Fuel Your Performance

Ultramarathon runner Tori Leckie of www.fitchicksandfastwomen.com discovered the secrets of optimal performance at Kamalaya spa in Thailand

You may be clocking up the km, but if you really want to cross the line in a fraction of the time, you need to do more than just hit the bricks – you need to think about your fuel too. If you’re looking for a winning performance recovery and nutrition is just as important to your race strategy as the training you’re putting in. The award-winning holistic retreat Kamalaya in Koh Samui believes that you can use food to help you fuel your body, repair post-workout and minimise fatigue and injury. Use some of the team’s techniques next time you hit the kitchen.

FUEL

GO NATURAL Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. Avoid processed foods, additives, artificial flavourings and food colourings. Fresh food tends to be nutrient-rich and this is the best food you can use to fuel your body.

DON’T NUKE YOUR FOOD Pay attention to the cooking methods you use. For vibrant health, bake, steam, grill, saute and stir fry. Choosing to cook like this will help you retain the nutrients and reduce the chances of adding salt and fat to the dish.

BUY A SPICE RACK If you want to give your food some flavour, ditch the salt and sugar and use fresh herbs and spices for taste.

FIGHT FATIGUE

KNOW YOUR FATS Fat is a concentrated source of energy. But not all fats are created equal. Avoid unhealthy trans-fats and saturated fats, and choose cold-pressed oils, such as extra virgin olive oil, sesame, sunflower and nut and seed oils.

AVOID INFLAMMATORY FOODS Inflammatory foods are said to make your energy levels plummet and cause bloating. Minimise consumption of inflammatory foods such as wheat, processed and refined foods, unhealthy fats, sugar and fast food.

REPAIR

HAVE A PROTEIN BOOST Include nuts and seeds in your daily diet as they’re an excellent source of fats and muscle-repairing protein. Stick with raw, unroasted and unsalted varieties such as pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, pecans and pistachios.

DON’T FORGET GRAINS Cook with a variety of grains and pulses including quinoa, buckwheat, oats, lentils, chickpeas and buckwheat. They are filled with amino acids which are the building blocks of protein and help repair your body.

The award-winning Kamalaya resort helps guests to adopt a diet that helps optimal health and wellbeing. To find out more log onto www.kamalaya.com. Thai Airways flies daily from Dubai to Bangkok www.thaiairways.com & Bangkok Airways flies regularly from Bangkok to Samui (one hour shuttle) www.bangkokair.com