Runners

034 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UKGet sobaRunners eat a lot of pasta,but running coach andformer GB marathonerMara Yamauchi choosessoba noodles instead.‘They are thicker, latterand chewier than pastabut cook the same way,’she says. Made fromwholegrain buckwheat,soba has just as manycarbs as pasta, plusthe phytochemicalrutin. Studies showthat rutin may haltthe expansion of fatcells and lower blood-fat levels.The Transformation IssueLeanerAcquire tasteIf an insatiable sweet toothis souring your weight-lossplans, it’s time to rethinkyour afternoon pick-me-up. But it’s not just thechocolate digestives thatare at fault: a study byCornell University, US,found 200mg of cafeine- a double espresso’sworth – dampens ourtastebuds, heighteningsugar cravings. If yourecoil at the word ‘decaf’,just try to restrict yourselfto a single shot.Diet by halvesSticking to that months-old strict eating plan? Takea break. According to theUniversity of Tasmania,Australia, adopting a ‘twoweeks on, two weeks of’protocol prevents the dropin your metabolism – partof your body’s hardwiredfamine response – thatoccurs midway through astrict nutrition regime.Give yourself a breakevery now and then andyou’ll stick with the plan.``````Dark magicUpgrade your morningporridge by skipping thefruit topping and gratingdark chocolate over itinstead; its polyphenolssuppress genes related tofat storage, according toNutrition Journal, rewiringmetabolism. Better still, a600kcal breakfast with alittle cocoa has beenlinked to a reducedincidence of overeatinglater in the day.``````Put the brakes onIf you want to superchargeyour calorie burn, themuscle you need to beworking is your jaw.Chewing food thoroughlyincreases ‘diet-inducedthermogenesis’ – calorieburning – while improvingblood-sugar control,according to ClinicalNutrition. Aim for 40 chewsper mouthful, instead ofthe usual 15. You’ll havefar less time for secondhelpings, too.Play the green cardSpread half a ripe avocado on yourtoast instead of slathering it inbutter. ‘Most of us could do with more mono-unsaturated fat – avocado contains plenty,as well as many other health beneits,’ saysnutritionist Drew Price. It’ll raise your basicmetabolic rate, helping you to burn more fat.Bite-sized adviceSlice your food intomorsel-sized pieces beforeyou eat. You’ll take in 20per cent fewer calories,according to the Journalof the American DieteticAssociation, which sayspeople rate sliced servingsas 27 per cent larger thanunsliced, so you eat less. ``````Chews carefullyChewing sugarless gumfor 15 minutes after eatingwill curb your desire tosnack for up to threehours after your meal,according to GlasgowCaledonian University.``````JULY 2018