Transcript Food intake for distance runners

Planning food intake for
Long Distance Runners
Nutrition for Training
Introduction – How to use this
guide
This guide provides general rules and guidelines for nutrition to
enhance your training and recovery to maximise the potential for
adaptation and hence improve your performance.
The guidelines are separated into carbohydrate (CHO), protein
(Pro) and fat (Fat), these are termed macronutrients, vitamins
and minerals are termed micronutrients.
To provide individual specificity for quantities of each of the
macronutrients required, the contribution of CHO, Pro and Fat
are expressed in grams (g) per kilogram of body mass (.KG) this
will be written as g.KG.
These guidelines are a intended to provide a general frame work
for the nutrition required for training and recovery. Each athlete
is different and you will discover what works well for you in terms
of food preferences, times you like to eat and how hard you train.
The document begins with a very basic introduction to nutrition
and the macronutrients, then moves on to discuss each (CHO,
Pro and Fat) individually and finishes with and example
nutritional plan for a training day and recovery/rest day.
We hope you have as much fun advancing your nutrition as we
did writing these plans and guide lines.
Dr Samuel Impey
Basic Nutrition Points
• Carbohydrates – Energy
• Proteins – Muscle and immune
system
• Vitamins and minerals – Energy,
Muscle, Health
• Hydration
Carbohydrates
Try to get Carbohydrate,
protein and vitamins and
minerals in every meal
•
When? – before & after competition & training limit intake after 7 pm
•
Type? – low glycemic load foods (see carbohydrate section)
• Consume low glycemic load and
Proteins
• When? – with every meal!
• Very important with breakfast and before bed
• Consume as soon as possible after training
• Helps to speed up recovery
• What type? – Eggs, chicken, fish, beef are best
Vitamins and Minerals
• 5 pieces of fruit and vegetables per day
• As many different colours as possible
• Different colours have different
vitamins and minerals
Hydration
• Drink water regularly before, during and after training
Principles
Due to the nature of long distance running requiring large amounts of energy
to sustain muscular contraction for hours at a time, along with the impact that
running for this long has on the body, maximising the recovery between
training sessions is essential to improve performance. A well planned and
scientifically underpinned diet is essential to get the most out of every
training run.
Some key concepts forming the basis of the diet are below;
• Don't skip breakfast – After a night’s sleep, your body has been through a
period of approximately 6-10 hours without food (an ‘overnight fast’).
During sleep the stimulus for protein synthesis is removed as you are not
exercising or moving combined with no nutritional stimulus, this causes
the muscle to begin to slowly break down. Breakfast acts as the first
stimulus of the day to stop break down and begin muscle building
• Eat regularly (every 3 hours) – a regular eating pattern ensures a steady
intake of key nutrients that will fuel the body and stimulate recovery
throughout the day.
• Stay hydrated - Dehydration can cause a decreased blood volume,
increased core temperature, increased glycogen utilization and decreased
sweat rate. These effects are detrimental for sports performance and
should be avoided by employing proper hydration strategies.
• Eat in Colour – A lack of variety and colour will result in a lack of key
nutrients. Multivitamins should not be a substitute for a good variety of
natural fruit and vegetables since they lack many other key minerals
obtained from fresh foods. A lack of variety in meat and fish sources will
mean losing out on key good fats and other important nutrients.
• Quality Protein Feeding Around Training and Before Bed – Research tells
us that after exercise our bodies are more open to using protein to repair
muscles damaged during exercise. To maximise the repair process
consuming quality protein close to exercise and at regular intervals after
exercise gives the body the fuel it needs to repair muscles. It is preferable
to ingest protein that is absorbed quickly before or after exercise and one
that is absorbed slowly before bed.
Carbohydrates
Introduction
Carbohydrates (CHO) contribute the largest amount of energy
towards muscle contraction during long distance running and
depletion of CHO is thought to be the major factor influencing
performance. As such it is essential for runners to consume a diet
high in CHO to fuel training, and, replace lost CHO after training to
begin the recovery process and allow the next training run to be as
effective as the previous.
CHO in these guidelines will be referred to as high or low glycemic
load, and different types of CHO are used in different situations to
maximise the nutritional status for training and recovery.
•
Glycemic load simply refers to how quickly carbohydrates are
digested. Low GL foods are digested slower providing a
sustained energy source whereas high GL foods are quickly
digested. Low GL foods are preferable over high GL in your
general diet as they can help prevent hunger providing a
sustained energy source and are less likely to cause unwanted
fat gains
High GL
Low GL
White dough pizza
Brown rice or quinoa
White potato mash
Sweet potato and cauliflower mash
Cornflakes, Weetabix, Frosties etc
Muesli, Granola, All Bran, Porridge
White Breads, French baguette
Wholegrain bread/wholegrain pitta
Sports drinks
Sugar free cordial, mineral water, Green
tea, natural fruit juice
Carbohydrates
CHO for Training and Recovery - Key Points
Training
• During long training runs >2h you may require fluids to sustain
training intensity. Drink as much as you feel you need do not
force feed fluid. Water is OK hydrations solutions are better
• CHO gels and drinks are useful in training if the intensity needs
to be high for long periods of time > 1h 30min
• Gels and drinks should be consumed about every 20 min and
should contain 18 – 22g of CHO
Immediately after exercise (if recovery between training is <8h)
Glycogen is the major store of CHO in skeletal muscle, it provides
the bulk of the energy for sustained muscular contraction with
glucose from the blood supplementing this energy source.
• Glycogen re-synthesis is highest in the 2h following exercise
• To maximise recovery of glycogen you need 1.2 g of CHO per
KG of body weigh per hour for those 2 hours
• e.g. A 75KG runner will need to consume 90g (75 x 1.2 = 90)
CHO, per hour, for the first 2h after a long run to maximise
glycogen recovery
• CHO should be consumed in regular small doses during these
2h
• The CHO should come from foods and drinks high in sugars
(high GL index) such as sweets and sports drinks.
Carbohydrates
CHO for Training and Recovery - Key Points
Continued
• Check the type of sugars as some are better for recovery than
others
• Look for Glucose, sucrose and maltodextrin and try to avoid
fructose.
• Protein consumed during this time can help glycogen recovery
(see protein below)
Longer duration recovery (24h between training sessions)
The foods used for rest recovery periods lasting up to 24h consist
of medium to low GL foods; this means they are digested and
absorbed at a slower rate. As the rate of glycogen recovery slows
down >2h after exercise, the amount of CHO taken from the blood
decreases, so we use foods that release their CHO into the blood at
slower rates to sustain the glycogen recovery. Meals and snacks
should be planned and evenly spaced over the recovery time
• Intake of 5 – 8g of CHO per KG of body weight over a 24h period
should be used (see example meal plan)
• e.g. a 75KG runner will consume between 375 – 600g of CHO
over the next 24h following a training run
• The CHO should come from foods such as pasta, rice, whole
grains, fruit and vegetables
• Runners should eat meals and snacks at regular intervals and
this should be done based on practicality and eating habits of
each runner
Introduction
Protein
Proteins are the building blocks of almost every structure in the
body. Skeletal muscle contains the largest amount of protein of
all the organs and tissues. When we exercise, especially for long
periods of time, proteins are broken down by the force applied
to them during exercise, proteins can also used for energy. As
such it is imperative to repair and replace protein lost during
exercise to allow the muscle to repair and adapt to the exercise
stimulus leading to improved performance after repeated
training bouts.
Types of Proteins
In the same way that CHO has a rating of how fast it is digested
and transported into the blood (GI scale), different foods are
digested and absorbed releasing their protein at different rates:
Rapidly digested
• Whey protein powder
• Skimmed milk
• Soy milk
Slowly digested
• Fish
• Nuts
• Meet
‘Generally the more the food has to be broken down, the
slower the access to the protein stored inside, but, this
also allows a constant stream of protein to be available
when needed, hence a mix of both slow and fast is useful’
Protein
Protein for Training and Recovery – Key Points
• Daily protein intake should be between 1.5 – 2.0 g per KG of
body weight per day
• i.e. 75KG runner should consume between 112 – 150g of
protein per day, more than this is not detrimental, but less
can be
• Protein can be consumed before and immediately after long
training runs (longer than 1h)
• Before running – 1h before run 15 – 20g of rapidly digested
protein such as whey powder mixed with water
• After running – as soon as comfortable 20 – 25g of rapidly
digested protein such as whey powder mixed with water
• Protein should be consumed at regular intervals (every 3 –
5h) throughout the day, most important time is at breakfast
• Dietary protein should come from foods such as fish, white
meat (chicken and turkey), nuts and seeds, eggs and a small
portion coming from red meat
• Protein should be consumed with every meal through out
the day in different forms (see example meal plan)
• Protein can help glycogen re-synthesis in the 2h immediately
after a long run if you cannot take on the required amount of
CHO in the first 2h; this protein should be from rapidly
digested proteins like whey.
• Taking on 20 – 25g of a slowly digested protein such as casein
or egg proteins before bed is advised to sustain muscle
recovery
Fat
Introduction
Fats provide a large contribution to the energy required for long
distance running, and as athletes become fitter and better trained
the contribution of fat to energy production increases. Even the
leanest, most elite athletes have vast amounts of energy stored in
fat cells; as such replacing fat that is burned off during exercise is
not a major issue as a well balanced diet will ensure adequate
amounts of good fats are provided. Fats should contributed 20 –
30% of total energy intake. Fats are essential sources of fat soluble
vitamins, and provide the ‘essential free fatty acids’, as the name
suggests they are essential in the body as they cannot be made;
these fats help regulate gut health and brain function and many
other aspects of metabolism. There are 4 main types of fat:
Food Sources
Good or Bad
Poly-unsaturated fats
Nuts and seeds,
olive oil
Good
Mono-unsaturated fats
Almond oil, nut
oil, popcorn,
avocado
Good
Saturated fat
Pizza, cheese,
sweets, processed
meats
Limit intake
Trans fats
Crisps, french
fries, fried food,
pastries,
margarine
Bad - avoid
Fat
Fats for Training and Recovery
•
•
•
•
Consume 1g of fat for every KG of body mass per day
e.g. a 75KG runner will consume 75g of fat per day
Good fats are found in nuts, seeds, oils, meat and fish
Consuming a well balanced diet will naturally provide
the correct amounts of fat required to support high
levels of training
• Avoiding high amounts of saturated fats is beneficial as
these have little functional use for the athlete and slow
the digestion of nutrient rich food and can cause
digestive discomfort
• Trans fats (preserves in processed food) have no
documented benefit for the body but, significantly
increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Consuming a well balanced diet of good quality
produce will minimise the intake of trans fats
Example Training day
Example of 75KG runner consuming CHO 6g.KG, Pro 2g.KG and Fat 1g.KG
(Recipes attached at the end of the guide)
Breakfast – 08.00
Apple and cinnamon protein porridge:
CHO – 98 Pro – 42
Fat – 11 Kcal – 661
Snack – 10.30
Pineapple and almond soy smoothie:
Lunch – 12.30
Jacket potato (150g) with cheddar cheese (50g), salad:
rice yoghurt with fruit compote (190g)
Snack – 15.30
Energy bar (80g), Apple juice (400ml):
5
CHO – 20 Pro – 29
Fat – 14 Kcal – 310
CHO – 85 Pro - 25
Fat – 20 Kcal – 620
CHO – 93 Pro –
Fat – 2
Kcal – 290
Training run
Dinner – 19.30
Smoked trout fettuccine :
Snack – 21.30
One banana (125g), whole grain breakfast :
cereal (40g) with semi skimmed milk (200ml)
CHO – 130 Pro – 40
Fat – 10 Kcal - 516
CHO – 47 Pro - 9
Fat – 4
Kcal - 246
TOTAL = CHO – 473, Pro – 150, Fat – 64, Kcal – 2647
Recovery Day
The nutrition used during the recovery day is dependent
on the training that has been undertaken.
Heavy training – Macronutrient intake should be similar to
training day to ensure full recovery
• Low GL CHO 6 – 8 g.kg body mass per day
• Quality Pro – 1.5 – 2 g.kg body mass per day, rapidly
digested with breakfast followed by slower digested Pro
every 3h through out the day
• Fat 1 g.kg body mass per day – mono- and pollyunsaturated fats
Light training – Macronutrient intake should be slightly
less than a normal training day, this is to ensure recovery
without adding excess food that could be stored as fat
• Low GL CHO 4 – 6 g.kg body mass per day
•Quality Pro – 1.2 – 1.6 g.kg body mass per day Rapidly
digested with breakfast
• Fat 1 g.kg body mass per day – mono- and pollyunsaturated fats
Apple and Cinnamon Protein Porridge
Ingredients
• 80g of oats
• 250ml soya milk
• 30g vanilla whey
protein
• Tbsp sultanas
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 apple
• 1 tsp cinnamon
powder
Instructions
• In a small saucepan mix
the oats, sliced apple and
1 cup of soya milk. Gently
bring to the boil, stirring
occasionally until thick.
• Remove from heat and
stir in whey, mix well.
• Stir in the sultanas.
• Drizzle a little honey on
top and cover with
remaining milk.
• Before serving, sprinkle
with half a teaspoon of
cinnamon.
CHO (g)
98
Fat (g)
11
Protein (g)
42
Kcal
661
Pineapple and Almond Soy Smoothie
Ingredients
• 160 ml almond milk
• 70g chopped
pineapple
• 20 whole almonds
• 30g soy powder
• 2 ice cubes
Instructions
• Combine all almond milk,
pineapple, almonds and
soy powder in a blender
and pulse until smooth.
Simple!
CHO (g)
20
Fat (g)
14
Protein (g)
29
Kcal
310
Smoked Trout Fettuccine
Ingredients
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2 spring onions
3 – 4 asparagus
75g frozen peas
1 handful fresh mint
leaves
200g dried fettuccine
75g hot smoked trout
1 tbsp plain flower
150ml semi-skimmed
milk
Parmesan to serve
Olive oil
Instructions
•
•
•
•
•
CHO (g)
130
Fat (g)
10
Protein (g)
40
Kcal
516
•
Roughly slice the spring onions and
asparagus stalks into a pan with 1
tbsp olive oil, leave the tips whole to
one side
After 3 -5 minutes add the frozen
peas, and half the mint sliced in to
the pan cook for a further 5 minutes
Put the pasta into a large pan and
cover with boiling salted water, cook
according to packet instructions
Stir the flower into the asparagus
pan and cook for 2 minutes, then
add the milk, bring to a simmer for
10 minutes
Using a stick blender, puree the
asparagus sauce until fairly smooth,
add the asparagus tips and flake in
the trout, simmer for 3 – 5 minutes
Drain the pasta, reserving a cup or
cooking water, toss the pasta in the
sauce (loosen with cooking water if
required) and serve with parmesan
shavings on top