As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, Durangoans are ramping up their fitness training and rethinking how best to fuel their athletic endeavors.
From professionals to sports teams to weekend warriors, their approaches to diet are varied, but with one common theme – the quality of your performance depends largely on the quality of your diet.
Ashley Lucas, a registered dietitian, sports nutritionist and owner of PHD Advanced Nutrition in Durango, is a former professional ballet dancer who takes a specific approach. For the best performance in an endurance event, your body needs to burn fat as its primary fuel source, instead of carbohydrates, Lucas said.
When the body is adapted to burning fat, your muscles deplete their glycogen stores more slowly, she said, and you can exercise harder without exhausting those glycogen stores.
Lucas recommends eating carbs that are higher in fiber and lower in sugar. Breakfast, for example, could consist of full-fat, plain Greek yogurt with nuts, seeds and berries. Another good option is to consume a fatty protein source with veggies that are lower on the glycemic index, such as eggs with sautéed leafy greens like kale or chard.
Lucas advises her clients to avoid grains and incorporate more healthy fats into their diets, including butter, coconut oil, olive oil, avocados and cheese. Grains don’t offer much nutritionally, she said, and you can get all of the fiber you need by increasing your vegetable intake.
If you’re going to eat carbs, eat them after exercising, to replace glycogen stores and help with muscle recovery, Lucas said. When you do eat carbs, it interferes with your ability to burn fat, she said. One way to boost your body’s ability to burn fat is to exercise first thing in the morning, while your body is still fasting from overnight, she said.
Local massage therapist and distance runner Leah Fein follows similar principles. The two-time Hard Rock 100 finisher has run more than 50 ultramarathons in the past two years. She takes an 80/20 approach to her training diet, without being too strict.
Fein focuses on eating healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado and nuts, healthy raised meats, some full-fat dairy and lots of vegetables. She does eat a few grains, but not much, and is gluten-free to alleviate her seasonal allergies, she said.
Fein avoids sugary energy gels and doesn’t use sports drinks. She will occasionally consume a little coconut water during a race, but she doesn’t really worry about electrolytes during distance events. “I tend to get my electrolytes from eating food,” she said.
If you’re considering going grain-free, local wellness coach Lisa Nielsen, cautions against making the change overnight. “People can start to feel a little light-headed while their metabolism is switching over to burning fat,” she said. She suggests taking out one processed carbohydrate at a time, with the goal of sticking to whole, unprocessed grains such as quinoa, rice and oats.
For the best athletic performance, Nielsen recommends choosing unprocessed, whole foods and focusing on hydration. “Our body is 70 percent water, and our cells and organs need water to meet the demands of exercise,” she said.
Instead of sports drinks, she brews hibiscus tea at home, stores it in the fridge unsweetened and adds lemon juice. “It tastes great and is very hydrating,” she said. Nielsen said sports drinks are only beneficial for higher intensity activities or extended workouts that last for more than an hour.
Bob Pietrack, head coach of the men’s basketball team at Fort Lewis College, makes it a point to educate his athletes about the importance of good nutrition off the court. Pietrack, whose team just finished a record-breaking season, preaches the mantra: “Quality food equals quality energy.”
He encourages his team to avoid junk food and instead opt for whole foods, fruits and vegetables. While on the road, the team keeps high-energy snack bars and trail mixes on hand so his players can avoid fueling up at Taco Bell the night before a game. He provides Powerade for his players during and after games, to replace electrolytes, because of the intensity of the sport.
Sandy Gilpin, mother of twin girls, trains for high-altitude endurance events such the Imogene Pass run and the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. “I try to get enough quality calories whether I’m training for a race or just working out to be healthy,” she said, noting that her knees hurt less when she’s eating ingredients that she can pronounce.
Gilpin doesn’t snack while on a long training run, but she loves making a fruit and protein smoothie afterwards. In a pinch, she will consume Clif Bar Shot Blocks during a long run or bicycle ride, saying she prefers them because they are not as processed as some other prepackaged options.
“For a long time, I wasn’t that concerned with what I put in my body,” Gilpin said. “I used to eat those frozen meals for lunches – the cheaper, the better,” she said. “Then one day, I looked at my (then three-year-old) girls and realized that I am one of the most important people in their lives, and they were going to look up to me and model their behavior after me,” Gilpin said.
That motivated her to transform her diet and increase her fitness level. “It’s amazing how you can feel better and have more energy based on what foods you’re using to fuel your body,” Gilpin said.
Stephanie Harris, DC, is a Durango chiropractor, former registered dietitian and mom of two with a passion for helping people live healthier lifestyles. Reach her at inspiredurango@gmail.com.
