FORMA

Functional Orthopedic Rehabilitation Medicine Associates 230 E. 17th Street, Suite 202; Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Phone: 949 999-0777 Fax: 949-999-0784 www.formadocs.com

Nutrition to Improve your Running

By: Dr. Carvalho (drcarvalho@formadocs.com)
Proper nutrition is important for everyone but it is especially important for those who exercise regularly. Eating a proper diet is part of your program as much as regular training sessions and adequate resting. It needs to be a session in your training log. PROPER SPORTS DIET GOAL: 1 Well balanced to provide not only best performance, but also for good health. 2 Provide specific dietary needs which help the runner to train properly allowing for the right nutrients to maximize your results in response to specific stages of training. 3. To excel during your specific race goal. BALANCED DIET: The recommended average healthy diet would consist of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fat. These foods should always be from healthy sources such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean sources of protein and heart healthy fats. DAILY CALORIES: Calories consumed are based on the individuals activity level specific training goal. Basic guidelines for the amount of calories an individual should be consuming on a regular basis based on the individuals current weight and activity level. However, these guidelines are not very accurate for athletes during periods of training or competition. Specific and individualized diet is most important maintain or achieve an ideal body mass. However, if not done properly, the poorly planned diet will have a significantly negative impact on the athletes performance. Every athlete should use a training log to record the number of calories he is consuming, the type of workout he is doing and how he feels during and after the workout. The amount of CALORIES consumed can be changed depending on whether you are looking to maintain your weight, lose weight or gain weight. Average basal metabolic rate for a 45-year-old man who is 6 feet and weighs 150 pounds requires approximately 1600 calories a day. Having a desk job, he will require an extra 400 calories a day. By adding light exercise such as walking 30 minutes a day (15 minute mile.) or 2 miles, he will require an added 200 calories. This individual will require a total of 2250 calories per day to maintain his level of activity, without change in body weight or performance. For a 45-year-old woman who is 5-7 in height and weighs 120 pounds requires approximately 1200 calories a day to maintain her basal metabolic rate. With a desk job, she'll require an extra 250 calories a day. And, by walking on an easy pace for 30 minutes a day she will require an added 150 calories per day to maintain her level of activity without change in her performance. This type of information is important determine whether or not the athlete is eating enough. For example an athlete who is regularly consuming 2500 calories per day and running 3-4 miles per day but routinely feels tired and feels as though he or she is not recovering properly might want to consider taking in more calories to see whether or not this results in an improvement. The scale can also be used as an indicator of whether or not the runner is taking in enough calories. If the runner is already at an ideal weight, he should be striving to consume enough calories to maintain his

Nutrition for Runners by Dr. Carvalho

weight. If there is a gradual weight loss this can be making the runner weaker so it is important to find ways to incorporate additional calories into the diet. FOOD TYPES MACRONUTRIENTS: Carbohydrates (4 cal/gram), Protein 4 cal/gram) and Fat (9 cal/gram). Alcohol (7 cal/gram). Each of these macronutrients is important for optimal health. The percentages 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fat are generally acceptable for most people. Runners may need to change these percentages based on their specific training and racing goals. A runner who is training with long distance runs may need to increase the percentage of CARBOHYDRATES during these periods. This will help the body to remain properly fueled to perform do this magnitude of training. Also, athletes IN TRAINING need about 50 to 75 percent more PROTEIN than during off-season to promote recovery after workouts and to help build and maintain muscles, and other cells, like blood cells. The minimum amount of protein an athlete needs is 1.4g of protein per kg of body weight spread this amount evenly throughout the day. Woman weighing 132 lbs / 2.2= 60 kg female athlete will require 84 grams of protein per day. Maintaining and/or increasing muscle mass (lean body mass) increases a person's basal metabolic rate, which in turn, increases the body's ability to burn calories even at rest. A simple example of lean protein intake is adding one extra 4 oz serving of chicken, which supplies about half an athletes daily protein needs. FATS are necessary, not only to aid in training metabolism, but also to assist with the hormonal production for all of the bodily functions. Saturated fats, cholesterol and trans fats, are guilty of the unhealthy things all fats have been blamed forweight gain, clogged arteries, and so forth. Good fats such as the monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s have the opposite effect. ALCOHOL: Effects of Alcohol on Metabolism Alcohol is a toxic element to all cells. Therefore, the elimination of the alcohol takes presidency. When alcohol is consumed, it readily passes from the stomach and intestines into the blood and goes to the liver for processing. In the liver, an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenate mediates the conversion of alcohol to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is rapidly converted to acetate by other enzymes. It appears this sharp rise in acetate halts the fatty acids oxidation and glycolysis by the liver. Studies have shown that fat metabolism drops by over 70% after alcohol consumption. DIETARY FIBERS: Dietary fiber acts by changing how other nutrients and chemicals are absorbed. Dietary fiber, or sometimes roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods having two main components: 1. Soluble (prebiotic, viscous) fiber that is readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active byproducts. Soluble fiber absorbs water to become a gelatinous, viscous substance and is fermented by bacteria in the digestive tract. When soluble fiber is fermented, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are produced. SCFAs are involved in numerous physiological processes promoting health 2. Insoluble fiber that is metabolically inert, absorbing water as it moves through the digestive system, easing food elimination. Insoluble fiber has bulking action and is not fermented. Lignin, a major dietary insoluble fiber source, may alter the fate and metabolism of soluble fibers. Disadvantages of a diet high in fiber are the potential for significant intestinal gas production and bloating. Constipation can occur if insufficient fluid is consumed with a high-fiber diet. QUALITY NUTRITION Athletes should also consider the quality of the calories they are consuming. Calories to fuel your training need to be from quality sources:

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Nutrition for Runners by Dr. Carvalho

Carbohydrates: whole grain, fruits, vegetables, legumes, low-fat dairy products Lean protein sources: Animal proteins: fish, chicken or turkey (white meat), lean cuts of red meat, eggs (white part), dairy (Milk contains about 3.5 percent protein, 8 g of protein per 8 oz. cup), other sea foods (be aware of the high cholesterol content in calamari, lobster, shrimp, etc Vegetables proteins: nuts, beans, lentils, soy, green vegetables, and others. Be aware of the high quantity of carbohydrates (starch) in legumes. Also, there if a high fat amount in nut products, such as peanuts that contains 25% protein, 50% fats and 16 % carbohydrates. One ounce of Chicken breast 6.5 grams of protein. Most cuts of beef contain 7 grams of protein per ounce. Cooked fish has 6 grams per ounce. Egg, one large - 6 grams of protein. Milk, 1 cup - 8 grams. Cottage cheese, cup 15 grams. Tofu, firm, cup (4 oz) 10 grams protein. Tofu, regular, 1 oz, 2.3 grams protein, Soy milk, 1 cup - 6 grams. Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc) about 7-10 grams protein per half cup of cooked beans Soy beans, cup cooked 14 grams protein Split peas, cup cooked 8 grams. Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons - 8 grams protein. Peanuts, cup 9 grams. Pumpkin seeds, cup 19 grams, Flax seeds cup 8 grams. Spinach, cooked, 1 cup- 6g protein. Broccoli, cooked, 1 cup- 4g protein Heart healthy fats: Monosaturated: Olive oil, Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Peanut oil, Sesame oil, Avocados, Olives, Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews). Polysaturated: Soybean oil, Corn oil, Safflower oil, Walnuts, Sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds, Flaxseed, Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines), Soymilk, Tofu Saturated: Animal fats, Coconut oil. Trans-Fats: Commercially-baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough; Packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips); Stick margarine; Vegetable shortening; Fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, breaded fish); Candy bars Electrolytes Minerals and Their Function: Minerals are the spark plugs of life because they are required to activate thousands of enzyme reactions within the body. However, minerals do not work alone. They must work in balance with one other as well as with the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins. Calcium: Builds bones and teeth, muscle contraction, heart action, nerve impulses, blood clotting Magnesium : Bones, liver, muscles, transfer of intercellular water, alkaline balance, neuromuscular activity Sodium : Electrolyte balance, body fluid volume, nerve impulse condition Potassium : Cell membrane potential, nerve impulse conduction, heart rhythm, acid base balance Copper : Hemoglobin formation, production of RNA, elastic tissue formation, cholesterol utilization, oxidase enzyme activator Zinc : Protein synthesis, carbon dioxide transport, sexual function, insulin storage, carbohydrate metabolism, wound healing Iron : Hemoglobin formation, electron transport, oxygen transport, enzyme activator Manganese : Carbohydrate metabolism, protein metabolism, connective tissue, joint fluid production, nerve tissue, Vitamin B1 utilization Chromium : Glucose utilization, insulin activity, heart muscle, cholesterol utilization

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Nutrition for Runners by Dr. Carvalho

Phosphorus : Builds bones and teeth, energy production, acid-base balance, necessary in metabolism and cell membranes, calcium absorption Molybdenum : Enzyme activator, uric acid formation, oxidative enzymes Selenium : Peroxidase scavenger, glutathione peroxidase, anti-carcinogenic, Vitamin F synergist Silicon : Bone formation, collagen formation, cartilage formation, elastic tissue Boron : Reduces calcium loss Vanadium : Strength of bones and teeth, lowers blood lipids, inhibits cholesterol synthesis Tin : Growth, protein synthesis Nickel : Activates some liver enzymes

When one mineral is excessive, it steals from others or leads to a faster elimination process, thereby causing a chainreaction of deficiencies. Examples of minerals out of balance Excessive Calcium causes Loss of Magnesium & Zinc Excessive Sodium & Potassium causes Deficiency of Calcium & Magnesium Excessive Calcium & Magnesium causes Deficiency of Sodium & Potassium Excessive Sodium causes Loss of Potassium Excessive Potassium causes Loss of Sodium Excessive Copper causes Loss of Zinc Excessive Zinc causes Loss of Copper & Iron Excessive Phosphorus causes Loss of Calcium Carbo-loading: A well tolerated carbo-loading protocol know as the "No-Depletion Carbo-Loading Method" includes following a normal diet of 55 to 60 percent carbohydrate until three days before racing, and then switch to a 70 percent carbohydrate diet for the final three days, plus race morning. Combined to an exercise taper, for example one last moderately long workout (but not an exhaustive workout) one week before the race day, followed by lower intensity workouts throughout race week, ending with complete rest one day prior to the race. Increase your intake of carbohydrates including whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa; starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and squash; and fruits such as apples, bananas and grapes prior to race day. To achieve up to 70 percent of carbohydrate in your diet, keep protein to modest amounts (20%), and fat to low amounts (10%). An example of a carbohydrate rich meal would be 3 ounces of salmon, 1 cup of brown rice, a baked sweet potato, and a salad. Generally, easy to digest foods, nothing overly spicy, and cooked foods are best tolerated the day before a race.

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