By Meredith Edwards
First I will mention that I try to eat a gluten-free diet. I do this because I feel I train/race better and recover faster. I also don’t like dairy much. I will eat cheese but have cut out milk completely. These are just personal preferences.
I try to eat what’s in season when it comes to veggies and fruit. I also cook most of my food on a Sunday for the whole week. This really helps me because I am usually on the go between work, training, and going out in the mountains. I very rarely drink alcohol. I don’t really like it and I don’t go out much. If I had to list the number of drinks per month it might be 1 or 2. When I do drink it’s usually a glass of red wine.
This is what I eat during an average training week:
Breakfast
2 cups of oatmeal- Add organic brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins.
1 apple or kiwi
12 oz of hot lemon water
1 Chocolate Almond milk 8oz
I always start my day out with hot lemon water. I love it. It’s a great way to kick-start your digestion. It’s a natural detox and alkalizes your system. I will drink lemon water throughout the day because of what it does. I don’t drink coffee just because I don’t like it, but I drink a lot of tea, especially Sport Tea.
Lunch & Dinner
On Sunday when I cook my food for the week, I start out with:
6 red beats
4 chicken breast
1 bushel of carrots
Jasmine white rice
Green Lentils
- Beets: I roast them in the oven. I will peel them and put them in tin foil with olive oil
- Chicken: Olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and lemon wedge and oven bake
- Carrots: I just peel and cut in half
- Rice/lentils: Cook in water and salt
I will dice up all the beets, chicken, and Tupperware everything. I work Sunday through Wednesday so I keep it at work and for lunch and dinner just grab what I want.
Snacks
I’m always eating so here is what I buy for snacks:
Pumpkin seeds (sometimes I mix pumpkin seeds with dark chocolate chips)
Dark Chocolate covered almonds
Ginger Chews
Dates
Fruit salad (pre-made at the store)
Rice crackers
Rice cakes with peanut butter
I like to drink 8oz of liquid every hour. This is usually water, hot lemon water, or Sport Tea. I find the more hydrated I am the less I crave bad foods. I go out once or twice a week and I always get the same thing: Thai Curry Bowl with Chicken, Rice Noodles, and Veggies. I will pick up 8oz of raw tuna or steak to eat on those off nights from work but still have rice, beats, lentils on the side
I like sweets so to avoid eating them I carry ginger chews around.
I really like to bake so when I do want a cookie or pie I will cook it myself and try to cut out butter, and oils and replace with peanut butter and honey. I will also make this on Sunday and split it up for the week
Cheat Foods
When I do cheat I love:
Burgers
French Fries
Chocolate cake with buttermilk frosting
Oreo’s
Potato chips
The bottom line is if I’m craving fat I’ll eat it, especially when I’m in high mileage training. I just try and listen to my body and if it’s craving it I’ll eat it.
RACE DAY
Breakfast
2 cups of oatmeal, a pinch of sugar
1/2 Avocado
1/2 Banana
1 cup of green tea
1.5 hours before race: 16 oz of water
30 minutes before: total ATP supplement
During Race
Every 30 min one gel pack
Every 2 hours Honey stinger waffle
Every 4 hours- real food! Whatever I want or can get down–usually potatoes with salt
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