Unlike other sports people, distance runners need carbohydrates for their nutritional needs in the endurance sport of distance running. While other sports like, say weightlifting that rely mostly on proteins, runners depend heavily on carbohydrates.
The main reason, of course, is that different sports have different goals. Weightlifting, for instance, puts a heavy premium on proteins because proteins help build muscles and bulk up a person’s body better and faster than other food. Distance running needs food that builds stamina and strength.
Carbohydrates
One of the most studied topics is the role of carbohydrates in sports performance. Most practicing sportsmen now know that carbohydrates are best for strength and endurance.
Scientists are now also taking a look on the link between low carbohydrates intake and exercise-induced free radicals that leads to impaired muscle function. Every athlete knows that carbohydrates can improve endurance, while the lack of it reduces glucose supply to the muscles which, in turn, leads to fatigue.
Fatigue is normally seen as the loss of the body’s overall force-generating capacity. This may be caused be a lot of reasons, but scientists believe it is the loss of muscular ATP, a high-energy molecule that fuels muscle contraction generated by glucose.
A high-carbohydrates diet while training ensures a good store of muscle glycogen long before competition time. Glycogen, the body’s carbohydrates store, is the fuel for endurance. The carbohydrates could be taken in as fluids (such as juices) or in solid forms (fruits or starches).
However, a long and hard exercise sometimes drains the muscles of stored carbohydrates (glycogen). Eating right away (the best time is within the first hour) food rich in carbohydrates combined with protein is best. The proteins would help in muscle repair broken by he strenuous exercise.
Commercial energy bars both have carbohydrates and proteins but they are expensive and mostly tasteless. A peanut butter sandwich is okay, washed down with some sports drink. Best, of course, would be some cereal with nuts and dried fruits in them.
Fluids
No other factor is more important in the success of a distance runner than maintaining enough fluids in his body.
Running, in training or in competition, produces body heat more than in normal circumstances. This heat is then released through sweat, which in turn, depletes the body’s fluids. When the body is dehydrated, general fatigue sets it.
To maintain the body’s water status, runners should develop the habit of regular and fixed fluid consumption (every 10 to 15 minutes) during practice runs, whether thirsty or not. The amount is around one-half to one liter of fluid per hour on mild conditions. (The amount should be more, of course, if conditions are more severe.)
In hot and humid conditions, a combination of water and sports drinks (to provide carbohydrates and electrolytes like sodium) is best.
Fibers
During scheduled runs (practice or competition), many runners suffer from bowel problems. One way to avoid this is to stay away from food high in fiber content as well as those rich in fat.
You can also buy commercial liquid meals formulated for athletes and convalescents. Make sure they have high carbohydrate content. You may also make your own formula using skimmed milk powder, fruits, and regular milk.
Caffeine
It is not very clear how caffeine appears to enhance endurance performances in athletes. It could be that it is a central nervous system stimulant. It stimulates the release of adrenaline that increases heart rate and blood pressure, blood flow to muscles and the release of glucose by the liver.
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, and chocolates (cocoa). It is also added to cola drinks and other beverages. Normally, caffeine is a natural diuretic (with a 31% hike in urine production.) During competition, however, it loses its diuretic effect but may improve your capacity to have that extra kick at the end of the race.
All in all, the two things distance runners have to remember about nutrition is carbohydrates and fluids. These are the top two important nutrition needs for the sports.
Showing posts with label carbohydrates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carbohydrates. Show all posts
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sunday, July 27, 2008
False Assumptions In Staying Healthy
If there are the different tips and paradigms that are constantly distributed in society regarding health in general and staying healthy, there are also many false assumptions in staying healthy.
These false assumptions pertaining to steps or practices to stay healthy may be risky for an individual. Worse, one of these false assumptions may lead to illness if done improperly to a significant extent.
Fallacy 1: Eating Too Much While Still Young Is Reasonable
We have this common notion that as long as we are still young, we can be lenient and just eat what we want without moderation. We can always argue anyhow that our young bodies can still take some sort of nutritional punishment and would be able to rectify the effects afterwards.
The truth about this is that though we are actually able to rectify such situation, the damage has begun already. Furthermore, we do not know at what age our body starts to not be able to restore the optimal health status at full efficiency. For example, eating high cholesterol food would have a preemptive effect of deposits in the arteries. Before long, this would reach a stage wherein the process is irreversible and may cause the life of the person.
Even if there was a reason that ageing is part of life and that even how much we try to choose the right food our bodies would still deteriorate anyway, the thought of why would we hasten the process of ageing by introducing unwanted radicals to our cells should be enough to keep us on the right way of thinking.
Fallacy 2: Not Eating Carbohydrates Will Make You Lose Weight Faster
Another common misconception is that we would be able to lose weight faster if we didn't eat any food that is rich in carbohydrates. This would account breads, rice, and other starchy foods. Though it is a fact that these types of food are high in calories,carbohydrate deprivation will not contribute to faster weight loss. Certain parts of the body would require some nutrients that come along with carbohydrates in rice and other starches such as Vitamin B complex.
Furthermore, sticking to an alternative diet such as pure protein will not help one lose weight faster.
Fallacy 3: Starving Will Help You Lose Weight
A much more drastic misconception is the notion that skipping meals would lead to a faster weight loss. Ideally, that should be the case if the aspect of caloric intake is the only thing to be considered.
However, there are also some other aspects such as ulcer developing in the gastrointestinal area, or perhaps a retroactive effect on the body of the starving individual wherein the body signals the brain that there is nutritive deprivation. The latter would cause the metabolism of the individual to slow down significantly to cope up with the body's current situation.
Furthermore, if the body is further subjected to much more food deprivation, the body will not be using the fats right away. The surrounding muscles cells will start to take the brunt leading to muscle atrophy.
These are just some of the most common fallacies that are freely thought of by the people who haven't been properly educated about them. Nevertheless, one of the only eternal aspect of staying healthy is of the self, along it is self responsibility and self control.
These false assumptions pertaining to steps or practices to stay healthy may be risky for an individual. Worse, one of these false assumptions may lead to illness if done improperly to a significant extent.
Fallacy 1: Eating Too Much While Still Young Is Reasonable
We have this common notion that as long as we are still young, we can be lenient and just eat what we want without moderation. We can always argue anyhow that our young bodies can still take some sort of nutritional punishment and would be able to rectify the effects afterwards.
The truth about this is that though we are actually able to rectify such situation, the damage has begun already. Furthermore, we do not know at what age our body starts to not be able to restore the optimal health status at full efficiency. For example, eating high cholesterol food would have a preemptive effect of deposits in the arteries. Before long, this would reach a stage wherein the process is irreversible and may cause the life of the person.
Even if there was a reason that ageing is part of life and that even how much we try to choose the right food our bodies would still deteriorate anyway, the thought of why would we hasten the process of ageing by introducing unwanted radicals to our cells should be enough to keep us on the right way of thinking.
Fallacy 2: Not Eating Carbohydrates Will Make You Lose Weight Faster
Another common misconception is that we would be able to lose weight faster if we didn't eat any food that is rich in carbohydrates. This would account breads, rice, and other starchy foods. Though it is a fact that these types of food are high in calories,carbohydrate deprivation will not contribute to faster weight loss. Certain parts of the body would require some nutrients that come along with carbohydrates in rice and other starches such as Vitamin B complex.
Furthermore, sticking to an alternative diet such as pure protein will not help one lose weight faster.
Fallacy 3: Starving Will Help You Lose Weight
A much more drastic misconception is the notion that skipping meals would lead to a faster weight loss. Ideally, that should be the case if the aspect of caloric intake is the only thing to be considered.
However, there are also some other aspects such as ulcer developing in the gastrointestinal area, or perhaps a retroactive effect on the body of the starving individual wherein the body signals the brain that there is nutritive deprivation. The latter would cause the metabolism of the individual to slow down significantly to cope up with the body's current situation.
Furthermore, if the body is further subjected to much more food deprivation, the body will not be using the fats right away. The surrounding muscles cells will start to take the brunt leading to muscle atrophy.
These are just some of the most common fallacies that are freely thought of by the people who haven't been properly educated about them. Nevertheless, one of the only eternal aspect of staying healthy is of the self, along it is self responsibility and self control.
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