special issue / FEBRUARY 2019

mensrunninguk.co.uk

NUTRITION
SPECIAL
TRAINING SPECIAL / HEADING

2 JANUARY 2019 MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

 FEBRUARY 2019

WELCOME
I once had the pleasure of interviewing Usain Bolt. Amid all the joking and theatrics,
I asked him what his nutrition secret was. Beckoning me to come closer, he looked
me in the eye and said: “Fried chicken.” he fastest man in the world was fuelled by a
well-known high street chain of fast food – one man’s fuel is another man’s poison.
For most of us, this would be a recipe for disaster. At Men’s Running, we’ve never
been evangelical about food but have consistently promoted a healthy eating plan to fuel better
performances. his special issue tells you everything you need to know about food types, what to
eat and when. We’ve also packed in some mouth-watering recipes so that you can get busy in the
kitchen and amaze your friends and family with your culinary skills!
Of course, ‘fuel’ doesn’t just mean food. In the last 15 years, sports nutritionists have been extolling
the virtues of various products like creatine and whey protein, as well as various vitamins and
minerals. We explain why and how you can use these products as part of a healthy diet.
Enjoy this special issue and fuel your body to even better running in 2019!

CONTENTS

26
004 CLEAN UP YOUR ACT
56
034 FUEL HYDRATION
73
056 WORTH ITS SALTS
008 RYE ARE YOU DOING THIS? 038 NUTRITION INTUITION 060 FULL OF BEANS
012 CURRANT TREND 042 INSIDE SCOOP 062 SUPER PROTEINS
018 FASTED RUNNING 046 LEGAL HIGHS 066 MEAT FREE MEALS
022 ALTERNATIVE FUEL 050 FAT LOT OF GOOD 070 DOCTOR’S ORDERS
026 CREATINE 052 GUT LUCK 074 SUPERFOOD SNACKS
030 MARATHON NUTRITION
16
054 LIGHT AND FAST 004 HIGH CARB RECIPES

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 3

4 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / CLEAN UP YOUR ACT

TIME TO CLEAN
UP YOUR ACT?
MICHELLE NEWITT ASSESSES THE BENEFITS OF THE 'CLEAN-EATING' PHENOMENON

FEBRUARY 2019 5
NUTRITION SPECIAL / CLEAN UP YOUR ACT

lean eating involves the adherence to

a diet based on whole foods, which are
C unprocessed or minimally processed, and
as close to their natural state as possible.
The diet embraces vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, pulses, tubers, herbs, spices, lean meats, eggs,
fish, nuts, seeds and unrefined oils. The diet also requires
eliminating refined grains, additives, preservatives and
pesticides where possible.
Powered by social media, it has been absolute in it’s
claims, offering a new way of eating that comes without
any fear or guilt. It is more popular in its reach than any
previous advice on healthy eating. The promise of inner
purity and outer beauty – supported by images of green
juices, quinoa bowls and raw, vegan energy balls – has
been profound.
Clean eating established itself as a challenge to
mainstream ways of eating and has changed the foods
available to all of us and the way they are spoken of.
Demand for products fitting with the clean-eating lifestyle
have grown exponentially in the UK, with avocados now
outselling oranges. healthy mindset with regard to food is important for our
overall wellbeing. Food is only one component of the way
IS IT POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS? we nourish ourselves. I would scrap #eatclean and replace DID YOU
Things have evolved somewhat since James Duigan, an it with #chillout for a more balanced and sustainable view
early adopter of the #eatclean movement back in 2009, on eating well – and advise not to get too hung up on the
KNOW?
released his book, The Clean and Lean Diet, and helped details. Eating more whole
millions of people lead healthier lives. It is now clear that and minimally
clean eating is more than a diet: it is a belief system, based BENEFITS FOR RUNNERS processed foods
on the idea that the way most people eat is not simply As I’m sure many runners can attest, eating a burger and is in line with
fattening, but impure. chips or a fry-up before exercising can leave you feeling current nutrition
Orthorexia is a condition in which the sufferer pretty heavy and lethargic during. It makes sense to eat recommendations,
systematically avoids specific foods that they believe to foods which have been minimally processed and still which emphasise
be harmful. It is a serious eating disorder rooted in an contain an abundance of nutrients, because our bodies eating fruits,
obsession with eating foods that one considers healthy. function well when we give them the nutrients they need. vegetables,
Although not formally recognised in the Diagnostic and So clearing out junk foods and eating natural, highly whole grains,
Statistical Manual (DSM), awareness about orthorexia nutritious foods will help you perform better, as well as nuts, seeds, fish
is on the rise and the younger generation seem to be assist with faster recovery, post-run. Instead of feeling and lean animal
particularly at risk, as a result of following #eatclean heavy and lethargic, you should feel light and energised proteins – while
advice on social media from potentially unqualified people. from the food you choose to eat. reducing intake
Improving your diet and eating well should be about of added sugars,
CLEAN-EATING POSITIVES bringing in more fresh and natural foods and gradually fat and sodium.
Modern food production has become so sophisticated crowding out the junk. It’s not necessary to obsess The new dietary
that simply eating whole foods can be a challenging over food labels or macros. When you’re eating fresh, guidelines have
proposition. As far as I see it, however, the clean-eating wholesome food, you are nourishing your body and it, in moved away
idea is more about being mindful of the food’s pathway turn, will respond with high energy levels and improved from focusing on
between its origin and our plates. running performance. individual
The health problems associated with highly processed nutrients and now
food are numerous. Foods with genetically modified HYDRATION STATIONS focus on overall
organisms (GMOs) have been linked to cancer and Always remember to drink plenty of water with whatever diet.
infertility. Highly processed foods are stripped of nutrients diet you’re following. Just 1% dehydration is enough to
needed for overall health and these foods tend to have affect running performance, so keep topped up. Keeping
additives that overstimulate the production of dopamine, hydrated is particularly important in the warmer weather
the ‘pleasure’ neurotransmitter, which perpetuates a and on longer runs. Consider a homemade isotonic sports
negative cycle of constant junk food cravings. drink to take with you on long runs. Add to a bottle: 250ml
So one of the main positives to come of the clean fresh apple juice, 250ml water and a pinch of Himalayan
eating movement is that it has helped many people to crystal salt. Increase the quantities of this recipe, the more
recognise and clear out junk food from their diets. A distance you’re covering.

6 FEBRUARY 2019 MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

 NUTRITION SPECIAL / CLEAN UP YOUR ACT

HOW TO EAT CLEAN

Here’s a list of items to choose from which fit with a clean-eating diet. It’s important to note that some clean-
eating proponents would adhere to a strictly plant-based diet, whereas others might include eggs, dairy, meat or
fish. Pesticide-free, organic food is preferable to ensure added hormones or chemicals aren't consumed.

UNPROCESSED FOODS

Fresh fruits. Vegetables. Tubers. Herbs. Spices.

Beans. Lentils. Nuts. Seeds. Eggs.

MINIMALLY PROCESSED FOODS

Unrefined grains:
high-quality,
Wild or organic,
wholegrain bread Frozen fruits Wild or organic
unprocessed Organic dairy. Unrefined oils.
and pasta; jumbo and vegetables. fish.
meat.
oats; quinoa; and
brown rice.
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 7

 RYE ARE
YOU DOING
THIS?
MICHELLE NEWITT GETS TO GRIPS WITH GLUTEN, AND WHETHER
THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO IT IS JUSTIFIED

8 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / RYE ARE YOU DOING THIS?

FEBRUARY 2019 9
NUTRITION SPECIAL / RYE ARE YOU DOING THIS?

luten is a general name for a family of

proteins found in wheat and other forms
G of wheat like spelt and kamut and also rye,
barley and triticale. Gluten helps foods
maintain their shape, acting as a glue to
hold foods together. It is also hidden in many commercial
foods.
Going ‘gluten-free’ has been one of the most popular
diet trends of the past decade. A common belief that
gluten-free diets are healthier and increased availability
of alternative breads and other products could be driving
the trend.
With endorsement from the tennis player Novak
Djokovic, who said, “I believe gluten is the king of all
anti-nutrients” many people now believe going gluten-
free is key to sporting performance. Upon eliminating
gluten from his diet, Djokovic almost instantly had more
energy, less aches and pains and slept significantly better.
When he tried reintroducing gluten to test his reaction
after two weeks, the following morning after eating a
bagel all of his symptoms returned and he awoke with
a hangover-like feeling.
I hear of this reaction often while consulting clients
and, likewise, there are many people still suffering with
symptoms like Djokovic that do not feel better after
eliminating gluten. It’s important to work through a range
of possible triggers before demonising gluten – and to
make sure that the diet you’re following isn’t lacking in
important nutrients.

GLUTEN-FREE GRIPES
Some doctors refer to a gluten-free diet as a fad diet for
the majority, and I would have to agree. Although I’ve
seen the damage that gluten can do first hand – it’s effects
range from mild bloating and digestive discomfort to those
with debilitating symptoms that have led to depression
– I have also seen people following the diet just because
they believe it to be healthier but were never showing any
symptoms in the first place. So I feel it’s important to eat DID YOU
as varied a diet as possible and only work with elimination KNOW?
diets if you present with symptoms. The time it takes
A gluten intolerance or sensitivity is the body’s for someone to
inability to digest or break down gluten. The relatively feel better on a
recent term, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is gluten-free diet
estimated to affect between six and 10% of the population. varies. Many
There are between four and seven million people in the people feel better
UK with potential NCGS but this is further complicated within a few
by symptoms overlapping with irritable bowel syndrome, days and usually
wheat allergy and celiac disease. It is indeed a complex symptoms like
puzzle, but there does not appear to be damage to the nausea, diarrhoea
lining of the gut with NCGS, unlike with celiac disease. and bloating
People with NCGS experience symptoms similar to clear up within
those with celiac disease, which resolve when gluten a few weeks. If
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

is removed from the diet. Unfortunately (unlike celiac you’re still getting
disease), there is no reliable test for diagnosing NCGS and symptoms after
an elimination diet is currently the best way to identify that that, it’s time
gluten is a problem. Djokovic eliminated gluten for two to look at other
weeks and then tried reintroducing it. This is a standard potential triggers.

10 FEBRUARY 2019 MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

 NUTRITION SPECIAL / RYE ARE YOU DOING THIS?

"WHEN FOLLOWING
A GLUTEN-FREE
DIET, I RECOMMEND
CHOOSING
CARBOHYDRATE-
RICH FOODS THAT ARE
NATURALLY GLUTEN-
FREE SUCH AS SWEET
POTATO, BROWN RICE,
QUINOA, BUCKWHEAT,
MILLET AND OATS"

test which can show a dramatic shift in symptoms, if

gluten is the problem.
To further complicate the matter, there is debate
around whether gluten is the cause of the sensitivity or
if other components are to blame, which are also partly
removed from the diet when gluten-containing ingredients
are removed, such as Fermentable Oligosaccharides,
Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAPs).
Ultimately, tapping into your body’s intuition and
seeing how you feel when you remove certain foods is the
best indicator of whether a food is right for you. We should
feel energised, alert and bloat-free after eating and also
have regular, healthy elimination. If this is not the case for
you, it’s time to look at your diet and also your stress level.
The enteric nervous system, which is linked to the gut, has
been aptly named the ‘second brain’ and compromises
over 100-million neurons – more than the spinal cord.
Mounting evidence suggests that your gut’s health strongly
influences your mood and vice versa.

HOW CAN RUNNERS WITH CELIAC DISEASE OR

NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY COMBAT THE
LACK OF GLUTEN?
When following a gluten-free diet, I recommend choosing
carbohydrate-rich foods that are naturally gluten-free such
as sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet
and oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often
contaminated with other grains containing gluten. If you
are following a strictly gluten-free diet, opt for gluten-free
oats.
There is an ever-growing abundance of commercial
gluten-free foods available such as bread, cereals, cakes,
biscuits and energy bars. Be careful with these: it’s difficult
to find gluten-free bread that hasn’t had caramel colouring
or other additives added to make it look brown and
healthy when the reality is anything but.

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 11

 CURRANT
TREND
IS NEW ZEALAND BLACKCURRANT EXTRACT THE PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING
SUPPLEMENT YOU’VE BEEN MISSING?
WORDS: DREW PRICE

12 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / CURRANT TREND

f you’ve not heard

of New Zealand
I Blackcurrant extract,
don’t worry, you’re
not alone. Although
it was first used back in 2011 by the
Dutch national triathlon team, it has
been largely ignored by the sports
supplement world, but with a slew of
new research about to come through
– and the positive reports adding up
– that is all about to change.
‘NZB’, for short, is one of a
number of recent developments in
the area of plant extracts that are
aimed at endurance performance.
Tart cherry juice and pomegranate
extract are better known but
blackcurrant extracts may be even
more exciting.

WHAT ARE THESE ‘EXTRACTS’

AND HOW DO THEY WORK?
Blackcurrants are rich in a group of
phytonutrients called ‘anthocyanins’.
These are protective pigments
responsible for the blue colour which
certain plants produce in reaction to
environmental stress. For example the
purple pigments in blood oranges are
anthocyanins – the harsher the winter
the better and ‘bloodier’ the blood
orange crop. Blackcurrants in New
Zealand have a particularly tough
time of it and they produce huge
quantities of four particular forms of
anthocyanin with names far too long
to squeeze in here.
These pigments support the
health of the blackcurrant, protecting
it from the insults of the environment,
and they seem to do a similar thing
in humans as well. Most people know
that berries are good for us – they’re
rich in phytonutrients which act as

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 13

NUTRITION SPECIAL / CURRANT TREND
antioxidants in the body, protecting cell
structures from harmful free radicals – but
they may also do much more than that.
THE RESEARCH
Until now, NZB extract has been pretty
much ignored, but research from teams both
in New Zealand and Europe is starting to
make waves.
If you look at the literature on NZB the
first thing you notice is that it’s almost always
done on cyclists, but don’t let that put you
off, this is usually because in a lab cycling is
easier to control and reduces the influence of
variables like technique etc.
The existing placebo-controlled research
shows that taking NZB lowers the production
of lactate in endurance athletes – by nearly
20% in one study. There’s no solid info as to
why that may be, but the researchers think the
body is using less carbohydrate and more fat.
In fact a 2015 study showed a 27%
increase in fat oxidation and potentially
this is very good news if you’re going long
distance, as better protection of carb stores
means less gels and drinks while running,
and faster recovery of glycogen stores after.
The same study also showed
a 2.4% increase in performance at 65% VO2
max. It doesn’t sound like
a lot, that’s six minutes off an average
marathon, but the 2.4% is potentially enough
to break the two-hour barrier for elite
athletes.
14 FEBRUARY 2019
Another study ran participants to kilo, which works out in the region
exhaustion using an interval-type program of £30 a month, and while some
and found those who took NZB could run manufacturers suggest you only
for 10% longer. Interestingly, they’re lactate need to take the supplement before
was higher at the end, meaning that NZB training, the studies that show the
may diminish lactate formation at slow benefits usually use daily doses
paces but protect against it at higher ones. regardless of training schedule –
The other big performance-related meaning more doses and greater
headline is the research showing that expense. NZB shows potential and
NZB improves recovery between bouts it may have a huge long list of other
of exercise. This is possibly through beneficial effects,
an improvement in circulation, which but as with any
increased 20%, and cardiac output – the supplement
amount of blood the heart pumps in a given it’s all about
minute – which increased 26%. More blood priorities. If
means better transportation of nutrients to you’ve tried
the muscles. everything
In addition to all that there are also practical to
reports of less post-training soreness, and decrease your run
away from sport ongoing research into time, but just can’t break
other possible benefits such as improved through a training plateau,
cardiovascular health, blood sugar control, a supplement with
improvements in memory and cognition, a track record of
and slowed aging. performance
There are, though, two main issues to enhancement
consider. The first is that the research is in elite sport
far from conclusive. A few studies on small may be too
groups of athletes is an interesting but not tempting to
convincing body of evidence, and much of resist.
the evidence for health benefits come from
animal studies, which aren’t necessarily
applicable to humans.
The second is the cost.
NZB extract costs about £2,500 per
KNOW YOUR NZB
As with all supplements based on ‘plant extracts’, you have to be
careful about how much of the active ingredient you’re getting.
Typically, decent brands have about 30% anthocyanin but some
are much lower. Researchers usually use about 100 to 150mg
of anthocyanins, so at 30% 300mg a few hours before training
should be the start point for dosing, but larger guys may need
to take more.
At the moment there are only a few brands on the market, all
available on Amazon, but if you want to shop around then there is
Blackcurrant NZ (blackcurrant.co.nz), which represents the NZB
industry and is a good first stop for more info.
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / CURRANT TREND

'UNTIL NOW, NZB

EXTRACT HAS BEEN
PRETTY MUCH
IGNORED, BUT
RESEARCH FROM
TEAMS BOTH IN NEW
ZEALAND AND
EUROPE IS STARTING
TO MAKE WAVES'

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 15

16 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / FASTED RUNNING

FAST
TALK
FOR MANY RUNNERS, HEADING OUT WITHOUT
ANY FUEL IN THE TANK DOESN’T BEAR
THINKING ABOUT, BUT, AS MICHAEL DONLEVY
EXPLORES, RUNNING ON EMPTY MAY
ACTUALLY IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

FEBRUARY 2019 17
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FASTED RUNNING

"BY TRAINING IN A FASTED STATE

WE CAN IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO
BURN STORED FATS AS A PRIMARY
ENERGY SOURCE"

18 FEBRUARY 2019

ometimes, nothing beats an
early-morning run. There’s a
S chill in the air, the sun is rising
and the birds are singing.
There’s just you, the sound of
your breath and your shadow for company.
It can also be extremely good for you.
The chances are you won’t have had time
to eat let alone digest breakfast, so you’re
running on an empty stomach, and using up
the glycogen in your muscles that have been
stored from the previous day. This is known
to have benefits, because it increases your
body’s ability to burn fat and it fires up your
metabolism for the rest of the day, further
enhancing your fat-burning abilities. You’ve
probably heard of this – it’s called ‘fasted
training’.
“It’s all about reducing your body’s
available glycogen – the stored sugars
that are converted into energy to fuel our
muscles,” says coach Tom Craggs (running
withus.com). “Our body only has a limited
ability to store glycogen. For most of us
it wouldn’t cover a half marathon, and
certainly not a marathon or beyond. We do,
though, have access to a much bigger energy
reserve: free fatty acids in our blood and
liver, and to a point protein, both of which
can be converted to useable energy through
a process called gluconeogenesis. By training
in a fasted state and by sometimes actually
slowing some of our easy runs down we can
improve our ability to burn stored fats as a
primary energy source.”
Fasted training is something of a hot
topic in the world of sports science, because
you can take it one big step further into the
realm of ‘fat-adapted training’.
In simple terms, this is
where you burn stored
fat during the day and
rely on fat, more than
carbohydrate, to fuel
exercise. It involves
eating a low-carb,
high-fat (LCHF) diet
and training in a
fasted state. Over
time your body
adapts, so you don’t
need to stock up on
carbs before, during
and after exercise.
That’s the theory,
but the practice is
controversial.
“This is a topic that
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FASTED RUNNING
inspires polarised views and strong beliefs,”
says Mayur Ranchordas, senior lecturer in
sport and exercise nutrition and physiology
at Sheffield Hallam University. “I think
you need to take a scientific yet practical
approach. Reducing carb intake and eating
mainly fat and protein does increase fat
oxidisation, and over time you adapt to using
more fat.
“The problem is that emerging studies
have found you under-regulate a key
enzyme known as citrate synthase, which
is responsible for breaking down carbs,”
says Ranchordas. “So you eat a high-fat,
high-protein diet, you break down carbs less
efficiently and you’re fat-adapted, but what
happens when you need to increase the
intensity? To produce power – for example
in a 5K race or interval session – the aim
isn’t to utilise fat, it’s to produce as much
power as possible. And for that you need to
oxidate carbs.”
“Fat adaption is the big thing in
endurance sport at the moment,” agrees
Craggs. “Absolutely it’s essential to develop
your body’s ability to effectively metabolise
stored fats as an energy source. But it’s
not the only consideration for runners and
I believe continual fasted runs are a blunt
instrument to achieve this. I have most of
my runners completing regular easy runs
of up to 90 minutes before breakfast. For
me there’s a point at which the impact
on recovery makes the cost too great. In
particular, regularly hitting hard sessions and
doing long runs week in week out in a fasted
state will start to impact negatively on post-
run recovery.”
So that’s that then…Or is it?
FASTED OR FASTER?
One recent piece of research into
fat-adapted training was
called the FASTER Study
(FASTER standing for
Fat Adapted Substrate
use in Trained Elite
Runners), which put
two groups of ultra-
endurance runners
on different diets
– one LCHF and
one high-carb – for
20 months. The
results showed that
the LCHF runners
burned more fat
during exercise than
FEBRUARY 2019 19
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FASTED RUNNING

the high-carb group, and one of the LCHF

participants blogged that he was able to burn
fat as the primary source of fuel at 89% of
his maximum heart rate. On top of that, the
two groups restored their glycogen levels
post-exercise at similar rates.
“This isn’t rocket science and this isn’t
the only study to show these results,” says
Ranchordas. “All endurance athletes are
fat-adapted to some degree because of the
sheer amount of training they do – the fuel
can’t all come from carbs. What this study
shows is that fat-adapted athletes oxidise
more fat at sub-maximal pace, not that it
improves performance at high intensity.”
Perhaps what it comes down to is that
being fat-adapted is actually a lifestyle
choice. You can try it for yourself by
following some simple rules (see box), but be
warned: you’ll feel horrible for at least four
weeks while your body gets used to it, and it
may even take up to two years for your body
to make all the enzyme changes it needs to
for your body to be fully fat-adapted. Even
then it might not work for you, or you might
simply hate it, but it could be about balance.
As Craggs says, it’s good to be able to burn
fat efficiently, so you could use it as part of
your training regime, rather than the entire
regime.
“I’d say it’s ideal for winter training,
when you maybe want to lose some weight,
or steady-state training,” says Ranchordas.

"The higher the

endurance factor, the
more being fat-adapted
makes sense"

“But if you want to do an interval session at

threshold pace, you won’t reach the power
output you want to. It’s like driving a car fast
when it’s low on petrol – you can probably
cruise for 50 miles with the red light on, but
if you put your foot down you’ll be running
on fumes. I’d suggest eating a balanced diet,
consuming carbs before a hard run or race
and training fasted when you’re doing an
easy or steady-state run.
“Being fat-adapted probably works best
for amateurs racing very long distances
– because the intensity is lower – and
beginners, rather than for the pros,” he adds.
“It’s not so much the discipline as it is the
energy system. Long-distance cycling is
similar to doing an ultramarathon, but I’d
never recommend being fat-adapted to a
footballer, because the sport is stop-start and

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

"BEING FAT-ADAPTED PROBABLY
WORKS BEST FOR AMATEURS
RACING VERY LONG DISTANCES"
all about sprinting. That’s about power, but
the higher the endurance factor the more
being fat-adapted makes sense. But for the
general, recreational athlete, maybe a cyclist
doing a sportive, low-carb, high-fat makes
sense. You’re not training particularly hard –
compared to the pros – it helps control your
weight and blood sugar and reduces the risk
of diseases such as diabetes.”
It’s interesting that Ranchordas mentions
cycling – and that the energy system is more
important than the discipline – because
this is a sport in which a LCHF diet has its
proponents. Three-time Tour de France
winner Chris Froome is said to eat LCHF,
and 2017 runner-up Romain Bardet is known
to have taken this approach.
“That’s not to say they don’t consume
any carbs,” says Ranchordas. “It’s physically
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FASTED RUNNING
IS FAT
FOR
YOU?
FOLLOWING A LOW-CARB,
HIGHT-FAT DIET IS SIMPLE,
IN THEORY. IF YOU WANT TO
GIVE IT A GO, JUST FOLLOW
THESE RULES
DON’T COUNT CALORIES.
They matter less than with other
eating plans, because it’s very
hard to consume too many on
a low-fat diet.
RESTRICT CARB INTAKE.
It has to be less than 50g per day.
EAT MODERATE PROTEIN.
Around 1g-1.2g per kg of lean body
mass per day .
EAT HIGH-QUALITY,
HIGH-FAT FOODS.
Eggs, avocadoes, olive oil are
all winners, but stay away from
processed oils like sunflower, nuts
like almonds and macadamias.
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
EASE OFF.
Scale back your training for the
first four weeks while you’re body
adapts, then gradually increase the
volume.
impossible to complete the Tour without
consuming any carbohydrate.”
So do you really want to put yourself
through the process? “Eating a low-carb,
high-fat diet isn’t the only way to improve
your ability to burn stored fats; training easy,
pre-breakfast also does this,” says Craggs.
“Training is to be enjoyed, be sustainable
and be healthy. I think many coaches who
push this approach are using a hammer to
crack a nut.”
“Some athletes are simply very poor at
burning fat, so for them it could be worth
following a low-carb, high-fat diet,” says
Ranchordas. “But I think of nutrition in this
case as a continuum. If you do a bit
of exercise you can afford to restrict carbs
Just remember the saying: fuel for the
work done.”
FEBRUARY 2019 21
 ALTERNATIVE
FUEL
IF YOU’RE JUST FOCUSING ON CARBS AND FATS FOR FUEL, WRITES DREW PRICE, THERE’S A
CHANCE YOU MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON BIG PERFORMANCE GAINS

22 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / ALTERNATIVE FUEL

FEBRUARY 2019 23
NUTRITION SPECIAL / ALTERNATIVE FUEL

upporting your run with the
best fuel you can is obviously
S a cornerstone to good
performance. By now you will
have heard the arguments
about carbs versus fats. While the arguments
go back and forth, either way both fat and
carbs are the focus.
All this ignores the third main fuel
source, one that we use every day but until
relatively recently wasn’t on the performance
nutrition radar: ketones.
Ketones are a group of three naturally
occurring compounds produced by the body
from fats when it senses that carbohydrate
levels in the cell are low. You may have
heard of ketogenic diets such as Atkins,
well they are just that, very low carb diets
that force the body to break up fat stores
and produce ketones for fuel. Starving
yourself of carbs is generally not seen as
performance enhancing, but what about if
you eat carbs and consume ketones as well?
MILITARY AID
In fact, exogenous (from outside the body)
ketone supplements were first developed for
the US army, looking for improved mental
and physical endurance from their soldiers.
The argument goes that being able to draw
on three different forms of fuel, carbs, fats
and ketones not only allows for an increased
supply of energy but also other advantages
like protecting your carbs stores, reduced
oxygen consumption, and lower lactate
production.
Look at the biochemistry and it’s easy to
get excited, ketones are in fact a nice clean
source of energy with a few advantages
over carbohydrate. They actually produce
ATP – the body’s energy currency – more
efficiently than carbs, they do so using less
oxygen and, as an added bonus, produce
less in the way of performance crushing free
radicals while they’re being metabolised.
Ketone supplements have only been
commercially available for the last few
years. They’re popular among keto dieters,
intermittent fasters, biohackers looking to
improve mental performance, and more
recently elite endurance athletes.
One ketone in particular, beta-
hydroxybuterate, HB for short, is the
focus for both the supplement producers
and researchers looking for increased
performance and recovery. Once consumed
HB is very quickly converted into ketones
and then burned for fuel, but it is also a
signalling compound that may do a number
of other useful things like increasing fat
metabolism and protect muscle carbohydrate
stores, both of which could be real
advantages to very long distance athletes.
Just to make things more confusing there
are also ‘medium chain tryglycerides’, types
of fats that while not technically ketones
unlike other fats are very readily broken
down into ketones. MCT’s as they’re usually
referred to are those fats from coconut oil,
that same coconut oil that people are mixing
into their ‘bullet-proof coffee’ to boost
energy and brain function.
This all looks great, but so many
things in the world of nutrition science fail
to translate into real-world performance
benefits.
While it’s an open secret in the world
of performance nutrition that cycling
teams, rowers and runners are playing
around with their use, when you look at the
evidence the first thing you realise is there
isn’t actually much. It’s very early days for

CHOICE OF KETONES
OF THE THREE NATURALLY OCCURRING KETONES, HB IS THE MAIN SUPPLEMENTAL CHOICE,
BUT IT CAN COME IN DIFFERENT FORMS.

KETO ESTERS KETO SALTS KETO MCT'S

These are the simplest form of ketones. These are ketones bonded to a salt Not actually a ketone but marketed in
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

They’re rapidly absorbed and more
stomach-friendly than other products,
but the taste is…challenging. There
are reports of participants using them
actually being sick due to the flavour.
such as potassium or sodium, making
them readily absorbed and giving them
a better taste, however they generally
don’t raise the levels of ketones in the
blood as high as the esters.
the same category and often added to
HB containing products. MCT’s though
technically fats can pass straight into
the mitochondria and be metabolised to
ketones for energy, with little processing.

24 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / ALTERNATIVE FUEL

ketone research and, annoyingly, a lot of the

use by athletes is kept under wraps due to
issues with supplement sponsors or simply
to protect and advantage on the track of
field. The second thing that hits you is the
realisation that much of the research isn’t
directly applicable to runners, with, as usual,
most endurance-based work done in cyclists.
One study often used as support
for ketone use is from the journal Cell
Metabolism, where researchers compared a
combination of ketones and carbs to carbs
alone, and found improved performance
in a one-hour cycling time trial. The elite
level athletes saw a 2% rise in distance
covered, which may not sound like a lot but
in a very experienced athlete is a big gain.
At the same time there was lower lactate
production and data that suggested a lower
rate of glucose usage. However, this trial
was done on an empty stomach after an
overnight fast.
A much more realistic and more recent
piece of research in the journal Frontiers in
Physiology using fed cyclists actually shows
a 1-2% fall in performance, with stomach
‘problems’ reported by the ketone using
athletes. Other research shows either no,
or very little improvement in performance,
leading review papers on the subject to
conclude there is ‘no’ evidence to support
their use.
That said, they are being used in
elite sport by an ever-growing number of
athletes, and one reason may be the possible
improvement of recovery. Evidence suggests
that ketones and carbs used together can
increase glucose delivery to the muscle cells
by around a third, leading to 50% higher
muscle fuel stores in the hours after training.
Nice, but possibly only relevant if you’re
doing very frequent tough runs.
So what does this all mean? At the
moment it’s really too soon to tell, however
athletes are beginning to pick these products
up, but with a high price tag and the research
leaning towards fairly modest improvements
in performance these supplements aren’t
going to be the first stop for someone
looking for a supplement to improve
performance
However, if you’re training very
frequently, running on an empty stomach,
or looking for a supplement that improves
focus and mental performance – one with
the potential for health benefits associated
with reduced inflammation – they may just
be worth a second look.

FEBRUARY 2019 25
 T H I N K O F C R E AT I N E A N D YOU P R O BA B LY
PICTURE A GYM BRO LIFTING WEIGHTS, BUT
THERE IS MUCH MORE TO THE STORY THAN
BIG BICEPS. DREW PRICE EXAMINES HOW
RECENT RESEARCH IS PAINTING A NEW
PICTURE OF CREATINE, AS A NUTRIENT THAT
CA N P O S I T I V E LY I M PA CT R U N N I N G
PERFORMANCE

26 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / CREATINE

FEBRUARY 2019 27
NUTRITION SPECIAL / CREATINE
reatine has a pretty long and
glorious history compared to
C other sports supplements. The
supplemental form, creatine
monohydrate, was first taken
up by Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell in
the early 90s, and it’s stuck around as other
wonder supplements have come and gone
- in fact it’s now become the most heavily
researched and widely used ‘ergogenic’
supplement on the market after caffeine.
Creatine itself is formed from two amino
acids: arginine and glycine. Your body
manufactures about a gram a day, and you
get another from the average omnivorous
diet. And no, it has absolutely nothing to
do with steroids. Creatine’s job in the cell
is to act as a store of the the cell’s energy
currency ‘phosphate’. It’s this ‘creatine
phosphate’ that’s used to restore the cellular
energy molecule ATP after it’s run down as
the cell consumes energy.
The reason it's popular among the bench
and biceps crowd is that a ready supply of
ATP provides the energy for high-intensity
work like lifting weights...or, of greater
relevance to we runners, for short all-out
runs.
RUNNING REWARDS
Speed work is a staple of training, and
HOW TO TAKE
CREATINE
The typical dose for a 70kg male
is around 3g to 5g. Supplement
companies used to recommend a
week-long ‘loading’ phase using four
doses a day. The research shows
that this isn't necessary to get most
of the benefits. Unlike caffeine, for
example, creatine doesn't have
to be taken at a specific time: just
incorporate it into your daily routine
so that you take it consistently,
which in practice usually means with
breakfast or before bed. Simply stir it
into 300ml of water and drink.
28 FEBRUARY 2019
creatine supplementation is particularly
useful for improving performance in interval
training. A meta-analysis of existing research
showed a 7.5% increase in performance
in those taking creatine - which equates
to more beneficial training effects for your
running.
OK, so it may be of use over 100m or
400m, but outside a little help with your
speed work, why consider creatine?
Well, a 2003 study demonstrated that
creatine supplementation led to a 5%
increase in lactate threshold, meaning you
can run at a higher pace for much longer
without redlining. Creatine has been shown
to work in conjunction with the carbs in
your diet to raise levels of glycogen stored
in the muscle cells, with a recent study in
the journal International Society of Sports
Nutrition showing a near 20% increase in
stored carbs both before and after a two-
hour bout of training.
This is all good stuff, but to realise the
full potential of creatine it’s crucial to step
back and look at the bigger picture. A one-
hour run is about 4% of your day. The other
96% is recovery and health - here, creatine
can be a real weapon in your arsenal.
Creatine isn't simply an ‘energy carrier’;
it performs a variety of functions in the
cell. It’s been known since the 70s that
supplementation acts as a switch, increasing
the amount of muscle protein synthesis,
which means faster recovery of damaged
muscle tissue. It also sucks water into
the muscle cells, improving the hydration
Quad goals:
creatine's benefits
extend beyond
muscle building
critical to all cell functions, and a more
recent discovery is that creatine can also
act as an antioxidant, scavenging the cell-
damaging free radicals produced in huge
quantities when we train. Unsurprisingly,
given all that, studies also show that creatine
supplementation lowers markers of post-
training muscle cell damage.
In fact, creatine even has a place when
you’re injured, increasing the recovery of
energy stores in unused muscle tissues and
increasing the glucose transporters that
shuttle carbs into the muscle cells by as
much as 40% according to research in the
journal Diabetes.
The picture we have of creatine, as
a purely sports oriented supplement, is
beginning to change. It’s now being seen as
a health supplement, and even a tool in the
fight against fat gain.
Research out in the last few months
in the journal Cell has shown that creatine
increases the ‘thermic effect’ of feeding, in
other words increasing the uptake in calorie
burning that happens after you eat. Small,
but significant changes like this can add up
to real world results over the long term, and
multiple studies dating back decades show
that supplementation is associated with a
reduction in body fat.
That ability to increase glucose transport
into cells has brought it the attention of the
medical community and recent research
shows that supplementation can improve
blood sugar control – a marker for diabetes
risk – after a carb heavy meal.
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
 "CREATINE
SUPPLEMENTATION LED
TO A 3% INCREASE IN
LACTIC THRESHOLD"

THE RIGHT TYPE

MENTAL PERFORMANCE protect against brain injury and age-related

‘The brain is the strongest muscle in the
body’ isn’t strictly anatomically true, but
it is the hungriest. In fact the nervous
system is a huge consumer of energy, and
the harder you think the more energy is
consumed - energy supplied by ATP. It’s no
surprise then that one of the biggest areas of
research recently has been concerned with
looking at creatine’s ability to both protect
and boost brain function. Recent research
at the University of Sydney showed that
supplementation increased both memory
and intelligence, by up to around 30% on
some measures. Creatine has also shown to
cognitive decline.
IS THE SUP SAFE?
All this is great news, but stories about
kidney damage, muscle cramps and stomach
upsets persist - so is it safe? The good
news here is that creatine is by far the most
heavily studied ergogenic supplement out
there and a huge body of evidence from
studies conducted, both short and long term,
show that creatine is safe. The only words of
caution here are for those with pre-existing
conditions such as kidney disease to check
with their doctor before supplementing.
The main thing here is to ignore
the marketing hype. There are
a number of second and third
generation products on the market
but the research is clear: boring
old creatine monohydrate is still
the best. Creapure are the industry
standard for quality and while
capsules are available, you pay
a premium for anything stuck in
a capsule, so seek out the bulk
suppliers for the best deal. Look for
the Cologne List stamp or Informed
Sport label.

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 29

NUTRITION SPECIAL / MARATHON NUTRITION
MARATHON
NUTRITIONGIVE YOURSELF THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE OF SMASHING YOUR SPRING
26.2-MILER BY FOLLOWING MICHELLE NEWITT’S PRE-RACE MEAL PL AN
he food you choose to fuel your running plays a significant role
in performance. The body functions like a well-oiled engine
T when you choose foods that nourish and boost your energy
levels. Problems occur, however, when you stuff it full of junk –
from poor energy levels to dehydration, increased risk of injury,
and illness.
When planning what to eat in the lead up to a marathon, you need to
consider foods that reduce inflammation and protect your joints, ensure your
glycogen levels are stocked up so you have a reserve of energy to call upon
during the event, and choose foods which boost your immune system so you
don’t get ill during training.
"MUSHROOMS
CONTAIN A
RICH SOURCE
OF ZINC"
30 FEBRUARY 2019
MARATHON MEALS // WEEK 1
This is an important time to make sure you clear out
any junk and introduce plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Generally speaking, the brighter the colour, the more
nutrients a fruit or vegetable contains.
BREAKFAST
What? Jumbo oat porridge, organic milk or unsweetened
almond milk and strawberries.
Why? Strawberries are a rich source of vitamin C, which
boosts immunity, and they also contain plenty of fibre.
They are lower in sugar than other fruits so keep blood
sugar more even.
LUNCH
What? Chicken salad with sweet potato, avocado, baby
spinach, watercress and rocket.
Why? Ensuring you get plenty of leafy green vegetables
into your diet and particularly, the darker greens, boosts
levels of vitamin A and C. They also help purify and
cleanse the qblood.
DINNER
What? Stir-fried prawns or organic tofu with sweetcorn,
broccoli, mushrooms and brown rice.
Why? Mushrooms contain a rich source of zinc and
together with vitamin C, this little combination boosts
immunity and keeps us running day after day without
getting ill.
SNACK
What? Hummus, oatcakes
and carrots.
Why? Carrots are high in beta-carotene, which is an
antioxidant that mops up damage in the body caused by
training and helps prevent disease.
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / MARATHON NUTRITION

BEAT
THE
‘BONK’
Around 75
minutes into
training many
people start
to experience
a ‘nutritional
bonk’ where
energy levels
dip – others
experience it
later on and
some not at
all. If you do
experience it
and want to
give yourself
a boost you
can easily
make your own
isotonic drink
with 250ml
100% pure
apple juice,
250ml water
and a pinch
of Himalayan "VITAMIN C AND MAGNESIUM-
crystal salt.
RICH GOJI BERRIES ARE A
NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE"

MARATHON MEALS // WEEK 2

During this week be sure to include oily fish or plant-based
sources of omega 3 which help reduce inflammation,
muscle soreness and enhances joint flexibility.
BREAKFAST
What? Muesli with ground flax seed, unsweetened almond
milk and grated apple.
Why? Flax seeds are one of the richest, plant-based sources
of omega 3. If you don’t eat fish, it’s important to add
these to your diet. Ground flax seed makes it easier for
our body to absorb.
LUNCH
What? Mackerel on rye toast with baby spinach and
beetroot.
Why? Mackerel is one of the richest sources of omega 3,
and just two to three servings per week will give you all
the omega 3 you need to protect your joints and reduce
muscle soreness.
DINNER
What? Veggie burgers made with mixed beans, quinoa,
herbs, walnuts and sunflower seeds.
Why? Combining walnuts and sunflower seeds in a meal is
another way of boosting omega 3 levels in a plant-based
diet but these are still quite low compared to flax seeds.
SNACK
What? Trail mix: pumpkin seeds, walnuts, chia seeds,
sunflower seeds and goji berries.
Why? The ultimate way of getting plant-based sources of
omega 3 all in one hit is to make a trail mix. Vitamin C
and magnesium-rich goji berries makes this a nutritional
powerhouse snack.

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 31

NUTRITION SPECIAL / MARATHON NUTRITION

MARATHON MEALS // WEEK 3

If you haven’t done so already, ensure that all of the grains contains lots of fibre and B vitamins. It breaks down
you choose are whole grains which break down more slowly in the gut providing a more stable energy source. "BROWN RI
slowly and provide a steady stream of energy to fuel your
runs. They also contain more vitamins and minerals, which DINNER
AN EXCELL
are crucial for a strong immune system. What? Prawns or tempeh and vegetable stir fry with WHOLE
BREAKFAST
buckwheat noodles.
Why? Buckwheat noodles are a better whole-grain
GRAIN, WH
What? Jumbo oat porridge with organic milk or alternative to wheat-based noodles if you’re interested CONTAINS
unsweetened almond milk, apple and cinnamon.
Why? Jumbo oats are considered a whole grain. Porridge
in following a gluten-free diet for better digestion.
OF FIBRE AN
oats and instant oats have been processed to make them SNACK VITAMINS"
easier to cook but have lost some nutrition in the process. What? Goat’s cheese or smashed avocado on wholegrain
rice cakes and tomatoes.
LUNCH Why? Whole-grain rice cakes are a handy, portable snack
What? Chicken, brown rice and mixed vegetable soup item and when paired with cheese or avocado, release
Why? Brown rice is an excellent whole grain, which their energy more slowly than when eaten alone.

MARATHON MEALS // WEEK 4

With the recent trend in plant-based alternative milk, it’s
important to check that you’re still getting enough calcium.
If you don’t eat dairy, you’ll need to eat more plant-based
alternatives than you would dairy items, to reach the
calcium level required to protect your bones from the
high-impact activity of running.

BREAKFAST
What? Brown rice protein pancakes with natural bio live
yogurt and berries.
Why? Bio live natural yogurt contains a rich source of
calcium along with protein and probiotics which boost
healthy gut bacteria and improve absorption of other
vitamins and minerals.

LUNCH
What? Chickpeas with quinoa, pomegranate, kale, lemon
and sunflower seeds.
Why? Kale is one of the richest plant-based sources
of calcium and cooking it, actually increases the bio-
availability of the calcium. Steam rather than boil to
retain the water-soluble vitamins.

DINNER
What? Mediterranean vegetables with feta cheese and
sweet potato.
Why? The calcium in the feta is complemented by the
abundance of vitamins and minerals in the vegetables and
sweet potato. This meal is better than most multivitamin
and mineral tablets.

SNACK
What? Kefir drink with a pear.
Why? Kefir is a wonderful source of calcium and probiotics
and contains a much higher volume and variety of
probiotics than standard yogurt which keeps the gut
healthy and immunity strong.

32 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / MARATHON NUTRITION

ICE IS TAKEAWAY
LENT
TIPS
HICH
LOTS
ND B
"

"BIO LIVE NATURAL STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW

YOGURT CONTAINS Don’t change your diet last minute.
Consistency is key.
A RICH SOURCE OF
CALCIUM ALONG CHOOSE CARBS
Eat carbohydrate with every meal and don’t deprive
WITH PROTEIN AND your body when it needs you to keep stocking up
glycogen levels most.
PROBIOTICS" KEEP IT COLOURFUL
Eat an abundance of vitamins and minerals to
protect your immune system. The brighter colour
fruits and vegetables generally contain the most
nutrients.

REMAIN WHOLESOME
Always choose whole grains over refined
grains and potatoes with the densest nutrients like
sweet potatoes which release energy
more slowly.

FACE THE FATS

© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Ensure your diet has plenty of omega 3 to help

reduce inflammation and prevent injury from hours
and hours of impact training.

FEBRUARY 2019 33
 LIQUID
LESSONS
RUNNERS RISK RUINING THEIR PERFORMANCE THROUGH POOR
HYDRATION HABITS; HERE’S HOW TO ENSURE YOUR RUNNING IS
AS FLUID AS IT SHOULD BE
WORDS: ROB KEMP

hen it comes to hydration for of hydration,” explains Professor Andy Sparks,

running, men are from Mars and
W women from Venus. Women
have less body fluid than men,
according to Japanese research,
and in theory they become dehydrated more
easily.
But new studies show that it’s actually men
who are four times more likely to suffer from
dehydration during endurance exercise.
Although evolution has helped them to
combat this by making them perspire less than us
(‘women glow while men sweat’) new research
now reveals that men are actually four times
more likely to suffer from dehydration during
endurance exercise.. And it’s our own fault.
DRY RUNS
“We don’t drink enough around our running: too
often starting a run in completely the wrong state
senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Edge Hill
University—who is currently working on studies
around the impact of running with and without
water. While it is the case that, biologically,
women are more prone to the dehydration,
men are bucking the evolutionary trend by
making themselves more susceptible
to dehydrating.
“This can be down to lifestyle factors. When
we’re time-pressured, we fit training runs in when
we can—often without really preparing ourselves
to do so,” suggests Sparks.
“Age can be a factor, too,” he adds. “As men
get older, their sweat response remains the same
but their thirst response slows down. They’re
thirsty, so not properly hydrated even before
exercising. The general school of thought is
that you should drink to thirst, but often that’s
too late.”

34 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FUEL HYDRATION

FEBRUARY 2019 35
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FUEL HYDRATION
WATER TORTURE
Failing to get your fluid levels right can impact
on the quality of your exercise, as you’ll struggle
to stimulate your muscles adequately. The more
obvious signs of dehydration include thirst,
fatigue, muscle cramps or spasms. In some
cases they can be more serious: with fainting,
heat exhaustion and convulsions.
But as Mr N Amir Sandiford, consultant
orthopaedic surgeon at Spire St Anthony’s
Hospital points out, the damage dehydration
causes in a runner can go much deeper, too.
“Dehydration results in decreased effective
circulating blood volume, increased heart
rate and oxygen demand. It’s estimated that
glycogen use can increase by up to 24% in
dehydrated muscles—sapping the body of
energy when it’s most needed.”
POUR ON WATER
There is no gold standard for knowing your
hydration levels. Sure, urine colour helps, but
weeing into a toilet doesn’t give an accurate
reflection of urine colour or hydration levels.
“Sipping water and other fluids throughout
the day is by far the simplest but most effective
way to hydrate the body,” advises James
McDonald, team nutritionist at proto-col.com.
“The body absorbs and uses more fluids by
36 FEBRUARY 2019
sipping, whereas gulping large bottles of drink
when you’re really thirsty often just flushes
through the system.
“True hydration takes several hours to be
fully achieved by the body, so drink well a day
or two before a big run. Drinking excessively on
the day of a race can sometimes unsettle the
stomach and result in multiple loo stops. Most
runners get hydration wrong because they over-
hydrate and drink too much liquid (especially
drinks low in sodium) before a race or training
run.”
For Professor Sparks, getting hydration
right isn’t solely about drinking on the go as you
race or train, either. “After a run it’s generally
recommended that every 1kg lost roughly
equates to one litre of liquid, and that you
should restore your levels by replacing fluids
at 1.5 times the amount lost.”
“But don’t do all that in one go—especially
if you’re training after work in the evening.
You’ll simply upset your sleep pattern by
needing the loo though the night. If you’re
going to be sleeping for eight to 10 hours after
your run, stagger your rehydration and drink
with food, too. This will help the body to retain
the liquids you’re restoring. The key to getting
rehydration right comes through regular weight
checks before and after your run”
FIND YOUR FLOW
Newcomers to endurance running
will need to ind the method that
works best for them. Richard Smith,
a performance coach at Team
Protocol, suggests some general
rules for runners to observe.
■ If running in hot or humid
environments, increase your luid
and electrolyte intake in the days
leading up to the race, ‘salting’ food
and eating foods rich in natural
sources of sodium, potassium and
magnesium (bananas, for instance).
■ Monitor your hydration by checking
the colour, volume and smell of your
urine. If you pee frequently, and your
urine is relatively clear in colour, then
it is likely you are well hydrated. 
■ Pre-training/competition drink
up to 500ml of a suitable electrolyte
drink.
■ Depending on the duration
of session or event, plan an
individualised rehydration strategy.
As a guide, during extended exercise
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
in warm conditions you should aim to
drink between 400-800ml of luids—
including electrolytes—every hour,
drinking every 15-20 minutes.
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

DRINK LIKE THE PROS
AARON SCOTT
SAUCONY UK ATHLETE
AND 2:17 MARATHON RUNNER
“On a daily basis, I use SOS electrolyte mix. At work I have a pint of
water at my desk, and make sure I get through two or three of these
during the day. I've had differing experiences with fueling during
marathons. At my first it was recommended that I drink around 200ml
of a carb drink and take a gel at every 5K interval. But come the 25K
mark I felt really sick and couldn't face drinking any more fluid or
taking another gel.
“On the other hand, I managed to miss my bottles at 15, 20 and 25K
during a marathon in Frankfurt and this took its toll in the latter stages
when I felt like I had nothing left in the tank. Ironically, the best I've felt
during a marathon is when I didn't have my own bottles available to
me (usually elite runners have special drinks tables every 5K). During
the London Marathon last year, I carried two gels in each of my arm
warmers and took these at 5, 15, 25 and 35K and just took a few sips
of regular water almost every mile.”
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FUEL HYDRATION
CHRIS THOMPSON
TEAM GB 10K RUNNER, COACH
AND 2:11 MARATHON RUNNER
“I avoid plain water and instead use a sachet or scoop of a hydration
product, as they contain a measured dose of salts and sugar that aid
absorption. I’m currently using a powdered coconut water (drinking
just water often flushes the body of valuable electrolytes). I’m in the
habit of grabbing a favourite 500ml bottle, filling it and sipping it over
an hour before I eat.
“Drinking before food also prepares the body to use and fully
metabolise nutrition. This is particularly important after training.
I typically reach for a cool drink to help lower my body temperature
then eat once my hydration has recovered. If I’m out on a long training
run, or even when I’m running a marathon, I typically don’t take on
fluids or carry them with me. However, the day I ran my marathon
PB, I did take on fluid at every drink station. For runners that are out
on the course for four hours or more, it’s vital that hydration is part of
their strategy."
FEBRUARY 2019 37
NUTRITION
INTUITION MICHELLE NEWITT ON LEARNING TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
AND FUELING UP WHEN IT FEELS RIGHT
s soon as you trust yourself, you will know how
to live” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
A Intuitive eating is based on a mind-body
integration of instinct, emotion and rational
thought. It’s a subject I’m passionate about, and
my main focus when coaching is to help my clients tap into their
intuition when deciding what food to eat, how much and at what
time.
With so much conflicting information on nutrition, it’s easy
to get lost in the process and feel even more stuck than when
you first started out. The plethora of information is so conflicting
because we’re all different. What suits one person doesn’t
necessarily suit another, so we embark on a journey of trial and
error, following all sorts of different advice, and our poor bodies
have to endure the chaos while trying to maintain a delicate
balance of bodily function. No wonder so many people present
with stress-related conditions such as IBS, acid reflux, tension
headaches, anxiety and depression. We need to find balance and,
for that, we need to start looking inwards.
We all know a balanced diet is key for our health, but we
have different likes and dislikes, different tolerances and different
38 FEBRUARY 2019
needs, especially as runners. One of the most common things
I hear when I’m consulting my clients is that they eat a certain
food—for example, broccoli—because it’s healthy. When I ask
them if they actually enjoy it, I often see a ‘nose turned up’ face
and they tell me that no, they don’t really enjoy it. But the experts
tell us cruciferous vegetables are good for us so we should eat
them, shouldn’t we? And my answer is, well that depends on
you. In an IBS sufferer, broccoli can trigger painful cramps and
bloating and if they continue to eat foods that cause this reaction,
eventually they start to feel depressed and hopeless about what
they can and can’t eat. So broccoli in this case would be distinctly
unhealthy.
Following someone else’s plan can often leave you feeling
hungry, frustrated, dissatisfied and distrusting of your own body.
So I have compiled a list of categories to help you choose foods
that instinctively feel right for you—so you can develop your own,
tailor-made, healthy-eating plan. We need a good variety of food
in our diet and it’s important to choose a few items from each
category that look appealing to you for optimal nutrition.
Whenever you’re not enjoying what you’re eating, stop.
You are the expert of your own body.
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / NUTRITION INTUITION

FRUIT AND VEG

A range of fruit and vegetables will provide fibre
as well as an abundance of vitamins, minerals and
antioxidants. Aim to choose at least one from each
colour group:
Red e.g. tomatoes, raspberries, red peppers.
Purple e.g. black grapes, blueberries, figs.
Orange e.g. carrots, oranges, butternut squash.
Green e.g. spinach, cucumber, fresh parsley.
White e.g. cauliflower, mushrooms, fennel, onion.

One portion equals:

• 3 tbsp of cooked vegetables
• 1 cereal bowl of salad
• 1 handful of leafy greens e.g. spinach
• 1 medium or 7 cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium fruit e.g. apple or orange
• 1 handful of berries or grapes
• 1 small banana
• 2 small fruits such as plums or kiwis
• 1 inch slice e.g. melon or pineapple

FEBRUARY 2019 39
NUTRITION SPECIAL / NUTRITION INTUITION

LEAN PROTEIN FAT LOT OF GOOD

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu and protein powder are all lean protein sources. Fats are necessary to
Protein helps keep you feeling full and provides amino acids your body needs help your body produce
for growth and repair. Beans and lentils also contain protein but have significant hormones and enable
amounts of carbohydrate and fibre, too. you to absorb fat-
soluble vitamins, but
One portion equals: the type of fat you
• 100g salmon, mackerel or fresh tuna eat is very important.
• 130g tinned tuna in springwater Along with omega 3
• 150g white fish fats—found in high
• 150g shellfish concentrations in oily
• 150g chicken breast ish—omega 6 and 9
• 150g turkey breast fats are also important.
• 125g lean red meat
• 175g organic tofu One portion equals:
• 150g lentils • 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150g beans • 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 medium eggs • 50g olives
• 25g plant-based protein powder • 50g reduced-fat
houmous
• ½ medium avocado
• 20g almond, brazil,
walnut or cashew nuts
• 20g lax, sunlower,
pumpkin or chia seeds
• 20g almond or organic
peanut butter

40 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / NUTRITION INTUITION

MANUFACTURER
MISCHIEF
IF IT’S SO BAD, WHY DOES IT
TASTE SO GOOD?

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES
These are top of my list for maximising performance and are ideal if you are
training hard. They will help sustain you in endurance-based activities and keep
blood-sugar levels balanced throughout the day.

One portion equals:

• 50g jumbo oats
• 200g sweet potatoes
• 200g new potatoes
• 60g brown rice (dry weight)
• 60g quinoa (dry weight)
• 4 rough oatcakes
• 70g sourdough bread
Here’s where the intuitive message gets skewed.
Those clever food manufacturers know just how
to create the perfect cocktail of ingredients and
chemicals that excite our brains and pervert our
taste buds, with the absolute intention of making
their foods addictive so we consume more. If
you’re trying to tap into your intuition with these
foods, it’s just not going to work. The natural
cue is lost and hijacked by drug-like foods that
confuse and mask your bodies true needs.

Intuitive eating disruptors include:

■ Refined sugar
■ Processed foods
■ Caffeine
ORGANIC DAIRY AND ALTERNATIVES ■ Alcohol
It's important to eat sources of calcium which have been proven to aid in fat-
burning and help build bone density, but stick to organic and choose probiotic It’s entirely possible that you can have some of
(bio live) yogurt. the above items and still have a healthy eating
plan but, for many—and especially with refined
One portion equals: sugar and processed foods—the internal
• 150g natural probiotic yogurt message is clouded and there doesn’t seem to
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

• 40g feta be an ‘off switch'. I would recommend reducing

or, better, eliminating them to get back in touch
• 40g goats cheese
with the intuition of your body.
• 40g buffalo mozzarella
• 400ml plant-based milk such as unsweetened almond milk

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 41

INSIDE
SCOOP
RECOVERY ESSENTIAL OR PROVIDER OF UNWANTED
BULK? FOR LEAN-OBSESSED RUNNERS, THERE’S STILL
A SLIGHT STIGMA AROUND PROTEIN, BUT IS IT
JUSTIFIED? MR’S NUTRITIONIST MICHELLE NEWITT
POSITS PROTEIN’S POSITIVES

ne of the most talked about subjects in the

field of sports nutrition is: how do we know
O how much protein to consume and what
type is best?
We know for a fact that an adequate
protein intake accelerates muscle growth and speeds
recovery, by helping rebuild muscle fibres damaged during
a run. Protein is what keeps your body healthy under all
that strain, and an adequate intake means you’re less likely
to get injured.
It also plays a significant role in keeping our immune
system strong. After intense exercise, the immune system
is temporarily weakened, so consuming protein post-
workout not only assists with repair of muscle tissue, but
also boosts immune function – so you can keep on running
week after week without getting ill.

PROTEIN PORTIONS
The official RDA for protein for a sedentary person is
around 0.8g per kg of body weight, so for a 60kg person
that would mean a good daily intake would be 48g of
protein, but that’s not enough for athletes or anyone
undertaking a serious training schedule.

42 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / INSIDE SCOOP

FEBRUARY 2019 43
NUTRITION SPECIAL / INSIDE SCOOP
WHAT’S RIGHT
FOR YOU?
If you’re training for a 10K or more, start at
1.2g of protein per kg of body weight. If you
feel great and you’re recovering quickly,
stick to that as it’s perfect for you.
If you’re not recovering well or ind you
keep getting injured, before increasing your
protein to 1.5g per kg of body weight, check
a few things: that your stress level isn’t too
high; that you’re sleeping well and don’t have
a lurry of toxins entering your body through
processed food, sugar, alcohol, etc; that you
aren’t overtraining. Then try increasing again
up to 1.7g per kg of body weight until you’ve
found the right amount for you. 
You don’t have to watch every gram you
consume or obsess over igures to perform well
in running. It’s an intuitive process and it’s important to do what feels
right for you regardless of what other people are saying about their
results.
44 FEBRUARY 2019
The more training you do, especially the more
intensive styles of training such as heavy lifting, hill
running, sprinting and sports with an explosive power
element such as boxing or rugby, the more your body
will require. This is because intense exercise tears more
muscle fibres as a by-product of growth, so in order to
repair and actually grow stronger, your body requires
protein to do a good job. That all means less injury, better
immune function and better progress.
There has been much controversy over the amount
of protein we should consume for intensive training. I’ve
heard extremes ranging from, "You can never have too
much protein," from those in the old-school bodybuilding
community, to those who believe we really don’t need
much protein at all, could actually live on a fruitarian diet
like a monkey and that it places an undue strain on our
kidneys.
The truth is, both extremes aren’t good for us. More
protein doesn’t equal more muscle building unless you’re
already under-consuming. You have to actually do the
work, i.e resistance training to the point of failure for a
muscle fibre to tear and then grow with the assistance
of protein. So no, drinking protein shakes will not make
you grow muscles like Popeye if the training stimulus is
inadequate, despite what the marketing of those shakes
will have us believe.
It is generally accepted within the field of sports
nutrition that those undergoing training need between 1.2
-1.7g of protein per kg of body weight, which for an 80kg
person translates to 96g to 136g per day.
It’s important to spread that intake throughout the
day, eating some at each meal to ensure your body gets
a steady supply; that way we can prevent the breakdown
of lean muscle for fuel. The body will use for energy
whatever it perceives as non-essential when in a survival
state, so that means all the pretty, visual muscles we’ve
been working hard to build can be burned up in a matter
of weeks if they are not supplied with adequate nutrition.
The other benefits of protein are that it keeps us
feeling full, often contains a rich source of iron, which
gives us loads of energy, along with plenty of B vitamins
and immunity-boosting Zinc. So it’s paramount that we get
plenty in our diet for reasons other than repair of muscle
tissue after exercise.
The truth is, there’s no magic sweet spot of protein
intake that every runner has to hit every day. Your body
is smart and, if you listen, it will guide you to the right
amount. Timing may well be as important quantity, as
numerous studies have demonstrated that exercise-
induced muscle damage is reduced when protein is
consumed pre- and post-workout and that muscle repair
is particularly enhanced when protein is consumed
immediately after workouts.
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / INSIDE SCOOP

PROTEIN POINTERS
WHEY, HEY?
Whey is an easily digestible and rapidly absorbed
protein that will send a fast burst of amino acids
to your muscles for recovery. Whey protein also
contains a high proportion of Leucine, the amino
acid thought to be the most important in boosting
recovery and performance. Opt for whey isolate,
which has less fat and tends to dissolve better.

POWER PLANTS
I’m also a fan of plant-based proteins like brown
rice and pea protein. They have a different profile
of amino acids and, in isolation, don’t have all the
essential amino acids like with whey, so plants are
often combined within one powder.

DID YOU
KNOW?
About 20g of
protein within
15 minutes of
finishing training
is as much as
the body can use
for immediate
recovery. Some
studies say up to
30g post-workout,
but anything more
is excreted as
waste or stored
as fat.
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 45

 ot
o n c e n t r a red beetigroh
C ains h
juice cotnstof xygen-
amounasing nitrate
incre

46 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / LEGAL HIGHS

LEGAL
HIGHS
IN A WORLD WHERE RUNNERS ARE
BOMBARDED WITH PRODUCTS TO ‘TAKE
PERFORMANCE TO THE NEXT LEVEL’,
ROB KEMP MEETS THREE PEOPLE IN THE
NUTRITION KNOW TO GIVE YOU A BETTER
IDEA WHAT SUPPLEMENTS CAN ACTUALLY
BENEFIT YOUR RUNNING

e’d advise athletes to get the fundamentals

of nutrition right – to pick the lowest
W hanging fruits, the easiest to get – first,
before trying to reach higher,” explains
Dr Andy Sparks, senior lecturer in exercise
physiology at Edge Hill University.
Dr Sparks and many other nutrition specialists are
concerned at the high levels of recreational and elite
athletes who will take dietary shortcuts to achieve their
goals, based on the promise of great performance.
“Athletes will go to extremes when it comes to their diet,
such as following high-carb or high-fat diets in a bid to
reduce weight while upping power output,” explains
Sparks. “Equally, many will opt for supplements that are
promoted to improve performance, when often getting
the basics of nutrition right, or just knowing which
supplementation is effective and which isn’t, will be just
as beneficial.”

VITAL VITS
Sparks suggests that among those supplements that can
improve performance is vitamin D. “Whether you’re a
runner or not, if you live in northern Europe there’s a good
chance you may be vitamin D deficient over the autumn
and winter.”
It’s not only recommended by experts because of its
mood-boosting ‘sunny D’ and bone health properties. “It’s
linked to a healthier immune function and better muscle
adaptation. A reasonable intake (4000 international units
IU a day) as a supplement is fine, but exceeding the
recommended amounts could be counter-productive.”
Sparks is also an advocate of pro-biotics for
performance. “There’s some research, which is ongoing
and not conclusive, to suggest that these can combat

FEBRUARY 2019 47
NUTRITION SPECIAL / LEGAL HIGHS

gastrointestinal upset in endurance athletes. Indirectly this

can aid performance and it stabilises digestion and stops
the need for the body to deal with gut upset.”

UP-BEET ABOUT NITRATE

Nitrate has received much attention within sport nutrition
in recent years and now forms a key ingredient in a
range of performance-enhancing pills and potions. “This
is due to its reported benefits in regulating blood flow,
and improved muscle; glucose uptake, excitation and
contraction,” explains Sharmain Davis.
Nitrate in supplement form is converted to nitric oxide
in the mouth and the stomach. “This acts as a vasodilator
on blood vessels (improving the delivery of oxygen to the
muscles), though the benefits for running performance are
most noticeable during shorter, quicker efforts."
Where possible, the experts advise athletes to opt
for natural foods rich in nitrate, such as beetroot, spinach,
lettuce and celery. “But commercially available beetroot
juice can contain a concentrated source of nitrate, making
it easier to take – the suggested dose of 6.4-12.8mg per kg
of bodyweight/day in the days leading up to a race.”
Davis also suggests runner try to avoid using
mouthwash or spitting as both destroy and omit the vital
bacteria which converts nitrate. “You may end
up with red urine – don’t panic it’s a completely normal
side effect!", adds Davis.

THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETA

“Supplementation with Beta–alanine has been shown to
increase muscle carnosine levels, which acts as a buffer
to acid (due to hydrogen ion build up) within muscle,”
explains Davis, with the result that it helps prolong high-
intensity activity. For runners, that could help to prevent
early fatigue, but Davis suggests for optimal impact
runners monitor their intake carefully. “Based on the
available evidence, load with 3-6g per day for four weeks

MEET THE EXPERTS

Dr Andy Sparks, senior lecturer
in exercise physiology,
Edge Hill University

Sharmain Davis, clinical and

sport dietician at Pure Sports
Medicine (puresportsmed.com)
Leaf it, yeah?
Spinach is also a good,
natural source of nitrate
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Liam Holmes, independent

sports nutritionist
(phnutrition.co.uk)

48 FEBRUARY 2019 MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

 NUTRITION SPECIAL / LEGAL HIGHS

WHAT SUP?
THREE ATHLETES ON HOW THEY FUEL THEIR RUNS

Mark Allison, 46, currently
fundraising to run 20,000 miles
around the world in aid of
charities in the North East of
England
“I’ve always had success with
porridge, chicken and eggs in
various forms – complemented only
occasionally with a sugary snack for a
bit of quick-release energy. My running
days range anywhere between 31
miles to 60 miles. I’ll have some good
protein at the end of the day (usually
a chicken wrap), but I also take
CherryActive (active-edge.co.uk). It
was recommended to me, and it made
a huge difference to my runs across
the USA, Australia and Europe."
markallisonjogtole.blogspot.co.uk
Ieuan Thomas, 28, Saucony
UK athlete
“I'm a big fan of caffeine
supplementation before races and
big sessions, often in the form of a
double espresso. I love the taste of
coffee and I'm not a fan of caffeine in
tablet form. I've also had pretty good
results from Beetroot Juice and SOS
Rehydrate (sosrehydrate.com), which I
find hydrates me way more effectively
than water on its own. The only
other time I'll really use any form of
supplementation is during my Sunday
long run. I'll always take an isotonic
gel out with me to make sure I have
sufficient energy, especially as I'm
often going out before breakfast.”
Tom Evans, 25, ultrarunner and
serving Welsh Guard, British Army
“As a full-time ultrarunner, nutrition is
really important for my performance.
Every morning, I will have a big bowl
of overnight oats with natural yogurt
and peanut butter. Lunch is normally
veggie-based, with carbs made up
from sweet potato, pasta or rice. About
an hour before training I have a Beet
It Sport concentrated beetroot shot
(jameswhite.co.uk) which gives me
400mg of natural nitrate – I find that
I have more energy and my legs can
work for longer and faster. I will load
with Beet It concentrated shots for
three weeks before a big race."

prior to the a big race and then maintain muscle carnosine
levels by consuming 1.2g per day, spread over the day to
reduce the notable side effects of flushing and tingling."
COFFEE KICK
“Caffeine has become a staple supplement for endurance
athletes, especially cyclists, but also runners,” says Andy
Sparks. It can help make running feel easier, as research
has shown that caffeine influences the neurotransmitters
in the brain involved in attention and motivation – with the
effects of reducing perceived effort.
“If you’re coffee-dependent, popping a caffeine
supplement during a long run could help prevent a
withdrawal headache, too,” adds Sparks.
Aside from being found within a range of dietary
sources such as coffee, tea, chocolate and guarana,
caffeine is added to carbohydrate gels, drinks, bars and
tablets, with its content ranging between 30 to 200mg.
“The recommended dose for runners is between 1-3mg
per kg of body weight,” says Davis, ”ideally taken about
30 minutes before a run."
WHOLE AGAIN
While some supplements have been shown to benefit
runners' performance, directly and indirectly, all three
specialists reiterate the need for runners to aim to get the
bulk of their nutritional intake from whole foods and a diet
based on a balance of carbs, proteins and fats.
The right supplements can be hugely beneficial,
with recovery especially, but Davis stresses the need for
runners to "look beyond the claims on the labels, to the
base ingredients, before taking supplements regularly.”

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 49

FAT
LOT
OF
GOOD
WITH SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE RUNNERS EXTOLLING THE
VIRTUES OF FAT-ADAPTED RUNNING, WHAT IS IT EXACTLY AND
CAN EVERYDAY RUNNERS BENEFIT FROM CUTTING CARBS?

50 FEBRUARY 2019

at-adapted training
is essentially where
F your body primarily
burns fat for energy –
whether that’s stored
body fat or dietary fats. It is based on
the premise that our bodies should
(and for thousands of years, did) rely
primarily not on carbs for fuel, but on
fat. Runners need to fuel correctly to
stock up their energy stores and now
there’s a growing body of evidence
to suggest the dominant approach to
sports nutrition, based primarily on
using carbohydrates as workout fuel,
may not be the most effective.
The body can only store a
small amount of glycogen (stored
carbohydrate) – enough for about
90 minutes of exercise – so we are
advised to keep topping up during
an endurance event. Not doing so,
as we have learned, runs the risk of
hypoglycaemia, more commonly
known as the dreaded nutritional
‘bonk’ where the body has exhausted
the supply of energy from blood sugar.
The dependency on sugar to fuel
energy can lead to withdrawal when
it’s not available.
Can you go more than three hours
without eating? Do you get moody if
you miss a meal? Do you feel like your
energy goes up and down throughout
the day? Do you crave sugar? All
of these signs point to glycogen
dependency. We’ve just become so
used to it, we see it
as normal.
The solution, as many sports
nutritionists now believe, is to
wean ourselves off our reliance on
carbohydrates as a primary source of
energy and retrain our bodies to use
WORDS: MICHELLE NEWITT / PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
their fat reserves for the bulk of their
energy needs. It is particularly useful
for runners covering long distances
and who would ordinarily have to keep
topping up their energy stores.
Fat adaptation is related to, but
distinct from,
a separate process known as ketosis.
Followers of a ketogenic diet consume
very low levels of carbohydrate. It’s
possible, however, to follow a lower
carbohydrate diet that encourages the
body to use more of its fat resources
as fuel – but stopping short of the
NUTRITION SPECIAL / FAT LOT OF GOOD
more extreme ketosis.
While our carbohydrate stores FAT-ADAPTED
are limited, our stored fat, even in a MEAL PLAN DID YOU
lean body, have enough to power us
for 24 hours and well beyond. Stored
KNOW?
fat delivers a stable energy base You’ll know you’re
which doesn’t stress the body and fat-adapted when
mind anywhere near as much as the you can miss a
roller-coaster energy of carbohydrate meal and still be
fueling, and without the potential able to function,
gut issues from consuming so much find your energy
sugar. So for endurance runners with BREAKFAST levels even and
Scrambled eggs, smoked salmon,
sensitive digestion, I would particularly spinach and avocado.
steady throughout
recommend it. the day and you
The drawbacks during transition don’t get strong
to a fat-adapted state are commonly cravings for
sugar cravings, obsessive thoughts food or sugar.
of carb-based foods, mood swings As your training
and an initial decrease in running progresses and
performance. For those reasons, many your endurance
LUNCH
runners dread the transition phase Chicken or turkey with a mixed salad, increases, you’ll
and many people just aren’t motivated feta cheese and olive oil. find yourself
enough to endure the potential side reaching less and
effects. So it really comes down to less for the snacks
how much you want it and if you are a and gels, and
long-distance runner. you’ll be surprised
how far you can
FAT CHECK go.
If you’ve decided you want to become
DINNER
fat adapted you need to begin to limit
Salmon or mackerel with sweet potato
your carbohydrate intake to less than and vegetables.
150g a day and then keep it at around
100g a day. It’s not just a question of
reducing carbohydrate intake, though;
you need to replace these calories with
essential fats such as: oily fish, eggs,
dairy, meat, nuts, seeds, avocados and
oils. When cutting carbohydrate, aim
to eliminate poor-quality processed
sugars and draw your carbohydrate
needs from whole foods such as
vegetables, berries and potatoes, SNACKS
Nuts, seeds, berries and natural
which also contain lots of other yogurt.
nutrients.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF FAT-ADAPTED TRAINING
We’ve all got stored body fat already – even the leanest of athletes. The trick is accessing it for performance.
This requires three simple training and dietary changes:
■ Reduce sugar and processed foods. The more of these in your daily diet, the more your body will depend on
them.
■ Increase essential fats. More essential fats helps your body recognise these fats as a primary fuel source.
■ Fasted-state training. Try going out for a run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but be sure to
drink plenty of water beforehand. Black coffee can also be helpful, consumed 30 minutes before running, as
it allows your body to release stored fat more rapidly.
FEBRUARY 2019 51
NUTRITION SPECIAL / GUT LUCK

GUT LUCK
HOW CAN RUNNERS, WHO LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN DISCUSSING THE STATE OF THEIR STOMACHS,
IMPROVE OVERALL GUT HEALTH — AND PERHAPS REDUCE THE URGENCY OF THAT PRE-RACE PIT STOP

runner’s diet isn’t

always the healthiest;
A the combination 5 FOODS/DRINKS TO AVOID ON RACE DAY
of high sugar and
processed food, CAFFEINE REFINED PRE-WORKOUT
combined with exercise, means Know your SUGAR SUPPLEMENTS
many runners suffer some form of tolerance. FATTY FOODS A sudden Be particularly
gut trouble. Here, I’ll discuss how Caffeine These dumping FIBRE careful with the
increases foods are of refined High-fibre use of these.
to choose foods that soothe and peristalsis inflammatory sugar into the processed They often
strengthen the gut, and what to avoid (the rhythmic due to the bloodstream cereals such as contain artificial
to ensure everything works smoothly. movement of processing, can cause an Bran Flakes can sweeteners
There has been much focus on the intestines) and take longer initial high, be abrasive on and aggressive
and can make for the body to but it's shortly the gut lining and stimulants
the gut microbiome recently, as we you run for the digest which followed by a trigger bloating, which can
now know that it plays a central part loo if you have can make you low which can cramps and cause chaos in
in immunity and well-being. The gut too much! feel sluggish. derail your race. flatulence. a sensitive gut.
microbiome is essentially the balance
of bacteria that resides in your digestive
system. There are good bacteria and • Processed food of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory
bad bacteria coexisting within this • Artificial sweeteners nutrients, for example, Pukka Turmeric
delicate ecosystem and an imbalance • Refined sugar DID YOU Gold, Pukka Mint Refresh and Pukka
can quickly make us feel pretty awful. • Alcohol Elderberry & Echinacea.
When the bad bacteria outnumber the • Recreational drugs KNOW? • Add probiotics to your diet which boost
good bacteria, we can suffer gastric • Some prescription drugs Optimal balance the population of good bacteria in your gut.
distress such as cramps, diarrhoea, • Caffeine of the gut I really like the brand, Nourish Kefir. It’s a
constipation, bloating and flatulence • Stress microbiome can milk-based drink which contains billions
which ultimately affects our emotional knock minutes of live bacteria. If you’re dairy intolerant, I
balance and performance. This is For optimum well-being I would off your running recommend Rhythm Pure Coconut which
further complicated by stress and recommend that you reduce all of times. If you’ve is a kefir made from coconut milk.
anxiety and even the motion of running the above to ensure that your gut has done everything • Ensure you’re getting plenty of fibre
in itself can increase symptoms. the best chance of remaining calm you can in training, ideally from fruits, vegetables, sweet
So, as a runner I’m sure the and healthy. That in itself massively ensuring you get potatoes and gluten free grains such as
last thing you want affecting your reduces inflammation and strengthens adequate rest and brown rice, quinoa and gluten free oats.
performance, especially on race your digestive health. That’s easier said taking steps to • Include essential fat such as avocado,
day, are these kind of symptoms. than done, but any steps you can take ensure your stress nuts, seeds, olive oil and if you eat fish, then
Therefore it’s imperative that we do towards reducing the burden on your gut level is kept in particularly oily fish. Oils have a soothing
what we can to keep the gut bacteria will have a positive impact.. check, eating the and nourishing effect on the gut and help
in balance. In addition, there are many things right type of foods strengthen the gut lining.
The foods and lifestyle we can do on a daily basis to soothe and and avoiding the • The amino acid, Glutamine has been
choices that can affect the gut are rebuild the gut. ones that upset the shown to be especially helpful in
inflammatory in nature and each • Add herbal teas to your daily fluid balance is the final gastrointestinal health, as it’s a key
person has an individual tolerance to intake. I’m a big fan of the Pukka step in reaching nutrient used by the body to rebuild and
these: tea range which include large doses your personal best. repair.

52 FEBRUARY 2019
WORDS: MICHELLE NEWITT // PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

n
e : h e r b al teasmoaftetory
Tea ti e anti-inlam othe
m
includedients to help shs
ingr ubled stomac
tro

FEBRUARY 2019 53
 LIGHT
AND
FAST
IN RUNNING TERMS, LEAN GENERALLY MEANS
QUICK, BUT TOO MUCH WEIGHT LOSS CAN
DETRIMENT PERFORMANCE. NUTRITIONIST
MICHELLE NEWITT EXPLAINS HOW TO TRIM THE FAT,
WITHOUT SUFFERING AN ENERGY HIT

54 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / LIGHT AND FAST

o be the best runner you can be, you need and a boost in performance, and those that provide
to be as lean as possible, but if you don't calories, but drain our vital resources and can make you
T eat enough you aren't going to have enough DID YOU perform badly…
energy to perform at your best.
Luckily, there are ways to lose body fat
KNOW? PROCESSED PROBLEMS
without compromising performance – it’s just a case of Our idea of a Food in its natural state provides perfect parcels of
being streetwise with your food choices. healthy breakfast nutrition, with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fibre to
It’s often believed that if you do enough running then has changed help us digest and absorb everything we need from it. The
you can eat whatever you like and still be lean. Although a lot over the further our food strays from this basis, the unhealthier and
this may work for some – those blessed with a super fast years. take a the more confusing it becomes for your body.
metabolism – the majority of people need to be mindful of typical 'healthy' Your body is the greatest machine on earth and when
what they put into their bodies if they want to be as lean breakfast in the you eat proper food it functions like a well-oiled engine. It
as possible. There’s a saying, you can’t out train a bad diet, 80s and 90s: a responds to healthy eating because it’s designed to do so.
and it’s true; often one’s appetite goes up in line with the bowl of cornflakes So focus your diet on fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs,
volume of training so if you have a bad diet, and by that with milk and a pulses, dairy or alternatives, nuts, seeds, oils and whole
I mean regularly consuming a lot of sugar or processed sprinkling of sugar, grains. Add lean meat and fish if you’re not vegetarian.
foods, then the elusive leanness you’re after may never a slice of toast with Be moderate with alcohol, coffee and dark chocolate
come, even with a high volume of running. butter and jam, but try to avoid the following processed foods which are
Using the equation 3,500 calories = 1 pound (0.45kg) and a cup of tea proinflammatory, causing chaos in the body and can drain
of fat, you need to cut about 500 calories from your typical with a teaspoon your energy: cakes, biscuits, crisps, pastries, artificially
diet each day to lose 1 pound of fat per week (500 calories of sugar. That’s sweetened drinks, yogurts and diet products, processed
x 7 days = 3,500). This is a sensible calorie deficit to over half your rda breakfast cereals, fast food and processed meat substitutes.
create, ensuring you still have enough energy to perform for sugar – before Also check protein shake labels to ensure there are no
well in your training sessions. you’ve even left artificial sweeteners. Certain brands are getting better but
So let’s look at the foods that give us lots of energy the house! some still have a long way to go in cleaning up their act!

LOW-CALORIE ENERGY BOOSTERS

THE FOLLOWING FOODS BOOST ENERGY FOR AS LITTLE AS 100 CALORIES EACH

RAISINS BANANAS PULSES JUMBO OATS SWEET

(35G) (1 MEDIUM) (100G) (25G) POTATOES
Raisins are a Bananas are Pulses are a rich Another source (100G)
concentrated a source of source of complex of complex The deep orange
source of natural electrolytes, carbohydrate carbohydrate, colour of sweet
sugar so you need particularly which provides easily digestible potatoes highlights
to be mindful of the potassium, which a steady source and perfect for a a rich source of
portion size, but helps replenish the of fuel, ideally pre-race breakfast, beta-carotene
they are fantastic body’s reserves consumed two to two to three hours and vitamin C, and
for boosting during or after three hours before before starting. provides a vitamin-
flagging energy running. running. loaded, easily
levels during a run. digested, complex
carbohydrate.
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 55

WORTH ITS
SALT
OFTEN CITED FOR ITS ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS, SALT IS IN FACT AN
ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT AND ONE THAT WE RUNNERS CAN ILL AFFORD TO NEGLECT
o you follow the
dietary guideline about
D drinking lots of water?
Do you follow the
advice to reduce your
salt intake? If you do both of these
things you are probably risking your
health and reducing your strength
and fitness. We are constantly told to
reduce salt and we see ‘low salt’ foods
advertised everywhere. Why do they
do this; what exactly is wrong with
salt?
Experiments conducted in the
1950s suggested that an excess of
salt caused high blood pressure and
high blood pressure is a risk factor
for heart disease. When the National
Dietary Guidelines were put together
in the 1970s, heart disease was
everybody’s greatest fear.
A low salt diet only reduces blood
pressure by a fairly insignificant
three or four points and it does so
by reducing blood volume, which is
not a particularly good thing. But the
fear of heart disease was so great
at the time that this research was
accepted and recommendations to
eat a maximum of six grams of salt
per day were introduced. Like so
many things in the dietary guidelines,
there had been no trials to test the
56 FEBRUARY 2019
recommendation being made. They
Words Charlie Spedding Photography istockphoto.com
just thought they should go for the
opposite of what they thought was
bad. This is the same mistake they
made when they demonised fat and
had no alternative other than to
recommend carbohydrate instead.
The world-wide obesity epidemic is
the result of that mistake.
Salt (sodium chloride) is an
essential micronutrient. We have to
eat it or we die. Recent research is MEET THE EXPERT
Charlie is an Olympic medal winning
showing that far too many people
marathon runner and
have inadequate levels and they are the author of From Last to First.
suffering from a deficiency. We lose A lifelong community pharmacist,
salt in our sweat and in our urine. The he’s passionate about extolling the
more water and caffeine we drink the virtues of regular exercise. To read
more urine we produce and the more the original article, head to Charlie’s
salt (and other minerals) we excrete. website: loseamillionpounds.com.
An athlete who sweats a lot and is Follow @lose_a_million.
constantly drinking water to replace it
will be salt deficient if they follow the
official low-salt diet.
NUTRITION SPECIAL / WORTH ITS SALTS

FEBRUARY 2019 57
NUTRITION SPECIAL / WORTH ITS SALTS
WHAT DOES A LACK OF SALT DO?
■ Low salt increases insulin
production and insulin resistance,
which leads to poor energy levels,
weight gain and, eventually, type 2
diabetes.
■ Natural salt contains other
essential minerals including
iodine. A lack of iodine leads to
hypothyroidism which makes you
feel tired all the time. Some athletes
have ‘therapeutic use exemptions’
for thyroid hormones. Their
problems might disappear if they
took more iodised salt.
■ Low levels of sodium trigger
the over production of adrenal
hormones like adrenaline and
cortisol. These stress hormones
are valuable when you are just
about to run or ight but they have
very negative effects when you are
producing them over long periods
of time. They will increase your
levels of anxiety, sleep disturbance,
digestive problems, headaches and
heart problems. They will reduce
your memory and concentration.
SHAKE THINGS UP
Our bodies function brilliantly because
of our incredibly complex feedback
loops and homeostasis. The idea that
we can greatly reduce an essential
mineral to target one particular disease
without other grave consequences
is totally deluded. We should all
remember that the original Dietary
Guidelines were put together by an
American Committee of Senators with
no scientific background. They were
under pressure to reduce heart disease
and they listened to the scientists who
shouted the loudest while ignoring
the advice that urged more caution.
(ref. The Big Fat Surprise by Nina
Teischolz.)
A study published by the
Canadian Population Health Research
Institute in 2014 has interesting
results. They followed 150,000 people
from a wide variety of countries
over several years. They measured
the amount of sodium in their urine,
which gave an accurate indication
of salt in their diet. The results of
58 FEBRUARY 2019
Cortisol in particular breaks down
“THE LATEST
muscle tissues, which is the last RESEARCH
thing you want.
SUGGESTS THAT
■ A lack of salt slows down
your metabolism. It increases
THE RECOMMENDED
the release of lactic acid rather MAXIMUM OF 6G
than carbon dioxide during the
production of energy. Perhaps, the
SALT PER DAY IS FAR
second to last thing you want. TOO LOW”
■ Sodium is anti-microbial. The
more sodium you have stored in
your skin, the better you are at
preventing cuts from becoming
infected.
■ A lack of salt and drinking
too much water can cause
hyponatraemia; a condition
in which the sodium levels of
the blood are too diluted. Mild
symptoms include a decreased
ability to think, headaches,
nausea, and poor balance. Severe
symptoms include confusion,
seizures, and coma, which
occasionally leads to death. Oh no,
this is the last thing you want.
their study showed that the lowest
death rates came from people eating
between 10 and 17 grams of salt per
day. There were higher death rates for
those who consumed both higher and
lower intakes. On average, those who
consumed less than 8g of salt per
day had a death rate 38% higher than
those consuming 10 to 17g per day.
Eating far too much salt is bad
for you, but far too little salt is just
as bad. The latest research suggests
that the recommended maximum of
6g per day is far too low. The author
of a new book on this topic, The
Salt Fix, claims his training sessions
are far better when he takes salt
beforehand rather than just replacing
lost salt afterwards. We should all add
salt to our food to the point of taste
preference. The only exceptions are
people with kidney disease, diagnosed
hypertension and people who eat
nothing but processed food. If you are
in the latter group you probably have
far more health problems than just a
sodium imbalance.
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
NUTRITION SPECIAL / WORTH ITS SALTS

FEBRUARY 2019 59
FULL OF BEANS
WITH THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY SOON TO RECONSIDER
WHETHER PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES SHOULD BE BANNED FROM TAKING
CAFFEINE, NUTRITIONIST MICHELLE NEWITT ASSESSES JUST HOW
EFFECTIVE IT CAN BE FOR IMPROVED RUNNING PERFORMANCE

60 FEBRUARY 2019 MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

 NUTRITION SPECIAL / FULL OF BEANS

n 2004 the World Anti-Doping Agency THE CONS

(WADA) lifted the ban on caffeine The downside of caffeine generally comes into play
I for performance, but now WADA are DID YOU with larger doses. It can have a detrimental effect
considering whether to move it back to
being a prohibited substance. What are
KNOW? on some aspects of performance – for example, fine
motor control and technique due to over-stimulation.
the pros and cons of using caffeine in sport and how can You can make a
runners utilise it for maximum effect? natural energy Other side effects with larger volumes of caffeine
shot by juicing two include:
THE PROS apples and a one- • Palpitations
Within 30 minutes to two hours of consuming caffeine, the inch piece of fresh, • Increased muscle tension
performance-enhancing benefits of note are: peeled ginger. • Headaches
• Improved concentration The combination • High blood pressure
• Reduced fatigue of fruit sugar and • Interference with recovery and sleep patterns
• Enhanced alertness the kick of the • Restlessness, anxiety and irritability
• Increased time to exhaustion spice get your • Abdominal pain
• Improved muscle contraction blood pumping • Diarrhoea
and awaken your • Dehydration
I've certainly felt a marked difference in my performance senses. Try it
during running when consuming caffeine 30 minutes to instead of coffee Combined with high-intensity exercise, an increase in
one hour before I start, and I can generally run for longer one day and if you blood pressure and heart palpitations from caffeine
and faster if I ensure I drink plenty of water at the same haven't got time, puts the body under tremendous strain.
time. (Without water I get headaches and a frequent urge head to your local It can be very tricky to get the balance right
to drink, which ultimately affects my performance.) Pret a Manger and between hydration, caffeine level and electrolyte
Caffeine is effective and safe in smaller doses if taken pick up a ‘Ginger balance while sweating. Since caffeine increases your
carefully, and it poses far less long-term risk than prohibited Shot’ heart rate, you sweat more and if you're training in hot
drugs such as steroids and blood-doping chemicals. There weather this balance is complicated further.
are also many studies to show that drinking coffee can
reduce your risk of acute and chronic neurological disorders HOW TO USE CAFFEINE EFFECTIVELY
such as Alzheimer's, dementia and cardiovascular disease. Caffeine affects everyone differently. Before using
caffeine in competition, athletes fine-tune their
timed doses in training. This not only enhances their
performance, but helps them establish their tolerance
CAFFEINE ALTERNATIVES of the stimulant.
ALL-NATURAL ENERGY-BOOSTERS IF YOU CAN’T GET In the 1980’s experts thought only high doses of
YOUR KICK FROM CAFFEINE caffeine would give performance-enhancing effects,
but it has now been proven that much lower doses –
HYDRATION CARBS STRESS between two to four cups of coffee (200-400mg) – are
Dehydration Choose RELIEF very effective.
can affect slow-release Take steps Caffeine enters the bloodstream faster in the
performance carbs such as to keep your absence of milk or other food, so my personal
drastically. SLEEP whole grains stress level prescription would be a double espresso or black
Drink water and sweet in check. americano (200mg) on an empty stomach with an
before, during This is a potatoes over Caffeine can
no-brainer. accompanying large glass of water, 30-60 minutes
and after refined drain you before running.
running to Coffee used carbs such as even more
to prop up a If you have a higher tolerance you could try
keep your white bread if you're
energy levels sleep deficit and sugar, already doubling this, reaching a maximum of 400mg pre-
REGULAR
high. often fails, to keep your EATING stressed workout and ensuring you drink plenty of water to
leaving you blood sugar which can counteract any dehydrating effects.
feeling much Eating little
level even lead to This works well for running sessions lasting 60
worse as the and often
and your adrenal minutes or less. For longer runs, a pre-workout meal
effect wears keeps your
energy energy levels
exhaustion. two to three hours before and then caffeine 30 minutes
off. Get seven stable. topped up before would enable optimum performance.
to nine hours
and the load Don't expect a miracle, though! It's no substitute
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

sleep every
night if you're on your for proper training, equipment, nutrition and hydration,
training digestive so try experimenting with caffeine to boost an already
regularly. system strong base of fitness.
smaller.

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 61

SUPER PROTEINS
NUTRITIONIST MICHELLE NEWITT
ON THE NEW BREED OF PROTEIN

rotein shakes are a useful

supplement to add to a healthy
P diet for runners. It’s important to
refuel correctly after running to help
muscles repair and restore glycogen
levels with the addition of carbohydrates in a shake.
It’s particularly important if you don’t have time
to prepare a meal. Shakes are a convenient way of
getting optimal nourishment during a crucial post-
workout window.
The quality of protein shakes has improved vastly
over the years. Some brands are more conscious
of cutting out sugars and unnecessary additives
but unfortunately there are still many that have
artificial sweeteners in an attempt to keep the
macronutrients in balance while making them more
palatable.
There has also been a surge of online shops
undercutting the larger brands with much cheaper
options and in that, the quality of the protein itself
has been called into question.
There is increasing evidence to support the
claims that artificial sweeteners can cause
neurological damage, and the FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) is being pushed to test products
that have been around for the last 20 years or
so, particularly ‘diet’ products which notoriously
cut out fat and replace with not only artificial
sweeteners but a concoction of flavour enhancers
to make their products more appealing.
I’ve always promoted simple food in its natural
state and support the recent rise of plant-based
protein powders – minimally processed, natural
products, with the majority of brands not adding
anything artificial.
Brown rice protein powder is my favourite of the
plant-based proteins. It’s hypoallergenic and has a
98% correlation to mother’s milk. Others include
pea protein and hemp protein.

62 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / SUPER PROTEINS

FEBRUARY 2019 63
NUTRITION SPECIAL / SUPER PROTEINS

DID YOU SUPER

KNOW?
Running causes
PROTEIN
oxidative
stress, which
PICKS
is essentially RECOVER RIGHT WITH
an imbalance THESE SUPERFOOD-
between the ENHANCED PRODUCTS
production of free
radicals and the ■ BLISSFUL
ability of the body BROWN RICE
to counteract AND RAW CACAO
or detoxify their SUPER PROTEIN
harmful effects. By Raw cacao contains
adding foods high iron and magnesium
in antioxidants normally lost in
the processing of
such as raw
chocolate and a huge
cacao, camu camu
amount of antioxidants which mop up
or blueberries, cellular damage in the body.
we can help
support the body thatprotein.com
in its endeavour
to neutralise this
■ I HEART
effect.
PUMPKIN AND
CHIA SEED SUPER
PROTEIN
One 25g serving
contains a third of our
RDA of heart-healthy
omega 3 and a whole
host of essential
minerals and fibre to improve
digestion.
thatprotein.com

■ SUNWARRIOR
WARRIOR
BLEND ORGANIC
PROTEIN
Contains pea protein,
hemp protein, goji
berries and whole
ground coconut
evolutionorganics.co.uk

■ PROJECT
ORGANIC VEGAN
PROTEIN
Uses a 50/50 blend of
rice and pea protein
and makes a perfect
base for adding
Photography istockphoto.com

one of my favourite
superfoods, camu
camu powder. Camu camu is a red/
purple cherry-like fruit that grows in
the Amazonian rainforest and has an
exceptionally high vitamin C content.
theproperfoodproject.co.uk

64 FEBRUARY 2019 MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK

Share every step with us and we’ll share our
specialist knowledge and the very best running
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and wherever your next run takes you.

Here to help share our passion with you

RUNNERSNEED.COM
NUTRITION SPECIAL / MEAT FREE MEALS

MOUTH-WATERING
MEAT-FREE MEALS
REFUEL POST-RUN WITH THESE SIMPLE VEGGIE SUPPERS
FROM SPORTS NUTRITIONIST ANITA BEAN. DESIGNED WITH
ATHLETES IN MIND, EACH DISH CONTAINS THE RUN-
BOOSTING NUTRIENTS YOU NEED FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE

BLACK BEAN AND VEGETABLE

CURRY WITH ALMONDS
This protein-packed curry is delicious and really easy to make. Black beans are rich in
protein
as well as ibre and iron. Both the yogurt and almonds supply useful amounts of calcium.
Make
a larger quantity and keep the remaining portions in the fridge for up to three days, or
freeze for
up to three months.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)
• 1 tbsp light olive oil or rapeseed oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into cubes
• ½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
• 125g (4oz) broccoli lorets
• 50g (2oz) frozen peas
• ½ tsp of each: cumin, coriander and turmeric
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 200g (7oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 400g (14oz) tinned black eye beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 tbsp coconut milk
• 4 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
• 25g (1oz) ground almonds
• Small handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion. Cook gently for 5 minutes until softened.
Add the vegetables, spices, garlic and ginger, and cook for a further minute, then add the
chopped tomatoes and about 125ml (4 l oz) water. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat
and cook for 10 minutes. Add the beans and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut milk, yogurt and almonds, then stir into the
curry. Turn off the heat, taking care not to boil, otherwise the yogurt may curdle. Stir in the
coriander and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve with whole grain rice or whole wheat chapatis or latbreads.

NUTRITION (PER SERVING)

Energy: 592kcal. Protein: 26g. Fat: 21g (7g saturates). Carbs: 66g (22g total sugars).
Fibre: 18g.

66 FEBRUARY 2019
NUTRITION SPECIAL / MEAT FREE MEALS
NUTRITION SPECIAL / MEAT FREE MEALS
TOFU AND VEGETABLE KEBABS
These kebabs are perfect for al fresco
dining and barbecues. As the vegetables
are cooked only briely and over a high
heat, they retain most of their nutrients.
You can also use other summer
vegetables, such as pieces of corn on
the cob and slices of fennel.
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)
• 200g (7oz) irm tofu
• ½ red pepper, cut into 2.5cm (1 in) pieces
• ½ yellow pepper, cut into 2.5cm (1 in)
pieces
• 1 courgette, thickly sliced
• ½ aubergine, cut into 2.5cm (1 in cubes)
• 8 button mushrooms
• 8 cherry tomatoes
FOR THE MARINADE:
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
• ½ tsp (2.5ml) grated fresh root ginger
• 1 tsp runny honey or maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbsp water
68 FEBRUARY 2019
METHOD
• Cut the tofu into 12 cubes. Place in a
shallow dish along with the prepared
vegetables.
• To make the marinade, mix together the
olive oil, soy sauce, lime (or lemon) juice,
ginger, honey (or maple syrup), garlic
and water.
• Spoon the marinade over the tofu
and vegetables, making sure they are
thoroughly coated. Leave for at least one
hour, but turning occasionally.
• Thread the tofu and vegetables onto
8 bamboo skewers. Brush with the
remaining marinade and place under a
hot grill or on a barbecue for about 10
minutes, turning frequently and brushing
with marinade, until slightly browned.
• Serve with a leafy salad and baked
sweet potatoes.
NUTRITION (PER SERVING)
Energy: 310kcal. Protein: 18g. Fat: 19g
(2g saturates). Carbs: 12g (11g total
sugars). Fibre: 8g.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH
AND PEA RISOTTO
WITH PARMESAN AND
PINE NUTS
This is a perfect refuelling meal after a long workout. It
contains a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein so will restock
muscle glycogen stores, as well as promote rapid muscle
recovery. The beans and peas supply high levels of protein
and ibre, while the pine nuts give you omega-3 oils, which also
promote recovery.
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)
• 1 tbsp light olive oil or rapeseed oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ¼-½ red chilli, inely chopped (optional)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 125g (4oz) Arborio (risotto) rice
• ½ small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 400ml (14 l oz) hot vegetable stock
(or 1½ tsp vegetable bouillon dissolved in boiling water)
• 200g (7oz) canned red kidney beans
• 125g (4oz) frozen peas
• 25g (1oz) freshly grated Parmesan
• 25g (1oz) pine nuts
• Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan and cook the
onion over a moderate heat, stirring frequently, for about 3
minutes. Add the chilli and garlic, and continue cooking for
about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring
constantly until the grains are coated with oil and translucent.
• Add the butternut squash and half of the hot vegetable stock,
then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until
the liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes). Add the remaining
stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring and continuing to simmer
until the rice is almost tender (about 15 minutes).
• Add the red kidney beans and peas, and continue cooking for
a further 5 minutes. As a guide, the total cooking time should
be around 25 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan
and pine nuts, and season with lots of freshly ground black
pepper.
• Serve with Parmesan shavings and extra black pepper.
NUTRITION (PER SERVING)
Energy: 613kcal. Protein: 21g. Fat: 20g
(4g saturates). Carbs: 81g (11g total sugars). Fibre: 14g.
Taken from The Vegetarian
Athlete’s Cookbook by Anita Bean
(£14.99, Bloomsbury)
MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
NUTRITION SPECIAL / MEAT FREE MEALS

FEBRUARY 2019 69
DOCTOR’S
ORDERS
MEAT-FREE TREATS TO ENERGISE YOUR RUNNING

70 FEBRUARY 2019
MEATLESS
MEATBALLS
My ‘meat’ balls are made with puy lentils,
wild mushrooms and laxseeds – you will
not miss the red meat! I tend to prepare a
big batch of these because they disappear
quickly. Packed with beautiful Italian
Recipes from The
herbs and spices, they will imbue your Doctor’s Kitchen by
kitchen with Mediterranean vibes. The Dr Rupy Aujla (Harper
Mediterranean diet is universally one of the Thorsons), £14.99
most researched diets proven to reduce
the incidence of cancer, diabetes and heart
disease and, contrary to popular belief, it
actually features little meat. Experiment
with different herbs and ind what works
for you.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g fresh porcini mushrooms (or wild or
chestnut), inely chopped
• Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs, inely
chopped
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, inely chopped
• 1 tsp dried chilli lakes
• 500g cooked puy lentils
• 3 tbsp ground laxseeds
• 300g wholegrain or black bean fettucine
• 2 carrots, peeled lengthways into thin
strips with a vegetable peeler
• 500ml shop-bought Italian tomato sauce

METHOD
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking
parchment.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium
heat, add the garlic, mushrooms, rosemary,
sun-dried tomatoes and chilli lakes and
sauté for 2–3 minutes, until the mushrooms
have softened. Stir in the lentils, then
transfer the mixture to a blender or food
processor with the laxseed and blitz for
just long enough to combine everything
and until all the ingredients have a uniform
texture. Form the mixture into 16 balls.
• Put the balls on the lined baking tray and
bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until crisp
on the outside and hot through.
• Meanwhile, cook the fettucine in a pan of
boiling water for 6 minutes (or according
to the packet instructions), throwing in the
carrot strips for the last minute of cooking
time to soften them.
• Drain the fettucine and carrots and serve
with the baked meatless meatballs and
sauce.
MEXICAN BLACK
BEAN CHILLI BOWL
Mexican cuisine is as vibrant and colourful as the country! Remove the typical breads,
wraps and cheeses that are low in nutrients and load up on the spice, fresh vegetables and
healthy fats. We grow delicious sweetcorn in the UK (look out for it in late summer). If there
was one dish that represents how I believe we should eat more often, it’s this Mexican
bowl, bursting with colour, lots of ibre and good-quality fats.
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the black
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for beans and cook for a further 2 minutes.
drizzling • Put half the tomatoes in a blender or food
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced processor with the honey, the remaining
• 1 red onion, inely diced oil and the sun-dried tomatoes and blitz
• 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika until smooth. Add the mixture to the pan of
• 1 tsp dried chilli lakes beans and simmer for 8–10 minutes.
• 1 tsp cumin seeds • If you’re using whole corn cobs, coat them
• 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed in a drizzle of oil, a little salt and pepper and
• 1 large tomato, inely diced grill under the oven grill or on a griddle pan,
• 1 tsp runny honey turning them frequently, until tender and
• sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained lightly charred all over.
• 2 sweetcorn cobs (or 200g tinned • Mix the shredded red cabbage in a bowl
sweetcorn, drained) with the remaining diced tomato, avocado
• 150g red cabbage, inely shredded and coriander stalks.
• 1 ripe avocado, stoned, peeled and diced • Slice the corn kernels off the cob straight
• 10g coriander, leaves and stalks into the bowl of cabbage (or add the
separated and inely chopped drained tinned sweetcorn) with the lime
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lime juice and zest and a drizzle of oil.
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • Serve the bean stew on top of the
vegetables in the bowl, and garnish with
METHOD the coriander leaves.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a
saucepan over a medium heat, add the TIP
garlic, onion, paprika, chilli lakes and This pairs well with a portion of cooked
cumin seeds, season with salt and pepper wholegrain rice.

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 71

NUTRITION SPECIAL / DOCTOR’S ORDERS

PEA AND BEETROOT RISOTTO

This is probably the most unlikely recipe you’ll ind in a ‘healthy’ cookbook – few healthy
food bloggers dare use a ‘nasty’ reined rice like Arborio. However, I think we should really
enjoy our food, and risotto is one of the most beautiful exports of Italian cooking. I’ve tried
using different rice varieties like brown and wild rice to make risotto but they simply do not
work! The process of cooking this meal – watching the pan and gradually adding stock,
gently agitating the mixture and watching it transform into a creamy pan of deliciousness
– makes you feel like a real home chef.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 50g beetroot, grated
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, inely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, inely diced
• 50g fresh porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced
(or dried wild mushrooms, rehydrated)
• Leaves from 4 thyme sprigs
• 100g Arborio rice
• 30–40ml red wine (optional)
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 50g garden peas (fresh or thawed)
• 50g spinach, roughly chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
• Put the stock in a saucepan with the
beetroot, warm it through and keep it on the
hob next to the saucepan you’re going to
cook the rice in.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium
heat, add the shallots, garlic, mushrooms
and thyme, season with salt and pepper
and sauté for 2–3 minutes to make the
‘sofrito’. Add the rice and toast it in the oil
for 2–3 minutes, then splash in the red wine
(if using) and allow it to be absorbed by the
rice.
• Add one ladleful of the hot stock at a
time and stir until it has been absorbed.
Continue adding a little of the stock every
50–60 seconds, gently moving the rice
around the pan. Once all the stock is
absorbed (after 16–18 minutes), remove
the pan from the heat and stir in the butter,
cheese and peas. Cover the pan and set it
aside for 1 minute, then remove the lid and
fold the spinach through the mixture until
wilted.

TIPS
• You can use small brown mushrooms if
you can’t ind porcini.
• I serve this with steamed beans or
broccoli, so you can still experience the
risotto’s amazing lavours without the
heaviness.

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK
 SOY ROASTED
VEGETABLES
WITH GINGER
NOODLES
Fish sauce is a pungent, unmistakeably
Southeast Asian ingredient that I love
using. It gives Thai curries a restaurant
quality and, used sparingly, it’s a brilliant
seasoning for cruciferous vegetables.
These simple noodles, dressed with
oil, garlic and ginger, are all you need
to hit your senses, and the synergistic
effects of different antioxidants in these
ingredients may be more powerful
than previously thought. The nuts and
gorgeous greens give this light and easy-
to-prepare dish bags of protein and ibre.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 150g broccoli, separated into 3cm
lorets, and stem trimmed and diced
• 150g caulilower, separated into 3cm
lorets (keep the leaves)
• 1 red onion, roughly cut into chunks
• 80g buckwheat soba or brown noodles
• 25g sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
• 25g spinach, inely chopped
• 10g unsalted peanuts, crushed lime
wedges, to serve
• 1 red chilli, sliced, to serve
For the dressing
• 5cm piece of root ginger, peeled and
inely grated
• garlic clove, inely grated
30ml sesame oil
• drops of ish sauce (optional)

METHOD
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas 6.
• Mix the melted coconut oil, turmeric,
soy sauce and chilli powder together
in a bowl. Put the broccoli, caulilower
and onion in a separate large bowl, add
the coconut oil mixture and smother the
vegetables in it. Tip the vegetables into
a roasting tray and bake for 25 minutes,
until golden.
• Meanwhile, mix the dressing
ingredients together in a large bowl
and cook the noodles in a pan of boiling
salted water for 6 minutes (or according
to the packet instructions). Drain the
noodles, then transfer them to a large
serving bowl. Add the sugar snap peas
and spinach and half the dressing and
toss to combine.
• When the vegetables are cooked,
remove them from the oven and tip them
straight into the bowl with the remainder
of the dressing, while they’re still hot.
• Serve the noodles with the roasted and
dressed vegetables on top, scattered
with the peanuts, with lime wedges and
sliced red chilli on the side.

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 73

74 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / SUPERFOOD SNACKS

SUPERFOOD
SNACKS
TRY THESE VEGAN RECIPES FOR NO-BAKE ENERGY BALLS, FROM NUTRITIONIST
CHRISTINE BAILEY. RICH IN PROTEIN AND FAST-ACTING CARBOHYDRATES,
THEY’RE THE PERFECT PRE- OR MID-RUN SNACK

MATCHA PROTEIN BITES

Cacao butter gives these green nuggets a creamy texture and rich lavour while the protein
powder keeps them grain-free, which is perfect if you are following a paleo or gluten-free
diet. Matcha green tea has very high antioxidant levels (nearly 10 times stronger than
green tea).
Its stimulant and metabolism-boosting properties are ideal for optimal performance, as
well
as for recovery.

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 20)

• 15g granulated stevia
• 115g macadamia or cashew nut butter
• 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 60g cacao butter, melted
• 60-80g chocolate or vanilla protein powder
• Matcha green tea powder and/or protein powder to coat

METHOD
• Place the stevia in a blender or food processor and grind until very ine. Add the nut
butter, matcha powder, sea salt, vanilla and melted cacao butter to the food processor and
combine.
• Add the protein powder and process to form a dough. If the mixture is too soft, add
another spoonful of protein powder.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to irm up slightly. Energy Bites: High
• Take small spoonfuls of the mixture and roll into walnut-sized balls. Protein, No-Bake
• Place a little matcha green tea powder and/or protein powder on a plate. Roll the balls Bliss Balls to
in the mixture to coat. Make and Give, by
Christine Bailey,
• Keep in the fridge until required.
is published by
Modern Books,
NUTRITION (PER BITE) £8.99. Full-colour
Energy: 81kcal / Fat: 6.2g / Carbs: 1.3g / Sugars: 1g / Protein: 4.4g hardback out now.

FEBRUARY 2019 75
RED VELVET
BITES
Beetroot and chocolate is a brilliant
combination. Beetroot contains
nitrates, which the body converts
to nitric oxide. This, in turn, boosts
blood low and improves oxygenation,
allowing you to exercise harder,
for longer. Dark chocolate is rich
in a substance called epicatechin,
a nutrient-rich lavanol that also
increases nitric oxide production.

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 14)

• 60g cooked beetroot (without vinegar)
• 60g pitted cherries, raspberries or
strawberries—fresh or frozen
• 60g canned coconut cream*
• 150g dark chocolate, broken into
pieces
• 2 tsp acai berry powder
• Berry powder, crushed freeze-dried
berries or raw cacao, to coat

METHOD
• Place the beetroot, raspberries and
coconut cream in a blender and purée
until smooth.
• Transfer to a small pan with the
chocolate and heat gently, stirring all
the time until the chocolate has melted.
• Pour the mixture into a bowl and chill
in the fridge for three to four hours or
freeze for one hour to harden.
• Once irm, roll teaspoonfuls of the
mixture into small balls with your hands.
Roll in berry powder, freeze-dried
berries or cacao powder to coat.
• Freeze or place the bites in the fridge
to harden. They will keep in the fridge
for one week, or in the freezer for three
months.
*For the coconut cream, chill an
unopened can of full-fat coconut milk in
the fridge for a few hours before using—
the cream sets at the top of the can,
making it easier to scoop out. Save the
rest of the can to use in smoothies.

NUTRITION (PER BITE)

Energy: 80kcal / Fat: 5.6g / Carbs: 5.9g
/ Sugars: 1.2g / Protein: 1.5g

76 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / SUPERFOOD SNACKS

FIG WALNUT BITES

These are similar in taste to the popular ig roll biscuits. As they contain a high amount
of dried fruit, you can use them as an energy boost, pre- or post-workout.

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 20)

• 100g ready-to-eat dried igs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• Pinch of salt
• 50g porridge oats
• 75g walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 60g chopped toasted nuts, to coat

METHOD
• Place the dried igs with the vanilla, orange juice and salt in a food processor and blend
to form a thick purée.
• Add the oats and walnuts and process again to form a soft dough. Keep some texture
in the mix.
• Take bite-sized pieces and roll into balls.
• Roll the balls in the chopped toasted nuts to coat. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

NUTRITION (PER BITE)

Energy: 60kcal / Fat: 3.9g / Carbs: 4.4g / Sugars: 2.8g / Protein: 1.4g

FEBRUARY 2019 77
 CARB YOUR
ENTHUSIASM
POWER YOUR RUN WITH THESE HIGH-CARB RECIPES FROM FITMENCOOK.COM

HI-ENERGY FLOURLESS ALMOND BUTTER AND OAT MUFFINS

‘Do you routinely skip breakfast because you forget or you’re in a hurry? Try these hi-energy mufins
loaded with natural energy to help power you through the day.’

INGREDIENTS METHOD Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F /

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1 banana
• 4 dates
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup goji berries
(optional)
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate
(optional)
• Mix banana, dates, almond
milk and almond butter.
• Mix baking powder with
rolled oats, then stir in the
batter.
• Add dried goji berries and
dark chocolate. Mix together.
• Lightly coat an oven tray
with oil and evenly divide
the mixture among the cups.
180°C / Gas 4.
PER MUFFIN (without
optional ingredients)
272 kcals, 8g protein, 34g
carbs, 11g fat, 6g ibre,
14g sugar

Recipes courtesy of Kevin Curry, founder of FitMenCook.com

78 FEBRUARY 2019
 NUTRITION SPECIAL / HIGH CARB RECIPES

SWEET POTATO AND QUINOA PATTIES

‘Choosing the right source of complex carbs can be a runner’s nightmare. Look no further
and carb it up with these lavourful, vegan-friendly Sweet Potato and Quinoa Patties.'
INGREDIENTS TIPS
• 475g Sweet Potato • Do not overcook the sweet potato. It
• 125g cooked quinoa should be irm but able to be mashed.
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries • If your patty is too soft, add wheat bread
• 1/8 cup chopped mint crumbs before adding to skillet.
RAW SUPERFOOD ENERGY BARS WITH CACAO
• 2 chopped jalapenos (seeds removed) • Make sure the quinoa is not wet when
you add it. ‘These energy bar “bites” are practical, easy-to-make and
METHOD customise, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and are just
• Spray skillet with coconut oil. PER PATTIE downright delicious.'
• Mash cooked sweet potato. 130 kcals, 3g protein, 27g carbs, 1g fat
• Add cooked quinoa, jalapenos, mint and INGREDIENTS
dried cranberries. • 5 Medjool dates
• Form small patties by hand and cook in • 1 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
the skillet for 20 minutes on medium heat. • 2 packets ALOHA Berry whole food powder
• 1/3 cup raw quinoa
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw pistachios
QUINOA BLUEBERRY BANANA BREAKFAST MUFFINS • 2 tbsp lax seeds
‘Quinoa breakfast mufins are one of my favourite go-to recipes to incorporate leftover • 2 tbsp coconut oil
quinoa. They’re very easy to customise for diabetics and are just really, really good.’ • 1 cup 60% cacao
INGREDIENTS METHOD
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
• 1 egg • Set oven to 350°F / 180°C / Gas 4.
• Raw crushed pistachios
• 2 ripe medium bananas • Mix egg, banana and coconut oil together
• Raw crushed pecans
• 1/4 cup coconut oil in bowl.
• Raisins
• 2 cups cooked quinoa • Then, add remaining ingredients except
• Raw sunlower seeds
• 1 cup oat lour for the blueberries and mix thoroughly
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or 2 tsp zero- together using a spatula or hand mixer.
METHOD
calorie sweetener to reduce the amount Add tablespoons of almond milk if batter is
SUPERFOOD ENERGY BARS
of sugar in the recipe) too thick or dry.
• Add all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender.
• 1 tbsp cinnamon • Toss in blueberries and mix with a spatula.
• Pulse blend until the batter is sticky. Dump the contents onto
• 1 tsp allspice (optional) • Pour the batter in mufin cups and bake
parchment paper.
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder for 20 minutes at 350°F / 180°C / Gas 4.
To make the bars of equal size, you will need ice cube moulds.
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• Measure out the size of each energy bar by placing the contents
• 3/4 cup blueberries (frozen or raw) PER MUFFIN
in one ice cube mould. Leave about a quarter space at the top for
144 kcals, 4g protein, 16g carbs, 7g fat,
the cacao topping.
2g iber, 3g sugar
• Make equal-sized balls and then stuff them in the moulds. I was
able to make 18 bars with this recipe.
• Place the moulds in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

CACAO TOPPING
• Simmer water in a pot. Place a ramekin in the water and the add
cacao chips to the ramekin. 
• Allow the cacao to warm and melt then stir with a spatula. This
ensures the cacao is not burned but is smooth.
• Remove the moulds from the freezer. Add about 1 tsp of melted
cacao to the top of each energy bar.
• Optionally add your choice of chopped nuts and berries. I used
pistachios, pecans, raisins and sunlower seeds.
• Store these in the freezer for at least 1 hour and then transfer
to the refrigerator.

PER BITE (without optional ingredients)

142 kcals, 3g protein, 19g carbs, 7g fat, 4g iber, 12g sugar

MENSRUNNINGUK.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 79