Thrive in 30 Contest: Superfoods and Fitness
I have really enjoyed posting for the Thrive in 30 campaign series with Vega. I hope you have as well because Vega is doing a special contest until Thursday August 18th for the blogger with the most comments on their Thrive in 30 series.
PLEASE COMMENT on TODAY’S POST and ALL of the Thrive in 30 posts on Being Healthier that you found interesting (listed below!). Thank to you those who already have, I have thoroughly enjoyed your feedback. I’d really love to win!
Thrive in 30: Stress and Diet
Thrive in 30: High Net Gain Nutrition
Thrive in 30: Myth Busting
Thrive in 30: Acid vs. Alkaline
Thrive in 30: Digestion
Thrive in 30: Superfoods!
Main Ideas of Lesson 8: Superfoods and Fitness
Eating for Fitness
- Carbohydrate is for fuel (before a workout)
- Protein is for rebuilding (after)
- Ideally both are easily digestible to assist in performance but choosing what to eat for fitness depends on intensity and duration of exercise.
- Brendan chose dates and coconut oil for his pre-workout fuel (and half of a Vega bar). Dates are high in glucose (simple sugar). Coconut oil are medium chain triglycerides, which research has started to indicate are easier to digest and better for you than long chain or short chain. The Vega bar gave him a little extra “sticking power” for his 75 minute run.
We know you want us to drink more smoothies Brendan… but why?
- A plant-based, whole food smoothie is liquid in form (nutrient rich) and easier to digest. Your body is fatigued and needs nutrients but may be too exerted to digest a large meal or a meal with high fat/junk. A large meal will likely sit in your stomach and not assist in clearing out byproducts of exercise, like lactic acid. Getting blood flowing to your muscles after exercise is important.
- During exercise you are constantly breaking down muscle tissues and cells. Most people that workout often and eat well would have a “biologically younger body” because of the younger, newer cells being regenerated.
- A high stress life and not eating well results in …looking older among all the other ideas I have reiterated in previous posts. A common thought is “I workout so I can eat whatever I want”. Unfortunately, if you eat junk food – junk food is “what you become.” Your muscles will use that junk in reconstructing your muscles and cells post-workout.
Yes, I ate Bacon Cheese Fries... in moderation.
What do I think? (I’ve responded to each # respectively)
1. I agree- Getting blood flowing to your muscles after exercise IS important because your blood is the transport mechanism for nutrients. Lactic acid is a byproduct of anerobic exercise not really aerobic endurance events. Your muscle uses different nutrients for energy depending on the exercise. Lactic acid and other metabolites can be released after exercise but it is most likely actual muscle cell damage that results in cramps and soreness (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).
- After your liver metabolizes what it needs, the blood is going to carry the glucose or the protein (amino acids) to their next functional step in your body ~ i.e muscle repair.
- If you eat a large meal that is high in fat (which is calorie-wise much denser at 9 kcal per gram), your body could take probably up to 12 hours to fully digest and access the nutrients it needs for your muscles.
2. I agree- Exercise has tons of researched benefits such as increasing blood flow, improving sleep, decreasing fatigue, managing stress, reducing your risk of chronic disease and improves mood. There is no doubt that when we feel better – we look better! Exercise typically makes us feel better, feel more confident, and allows for increased circulation of blood to cells. When our cells our better, we are better!
3. I agree- If you feed your body junk food as replenishing fuel post-workout … your workout is “going to waste” because your muscles do not get the proper fuel to repair themselves. Note: I shared the Bacon Cheese Fries and even still, we left about 1/3rd on the plate. This food was not post workout, it was just a once in awhile treat that I enjoyed. Junk food might taste good but it is ultimately counterproductive to performance!
- Your muscle tissue is not repaired optimally because it won’t have the nutrients to do so –> Your muscles aren’t reaping any benefits –> You don’t perform as well –> You train harder and workout more –> You create a higher stress environment –> You increase the likelihood of poor diet choices, fatigue, higher cortisol, and lower muscle performance.
- Your body will continue to function because your heart keeps beating, blood is still flowing, and the liver will keep doing its job at metabolizing BUT you will not be benefiting (as much as you could be) from the exercise or workouts.
Our bodies have a way of adapting to what we do with them. For instance, despite the occasional bacon cheese fries, the better I fuel myself and better I train (run, strength, etc.) the faster I become at running and the more efficient my body is at burning energy
. On Friday, I ran 10 miles in 67 minutes. That is the fastest I have run 10 miles ever. I felt fantastic and could have gone farther and faster too! My HR monitor said I burned 685 calories whereas last year during my marathon training- I would easily burn well over 1000 calories on a 10 mile run. My muscles have become well adjusted and burn energy more efficiently.
So I took some of Brendan’s advice…
This video series has inspired me to test the theory of Whole Food Health Optimizer. I have been running 5.11 miles every Tuesday evening with a running club the week after I started this video series. I took Vega Sport Optimizer 1 hour before the run each week. I have also incorporated Whole Food Health Optimizer Smoothies, because in June I started saying “Why Not… ” to many things and felt like it would be worth a try.
Here are the facts:
Last year…
Thursday November 25th 2010
(Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer Smoothie Weekly Count: 0 )
Distance: 8k
Time: 39 minutes 14 seconds
Last month…
Tuesday July 26th 2011 1st Run Club
(Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer Smoothie Weekly Count: 1 )
Distance: 8K
Time : 38 minutes
Last week…
Tuesday 8-2-11 Stats 2nd Run Club
(Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer Smoothie Weekly Count: 2 )
Distance: 8K
Time : 36 minutes, 38 seconds
Lastly…
Friday 8-12-11 Stats Treadmill Run
(Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer Smoothie Weekly Count: 3 )
Distance: 8K
Time: < 34 minutes
What do YOU think ?
PLEASE COMMENT on TODAY’S POST and ALL of the Thrive in 30 posts on Being Healthier that you found interesting (listed below!). Thank to you those who already have, I have thoroughly enjoyed your feedback. I’d really love to win the contest for the most comments!
Thrive in 30: Stress and Diet
Thrive in 30: High Net Gain Nutrition
Thrive in 30: Myth Busting
Thrive in 30: Acid vs. Alkaline
Thrive in 30: Digestion
Thrive in 30: Superfoods!
