Thread for advice on nutrition

[zulu158]

Gotta say the advice that Joel is giving sounds really spot on, reading the thread reminded me of an article by chris mccormack

www.chrismccormack.com/blog/answeringthosenutritionquestionsfrommyfacebooksitewwwfacebookcommaccalive

which I think really supports much of whats been said already but also highlights that nutrition can be as as an art as a science and requires a bit of commen sense

The ironic thing about common sense is that it isn't all that common

[Blinkybaz]

Hi Joel

Just to up date you what you said and how it has worked.
I have changed the cows milk for soya and am using a recovery powder (rego banana). Have stopped adding in wheat germ.
Recovery is good. Am I right to use soya milk istaed of cows?


Blinkybaz

[joel-lucozade sport]

Wow, thanks very much, I’m sure that this will be the only time I am compared to the great Macca!

In terms of the Soy milk debate (glad that the new diet seems to be working out by the way!), in studies looking into recovery, generally, both Soy Protein and Cow’s milk elicit similar increases in protein synthesis and thereby increase recovery (n.b. not at quite such a high rate as Whey protein). Therefore, the issue is probably more centalised around the issue of lactose intolerance, for those who are, Soy milk is the one to go for. However, if a person has no intolerance to cow’s milk then it is a personal choice. Soy milk offers, less saturated fat, but also less absorbable calcium.

There are very few black and white answers in nutrition, but I hope that helps

Joel

[Morg007]

simple question.... how come there are different prices for different energy drinks? I have usually gone for Gatorade but discovered a 45p bottle of isotonic drink at my fiances local shop 30 seconds from her. this got me thinking.... are the big name brands like Gatorade the best due to the mix, ingredients etc or are they simply brands that can see based on the "name" and can a cheap isotonic drink do the job just as well. Or are they cheap for a reason?

If this is the case what ingredients should I be looking for in a good solid drink to train/race with?

[joel-lucozade sport]

Thanks Morg007 (and apologies for the time taken to get back in touch – busy getting drenched in Budapest!)

Ok, so the term isotonic refers to a drink that both hydrates effectively and also delivers carbohydrate. As carbohydrate concentrations above 8% may have a negative effect on hydration status, Isotonic drinks are designed to contain between 6-8% Carbohydrate along with electrolytes (Should be Sodium, but could also be Potassium, Magnesium and chloride). Therefore, any drink that conforms to these basic rules should help deliver energy, maintain hydration and so help sustain performance in exercise lasting over an hour or so.

Price and may differ depending on the make-up of the carbohydrate. For example Lucozade Sport is made of Glucose and Maltodextrin which are both rapidly absorbed by the body, where as the ‘own brand’ isotonic sports drink of a large supermarket in the UK that I looked at is made with Glucose-Fructose Syrup. This should also absorb quickly, but some people find the addition of Fructose to increase the likelihood of stomach issues during exercise. Some of the cheaper drinks also seem to have a lot more electrolytes in them. In hot conditions, this could be a real benefit, but with the ambient temperatures in the UK being quite low through the winter and also high salt diets not ideal for many people, I would suggest that more than 300mg (0.3g) of sodium (1.2g salt), may be a bit on the high side.

The best thing is to try the alternative drink that you have found, if it works for you with no side effects then, in this time of recession, why not save a little money!

Hope that helps.

Joel

[blaze1235]

HI Joel,

Question for you.

Im struggling with weight i am currently 82Kilos have lost 6 need to take 8 more off (bodyfat plus years of heavy lifting and big protein diets)
I train between 8-12 hours per week my diet is pretty clean (1 cheat day a week)
average day
15 Mile Cycle (Commute)
Porridge (scoop whey) 200grammes mixed fruit with 2-3tbps youghurt.
Fruit Mid morning (apple +pear) handful almonds
Mid day 40 Minute swim
Chicken breast - with cous cous - quinoa - rice etc handful spinach
mid afternon fruit (banana + nectarine)
15 mile cycle home
2 crackers with peanut butter (takes the edge off)
sometimes replace the porridge with rice pudding. mmmmm!

hour later white fish,turkey or chicken with green veg (Brocolli/beans/cabbage etc)
this is average other days i will replace cycle with run.
It has been suggested i go see a doctor and get checked for thyroid and diabetes.
Personally i think this is rubbish, but this may be my "man no need doctor syndrome"

any advice would be good as the extra weight is screwing my run.

Also is supplementing with creatine during training beneficial to triathletes?

Thanks in advance

Dave

[Browny1980]

Hi All

I really haven't got a clue about Nutrition so I would appreciate any help tbh!!

I am weighing in at 13 stone (have lost a stone since the New Year but have reached a plateau!!) and would ideally like to get down to 12 for next season. I train between 10 - 12 hours a week with a rest day in between. My training incorporates a long cycle and hard swim session, a couple of runs and a few gym sessions. Have started doing a couple of classes to mix it up a bit (spinning, circuits), and my training is pretty high intensity mixed in with some weights.

I have a fairly sparse diet and I think a big problem is lack of protein and maybe lack of carbs but as I say I really have no clue about Nutrition!! The fact that I want to lose a stone in 6 months is a big factor and I am unsure about using supplements and upping any intake to actually increase weight loss!!

I would appreciate any feedback/ideas/info as I am in the dark about this!!

[joel-lucozade sport]

Hi all

Blaze1235, firstly, congratulations on choosing a name that makes you sound like a superhero who’s been put in jail!! Secondly, Nutrition….

Wow, really good diet and about bang on what would recommend (even getting in the protein with the carbs after training!). The thing that instantly springs out at me is that you have already lost weight (good work!), so, if this has been constant, then it should be a matter of time before you lose the next 8kg. This never happens as fast as we would like, but nevertheless, slowly is the best way to shed pounds and in triathlon, you also get the benefit of ‘training heavy-racing light’, which can be useful if done correctly. So, I suppose my question is, have you found that you weight loss has ground to a halt? If it has, I would suggest a couple of things.

It’s always worth emphasising that weight loss will happen with a negative energy balance, if it’s not happening, then less needs to go in, or more needs to go out.

Usually, the best way is to make sure that people chose to do more rather than eat less as in this way individuals will also get the benefit of improved fitness and health and this is where you might be able to change things up to help the weight loss. A this time of year people will often start to increase mileage again to build base fitness for next year and this should be the focus of you training if at all possible. If you can do this it will obviously burn more kcals and therefore help achieve that negative energy balance. If you don’t have time to do this on a daily basis then there is some interesting research immerging that suggests that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great way of getting similar fitness gains in a shorter space of time and also burn more kcals. If this is the option that most fits with your life, then put reps and efforts into all the training that you do, this should help fitness and weight loss.

Let me know if this helps!

On the last point about Creatine, there needs to be more research to give you a more solid answer and personally I think that it depends on your level of competition and the amount of high intensity threshold work you do. But for now, if you don’t load on it and stick to 2.5-5.0g/per day you won’t increase water retention which may happen with creatine supplementation and may be a concern for those in endurance sport. Further, while its effect on power might not be instrumental in helping triathletes it might be that it acts as a buffer and stops the negative effects of lactic acid. Lastly, I happen to know that many of the elites are on it and personally, I’ve found it very helpful indeed.

Come back to me with any questions

Joel

[joel-lucozade sport]

Hi Browny1980
Thanks for your question. There’s so much that I could say in response to your post, so please excuse me if I direct you to a couple of other areas that you can have a read over to get to grips with the fundamentals of nutrition and training.

Well done on losing the first bit of weight, to get the rest off, firstly, try swapping your gym sessions for more specific training. Conditioning 1 or 2 times a week can be good but in your case, I’d keep it circuits based rather than gym lifting sessions. As well as helping burn more energy (kcals), this will also help performance as it’s a lot more specific to the movement, type, speed and intensity of triathlon.
In terms of nutrition, you really need to stay on top of three areas: Hydration, Carbohydrate and Protein.
While it’s not directly related to weight loss, you need to stay hydrated to maintain performance during exercise, to do this make sure you:

Hydration:
• Drink 2 – 2.5ltrs of fluid per day ASWELL as what you drink during training and competition.
• Consume between 400-600mls of Fluid 2-3hrs before training and competition.
• Drink fluid containing electrolytes such as Sodium little and often during training to help hydrate you more effectivly.

For more info, click here:

http://tzero-tri.com/2010/04/19/triathl ... -avoid-it/

http://www.lucozade.com/sport/products/hydration/

Fueling
• Carbohydrate is the fuel the body uses during intense exercise. When training for more than an hour, make sure you consume 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour to maintain performance (e.g. 1xSport Drink + Energy Gel/Energy Bar or 10-15 Jelly Beans).
• Refuel after training with a high carbohydrate meal or snack.
More info:
http://www.lucozade.com/sport/products/fuel/

Recovery
• Carbohydrate and protein are key for optimal recovery. If
you have another session within 24 hours of finishing the last, ensure you start eating within 60 min of finishing to optimise recovery
• Consume 15-20g of protein in addition to 60-80g of carbohydrate after exercise lasting longer than 60 min. Breakfast Cereal, low-fat milkshakes with banana, or peanut butter on toast are great ways to start refuelling.
• For convenience, kick start recovery by using a range of Lucozade products: http://www.lucozadeshop.com/products/recovery/6.html)

More Info:

http://tzero-tri.com/2010/06/24/triathl ... something/


Lastly, I know that this won’t have answered many of your questions, so please post back with the questions that come from all of the above.

Joel

[Browny1980]

Hi Joel

Many thanks for this response, much appreciated...I will have a good look in time and no doubt bombard you with more questions!!

One thing I am worried about is piling on weight if I take protein after my work outs. Is this possible or am I worrying too much?!