Fueling your body (not your body weight)

Smiling as we go into race week!

(Picture from 2018 St. George 70.3)

It feels great to know that we are finally approaching race week. Six months without racing had made me miss racing and I am so excited that we get to kick off the season with a half Ironman in Haines City, FL along with 15 of our athletes.

Although I'm most excited to dust off the rust and experience the hurt that comes with racing, I'm also anxious to see what my new training (thanks to my new coach - my first ever hired coach) has done for my body. I feel fit and healthy and I'm thankful to my body for letting me train for my races.

Over the past seven days, I've completed 21800 yards swimming (5 hours), 10:37 hours cycling, 3:52 hours running and one hour of strength training. Thank you body!

Throughout every session, I've made sure to fuel and hydrate my body to support every training session. Not only does this help me master my race day nutrition but I also view fueling/hydration as a way to keep my body functioning well during training stress. A common misconception that I hear from athletes/coaches is that workout fueling should be based on body weight. This is actually incorrect. In other words, a 120 lb female athlete can consume the same amount of calories as a 190lb male athlete during a long duration workout.

This is why the carbohydrate recommendations in my book are expressed in grams per hour (ex. 60-90g of carbohydrates per hour during a 3+ hour workout) and not expressed per weight.

Physiologically, there is no relationship between weight and how much carbohydrate your body oxidizes during exercise. Regardless of how much you weigh, exercise intensity and duration indicates how much energy (carbohydrates) you need to support the training session. Body weight doesn't differentiate between how much (or little) you need to support a workout.

Although your daily carbohydrate intake (outside of training) does factor in your weight and activity level, when you exercise, carbohydrate intake is based on intestinal absorption. Scientifically, it shouldn't be assumed that a 110 lb runner has faster or slower intestinal absorption of 50g of carbohydrate compared to a 200 lb runner.

Hopefully this helps clears up any confusion (and helps you better fuel your body). Because carbohydrate ingestion can improve performance (and health) during long duration and high intensity exercise, don't be afraid to fuel "enough" to support your amazing body in motion.
Here are some wise words written by my athlete Ericka on her recent social media post:

"Sometimes I get caught up thinking that "I don't need THAT many calories to get through this workout." Truth is I have never regretted fueling...and I mean really fueling. I've certainly regretted under fueling. Maybe not in the workout that I got through on minimal calories, but then I'll feel it in the next one or the one after that or in two weeks when I'm empty and I have to tap out.

When I fuel to fill the tank, I feel unstoppable. Not just in that workout, but the next one and the one after that and in two weeks when my body does more than I ever thought possible."

Two simple swaps for more real food

Over several years, I've slowly changed my lifestyle habits and moved myself more and more away from a heavy processed and convenience-food diet toward a very real food diet.

Some dietary changes happened quickly whereas other changes required a different appreciation and time to create new habits.

I really value what real food can do for a body, when it comes to health and performance so I've worked really hard over many years to make some swaps when it comes to incorporating more real food into my diet.

I'm not against processed food and don't cringe at the thought of "food" in a bag but I do believe that some foods, like well-fortified foods, help to keep people healthy in all parts of our world. And since I don't have an off-limit food list, I never feel guilty, anxious or remorseful if I eat something processed.

I have a most of the time diet and then there are foods that I eat some of the time/on occasion. The great thing is that neither one is a mass-marketed diet plan so I am able to eat intuitively and mindfully and it's up to me as to what I put inside my body and when.

And I ALWAYS feel great when I eat and even better after I eat.

One of the biggest lifestyle changes in adopting a more real food diet is breaking away from food that is bought or consumed out of convenience. Certainly, it is just as convenient to snack on a washed and chopped fresh fruit salad that you put together and stored in your fridge and combine with Greek Yogurt or a hardboiled egg, as it is to snack on chips, cookies and bars, but it takes a lifestyle change to make sure fruit is available. 

I really believe that something magical happens to the body when real food takes the main stage. With a more real food diet, there is flexibility so that no macronutrient (carbs, protein, fat) takes the center stage. I prioritize proteins and fats, alongside carbs that pack a lot of nutrient density and give me the energy I need to train consistently well. In my diet, plants certainly get the spotlight and I feel this approach is great for everyone to ensure that your body stays in great health with a variety of vitamins and minerals.

I would like to share two simple real food swaps that you can easily try-out next week. 

For lunch the other day, I had this beautiful stir-fry dish.
Would you believe that this dish only had 5 ingredients???
Mixed frozen veggies, cooked black rice, cooked jasmine rice and tempeh cooked in olive oil.

Instead of a fast-food sandwich or wrap, with the meat and veggies in the inside, let's turn that sandwich inside out and fill a bowl with lots of nutrient powerful ingredients and add a grain instead of the bread.
I'm not anti-sandwich but there is only so much "plants" that you could squeeze between two slices of bread.

This swap does mean you have to eat with a fork and not with your hands but perhaps this can be the start to a new lifestyle change of sitting down to eat - with utensils. And, if you have all these items prepared ahead of time, this dish takes less than 10 minutes to assemble and heat.

This real food swap is so simple.
Consider turning your favorite sandwich, wrap or pita inside out for a more plant-strong meal. 

Your goal is to combine lots of veggies, a grain/starch, a protein and a fat for a balanced meal. You can use any meat instead of tempeh and add any fat that you'd like inside of olive oil.

Ready for another swap?

Before an early evening workout this past week, I was in need of a snack. I had some cooked sweet potatoes in my fridge so I took a few out and drizzled them with a little honey and topped with a little butter and cinnamon. I then added a small handful peanuts for a delicious and nutritious pre-workout snack. 

Eating a granola bar or a sport bar didn't even come to mind as I had real food waiting for me for a yummy snack.

Ironically, as I was eating and thinking about the composition of this snack, it hit me that this pre-workout snack had almost the same calories, carbs, protein and fat as a sport bar! Plus, you save a wrapper by eating real food instead of a processed bar so it's great for the environment too.
WIN WIN.

1 sport bar - ~240 - 300 calories, 5-10g fat, 45-50g carbs, 5-15g protein

Real food swap:
1 cup sweet potato
1 tbsp honey (or 4 pitted dates)
10 peanuts
~240 calories, ~5g fat, ~43g carbs, ~5g protein

What real food swaps will you make next week?

Pre-workout fueling - part II

Pre-workout fuel

Training is your gut is one the most (if not the most) important concepts when it comes to perfecting your pre-workout/race snack/meal. Eating before every workout (30-90 minutes before) will not only help boost your performance (ex. time to fatigue, mental focus, recovery and energy production) but you will also recognize what foods work/digest the best so that you can use those similar foods, in a larger quantity, on race day.

Karel and I eat before every workout, every day in our season. Absolutely no workout is started without some type of pre-workout snack. 

If you aren't use to (or comfortable with) eating before a workout, start very small in terms of quantity and carbohydrates for 7-10 days by selecting the most appropriate low-residue food/foods that you feel will work the best, depending on the workout.

You may find that your pre-workout snacks may vary workout to workout and that is ok but try to keep it simple and have no more than 5 staple "go-to" pre workout snack items.

It is perfectly fine to add a little fat/protein (which do take a little longer to digest) but the idea is to prioritize energy dense foods that pack a lot of carbohydrates, without a lot of fiber or volume.

Overtime, you will likely develop greater gut tolerance to food before a workout, which is ultimately the goal for every athlete. Instead of feeling restricted by food, train your gut to accept key foods before workouts. 

If you ever hear/see an athlete who can eat almost anything before a workout/race and perform fantastically well without GI issues, well let's assume that that athletes has a very resilient gut. 

How much fuel? 
To help get you started:

• ~120-200 calories (~30-40g of carbs + a few optional grams of protein/fat) before a 45-90 minute workout. Consumed at least 30 minutes before the workout (although the quicker to digest, like a glass of juice, you may be good to go within 15 minutes - however, I still encourage time to get your body/mind warmed-up before the workout).
• ~150-250 calories  (~30-50g of carbs + a few grams protein/fat) before a 90 minute - 2.5 hour workout. Consumed at least 30 minutes before the workout.
• ~200-350 calories (~40-70g carbs + 10-15g protein/fat) before a 2.5-3.5 hour workout. Consumed at least 45 minutes before the workout.
• ~300-450 calories (~50-90g carbohydrates + 10-15g protein/fat) before a 3.5+ hour workout. Consumed at least 45-60 minutes before the workout. 

Always include at least 8 ounce water with your pre-workout snack to help with digestion.

I also advocate consuming sport nutrition (electrolytes, carbohydrates, fluids) during all workouts over 60 minutes (ex. sport drink or water/gel).

Pre-workout carbohydrate-rich fuel options

Some of my favorites to dress-up with a smear of nut butter and cinnamon: 

Saltines

Rice cake

Banana

Cream of wheat
Wasa cracker

Topped with:

Honey

Maple Syrup

Raisins
Granola

Other low-residue options: 

Rice or rice-based cereal

Puffed cereal

Pancakes/waffles from refined flour

100% Fruit juice

Soup (broth-like)

Refined bread/crackers
Grits/instant oats

Applesauce (or applesauce packets)

Cooked/soft fruits (or without the skin)

Cooked veggies (ex. potatoes)

You are probably surprised to see a few of these recommendations like refined food or juice because as I mentioned in my last blog post, these foods are not associated with "healthy eating".  But keep in mind that as athletes, we have to take care of our gut as we fuel for performance and despite some of these options not being "healthy" for the average individual in the daily diet, they are extremely easy to digest (and find) before a workout and can certainly help minimize the risk for GI distress/issues during training/racing. 

In summary, it is imperative that you understand how to separate sport nutrition vs healthy eating. and apply this concept to your daily life and workout routine. 

I hope you found this helpful as it is one of the most popular topics that I discuss with young athletes (and their parents) and during my nutrition lectures as well as when I work with profession/elite athletes and age groupers.  I find that for the "new" athletes, fitness enthusiasts who explain that they can't stomach anything before a workout or individuals seeking body composition changes, this is often a topic that is hard to apply as it is far from what society views as healthy eating.

I am all about real food whenever possible so consider my pre-workout options as "real" as you can get without compromising gut health.  Remember that your pre-workout/race snack should be easy to find, easy to prepare and easy to consume.  If you want to make your own options of some of these items, that would be fantastic but don't overwhelm yourself at first. I want you to make sure you are finding it easy to fuel around workouts so that you can dedicate a lot of your extra energy to preparing and consuming a very balanced, real food "healthy" diet throughout the day. 

 I am excited to hear how your next few workouts go with your new pre-workout fueling tips as you should be feeling lighter, cleaner and most of all, working out with an energized body that has a happy gut.  

Any questions or concerns, just send me a message via Trimarnicoach.com (contact page).