We have become a society of carb burners. That is where sports nutrition has been for the past couple of decades. Of the two main food sources the body uses for energy, carbohydrates and fats, our working muscles would prefer carbs because they create ATP (energy) faster. They are “easier” to convert into energy.
Author
Sunny Blende
Sunny Blende
Sunny Blende, M.S. is a Sports Nutritionist who writes and counsels individuals and teams on fueling for enhanced performance and making healthy food choices. Currently she writes the nutrition column for UltraRunning magazine and runs ultras herself. She has presented at the National RRCA Convention, the National Rowing Convention, Nike San Francisco Marathon Expo, and the Runners World San Francisco Marathon and worked as an assistant with the Los Angeles Marathon Association. An avid master competitor herself, she trains and competes in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Sunny received her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Southern California and her Masters in Human Nutrition degree from University of New Haven. (Photo at left, by Luis Escobar).
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If you’ve ever been to my house for dinner, you will soon come to understand that I am a nutritionist and not a chef. My meal planning consists of 1.0…
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Why, exactly, do we as ultramarathoners need to drink so much fluid? What is so magical about being hydrated? If you think about it, the result of the human body running and running and running boils down to one thing – heat production.
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When fiber is mentioned in conversation, there is usually a pause – then everyone has an opinion. We know that fiber is healthy; after all, fiber decreases transit time through…
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For those of you who are totally lean, terrific fat burners and never have any GI issues, stop reading this article. But for those of you who want to become, in the words of former fitness expert Covert Bailey, a “better-butter-burner,” read on.
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Food for Thought – Ultrarunning requires some mental stamina and the question, “Can we feed the mind with any special nutrition?” seems intriguing. Certainly lack of food can produce some pretty…
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September 27, 2008 was the day that three of my Northern California friends (Ana Braga-Levaggi, Janet Bodle, and Pam Jolliffe) had picked to run Rim to Rim to Rim in…
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Nutritionists often talk about reading labels, encouraging you to look for healthy ingredients and recognizable foods that are close to their original source, such as whole wheat instead of white…
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Nutritional Support for Sport Injuries – Eating your Way to Recovery
by Sunny Blendeby Sunny BlendeYou’re an ultrarunner and you have an injury. Bad combination for training, not to mention your sanity. While ice, rest and physical therapy are significant in the treatment of cuts,…
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You want your nutrition to rebuild your immune system while maintaining the adaptation in the muscles that all those miles have produced. You spend considerable time carefully planning “a long…
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The array of food at a typical aid station in today’s ultramarathon races is overwhelming. The choices become almost as hard to negotiate as some of the trails. Besides all…
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Second only to carbohydrates, fat may be the most misunderstood nutrient in endurance sports. There are those athletes who totally shun it and others, touting its virtues, just as emphatically…
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The LAST Article You’ll Ever Need to Read About What to Eat During an Ultramarathon
by Sunny Blendeby Sunny BlendeIf you have been reading any newsstand magazines for the past few decades, you have probably watched with amusement the trail of articles on the “Last Diet You Will Ever…
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No! Well, maybe. Well, sometimes. This has to be one of the more confusing and ongoing issues for all endurance athletes, ultrarunners in particular. We are bombarded daily with advertisements,…
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By Sunny Blende, M.S., Sports Nutritionist Bonking, hitting-the-wall, crash and burn, total muscle fatigue, whatever the name – as an ultrarunner, this is your worst nightmare. When you are beginning…