Jeff Galloway's Blog

Upcoming "Nutrition & Exercise" Workshops by Nancy Clark

2012-01-23T11:45:22-05:00

My friend Nancy Clark, RD has some "Nutrition & Exercise"workshops scheduled soon in LA, San Francisco and Phoenix. Take a look!

Upcoming Workshops - Nutrition & Exercise: An intensive workshop

Los Angeles - Jan 27-28, 2012 - Cal State University - Long Beach

San Francisco - Feb 10-11, 2012 - San Francisco State University

Phoenix - Mar. 2-3, 2012 - Arizona State University - Mesa

Here’s your chance to enjoy an information-packed sports nutrition workshop with two internationally known professionals:

• Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark MS, RD, CSSD is renowned for her work with counseling athletes and exercisers.
• Exercise physiologist William Evans PhD is respected for his research with protein, weight, and aging.

This 1.5-day program is designed to help sports nutritionists, personal trainers, coaches, athletic trainers, exercise physiologists, and sports medicine professionals learn how to effectively teach a winning nutrition message.

Athletes themselves are also welcome, and will find answers to their questions about---eating for health, enhanced performance, and longevity -balancing carbohydrates, protein, fats, and sports supplements-managing weight and disordered eating patterns.

"Nancy Clark and Bill Evans present a nice balance of science and practical information. I got what I wanted—plus more!”

“I was surprised to learn new information on a topic I thought I knew so well.” -- Registered dietitian/personal trainer, Seattle

See www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com for more details.

Q&A: What to eat / drink before and during your race or long training run

2012-01-12T14:40:03-05:00

How much should I eat the day before a long run?
On the day before your long runs, practice eating. Be sure to jot down what you eat, and how much. You can fine-tune the plan as you go through the program, based upon what works for you. Then, on the day before your marathon, you will replicate the eating routine that works for you. Here are the general rules:
1. Don't eat a large meal after 5pm the afternoon before.
2. Avoid salty food and alcohol the afternoon and evening before long runs and the race.
3. Eat smaller meals or snacks about every 2-3 hours, starting about 12 noon the day before.
4. Choose foods that digest easily.
5. Drink 6-8 oz of water or sports drink with your snacks.
6. It takes about 36-48 hours for the food you eat to be digested, metabolized and ready to be used in the muscles during exercise. Last minute nutrition “cramming” will not help you during the run.
7. I've never seen a runner die of starvation during a marathon.

What should I drink the day before long runs?
Drink about 6-8 oz of water or sports drink, about every 2-3 hours. Accelerade has been shown by good research to help normalize your fluid levels better than water and another sports drink. I recommend a total of 50-64 oz of fluid throughout the day. Avoid alcohol!

What should I eat and drink before the race?
The eating/drinking strategy that works for you, before long runs, should be your guide. Fine-tune the amount and the timing and use the pattern that works best. Unless you are diabetic or have severe blood sugar problems, you may not need to eat anything at all. If you get nausea from eating before running, reduce the amount or don't eat at all before long runs, and see how this works. Most of the runners I've worked with who do not eat breakfast, start their blood sugar intake at 2-3 miles into the run. I recommend taking 6-8 oz of water, about 2-3 hours before the start. Practice this before long runs so that you will visit the toilet before the start—especially if you drink coffee. Coffee has actually been shown to improve endurance and enhance fat-burning, but you need to find the right timetable for consumption.

What should I eat during long runs and the race itself?
Running a marathon puts enough stress on the system to shut down the digestive tract. Therefore, very little of the food and fluid you consume during a run can be used during that run. It is possible to absorb a small amount of fluid, and blood sugar booster, every 15 minutes or so, and this can help you stay motivated. Your brain needs glycogen as fuel. As you continue, mile after mile on long runs, the available supply of this limited resource is reduced. If you don't consume enough to boost the blood glucose (using gel products, hard candies, gummi bears, energy bars) the mental focus and motivation is reduced. You can maintain mental energy and avoid some of the negative messages at the end of your race by eating small amounts of foods with sugar, regularly. Practice taking several products during long runs to find what works best for you. This allows each runner to discover the best source, the amount, the quantity of water, the frequency, and how to adjust as the distance increases. A rule of thumb, based upon the runners I've worked with, is the following: 30-40 calories every 1-2 miles, starting @ mile 5. Be sure to drink a little water with each blood sugar snack.

From Marathon FAQ, by Jeff Galloway

Be Positive!

2011-12-20T11:10:07-05:00

As your long ones are getting longer (or the weather is getting colder), have a list of statements that you can repeat as necessary to yourself. You're going to have discouraging thoughts slipping out from the left brain so we'll work on a way to bypass them and move into the world of the positive. Here are some examples:

I have no pressure on myself.
I'm going to enjoy this.
I'll start very slowly.
The people I'm with (or are thinking about) are great.
Because I started slowly, I'm finishing strong.
The satisfaction of doing this is unequaled.

Which is your favorite? Do you have a saying that you use when the going gets tough?