Step 1:  Decide you are actually running a marathon (this step may occur 3 months out or even 6 weeks out after you’ve done the initial part of the training and had the moment of it hasn’t killed me yet…let’s do this!)

Step 2:  Start training….this isn’t referring to the part where you put your shoes on, go outside and run, this is more about your nutrition training.  One very big piece of advice I give to my athletes and I also use myself is: NEVER try ANYTING new on the day of a race/competition/event!  If you haven’t trained with it (meaning type, amount and timing) then don’t use it.  I have seen/heard many horror stories of people trying new gels, new electrolyte drinks and getting stitches/diarrhoea and stomach pains that have forced them to slow down and some not even finish.

A marathon is a 42km race and having gastrointestinal (GI) issues is something that you really want to try to avoid!  This is where the importance of nutrition training comes in.  Some keys things to note when training with nutrition:

1. What is your pace/total time running (both for training and event runs)
2. What is your preferred method of nutrition (i.e. gels, drinks, bars, lollies etc)
3. How are you going to carry your nutrition
4. On your route do you have access of water/fluid
5. Pre-training nutrition and hydration strategies

Pace/Total Time

Why is this important to your nutrition needs?  Your body only holds enough glycogen (stored glucose) to keep the body running for ~90minutes  (this doesn’t take into consideration utilisation of your fat stores which come into play a lot when running at a lower intensity), therefore if your aiming to run the distance in 1.5hrs+ then you absolutely NEED some quick release carbohydrates coming into the body to keep you fuelled.  Generally speaking 30-60g per hour of fast digesting carbohydrates is optimal and nutrition should be started within the first 30mins of the race to ensure you don’t tap into the glycogen held in your liver until absolutely necessary.   Working out how much nutrition you need for your total run time is very important, which is where a Sports Dietitian can help plan your race nutrition plan.

Preferred method of nutrition

This varies from individual to individual and just because one method works for someone doesn’t  mean it will work for you.  Since running has quite the impact on the body it is common that GI distress occurs when eating/drinking too much at one time and therefore makes refuelling quite difficult.  One method that I use and have been using for my marathon training are gels.  Now it’s important to note that not all gels are created equal (taste/carbohydrate load/ease of use/fluid requirements when taking them/added ingredients such as caffeine).  Generally gels have roughly ~25-30g of carbs; Gatorade/Staminde/Extend/Endura drinks have ~30g carbs in 500ml.  For convenience and to decrease possible GI distress I do recommend gels more than liquids BUT liquids serve a very important role in your hydration status so working between the two can help meet your carbohydrate needs.  NOTE:  try different gels in training to get the best one for you…it took me a few runs to find nice ones and now I LOVE the gels I use and look forward to having them!

Carrying nutrition

This is a new concept to me in my training regime and I have finally bought a running belt (as seen above) and it works great!  My nutrition strategy for the race is one gel every 30 mins, therefore to meet my target of under 4hours I need 7 gels on the run and I would normally have 1 caffeine gel 10-20mins before the run.  There are many types of belts to choose from just make sure you train wearing it on your long runs, especially if you have a bottle holder (2 or 4) belt to know the weight you will be initially running with, where it sits best to minimise movement and also if you get any chaffing from it.

Water/Fluid access

This is a really important issue that does get overlooked when trialling nutrition, most gels NEED to be consumed with water for them to work effectively.  Too much carbohydrate in one hit without the appropriate amount of fluid can slow down gastric emptying and reduce the availability of the carbohydrates and could also lead to GI distress.  Many gels have instructions either on the package or on their website so make sure you research what your particular gels require.   As a guide I recommend a minimum of 150-200ml water every gel, check your course for water/fluid stations so you can time your nutrition to have access to fluids.

Pre-training nutrition and hydration strategies

If you start a race glycogen depleted or dehydrated you are going to struggle.  So how do you do you make sure you have enough glycogen on the day (training and race day)?  I start my race nutrition the day before by consuming a minimum of 7g/kg/carbohydrate which equates to ~440g carbohydrates for me (see below to see what this looks like).  To fit all of this into my daily life I aim to eat every 2-3 hours, making sure I have carbohydrates at every meal.  I recommend minimising high fibre, high fat and spicy foods before a big run and keeping foods simple.  My general rule of thumb is to keep things fairly similar the day before, especially when it’s the day before the race/event.  The morning of the run ,choose a breakfast that has a little bit of protein (helps to fill you up) but primarily focus on getting some carbohydrates in to your body to replenish your fasted state.  Again, keep this meal low in fibre and fat and make sure you have trained on this type of breakfast before.

Hydration is a very big concern when running a marathon, a 2-4% decrease in body weight can cause fatigue, decreased endurance, headaches, nausea, overheating and heat cramps….any of which will make an already physically challenging marathon that much harder!  A tip I use with athletes is to check that you’re hydrated prior to starting.  A quick and easy way to do this is to check your urine.  If your urine is fairly clear you are hydrated; if however, you’re dehydrated your urine will be quite a dark yellow.  Aim to go to bed in a hydrated state and first thing when you wake up drink a minimum ~200-300ml water.  During the race keep fluid intake at a steady pace; aim ~150-200ml every 20mins.

For those of you heading into the Gold Coast marathon you only have 3 weeks until the big event…. So book in with your Sports Dietitian to finalise your race plan, if you haven’t already started trialling or training with nutrition it’s not too late!  Start trailing even on smaller runs if you have started your taper already and remember never try anything new on race day!!  Happy running

There has been much debate amongst experts and the general public over the past few months about the quality and quantity of starchy carbohydrate foods for diabetics.  The confusion seems to be stemming from the interpretation of recommended amounts of carbs to consume from around the globe.  Australia’s current recommendation for starchy carbohydrates such as grains and cereals are 6 serves per day and it is recommended that wholegrain and/or high fibre varieties are chosen.

This number has dropped significantly in comparison to previous recommendations, as has the actual serving size.  For example,

1 serve of carbohydrate in 2006 was 2 slices of bread, it is now only 1 slice of bread

1 cup of cooked pasta has now been changed to ½ cup cooked pasta.

For those with diabetes, this could impact the way in which they consume their carbohydrates and manage their blood glucose levels (BGLs).

When it comes to controlling BGLs the amount of carbohydrate is important; however, the type of carbohydrate is also important.  For instance the GI (Glycaemic Index), nutrient density and the fibre content of a carbohydrate are now being assessed when choosing an appropriate carbohydrate food.  The ‘quality’ of a carbohydrate is now growing strength and therefore good sources of dietary fibre, legumes, pulses, fruit and genuine wholegrain foods should be considered before processed, low fibre alternatives.  Professor Jim Mann (2013) has argued that the focus on the GI of a food alone is not enough and that the other nutritional attributes of food should be considered when prescribing an eating plan for those with diabetes.

One of the biggest issued raised by Professor Mann was regarding ‘wholegrain’ vs ‘wholemeal’ foods.  Unfortunately in this day and age the marketing of products and the numerous health claims displayed on packages are used in abundance to sway consumers to purchase products. ‘Wholegrain’ doesn’t necessarily mean intact grains which can lead to a rise in the GI of that product.  Rapidly digestible starches such as white rice, potatoes, wholemeal and white bread varieties should be reduced or avoided; this even includes some products that are labelled wholegrain.    Quality carbohydrate foods such as legumes, vegetables, pulses, fruit and ‘genuine’ wholegrain carbohydrates are the better choices, with the dietary fibre of a product being taken into consideration as well.

So what can you do?  Reading food labels and ingredient lists can help to distinguish the inferior products to the genuine wholegrain products.  Looking at the dietary fibre content of products could also help you to identify better options; we should aim to have more than 3g or more per 100g. Another factor that you should consider when looking at the nutritional information panel is the sugar content.  If the product contains ‘real’ fruit then chose a product with 25g or less of sugar per 100g.  If that product doesn’t contain real fruit in the ingredients list then chose products that contain 10g or less per 100g of sugar.    If you have any questions or queries on the new guidelines or would like an eating plan that takes all of these factors into consideration then please contact the Eat Smart team.

Written by Rebecca Evans

There has been much in the media lately about supplements in sports and the quest to build bigger stronger faster athletes. The question is – are supplements absolutely necessary, especially for young athletes? The answer is no. Learning how to train, along with eating and growing are the tools required.

The key points for young athletes are eating and drinking very regularly (at least 5-6 times a day), planning a combination of protein and carbohydrates at each occasion (depending on the time of training sessions and the time of day), and being organised in order to have these items on hand as well as fit in all the kilojoules required.

Planning to eat/drink something that provides carbohydrate for energy is essential before training for young growing athletes. Recovery nutrition requires both carbohydrates and protein within the 30-60 minutes after all training sessions – especially strength sessions where muscle building and maintenance is the goal. Recent evidence also suggests that a large glass of  milk before bed may be very beneficial for muscle protein stimulation in those first few hours of ‘r & r’. Milk provides the amino acid leucine which is a key factor in muscle growth.

Examples of snacks providing the right stuff include tuna and rice, cheese and crackers, nuts and seeds with fruit, yoghurts and any type of milk (or milk alternative) drink.

For more individual advice see your closest Eat Smart consultant.

The jacaranda’s are in bloom and that means its exam time!  While the trees may display their beautiful blossom, for students it means time to stay indoors and hit the books!  This can also be a time when healthy eating habits take a backseat and exercise becomes an infrequent event.

Did you know that the brain exclusively uses carbohydrate to think?  If you don’t feed your body a constant supply of energy good, the brains ability to concentrate, retain information and general comprehension declines.  Not the ideal circumstance for acing exams and finishing that assignment.

Good energy foods to give you long lasting energy include:

• Fresh, canned or dried fruit
• Grainy crackers such as Ryvita, Vitawheat, Soy & Linseed topped with tomato/vegemite/cream cheese/cheese/peanut butter/tuna
• Oat or nut based cereal or muesli bar
• Tub of plain or flavoured yoghurt
• Glass of plain or flavoured milk
• Air popped popcorn
• A slice of grainy or nut & nut bread

Keep a healthy eating routine by aiming to eat at least every 6 hours if not every 3-4 hours.  You are usually more productive to work in 1 hour segments of time and then have a 10 minute break.  Just make sure you don’t eat at every break!  This 10 minute break is a great time to do some exercises to get your blood pumping to your brain such as star jumps, running on the spot, running up stairs, push-ups or a few yoga poses.  Remember to grab a drink of water too!

Try to include at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, whether that be 3 x 10 minute exercise blocks or taking 30-60 mins off the books to clear your mind with a walk, run or gym session.

Eat Smart wishes you the best of luck with your exams!

With the school swimming season underway, Australian Open Championships just around the corner and Australian Age Championships only three months away, Eat Smart Sports Dietitian and former Australian Swimmer Jessica Abbott give her tips for eating for swimming success.

Swimming is a seriously demanding sport (and not just for the athletes, the parents have it tough too!), with its intense training schedules, early starts and long days at meets, getting the nutrition basics right is essential for peak performance. Carbohydrate and protein are two of the key nutrients for swimmers of all levels. But why?

Well, carbohydrates are the most important fuel source for training and recovery. Without enough of them it leads to early fatigue (poor performance) during training and racing as well as poor concentration and poor recovery. I suggest fuelling up by including healthy carbohydrates regularly throughout the day. Good options include wholegrain breads, high fibre breakfast cereals, low fat milk and yoghurt, starchy vegetables like pumpkin and potato, and whole fresh fruits.

Protein is another essential in the diet – it is needed for growth, repair, recovery and immunity. A common myth is that swimmers need expensive protein supplements in order to gain muscle and strength. In fact, getting enough protein can be achieved by a well-planned diet alone. Excellent sources of protein are lean meats, skinless poultry, fish, eggs, low fat dairy, nuts and legumes.

For more expert dietary advice for swimmers, keep an eye out for new blogs or for individualised advice book an appointment with Jess at Chandler.