5 Ways to Recover Faster (Part 2) By Lynn Clay, Sports Nutrition Consultant

Benefit from Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

BCAAs are a sub-group of amino acids which make up the most abundant amino acids in human muscle tissue.  Amino acids are simply building blocks of protein.  They can be found in many foods and in greatest amounts in high protein foods such as eggs, milk and meat.  Today these super amino acids can also be found in protein and carbohydrate sports drinks too.  A study in the International Journal of sports nutrition and exercise metabolism, Dec 2007, looked at the effect of a branched chain amino acid (BCAA) drink on markers (indicators) of muscle damage after endurance exercise.  The researchers compared drinking a BCAA drink with an equal calorie carbohydrate drink and a zero-calorie flavoured water, during exercise.  They found that all measured markers of fatigue were reduced in the BCAA supplemented group, indicating that BCAAs provide great support for recovery when taken on board during exercise.  The easiest way to achieve this is via a fortified sports drink.

Juice your joints

As you train harder for longer it becomes even more important to protect and cushion the joints.  When we tear or damage our tissue, as we do with the nature of training, our body reacts by producing glucosamine (this naturally occurs in tendons, ligaments and cartilage) to form new connective molecules.  Glucosamine’s main function in the body is to stimulate the growth of cartilage, and to hydrate tendons and ligaments protecting them from injury.  The body normally manufactures this miracle hydrator and protector and nominal amounts are obtained from our diets, but with production levels diminishing with age or with excessive training glucosamine supply can fall short of demand leaving our joints, tendons and ligaments vulnerable.  By adding glucosamine to the diet in the form of a supplement, this increases the synthesis of a substance called chondroitin.  Chondroitin keeps the cartilage filled with fluid, nourishing and hydrating it, both of which are vital in keeping it healthy, flexible and strong.  When looking for a glucosamine joint formula, ideally select a product combining glucosamine and chondroitin which in combination will work to restore synovial fluid and tissues in and around the joint, as well as between the vertebrae of the spine, acting to cushion the bones, tendons and ligaments from damage. The ideal combination is 520mg of glucosamine and 300mg of chondroitin per day, which can be found in formulas such as ‘Ache Free’, found in all good health food shops.

If you weren’t addressing any of these recovery factors, gradually employing them will likely lead to a dramatic improvement in recovery.  Even just getting the fundamentals of energy and hydration right, however, will leave you with more energy to train.  You can then more than imagine a body be strong and fit right through the summer months. 

5 ways to recover faster (Part 1) by Lynn Clay, Sports Nutrition Consultant

If you are tempted to get out on the bike a bit more in the spring and summer months and make the most of the weather, it is important to support your training well with a diet that will provide energy and help you to recover a little better.  Imagine being able to pick up the pace at the end of a long ride or simply make a cycle that you regularly miss due to fatigue. Well, here are some simple solutions to help you to avoid lead legs or simply to speed up your recovery and ensure you can still put in some quality mileage. Lynn clay explains.

Balance calories

One of the most important factors in training preparation and recovery is simply ensuring that you are consuming adequate calories.  When adding mileage it is worth considering how many extra calories you will burn as you add on the miles.  You may be tempted to take a fast-track to weight loss, by upping the cycling dramatically and keeping calories stable.  It is more sensible however, to add calories as you add mileage, so that you are not left in a heap at the end of a tough weeks training.  After all, what good is that if you are then out for a week due to a cold or general lethargy.    Even for a 60kg female cycling at an average speed of 15mph, average calories expended per mile are around 40, so gently up your calorie intake as you increase your mileage to stay strong.

Calculate carbohydrate

Ensuring you are eating carbohydrate in each meal will keep your energy stores full for training and provide immune system support too.  Opt for low glycemic carbohydrates in your daily food and high glycemic carbohydrates around exercise.  Ideally aim for at least 5 grams of carbohydrate for each kilogram you weigh and consume this daily from a variety of sources.  Ensure you include carbohydrate straight after exercise, whether in a drink or food source.  Ideally combine carbohydrate with protein as research shows an improvement in glycogen replenishment (stored carbohydrate levels) when carbohydrate and protein are consumed together.  If it is not easy to transport a post-training meal opt for a sports nutrition formula such as ‘Recovermax’, available from GNC or at www.maximuscle.com. Simply including this post exercise fuel replenishment will make a big difference to muscle soreness and energy recovery.

Hurry and Hydrate

Dehydration can have a huge impact on performance and immune health.  Just 3% dehydration can decrease power and co-ordination by 15%.  Just think how much training effort you put in to improve your performance and by simply not drinking enough fluid all of this hard work can be negated.  General hydration guidelines are to consume 2 – 3 litres of fluid per day however this will need to be complimented with extra fluid around exercise.  Ideally for runs lasting longer than 45 minutes, opt for a carbohydrate drink to supply additional energy and improve hydration.  Once duration is greater than 90 minutes an electrolyte drink should be selected to replace salts lost in sweat.   Approximately 0.75 litres of fluid should be added per hour of exercise in moderate climates.  If you are lucky enough to be escaping for some training in the sun, increase this to 1 – 1.2 litres per hour of exercise.  Rehydrating the body after exercise will also reduce inflammation in the body, improving the recovery process.

Caution:  If all of your added fluid is water, in extreme circumstances, it is possible to drink too much water, diluting sodium and potassium levels in the body.  This can lead to a condition called hyponatremia commonly known as ‘water poisoning’.  The easiest way to rebalance this during exercise is to use an electrolyte drink.

Fat loss - workout duration or effort?

I've decided recently that I need to lose weight. Well, actually lose fat. Somehow, every year it always happens - the fat creeps on - even though I watch what I eat (with just a little chocolate some evenings!). Suddenly, I look in the mirror and I don't like what I see!

I had been quite pleased with what my heart rate monitor was telling me recently - burning approx 700 calories per cycling session was surely enough to send some fat packing. But nothing seems to be happening and I just feel fatter now than when I started my 08 fitness regime! And I do a lot more than most people! How can this be? It doesn't seem fair.

I am told however, that when I start my 'proper' training, the fat will just fall off. I thought I had been doing 'proper' training! On the bike, three times a week for an hour a time....not enough I am told. Apparently, I need to lengthen my training rides and also reduce my intake of carbohydrate in the evening for fat loss to take place. 'Easy', you say. Not when you have a one-year old son, a job and a very busy life! How about I train for the same amount of time, but work harder?

If I get my heart rate up to 80% max for 60 minutes 3 or 4 times a week, my metabolism should remain raised even when I get off the bike, thus aiding fat burning - although this method is not proven. So firstly, instead of increasing my time on the bike per ride, I'm going to try increasing my speed and effort.

It's fat attack time and I'll give you the results in a few weeks.

Eat to Beat the Blues....

The January Blues are definitely here. It’s bleak, wet and blustery, there’s nothing to look forward to…it’s all downhill….I’m tired….I’m bored….

Yep, this is how most people feel at this particular time of year. The nosedive in activity after Christmas and reduction of fun on the social calendar, lack of sunshine, being broke and miserable weather culminates in near depression! And you can also bet that your body is missing all that yummy rich food it received over the festive period (I know mine is and it starts with a capital C…for chocolate)! Add that to a mix of late nights, lots of alcohol and a lack of exercise and it’s no wonder that we’re all melancholy and downbeat.

Sunshine and vitamin D therein is one of the obvious keys to improving our January Blues mood but this isn’t forthcoming at this time of the year. Nonetheless, did you know that you can make yourself happy by eating? I’m not condoning quitting the New Year diet resolutions of course, however making a few simple changes to what we eat can make a huge difference to our mood.

Increase Omega-3 intake. This means oily fish – sardines, tuna, salmon and mackerel etc. It has been proven that Omega-3 can help combat anxiety and depression.

Drink more milk. In calcium lies the key to beating tiredness and depression. Our modern diets do not contain adequate amounts, so source and consume high calcium foods.

Eat your greens. Dark leafy green vegetables contain folates which according to some studies, if not adequately consumed, can lead to depression.

It’s chicken tonight…and avocado…and mushrooms. These foods are converted in the body to serotonin, a mood enhancing neurotransmitter, so it makes sense to include more of these in your diet.

These foods not only help to boost your mood at this depressing time of year, but also constitute part of a healthy diet – the key to a healthy start to the New Year too. So, it is possible to make yourself happy!

And once you’re happy…..you can get out on the bike…!!! J

Post Christmas Weight Loss

By Lynn Clay, Sports Nutrition Consultant

Is your lycra being challenged after an over-indulgent Christmas or are you just in need of losing a few pounds to improve your performance? Either way, it can be difficult to decipher the easiest way to lose fat without it negatively affecting your performance. Should you adopt a high carbohydrate, calorie restricted diet, or is a higher protein diet superior for achieving weight loss? Let’s take a look at the facts.

The traditional high carbohydrate diet. It is well documented that a high carbohydrate diet is beneficial to supply energy for endurance sports such as cycling, aiding performance progression, recovery and providing immune system support. In fact, most data recommends that around 60% of daily food intake comes from carbohydrate with only 20% being derived from protein and 20% from fat. Steady weight loss = reduce calories by 500 per day, whilst maintaining the same training load, to encourage a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week. Or remain on 2500 calories but increase training load by an extra 500 calories per day or drop calories by 250 and increase calorie burn by 250. The decision is yours and the end result will be the same. Seems simple, but according to research this may not be the best method for periodic weight loss. One of the limitations with this method is that in periods where calorie intake is not sufficient to meet energy expenditure, the body mobilises protein from muscle tissue and converts it to a carbohydrate energy source in the liver. The effect of this may be weight loss, but where energy is in high demand, this can reduce lean muscle to fat ratio, which can have a negative effect on performance.

Protein balance. So, what is the alternative? What about the merits of a higher protein diet, to encourage muscle retention? We’re not talking Atkins here, but just increasing the protein content of your diet to around 30% of total calorie intake, with carbohydrate intake dropping to 50% and fat still making up 20%. In a trial carried out in the Journal of Nutrition, two groups of participants consumed calorie restricted diets with low or moderate protein intake along the guidelines discussed. In the low-protein, high carbohydrate group, 7kgs of weight was lost over a 10-week period. In the moderate protein group, average weight loss increased during this period to 8 kilograms, a small, but statistically insignificant increase. However, when body composition was analysed, it was found that the low protein group lost 30% more lean body mass (muscle) and 20% less fat. This would indicate that a moderate protein diet is superior for muscle preservation and fat loss, although both diets, when calorie intake is reduced, will lead to weight loss. This is significant for anyone who wants to accelerate weight loss for short periods of time and maximise their power-to-weight ratio. When the target weight loss is achieved however, and the diet no longer has reduced calorie content, it is wise to increase your carbohydrate intake to 60% once again, so that energy supplies are not limited. It is also important to implement the lower carbohydrate, higher protein diet in periods when you are not racing. In this way, you can get the best of both worlds; superior fat loss and muscle retention in dieting periods and maximum energy during competition and hard training.

Appetite control. It is hard to cut calories post-Christmas. Hunger and cravings often win the battle and you end up tucking into sweet foods. But there is an easy way to control cravings:

Regular meals. Eating your food across only three meals or missing meals during the day can lead to blood sugar fluctuations. If you eat a high carbohydrate breakfast, lunch and dinner, but don’t snack in-between you will find that you may have poor concentration and energy levels mid-morning and mid-afternoon and that you will be likely to crave sugary foods around these times. Eating your meals across five sittings, incorporating three meals and two snacks can help to stabilise blood sugar levels so that you have more constant energy levels throughout the day and your cravings subside and so, you can make much more sensible decisions about which foods to select.

Go low GI apart from after sport. Ideal foods for assisting stable blood sugar levels are low glycemic - carbohydrate foods such as wholegrain breads, basmati or long grain brown rice, couscous, whole-wheat pasta, beans, lentils, fruit and nuts. Generally white foods such as white rice, white pasta, white bread and white potato have a higher glycemic index and therefore are not perfect for the general diet. You can, however, reduce the glycemic response of a moderate or high GI food by combining it with protein and fibre. The easy lesson learned from this is to include protein and salad or vegetables with each meal’s carbohydrate. In the immediate period after exercise your needs differ and your carbohydrate stores will be more adequately replenished if you select high GI foods or drinks. Implementing this change of percentage protein intake for a short period of time (4 to 6 weeks) with either a reduction in calories, an increase in training load or a mixture of the two will aid fat loss whilst protecting your valuable muscle. Try it and you’ll be back to your old self in no time.

Christmas Indulgence Looming....

The inevitable is here. We stuff ourselves silly, then moan about it in January! I always start out with good intentions working on the principal that a little bit of what you fancy, does you good. But then it all goes wrong and a lot of what I fancy, makes me suddenly 5 pounds heavier. I only need look at a mince pie or a nice slice of yummy Christmas cake and that's enough to make my trousers tight...very tight!

However, this year is different! I have, after considering lots of various advice out there, joined a gym. I figure it will help me stay on the bike this season, not off it and in the refrigerator as per usual. In fact, I am counting on it. If I get fit at the gym during the week, then I can enjoy my rides at the weekend. I have, until now, struggled to get out - for lack of motivation, the cold and to be honest, because of my fear of feeling unfit on the bike. But, I now realize that my fears are unfounded. I actually feel pretty good even though my fitness levels from the summer have faded. I will use the gym to create my base fitness and then can build on that during weekend rides. And the great thing is that I can actually enjoy my riding without worrying about having to actually get fit on the bike.

Muscle memory. I love this word. All muscles remember the work they have done, including the heart. So, when you train after a break, it will take you less time to get back to your previous fitness levels. I find that I can train more effectively knowing there's this little helping hand which again in turn helps me to reach my goals.

So, the countdown has begun. The festivities are looming and I'm pretty confident that I can stick to it. I'll keep you posted on my progress and maybe you can let me know about yours.....

In the meantime - enjoy the festivities.....but all in moderation!! Cheers!