Healthy festive dinners?

It's the week following Christmas and all are out enjoying running in between updates on lockdowns, Brexit and the virtual options up and down the country. Are you succeeding in running off that Christmas dinner, dessert and drinks with more calories than you care to count? Wait a minute though - could it be that what you put inside you over Christmas will actually help with your training?

Here is some good news about your Christmas dinner and the leftovers that you may still be eating on the way to 2021!

Turkey - The turkey that you cooked up is actually low in fat, once the skin is removed, and contains lots of amino acid called alanine. This amino acid (protein building block) is very good for buffering muscle damage in cells and so, if you had a pre-dinner run before eating, this will have gone to work at repairing the damage done in training. Turkey is also high in tryptophan, that boosts feelings of happiness, vitamin B3 and B6 and zinc.

Sprouts - Sprouts contain vitamins K and C and are high in omega-3 fatty acids as well glucosinolates that help protect you against cancer.

Carrots - Carrots are packed with carotenoids such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lutein, which help to protect vision and protect you against cancer.

Cranberries - Cranberries are full of antioxidants and nutrients that are essential for a runner's good health

Parsnips -  Parsnips are low in fat and high in fibre and have the antioxidant, falcarino.

Christmas pudding and cake

Okay, so these are not really healthy but the dried fruit in the pudding and the cake contains lots of fibre and nutrients and the spices in there, such as cinammon and nutmeg, can help with digestion and to take down inflammation.

So, you see, it's not such bad news after all. All you need to do now is go off to your next event be it virtual or training run to burn off the excess calories that you took in with the chocolates, sweets, cream.....

Good luck and good running in next venture.

Don't forget to claim your handicap when you get back!