A Guide To Diet and Nutrition for Runners

Following a good diet is essential for any athlete. But, the definition of a “good diet” differs based on what activity you choose and how often you do it. Running is no exception to this.

There are several schools of thought as to which diet is best for runners. The diet you choose will have a lot to do with your goals, too. Long distance runners such as those who run marathons and ultra marathons have a need for a higher amount of carbohydrates than a runner who only goes short distances.

So when deciding on what type of diet you should eat, you need to keep in mind your level of activity and your overall goals. Failure to eat enough calories can actually result in injury and cause you to not perform your best. Here are some guidelines.

The Importance of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are very important for runners, especially for those who regularly run long distances. The body converts carbohydrates into glycogen which is stored in the muscles and used for fuel during activity. But after a while, those glycogen stores get depleted.

That is why it is important for runners to eat a good amount of carbohydrates. When running long distances, it is also a good idea to take along something that is high in simple carbohydrates, such as sports drinks and gels. Once the glycogen in your body is depleted, you will need to replace it with extra carbs.

Maintaining Electrolyte Balance

Runners sweat a lot. When this happens, valuable minerals are lost, namely potassium. The term “electrolytes” refers to the balance in your body between sodium and potassium. A deficiency in potassium can result in problems such as muscle cramping, which can affect your running.

It is important to replace these electrolytes while running. Sports drink is an essential product to have on hand. Drink a bottle about an hour before each run and try to sip on it while running. It also makes a great after run drink. The sooner you replace lost carbohydrates and electrolytes, the easier it will be for your body to recover quickly from your run. Sports gels are also a good alternative to sports drink, just make sure you drink water with it.

Adequate Fluid Intake

Dehydration can be a big problem for runners, especially when running in hotter temperatures. Not drinking enough water throughout the day and during a long run can be dangerous. Dehydration is a serious condition and one that can land you in the hospital. To prevent it, drink water throughout the day and before and during your runs. You may also want to consume some sports drink to help replace electrolytes.

Find What Works

After you run for a while, you will start to understand what works for you. People develop their own pre run and post run rituals. They also find that they crave certain foods that they need, such as bread and pasta.

The important thing to do is listen to your body. Follow these guidelines but also remember to adapt them to your own needs and lifestyle. When you do this, you will find that you feel much stronger and have a lot more energy.

Vegan Diets and Nutrition – How to Stay Healthy and a Vegan

Cooking vegan food is not that much different from cooking a meat-based diet. Many meat eaters believe that by “going veg”, you’re taking out food choice. However, it is usually the opposite – normally vegans find that they are more exposed to new, different and tasty foods which they would never have experienced had they stuck to a meat-based diet.

There are many simple and easy to use vegan recipes to be found in books and on the web. You can even modify meat dishes so that they are vegan-friendly! There are also many dairy and egg replacements available which assist with cooking and baking.

However, in order to avoid any unnecessary dangers of veganism, and just as with all diets, it is important that you receive all the necessary vitamins and minerals required for a healthy lifestyle. Vegan vitamins can also be taken to supplement your diet if you feel you are lacking.

Below we list some of the vitamins and minerals which new vegans may otherwise find difficult to source and replace.

Protein
Important for cellular growth and maintenance.

Some good sources of protein for vegans:

  • Pulses, e.g. peas, lentils, beans;
  • Soy products, e.g. soya flour, soya milk;
  • Seeds, e.g. sunflower seeds;
  • Nuts, e.g. hazelnuts, cashews, Brazilian nuts and almonds;
  • Vegetables such as seaweed, broccoli, soinchach, kale and others;
  • Whole grains, e.g. whole-wheat flour and bread, brown rice.

An average person requires approx. 1 gram of protein per kilogram of weight per day. So for example, if you weigh 70 kg then you require 70 grams of protein per day.

“Combining sources such as hemp, rice and peas provide a powerful amino acid profile for enhanced biomechanical efficiency”. Robert Cheeke, vegan body builder.

Vitamin B-12
Required for the production of blood cells and nerve maintenance.

Some good sources of vitamin B-12 for a vegan diet:

  • Chlorella;
  • Fortified yeast extracts, e.g. nutritional yeast;
  • Soya milks;
  • Non-dairy margarine;
  • Veggie burgers;
  • Hemp based meals/ bars;
  • Some bottled drinks;
  • Vitamin supplements.

Recommended vitamin B12 intake is 2.4 micrograms per day. Deficiencies in vitamin B12 can result in numerous medical conditions and problems such as anemia, dementia, depression, nerve damage and more.

“B12 is found MOSTLY in animal products. Why? Because vitamin B12 comes from our soil. When a cow, for instance, chomps on grass he eats this vitamin B12-enriched soil… Our food today is usually very clean by the time it makes it to our stores, and then we further clean it in our own kitchen. Goodbye Vitamin B12″. Sassy, VeganCoach

Iron
Carries oxygen in the blood, creating energy required for the body to survive and stay healthy.

Some good sources of iron for vegans:

  • Seeds;
  • Nuts;
  • Pulses;
  • Grains;
  • Dried fruit;
  • Molasses;
  • Sea plants / green leafy vegetables;
  • Parsley.

Recommended iron intake is 8 milligrams (mg) per day.

Calcium
Required for healthy bones in adults and bone growth in children.

Some good sources of calcium for vegans:

  • Molasses;
  • Seeds;
  • Nuts;
  • Carob;
  • Pulses, e.g. soya beans, tofu, haricot beans, miso-fermented soy bean curd;
  • Parsley;
  • Dried figs;
  • Sea plants;
  • Grains, e.g. oatmeal;
  • Fortified soy milk.

Recommended calcium intake is 1,000 mg per day.

Zinc
Required for a healthy immune system and resistance to infection. Zinc is important for a healthy skin and helps with the healing of wounds. It is also a vital part of many enzymic reactions.

Some good sources of zinc for vegans:

  • Pumpkin seeds;
  • Beans;
  • Seeds;
  • Nuts;
  • Lentils;
  • Yeast;
  • holegrain cereals.

Recommended zinc intake is 40 mg per day.

Essential Fatty Acids
Required for the body to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. Regulates body cholesterol metabolism and maintains cell membranes.

Omega 6 and Omega 3 are the only 2 polyunsaturated fatty acids that your own body cannot synthesize.

Omega 6 (linoleic acid)

  • Vegetables;
  • Fruits;
  • Nuts;
  • Grains;
  • Seeds;
  • Oils made from safflower, sunflower, corn, soya, evening primrose, pumpkin, wheatgerm, hemp seed.

Recommended omega 6 intake is 12 (women) – 17 (men) grams per day.

Omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid)

  • Green leafy vegetables;
  • Grains;
  • Spirulina;
  • Flaxseeds (linseed);
  • Mustard seeds;
  • Pumpkin seeds;
  • Soya bean;
  • Walnut oil;
  • Oils made from linseed (flaxseed), rape seed (canola), soya beans, hemp seeds.

Recommended omega 3 intake is 1.1 (women) – 1.6 (men) grams per day.

Important note: It is always advisable to consult a dietitian to ensure your body receives all that it needs and also to overcome any fears of danger you may have with your new choice of lifestyle and vegan diet.

Boot Camp Diet and Nutrition – Five Prohibited Foods

So you have recently been to a boot camp and you have most certainly learned how to train properly and eat healthily. The truth is though, that after a few weeks that you have returned home, your old habits will start to tempt you again. You know it is going to be a very tough battle – after all, you have been giving in to those bad habits for years – and even with your much improved personality it is going to be extremely difficult to stay on the right path. A good way to maintain your balance is to reward yourself with a good treat every once in a while. There are actually a number of ‘prohibited’ foods that can be good (or not so bad) for you – provided that you do not exaggerate, of course! Here is a list:

1) Up to 30 grams of chocolate (that is about 150 calories): everybody loves chocolate, and recent research have shown that eating up to 30 grams a day is actually good for your health, particularly for the cardio-vascular system.

2) A small spoon of peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat bread: yes, peanut butter does not help your diet, but the good thing about it is that it contains unsaturated fat, dietary fibres, proteins and Vitamin E. So why not taste a bit of it every now and then?

3) Two Weight Watchers Ginger & Lemon Cookies: cheap and very tasty, they contain much less amount of sugar than normal cookies. Delicious indeed!

4) Up to 30 grams of sweetened cashew nuts: nuts are actually very nutrient food as they are full of fibres and proteins. Adding a little bit of sugar, once in a lifetime, will not hurt.

5) A scoop of sugarless ice cream: try ice cream made from honey instead of sugar. You will be surprised by how good it tastes and how much healthier it is!

How to Spot Diet and Nutrition Myths For Yourself

These days there are many well-known and often repeated “facts” about weight loss and dieting. It seems like every week there’s some new diet, exercise trend or rediscovered supplement that promises to peel off the pounds. And since we’re all secretly hoping for the discovery that will magically solve our weight issues, we listen.

The American Dietetic Association’s Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo, held in Chicago last month made a serious attempt to de-bunk some of the popular diet and nutrition myths. Things you’ve heard about eating at night… gaining weight because of high fructose corn syrup… drinking water to drown your appetite and shed pounds… and more were cast aside by the experts at the annual meeting.

Roberta Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS gives some solid, common sense advice for spotting a myth in the making and keeping yourself form jumping on board the bandwagon.

– Look for red flags - if it sounds too good to be true, it surely is. Dramatic statements that fly in the face of what you know to be true, or that aren’t supported by reputable scientific or medical organizations or cited in well known journals are usually sure signs of myth, not fact.

– Think logically - look at the “facts” that appear as part of any new diet myth. Is the research well designed? large enough? too preliminary? Facts need to be backed by multiple studies on large numbers of people that were well run and reviewed by independent scientists. “One study doesn’t make a fact,” Duyff cautions.

– Do some homework – rather than trusting what you put into your body to the latest “fad”, do some homework on your own to see if it makes sense. Google the words online and view sources that are not selling anything. Better yet, check in with a registered dietitian or other health care professional for the facts.

– Don’t expect miracles - good health and weight management come from all the solid sensible things you’ve heard about, eating a well-balanced, healthy diet and being active are the best ways to keep your body healthy and thriving.

By following these suggestions you’ll be better able to tell nutrition fact from fiction and keep yourself on the right track to a healthy, fit body and many active years.

Diet and Nutrition For Weight Loss – Top 3 Tips For Fast Weight Loss

Are you looking for diet tips to lose extra pounds around your belly? Do you know losing weight is not a hard task if you understand the importance of proper diet and nutrition? This article discusses 3 simple tips that really work.

Tip 1: Eat Everything But Eat In Small Quantities

Good news is that you will not have to skip the foods you love to achieve weight loss. You can eat whatever you like but in small quantities. Reduce two scoops of ice cream to one, forego the extra cheese slice which you usually order with your burger. These small things can do wonders to your body weight. You are sure to notice a steady drop in body weight quicker than you would imagine.

Tip 2: Don’t Skip Breakfast

This is one common mistake that most people commit. Whenever one thinks to lose weight the first bar is on the breakfast. This is not all good. This can harm in many ways. This practice makes you dull throughout the day and you end up having a heavy lunch. The same thing happens if you skip your lunch as well. If you skip your lunch too chances are that you overcompensate with heavy dinner.

Tip 3: Identify Foods That Boost Metabolism

This is one step which is often underestimated. Certain foods are known to improve the fat burning capabilities of the body. They do this by increasing the metabolic rate of the body. Green tea is an excellent example for foods that can catalyse the fat burning process.

How To Choose Your Foods That Burn Fat?

There are plenty of information on internet on foods that can boost metabolism and help you to achieve your desired body shape.