April

Colorado Athletic Club Cancer WellFit Program

Kristin’s Top 5 Tips for Endurance Athletes

1 – Fuel yourself properly
            Pre-, during, and post-exercise nutrition is important.  Be sure you are consuming healthy meals throughout the day consisting of  55% carbohydrates, 15% protein, and 30% heart healthy fat. 

2 – Fluids!  Fluids!  Fluids!
            Don’t skimp on fluid intake.  Staying properly hydrated is not only key for maintaining proper blood volume, but also helps to keep your heart pumping efficiently and with minimal stress.  In addition, it keeps your body temperature regulated and your kidneys happy!

3 – Timing is key
            Timing of your meals is not only important during your race or training sessions but is also an integral part of your healthy patterns all day long.  Your day should consist of 6 small meals, 2-3 hours apart.

4 – Try it out during the training season
            Avoid experimenting with new nutrition regimens during the race season.  Do your best to get your nutrition timing down during the training season.

5 – Pamper yourself
            Be good to your muscles, organs, tissues, and mind!  Respect your body.  Give it what it needs:  attention, fluid, nutrition, rest, proper cool-down (stretching).  A massage here and there won’t hurt!!

Kristin Hocheder, RD  khocheder@wellbridge.com    303-290-7566

A Guide to Reading Nutrition Labels

March

All the energy we need to support our body’s demands during exercise comes from the food we eat and the fluids we drink. Fueling yourself before, during, and after a training session is part of preparation for your triathalon. Optimal nutrition during the months of training is 50% of your success. Without a proper nutrition program, your body will lack the resources it needs for energy production, muscle maintenance and repair, and waste disposal. If you have any ambition to finish your race not only feeling well, but at your goal time, you need to develop an overall nutrition program.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, “sugars”, are a very important fuel source. They are broken down into different subunits, the most important being glucose. Any glucose the body does not use immediately is stored in the liver as glycogen. Glycogen is similar to your gas tank in your car. Once the “gas light” comes on, in other words the glycogen stores are low, the liver will begin to break down muscle tissue and turn it into glucose. Therefore, adequate carbohydrates are important in maintaining muscle mass. In addition, they produce energy at a much quicker rate than the protein from muscle tissue – allowing you to “feel” better when you are using carbohydrates for energy.

Fluids and Sodium

Fluids! Fluids! Fluids! Adequate fluid replacement is vital in sufficient blood volume. Fluids and sodium allow the blood volume to be in balance with the tissues surrounding the blood vessels. In addition, in order for the heart to pump as it was designed and kidneys to filter as they were designed, accurate blood flow is required. Fluids also help to maintain ample body temperature. Once the body temperature increases, the heart has to pump much harder to get the blood to your working tissues. In other words, increase temperature stresses the heart and without adequate blood flow the heart has to work even harder to get blood/nutrition to the working muscles.

Protein

Protein is an important part of your recovery nutrition program. Protein is the building block for muscle repair and maintenance, glycogen replacement, and immune system support. Throughout a training session, muscle fibers are constantly being stressed and ripped; however, if training properly, muscle is also trying to be maintained and gained. In addition, some research shows that with the proper ratio of carbohydrates : protein, glycogen is more readily stored in the liver. With all of the wonderful training sessions you will be going through in preparation for your tri, your body will be continually stressed, putting your immune system to the test. Sufficient protein in your recovery nutrition program will help to support the immune system.

Before Exercise Tips:

Meal Timing:

• Large Meal:  >400 calories;  3-4 hrs before;  balanced meal
• Light Meal:  2-300 calories;  2-3 hrs before;  high carbohydrate, light protein and fat; limit fiber
• Snack:  1-200 calories;  30 minutes-1 hr before;  high carbohydrate, very low protein and fat;  omit fiber

Replacement Suggestions:

• Clif Shot Electrolyte:  (8 oz) Sodium-200mg, Carbs-19g
• Clif Shot Gel:  Sodium-40 mg, Carbs-25g
• Clif Shot Bloks:  Sodium-70mg, Carbs-24g
• Accelerade Powder:  (1 scoop/12oz) Sodium-190mg, Carbs-21g, Protein-5g
• Accelerade Ready-to-Drink:  (8 oz) Sodium-120mg, Carbs-15g, Protein-4g
• GU2O:  (2 scoops/16 oz) Sodium-240mg, Carbs-26g
• PowerBar Gel:  Sodium-200mg, Carbs-27g

Recovery Nutrition Tips:

What types of carbohydrates are best?

• low fiber
• contain little protein
• low fat

Examples:

• low-fat yogurt
• cereal and skim milk
• chocolate fat-free milk
• 100% grape juice ( 8oz = 45g carbs)
• Banana
• whole wheat bagel/whole wheat bread (limit portion due to fiber content) with honey
• Acclerade