Bean - Food for fitness: how to eat for maximum performance

Note

While every effort has been made to ensure that the content of this book is as technically accurate and as sound as possible, neither the author nor the publishers can accept responsibility for any injury or loss sustained as a result of the use of this material.

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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London WC1B 3DP

www.bloomsbury.com

Bloomsbury is a trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This electronic edition published in 2014 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Fourth edition 2014

Third edition 2007, reprinted 2009

Second edition 2002

First edition 1998, reprinted 1999

Copyright 2014 Anita Bean

ISBN (print): 978-1-4729-0199-6

ISBN (epub): 978-1-4729-0282-5

ISBN (epdf): 978-1-4729-0283-2

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

Anita Bean has asserted her rights under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

Acknowledgements

Cover photograph Getty Images

All image credits are as per the print edition

Inside photographs: All images Shutterstock with the exception of pp. 1, 48, 100, 120, 121, 122, 139, 141, 145, 159, 194, 210 and 217 Getty Images

Commissioning Editor: Charlotte Croft

Editor: Sarah Cole

Design: James Watson

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

I am a great believer in an active lifestyle. I know from first hand experience that diet plays a very big part in any fitness programme as well as sporting success. When I was training for the Olympics, I would eat a lot of food a typical week would include more than twenty hours in the pool as well as ten in the gym so I was always hungry. But, to be the best in my sport, I made sure that I ate a lot of the right foods, as well as trained very hard. I won an Olympic silver medal, double Commonwealth gold, competed in three Olympics in three decades, as well as set 200 British records. I now work for the BBC as a presenter on swimming among other things.

Although I no longer compete, I am still committed to a fitness regime. These days I basically exercise to stay in shape regularly working out in my home gym, skiing, walking the dog and playing with my kids but I still pay attention to what I eat. I dont diet, Ive tried them, they dont work for me, I just eat healthily, balancing what I eat with my activity needs. When I eat well, I have more energy and I perform a lot better too. Its simple really, calories in equals calories out or you put on weight!

Ive known Anita for several years and always shared her practical approach to nutrition. I welcome this book, it combines the best of nutrition knowledge with fitness training and an active lifestyle. It gives you clear no-nonsense advice about what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat. There are hundreds of useful facts and tips to help you put together a healthy eating plan, whether you are working out for fitness or in serious training for competitions. Im sure that you will find this book useful and a great investment in your well-being.

Sharron Davies MBE

Olympic Swimming Champion

INT RODUCTION

If you are reading this, then you have just taken a big step towards improving your fitness. If youre already an accomplished athlete, this book will help you reach the next level. If youre new to fitness, then this book will give you a head start and youll begin reaping the benefits straight away.

Getting your nutrition right is perhaps more important than the training you do if you want to maximise your fitness. After all, performance starts with fuelling, not training! Correct nutrition will enable you to train harder and more effectively, recover quicker, miss fewer sessions through illness, injury or fatigue, and gain a competitive edge. Without it, you will not be making the most of your training.

In this 4th edition of Food For Fitness, you will learn how to fuel your training programme effectively, how to time your nutritional intake for fastest results, what the best recovery foods are, and which supplements really work. Youll also discover how to achieve your ideal weight, how to gain muscle, lose fat and create the perfect diet for your fitness programme or sport. Youll find core eating plans for runners, cyclists, swimmers, triathletes, and team players, as well as eating strategies for competitions that will help you achieve your best performance.

This 4th edition represents the most up-to-date advice on nutrition for sport and exercise. Since the publication of the 3rd edition of Food For Fitness, there have been hundreds of new studies and scientific discoveries that have changed the dietary advice I give to athletes, particularly on topics such as carbohydrate requirements, fat and sugar. Theres also been a shift in the scientific consensus on hydration, nutrient timing and protein intake. Ive incorporated the latest science into this new edition, giving you all the most cutting-edge information on nutrition and fitness at your fingertips.

Im a firm believer in evidence-based advice so in this book, youll find that all the facts are supported by referenced sources at the end of each chapter. Ive endeavoured to present current, useful and practical advice to help you improve your performance, not personal opinions, anecdotes or cherry-picked evidence to promote a personal view. I should point out that I dont sell products or supplements so you can be assured that the advice in this book is unbiased and scientifically-based. By demystifying the hype and hearsay, this book will save you time, effort and money you wont be eating foods or supplements that you dont need.

Over the years, Ive had the privilege of working with many athletes in different sports and have learnt that nutrition really can make a big difference to everyones performance, whether a newcomer, club athlete or Olympian. But that can only happen when the individual has the means to put the theory (about nutrients) into practice (daily diet). In other words, you need to know exactly what meals and snacks to eat! And in Ive devised over 50 delicious fitness recipes for breakfasts, main meals and snacks. Theyre all quick and simple to make, healthy, inexpensive and best of all require minimal cooking skills!

Good luck and happy cooking and training!

Anita Bean

2014

ACKNO WLEDGEMENTS

My gratitude extends, as ever, to my husband for his patience during the writing of this book. I am forever thankful for my two daughters, Chloe and Lucy, who not only provide me with unending inspiration, but also faithfully feedback on my recipes and menus. My thanks also extend to the terrific editorial team at Bloomsbury, especially Charlotte Croft for her vision and insight and to Sarah Cole for her sheer hard work.