Wilderness Skills - Olympia Mountaineers

Nutrition Q&A: Is it worth splurging on exotic juices that claim health benefits?
While juices made from mangosteen, noni, goji, açai, and others are high in antioxidants, there's little
evidence that these trendy "superfruits" are better for you than other dark-colored berries. The best advice:
Just eat a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables daily.
Energizers
Get the right mix of highs and lows by understanding the glycemic index.
You know that carbo-loading preps your body for a big effort by topping off glycogen stores in your muscles
and liver. But not all pasta parties are equal. Some carbs (like white pasta) hit your system hard, giving you a
quick boost but dropping off abruptly, while others (like whole-grain pasta) are processed slowly, supplying
sustained energy. This difference in the blood-sugar spike is called the glycemic index (GI) or glycemic load
(GL). (You'll see both terms in the marketplace.) High-glycemic foods are particularly helpful for training and
recovery eating, when you need to replenish glycogen quickly. For routine meals and snacks, however, round
out your diet with foods lower on the glycemic scale. The most important thing is simply to remember that
athletes need a mix of low-, moderate-, and high-glycemic carbs in their daily diet. Use the following guide.
Glycemic Index: Low = less than 55; moderate = 55–70; high = more than 70
Glycemic Load: Low = less than 10; moderate = 11–19; high = more than 20
Here are GL figures for some common foods. Get more at glycemicindex.com.
HIGH
Serving size Total carbs GL
Baked potato 7.1 oz 29.0 g 27.3
Spaghetti (white) 6.4 oz 44.3 g 25.7
Bagel (white) 2.5 oz 35.5 g 25.6
Pancakes 2.8 oz 32.5 g 21.8
MODERATE
Muesli 1.8 oz 30.2 g 18
Spaghetti (whole-grain) 6.4 oz 44.3 g 14.2
Sweet potato 5.3 oz 26.0 g 12.5
Banana 4.2 oz 23.9 g 12.2
Orange juice 9.3 oz 21.1 g 12.0
LOW
Apple 4.2 oz 14.6 g 5.9
Lentils 5.3 oz 14.9 g 4.2
Fuel Your Sport
Boost performance with the right meal plan for every race.
Runners
PRE-RUN: About three hours before the start, drink lots of liquids (water, juice, sports drinks) and eat an easily
digested carbohydrate snack (jam-covered bagel).
RUN: For runs longer than one hour, sip a sugary sports drink with plenty of sodium and two to three sources
of carbohydrates. If needed, down a gel for a carb boost.
POST-RUN: Immediately after the finish, down a high-carb recovery drink that contains a modest amount of
protein and sodium.
Winter Training
PRE-TRAINING: Have hot cereal with milk, raisins, and juice before a cold day out on the snow or slopes. Add
peanut butter for protein.
Wilderness Skills Module Page 56 of 73
Olympia Mountaineers - Hiking, Alpine Scrambling and Basic Climbing