Peak performance nutrition. Problem solved.

Even though many still think cleaning up eating habits a few days before the “race” will improve performance, this is not true. Making changes to any habit close to competition, can do more harm than good. For peak performances in sport, planning is essential and this includes an organized nutrition routine for both fueling and recovering. Therefore, it is best to establish good eating habits well before the performance.

Here’s why:

1)    Setting up eating plans require creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. These are two things that you do NOT want to waste energy on days before a performance

2)    When we expect our body to perform at peak, we desire more comforts in other areas; a change in eating habits may not feel comfortable and in-turn, throw off your system

Therefore, make it a personal rule to avoid any last-minute, hasty switches. Set-up consistent eating habits throughout various training regimens (loading weeks/lighter weeks) and then as comp nears, simply keep them the same. This will help you learn how your body works best under various pressures, lower any anticipitory stress before comp, and improve overall recovery.

To establish a more intuitive long-term eating game plan, start with these questions in mind:

Do I carve out time for my nutritional needs to be met most of the time? Specifics to think about:

• Do I pre-prepare healthy foods to increase my chances of making healthy choices?

• Do I pack foods versus buying on the go?

• Do I listen to what my body needs versus eating out of convenience?

Do I drink/maintain hydration/pay attention if need extra water/nutrients on hi/low training days? Specifics to think about:

• Am I overly thirsty at night/not drinking during the day?

• Is my system emptying normally and urine is clear and not dark yellow?

• Do I ever get fluid-intake related headaches/do I feel better after I drink water etc.?

Does my food digest well most of the time? Specifics to think about:

• Am I bloated, gas-filled, or crampy after I eat more often than not?

• Do I know the foods that bother me, versus the foods that make me feel good?

• Do I have a common “crash” period during the day, when I feel overly tired, anxious, or sleepy?

Do I enjoy the foods that I eat?

• Do I make an effort to discover new foods?

• Do I eat a variety of foods that I enjoy and are nutrient dense as much as possible?

Food choices are important. This is why some athletes need a registered dietitian/medical professional to make sure they are getting the right balance of nutrients. It is also important to approach fueling mindfully, not just paying attention to the actual food choices, but your mental state while you eat. Here are some great tips:

Pace yourself

Pacing yourself is the foremost important aspect to remember when eating on or off performance grounds.  Why?  Because there is a limit to the rate in which the stomach can empty the nutrients into the system, and either over or under-fueling, can wreak havoc on your gut.  Pacing yourself while eating decreases the chance of discomfort during digestion, lowers odds of bloating, and allows for the intestines to perform at peak to absorb more nutrients; truly a win-win.  Here is the process of pacing:

First make a conscious decision to eat half and pause.

If you are sitting for a meal, plan to eat half of what is on your plate and pause for a break. This ensures the proper mechanisms to take place in the brain and ignite your true stopping point called satiety.  Then, in future situations, you can pack food according to your predictable stopping point.

Next, simply chew your food more.

Chewing is the simplest and healthiest way to increase the use of enzymes that are already available in your system. Check out the benefits:

·       Chewing sends signals to the stomach to prep stomach for incoming food

·       Saliva produced by chewing lubricates food and contains an enzyme called Amylase

·       Amylase helps digest carbohydrates

·       Smelling, chewing and taking the time to taste your food, all prepare the intestines for digestion and allows detection of rancid or unsafe consumption too

Other important factors:

Environmental, body, and food temperatures, as well as psychological stress, can all have a direct impact on the rate in which your body uses the fuel and produces energy.  Therefore, it is beneficial to stay both physically and mentally “cooler.”  Each of these tactics are quite do-able but may take a little preparation and practice.

To avoid physically overheating first be aware your environment: humidity, sun-rays, and barometric pressure.  In these circumstances, believe it or not, simply consuming a very cold drink can speed up gastric emptying rate (GER) -- So, on warmer days, longer rides, bigger runs, and in hotter gyms -- drink cooler drinks.  It will also be to your advantage to know the sodium/fluid intake balance that suits your system in accordance with energy output.  Typically, the chemically filled and artificially produced replacement drinks, do more harm than good. For most athletes, water is the best fluid replacement - especially if you are eating whole, fresh foods, with sensible sodium content.

It is also very helpful to avoid psychologically overheating otherwise known as a “mental-meltdown.”  Stress and eating are not a good combination.  Tension in the system slows down digestion, to the point that it can make you sick. Stress decelerates GER, essentially filibustering your healthy diet efforts and leaving you at risk for gut problems.  These complications can reap the body of nourishment when it needs it the most, particularly during a performance. 

Try these mindful strategies at your next meal, and continue every meal this way to form a habit:

1.     Drink water before eating.

2.     Check-in physically with your body.

Take a deep breath and release your head, neck, and shoulders. 

3.     Breathe.

4.     Eat mindfully, engage senses: see, smell, taste as much of your food as possible

5.     Remember the importance of fully chewing to engage enzymes

Lastly, even though there is great emphasis in sport, on benefits of specific food choices, it does not matter what food you consume, if your digestion is thrown off by stress and dehydration. Eating calmly and drinking enough is key. There will of course be times when you are rushing out the door and have to grab something on the go – but, if majority of the time you are used to “taking the extra breathe” while fueling/ingesting, your system will acknowledge what you are doing and fall into a good state.

“Nourishment is something greater than calories or individual ingredients.  It’s the soul in a great dish, pursuing a goal with close friends and family, and taking care of our entire being.”

~ Feed Zone authors, Allen Lim and Biju Thomas

Eat in peace.