The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD March 2013
Despite their apparent leanness, too many runners are discontent with their body fat. All too often, I hear seemingly lean marathoners express extreme frustration with their inability to lose undesired bumps and bulges:
Am I the only runner who has ever gained weight when training for a marathon???
Why does my husband lose weight when he starts running and I don’t?
For all the exercise I do, I should be pencil-thin. Why can’t I simply lose a few pounds?
Clearly, weight loss is not simple and often includes debunking a few myths. Perhaps this article will offer some insights that will lead to success with your weight loss efforts.
Myth: You must exercise in order to lose body fat.
Read more »
The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD Nov 2012
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association; the nation’s largest group of food and nutrition professionals) recently convened in Philadelphia (Oct., 2012). The following highlights from that convention may shed new light on ways for you to optimize your sports diet and manage your weight
Protein: How much is enough?
Many athletes believe more protein is better. Not necessarily true, according to exercise physiologist Doug Paddon-Jones from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Research subjects who ate a 30-gram dose of protein (about 4 ounces of meat) had similar rates of protein synthesis as those who ate a 90-gram dose (~12 ounces of meat, i.e., a big steak). Because the body does not temporarily store extra protein as muscle, about 60 grams of the protein got “wasted” (or rather, burned for energy or stored as fat). Yet, if you eat only 10 grams of protein at breakfast (1 egg + 1 white), you may not have eaten enough to maximally stimulate muscle synthesis. Paddon-Jones recommends athletes target about 30 grams of protein at three meals per day. That means, cut your hefty dinner steak into thirds and enjoy two-thirds of it the next day at breakfast and lunch!
Read more »
The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD September 2012
“My 8th grade son runs cross-country. He is 5’6” and weighs 108 lbs. He thinks drinking Muscle Milk will provide stronger muscles and make him a better runner.”
“No matter what I eat, I cannot seem to gain weight. What am I doing wrong?”
“How many extra calories do I need to gain weight…?”
If you are among the few scrawny runners who have a hard time adding some muscle, you may be feeling frustrated you can’t do something as simple as gain a few pounds. For runners who are too skinny, the struggle to bulk up is equal to that of overfat runners who yearn to trim down. Clearly, genetics plays a powerful role in why some runners have trouble gaining weight (and keeping it on).
Read more »
The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD, August 2012
Protein is a popular topic among both casual joggers and competitive runners, many of whom are confused about how much protein they need, when they should eat it, and the best kinds of protein to choose. The following article answers some of the questions runners commonly ask about protein in a sports diet. The information was presented by prominent protein researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Convention (May, 2012). The session was sponsored by P.I.N.E.S, a global network of Professionals In Nutrition for Exercise & Sport (www.PINESNutrition.org).
Do some athletes need more protein than others?
Read more »
The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD July 2012
The American College of Sports Medicine (www.ACSM.org) is the world’s largest organization of sports medicine and exercise science professionals. At ACSM’s annual meeting in San Francisco, May 30-June 3, 2012, over 6,000 exercise scientists, sports dietitians, physicians and other health professionals gathered to share their research. Here are a few of the nutrition highlights.
- During a 46-mile (75-km) race, cyclists performed just as well when they fueled with banana as compared to sports drink. They drank about 8 ounces of sports drink or ate half a medium banana + water every 15 minutes during the 2.3-hour event. Time to start taping bananas to your helmet?
Read more »
“What should I eat before running?” is a question that I’m frequently asked. While looking through the “email bag”, I came across two queries from readers:
“I usually run 7-10 km (4-6 miles) early in the morning. Do you have a recommendation on what to eat before I run?”
Heather
“I’m training for a half marathon. In my last long run prior to the race, I experienced “hitting the wall” for the first time in my short running career. At about the 18K (12 mile) mark, my legs simply felt like “dead weight” and I really struggled to finish the last 3K (1.6 miles) even though I felt strong mentally and my breathing/cardio/heart rate, etc. were all fine. I obviously ran out of fuel / glycogen – a weird and helpless feeling. Even though I followed the standard rules of hydration and gel intake during and before the long run, I obviously need some additional advice on “carb loading” or breakfast tips and products/brands to consume just prior and during the race. My goal time is two hours and the last thing I want is for my “fuel” to run out towards the end of the race.”
An article on glycogen management for race day would be well appreciated.
Emanuele
Thank you both for writing in.
For runs up to an hour in duration: Assuming you do not have diabetes, a blood sugar problem or any other related medical condition, try running without eating beforehand. Many runners find that they can comfortably complete early morning runs of this distance without taking in prior food.
Read more »
One area where women runners differ from their male counterparts is caloric requirement. When running the same distance, men burn more calories than women due to their higher muscle mass and lower body fat.
A man training 40-45 kms (25-30 miles) per week requires 19-21 calories per pound of body weight. A 180 lb man training at this level should consume approximately 3600 calories daily. A woman running the same weekly mileage requires 17-19 calories per pound of body weight. Therefore, a 140 lb woman needs about 2500 calories daily to fuel her activity.
Carbohydrate requirement is another area of nutrition where women runners’ requirements differ from those of their male counterparts. Why? In addition to burning more calories when running, men utilize more carbs as fuel than women, even when running the same distance. Therefore, women runners need fewer carbs than men.
Read more »
The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD April 2012
Chocolate—Is it a bad food for runners, an addictive drug, and the instigator of dietary disasters? Or is it a health food, dieter’s weight loss aid, and effective recovery food for tired, hungry athletes?
I vote for the latter! Personally and professionally, I like to think of chocolate (in moderation, of course) as one of life’s pleasures. Here is some research that might be of interest to active people who love chocolate.
Read more »
The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD June 2012
Too many runners (males and females alike) struggle with food and weight. Their common belief is “the lighter I am, the better I’ll perform.” Not true, if the cost of attaining the perfect body is poorly fueled muscles, overuse injuries, and a dysfunctional relationship with food.
If you are a runner who struggles with losing those last few pounds, take note. Weight issues may have little to do with body fat and more to do with “I’m not good enough.” Haven’t we all, as runners, had that thought? And certainly, some runners struggle with the “I’m not good enough” belief far more than others. They are the ones who can easily cross the line into having an eating disorder.
Read more »
The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD Jan 2013
Being injured is one of the hardest parts of being a runner. If you are unable to exercise due to broken bones, knee surgery, stress fracture, or tendonitis, you may wonder: What can I eat to heal quickly? How can I avoid getting fat while I’m unable to run? Should I be taking supplements? This article will address those concerns, plus more.
Read more »
"The Seven Deadly Sins In Preparing for Your Race" Report - Download Your FREE Copy Here!
