Nutrition for Running

Sports Performance Nutrition
Healthy Eating for Sport
Eloise Crowley (Performance Dietitian RD)
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Healthy Eating For Sport
About me…

Healthy Eating For Sport
Today I am going to discuss:
S 1. Optimizing Nutrition for Running including illness and
injury Prevention.
Comfort Break
S 2. Key Nutritional Supplements
S 3. The importance of Hydration

Healthy Eating for Sport

Sports Nutrition for Injury
Prevention
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Glycogen Restoration - CARBOHYDRATE
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Hydration – FLUIDS
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Reducing Soreness –ANTIOXIDANTS, PROTEIN,TART CHERRY
JUICE, OTHER NUTRIENTS

Sports Nutrition for
Injury Prevention
MACRONUTRIENTS
Carbohydrate is the preferred fuel source to support exercise. When
carbohydrate stores are low the body breaks down muscle-protein to
use as fuel supplies. Therefore chronic carbohydrate depletion may
lead to decreases in strength and possibly damage to muscle tissue.
Dietary protein is vital for muscle maintenance, growth and repair.
Muscle protein breakdown occurs in both endurance and strength
training activities, therefore you need an adequate intake of high
quality dietary protein to repair muscle damage caused by exercise.
For active individuals, studies show that the amount and timing of
protein intake are important to maximize growth and repair.

Sports Nutrition for Injury
Prevention
To help prevent injury fuel up with both carbohydrate and
protein 1-2 hours before your workout and within 30
minutes after. Combination pre-workout meal may include a
smoothie made with milk and fruit. For a convenient
recovery snack, chocolate milk fits the bill.
ANY OTHER PRE AND POST NUTRITION SNACKS??

Sports Nutrition for Injury
Prevention
Recovery Snacks supplying 50-60g CHO and 20-
25g Protein
1 Banana plus 500ml milk
1 cereal bar (ideally home-made i.e. flap jack, date, nut and apricot
bar)
1 slice toast with peanut or almond spread
1 yogurt i.e. FAGE Total with dried fruits

Sports Nutrition for
Injury Prevention

Sports Nutrition for Injury
Prevention

Healthy Eating for sport and
Injury Prevention
HEART-HEALTHY ESSENTIAL FATS
Dietary fats provide essential fatty acids that the body
cannot make on its own. Essential fatty acids like omega-
3 fatty acids are needed to make and repair cell
membranes, and are good for the heart, a source of
energy, lubricating joints and tissues and reducing
inflammation in the body.
Cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines), ground
flaxseed and walnuts are a few good dietary sources to
include in your daily training diet.

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury Prevention
Dietary fat for inflammation control
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A diet high in trans-fats, omega-6 rich vegetable oils, and saturated fat will be proinflammatory
(in other words, it’ll worsen inflammation). A diet high in
monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats will be anti-inflammatory.
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The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the diet is important for overall inflammation in
the body — especially during normal periods of healthy living when we definitely want
to keep inflammation under control.
S In these circumstances, the omega-6 to 3 ratio should be anywhere from 3:1 to 1:1,
which should lead to a balanced inflammatory profile.
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Of course, overall fat balance is important here. With a good balance of saturated,
monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats (about 1/3 of total fat intake each), the
body’s inflammatory profile will look pretty good.

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury prevention
Purposely decrease omega-6 fats and increase omega-3s (specifically fish
oil). High omega 6:3 ratios reduce collagen production while a low 3:6 ratio
supports healing.
Even though relatively higher omega-3s create an anti-inflammatory response
in the body, this response doesn’t interfere with repair; rather, it only helps
with injury healing and collagen deposition.
Unfortunately, we haven’t yet determined the exact omega 6:3 ratio, nor the
amount of fish oil supplementation required to manage inflammation during
injury.
Studies with low dose fish oil (~450 mg to 1 g/day) have shown no effect on
inflammatory or immune markers while other studies have shown that high
dose fish oil (12-15 g/day) may reduce immune cell function in certain
populations.

Healthy Eating For Sport
and sports injury Prevention.
Eat MORE Anti-inflammatory Fats like:
Olive Oil Avocados Fish Oil
Flax oil or
Ground Flax
Fish Like Mackerel,
Salmon, Sardines
Mixed Nuts and Seeds

Healthy Eating for Sport and
injury prevention.
Eat fewer Pro-Inflammatory things like:
Processed Foods High in Saturated Fats
Vegetable Oils like
corn, sunflower,
soyabean
Foods with
Transfats

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury
Prevention.
Include Inflammation Managing HERBS & SPICES
1. Curcumin from Tumeric/Curry Powder
7 tsp a day of powder or 400-600mg in supplement form
2. Garlic
2-4 cloves a day or 600-1200mg of aged garlic extract
3. Bromelain from Pineapple
2 cups of pineapple a day or 500-1000mg in supplement form
4. Cocoa, Tea & Berries
Eat daily or supplement with Bluebarry or grape extracts, Green tea
extract, citrus extracts and bioflavonoid supplements

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury
Prevention.
Turmeric
A flowering plant in the ginger family, turmeric has long been used as an
anti-inflammatory agent and in wound healing.
Current research shows that the active ingredient, curcumin, is responsible
for some of the benefits of turmeric. While adding turmeric to food every
day is a good strategy, using 400-600 mg of supplemental turmeric extract 3x
per day (or as described on the product label) is probably more manageable
for most people.

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury
Prevention.
Garlic
Garlic has been shown to inhibit the activity of the inflammatory
enzymes cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase and affect macrophage
function. Again, though, while eating additional garlic is likely a good
strategy, garlic extracts may be required for more measurable antiinflammatory
effects.
Typically recommended dosing is 2-4 g of whole garlic clove each day
(each clove is 1 g) or 600-1200 mg of supplemental aged garlic extract.

Healthy Eating for Sport and
Injury Prevention.
Bromelain
Bromelain is another anti-inflammatory plant extract from
pineapple. While best known for its digestive properties, bromelain
is an excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic compound
although its mechanism of action is poorly understood.
Typically bromelain is given in doses of 500-1000 mg/day for the
management of inflammation.

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury
Prevention.
Boswellia
A type of tree, Boswellia also has anti-inflammatory uses and has been
shown to offer benefit through the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and
potentially other cytokines.
Typically supplemental Boswellia is taken in 300 mg doses 3x per day.

Injury
What about NSAIDs?
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In sport, it’s very common to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen as the
first line of defense against acute injury, pain, and inflammation. They come over the counter, docs prescribe
them readily, and they reduce pain.
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Yet new research suggests in some cases, NSAIDs might actually hinder injury healing in the mid-term.
Celebrex, for example, reduced ligament strength in rats recovering from injury by about 32%. In another
study, the same thing happened with both Celebrex and Indocin.
Not all studies show these effects, but enough of them do to cause some concern. That’s why we recommend
moderating NSAID use in acute injury or muscle pain.
Beyond interfering with ligament healing, NSAIDs also may interfere with muscle strain healing, weight
training adaptation, and bone healing in the mid-term. Of course, there are also the side effects (such as GI
bleeding with many types of NSAIDs). Again, the data are mixed, but suggest that NSAIDs should be used
sparingly.
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Use caution when taking NSAIDs or any other anti-inflammatories for pain management during acute injury.
In some cases the risks (GI problems, reduced healing rates, incomplete healing prognosis) may outweigh the
benefits (pain management).

Healthy Eating For Sport – Cardiff City
Injury Goodie-bag!
INJURY NUTRITIONAL GOODIE-BAG CARDIFF CITY FC
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Variety dried fruits – apricots, cranberries, banana, goji berries, prunes, jumbo
raisins, pineapple, strawberries.
Variety of non-salted nuts – walnuts, cashew nuts, almonds, pumpkinseeds,
sunflower-seeds.
Fruit Salad pots– Fresh pineapple, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cherries,
papaya and kiwi.
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Healthy carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables, sourdough, rye) prevent an
increase in stress hormones.
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Probiotic Organic yogurts.
Tin of Salmon – this will be convenient for the players and supply them with
protein to help with growth and repair of muscular tissue and also a great source
of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Green-Tea

Healthy Eating for Sport
and Injury Prevention
Vitamins C,D and E
MICRONUTRIENTS
Minerals Selenium, Calcium, Iron and Zinc
INFLAMMATION = Increase in free radicals which weaken
cells
ANTIOXIDANTS = Eliminate free radical thereby preventing
cell damage.

Healthy Eating For Sport
and Injury Prevention
Vitamins C and E are injury preventing antioxidants that help
protect your body’s cells from damage.
Vitamin C plays a role in tissue repair and formation of
collagen. Collagen provides strength and flexibility for ligaments,
tendons and is necessary to hold bone together.
Vitamin E helps protect tissues and organs from damage caused
by free radicals. The combination of these vitamins is thought to
minimize damage from exercise and therefore help with recovery
from your workout or training session.

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury
Prevention
Think of deep and vibrant colors when choosing which
fruits and vegetables you consume. Citrus fruits,
strawberries, kiwi, tomatoes and peppers contain tissue
repairing vitamins.
Vitamin E can be found in almonds, almond butter,
sunflower seeds, wheat germ and avocado.

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury
Prevention.
Preventing stress fractures are critical in preventing other
exercise-related injuries.
Getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D every
day helps develop and maintain strong bones.
Studies have shown that athletes who consume diets low in
calcium tend to have lower bone mineral density (BMD) and
increased risk for stress fractures. Great dietary sources of
calcium and vitamin D are dairy products, green leafy veg, nuts &
seeds, eggs, kale, tinned fish with bones and fortified foods such as
orange juice plus sunlight 10-15mins per day.

Healthy Eating for Sport
and Injury Prevention
Iron deficiency can also be a potential cause of injury, low
blood-iron levels will reduce the oxidative potential in the
muscles. This will shift the energy production towards
producing more lactate, which may contribute to muscle
injuries.
Frank Horwill, was the BAF coach, study involving 164
cross-country female runners which found that a quarter
of the athletes had low serum ferritin level (blood iron
count) and that this low-iron group was three times more
likely to be injured during the rest of the season than the
other runners.

Healthy Eating For Sport
and Injury Prevention.
The recommended daily intake for elemental iron varies depending on gender and
age, ranging from 8mg/day to 18mg/day (27mg/day during pregnancy).
The higher range of intake may be difficult to maintain, especially for vegetarians,
who need to take in more iron because less is absorbed from nonmeat sources.
Heme iron, found in red meat and dark poultry, is a more readily available source of
iron (18 percent absorbed). Our bodies absorb about 10 percent of non-heme iron
from vegetables and grains. Vitamin C, taken in conjunction with a meal, improves
the absorption of non-heme iron, as does meat protein. Tannins (found in tea) and
calcium can decrease absorption.

How to put this all together?
here are some e.g’s
Breakfast - Total Greek yogurt with Blueberries and rolled oats
How to put this all together?
Lunch – Chicken and Prawn Omelet with mixed vegetables
Here are some examples
Dinner – Salmon, brown rice or quinoa, steamed broccoli with
carrots.

Healthy Eating For Sport and
Injury Prevention.
Tart Cherry Juice
Montmorency Cherries reduce the Oxidative stress and
Inflammatory responses to repeated days high-intensity
cycling (Bell et al Nutrients 2014)
Montmoency cherry juice reduces muscle damage caused
by intensive strength exercise (Bowell et al 2011 Med in
science in sports & Exercise)

Healthy Eating for Sport and Injury
Prevention.
Cherry Active (100% natural Montmorency cherry concentrate
rich in anthocyanins & antioxidants)
Proven to improve muscle rec rates after training
Proven to reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness
Helps combat oxidative stress
Helps protect the immune system from infections and viruses
Helps maintain regular sleep patterns

Healthy Eating for Sport
and Injury Prevention.
In general, the basic dietary approach to reducing your risk
for sport related injury is to provide a wide variety of
nutrient-dense whole foods that support bones, joints, muscles,
tendons, and other connective tissues.
Including plenty of whole grains, dark green vegetables and
red, purple, and blue fruit, dairy products and healthy fats
such as fresh tuna, olive oil, nuts and seeds and staying
hydrated can help minimize your risk for exercise related
injury.

Healthy Eating for Sport
and Injury Prevention
Injury Preventing Pre-Workout Snack/Meal
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Power House Smoothie...Milk, blueberries, strawberries, banana, kale and
ground flax seed
Almond butter sandwich, strawberries and milk
Meat or cheese sub loaded with veggies, milk or fruit juice
Injury Preventing Post-Workout Snack/Meal
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Chocolate milk and walnuts
Yogurt, low fat granola and berries
Salmon sandwich, fruit cup and milk
Lentil soup with rice, yogurt, fruit salad and milk, juice or water

Healthy Eating For Sport and
Injury Prevention.
An athlete’s diet is a key aspect in
supporting consistent, intense training,
whilst remaining free from illness and
injury. This is particularly important
for young athletes who have the
additional energy cost of growth and
development.
On Camp With Kelly Holmes

Tailoring your nutrition plan to accommodate reduced training loads to avoid
overeating.
Discontinue using sports nutrition products during this phase as they are
simply not needed. Aim to meet your daily nutrient needs through wholefoods.
Eat healthy, balanced meals and snacks to prevent too much weight gain.

Metabolic Efficiency (ME)
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Improving your body’s ability to use its internal fat stores.
The more efficient we burn fat while preserving our limited and
precious CHO stores, the longer & faster we can go without
“bonking”.
CHO provide us with energy needed to fuel the body for training
sessions, but during the off-season maintaining a higher CHO
eating plan combined with less training can lead to weight and
body fat gain.
Improving your ME is NOT about eating a very low CHO.

Metabolic Efficiency (ME)
S Lower your CHO intake and eat more protein and healthy
fats. Get most of your CHO’s from veg, fruits, dairy, nuts. If
you feel hungry, eat additional protein and fats.
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cycles and are doing more training at HIGHER
INTENSITIES, increase your CHO’s.
S When we eat a plate full of CHO’s (pasta, potatoes, bagels)
the body releases insulin suppressing the fat burning system.
S By eating a combination of CHO’s, lean protein, fiber and
healthy fat at each meal we release less insulin and stabilise
blood sugars and burn fat for energy while increasing satiety.

Conclusion pre and post Nutrition
S 1. Focus your daily diet on Fresh (think Seasonal),
Unprocessed foods.
S 2. Try new Breakfast’s such as different versions of
homemade muesli or porridge or ways of cooking eggs with
veg as a weekend brunch.
S 3. Fill ½ your plate with colorful veg at lunch & dinner.
S 4. Make sure you have protein as part of every meal and
snacks.
S 5. Eat smaller portions of carbohydrates than you would
when you are in FULL Training.
S 6. Have some healthy Fats everyday.

Injury & Illness Prevention cont:
Get a blood test and find out if you have any deficiencies.
Work with your Dr or Dietitian at correcting this through
diet & Supplementation if necessary.
This will help you get started on the right foot when you are
ready to start training hard again.

Illness & Injury Prevention cont:
Nutritional Supplements – Vitabiotics
Visit: http://www.vitabiotics.com/ and receive a 10% discount
(enter CD10 promotional code). This include the 3 for 2 offer!

Common mistakes on Race Day!
The most common mistakes that I have seen are:
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Sticking to a plan at all cost. If for some unforeseen reason you cannot follow the
plan (you lost a bottle, or you are developing gastrointestinal problems), do not
continue with the plan at all cost. Be flexible and adapt. A slightly lower intake is
not going to be a problem, forcing more nutrition in will.
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Do not try something new on race day. I see athletes walk around on expos, buying
new products for the race the next day. Only use products that you have tried and
tested, products you know you tolerate well.
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Thinking that more is better. Drinking more, eating more is not always better. Sure,
you have to take in enough energy and enough fluids, but once you achieve the
basic needs, more is not necessarily better and in some cases detrimental.

Common mistakes on Race Day
cont:
A couple of extra points:
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Caffeine (low dose: 3 mg/kg one hour before; equivalent of a big cup of
coffee or 2 espressos before the start) may help some athletes. Some
athletes like it, some don’t. Experiment in training and find out what
works for you.
These are the very basics of good fueling . Many athletes don’t get the
basics right and many athletes are too concerned with other aspects and
get distracted by details (often supplements), without paying enough
attention to the basics. The next step is that the plan becomes fully
personalized, but this is a little more advanced and may require a few
measurements.

What to avoid the week leading
up to the race?
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Processed foods such as instant microwave or quick meals such as
take outs
Deep fried foods completely
Sugar and sugar laden foods, meaning sweets, chocolates, instant
cereals, tinned fruits, honey. Look at the amount of sugars
contained on the label.
Heavy milk products and bad fats such as yellow cheeses and your
more problematic saturated fats like margarine's etc.
Excessively high fiber food which can cause bowel discomfort
Excessive stimulants like numerous cups of coffee and tea limit to
one a day if possible

Race Day!
There are 3 things you need to manage on race day – Hydration, Electrolytes and Calories.
Examples:
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CLIF SHOT BLOCKS Clifbar.co.uk
Each 60g pack of jelly-like blocks contains 48g of carbs and 100mg of caffeine. This is about the same
as two gels from most brands. The blocks are easy to eat or can be slowly sucked if preferred. Along
with the energy from the carbs, the caffeine here which is in the form of green tea extract, offers a
good kick when you start to tire.
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HIGH5 GELS: Provides 92kcal and 23g Carbohydrate. I advice you take 3 x Gels every
20minutes.
HIGH5 ENERGY SOURCE: Provides 44g Carbohydrates and 177kcal and 240mg Sodium per
sachet, mix with NATURAL ZERO tablets for extra (Electrolytes). You can alternate High5
Energy Source with High 5 ZERO Tablets (electrolyte alone) and get additional calories from the
gels and a mars bar (34g carbs and 224kcal per bar).
HIGH5 ENERGY SOURCE XTREME – Contains caffeine which will give you a push of the
run.
(I recommend you consume 750-1L Fluid/hr and 1000mg Sodium /hr)

Carbohydrate intake during exercise
CHO Type
CHO Rec
60g/h
Multiple
transportable CHO’s
Carbohydrate recommendation dependent on duration (and intensity)

Carbohydrate intake during exercise
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Not all CHO are equal
Some are used more rapidly than others and those are the ones we
need for optimal performance.
CHO intake even in small amounts can improve performance during
prolonged exercise (>2hr) but more seems to be better.
Your body cannot use more tan 60g/h of a single CHO
This limitation can be overcome by using multiple transportable
CHO like maltodextrins and fructose or glucose.
Intakes of 90g/h of glucose fructose can enhance performance
during exercise >2/5h
CHO intake and even a mouth rinse can improve performance
during shorter, high intensity such as a 40km time trial.

Carbohydrate intake during exercise
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To determine how much CHO is recommended we need to know the
exercise duration.
Exercise

Comfort Break

Supplements
Is it proven to improve performance, health or recovery?
Yes
Is it lacking in sufficient
quantities in real food?
Yes
No
Is the product allowed?
No
Save your money
Yes
No
Is there Informed
sport product?
Yes
No
Consider the product

Nutritional Supplements

Band A:
Nutritional Supplements
These are the primary supplements that you should purchase and implement
them into your daily regime without any doubt whatsoever:
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Vitamin D3 (bone health, testosterone production)
Probiotics (gut health, immunity)
Omega 3 (brain health, heart health, inflammation)
Magnesium (bone health, ATP synthesis)
These should be included alongside the diet as the quantities required for optimal
health are often hard to obtain from a healthy diet without eating a significant
amount of calories. All of these supplements will positively affect both health
and performance.

Band B:
Nutritional Supplements
These are those supplements that if you can afford them, would make a useful
addition to ensure you have everything covered:
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Multi vitamin (immunity, good health)
Zinc (immunity, testosterone production)
Creatine (ATP synthesis)
PWO Shake (2:1 - Carbs:Protein)
Now these supplements would probably be covered from food, however zinc
and multi vitamins are good insurance policies to include ensuring that you
have all your bases covered.
Creatine is the most studied performance supplement in the world and would
improve performance in nearly any individual undertaking strength training,
and has been proven safe by countless scientific studies. Creatine has also
been shown to improve cognitive function, so should also be considered by
those not necessarily looking for significant strength gains.

Nutritional Supplements
Band C:
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These supplements are really breaking into the boundaries of
enhancing performance, rather than necessarily for their health
benefits. However that isn’t to say they don’t have slight health
benefits too:
Beta Alanine (lactate buffering agent, increases work capacity)
Citrulline/Arginine (improves blood flow to working muscles)
L-Tyrosine (neurotransmitter production, stimulatory effect)
L-Leucine (muscle protein synthesis)
These supplements will all enhance performance in the gym and help
with recovery from exercise. They will help push your limits in the
gym, which will lead to body composition improvements.

Band D:
Nutritional Supplements
These supplements will make a difference, but are going to cost more and can
be implemented if you can afford them or are told you need to implement
them by a coach once your on your way with your plan.
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L-Cartinine (increases rate of mitochondrial fat burning)
BCAA (prevents muscle breakdown during fasted training)
CoQ10 (antioxidant & energy production)
Alpha Lipoic Acid (antioxidant & energy metabolism)
Rhodiola Rosea (stimulatory/cognitive enhancement)
Glucosamine (joint health)
L-Glutamine (gut health)

Nutritional Supplements
Band E:
Now these supplements are those that you may hear a fair bit about, and
promise amazing results but are actually hideously expensive for the
amount of effect they actually have, if any…
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D-Aspartic Acid (testosterone booster)
CLA (fat loss)
HMB (lean mass gains)

Nutritional Supplements
S So there you have it. A quick breakdown of the most common
supplements available to you and a quick reference to enable you to
make a decision about whether it is worth parting with your hard
earned cash.
S In my opinion most people would have impeccable health and perform
optimally in the gym with just Band A & B.
S If you are a more advanced gym goer then Band C would probably
help with your results, but not at the expense of either Band A or B.
S Once you start looking for the 1% gains and improvements in
performance look to introduce Band D.
S I wouldn’t bother with any in Band E as the scientific evidence
supporting their use is lacking and the cost of them is just ridiculous.

Nutritional Supplements - Conclusion
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1. Get you diet spot on first, spend money buying high quality
food.
2. Spend money on the essential supplements and get them
working for you and your body.
3. Start identifying the next batch of supplements that may make
a difference and that you can afford.
4. Try and identify products that incorporate a few of the
supplements listed in a formula that works effectively.
5. Don’t stress about supplements and protocols, focus on the
basics and you’ll get amazing results.
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Supplements
DRUGS FREE STATEMENT
S Studies have shown that as many as 20 percent of supplements
available to athletes can contain ingredients that are not declared on
the label. Not surprisingly, a significant number of positive tests
have been attributed to the misuse of supplements.
EXAMPLE HIGH5: “As fellow athletes and believers in clean and
fair sport, we take our drugs free policy very seriously. Doping
undermines the integrity of sport and the ethos of fair competition. It
is fundamentally contrary to the spirit of sport. HIGH5 supports the
World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Code and their List of
Prohibited Substances.”

Hydration
Drink to thirst is a recommendation that works fine for the slower
athlete. If you are going a bit faster it is better to go in with a plan. It is
good to use the early parts of a race when the gastrointestinal tract is
working fine to absorb both carbohydrate and fluid. Later in the race,
even though you may be thirsty, the gut may not absorb as much. Don’t
drink excessively and use common sense. The goal should be to lose a
little weight (2 to 4 pounds) at the finish line. You definitely want to
avoid weight gain, which clearly would be a sign of drinking too much.
In hot environments dehydration can definitely be a very important
factor. Don’t forget that good hydration starts before the race, and
hydrate well in the days leading to your race.

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Carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks are good to use as they also provide fuel
The Ugly Facts
Hydration
With every increasing stage of dehydration there is an increase in your:
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Heart rate (1litre = 8bpm)
Body Temperature (1litre = 0.3 °C)
Cardiovascular and respiratory system stress
A reduction in mental function, skill and co-ordination
Dehydration slows the rate at which you absorb fluids, so as you dehydrate
it becomes extremely difficult to reverse the fluid deficit.
It is impossible to ‘train’ or ‘toughen’ your body to handle dehydration.
Dehydration causes fatigue long before carbohydrate stores run out.
To prevent dehydration you need to drink frequently pre, during and after
training.
1kg weight loss = 1 litre of dehydration

Hydration
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When you sweat your body loses water. Dissolved in this water are
electrolytes like sodium, potassium and chloride. These minerals
play a crucial role when it comes to muscle contraction and fluid
balance. But as an Endurance Athlete the main one is SODIUM.
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Sodium is crucial in helping the body to absorb the fluids you drink
and to maintain hydration. Your rate of sodium loss in sweat is
determined by genetics and is unpredictable the losses in a normal
population can vary eight fold from 230 to 1,700mg/l meaning that
some individuals could loose eight times as much sodium in an hour
than others. Losses of potassium and other electrolytes tend to be
more predictable and less critical.

Hydration
Strategies to ensure your getting adequate sodium:
S Increase the salt you add to food in the days preceding
long and hot sessions (for example pretzels, marmite,
salted nuts).
S When your training hard read the packets of the Sports
Nutrition your using for training and racing to see how
much sodium your getting. You should experiment with
different amounts to see what works best.

Hydration
How much am I loosing?
The following signs are consistent with someone who experiences
HEAVY SODIUM LOSSES (During or after sessions and races)
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Often have salty residue on the skin/clothing after hot training
sessions and races.
Struggle to stay well hydrated in hot conditions.
Find yourself peeing a large volume of very pale or clear urine in
races (this shows that the body is seeking to retain sodium
concentration by causing the kidneys to push water out).
Often get stinging eyes from salty sweat on a hot day.
Crave salty foods during or after races and training in the heat.

Hydration
S A concentration of 30-50mmol/L of sodium is
recommended for optimal absorption and to prevent
hyponatreamia (low levels of sodium in the blood)
S The High 5 Electrolytes contain 46mmol/L (1 Tab in
750ml water) and 86mmol/l (2 Tabs in 750ml water).

Conclusion
If you are serious about making the changes that will transform your future, then here is
your step-by-step list:
1. Empty your cupboards of junk and processed foods
2. Go shopping for fresh and wholesome food
3. Buy Tupperware so you can pre prepare the right meals
4. Purchase the required supplements
5. Organise preparation time (maybe on Sunday night) – Prepare your meals and
supplements for the week
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Morning Ritual – Commit to paper a morning ritual that you follow every morning
without fail
Evening Ritual – Commit to paper a ritual to do each evening, whatever suits you best,
but this is a great time to get into the habit of preparing for the next day.
Avoid the TV and prepare for success.
“If you always put in what you have always put in you will get what you have always got”
Eloise (Registered Dietitian RD).

Thank you