The Power of Carbohydrates

For endurance training of a moderate to vigorous nature, carbohydrates are your body’s major source of energy. Yes, we also use fats for fuel but it is the rather limited storage of carbohydrate that becomes the issue when we start to push our bodies to go farther and faster. Your muscles and liver store carbohydrate – only a limited amount – and this needs to be continually replaced  or you are not going to be able to continue to exert yourself… have you ever wondered how you can avoid “hitting the wall?” To maintain your supply of muscle energy for as long as possible for endurance sports such as skiing, running and cycling, follow an eating plan that includes plenty of carbohydrate rich foods. Use a sports drink during training sessions to keep blood sugar levels topped up and eat a carbohydrate rich snack after each training session when your muscles are most receptive to refueling their depleted carbohydrate stores.

Step 1 - Calculate your daily carbohydrate (CHO) needs.

Find the training program that best describes yours and multiply the range of CHO needs by your body weight. 

 

Step 2 – Power fuel your plate at every meal and snack with carbohydrate rich foods.

Calculate your meal and/or snack needs. Plan to have ¼ of your daily CHO needs at each meal and 1/8th at each snack. Check the Carbohydrates in Food: Quick Rule of Thumb chart and see which food choices will meet your CHO needs. For maximum power fuel, the CHO you eat should come from among the different food groups.

TRAINING PROGRAM (Every day situation)	Daily CHO needs (grams) per kg body weight	X	Your body weight (kg)	=	Daily CHO needs (grams)
Recovery workout (1 – 1.5 hours)	3-4 g/kg	X		=
1 hour /  moderate/high intensity	5-7 g/kg	X
2 hours at moderate/high intensity OR 3-4+ hours of long slow distance	7-8g/kg	X		=
To maximize daily muscle glycogen recovery/to pre-competition “load”	7-10 g/kg	X
Prolonged & intense daily training (5-6 hours of moderate to intense)	10-12 g /kg	X		=

Follow these simple guidelines:

1.         Choose starchy CHO rich foods for long lasting fuel (ex. Oatmeal for breakfast);

2.         Choose simple CHO rich foods (fruits, sweet vegetables, milk products, sugars/sweets) before and during workouts for quickly available fuel;

3.         Choose fiber rich foods (whole grains and cereals, vegetables, fruits and legumes) post workout for your gut’s health and proper function.

Carbohydrates in Food – Quick Rule of Thumb (grams of CHO/serving)
Vegetables ~5 g CHO/serving	1 small vegetable (tomato, pepper, onion); ½ large vegetable (sweet red/green/yellow pepper), ½ cup cooked or raw
Fruits ~15 g CHO/serving	1 medium fruit; ½ large fruit 125 mL fruit juice; 2 tbsp dried fruit 125 mL fresh, frozen, cooked or canned fruit;
Grains & Cereals Starchy vegetables Legumes (kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils) ~15 g CHO/serving	30 g bread or cereal ½ small bagel; ½ English muffin; 2 rice cakes; 2 small tea biscuits; ½ cup cooked  pasta or grains 3 cups popcorn; 6 saltine crackers; 1 small white potato; ½ medium sweet potato 125 mL legumes; 90 mL hummus 40 g cereal bar; 125 mL rice pudding;
Milk and Alternatives ~12-15 g CHO/serving	250 mL milk, or soy beverage 175 mL plain yogurt/ kefir; 175 mL fruit yogurt or flavoured yogurt; 250 mL chocolate milk or sweetened soy; 250 mL fruit flavoured kefir

Nutrition for Muscular Injury…Can food help you heal?

A sport nutrition colleague (Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD) from Sport Dietetics USA wrote this summary - check it out!

Have you ever wondered if food can help you heal?  The truth is…YES…it can!  Food provides the building blocks needed for cells to repair and proliferate and also influences messages sent throughout the body to regulate blood flow, tissue replacement and healing.  The main key is to eat a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fat as these provide vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  However, when injured there are several nutrients to focus on to help the body heal.

Macronutrients:

• Calories: Energy needs increase when the body is repairing itself due to post-injury hormonal changes and new tissue formation.  Resting metabolic rate (RMR) may increase 15-50% after traumatic injury and 15-20% following surgery.  Thus the goal is to increase healthy calories post-injury.
• Protein: Protein is key for tissue repair and remodeling.  Rehabbing an injury requires 2 grams per kg body weight of protein.
• Fat: Increase omega-3 fatty acids to 3-9 grams per day.  Examples include salmon, salmon oil, sardine oil, flaxseed, walnuts, hemp seeds, green leafy vegetables, other oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil. Limit intake of omega-6 fatty acids from foods such as vegetable oils (corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean).

Micronutrients:

• Vitamin E has been shown to delay healing in muscular injuries and thus should not be provided during injury recovery.
• Vitamin C enhances neutrophil and lymphocyte activity during the inflammation phase and plays a role in collagen synthesis.
  • Recommend up to 1-2 grams per day for limited time spans
  • Food examples include: citrus fruits, strawberries, red and green peppers, green leafy vegetables
• Vitamin A reduces early inflammation after injury, helps reverse post-injury immune system suppression and assists in collagen formation.
  • Recommend 25,000 IU during short periods after surgery and 10,000 IU for 1-2 weeks post-injury
  • Food examples include: green leafy vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, mango
• Flavonoids can also help manage inflammation through their well-known antioxidant properties.
  • Compounds found in cocoa, tea, fruits, vegetables, legumes
  • Can be taken in supplement form via blueberry extracts, green tea extracts, and bioflavonoid supplements; however, the best source is from food
• Copper is a mineral that assists in the formation of red blood cells and acts in concert with vitamin C to strengthen connective tissue.
  • Recommend 2-4 mg per day during first few weeks post-injury
  • Food examples include: seeds, beans
• Zinc is required for over 300 enzymes in the body and plays a role in DNA synthesis, cell division, and protein synthesis; all of these enzymes are necessary for tissue regeneration and repair.
  • Recommend 15-20 mg per day, especially during initial stages post-injury
  • Food examples include: animal meats, oysters, clams, nuts, seeds
• Iron deficiency impairs proliferation of all cells involved in wound debridement and healing.
  • Iron levels should be checked for iron deficiency prior to recommending iron supplements or an increased consumption of iron-rich foods
  • Food examples include: nuts, seeds, tofu, meat, sweet potato, pinto beans, artichoke, spinach, tomato juice
  • Consume iron-rich foods with foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits/juices, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, red and green peppers, this helps increase iron absorption