Muscle Cramping

We actually don’t know exactly why a muscle cramps. The most likely cause in athletes is due to dehydration – which to a sports dietitian spells a FLUID & ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE.

There are several things that can cause a cramp that are unrelated to nutrition though…so before you chug down a litre of sports drink, ask yourself these questions:

1. Have I just started training? Being physically fit is the best prevention against getting muscle cramps
2. What are my favourite training clothes? Tight fitting training kit can reduce blood flow to your muscles – which can make you more likely to cramp. Have you tried keeping your compression tights to recovery only, rather than training in them as well?
3. Have I followed my coach’s request to stretch? REALLY? Stretching after training will reduce cramping. If you have been getting night cramps, stretch before you get some zzzzz’s

Now you have that covered, let’s ask a few nutrition questions:

1. When sitting at your desk, are you thirsty? If you can START a session well hydrated, cramping is less likely. Your best indicator of hydration during the day is whether or not you are feeling thirsty. If you do feel thirst, you need to up your fluids. Fluids are best absorbed when they are taken with OTHER nutrients, such as salt & carbohydrates…now, that seems just like a sports drink! That said, you do not need to drink sports drinks while you check your emails. If you drink water WITH your meals & snacks, your body absorbs the water well, as there is always a little salt & carb naturally occurring in the foods you eat.
2. When you are training, are you a heavy sweater? You CANNOT rely on your thirst mechanism when you are training. If you are doing more than 60minutes of training, and you are a heavy sweater, having a sports drink can help to maintain your good hydration status. Quality research indicates the only electrolyte that need be added to a sports drink is sodium. Sodium spurs on water uptake in the gut, and therefore maintains a good fluid/electrolyte balance in your body, making you less likely to cramp. The more sodium in your drink the better. Just in case you are concerned about sodium: a sports drink contains about as much salt as a glass of milk! It is actually pretty low. The reason why it is kept to relatively low levels is due to taste. So if you can handle a little more…bring on the salt shaker!*
3. Are you fuelling an F1 race car or are you driving Miss Daisy? A final nutrition concern may be the quality of your fuel. Excess fat can clog your arteries, and this will reduce blood supply to your muscles, and increase the likelihood of getting a cramp. If it is possible you can improve the quality of your fuel, consulting a sports dietitian is recommended.

Still haven’t got the answer? See a sports dietitian to ensure your nutrition is definitely in order

• You can locate your local sports dietitian here: www.sportsdietitians.com
• Brisbane locals are welcome to  contact Sally Garrard: www.appletozucchini.com.au

Recovery Nutrition Triathletes

We spend so much time in the pool, on the bike & belting the pavement; yet our recovery nutrition is often not matched to the effort that goes into training – especially for those of us that don’t have the luxury of being a professional athlete!

Many triathlete’s train TWICE a day. When you do this, your recovery nutrition becomes even more crucial, as your muscle’s energy stores (glycogen) have less time to re-gather themselves.

If you don’t start your refuelling process within 30 minutes of finishing training, chances are you won’t feel so hot in the afternoon session. Same goes for evening nutrition – if you need to back up the next morning, the 30minute rule applies to your dinner/post-training snack too.

Lucky for many triathlon club members – coaches often provide fruit, lollies, sports drink (and even water!) post-training. While this is undeniably useful, it doesn’t account for your entire recovery nutrition – YOU still have some work to do!
For optimal recovery, the major nutrients you need (in order of priority) are:

1. Carbohydrate 1g of CARB for every kilo of your body weight. If you are a featherweight 50kg triathlete, you will only need 50g of carb in this recovery meal or snack. Bulkier athletes need more – 70kg athlete needs 70g carb post-training. Carbohydrates are of PARAMOUNT importance in recovery for endurance athletes, and this is why you get fruit & lollies immediately post-training, rather than a BBQ.
2. Protein regardless of your weight, research tells us we need 10-20g of protein to assist with muscle repair.
3. BONUS POINTS for antioxidants & ‘healthy fats’ – these will aid muscle recovery & reduce muscle inflammation/soreness. Caffeine is also useful for restoring muscle glycogen – particularly if you need to back up in training.

MAKE IT EASY FOR ME…You can read food labels, and check on websites such as www.calorieking.com.au for the amounts of carbs & proteins in various foods, but here are some easy options you can choose – chances are, many meals you eat are already ticking the box.

• Cafe Recovery – with carb + protein
• Large latte + 2 slices inch-thick fruit toast
• Poached eggs (1 or 2) on grainy toast
• Muesli, yoghurt, berry combo (the ones you get in a cup ‘to-go’)
• Smoked salmon & avocado on Turkish bread

Home recovery – with carb + protein

• 4 VitaBrits, milk & fruit
• Peanut butter on 2-3 slices grainy toast
• Avocado on 2-3 slices grainy toast
• Most ‘healthy’ dinner & lunch meals will also fit the bill (e.g. Egg & lettuce roll, or fish with mashed potato & veggies)

Smaller snacks to kick off recovery til you can get something more substantial – giving mostly carbohydrate (± protein)

• Large banana or other fruit
• Sports drink or juice
• Yoghurt (200g)
• Fruit smoothie (300+mL) or flavoured milk
• Large cafe-style coffee (e.g. latte, cappuccino etc)
• Trail mix (a few good handfuls)
• Many sports bars – check the label – your #1 priority is carbs, protein is secondary

EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE

THE ‘ONE-SESSION-A-DAY’ TRIATHLETE: Lucky you…there is no need to worry about the 30minute window. Happily take your time leaving the pool and worry about your breakfast meal when you feel hungry for it. So long as you eat well over the day, your muscles will be amped for the next day’s training session.

THE ‘ENERGY-RESTRICTED’ TRIATHLETE: trying to achieve a race weight? Recovery nutrition is still important, but you may not have the ‘calorie budget’ to be getting in the optimal 1gcarb/kg body weight & 10-20g protein as a post-training meal/snack.

If you fall into this category; I would suggest you see a Sports Dietitian so they can nut-out a plan that will see you achieve your race weight, while still getting your recovery nutrition as good as it possibly can be.

Real foods are better than processed/formulated foods or supplements when it comes to getting the nutrients you need. This goes for carbs, protein, and even the bonus point additions of antioxidants & healthy fats.

If you want assistance ensuring your diet is complete, Brisbane athletes are welcome to book a session with me by calling one of my 2 clinics:

Gabba clinic www.qsmc.net.au: 3891 2000 West End clinic www.pondera.com.au: 3846 1488
Interstate athletes can locate a sports dietitian here: http://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/findasportsdietitian

Broccoli & Feta Jumble

Made with ingredients that are always in the house…this is a nutritious & delicious meal

INGREDIENTS (serves 2 – 1 bigger eater, 1 smaller eater)

• 1¼ cups uncooked brown rice
• 150g South Cape Greek Style Fetta (about ¾ of a 200g pkt)
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup chopped parsley (or basil, coriander)
• 10-12 sun dried tomato segments
• Steamed broccoli & snow peas
• Juice of 1 lemon

METHOD

1. Cook brown rice in plenty of boiling water (30-35mins)
2. Meanwhile chop the fetta, red onion, parsley & tomatoes, and place in a large salad bowl
3. Steam the broccoli & snow peas (you can do this with a bamboo steamer above the brown rice that is still cooking). Add the veggies to the salad bowl.
4. Once the brown rice is cooked, add it to the salad bowl & pour over the lemon juice. Combine ingredients & serve with a big glass of water!

Chewy Date & Apricot Muesli Bars

These bars are ideal as a portable snack – bake & freeze for the working week.

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ cup plain wholemeal flour
• ½ cup self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ⅓ almond meal
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 cup oats*
• ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
• ½ cup dates, chopped
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup peanut oil
• 3 Tbsp honey dissolved in ½ cup hot water
• 1 egg & 2 egg whites, lightly beaten (free-range organic)

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 190°C; line a 20x30cm dish/tin (or slightly smaller) with baking paper
2. Sift flours, baking powder & spices into a large mixing bowl. Add oats, almond meal, dried fruit & seeds
3. Add oil & honey-water, mix.
4. Add egg whites & stir until just combined; press mixture into lined tin
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
6. Cool & eat!