Filthy Clean Eating

In the last couple of weeks I have received some great questions, many around the topic of food. Proper nutrition is such an important part of every aspect of our lives: athletics, brain function, mood and even facilitating proper sleep patterns. While I do not claim to be any where near an expert on the topic, I'd love to dedicate this post to addressing some of the questions people have been asking about daily nutrition.


1) I understand what good foods and bad foods are, but I always backslide from my diet. How can I avoid this cheating pattern?

For me, this is pretty simple: I never diet. Dieting is temporary and when the diet is over old habits always return. Restricting calories or certain foods always seems to lead to injury from training without proper nutritional support. Bacon? Sure. Chocolate? Absolutely. What works for me is to eat foods in moderation- and this can be more sustainable over the long run. Total deprivation of anything is always temporary and good health should be long term. With that said, the less processed your food is, the better off you are. If it comes in a package, it probably isn't all that great for you and will do little to help you perform your best. If it doesn't look like it did when it grew in the garden, it has been processed. Choose whole raw foods including grains, fruits and veggies as well as local meats and dairy raised without hormones, steroids and antibiotics whenever possible.

Hand picking and freezing fruits and veggies is the way to go.

I also subscribe to the idea that even sweets can be part of a good diet- some are better for you than others. For me, no artificial sweeteners.  Ice cream with real sugar and cream, real butter, quality dark chocolate (sorry milk chocolate, no offense) and homemade desserts (made with a little less sugar than called for in the recipe) are all in the diet. Maybe I am just rationalizing my sweet tooth?

Homemade blueberry pie with hand picked berries. OK, so maybe not healthy, but it sure tastes good.

 
















2) I also have young kids and can't get them to eat the healthy foods that I like. I just don't have time to make two meals so I end up eating kid food that I know is not great for me. How can I make time to eat healthy foods with kids and a job?

The kids love having choices when it comes to their salad

I used to try to make two meals- one for my husband and me and one for the kids. Inevitably, I would run out of time and just make mac-and-cheese for everyone or wind up "momposting" whatever scraps the kids didn't eat. A couple of years ago I decided that it was time that the kids started eating OUR food instead of us eating kid food. At first, the kids did protest but they are resilient creatures and they adjust.

The kids love beets, grapes, peppers and cukes, pomegranite, nuts, and carrots.

 One thing seems to work well is creating a salad plate that offers the kids a choice. Try assembling veggies, nuts, fruits, cheese, and whatever we have in the fridge into small piles and let everyone choose from each pile what to put in their "salad". The kids each have to choose a minimum of 3 options- although they usually choose more than 3 now. I get a little of everything for myself and everyone is happy! Sometimes kids just want to be empowered with choices.

Voila, yummy salad with all of my favorite things.

The same can be done with sauces and other toppings for other dishes. For example, marinate or  grill chicken plain for everyone and then make a sauce that can be added separately for adults or adventurous children.
Once in a while, there is always a place for a little Annie's mac-n-cheese... with a little sweet potato hidden in it of course.



3) What nutritional supplements should I use?
Ideally, it is best to try to get nutrients from real food rather than relying on vitamins or supplements. There are a few exceptions, however. The first is vitamin D. Several studies have indicated that in northern latitudes (ie. north of Atlanta) it is impossible for the body to make sufficient vitamin D from sunlight during the winter. If you have ever wondered about the importance of Vit D, check out this article- it is pretty compelling.

http://www.innovativehealing.com/health-library/articles-by-liz/pilates-style-magazine/the-sunshine-vitamin

For most of us, 1,500 IU per day is appropriate but it is best to ask your doctor what amount is best for you.

Aside from that, I don't have a regular supplement regime. This summer, I began working with an amazing company that makes Simple Fuel and started using their products, which I have really enjoyed. If you are interested in an all natural real food-based supplement, I absolutely recommend trying this stuff. It has Omega's, fibers and antioxidants to help keep you naturally energized all day. On days when time is short and you are not able to eat all the healthy foods that you'd like, try the following shake using Simple Fuel:

 2 Tbsp Simple Fuel
1 small banana
1Tbsp natural peanut butter
a handful of frozen blueberries
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
handful ice cubes

Put everything in a blender and it is ready!


4) I am really good about making healthy choices for meals, but in the middle of the afternoon I get really hungry and I have trouble eating healthy. Life can be so busy, I get caught off guard and make last minute bad choices.

As someone who eats constantly, I can relate. Sometimes when the hunger button lights up and there is no decent food in sight, we resort to desperate measures. Whole, fresh food isn't always available. Let's face it, sometimes an apple doesn't do the trick anyway. I used to fill this void with bars. Clif Bars, Luna Bars, Powerbars, Builder Bars, etc. which are okay, but a little more processed than I'd like.

Here are a few quick pre-packaged options that are a little less processed and provide great mid-day energy. All are great alternatives to junky snacks.

1) Garuka bars (formerly Gorilla Bars). Garuka Bars are all natural and made with only 8 ingredients: Vermont raw honey, peanut butter, 7 whole-grain flakes, dried cranberries, brown rice puffs, light brown sugar, whole peanuts, and a teeny tiny bit of Vermont’s own Cabot butter.

2) Simple granola. I may be a little biased but this stuff is really great. Gluten free, all natural and raw granola. When you can't make you own, this is the next best stuff. I keep a bag of this in my backpack most days for emergency snacking. The snickerdoodle, original and crunchy are all great, I have yet to try the mocha chip and chocolate chip so those are next on my list.

3) Hammer Bars- In my opinion, Hammer nutrition makes the best of the prepackaged energy bars. Guten free, no refined sugars, and free of soy. The taste is good and it provides good clean energy.

Endurance race nutrition

One of the questions I hear the most regarding endurance and obstacle racing is "what do I eat"? Food is a hugely important and personal aspect of any athletic event. For many of us, what we eat can make or break our races. Unfortunately, sorting through all of the information available about race nutrition can be almost paralyzing. Here is what I have learned, but be aware that what works for one will be different for someone else.

Lani looking a little uncertain before the Tremblant

I learned this lesson firsthand. Well, OK, secondhand. Last summer my training partner Lani and I ran a 35K on Mt. Tremblant, QUE. This was Lani's first endurance race and she was nervous about her nutrition from the start. Normally, she'll bring a peanut butter sandwich and maybe a banana for a long day and this has always worked well for her. On this day she decided she wanted to do what I was doing since I had had pretty good success with proper fueling for distance events. With an early morning start, I am someone who opts to sleep in and skip breakfast hoping to extend glycogen storage a little, so Lani did too. Not all runners subscribe to this approach, and 15 minutes before the start 2 women who had participated in the event the year before convinced Lani that no breakfast would be a disastrous idea (while I was in the bathroom, of course). By the time I returned, she had pounded nearly a liter of electrolyte/carb/protein drink and was chomping on a Powerbar. Needless to say, her stomach fought back with a vengeance beginning at mile 3 and never let up. She was hardly able to eat anything for the entire race until she got her hands on a banana in the last few miles. I share equal blame in Lani's demise on that day. Rule #1- never, ever try something new on race day.

First and foremost, it is important to know that you will not be able to replace all of the calories, fluid and electrolytes that your body loses during your activity. Your body simply can't process food as quickly as it is burned, so inevitably your body will call upon its reserves to make up the difference. Consuming excess calories, water and electrolytes will not help you: it can actually work against you. So, with that said, here is what I have found works well for me.

#1) Carbohydrates- essential for me for any length of time over 2 hours. You can probably skip feeding for the first hour or so as your glycogen stores will likely carry you through this first hour to two hours. At 5'4" and 120-125 lbs, I generally find I can process about 150 calories in an hour. If it is really hot or I am working really hard, sometimes a little less. During an hour of less exertion, I might be able to sneak 200+ calories without distress.

My preferred choice of carbs are gels, specifically Hammer Nutrition gels, because they are easy to carry and easy to eat. Hammer gels have a complex carbohydrate formula that prevent all of the sugar from being digested immediately followed by a nasty crash about 30 minutes later. Many other companies have started using complex carbs- Gu, Clif, Powerbar are a few. Most of these products have a similar effect, so let flavor and texture be your guide.
Some people prefer to add carbs to their water- aka. sports drinks. These have the same effect, but be careful of the ingredients. Simple sugars process fast and can lead to a crash, while those with complex carbs process slower. I generally look for maltodextrin here as well. Hammer, Gu, Clif, etc. all seem to be making similar products these days. Additionally, many products that come premixed (like Gatorade) contain too much sugar per oz of water. You need water to digest sugar, and a ratio too high in sugar can prevent the body from processing excess sugars. If you must use a premixed simple sugar sports drink, consume equal parts of water with it and be prepared for blood sugar spikes 30-45 minutes later.

#2) Protein- For any event longer than 2 hours of exertion, you need to consider adding protein to your nutrition. At about 2 hours, your body will need amino acids. Without protein in your diet, lean muscle tissue can be cannibalized by your body to release these amino acids. To simplify, this will make you feel yucky and your legs heavy. There are lots of options for protein. If gels work for you, one gel that contains protein is Accelerade. Hammer also makes a couple of powders that can be added to a sports drink or consumed with water that I like: Sustained Energy and Perpeteum. Lots of endurance athletes I know prefer to consume their protein as real food including nuts, peanut butter sandwiches, energy bars, etc. Again, what tastes good is usually your best bet, but you want to make sure that protein is on the menu if you will be out for a prolonged time period. I go with 8 grams or so of protein per hour and that seems to work OK for me.

#3) Electrolytes- a must have to avoid muscle cramping. In hot weather you'll need more, but even on cool days electrolytes are needed. Lots of companies make a capsule electrolyte like Endurolytes and S caps. Others have them in sports drinks already. If you are going to rely on a sports drink, make sure yours has sufficient electrolytes alone. If they don't, you can also add powdered electrolytes like Nuun or powdered Endurolytes. The amount depends on the product you use and the electrolyte profile it contains. Generally, the product information will help guide you to a guideline for quantities that you will need.

#4) Proper hydration- regardless of duration, your body can't process food without water. How much will depend upon your size, needs and the climate. Generally, I find about 24-32 oz per hours works for most people under most circumstances. Overhydrating can cause unwanted problems just as dehydration, so be sure to train with water to learn to understand your body's water needs.

#5) Other stuff- for particularly long endurance events (over 24 hours), I have heard many athletes say that they feel that they need solid food. While there is no real scientific basis for this, a psychological component can be equally pressing. Here are some ideas that I have found are great additions when you are really in it for the long haul.

ENSURE- its not just for grandma. With nearly 250 calories and 10-15 grams of protein per tiny bottle, it is a fast way to get added calories, protein and vitamins with very little preparation, effort or stomach distress. I always knew my grandma was on to something. And it doesn't taste half bad.

Salted potatoes, salted beets, pretzels and bananas- all are good sources of carbs and easy to digest, and beets provide additional nitrogen which is thought to be really helpful.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars, energy bars, nut mixes- all have a nice mix of carbs & protein- a mini meal in one!

Branched Chain Amino tabs- many athletes I know use these to supply additional amino acids during or after long periods of exertion to avoid lean muscle cannibalization.

Bag packed with snacks and gear ready to go for my first Death Race

So, once you finish your race, how to you refuel your body properly? What about on non race days? What can I eat to help my body recover and function at its best? These are great topics that will appear in upcoming posts.