In this podcast I give a little inside information on how I personally recover post exercise with a quick shake to help focus on
I also give a little insight into how a simple shake can be thought out and created in a versatile manner by taking certain factors into account 😉
Its that time of the year in the southern hemisphere where peak racing season has kicked off and in full swing. Last week in particular I spent my time at the expo of the 2nd largest timed cycle race in the world the Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge. It’s quite an experience engaging with athletes from all walks of life from the couch potato turned health nut, the weekend warriors to the real competitive race snakes.
I spent most of my time deep diving into the human body and how each athlete needs to fuel uniquely to their specific needs. Its amazing how many athletes had not given much thought to the nutrition surrounding the event and are just about to try to fortuitously perform. In endurance sport this rarely works and actually the opposite it makes for a miserable day out. Proper sports nutrition is the foundation on which the athlete has the ability to maximize his or her energy system and perform at their greatest potential in the most comfortable manner. Get this right and you will want to be back quickly. Get this wrong and you will never want to return.
With this in mind I want to change that mindset that sports nutrition should be an after thought and that training is more important. Absolutely Not!
One cannot out train a bad diet as much as they think they can it doesn’t work and in the same token its not possible to gamble on your training and racing fuelling strategy. Just like anything in life practice makes perfect and understanding how the human body functions under stress well as understanding how your unique make up will fair over the distance needs to be taken into account.
In this particular blog I am going to focus on the fuelling side of sport and give you a general way to approach it logically. The way I generally engage with any athlete is to first understand the following:
These questions are important to understanding exactly what the person is about and what he is going to be putting his body through as well as the conditions. If these points are not all taken into account you could be setting yourself up for failure.
Lets delve into the list above and break it down to be a little more clear.
What kind of athlete are you?
A high intensity performing athlete placing their body under extreme stress will certainly require a different feed from that athlete who is casually doing a social run or ride. You see its quite simple the athlete that goes at a very high intensity will be limited more as digestive system is more sensitive under this type of stress. Another thing to take into consideration is that the athlete will highly likely deplete his or her glycogen stores at a higher rate than the lower intensity athlete meaning a higher carbohydrate feed will need to be looked at in order to spare as much glycogen as possible during his or her effort. A more social athlete doing an event for fun or at a far more controlled pace will get more oxygen into the system over time due to more controlled breathing and in this case a different type of a feed can be considered as oxygen into the body over time ultimately determines which fuel tanks are predominantly used during exercise. (See my video explanation of the human fuel tank usage based on effort). In other words if you are an athlete doing a fun session or a lower or more controlled intensity event do not try to fuel like a pro or a race snake you are just going to cause havoc with your energy system. Fuel your effort.
What time will you be training or racing?
This is such an important factor. Ever noticed how so many athletes wake up at 4am to train or others at 17:00. The problem here is that a race doesn’t usually start this time. An athlete should always try to train at similar times to race times at least two times a week if possible. One needs to acclimatize to the race conditions and experience those temperatures that you will be racing in. The energy system also changes during the day and training your body at certain times which are nowhere near race times will ultimately cause discomfort when doing the actual race. A simple example is a friend of mine a runner, who trains every single morning but then he did an afternoon marathon but had never ever run at that time. It was an absolute disaster for him. Over and above the acclimatization, early mornings are cooler requiring less hydration but as the temperatures rise one needs to ensure that hydration is understood and done correctly. Last year I did a 204km trail running stage race in a team of four people. The race started at 13:30 in the heat of the day and continued until 19:30 the next morning. In order to understand my hydration and fuelling requirements and how my body would respond I occasionally trained 3 times a day morning, lunch time and evening. I needed to experience the various conditions and to allow my body to adapt to what it was going to face on the big show down. As a wise man once said, if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
How long will you be training or racing for and what intensity will you be training or racing at?
Proper fuelling requires a view of time versus intensity. I did mentioned intensity earlier on however the human body is limited as to how long it can perform at a high intensity. We basically have two major fuel tanks being glycogen and fat. Glycogen is our rocket fuel tank short lived and fat more our diesel engine fuel longer lasting. The table below shows approximate time that each fuel tank will last over a range of intensities.
| INTENSITY | FUEL TANK | APPROXIMATE TIME OF SUPPLY |
| Max Effort | Glycogen | 60-90 minutes |
| High Intensity | Glycogen / Fat | 90-120 minutes |
| Medium Intensity | Fat / Glycogen | 2-5 hrs |
| Low Intensity | Fat | 5 hrs Plus |
*Well trained athletes can extend their ranges quite significantly
Based on the above you will need to understand that you cannot race extremely hard for an unlimited period of time as once the glycogen stores are depleted your body will slow down in order to accommodate more oxygen and of course allow for higher fat fuel usage. Meaning that the duration of exercise will ultimately determine the pace and you need to fuel that pace in order to ensure you have matches in your box for the final leg. I have seen too many athletes burning their matches early on only to succumb much later to complete fatigue. The longer the event the far more you need to pace yourself and the fuelling strategy you utilize needs to match that level of effort.
When will you be training or racing again?
Crucial question as not all races are one day events. When it comes to stage racing you have to consider how you will fuel yourself during the event to ensure that as you finish the stage you already start the recovery process. Once you complete the stage, recovery must begin immediately to make sure you are strong for the next stage. Many athletes fail to prepare themselves properly for this aspect of the race and as each stage goes on they become weaker and more fatigued eventually succumb to the pain the body is feeling from the lack of recovery.
Weather conditions you will be training or racing in?
Earlier we mentioned climate but you need to take into account the actual weather on the day. It might be a hot time of the year but the day of the race could come with strong winds or rain, or much hotter temperatures. In either of these three factors the fuelling strategy can vary slightly. I will give you an example. Rain means less sweat, means less hydration which means if you are relying on your liquid carbohydrate feed from the bottle and you land up drinking less due to less fluid required you will be calorie deficient and your energy system will crash. You need to keep hydration and energy completely separate and make sure no matter what the weather you have a fuelling strategy that is simple enough to cater for both. Strong winds can mean a longer day out, it can also mean more energy exerted to move over distance. Think about how it would affect your time and intensity and ensure your fuelling strategy caters for both.
Whats your preference liquid feed or food solids or both?
Food textures are so crucial when it comes to fuelling. An athlete that has never used liquid fuelling and then suddenly attempts it on the day is just asking for trouble. You need to train your gut during training to adapt to a certain type of fuelling and attempting it on race day is not very wise. My take on liquid versus solid is quite simple in that if you are performing at a very high intensity its not possible to be chewing much on a food solid as you need to keep your airways open in order to breathe. However if you do have the ability to take on food solids its not a bad idea as the human body is certainly used to consuming food solids daily. Just ensure its not going to impact you negatively and that the digestive system will handle it under stress.
I have given you a lot to think about but I have not really explained how to approach it in a very simple manner. My rule of thumb is take in the least amount of fuel to achieve the greatest desired result. Do not over do fuelling get it right. My general recommendation is to fuel short high intensity efforts with a quicker releasing carb feed and the lower or more controlled paced longer efforts with a stability carb feed. The next rule is never to leave wide time gaps in your fuelling strategy. Smaller frequent feeds are way easier on the digestive system but far better for the energy system in that the stability drip feeding provides will stabilize you far better by reducing the peaks and troughs of your energy pendulum. Clock feeding is definitely advantageous in endurance events. Knowing when and how much to consume will see you being able to perform at your best. Keep it simple, don’t over complicate the fuelling and finally don’t take chances. Prepare your fuelling strategy way in advance and test it over and over again until satisfied. Once confident its the way to go then bank it and stick to it on the big day.
All the best
M
Mark Wolff is an endurance, nutrition and physiology expert with over 20 years experience. An endurance multisport athlete with a triathlon, mountain biking and weight lifting background, he works extensively with professional and amateur athletes in a variety of sports disciplines as well as those just wanting to change their lifestyles. He firmly believes that a person can only reach their full potential when their health and nutrition is down packed. Mark’s focus on nutrition and physiology is not just on training and racing, but he places major emphasis on recovery, immune system health, emotional stability, stress management and performance. Mark is co-founder of 32Gi, a sports nutrition company, focused mainly on health and endurance nutrition. He is a certified sports nutrition expert as well as a marathon, track, triathlon and cycling coach. He spends most of his time guiding athletes with a very holistic approach to blending training and nutrition for performance and health
The big question after an exercise session is how to properly recover from a carbohydrate point of view. Too many athletes get it wrong and its either going to lead to weight gain or a roller coaster ride on the energy and hunger craving scale. There are some simple ways to address this and in this latest podcast I chat to Mr. Active (David Katz) about getting the carbohydrate portion of the recovery meal correct.
Take a listen below, just click play.
Keep going
all the best
M
PS: If you enjoy my blogs please share with your friends and lets grow the community together on the path of health and wellness
Hydration is such a spoken about topic not just in sport but every day life. I mean water makes up around 60% of the human body depending on age and sex which means its extremely significant.
Hydration is also one of those things that most people get wrong. Over the years I have witnessed so many hydration disasters and mainly due to a lack of knowledge or understanding as to how the human body works. For years the fear of dehydration did its rounds in sport and a general trend of preempting thirst began to move in the close knit circles of the endurance world. Then that came along with over consumption of fluid leading to hyponatremia cases and in some instances death. Enter the debate on cramping and hydration and salt entered the scene and a new trend started with a focus on cramp mitigation. Again the messages were a miss with tons of salt tablets being swallowed during events with little understanding as to how and why.
Let’s clear the smokescreens a little and keep it very simple so that when you are resting, training or racing you get your hydration correct.
During the day I often suggest that an individual who is resting from exercise should take in around 20-30ml’s of fluid per a kilogram of body weight and over a period of time to maximize the fluid absorption. As an example a 70kg individual will benefit from drinking around 1.4 – 2.1 liters of water in a day.
Exercise brings along a new range of dynamics because the body’s natural cooling system is of course sweat. During exercise a varying amount of fluids and minerals are lost due to sweat and the volume lost is dependent on a number of conditions:
The hotter the climate the more sweat will be excreted to cool the body down and in humid conditions this increases even more. Each individual will have different rates of fluid and mineral loss and this can be genetic as well as how acclimatized the person is to that particular climate. As a simple example if someone has been exercising in cold winter months and suddenly goes to a hotter climate their body will not be acclimatized to those conditions and cooling will not be as efficient as opposed to an individual who has been consistently training in a hot climate and is used to those hotter conditions.
The idea of simple hydration is to basically replenish the amount of fluid lost in the form of sweat by drinking it back. It sounds simple but it isn’t really as this does not mean if you lose 1 liter of fluid in the form of sweat in 60 minutes that you can drink 1 liter of water in 60 minutes to gain it back. You see the body needs to absorb the fluid and the amount of fluid you are capable of absorbing is unique to the individual as well as influenced by factors such as the composition of the fluid being plain water or a solution of carbohydrates and or minerals. Each drink has a different rate of absorption and this is dependent on something called tonicity. Tonicity is easily explained as the effective osmotic pressure or concentration between two solutions. In hydration terms this is simply the concentration of the fluid ingested versus human blood.
There are basically three classifications isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic.
Isotonic which is quite commonly known is where the ingested solution has a similar concentration to that of the blood in the form of sugars and salts. Isotonic drinks are used to provide a balance of energy and hydration. The solution is absorbed fairly well along with the energy portion of the carbohydrates being supplied. An isotonic drink consists of a 6-8% carbohydrate portion in the solution and around 45-70mg of sodium.
Hypertonic sports drinks contain a higher concentration of carbohydrates to sodium and basically is used mainly for energy provision as opposed to maximizing hydration because the fluid isn’t readily absorbed such as in the case of isotonic drinks. A hypertonic drink is mainly used for providing fuel to the body but certainly not for hydration purposes. This is where many athletes make a mistake not understanding the rate of absorption and often causing GI (gastrointestinal) distress due to over consumption. A simple example is consuming a gel without the correct amount of fluid to allow for the proper dilution ratio.
Hypotonic drinks have a low carbohydrate composition with a higher sodium composition which means energy derived from the drink is low but fluid absorption is much higher. Where I find hyptonic drinks useful is certainly for people who want to keep hydrated and burn more body fat or manage weight issues. It’s no secret I am a fan of intermittent or fasted training and in my mind a hypotonic drink becomes your best friend.
It might sound complicated but its not really. The point I want to stress is firstly one needs to separate out energy and hydration requirements. There is no point in combining them as your actual requirements on either end will get confused and energy should be a separate measure to hydration in order to make sure you get your volume intake correct. This is where the blog becomes a little more interesting.
I have spoken previously about the duration and intensity of training but now add in temperature conditions which should roughly determine sweat rate.
The rule of thumb is basically the hotter the conditions and the longer you are going for and the higher the intensity the higher the need for fluid replacement to keep the engine cool. The issue though is most athletes over hydrate to try to cool the engine and when this happens the body isn’t capable of absorbing that amount of fluid and this just leads to major issues. Possible reasons for this is either the athlete hasn’t selected the appropriate solution for hydration and the fluid just builds up without being absorbed or that the athlete just over consumes fluid. An over hydrated athlete is at more risk than a slightly dehydrated athlete.
How do you deal with this? Simple, two possible ways. The one is to spread your fluid intake out and only drink to thirst. If you have over-hydrated you will know by the fact that your stomach is bloated and you can feel and even sometimes hear the sloshing in the stomach. This is called the washing machine effect. In this situation one needs to stop drinking and wait for the absorption to happen or ingest some salt and or sugar to help pull the fluid out quicker. The other way to increase fluid absorption is to of course make sure you have a hyptonic drink which has a higher concentration of salt to carbohydrates to maximize fluid absorption. A hypertonic drink should never be relied on for hydration that is not its purpose at all as mentioned above its for energy provision and trying to do so will cause stomach issues for sure.
I personally use 32Gi Hydrate which is purely hypotonic and contains zero calories mainly for hydration purposes and due to doing mostly fasted training it allows me to ensure the hydration portion is spot on. When it comes to energy and I decide to ingest carbohydrates I either make a separate hypertonic drink which has a higher concentration of measurable carbs in a fluid form or I take from external food sources in the form of food bars or chews.
Let’s touch on the topic of hydration and cramping. To be completely honest there is very little evidence that suggests that dehydration is a major cause of cramping. For many years athletes have taken salt tablets to try to prevent it by increasing fluid absorption but science has shown that the main trigger of muscle cramping is mainly muscle fatigue, and 99% of the time this is mainly due to under trained muscles. As an example an athlete goes out at a harder pace than he has trained at or he stresses the muscles for longer periods of time than his body is conditioned to.
I work frequently at running, cycling and triathlon race exhibitions and one of the most common question’s I get asked is “do you have something to stop cramps”. My answer is usually “how well have you trained?” When the guy tells me he hasn’t done much I know for sure no matter what he takes the inevitable cramp can set in. I have athletes swearing blind that alkaline tablets, salt tablets, magnesium tablets and all the wonderful supplements prevent cramping. However it is not so simple there is just no major evidence to support that. If cramping were mineral deficiency related then why is it that only the quad cramps or the calve or only one side of the body? Generally cramping that is nutrient deficient related would be experienced across the entire system if it were the case.
Some of the top researchers in the world have shown that when a cramp sets in walking and stretching will remove the cramp. If this was a mineral deficiency it wouldn’t release that quickly. There are certain individuals who do have a susceptibility to cramping and if it is related to mineral deficiency its quite easy to pick up and to try to correct. Of course consuming the correct minerals during a training session or a race is needed for bodily function and performance.
An athlete that dehydrates can still perform at a very high level. You will find most elite athletes at the end of a marathon or ultra distance event are dehydrated, and its quite normal. However over consumption of liquid will see your demise and very quickly. It’s easy to resolve a dehydrated state by taking in fluid, but to get rid of fluid when you over drink in an event is not simple and you wouldn’t want to be in that situation. So make sure you do understand which type of drink you are consuming, its purpose whether energy, hydration or a combination of the two and test it in training to ensure you understand how it impacts the body. Over and above that you need to train in similar conditions to those you will race in otherwise you will not get a true test of how the body will respond to that method of hydration and energy intake. Always be prepared, understand what you are consuming and exactly how the body responds to it as if not you are just taking a chance and could be putting yourself into a precarious situation.
If you are wanting an awesome hyptonic drink then look no further than 32Gi HYDRATE effervescent tablets, also loaded with Vit B and Magnesium to keep the energy system sharp.
Stay healthy,
all the best
M
Recent podcast with myself Mr Active David Katz, where we discuss intermittent or fasted training its definitely worth a listen 🙂
In previous blog discussions around nutrition, health and fitness I promised to open up my lunch bag for a few days to you all so you can understand how I structure my meals around my training and lifestyle. Work pressures, meetings, travelling and training often leave us compromised from a nutrition perspective. The most important thing you can do is plan properly and be prepared for every single day. It does not take up a lot of time and you will notice how much more balanced your life becomes when you properly fit the eating in around it.
Now before I share my food diary with you, let me explain that each and every single day I get up and head out the door my entire eating plan is completely in my control because I take it wherever I go. I have small bag and this contains more than enough fuel for an entire day, sometimes a little more than needed but as the saying goes rather be safe than sorry when the body starts to speak in the language of cravings.
Below is my companion: A small simple and convenient bag which carries more than enough meals for an entire day
Whats in it today:
2 Boiled eggs
1 Chicken Salad
1 Small tub of avocado hummus
1 Small tub of mixed raw nuts
1 Woolworth’s Carb Clever Bar (My treat today )
The above example is to demonstrate that simplicity is crucial. Over complicating your nutrition never ends well.
OK lets get down to the nutrition breakdown this week, and I will explain everything.
Firstly even though I am a low carb eater I am not a banter. I periodize my carbohydrate intake to support my training I only want enough to assist in energy and recovery, no more than is required. My general rule of thumb is to vary the carb intake based on time and intensity of training and I will back that up with some training data through this week to give you a bit more clarity. Currently I am not doing major training volumes so my intake is pretty controlled.
Lets begin with Tuesday:
4:30am Wake Up
4:40am Cup of Green Tea
5:30am TRAINING SESSION
An 81km bike ride
Elevation: 750m of climbing
Time: 2h40min
Ave Speed: 30.2km/h
Ave HR: 127 BMP – Max HR 167 BPM
9:00am Recovery Meal (1st Meal of the Day after 13.5hrs of fasting)
Rolled Oats
Full Fat Greek Yoghurt
Strawberries
Almonds
Americano (black)
11:20am Snack
2 Boiled Eggs with Avocado Hummus
13:30 Snack
Mixed Raw Nut’s
15:00 Snack Carb Clever Bar (Woolworth’s)
17:45 Dinner
1 Chicken Breast simmered in coconut oil and turmeric
4 asparagus spears
4 tomatoes
half cup raw spinach
table spoon of spelt
19:40 Snack
Fitness Freak Protein Cup
20grams pea protein
teaspoon raw cacao
table spoon of double cream yoghurt
teaspoon of nut butter
1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
DAILY TOTALS:
CALORIES 1227
PROTEIN 93 grams
CARBS 79 grams (67.5 Net)
FATS 65 grams
OK so now are you going to ask was I not hungry? How is it possible that someone can get up after 13hrs of fasting train for close on 3hrs and then only consume 1227 calories for the day?
Its quite simple and I have explained this in many blogs in the past. The human fuel tank is extremely big. 40 000 calories of fat, 2000 calories of glycogen. Check out my explanation video with animation HERE. I hardly touched my glycogen stores in the training session and used some rolled oats immediately after to stabilise blood sugar and replenish any loss over that time. The balance of the day was spent eating lower carb meals in order to ensure my body’s natural fat burning state was maintained. My protein intake is most crucial and need to ensure I get the right amount in daily to aid recovery where my carb / fat intake is far more focused towards my energy system. My protein intake is around 1,4 grams of protein per a kilogram of body weight so that should give you and idea ;-).
Lets move to Wednesday as this was a different day and my training session was shorter but slightly more intense.
Wednesday Diary:
5:00am Wake Up
5:10am TrueStart Coffee (black)
5:45am Running Interval Session
30min Warm Up
30 x 200’s @3:40-3:45 pace (controlled)
10min warm down
Total Time: 1h20min
Average HR 134BMP Max HR 158BPM
20min Core
7:40 am Recovery Meal (1st Meal of the Day after 12hrs of fasting)
Meal 1: Smoothie Bowl
Pea Protein 30gram
2 x tablespoons full fat greek yoghurt
1 tbsp cacao
1/2 banana
10 gram almonds
10 grams coconut
Meal 2: Eggs
Scrambled Eggs x 2
1/2 avocado
Meals eaten within an hour of each other
9:55am Snacks
Raw Mixed Nuts – 15grams
12:55 Lunch: Chia Protein Cup
2 x tbsp chia seeds
pumpkin protein 30grams
50ml coconut milk
5 grams goji berries
1 x tsp cacoa nibs
36gram trail mix (low carb)
15:30 Snack
Low carb seed bar
18:15 Light Dinner Protein Cup
20grams pea protein
teaspoon raw cacao
table spoon of double cream yoghurt
teaspoon of nut butter
1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
19:00 Snack
2 x small slices of fresh pineapple
DAILY TOTALS:
CALORIES 1612
PROTEIN 112 grams
CARBS 88 grams (72.75 Net)
FATS 97 grams
Lets take a closer look at the day. The obvious difference was the recovery meal in that I used a double meal to recover.
Why? The session in the morning was fairly intense. Although my average heart rate for the session was only 134BPM. If you think about the session the 30 x 200’s was run in zone 4.
6km’s in zone 4 with a warm up run before and a cool down after as well as a core session added up to a little blood sugar drop and some glycogen usage. I knew the next day was another 80km ride and so the recovery was crucial to set me up for the rest of the day. I also didn’t want to be left in place where a hunger craving kicked in later on leaving me to make bad choices. I ate the first recovery meal and within 30min after I finished I knew I needed some more and that’s when the gap meal came in to stabilise me. I know my body well and listen to the messages it gives me constantly. The recovery meal was so spot on to set me up for the day that I could have actually skipped dinner, but instead opted for a snack meal to ensure I got my intake for the day correct. This method of recovery works very well and in most cases with athletes I work with when that recovery meal is not done correctly they go off the rails.
Thursday Diary:
A very different day and probably one that was good to have this week so you get some insight into how I deal with certain situations. Wednesday evening felt a little congested possible onset of sinus issue and decided to hit myself with demazine ns in order to decongest and not let it get further down the line. I did not have the best night’s sleep (Demzine will do that) and so Thursday morning opted not to ride outdoors. I switched me session to an indoor wattbike / run.
Wake Up: 4:30am
1 Cup Green Tea
1 Serving TrueStart coffee (black)
Training Session 5:40am
Wattbike: 40min Session Descending Pyramids (fairly intense session but power was toned down slightly didn’t want to push too hard)
Average HR 143 BPM Max HR 167 BPM
Brick Run: 24min 5km Pace 4:50min/km very comfortable
Average HR 151BPM Max HR 160 BPM
Core Session: 20min
7:15 am Recovery Meal
2 x Poached Eggs
1/4 Avocado
Rocket Leaves
Rye Toast x 1 slice
9:40am Snack
15 grams Raw Mixed Nuts
1 x boiled egg with tahina paste
11:30am Snack
Low Carb Seed bar
14:15 Lunch Meal
1/2 Chicken Breast
1 x Table Spoon of Spelt
10 grams artichokes
4 Tomatoes
1.2 Cup Spinach Leaves
17:45 Dinner
Spoil Meal Night
Kauai Chicken Low Carb Wrap
DAILY TOTALS:
CALORIES 1445
PROTEIN 84 grams
CARBS 85 grams (83.5 Net)
FATS 86 grams
These were not really creative meal days due to the pressure of work and amount of travelling I had to deal with daily. When on the go its not the easiest to eat correctly, but if you plan and keep your meals at your side then there will be no excuses as to what you can eat.
Something I did not touch on during the last few days was my fluid intake. I keep it pretty simple and I don’t drink any soft drinks at all I also completely avoid soda water due to various reasons.
I generally drink around 10-20 cups of green and or rooibos tea each day and do have a coffee at least once a day usually before or and after training.
This was just a little bit of insight into how I go about eating from day to day. One thing I need to stress is that I always feel energetic, I don’t ever get to a stage where I feel I am starving and cravings are kept at bay by making the correct nutrition choices.
I often get asked about if I take supplements and yes I do but I will leave that for a blog for another day 😉
Feel free to contact me should you have any questions or comments.
I hope this was useful. Remember a nutrition plan is unique to an individuals requirements, there is no one plan fits all and its important to understand your body’s own needs when structuring a meal planning around it. It is the most critical puzzle piece alongside your training the two always go hand in hand.
all the best
M
In every debate around health, fitness and beauty the dreaded six pack enters the conversation. Men’s Health and Fitness Mag cover models flaunt them in abundance and it filters across the globe on social media leaving many in awe and wanting to follow suite. Now let me be clear I don’t give a hoot about the steroid junkies who use and abuse to grow their muscles and stand out in a crowd with their sacrificial dieting. My angle is purely from a health perspective and belly fat is a proven measurement of a potential life threatening condition. Youngster’s grow up wanting to look aesthetically awesome and hit the weights with thousands of crunches to achieve it, but they are so on the wrong track and I am quick to put them in their place by explaining the inner workings of the human body. Every human being is born with abdominal muscles they are there from day 1. So why gym goers spend hours smashing them with every chance they get to make them stand out bigger, sharper and more chiseled is beyond me because it just doesn’t work.
The bottom line is abdominal muscles are completely defined by what you eat. We are born with ab’s but poor lifestyle decisions just cover them. You can train as much as you want but if your body fat percentage isn’t low enough to reveal them then it just ain’t going to happen. I often hear people saying I am too old. Absolute rubbish you are just too lazy and tied down to poor eating habits which make it impossible to lower your body fat sufficiently to reveal them and you place your health at risk. The expression abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym couldn’t be more true. However more importantly the health aspect of having a healthy body fat percentage is what you should be aiming for and this where nutrition plays such a critical role. Food fuels the energy system, helps you recover between workouts, creates a better nights sleep and limits the risk of lifestyle diseases. Now believe me I know exactly what I am talking about from experience. As a weightlifter I hit a peak weight of 112kg’s and today I am 66kg’s. Leaner, faster and fitter than I have ever been in my life. It didn’t take magic, or illegal drugs it took a systematic and smart approach to eating, training and sleeping. Those are some of the cornerstones of the foundation for a healthy lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be difficult all it takes is a mind set and the willingness to pursue a goal of health and each step of the journey will reward you over time.
So why do I mention all of the above
Simple, each day I get asked for recipes and meal ideas. What works and what does not. In all honesty except for a few secret recipes here or there, I have nothing to hide. So what I have decided to do is share some of my days with you so that you get right into my head and gain insight into my nutrition and training and how the two puzzle pieces fit together. From the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep you can be the fly on my wall. My only hope is that you take this information and use it to your advantage on your own personal journey to health and fitness. Also feel free to ask questions.
Stay tuned as I open my lunch bag to you 😉
all the best
M
Recently while at the gym I happened to overhear a conversation about protein consumption and its not the first time I have heard the debate of how much protein one should eat and when they should eat it. It seems most are under the impression you can eat us much as you like. Many also say you have a window period immediately after a workout in which to eat it to gain maximum benefit. Well I am sorry to squash those ideas, but it’s just is not as simple a it sounds.
Lets first touch on the subject of high protein consumption. Many think you don’t need to watch protein intake however this could not be further from the truth. Let me explain this in simple terms. When protein is consumed the body will of course break it down and utilize it for immediate need which of course is soft tissue repair work, enzyme production, antibody production, hemoglobin transportation, hormone production and of course energy. However protein needs to be processed, first its broken into amino acids and ammonia and once its job is done if there is any excess the leftover carbon compound is converted into glucose. Glucose not used for energy is then converted into fat.
In short over eating protein is not just unhealthy and can cause issues with the body it can of course make you fat.
Excess Protein intake can cause the following issues:
Interestingly enough some research on this was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (Wiles, 1991). Subjects thought the exercise was harder one hour after having a high-protein meal compared with those having only water and doing a fasted training session. Their Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) was higher. This demonstrates the impact of performance.
So the big question is how much protein should you be consuming?
Its quite simple and we need to look at it in two aspects. Firstly the amount of protein you need to eat BUT also the timing of your protein intake.
An endurance athlete should probably look at around 1.1 – 1.7 grams per kg of body weight. I generally look at a 1.4 gram/kg of body weight on lower end to maintain and upper end when going through harder more intense cycles of training. Bodybuilders of course will consume more due to their more muscular physiques and doing more damage than an endurance athlete would.
So in short a 70kg athlete should probably consume anywhere from 80-100 grams of protein per a day. Alright, now we have the amount we need to consume BUT the next fact about protein is the body has a limit as to how much protein it can breakdown and utilize in a certain period of time. I work this around the 20-25 gram mark and 3 hourly eating more than this will give me a rise in blood glucose. Spreading my intake is an easier way to make sure I eat protein and ensure I get the correct amount in to use it and not abuse it.
As a simple example a 100 gram chicken breast will give you around 20-25 grams of protein, a tin of tuna around the same. So now lets put this into perspective. Oh you ate two chicken breast for dinner maybe three. Not a good idea. Rather you spread your protein intake throughout the day. Just as an extreme example if you were only eating chicken breasts daily you can have one at 9am one at 12:00 one at 15:00 and then again at 18:00 then you have clock fed nicely and taken in around 80-100 grams of protein. Of course no one will eat chicken for every meal. So now swap them out for either eggs , nuts and protein shakes or if you are a vegan go with plant based proteins and ensure you try to get the correct amount daily.
I have only mentioned overeating protein, but what about under eating protein. Well that’s a major issue and certainly a major cause of injury or illness as without having the proper nutrients in place to help the body repair, restore and recover you are only asking for trouble. In my opinion protein intake is not crucial at a particular point in time. Its important from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep, don’t over do it, don’t under do it find that balance and ensure the correct amount and spread your intake. Its the one food macro you can actually control quite nicely.
I know the next question will be on carbohydrate and fats, but lets leave that for another day and think about our building blocks for now ;-).
all the best
M
In the world of endurance sport the term “Hitting the Wall” or ‘Bonking” is quite common among athletes. Most of us have experienced it at some time or another and then others quite frequently. To explain what “Hitting the Wall” is in short is the point at which your muscle and liver glycogen stores are completely depleted. It leaves one feeling fatigued, in a world of hurt and pain with absolutely no energy or will and desire to continue. Its not a pleasant experience and certainly a moment we would rather not be in. You see the human body has two main fuel tanks, glycogen and fat. Glycogen which is mainly stored in the muscle and liver has around 2000 calories of fuel while our fat stores contain around 40 000 Calories of energy. If you think about it in logical terms burning off around >1000 calories of glycogen fuel per an hour of exercise is not going to not last you very long. During exercise though a combination of fuel tanks are used BUT this is dependent on intensity, time and type of fuel consumption. To really understand this Click Here to watch my explanation of fuel tank usage in detail.Everyone fears hitting the wall, BUT I am going to advise you how to prevent it ;-).
1. TRAIN PROPERLY
I always say train as you are going to race. Over time, this will adapt the body and work the muscles holistically enabling you to cope with the distance and the terrain on the day. Ensure that you incorporate the same speed work in your training that you will be racing at and make sure you do the necessary hill and speed work as well! Ever heard of the expression “train hard race easy”? This takes weeks of preparation; so don’t leave it to the last minute!
2. PACE YOURSELF CORRECTLY
Too many egos cause havoc. Don’t push yourself over your limits to prove a point. Race at the pace you have trained at! It is important to make sure not to race at a faster pace than your body can cope with because the minute that happens you will start depleting your glycogen fuel rapidly. This could result in the inevitable bonk that will hit you when you least expect it.
3. TRAIN YOUR GUT (NUTRITION)
Make sure you fuel properly! Basically you need to understand what is required from a nutrition perspective on the day to ensure your energy levels are topped up and carry you through the event. You need to prepare for this in advance, as its not something you can decide to leave for the week of the event. Nutrition preparation needs to begin way before the event. Weeks in advance of the event you should have a proper fuelling plan in place and stick to it on the day.
I have given you three major ways on how not to bonk, but I am going to expand on the nutrition training and explain where your focus needs to be. Whether a race snake or a weekend warrior there are considerations to meet your needs.
FUEL CAN EITHER GIVE YOU ENERGY OR ROLLER COASTER YOU AND DEPLETE YOU, SO YOU NEED TO CHOOSE WISELY.
The 3 main points on proper fuelling is:
WHETHER YOU ARE DOING A 3HR OR A 6HR EVENT YOUR FUELING NEEDS TO BE CORRECT.
Of course, the way a race snake fuels in comparison to a weekend warrior is very different and each method needs to work according to what you want to achieve.
The pace and time you are going at will ultimately determine the type of fuel you require. I see way too many cyclist or runners going at lower to medium intensities and they start to fuel themselves with very high intensity fuel. All this does is creates havoc with the system, causing dreaded spikes, crashes and very often leading to symptoms of digestive discomfort and nausea.
There is no one fix all fueling approach and no matter what anyone tells you what to take and how to take it, you need to look at fueling from your own unique requirements. Many supplement companies advise athletes what to consume and how often, to get to the finish line. However, many of these companies don’t consider the actual type of athlete, their individual capabilities, the duration and intensity of their performance as well as their personal preferences. This is where we I differ completely. I get to know an athlete before advising them on any fueling strategy.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult for me to speak to you each as individuals in a knowledge sharing piece like this, but I will do my best to provide you with a direction and options you can consider as part of your own fueling strategy.
The first thing you need to ask yourself realistically is what sort of time goal are you going for during your race? Duration and intensity will ultimately determine your fuel intake. Then you need to decide what your dietary preferences are from a texture point of view. Are you the kind of athlete that likes to eat solids, or the kind that prefers a liquid feed or a combination of both as nutritional comfort is an important factor to consider. If you are going at a really high intensity and breathing is extremely heavy during the event you might want to consider a liquid or combination feed as chewing is not so simple and the airways need to be kept open. However if you are going at a controlled pace or a combination pace then you will have the ability to consume food solids.
WHATS NEXT ?
1. How often should you fuel?
Timing of nutrition intake is critical in any endurance sport. This should be frequent and planned.
2. How much should you be consuming?
The amount of nutrition consumed will be determined by a few factors mainly based on weight, duration and intensity.
3. What fuel should I be using?
Type of fuel is personal, as mentioned above. Lets break this down some more.
FUEL TIMING
Eat small and frequently (measure your food intake by time). Frequent consumption is the key to a decent endurance event. Once you are in a comfort zone, meaning a point of equilibrium where aerobic engine is stable, breathing is regulated and comfortable and you are in a rhythm, it’s time to feed. Generally I would say around 20 minutes or more you will start to hit this but it depends on the individual. Staggered or drip feeding is the best way to fuel as it keeps the energy system a lot more stable over time and its far easier on the digestive system. On the other hand, planning your nutrition intake by time makes it very structured and easy to stick to there is no guess work involved.
HOW MUCH FUEL ?
In endurance events there are many theories around the 60-90 grams of carbs per an hour. Maximizing absorption rate with the correct combination of carbohydrates and even trying to go beyond that. It’s certainly not about how many carbs you can fit in your mouth but what your unique body is capable of absorbing and utilising. Do not fall into this category of can over eater it will ruin your day. Plan this properly. If you consume 60 grams of carbs per an hour or less in training and then on race day take 90 grams of carbs in per an hour you will head for absolute disaster. You have not trained your gut to deal with this volume of nutrition intake. In the fuel guide I will provide you I have worked out an average amount of consumption based on the type of athlete you are. Most importantly is to test this out during training and not to arrive at the event without having tested the fuelling strategy a few times. Failing to arrive prepared from a nutrition point of view will not be a pleasant day out. Ensure the volume of carbohydrates per an hour is consumed over time and its the correct amount that your digestive system coped with in training
WHAT TYPE OF FUEL?
As explained earlier the human body has a large amount of fat (40 000 calories) as an incredible source of energy and most nutrition experts forget to take that into account as well. The glycogen tank contains around 2000 calories of fuel when topped up. As shown in my video on the Fuel Tank explanation if you are going at a high intensity and burning off approximately 1200 calories per an hour you know your glycogen tank is not going to last more than 90 minutes. However at a slightly lower or controlled or combination pace your tank will use a higher combination of fat with glycogen and your tank will last longer. The other way to spare glycogen is to take in nutrition and this can spare it to around approximately 30%.
I think you get the picture here which is a high intensity performing athlete will require a fast releasing carbohydrate feed while a lower intensity athlete can use more stabilizing carbohydrates which are non-spiking. But I bet no one has ever told you this. All they said is take gels no matter what kind of an athlete you are. Its the worst possible advice. You need to fuel your effort and duration correctly but also with the right combination of correct carbohydrates for the type of person that you are. Again, I cannot stress the point enough to test out your nutrition in training and many weeks before the event to get familiar and comfortable with the fuelling strategy.
Now I am not going to leave you there ;-).
Along with 32Gi I have designed a basic cycling fuelling guide for your big day.
Your job is to be realistic about your personal performance goals, consider the personal factors and then select the right fuelling guide for you. Of course if you have any questions I am there to help. NOT ONLY have I provided you an awesome guide to fuelling but I managed to twist the arms of the head honchos at 32Gi who have agreed to offer some one time incredible deals to take advantage of should you decide to take your fuelling strategy in that direction.
I have TWO Options for you to choose from:
Are you a WEEKEND WARRIOR or a RACE SNAKE (Click on the relevant option to get your Fuel Guide)
Once you are satisfied with your FUEL GUIDE you can
JUST CLICK HERE TO GAIN ACCESS TO YOUR UNIQUE OFFER
Train Safe, Plan Properly
All the best
M
Today was a typical Thursday morning session usually an early morning ride with some of my fellow athletes out in the countryside. It is that time of the year where getting outdoors is pure soul food especially when its out of the city and in the farmlands.
My wake up call at the moment is around 4:30am until we hit later summer when we can leave earlier. I grab a serving of my favorite TrueStart Coffee or a green tea, get dressed and head out the door. Training will start around 5:30am and then usually last anywhere from 2.5-3hrs. Today was a little longer due to some strong head winds over the last 30km’s and we only finished around 8:30am.
My fuel on the bike = NONE. Just a zero calorie 32Gi Hydrate electrolyte tablet in a single bottle of water. Post ride its a shower, get changed and then off to eat a recovery meal. Today’s was at around 9am and that was my first meal of the day. Scrambled eggs, salmon and avocado.
It was 14hrs since I last ate, with a 3hr training session in-between and a challenging bike course with lots of climbing and wind.
The reason for giving you insight into my morning routine is to throw some light on fasted training which I do constantly. In actual fact a week ago I went out on a 100km ride and about 5km’s into my ride I realized I had left my water bottle at home. I just kept riding, the temperature was cool enough where I realized my sweat rate would be lower and I could get through it no problem and I did. Just rehydrate when I finish.
Its quite a debatable subject and for many a mental challenge which is difficult to even comprehend.
I decided to take a look at my average HR (Heart Rate), Speed and Distance over the past few weeks of my fasted training sessions to give you some more insight into exactly what is going on, on a physiological level.
On my longer training cycling sessions around 2.5-4hrs my ave HR is around 120-129BPM, Speed Ave:28-32km/h Climbing: 700-1000m Max HR around 174BPM of course in a hotter climate like I was in a few weeks ago average HR could go to around 136BPM.
On my shorter 40-80min sessions which are more quality sessions (Intervals, Pace etc) ave HR between 135-147BPM Max HR 181BPM
The purpose of the above data is to really demonstrate the reason why a fasted training session is completely doable. If you take a look at the average HR over a period of time especially on my longer sessions you will notice that I completely control my effort. I don’t go into a glycogen depletion state and I mainly access my fat fuel tank meaning I burn off a load of fat for fuel. This is especially true on the longer sessions where my average HR sits mainly in Z1-Z3 maximum and even then for short periods of time. While my shorter quality sessions do of course use a higher rate of glycogen as a fuel source but taking into account the time of intensity it will by no means deplete it.
Understanding the human fuel tanks to support your training effort is critical to understanding the fuel sources you will be using during your training session and if you understand what your body is capable of then you will have complete confidence in using natural energy stores to support you sessions. I recorded a video with animation recently explaining the human fuel tanks and how they operate during exercise, you can CLICK HERE if you want to watch to get an idea of how they work.
So how is it that someone like me can ride or run 3-4hrs without any fuel but then someone else comes along and just hits the wall and completely fades even if the person is plunging a load of carbohydrates into their body to prevent it. Its quite simple. There are 3 factors that need to be taken into account here and I will explain further.
It sounds quite simple in theory but in practice it will take time. I usually suggest getting used to fasted training by doing it on shorter sessions and only over a long period of time attempt longer sessions. Remember you are educating your body, training it and the usual energy pathways you were used to in the past are not going to be the same going forwards and this process does take some time transition. In endurance sport being a fat adapted athlete means a far more efficient and powerful energy system over time. Burning more fat at higher intensities than the average Joe or sugar freaks is a major advantage especially in long endurance events. If you are a sugar burning athlete your stores will deplete far quicker than mine.
I will definitely touch more on this subject over time as I am sure many questions will come from it. However from a health perspective remember our bodies are made to burn fat in a normal metabolic state and this is why weight gain and disease is so prevalent in our world today. Sugar is over consumed and never justified. So my answer to the question to eat or not to eat is eat correctly and when its needed, but to ruin a great training session? No chance, absolutely burn that fat.
All the best
M
Click Here to follow My BLOG lets keep on the path of health and fitness together