Nutrition Talks at the TSC

When it comes to improving your health, body and mind, exercise is only one part of the jigsaw. If you’re looking to lose some weight, gain some muscle or just improve your eating habits, then of course, nutrition plays a huge part.

The Tonbridge School Centre will be hosting a series on nutrition talks every Wednesday at 6.30pm throughout the month of May. The talks will last thirty minutes and will cover a range of different topics. The four talks are designed to complement each other and we would recommend attending all if possible.

GI, GL & The Truth About CHO (Carbohydrates)

What are low GI and high GI CHO? What is Glycaemic Load? Are there ‘bad’ and ‘good’ sources of CHO? Dan will guide you through and help you discover the truth about carbohydrates and answer any questions you have regarding your own personal CHO issues.

The Importance of Protein (Protein)

Protein is a vital macronutrient for anybody, but especially for people who exercise regularly. Simon and Oli will discuss what protein is composed of, why we need it and how much you should be consuming based on your personal goals.

Fat or Fiction (Fats)

Fat has suffered at the hands on the media for the past few decades and our personal trainers, Patrick and Emma intend to set the story straight. This highly important macronutrient is essential to bodily function and Patrick and Emma will discuss everything you need to know to leave yourself feeling informed and able to consume fat with confidence.

Meal Plans

The last talk will utilise all of the knowledge previously discussed and provide you with an overview of tips to help you with planning your meals. Simon and Oli will share planning tips and give you some healthy meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks too.

 

If you’re interested in broadening your knowledge in nutrition then please book yourself a spot in these talks. But please hurry as there is a limited number and there already filling up fast! To book and for other enquiries please contact the Reception Team - 01732 304111 / TSCReceptionstaff@tonbridge-school.org

We hope to see you there!

 Good nutrition is fundamental to your progress

The Pros and Cons of Caffeine

It’s 6.00am on a Monday morning and everyone is getting ready for another long week at work… At this early hour a lot of individuals, me included, will go straight for some coffee, tea or another form of caffeine. We drink it from machines in the luxury of our homes or choose to spend a small fortunes on it in branded coffee shops, but is all this caffeine really good for us?

I have no personal vendetta against coffee and believe there’s a time and place for caffeine in all forms. I also happen to love the taste, especially coffee, and therefore also use it as a “pick me up” throughout the day. On a physical note caffeine has also been proven to boost sports performance, endurance and recovery times when training when consumed 30-60 minutes prior to exertion and can temporarily increase your metabolism, which is great when training for fat loss.

Over indulging in this black liquid is where I would urge caution however. Consuming >600mg caffeine a day (5 cups coffee +) will put a lot of stress onto some of your bodily functions/system. Your adrenal gland function will suffer and your cortisol levels (stress related hormone) will be left continuously high which is something you definitely don’t want in the long run. Caffeine also acts as a natural diuretic and drinking too much will lead to dehydration especially if training.

If you love your coffee and tea please don’t feel like you need to cut it out of your daily routine but aim to limit your intake to about 2-3 cups a day and remember these are not the only sources of caffeine, fizzy drinks (e.g. coca cola/red bull), sweets and chocolates, also contain caffeine.

Finally, try and avoid consuming any caffeine past 5pm as this can affect your quality of sleep.

Enjoy your next Monday morning better informed!

• Black coffee (Instant)          - 60-10mg (Depends on serving)
• Black coffee (Brewed)        - 100-400mg (Depends on serving)
• Single shot of Espresso       - 75mg
• Tea                                          - 30-50mg (Depends on serving and brew time)
• Green tea                              - 25-50mg (Depends on serving and brew time)

Thanks for reading.

sjp@tonbridge-school.org

 Coffee can help boost your performance