Save your summer training; Avoid these 3 common nutrition pitfalls

Ah summer - it's finally here! A time for revving up the outdoor training and really focusing on those competitive goals. But nothing ruins a great training season like stupid nutrition decisions. Here are 3 common pitfalls many athletes fall into when they get just a little too relaxed with their eating over the summer.

1. "It's so nice out, lets go eat/drink _______."
When the whether is finally warm after a brutal winter, it is easy to always want to be outside on a restaurant porch drinking a your favorite alcoholic concoction or out for ice cream with the kids. Set limits on this now so these habits do not get out of hand. Remember that one drink or small cup of ice cream can easily load on up to 400 Calories of very little useful nutrition. A good rule of thumb is that you are allowed to "treat" yourself twice a week. Just make sure to choose a treat that you truly enjoy. This will leave you feeling satisfied instead of wishing you didn't waste the calories. Instead of always meeting friends at the tiki bar, trying meeting at the park and going for a walk in the beautiful sunshine.

2. "It's really hot out - I must be dehydrated. I better grab a sports drink."
Sports drinks are only meant to be drunk during one activity...sports. Don't use sports drinks as a random hydration tool unless you have met with a sports RD or physician who has the specific knowledge to tell you to do so. Why? Because sports drinks offer little in terms of good nutrition when it comes to meals, snacks or even in between. They are purely created for rehydration during relatively intense activity, which doesn't include standing around outside. Too much sports drink when you don't need it is just as bad as too much pop, alcohol, ice cream, etc....just a lot of empty calories that are not helpful.

5 Ways to Fight Flu Season with Food

Whether or not we want to admit it, pharmacy advertisements for flu shots are a tell-tale sign that flu season will soon be upon us. That nasty virus comes back each year to wreak havoc on our bodies and neatly-planned training schedules. Fortunately, your food choices on a daily basis can have a huge impact on your likeliness of being sidelined by the flu (or any cold in general). Starting today, follow these five guidelines to assure you are able to train and compete throughout the entire fall and winter season: 

1. Hydrate!
While proper hydration is key for many reasons, it becomes especially important for the prevention of illness. As the weather turns colder, it's natural to not think about drinking fluids as frequently. However, a properly hydrated body can better transport essential nutrients to muscles and organs for proper functioning and recovery. Should you contract either the stomach flu or even a mild fever, hydration should be a top priority. Oral rehydration products such as sports drinks or Pedialyte may be a good way to avoid dehydration if symptoms are severe.

2. ACE it
Antioxidants may be your best defense against inflammation and stress within the body. Vitamins A, C, and E (ACE) are the power players in this category. To make sure you are meeting your needs each day, aim to eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal and snack. The darker the fruit or veggie, the higher it is in antioxidants (i.e dark, green, leafy vegetables, carrots, peppers, berries or oranges). Decreasing daily stress within your body is a key way to help it better fight off any potential threats to your immune system.

3. Consider Carbohydrate
Be sure to use carbohydrate-containing foods and/or beverages before, during, and after intense training or competitions. The body's stress hormones are at their highest after this type of exercise bout. Fueling your body properly with adequate carbohydrates will provide protection during this vulnerable time, decreasing the negative effect of stress hormones on your body.

4. Fuel, Refuel Recharge
In addition to proper carbohydrate supplementation during exercise, it is essential to maintain a well-balanced diet throughout the entire day. Include adequate carbohydrate, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. For most athletes, this includes eating at least every 3-4 hours to meet the body's training and recovery needs. Committing to good nutrition on a daily basis will assure your immune system is functioning at its best.

5. Supplement Smart
Unfortunately, there are no supplements guaranteed to prevent a cold or flu. However, at the first sign of illness, research has shown that two supplements may help decrease the severity and duration of the cold: zinc lozenges and vitamin C tablets. Begin sucking on zinc lozenges at the first sign of an impending illness, but limit length of use to no more than 1 week and don't use on an empty stomach. Note that citrus juice interferes with zinc absorption, so avoid it 30 min before and after using a lozenge. When taking vitamin C, limit each dose to 500 mg max for a total of 1000mg max daily. Anything above this amount is not efficiently absorbed and will simply be excreted in the urine.

Of course there are many flu-prevention behaviors you should keep in mind in addition to diet. Don't underestimate the value of proper sleep (ideally an average of 7-9 hours uninterrupted sleep per night), washing your hands, getting a flu shot, and keeping daily stressors to a minimum. If you feel like you are coming down with something, it is better to err on the side of caution and take a rest day. Overtraining and chronic fatigue only creates extra stress, which makes it more difficult for your body to mount an attack on the pending virus.

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

5 Performance Nutrition Tips to Fuel Your Marathon

Marathon season is in full swing! Many of you have already competed, but countless more have their sights on a fall marathon. Around here, the focus tends to be on the Chicago Marathon in October. Whether the marathon you have chosen will include 500 participants or 5000, there are a few keys performance nutrition tactics you should practice to set that PR come race day...

1. Train your stomach, not just your muscles
A big mistake I see long-distance runners make is forgetting to train their stomachs. Along with putting in those miles, it is important to practice fueling for race day. Race day is not a time to introduce new products (even sports drink), as your stomach may not be used to digesting during running. As soon as your runs become longer than 60 minutes, start adding in quick sources of carbohydrate such as sports drinks, gels, chomps, beans, dried fruit, or pretzels. Experiment with different products so you know what you prefer and what you tolerate both at the beginning and toward the end of those long runs.

2. Know the course
While it is important to know the running course, you also need to educate yourself about the aid stations. Most (and by that I mean 99%) marathon races have the course map on the website. That course map will either include the aid stations or provide a different map of just aid stations. Know what will be handed out where. Most marathons offer water and sports drink every 1.5 miles or so, but may add bananas or gu's/gels in the second half. Know what is available where so you can train appropriately. Are they handing out a sports drink you have never tried before? Go out and buy some so you can train with it - you never know whether or not you will tolerate it.

3. Frontload fuel
A key to marathon fueling is starting sooner rather than later. Any of you who have run a marathon before are familiar with that "22-mile wall"...it's that feeling you get somewhere between miles 19 and 23 when your body says "are you done yet?". Hitting the wall often means you have little motivation to provide fluid and fuel to your body anymore. Therefore, make sure you will be covered by starting fueling (i.e. something more than water) within the first 30 min into the race and then consistently every 30 minutes after that. This will also assure that your muscles have energy to get you through the ENTIRE race. This means better mile times and hitting that wall later rather than sooner.

4. Have a plan
Once you have checked out the aid stations and begun to train your stomach, start devising your fueling plan. This is perhaps the most important thing you will bring to race day. Decide what product(s) you will take at what mile markers. Will you use a fuel belt? If so, what will you carry? Will you take from the aid stations? If so, do you know what flavors of products they have and if you like those flavors? These are all important questions that should be answered weeks beforehand instead of as you are approaching that aid station on race day.

5. Commit daily
While it is important to plan for the race day itself, much of your success depends on your commitment to your intake on a daily basis. Poor fueling will lead to poor recovery, muscle breakdown, and ineffective training sessions. Make sure you are covering for all of those calories you are burning during training. That means eating at least every 4 hours during the day and fueling during your runs as well. Feel like you're eating all of the time? Good! That's a common feeling and often means you are doing things right. Not sure what you should be eating daily? Meet with a RD, CSSD who can help you come up with a fueling plan perfect for your needs and goals.

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

Camping Nutrition in Action

Last week I offered some meals and snacks to utilize while out camping. I was fortunate enough to camp and hike in Yosemite National Park this past weekend. So, for those of you interested, this is how I put my performance nutrition into action. Remember: this was what worked for me, based on my particular needs (23 weeks pregnant, high level of fitness, etc.). Your specific needs may differ. Also, while last week I gave recommendations that included purely shelf-stable foods for backpacking purposes, I was in a situation where keeping food cold was not a problem. So I could include perishable items.

Day 1: 8.8 mile hike to North Dome
Highest Elevation: 8100 ft
Total time to complete: 4.5 hrs (2:30pm-7pm)
Temp: 70-75

Lunch (prior to hike): PB & Honey sandwich on WW bread, large handful of grapes, large handful of baby carrots, 2 cups water

Fuel during hike: 1 cup sports drink, 1 Nature Valley Oats & Honey bar, 1 apple, 3 cups water

Dinner (at campsite): Campfire foil packets!
-Chicken breast
-Italian seasoning
-Fresh green beans
-Potatoes
-1-2 small pats butter
.......wrap in foil, place in campfire coals or on cooking grate and cook through (~40 min depending on thickness of meat).

Also had another apple, some grapes, 4 cups water, and of course - s'mores for dessert!

1/2 cup sports drink immediately before bed (to prevent cramping overnight)


Day 2: 14.5 mile hike to Cloud's Rest
Highest Elevation: 9926 ft
Elevation Gain: 1775 ft
Total time to Complete: 6.5 hrs (10am-4:30pm)
Temp 65-75

Breakfast (campsite): 2 bowls old-fashioned oats with walnuts, dried fruit, brown sugar; 1 cup coffee, leftover potatoes from dinner night before, 2 cups water

Fuel during hike: 2 granola bars, 1/2 Clif bar, 2 apples, 1/2 avocado, PB & honey sandwich on WW bread, 1.5 cups sports drink, a lot of water

One interesting thing to keep in mind is that as elevation increases, so do carbohydrate needs. This remains true until the body is acclimated to elevation, which can take as long as 8 weeks. In addition, while the weather was relatively cool with low humidity, I was in direct sunlight and doing a good amount of climbing. Therefore, my hydration needs were significantly increased. I carried a Camelbak to encourage hydration.

How do YOU fuel yourself during camping and hiking? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment below.

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

Supplement Series Part 1: 5 Categories of Commercial Sport Food Supplements

This is the 1st in a 4-part Supplement Series where I will explore the often confusing world of sports supplements. This week, I will talk about commercial food supplements. Come back weeks 2-4 to learn how to evaluate ergogenic aids (pills & powders), explore 5 commonly used ergogenic aids, and finally be warned of 5 ergogenic aids to avoid at all costs. This is a series you don't want to miss!

Endurance and anaerobic athletes alike often wonder which supplements are "the best". Which ones will give them the speed, power, energy they want as quickly as possible? When it comes to commercial supplements, should they choose sports drinks, gu's, gels, or bars? Here I provide available products from each of 5 categories of what I call these Commercial Sport Food Supplements. Which work best for you comes down to your sport, taste preferences and GI tolerance, so start training with these now to determine your best bets. Note that there are MANY products out there, so this list is not all-inclusive, nor am I recommending you use a specific one - or any. To determine your best nutrition training plan, set up a consult with me today. Together we can discover which, when, and in what amount you should be using these in your training and competition.

Category 1: Sports Drinks
These are typically not necessary until training extends beyond one hour.

Products with sodium & other electrolytes (for those practicing for over 1 hour): Gatorade, Powerade, CytoMax, etc.

Products with extra sodium (for those prone to cramping or planning to exercise in hot, humid weather for over 2 hours): Gatorade Endurance, Powerbar Endurance, Clif Shot Electrolyte Drink, GU Brew Electrolyte, Powerbar Ironman Perform

All natural products (i.e. without dye or food coloring): Carb BOOM! Electrolyte Drink, First Endurance EFS, HEED, Clif Quench

Added protein (may reduce post-exercise muscle soreness, but may cause GI discomfort during exercise): Perpetuem, Accelerade, UCAN

Low-calorie sports drinks (for dieters): G2, Powerade Zero, Propel, Nuun

Real food alternative: Try 100% fruit juice diluted with water; add a pinch of salt = homemade sports drink!

Category 2: Gels
Always take gels with water to avoid GI discomfort. Experimenting with different brands and flavors is very important for this category!

General gels: Gu, Carb-BOOM!, Clif Shot, Honey Stinger

Extra sodium: Powerbar Gel, EFS Liquid Shot, Gu Roctane

Added caffeine: GU (most), Rocktane (most), Clif Shot Gel (some flavors), Powerbar Gel (some flavors), HoneyStinger (Ginsting & Strawberry)

Real food alternative: Try honey, which can be found in easy to carry straws.

Category 3: Sports Snacks
There are so many of these, but a few include Jelly Belly Sport Beans, Gu Chomps, Clif Shot Blocks, and Sharkies

Real food alternative: Try dried fruit such as raisins or gummi bears/Lifesavers

Category 4: Energy Bars
These are often used either during endurance exercise (such as long-distance cycling) or as snacks between meals. Note: these should NEVER replace a meal!

All natural (typically means they have no added vitamins/minerals; some are organic): Clif Mojo, Odwalla Bars, PowerBar Nut Naturals, KIND Bars, Zing Bars, Kashi Bars, and Raw Revolution Bars.

Dairy-free: Clif nectar, Pure, Gnu Bar, Fit, Perfect 10, Larabar, and AllerEnergy Bar

Fructose-free: JayBar

Gluten-Free: Larabar, Hammer Bar, Zing Bar, and Extend Bar Delight

Vegan: Larabar, Clif Builder's Bar, Pro Bar, Vega Whole Food Raw Energy Bar

Grocery Store Bars: Natural Valley Granola Bars, Fig Newtons

Real food alternatives: How about real fruit, such as bananas & apples, or PBJs!

Category 5: Recovery Drinks
These all contain carbohydrate plus some protein. A few include EAS Endurathon, PowerBar Recovery Drinks, Endurox R4, Gatorade Nutrition Shake, Clif Shot Recovery Drink, and Gatorade Series 3

Real food alternative: Good old low-fat chocolate milk!


Be Extraordinary,

RDKate


Blog resource: Clark, Nancy. "Commercial Sport foods: A Source of Confusion?".

Top 5 Nutrition & Training Tips as the Weather Warms

Unseasonably warm weather in many parts of the country are throwing many athletes' bodies into a state of confusion. From complaints of unexpected fatigue to headaches to sinus flare-ups, unexpected weather extremes take a toll on the training body.  So what can you do as the weather warms to help your body adjust?

1. Hydrate
Hydration doesn't start one hour before your workout...it starts as soon as your feet hit the floor in the morning. Drink 2 cups of water as soon as you get out of bed - even before breakfast. This will help kick-start the rehydration process. During your workout, take on a bit more fluid than normal until your body adjusts to the warmer temperatures.

2. Mind your electrolytes
One of the reasons sports drinks are better than plain water for training athletes is because your body loses more than water when you sweat...you also lose electrolytes (mainly sodium). Also, electrolytes are imperative to muscle contraction during exercise. Taking in electrolytes with fluid helps your body hold on to more of that fluid. This means you hydrate your body better and visit the bathroom less frequently. During your workout, consider drinking a sports drink as the weather warms to help your body hydrate better. One cause of muscle cramping during or after exercise is an imbalance of electrolytes; this is prevented by appropriate hydration with sports drinks.

3. Wear breathable clothing
Breathable clothing is expensive and popular for a reason - it works! Clothes with this type of fabric wick moisture away from your skin, which helps your body be more efficient at cooling itself. Since there is an indirect relationship between body temperature and performance, staying cool is key. Note there is both warm weather and cold weather breathable clothing, so pay attention to what you are buying. Shell out the extra bucks - these clothes are worth it!

4. Look for fluid on your plate
In addition to hydrating with fluids, choose foods with a high-water content, such as WATERmelon, tomatoes, lettuce, and melons. This will add to your daily fluid intake while also providing vitamins and minerals that athletes need for proper recovery.

5. Take it easy
No athlete responds well to those words. However, believe me when I say that decreasing intensity for a day or two is better than recovering for several days from heat stroke. If you find that your heart rate is skyrocketing, you are dizzy, or that you are experiencing chills or nausea, you need to find some shade, take a break, and hydrate. Force yourself to drink, even if you are feeling nauseous. Assess your hydration tactics and increase your efforts before you continue exercise in the heat.

Remember that it takes approximately 7-14 days on average for your body to acclimate to exercise in the heat. So be patient if you're not hitting your goal splits or heart rate ranges for a few days. Using these 5 tactics, you'll soon be back to your normal intensity.

Be Extraordinary,

RDKate

CAUTION! Important Race Ahead!

It's crazy to realize we're almost through September. You know what that means - fall road races!!! From 5Ks to Marathons, September through mid-December is a popular time to race. It's getting too cold for triathlons and bike races, but it's still too warm for cross country skiing or snowboarding. I've got some friends getting ready for the Chicago Marathon on October 9th and I myself am preparing for the Detroit Marathon on October 16th. If you are closing in on your fall competition, there may be only a few weeks left to perfect your nutrition plan. Just like you train your muscles for exercise, you've got to make sure your stomach is ready as well. Just drinking a flavor of sports drink provided on the course that you normally wouldn't could throw off your entire race. Take these steps now to make sure you are ready......

1. Check how often there are aide stations on the race course. Is it every mile? Every 1.5 miles? Generally the longer the race the more aide stations, but you want to check that. I once ran a 10K that had NO water stations (it was pretty painful)! Figure out which stations you will need to stop at based on your planned mile pace. Remember: You should be drinking at least every 20 minutes.

2. Check what will be provided at aide stations. Just water? Water and sports drink? What type of sports drink and what flavor? Gu's or gels? How about real food like pretzels? If you want to use it during the race, you need to start training with it NOW. You don't know how your stomach will react to the nutrition provided if you don't try it ahead of time.

3. Once you complete numbers one and two, create (and by that I mean write out) your race nutrition plan and use it as soon as your next run. The best time to try your plan is on your next training run that is most similar to your race. For example, a 20-mile training run would be a great time to try a marathon race nutrition plan.

4. Don't forget about race morning. What will you eat for breakfast and at what time? Again - try it ahead of time to make sure it actually works for you....meaning you tolerate and it keeps you energized until you get to the starting line.

5. If you're planning to carb load the week of the race (defined as a calculated increase in carbohoydrate intake in the 2-3 days prior to the race - accompanied by a decrease in training), then you also need to try this ahead of time. Not everyone responds favorably to carb loading - especially if not done properly. Try it during an earlier week first to make sure you're ready. And remember that this type of carb loading is really only beneficial if your race is longer than 90 minutes. Not sure how to carb load? I think it's time to see a sports dietitian!

There are of course many other things you need to do in the days prior to the race, but completing steps 1-5 now will assure you arrive at race week confident, focused, and ready to implement your plan.

Be Extraordinary,

RDKate

Are muscle cramps cramping your performance?

It was big news last week when pro tennis player Rafeal Nadal "collapsed" during a press conference while having severe muscle cramping in his legs. During an interview afterward, he quickly laughed and brushed off the reporter saying, “[It's] nothing new – It’s nothing important...I just drink - that's all. ” While Nadal was very nonchalant, muscle cramps are no laughing matter and can severely hinder your performance.

What are muscle cramps?

The reasons behind why muscles cramp are often unclear. It’s difficult to distinguish a single culprit, but an imbalance of electrolytes in the muscle may predispose the muscle to cramping. Electrolytes are present to help muscles contract and relax appropriately during exercise. You have probably heard the term “electrolytes” in sports drink or recovery drink commercials. This is because during exercise the body can lose a substantial amount of electrolytes in sweat. If they are not replaced appropriately, it creates an imbalance within the muscle, locking the muscle in a painful spasm.

Why would someone have problems with cramping?

If due to a nutritional imbalance, a few habits can lead to muscle cramping. The most common is an infatuation with drinking only water during exercise. While this is fine during moderate or even semi-intense short-term (lasting <60 minutes) exercise, those doing prolonged vigorous exercise – such as someone like Nadal playing for multiple hours at a high competition level – need more than just water because they are losing more than just water. As I mentioned above, there can be a substantial amount of electrolytes lost with water during sweating. So, those who are particularly heavy sweaters or those exercising for long periods of time need to cognizant of this fact. Other habits that can increase the likelihood of developing muscle cramping is exercising in hot and/or humid environments when the athlete is not acclimated or simply not drinking enough of anything during exercise – water or not.

How does one prevent muscle cramping?

So the obvious way to prevent cramping? Plan ahead and don’t drink just water during or after heavy exercise. This will assure that you are replacing your body’s losses. During exercise, use a sports drink or perhaps diluted 100% fruit juice with added salt. Particularly heavy sweaters may need something with extra electrolytes such as Gatorade Endurance, or may choose to add a separate electrolyte supplement to their regular sports drink, such as Nuun tabs. Read my blog here for more information.

After exercise, you may need to continue that sports drink or instead use a recovery drink such as low-fat chocolate milk. Assure you are also getting enough potassium in your daily diet from foods such as pinto and kidney beans, tomatoes, spinach, cantaloupe, and milk. Some athletes may need to use the salt shaker liberally at meals or eat salty foods such as pretzels, pickles, or canned foods to maintain sodium levels.  But remember, these types of recommendations are very individual and don’t apply to every athlete every day of the training year.

If you are having problems with muscle cramping during or in the hours after exercise, it’s important to re-evalute your hydration plan before, during, and after exercise. What happened to Nadal may be COMMON in high-level tennis, but it is not smart and it IS preventable.