Nutrition 101
Leslie Reap, www.finishlinenutrition.net, (602) 513-0933
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Outline of Topics
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Finish Line Nutrition background
The Facts
Everyday Nutrition
Pre-race nutrition
Race day nutrition
Finish Line Nutrition
Background
Personal Background:
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Life long athlete, All American Lacrosse
Player, World Cup Lacrosse Coach, Olympic
Torchbearer, Sponsored Triathlete
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Began nutrition research when started having
children
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Became Certified Nutrition Consultant 2007
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Started Finish Line Nutrition 2007
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Finish Line Nutrition Objectives
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Improve quality of everyday life
Improve Performance
Reduce training days lost to sick time
Identify and maintain ideal training &
race weights
Challenges for Runners
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Eating properly due to timing of
workouts
Time constraints to get it all done
Sinus Infections
Injury
Listening to their bodies : )
A Few Fun Facts
Why are runners some of healthiest folks out
there?
1. Lower cancer rates because less body fat
(where toxins are stored)
2. Lower levels of “cytokines” inflammatory
substance that strengthens cancer
cells/impairs immunity
3. Choose foods more consciously ~ “What you
eat today is how you will feel tomorrow..”
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A Few Not So Fun Facts
Over 1/3 of all Americans will be told “You have
Cancer”
By simply eating a nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy
body weight & getting regular exercise could lower
your risk of all cancers by 24%
Almost 2/3rds of Americans are overweight and 1/3
are obese
This is unique to the US and cuts across all nationalities
that live here eating the Western Diet. Natives that
return to their own countries return to normal body
weights & regain their health
62% of Americans admit to eating one or more meals
while working or driving
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Every Day Nutrition
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What should I eat?
What should I not eat?
How often should I eat?
What should I eat when?
Where should I shop?
Functions of Water
(1/2 body weight in ounces)
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Comprises about 60% of body weight
Chief component of blood plasma
Aids in temperature regulation
Lubricates joints
Shock absorber in eyes, spinal cord
Active participant in many chemical
reactions
Every Day Nutrition
What should I eat?
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Food your great grandmother would recognize as
food!
Whole Foods: Fruits & Veggies (7-9 servings) lean
meat, eggs, nuts, whole grains (brown rice, millet,
quinoa, oats, teff), limited dairy (organic & raw if
available) – milk, cheese, yogurt
Nutrient Dense Foods: See above!
High-Satiety Foods: Foods or combinations of
whole foods that most effectively control and satisfy
hunger are fiber rich (apple), protein (cheddar
cheese) focused with long chain fatty acids (nuts)
Every Day Nutrition
What should I not eat?
Use the 80/20 rule:
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80 - 90% of your calories and nutrition should come
from whole foods
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10 - 20% for “cheating” or carb loading with
processed foods such as breads, pasta, chips,
sweets, juices, soda (yes gels, recovery drinks and
carb drinks do fall into this category : )
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Try to always avoid GMO, High Fructose Corn Syrup,
Dyes & preservatives (BHA, Sodium nitrate,
propylene glycol, MSG)
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Every Day Nutrition
How often should I eat?
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7am breakfast (25% of calories if possible within an
hour of waking up or within an hour after working out)
10am snack
12pm lunch
3pm snack
6pm dinner
**Every meal/snack should have a combination of
nutritionally dense whole foods including a protein,
carb (think fruits & veggies) and a small amount of fat
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Every Day Nutrition
What should I eat when?
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Athletes should try to eat their grain carbs within an
hour before/after their workout (more on this)
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For meals that are not preceding or following a
workout rely more heavily on sweet potatoes, squash,
legumes (beans), red or white potatoes for your
carbohydrates
Every Day Nutrition
Where should I shop?
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Farmers Markets (in season)
Trader Joes @ exit 1
The Perimeter of Stop & Shop,
Hannaford's, Market Basket
Whole Foods (more expensive)
Training Nutrition Guidelines
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During the one hour before your workouts have a
higher glycemic carbohydrate such as a grain to
specifically fuel the workout
Fuel workout with sport drinks, gels, bars, or grains
Post workout, refuel your body with a good, high
glycemic recovery drink that includes protein (4:1 ratio)
Continue to refuel after the workout with grains, lean
proteins during post workout window (2 hr run = 2hr
window)
After the window, return to eating Whole Foods (fruits,
vegetable, nuts, and lean meats). These are the most
nutrient dense are also low glycemic.
Pre - race Nutrition: 1 week to day
before race
Step One: Utilize Everyday Nutrition to get you to the
race week/day fully trained, healthy, strong &
recovered
Step Two: Start to ease off of the high fiber foods
(legumes, etc) the last 3-4 days before the race,
increase water to ensure hydration, 1-2 days out start
to increase carbs (still high quality carbs)
Step 3: Carb Loading – yippee!!
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Pre-race Carb Loading
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Load in a manner consistent with race distance
5 days out start shifting from 50% carbs (normal)
to 70% carbs..less fat, protein, more carbs, same
total calories
1-2 days out reduce fiber
Day before start your carb loading early in the day
with a very large breakfast (go for the pancakes!)
White bread, regular pasta, etc. Taper eating thru
day, small, early dinner.
3-5 gms of carbs per lb of body weight (banana
=18, oatmeal =27, pasta = 35-40)
Race Day Morning Meal
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You should eat, if you can, 3 hrs prior
Highly personalized
Highly dependent on race distance & race
pace
Some suggestions: (would not recommend
high fat or high protein, longer to digest)
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Toast & a little PB
Oatmeal & an egg
Sports drink to sip while prep’ing
Coffee : )
Race Day Nutrition
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What is my race distance?
What is my race day nutrition plan?
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Will my calories come from gel or drink or both?
Will there be water to take the gel?
What will be on the course & where?
When will I take my gel/drink?
Have I tested my plan in similar conditions:
weather, distance, products, timing, time of
day…..?
Race Day Nutrition
Formula for calculating max calorie
absorption
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(Weight in lbs) x (2 calories per lb) x (hours of
race/activity) = caloric replacement
123 lb x 2 cals x 1.6 hrs = 393 calories
Equates to 3-4 gels & water for race
1 gel 15 mins before start, gel every 30-40
mins
Post Race Nutrition
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Have your recovery drink on hand and
available post race (and your Recoverease!!)
Don’t rely on post race food for recovery, you
can eat that AFTER you take the above
Drink as much water/sports drink as you
need until you start urinating pale
yellow/clear again
Eat a healthy, well balanced whole food meal
with 2-3 hours
A word on…..
Caffeine!
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Studies show you can have up to 550
mgs w/o dehydrating effect
Run Longer, Think Faster
Increase Sprint Speed
Recover more quickly ~ recovery drinks with
caffeine rebuild glycogen stores 66% more then carb
only
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Text References
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In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
QT2Systems Jesse Kropelnicki
The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates, 9th
addition
Endurance Sports Nutrition by Suzanne
Eberle, 2nd addition
Sports Nutrition Guide by Dr. Michael Colgan
Eat Right for Your Blood Type by Dr. Peter
D’Adamo
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Dr.
Mary Enig