While the most elite competitive athletes have the luxury of a team of coaches, advisors, and dieticians to consult with on a regular basis, the average endurance athlete preparing for an event isn’t so lucky. That’s where Monique Ryan comes in. A nutrition expert who has worked with professionals for over 20 years, Ryan has recently released an updated version of her book, Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes. The lengthy volume is a thorough, well-researched, and invaluable resource, with specific advice for athletes with a range of dietary needs according to their sport and level of training.
Ryan has divided the book into three segments. Part I has a broader focus, with an outline of general dietary needs, regardless of sport or the intensity of your training regimen. Ryan clearly outlines different macro and micro nutrients necessary for daily living, along with their roles in wellness and the best ways to incorporate them into one’s diet. But the guide doesn’t stop at food – hydration is a key element to prime health and elite performance, and Ryan offers substantive information on the intricacies of maintaining adequate hydration, from the ins and outs of caffeine to the problems associated with alcohol consumption. This section of the book is bolstered by a number of quick and easy-to-read charts and diagrams outlining nutrients, sources, and recommended intake levels, making the science of nutrition easier to digest.
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For many of us, the importance of a balanced diet goes without saying; keep the vegetables, fruits and whole grains but toss the chips, cookies and beer.
Nothing in life can be that simple though, so listen up. Without the inclusion of a range of micronutrients into your diet your performance may suffer, but so could your memory, balance and energy. To help ward off any serious and long lasting bodily complications, a good starting point lies within the B vitamin family: vitamin B12.
One of eight water-soluble B vitamins, B12, also known as cobalamin, plays a crucial role in the production of red blood cells and myelin, the fatty insulation around nerve fibers, promoting the health of the entire nervous system. Like other B vitamins, B12 helps convert carbohydrates into glucose, which can be transformed into energy.
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Nutrition is an essential, but often misunderstood, dimension of any training plan. As a runner you are probably tuned in to the idea of carbo-loading, but beyond that - you may be drawing a blank. That’s why I am going to help familiarize you with ten foods that can help (or hurt) your performance.
For even more information on what and when runners’ should eat, check out: “Crunch Time: Optimum nutrition for runners”)
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Vitamins are called micronutrients because they are only needed in miniscule amounts. These micronutrients are what enable the macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein) to produce enzymes, hormones, and other substances that allow for proper growth and development.
Without them your diet is incomplete and you won’t be able to recover from training sessions quickly which could lead to injuries. As small as the amounts are, their absence from your diet can have severe consequences.
Understanding each vitamin, its functions, and source can be confusing. This article will make things easier and teach you the importance of energy-boosting B vitamins for an active lifestyle.
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This is Part 3 in my “Supplements Made Easy” Seriesfor runners and other endurance athletes. Make sure to also go back and read Part 1 and Part 2!
Shopping for supplements can be a daunting task, but remember to keep it simple and that supplementation will only help if you first help yourself by doing your best in giving your body what is needs via your food intake.
Once you have taken care of proper eating, you can move onto supplements. Keep in mind, everyone’s body is different and therefore supplementation choices that you pick should be as unique as yourself.
BCAA (Branched chain amino acids) include the leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are essential for aerobic metabolism and may have performance enhancing qualities for endurance events lasting longer then three hours. Lack of BCAA’s during endurance events could accelerate the breakdown of muscle glycogen and cause premature muscle fatigue.
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in the body and is usually used for strength training as a muscle recovery agent, but may benefit endurance athletes as well. Evidence has shown that in times of stress, like exercise, the body cannot produce enough of this amino acid. This has been shown to contribute to muscle breakdown, diminished immune function and reduced performance.
Supplementation with 6-8 grams/day of BCAA and glutamine has been shown to decrease protein degradation during ultra-distance triathlon competition, decrease exercise induced muscle damage after prolonged running, and has shown to improve performance in 40K cycling time trial performance Read the rest of this entry »
This is Part 2 in my “Supplements Made Easy” Series for runners and other endurance athletes. Make sure to also go back and read Part 1!
Below is what all endurance athletes and runners should keep in mind before buying supplements.
Stick to the Basics:
There is no better way to start then beginning with the most important nutrient of them all, water. Water is the most abundant nutrient in the human body and has a wide variety of responsibilities from delivering oxygen and nutrients to different parts of the body as well as reducing friction between joints to facilitate movement.
Remaining hydrated before, during, and after running and endurance events is not only important for peak performance, but optimal recovery and overall health.
GES (Glucose-electrolyte solutions) is just the scientific term which simply means a sport drink containing water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes. Research continually indicates that when drinking a solution with the appropriate amount of carbohydrates can help maintain your body temperature as effectively as water and may enhance performance during prolonged exercise. Read the rest of this entry »
This is Part 1 of 3 in my “Supplements Made Easy” for runners and other endurance athletes. Make sure to check back and read Part 2 and Part 3 later this week.
Lets face it, the subject of supplementation programs for runners has been unclear and downright confusing. There are so many of these supplements on the market to choose from and not enough precise information out to advise us on what we need and what works.
Studies are constantly being done to support or criticize older ones, along with a barrage of marketing from companies saying how their product is the one that will actually work for us. With all the ambiguity about the credibility of supplements, it is important to keep in mind that picking the right supplements is an extremely important issue for an athlete’s success. Read the rest of this entry »
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting the nutrition your body needs is even more important for those men who pursue an active lifestyle. However, the plethora of supplements in the growing market of male health can easily confuse any normal athlete.
According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition the special needs of men in terms of supplements lie in the following seven categories: Cardiovascular support, weight management, prostate care, sexual health, healthy aging, hair nutrition and stress support.
To help clear up some of your confusion, below are brief descriptions from The Vitamin Shoppe of the most popular male-specific vitamins and herbs that reportedly address these needs.
Note: Please be advised that anyone looking to significantly alter their diet or begin taking supplements should first consult their physician.
Cardiovascular Support
Read on for information about supplements that address weight management, prostate care, healthy aging, hair nutrition and stress support . . .
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