I wrote this article a good few years ago from an Irish athletic camp in the Pyrenees mountains. There was a mix of elite senior athletes and some younger athletes trying to get the benefit of altitude. I had the pleasure of doing the physio for these athletes and get some training done myself. Win win! Here is the article:
Talking to and seeing the very best guys here and comparing them to the up and comers, there are a few distinct differences which I think would benefit anyone for better health. The first thing I noticed is that although the very elite athletes train extremely hard (both quantity of sessions and the difficulty ) they rarely get sick. I myself train 11 times per week and, touch wood, have not been sick in about five years. This is a similar pattern with athletes much better than myself and can be missing with athletes slightly below that 'elite' level.
Therefore, I have tried to sum up what these elite athletes do to keep healthy and will discuss how it could benefit you.
1. Good nutrition is key
This is the main difference from talking to those elite athletes who have stayed healthy and consistent over the years compared to those who have picked up regular infections or colds. Vegetables are in nearly every meal and sweets and treats are kept to a minimum. They occasionally do have treats, but only occasionally. They substitute good foods for poor foods. White pasta is replaced with brown rice. Sweet potato takes the place of normal potatoes. Vegetables are added to everything. Taking multi-vitamins will never replace eating veg and fruit, because we still do not know how all the multivitamins work together in our fruit and vegetables to give us the benefits we see. Eat plenty of fruit and veg. Substitute good foods for poor ones. Diets and denial don't work. Substituting in good food is key. You need the nutrients for good health much more than a lack of calories.
2. They sleep..a lot
Elite athletes sleep a large number of hours during the night and can also go for a nap in the middle of the day. Paula Radcliffe apparently slept 16 hours per day. Obviously this is not practical for most people. But getting an extra half an hour of sleep at night is. How about on Saturday or Sunday giving yourself an hour after dinner to go to sleep for 45 minutes. TV and Facebook can wait.
3. Routine is crucial
The athletes I am around, and myself included, have a set routine. They go to bed at roughly the same time and wake up at roughly the same time. They eat regularly and work or relax at set times.
Why is this important?
You are training your body to respond the way you want. You can't expect to fall into a deep sleep at 10.30 at night if you have been going to sleep at 1am, 2am, or 3am for years. It takes 21 days to get used to not having takeaways and get a taste for healthier foods. Consistency and time are needed for great health. Get a routine to get healthy.
4. Hard days are followed by easy days
For athletes this is related to training. They don't go hard every day. They train very hard on Tuesday but then will have an easier training day Wednesday to be ready for a hard day Thursday.
How does this relate to normal life?
If you have a lot on or a great deal of stress at work, then try to plan a down day on the weekend to recover. You cannot burn the candle at both ends without detrimental effects. If you have been up until 11pm or 12am every night working on a project during the week, or have been very stressed with work, do yourself a favour, plan an easy day when you can. Energy in the body is key to health. If you have intermittent days where you try recover you will get so much more done in the long run than going until you are completely wiped. That is burnout in both the athletics world and the real world and will ultimately lead to the poor health that we are trying to avoid.
I hope these tips help. Be proactive about your health. Your energy levels will be so much higher, and I guarantee if you follow these principles 90 per cent of the time you will see massive benefits. Don't do them and watch the infections, colds, and general lack of energy destroy what is an amazing life.
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