Eating for Sport - Cross Country

Long distance running is demanding on the body; not only with energy requirements, but with the toll it takes on muscles. For that reason, proper nutrition cannot be over-looked. Miles add up very quickly throughout the course of the season so having a nutrition plan to help you keep up with your nutrient needs is absolutely necessary.

Photo Credit: Women's Health Magazine

Are you meeting your energy demands? A 10 mile run could burn around 1,000 calories! A diet for runners should be comprised of mostly carbohydrate. By now, I am sure most of you have heard coaches or other people tell you to eat carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, when metabolized in the body, are converted into glucose. It is glucose that it is stored in muscles as glycogen. Your body is only able to store up to certain amount of glycogen and then it must be replenished by food after it is depleted. It is not like fat where your body has a high storage capacity.

Become familiar with foods that are high in carbohydrate. You probably already have some favorite pre-event snacks, but take a minute to look at them closely to see how much carbohydrate they actually offer you. Your carbohydrate intake should reflect how much you are training. If you doing extra training that day, eat more carbs. Your daily carbohydrate needs should be in the range of 3-4.5 grams per pound of body weight.

Protein and fat are still important in an athlete’s diet. Protein is needed to help build and repair muscle tissue. Eat approximately 0.55-0.64 grams per pound of body weight of protein per day.

Fat is needed for the absorption of some vitamins, insulation, and the production of hormones in the body. Fat should make up about 20-35% of your total calories for the day. Focus on unsaturated fats due to their added health benefits.

Being too restrictive with calorie intake will negatively affect your performance because it will not allow your body to properly fuel and refuel for your events. For women, eating too few calories can cause disruptions in her menstrual cycle. Loss of menstruation is not a normal part of training and should be discussed with a physician. The low levels of estrogen related to missing periods can impair bone mineral density, which can increase the risk for developing other health concerns such as osteoporosis.

A common nutrition concern for long distance runners, especially females, is iron. Many runners are at an increased risk for developing an iron deficiency, especially if they do not eat a lot of meat. When people suffer from an iron deficiency, they feel fatigued. But before running to the store and buying iron supplements, please seek advice from your personal or team physician. Iron supplements, like other supplements, have the potential of causing adverse effects if they are taken when they are not necessary.

Ready to head out for your long run? Choose a pre-exercise snack that, of course, is high in carbohydrate but also lower in protein, fat, and fiber. Eating foods that are high in these will likely cause some stomach upset while on your run because they take your body longer to digest. The longer time you have before you run, the larger meal or snack you can have without worry about it bothering your stomach. Don’t forget about eating after you get back! Eating a snack immediately after your run will help you replenish your energy stores. Choose a snack that is high in carbohydrate, but also offers some protein. Protein will help repair your muscles and allow you to recover more effectively before your next run. You are not done with your training until you eat your post-run snack!

As with any other sport, making sure you have adequate hydration is key to optimal performance. It only takes a 2% loss of body weight caused by dehydration to significantly impact your performance.

Protein Powders: A Brief Overview

Protein powders are widely sold and used in the United States however there are different kinds and they can have different affects on our exercise routines.  The two most common types of protein that companies manufacture are whey or casein powders.  The difference between the two can make all the difference in your workout, but keep in mind that these powders are only necessary if you are not getting enough protein from dietary sources.

Whey is an extremely fast digesting protein that is also complete and high quality.  This protein is about 20-25% of the protein found in milk.

Casein is also a high quality complete protein but is about 75-80% of the protein found in milk.  This protein digests more slowly than whey.

Overall, both are high quality protein powders but their effects are very different.  Researching the different types along with the safety of them will be greatly helpful in determining which is best for you.  Always keep in mind these supplements are completely unnecessary when getting a balanced diet and can be dangerous. 

Drinking a beverage, such as chocolate milk, contains both! 

Guest Blogger: Alyssa Gehle, USD Dietetic Intern

Preventing Hair Loss

Hair loss could be the cause of our diet, lack of nutrients, medications, stress, or basically, our genes. Hair loss mostly affects middle aged to older people, and usually happens more to men. If you happen to feel that you are suffering symptoms of hair loss, have no fear, because here are a few tips on how you can make hair loss less of a problem to you.

How to prevent Hair Loss:

1. It's all about your diet

Eat foods that are rich in protein such as fish, beans and tofu. Foods rich in protein will help you maintain healthy hair as hair is primarily made of protein. However stick to healthier sources of protein as rich meats such as steak are high in fat.

To ensure a healthy scalp, we need to ensure our blood is well circulated to that area. It is only through good blood circulation to the scalp that allows our scalp to stimulate and promote hair growth. Hence, foods rich in iron should be consumed as it promotes the creation of hemoglobin in our blood which functions as a carrier of oxygen to all parts of the body. Foods such as liver, cherries and cereals contain high iron content.

A high number of people who suffer from hair loss do not have enough zinc in their bodies. Zinc promotes cell reproduction and helps maintain hormonal balance, which helps in hair growth. They also manage the glands that attach to our hair follicles. When our zinc levels are low, these follicles become weak, causing strands to break off or fall out. To prevent this problem, try to eat zinc-rich foods such as mussels, shrimp and oysters. However, take these zinc rich foods in moderation as excessive amounts can cause hair loss too.

2. Reduce your stress

Stress is one of the main reasons for hair loss. When one faces stress, the frequency of hair loss increases. Hence, once can try to reduce their stress levels by sleeping early or by meditating.

3. Keep exercising

Now that we all know a well circulated scalp can promote hair growth, exercise is also key! Exercising increases our heart rate which increases blood circulation throughout our body, including our scalp! This helps prevent hair loss as well.

4. Treat you hair well

Don't subject your hair to frequent heating and drying. Heat weakens hair proteins and in worse cases, it damages the hair follicles permanently. Constant heating and drying of hair can cause our hair to be brittle and weak which causes hair loss.  Minimizing the usage of accessories like hair dryers or hair straighteners can make our hair last longer. If need be, use cool air from the hair dryer to dry your hair instead of hot air.

5. Massage scalp daily

Massaging our scalp helps circulate blood and brings nutrients to the scalp. To complement the massage, one tip is to use coconut oil while we massage our scalp as it acts as a natural conditioner that improves our hair growth. This is due to lauric acid found in coconut oil that moisturizes our hair, protects our hair roots and prevents breakage of our hair strands.

Hope this helps!

Chocolate Milk and the Athlete

Chocolate milk has been making headlines for some time now about it being the "athlete's drink." But do you really know why? 

Before we dive into that too much, let's review a little what happens when we exercise. In our bodies, protein is constantly being built and broken down. This is called protein turn-over. A side effect of an exercise bout is the breaking down of proteins. Exercise causes some tissue damage and requires a little repair. Not only do you need the protein, but your carbohydrate stores need to be replenished as well. This is why there is a recommendation to eat a carbohydrate/protein snack post-exercise. The term "recovery snack" makes more sense now, doesn't it?

So what makes chocolate milk so special? Cow's milk is considered to be a high-quality protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that are body cannot produce and must be taken in through the diet. It also contains more carbohydrates (cho) per serving when compared to regular white milk. 

In a study led by the University of Connecticut, they examined chocolate milk consumption with endurance athletes and how it affected protein balance, glycogen, and performance. Runners were asked to complete a 45 minutes exercise. After that, each runner was given either chocolate milk (cho+pro) or a sweetened beverage (cho only). 

At the end of the study, they found that the runners who drank the chocolate milk had greater protein synthesis and less protein breakdown than those who drank the sweetened beverage. Both drinks were able to maintain glycogen (cho) storage. 

This study, along with others, show that it takes BOTH protein and carbohydrates to properly recover from exercise. Chocolate milk is a convenient (and tasty!) way to get the nutrients your body is craving. Remember- a recovery beverage should be consumed within 30 minutes of exercise to see the full effects.

Reference: 
Lunn, W. R., Pasiakos, S. M., Colletto, M. R., Karfonta, K. E., Carbone, J. W., Anderson, J. M., & Rodriguez, N. R. (2012). Chocolate milk and endurance exercise recovery: protein balance, glycogen, and performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44(4), 682-691.

What do I eat to build muscle?

A common nutrition question for athletes is “how do I build muscle?” The most important thing to remember about building muscle is that it requires the training stimulus from the weight room along with adequate calories. Enough overall calories, not just in the form of protein, are needed for your body to have the energy to increase your lean mass. As a strength athlete, protein needs are increased slightly, but it may not be as much as you would think. A goal range of protein to be eaten throughout the day is 0.73-0.77g per pound. Eating a post-workout snack immediately after leaving the gym will help you see the effects of your training because it will be providing your body the nutrients it needs at the most effective time. Choose a snack that is a combination of carbohydrate and protein. An ideal portion of protein for a post-workout snack is around 10-20 grams. Any more than 20 grams of protein is not necessary and will not build any more muscle. Excess protein beyond will be broken down for storage rather than building extra muscle. Although protein shakes are convenient, they are not a necessity. They can be a convenient option, but whole foods give the same results and are often higher in other valuable nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

How much protein do I need?

The protein needs for athletes are slightly increased compared to the general population. Even the type of sport may impact the daily protein requirement. Most diets meet protein needs without much effort, but being aware of how protein plays into the athlete’s diet will help you reach your performance goals.

One egg contains about 7 grams of protein and 80 calories.

Protein plays a vital role in building and repairing muscle tissue. It is not a major source of energy for sport, like carbohydrate and fat. Adequate daily caloric intake, with the majority of calories provided by carbohydrate and fat and a moderate fat intake, has a protein sparing effect; this allows protein to be used more effectively for muscle growth and repair. Healthy protein sources include leans meats, fat-free/low-fat dairy products, nuts, and legumes.

Endurance athletes should consume between 0.55-0.64g per pound of body weight; while strength athletes’ needs are closer to 0.73-0.77g per pound of body weight. Consuming both protein and carbohydrate within the first 30 minutes after training is crucial for maximizing muscle recovery and repair, improving recovery time, replenishing energy stores, and potentially decreasing muscle soreness.
Adequate protein intake is also an important factor in achieving a healthy weight loss. Sufficient protein intake preserves lean mass, ensuring that your body uses carbohydrate and stored fat for energy rather than breaking down muscle tissue.