Breakfast. Break fast. Yes, it is the most important meal of the day because it is the meal when you break the fasting state that your body has gone through the night. 

Skip breakfast and you’ll feel sluggish at work, and then famished at lunch. What do you do when you’re famished? You pig out! 

Nutrition is extremely important for performance, especially in terms of sport performance. Considering the jump in intensity for trainings in preparation for the Singapore River Regatta, Kiyah-Splashhies should have a good meal before turning up for trainings. 

WHY? 

A good breakfast provides your body with the necessary nutrients and energy that you need to last throughout your workout. This is especially important since our training lasts more than 2 hours, combining water and land trainings. For guys looking to bulk up, if you train for that long without eating beforehand, please say good bye to nice hunky muscles. 

WHAT? 

No, no matter what Ronald MacDonald says on TeeVee, eating MacDonald’s for breakfast, or lunch, or dinner or tea is NOT the way to go.  

The typical Singaporean fare of fried beehoon with chicken wings, hotdog and luncheon meat won’t do either. The oil will likely make you queasy halfway through the training. 

White toast with kaya? You’ll feel energized on your way to Kallang, but believe me, once you get into the boat, you’ll feel hungry and tired before even rowing. 

That’s what happens when you consume simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs causes a sudden spike in insulin levels, causing a sugar crash after. But let’s leave the details out shall we? 

Special Kiyah-Splashh! Breakfast Menu: 

Set A – Apple Cinnamon Delight 

• 1 Cup plain non-fat yogurt (Try Marigold’s, quite nice)
• 1 Apple, cubed
• Ground cinnamon powder
• Raisins and nuts (Baked, not fried and/or salted)

Pour the yogurt into a bowl, cut the apple and mix into yogurt. Sprinkle the ground cinnamon powder. Serve with some baked nuts and raisins if you like. 

Set B – Go bananas! 

• 1/2 cup rolled oats, measured dry
• 1 Banana
• 1/2 cup low-fat/skim milk

Warm the milk on the stove, add the dry oats and cook. Mash half the banana in bowl, slice the other half. Cook oats till the consistency that you like, then add in mashed banana and stir. Pour contents into the bowl of sliced banana. Eat! 

Set C – Ya Kun  Kiyah Toast 

• 2 Slices Multigrain/Wholegrain/Whole wheat bread
• 1 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter (Try Adam’s. No sugar, no hydrogenated oil, ingredient only peanuts)
• 2 soft-boiled eggs

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Remember, abs are made in the kitchen!  

AHHH!! Butterfly arms! *gasp*

XOXO, 

Ali

On the contrary, not many people know the time and effort these kids spend daily to cope with  balancing their studies, family commitments and long hours of training, with all that, while upholding our National pride. For our young athletes, it is an almost sad deal as our flag’s burden that they shoulder lacks publicity, and recognition from time to time.

I believe any professional athlete  can immediately sympathize the sacrifices one must go through to constantly stay ahead of his/her international opponents. It is self-sacrificing, and it feels like you have sold your soul to the medal platter.

So the only source of motivation for these kids are their family and friends. They see what goes-on-behind-closed-doors, and experience waves of emotions when they see their son, daughter, sister, brother, or best friend, struggle with cuts, bruises, muscle aches, studies and lost quality time strengthening relationship ties.

So with our heartfelt appreciation for our young athletes, we, Kiyah-Splashhies!, wish to thank the young dragon boat team for representing Singapore in the global sporting front, and congratulate them for their triumphant success in nabbing the champion title for the Junior Dragon Boat Championship 2009! Well done, indeed!

Let’s raise our paddles together and salute our dragon boat warriors when we meet again!

Please read the full article here.

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