Nutrition for training and racing and how I use OSM bars and snacks.

As an ultra marathon athlete, I have to get really serious when it comes to fuelling for my training and for my races.  Ultra marathons can range in distance from 50km up to 350km so if you don't get it right you won't see the finish line no matter how fit you are or how mentally tough. Our bodies need regular fuelling and that means on the go, while you are still running and that calls for special types of foods.

Getting the mix right is tricky business when your body is under extreme duress from hours of running so you have to make sure what you are eating will be able to be digested, not cause major stomach upsets and will give the mix of the right macronutrients you need to get you through the event or training session food that gives you complex carbs, simple carbs, protein and fat in the right combinations. 

For years I have struggled to get it right and faced hitting the wall and all the unpleasant digestive problems you can imagine.

I know I need around 60 to 90 grams of carbs for every hour of exercise but that is no mean feat when you are shaking up your insides and all your blood is in your muscles and not in your stomach so I have come up with some ways to combat these types of problems and this is where OSM comes in.

With OSM I know I am getting the perfect combination of nutrients in an ideal ratio and as an added benefit OSM bars and bites contain over ten vitamins and 6 minerals to aid in keeping my body going for the long haul.

What is also very important for athletes is that the food you consume is easy to transport, practical, easy to open up and tastes damn good and once again OSM ticks all those boxes. 
I find the bites especially practical during a training run. They are the right size. Being 174calories each they are enough to get me through roughly an hour of exercise.

 If I am not exercising for more than 3 hours I can get through just on these and then refuel with a proper meal immediately afterward. The bites also fit in well with my drip, drip, drip and nibble, nibble, nibble philosophy for ultra running. To explain, that means I nibble and sip away on little amounts regularly to make sure my stomach never empties completely and I have a constant drip of energy and hydration coming through without overloading my stomach by dumping too much in at once.

Being in little separate packages means they are convenient to eat in one go and I don't end up having half eaten bars in my pockets which end up in the washing machine as a gooey mess when I forget them. Convenience is extremely important when you are on the go. 

The bars I find great if I am having a hectic day and just don't have the chance to eat a proper meal. I can grab one of these bars and know I have had a balanced meal replacement. 

We all hear how bad over processed foods are but OSM has managed to use wholesome real ingredients from rolled oats to brown rice syrup, to almonds and cranberries to coconut oil and manuka honey in a way that gives us the best of both worlds, convenience, and health. 

I am always searching for good healthy fuelling alternatives for my life and the people behind OSM have got right. 

So now to the prize giveaway:

The team at OSM have put up two Weekend Warrior prize packs, one each for women and men, for my wonderful followers! All you have to do is enter via this link: www.osm.nz/lisatamati "