January 23, 2006
Losing weight can harm female's health, performance
After collapsing at the end of two marathons and struggling to swim just a single length of the pool, Olympic hopeful Jacqueline Mariash knew she needed some help. She got it from an unexpected source: a registered dietitian.
The 25-year-old Mariash has been a runner for nearly as long as she can remember, and began competing in triathlons in 1998. Like many female athletes, she strictly limited her food - dipping as low as 800 calories a day - to improve her performance by losing weight. But her results were just the opposite.
"I used to wake up really tired," she said. "I used to take a lot of time off training because I was so exhausted."
Last summer, Mariash tried nutritional counseling. After about a month of sessions with dietitian Nancy Pudwill, the athlete said her energy levels soared and her performance improved. Weight loss was no longer her primary goal.
"In high school track, we all starved. That's not how you get to the Olympics," she said. "Now I can train harder, farther. Things I was afraid of, like a four-hour bike ride, are easy now."
If discipline is required for training, she says, why not for nutrition, too? For Mariash, the solution was to eat a lot more calories in three balanced meals plus several healthy snacks. Before she began working with Pudwill, Mariash usually had cereal for breakfast and would then "basically nibble" all day - crackers here, juice there - with one balanced meal at night. Now she has a full breakfast with eggs or other protein, a decent lunch, healthy snacks and an energy drink, plus a complete, balanced dinner.
Mariash is one of many athletes who have learned that thinner doesn't always mean faster or stronger, and that fitness and conditioning don't work well without proper nutrition. Athletes and coaches have increasingly turned to dietitians and nutrition counselors for such help, said Philip Haberstro of the National Association for Health and Fitness in Buffalo, N.Y.
About a year ago, Pudwill and several sports medicine doctors and therapists at the University of Colorado opened the Active Women's Health program after realizing many female athletes didn't understand how to meet their body's nutritional needs. Adding to the challenge is society's pressure to lose weight, Pudwill says.
"What happens with females is they don't realize how much it takes to fuel their body to do the kind of activity they're doing," she said. "Sometimes, typical of females, they're not eating enough."
Some problems don't always clearly point to nutrition - stress fractures, low energy, anemia. But all can be signs of too few calories and a shortage of minerals like calcium and iron, said Suzanne Farrell, a Denver-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Unlike men, women athletes often resist advice to eat more, Farrell said.
"I had to stop reading magazines like Shape and InStyle," said Mariash, who agreed it was hard to gain weight. "All the magazines talk about is losing 10 pounds or shaving inches from your waist. For me, it's how do I get fast."
Mariash said many athletes and coaches don't pay enough attention to nutrition as part of their training regimen. Simple changes in diet, including a different ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fat, can bring rapid results, Pudwill said. She said she usually steers clients clear of supplements.
Mariash keeps a diary of the foods she eats and her energy levels through the day. During her weekly visits with Pudwill, they review the diary, check her weight and discuss any needed changes.
"I'm really concentrating on getting lean, but doing it the correct way," she said.
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November 30, 2005
Quote of the Day
Mariash is one of many athletes who have learned that thinner doesn't always mean faster or stronger, and that fitness and conditioning don't work well without proper nutrition. Athletes and coaches have increasingly turned to dietitians and nutrition counselors for such help, said Philip Haberstro of the National Association for Health and Fitness in Buffalo, New York. Read more.
Posted by Lisa at 08:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 08, 2005
NFL's BIG Night.
How BIG do linemen have to be to compete? Are these 300+ men physically fit enough to play a professional sport? Is their weight really an advantage?
Culpepper Weighs In (Orlando Sentinel)
Most people remember Brad Culpepper as Warren Sapp's sidekick on Tampa Bay's defensive line. He was 280 pounds of beef and bravado. These days he's a lawyer for Morgan and Morgan. Culpepper, 36, who retired from the NFL four years ago after a stint with the Bears, has dropped 80 pounds through a strict diet and lots of exercise. And he thinks others in the NFL should take notice. "It's not how much money you make," he said. "It's who lives the longest. . . . These are grown men. If they want to retire and weigh 400 pounds, that's their choice. Roll over and be dead. But I think it's sad." Fifteen years ago, 39 NFL players exceeded 300 pounds. At the start of training camps this year, there were 552.
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July 25, 2005
Eat to run.
Eating to run is different than running to eat. When you eat to run, you are supplying your muscles with the well-needed nutrients you’ll need during your training session. When you run to eat you’re trying to play catch-up from the double scoop ice cream sundae you enjoyed the night before. When training for a race, it’s important to eat a balanced diet everyday and not expect to do well by loading up on carbs the night before a race. Carbohydrates are you’re body’s quickest energy source. They’re stored as glycogen within the trained muscle for easy access. Deplete your carbohydrate stores and you’re likely to slow down or even have to stop. Whole grain foods like oatmeal, whole wheat bread, cereal, pasta and brown rice are great choices to build up your glycogen stores. Balance out your intake by including 5-9 fruits and vegetables, 3 sources of dairy (like lowfat or skim milk, low fat yogurt or lowfat cheese), protein from lean meats like chicken breast, sirloin, pork tenderloin and lean ground beef as well as eggs or egg whites, peanut butter, legumes or soybean products and include healthy fats like olive or canola oil, avocado and nuts. Eat this way everyday and you’re likely to build up a solid foundation that won’t let you run on empty.
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July 22, 2005
Burgers and fries don't cut it for American Tour rider
Sal Ruibal wrote:
MENDE, France — For riders in the Tour, food is fuel for the next stage. American Chris Horner found out the hard way that McFuel may not be the high-octane boost he was looking for.
On Monday's rest day in Pau, Horner treated himself to a Big Mac, a hamburger, fries, a large Coke and a McFlurry.
That meal and another hamburger at the faux-Western Buffalo Grille gave Horner a bit of an upset stomach and temporarily derailed his plans for a stage win.
He finished 121st in Thursday's stage, more than 21 minutes behind the winner.
For Saturday's meal before the time trial, Lance Armstrong won't be sitting down to a Big Mac, but his meal will be super-sized.
"Lance will eat his last big, carbohydrate-rich meal three hours before the time trial," says longtime coach and nutritionist Chris Carmichael. "The goal is to start the race feeling light and energetic, not full and lethargic."
That meal likely will include pasta with olive oil, some whole grain bread, salad and fruit. Over the next few hours, Armstrong will have a PowerBar, some sports drink and maybe a piece of fruit before warming up an hour before his start.
The coach recently authored Chris Carmichael's Fitness Cookbook that shows everyday athletes how to eat like Lance — but in smaller portions.
"While he's warming up, he'll drink more fluid and he'll grab a PowerGel about 15 minutes before he rolls down the start ramp," Carmichael added.
Remember: Roll down the start ramp, not to the drive-up window.
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