It is Century season. Yes,” century,” ne hundred,” it too has a season. Whether that mean miles or kilometers, it is 100 of them. In the cycling world, we like to call 100 miles a real century and 100 kilometers a metric century, which equals approximately 67 miles. Either way, to get on a bicycle, and pedal for that long, sitting in one position on a tiny seat, up and down hills is an accomplishment.

 I decided to blog on this topic for a couple of different reasons. One, I am doing a couple of them myself this season, in preparation for my 70.3 Ironman Triathlon in mid October. The second reason is because a century bike ride is considered an endurance event, hydration can play a huge role in the success it. Whether success means, just completion of the 100 mile or kilometer distance, or completion and enjoyment simultaneously, drinking on the bike can make that difference.

 Here is my opportunity to confess to my personal drinking problem. Oh yeah, me, I have a drinking problem. After my crash (and it was during a century in 2007 and it was related to drinking on the bike) I have had a difficult time staying hydrated. To cut a long story short, I dropped my water bottle after successfully drinking, but it slipped as I was putting it back in the cage. I subsequently rode over it, and lost control of my bike. One broken collar bone and three or so hours in the emergency room later, I have become the only sports dietitian that now claims that hydration on the bike is dangerous.

Jokes aside, drinking on the bike requires a certain level of skill, especially for the beginner.  A good place to start is on the stationary trainer.  Practice removing your water bottle from the cage and drinking while looking forward.  You will need to learn to do this smoothly without taking your eyes off the road. Ask me, I am an expert at drinking in spin class. Now use that muscle memory and transfer it to a moving bike.

 If you really cannot master the drinking action on the moving bike, or it takes you awhile to get comfortable with it (this is turning into an autobiography), there are some logistically effective alternatives. A water bladder such as a Camelbak^T is a great tool for staying hydrated.  Although these are not quite in style yet with the cycling crowd they have distinct advantages over traditional water bottles.   Water bladders hold more fluid which means less stopping for refills.  They also stay colder, and can even be frozen.  Cool fluid helps keep you keep your cool (especially when not looking too cool) as does the coldness of the pack on your back.  It is even more aerodynamic.  I have found athletes take in more fluid using a water bladder but they do take some getting used to. I used that in a number of triathlons following my accident recovery.

 Again, long story short (or am I too late for that?) –  I still needed my hands with the Camelbak, because I could not get the straw into my mouth without one hand creating that essential movement from straw to mouth. The fear of death thus never left me as I needed to remove at least one hand from the handlebars and Camelbak remained elusive for me.  Fast forward a few months – my newest attempt is called the Speedfill^T hydration system. A simple explanation: it is a 40 fl oz triangular shaped water bottle that is fitted onto the bike in an aerodynamic position (taking the place of the regular cages). A straw from the Speedfill bottle is then lead up to the handle bars and is strategically held in place with specially designed ties to be close to ones mouth enabling just a slight forward bend over for the required hydration. Look Ma, no hands!! I do not need to lift hand to drink anymore. Success.

 Other than the Speedfill system. triathletes use various fluid reservoirs affixed to their bikes. The most common is on a tri bike or a road bike that has aerobars affixed. This means a drinking bottle can sit between the aerobars and a straw comes out from the bottle similar to my Speedfill straw.  For the same fear in me of removing my hands from the handle bars, I do not have aerobars (yet), so that system does not work for me…(yet !!) And I stress “yet” because my ultimate cycling goal is to learn to drink like a real cyclist as well as move fluidly into aero position (no pun intended) without the fear of death ruining my ride.   These methods all mean less stopping to replenish fluids and more consistent hydration on long rides. 

 I have also learned from my Camelbak days that simply having enough fluid does no good if you do not drink it.  Even a 1-2% drop in body weight due to fluid loss can drastically affect endurance. Once you have a good drinking method in place, a good strategy is to set your watch alarm to sound every 15 or 20 minutes and to drink 4-8 ounces of fluid so that you do not neglect optimal hydration. Furthermore, if you have a hard time with the taste of your chosen drink, it will stay in the bottle rather than getting you hydrated. Make your drink appealing, choose a flavor of sports drink that you find appealing, load your hydration system with ice, if appropriate, especially in Summer. Nothing tastes worse than hot Gatorade (or the like). I have my own personal sound as I come riding beside you (to pass you) as my ice in my 40 oz speedfill system clinks against the sides.   

 AND REMEMBER :

CENTURY HYDRATION DOES NOT BEGIN OR END ON THE DAY

 Months Before

• If Possible, train with whatever hydration products will be provided at the SAG stations for the event.
• Practice, Practice, Practice. Aim for your targeted replenishment of your sweat loss rate during training. For training and events – As mentioned, set a beeper on your watch for every 15 – 20 minutes to remind you to sip.

 A Week Before

• Along with your carbs, increase water intake 3-4 days before – aim for at least 1 to 1.5 fl oz per kg of body weight in fluids on a daily basis.                                                                                          (Symptoms: may gain water weight.) No worries – its good, and helps with hydration status for during the ride.  

 A Couple of Days Before

• Increase fluid above usual levels for at least 24 hours before an event. But remember all through training, hydration is vital.                                                  (Aim for 2-3 water bottles of fluid above normal intake. Match caffeinated intake with water intake).

The Day Of:

Pre Ride

• 2 hours before :                  Drink 8 – 16 oz
• 15 – 30 mins before:          Drink 4 – 8 oz

 During the Ride             

• Fluids immediately. Replace sweat loss.
• If you have calculated your sweat loss rate, drink accordingly, otherwise a good rule of thumb is drink about 4 – 8 oz every 15 – 20 minutes. Alternate between sports drinks and water along the ride.  

 Recovery

• Replenish fluid and electrolyte loss by drinking 16 – 20 oz in both sports drinks and water per lb of weight lost during the ride. 

September 2010 Nutrition Guide - Click to read

September 2010 Nutrition Guide

Brace yourself, people – Dr. Steven Bratman, a so-called medical doctor and author has written a book with an intention to medicalize a new mental disorder. He refers to it specifically as an eating disorder and has termed it Orthorexia Nervosa. The latin translation is “a strong conscious desire to eat health and nutritional foods.”  Absurd?  Tell me I am not on an island on this one!

If you are middle class, well educated, have the time and the money to find pure alternatives to genetically modified food, and you have a tendency to read about and research food scares in the media, then you may be at risk for this new eating disorder. …to keep reading this article

Start of Marathon

Marathon season is almost in full swing, and those of you training for fall marathons are probably doing long runs in the mid to upper teens at this point. I find the most common question I get from endurance athletes relates to the traditional pasta dinner the night before a marathon. For one thing, does it really increase performance?

I thought I would share my knowledge and experience on carbo-loading, whether it is just tradition, or if it really does offer the performance benefits sought by many athletes. Furthermore, now that there are so many different types of pastas on the market, I wanted to give you the low down on what may be best for your individual needs.

To lay the foundation, I define carbo-loading as increasing your intake of carbohydrates so that muscle glycogen is maximized, which boosts endurance for distance.

Healthy Runner’s Diet – Carbohydrate Loading Defined

The traditional method of “carbo-loading” involves a stage of prolonged exercise and an exceedingly restrictive diet called depletion, which is then followed by intense carbohydrate loading. More recent research suggests that intense exercise during depletion followed by excessive glycogen storage could lead to muscle trauma. This in fact would impair the storage of glycogen rather than enhance it. Other side effects that follow this method include bloating, added pounds, which not only causes you to feel drained and uncomfortable, but also increases injury risks. Personal records could be compromised under these conditions.

A more modified approach would begin a carbo loading regimen one week prior to the event, by tapering training mileage and shifting more of your total calories to carbohydrates, decreasing the amount of fat and protein as the week progresses. In other words, two days prior to your endurance event, you will not be eating mostly carbs and very little fat and protein. Carbo loading means simply shifting the percentage of the macronutrients to a higher carb intake. It  does NOT mean load up on every carbohydrate you can lay your hands on. The reason this modified approach works is because the tapering in exercise simultaneous to an increase in carbohydrates boosts glycogen storage as effectively as depletion and loading, but without the negative side effects.

So to answer the question whether the pasta dinner the night before is optimal or not …to keep reading this article

A Personal reflection!

Shin Splints… come on shins, didn’t that fad move out with step aerobics in the 80’s?  Well the pain certainly hasn’t moved on, and my checklist of appropriate solutions has run out. New shoes – check, sports massage – check, nutrition – check… sports doc – check. But left shin pain still persists with every run, and left knee looks like a melon. Ok, last on the list…  stay tuned!

Fast forward…  Dr. Sadri (Active Release Technique specialist) – Diagnosis : A friggin’ stress fracture in my left tibia. Nothing wrong with the knee after all, that was just a mere reaction from overcompensation of each running stride to avoid sharp shooting pains.  Fast forward again, about 6 weeks: Pain free – check.  First 10k under my belt since the diagnosis. I promise, I ran slowly and mostly walked the Peachtree this year. Result, definitely not a 10K PR (personal record), but a pain free race and a race regardless of anything else. Thanks to all my rehab exercises, great sports doc, and lots of rest and run free days. (Thank goodness I was given the green light on swimming and biking, else I swear this blog would have been written from a totally different point of view and location (hint: mental institution of sorts)).

Well, just to reflect on the nutrition side of what’s going on here. Perfect nutrition – mmm….  wasn’t that one checked off 6 weeks ago?  So yes, you got me. It was, but it is vital to mention here that one person’s perfect nutrition may be another’s disaster. Nutrition is a very individual concept, and although I know a tremendous amount about the science of metabolism and the value of food as medicine, I am also learning new breakthroughs all the time. My personal reflection: It turns out, that based on the caloric intake for my individual basal metabolic rate, I am one who at this stage of life and training, a calcium supplement and vitamin D compliment may prove to be essential within my profile. Supplements are not necessary for everyone, and I still work off of the principle that food is one’s most bioavailable source of nutrients and the best medicine for most ailments. Supplements are just that – supplements. And by definition, to supplement ones diet in which it lacks. Not a replacement of good sources of nutrients through food.

So with that said, this may be the perfect place to write about calcium and bone strength:

The science behind my experience: …to keep reading this article

While sunscreen, beauty creams, microdermabrasions and other high priced spa treatments for skincare are all good, they are not the only way to keep your skin vibrant and constantly younger looking. Similar to your heart, your skin is another organ in the body that requires good nutrition for its upkeep. In fact, it’s the largest organ and although it’s an external one, its care comes from the inside.

The top skin care nutrients include:

• WATER:

Hydration is essential for maintaining strong and vibrant skin, improving its main function as a protective barrier to the rest of the body. Water alone can give you  a more younger, radiant and blemish free look.

• LYCOPENE:

UV rays penetrate skin, even through the best sunscreens available, causing cellular and tissue damage, increasing premature aging and the risk of skin cancer. Scientifically based evidence exists to show that the antioxidants in lycopene (found in tomatoes) protect the skin’s inner layers from harmful UV exposure.

• ESSENTIAL FATS:

Omega 3 fatty acids are required by every cell in the body, including every cell in the skin, for flexibility and function. It is important to ensure omega 3’s are a part of  your diet, because the body cannot make them. Essential fats are found in flaxseed meal, chai seeds, hemp seeds, kiwi fruit and black raspberry and many fish sources such as salmon, tuna, mahi mahi, etc.

• VITAMIN A:

Not only does vitamin A have antioxidant capabilities but it also has specific functioning in the skin’s repairing and inflammation processes. Good sources of vitamin A include carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, melons, spinach and organ meats, such as liver.

• VITAMIN B:

While many vitamins offer antioxidants and other benefits to the skin, like Vitamin A, vitamin B has specific functionality in the skin for repair and healing. Good sources of vitamin B are red meat, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chile peppers, tempeh, beans, nutritional yeast, brewer’s yeast, and molasses.

The worst substance for your skin:

NICOTINE:

It causes the skin’s blood vessels to narrow and thus impairs blood flow to the skin, resulting in decreased oxygen and vital nutrients,  thus accelerating the aging process. Nicotine further damages collagen and elastin, reducing the elasticity and skin strength.

Don’t forget to include regular exercise to compliment these results. Regular exercise can reduce weight fluctuations which reduce the skin’s elasticity. Exercise also increases circulation enhancing delivery of vital nutrient to the skin and removal of damaging toxins. Furthermore, exercise is known to reduce stress and reduced stress means less hormonal flair ups often evident in the skin.

Increasing the best and reducing the worst nutrients and substances for your skin can improve luster and vitality.

Do you ever find yourself pulling into the grocery store car park trying to remember at least one good recipe? You can’t bear the thought of tasteless, boneless chicken breast again, so you peruse the magazine aisle and end up with Paula Dean’s latest “Stick of Butter and Cream Chicken”.

Well worry no more. When you request it, ONForLife’s app will send you a link to an Ilana Katz approved recipe for dinner.

You have to be a member as that is the only way we will know who you are to send you the link.  Once you have the link you will be able to request the recipe any time. The ONForLife app is not an iphone specific app; anyone who can receive a text message or view a browser on their phone will be able to get the recipe.

Show me where to Become a Member.