Halloween is almost here. Costumes, trick-or-treaters and free candy galore! What’s not to love, right?!? Well, that constant bombardment of chocolate and goodies may not be a good thing for those of us trying to avoid added sugars or sticking to some nutrition or athletic goals. Don’t let the abundance of sweets spook you off your dietary choices. Approach these festivities armed with tactics to fend off the Halloween candy coma.
Think before you chew: Consider more than just the calories & fat per serving! Amount of sugar is an important consideration as this could impact your blood sugars leaving you to crave more after just one. Also ask your, can I stop myself after just one serving? One Swedish Fish package is lower in calories compared to others, leading many to believe they can have more. Before you know it you have 3 packages and you have consumed more than the Reese’s cup you actually wanted. Pick wisely and remember to enjoy Halloween! Remember, health is about finding a balance and sometimes that balance includes candies, the trick is to find that balance in your overall lifestyle choices. The treat is obviously the chocolate! Happy Halloween! Alysha Coughler, RD, MHsC, PTS Sports Dietitian with Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management
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As the days are getting darker and colder as we move into the winter months, you may find it challenging to stick to a regular workout routine. Whether you’re lacking motivation due to the seemingly constant darkness that accompanies the winter months or you have difficulty staying active when the cold weather hits, we have tips that can help you stay on track. 1) Find an activity that you enjoy First and foremost, find an activity that you will enjoy doing. Whether you want to transition indoors or brave the cold and continue with outdoor activities, you need to be happy with your choice(s). It is way more challenging to stick with a workout routine if you don’t enjoy what you are doing. Find something you love and you will find yourself looking forward to being active! 2) Enjoy a variety of outdoor activities Don’t let the cold weather stop you from enjoying the great outdoors. Feel invigorated by the cool air as you skate, ski, or even snowshoe. If you choose to exercise outdoors, be sure to dress for the weather. Layers are extremely important to keep you warm and dry, and you can always remove a layer if you get too warm. Your bottom layer, the layer closest to your body, should wick away moisture. If you choose a bottom layer that traps moisture instead of wicking it away, such as cotton, it will stay wet and make you feel cold. Your middle layers can be used as insulation to keep you warm. Finally, choose a top layer that will block wind and rain to keep you warm and dry. Other considerations include wearing insulated footwear to keep feet warm and wearing a hat to trap body heat because the majority of heat can be lost through the head. 3) Move your workouts indoors If you’re like me and can’t stand the cold, there are many indoor exercise options to keep you busy through the winter months. Joining a gym is a great way to stick with your workout routine during the winter. You can either work independently, with a personal trainer, or participate in group fitness classes. If joining a gym isn’t feasible for you, many community centers offer free drop in fitness classes that you can attend. Check online or go to your local community center to see if they offer any fitness classes that interest you. Finally, you can find a local pool and swim indoors during the winter. 4) Set goals and stick to a plan The best way to stay on track with your workout is to have a plan. We’ve talked about workout options during the winter, but it’s up to you to find the one(s) that work for you and figure out how to work them into your life. One of the easiest ways to do this is to set SMART goals. SMART goals should be: Specific – What will you be doing? Measurable – How often or how much will you do? Action-oriented – Your goal should be something that you can act upon Realistic – You should have a confidence level of at least 7/10 that you can meet your goal. If not, consider setting a smaller, more realistic goal Time frame – When will you start? When will you assess if you met your goal? For example, “Starting Monday, I will run 3 km 5 days per week and I will check back in 2 weeks to reassess and consider increasing my distance”. Goal setting is a great way to stay motivated because it gives you something concrete to work towards. Do you plan on running a marathon next summer? Use the winter as training and set goals to help you prepare for the event. For more information on goal setting and reaching your health and fitness goals, read this blog post by Emilie. It may be more difficult to stick to your routine as we transition into the winter months, but you can do it! What strategies do you use to stay motivated and exercise during the winter months? Let us know in the comments below! Danielle Boudreau, MHSc candidate, Dietetic Intern Dietetic Intern at Ryerson's Nutrition Communications Program With the holidays fast approaching, it’s all about quality time with family, friends, good food and some relaxation. In addition to this, there commonly comes the act of indulgence and overeating. Many people pull out the phrase “I’m on holidays” as a way to justify the excess intake of food they may not consume on a usual day. That being said, there are many ways to enjoy the holidays, including taking comfort in some of your mom’s traditional recipes. However, the idea is to make sure these occurrences don’t become a habit that lasts from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Here are some tricks you can try to help combat the stubborn “food baby” that often pops up after holiday meals. Don’t skip meals. As much as you may want to skip or have a smaller meal prior to the big celebration, this could actually do more harm than good. Saving your appetite and calories just to gorge at dinner-time will more likely than not result in overeating. If you deprive yourself of food for too long before a meal, once the food arrives, your self-control will be out the window. This could lead to a plate (or 2 or 3) full of foods high in fat, sugar and extra calories that wouldn’t have been added to your plate if you had been eating regularly throughout the day. Have you ever had an overwhelming sense of hunger and reached for a plate full of vegetables? Most likely not. Plan your plate. This sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised how hard it is to make purposeful, healthy decisions during the holidays. First, wait until all of the food is set out before you begin loading up your plate. This will give you the opportunity to gage everything that is available and see what really appeals to you. Next, choose a smaller plate and utensils for your meal. A smaller plate will still provide you with enough room to fill you up and try your favourite holiday foods, but prevent you from overdoing the portions. Finally, start with your vegetables. How many family dinners have you been to where you get to the end of the table where the vegetables are and there’s hardly any room left on your plate? By choosing these items first, you will ensure that you’re getting your fibrous and nutrient-packed vegetables before the space on your plate runs out. Divvy up dessert. This is one of the best times of the year for dessert: pumpkin pie, apple crisp, mom’s famous homemade cookies; how can you resist?! But that’s the point- the longer you resist the harder it may be to say no, which could ultimately result in an overload of sugar when the craving gets too strong. The outcome of this rush of sweet treats to your system is a sudden increase of blood sugar and a quick crash soon after, leaving you tired, groggy and unable to participate in following holiday festivities. So instead of having a piece of pie, a scoop of apple crisp and some cookies on the side, try using the buddy system. Splitting dessert with a friend or family member will not only control the amount of added sugar you consume but also allow you to try more than one item, just in smaller amounts (because what’s Thanksgiving dinner without the pumpkin AND apple desserts?). Mix in a water. With celebrations and holidays often come alcohol and a lot of hidden calories from these drinks. And although you’re consuming calories, the alcohol won’t keep you full and satisfied the way that turkey or potatoes would, for example. In addition to this, too much alcohol can lead to an over consumption of foods high in carbohydrates, fat and sugar and quite possible a striking headache the next morning. To prevent this, mix in a water. By alternating a glass of wine, beer or spirits with a cup of water, you will keep yourself hydrated and slow down the rate of which you drink the alcohol. Consuming water can also be a good way to make sure you’re not over eating out of thirst instead of hunger, which is quite common. Bottom line, enjoy the holidays for what they are. Balancing the time spent with family and friends with the delicious food that accompanies that, will ensure a healthier and more comfortable celebration. Happy Thanksgiving! Ashlen Leonard, RD, Sports Dietitian Sports Dietitian for Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management About a year ago the WHO came out with one of the most confusing recommendations, that Deli and Processed Meats cause cancer. This led to many outrageous reactions due to something that was communicated poorly. Needless to say Deli meats and processed meats do not directly cause cancer but that it is highly correlated with increased cancer risk as I’m sure you’ve all read in Emilie’s blog post a while back “No! Not my sweet, sweet bacon!” back in November of 2015 (If not I highly recommend you do). It’s been a year since that WHO report came out and whatever your reaction to the WHO recommendations are; there are many good Health reasons to avoid processed meats and deli meats. But it’s not exactly easy, as it’s definitely created many issues in meal planning for busy families. Now with School resuming for the kids, school lunches may be causing your family a huge amount of stress as many people were reliant upon deli meats for school lunches or your own brown bagged lunch. Rest assured we’ve got some ideas for you to rely less on deli meats to help make healthier food choices for you and your family! Egg, Salmon or Chicken Salad No surprise that this is at the top of the list. Using healthier versions of Egg, Salmon or Chicken salad is a fantastic, creative and budget friendly way to make use of some leftovers or some canned salmon. Be sure to try some healthier alternatives to these classic recipes by using a lot less Mayo, reducing the egg yolk content of your egg salad, replacing mayo with avocado. SIDE NOTE: While Tuna Salad is a fantastic option, there are some things to be aware of when using Tuna. The first would be related to the Mercury levels in Tuna, so choose “light” tuna and look for Skipjack or Tongol on the label as it has less mercury than “white”/ Albacore Tuna. There are different recommendations on how much to have per week or per month for different populations: General Population: 150g/ week Women who are or may become pregnant and nursing moms: 150g per month Children 5-11 years old: 125g per month Children 1-4 years old: 75g per month Make sure you stay within these recommendations otherwise Mercury levels could build up in your body, which could lead to some nasty side effects, which is why I generally recommend Salmon salad over Tuna. salad Meatloaf Sandwich While this may sound odd, it’s actually a fantastic way to use your leftover Meatloaf in a fun way. Having a small cut of meat loaf with some ketchup sandwiched between two slices of whole wheat bread can be a lot of fun for the kids. Plus the meatloaf was basically the predecessor for deli meats anyways, but using more nutritious ingredients with less preservatives is a sure fire way to make sure you and your family is well nourished. Vegetarian Sandwiches It’s funny that everyone was so up in arms about the WHO report when recommendations to reduce red meat consumption for health benefits have existed since the 1950s. Either way Vegetarian sandwich options are a fantastic way of making sure you and your family are well nourished and having some of the best nutrition possible. Try vegetarian food items like Hummus, Falafel (which is super easy to make at home or readily available for purchase at your local supermarket) or to pack a high protein vegetarian option like Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt into your lunch! Homemade Chicken Lunchmeat Homemade chicken lunchmeat is really more fancy sounding then it actually is. You can choose whatever your favourite chicken recipe is and then just thinly slice either the white meat or the dark meat and just use that as the protein in your lunch! Plus using chicken like this can free you from the boring sandwich as well! You can use the same chicken recipe to put on a salad, some crackers, put in a wrap or a pita or just eat it as a snack on it’s own! PRO TIP: This is also a great way of getting rid of those turkey leftovers for when Thanksgiving comes around! Ditch the Sandwich! Lunches can get boring if you’re having a sandwich consistently, why not ditch the sandwich and try something entirely different that reduces your reliance on deli meats anyways? Try some amazing salads (Bean, grain, veggie, potato, rice or pasta based), wraps, pitas or even a smoothie! There are a lot of amazing options out there! Be adventurous and try out many other options because good nutrition and health is about balance and enjoying what you eat. In many situations this may mean changing up your normal routine! Ben Sit, RD, Sports Dietitian Owner, Founder and President of Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management In media, we hear about anorexia and bulimia but what about everything else in between? Disordered eating refers to a wide range of abnormal eating behaviours, many of which are shared with diagnosed eating disorders. The main thing differentiating disordered eating from an eating disorder is the lesser severity and frequency of behaviours. Skipping meals, following fad diets, calorie counting, fasting, binging and obsessing over the scale all are common behaviours. Emotional eating and binge eating are brutal habits to break. Many of us will experience some sort of binging episode at a point in time even if it doesn’t develop into a full blown eating disorder. The truth is that society puts pressure on us to look a certain way or be a certain weight, and we turn to experiment with drastic dieting strategies with major restrictions. These restrictions ultimately set us up to fail and binge on the forbidden foods. The trick is breaking that cycle and building a better relationship with food. 1) CHANGE YOUR DIET MENTALITY Following a black-and-white approach to nutrition, where certain foods are labelled off limits, is setting yourself up for binging on all those restricted foods. Many of us get caught up in counting calories and hitting macro goals our willpower gets channelled beyond its capacity. Instead, try to take a break from the counting game to set yourself up for long term success. Simple nutrition guidelines to try:
Know that you cannot break all emotional eating and binging in a single day. We all want that quick-fix but that isn’t the way we will ultimately be successful. If you have a bad day, don't freak out. A lot of the progress will be two steps forward, one step back, not a straight forward thing. The most important thing to remember is to stay consistent and use positive momentum to build new habits. 3) TRAIN TO GET STRONG, NOT SHREDDED A common trend among binge-eating habits is workouts revolving around burning as many calories as possible. The problem? This creates negative feelings towards working out, making gym sessions more like a form of punishment. In order to break the cycle, that negative mentality must change. Stop using workouts as punishment and start making them about becoming the strongest version of yourself. Don't worry about burning calories, and instead focus on your performance and what your body is capable of. 4) Stay off the scale Many people who battle binge eating also weigh themselves frequently. Get off the scale. That number does NOT indicate your self-worth. That number does not tell you what’s really going on with your body. It does not indicate your success because as there are so many factors that an influence that number, making it a liar of what actually is occurring. Instead focus on how your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror and the confidence you exude. 5) Learn to listen to your body This may seem common knowledge, but most of us need to relearn how to identify physical hunger. Our body’s signals can often become muddled amidst our emotions, schedule and social life. When you eat, try slowing it down and savouring your food. Listen to your body’s signals and identify when you’re satisfied. Make an effort to stop eating when you’re satisfied, but not overly stuffed. Eat the foods that make you feel best and cut back on those that don’t. Learn to identify physical hunger as your body is smart and can tell you exactly what it needs. Alysha Coughler, RD, Sports Dietitian, MHSc, PTS Sports Dietitian at Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management Goal setting is a critical part of enhancing your fitness and/or performance. It can be anything from working towards getting a PR in your next road race, losing inches on your waist, or simply feeling better. Planning out the finer details of your personal goals is essential. If you don’t map out your route, chances are you won’t get to the finish line. If you are having a tough time doing what you set out to accomplish, below could be some reasons why and how to work through them: Your goal is too far-fetched Sure we’d all love a six pack of abs for breakfast, but if you are not prepared to do what is necessary to get those ripples then the dream won’t come true. Be honest and ask yourself “Is this goal realistic for me?”. Consider your life (work, social circles, time, skills) and what is possible. Base your goals around what you can control in your world. Otherwise you risk setting yourself up for failure. No plans on how to “get there” If I want to increase my running speed but have no plans on how I’m going to do it except for “run more”, chances are I won’t be successful. You have to consider what is needed in order to hit your goal. For example, if your goal is weight loss, assess what areas in your life may need adjusting such as your diet, activity level, sleep, or social life and focus on enhancing that area to support your goal. Not setting action plans Do you ever feel like you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but not the steps that will get you there? Setting small action plans will help to guide you in achieving your overall goal. Use the SMART approach to fine tune your action plans: Specific: When will you start this goal, what will you focus on? Measurable: How often, how much, what will you track and how? Action-Oriented: Focus on a behaviour that you can change Realistic: Set small goals that are achievable. Ask yourself if you can see yourself completing this goal Time-Frame: What is the timeline you are giving yourself? Here is an example using the SMART technique. If your goal is to lose weight and you’d like to work on increasing your vegetable intake, your action plan might look like this: Starting this week I will increase my vegetable intake to 4 servings daily split between lunch and supper 5 days per week. One of those servings will be a dark green. I will do this for the next 4 weeks and reassess. Not planning for road blocks It is important to be prepared for anything that gets thrown your way. Going about your day expecting nothing to get in the way of your set plan is not realistic. If you know your schedule is chaotic, prepare food at the beginning of the week to ensure you have healthy meals on hand. If you are busy during your usual workout time, plan ahead and exercise at another time in the day. If you are away for work or holidays, map out the area you will be staying in for healthy food options and physical activity opportunities. Too much on your plate When a goal is set, we tend to pool all our efforts at the beginning and give 110%. Don’t overdo it by changing everything about your lifestyle. Allow yourself a reasonable amount of flexibility. Plan when you might treat yourself during the week. This will allow you to safely indulge and won’t throw you completely off track. Not thinking long term In order to make a goal successful you must ask yourself; is this something I can see myself achieving? Can I maintain this for the next month, 6 months, whole year? If the answer is no, you might need to go back and assess what is doable for you. A Sports Dietitian is skilled in guiding you through setting realistic goals and appropriate action plans as they relate to your eating and fitness goals. Connect with a Sports Dietitian today! Emilie Trottier, BASc, RD, Sports Dietitian Sports Dietitian with Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management There is so much nutrition and health information floating around these days all over the place. Everyone seems to have a say on what is right and true to be successful at reaching your goals. But sometimes this information doesn’t line up with each other. What do you do? Who do you listen to? Have no fear, we are here to bust some of the top nutrition “facts” and “myths” that have you confused. Myth or Fact? Protein powder supplements are the be-all, end-all essential to post-workout for recovering. Without protein powder post-workout, your sweat has gone to waste.
Myth or Fact? Coconut water is equal or superior to a traditional sports beverage as a fluid & electrolyte replacement after an intense endurance cardio training session
Myth or Fact? Vitamin supplements give you energy for physical activity
Myth or Fact? Eating after 7pm will lead to weight gain.
Alysha Coughler, RD, MSHc, PTS Registered Dietitian with Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management References Examine. (2015). Protein Supplements. Retrieved 2 May 2016 from http://examine.com/supplements/Protein+Supplement/ Gluck, M., Venti, C., Salbe, A., Krakoff, J. (2008). Nighttime eating: commonly observed and related to weight gain in an inpatient food intake study. Am Society of Clin Nutr, 88(4): 900-905. https://www.nestlenutrition-institute.org/resources/library/Secured/sportFocus/Documents/SportFocus20/Summer-addition-Top-10-Sports-Nutrition-Myths.pdf Kalman, D., et al. Comparison of coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in exercise-trained men. Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012 Jan 18;9(1):1. Marcason, W. (2011). Is there evidence to support the claim that a gluten-free diet should be used for weight loss? J of the Amer Diet Assoc, 111(11): 1785-1786. Wild, D., Robins, G., Burley, V., Howdle, P. (2010). Evidence of high sugar intake, and low fibre and mineral intake, in the gluten-free diet. Aliment Pharm & Therapeut, 22(4): 573–581. Nisevich, P. MSc, RD (2014) http://www.runnersworld.com/fuel-school/is-coconut-water-better-for-runners-than-sports-drink Sacks FM, Bray GA, Carey VJ, et al. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. N Engl J Med. 2009;360:859-73. Willet, W (2015). http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/weight-control/ As you should all know by now, a Sports Dietitian is very different than a Registered Dietitian. Sports Dietitians are Registered Dietitians that have received additional training and have specialized in sports and physical activity. This is a really important difference as the body processes and uses the nutrition you get from your food and supplements differently when your body is physically active. Furthermore, everyone is different and therefore needs different nutritional recommendations. Knowing this, there are differences in the information that a Sports Dietitian needs for your initial assessment in order to make the best-customized nutritional recommendations for you. Here’s a list of things that you need to prepare before your first assessment with a Sports Dietitian: Basic Info The Basic Info includes your age, height, weight (Measured first thing in the morning after you pee), food allergies, intolerances, religious or cultural practices involving food, past medical history and any medications, including birth control for women. Now for me, I also like to take your current clothing sizes because weight can be very tricky in athletes. Athletes usually have a body composition higher in muscle mass, which weighs much more than fat does. Current clothing size gives a lot of information and will continue to give a lot of information as you work with your Sports Dietitian. One other thing to consider is which notch you’re currently using on your belt; this can give us a lot of information too, especially if you prefer baggy clothes. For women, clothing or dress sizes are a bit tricky, especially since leggings are so popular now and will ultimately depend on the brand. Pick one outfit, preferably with jeans or dress pants, and write down those clothing sizes. Remember that outfit because that’s the outfit we’ll be comparing to. Supplements Athletes usually take many supplements to help them improve their performance, this includes protein powders, protein bars, multivitamins and even herbal supplements. Not all supplements are created equal! Some supplement brands have a really bad reputation of not having their product match the ingredient list or the health claims that are made on the label. Some other supplements may have banned substances in them, so it’s best to either bring a list of the supplements or you could easily take photos of the front and back labels on your phone. Your Sports Dietitian will make sure the supplements you’re taking are safe and effective. If not, they will definitely work together with you to pick out the best Sport Supplement for you. Sport/ Workout Schedule Athletes usually have a pretty set schedule as to when they work out or train. Providing your Sports Dietitian with your training schedule will help the Sports Dietitian best time your meal intakes to fuel your training sessions and to help you recover from your workout or training session better. It’s also really helpful to know what the purpose of the training session is. For example, a hockey player may have a training session focusing on stick handling or speed skating; these are very different training goals and have to be fed differently. Or you might be a runner, knowing if it’s a hills training session, tempo run or speed run would also help the Sports Dietitian know how to best feed you. It’s also best to make an honest note of your Perceived Rate of Exertion on a scale of 1 to 10. Different workout intensities create different nutritional needs as different intensities use different energy pathways in the body that requires different feeding targets. Knowing the Perceived Rate of Exertion will help the Sports Dietitian make better recommendations. Past History with your Sport It’s most likely that you’ve been active in your sport for some time before seeing a Sports Dietitian to help bring you to the next level, so it’s important to bring that information to the appointment. Whether you’re a Body Builder or a Gymnast, it’s important to know how long you’ve been active in your sport for. Athletes develop something called muscle maturity, which can affect how effectively your body uses nutrients and calories. Typically, the longer you’ve been active in your sport, the more muscle maturity you have. This can mean that your muscles have become more efficient at using calories, which will make a huge difference in the food targets that your Sports Dietitian sets for you. Since athletes are so unique and different, it takes a long time to establish exactly what works best for you and your athletic performance. Sports Dietitians need long-term data in order to see trends and patterns in your competitive results. For example, a cross-country runner or a swimmer may have race and training data from the previous season. It’s important to bring this data in because the Sports Dietitian will work together with you to get your body ready for competitions by trying different Sports Nutrition strategies at different times to see what works best for you. Past Injuries Many athletes have experienced some form of injury at some point in their career, it’s important to share this with your Dietitian. The type of injury can indicate a different nutritional issue that needs to be addressed. For example, many runners tend to get shin splints, cramps and knee of lower back injury. These can all tell very different stories as to what the athlete needs in their diet to prevent these injuries from occurring again because an injury can mean the end of your competitive season! Athletic Season It’s not likely that you’ll get to cover your entire athletic season in the first or second assessment with your Sports Dietitian but it’s a good idea to bring a schedule of your athletic season to your first assessment. Sports Nutrition goes through periodization to match your athletic season. For example, a Triathlete training for their first Ironman race will need different nutritional recommendations at different points of their training schedule. This is to best support the training as well as to get your body in the best shape possible for race day. For Physique competitors and Body Builders, this is to best plan and match which phase you’re currently training in because the nutritional goals for a bulk are extremely different than a cut phase. Furthermore, there are different nutritional goals in the competitive season versus the off-season. Make sure you let your Sports Dietitian know if you’re in your competitive season or if you’re in the off-season. As you can see from the list above there’s a lot of information that a Sports Dietitian needs in order to help you reach your maximum potential in your sport. Giving more information could mean the difference between First or Second place. Remember, everyone is different and so are their needs. The more information you bring the better your Sports Dietitian will understand your unique nutritional needs. Also remember that the most effective time to see a Sports Dietitian is in your off season as it’s very likely that they will need to get in touch with your coach to see what their goals are for you for the upcoming season and believe it or not, the off season is the best time to reach those goals in order to ensure you have the best competitive season possible. Once you start working with a Sports Dietitian keep in mind that you’ll likely be working with them for the entire season, so the better your Sports Dietitian knows you and your unique needs the better you’ll perform! Benjamin Sit, RD, Sports Dietitian President and Founder of Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management We have officially entered running season. It’s not uncommon at this time of year to see advertisements for charity races with their associated road closures, bright clothing whizzing past you on the side walk, or someone belting from behind you “RUNNER ON YOUR LEFT!”. You yourself may be one of these seasonal runners. And you may have noticed that you are not up to the same distance you once ran, or reaching the same km/hr you did when you finished your 2015 season. It can be frustrating, but with proper nutrition you can see drastic improvements to your performance. As a dietitian, I’m biased. Of course I am going to say that nutrition is THE key to enhancing performance. Running is a sport that requires a great deal of energy, and depending on they type of running you do, it will influence your metabolic needs. For those that are new to running or if you are working on increasing your distance or improving speed, here are some key areas to consider: Pre workout nutrition During your run, you will be using primarily carbohydrates, some fat, and little protein for energy. That means that your pre workout meal should be richer in carbs and moderate in fat and protein. If you are a morning runner and are trying to reduce body fat or weight, exercising in a fasting state may help you achieve results but this is not advised for everyone as some people may react negatively to running on an empty stomach. If your goal however is to increase distance or speed, do your body a favour and fuel beforehand. Quick and easy options could be a banana with peanut butter or yogurt with berries. Avoid the high-fat, protein rich meals as these take longer to digest. There is no worse feeling than doing speed intervals on a full stomach and reuniting with your previous meal. During your workout If you are exercising for under an hour, there is no need to fuel during your workout. For intense exercise lasting more than an hour, eating carbohydrate rich sources may help extend time to exhaustion and may improve performance. Post workout nutrition You have just finished a grueling workout and have likely gone through a good chunk of your stored carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen). This is the time to consume a meal that has a balance of all three macronutrients; complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats. An example would be a chicken breast with brown rice, steamed veggies, and avocado, or a smoothie that has fruit, greek yogurt, and some nut butter. Even if your goal is weight loss or body fat reduction, never go without your post workout meal. Also avoid having the “green salad with chicken” meal. If your glycogen stores are depleted your body will start using your existing muscle tissue for energy. Now is the time to eat your carbs, people! Fluid Fluid intake during exercise should match losses. The easiest way to know how much fluid you need is to weigh yourself before and after your run. Fluid loss of only 2% can impact performance. For every pound of weight loss, runners should take an extra 2-3 cups of fluid gradually over the course of the day. If you are running for more than 60 minutes, you will need to consume fluid every 15 minutes anywhere from ½ a cup to 1 ½ cups. This will all be dependent on your intensity, type of training, and weather conditions. If you are feeling thirsty during your run, you are likely dehydrated. Timing Timing your eating is by far the most challenging part. I have to say I struggle in this area because, let’s face it, life gets in the way! Everyone’s tolerance and digestive capabilities are different. For your pre workout snack, aim to eat 2-4 hours before your run, as you want the nutrients in that food to be readily available for you during your workout. You may find that certain foods agree with your body better than others. Obvious signs to look out for are cramping, indigestion, gas, nausea, or feeling like you have to go to the washroom stat. It’s a game of trial and error. As for post workout nutrition, aim to have your meal within an hour of finishing your run. That being said, everyone is different and this advice may not always apply to everyone. If you’re looking for a more individualized and custom nutrition plan, link up with a Sports Dietitian who can help you maximize your potential. Happy Eating! Emilie Trottier, RD, Sports Dietitian Sports Dietitian at Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management As the prevalence of obesity and overweight peaks nationally and worldwide, the need for effective dietary treatments has become a primary public health concern. There’s a question we hear almost daily as a dietitian and personal trainer: “Why can’t I lose weight when I’m working out every day?”. Exercise is important, but won’t be the magic solution. The truth is, you cannot out train a crappy diet! Research shows that diet controls approximately 75-80% of weight loss. Not to say that exercise is any less of a factor as it helps build metabolism and develop lean muscle mass for long-term weight management. Diet can also be one of the most confusing parts of the puzzle with some much information available online. To address these weight issues, a number of diets that manipulate our basic macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, protein) have increased in popularity as a means to promote weight loss. Three predominant diets, each with a different macronutrient composition, have been commonly used for weight loss in overweight and obese populations. Among these diets are low-fat (fat-restricted), low-carbohydrate (carbohydrate-restricted) and high-protein diets. Many old school, conventional dietary approaches have focused on the use of low-fat and energy deficit diets to induce and maintain weight loss. These low-fat diets have primarily focused on reducing total dietary fat intake to less than 30% of calories consumed. However, in recent years, the use of many low-carbohydrate diets for rapid weight loss have become the focus increasingly. While several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets on short-term weight, numerous professional organizations have expressed concerns about various adverse health outcomes associated with these diets. In addition, findings from studies assessing the long-term efficacy of low-carbohydrate diets have been inconsistent, lacking evidence to support long term weight management which is ultimately the primary goal. Recent research attention has been focused on the use of high-protein diets to promote weight loss in overweight and obese populations. Studies have proposed that due to the nature of high-protein diets, there is an increase in satiety and thermogenesis that serves to assist in inducing weight loss. The effectiveness of dietary interventions with varying macronutrient compositions on weight loss in overweight and obese individuals remains debatable as study results have been inconsistent. While some studies have found that different dietary macronutrient compositions can significantly impact weight loss, some studies have reported a lack of statistically significant differences between these diets. In recent years, the need for more long-term studies has been emphasized due to the poorly understood efficacy of these dietary regimens. Most studies find no significant differences in long-term weight loss. The only exception to this finding was in some studies showing low carbohydrate diets yielded a significantly greater weight loss than the balanced diet at 12 months. Based on a qualitative assessment, a great deal of other variables existed between the studies in regards to the study population, study duration, timing of follow-up measurements, study protocol and dietary composition, making in next to impossible to actually compare the results of the studies. The notion of an ideal combination of macronutrients for weight loss has not been supported time and time again. Due to the success seen in high-protein, a potential strategy for treatment may be to implement higher protein intake initially, to ensure individuals are able to achieve visible results at the onset of treatment. In this way, participants may be more motivated to continue with their dietary regimen in the future. From this conclusion, it can be suggested that nutrition interventions designed to assist overweight and obese individuals to achieve their weight loss goals should focus on:
Alysha Coughler, RD, Sports Dietitian, MHSc Sports Dietitian and Personal Trainer with Evolved Sport and Nutrition Complete Lifestyle Management |
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