Dragonboat Blog | The Dragonboating Resource

dragonboat talk for dragonboaters.

There are two phases in the weight loss diet and today I will be introducing you to the first phase. I will go through and explain how it works and give you some examples of foods that will help you complete this first phase. Don’t worry, it’s only a 3 day detox diet to help you get started!

First Phase: A Carb Detox

This phase is protein only, which means no fibrous carbs such as salad and vegetables. The reasons behind this are very important as it:

1. Carb Depletion: This is the major role of the first phase and it opens the door for fat burning. By eating 3 days of protein your body is forced to start to use stored body fat for fuel. This is important for weight loss and sets up the second phase of weight loss, which I’ll be discussing tomorrow.

2. Say goodbye to cravings: Since you will only be eating protein for 3 days sugar spikes and blood sugar levels come under control, which stops cravings. There are no longer the highs and lows to experience when eating sugary foods. These cravings will be gone after 3 days of protein eating only because your hormones and blood sugar levels will be regulated back to normal.

3. Consistent mood: Because there no sugar highs to experience the lows, you will feel an improved and more consistent mood state.

4. Greater levels of energy: Most people will experience a sensation of more energy because the body has now drawn on body fat for fuel and is no longer reliant on sugar hits.

5. Fast weight loss: You will notice a quick drop in body weight and this is normal as the body is undergoing detox. Basically it is flushing the system and it is a good sign that your body is learning to adapt to your new eating program. Take note: You will notice a greater need to urinate because of the drop in carbohydrates and constant fluid loss. Make you sure you are drinking plenty of water (at least 2 litres of water a day).

By understanding the above points, it allows you to take the next step and start following this detailed plan for the first phase. Simply eat protein meals for 3 days and you will be on your way to losing weight.

A sample 3 day protein diet plan:

Serving sizes:
Females: Main meals should be 100g or less and snacks 50-100g
Males: Main meals should be 150g or less and snacks 50-100g

Whilst you are taking this 3 day detox diet, I would recommend taking a daily multivitamin with Omega 3 along with a fibre supplement. For example Centrium is a good one to take.

Extra Tips to make your Carb detox successful:

* Always remember the 3 hour rule.

* Wait at least 1 hour between snacks. (It’s okay to have more than one protein snack if under three hours)

* Drink at least 2-3 litres of water per day.

* Condiments and sauces can be used with your meals.

* Avoid the following foods during this phase: pasta, rice, noodles, pastries, dairy, ice-cream, chocolate, lollies and sweets, non-diet soft drinks, fruit juice, nuts and all vegetables and salads.

One last thing, if you have a kidney disease/problem, please consult your doctor first before taking on this Carb detox, as taking protein in this detox may be over your daily requirement.

Good luck!

It’s important for you to eat healthy and eat at the right times because 70% of what you do within dragonboating is about your diet. Today I’m going to explain in detail about the different types of nutrients within foods that you need to be aware of. These are the build blocks to eating right and having a fit body for dragonboating.

Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the food substances that fuel and repair our body. They are made up of carbohydrates, protein and fat. It is only when these macronutrients are in the correct ratios that a person can have a lean, heathy body, irrespective of their total calorie intake. The macronutrient profile, when combined with food timing, is an excellent way to burn both fat and strengthen your muscles for dragonboating.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs) can be broken into two broad categories, simple and complex. Simple carbs include fructose (fruit sugar), lactose (diary sugar), sucrose (white sugar), maltose (malt sugar) and glucose (blood sugar).

Some experts argue that because fructose (fruit sugar) is ‘healthier’ than sucrose (white sugar) large amounts of fruit should be eaten regularly. Although fruit is definitely a healthy food loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, phytochemicals and fibre, eating a large percentage of your carbohydrates from fructose is not sufficient to help you build lean muscle and strength.

Lactose (diary sugar) is a naturally occurring simple sugar you can eat in moderation if you tolerate it well; however a lot of people do NOT. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest diary products. There are a lot of people who don’t have the enzyme to digest lactose and therefore get gas, bloating, water retention, abdominal cramps and diarrhea when they eat diary products. Diary products should not be used as your primary source of protein or carbohydrates.

Diary products contain simple carbohydrates and all simple carbohydrates should be minimised in your diet. Whereas complex carbohydrates include both starchy and fibrous carbs. It is the fibrous carbs (vegetables) you should include in your diet more frequently. Also starchy carbs are often slow release (low GI) and they contain too many grams of carbohydrates and these you should also minimise.

Protein
All animal proteins (fish, meat, poultry and eggs) are ‘complete’, which means they contain all the necessary amino acids. If you are a vegetarian, your diet would combine different plan products (rice and beans) to include all the essential amino acids.

Fat
Fats play a vital role in many processes including primary energy reserves, membrane constituents, hormones, fat-soluble vitamins, thermal insulators and biological regulators. For these reasons, fats are absolutely essential in your diet. Most vegetable fats are ‘good fats’, while most animal fats are ‘bad fats’. Trans fats are the main problem and must be avoided.

Many food companies use trans fats to make their food more appealing. Some examples of these foods include cakes, pastries and biscuits which give it a more solid consistency, and to prolong shelf life. Trans fats are also found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, and snack foods. Like saturated fat, trans fats are bad for the heart.

Try to avoid products that have partially hydrogenated oil listed on the ingredients list and also avoid foods that have high trans fat content e.g. deep fried fast foods and takeaways, cakes, pies and packaged biscuits.

Alcohol
Just like protein, carbs and fat, alcohol is a macronutrient. Whilst training for dragonboating try to minimise the amount of alcohol intake and keep in mind that there are 7 calories in a gram of alcohol. As it is a toxin it is the first fuel to be used during your recovery process and that way you are not getting the proper nutrients into your blood stream if you have alcohol too often.

As you may have realised by now, nutrition plays a huge role in dragonboating. Though, the above nutrition can be applied to any other sport. What is crucial is understanding how it works and then tracking what you are feeding your body. Next week I will be continuing on how to choose the right foods to plan for a good diet.