How do I fuel if.....

Writing an article for a magazine usually goes like this....

I pitch a lot of articles to a magazine and a few (or one or none) gets selected OR a magazine reaches out to me with an article topic for me to write about.

Back in December, after I received confirmation that I would be writing three articles for Triathlete Magazine for the May (Fueling the Vegetarian athlete), June (Sport Nutrition - progressing from short to long course racing) and July (Common fueling mistakes) issues, I was asked to write a 2000-word, feature assignment for the March/April issue on "How do I fuel if...." with the following topics discussed:
-I don't have time to cook
-I'm trying to lose weight
-I'm (going) gluten-free
-I'm a female athlete
-I bonk in races

The article would include 5 different scenarios (each around 200-300 words or the equivalent of a short article) with specific advice, tips and suggestions for each topic, in addition to a sidebar of common-race day fueling mistakes. 

Not only was this the longest article I have ever written for print (essentially, 6 articles into one) but I had a two week turnaround with a very quick deadline as it was a last minute addition to the magazine.

While reading an article after it is completed is rewarding (and hopefully, it flows well and makes sense), the process of writing an article is not easy. And I think any writer can admit that sometimes words easily flow from the brain to the fingers to paper and viola, an article is written quickly but many times, writing an article is a tough process with a lot of mental struggles, either lack of creativity or difficulty getting anything done.

When I am about to write an article, I always do a lot of research before I start typing and this includes reading a lot of current scientific studies as well as learning/understanding what the masses (athletes) are doing, not doing or are most concerned about (or struggling with). There is a lot of thinking that goes into writing easy to read, easy to apply and easy to understand sentences. Finding a way to get 2000 words on to a blank piece of paper is not an easy process but I love the challenge of being a writer.
(If I didn't write, my brain would stay filled with words. Getting those thoughts on paper clears up my head).

While this article took a lot of time, energy and brain power, and several long days of locking myself in a room (with Campy - who is a professional napper) to work on this article, I loved the challenge of writing this feature article and I am really happy with how it turned out. 

I hope you enjoy the article and can take away something helpful from one or all six of my nutrition topics.

How to be a well-fueled machine
(2016 March/April issue)

If you need a more personalized approach with nutrition or have concerns about specific nutrition topics, be sure to reach out to professional who can help in your individual journey. 

Hypoglycemia in athletes

As athletes, sometimes we joke about low blood sugar. We associate it with being HANGRY (Hungry  + Angry) where we get very moody and upset until food gets inside our belly.
I'm sure you (or someone you know) have joked about a bonk that occurred while swimming, biking or running and how horrible it was when it happened but you had a funny story about how it was relieved with a massive amount of sugar/carbohydrates. 

Perhaps you have felt this experience before as the symptoms are very uncomfortable (and can be dangerous), while working out or racing. 

Hypoglycemia is an abnormally low level of glucose in your blood 

When your glucose (sugar) level is too low, your body is too low on energy to make your body function normally. 

Low blood sugar is serious and it is not a joking matter if it is occurring regularly. The occasional "bonk" is accepted when you are a high-performing athlete (and then you learn from it so you try to prevent it from happening again in a similar workout) but low blood sugar should not be something that you are trying to get comfortable with while training or racing (or in your every-day life).  

Know your warning signs when blood sugar is dropping so that you can immediately correct the issue with fast-acting sugar to raise your blood sugar. Do not reach for fat or protein as this will not raise your blood sugar once it has dropped. We use fat and protein, combined with carbohydrates, to help slow down digestion and control blood sugar levels at meals and snacks.

As an athlete, experiencing low blood sugar symptoms is not cool. It doesn't mean that you are becoming metabolically efficient, burning fat for fuel, losing weight or improving performance. It doesn't mean that you are hardcore or tough.
You are actually increasing the risk for serious health issues.

Athletes who improperly fuel/hydrate before and during workouts (and races), work out on an empty stomach, workout after going too long without eating or work out too long or intensely without adequate nutrition to support the effort are more likely to experience low blood sugar symptoms. 

As if this wasn't enough.....why should you really be concerned? 

Aside from these symptoms negatively affecting your physical performance and emotional state, hypoglycemia can affect the autonomic nervous system, which can increase the risk for overtraining syndrome. 

And even more concerning for athletes who intentionally or unintentionally struggle with fueling/hydrating properly around/during/before workouts, hypoglycemia induces a major stress on the endocrine system. When blood sugar drops (as a result of caloric restriction/inadequate fueling) before, during and after workouts, major hormones can be impaired. 

Prevention of hypoglycemia, through a healthy diet and proper sport nutrition/hydration timing, will not only help you perform better during workouts but will save the health of your thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, GI tract and other major endocrine glands. 

If you find yourself spending more than a few weeks intentionally restricting calories before and during workouts (for whatever reason), it is time to consult with a sport RD who can assist in your nutrition journey to ensure that you are meeting your metabolic needs while training. 

It's not cool to underfuel!