Tag: Sports Nutritionist

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Health Nutrition Performance Recovery Sports Nutrition

Is Intermittent Fasting A Good Idea For Athletes?


Intermittent fasting has undoubtedly come to the forefront over the past few years, and more and more, I am getting asked by athletes whether I think intermittent fasting is a good idea? One needs to ask, what is your reasoning for doing intermittent fasting? I mostly hear athletes telling me that they want to lose weight, lean out, become more fat efficient, or improve health. I guess the big question is, what is your actual goal? Are you trying to lose weight? Are you trying to improve your previous best marathon or Ironman time, or are you just doing it for health reasons?

Firstly, it’s a fact that intermittent fasting is a form of calorie restriction. So if you can restrict calories by fasting, why can’t you limit calories by eating correctly? When you place your body into a fasted state, you begin playing with leptin and ghrelin hormones. The inability to balance these hormones properly due to overeating or fasting can cause roller-coaster effects that do not serve the intended purpose. If trying to limit the insulin response by placing yourself in a fasted state is the objective, you should know that this can also be done in a non-fasting state.

The main question, though, is, why would you even consider fasting as an active individual or an athlete? 

Weight loss comes from eating correctly, meaning a calorie-restricted diet and proper macronutrient intake to support your unique requirements. Lean muscle gain also comes from eating correctly and ensuring proper macronutrient intake daily. I am just trying to stress how vital nutrition is for fat loss, muscle gain, and maintenance. However, what about energy, immunity, recovery, and performance as an athlete. Intermittent fasting does not support those systems. Quite the opposite, it will hamper the recovery process, limit your energy levels, and place your immune system under additional stress. 

Let me explain to fully understand the consequences of intermittent fasting while trying to be the best possible healthy athlete.

RECOVERY

When it comes to recovery, there are three main aspects that I look at, and these are:

  • Rehydration
  • Muscle Protein Synthesis
  • Glycogen Restoration and blood sugar stabilization

If an athlete embarks on intermittent fasting, then rehydration and adequate fluid intake will not be an issue. The main problems will arise regarding muscle protein synthesis and glycogen replenishment. Adequate protein intake for any athlete is essential for recovery. Generally, I work on around 1.4g – 1.7g of protein per kilogram of body weight for endurance athletes. Then, for lean muscle increase or strength athletes, the protein volume can quickly move to 2g/kg body weight and higher. The volume needed will depend on the athletes’ goals and exercise regime. 

Strength work and developing more lean muscle will require a higher protein intake, while maintenance and repair will be lower. 

Take as an example a 70kg athlete who is training on average 90min a day. His goals are body fat loss, increased lean muscle, and strength. More of a combination athlete. In this case, I would advise a protein intake of at least 120-130g of protein per day. In animal nutrition terms, 5 chicken breasts or plant terms 2kg of boiled lentils. That is quite a lot of food in protein terms. Most intermittent fasters deploy a 16:8 window which is quite long. It means squeezing this protein intake into a small amount of time.

However, as we know, when it comes down to protein, the human body can only process and absorb a certain amount of protein every +-3hrs. This is generally in the region of +- 8-11 grams per hour. If you are a plant-based eater, you will expect severe GI distress in consuming a high amount of plant protein in a short window period as fiber content is a lot higher. So, as you can see, it’s not possible to squash large protein portions into fewer meals and expect the correct portion amount for proper muscle protein synthesis to take place. Overeating protein can also trigger elevations in blood sugar, easily leading to weight gain. We also know that consuming a protein with a carbohydrate post-exercise up-regulates amino acid uptake, specifically leucine, a significant trigger for muscle protein synthesis. 

What also allows for proper muscle protein synthesis is a positive nitrogen balance. Nitrogen is the most crucial component of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. This means that if you are fasting, the amount of nitrogen excreted from the body is greater than the amount of nitrogen ingested, and there is no repair work taking place. It places you in a catabolic or breakdown state. This means limited training adaptations and limited progress. 

EATING FOR ENERGY

The next aspect I want to look at is the energy system, our primary fuel tanks being glycogen and fat. Glycogen is our rocket fuel used at higher intensities, while fat becomes the fuel of choice in lower aerobic zones. 

A hard workout where glycogen depletion takes place will require carbohydrate intake post-exercise to start the glycogen replenishment process and stabilise blood sugar rapidly. This would often result in high muscle damage, meaning protein intake also needs to be considered after exercise. Extending the fasted period a few hours post-exercise will delay the recovery process, leading to fatigue. This will also hamper back-to-back sessions. Then when it does become time to break the fast, how do you know how much to consume in carbohydrates and protein. The body has requirements from a macronutrient perspective and post-exercise stresses, which must be met to ensure a proper and healthy recovery. 

When it comes down to the primary energy system, carbohydrates are, without a doubt, our rocket fuel if you are going to be doing an FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test or an interval or track session. Then how can you expect to achieve the best possible numbers without fuelling the session properly? Pushing those sessions to the best possible effort will ultimately lead to better gains and more fat burning post-exercise by elevating the metabolic rate that much more. It has been scientifically proven that a fuelled session will give better performance numbers. Better performance numbers equate to better training adaptations.

When it boils down to performance gains and being a fitter, faster and stronger athlete, you need to fuel your effort. Fuelling during an exercise session or eating post-exercise recovery meals is not why athletes are overweight. Weight gain comes with overeating and inadequate macronutrient meal construction throughout the whole day and week. 

The Fat Efficient Athlete

To become a fat-efficient athlete, intermittent fasting is not required. Fasted training is a good way of developing this, but that is entirely different from intermittent fasting. A fasted session does require a recovery meal post-exercise, and the volume and type of meal will be determined by the duration and intensity of the exercise session. Failing to recover from an exercise session is, without a doubt, failing the session itself. 

To summarise my views on intermittent fasting and sports performance. They do not go hand in hand. Whether endurance or strength disciplines or a combination of the two, they place a lot of physical stress on the body. This impacts the musculoskeletal system, the immune system, and the energy system. The athlete’s body requires nutrients to fuel, repair, and fortify it constantly. Failing to give the body what it needs will ultimately lead to a lack of performance and potentially illness or injury.

If you want to perform, get stronger, lean out, and get your resilient engine and body, then learn to eat correctly and avoid shortcuts that don’t benefit those goals.

If you are only trying to lose weight or have a medical condition that requires a calorie-restricted diet, then intermittent fasting can play a role. However, if you are an athlete intent on being the best version of yourself, get your nutrition right and stop playing games. 

Mark Wolff is a preventative health specialist with a physiology, chemistry/blood chemistry, exercise physiology, and nutrition background. He has been consulting in this space for more than 25 years, focusing on endurance and strength athletes. Working with professional and amateur athletes in various sports disciplines and people just wanting to change their lifestyles, Mark believes that a person can only reach their full potential when the foundation of health is given the proper focus. Mark places a significant emphasis on recovery, immune system and metabolic health, emotional stability, stress management, and performance.

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Nutrition

ARE YOU FUELLING TO FAIL?

The world of sports nutrition is quite an interesting space to be in. I often get to hear sob stories of failed races due stomach issues, lack of energy, severe cramping and nausea. Just this past week I stood at the 32Gi Sports Nutrition and Dis-Chem expo stands at the Cape Town Cycle Tour advising athletes on fuelling strategies based on their needs. The common theme I got from the few days there was that most athletes create very interesting meals but they have absolutely no idea how to cook. If you are going to make a chicken soup then why add lamb, beef and fish to it?

When it comes down to proper fuelling it needs to be a well thought out simple recipe of success. Complicating fuelling will only lead to issues whether rebound hypoglycemia, gastrointestinal distress, fatigue, nausea dehydration and a complete lack of energy.

Sports Nutrition products are designed to be a convenient fuelling source which meets a specific need. The carbohydrate blends, mineral levels and recommended volumes of consumption are calculated and designed to have a desired function. The minute you take that product and start to add other nutrients and blends into the mix there is absolutely no ways the desired effect will take place as you are changing the recipe for the successful pot of soup.

As an example 32Gi’s new Race Pro drink is designed so it can be a single bottle energy source feed for an entire event. I had an athlete tell me he tried it and along with the drink he consumed gels and nougat bars. He said the drink did not sit well with him and he felt terrible. I asked why he did that and his response was because he needed them.
Of course he would feel terrible. Here he is drinking a product that has a much higher gastric emptying rate than a gel and its designed to be used in a certain way for a desired effect, yet he throws a gel and nougat bar into the mix. That is just plain stupid and to explain it to him in simple terms I asked him if he likes peanut butter sandwiches? He said yes. So I told him the next time he makes a peanut butter sandwich add some broccoli and cauliflower with it between the two slices of bread and if he really wants it to taste great and make him feel better he should add some egg and chocolate to it. He looked at me and said you kidding right?
I said no not at all it seems you the kind of person that enjoys this mix. The point I was making was that this is exactly what he did with his fuelling. He concocted an unscientific complicated recipe for disaster which led to his fuelling failure.

When it comes to proper fuelling you need to make sure you know exactly what you are taking in, how much you are taking in and when you should be taking it.

So how do I develop a proper fuelling strategy?
Firstly you need to separate your energy and hydration requirements.
Energy requirements are unique to an individual and each person will have to figure out what works best for them. Energy required in endurance events comes mainly in the form of carbohydrates and protein. Short hard events 3 hours or under would not need protein intake but mainly carbohydrate intake to fuel the level of effort. As the duration of exercise increases carbohydrates together with a small portion of protein would play a bigger benefit in sparing glycogen and slowing amino acid breakdown due to gluconeogenisis which can lead to muscle fatigue.

Step 1: Determine the Energy Requirements
In terms of sports nutrition it’s important to understand that a balance between energy and digestive comfort is required. What you consume needs to be processed and each person is unique in how adaptive the digestive system is based on genetics and diet.
It’s best to start with the type of discipline you are wanting to do. Cycling provides more stability to the digestive system so generally a higher dosage of fuel can be tolerated. Running however generates a lot more sensitivity around the digestive system and smaller feeds are generally tolerated a lot better. Lower intensity exercise as well as lighter athletes can look at a lower carbohydrate intake while higher intensity exercise and heavier athletes will look at a much higher carbohydrate intake to support the efforts. This can range from 0.8g/kg bodyweight up to 1.5g/kg body weight per an hour. General Guidelines look at a protocol of 30g-60g of carbohydrates per an hour which equates to 120Kcals – 240kcals per an hour. Only in very specific carbohydrate blends can higher dosages be tolerated to support long duration exercise but this is not recommended without proper testing in training first.
The below chart is an approximate guideline of how you can approach your fuelling strategy but make sure to test it in training. Always start low and then build higher to ensure comfort and digestive system adaption.

SportWeight Hourly Carbohydrate / Protein Dosage
Running50-60kg30 – 50g (120 – 200Kcals)
Low GI Distress Risk
 60-70kg30 – 60g (120 – 240Kcals)
Low GI Distress Risk
 70-80kg30 – 65g (160kcals-260Kcals)
Medium GI distress Risk
 80kg >40 -70g (160Kcals -280Kcals)
Medium GI distress Risk
Cycling 50-60kg30 – 60g (120 – 240Kcals)
Low GI Distress Risk
 60-70kg40 – 70g (160 – 280Kcals)
Medium GI distress Risk
 70-80kg50 – 80g (200kcals -320Kcals)
Higher GI Distress Risk
 80kg >50 -90g (200Kcals -360Kcals)
High GI Distress Risk

Start with the lower volume zones and gradually increase the dosage in training to see what the best balance is of energy to digestive comfort. If the digestive system takes strain with higher dosages, then lower them. That is your tipping point. It’s best to consume in a drip feeding manner meaning more frequent feeds to get the desired amount. This reduces the risk of the digestive system going into distress as it’s easier to process smaller amounts at once. It also stabilises you better over time mitigating the roller coaster effect of highs and lows.

As mentioned above the fuel needs to support the effort. This is based on time and intensity. If we take a look at the basic training zones from zone 1 to zone 5 we know that lower intensity efforts will require a lower carbohydrate intake to support it as the body will have the ability to maximize fat usage as a source of fuel. However as we move through the zones which can also happen over time due to cardiac drift the carbohydrate volume will need to increase to support the efforts. As an simple example a slow Zone 1/2 ride of 2-3hrs will not need much carbohydrate support so in the case of a product recommendation 32Gi Endure and or 32Gi Hydrate electrolyte fizzies would be able to support this session. But take a hard quality session of say 90min to 2hrs with hitting Zone’s 3 – 5 where glycogen becomes the main fuel source then a higher dosage of carbohydrate intake is required to support that effort. To truly meet training adaptations meaning supporting your full potential properly when doing quality workouts it is important to fuel that effort properly. In this case a drink like 32Gi Race Pro, Race and 32Gi Gels would provide better fuelling support. I created a video a while back explaining the fuel tanks relative to zone training. It is worth a watch just Click Here to view.

Step 2: Choose your Energy Source to Meet your Fuelling Requirements
What format of fuel are you wanting to use to achieve your energy requirements. Do you prefer a liquid feed or a solid feed or do you prefer a combination of both?
The most important thing to remember is that you need to adhere to simplicity and a proper measured value to ensure you get exactly what you need as well as the correct absorption rates. Check the ingredients carefully you want it to be as clean and simple as possible. After all your stomach needs to process what you putting into it. Keep it carbohydrate dominant and very clean avoid fats they slow down the rate of absorption and especially avoid trans fats you only asking for trouble by mixing that into you fuelling strategy.

As a simple example if you are going with a concentrated energy feed like 32Gi Race Pro that will provide you with all your energy requirements in a single bottle then there is no need to take anything else with it. Its specifically designed to be absorbed at a certain rate in its current format and mixing it with another product will impact that. So the only thing required along side it would be a hydration drink such as 32Gi Hydrate or water. If you are wanting to use say an isotonic drink such as 32Gi Endure you need to have in mind that a bottle contains 44 grams of carbohydrates per a serving and if you drank 3/4 of that bottle in an hour you would only get around 33grams of carbohydrates per an hour which could be a serious energy deficit if you are aiming for a 60gram per an hour feed. So now you need to consider an external energy source which can be used with Endure which wont impact its efficacy but give you the required energy outcome. In this case adding in Chews or Gels would plug the gap in required hourly carbohydrate intake.

Step 3: How to Hydrate Properly
Once you have chosen your energy source you need to think about hydration very carefully. If you are using an isotonic drink which is providing you both energy and minerals to hydrate then you need to make sure that you will be able to take in the desired amount hourly to meet your hydration and energy needs. One of the reasons I advocate separating energy and hydration is because of weather conditions. On a hot day it will probably be easier to consume a bottle of an isotonic solution, however over consuming would mean knowing how many carbs you are taking externally to that and adjusting the feed accordingly. But what if its a cooler day? You don’t lose as much fluid in the form of sweat and you drink less fluid. However now your energy system is impacted by the calorie deficit and you need to adjust the feed accordingly. This might leave you consuming more energy in the form of gels which if not combined with the correct amounts of fluid can leave you with GI distress. The simplest feed is the easiest feed that does not require mathematical calculations during a session. In this case a single source feed and a single source hydration system are in my mind the simplest solution. From a hydration perspective you need to understand the conditions you will be exercising in and hydrate accordingly. Meaning the type of hydration drink will need to be determined according to the your sweat rate under various conditions. The idea is to try to replenish 80% of lost fluid. Water on its own is not as easily absorbed as a hypotonic drink and this is why I advocate a hypotonic solution to maximise fluid absorption and not take a chance. I wrote a blog Simply Hydrate explaining hydration in detail you can click here to take a read.

In summary I want you to understand that nutrition and proper fuelling are so critical not just in sports performance but also recovery and overall health. Many athletes focus on the training and wake up way too late to give the nutrition the proper focus it needs to perform, recover faster and remain in good health. Don’t be the athlete that spoils the soup and fuels your race to failure. Plan it properly, test it over and over in training, tweak it, bank it and take it to race day.

All the best

M

Mark Wolff is a certified exercise & sports nutritionist, endurance nutrition and physiology expert with over 20 years experience. An endurance multi-sport athlete with a running, 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 given the proper focus. 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 also co-founder of Rapid Recover focused on pneumatic compression equipment to improve circulation for recovery, rehabilitation and health.

Categories
Nutrition

INTERMITTENT FASTING & THE ENDURANCE ATHLETE

Intermittent fasting has certainly come to the forefront over the past few years and more and more I am getting asked by endurance athletes whether I think intermittent fasting is a good idea?

The question I throw back in return is why do you want to do intermittent fasting? Mostly I hear endurance athletes telling me that they want to lose weight, lean out or become more fat efficient athletes. I guess the big question is what is your actual goal? Are you trying to lose weight? Are you trying to improve your previous best marathon or Ironman time or are you just doing it for health reasons.

Firstly intermittent fasting is a form of calorie restriction, correct? So if you can restrict calories by fasting then why can’t you restrict calories by eating correctly?
When you place your body into a fasted state you begin playing with hormones specifically leptin and ghrelin. The inability to balance these hormones properly due to either over eating or fasting can cause roller coaster effects which in the end do not land up serving the correct purpose.

The main question though is as an endurance athlete why would you even consider fasting?

Weight loss comes from eating correctly meaning a calorie restricted diet and proper macronutrient intake to support you unique requirements. This could be fat loss, muscle gain or maintenance. However as an endurance athlete what about energy, immunity, recovery and performance. Intermittent fasting will not support that at all. Actually quite the opposite it will hamper the recovery process, limit your energy levels and place your immune system under stress.

Let me further explain so that you fully understand the consequences of intermittent fasting while trying to be the best possible healthy endurance athlete.

RECOVERY
When it comes to recovery there are three main aspects that I look at and these are:

Rehydration
Muscle Protein Synthesis
Glycogen Restoration and blood sugar stabilization

If an athlete does intermittent fasting then rehydration and adequate fluid intake will not be an issue. The main issues will arise when it comes to muscle protein synthesis and glycogen replenishment. Adequate protein intake for an endurance athlete is important for recovery. Generally I work on around 1.4g – 1.7g of protein per a kilogram of body weight. This will depend on the athletes goals and training. Strength work and developing more lean muscle will require a higher protein intake while maintenance and repair will be on the lower side. Take a 70kg athlete who is training on average 90min a day. His required protein intake would be around 100-120g of protein per a day. This is in animal nutrition terms 4-5 chicken breasts or plant terms 2-3 cups of raw chickpeas. That is quite a lot of food. If the fasting window is quite long it means squeezing this protein intake into a small amount of time. However as we well know when it comes down to protein the human body is only capable of processing and absorbing a certain amount of protein every +-3hrs. This is generally in the region of +- 8-10 grams per hour. So its not possible to squash large protein portions into less meals and expect the correct portion amount for proper muscle protein synthesis to take place. Actually the opposite over eating protein ultimately causes a rise in blood sugar and that can easily lead to weight gain. We also know that consuming a protein with a carbohydrate post exercise up-regulates amino acid uptake specifically leucine which is a trigger for muscle protein synthesis.

What also allows for proper muscle protein synthesis is a positive nitrogen balance. Nitrogen is the most crucial component of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. What this means is that if you are fasting the amount of nitrogen excreted from the body is greater than the amount of nitrogen ingested and there is no repair work taking place actually the opposite. So you are actually not recovering and triggering decent training adaptations.

EATING FOR ENERGY
The next aspect I want to look at is the energy system our primary fuel tanks being glycogen and fat. Glycogen is our rocket fuel and used at higher intensities while in lower aerobic zones fat becomes the fuel of choice.
A hard workout where glycogen depletion takes place will require carbohydrate intake post exercise to rapidly start the glycogen replenishment process and stabilise blood sugar. Extending the fasted period a few hours post exercise will delay this from happening and can lead to fatigue. This will also hamper back to back sessions. Then when it does become time to break the fast how do you know how much to consume in the form of carbohydrates and protein. If you do not ensure proper glycogen replenishment and stabilisation without triggering a roller coaster ride you will generate the the opposite effect from fat burn to fat gain by overeating.

When it comes down to the main energy system, carbohydrates are without a doubt our rocket fuel. If you are going to be doing an FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test or an interval or track session. Then how can you expect to achieve the best possible numbers without fuelling the session properly. Being able to push those sessions to the best possible effort is what ultimately will lead to better gains, as well as more fat burning post exercise by elevating the metabolic rate that much more. It has been scientifically proven many times over that a fuelled session will give better performance numbers.

When it boils down to performance gains and being a fitter faster and stronger athlete then you need to fuel your effort.
Fuelling during an exercise session or eating post exercise recovery meals is not the reason endurance athletes are overweight. Weight gain comes with overeating and inadequate macronutrient meal blends.

The Fat Efficient Athlete
In order to become a fat efficient athlete intermittent fasting is not required. Fasted training is a good way of developing this, but that is completely different from intermittent fasting. A fasted session does require a recovery meal post exercise and the volume and type of meal will be determined by the duration and intensity of the exercise session. Failing to recover from an exercise session is without a doubt failing the session itself.

To summarise my views on intermittent fasting and endurance sport. They do not go hand in hand. Endurance sport replaces a large amount of physical stress on the body. This impacts the musculoskeletal system, the immune system and energy system. The athletes body requires nutrients to fuel, repair and fortify it constantly. Failing to give the body what it needs will ultimately lead to a lack of performance and potentially illness and injury.
If you want to perform, lean out and get your own resilient Lamborghini engine and body then learn how to eat properly and avoid short cuts which don’t benefit that goal. If you are only trying to lose weight or have a medical condition which requires a calorie restricted diet then intermittent fasting can play a roll. However if you are an athlete intent on being the best version of yourself then get your nutrition right and stop playing games.

Mark Wolff is a certified exercise & sports nutritionist, endurance nutrition and physiology expert with over 20 years experience. An endurance multi-sport athlete with a running, 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 given the proper focus. 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 also co-founder of Rapid Recover focused on pneumatic compression equipment to improve circulation for recovery and health.

Categories
Nutrition

CHANGING THE GAME

I figured with all the hype surrounding the Netflix launch of The Game Changers to my controversial post last week which got praises and shots from quite a few, intentionally I might add. I decided to put my views into a proper perspective to clear up any confusion and put this topic to rest.

If anyone had ever suggested to me 10 to 20 years ago that I would be vegan or completely plant-based I would have laughed it off and put the idea down immediately. Why?

But I love my meat and diary…

Firstly, I loved my meat and dairy and secondly, being an endurance athlete but coming from a strength background would have been against everything I was every taught or learned from a nutrition perspective.

Muscle mass equalled protein which equated to meat. Believe me in my twenties I could easily walk into Scrooges Diner and take on the “Big Challenge”. It was to eat a 42 oz steak, drink a quart of beer or coke, and consume a plate of chips all in under an hour. They gave you a free t-shirt for completing the challenge.

One day I walked in there and my mates set up another challenge for me. Take on a double Scrooges Challenge. I completed the first in 17 minutes, and the second was done in another 18 minutes.

Basically 48 oz of steak, 2 quart of beer, and two plates of chips downed in 45 minutes flat. That was “The Fitness Freak” 28 years ago.

If anyone ever toyed with idea of plant-based, vegan or anything close to it there was absolutely no chance I would have given it a second of a thought. It was completely cast aside as absolutely ridiculous.

When your lifestyle catches up with you

My weight lifting years were a lot about strength and muscle mass gain. However at the same time all the heavy lifting, the long hours of working and poor nutrition eventually took its toll on me.

At age 26 I contracted an illness which knocked me down for months. Not only did it hit me hard, it kept reoccurring year after year. Here I was a strong muscular conditioning expert, yet I could not get out of bed to even make it the bathroom. I had a high fever that lasted for weeks on end, chronic fatigue, and in a world of hurt.

The doctors had absolutely no idea what was going on and I was subject to a daily dose of blood tests, ultra sounds, liver biopsies and possibly anything you can think of. The doctors were completely at a loss.

I couldn’t let this go on. I had come to the sad realization that I had gotten away for years with unhealthy food, work stress, lack of sleep and heavy weights which eventually caused my elastic band to snap. I was afraid, very afraid.

The pinnacle of change in my life

My daughter was only a year old at the time and I was worried how would I be able to be healthy and ensure I could care for and provide. I decided to accept my illness. It’s the greatest thing you can do, because without acceptance you cannot move ahead. You just remain trapped in a world of hurt and pain.

My eventual diagnosed was a viral infection that I had picked up from my daughter, which in normal cases doesn’t wreak as much havoc as it did. I only had myself to blame. I led a less than stellar lifestyle and this was a BIG wake-up call.

To make matters worse, this illness wasn’t ever going to disappear. It had triggered an autoimmune response and regardless of most people developing antibodies to keep it at bay, my body decided during certain times to give into to it and I experienced a few more years of big attacks.

BUT this was the pinnacle of change in my life. I was NOT going to accept this and I was going to find a way of keeping myself strong and the illness away. 

I became an expert of my own body

Nutrition, physiology, anatomy, lifestyle and exercise. I studied, I investigated, I made big changes and I started to become such an expert of the human body with regard to nutrition, exercise, endurance, fitness, health, illness, injury and weight-loss.

But that’s not all, I managed to take all of this and turn it into a lifestyle. A blueprint for a healthy life and creating longevity. The main areas I focused on was of course nutrition, sleep and training.

We all mostly train, we all eat, and sleep. So what is meant by this?

I had to find the exact nutrition my body required for me. The right amount of sleep to ensure lowered stress levels and recovery. AND of course ensuring that I understood exactly the kind of training was needed and how much of it to ensure performance and immune system strength, but not too much to cause the opposite effect.

Putting the pieces together to achieve success

I studied in-depth physiology, nutrition, endurance and strength principles. I studied and worked with some of the greatest minds in these fields to ensure that I became an expert. So that I could empower not just myself, but also to be able to guide others. After all, nothing is more important than ones health. Without it life cannot be lived to its full extent (Read my blog on the Fork in the Road).

I managed to lean out, 46 kilograms leaner! Not by becoming a vegan but by using my knowledge to clean up my eating, training and sleeping. I managed to suppress this re-occurring illness for 9 years. However in 2012 it reared its ugly head just before the last leg of a triathlon series.

I will never forget that day. I had been racing nicely and sitting there ready to snap up a podium step, all I needed was a solid finish on the last race. However on the day I was flat and my energy levels were just not there. I thought it was a cold but it was way more than that and the next few days it reared its ugly head. I was very ill and no doctor could figure it out.

Going back to the Drawing Board

I was back to the drawing board. What could I change what would get me back in control of my health again. At that stage I consulted with some immunologists who ran a batch of bloods and started cycling me on and off courses of antibiotics and tetracycline to kill what they had discovered. Twenty two courses in total to be honest over many months.

At the same time I placed myself on a ketogenic diet and was so serious about it that I made sure to run daily blood tests on myself to ensure I was remaining in a state of ketosis.

I figured if this bug thrived on carbs then I was going to give it the opposite. The war was real and after nine months the illness subsided and I could start training again.

I came back to good health and started competing again at a decent level, but every few months I sort of dipped back into illness. Then came out again with shorter infection periods. It took about 18 months to realise that the keto diet was too inflammatory. With my training volumes and intensity my recovery was not the best and it was weakening my immune system.

I decided to go back to a higher carbohydrate diet. Within a few weeks I felt the benefits again, especially on the energy and recovery side. It did not mean I was not fat efficient, I just focussed on carbohydrate periodization which worked very well.

So here I was with all the correct macronutrients which were definitely working in my favour but I still was not on top of my game where my health was concerned and I knew I could still improve.

My secret to going Vegan

So I decided to start with a slow process of elimination and see where it took me. The first to go was meat which left me with a wide variety of enjoyable “healthy foods”. Then with more tweaking and research I dropped the chicken leaving me classified as “Lacto-ovo vegetarian”.

I felt great if not much better than I had in years, but I still believe that one should never settle for great if you can go way beyond that. I then cut fish, hanging on to just eggs and dairy. I went for ethically sourcing eggs and dairy but its very limited in South Africa, here I am based. What you find in the FMCG chain stores is not genuinely free range or organic for that matter.

Then the big moment came cutting dairy. I was never a big dairy eater but I did enjoy a greek yogurt now and then. It was a big move for me and I held onto the eggs purely for a source of B12, and as an easy source of protein.

The Benefits of going Plant-Based

This process had now taken me to a round two years without so much as a cold or any medication. Without actually realizing it my immune system was way stronger and it only showed over time.

Training adaptations were better and my body fat dropped even more, getting me to a weight lighter than at my school graduation. I was feeling healthier & stronger and my ability to recover was definitely way better than it had been in years.

Being an “Ovo-vegetarian” I kept to a minimum and started to experiment more with plant-based proteins. I kept running blood tests to ensure my engine was strong and that I had no deficiencies. Eventually I dropped the eggs and went completely plant-based.

I was nervous as I wasn’t sure how my iron levels, B12 levels etc. would remain sufficient to ensure I could perform at my best and stay healthy. However bloods do not lie (check out my blog Bloods don’t Lie) but my levels were stellar. The best they had been in years.

Do I need to supplement?

Yes I do. But I was supplementing even when I was eating meat so the change did not make matters worse, in actual fact my iron levels had improved.

Did my B12 levels drop? Actually that is the surprising part, I analyzed my bloods from when I was eating animal sourced proteins and to be honest my B12 levels are better now than they were then. Across the board and closer to 50 years of age I feel way better now than I was in my 20’s and 30’s.

The best part of all no major lingering illness for years. Was this a “Game Changer” for me. Absolutely.

Am I telling everyone to go in the plant-based direction? Definitely NOT!

Important Health Elements

What I do need to state is the following. Firstly, I think it’s important to figure out what works best for an individual. Nutrition is unique to each person. One needs to make sure whatever they are eating is right for their health, performance and enjoyment. But that does not mean being set in our ways is the best. Sometimes experimentation and change is a good thing to see where it takes you.

Secondly, I am not an anti-animal food based activist BUT my biggest gripe is actually the source of the animal-based products. It’s a fact that most farmed animals, at least where I live, are grain fed, antibiotic and protein hormone loaded.

This means whatever you are eating from that source is highly inflammatory and increases the risk of disease way more. It’s a fact that research has been done on farmed animal meat.

It’s been found to be excessively high in omega 6 inflammatory fats and contains virtually no omega 3, vitamins, minerals nor levels of conjugated linoleic acid. This means high cardiovascular and disease risk. So yes big meat eaters when sourced from the normal farming methods are not great at all for your health.

Endothelial Dysfunction

As for endothelial function, as shown in The Game Changers when eating animal-based products, plant-based foods have shown to have an extremely positive benefit on it. AND In the lowering of risks such as CVD, Blood Pressure etc. that’s not new to medicine or science, but maybe to some it was an eye opener and something new. Of course one could still follow a 80/20 clean plant / clean animal derived food source and reap the benefits.

Things you need to consider

I think the things one needs to consider are fruits and vegetables. They provide you with a high level of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals ,so yes they should be eaten in abundance. Yes animals provide protein as well as other beneficial support such as collagen, omega 3 (in decent sourced options) but these can be sourced in plants as well. Believe me protein can easily be derived from plant-based sources.

I hear a lot of people commenting on what is sprayed on the outside of plants is more hazardous than eating farmed meat. But it’s actually pretty easily washed off with certain organic sprays, and there are hard exterior fruit and vegetable options.

The problem with animals is there is no washing off what they are fed. In the words of Dr Mark Hayman “You are what the animal you eat, eats” and that is the plain truth, whether dairy or meat the problem is the source.


Following a PAGAN type of diet PaleoVegan (Check out Dr Mark Hayman’s WTF Should I Eat, book) top sourced animal derived foods with a higher amount of plant-based foods is absolutely fine. As long as you feel it works for you.

Remember one thing when it comes to nutrition even if it’s working well it’s still a journey, and constant changes, experimentation, tweaking and modifications to any diet will keep you progressing from strength to strength. So experiment and play with the food see what works best for you.

I run bloods on myself every 3-4 months. They are a true reflection of my health as well as how often I am sick, how energetic I am, and of course analyzing emotional stability and happiness.

Plant-Based Protein Pancakes

I often get asked if plant-based works for me. I never would have said this would have been my path of nutrition in life, but then again I followed what worked well for me. I was never afraid to be controversial, challenge and make the changes. It has certainly been a Game Changer for me..

Your in Healthy Living,

M.

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Mark Wolff is a certified exercise & sports nutritionist, endurance nutrition and physiology expert with over 20 years experience. An endurance multi-sport athlete with a running, 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 given the proper focus. 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 also co-founder of Rapid Recover focused on pneumatic compression equipment to improve circulation for recovery and health

Categories
Nutrition

RECOVER PROPERLY OR BREAK

Proper recovery nutrition is one of the most misunderstood aspects of any sport especially endurance. When it comes down to it, if you fail to recover properly then you have failed to make the proper gains from your training session. You will have also set yourself up for a domino effect of fatigue and injury risk and your ability to meet your goals in the next workout sessions. Not only is it about performance gains, but even more importantly immune system strength and overall health. Proper recovery from exercise is something that needs to be perfected and nailed every single time.

In this blog I am going to explain the simple process of how to tackle your recovery nutrition and to give it the correct focus it constantly needs.

To begin we need to understand that a recovery meal does not just consist of a meal post exercise with carbohydrates, proteins and fats. When it comes down to it there are many different opinions on where the focus should be. Strength athletes focus on protein, endurance athletes love their carbs and the weight conscious tend to go for the higher fat options. However to be pretty straightforward none of them are correct in their thinking. I will provide some clarity below.

Lets begin with the actual training session. In terms of duration and intensity each session will vary from the next. Some days are short recovery or low intensity sessions. Some days are longer duration, higher intensity or strength sessions. This means that each day the body will go through a different metabolic process of fuel tank usage and muscle engagement. There will be varying stresses placed on it and each will have different requirements when it comes to proper recovery.

Taking a look at the the human fuel tanks being primarily glycogen and fat each will have differing burn rates through a session. A higher intensity session will see a greater percentage depletion of glycogen than a shorter low intensity session. While the longer sessions even if a lower to medium intensity will tend to still dip into both fuel tanks due to cardiac drift of effort over time and higher calorie burn. A while back I created a nice little video explaining the fuel tank usage to make it simple to understand just click here for viewing.

In summary glycogen are your carbohydrate stores and are primarily used under higher intensity exercise while fat is mainly used as a source of fuel at lower intensity exercise. During exercise the body moves through varying rate of intensities and a combination of both fuel sources are used depending on the duration and intensity. There is another fuel tank which we would not want to use and that is protein. Yes protein can also be broken down into fuel but generally that is over very long hard endurance sessions. It is a fuel source we do not want to use and should be mitigated by proper fuelling during exercise. However for recovery it can help determine nutrition options post-exercise. As far as strength training goes, yes, more muscle damage is generally done in a strength session and mostly the energy system utilised for strength is ATP-PC ( adenosine triphosphate – phosphocreatine ) system, especially with explosiveness and this is combined with aerobic function. ATP-PC is short lived energy only lasting seconds but it can definitely equate to fatigue. So recovery from strength sessions is just as crucial as endurance exercise.

Now that we have an understanding of how the body is impacted from an energy system and stress perspective, it should make sense that in order to adapt properly and train again we would need to recover properly from that session.

The approach for proper recovery is quite simple and needs to broken into various steps. Once you understand this it will be easy to create your own personal recovery strategy day after day.

Let’s begin……………………………..

Step 1: How Long was your Training Session?
Keeping this simple I break it down into a short, medium or long session. Meaning the following
Short < 60 Minutes
Medium < 2.5 Hours
Long > 3 Hours

The duration of your session will ultimately determine the size and number of recovery meals to properly benefit from your training session. As a simple example consuming a large calorie meal after a short 60 minute session is an over kill, while under consuming after a long session will leave you feeling fatigued and hungry later on. Lets continue and I will fit the puzzle pieces together further down.

Step 2: How Intense was your Training Session?
Did you keep your heart rate low and steady for a short session or did you do an interval or tempo session creating a fair amount of effort. Remember that a low intensity session means a higher fat burn lower glycogen depletion session. While a high intensity session means higher glycogen depletion. The percentage of fuel tank usage will relate back to the composition of your meal. As a simple example; a recovery session will mean a low carb recovery meal, while a high intensity session means more glycogen (carbohydrate fuel) depletion, which would equate to a higher carbohydrate meal post-exercise to ensure replenishment of the glycogen fuel tank.

Step 3: How Muscularly Strenuous was my Session?
Protein intake in an athletes days can vary slightly. Generally I will set a target of around 1.4 grams – 1.7 grams of protein per a kilogram of body weight depending on whether the athlete is maintaining or aiming to gain more lean muscle mass. However in some cases for muscle gain and bouts of heavy strength training that amount of protein will go up to 2 grams / kilogram of body weight or more.

On a day where more muscle damage is done it would be wise to aim for a slightly higher protein intake through the day to be in a protein positive net balance to allow for proper recovery. Just remember the amount of protein per a single serving is limited in what the body can process and absorb, so its not a matter of loading protein in a single meal but more the frequency of protein intake through the day. I have written a previous blog on protein intake and it can be read by clicking here.

Now that we have those three thought steps in pace lets focus on Recovery. There are five main aspects to recovery in my mind.

  1. Sleep
  2. Rehydration
  3. Muscle Protein Synthesis
  4. Glycogen Replenishment
  5. Immune System Strength

Sleep
Probably the most crucial aspect of longevity and health is sleep. An amateur athlete is very often sleep deprived due to the early waking hours and cutting short of sleep in order to train. Throw work stress and family stress into the mix and you are heading for disaster. Do not underestimate the power of sleep. The human body repairs and restores itself during the sleep cycles. Critical hormonal release states are triggered and failure to cycle through them is damaging. It’s not just about the duration of sleep but also the quality of sleep meaning few wake cycles and some nice deep sleep cycles. I have been analysing sleeping patterns now for around 14 years and it is as clear as day that a bad nights sleep impacts performance, ability to recover as well as weakens the immune system. Give it some focus and ensure you get at least a minimum of 7 hours of good quality sleep a night, preferably 8.

Rehydration
The human body is comprised mainly of water and during exercise there is a fair amount lost in the form of sweat. The longer the session the more fluid lost. It is absolutely crucial to rehydrate during and post session to replenish lost fluid in the form of sweat. During exercise its only possible to replenish around 80% of lost fluid however post exercise its important to get right back up to a proper hydrated state. Best is to consume a hypotonic drink to maximize fluid absorption and this can be done with a product such as 32Gi Hydrate. If you want a more in-depth look at hydration then check out my blog simply hydrate.

Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS)
Endurance as well as strength require major muscle usage to perform any given activity. Protein are the building blocks and are critical in ensuring proper muscle recovery. I come across so many athletes who under eat protein. This only leads to injury, illness and fatigue as well as failure to achieve proper training adaptations in the form of strength and fitness gains. Let me break this down a little further.

White blood cells which of course fight infections, are comprised of protein. So lack of protein equates to lower immunity. Post-exercise an athletes immune system is lowered and the risk of infection higher. Don’t under estimate this. As far as muscle protein synthesis goes protein is crucial. Especially adequate branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) consumed of course with a complete protein. Another thing that many athletes fail to understand is there are proteins and proteins. It is important to find a complete healthy protein to get proper intake. L-Leucine is the most crucial branch chain to trigger MPS and there we would look at an intake of 2.5-3grams of L-Leucine to ensure the MPS trigger. Some protein serving sizes do not contain the correct amount and then supplementation would be advised.

Remember its not about the front label its about the actual content of the product. A protein portion post-exercise should be in the region of 20-35g depending on the weight of an individual, kind of exercise and overall protein goal for the day. Over-consumption of protein does not work due to the body not being able to process all of it, and in short it can lead to a rise in blood sugar and potential weight gain. Ensure you know your protein targets and stick to them.

Glycogen Replenishment
Glycogen – which is our carbohydrate stores – will mostly be depleted during exercise at a rate which is dependent on the duration and intensity of the session. A long hard session warrants a higher carbohydrate meal post-exercise which should be proportional to the glycogen depleted. Carbohydrates are what’s required to replenish glycogen stores. A short lower intensity session means a low carb meal. Over eat the carbs post a session which does not warrant it, and be assured you will mitigate fat burn and tend towards the gaining weight population.

Immune System Strength
Post-exercise susceptibility to illness is higher. Especially if in a contained environment like a gym where sick people sweat, train and touch everything opening endless possibilities of contact. Immunity is so crucial to any athlete especially during bouts of hard big volume sessions where the body undergoes way more stress. How does one strengthen their immune system? Well firstly a blood test to determine any insufficiency is worth it as if you are for example anaemic or have low vitamin D levels it will certainly play a role in weak immune system. That is the first step. Know your status and fortify accordingly. There is no point in dosing with vitamins and minerals if you have no idea where you are weak. 

Hydrate properly and focus on gut bacteria strength as it’s another crucial aspect of immune system strength so pre and probiotics are worth it. Cutting refined foods and focusing on nutrient dense foods will help boost immunity. A supplement like glutamine is excellent for immune system strength as well as providing alkalinity to the gut. Vitamin D not Vitamin C is the wow factor in immune system strength. Most athletes I have had blood tested tend to be low on Vitamin D levels which is the one vitamin known to provide immunity. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant with other properties, but it has nothing on Vitamin D as far as immunity goes. 

Those are just a few examples, however its so vast and I wont go into too much detail on this as its a blog on its own for the future. But as a starting point get bloods and if you are not sure then check out my blog on bloods don’t lie.

The above is pretty self explanatory in terms of importance and focus. But I bet you are now asking for examples of post-exercise recovery meals and a little more insight on supplementation to ensure proper fast recovery and health. That is coming in my next blog :-). 

However don’t despair, in the mean time together with the 32Gi and the Rapid Recover team we put together a recovery cheat sheet which I will email to you with pleasure – all you need to do is sign up to our newsletter by subscribing to my blog – and it will be emailed off to you.

all the best

M

Mark Wolff is a certified exercise & sports nutritionist, endurance nutrition and physiology expert with over 20 years experience. An endurance multi-sport athlete with a running, 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 given the proper focus. 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 also co-founder of Rapid Recover focused on pneumatic compression equipment to improve circulation for recovery and health

Categories
Health

YOU MIGHT BE FIT BUT YOUR GUT CAN LET YOU DOWN

Over the last few years I have engaged with a fair amount of athletes who constantly suffer from gut issues during exercise especially on race day. It is a very important issue to touch on and through this blog I hope to shed some light on the pitfalls of GI (gastrointestinal) distress and how to try to manage it. I myself have a very sensitive stomach and over the years have developed and followed some very key methods to keep the stomach issues a bay.

It is a fact that more runners will suffer from GI distress than cyclists. It is a much higher impact sport and the digestive system takes a bit more of a beating with the foot pounding. However that is not to say cyclists do not have their issues, they certainly do and this can be related to posture on the bike which can also add to the discomfort. Let me start by saying there is no full and sure way to completely understand exactly what your unique trigger is but there definitely are plenty of reasons as to why GI distress can occur and if properly managed they can be mitigated.

There are conditions that occur during exercise which place the digestive system under stress.
The first of course is the fact that when embarking on a training or racing session blood is required to transport oxygen to the muscles that are actively working. This pulls blood away from the digestive tracts and diverts that flow to the active muscles as well as to the surface of the skin as those vessels are required for cooling the body. This is an effect called splanchnic hypoperfusion which can lead to intestinal distress and compromise the intestinal barrier function. In short this increases intestinal permeability which means that a type of leaky gut syndrome occurs which can cause major discomfort in the form of pain, bloatedness due to excess gas as well as nausea and diarrhoea. The higher the intensity you perform at the more blood is moved to the muscles and the more sensitive the digestive system becomes.

Another aspect of GI distress is the brain gastrointestinal tract communication pathway. It is a fact that when we have digestive discomfort in any form the brain is signalled but at the same time when we have certain emotions such as nervousness, anxiety, sadness, anger or happiness our brain speaks to our gut. Without a doubt stresses can play a big role in determining how the gut bacteria behave. It is a two way communication channel and our health is very much determined by our mindset. Pre-training or racing nerves can have a major influence on how your stomach will behave on the day. I am sure many of you remember training days where you get up relaxed and off with a group of friends for a nice training session. However on race day you are up and down to the loo hoping you will make it to the start line.

Sports nutrition also plays a crucial role in that highly concentrated carbohydrates such as gels or certain drink mixes can cause digestive discomfort. Believe it or not taking a high amount of carbohydrates can upset the fluid energy balance pulling more water into the digestive system and actually increasing the risk of dehydration which will certainly upset the stomach. Feelings of nausea, irritability, stomach pain can very much be associated with a build up of glucose in the gut.

A simple example is if you consume a gel during exercise you have to take in a certain amount of water with it to ensure the dilution process is correct. Some gels are pre mixed with water but those that are not need to be diluted to reduce the risk of GI distress and onset of dehydration. So for example a gel with 20-25grams of carbohydrates in it would require approximately a fluid consumption of around 100ml per 6-10grams of carbohydrate ingestion to be on the safe side. So this means around 200 – 400ml of fluid. Quite a fair amount and this is definitely one of the major pitfalls of most athletes. The failure to understand the energy / fluid requirements to ensure a balance in the body which allows for both fuelling and hydration.

Another crucial aspect of sports nutrition is the ability to oxidize carbohydrates. Many athletes train fasted or train low and race high to improve their fat burn efficiency at higher intensities and try to gain the extra benefit of carbohydrate intake on race day. However if you do not train your gut to cope with the food intake on the day of your race you will not have the ability to properly break it down and absorb it efficiently. This places you at risk.

Finally the last trigger of course can be issues with your daily diet. I am of the firm belief that if you feel discomfort with any food then you need to eliminate it. There are however some foods that can certainly cause more discomfort than others. The top of my list is dairy for those that are lactose intolerant it is certainly one of the triggers of GI distress during exercise and best to avoid if you are not sure. Many people are fibre intolerant I personally limit fibre intake from 72hrs before any long or racing session. Fibre can cause gut havoc. High fat and protein intake before a session can also cause GI distress. They are not easily broken down and as opposed to carbohydrates and in many cases this can also be a trigger. Additionally on the nutrition side of things is the method of high FODMAP food reduction.

What are FODMAP’s?
FODMAP stands for Fermentable, Oligosacchiride, Disacchiride, Monosacchiride, and Polyols.
Developed in Australia, the FODMAP diet was developed to deal with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) fairly new to other parts of the world the diet has seen some good success in reducing the symptoms associated with irritable bowel.

How does it work?
FODMAPS are basically a group of short chain carbohydrates which occur in many foods such as wheat, dates honey and milk to name a few. These short-chain carbohydrates have been shown to increase osmotic load in the small intestine which means it will pull water into it and upset the digestive system. These food types are broken down with a fermentation process by gut bacteria which creates gas and discomfort especially in an athlete that is exercising. Best is to avoid high FODMAP foods in the week leading to a race or important training sessions in an attempt to reduce the risks of GI distress. If you suffer severely from IBS or Proctitis this could be a good direction to take.

Another important item to consider which I have not touched on yet is alcohol. As much as you want to argue with me, it causes GI disruption and can be considered another major player in causing GI distress. It also causes dehydration and we know that this is another trigger of GI distress. If I cannot convince an you to reduce or quit  then you should take jump and read a previous blog I wrote Endurance vs Alcohol. My personal opinion is that you should never have any alcohol in a race week or anywhere close to long training sessions.

So with all this in mind how do we tackle the dreaded tummy troubles that impact so many athletes across the globe.

A number of steps need to be adhered to:

No eating foods that negatively impact you
If eating any food impacts you negatively just avoid it. Identify those foods that you are emotionally attached to however cause tummy trouble, list them and avoid them. Just find a replacement there are plenty of options available.

Avoid dairy, fibre high fat and protein meals close to your important training or racing sessions.
We know these food types put more strain on the digestive system especially when under stress. So best is to avoid them to be sure. Proper experimentation will guide you, but rather start off clean and introduce to test and monitor the impact.

Train the gut
Do not just train low (low carbohydrate or fasted) you also need to train high. There is a benefit to fasted or low carbohydrate training in order to became more fat burn efficient. However failing to train the gut to adapt to fuel intake on the day will certainly cause issues. It is a fact that increasing carbohydrate intake during exercise will also allow your digestive system to become more efficient at oxidizing those carbohydrates. Make sure you are using the correct product for you and that you know exactly how to use it. You want to get the best of both worlds. Check out my previous blog So You Really Think you have Your Sports Nutrition Right?

Avoid high FODMAP foods
As mentioned above this has shown to quite successful in many that suffer from irritable bowl syndrome. Here is a link to an application which can be installed to help with food selection when it comes to FODMAP eating
FODMAP Mobile App

Avoid Alcohol
Check out my blog for a more in-depth discussion on this Click Here

During Exercise
I am a firm advocate of drip feeding during an endurance event. Taking in small amounts of carbohydrates more frequently over a longer period of time reduces the risk of GI distress caused by a glucose overload. Separate out your hydration and energy requirements and ensure there is balance. I am an advocate of mineral loading to help with fluid absorption and reduce the risks associated with dehydration which is also a major factor in GI distress. Check out my blog on Simply Hydrate if you are wanting more information on proper hydration.

Relax Relax Relax
We know so well that endurance sport is very much a mental game. As mentioned above anxiety and nervousness can absolutely trigger an irritable bowel. Find ways to calm yourself and stay relaxed. Maybe its speaking to others, or putting on your favourite playlist to shut out the world. Whatever your coping mechanism find one that works to keep you happy, content, confident and relaxed.

I hope this helps, please feel free to email me if you have any questions

all the best

M

Yours in Health and Fitness

Mark Wolff is a certified exercise & sports nutritionist, endurance nutrition and physiology expert with over 20 years experience. An endurance multi-sport athlete with a running, 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 given the proper focus. 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 also co-founder of Rapid Recover focussed on pneumatic compression equipment to improve circulation for recovery and health.