PowerFuel

I attended a great Sport Nutrition workshop on Sunday. It was scheduled for 3 hours on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. What on earth was I thinking!?!?

It turned out to be about 3 and 1/2 hours long, and probably could have gone on longer. The time absolutely flew by. The presenter was excellent. I have attempted to sum up some of what I was able to absorb.

DISCLAIMER: THE NOTES BELOW ARE MY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED. ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PRESENTER!

• Most of what our body needs, we can get from real food.
• Salt tablets are probably overrated.
• Supplements from “specialty nutrition stores” are probably overrated and not necessary.
• Hydration is important. The human “thirst mechanism” is not very good, in that our bodies don’t accurately tell us when we need to re-hydrate.
• I should be weighing myself before and after a workout to find out how much body weight I loose (presumably to sweat), so I know how much I should be re-hydrating.
• Coffee isn’t really all that bad – and contrary to popular belief, it won’t dehydrate you.
• For a morning race/training event, you should eat about 3 hours before hand.
• Carbs are important.
• Glycemic Index is overrated, is potentially person-specific, and may be meaningless with consideration to combinations of foods and/or preparation method.
  
• Canned, potatoes are a good carb-source during a training ride.
• Muscle glycogen is like gas in a car, whether you have a full tank or half a tank, your muscles will work – however, when you run out… it’s game over, so keep the tank topped up.
• Chocolate milk is an ideal recovery drink after working out – it provides protein for muscle repair and carbohydrates for muscle glycogen.
• Chocolate is good for you.