Outseason Nutrition Question

tscroggi

This may seem like a funny question, BUT I wanted to get some thoughts.  I've been in this mode for so long of training long all the time I'm not sure what to do about nutrition around these shorter/intense workouts.

For OS workouts what are people doing before and after for nutrition?  Anything special?  Timing?  Ideas other than my old faithful chocolate milk?

gilliatt

since I'm not burning that many calories, I try and not use anything other that good old H2O while riding. The workouts aren't really that long that they require tons of fuel during the workout. Nothing special, lots of lean meats, fruits and vegetables. I try and not drink empty calories (beer isn't empty to me).

tscroggi

Thanks, @Dan.  Do you worry at all about post-workout stuff, or are you on the same page of not worrying about anything but water for the short stuff?

I'm really happy that beer holds nutritional value for you too!  Maybe we'll have to get a beer one of these days and catch up in person.

mattsull

I usually drink water during the workouts. I'll fuel if I feel the need. Gotta listen to your body. I do always use a recovery drink after every workout. It's usually around 200 calories.

Carl

I drink plain h20 also and have a protein shake and 50 grams of Glutamine afterwards just to assist with repair and recovery.

jburbatt

I'm with Dan. Water during, and nothing special before or after except for workouts longer than 1-1.5 hours I'll do a chocolate milk after. Otherwise I just strategically place my snacks or meals so that I have enough energy to do the workout. They just aren't long enough to quantify additional calorie needs for me.

vabchtriguy

I only take in water for workouts except the Sat brick. I like to take in a gel about half way through the bike or have a scoop of Carbo Pro in my water. As far as after, I'm having a recovery drink. My thinking on that is that these are intense sessions that break down the muscles so I like to have a drink after to aid in recovery process. I've been using a "raw" protein/greens supplement mixed in apple juice. I like it so far. I haven't noticed any negative/positive differences compared to supplementing with whey or mixed proteins powders.

Steve West

Since I do most of my workouts in the evening, I have a 200 calorie snack when I get home from work (yogart, Ritz & spinich dip, or slices of turkey, etc ). If I feel dehydrated before I start I'll guzzle a Gatorade, but otherwise only water during. Post workout I have dinner - sometimes at 10:30 PM. Thing is, I am 1 of a very small percentage that workout at night during the week.

Weekends are different. Recovery is often a 24 oz smoothie (soy milk, banana, frozen fruit) or boiled egg and greek yogart. later on I look for a big plate of protien - preferably from a dead cow.

n=1

Scott Alexander

Regardless of in season or OS, anything 2hrs or less, is nothing more than water with some fruit juice to taste. Over 2hrs is very small portions of my Infinit mix.

During my 2010 season, I was able to get my caloric needs to significantly drop by just using less and less Infinit powder each successive time. It's worked out well for me.

I still love my chocolate Soymilk for recovery of OS workouts. Anything more than an hour is Endurox r4 w/ glutamine powder. Don't know why I differentiate at 60mins, it's just something I do.

Shaughn Simmons

Posted By Scott Alexander on 01 Dec 2010 09:11 AM

Regardless of in season or OS, anything 2hrs or less, is nothing more than water with some fruit juice to taste. Over 2hrs is very small portions of my Infinit mix.



During my 2010 season, I was able to get my caloric needs to significantly drop by just using less and less Infinit powder each successive time. It's worked out well for me.



I still love my chocolate Soymilk for recovery of OS workouts. Anything more than an hour is Endurox r4 w/ glutamine powder. Don't know why I differentiate at 60mins, it's just something I do.

 

Agree with Scott on the 2 hour rule.   Less than two hours for me is my mind trying to convince me that my performance issues require something more than water -which is honestly not the issue................

Dave Tallo

bananna one hour before every session. for bike / run bricks, 1 bananna every 20' during bike with water. For long rides (I do about 2 - 2.5h on weekends in OS), 1 clif bar per hour and 1 bottle gatorade. Dinner immediately after most workouts, chocolate milk if I can't get to the supper table right away.

Coach Rich

Before = nothing, just coffee. I'm very sensitive to stuff in my stomach when I'm working very, very hard. If I plan to be out longer than two hours, I'll have sportsdrink on the bike other than how I usually train which is with water only.

After = if less than about an hour, nothing special. If over an hour I do my smoothie or other healthy meal.

More importantly, I find it extremely helpful to track my nutrition and exercise in LoseIt, the iPhone ap that I use, as it really keeps me on my game and helps me pay attention to what I'm doing.

gilliatt

Thanks, @Dan. Do you worry at all about post-workout stuff, or are you on the same page of not worrying about anything but water for the short stuff?

Pretty much dinner is ate soon afterwards. I read an article called the carbohydrate window 15 or so years ago and it stuck with me the science seems to back up when it stated over and over.
Chocolate milk is great and I love it esp the amish cow stuff you (clover creamery glass bottle) can get at hyvee and dahls however 8 ounces of the stuff isn't very much so the calories tend to be over 500 pretty quick. I did a RMR test when I was still w/ zoom (matt). I don't burn many calories at rest like 1800 per day so 400 for something I drink that doesn't fill me up sorta sux. I could have 2 or 3 good beers.


I'm really happy that beer holds nutritional value for you too! Maybe we'll have to get a beer one of these days and catch up in person.

definitely are you going to the DSM Tri party?

rah2774

for first thing in the morning sessions it depends on how much/hard far - if the session is about 1-1.5 hours of easy to moderate, I'll have a banana or granola bar before (I can do that and go pretty much immediately without any problems).  If it's gonna be a longer or harder session, I need more in the tank and correspondingly have to give myself at least an hour or two to digest to run (then I'll have oatmeal or something along those lines).  If I work out after work I'll usually have a banana, gel or granola bar as soon as I get home, as I'm changing to be sure my tank is topped off as it's probably been 3+ hours since my afternoon snack.

during - water for sure.  That said, I'm reading Race Weight now and there's a section on during exercise nutrition that is making me reconsider my just water routine... the book advocates a carb/protein mix during exercise - either a drink (i.e., accelarade) or a gel.  So in OS I might work in a gel at the mid point (with lots of water) for those 1-1.5 hour sessions, not just when I go long.  When I'm in full training mode I drink infinit on the bike (with protein) and gatorade endurance or powerbar when running (depending on what the course will have).

post - definitely good to eat carb/protein mix in a short window post-exercise to restock glycogen and to begin the repair process.  I'll typically have a banana with pnut butter and choc. milk right away (within 30 minutes if possible, I'll pack it in my cooler for destination rides)... and have a normal meal somewhere in the 2-3 hour after time frame.

mattsull

Posted By Rich Strauss on 01 Dec 2010 11:13 AM

Before = nothing, just coffee. I'm very sensitive to stuff in my stomach when I'm working very, very hard.

Same here.

mgraffeo

As with most things nutrition-related, the best advice is to read the recommendations out there, and then do some n=1 experiments on yourself. The key factor with nutrition in a workout plan like the OS is to recover well enough to do the next day's workout. If you are recovering well, and not ravenously overeating, then you're doing it right. If you are either really hungry at the end of the day, or starting to notice that you often don't have the legs to get the workout done, then take a look at your recovery eating. Of course, recovery is also related to sleep patterns, stress, and other stuff, too, but it's pretty easy to test (drink chocoloate milk after workouts for a week, don't do it for a week, and see which one makes you feel better later in the day and the next workout)

tscroggi

Thanks everyone! Appreciate the feedback. Since I'm rolling out of bed early in the morning and hitting the workouts pretty quick, I think I'm going with little to nothing before my workouts and focus on something small, but effective, afterwards.

You all gave me plenty to think about and experiment a little too.

kurshing

This is not a thread hijack...but it is a follow up and is here because i can't seem to start a new discussion on my iPad:

In the morning (since that is when we workout), I typically get up with a small bowl of oatmeal, a coffee, and a little water and then I workout. After the workout, i usually have 2-3 eggs with two pieces of bacon. For the remainder of the day, i am low fat, low-ish on carbs (maybe a sandwich at lunch, but usually meat/fish/chicken + veggies at dinner) and i generally snack in apple/bananas during the day. In other words, my days are front-end loaded in general. I don't feel anything negative from this diet...but, i wanted to through it out there collect sone thoughts...should i change anything? I sense the eggs and bacon might be a sticking point...but i hope not!

Thanks!

timdawg7

Often times instead of water I'll use Crystal Lght. It has great flavor, there are lots of flavor choices and it's got hardly any calories in it. Other than that I do what everyone else does.

michaelgasser17

X2 on the Crystal Light. I get so bored drinking a bunch of plain water all day. I drink 2 liters of Chrystal light on some days. I love the stuff.

Scott Alexander

I drink water with a splash of fruit juice (raspberry lemonade by SImply Juice, lately) for color and taste. I couldn't do it with plain water.

scottwstewart

 It seems like most people go with just water during their shorter workouts.  I, on the other hand, take a different approach.  I workout in the evening after work, so when I get home from work I'll eat a granola bar with a glass of water, then I'll start my workout.  If I'm doing a bike workout I'll have two bottles, one with water and one with Ironman Perform.  If I'm doing a run workout I'll either use Ironman Perform or Clif Shot Bloks.  After the workout, I eat dinner.  Although I don't eat as much as I would if I hadn't eaten right before and during the workout.

For me, I've had a lot of stomach issues during races in the past  and I have read that you can get accustomed to taking in calories while working out by... taking in calories while working out.  The way I think about it, it 's sort of like the EN philosophy that you can go fast on race day by training your body to go fast .  So I like to try to train my stomach to tolerate calories by taking the above approach.  This is the first season that I'm testing this philosophy, so I'll see how well this works for me.

Anyways, it seems like workout nutrition is a very individual thing.  Do what works best for you.

Shaughn Simmons

I drink water only for short bricks like today's which lasted 105 minutes then make sure I have a good breakfast for recovery.

I drink no caffiene before the workout but enjoy a cup of Jo with the breakfast!

penlynwilson

If you workout in the morning and find yourself hungry all day or that you can't get satisfied hunger-wise during the day, try adding a post-workout fueling (chocolate milk or something else with a mix of carbs and protein).

dotcatlin

I workout at night a lot too, but do the opposite. I'll eat dinner early, a couple of hours before working out, and sometimes at my desk before I leave. Then will have a recovery snack after the workout at about 9pm.

dotcatlin

LOVE LoseIt!