Why you need to worry about dehydration when exercising in bitter cold

It's February 19th, yet here we are again with below-zero wind chills in the Chicago area. Competing or training in cold weather presents its own set of challenges. Dehydration – believe it or not – is a major issue. Here is why...

1. The body tries to keep your core warm
Normally your body carries blood to your extremities during exercise. But in the cold, your body preferentially tends to keep blood close to its core in order to stay warm. This increases your blood pressure, which will affect your kidneys and increase your need to urinate. 

2. Cold, dry air = more fluid lost
When you exercise in the cold, your lungs have to warm and humidify the incoming cold, dry air. Just by doing this, you can lose up to one quart of fluid daily. 

Start your winter fueling with performance-enhancing soups!

Now that you know all the nutritional benefits of soup for athletes (see last week's blog if you missed it), here are some recipes to try for winter fueling!

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ onion diced

½ green pepper diced

4 cloves

5 Tbsp Chili powder

3 Tbsp cumin

Diced tomatoes (24 oz can) not drained

3 cans of various beans drained (black, Kidney, garbanzo, etc)

2 cups of broth (any kind) *may add more or less depending on thickness preference

2 small zucchini or ½ medium butternut squash diced

Why you should eat soup as a post-workout snack or meal

As the temperature outside continues to drop, our typical post exercise snacks and meals of smoothies, cold shakes, and salads tend to become less appetizing. Soups can be a great way for athletes of all types to meet many of their nutritional needs while also satisfying the craving for warmer foods. 

Benefits of soup for Athletes:

 

-Vegetables: Soups are a great way to load up on veggies and work to meet your daily recommendations. Whether you make your own soup or buy it pre-made, “beefing” it up with vegetables is always an option. Aside from the obvious benefits of vitamins and minerals necessary for great health and physical performance, most vegetables tend to be a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber, which are essential for keeping your digestive system in top shape. As many athletes know, this is of the utmost importance. 

Nutrition Tips for Athletes Ending the Fall Season

With the beginning of November, we near the end of the season for high school and college fall sports. This can mean a lot of different things. For one athlete, it might mean entering a true off-season. For another athlete, he may be transitioning into a winter sport. For a third athlete, she may be entering club season. Regardless of what the next step might be, here are some things every fall athlete should think about now.

1. Assess Your Goals
What were your goals this fall season and did you achieve them? If not, what might have been the reason and what changes need to be made now? What are you goals for the winter? If you are in the off-season, will you place a special emphasis on weight loss? If you are transitioning to a winter sport, do you need to make changes to fueling before the season starts? If you are entering club season, how will your eating need to change (timing and amount)?