Carbs for Competitive Athletes
by Bloody Elbow on May 18, 2011 4:00 PM EDT
in Combat Sports
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This is a guest post by P.R. Cole, MS, RD.
Many of my clients are curious about the role of carbohydrates in their diets. Both amateur and professional athletes often ask me whether or not they should follow a low carb diet to optimize their weight loss and/or athletic performance. A casual or recreational athlete can follow a lower carb diet and see success with weight loss but when it comes to elite and highly competitive athletes much more attention needs to paid to the right amount of carbs each day to live up to their training potential. Even if you're trying to lose weight as a competitive athlete, you'll still need to keep up your carb intake to fuel those intense workouts. Rather cutting back on overall calories instead of a specific macronutrient will help with weight loss without sacrificing endurance.
Here are answers to some of the most common carb-centric questions I get.
Why are carbs so important?
The fuel that your body chooses is based on exercise intensity and the percentage of your VO2 max (maximum uptake of oxygen) The more intense your workout is, the more carbohydrates you burn for fuel. Carbs are stored in muscle as glycogen and they also circulate in the blood as "blood sugar."
Doesn't eating carbs lead to weight gain?
Weight gain isn't a result of eating a diet rich in wholesome carbohydrates. It's caused overtime by consuming more overall calories than you burn. Of course not all carbohydrates are created equal. Carbs from whole grains, fruits and legumes are more nutritious choices than refined carbs from bakery goods and candies.
What percentage of my diet should be made up of carbs?
While its ok for serious athletes to estimate carb needs at around 45-55% of total calories, it's far more precise to determine your needs based on how much you weigh. Use this chart for reference and remember that 1 gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories.
Exercise Intensity Recommended Daily Carbohydrate intake
Low 1.5-2.5 grams per lb of body weight
Moderate (~1 hr/day) 2.3-3.2 g/lb
Endurance (1-3 hrs/day) 2.5-4.5 g/lb
High Endurance (>4-5 hrs/day) 3.5-5.5 g/lb
Does eating a lot of carbohydrates make you store more fuel in muscles?
Yes! Nutrition regimens with the right amount of carbs help your body adapt to storing more muscle glycogen. It's like being able to increase the size of your car's gas tank.
If I'm trying to lose weight, should I avoid sports drinks?
This question is a little more complicated than it seems. The rule of thumb is to use a sports drink when you train intensely for more than an hour. If the workouts are less than an hour then usually plain water is fine for hydration. It's when you pass that 60 min mark that the sports drink is useful to help replace electrolytes lost in sweat and give you a boost of blood sugar to ward off fatigue.
If you are a recreational athlete then you can probably get away with just hydrating with water if you're less than concerned about achieving peak training performance. However if you're seriously training for a competition then I suggest using a sports drink for those lengthy endurance sessions that are longer than an hour. You can still lose weight if you plan your daily calories wisely and factor in the sports drink as you would a snack.
What's the best sports drink?
Different people have different preferences in taste so the first thing is to find a brand that you like the taste of. If you hate the flavor odds are you wont want to drink it. The ideal sports beverage has the following per 8 oz. serving size
- 50-80 calories
- About 110-220 mg of sodium
- About 30 mg potassium
The body is much better at conserving potassium than sodium, which is why the sodium content of a sports drink is a little higher than the potassium.
PR Cole is an accredited Registered Dietitian (RD) with the American Dietetic Association. She holds a masters degree from Columbia University in nutrition and applied physiology. Cole is the founder of Fuel the Fighter LLC and is the nutritionist at the TapouT Training Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Follow her on Twitter @FueltheFighter.
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welcome!
it’s always an honor to have an actual professional with MMA expertise come to post at our humble Fan blog.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
Your chart of Exercise Intensity and Recommended Daily Carbohydrate intake confuses me. I don’t think of exercise intensity in terms of duration. Couldn’t someone exercise at low intensity for five hours, or “high endurance” intensity for one hour? Your chart seems to indicate that if I do Crossfit for thirty minutes a day, I need 1.5-2.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight, but if I walk at a moderate pace for five hours I need 3.5-5.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. This seems backwards.
Cole tells me she'll be responding to questions later on tonight
so come back to see her drop some science.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
She means frequency
Frequency = how often?
Intensity = how many reps, how fast, how high? etc.
Time= how long do you do it?
Type= what are you doing?
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
I take that back
I’m not sure, but it seems like intensity and time are kinda overlapped.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Chocolate Milk
Mrs Cole,
What is your take on Chocolate Milk? Ive been reading more and more that its an excellent replenishment drink due to the carb/protein ratio that it carries.
This
Chocolate milk is great post-workout, gives you the simple carbs and protein your body needs. However I think throwing in some whey (given how quickly it is absorbed) is a good idea.
The importance of eating or having a post-workout shake cannot be understated IMO.
"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
- Baruch Spinoza
Chocolate Whey + milk tastes very similar to chocolate milk. The recent studies show that there’s really no difference between the two as far as the benefits go; protein powder has a bunch of extra vitamins and proteins and whatnot that the body doesn’t even absorb.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 18, 2011 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Interesting point. Not to be obnoxious, but do you have any particular study in mind? The supplement landscape seems to shift on an almost daily basis. It seems like every other day something that was supposed to be the next big thing is shown to be next to worthless (e.g. conflicting accounts regarding N.O. boosters).
"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
- Baruch Spinoza
Supplement industry
is just way too unreliable anyways. There are certain things that I think do work and can be good… protein powder can be a relatively cheap way to grab breakfast and get some protein, carbs, and vitamins on the go, but in general whatever is the closest to it’s natural state is what’s healthiest.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 18, 2011 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Its true
The body doesn’t really use powdered protein all that well, not compared to things like buffalo.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
I remember reading about Dwight Freeney (DE Colts) who only eats buffalo (seasoned with sea salt), pinto beans, and grapes. That’s it, and he swears by it.
"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
- Baruch Spinoza
Bison is the gold standard
of muscle building protein.
Check out the glycemic index. I would post more but I gotta run.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Sounds good,
except he should actually go for iodized salt. Your body needs iodine, and sea salt has none.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 19, 2011 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Tell that to Dwight :P
Its just part of his diet but its the biggest part. He eats them with each meal.
Iodine was put in salt because people were getting sick from not having any. They also didn’t have a complete diet. Today its not really an issue as long as you’re eating right. I haven’t bought iodized salt once in my adult life and seem to be doing okay. :)
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
If you drink milk
then you’re probably fine. I just meant that if all he was eating was Buffalo, grapes, and beans, then he probably wasn’t getting most of the vitamins he needed. Iodized salt would’ve at least taken care of that.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 19, 2011 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions
The body only absorbs about 30 grams of protein after a work out
2 cups of milk has 16 grams. I recommend at least 2 cups first thing in the morning and 3-4 cups post work out. A small steak(about 4oz) or a chicken breast with some fruit is a great post work out meal.
This is, of course, if your trying to gain size.
The whey isn’t really useful if your eating right. Natural protein in meat or dairy is so much better.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
It's my understanding that the new proteins on the market can be absorbed in higher "dosages".
I’ve been trying to get bigger for the last 3 years. I workout with a trainer 4 days a week and do cardio 2 more. I saw great results when i started taking protein shakes and glutamine. I am 6’2 205lbs. and for my size would need to eat a whole lot of chicken breasts or fish in order to get the amount of protein I need to get bigger. I take 25 grams prior to workout, 45 post with a carb, usually oatmeal or a bowl of berries. Again, I’ve been told and read that with my shake I need to add some carbs. Many quality protein shakes are 0 carbs and will ingest much better with a carb. My diet is generally low carb but super high protein and I have found it works well for me. Normal meal is 2 eggs, coffee and one slice of whole wheat toast and 25 grams of protein via shake, then 45 gram post workout shake with carb, lunch is a couple of chicken breasts or fish fillets with a small amount of whole wheat rice and a salad, mid afternoon shake 35 grams then dinner which is usually same as lunch and casein shake prior to bedtime of 25 grams of protein. This works for me. Genetically gifted can probably get away without the shakes but….. Sorry for the long post.
by Fedornuthugger on May 18, 2011 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions
4 times a week? I could use a client like you :)
People don’t need as much protein as we think. The recommendation for any strength training athlete is about 150 grams a day. IMO, 1.5 grams per lb is plenty.
A 6 oz chicken breast is about 45-50 grams. You’d need a few. I can see how that gets tiring. Beef is really the way to go for you, IMO. You don’t eat it?
If you can snack on nuts and jerky and sneak in a few cups of milk you would probably do just fine with no shakes(or even better with them).
I haven’t done an assessment and I don’t watch you train, but I’m pretty sure you can relax a bit on the carb restriction. If you’re working hard and already have muscle, more readily available fuel won’t hurt you.
Congratulations on the gains you’ve achieved. Its not easy to stay dedicated. You know what works for you and you do it, that’s what counts.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
At 1.5 grams per pound I would need about 300 grams a day which is in line with what I've heard and read.
I usually do chicken or fish because it’s less fat than beef. Nuts are loaded with fat—-I know, it’s the good fat. I used to dig into the cashews but they hung around the midsection so I stopped. Yes, jerky is high in protein and tasty but super high in sodium. The protein shakes give me tons of protein for few calories and are loaded with glutamine, amino acids and vitamins. I bust my as at the gym, eat well, sleep enough but gains are hard to come by. My wife always tells me that I’m big and that I need to stop comparing myself to UFC guys. But what can I say.
by Fedornuthugger on May 18, 2011 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions
You may need more fat or carbs
Without assessing you I have no way of knowing, but I’m guessing you are a lean dude. If you’re working hard, eating right and sleeping well but not getting gains its likely you’re not eating enough calories.
A lot of body builders use the 30-30-30 model. 30% of you calories from each group(carbs, proteins, fats). I know you’re concerned with getting fat, but if you’re pushing it on the gym the calories will be burned.
Seems like you can afford some healthier choices than most. Try bison, its lean, nutritious and super tasty. Natural jerky is a great choice, too. Almonds, my friend. 15 grams of protein, 7 grams of fat.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Thanks, I'm willing to try. I'm living in Panama right now so "exotic" meats are impossible to get.
Yes, I am lean but have a small belly and thin legs. Recently upped my cardio and have started hitting the legs harder. We will see. Right now it’s a priority so I figure my chances are good. Really enjoyed this article and the posts—much appreciated!
by Fedornuthugger on May 18, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Crazy fact
Marius Pudzianowski eats almost a dozen eggs for breakfast.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
True enough, I just find the whey to be a good bit cheaper/ more convenient. I use less milk and toss some powder in there with some honey. Maybe old habits die hard, but whey is just pretty convenient for me.
"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
- Baruch Spinoza
Can you point to any studies to validate this?
The 30 grams of protein thing has been floating around as bodybuilding truth since the 80s. yet I’ve never seen a study to back it up. Is it really anything other than a myth used mostly to sell people on buying protein powders?
It sure seems like the human body has evolved to be highly inefficient if that’s the best it can do.
I'm a trainer, not a scientist. :)
I only know what I read in text books, learned from my instructor(a PHD in physiology), read in a reputable magazine(like fitness journal) or learned from a better trainer than myself.
I never read about the 30 gram absorption in relation to protein powders so I doubt its a scam.
It has to do with the way the body metabolizes after a workout. Lifting weights causes an increase in protein synthesis, a vital process that builds/rebuilds the body. As you can imagine, this would create an immediate need for complete proteins.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Tom Venuto
Some people think that the 30 grams of protein “rule” was started by protein supplement company marketing because thats the amount of protein they put into each serving of their product. However, looking at these examples, you can see that 30-35 grams of protein per meal is pretty close to the average amount that’s consumed on a typical bodybuilding diet. My belief is that this is where the 30-gram “rule” came from – it’s simply an average figure. But just because the “average” comes out to around 30 grams per meal, doesn’t mean that 30 grams is the most that you can digest.
http://www.tomvenuto.com/asktom/protein_grams_per_meal.shtml
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Milk by itself is the way to go
Its got the calories, the fat, the protein and the calcium. The chocolate syrup isn’t helping.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
My main post workout shake
is just milk, a bananna, and peanut or almond butter. Maybe some honey. All that fancy shit is just for show, your body absorbs nutrients much better from real food.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 18, 2011 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Perfect meal
Dead on, Eliot. People shouldn’t need vitamins or supplements if they’re eating right.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Funny thing is
I remember hearing a while back that the pipe systems of people who take daily multivitamins are significantly clogged up. Meaning that all we do is piss that shit out a few hours later after taking them.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 18, 2011 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes indeed
The body flushes what it doesn’t need right out. Same reason drinking pee doesn’t really do anything. If it was useful the body wouldn’t have excreted it.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Yeah,
people who drink their own piss might as well just take a multivitamin and an antihistamine, it accomplishes the same exact thing.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 18, 2011 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Add all that stuff to some oatmeal and you will have a bowl of wonderfulness!!
I have it sometimes and love it. It will fill you up for hours.
by Fedornuthugger on May 18, 2011 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Oatmeal is good,
so long as it’s steel cut and unprocessed. The instant oatmeal actually makes you hungrier.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 19, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
As an aside, I’d be interested if Cole would weigh in on the “powder v. whole food” debate (to characterize it crudely). I’ve read so much conflicting stuff about this over the past few months that I’m starting to believe no one, including myself, actually knows what the hell is going on.
"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
- Baruch Spinoza
Chocolate Milk
I’m of two minds about the chocolate milk for recovery issue. If someone has no issue with keeping a healthy weight, then by all means you can drink it after a workout for a recovery. It may be a problem for people who are trying to lose weight and/or control appetite. Some people find it better to stay on track if they stay away from very sweet tasting foods and beverages otherwise it may cause them to have cravings. Also a chocolate milk after a workout may work well for recovery, but its not very filling. If someone works out and then has a big frosty glass of milk then is hungry for dinner an hour later you can see how it can become challenging to create a calorie deficit. For people who have problems losing weight we plan for recovery strategies that will be more satiating and just as effective.
PR Cole MS, RD
www.FueltheFighter.com
Twitter.com/FueltheFighter
www.Facebook.com/FueltheFighter
Very interesting! Nice to see this less commonly discussed aspect of mma as front page material. Regarding the carb diet percentage chart: don’t very big men require more fuel/kilo, making it a bit insufficient of a chart…?
The chart is based on weight
and it varies from person to person. A 130lb marathon runner needs a lot more carbs than a 300lb bus driver.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
But it’s not based on weight, it’s based on level of exercise. It just says to adjust intake per pound, but if big men require more energy relative to their body weight, then they need more carbs PER KILO for the same level of workout, making it a bit oversimplified.
It is based on weight
and I’m not sure where you’re getting this info.
Why exactly do big(I assume you mean muscular) mean need more carbs in proportion to smaller people?
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Its less of a question and more of a statement
It also seems like a very incorrect one. That’s probably why she didn’t respond.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
LOL
Don’t know where I’ve heard it. It is a question, hence the question mark. What it “seems” like to you is not very relevant, what would be relevant is if you knew for a fact one way or the other.
If someone could give the facts on this, it would be appreciated.
Hey now
I’m not trying to be rude, I could have just said “that makes absolutely no sense”.
I’m not sure what you mean by ‘big’. Muscular, fat, tall, etc.
Carb intake is more dependent on activity level than size. A 135lbs marathon runner would need far more carbs than a 300lb bus driver. If the activity levels were equal(which is hard to fathom), the 300lb person would still not need anymore calories or carbs per pound in proportion to the 135lb person. In fact, he probably need significantly less seeing as his body is full of unused energy.
If we are talking about a muscular person, its basically the same thing. With the exception that a muscular person will naturally burn more calories and therefore will need to replace more.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
By big I mean large mass, in particular lean mass. I don’t know where he heard it, but a friend told me it’s so, pointing out that movie monsters the size of King Kong are theoretically impossible because of this fact. An extreme perspective of it, but the theory is the same.
Its all about activity level
Check out the diets for Strongmen competitors. Most of these guys are eating 10,000+ calories a day.
Unlike many bodybuilders, Pudzianowski is surprisingly liberal with his diet and is often seen tucking into chocolate, ice cream or burgers.2324 On one of the World Stongman events shown on TV, as well as in an interview for MTV, Mariusz when asked about diet said: “I eat everything. I do not follow any particular diet. I eat anything I want, anytime I want”.25
My energy comes from my diet. Breakfast is 10 eggs and two to three pounds of bacon. Between meals, I eat lots of candy. In the morning, it will be several 3 Musketeers and/or Snickers bars; I need them for energy. Lunch, at 1 or 2 PM, is a double meal of a Polish pork chop, sauerkraut and potatoes. An hour later, I work out, then take lots of supplements: magnesium, creatine, amino acids, all that stuff, and more chocolate. Dinner is whatever meat I can grab—steaks, pork chops, bacon—plus more sauerkraut and potatoes. At 9 or 10 PM, I work out again. Afterward, I have a protein shake and more chocolate. At 3 or 4 AM, I wake up and have more chocolate, then go back to sleep until morning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariusz_Pudzianowski#Strongman_Diet
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
“Most of these guys are eating 10,000+ calories a day.” Well, hmmm, I’m not sure if you’re saying this refutes my x² statement. 10,000+ sounds more like it’s quite plausible.
A point about his diet, or lack thereof, is that it seems brim full of fat. Interesting.
Only because of their insane activity level
do they need to eat so much.
I’m not refuting you’re idea but it isn’t really relevant for 99.999% of the population who isn’t a lean 300lb strength athlete.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
The point about a question vs a statement
don’t very big men require more fuel/kilo, making it a bit insufficient of a chart…?
The wording is as if you know the answer. The last part was completely unnecessary if you’re asking a question.
Isn’t this true, so aren’t you wrong?
See how that doesn’t read like a question?
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Very nice!
I’ve been wondering this a lot myself lately, as I’ve started working out more and would really like to get my diet right.
Thanks for the contribution, more posts will be very much appreciated
Cole's twitter is fantastic
Lots of really neat recipes and general knowledge bombs being dropped. If any of this interests you even slightly you really should follow her Twitter account.
by ihateemo on May 18, 2011 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
Love to see her posting over here, too.
I write about basketball players with Ridiculous Upside. I know you'll love it.
by Scott Schroeder on May 18, 2011 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for posting
This is really interesting stuff. Given how incredibly important nutrition is to MMA in general I hope to see more posts from you in the future.
"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
- Baruch Spinoza
Great article Cole thanks
I’ve always maintained the importance of good carbohydrates as necessary for sports performances.
What I would like to know is how a fighter could approach ‘carb loading’ prior to a fight as I imagine it’d be different to athletes preparing for a competition that doesn’t involve a weigh-cut. Also your opinion on carb-loading as a sports performances strategy as my knowledge on it is from over 10 years ago.
Thank you for the kind words….carb loading and weight cutting don’t always mix well as you can imagine. In order to max out glycogen stores in the muscles eating a higher carbohydrate diet in the days leading up to competition is a good idea. However this may cause some issues with water retention. The good news is that you dont have to necessarily eat a higher carb diet for a long time to see some good results in glycogen stores. Even eating a higher carb meal the night before a competition can help, even though stores may not be fully maxed out. So usually the athletes go lower carb leading up to a weight cut and then we plan out a series of smaller meals eaten in intervals after the weigh in to max out glycogen stores and promote an optimized and sustained insulin response for recovery.
PR Cole MS, RD
www.FueltheFighter.com
Twitter.com/FueltheFighter
www.Facebook.com/FueltheFighter
by PR Cole on May 19, 2011 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Very interesting,
I hadn’t even considered that. Thanks for the info.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 19, 2011 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Her math is off
Based on the recommended carbs for just 1 hour of exercise. If you use the middle of her range, a 200 lbs man would need to consume 2240 calories in carbs alone (200×2.8×4).
Since maintenance for a 200 lbs man is around 2800-3200 calories/day, that leaves about 1000 calories for fat and protein at the most. That gives you a breakdown of about 70% carbs and 30% for fat/rprotein, which is way more carbs than she recommends for even serious athletes.
Nothing is set in stone
Dietitians and nutritionists often have very different thoughts on the same subject.
Everyone is very different in their caloric needs as well. It takes at least 3,500 calories a day for me to gain any weight at all. I’m only 160lbs.
A 200lb trained athlete would probably need 4,000-4,500 calories in order to maintain his weight.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Me and carbs
I was about 6’3 and 270 lbs when I was 15, and I did the Atkins induction phase (>20g of carbs per day) for six weeks. Luckily, my kidneys didn’t shut down, but I did lose 50 lbs in that month and a half, and have gone from 220 then to 185 today. That diet catches a lot of flack when, for me, it kicked my metabolism square in the ass.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Editor, HeadKickLegend.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on May 18, 2011 7:11 PM EDT reply actions
Well they say the weight loss is due to the body losing stored water, and once you’ve shed so much water it stops being effective, so did you feel like you hit a “bottom level”, where you couldn’t lose any more weight with that diet?
No
I was just genuinely afraid of my organs getting screwed up at that point. Ketosis did what it needed to do.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Editor, HeadKickLegend.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on May 20, 2011 3:21 AM EDT up reply actions
This is a really informative post, but I have to say I initially read "crabs."
And then God created Saturn ... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it. ... Always a ninja
SaberCats Examiner | SB Nation Bay Area | Niners Nation | Twitter
I question the "conventional" wisdom about carbs and exercise
While glucose is A fuel, it is not the only fuel source used by the body and even when restricting carbohydrate intake, what glucose is needed can be metabolized from fat and amino acids.
Granted, participation in long duration moderate intensity exercise (above 70% VO2max for 30 minutes or more) like that of the average fighter demands a certain amount of additional carbohydrate, starchy vegetables like yams, sweet potatoes, some varieties of squash, fruit, and honey/maple syrup would be better choices than
“Carbs from whole grains… and legumes”.
Saying that they “are more nutritious choices than refined carbs from bakery goods and candies” disregards the fact that inflammatory proteins (gluten), anti-nutrients (phytates) and the gut-destroying chemicals (lectins) found in these foods can still wreck havoc on your health.
Train Hard Fight Easy had a whole spread this past month on the very subject…http://www.fitnessinanevolutionarydirection.com/2011/05/new-fighters-only-magazine-train-hard.html
"You go to hell! You go to hell and you DIE!!"
Pasta and breads
aren’t that great for you, you’re right. Minimally processed varieties of beans and rice are good sources of carbs though, and don’t contain the crap that you mentioned.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 18, 2011 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions
The sweet potato
is the most nutritious vegetable in the glycemic index.
that and brown rice, like you said Eliot, is the way to go.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
There is much disagreement among nutrition professionals with regards to how compounds like gluten and phytates actually effect the body. I attended a series of amazing conferences on gluten at Columbia Med school last year on the subject….the research just keeps on pouring out. From all the reputable research I’ve read and from some intense discussions with my grad school professors it seems that gluten should be avoided by people who a) suffer from celiac disease (these people test positive for the antibodies) and b) people who are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant (these people may or may not test positive for antibodies) but they get sick from eating it. For the rest of us who dont get ill from eating gluten, there isn’t a need to avoid it. Of course that’s just based on the current research and my opinion of it….different dietitians will tell you different opinions and the research just keeps on coming out which can make it frustrating for everyone :)
PR Cole MS, RD
www.FueltheFighter.com
Twitter.com/FueltheFighter
www.Facebook.com/FueltheFighter
Dr. Cole-
how do you feel about the Paleo/ Anabolic diet? I have a friend who swears by it, and I understand the whole “raw foods” revolution.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 19, 2011 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions
There are some benefits to the diet since it focuses on many natural foods, but I’ve had clients who take it to the extreme and indulge in far too much protein and not enough carbohydrates. In the paleo era..think about how hard protein was to come by…you’d have to exert tons of energy to hunt something (no domesticated animals) and then you’d feast, but no refrigerator so you couldnt save any for the next meal, you’d have to try to hunt again and it may or may not be successful. Too much of any macronutrient isnt a good thing. Your body can’t metabolize the nitrogen in protein, so you excrete it out in urine. If protein makes up the bulk of your total calories, your workouts and energy levels may feel sluggish and you end up working your kidneys more than they were meant to work because of the nitrogen excretion. Serious athletes in particular may see weight loss from a paleo diet…but without enough carbs in the diet they likely wont live up to full athletic potential.
PR Cole MS, RD
www.FueltheFighter.com
Twitter.com/FueltheFighter
www.Facebook.com/FueltheFighter
I figured as much.
I guess the old saying holds true- all in moderation.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 19, 2011 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I eat healthy and don't have any problems with any type of food.
My wife is into crossfit and they try to convince her to try the Palio diet. Essentially high protein with vegetables and fruits. They avoid dairy products and all types of beans. Please provide your thoughts.
by Fedornuthugger on May 19, 2011 11:50 AM EDT reply actions
Excluding dairy is a sensitive subject…many people lose the ability to tolerate lactose as adults so they are wise to stay away from dairy as it may hurt their stomach and overall digestion. Another reason to be cautious of dairy is the fact that many cows are treated with hormones/antibiotics and those can contaminate the milk. My take on it is that if you can afford to buy organic dairy products from a reputable company and your stomach doesnt take issue with it then its fine to have some in your diet. I’m a big fan of nonfat Greek style yogurt since it offers quality protein and probiotics….I just make sure that I’m selective of the brands I buy. I dont see any problem with most people keeping beans in their diet. They are rich in a number of nutrients like iron and fiber. Beans are also a great way to keep the balance of plant vs. animal based proteins. There is some evidence that focusing too much on animal based protein may harm bone health in the long term because it may be metabolized to an acidic precursor. Of course you’ll find research that says the opposite but I’ve found much of what’s out there compelling enough to support a balance of both kinds of protein in the diet.
PR Cole MS, RD
www.FueltheFighter.com
Twitter.com/FueltheFighter
www.Facebook.com/FueltheFighter
Great thanks. What Greek Yogurt do you recommend? I usually have some as a mid afternoon snack with berries and honey.
Thoroughly enjoyed the article, please write more. If you haven’t read Tom Venuto I recommend it.
by Fedornuthugger on May 19, 2011 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks Cole!
So glad to see my favorite nutritionist working with my favorite MMA site! Hope to see more! By the way, still working on season 1 of Spartacus. I graduate this week and will have all the time I want to finish it off soon :)
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