Fuel Up with Food To Recover: Pre/During Workout

Our Fuel Up with Food To Recover Challenge continued this week! Participants learned about pre/during workout fuel, and made homemade workout fuel. The challenge will finish up next week, where we will be discussing post-workout nutrition.

Pre-Workout:

Goals: Avoid Hunger, Delay Fatigue, Minimize GI Distress, and Be Hydrated

Think of Pre-Workout as Topping off the Gas Tank

·     A bigger meal is best 3-4 hours before 

·     If eating 1-2 hours before, have a snack or small meal

·     Meal or snack should contain carbohydrates with low(er) fiber, moderate protein, and low fat

Examples:

·     Yogurt with granola and fruit

·     A slice of toast with peanut butter and banana

·     Oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts

·     Breakfast sandwich 

·     Granola bar

Experiment to find what foods work for you! 

During Workout:

Goals: Maintain Energy and Maintain Hydration

60 minutes or Less: Water Only (extreme heat or humidity may be exceptions)

Over 60 minutes: Water, Electrolytes, and Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate Needs for Events 2+ hours:

·     Your muscles store energy (glycogen) that it uses during workouts

o  When you deplete muscle glycogen in endurance events, you become fatigued and may experience “the wall”

o  Consuming 30-60g/carbohydrate per hour will help to delay fatigue 

§ Average energy gel has 20-25g/carbohydrate and average sports drink has 35g per bottle

§ You can alternate your carbohydrate sources between foods and beverages, but you DO NOT want to consume them at the same time

·     If you take in food, always wash it down with water

Examples:

Sports drinks

Energy gels

Energy blocks

Homemade fuel

Recipes for Homemade Fuel:

Energy Squeeze

½ cup mashed sweet potato

1/3 cup dates, finely chopped

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tsp chia seeds

1/8 tsp sea salt

1.    In a small bowl, combine sweet potato, dates, peanut butter, 2 tbsp water, chia seeds, and salt. Stir until well mashed.

2.    Divide among 3 snack size resealable bags. 

3.    Store leftovers in fridge for up to 5 days.

PB&J Rice Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked sticky rice

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup fruit preserves (or your favorite sweetener)

1.    Combine rice, water, and a dash of salt in a rice cooker and let cook.

2.    When the rice is finished cooking, spread half of it onto a 9 x 12 baking pan, using a spatula to gently press rice into the pan.

3.    Use a rubber spatula to evenly spread the peanut butter over the rice, then place several dollops of preserves evenly atop the peanut butter. (When you add the top layer of rice, the jam will spread).

4.    Finish by gently pressing the remaining rice over the top.

Cherry Chocolate Sticky Bite (replace energy blocks)

1 cup uncooked sticky rice (or pasta)

1 ½ cups water

2 tbsp cream cheese

2 tbsp cherry preserves

¼ tsp vanilla extract 

Fold In:

¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Top With:

½ tsp coarse sea salt

1.    Cook the rice or pasta and let cool to the touch. (to keep your bites sticky, cook pasta until al dente and don’t add oil after draining the water)

2.    In a small food processer, combine the rice or pasta and the sticky and wet ingredients. Pulse until you have a coarse, sticky mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl.

3.    Fold in the chocolate chips. Sprinkle with topping.

4.    Press into an airtight container or wrap up in individual shapes.

Lemon Lime Energy Gel

4 dried, pitted dates

½ cup maple syrup or honey

Juice from 1 lemon or lime

1 pinch salt

2 tsp chia seeds

Put all ingredients, except chia seeds, in food processor or blender until smooth. Taste, adjust as necessary, and stir in chia seeds.

Snack of the Week Recipe:

Chocolate Granola

·       3 cups rolled oats

·       1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

·       3 Tbsp hemp hearts

·       2 Tbsp chia seeds

·       1/2 cup sunflower seeds

·       1 cup chopped almonds

·       3 Tbsp cocoa powder

·       1/2 cup honey

·       1/4 c coconut oil (measured when solid)

·       1 cup chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1.    Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.    In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.

3.    In a separate microwave-safe bowl, combine the honey and coconut oil and microwave 30-45 seconds.

4.    Stir in cocoa powder and mix well.

5.    Pour over oat mixture and stir until well coated.

6.    Pour granola onto lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10.

7.    Remove from oven and let cool.

8.    Mix in the chocolate chips when almost cool if you want them to melt a bit, or wait until completely cooled before adding them.

Nutrition Tip of the Week: Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, healthy fats, and many important nutrients. Walnuts, flax seed, and hemp seed are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote brain health and can decrease inflammation in the body. They are an easy snack that you can take with you on-the-go too. The granola above is packed with nuts and seeds! You can eat it plain, or put it on top of Greek yogurt for extra protein. Try incorporating more nuts and seeds into your daily routine!

Fuel Up with Food To Recover: Hydration

We kicked off Week 1 of the Fuel Up with Food To Recover Challenge this week! This is a 3 week challenge with a different sports nutrition topic each week. This week, the topic was hydration. We talked about the importance of hydration, how to tell if you are hydrated, when drinking a sports drink is needed, and then we made our own sports drinks. If you were not able to attend, see below for helpful information and the sports drink recipes!

Why is Hydration Important?

50-60% of your body weight is water! Water is very important for the body to function properly. Water is needed for chemical reactions in the body, moving nutrients and waste through the body, and regulating body temperature. Muscles and blood are also 75-80% water. You can see why being hydrated is important for athletic performance, too.

Fluid Goals

Goal is Balance: Fluid In = Fluid Out

Fluid In = Food and Beverages

Fluid Out = Urine, Sweat, Breathing

Average Fluid Losses Per Day: 2-2.5 liters (~65-85 ounces)

During exercise, you want to replace the fluid you are losing:

Before Long Runs/Workouts: Hydrate Before You Start

     -2-3 cups of water 2-3 hours before activity

     -1 cup of water 1 hour before activity

During: Try to Estimate Your Sweat Rate and Replace What You Are Losing

·     Average needs: ~2 cups per hour

·     Try to take a few gulps every 15-20 minutes

·     Drink 1-2 cups at aid stations during long races

Post: Drink Immediately After and Throughout the Day

*Fluid needs are highly individualized! These recommendations are just averages. It is important to monitor your body, watch for signs of dehydration, and find what works for you!

Dehydration

   When you don’t replace the fluid that you lose:

·     Your blood becomes too thick

·     Your cells shrink 

·     Your heart rate raises

·     You lose your ability to regulate body temperature

Just a 2% decrease in weight can hurt athletic performance

Signs of Dehydration:

·     Confusion

·     Fatigue

·     Muscle weakness

·     Nausea or vomiting

Monitoring Hydration

• You can weigh yourself before and after a workout (if this causes any type of anxiety, do not do this)
• For every pound lost, drink 2-3 cups of water
• Example: If you lost 2 pounds, drink 4-6 cups (32-48 oz) of water
• Monitor your thirst
• Check urine color and compare it to the chart below

Sports Drinks

• Contain fluid, electrolytes, and carbohydrates to replace what you are losing during long workouts
• Not an everyday drink
• Only may be needed in endurance events lasting longer than 1 hour (exceptions may be when exercising in very hot or humid conditions for a shorter time)

Hydration Drink Recipes

Homemade Gatorade

1 1/2 cups 100% pure coconut water

1/2 cup 100% fruit juice

1 tbsp honey

1/8 tsp sea salt

2 cups water

1-2 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice

Combine all ingredients, mix, and enjoy!

Warrior Drink (post-workout drink)

1 cup coconut water

1 cup tart cherry juice

1 cup filtered water

Juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp chia seeds

1.    In a quart size jar or pitcher, combine the coconut water, cherry juice, lime juice, chia seeds, and salt. Seal tightly with the lid and shake to combine. 

2.    Chill for 15 minutes or linger in the fridge to allow the chia seeds to gel. Shake again just before drinking.

Shalane’s Natural Sports Drink

*from cookbook Run Fast Cook Fast Eat Slow

2 cups water

2 cups coconut water

½ cup tart cherry juice

2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp blackstrap molasses

¼ tsp sea salt

1.    In a large pitcher, combine the water, coconut water, tart cherry juice, lemon juice, molasses, and salt. Shake vigorously to combine. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Maple Sports Drink

*Developed by Nancy Clark, RD

3 ¾ cup cold water

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together. Shake well and enjoy!

Runner’s Kool Aid

1 packet unsweetened kool aid

½ cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt substitute (containing potassium and chloride- Mortin’s Lite Salt)

2 quarts water (8 cups)

Pour ingredients into a pitcher. Shake vigorously and enjoy!

*The favorites from the challenge participants were Runner's Kool Aid and Homemade Gatorade

Fuel Up with Food To Recover

The Fuel Up with Food To Recover Challenge starts Monday! Join us for 3 sports nutrition workshops on hydration, pre/during workout, and post-workout nutrition. See more details below:

Community Meal Prep

If you can't tell, we have a good time during Community Meal Prep. This awesome crew cooked together to make 5 meals for their busy week. Join us next Tuesday from 5:30-7:00pm to connect with others in the FTR kitchen, and feel ready for your week with 5 fully cooked meals.

On the menu for this week: 

1. Roasted Vegetables with Gnocchi 

2. Shrimp Cobb Salad

3. Taco Stuffed Tomatoes  

4. Hummus Crusted Chicken Wraps 

5. Skillet Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

Post-Workout Snack:

Sweet Potato Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 1/2  cups whole milk

1 cup mashed sweet potato

4 tbsp butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sweet potatoes, and butter.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

4. Add more milk if needed to think the batter. Eat a large pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Add a small amount of butter or oil to the pan to prevent sticking. Spoon the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles begin to form in the center of the pancakes. Flip the cakes and cook until browned.

6. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer up to 3 months.

Serves 6

Nutrition Tip of the Week: Eat breakfast! There are so many reasons to start your day with breakfast. Breakfast gives you energy to start the day, gets your metabolism going after an overnight fast to help stabilize blood sugar levels, stimulates the brain, and sets the tone for you day to lead to healthier choices all day long. A balanced breakfast includes complex carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Try to incorporate a fruit and vegetable for extra nutrition.

Upcoming Events for Food To Recover:

Fuel Up with Food To Recover Challenge:

March 11th, March 18th, and March 25th from 5:30-6:30pm

Community Meal Prep:

Every Tuesday from 5:30-7:00pm

One-on-One Counseling:

Have personal nutrition goals? Contact cassidy@fit2recover.org to make an appointment

Welcome March- National Nutrition Month

Goodbye Free February, Hello March

Free February flew by! Community Meal Prep was a blast this month with so many new faces in the kitchen. Community Meal Prep will still be happening and will return to the low price of $20. You come home with 5 meals for only $20! You also get to connect with others in the FTR community and get the chance to cook a variety of foods. March is also National Nutrition Month so it's a great time to try a new healthy habit, such as meal prepping! I hope to continue to see so many of you in the kitchen.

On the menu for this week:

1. Soup and Salad Combo: Brocolli Cheddar Soup and Cranberry Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken

2. Chicken and Veggie Lo Mein

3. Roasted Vegetable and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Pitas

4. One Pot Beef and Broccoli
5. Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas

                  New CMP Loyalty Program Coming Soon

Meal prep may not be free every week anymore, BUT you can earn free meal preps by frequently attending! We will be starting a new loyalty program soon with punch cards. After attending 3 meal preps, you get the 4th for FREE. That equals one free meal prep a month. We love and appreciate all of you who continually come and want to reward you for doing so!

Join the Fuel Up with Food To Recover Challenge

Have a spring or summer race on the schedule? Have you ever felt your energy tank during a long workout or race? This is the challenge for you! 

This challenge is aimed towards fueling for endurance events (running, cycling, triathlons), but anyone who is interested is welcome to attend!

Click here to get your ticket

Did you try this week's post-workout snack?

Energy Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup oats

1 cup flax seed

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup dried fruit or chocolate chips (I used 1/2 cup of each)

2/3 cup honey

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Form into bite size balls. Refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to enjoy!

Nutrition Tip of the Week: I heard many FTR members loved this snack (I do too)! This snack is packed with carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fats, and protein to nourish you after a workout. These are called energy bites because they have all of this nutrition packed into a bite size ball. One or two of these bites are plenty for a snack because of all of the energy they contain. Try to slow down and eat them mindfully so that you are satisfied from just one :)