Another chapter in nutrition

Groceries in, garbage out, blood goes round and round…
"Endurance events are eating and drinking contests with some exercise thrown in too" Sunny Blende

We have already had a primer on running nutrition and via handouts you had recently, we looked at race day and race week meals to try in preparation. So now let’s talk about the food pyramid (now known as "my plate", new resource ideas for meals to help your running, salt, iron and regulation of “in’s and out’s” a bit. Your everyday training depends on knowing a bit more about fueling - especially as long runs get longer.

Let’s look at the macro nutrients in greater detail and see what you’ll be fueling yourself with in the coming months as you seek to keep yourself well fueled and injury free in training and attain ideal body type for your event. Running hard and all this training is not a diet program – I have said this many times. Yet you will find that over time your metabolic capacity increases and you are burning a lot of fat on your long runs, when they are done at aerobic pace. Therefore, body composition may actually subtly change even while you are eating a balanced and nutritious diet that feeds your energy level. Pretty cool stuff.

Three primary fuel types and all food from the new food pyramid fits into these neat slots as far as the body is concerned, yet not all foods are created equal. Carbohydrates, Lipids (or fats), and protein are the three types.

Fat: Sometimes a dirty word and thought of as something to avoid and yet, this is the most efficient fuel the body can have at 9Kal/gram, and it does not require the storage of water to be used in the body. We store most foods as glycogen and use it all over the body. Fat during aerobic exercise is converted to fuel and used for any endurance activity because it works but also because you cannot store all of the fuel you need to burn without using this fat. Unsaturated fat from plant products is ideal and not refined or hydrogenated fat is most healthy and burns in the body with fewer bi-products like free radicals.

Protein: Nearly everything of value in the body is built from proteins and this makes them simply too valuable to use a fuel. Skeletal muscle is built from a number of key proteins but even elements for your cell membranes and body hormones are made of protein. Daily intake is required and can be attained from animal and or vegetable sources. These proteins are made of amino acids and your body disassembles proteins it consumes and rebuilds good stuff from these amino acid chains. Several key amino acids are important to attain if we are on any kind of vegetarian or alternative diet. The most important of these amino acid chains is Omega 3.

Carbohydrates: Nearly everything else that is not made of protein or fat or a man made substance is a carbohydrate. Even sugar is a carbohydrate. While many people have profited from special diets that eschew “carbs” they are the body’s essential and most easily used fuel. The average American eats far more of the wrong kinds of carbs than they should, however the body will metabolize carbs the best and with fewer byproducts than any other energy synthesis. The trouble is that we cannot store all of the energy we need this way and so we start the running machine on carbs and efficiently transition mid run to fat metabolism as a fuel source.

What is bonk? You’ll see unprepared runners face bonk or “the wall” during a big event. It can be physically excruciating and mentally dehabilitating. Preparation can prevent this and you just need some understanding of physiology and prior practice to fend it off. Two experts define what this is pretty simply.
Sunny Blende, sports nutritionists writes, “The brain also does not store any glucose – as glycogen, as the muscles do – and is totally dependent on blood glucose for its energy supply. In order to function normally, the brain requires a relatively normal blood glucose level. So what happens to an ultrarunner when he or she is running hours and hours with an increasing demand for glucose? If our ultrarunner does not ingest adequate amounts of carbohydrate (glucose) along the way, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) sets in. And with prolonged hypoglycemia comes central nervous system fatigue – the progressive shutdown of the part of the brain that drives the muscles. Bad news for attitude and bad news for performance.”

In one of Tim Noakes’s studies from The Lore of Running, he found that two percent of marathoners, six percent of those who ran 50 kms and 11 percent of those who ran 100 kms were hypoglycemic. He cites the symptoms as a “reduced ability to concentrate, a sudden feeling of weakness, and the intense desire to stop running. Typically, the athlete senses the impossibility of completing the race”. Sound familiar? Obviously foods containing glucose would have helped these athletes perform better, but an explanation of the mechanism of action might make this concept easier to understand. Again, Tim Noakes’s studies from The Lore of Running, “The main supplier of glucose into the blood is the liver. This happens directly from its own store of glycogen or indirectly by a process known as gluconeogenesis (the production of glucose by the liver from substances other than carbohydrates, for example, proteins). Training also helps the liver’s ability to produce glucose from circulating blood lactate. However, because the liver is so small compared to the body’s muscle mass and only stores about 250 - 500 calories of glucose, it could never keep up with the muscles’ demand for glucose when exercising hard or long. In a trained athlete, this amounts to three or four hours of running at a moderate pace. And the muscles are prevented from using too much circulating blood glucose in order to protect the brain. Fortunately our body has provided the muscles with other ways of obtaining glucose; namely a good supply stored in its own tissues and the ability to use fat as a source of energy. And remember, the supply stored in the muscles can be doubled if post-exercise carbs were consumed within thirty minutes or so. But even this generous supply will only last about five to six hours. The rate that the liver releases glucose and the muscles take it up during exercise is increased six-fold from a resting state. When tissues increase their rate of usage faster than the liver can produce it, blood levels fall and body function is impaired. In order to prevent brain drain and preserve our mind’s ability to think and strategize effectively in an ultra event, it becomes crucial to ingest carbohydrates during the race. If the muscles become fatigued, the brain will reduce the number of muscle fibers activated and in order to continue running, the ultrarunner will have to slow down. This is the body’s way of surviving. It may limit the runner’s physiological capabilities, but preserve the neurological function of the brain. Exhaustion, in this case, may be defined as a decrease in signals from the brain to the muscles, not a direct change in glycogen levels in the muscles - in other words, central fatigue.”

So the central governor steps in again to save the day and we learn that this phenomenon is preventable if we keep energy reserves up to meet the exertion demands. That requires you to test what kind of carbohydrates will digest easily for you while running. Gatorade, gel packets, bananas, chia seed, PB&J, fruit roll-ups and others have all been tried and many work well as long as they contain some water of their own and you keep your stomach lining wet w. a bit of fluids. Sunny Blende and others suggest that you might be able to train your body to utilize as much as 240 calories per hour while running (you’ll use more than this often, but that’s the breaks). The average gel packet is 100-150 calories each and 12oz of Gatorade is about 90 calories. So you can calculate what you’ll need and try to eat is small amounts spaced along the duration of your run.

Here is a link for some breakfasts with protein (a good time to get it as you metabolism is firing up and you’ll run on this later in the day) I love protein at breakfast because I am less hungry before lunch.


Here is a video with ideas about eating a snack an hour before a run and 3 ideas that each includes a healthy protein.

Here is an article by Mark Bittman and I like the guy for his simple style, ideas that involve less meat, and yet he is still eating right. He includes about 8 recipes in his article and beans given some attention as the powerhouse food they really are.
There are also links to some Mark Bittner food ideas on our face book site and as someone pointed out - he has started blogging for Runners World. Thanks Lori!

This link allows you to build menus by type and fulfill all the key nutrients in the process – it is free, but you have to register

This link lists what is in the meat and beans group and why you need it – along with a list of foods that will hold off anemia, or the low red cell count that gives rise to lethargy, low oxygenation and poor running performance.

Runners and athletes would want as many red blood cells (RBCs) as possible for best oxygen transport to your muscles. Recall that from a previous lesson that Coach Joe Vigil feels that many athletes, especially female athletes, need to monitor their bodies for signs of low iron or possible anemia. A normal range score of 37-43% RBC for hemocrit scores should be what you are expecting and a runner would be interested in being on the high end of this score for better oxygen carrying capacity. You can have your doctor test this blood value and including lean meat and beans in your diet helps fend off iron deficiency.

The Average American consumes approximately 3.6 grams of salt daily and current federal guidelines for sodium intake is 2.3 grams per day. The American Heart Association recommends 2 grams. What many folks miss at the cellular level is that both sodium and potassium are the two ions that your body uses every second of the day. While it is relatively simple to get your daily supply of sodium some folks do not get enough Potassium and you need 4.7 grams daily in order to function optimally. Having the optimum ratio of these elements lowers the incidence of cardiovascular disease and allows optimal membrane potential at the cellular level. Bananas, peaches, prunes, apricots, honeydew melon or cantaloupe, and OJ all contain good sources of potassium as well as whole grains, beans and many fresh meats.

Blood sodium must be maintained at a level of 135mmol/L and this value is typically easy to maintain without any dietary changes. For runners, the complication comes when someone would be running or walking slowly for a long time, while consuming a lot of water. This can create a condition called hyponatremia. While the article Responsible Drinking on the Trail (Dr. M Hoffman, Ultrarunning, March 2010) states that this condition has been responsible for five fatalities in the US and UK they also write that 30% of the runners at 2009 Western States 100 mile run, who participated in the author’s research, were positive for signs of hyponatremia.

For runners, hyponatremia means low salt. We lose salt in sweating and we can (with great effort) dilute the amount of salt that we have in our bodies by consuming large amounts of water. When you have a lot of water and not enough salt in the body, fluids begin to shift in your system and the results can be catastrophic and life threatening. You need not have a complete class in physiology to get a handle on how this works though. If you are sweating a lot, out for a long time, and throwing in the water as you go – then you need to keep your eye open for crucial signs of what is sometimes call ‘water intoxication”.

Dr. Hoffman list a number of Danger signs: [additions mine] “Your body would not lose the 2% of its weight you would expect on your longest run but would stay the same weight or gain weight during the run. Your body’s water is changing location and you’ll see swelling, [all over], but especially hands, feet, face – [rings and shoes may be tight.] You would see mental status changes as fluid causes brain cells to swell too. [This would look like stumble; mumble, fumble and you would have to look at their other symptoms to ensure you did not think - dehydration. Recall that people call this condition water intoxication because of the mental status changes you see in people.] This person may also feel sick, [feel nausea and be sloshing from all the water they are hauling in their stomach. Urine output would be beyond the “clear, constant and copious” realm that we expect in hydrated folks as the kidney are now doing all they can to solve a fluid overload condition.] This is an emergency medical condition that requires immediate attention and complications can include kidney failure.” [They need medical intervention and you take them off of water while you get them help.]

On a slight tangent but related to your groceries in garbage out theme, comes a question from a runner to the sports nutritionist at Runners World – you can view this online but I included the copy here as it relates to nutrition and is such a good question.

“Over the past couple of months, I've been having to go "number 2" during most of my morning runs. I used to be able to go before my runs without much of an issue. Now I try to go but nothing happens. I eat a healthy diet, for the most part, with fruits and veggies, and get about 30 grams of fiber each day; drink 60 to 70 ounces of water; and seem to get the right amounts of calories (2,500), carbs (60 to 70%) and proteins (100 grams per day). I run about 35 miles a week and I am 5'10" and 155 pounds. Am I just eating too much? Any suggestions? – Joseph”

Joseph, a few observations:
“You say you eat lots of fruits and vegetables and 30 grams of fiber per day. Certain fibers are more helpful with laxation, such as bran-type cereals. In addition, consider swapping one of your fresh fruit choices for four or five dried plums, especially at night before bed.
The recommended fluid intake for adult men is 125 ounces per day, at rest, and more for exercise, so if you are consuming 30 grams of fiber and not enough fluid, that may also be part of the problem; consider increasing your liquids intake.
And based on your diet breakdown (60 to 70% carbs, or 375 to 437 grams per day, and protein at 100 grams per day) your diet may be too low in fat. Fat is important as a lubricant. So you may want to cut the carbs slightly and increase the fat, through nuts and nut butter, or olive oil on those vegetables, or guacamole.
Last but not least: Before bedtime, try a small bowl of All-Bran, Bran Buds, or Fiber One with a few dried plums and 2 tablespoons of nuts. Make sure you have a large glass of water (about 16 ounces) with this.
Hopefully this will get you back to running your route, and not to the bathroom!”
Leslie

Have a question for Leslie? E-mail her. (Please write "Ask the Sports Dietitian" in the subject line.) NOTE: Due to the volume of mail, we regret that Leslie cannot answer every e-mail.
And check out Leslie's newest book, Sports Nutrition for Coaches, on sale now.

The item that I would say Leslie neglected to mention is something called the gastrocolic reflex. We all have this, but many choose to not tune into it. Once our runner, Joseph tries Leslie’s suggestions he will not be able to ignore it! Each day your gastrointestinal system sort of “wakes up” and contracts in a mechanical wave that we call peristalsis and this reflex occurs when food or fluid (often warm coffee or tea) first comes into the stomach. When you listen to your body, you’ll feel this occur and you can sit down to have a bowel movement right away, because your body has this preparatory reflex for a purpose. Following this hint from your gut will train your bowel to go before your run (or your race) and save you a great deal of anxiety along with improving your quality of life. Laugh, because it is good to do so – but then try it because it works.

I’ll have a few handout ideas for you regarding micro meal scheduling and training meals. Additionally, I will be reading a new book this year on nutrition and I encourage you to as well – it sounds great. Matt Fitzgerald’s Racing Weight – How to Get Lean for Peak Performance. There is very little on this subject currently and this work has already seen high acclaim from coaches in our sport, check it out.

Nutrition and hydration part one

Nutrition and hydration for running 2011
Groceries in, garbage out, blood goes round and round…

Performance is directly related to the type and quality of fuel that goes into the runner and when. You are an experiment of one; however there are some useful guidelines that will increase performance.

We are not on a diet when training – weight loss should not be a goal while taking on a new challenge like this. Listen to your body and be good to it. You may choose to modify some of your fueling habits to assist your running and this will help you in developing a fitness program.

Your doctor will suggest that 8 glasses (64oz) of water daily is a suggested healthy amount - I would use this as a starting point. What is the top end for water needs? Well, the armor divisions in Israeli (IDF forces) are allocated 2.5 gallons daily (10L+) in order to fight inside tanks in the desert. You are not up against this kind of challenge, and would clearly slosh a bit on your run – if you could run. Again listen to your body and be smart about things, slowly building up the amount of fluid you can ingest along with a balanced diet and you may find that you do well with 3,000 – 4,000 mL, or 4 quarts each day which is twice what the old standard is and your sweat test homework may adjust this number also.

Coffee – contains additional antioxidants but caffeine in particular stimulates early breakdown of body fats into free fatty acids and triglycerides which are substances that are used as fuel. It may also have a small effect in bronchodilation and stimulates respiration for some runners. USA Track and Field calls caffeine a legal performance enhancing substance, but you can get too much of this as well. Limit caffeine use, as more than 500mg daily is a diuretic and will dehydrate you and more than 200mg daily can affect cardiac function. The key words are small to moderate doses…You can get a table of how much caffeine is in your beverage, and further explanation of the chemistry here: http://runningdoctor.runnersworld.com/2010/01/


Your body will need 3 cups of fruit and 3 cups of veggies daily to get all of the nutrients you need for training. This type of nutrient supply is vastly better than a vitamin.
Liz Applegate PHD and Runners World nutritionist says “eat (smaller meals) every three to four hours to keep your energy level up and your brain thinking clearly. Start with a decent breakfast, even if it is in your car” she is referring to the fact that this is the meal many of us will run on that day and it is proven that this meal regulates the days hunger and metabolism. Plan ahead so that you can take in very small meals that contain good carbs, protein, good fats and nutrients for sustained energy. People ask me, “How do I do that, and fit in 6-7 servings of fruit and so much whole grain in a day?”

Two key things to think about here: First is an understanding of portion size. If we are eating 4-6 micro meals a day the portions are really small. They also have to be pretty balanced to get the good stuff to fit. So a recovery snack might have several good food groups involved and is less than half of what I would eat at lunch, in terms of quantity. Second is that old Steven Covey analogy about time management. He would pour sand into the jar as a representation of what is urgent in our lives - all the stuff we feel like we need to do, and then he would try to get the big stones to fit in that jar. We all know what happened, those stones did not fit. Not until he placed the stones in the jar first, did the sand all fit around the stones, and everything did get into his jar. He was showing us how to manage our time with what was important vs. what was urgent. Well our running diet is that way too and if the “stones” are your food pyramid items you can still get the “sand” or those other things into the diet too – and the more miles you run the more sand you can eat also!

I have also included resources on the site for “green” or “earth friendly” menu planning and vegetarian menu planning and you should know where I am going with this so that you are not filled with anxiety and continue to learn. I am not going to suggest that while you are learning to run that you also learn an entirely new way to eat. I know that will not work. I also know that I can learn from nearly anybody and that I have learned a great deal about how to incorporate more “stones” - more really nutritiously dense calories into my diet by learning from folks who teach us to eat more simply, and cook with more plants. It happens to be cheaper too (which is great, because with my mileage as it is now, I eat a lot) and I have found a few new family favorites this way.

One thing we’ll do in order to expand your experience with good healthy and fulfilling recipes is to ask you to bring in one of your own that feeds you well and feels good to run on, and then we’ll all exchange them to increase your recipe box. If you are unsure about what to try as a running recipe and do not ordinarily cook – then you can pick out a new thing to try with the runners world recipe finder listed in the links area.

The power of real foods cannot be duplicated. One example is Strawberries; the fruit gets its bright red color from antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which are found in other red and blue fruits and help reduce inflammation and counteract muscle damage from exercise. One cup of strawberry halves contains just 49 calories and nearly 150 percent of your Daily Value for vitamin C—don’t forget that they contain water – the base of any solid food pyramid.

Energy bars are OK for a quick fix but many contain lots of unneeded sugar too – limit the bars and do not replace real food your body needs now. Try eating ½ the bar as a rule and if you are still hungry go for whole grains (steamed in advance) or fruit/veggies.

Calcium is taken for granted and it should not be, due to the fact that your feet are hitting the ground harder and so many times each week now. Milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and the like all come in fat free varieties and this is something you use for bone density and support as well as muscle contraction. Please make sure you are not neglecting calcium intake.

Many runners add Omega 3 fatty acids to their diet and 1200mg of DHA & EPA omega 3’s are recommended. This is most easily obtained with a fish oil supplement or consuming salmon/tuna daily.
Just as water is needed to process all these good calories, oil and “good fats” are needed to process these colorful nutrients in your food. Antioxidants and enzymes that come from bright vegetables are soluble in these plant based, unsaturated or polyunsaturated oils. For oil - think plant based oils and these are fats you cannot do without, you just need a small amount.

Occasional treats are OK and a treat day is part of my training plan – it motivates me to run more. Enjoy life, not just your running! Just avoid treats as recovery food or pre-run food because many of these do not sit well (cause GI distress) or a sugar spike that will knock a runner flat or put them to sleep.

Before running you will need to have fuel on board. 200-500 Kal would be a minimum needed to avoid BONK on a long run. Eat a good meal two hours before a run and if you cannot do that get 200-500 kal as a snack - try to eat 30-45min. before your run.
Allow 30 minutes minimum for it to settle (you’ll have to experiment with your own stomach on this one, and be sure to document what works)
Document what does not agree with you and when is too soon to start running post meal. Think of the stomach wall as a sponge (if it is wet it can work well, otherwise you’re waiting for it to saturate before digestion gets going) Your stomach needs to be hydrated before it can move food out – so drink with your food and it’ll be digesting faster/more smoothly for running.

Within 30 minutes of running your cells need to be replenished with glycogen acquired from quality calories. If you do this appropriately it has been shown that much of this energy is actually stored at/in the muscle itself. The body converts energy to glycogen and stores it where it will be needed for your next workout which is much more efficient than your liver trying to supply all the energy for your next run.

Your pre-run body weight divided by 2 equals the number of grams of carbohydrates you’ll need to replenish yourself for recovery. There are 4 Kal/Gram of carbohydrates. While many of you have heard of low carb diets and KFC wants you to double down, clean carbohydrates is the largest percentage of what propels a runner. Ideal recovery foods contain some protein for muscle recovery and faster nutrient uptake & the research shows a 4:1 Carb:Protein ratio works best.

Examples:
Whole wheat bagel with peanut butter carrots and hummus
Apple with peanut butter, almond butter cheerios and milk
½ of a Powerbar or similar vegetable juice (V8 or like, but read for sodium level)
Low fat cottage cheese with fruit coconut water (new & trendy as it contains sugar. Potassium & no fat)
Low fat chocolate milk, 8oz glass
rice and bean burrito w/ salsa
salmon and brown rice
tuna fish and veggies wrap
hummus and veggie pita sandwich
fruit and yogurt smoothie (freeze @ night, thaw morning of run)
foods high in water are great after a run, satisfying hunger and offering hydration along with reduced calories.

Individual metabolism varies but recreational runners will burn anywhere from 600Kal/hour to 100Kal/mile traveled.

Water loss depends upon many factors but for best recovery you will need to replenish water stores right after running and in some cases (longer runs, over an hour) try drinking during your run. Heat and rising temps may cause you to need water sooner.

This bears repeating, perform a water loss calculation as part of your homework about yourself. Pre-run, weigh yourself naked. Post-run weigh yourself again and compare the values. Any pound of weight change multiplied by 16oz equals the amount of water lost during your run and you should drink the corresponding amount of water to replace your loss. On future long runs you can seek to drink some of this fluid as you are loosing it by sipping every 15minutes. During hot days and heavy sweating most folks need 16-32oz per hour of exercise or 3-6oz every 15-20 minutes. (If you gain weight during your run, you are drinking too much water – this is tough to do and somewhat self-limiting due to sloshing or GI distress)

During longer runs you may want to think about eating simple foods to keep calories on board and avoid bonk. Runs over one hour fit into this “long run” category. Runners traveling over an hour need 240Kal/hour to avoid bonk. If you try to eat – use simple, low fiber, no dairy foods and document what agrees with you. The maximum you’ll be able to use is 240-280Kal/hr so you are not replacing everything – just trying to maintain homeostasis.

Examples
Energy gels, Bananas, Fruit chews, PBJ sandwich on wheat, Gatorade, Pretzels, Chia seeds etc. and you’ll notice that I use a lot of real foods because of price and nutrient density

Many running nutritionists say 15-20% of the calories should be protein. This leaves 20% fat and 60% carbohydrates. Fruits & veggies, legumes and whole grains are “clean carbs” and you’ll eat a lot of these to improve performance. All of the above examples are pretty high in fiber and as you increase the level of fiber in your diet – you feel full longer and you body has more time to wring the nutrients from the food. You also become very regular and this is helpful for your running schedule as well.

Some elite ultra runners use 30% protein, 30% fat, & 40% carbs and are running more than 100 miles/week
Try to eat “5 colors” of food everyday – real colors from nature to give you all of the vitamins you need to keep running
Processed foods generally mean fewer vitamins, less fiber, more sugars and less beneficial fats. Few real foods are the color white.
Fiber is very important to the runner as it helps quality foods stay of board long enough for you to wring the quality calories out of them. Additionally theses foods contain complex sugars and carbohydrates that burn longer without a blood sugar “spike” or “drop” that hurts you mid-run or mid-meeting. Stay away from high fiber right before or during runs but try to change the daily amount of fiber to give you more & you’ll see sustained energy.

The food pyramid was revised five years ago and a model has been adapted for runners too. Note that the base is fluids – very critical to body function and digestion of every calorie.
Runners need 800ml (27oz) of additional fluid for each hour of sustained exercise. Two liters is considered a minimum staring point

Five servings of fruits and vegetables daily and at least one of these should be “raw”. 200ml of unsweetened juice may replace one serving

Three servings of whole grains & legumes daily – runners add one extra serving for each hour of exercise. Sport food (60-90g serving) may replace one serving

Four servings of Milk/Dairy/Meat/Fish/Eggs daily (100-120g raw weight) – same as regular pyramid

Three Servings of oil/fats/nuts daily (2-3 teaspoon) daily- Runners add ½ a serving for each additional hour of exercise, may be from any type

Only in moderation Sweets/salty snacks/sweetened drinks (includes alcohol) – Runners should consume with a meal & need to consider that these items may slow recovery

How many calories do you need each day? This is the basic formula:
1. Multiply your weight by 10 to determine the number of calories needed to exist – resting metabolic rate.
2. Add half that number to #1 for general daily activity like working shopping, and add/subtract 100 calories for sedentary folks or folks who chase toddlers.
3. Add calories for purposeful exercise. One hour of exercise may burn 400-600 calories depending upon activity and intensity.
4. Example: 120# person needs 1,200 in line 1, add 600 for activity in line 2, add 400 for their run in line 3. Total for daily intake equals 2,200 calories.

Plan your own meals by “stones” at www.mypyramid.gov and the number of free resource there is astounding.
A good calorie counter formula for running is available at http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-311-8402-0,00.html
A tool for how many calories/proper portion size is at http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304--11628-0,00.html
A recipe database for quality runner’s dishes is at http://recipes.runnersworld.com/homepage.aspx
A site with good food tools (calorie counter by food, nutrient facts, food journal) is at http://www.thedailyplate.com/ and this site has been further enhanced at livestrong.com
You will see Mark Bitman’s link and a vegan kick start link on the website as well and these offer recipe tools as well.

Read 15 foods for the runners shopping cart homework by Liz Applegate at Runnersworld.com, the link is also on the YMCA group site

More nutrition resources

Here is a new resource that works well with teh Runner's Time Management post of last week a business called "Nutrition Made Easy" will plan your menus, generate a shopping list, & help with servings - a life planner for your intake, personalized to your needs. Clearly this is not free but hey, it is truly priceless for the time crunched runner. Here she is:

Christy Haney, Owner, AFPA Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Nutrition Made Easy

1840 Locust Ave, Fairmont, WV 26554-1288
(304) 333-3977 - Try it!

Good read on nutrition

As a followup to nutrition I thought that I would post a link to an article discussing Chris Carmichael's coaching of Lance Armstrong. While many have their own opinions about this cyclist it is difficult to argue that he has received world class coaching over the years and his buddy Chris makes a great living doling out sound advice.
That said he is promoting a new book on nutrition and this author reviews some key concepts from this new work. Note the periodization is employed, just as we use this technique for training load and to build a runner toward a peak of training. Also note that the article sites several mini meals that are nutrient dense. Many of these suggestions will even stay down during a run (although I doubt I could eat a bowl of cereal while running, I have enjoyed a bagel and banana on the fly). Take this article as a good supplement and insight toward new nutrition/training tools.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-301--6686-0,00.html?cm_mmc=nutrition-_-2010_06_10-_-nutrition-_-DIET%3a%20Performance%20Fuel

Nutrition & Hydration for Running

Nutrition and hydration for running
Groceries in, garbage out, blood goes round and round…

Performance is directly related to the type and quality of fuel that goes into the runner and when. You are an experiment of one; however there are some useful guidelines.

We are not on a diet when training – weight loss should not be a goal while taking on a new challenge like this. Listen to your body and be good to it. You may choose to modify some of your fueling habits to assist your running and this will help you in developing a fitness program.

Your doctor will suggest that 8 glasses (64oz) of water daily is a suggested healthy amount - I would use this as a starting point. What is the top end for water needs? Well, the armor divisions in Israeli (IDF forces) are allocated 2.5 gallons daily (10L+) in order to fight inside tanks in the desert. You are not up against this kind of challenge, and would clearly slosh a bit on your run – if you could run. Again listen to your body and be smart about things, slowly building up the amount of fluid you can ingest along with a balanced diet and you may find that you do well with 3,000 – 4,000 mL, or 4 quarts each day which is twice what the old standard is and your sweat test homework may adjust this number also.

Coffee – contains additional antioxidants but caffeine in particular stimulates early breakdown of body fats into free fatty acids and triglycerides which are substances that are used as fuel. It may also have a small effect in bronchodilation and stimulates respiration for some runners. USA Track and Field calls caffeine a legal performance enhancing substance, but you can get too much of this as well. Limit caffeine use, as more than 500mg daily is a diuretic and will dehydrate you and more than 200mg daily can affect cardiac function. The key words are small to moderate doses…You can get a table of how much caffeine is in your beverage, and further explanation of the chemistry here: http://runningdoctor.runnersworld.com/2010/01/


Your body will need 3 cups of fruit and 3 cups of veggies daily to get all of the nutrients you need for training. This type of nutrient supply is vastly better than a vitamin.
Liz Applegate PHD and Runners World nutritionist says “eat (smaller meals) every three to four hours to keep your energy level up and your brain thinking clearly. Start with a decent breakfast, even if it is in your car” she is referring to the fact that this is the meal many of us will run on that day and it is proven that this meal regulates the days hunger and metabolism. Plan ahead so that you can take in very small meals that contain good carbs, protein, good fats and nutrients for sustained energy. People ask me, “How do I do that, and fit in 6-7 servings of fruit and so much whole grain in a day?”

Two key things to think about here: First is an understanding of portion size. If we are eating 4-6 micro meals a day the portions are really small. They also have to be pretty balanced to get the good stuff to fit. So a recovery snack might have several good food groups involved and is less than half of what I would eat at lunch, in terms of quantity. Second is that old Steven Covey analog about time management. He would pour sand into the jar as a representation of what is urgent in our lives - all the stuff we feel like we need to do, and then he would try to get the big stones to fit in that jar. We all know what happened, those stones did not fit. Not until he placed the stones in the jar first, did the sand all fit around the stones, and everything did get into his jar. He was showing us how to manage our time with what was important vs. what was urgent. Well our running diet is that way too and if the “stones” are your food pyramid items you can still get the “sand” or those other things into the diet too – and the more miles you run the more sand you can eat also!

I have also included resources on the site for “green” or “earth friendly” menu planning and vegetarian menu planning and you should know where I am going with this so that you are not filled with anxiety and continue to learn. I am not going to suggest that while you are learning to run that you also learn an entirely new way to eat. I know that will not work. I also know that I can learn from nearly anybody and that I have learned a great deal about how to incorporate more “stones” - more really nutritiously dense calories into my diet by learning from folks who teach us to eat more simply, and cook with more plants. It happens to be cheaper too (which is great, because with my mileage as it is now, I eat a lot) and I have found a few new family favorites this way.

The power of real foods cannot be duplicated. One example is Strawberries; the fruit gets its bright red color from antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which are found in other red and blue fruits and help reduce inflammation and counteract muscle damage from exercise. One cup of strawberry halves contains just 49 calories and nearly 150 percent of your Daily Value for vitamin C—don’t forget that they contain water – the base of any solid food pyramid.

Energy bars are OK for a quick fix but many contain lots of unneeded sugar too – limit the bars and do not replace real food your body needs now. Try eating ½ the bar as a rule and if you are still hungry go for whole grains (steamed in advance) or fruit/veggies.

Calcium is taken for granted and it should not be due to the fact that your feet are hitting the ground harder and so many times each week now. Milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and the like all come in fat free varieties and this is something you use for bone density and support as well as muscle contraction. Please make sure you are not neglecting calcium intake.

Many runners add Omega 3 fatty acids to their diet and 1200mg of DHA & EPA omega 3’s are recommended. This is most easily obtained with a fish oil supplement or consuming salmon/tuna daily.
Just as water is needed to process all these good calories, oil and “good fats” are needed to process these colorful nutrients in your food. Antioxidants and enzymes that come from bright vegetables are soluble in these plant based, unsaturated or polyunsaturated oils. For oil think plant based oils and these are fats you cannot do without, you just need a small amount.

Occasional treats are OK and a treat day is part of my training plan – it motivates me to run more. Enjoy life, not just your running! Just avoid treats as recovery food or pre-run food because many of these do not sit well (cause GI distress) or a sugar spike that will knock a runner flat or put them to sleep.

Before running you will need to have fuel on board. 200-500 Kal would be a minimum needed to avoid BONK on a long run. Eat a good meal two hours before a run and if you cannot do that get 200-500 kal as a snack - try to eat 30-45min. before your run.
Allow 30 minutes minimum for it to settle (you’ll have to experiment with your own stomach on this one, and be sure to document what works)
Document what does not agree with you and when is too soon to start running post meal. Think of the stomach wall as a sponge (if it is wet it can work well, otherwise you’re waiting for it to saturate before digestion gets going) Your stomach needs to be hydrated before it can move food out – so drink with your food and it’ll be digesting faster/more smoothly for running.

Within 30 minutes of running your cells need to be replenished with glycogen acquired from quality calories. If you do this appropriately it has been shown that much of this energy is actually stored at/in the muscle itself. The body converts energy to glycogen and stores it where it will be needed for your next workout which is much more efficient than your liver trying to supply all the energy for your next run.

Your pre-run body weight divided by 2 equals the number of grams of carbohydrates you’ll need to replenish your self for recovery. There are 4 Kal/Gram of carbohydrates. While many of you have heard of low carb diets and KFC wants you to double down, clean carbohydrates is the largest percentage of what propels a runner. Ideal recovery foods contain some protein for muscle recovery and faster nutrient uptake & the research shows a 4:1 Carb:Protein ratio works best.

Examples:
Whole wheat bagel with peanut butter carrots and hummus
Apple with peanut butter, almond butter cheerios and milk
½ of a Powerbar or similar vegetable juice (V8 or like, but read for sodium level)
Low fat cottage cheese with fruit coconut water (new & trendy as it contains sugar. Potassium & no fat)
Low fat chocolate milk, 8oz glass
rice and bean burrito w/ salsa
salmon and brown rice
tuna fish and veggies wrap
hummus and veggie pita sandwich
fruit and yogurt smoothie (freeze @ night, thaw morning of run)
foods high in water are great after a run, satisfying hunger and offering hydration along with reduced calories.

Individual metabolism varies but recreational runners will burn anywhere from 600Kal/hour to 100Kal/mile traveled.

Water loss depends upon many factors but for best recovery you will need to replenish water stores right after running and in some cases (longer runs, over an hour) try drinking during your run. Heat and rising temps may cause you to need water sooner.

This bears repeating, perform a water loss calculation as part of your homework about yourself. Pre-run, weigh yourself naked. Post-run weigh yourself again and compare the values. Any pound of weight change multiplied by 16oz equals the amount of water lost during your run and you should drink the corresponding amount of water to replace your loss. On future long runs you can seek to drink some of this fluid as you are loosing it by sipping every 15minutes. During hot days and heavy sweating most folks need 16-32oz per hour of exercise or 3-6oz every 15-20 minutes. (If you gain weight during your run, you are drinking too much water – this is tough to do and somewhat self-limiting due to sloshing or GI distress)

During longer runs you may want to think about eating simple foods to keep calories on board and avoid bonk. Runs over one hour fit into this “long run” category. Runners traveling over an hour need 240Kal/hour to avoid bonk. If you try to eat – use simple, low fiber, no dairy foods and document what agrees with you. The maximum you’ll be able to use is 240-280Kal/hr so you are not replacing everything – just trying to maintain homeostasis.

Examples
Energy gels, Bananas, Fruit chews, PBJ sandwich on wheat, Gatorade, Pretzels, Chia seeds etc. and you’ll notice that I use a lot of real foods because of price and nutrient density

Many running nutritionists say 15-20% of the calories should be protein. This leaves 20% fat and 60% carbohydrates. Fruits & veggies, legumes and whole grains are “clean carbs” and you’ll eat a lot of these to improve performance. All of the above examples are pretty high in fiber and as you increase the level of fiber in your diet – you feel full longer and you body has more time to wring the nutrients from the food. You also become very regular and this is helpful for your running schedule as well.

Some elite ultra runners use 30% protein, 30% fat, & 40% carbs and are running more than 100 miles/week
Try to eat “5 colors” of food everyday – real colors from nature to give you all of the vitamins you need to keep running
Processed foods generally mean fewer vitamins, less fiber, more sugars and less beneficial fats. Few real foods are the color white.
Fiber is very important to the runner as it helps quality foods stay of board long enough for you to wring the quality calories out of them. Additionally theses foods contain complex sugars and carbohydrates that burn longer without a blood sugar “spike” or “drop” that hurts you mid-run or mid-meeting. Stay away from high fiber right before or during runs but try to change the daily amount of fiber to give you more & you’ll see sustained energy.

The food pyramid was revised five years ago and a model has been adapted for runners too. Note that the base is fluids – very critical to body function and digestion of every calorie.
Runners need 800ml (27oz) of additional fluid for each hour of sustained exercise. Two liters is considered a minimum staring point

Five servings of fruits and vegetables daily and at least one of these should be “raw”. 200ml of unsweetened juice may replace one serving

Three servings of whole grains & legumes daily – runners add one extra serving for each hour of exercise. Sport food (60-90g serving) may replace one serving

Four servings of Milk/Dairy/Meat/Fish/Eggs daily (100-120g raw weight) – same as regular pyramid

Three Servings of oil/fats/nuts daily (2-3 teaspoon) daily- Runners add ½ a serving for each additional hour of exercise, may be from any type

Only in moderation Sweets/salty snacks/sweetened drinks (includes alcohol) – Runners should consume with a meal & need to consider that these items may slow recovery

How many calories do you need each day? This is the basic formula:
1. Multiply your weight by 10 to determine the number of calories needed to exist – resting metabolic rate.
2. Add half that number to #1 for general daily activity like working shopping, and add/subtract 100 calories for sedentary folks or folks who chase toddlers.
3. Add calories for purposeful exercise. One hour of exercise may burn 400-600 calories depending upon activity and intensity.
4. Example: 120# person needs 1,200 in line 1, add 600 for activity in line 2, add 400 for their run in line 3. Total for daily intake equals 2,200 calories.

Plan your own meals by “stones” at www.mypyramid.gov and the number of free resource there is astounding.
A good calorie counter formula for running is available at http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-311-8402-0,00.html
A tool for how many calories/proper portion size is at http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304--11628-0,00.html
A recipe database for quality runner’s dishes is at http://recipes.runnersworld.com/homepage.aspx
A site with good food tools (calorie counter by food, nutrient facts, food journal) is at http://www.thedailyplate.com/ and this site has been further enhanced at livestrong.com
You will see Mark Bitman’s link and a vegan kick start link on the website as well and these offer recipe tools as well.

Read 15 foods for the runners shopping cart homework by Liz Applegate at Runnersworld.com, the link is also on the YMCA group site