Fuel4mance Blog

Time for a new challenge

2012-01-30T08:53:00.002-07:00

5 months. That’s how much time I have to get ready. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for at least a decade. I suppose you could say it’s on my bucket list. My husband is in shock I’ve finally committed to it. I haven’t told my mom because... well, she will not like the idea. As for me, I am so excited for the physical, mental, and nutritional (of course!) challenges. What is it!?! 50. That is, 50 miles on the trails of Colorado.

Yes, it will be my first ultra run.

Yes, I realize I have to slow down my running pace and I know it will be an adjustment.

No, I am not expecting to win anything.

No, I am not crazy. I just love new challenges and especially those that help me better understand what my athletes endure.

I’ll post periodic blogs here for those who are curious about my training progress and nutrition experiments as I take on this new adventure. It’s gonna be a fun five months to fifty.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

What can we do for you?

2012-01-13T14:49:00.002-07:00

Over the past few months, I have had some athletes ask “What can you do for me?” and “What does a sports dietitian do?”. I thought I would use this forum to briefly answer these questions in case you have had the same questions and are considering hiring a sports RD to help you in 2012.

Here is a sampling of what we at Fuel4mance do for our athletes:

Provide guidance on daily nutrition food choices and combinations
Periodize daily and training nutrition throughout the training year

develop hydration strategies
perform and interpret metabolic efficiency assessments
evaluate dietary supplements, sports nutrition products and ergogenic aids; make recommendations if appropriate for your health status and your sport(s)
coach on behavioral strategies to support your goals
create race day nutrition and hydration plans
educate how to shop and prepare simple meals and snacks
work with athletes who have medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease
we stay current with the latest sports nutrition research
we practice what we preach

Here is a sampling of the benefits you may receive from our nutrition coaching:

Stable blood sugar and energy levels during your day and during training
Optimized nutrition to support improved health, healthy body weight and improved body composition
Nutrition models to follow throughout the base, build, taper, and competition periods to support your energy needs
Improvement in your body’s ability to utilize fatty acids for fuel
Decreased risk of gastrointestinal distress (vomiting, bloating, cramping, diarrhea) during training and racing
No over- or under- hydrating during training and racing, less risk of cramping
Trusted, expert advice on healthy and safe ways to enhance your training, performance, recovery...from sports dietitians who are also athletes!
You spend less time trying to decipher all of the sports nutrition philosophies in the media
You find happiness in our “simple is sustainable” model

Hopefully this helps you see more of what we serve up and how you win. Think about these things as you start to work on your 2012 goals. When you’re ready to get on the Fuel4mance bus to a successful finish line, hop aboard!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance, LLC

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-12-30T13:20:00.001-07:00

The new year is around the corner and with the new year comes the start of many new training plans to get ready for the 2012 racing season. As you begin your base training, leave the sports nutrition products in the cabinet and avoid buying them for now. It is an opportune time of the training year to begin teaching your body to become more metabolically efficient, or to “reset” if you have fallen off a solid, well-balanced nutrition plan since the holiday season graced us with food parties, cookie exchanges, mom’s pumpkin pies and the like. If you are doing any training sessions less than 2-3 hours in duration, you do not need to rely on any sports nutrition products to supplement your workouts -- not even before, during, or after. Use real and whole foods with appropriate food ratios to support your daily nutrition and training needs. You will help your body become more efficient at using its fat stores for energy while avoiding unwanted weight gain and a dependence on these products from the get go.

Want to learn more? Read “Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat” by Bob Seebohar and our NEW “Athlete’s Food Guide to Metabolic Efficiency Training” e-book available at Fuel4mance.

Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-12-27T15:48:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday I gave a few ingredient substitution suggestions for baking recipes. Here are a couple more substitutions you can experiment with to improve the nutritional profile and still maintain flavor (or even enhance the flavor!).

1/4 cup of chia seed gel can be used to replace one whole egg. Mix 1/4 cup water and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in a container with a lid. Shake the mixture and then let it sit for a few minutes to thicken into a gel. Shake again and then it’s ready to use.
Replace 1/2 the amount of oil or butter with applesauce or a fruit purée. Common fruits you can use for a purée are peaches, pears, dates, and prunes. You can buy jarred fruit purées at your grocery store or make your own purée by simmering the fruit in water until soft. Then blend in a food processor and add small amounts of liquid to get to the right consistency. Fruit purées or mashed bananas can also replace pure sugar (1:1 ratio).
Vegetable purées from squash, pumpkin, cauliflower, and carrots (individually or a blend) can also be used to replace butter or oil. You can use 3/4 cup of a vegetable puree in place of 1 cup of butter or oil and add more purée if the consistency needs adjusted.

Don’t be afraid to experiment to find out what substitutions work best for your favorite or new recipes. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to transform your recipes into a healthier version.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-12-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

If it hasn’t been done already, you might be in “goal setting” mode as 2012 approaches. Goals give us direction for the future, challenge us to improve, or take on a feat we did not think possible. This is all well and good except sometimes we may not realize other elements that contribute to achieving a goal. For example, many athletes have goals such as setting a new personal best time in a marathon distance or finishing their first long course triathlon. Most athletes rely on their coach for help and assume this means harder and more focused training and that’s it. However, the coaches and athletes that bring nutrition coaching to the forefront alongside physical training become the success stories. These athletes achieve their goals... and often exceed them. So, you may not know it now, or even be ready to think about it right now, but nutrition coaching from a qualified sport dietitian is one of those “secret weapons” you can arm yourself with to make the goals a reality. Think about it for 2012.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-12-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

Baking anyone? There are a number of recipe modifications that can be employed to do a makeover on classic baked good recipes. Here are a few handy substitutions to boost the omega-3, fiber, and healthy fat content that work well and make the goodie still taste good!

If you run out of eggs or if you are eating vegan, you can use flaxseed meal (aka ground flaxseeds) as a replacement for an egg in pancakes, muffins, or quick breads. Mix 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp water in a bowl and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to thicken before using in your recipe.
Flaxseed meal can also replace all or part of oils called for in muffins and breads. For each tablespoon of oil, use 3 tablespoons of flaxmeal. Note: 1/4 cup oil = 4 tablespoons. Also be aware that flaxmeal will give a nutty flavor and may brown more quickly or give a darker brown color.
Almond flour (or almond meal) can be used as a substitute for whole wheat or all purpose flour. I have used the same amount of almond flour in a quick bread recipe with good result, but some experts suggest to experiment by starting with half the amount in almond flour and then adjust based on outcome (taste, texture, appearance).

Give these ideas a try next time your recipe calls for oil, egg, or all purpose flour. More baking tips next Tuesday!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-12-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Busy Days, Busy Nights

The social calendars are fairly full for many athletes and their families right now. There are parties for the kids, work functions, gatherings for families and friends, volunteer events, and holiday festivities to name a few of the things marked on the calendar. With a busy social schedule typically comes a lack of attention to quality nutrition, especially when you add holiday traditions of cookie exchanges and egg nog nips into the mix. And it’s okay to relax in the off-season and enjoy! But you also don’t have to let all the hard work you did the previous part of the year disappear.

A quick nutrition tip to keep in mind for an upcoming busy day or night that you know will involve large quantities of foods and beverages you may not normally consume (or partake in - more than just a nibble) is to plan to fit in the “other” foods beforehand or afterward. For example, if you have a dinner party at a friend’s house whom you know often serves creamy dips with every imaginable potato chip flavor possible, cheesy sauces and chicken wings, then plan to have lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits in your meals prior to the party. Then, you can relax a bit at the party knowing you have eaten quality foods already. Of course, you can also be proactive and bring your own wholesome side dish to contribute to the smorgasbord... and you just might turn someone else onto a new food!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-12-13T07:54:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, we provided a list of Fuel4mance books, DVDs, and services to consider giving as gifts to your athlete friends or family, or for putting on your own wish list for this season. If you still need a few last minute ideas for you or an athlete you know, think about timesavers for the kitchen and food preparation. Some ideas are:

Blender or hand blender: makes shakes and smoothies easy as pie...oops, I mean simple.
Mandoline slicer: you can adjust the thickness and cut of your vegetables and get them ready to go in a flash
High quality chef’s knife: not only effortless to slice and chop fruits and veggies but safer for your fingers than using a dull knife!
Steamer basket: fits into most pots and makes steaming veggies quick with easy clean up.
Food processor or mini food processor: what you need to purée, grate, slice, grate, chop, blend.
Slow cooker: throw everything in and let it do all the work while you do other stuff
Stackable transparent containers: to store bulk goods and keep them organized
Blender bottle: electricity-free blender for mixing your pre- or post-workout liquid nutrition
Food storage containers with lids: Pyrex has all sizes and the glass container won’t melt in the microwave
Lunchbox: how about an insulated, portable lunchbox to hold snacks and meals for the day?

These are just a few ideas that can make you or someone you know save some time and even have some fun with food prep!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-12-08T08:58:00.003-07:00

It is holiday time and for many that means gift giving. Do you need some ideas for friends or family members? Why not give the gift of promoting good health and nutrition? Here are some ideas to consider that are sure to please your gift recipient:

Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat (available as hard copy book or e-book). This book provides nutrition and training recommendations during each training cycle to improve the body’s ability to use fat as a fuel source.

Metabolic Efficiency Recipe Book (e-book). This e-book features over 100 recipes and tips to help with implementation of the metabolic efficiency training principles.

The Athlete’s Food Guide to Metabolic Efficiency Training (e-book). This is resource ties together the concepts of metabolic efficiency training and nutrition periodization. Carbohydrate to protein ratios are explained in depth and descriptions are provided to guide you on structuring your daily nutrition patterns.

Nutrition Periodization for Athletes (book or Kindle). A detailed look at optimizing nutrition throughout the training cycles for all levels and types of athletes.

Performance Nutrition: Applying the Science of Nutrient Timing. Specific nutrient timing recommendations for endurance, strength/power, combative, and team sports.

Gift certificate for a nutrition consultation or monthly nutrition coaching package with sport dietitians, Bob Seebohar and Dina Griffin.

For those in the Colorado Front Range area, a gift certificate for performance testing (lactate threshold test or metabolic efficiency test) with Bob or Dina.

Strength Training for Triathletes DVD from Bob Seebohar.

Don’t procrastinate. Visit Fuel4mance to get more information and order these great gift ideas in a flash! Also, don’t forget to “like” the Fuel4mance Facebook page to look for holiday specials.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-12-02T21:29:00.002-07:00

Even though you may be in the off-season, is it an extra busy, stressful time of year for you? Some people thrive on the hustle and bustle, while the majority express anxiety and an increase in blood pressure merely looking at the social calendar and the growing list of To Do’s. One vital strategy to manage the seasonal chaos is to ensure you get adequate sleep in terms of quality and quantity.

Inadequate sleep (less than 7-8 hours for adults) has many negative health implications such as a weakened immune system, inflammation causing tissue damage, and mood alterations. Poor sleep has also been shown to affect the regulation of appetite hormones (ghrelin and leptin). When this imbalance occurs, it can result in excess food intake, often in the form of refined carbohydrates. Researchers are also seeing negative effects on blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity when sleep is restricted. Shorter term this will translate to failed weight loss attempts or difficulty with weight management, and an inability to improve metabolic efficiency. Longer term this can put you at an increased risk for diabetes, weight gain, and even heart disease. Athletic performance will suffer alongside all of these consequences. All of this to say: make sure you get your shut-eye!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance, LLC

dina@fuel4mance.com

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-11-29T09:02:00.002-07:00

For the Fuel4mance blog and Facebook Metabolic Efficiency followers, you have likely read something about the importance of carbohydrate to protein ratios to make you a better and healthier athlete. For today’s tip, I give you 3 different breakfast ideas that provide a 1:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. These combinations also supply 8 to 12 grams of fiber, which is excellent to start the day and support stable blood sugar levels.

“Mix and yo-go”

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 ounce walnuts
1 tablespoon of chia seeds

“Make it hot”

1/2 cup egg whites
1 roma tomato
1 cup spinach
1 cup broccoli
1/2 avocado
* you can microwave the egg whites, broccoli, and spinach to quickly cook!

“Blend it up and be vegan-friendly”

1 cup almond milk
1/2 banana
2 tablespoons hemp protein powder
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Want to know more about the carbohydrate and protein ratios and how it can affect you? Check out “Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn Fat” and our NEW e-book “The Athlete’s Food Guide to Metabolic Efficiency” at our website.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-11-25T12:16:00.001-07:00

If you are traveling this time of the year, you can still be proactive with your nutrition. Make a snack list for the trip in advance so that you have ample time to shop and you’re less likely to be caught in a situation where you don’t have many good food options (like at a small airport, on the plane, or in a rural area). This snack list may include nuts, seeds, dried or fresh fruit or veggies, and food bars.

If staying with family or friends, take the initiative to let them know a few of your food preferences (for example “I usually have greek yogurt with breakfast”) so that when you arrive, you have some “go to” foods. You can also research restaurant options and locate the nearest grocery store in advance to lessen the hassle when you arrive. Simple steps like these will help you be in control and you will be able to enjoy your travel more!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-11-22T07:40:00.002-07:00

Winter squash are abundant this time of year, but many athletes do not include this vegetable group due to the time it takes to prepare. Some athletes fear its carbohydrate content and while true that winter squash are starchy, they are a healthier starch option and a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and potassium (all important for athletes!). Many recipes call for halving winter squash, scooping out the seeds, and then baking in the oven until soft which can take an hour or more. If you have a microwave, you can significantly decrease this time by one of these methods:

Leave the squash whole. Poke several holes in the outer surface and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, then turn it over and repeat. Microwave until tender.
Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in large microwavable dish (you may want to do just one half at a time). Microwave for 10-12 minutes then check it for tenderness.
Steam the squash - halve and scoop out the seeds. Place in a bowl with about 1/2 inch of water. Microwave 8-10 minutes and then check for tenderness. You can also microwave until the squash starts to get soft, then let it cool for a few minutes. After cooling, you can peel or cut off the skin, cut the squash into smaller pieces or cubes and then finish microwaving for a few more minutes (with or without the steaming method).

Depending on the variety of winter squash and the work you want to put in up front (such as cutting off the skin and cubing), microwaving and prep time will vary but this will still be quicker than the oven. Be careful when removing from the microwave because the squash will be quite hot. Let it cool for a few minutes before you put a knife to it. Experiment with different seasonings or keep it simple with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh cracked pepper!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-11-18T07:24:00.002-07:00

If you are prone to energy lulls during your day, this is often related to...you guessed it -- your nutrition! Putting together your meals and snacks with the proper macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat) and in the right quantities and frequencies will support stable blood sugars. When you have stable blood sugar levels, you have a consistent energy level throughout the day. This means, no mid-afternoon sluggishness or urges to hit the candy machine for a quick sugar buzz (which soon bottoms you and makes you feel like junk!). Other athletes note they have more ability to concentrate and are in better moods after we have shifted nutrients around to meet this goal. Then there’s another BIG benefit: improving your metabolic efficiency (your body’s ability to burn fat more efficiently)!

Fuel4mance has a new e-book available on our Store webpage titled “The Athlete’s Food Guide to Metabolic Efficiency” that explains blood sugar stabilization in more detail. It also describes the connection with implementation of metabolic efficiency and nutrition periodization and then gives practical ways you can modify your nutrition patterns without subscribing to any fad diet. Now is a great time of the year to take control and set yourself up for a great start to 2012!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

It's here...the Athlete's Food Guide to Metabolic Efficiency!

2011-11-15T09:33:00.002-07:00

I am very pleased to announce that the Fuel4mance "Athlete's Food Guide to Metabolic Efficiency" e-book has officially been released! This is a collaborative effort from Bob and Dina and is a phenomenal resource for anyone who is using the Metabolic Efficiency concept (or thinking about it!).

This e-book provides so many great tools that will take much of the guesswork out of how to eat metabolically efficient. Included is background of carbohydrate to protein ratios and why they are important in controlling blood sugar and teaching the body to burn fat. We also have a series of carb to protein ratio tables listing dozens of foods that you can use to control blood sugar.

Additionally, we include sample meals so you can see how to put the foods together. All this in an easy, electronic download that you can save on your computer to access it anytime. It is a 49 page e-book offered for only $9.99!

You can read more about the e-book at the Fuel4mance website or you can order it by clicking HERE.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Dina's Post NYC Marathon report

2011-11-14T08:29:00.002-07:00

I get a tickle when I hear other runners say how much they enjoyed a marathon race. It is my turn to say “That was the most fun I’ve had doing a marathon”. The weather was incredible: sunny, blue skies with temps in the 50s and the winds were nothing to speak of. I got to the start line without any problems (thanks to my friends’ private transportation) and tried to remember this was a day to take in as many sights and sounds as possible, along with turning ‘em over for 26.2 miles.

Nutrition leading into the race was pretty much on target. The day before the race entailed a breakfast of greek yogurt and blueberries. Lunch was a salad with tofu at Whole Foods after a nice morning run in Central Park. And dinner was the usual chicken breast, sweet potato wedges, and broccoli. We were out and about most of the day, so hydration was a bit of a challenge but I monitored urine color and frequency to remind me to stay on track.

Here is my original race day nutrition Plan A with my comments and how it unfolded:

- 5am: water, coffee -- YES! Left friend’s apartment at 5:20am.

- 6:30am: 1/2 packet of Generation UCAN Vanilla mixed in water -- ACTUAL intake was at 6:50am after I got to the start area around 6:40am.

- 7:30am: water + SaltStick capsules -- YES. I had been sipping water prior to this too.
- 8:45am: Generation UCAN Cran-Raz with other 1/2 packet of Vanilla mixed in water with 1stEndurance Pre-Race (dosed by body weight) -- YES

- 9:40am: race start (I’m in the 19th corral so actual start time will probably be closer to 10am) -- I clocked 9:48am as I stepped over the Start Line.

So, pre-race nutrition was pretty much spot on. My plan for during the race was water as needed, which I didn’t start until 10K into the race and then I took 7 or 8 times thereafter. I did have two pieces of gum throughout because I like to be able to freshen up the mouth and get the saliva going, and then tuck it back into the cheek when I’m done chewing. I had planned to carry SaltStick capsules and a few extra GU Chomps in my shorts pocket, but the Chomps were so sticky I decided not to carry them. I took only 3 of the 5 SaltStick capsules I was carrying because the water I spilled on myself at the aid stations dissolved the capsules in my pocket! I had carried my own water bottles with me during my long run training so I didn’t have the spill factor like this time (a learning point for me!). As a result, I decided to take 3 sips of Gatorade between 20K and 35K. But that was it for extra calories during my 3:26:14 marathon. My pace and energy level were very consistent throughout the majority of the race and I had no gut troubles. Interestingly, my Garmin was showing me an average pace per mile that was 7 seconds faster than what the actual result was. I didn’t realize this until I was already in the last 10K of the race and headed for the “hills” in Central Park. Running near Apolo Ohno gave me an extra kick in my step though and I tried not to get too upset for relying on the Garmin and just push as hard as I could to the finish.

Overall, I am pleased with my steady run and nutrition results. I continue to believe in the power of metabolic efficiency training as it has served me well this year with a personal best marathon finish time, a PR in the half marathon and 10K, a 4th in age group in my first 70.3 triathlon, and a handful of top age group finish times... places I never had before I began my own journey with metabolic efficiency. I’m excited for what lies ahead in 2012!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-11-11T07:01:00.000-07:00

If you are in the off-season right now, skip the sports nutrition products. You don’t need them, especially if you are doing aerobic workouts less than 120 minutes and just exercising for fitness or fun. These products serve a purpose at the right time and place in a training cycle, but the off-season is not one of those times. Instead, time your workouts to occur in between meals or snacks so that you use “real” foods as a fuel source.

Many athletes think of sports nutrition products as mere convenience items, but there are plenty of other convenient foods that serve as a good fuel source such as: yogurt, banana (or other fruit) with peanut butter, trail mix, whole grain high fiber hot cereal, homemade smoothies, banana rolled in a tortilla, or a chia seed gel. Not only will choosing real foods be easier on the pocketbook, but they won’t overload your body on refined carbohydrates and simple sugars.... a good thing when we’re trying to watch our weight during the holiday season.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-11-08T06:20:00.001-07:00

If you tend to run out of fresh fruit or don’t have easy access to any fresh fruit during your day, bagged frozen fruit is a convenient option. You can stock up on a variety of frozen fruit at your local grocery store such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, mangoes, cherries, and peaches. Then, you can take out some frozen fruit the night before and keep in the refrigerator (the fruit will thaw overnight) or microwave for a few seconds to start the thawing process.

Other options for having fruit on hand is to buy extra quantities of fresh fruit when it is on sale, clean it and freeze for later use. And don’t forget to peel those overripe bananas and store them in the freezer! All of these fruits can be used the same way as fresh fruits. Mix them into yogurt and cottage cheese, blend in smoothies, add to whole grain high fiber cereals, or simply enjoy as part of any metabolically efficient meal.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD
dina@fuel4mance.com
Fuel4mance, LLC

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-11-04T00:03:00.001-06:00

This is not a fueling tip you can put into immediate practice, but rather, this is a tip to help with the future of your fueling!

If you have finished your “A” races for the 2011 season, think about where your nutrition might have failed you. Did you have a race where you had stomach issues such as bloating, cramping, loose stools, or lots of “toots”? Did you bonk? Maybe you didn’t realize the impact of nutrition on race day performance...or maybe you are one of the lucky ones starting to see the light! Know that you don’t have to suffer through those stomach and gut issues just to perform well. You actually don’t have to train your body to tolerate megadoses of carbohydrate to exceed in your sport, despite what you may read in sports nutrition media.

So, while some of your races are still fresh in your mind, make notes and give the Fuel4mance expert sport dietitians a call to get geared up for next season. You and your body will be happy you did it!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Dina's New York City Marathon Nutrition Plan

2011-11-03T08:02:00.003-06:00

This coming Sunday is the NYC marathon (NYCM). To be honest, I have only trained the past 6 weeks for this race because I spent a big part of the summer training for my first half ironman triathlon which took place mid-September. I am not new to marathons, although I typically spend more focused time training for them (I began this year training three months for Boston). So, despite me being as physically prepared for this race as I’d like, I am still super excited for the opportunity to run the NYCM. I can’t tell you the number of times people have said “This is the greatest marathon I’ve ever done” or “That is the only marathon I would ever do again”. I love events that change people’s lives in any memorable way.

Although I am still a few days out from race day, I thought I would share with you some of my nutrition plan. I arrive in NYC on Friday afternoon with my best support system ever, my husband! We are staying with a dear friend who lives on Manhattan’s upper west side, so I’ve asked her to take me to the nearest Whole Foods so that I can get my food necessities for the weekend. And yes, I do have a grocery list ready to go. Believe me, having a food plan will make me more at ease going into race day.

There is no carbo loading this week since I’m in taper mode. There will be no traditional carb loading on Saturday either. This means no pasta, rice, bread, etc. This is how I’ve trained myself since the beginning of this year, following metabolic efficiency training. I have trained my body to not need a high carbohydrate load, especially not the high carb diet you hear about in traditional sports nutrition guidelines. I will get ample carbs from fruit, veggies, greek yogurt, and nuts during the day on Saturday. My pre-race dinner will be my usual, or as my friends say “Dina’s special sauce” (although it is actually sauce-less): chicken breast, steamed broccoli, sweet potato wedges with ketchup, and water. I do plan to have a couple nibbles of dark chocolate after dinner with some chamomile tea while I finish getting my race day gear in order.

Ready for my complex race day nutrition plan? Here is my Plan A: (note that times may vary slightly since I am waiting to finalize my departure time from my friend’s house):

5am: water, coffee
6:30am: 1/2 packet of Generation UCAN Vanilla mixed in water
7:30am: water + SaltStick capsules
8:45am: Generation UCAN Cran-Raz with other 1/2 packet of Vanilla mixed in water with First Endurance Pre-Race (dosed by body weight)
9:40am: race start (I’m in the 19th corral so actual start time will probably be closer to 10am)

During the race: water as needed. Gum. SaltStick capsules hourly with water. That’s it.

Crazy? Maybe, but it’s my Plan A. Yep, I have a Plan B which is to carry a few GU Chomps in my shorts pocket.

Stay tuned for results next week. Oh, one last thought... I hope one day a question like “what is your race day nutrition plan?” will be as popular and exciting as “what is your goal time for the marathon?”.

NYC-bound,

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

The BIG 40!

2011-11-02T13:12:00.004-06:00

What a day, what a day! My experiment to determine if I could run 40 miles with 4 weeks of training came to an end yesterday. I had to move up the run by a day due to weather coming into Colorado and thus only had 3 days of recovery after my 30 mile run on Friday but that didn't prove to be an issue whatsoever.

My pre-run breakfast at 7:30am included a chocolate and vanilla (mixed) Generation UCAN with a pinch of cinnamon and my First Endurance Pre-Race (300 milligrams, 4.4 mg/kg body weight). I was out the door running at 8:15am.

I made sure I was armed with appropriate ultra-running attire (as you can see from the photo) and was donning compression shorts, 110% Play Harder compression knickers and socks, along with some fashionable arm and leg sleeves! My best bro was going to meet me to accompany me so I started with the first 5 miles solo to meet up with him at Chatfield State Park. I think he saw me coming from about a mile away with the get up I was wearing!

I was really trying not to start out too fast as I knew pacing would be important to get me through the 40 miles. I did a pretty good job (I think) as my pace did not significantly slow as much as it has in the past (compared to my 30 miler last week).

After meeting my friend, we were off with him on his mountain bike. I was carrying all of my nutrition except water. He took care of that for me and the course I had planned had water opportunities throughout. Due to the weather and conditions of trails, I opted to stay a bit lower in elevation. The weather forecast was supposed to be sunny and about mid 40's to begin the day. That didn't happen. It was cloudy and cool almost the entire run. Great running weather but it did affect my core temperature a bit.

I must say that I really didn't feel much of the first 18 miles. Minute per mile average was between 7:28-9:14 and was engaged in good conversation with my friend. What I also did not feel, or even think about, was my Achilles tendonitis. As I set off on the run, I didn't have to do my normal Achilles check. After my neuromuscular and dynamic warm-ups, I just began running with absolutely ZERO pain in the Achilles. A huge testament to my Hoka shoes! In fact, I didn't feel any observable Achilles pain throughout all 40 miles!

Back to the run...my friend escorted me from mile 5 to 29 on his bike. Our terrain was varied including some pavement, dirt roads and a singletrack trail that followed the South Platte river. Some of the course was a bit dense, as you can see from the photo below. I had a much easier time running through it than did my friend with his mountain bike!

Energy level was extremely consistent. Nutrition totals will follow but I consumed a flask (one packet) of Generation UCAN about every 90-120 minutes. I depended on my body to let me know when it was thirsty and only drank water throughout. I also chewed three pieces of gum (my standard for any run is to chew a piece of gum every 2 hours or so).

After the first loop of 21 miles (done at an average pace of 8:23 min/mile), we arrived back to our "base". My friend was a bit chilly so he put on some extra clothes while I ran around a bit and took the opportunity to consume my first during run dose of First Endurance Pre-Race (160 mg or 2.3mg/kg body weight). I must say, I was feeling like a million bucks. No pains, no major fatigue setting in and was just having a great time. We then headed onto singletrack which slowed my average pace a bit but it was nice being on dirt, following the river. At mile 30, I noticed that I was 10 minutes faster than I was 3 days ago at 30 miles. I still felt strong, although the legs were starting to get a bit more tired. We arrived at "base" again around mile 30 and I took another round of Pre-Race knowing the last 10 were going to be the biggest challenge of the day.

At mile 30, my friend ditched the mountain bike and ran the next 5 miles with me. I have to admit, I was entering my performance zone that I usually get in toward the latter part of an ultra run. This is when I do not feel like talking to anyone, let my mind be quiet and just run. Before I knew it, I was a bit ahead of my friend, clipping off around 8:30-8:40 min/miles. I hit a water stop, waited for my friend then he took off as my rabbit for the last couple of miles. I enjoyed trying to reel him in but didn't get too overzealous as I knew that I would be going solo at mile 35 to finish out the run.

At mile 35, my friend and I parted (he had to go to work), and I continued on the hardest part of the entire run. I would run back to my house and it is a gradual climb of about 500 feet. Doesn't sound like much until you have already put in 35 miles on the legs. Running back up to my house usually takes a bit of mental strategy and focus and I set out the first 2 miles at a faster pace to my only water stop. Once I refreshed with water, I was off to the last 3 miles of climbing. Interestingly, there was no complaint from the Achilles, I was not hypoglycemic, I did not have hyponatremia and I was still able to sing a tune in my head while running. I managed the next mile which included the steepest climb then the last 2 miles to my finish were a mental game for me.

I knew where the finish line was and at this time, I had no pain, was not cold and was actually still enjoying myself. However, I was racing against the clock at this point. I knew I had to make it home in time to shower and pick up my son from school (my priority!). That served as the last bit of motivation I needed to continue running the never ending hills. Once inside my front door, I marched to my bedroom, fell on the floor and closed my eyes for my well-deserved nap. Only problem was that I didn't have time! Ugh! I quickly (okay, it seemed as if I was moving quickly but really wasn't) hopped in and out of the shower, hugged my wife, grabbed the dog and walked the 2k round trip to get my son from school. With only a mild limp in my step, I was actually feeling quite well. Probably the residual effect of the caffeine but I must say that these 40 miles went by fast and without any issues at all!

I pulled it off! Did a 40 mile run with 4 weeks of training, which in fact was probably more like 3 weeks since I was sick for a good week during that prevented me from training. When I first entered endurance racing in 1993, I had no idea what the body was capable of. Even after my six Ironman races, I still had no clue. It wasn't until I stared at the Leadville 100 mile run that I finally knew some (not all) of the limits of the human body but more importantly, how efficient you can make it. I wouldn't recommend anyone getting up and training for a 40 miler with such little time to train but I think I proved some things throughout my journey. You will see some of these by the stats below:

40 mile run
Total time: 5 hours and 55 minutes
Average pace: 8:52 minute/mile
Total calories: 700 (all from Generation UCAN chocolate flavor)
Hourly calories: 118
Total sodium: 2735 milligrams
Hourly sodium: 462 milligrams
Total water: 80 ounces
Hourly water: 13.5 ounces
Total Pre-Race during: 320 milligrams

I was tired after this but 90 minutes after finishing my 40 miler, I went to the Kids that TRI practice and biked for about 8 miles with our older group. Hard at first but it was nice to get the legs moving again. I didn't sleep well at all last night, due to being so "amped" from the caffeine but aside from that and a little quad soreness, I feel fine now, the day after. In fact, I could probably go for a short run if I really wanted to (but I don't so that thought only crossed my mind for a few minutes).

All in all, it was a great day. My experiment with the Hoka One One shoes was a huge success. As you saw throughout the four weeks, my chronic Achilles tendonitis pain significantly decreased from run to run and by the last run, it was almost nonexistent. I'm still trying to put my finger on the theory behind that but for now, I will only use enough brain power that is required to go take a nap.

Next up...not quite sure. You know there will be something! Stay tuned!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-11-01T19:05:00.001-06:00

Are you one of those people who like vegetables but use the excuse that you don’t have time to prepare them? Here are a few ideas that help save some time.

Let’s state the obvious: buy vegetables already cleaned and sliced and diced! Most grocery stores have these “ready to go” veggies in the produce section or in the deli section.
While you’re making a dinner that involves chopping vegetables, such as a stir fry, go ahead and chop a few extra pieces for you and/or your children’s lunch for the next day. You can also do this while dinner is cooking. You’re in the kitchen anyway, so what’s a few extra minutes? This will save a few minutes the next morning.
Invest in a new gadget... You can get a slicer like this:
http://www.oxo.com/p-543-mandoline-slicer.aspx or a chopper like this one:
http://www.oxo.com/p-544-chopper.aspx# This makes veggie prep fast and easy. Clean up is a breeze. Oh, and you might actually have some fun!
Bagged frozen veggies are easy to toss into a stir fry or to bulk up the volume of soups and stews. You can also cook them quickly in the microwave without losing much of the nutritional value.
Spend a little bit of time to save some time. Make available a 15-20 minute time window on the weekend. Get the veggies together you need for the week, break out the cutting board and your sharp knife. Chop and slice the veggies, put them in separate containers in the refrigerator, and you’re one step ahead for lunch and dinner preparation.

Now what was your excuse for not having time to prep veggies?

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

30, UCAN and Hoka's

2011-10-29T10:08:00.003-06:00

My latest stop in proving that you can train for a 40 mile run in 4 weeks was my last long run before my 40 next week...30.1 miles yesterday. It was a great, crisp Colorado morning as I headed out after the kids left for school. I stayed low due to the recent snow making the trails super muddy so covered rolling hills on both pavement and dirt.

My goal was to try to be more conservative with my pace throughout (because I just like to go fast). I established that fairly well with the help of my Garmin. I was wearing my Hoka shoes, compression socks and 110% compression knickers. On my back was my Nathan pack filled with 70 ounces of water and armed with 3 flasks of Chocolate Generation UCAN paste with SaltStick capsules for extra electrolytes.

I must say, the first 23 miles or so were not too difficult and were without issue except for minor hot spots developing on both arches. I had to stop to tighten my laces on the Hoka's which proved to do the trick but I think a different lacing system or upper could really fix that issue.

At about the 24 mile mark, my body started to give me some feedback: FATIGUE. I have been ramping up my miles fairly aggressively these last 4 weeks and expected this fatigue to hit like a ton of bricks. It was a bit more mild than that but it did slow my pace for the last 6 miles. Not to mention that I had a gradual climb to get back up to my house.

The Hoka's prove to be alleviating my chronic Achilles tendonitis. There were only a few times where I even remembered that I had Achilles issues and when that did happen, the pain was only about a 2-3 (on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst). I still do not have a concrete reason why these shoes are so good for my condition but I am postulating some theories I will share in the future.

The last few miles of my run were spent marking the Kids that TRI Ghost Gallup 1k, 3k and 5k fun run course on a flat path around a lake and by then, I was running based on RPE. I did a little test and ran based on a 5-6 RPE with controlled breathing then glanced at my Garmin to notice that I was holding 8:05-8:10 pace for a solid 2 miles. Not bad considering I was 27 miles into my run!

Nutrition was spot on. I consumed 2 chocolate Generation UCAN in paste form, 8 SaltSticks and 70 ounces of water. Total time was 4 hours and 29 minutes and I averaged 8:58 minute/mile for the 30.1 mile run.

This experiment with Hoka's is turning out to be very positive. In fact, the bump on my Achilles which has been there for years even seems to be decreasing in size. And, this morning, while my body is tired, I feel very little muscle soreness and ZERO Achilles pain.

Today is a rest day. Sunday I may spin a bit on Powercranks. Monday is masters swim. Tuesday is a rest day then Wednesday is the big 40 miler. Oh, and it is supposed to snow with a high of 32. Should be fun.

Stay tuned...

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Fueling Tip Friday

2011-10-28T07:11:00.002-06:00

I recently read a fueling tip for the upcoming New York City marathon that said endurance athletes should consume 50 to 65% of their calories as complex carbohydrates. What a big percentage range! And how do I know if I should be on the low or the high end of that range? And in order to calculate percentages, I would have to count calories first and then figure out what percentage of the calories are coming from carbohydrate as opposed to fat and protein. Uhhh... and how do I know those numbers will tell me I’m fueled properly for my upcoming NYC marathon?

Have you guessed I am not a fan of this type of general advice? Too many numbers and insufficient information. Granted, this was just a quick blurb on a website, but it can give endurance athletes the idea that the old school way of “numbers-driven” nutrition is the be all and end all to determining fueling needs. Be careful when reading statements like this. You can easily get lost in numbers and lose sight of more important matters such as the quality of your food and how it serves your training and racing goals.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Tuesday Timesaver Tip

2011-10-25T08:30:00.002-06:00

For the rest of this year, I plan to provide a quick timesaving tip on Tuesdays related to anything nutrition. These posts are for fun, but I do hope some of you will find these tips useful or give you other ideas to save time in your busy life!

Today’s tip is for those of you who eat eggs. Here are 5 timesaving tips on how you can more easily incorporate eggs into your daily nutrition.

Hard boil a batch of eggs on the weekend to store in the refrigerator for the week ahead. Sure, it takes 15-20 minutes to do this, but it is super easy and then you have a grab and go, solid source of lean protein to have with breakfast or a snack.
In a hurry but want to make a metabolically efficient meal? Grab whatever veggies you have from the fridge and extra protein sources if available. You can make an egg scramble or frittata in 10-15 minutes depending on the ingredients you have. Dina’s quickie recipe: sauté veggies in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil for a few minutes to soften, pour in egg whites from the carton, cook on low for another 3-5 minutes, and top with salsa, fresh mozzarella, or avocado slices. You can bust this out quicker than your local greasy diner and the combinations of ingredients and flavors are endless.
Use your microwave. Nah, don’t be afraid. Grab a wide bowl or large mug, give it a quick oil spray, and pour in your egg whites or crack open a few eggs. Toss in whatever seasonings (I like basil and pepper) and other veggies or proteins you have. If you’ve never cooked eggs in your microwave, stay close by to make sure the eggs don’t go wild and explode. Check the eggs at 60 seconds to see if they are still runny. Cook in 30-seconds bouts until done. Once you know how powerful your microwave is, this process will be even more quick!
Experiment with muffin tins and you have individual egg goodness. You can line muffin tins with hollowed out tomatoes or simply crack open eggs into muffin tins. Add any combination of spices, herbs, and other veggies. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Eat these hot out of the oven or let cool, wrap, and store in the fridge or freezer for later grab and go.
Don’t forget eggs can be made for dinner. Super easy, quick, cheap, and pairs well with so many vegetables.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance, LLC

dina@fuel4mance.com

24 miles and Hoka's

2011-10-24T14:28:00.003-06:00

I had a 24 mile run on my schedule last week and embarked on it with a good mental attitude. However, I had run a hard 11 mile trail run the day before so my legs were a bit fatigued. As I headed out on my 24 miler, I knew I was pressed for time but I also knew that I needed to go a bit slower on this run. I have this crazy thing in my brain, some call it competitiveness, that prohibits me from starting slow, even with a Garmin on my wrist. I did do much better at pacing than my previous long run but having to be home at a certain time to get my son to soccer practice did not help my mental game.

This run was done mostly on dirt, rolling hills and a bit of singletrack trail. Fairy low elevation with only about 700 vertical feet climbed. I had my Hoka Bondi B shoes on along with my CEP compression socks. The first thing I immediately noticed was that my Achilles pain was about a 1-2 (scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst). I even had zero pain at some points during the run and it was truly exhilarating having a glimpse of what running without Achilles pain was like since I hadn't felt that for 4 years. Throughout the run, my Achilles pain fluctuated but never surpassed a 3-4. Cushioning was great. Cadence was high and the body felt okay. As I mentioned, my legs were already tired from the run the day before but I kept a good steady pace.

It was a hot day (for Fall in Colorado) so I brought two bottles of chocolate Generation UCAN with me. I finished both and an extra bottle of water during the 2:52:00 run. I only managed 20.3 miles because of time but was very pleased with my low Achilles pain and the effort I put in for this run. My average minutes per mile came in at 8:30 and when I got home and took off my Hoka's, I once again realized that my Achilles pain was non-existant yet again! For those of you with any type of chronic leg injury, you understand the magnitude of this.

I rushed through a quick shower then took my son to soccer. However, I still needed to get 24 miles so I walked around the soccer field on the walking path during his practice and logged an additional 4.10 miles of fast walking. One thing that I have learned throughout my ultra running career is that time on feet is very important and it doesn't all have to be running. So, I was pleased to finish the day with just over 24 miles on my legs with very little Achilles pain and minimal muscle fatigue. The walk post-run really helped with my recovery.

I put in another hard 8 mile trail run yesterday and plan on two more short runs this week with one last long run later this week. I will shoot for 30 miles then recover, do a short run on Sunday or Monday and rest until Wednesday when I will complete my 40 mile run/adventure.

All of my runs have been done in my Hoka Bondi B shoes and I will continue this experiment and keep my updates coming to provide my subjective evaluation of these shoes and their worth in a runner who has chronic Achilles tendonitis.

Stay tuned later this week for another update post long run!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Trails and Hoka's

2011-10-16T09:04:00.002-06:00

It's been longer than I anticipated since blogging last time due to a cold I picked up this week. I have been out for the past 5 days with no running at all. Luckily, it is a head cold which makes it easier to return to training. At about 80% better, I decided to venture out for a short run to test the body. I was particularly excited because I had planned on going on trails to test out my Hoka Bondi B's.

Knowing my competitive nature, I had a long mental chat with myself before heading out on my run and formulated the plan (albeit with resistance) to go slow and not push the pace so I can get to 100% soon and put in the 24 mile run that is calling.

As I headed out, Garmin on my wrist to keep me honest, I noticed my heart rate very high and breathing a bit off. Colds are not fun so I listened to my body and slowed down a bit more. About 1/2 mile into my run I was on the dirt road leading to my favorite running trails and was feeling somewhat good, pushing a very conservative 8:30 minute/mile. With every step, my Hoka's felt more and more comfortable. This was their maiden voyage on dirt and while the Bondi B's are not known to be a trail shoe, I was certainly enjoying the exceptional grip and cushioning on the dirt.

Once I hit single track, I had the opportunity to test the Hoka's out more on loose dirt and jagged rocks. I hunted for rocks to step on with each step and was absolutely amazed at what I was feeling. I could hardly detect some rocks underneath my feet as the Hoka soles were absorbing them. This was definitely a huge benefit. Unfortunately, because of my cold, I could not venture onto my favorite trail which includes about 1300 feet of vertical on single track in 2.5 miles; however, I was able to get in some good jagged singletrack to give the Hoka's my first test.

Climbing was effortless and while I have heard of others kicking rocks with their toes due to the increased sole thickness, I had absolutely no issues with this. The real fun began when I descended. I can see why so many athletes who wear Hoka's gleam about their downhill comfort. I can attest that it made going downhill a pure joy. My typical style of running downhill is similar to a rabbit where I bounce along the trail, avoiding obstacles. What I noticed wearing the Hoka's were two things: 1) I was still as nimble with these shoes on and 2) I didn't have to avoid as many obstacles since the shoe absorbed so much of the shock. I also had no ankle stability issues with the shoes.

Of course, the real reason I am testing these shoes is to see what their effect is on my chronic Achilles tendonitis. I almost forgot to include my thoughts in this blog because my Achilles pain was almost non-existent on this run! Granted it was a shorter run, 7.5 miles, but it included hills and whenever I run hills, my Achilles becomes more aggravated. As I started this trail run, my Achilles pain was at about a 4 (scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst) and throughout the run, it never increased. In fact, it went down to about a 2-3 most times. Another pleasant surprise I should say.

And, similar to my first test run in the Hoka's last week, when I returned home and took the shoes off, I had ZERO pain in my Achilles. After any trail run, I would always come home hobbling around for a few hours afterwards but with the Hoka's...nothing! A breath of fresh air for my Achilles for sure!

I still have my 24 miler waiting for me and I will attempt it early next week when I am a bit more over this cold. Not a good thing doing this distance when you are not close to 100%. I tried that at Leadville one year and let's just say that it was less than favorable!

Stay tuned for the next long run check in...

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

40 miler training update and Hoka One One's

2011-10-10T18:26:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned in my last blog, I am training for a 40 mile run in November to bring in my new decade of age in style. The run volume is aggressive, ramping up 4-5 miles of a long run every 4-5 days and yesterday was no exception. After running 14 miles five days prior, I ventured out for a 19 miler on a mostly dirt, lightly rolling hill course at a lower elevation (5500-5800 feet). This journey of training for a 40 mile run in 4 weeks will be done all by using RPE (rating of perceived exertion) as I will run comfortably, paying attention to my breathing as a marker of intensity. And of course, no music. I like to engage my surroundings and pay attention to my body signals.

I admit I went out a bit too fast yesterday on my run, which provided me a 7:37 minute/mile average for the 19, but I couldn't help it. I had gotten a pair of Hoka One One Bondi B shoes and was eager to try them out to see what all the hype was about. Many ultrarunners are choosing these shoes for their comfort and even some triathletes from what I have been hearing. As you can see from the photo, these shoes look gigantic; however, their ramp angle is only 4mm which encourages natural running form.

The true benefit of this shoe is the 30% more padding in the sole, which I will admit, feels quite nice on the legs! I did have to size up a full size as I like a bit more room in the shoe when I run long. Weighing in, my size 11 weighs 11.4 ounces which is not bad considering it looks heavier.

As I set off on my run, my initial worry was the horizontal energy loss from the tremendous amount of cushion the shoe provides. While I could not accurately measure this, especially since I was on dirt for 90% of my run, I can say that I was easily able to maintain my high cadence at a decent pace. What surprised me was that I immediately noticed my ability to maintain my higher efficiency running form with these shoes on. The eyes can be deceiving and while it looks like this shoe would be a heel strikers best friend, the Bondi B, with a low ramp angle and sole design, promotes a good lever that promotes proper knee drive and lift. I found it extremely simple to land on my midfoot for all of the 19 miles. Now, I do know how to run efficiently in any shoe but this shoe did promote more of a natural running form without much thought to it and I certainly did not have to "battle the heel to try to overcome a large ramp angle.

The real reason that I wanted to try this shoe was because I wanted to test the cushioning and the small 4mm ramp angle with my chronic Achilles tendonitis. Running with pain is common for me in any shoe but I wanted to subjectively measure the difference between this shoe and my others. My typical pain level, on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the worst), during a run is usually around a 7-8 depending on if I run aggressive hills or not. As I began this run in my Hoka One One's, I was at a 7 but interestingly, my pain level decreased as the miles accumulated. At around mile 6 I was down to a 6 and by the time I hit mile 13, I was around a 3-4. Now, this particular run was an out and back of sorts with the last 3 miles uphill, where I typically expect more Achilles pain. Amazingly, I remained around a 3 on the pain scale those last few miles.

Upon returning home, my legs were tired but increasing your long run by about 35% in 5 days will do that to you! ;-) After taking off the Hoka's, I immediately noticed two things: 1) I felt like I was walking on clouds and 2) I had ZERO Achilles pain. After a run of this nature, I usually have about a 5-6 on the pain scale but nothing after I took off the shoes. That was probably the most interesting finding of my first run.

Fast forward to later this week where I will be running a 23-24 miler but this time, I am heading up to the mountains and testing the shoes on trails. I want to test the pain scale and the performance of these shoes ascending and descending single track in the beautiful foothills of Colorado. Oh, and in case you want to know my nutrition for this run, I had a chocolate Generation UCAN 30 minutes before the run then a bottle of water mixed with chia seed and lime juice throughout the 19 miles. Energy levels were steady the entire time!

Stay tuned for the next blog post. My curiosity is peaked and I am sure yours is to.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

New adventure

2011-10-02T21:30:00.002-06:00

It's Fall in Colorado and with that comes an innate drive within me to be on dirt in the mountains, either on a mountain bike or by foot. I thoroughly enjoyed my return to triathlon this summer and really liked going fast and short and will return to it next summer. However, the ultra-endurance athlete in me always lurks and it is screaming to get out now, during the most beautiful time of the year to run in Colorado (in my humble opinion).

Couple that with the fact that I have a birthday coming up soon (one that ends with "0") and a challenge in born! If you know me, I usually don't shy away from many challenges...the crazier the better and this is no exception.

My journey will be 4 weeks in length and in that time, I will be training for a 40 mile run. Typically something that would not be recommended for the normal athlete but I am far from normal (in many ways aside from just physical!). My training program will include a progressive long run build in 3-4 mile increments every 4 days, beginning with 13 miles on October 3rd. The last time I ran this long was at my half-Ironman on September 11. Should be interesting!

Stay tuned for weekly updates...I will blog and post updates on Facebook about how my body is responding and of course, my nutritional strategies, which will be 100% Generation UCAN based with extra electrolytes.

Let the fun begin!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Dina's post Half-Ironman race nutrition report

2011-09-18T15:25:00.001-06:00

As many of you know, last weekend was my first half ironman race. My previous blog detailed my nutrition plan for the race, but now I want to give you the post-race report (I know many of you want to hear the follow-up!).

Here is my original plan with comments in red:

- 3:45a Wake up. Begin hydration plan. ✔

- 4:15a Leave house (I live 90 minutes away from the Aurora Reservoir). Sleep in car if my husband will drive me. Got in 30 minute extra snooze from 5-5:30a thanks to my dear husband for driving me to the Reservoir!

- 5:00a Coffee - it’s my usual morning routine. Actual coffee consumption started at 5:30a.

- 5:30a Start SaltSticks, my electrolyte of choice (and using acute sodium loading protocol per Bob’s e-book). Took in half the SaltSticks I had originally planned prior to race and forgot to carry SaltSticks with me on bike. I’ll attribute this to “newbie-ness”, oversight, and distraction.

6:30a 1 chocolate UCAN mixed with 1/2 scoop 1stEndurance PreRace powder. ✔ Drank within 5-10 minutes.
7:30a My wave start. Actual wave start was about 7:50a.

Bike mile 5: start sipping bottle of 1 chocolate UCAN mix mixed with 1 cran-raz UCAN. Aim to consume 1/2 bottle by mile 15. Drink only water after mile 15; grab extra bottle at mile 30 (aid station). ✔ sort of. I grabbed an extra bottle at the last aid station but only took a few sips of it before I decided to drop it. So, I consumed only one 24 oz water bottle for the entire ride.
Bike mile 32: start sipping the rest of the UCAN bottle. Aim to finish by mile 40 after which the course starts its “rollers” again. I did start sipping at mile 32, but didn’t finish until about mile 50.
Sip from gel flask containing cran-raz UCAN during miles 2 through 5 on run. Drink water at aid stations. Decided to change flavors to the lemonade the night before and made 5 oz flask. Consumed 2oz from miles 2 through 5. Drank water at all aid stations. I admit...I had one gulp of gatorade at mile 9 or so... because I wanted something cold aside from water.

Race results:

I was able to take 4th place in my age group and 20th out of all women with a finish time of 5:34:55, which was a pleasant surprise for my first go at this distance. I had great energy on the swim and bike, but my run time was slower than I had hoped by about 30 seconds per mile average. I felt a slight energy drop, but I had no muscle cramping, stomach or GI issues on the run.

Nutrition results:

Before race: 200 calories from UCAN, 200mg caffeine from 1stEndurance PreRace powder, plus caffeine from my 8 oz coffee.
During race:
310 calories from UCAN on bike, 100mg caffeine from PreRace
44 calories from 2 oz UCAN on run

15 calories from Gatorade on run

= ~370 total calories or ~66 calories per hour for my race time

Additional comments and observations:

I am happy to have my first 70.3 under my belt and to have been able to finish without GI problems like so many first-timers experience. However, I also think my lack of adequate brick training (no fault but my own) and heat training contributed to a slower run than what I anticipated. I’m sure muscular fatigue slowed me down. I don’t believe that the extra calories on the run would have significantly improved my run time, but I do know that my sodium loading and electrolyte consumption was not to my plan.

Overall, I believe my level of metabolic efficiency nutrition training did help power me through the race without the need to consume the standard gels and energy bars. I saw so many triathletes fiddling with their wrappers and heard quite a few unpleasant sounds out there on the run course... not from me, I assure you! I have learned valuable lessons to take forward for the next race so watch out for next season. For now, it is time for me to get my running shoes back on and jump back into marathon training for NYC in November... and to continue my journey with metabolic efficiency training!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Race Day Nutrition Plan for Half-Ironman

2011-09-09T16:18:00.002-06:00

If you read my blog from earlier this week, you know that I am participating in the Harvest Moon half Ironman in Aurora, Colorado, this weekend. It will be my first longer course triathlon and I have to admit I am feeling anxious yet positive about this race.

Bob and I thought it might be interesting to some readers to post my nutrition plan and a few other details for race day. My wave starts at 7:30a, so here is my plan based on my estimated times for each leg:

- 3:45a Wake up. Begin hydration plan.

- 4:15a Leave house (I live 90 minutes away from the Aurora Reservoir). Sleep in car if my husband will drive me.

- 5:00a Coffee - it’s my usual morning routine.

- 5:30a Start SaltSticks, my electrolyte of choice (and using acute sodium loading protocol per Bob’s Sodium Loading for Endurance Athletes e-book)

- 6:30a 1 chocolate UCAN mixed with 1/2 scoop First Endurance PreRace powder

Bike mile 5: start sipping bottle of 1 chocolate UCAN mix mixed with 1 cran-raz UCAN. Aim to consume 1/2 bottle by mile 15. Drink only water after mile 15; grab extra bottle at mile 30 (aid station).
Bike mile 32: start sipping the rest of the UCAN bottle. Aim to finish by mile 40 after which the course starts its “rollers” again.
Sip from gel flask containing cran-raz UCAN during miles 2 through 5 on run. Drink water at aid stations.

Well, folks, I’ve revealed my plan to you. As you can see, it is fairly simple, but it will provide me a total of 640 calories from the start of my day through the race. I do have a backup plan in case something should go awry, but I will spare those details for now and report back to you with the results after race day. Check back early next week!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD, CSSD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Going Long(er)

2011-09-05T15:16:00.000-06:00

I’ve been a runner for most of my adult life. I have been a “fitness runner” and I have competed in 10K to marathon distance events. It may sound cliché, but I consider running one of my passions. It provides me “thinking time” and I love that I don’t need much gear. I’m proud to have significantly improved my marathon personal best time this past spring at Boston by over 15 minutes with some focus, hard work, and you guessed it...nutrition training by implementing metabolic efficiency and nutrition periodization principles.

One of my A races this year was the Boston marathon (and upcoming is the New York City marathon), but I decided to give the longer course triathlon a go so that I can better “walk the talk”. As a sport dietitian and athlete, it is important for me to understand what my athletes face as physical and nutrition challenges. This applies to daily nutrition, training nutrition, and what happens when we’re working our butts off on the course headed for the finish line.

I have done my share of sprint triathlons in the past decade, which by the way, are too short for my liking! I completed an olympic distance triathlon in July with decent success, physically and nutritionally. My next challenge is next weekend’s Harvest Moon half ironman triathlon in Aurora, Colorado. I’ve continued with metabolic efficiency training during this time, using Generation UCAN as my preferred fuel source before and during higher intensity and endurance training sessions. Training has not been as hard core as I would like (you know all those other life things get in the way!), but I think adequate for me as a baseline.

You may call me a “newbie” to the 70.3 - that’s okay with me. But, I bet you want to know how I plan to fuel for the race, right? Stay tuned for my nutrition plans I will post next week and of course, I will let you know the good, the bad, but hopefully no ugly outcome!

Dina

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

My bike doesn't fit!

2011-08-20T16:12:00.004-06:00

Ever hear this one before? You drop a few thousand on a bike because it looks great but upon riding it, it's not all that? It's most likely the fit! A $10,000 bike is not worth its weight in gold if it is not fit to your body.

I have been in the coaching industry for quite some time and have come across many, many products and bikes and while these are a come and go industry, bike fitting is what I term a "stay-put" industry within the triathlon/cycling community. I have had my fair share of bike fits and even dabbled in the fit process myself and while there are good fitters out there for sure, I never ran across one that just seemed to get it.

Enter my meeting with Scott Geffre at Fit and Tri. Scott is the bike fitter at Kompetitive Edge and has over 20 years experience fitting AND as a triathlete himself (both very important characteristics). You see, I have met fitters who have been health professionals and they understand human biomechanics but they lacked the athlete part. In contrast, I have met fitters who have been great athletes but have no experience with biomechanics. It can get quite frustrating for sure for athletes because the interaction of both are crucial parts of the bike fitting process (not to mention a good personality to be able to communicate with athletes).

Fast forward to my meeting with Scott. Upon arriving at Kompetitive Edge, he promptly escorted my Fuji D6 time trial bike on his elevated stand in front of a mirror, aligned his lasers and began the interview process. This is something I am always on the lookout for because if you don't understand where an athlete has been, is and wants to be in sport, you will miss a step in the fit process. He also asked about injury status and upon sitting on my bike and pedaling, he could quickly identify my muscular imbalances and challenges. Did I mention that he does this with his eyes and no software program? Yeah, a big seller for me because as I mentioned earlier, he gets it. I have found in the 18 years that I have been coaching that the really good professionals know the body, how it moves and understand the movement patterns associated with sport. Technology, while sometimes important, cannot replace common sense and know-how.

I was extremely pleased with the entire process that Scott provided. He explained why he was doing certain things (a huge plus in my book because I feel that every athlete should have an inherent understanding of the "why's"). The fit process took about an hour in the Kompetitive Edge bike shop (which is cool to be in for the cool chats that happen among the Ace bike mechanic Ryan and the owner Jared) and before leaving, Scott eloquently noted that I should contact him after the first 1-2 rides to make sure everything was okay. How many times does this happen? None. Nuff said.

Because I have spent the last 4 years away from triathlon, my body was not used to the time trial position and after the first ride, it let me know this. I quickly contacted Scott and he immediately said to come in because he knew what to do to fix it.

BAM! He sure did. He manipulated some things and I raced on the bike today at the Rattlesnake Olympic Triathlon with zero issues.

Who cares what bike you buy. If you do not get the right fit, it is money down the drain. Do yourself a favor and contact Scott and Fit and Tri now to make sure your body movement patterns and muscular imbalances (which every athlete has) is aligned with the proper bike fit.

Thanks Scott! See you at the races!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Evolution of running shoes and Bob's experiment

2011-08-14T09:39:00.004-06:00

I have to take a step aside and put my coaching hat on for this blog. While it will not be related to nutrition, it is still related to sports and more specifically, youth and sports. I'll try to keep this as short as possible to keep your interest so feel free to email me if you have additional questions based on what you read...enjoy!

Aside from being a Sport Dietitian, I also have the honor of being a USA Triathlon Level III Elite and Youth and Junior Triathlon Coach. I work with many young triathletes as part of my Kids that TRI team in Colorado and one of the topics that has always intrigued me has been natural running form as it pertains to youth.

While this will not be a long winded blog about the background of running mechanics and the history of running shoes, I will highlight some messages that are important for all young athletes.

I will start by asking you to do your first bit of research and watch kids run barefoot in the park or sand. Note how their bodies react, how their feet are placed on the ground and more importantly, their facial reactions (almost always a smile!). I firmly believe that kids instinctually know how to run at a young age but this changes once we begin to put certain shoes on their feet. Among the hundreds of youth I have worked with on running mechanics, I have noticed a majority have issues in terms of their gait or foot placement. As they navigate their runs in what I term "cadillac" shoes (big cushioning in the heel with a ramp angle from midfoot to heel of 10 millimeters or greater), I see more heel striking, backward body lean, slow cadence and expressions of pain on their faces.

When doing something as simple as having youth run barefoot in grass, it is quite amazing the differences that are seen. There is more of a midfoot strike, forward body lean, smiles on their faces and a higher cadence.

Having said that, could their be an association between the typeof shoes and kids running mechanics?

Whenever possible, I try to progress youth from a normal "cadillac" shoe to a more efficient shoe that will actually promote a more efficient running style. Enter my newest experiment that I have been doing on my 10 year old son for the past few years. He's a very active youth, playing soccer and triathlon and has become quite a fast and efficient runner over time.

When he initially began triathlon, he started in a normal pair of "cadillac" shoes. I found that he wasn't able to implement many of the lessons I was trying to teach with efficient running because the shoe was preventing his brain from telling his foot how to properly land on the ground. More specifically, he could not overcome the high ramp angle (and heel) to properly implement a midfoot strike. I was a bit worried that he would continue his heel striking tendencies which may lead to injury so I progressed him to a racing flat shoe (see photo below). This proved a huge success because not only was the ramp angle less but he was finally able to understand what midfoot striking was. More importantly, the shoe was not the limiter anymore.

Photo: left shoe is the "cadillac" shoe; middle is the racing flat and the right is the Newton. We have progressed my son from left to right.

After months of running in the racing flat and perfecting efficient running skills, he showed great progress in his forward lean, midfoot strike and cadence. I then knew it was time for the next phase of his running shoe experiment.

Enter Newton Running Shoes. I remember when they first came out years ago and I wasn't on board at that time, mostly because the education surrounding their shoes was not great. Over the years, I have seen their company take more of a proactive stance and move education to the top of their priority list and with good reason, their shoes are very different than "normal" running shoes. I learned more about the science and technology of the shoes from the great staff at Kompetitive Edge and really began to understand not only why their shoes looked different but more importantly, the science of the functional design as it relates to running mechanics.

As I approach most everything I do, I only progressed my son to a pair of Newton neutral shoes only after 1) I understood the shoe and the science and 2) I knew my son's running efficiency was at a point where Newton's would benefit him the most.

I videotaped my son running on the treadmill with his Newton's and was pleasantly surprised at his efficient running form. Newton's are great shoes for young athletes when their running mechanics are at a certain point of progression but Newton's concept of "Land-Lever-Lift" is a great teaching tool. The shoes themselves actually promote and reinforce proper foot and body placement. Additionally, you can look at the wear on the bottom of the shoe to know if the proper mechanics are being implemented or not.

And the experiment continues. My son's journey into Newton Shoes has just begun and I am excited to continue to teach him but also note how the shoes will reinforce his neuromuscular connection to improving his running form even more.

Oh, and yes, Newton shoes are a bit more expensive but considering the fact that they help teach kids how to run properly and they get at least twice the mileage that normal running shoes get, I think the investment is well worth it.

I'll keep the updates coming on this experiment as we prepare for IronKids Nationals!

Coach Bob

SpeedGoat 50k and Generation UCAN

2011-07-31T18:38:00.003-06:00

Linda Quirk, my ultra-runner, highly accomplished and decorated athlete (and not to mention one of the most genuine people I have ever met) invited me to do the SpeedGoat 50k trail running race with her this past weekend at Snowbird Resort just outside of Salt Lake City. While my primary focus is triathlon this season to enjoy a break from the ultra miles I have put in with Leadville training the past 4 years, I thought it would be fun and more importantly, a chance to run with Linda and teach her some ultrarunning "secrets" on aggressive terrain.

I only read about the SpeedGoat on the race director's website and watched a few YouTube clips of the race in years past. Karl Meltzer, the race director, is one of the best ultrarunners of all time. I have followed his career and he is the epitome of an ultrarunner, including his altered psyche. Yes, ultra endurance athletes are a bit "off" upstairs and Linda and I experienced this first hand on Saturday.

This is the most aggressive course I have ever run in a race or even during training. There are many parts that I compared to certain pieces of the Leadville 50 and 100 courses but the SpeedGoat takes the cake for difficulty. Karl's plan was to make it the most challenging 50k in the States and it certainly held true. The course was either up or down with very little opportunity of "flat" running. In fact, many of the downhills were littered with rock beds, steep grade or loose dirt so it made it difficult to actually run downhill.

Nevertheless, Linda and I started the day with a positive attitude and navigated the course the best we could. There were many lessons along the way including how to climb straight up a snow bowl of about 1/4 mile, how to descend a super slippery and rocky section using a climbing rope, how to traverse a ski mountain to "unload" one leg at times to prevent premature fatigue and how to run through river and stream crossings. Physically it was tough but mentally, it never let up because attention to the trail was required 100% of the time. There are times in the Leadville 100 where you can just turn off your brain and run but not at SpeedGoat. If you do, you will fall and fall hard.

Winding up the mountain was fantastic and I was eagerly looking forward to the snow climb. I pointed it out to Linda as we approached it from a distance and saw the look in her eye suggesting that it would be tough but she was ready to take it on. For some reason, I felt like a kid at Christmas. The snow climb was a gift I had wanted and I loved every minute of the ascent. After ascending to the top of Hidden Peak then the highest point, Mt. Baldy (just over 11,000 feet), we rapidly descended then began climbing again followed by another long descent in a somewhat dry river bed. The rocks in the river bed were relentless, taking a toll on the bottom of my feet. It seemed like it went on forever but alas, Linda and I emerged onto a "normal" trail again and yes, you guessed it, began another climb.

I kept an eye on my watch the entire time and was getting a bit worried that we wouldn't make the cutoff time at the tunnel, which was set for 3:00pm. I did the math in my head and discussed it with Linda. At this time, the altitude was getting to her pretty well and it was forcing her to slow down a bit. I did my best to be her rabbit, trying to get us to the tunnel before 3:00pm. We were making great time and kept moving forward and when we finally arrived at the tunnel, I looked down at my watch and my shoulders dropped. It was disheartening to say the least: 3:25pm. Ugh. We had missed the cutoff by 25 minutes and while I had hoped they may let us continue, I did not want Linda to trudge on due to her altitude symptoms. We stopped, gave up our numbers and the volunteers greeted us with the message that we could take the chairlift back up and then down the mountain to the finish. I politely asked Linda if she minded if I continue to run and after she gave me the okay, one of the race officials gave me the thumbs up.

With Linda safely heading back up and down the mountain and without my official race number, I was off. My main goal was to beat the clouds that were rolling in. Lightning on top of a mountain is not the safest so I was a bit more motivated to attack the 2 mile climb to the 11,000 foot peak so I could begin my final descent. Now, the 2 mile ascent, true to Karl's ultrarunner mentality was not easy. In fact, there was one area were I was literally walking straight up a mountain. No traversing, just straight up. It reminded me of doing the Incline in Colorado Springs minus the railroad ties. I blazed up the 2 mile climb in 30 minutes, got to the top and then, as instructed by the race officials, followed the catwalk down the mountain. Of course, I started on the catwalk but I wanted a bit more of an adventure and I wanted to see more of the official course so I hunted for race markers and followed them. My quad burning downhill pace was exhilarating! I felt effortless descending and was reminded, once again, why I love trail running so much. It is my place of solitude!

I descended about 4 miles in 28 minutes and immediately knew that I would be feeling that one in the morning! By the time I finished running, I had been out there for about 9 hours and 45 minutes and covered approximately 27 miles. A good day in the books, especially considering that I went into this race 1) as a triathlete and 2) undertrained. I had only done two, 17 mile runs in the last 4 weeks and not in the trails in an effort to keep my Achilles from hurting too bad.

Of course, the real excitement of my day was my nutrition plan. I committed to having only Generation UCAN throughout the entire day as my calorie source and I must say, it was nothing shy of phenomenal. Here's the breakdown of what went in my body...

4:30am, 1 packet of chocolate UCAN

6:30am, race start

7:30am, began a bottle of chocolate UCAN

10:00am, began a second bottle of chocolate UCAN

1:00pm, began a third bottle of vanilla UCAN

4:15, finish

Upon finishing, I had my post-workout bottle of vanilla UCAN.

I had water throughout and 10 SaltStick tablets. Yep, that's it. One bottle of UCAN pre-run. Three bottles during the run and one bottle post run. Never a dip in energy the entire day. Never.

Here are my hourly totals for the 9 hours and 45 minutes I was out there:

Calories: 62

Fluid: 9.2

Sodium: 182

I watered the foliage twice and never felt any signs of altitude sickness, dehydration, hyponatremia or hypoglycemia.

This was my first true test of using Generation UCAN during an ultra (it works awesome for my triathlon training) and I have to say that it did not disappoint me. I remember my races at Leadville and all of the GI distress I would have and it is such a joy to be able to complete a race without worrying about when the gut is going to fail.

While I was not an official finisher of the SpeedGoat 50k, I am extremely proud of our efforts tacking that thing that Karl believes is a race. It was the most challenging endeavor that I have taken on in off-road racing (not even my Leadman series in 2009 can compare to this one day). My quads began to present with a bit of tightness as I approached the bottom of the mountain but I had the biggest smile on my face.

Karl-my hat is off to you for a well-run race. Will I be back? Can't say for sure but I do recall telling my crew during and after my first Leadville 100 that I would never do that again...I later went on to complete it again in the 2009 Leadman series so I'll let you ponder if I will return to conquer the SpeedGoat 50k.

Generation UCAN-you have the best product on the market for athletes. My test this weekend validates its use in ultra endurance situations. Thank you for a great product that is completely unique and different than anything out there!

Now, it's off to a hard recovery week so I can bounce back to triathlon training. I have 4 races in three weeks coming up. Gotta continue my quest for speed!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

The Pitfalls of Metabolic Efficiency

2011-07-18T17:05:00.002-06:00

It's been a few years since the Metabolic Efficiency concept entered my sport nutrition career and life and with each athlete that I work with or hear from, it seems as though there are nothing but positive benefits happening. However, I thought I would share a little of the detriments to following a metabolically efficient eating plan. Of course, these are just my interpretations as I have seen through the eyes of a sport dietitian and an athlete alike.

Detriment #1: I feel full after eating for at least 3-4 hours!

Yes, believe it or not, eating metabolically efficient will stabilize your blood sugar for a good 3-4 hours and thus requires less food to be eaten throughout the day. A large amount of athletes train to eat and thus justify the quantity of food they eat because they train. Sure, it's a little opposite thinking and sure, we know through research that we require fewer calories as we age but that won't stop athletes from overindulging and packing in the calories. Athletes like to eat, it's a known fact. Sorry for keeping your hunger at bay (I'm really not!).

Detriment #2: I am saving too much money by not buying as many sports nutrition products as I used to!

Hey, I'm the first to admit that some of the sport nutrition products on the market are downright tasty. You put enough sugar and salt in anything and of course it will taste good! Just so happens that teaching you body to use more fat as energy during training reduces your hourly calorie intake. Not something most sports nutrition product companies want to hear and you may want to drop more change on gels, bars, drinks, gummies and the like. Power to you but why not put that cashola to something that you may need more like an overpriced triathlon bike or race entry fee? Just sayin...

Detriment #3: I am not taking my afternoon cat nap any longer.

I understand that you do not feel your afternoon crash now that you are metabolically efficient and I sincerely apologize for taking away this opportunity for you to not be able to focus on work or get in a good training session due to altered energy levels but hey, what can I say?

I'm sure you got the point with this lighthearted look at metabolically efficiency but I thought it would be important for me to share some of the feedback I receive from athletes going through the initial process of improving metabolic efficiency. Some of it really makes me laugh! If you read carefully, there are some very good messages throughout.

Enjoy your metabolic efficiency journey!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Dina's experiment...inspired by Bob

2011-07-05T14:20:00.003-06:00

My experiment was more of an inspiration. After I read Bob’s most recent blog about his early morning run and the “big wait” for biological hunger cues during his long run, I was inspired to alter my pre-run nutrition for a day to see what would happen.

I’m actually on the other side from Bob when it comes to early morning training sessions. I LOVE ‘em. Okay, maybe I don’t LOVE them, but I really, really like them. I’m up at 5am most days of the week and am training between 6-6:30am. Because of the time gap between wake and train, I usually consume a UCAN SuperStarch powder mixed with 8 oz water about 45 minutes prior to a higher intensity or endurance training session.

I woke up at 5am and on this day, I had some speed work scheduled with my ladies’ group: after warmup, run 10 x 2 minutes of hard efforts with 1 minute recovery periods. Granted, this training session was much different in intensity and duration than what Bob did, but I wanted to test the same thing... what would my true biological hunger level be if I went out without any food? And how would I feel during my run?

I’ll be honest - I was nervous driving to the trailhead. I’m so used to my ‘special sauce’ as my friends call it. Was I feeling hungry though? There was a touch of something there, but it was not true hunger signs as I know them. I headed out at 6:30a for the warm up and then we hit the trail hard to begin our intervals. I started conservatively for fear I might bonk early on. Then I thought, why should I hold back? I’ve been eating metabolically efficient for quite some time. Let’s put this to the test. Interval after interval, my pace times improved. I wrapped up the workout with a 6:20 pace feeling strong. I was not immediately hungry, but felt more thirsty than anything. As I drove to the gym for a shower, I felt the biological hunger kick in. For me, that means loud gut noises! I did eat my breakfast (cottage cheese, blueberries, cinnamon) which was about 3.25 hours after I had gotten up.

So what does this mean to me? First, I think it’s a good idea to check in on the habitual eating we do, even if the habit surrounds our training. This training session consisted of harder efforts, but it was relatively short and I felt strong throughout. I didn’t have a second training session scheduled, so there was not really a performance need for me to fuel ahead of time. This was a good check in for me to reassess true morning hunger and pre-workout fueling needs. Secondly, I echo Bob’s comments...we can improve our metabolic efficiency through nutrition changes, once we first break free from what we have been historically told (i.e. “you gotta eat lots of carbs to keep your energy!”). It is amazing to see and feel the many ways in which this efficiency affects our abilities and goals.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Another experiment

2011-06-29T17:19:00.002-06:00

Let me set the record straight: I do not prefer to train in the morning. For whatever reason, my body is not at an optimal level to perform until about 1pm. However, in the continual quest for knowledge and answering the hundreds of questions that pop into my head on a daily basis, I thought I would do an experiment on myself today.

I woke up at 5:30am (early for me!), got ready and headed out the door for a longer run (nothing like my ultra days but for my triathlon related goals this year, it was a longer run). I headed out the door at 5:45am (after doing some neuromuscular and dynamic exercises and pleading with my Achilles to wake up). This is where it gets good.

I am that athlete that absolutely needs to eat something in the morning upon waking. I am usually very, very hungry and since I teach about learning and respecting the hunger response, I practice what I preach. Except for this morning.

I wanted to test a theory and as such, I went out for a 14 mile run without eating or drinking anything beforehand. I carried a flask of Generation UCAN Vanilla with a bit of cinnamon mixed with water expecting to need it at some point along with 20 ounces of water. It was a glorious time of the day for a long run (wish I could get my body to perform well in the morning because it is gorgeous in the early hours of the day).

The first few miles felt fine. I had a bit of a tailwind and some downhills and was clipping off 7:30 miles. Mile 6 hit and I still felt good. I turned around at 7 and was questioning why I had only taken in a few ounces of water but no calories. Hmmm...I headed back (an out and back course) and was greeted with a "great" headwind and some decent hills for most of the way back home. I thought for sure that I would need some calories now due to a higher energy expenditure trying to fight through the wind and hills.

Wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...I kept repeating this in my mind envisioning myself clutching the gel flask with UCAN in it and enjoying the taste. But nothing. I listened to my hunger cues and they were not speaking. My cadence was good, body and mind felt strong and my Garmin was telling me that my performance, quantitatively, was consistent. No significant drop in pace.

My longest run thus far this season has been 10 miles so I was thinking that I would for sure need the UCAN around the 10 mark. Mile 10, 11, 12 passed and still no hunger cues or performance loss. What? As I reached home, a bit confused as how I could run 14 miles in 1:51:00 without any food beforehand, I calmly reassured myself that this is metabolic efficiency and the concept itself, while amazing, is absolutely valid for athletes.

Sport is about improving efficiency patterns from a physical perspective but why not nutritionally? Because athletes have not known this and we have been brainwashed into thinking we need a lot more calories than we really do. Train your body to be more efficient in using its stored nutrients and enjoy the health and performance benefits.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

10 Reasons to Love Metabolic Efficiency Training

2011-06-07T17:29:00.002-06:00

I started (seriously) adapting my nutrition to improve my metabolic efficiency at the beginning of 2011 when I began my Boston marathon training. How has it been working for me? So far, so good! Whether you are or are not a follower of metabolic efficiency training, I thought I would share with you my top 10 reasons I am liking (actually, loving) metabolic efficiency training.

No energy level crash. By combining the right foods at meals and snacks, I have stable energy levels throughout the day. I get to choose the foods I like. No one dictates what I eat, how I prepare it or how much of it I eat.
Feeling good in my clothes. My body weight has decreased by 7% and body fat percentage by approximately 4%. Forget about those numbers though... what I really enjoy is that I fit comfortably into a pant size that I haven’t worn for quite a while.
I feel healthy. And my last blood draw in March to check my lipid panel showed improved cholesterol numbers. They weren’t that “bad” last year, but they’re even better now.
I am free.... free from gobbling and goo’ing those various sports nutrition products every 30-45 minutes during training sessions. I consume electrolytes, water, and don’t need any calories for any workouts under 2.5 hours. I will continue to experiment with this as I undertake my longer triathlon training sessions this summer.
GI distress gone during training sessions - because of #4 above. What a relief the GI monster doesn’t rear its ugly head and get in my way of quality training.
No calorie counting. Unnecessary. I use Bob’s periodization plates™ as my primary guide for each time I eat.
More color on my plate. Yes, I am a sport dietitian and yes, I am a vegetable lover. However, this nutrition adaptation has encouraged me to expand my “vegetable rotation” to include more variety and a willingness to experiment more.
No grain, no pain. I took out grains, which was indeed a big change for me (I used to eat at least 5 servings daily). By changing the composition of my daily nutrition, I have been teaching my body to use its internal fat stores more efficiently for energy. This relates to almost all of the above points!
Going faster. I have set new PRs in my marathon, half marathon, and 10K times this year and I am no spring chicken. Granted, my new coach has helped me get stronger and I do more high intensity training. But, I know my nutrition changes have had a significant impact.
Role model. As a Fuel4mance sports dietitian, I walk the talk. I practice metabolic efficiency training and I am an athlete. I understand the challenges, but I will be able to help you get closer to your goals.

What are the reasons you like metabolic efficiency training? Share your reasons here or hop on our Facebook wall and let us know.

Dina

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

40% off my newest book!

2011-05-31T20:53:00.002-06:00

My awesome publisher, Bull Publishing, is extending a 40% off deal to purchase my second edition of "Nutrition Periodization for Athletes". I first published it in 2004 and the update is tremendous! I added all of my little secrets that I use with athletes so you (athlete, coach, sport dietitian) can benefit from them. It's a powerhouse of a sports nutrition book if I do say so myself! ;-)

Click below to get the 40% off:

Nutrition Periodization for Athletes, second edition

Enjoy!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Is this for real?

2011-05-23T19:36:00.002-06:00

I thought I would further experiment with the Generation UCAN SuperStarch product today during double quality training sessions. I had a quality masters swim and an 8 mile run with intervals. I had been using UCAN during my breakfast concoction and have recently progressed to timing it before workouts. I have to say, today was extremely successful but not surprising to me based on the science and knowledge of the UCAN product.

So, I started my day with my regular smoothie mix of frozen blueberries, chocolate UCAN, chia seed gel, cinnamon and water at 7:00am. I then had a lemonade UCAN mixed with water and First Endurance Pre-race (caffeine) dosed to my body weight at 9:00am. Masters swim was from 10:00-11:30am and was a doozy of a workout today as usual (thanks Coach Susan Williams from Elite Multisport Coaching).

My swim was phenomenal and I think I even surprised Coach Susan coming in on the intervals I did. I had a great deal of force in the water with my pull today and never lost energy the entire 90 minutes. In fact, as I will discuss in a future blog post, I do believe there is an association with lactate buffering and using the Generation UCAN product. My muscles never fatigued or "burned" as they used to since implementing the nutrient timing system with Generation UCAN products.

I finished the 4000 yard workout and put in another 100 just for the fun of it after the group was gone. I got out of the pool at 11:38am. I then hustled home for my 8 mile interval run.

I had a vanilla UCAN packet with a sprinkle of cinnamon mixed in more of a gel format in a gel flask at 12:15pm, nothing more (I wasn't hungry at all after swimming so I waited a bit but also knew that I wanted to try the UCAN in between workouts). I began my 8 mile interval run on the treadmill at 12:55pm and did the following workout at 1% incline:

1 mile warm up at 8.0 mph

4x 1 1/4 miles split into 400 meters done at progressing speeds of 8.5, 8.8, 9.1, 9.4 and 9.7 mph with a 400 jog at 8.o mph after each set

4x 1/4 miles at 10.2 mph (5:53 min/mile) with a 400 jog at 8.0 mph

1/2 mile cool down at 8.5 mph

I attacked the entire run, never fell off pace, form or cadence with extremely steady energy the entire 54 minutes and 15 seconds of the run.

Two high quality workouts spanning 4 hours done on 3 packets of UCAN with the extra additions in my morning smoothie and the First Endurance Pre-Race product. Minimal calories with high energy expenditures. This speaks volumes about making my body metabolically efficient but it is also very important as it allowed me to dial in a nutrient timing system using the Generation UCAN products. These products can be used with huge success before workouts. And yes, the addition to caffeine to my plan is on purpose as I use it for its ergogenic benefits dosed specifically on my body weight (you can find out more about this in my e-book found at the Fuel4mance website).

Next up is the experiment of trying Generation UCAN during longer quality sessions. I'll try this on my longer run this week and report back! I also have a simulated Olympic distance triathlon in which I plan on exploring the effects of UCAN on a race pace scenario so stay tuned!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Metabolic efficiency and Ironman racing

2011-05-14T08:11:00.002-06:00

I have been fortunate to have worked with my athlete, Alan, for 3 years now (as his coach and sport dietitian) in his Ironman (IM) racing pursuits. Alan came to me 3 months before IM Louisville 2009 with the goal of eliminating GI distress. He was one of the many athletes plagued with this condition in each of his long course races and was frustrated and willing to do anything to change it.

I knew that enlightening him to the Metabolic Efficiency concept would do the trick for him and we navigated that journey together. It was extremely difficult for him in the first 4 weeks because his daily diet was the cause of many negative things he was experiencing (GI distress, daily energy lulls which forced him to take naps at work and inconsistent weight and body composition changes). He ate like most endurance athletes: super high carbohydrate diet in the form of starches and grains, low protein and virtually no fat. I knew that making a dietary change was absolutely necessary but it would not be easy.

True to my point, Alan had a rough go around the first few weeks but between week 3 and 4, there was a shift. His energy levels were through the roof, his body fat was down and his hourly calorie needs were significantly reduced during training (with no signs or symptoms of GI distress). We had achieved success in a very short amount of time which led him to finish IM Louisville in 10:02, receive a IM World Championship qualification slot and most importantly, he had NO GI distress whatsoever. He commented to me that this was his easiest IM from a nutritional perspective because he didn't have to worry about trying to consume his typical 300-350 calories per hour and did not have to concern himself with carrying his nutrition or stopping at aid stations. Alan consumed 86 calories per hour in his 10:02 effort at IM Louisville!

I should state that when I embarked down the Metabolic Efficiency road, my goal was not to reduce hourly calorie intake during training/competition. My main goal was to eliminate GI distress but it just so happened that there were two great ancillary benefits to teaching the body to be more metabolically efficient: 1) reduced body fat and weight and 2) reduced need for supplemental carbohydrates due to the increased use of stored fat as fuel.

Alan has been following a metabolically efficient nutrition plan ever since and has been putting in performances that have shocked him and his competitors. Alan, at a ripe young age of 51, just completed IM St. George where, on one of the toughest IM courses in the US, managed to finish in 10:20. This was good enough for 3rd in his age-group (the difference between 1st and 3rd in his age-group was just over 2 minutes!) and with his 3:31 marathon, he had the fastest run in his age-group.

Prior to this race, we had been implementing his nutrition plan in every long training session and had it dialed in. I was comfortable with finally prescribing total calories to consume during the race because we knew how his body reacted to it. One of the defining moments in training was when he did a 9.5 hour bike ride with over 15,000 feet of climbing on 360 calories...TOTAL!

His race nutrition plan was to consume between 350-400 calories total. Here is what he did exactly:

4:00am: 1 packet of chocolate Generation UCAN

5:00am: 1 packet of chocolate Generation UCAN

30 minutes before the swim: 2 scoops of Pre-Race from First Endurance (for its caffeine source, I dosed it based on his body weight)

Swim: nothing

Bike: water, electrolytes (4300 milligrams of sodium), 1.75 packets of chocolate Generation UCAN in paste format

Run: water, electrolytes (3440 milligrams of sodium), 2 scoops of Pre-Race at 13.1 miles

Totals:

Time: 10:20

Calories consumed before the race: 360 (66 grams of carbohydrate from SuperStarch, 26 grams of whey protein isolate, 2 grams of fat, 480 grams of sodium)

Calories per hour: 36

Milligrams of sodium per hour: 782

In Alan's past IM races under my supervision, he consumed between 73-94 calories per hour during the race. This 36 calories per hour for his recent IM depicts the body's ability to be trained to use stored fat as an energy source when properly trained. Years ago I would have been amazed at these results. After 4 years of employing this concept with athletes and seeing hundreds achieve tremendous results, this is my new normal...what I like to term "New School Sports Nutrition".

If you are not familiar with this concept, I would recommend reading my book "Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat", which you can find at the Fuel4mance website.

Next up for Alan is IM Coeur d'Alene in 7 weeks. He will be employing the same nutrition plan so stay tuned next month for a recap!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Calorie Efficiency Ratio

2011-04-25T09:02:00.003-06:00

One of the athletes I work with on his nutrition ignited this blog entry. He has had such success with metabolic efficiency, reducing his hour calorie intake during training and improving his bike and run performance that I felt the need to write about the concept behind his success. Enjoy!

Traditional sports nutrition research suggests athletes consume between 120-240 calories from carbohydrate per hour during exercise. However, research that came out a couple of years ago had some interesting conclusions which increased this range to up to 360 calories from carbohydrate per hour. When athletes got word of this, the buffet began and with that, accompanying GI issues did also.

If you follow the Fuel4mance blog or the work that I do surrounding metabolic efficiency, you know that it is possible to reduce the amount of calories from supplemental carbohydrates you eat if you teach your body to use more of its internal fat stores as energy at higher intensities. This is the cornerstone of metabolic efficiency.

However, this blog is not about what we already know. I want to introduce you to a concept I call "Calorie Intake Efficiency Ratio". Whenever I do metabolic efficiency testing, I peek inside of an athlete's body from a physiological standpoint to learn how their body uses their stored carbohydrate and fat throughout different intensities of exercise. Once I know this, I can accurately prescribe a nutrition plan to help improve metabolic efficiency. I can also give training parameters based on their current training cycle and physical training goals.

All of this is great but what athletes also want to know is how many calories they should eat during training. Enter the Calorie Intake Efficiency Ratio. This ratio is the relationship between the amount of calories that an athlete burns and the calories that they consume during a training session. I have collected data on athletes for many years regarding how many calories they burn (collected via power meters and heart rate monitors) and have found that most endurance athletes consume 10-35% of the total calories that they burn. I have also found a direct correlation between the risk of GI distress and a higher Calorie Intake Efficiency Ratio (read: eat more = more GI distress).

Thus, much of my work around metabolic efficiency has been on reducing the hourly calorie need in athletes so that nutrition does not become a limiter during racing and athletes do not overfeed themselves. When metabolic efficiency is properly developed, the Calorie Intake Efficiency Ratio is reduced to about 5-10%. This means that athletes only need to consume 5-10% of the total calories they burn to maintain energy levels. Of course, you must develop good metabolic efficiency first before you drastically reduce your hourly calorie intake.

Definitely something to keep in mind as the race season approaches. Your body doesn't need as many calories as you think it does as long as you train it to become more efficient. Why athletes strive to improve their physical efficiencies (swim, bike, run) and not pay attention to their nutrition efficiencies (metabolic) is puzzling but remember that you can develop metabolic efficiency in about 2-4 weeks so there is still time before race season hits.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Dina's Boston Marathon Prep: The Finale!

2011-04-20T13:43:00.002-06:00

Race day is over, so it’s time to report on my results! Nutrition the night before race day went pretty much as planned: grilled chicken, salted sweet potato wedges, steamed broccoli and salad (the latter unplanned). I was lucky to be staying at a friend’s house who was so gracious in sharing his kitchen and indulging me in my current favorite pre-race dinner combination. Plus, he was willing to share a few bites of his dark chocolate bar after dinner! For fluids, I drank water, decaf black tea, and Nuun electrolyte mix. I monitored hydration by urine color and frequency rather than exact volume amounts. Everything appeared to be on track. I slept about 6 hours, which was adequate considering my pre-race anxiety level. It’s Boston after all!

On race day, I awoke at 5:30am and got myself packed up and ready. I had planned to wear my Fuel Belt, carrying two 6 oz. bottles of Nuun, a handful of Gu Chomps, Sport Beans and extra Gu gel with caffeine (part of my Plan B and C!). I sipped water and a cup of coffee around 6am. This was my first Boston marathon, so I wanted to make sure I had ample time to get to the start area. We left the house at 6:30 to make the 50-minute drive to the shuttle bus. I arrived at the start area around 7:45am and found a spot to sit on the ground that was protected from the cold winds. My original ‘Nutrition Plan A’ was to have a chocolate Generation UCAN about an hour before my wave started at 10:20am. I changed ‘Plan A’ because I was starting to feel hungry (maybe partly induced by stress and nerves) and drank my chocolate Generation UCAN at 8am instead. I noticed others around me eating all kinds of other carbs: bagels, bars, gels, cereal, etc. My coach reminded me not to get behind on my nutrition because once behind, I wouldn’t be able to catch up. I contemplated changing my nutrition plan further to include some other carb source, but quickly assured myself to stick with the plan - this was my time to test my metabolic efficiency. At 9:15am, I drank a lemonade Generation UCAN for an extra boost of SuperStarch and had a few more sips of water. So, even before race start my ‘Nutrition Plan A’ had changed to ‘Plan B’. After a potty stop, some dynamic stretches, and waiting in the corral for 10 minutes, I was ready to hit the road.

I had a target pace for the first half of the race, but wasn’t able to achieve this. In fact, my first mile was at a 8:18 pace. I was far back in the pack and It was tough to navigate my way through. As a result, I got frustrated and skipped several of the water stations. I had gulped some Nuun, but realized I may have started a bit late on my hydration. I pushed on hoping for the pack to thin out, which didn’t seem to happen until after the half way mark. I’m not sure what the temperature was, but the sun was shining and I was sweating. I started to take water at most of the following stops and took Nuun periodically. I actually didn’t use my watch to tell me when to drink but went by thirst. My energy level was great and it showed in my mile splits staying fairly consistent throughout even through the Newton Hills!

I did end up having a couple of the Chomps and Sport Beans between miles 14 and 24, a total of 88 calories worth to be exact. I had forgotten to pack a piece of gum (another part of my Plan A) so the chews and beans gave my mouth a different flavor. I actually didn’t feel hungry during the race so I’m not sure I needed the extra carbohydrate, but I had tried the Chomps during previous long runs to test GI tolerance. I was thrilled to not “need” all the nutrition I had packed with me.

In conclusion, my nutrition didn’t follow ‘Plan A’ to a tee, but my ‘Plan B’ was just a slight variation. This was my first marathon with absolutely no GI distress, no hunger, and noticeably strong energy levels with very little muscle fatigue. We athletes tend to only focus on our finish times to tell us success. Well, I have a new personal best at 3:24:55 (an improvement by a whopping 17 minutes and 17 seconds! from just 6 months prior). This is a thrill for me, but I think an equally great success is how well my metabolic efficiency training worked! I can’t wait to test it even more this year!

Dina

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Dina's nutrition prep for Boston: Part 2

2011-04-17T09:35:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is race day. This past week has been my taper week, so my training volume was significantly lower with some shorter high intensity work. I did a short run this morning with some strides to get the legs turning over. Coming from Colorado, I can feel the difference in oxygen immediately!

But what about nutrition? Wanna know my secrets for this week? For starters, I haven’t needed to eat as much due to lower training volume. This isn’t something I’ve had to consciously think about. I have simply listened to my biological hunger to guide me. Granted, I am feeling the anticipation of race day, but I have tried to be mindful of emotional/stress-induced eating versus biological need. My weight on the scale yesterday morning showed no weight gain from one week before, which makes me mentally feel better.

Adequate hydration is key, of course. I have been monitoring urine color and frequency more closely the past couple of days to make sure I see a lemonade color throughout the day. I am not drinking any special electrolyte formulas or fancy potions. The forecast for race day looks great - around 60 degrees. Because of this mild temperature (albeit more humid than what I am used to) and because I am not a particularly heavy sweater, I may do some small amount of sodium loading and I will salt my dinner a little. Water is my beverage of choice, but careful not to hyperhydrate.

If you read my previous blog, you know I have been eating metabolically efficient since January. Although many athletes think of carbohydrate loading prior to an endurance event, I have not changed my daily nutrition patterns this week and do not have any intentions to change my nutrition during these last 24 hours. I know the standard sport nutrition guidelines recommend far higher amounts of carbohydrate than what I have planned, but I am going against the grain (pun intended!). I have not added grains back into my nutrition, but I am still getting carbohydrates from my fruits, vegetables (starchy and non-starchy), dairy, and my morning peanut butter. My evening meal is one I have practiced many times the night before a long run: grilled chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes with olive oil. And no new foods today, even at the Expo!

I have been training my body to be more efficient at using its fat stores for energy these past three months and now it is time for me to test this in a longer race setting. So, wrong or right, this is where I’m at with my Boston preparation. It’s been quite simple, actually. For tomorrow, I have a Nutrition Plan A and a Plan B. My pre-race Plan A is based around a morning cup of coffee, water with electrolyte, and a chocolate Generation UCAN. I am carrying my own electrolyte mix for the run along with a handful of Gu Chomps for the last quarter of the race if needed. I won’t disclose my Plan B here, but I will post a race day report with details soon. Stay tuned.

Dina

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Dina's nutrition prep for Boston: Part 1

2011-04-12T19:40:00.002-06:00

My 2011 began with Boston Marathon training on the brain. I was coming back from an injury yet determined to start the year with fresh goals and to prepare for my first Boston! In conjunction with my running program, I decided to manipulate my nutrition to see what impact metabolic efficiency training would have. After reading “Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat” last year, I started the year by modifying my nutrition to omit most whole and refined grains. This was a huge change for me because I was used to frequent consumption of foods like almond butter sandwiches, oatmeal, or sport nutrition bars before workouts. My meals and snacks often would include crackers, tortillas, pasta, granola bars and bread. I started using the ‘periodization plate’ model to help me balance blood sugar levels by combining proteins and fiber-containing foods at each meal and snack. My training volume was fairly low the first 6 weeks, so I didn’t need to supplement my workouts with any sports nutrition products. I was feeling good so far and noticed my body weight decreased by ~3% and body fat by ~2% within 5-6 weeks. Mind you, I did not count calories or measure quantities of foods!

In early February, I did a metabolic efficiency test with Bob Seebohar to see where my crossover point was (at what pace did my body begin to burn more carbohydrate than fat). I was honestly disappointed and surprised by the results because my crossover point occurred at a pace of 6.4mph, which was a slow pace for me. I guess I was glad to have a crossover point because not all athletes do, yet I thought it would occur at a higher intensity. After brainstorming with Bob, I decided I need to be more aggressive with my nutrition and pay closer attention to meal composition and content.

Since that time, I have strived for a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein (sometimes 3:1 or an occasional 4:1 if having a little sweet or chocolate!) at each meal/snack. I have omitted all grains/starches (except on my birthday), reduced my intake of starchy vegetables to 1-2 times per week, minimized alcohol, and cut down on sweets. About 30-45 minutes prior to many of my workouts, I have been consuming Generation UCAN, a powder containing SuperStarch which empties quickly from the stomach but does not spike blood sugar or insulin level like other high carb/sugar sports nutrition products. I have also worked harder at my speed and interval workouts. The primary goal of all these changes is to push the metabolic efficiency point to the right so that I can perform at higher intensities while relying on my fat stores for energy rather than needing to supply carbohydrate to fuel my body.

I haven’t been able to test my metabolic efficiency on the metabolic cart again, but I can tell you these other results:
1) body weight has decreased another 4%. I fit into a pant size I haven’t worn for 15 years!

body fat decreased another 3%
my calorie intake has averaged about 25-40 calories per hour for my 3 hour runs where last year it was about 80-100 per hour. I need no calories on anything less than a 3 hour run - way different than ever before.
I have great energy levels during my long runs without any GI distress or hunger, during or afterwards.
My paces on long runs have improved significantly.

That’s a summary of my past 3 months of training leading up to the Boston. Check back here in a few days to see what my taper week looks like!

Dina

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

My new book is here!

2011-04-03T14:35:00.002-06:00

I am SO excited to announce that the second edition of my first book ever is now available! It is a much updated version from my original published in 2004. I have stocked it with much more information and I can now say that it darn well may be one of the top sport nutrition books you have in your library. I initially wrote the first edition to serve as a complementary resource for other sports nutrition books on the market but I wanted to provide athletes and coaches the information that I provide to athletes and also the "how" of implementing my principles. Here are a few highlights of this new second edition:

1. Title change (from Nutrition Periodization for Endurance Athletes to Nutrition Periodization for Athletes) reflects the addition of how to use nutrition periodization among a wide variety of athletes include team sport athletes, strength and power athletes and endurance athletes. The information can now be easily used for any athlete!

2. The addition of my FuelTarget model that I developed over 8 years ago. This model is a very simple way to teach athletes of all ages and abilities how to eat without using a numbers based approach or counting calories. I also added my Periodization Plates model that is referenced in my Metabolic Efficiency Training book.

3. Offering a full chapter devoted to the basics of the macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat) including what they are, good sources of each and why each is necessary. This is the only part of the book that follows a "traditional" approach to sports nutrition. All of the other chapters are completely out of the box thinking.

4. My weight management chapter has been completely redesigned to provide athletes the three methods of losing body weight and fat. There is not one way that is most successful for athletes thus I provide the three most popular that can be used with great success in obtaining body weight/composition goals.

5. In the nutrition supplements chapter, I highlight a few ergogenic aids/supplements that have shown promise in their use and safety.

6. Lastly, I have added information about iron deficiency anemia and inflammation and how nutrition is linked to each of these very common disorders among athletes.

All in all, the page count is about double from the first edition but there is no filler. All of the information is what I use with athletes "in the trenches" on a daily basis.

I am confident that this book will surpass your expectations! You can find it at my publisher's website, Bull Publishing, Fuel4mance or Kompetitive Edge.

Enjoy!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Shedding my Security Blanket

2011-03-20T18:21:00.001-06:00

By Dina Griffin, MS, RD

Sport Dietitian, Fuel4mance

Yesterday I ran the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab, Utah. It was a special day for me in many ways. It was my first time in Moab, it was my birthday, and I got to start the day with a good run, which is one of my favorite things in life. I’m currently training for the Boston marathon in April, so the Moab half marathon was to be a good tempo training run for me. The good news is that I finished first in my age group and I improved my half marathon finish time.

The even better news about yesterday was the results of my “nutrition training test in a race setting”. I have been eating metabolically efficient since the beginning of the year and have definitely seen changes in my body weight, body composition, and energy levels since I made this change in my daily nutrition. For my long training runs, I have been experimenting with products made by Generation UCAN® as my pre-run fuel. The product is unique in that its main ingredient is a modified corn starch (“SuperStarch”), rather than many of the simple sugars that other sports nutrition products contain. This SuperStarch provides a sustained energy release and supports the principles of improving metabolic efficiency from a nutrition perspective. I have found that fueling with UCAN in conjunction with the changes I have made in daily nutrition have enabled me to run longer with less reliance on sports nutrition products. In fact, I have either consumed water and electrolytes on my long runs or water, electrolytes, and about 60 calories (for runs longer than 2.5 hours). Keep in mind that in prior years, I had been following the recommendations by sports nutrition companies (30-60 grams of carbohydrate every 30-45 minutes!), along with eating a fairly high carbohydrate daily diet.

Back to yesterday.... my first half marathon race since I started on my metabolic efficiency journey. I had decided ahead of time I would have only the UCAN chocolate formula (which contains the SuperStarch and whey protein) as my pre-race fuel. The race didn’t start until 10am, so I began my day with water and an 8-ounce cup of coffee at 6:45am. I then drank my UCAN, mixed with 16 ounces of water, at 8:30am. At the start area, I noticed hundreds of runners eating bars, gels, and drinking Gatorade and many of those runners had bars, gels, and beverage bottles strapped to their bodies. I felt proud not to “need” anything else, although I got a bit nervous when my running coach advised me to grab a gel at mile 6 and eat it an hour into the run. I respect my coach, but I’m the sport dietitian and I had a plan for my nutrition!

The race started promptly at 10am and off we went. I had great energy and felt strong. I grabbed a couple sips of water at mile 4. The funny thing is that when I got to mile 6, I decided to grab the gel provided on the course like my coach had advised. I held onto it for the next 3 miles during which time I monitored my energy level and pace. All was going as planned. I had no gastrointestinal distress, no hunger, my body felt good, and my energy level was steady even with strong head winds. I decided to put the gel in my shorts pocket and leave it for backup. I thought about that gel a couple of times during the remainder of the race, especially when I ran past several runners who were eating or drinking a carbohydrate source. I crossed the finish line feeling strong with the gel still in my pocket. I have to admit, I felt proud that my race day nutrition plan worked like a charm. So, not only did I run a good race, I believe this was a testament to my body’s improved ability to utilize its fat stores more efficiently. As I was cooling down, I took the gel from my pocket, gave it to my husband and said “I no longer need this security blanket”. What a relief.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD

dina@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

March Newsletter

2011-03-06T21:51:00.001-07:00

The March 2011 "The Fueling Station" FREE sports nutrition newsletter has been published and is available at Fuel4mance.

Dina Griffin, Sport Dietitian at Fuel4mance, provides a great article about cooking metabolically efficient.

Enjoy!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Metabolic Efficiency Recipe Book is here!

2011-02-21T11:52:00.004-07:00

It's here! It's here! It's here! Can you tell I am a bit excited about this? After listening to all of the great feedback from athletes asking for Metabolically Efficient recipes, I am proud to announce that the Metabolic Efficiency Recipe Book is complete!

Here's a bit of info about it:

This is a recipe book that offers you the necessary information about improving your metabolic efficiency through the proper combination and preparation of food. The book supports your metabolic efficiency plan by providing over 100 recipes that will help you develop your body's ability to burn more fat. Four contributors provide their original recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

Unlike any other recipe or cookbook, Olympic Sport Dietitian Bob Seebohar begins by teaching you simple methods that will help you choose and combine foods for improving your metabolic efficiency. Then, it is onto the fun part of experimenting in the kitchen with over 100 mouth-watering recipes!

This is in Electronic Version only for now. You can purchase your copy at the Fuel4mance blog or on the Fuel4mance website.

Enjoy your metabolic efficiency journey with this recipe book!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance

Eggstatic!

2011-02-19T14:04:00.005-07:00

It seems as if the information about eggs, cholesterol and health change every few years. One year they are "bad" while the next, researchers are praising their worth. What's an athlete to believe? Here's a quick update about eggs...

Here are the nutrients you can find in 1 egg (not Omega-3 enriched):

Calories: 70

Total fat: 5 grams

Saturated fat: 1.5 grams

Cholesterol: 185 milligrams

Sodium: 70 milligrams

Potassium: 70 milligrams

Protein: 6 grams

Micronutrients: Vitamins A, D, B6, B12, folate, calcium, iron, riboflavin, phosphorus and zinc

Interestingly, the cholesterol level in eggs these days has been found to have lower amounts than in the past. As you can see from the amount above, the cholesterol content of a normal egg is around 185 milligrams now. Good news for some athletes!

Eggs are also rich in choline which plays a big role in proper brain functioning and is necessary for women who are pregnant.

Here's some other interesting facts about eggs that not many athletes know:

1. The egg yolk contains almost half the protein in an egg and the majority of the other nutrients.

2. Egg yolks contain zeaxanthin and lutein which are both good for eye health.

3. Most of the fat in an egg is unsaturated so it does not have as much of an impact on potentially raising the unhealthy cholesterol, LDL.

4. Evidence (from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee) shows that most healthy individuals can eat 1 egg per day without significant changes in cholesterol or triglyceride levels.

5. Modern research has pointed more towards LDL having a bigger impact on coronary heart disease versus total cholesterol level. In fact, many studies argue that the LDL/HDL ratio is a better indicator of heart disease risk than either LDL or HDL alone.

6. Research has also shown that saturated fat may be more likely to increase the cholesterol level in the body than does dietary cholesterol. Eggs do have a higher amount of cholesterol but compared to other animal food sources, eggs have a much lower amount of saturated fat.

Eggs have the highest quality protein available in food and can be a great part of a metabolically efficient nutrition plan. Enjoy them in moderation!

For more information about eggs, visit The Egg Nutrition Center.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Fuel4mance, LLC

Bob's metabolic efficiency assessment data

2011-02-06T14:37:00.009-07:00

As you know, Dina (sport dietitian at Fuel4mance) provided a metabolic efficiency assessment on me a few weeks ago. You can read more about my first assessment that she did in a previous blog but suffice to say, I am extremely excited about my results of this current assessment.

First, a bit of background and some comments. I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian (have been for many, many years) which means I eat dairy products and eggs every so often. Most of my protein sources such as beans, nuts, seeds, etc. contain carbohydrates. This is important because reducing carbohydrate load is a necessary step in controlling blood sugar and insulin and thereby improving the body's ability to oxidize (burn) fat. In the past, due to this type of diet, I have never been able to really see a Metabolic Efficiency Point in my personal tests. I would always burn more carbohydrates and lower amounts of fat.

Fast forward to this most recent metabolic efficiency assessment and I was overjoyed at the results. As you can see from my data below, I was able to maintain more fat burning throughout most of the run. While it is not the textbook curve which I sometimes see in athletes, for a vegetarian who has never had a metabolic efficiency point before, this is great progress and true testament that daily diet has a tremendous impact on improving this process. How do I know this? Because prior to the test, I was sick for 5 weeks and thus did not exercise much at all. Again, this supports my hypothesis that improving metabolic efficiency is about 70-80% dietary changes and 20-30% exercise changes (particularly, doing more aerobic exercise).

My metabolic efficiency point happened at a 6:59 minute/mile and a speed of 8.6 miles per hour. As you can see, anything slower than this pace is promoting a bit more fat oxidation.

Why am I so excited? First off, I did achieve a metabolic efficiency point for the first time. Secondly, and much more important, is the fact that I am doing shorter triathlons (sprint, Olympic and half Ironman) this summer so these results provide great reassurance that I can gain speed back in my ultrarunning legs while maintain a good rate of metabolic efficiency.

I will be following my metabolic efficiency trends throughout this year so be sure to stay tuned as I change my training to improve speed. My daily nutrition plan will stay fairly similar this year.

Here's to a great journey of data collection this year with Coach Bob!

Coach Bob

www.fuel4mance.com

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Testing Coach Bob

2011-01-24T21:11:00.003-07:00

By Dina Griffin, MS, RD

Sport Dietitian, Fuel4mance

I have been learning the concepts of metabolic efficiency and its relationship to nutrition for the past several months, but it was time to try my hand at conducting the actual metabolic efficiency test… and on what better athlete than the man himself, Bob Seebohar!

We conducted our first test in mid-December prior to the holidays. Unfortunately, Bob had been fighting a cold for a couple of weeks prior, but he was towards the tail end of the illness, so we decided to give it a go. He stated he had not done much exercise since he initially got sick, so we decided this test would serve as a new baseline. If you have read “Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat”, you know many of the details of how the test is conducted so I won’t go into all the details here.

Bob decided to do his tests on the treadmill. For his first test in December, he began his warm-up at a walking pace of 3.5 miles per hour (mph). Yes, I said walking – sometimes we must begin conservatively but also remember this is a submaximal test. Our protocol was to increase his pace by 0.3mph every 5 minutes. We were monitoring his carbohydrate and fat oxidation closely. Eventually, he began a light running pace about 25 minutes into the test. Interestingly, his fat oxidation hovered between 50-54% for the remaining 40 minutes, even with the increase in speed every 5 minutes. Bob was getting fatigued and we were essentially seeing a steady rate of fat burning throughout the test…and recall, he was sick and had now been on the treadmill for well over an hour! We concluded the test without having reached his metabolic efficiency point (MEP) at a 7.1mph pace. We were both wondering: did he have a MEP? Hmmm… note that Bob is also a lacto-ovo vegetarian so his nutrition is a bit higher in carbohydrates because many of his protein sources contain carbohydrates as well (namely, dairy, beans and nuts). He also reported eating 1-2 grains per day.

Now fast forward to mid-January and test number two. Bob hadn’t changed his nutrition significantly. He reported he was now averaging 1 grain per day (at most), but I know he makes a great effort of eating a good balance of carbohydrate and protein at each feeding. Exercise had increased since our initial test, but no official training had begun. We picked up where we left off with Bob doing his dynamic warm-ups prior to hopping on the treadmill for a 10-minute walk/run warm-up. His first stage began at 7.1mph and we progressed at the same rate of 0.3mph every 5 minutes. I’ll be honest – I was anxious to see where his MEP would be. Minute after minute passed and that familiar steady rate of fat oxidation was apparent again… 25 minutes into the test, he was still hovering between 51-54% fat oxidation rate. Finally, when Bob’s pace increased to 8.6mph, we started to see a shift in his fat utilization and his body crossed over to burning more carbohydrate than fat after that point. As Bob began to cool down at his original starting pace of 7.1mph, it only took his body about one minute to return to fat burning. Very efficient and quick recovery!

So, that’s a summary of what I witnessed during Bob’s recent metabolic efficiency tests. I’ll let him comment more on nutrition, training, and his forthcoming plan(s). For me, he was wonderful “test” material and showed a great example of an athlete whose body is efficient at burning fat by keeping his daily nutrition quite consistent and balanced.

From Coach Bob: I will be posting my full results soon so stay tuned!

Contact Dina at dina@fuel4mance.com or www.fuel4mance.com

Improving Metabolic Efficiency

2011-01-10T10:04:00.004-07:00

It makes me very happy the more I see coaches and sport dietitians blogging and discussing the concept of Metabolic Efficiency. I have had so many people tell me that I am on the cutting edge of something with this concept but that many people do not believe that Metabolic Efficiency is really valid. That's really okay with me because I enjoy swimming upstream and challenging conventional science and application of nutrition with athletes. In fact, it was about 7 years ago now when many people told me the same thing when I developed the concept of Nutrition Periodization. Many did not understand what it was and how it could help an athlete achieve their goals. As we all know, Nutrition Periodization is now the centerpiece for any sport dietitian or performance nutritionists work with athletes and it has even started being presented in undergraduate sports nutrition textbooks.

Am I a bit different? Of course! Do I enjoy it? You bet! Thus, the concept of Metabolic Efficiency, still in its infancy, is getting more and more press and gaining more discussion among health professionals. Why? BECAUSE IT WORKS. Enough said.

Now to the real point of this blog: improving metabolic efficiency. There is not a day that passes when an athlete approaches me desperate to change their metabolic efficiency. And one such athlete recently had me interpret a metabolic efficiency test that he had done and let's just say that his results were not pretty. Thus, I wanted to share with you all a few things as it relates to this particular situation.

This athlete is a marathoner, and a pretty good one. A 7:00-8:00 pace is comfortable but his metabolic efficiency was suboptimal, in fact, he did not have a metabolic efficiency point (MEP), even at a ridiculously slow pace of a 12:45 minute/mile.

So, he approached me and asked what could be done about this. The GI distress monster bit him often and he wasn't about to "run" at a 12:45 minute/mile in training. That did not support his performance goals.

Lesson #1 in improving metabolic efficiency: change daily nutrition habits.

Honestly, so many people out their believe that just training at lower intensities will develop their body's ability to burn fat more because that is what data (old) has shown. I firmly believe that training is only about 25-30% of the puzzle. How can I be so bold in this statement? Because I have case studies (they are not university research studies) where I have manipulated the nutrition of an athlete but kept their training as stable as possible and guess what? They improve their metabolic efficiency.

So, the point of this week's Fuel4mance blog is simply this: to have a bigger impact on teaching your body to burn more fat, pay more attention to your daily nutrition plan. Eat a good source of lean protein and fruits and vegetables and be careful with the whole grains depending on what training cycle you are in. Don't worry about your training program as much for the first 4 weeks of your metabolic efficiency journey.

Remember, changing nutrition is much more difficult than changing your training because there is more behavior modification involved. Be patient and take small steps to improving your nutrient balance to control your blood sugar and insulin levels and you will be on the road to metabolic efficiency in no time!

For more information about this topic, visit www.fuel4mance.com and refer to my Metabolic Efficiency Training article under the "newsletter/articles" tab or look into purchasing my Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat book available at www.fuel4mance.com, www.kompetitiveedge.com, www.trisports.com or on Kindle.

Here's to a great start of 2011!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

www.fuel4mance.com

Old School to New School: Part 3, Weight Loss Approach

2011-01-02T22:28:00.003-07:00

By Dina Griffin, MS, RD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

Are you someone who has attempted weight loss and failed… or have you been a yo-yo dieter? I have had countless new clients, many of whom are beginner level athletes, come to me wanting to lose weight “again”. As we begin our discussion, I sometimes hear “I just need for you to tell me what to do”. This is when we switch gears because this expectation and mode of thought is old school thinking!

If you have read my previous blogs, you already know I am not a fan of rigid meal plans and a “good and bad” mentality. I am a proponent of examining nutrition in terms of its quality and how it supports your health and athletic goals. For weight loss seekers, we must dig deeper in order for you to be successful long-term. For example, what things influence you to eat? How do you view your food choices? What is happening around you when you eat your meals? How will you define and deal with successes and failures during weight loss? This is just a sampling of questions to show you that weight loss is a process. It involves self-examination and exploration of your beliefs and thoughts surrounding food and an understanding of how your lifestyle can support or sabotage your steps along the way. This process can be quite difficult for many, but with patience and a readiness to change, you can finally free yourself from the pattern of the yo-yo dieter.

For more information, feel free to contact me at dina@fuel4mance.com or visit www.fuel4mance.com.

Dina

Dina Griffin, MS, RD

Sport Dietitian

Fuel4mance

Old School to New School: Part 2, "Bad" is Bad

2010-12-07T14:26:00.004-07:00

By Fuel4mance Sport Dietitian, Dina Griffin

I often hear phrases or questions from my new clients such as:

- “I was bad this weekend because…”

- “is it bad to eat a piece of ….?”

- “I felt bad when I ate ….”

It’s one of the words that make my spine shiver: “BAD”, especially when referring to food choices or behaviors surrounding foods. There are many reasons you think of “good” and “bad” when it comes to food. It could be related to your upbringing, the influence of the media and marketing tactics, or what you hear from friends. So, when you seek the assistance of a Registered Dietitian, you assume we will be the Food Police, as I alluded to in Part 1 of this blog series. The Food Police scrutinize and tear apart your nutrition, telling you those good and bad foods you ate.

If you are working with a qualified sport dietitian, you should never hear any feedback that reflects you ate badly. In fact, if you initiate any response with a negative view of your nutrition, one of our first tasks is to address this mindset. You will be surprised at first because we may not even discuss specifically what you ate. Be prepared, for this approach is typically quite challenging to wrap your head around. Again, you expect to be told what “good foods” to eat and how much. Instead, we are going to delve into your behaviors surrounding negativity and self-sabotage regarding food choices and habits. Through this work together, we develop strategies to change the way you view food, which will build a trusting relationship with food and help you live freely from the black and white, the “good and bad” traditional way of examining nutrition.

Next time you think you were “bad” for eating a particular food, catch yourself and think about why you had these thoughts. It’s a process, but ultimately moving away from the notion of “bad” will be a very good thing.

Dina Griffin, MS, RD

Sport Dietitian, Fuel4mance

dina@fuel4mance.com

www.fuel4mance.com

Sports Nutrition: Old School to New School

2010-11-21T09:04:00.003-07:00

I am very proud to introduce Dina Griffin to the world! Dina is the first sport dietitian (other than myself) at Fuel4mance and she is offering a bunch of high quality sports nutrition services to athletes. She will also be writing articles for "The Fueling Station" free monthly newsletter and will be providing blogs for the Fuel4mance blog. Read more about Dina at Fuel4mance and enjoy her first blog post below!

Dietitian blog: Old School to New School - Part 1

Dietitians are often viewed as the traditional “food police”. We scrutinize your food choices and tell you how much you should eat and drink. We dictate what is right and wrong.

Most athletes want to know exactly what foods and in what quantities they should eat to achieve certain goals such as weight loss or how to properly fuel during a particular training cycle. This is the “numbers and math” you may be familiar with, especially if you have ever tinkered with online formulas for determining calorie or protein/fat/carbohydrate needs. Sport dietitians have been taught a range of formulas to develop nutrition plans for athletes. Here is a simple example of something I recently read in a textbook: “To figure out the average female athlete’s daily calorie needs, multiply 37 times her weight in kilograms. Take 45-65% of this number to get calories from carbohydrate. Divide by 4 to get the number of grams…” It is easy to get buried in the numbers and lose sight of the athlete’s goals.

It is true that dietitians’ formal education includes learning medical nutrition therapy guidelines to help treat a variety of medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and gastrointestinal disorders. In these cases, it can be appropriate to provide very specific calorie or nutrient needs to affect a disease state or outcome.

But for sports nutrition, many dietitians are making a shift from the “numbers” and rigid meal plans to an emphasis on the quality of one’s nutrition. Nutrition quality can include aspects such as teaching athletes how to become aware of their hunger and satiety levels, build healthy relationships with food, and food combinations to maintain energy levels. Sports dietitians stay abreast of the scientific evidence related to nutrition and sport performance, but no longer do we define “good” nutrition simply by the number of nutrient grams and calories per day. A bigger, more qualitative look at nutrition will reveal many intricacies than classic definitions of good and bad nutrition. It is an exciting time for the new wave of sports dietitians and athletes, so we will explore these topics in future posts!

Dina Griffin, MS, RD

dina@fuel4mance.com

www.fuel4mance.com

Compression clothing and training

2010-11-18T12:11:00.003-07:00

I was out for a run (yes, a trail run-see my post below!) today with my wife and a friend. While running, I learned that our friend also has had achilles issues so I was telling her about the benefit of wearing compression clothing (socks, tights, knickers) and how much that had helped me with my achilles challenges. Just a few weeks ago, I was turned on to a new company that makes compression clothing and WOW is the only word to describe their products, thus I thought I would blog about my experience.

As an exercise physiologist, strength coach and a USA Triathlon certified Level III elite coach, I know a thing or two about the physiology of compression and as an endurance athlete for 18 years, I have worn my fair share of compression clothing. I met Nathan at 110% (www.110playharder.com) through an Ironman athlete whom I coach. After looking over the 110% website, I was intrigued so I reached out to Nathan to discuss his products and the science behind them. Yes, there are many compression options on the market for athletes but this one in particular combines gradient compression with ice sleeves built right in the garment. Brilliant!

I got my hands on a pair of their knickers and have worn them for three runs (during and post run). When I first put them on, I first noticed how easy they were to put on (this is not true for some other compression clothing on the market). I then noticed immediately the graduated compression leading to better blood flow and the top quality manufacturing put into the compression clothing. While I have not yet tried the ice sleeves, the compression is second to none from all of the products that I have tried. The knickers provide great support around my knees, quads, hamstrings and gluts throughout training and post training they are a pleasure to wear in speeding my recovery. Additionally, the ice sleeves are great to put water flasks, electrolytes or nutrition during training.

These knickers are a crucial part to every training session that I do, and while I wish I would have had them for my Leadville training the past few years, they will be an integral part of my triathlon training next season. I can't wait to try the ice sleeves post training so I can stop jumping in the river (that feels good in the summer but not so much as I enter the winter months of Colorado)! I would highly recommend 110% compression products to any athlete. They really work wonders!

Check them out at www.110playharder.com.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

www.fuel4mance.com

Addiction

2010-11-17T20:02:00.003-07:00

I do not have any addictions, so my wife says. She told me that one thing she loves about me is that I do not have any bad habits or addictions. Of course, I believed her until recent reflection about what addiction really is.

Many of us think addiction is a bad thing and in most cases, I do agree. When I thought that I had an addiction I was a bit frightened. I mean, how can I possess something so bad? This isn't a coming out of sorts via a blog. Rather, it is a self-reflection that I truly have a problem.

Let me give a little background. In the Fall of 2007, I injured my achilles and as any stubborn male that does not frequent doctors, I did not seek medical advice. In 2008 before going to the Olympics, I took off 6 months of running hoping it would get better (from personal research, this did seem beneficial). However, it did not help. I tried many things to help my achilles-grastin, massage, ultrasound, rest, different shoes, the whole gamut. Now, being a bit impatient and an athlete does not mix well with an injury like this. Rest did not help it. Shoes did not help it much. Grastin and massage did not help it. What is an athlete to do?

What I did was continue to train on it. Was it painful at times? Yes, but I seem to have a high tolerance level so I just continued to train for 100 mile running races and 100 mile mountain bike events. It wasn't getting worse so I drudged on. The ultra-running was quite an experience and one that I would never have changed. However, training for 100 mile runs on trails at altitude (>10000 feet) pointed me toward training predominantly on single track in the mountains.

Enter addiction. My addiction is trail running. I grew up in Colorado so I am partial to the landscape that surrounds me. I live less than a mile from miles upon miles of trails that go up and up and up. The beauty of a trail is like nothing else I have experienced in life. Being on a trail in nature is calming. There are rarely others on the trail, no music, no pollution, no noise except for my feet navigating the dirt and my labored breathing. The places trail running have taken me have taken my breath away-definite postcard material and yet even with achilles injuries, I continue to go vertical which is probably the worst thing for this type of injury.

Can I stop? I'd like to think I can but last week before I was about to leave the house for a trail run and I told my wife where I was going (a course I have run many times that has about 1500 vertical feet of climbing), she asked why. I was puzzled by this question. It's what I have been doing for years so why would I stop? However, she asked a very good question. As I embarked on my trail run, I reflected on the true meaning of what she was saying.

As I began the ascent and feeling that dull pain in my achilles as I have every other trail run, I confirmed that I do indeed have an addiction that I cannot give up. It is impossible for me to stay off the trails. Even with re-entering triathlon next year, I will still be on my trails. Why? Because it is who I am and while I acknowledge that it may be an addiction, I reason that it is one of the healthiest out there and until my achilles snaps, I will continue to go to my peaceful place.

I am an athlete: it's what I do.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

www.fuel4mance.com

Carbohydrate Load

2010-11-11T08:05:00.005-07:00

Whenever I present to a group about Metabolic Efficiency and show them my Preparatory or Metabolic Efficiency Periodization Plate, it stirs a bit of discussion and "concern". This plate simplifies the process of eating and focuses on including lean protein, healthy fat, fruits and vegetables in the daily nutrition plan. There are no whole grains included in this stage of the metabolic efficiency plan.

Let me explain this in a bit more detail. As a whole, some athletes still do not know how to periodize their nutrition to account for their different energy expenditures. For example, fewer calories will be expended during an off-season than during competition season, thus the need for changing nutrition. This is of utmost importance because overfeeding carbohydrates at inappropriate times of the year can lead to a decreased efficiency of using fat for energy. This is explained in much more detail in my book, Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat" but I wanted to use this blog to clear some of the concerns that accompany my metabolic efficiency periodization plate (sans whole grains).

I am not against whole grains. In fact, they are a very integral part of any athlete's nutrition plan. However, as mentioned before, the carbohydrate load of an athlete's diet is often too high to support their training, body weight and body composition goals.

The reason whole grains are not included during my metabolic efficiency initial steps is to simply control blood sugar better by reducing total carbohydrate load. This is not supportive of a low carbohydrate diet. The goal is to bring the carbohydrate load down to normal levels, increase lean protein and healthy fats in an effort to control blood sugar more efficiently.

So, when athletes see no whole grains as part of my metabolic efficiency plan in the early stages, they are concerned and worried that they will lose their body's carbohydrate stores and will not be able to think, work well or exercise. Nothing is farther from the truth! In fact, let me set the record straight by providing a simple example of this.

The new Food Guide Pyramid suggests adults should eat 5-8 ounces of grains per day. Here is how it usually looks for athletes:

2 servings at breakfast (oatmeal, toast, cereal, bagels, etc.)

3 servings at lunch (sandwich/bread, chips, crackers)

1 serving for a snack (energy bar, crackers, etc.)

2 servings at dinner (potatoes, pasta, etc.)

One serving of grain has 80 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrate.

Total grain servings: 8

Total calories from grains: 640

Total carbohydrate grams from grains: 120

Now, let's take a look at taking the grains out and replacing them with fruits and vegetables.

The new Food Guide Pyramid recommends adults eat 1.5-2 cups of fruit per day and 2.5-3 cups of vegetables per day. Here's a typical day:

2 servings of fruit at breakfast (grapefruit, smoothie, bananas, etc.)

2 servings of vegetables at lunch (salad, side veggies, carrots, etc.)

1 serving of fruit for a snack (apple, pear, peach, etc.)

2 servings of vegetables at dinner (broccoli, asparagus, salad, etc.)

One serving of fruit has 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrate.

One serving of vegetable has 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrate.

Total fruit servings: 3

Total calories from fruit: 180

Total carbohydrate grams from fruit: 45

Total vegetable servings: 4

Total calories from vegetables: 100

Total carbohydrate grams from vegetables: 20

Grand totals:

Calories from the grains example: 640

Carbohydrate grams from the grain example: 120

Calories from the fruits/vegetables example: 280

Carbohydrate grams from the fruits/vegetables example: 65

Net reduction in calories by switching to fruits/vegetables and not including whole grains: 360

Net reduction in carbohydrate grams by switching to fruits/vegetables and not including whole grains: 55

As you can see, by replacing grains with fruits and vegetables, not only do you ensure a good amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but you also reduce carbohydrate load which will act to control blood sugar better, thus controlling the insulin response and thus teaching your body to burn more fat.

Oh, and for those who are looking at the number of carbohydrate grams thinking it is far too low...remember, you still get carbohydrates from protein sources such as dairy products, nuts and beans.

I hope that small quantitative comparison helped you understand my macronutrient shift better and why the use of my Periodization Plates is both simple to use and justified from a health perspective.

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

www.fuel4mance.com

Holiday gifts

2010-11-07T07:51:00.002-07:00

Remember, as the holiday season gets closer, there are many gifts of health from Fuel4mance you can choose to give your loved one, friend or colleague. Here they are:

1. Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat (book, also available on Amazon Kindle).

2. Nutrition Periodization for Athletes (book; second edition coming out in early 2011).

3. Performance Nutrition: Applying the Science of Nutrient Timing (book; coming out in early 2011).

4. Strength Training for Triathletes (DVD).

5. Neuromuscular, Dynamic and Functional Exercises for Athletes, (E-book).

6. Sodium Loading Protocol for Endurance Athletes (E-book).

And of course, any of the sports nutrition services offered at Fuel4mance can be purchased as gift certificates!

Visit www.fuel4mance.com for more information and to order these great gift ideas!

Happy Holidays!

Coach Bob

coachbob@fuel4mance.com

www.fuel4mance.com

My new "Sodium Loading Protocol for Endurance Athletes" E-book is now available!

2010-11-02T22:07:00.000-06:00

I am proud to announce the arrival of my newest E-book, "Sodium Loading for Endurance Athletes".

I have created this just over 20 page document to provide endurance athletes the opportunity to learn the strategies I have used for years on Olympic and Elite endurance athletes. In this E-book, I share background information about plasma volume and sodium, sodium loading, my custom acute sodium loading protocol and a list of sodium supplements that are on the market that can be used with my protocol.

Please enjoy this E-book at a special introductory price of $4.99. You can order at www.fuel4mance.com or click on the following link. Please feel free to forward this to anyone who you think would also benefit.

Link to purchase:

http://pul.ly/b/11788

Thanks!

Bob