Runners

JULY 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 033``````Add to your bar tabIt’s not just your choiceof beverage that can afectfat loss – your bar snackhas a part to play, too.Peanuts are a sourceof resveratrol, thecompound famouslyfound in red wine, which,the European Journal ofNutrition reports, boostsyour fat cells’ ability toburn calories at rest.And should you needsomething to wash itdown with, Pinot Noirtops the wine list. Pubpeanuts tend to be thesalted variety, so showa little self-control (andclass) and don’t tipthe whole bag downyour throat.``````Enjoy season’s eatingsLeaner runners havehealthier, more diversegut bacteria than theiroverweight peers. Thisis partly inherited, butreworking your staidnutrition plan can lip theswitch. A study in thejournal Science found thata seasonal diet makesthese food-processingmicrobes more eicient,so ditch imported foods.Instead, ask your butcherfor in-season meat andgather seasonal food atyour local greengrocer.``````Play with fireAnyone with a passion forSriracha sauce will beaware of chilli’s ability tobump up metabolism. Butnow research from theAmerican Society forMicrobiology has alsofound that capsaicin – theburning core chemical inchilli – hacks the genesinvolved in digestion,too, using up calorieslong after your tonguestops tingling.``````Put cheat daysin the diaryScientists now knowwillpower can be a factorof biology, rather than anacquired trait. This meansour genetics could afectour response when weare faced with a mouth-watering menu, accordingto Johns HopkinsMedicine, Maryland, US.Take impulse out of theequation by making‘burger night’ a weeklyevent, rather than weak-willed indulgence. A2,700kcal cheat day canbinge-proof your brainfor the rest of the week.Empty the tankEvolution has hardwiredour bodies to store fat forimpending famine, ratherthan torching it for fuel.But imposing a tacticalfood delay could hackyour weight-loss harddrive. Researchers at theUniversity of Bath foundthat training on an emptystomach triggers a rise inPDK4 gene expression –code for a sign your bodyfat is being burnt. Run irstthing, before you eat, andyou needn’t show restraintat the breakfast table.Seafood and cheat itThe lower your levels ofthe satiety hormoneleptin, the higher yourrisk of obesity. Butscientists have founda decadent solutionto this problem.Crustaceans such aslangoustines and lobstersare rich in the mineralzinc – with roughly athird of your RDA perserving – which rampsup production of thehormone, says the journalLife Sciences. Try to dowithout the lashings ofgarlic butter.Spring loadingAdd some spring onionsto your postrun meal.They contain chromium,which can help youmetabolise carbs forfuel, plus they’re fullof ibre and calcium,which aids weight loss.