limitations and pushing the body just a little further than it wants to go. Ignoring or underestimating the value of diet during training will leave you exhausted and at a stand still when the going gets tough...
1) When starting training for Tough Mudder, or anything specific for that matter, figure out the training requirements. Your calorie intake will need to facilitate your ability to perform and recover whilst training for \TM
2) Your diet should be exactly that, YOURS! A general plan you find on the internet, or a friend might recommend might not be right for:
A) Your body type or B) Your training goals.
For example an endurance event like Tough Mudder may require greater carbohydrate demand than someone who is trying to drop body fat. Figure out what YOU need!
3) Play around with your diet and find what works for you. Don’t try and force yourself to eat foods you don’t like because someone recommends them. You need to formulate a plan that your adherence will be high to. This gives you ownership of your “diet” and also keeps you accountable, if you have set the plan, you can’t blame anyone else.
4) When taking a new approach to your diet, focus on the basics and don’t over complicate things. Get your macronutrient (Carbohydrate, Fat, Protein and include fibre) targets right first and everything else should fall into place.