Thu | Mar 28, 2024

Fit 4 Life | Ready for the final lap

Published:Tuesday | September 4, 2018 | 12:00 AMMarvin Gordon
The Gleaner's Fit 4 Life ultimate Tuff Enuff Challenge is finally here. Join us on Saturday, September 8 at the Life Fit Training Centre, 15 3/4 Red Hills Road, St Andrew (upstairs Dunn's Electrical) at 6:30 am for the Grand Finale of Season 2, and see who will be crowned the Tuff Enuff champion.

 

"We have reached the climax. The forces of good and evil are ready to duke it out, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance ... ."

While it might not be as dramatic as that sounds, The Gleaner's Fit 4 Life Tuff Enuff Challenge final clash at Life Fit Training Centre, Red Hills Road in St Andrew, this Saturday will be just as exciting.

To stand a chance, finalists have to show up firing on all cylinders. Proper fueling and maintenance are a must.

Here are a few guidelines to make the final preparations this week:

REAL FOOD, REAL RESULTS

Make a plan. Leave nothing of what you eat in the lead-up to competition to chance. Plan your meals around whole foods as much as possible and op for healthy snacks.

This week is not the time for experimenting; avoid surprise effects by sticking with foods that you are used to.

Keep these tips in mind:

* Opt for complex, minimally-processed carbohydrates, for example, Foska Oats or sweet potato

* Adequate proteins is a must. Go for a minimum of one gram per kilogram of body weight.

* Eat nutrient-dense foods, especially fruits and vegetables

* Don't compete after a fast. Schedule a nutritious breakfast for the morning of the competition.

NO REST, NO REWARD

We should all know the importance of a good (few) night's rest to performance. Adequate rest goes beyond that, though. It also means limiting stress and training in the lead up to the competition. Avoid overly-heavy training for at least 48 hours before the event.

Try to:

* Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep the night before a competition

* Ensure you get quality sleep. Avoid noise, bright lights and lights from gadgets such as TVs at sleep time.

* Avoid alcohol, especially on the night before a competition.

WATER IS LIFE...SERIOUSLY

Hydration should not start on the morning of the showdown. Proper hydration should be a priority in the days leading up to the competition. A few tips for maintaining ideal hydration:

* Drink water when you feel thirsty.

* Use your urine as a guide. It should be pale yellow/straw-coloured. Too light a colour means you are overhydrated; too dark means you should drink more water.

* How do your lips, inside of your nose, and inside of your mouth feel? If they are dry or sticky, drink more.

* What you drink today hydrates you for tomorrow. In other words, if you think you can slam 32 ounces of water right before a lot of strenuous activity and be properly hydrated, you're wrong. So be sure to drink enough water every day.

HAVE FUN

The main thing to take away from The Gleaner's Fit 4 Life Season 2 Tuff Enuff Challenge is an understanding that fitness should be fun, even when you are pushing yourself beyond your limits.

- Marvin Gordon is a fitness coach; email: marvin.gordon@physiqueandfunction.com; yourhealth@gleanerjm.com