Posts Tagged as "nutrition"
Few of you may know that I am a Vegetarian and a triathlete. “But what about the protein?” is a very common question. Beans, lentils, chickpeas and quinoa all have enough protein in. Oh, I do however eat eggs. So I guess that makes me a lacto-vegetarian. Meaning that I eat eggs and cheese, and drink milk. It has worked wonders for me in every aspect of my life. Here’s a little something from Triathlete Europe on the matter of vegetarianism.
Vegetarianism and triathlon aren’t necessarily two things that naturally go together. But it is certainly possible to be a successful triathlete and eat a plant-based diet, as pro triathlete Brendan Brazier explains.
What are the advantages of being vegetarian and participating in sport?
Being a vegetarian doesn’t guarantee success in sport. However, once you get it right, recovery and muscle functionality go up. You don’t need to spend as much energy to move muscles. So you can train more in less time. You don’t hit the “overtraining” mark as easily as many athletes do. Also, less digestive energy is used and more nutrients are allowed in.
On the flip side, do you see any disadvantages?
The hardest part of being vegetarian is probably just finding places to eat on the road. I’m on the road a lot and graze all day. So I can find what I need at a place like Whole Foods, so mainly I just buy groceries. I’ll eat a lot of fruits, veggies, whole foods, big salads and plant-based smoothies, so I can make my diet choice convenient when I travel. I have this vega-formulation I developed a while back and is based on whole food nutrition and really works for travelers. Also, this diet can work socially because you don’t need to sit down to a big dinner. You’ve been grazing all day, so you aren’t too hungry for dinner anyway. Other than that, I haven’t really found any disadvantages.
What do you eat to get in your protein?
People don’t realize that most whole foods have protein in them. Most unprocessed foods inherently have protein, such as kale and pseudo-grains like quinoa and buckwheat. I also eat lentils, beans, and a mix of hemp, pea and rice protein, which balance each other out. I get a lot less protein than conventional sports nutrition books say I should, and I’ve lost a little weight because of it, but I didn’t lose any strength.
Walk us through what you eat in a day.
I graze all day on fruits and veggies. I also work on creating my own recipes for my books. I also make my own energy gels and sports drinks.
What advice would you give to any triathletes thinking of following a plant-based diet?
Start slow. Do not do too much too soon. It’s just like in running. You would do a 5K before a 10K. So do not incorporate too many changes into your body all at once. Off season is best to make nutrition changes. So start with something like a plant-based smoothie after a workout just to change your palate a little. It’s important not to think about the things you can’t eat, but think about all the new things you can.
There’s no doubt that your first triathlon brings many questions. My first advice to you would be to relax and have fun. There’s really no point in making your first triathlon a stressful affair.
For beginners, triathlon training should be targeted to a shorter distance race – almost always a sprint triathlon. I would recommend that you enter as early as possible. This will give you enough time to work towards your goal and maybe even recruit some friends to join in. Most short races allow you to enter on the day, but early entries often involve discount and something free – like a t-shirt.
Come up with a training plan. Either contact a triathlon coach or go online and look for a beginner triathlon training program.
For most beginners, the swim is the problem. Find a pool, find a coach and off you go. Make sure your coach focuses on your technique. I am currently coaching some triathletes who swam for 6 months in a squad. I had to work solely on their technique for an additional 6-8 months before I could get them to go any faster. Also, make sure you get some open water time.
Training distances should be reasonable. If you’re already a strong athlete don’t be tempted to overtrain. Pay attention to your transitions and get some brick sessions in (i.e. When you complete a bike session go for a short run before you call it a day).
When it comes to racing make sure you find something comfortable to wear, something that you can wear for the entire race. If you swim without a shirt, you will need to put a top on for the rest of the race.
Listen to the pre-race instructions carefully and ask questions if you have them. Everyone was a triathlon beginner once and even professionals have to ask questions. This is not a tennis court, every race is different. If you’re unsure I guarantee that there are at least another 10-20% that haven’t a clue either.
If you have mechanical issues or find yourself not swimming, cycling or running like you usually do, then just remember that this is only your first race. You’re just learning the ropes so go with it. If you enter your first triathlon to win, you won’t enjoy it.
Another important aspect of racing is nutrition. Although a sprint event is short it still helps if you know what you going to drink. A little added confidence goes a long way. Make sure you train like you race at least twice before your first race.
My final recommendation would be to read as much as you can. Understanding what to do, how to do it and why can be a huge motivating factor. If you have any questions you can contact me at nic@onceinspired.co.za.
Good luck and enjoy your first race.
As mentioned below, the media has suggested that salt is bad. Salt is actally vital. Certified Ironguides Coach, Jono Rumbelow explains:
“Last week I wrote about the importance of water in the diet. (http://onceinspired.co.za/trainingracing/are-you-drinking-enough/) Well lets look at one of the most controversial subjects out there today SALT. Much of what you’ve been told by mainstream media suggests that salt is an evil villain and should be avoided at all costs.
Well yes this is true if you’re talking about commercial salt. It’s been boiled at really high temperatures, bleached to make it look sparkly white, had stabilizers added to it (like most highly processed food) and even had a chemical added (in some cases I might add) to prevent it from absorbing water.
I mean it’s been well documented that the normal table salt that you and I know has had 82 of its 84 minerals extracted from it. I mean how toxic must the stuff be now. Well of course you would stay away from the stuff if you had a choice. That means the body won’t absorb it properly let alone possibly at all.
Okay so now I may have scared you senseless! Having said all this, salt is actually an imperative requirement as the human body needs a constant concentration in the blood. On top of that it is critical for digestion and brain development. So let’s look at the benefits of the real stuff.
- It is a natural antihistamine.
- It is vital for extracting excess acidity from inside the cells.
- It is essential in the treatment of emotional and affective disorders (Lithium is a salt substitute which is used to treat depression).
- It is vital for preserving serotonin (your ‘happy hormone’) and melatonin (your sleep hormone) levels in the brain.
- It is important for maintaining muscle tone and strength (Bingo).
Each of us has ‘2 oceans’ inside our bodies. The first is located inside the cells, which is held there by potassium (the stuff that is found in vegetables and fruits so please eat them!) The second is outside the cell held there by salt. Yes you are reading this right. Each molecule ‘picks up’ a certain number of water molecules and so it is the only way to get water into the body to hydrate it effectively.
Osmotic pressure (I know really complicated word but check out the definition) exists between these two oceans and so it’s pretty important that a good balance between potassium and salt is found. If the pressure is disturbed, let’s say by you not having enough salt in your diet, the salty ocean will diminish and cause a ‘leaking’ of water from within the cells. When cells are chronically dehydrated, they become shrivelled and prune-like to a point that serious irreparable damage can occur.
When the brain is just 1% dehydrated, the alarm bells start ringing and then water is taken from ‘non-essential’ processes (which sounds a bit weird to be honest. I thought all bodily processes were essential) to ensure that vital areas are adequately supplied.
Finally if you’re concerned that you may have’ done some long-term damage, you may be in luck! It appears the damage is reversible, assuming the dehydration hasn’t gone on for too long…. (ha ha me and endurance athlete, never) then go back to my article on Hydration and start drinking but add salt to your diet.”
Thanks Jono
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Digg
RSS
