Sunday, December 01, 2013

Vegie Time

I am loving having a veggie garden and considering my plan was to have a garden bed of about 4ft x 2 ft to "grow a few herbs, it just gets bigger and bigger all the time.

Thanks to my husband for a book about Vegetable and Fruit growing this year, I now have some tools to help me along the way.

I have two small garden beds (compared to the ones in the book…mine are small), and I am growing:-

HERBS
- Basil
- Coriander
- Dill
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Just planted Chives
- Sage
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Tarragon

AND VEGETABLES
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Leek
- Lettuces
- Cucumbers (planted today)
and I planted some Watermelon plants today…….

The aim is for the garden beds to supply food to be eaten and provide some fun in the growing process.  Seriously once you have the groundwork done, i.e.: dig a garden bed and put some good soil in it, plant some seeds or seedlings and keep an eye on it and just spend 10 minutes each day watering or weeding and the whole project is a goer…..

Just wanted to share my latest pics as I have placed a fence around the bed for the new puppy that will be living here soon and I have protected my tomatoes from the birds that ate them all last year. The left garden bed is all grown from seeds and the right one is a mix of seedlings and seeds and some plants just grew from nowhere??

Home Grown and ready to eat (or laugh at…….)

Home Grown Lettuce

Maybe I am no threat to Covino Farms 

This is the lettuce, I cut leaves from the bottom and it just keeps getting taller….

I think my spinach was bolting to seed

These guys are so ugly……..and noisy


Large Leaf Rocket

Not a huge garden…..but a fun project and PUPPY PROOF…and BIRD PROOF

Rosemary

Tarragon

Coriander

Some herbs in pots…..need some TLC..

Broccoli

Excited about my mini tomatoes

The only snail I want to see

The Pretty Bits





Saturday, October 15, 2011

Its official!

Well I had my first ride back on the road for 10 weeks today with the Sale Early Morning Crew and it was FANTASTIC!. I originally started this blog to write about my frustrations with cycling. the usual ones, how you can never beat a particular person, or a particular course and so for me it was a place to air my happies and sads with cycling. Then I decided to use it as a Nutrition blog and that is how it will be, but not long after I started the nutrition blog, I was studying and I got a new job and had a million things to do so I put the blog on hold for a while

NOW!

Life has changed and I am still working in my new job and have retired from racing. After my big crash 10 weeks ago, I have promised my parents and my partner that I will ride for fun and not let it stress me out too much anymore. You have to understand that it used to stress me out bigtime on race day and to cut a long story short I am now going to be a recreational cyclist and not race. That will still mean trying to keep up with the fast guys on the training rides, but not with the added pressure of the race. I had my first ride back on the road for ten weeks today and that was fun, except when I put my shoes on I had to clean the blood off them and the flashback of ten weeks ago came into my head, but once I was pedalling the memory of how much I love this quickly came back and I was RIDING AGAIN!

Seriously with a change in career due to medical reasons, a retirement from racing and lots of other changes I could write so many anecdotes about life and how you just have to take it and run with it and make sure you utilise every opportunity and get the best out of it, there are no second chances, its not a dress rehearsal....(I borrowed that last bit from my father in law...thanks Bill). We all know that, but when you get reminded you know that it is precious and the most valuable thing you have! Be happy and healthy....which brings me to the next bit

This BLOG is going to go back to a regular blog about NUTRITION and as someone who is doing a Nutrition degree I do know stuff and have a few good reference books to help me too.

So if you want me to write something in particular, email me at judithdove@bigpond.com and I will get to it. The blog will be updated regularly as I did start on some basic topics, I will continue from there starting next week. Hoping to write a weekly update, but will see how it goes from my next post due next week, so be ready for it.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Fat - Is It Evil?

Common Sense:- How much time do you spend training? One hour a day? Ten hours a week? You train hard and expect results.
BUT...

How much time do you spend planning your meals and getting your food right?..........NO It does not look after itself...The arm that places the food into your mouth is attached to the body you train so hard. Unless you are training to be a sumo wrestler, there is no proof that being heavier will help you in ANY SPORT - But lots of lean muscle mass will. Think about it......Good strong lean muscle will win every time.

Lean Muscle Mass in the TDU bunch in January 2011

Get rid of those peaches
as soon as possible

SO HAVING SAID THAT it is common sense that if you increase your Power generated on the bike, the total number of watts you put out AND decrease your weight you will become a much stronger rider.

Increase Power – GOOD
Reduce Weight – GREAT
DO BOTH – Awesome!!!!

A tin of peaches (a small one weighs a pound), so instead of riding around with the equivalent of 10 tins of peaches stuck to your hips, you need to lose those cans of peaches, keep training and then see a fantastic improvement.

BYE BYE PEACHES
Reduce the number of kilojoules we eat every day
Increase activity

Think about every bite you eat, make sure it is healthy and filling. Stop munching on those empty Fat and Alcohol loaded calories (they seriously are what is making you fat!)


When you think about what sugar and fat loaded foods
do to your body? Are they good then?
 This article is NOT ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS, it is about fat and some facts you should know.

We need fat as it serves as a carrier for fat soluble vitamins such as A, D E &K and so our body needs some fat per day just to be able to utilise those vitamins A, D, E & K that we eat.

If our body was fat free it would not survive as fat forms part of cell membranes, brain tissue, nerve coverings, bone marrow and your vital organs like your heart liver and kidneys have a layer of fat to protect them from physical damage and to provide insulation and protection.

Women also have extra fat in the “hourglass” areas, the breasts and the hips which is there to assist with hormone activity..



  
AN AVERAGE PERSON HAS ENOUGH BODY FAT FOR THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS OF  CONTINUOUS RUNNING (Mind you fatigue would get you before your fat stores ran out.)

The fats and oils that you eat can be divided  into three main groups, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Saturated Fats

Fats that are hard at room temperature such as butter, lard, cheeses and the hard white fat on meat are mainly saturated. Theses fats are used to make biscuits and cakes


The hard white fat on meat is mainly saturated fat.
 Eating too much saturated fat has been associated with increases in the harmful LDL cholesterol, linked with increased risk of heart disease. Minimising saturated fats is the best way to achieve better health.

Monounsaturated fats.


Not all Monounsaturated Fats are as obvious as this
so read the labels (it doesnt take long) 


These fats are usually liquid at room
temperature and include olive oil, canola oil and almond oil. These fats are thought to be the best for health benefits. This interest was boosted by low incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries, despite a high level of fat in their diet. Research has indicated that olive oil can lower total blood cholesterol and LDL (Bad cholesterol) when you use theses monounsaturated fats to replace saturated fats in the diet.




Polyunsaturated fats

Some foods will show the different amounts
of the various fats contained in their
foods. Monounsaturated - GREAT and zero TRANS!

Most vegetable oils, nuts and seeds and oily fish are polyunsaturated and are considered excellent source of fat, although whilst helping reduce the nasty LDL cholesterol, but have been implicated in reducing the good HDL cholesterol too. Still better for you than SATURATED FATS

You may have heard about Omega 3 fatty acids or fish oils. These are found particularly in deep sea fish like tuna, mackerel and sardines. Again studies of other cultures that eat a lot of theses foods, in this case Greenland Eskimos, have shown a low incidence of heart disease.

There are two polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as EPA and DHA which are the main reason why theses Omega 3 Polyunstaurated fats have been linked with lowering blood pressure, improving immune responses and helping with endurance and aerobic metabolism 

Where is the best place to get fat?

Plant sources include:- linseed's, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, canola oil, and soybeans and the respective oils fro these products

Animal sources: Oily fish like fresh tuna, salmon and sardines.

BE CAREFUL OF THE HIDDEN "BAD" FAT

Trans fatty acids, found in processed fats are considered to be worse for you than saturated fats. Most of these fats are labelled as HYDROGENATED fats and oil which are used in a lot of cakes, biscuits, and chocolate bars. The hydrogenation process has two advantages for the food manufacturer, it prolongs the shelf life of the food and alters the texture of the food by making a liquid product solid and perhaps more spreadable.

Reduce the following to avoid theses trans fatty acids:-

  • Spreads that are made with hydrogenated oils. The more spreadable the margarine, quite often the less hydrogenated fat is included
  • Fast Food. Partially hydrogenated oil is often use to fry those fries
  • Cakes and Biscuits. This is where you will find the most "hidden" trans fatty acids. Shop bought cakes and biscuits can contain a surprisingly high amount of hydrogenated fat and shortening (high in trans fats)
  • Chips and snacks. Nuts are OK, just keep an eye on the amount of nuts you eat
  • Chocolate Bars. The label that states "vegetable fat" means hydrogenated fat.
The State Government of Victoria linked website "Better Health Channel" gives a guidelines when reading those food labels on the back of products. Remember to look at the 100g column not the "per serving" column

The following are large amounts per 100g:
30g of sugars
20g of fat
3g of fibre
600mg of sodium.
The following are small amounts per 100g:
2g of sugars
3g of fat
0.5g of fibre
20mg sodium.
This information is obtained from Better Health Channel
  
Fat is not evil - It is a necessary part of your diet. You just need to watch your sources and make sure you don't eat too many "bad" fats. So the best thing to so is eat a variety of fats and oils, try to avoid fatty spreads containing the words “hydrogenated”. In cooking use Omega-3 oils such as olive and canola and seed and nut oils. Try to eat oily fish several times a week.
 
Butters,margarines and spreads are usually all placed together in the dairy case of the
supermarket, so take a peek at the ingredients on the back to see which ones are best for your health.
 Read about Protein
Read about Carbohydrate

 REFERENCES
Bean, A. (2010). Sports Nutrition (6th Edition ed.). London: A & C Black Publishers Limited.
Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2000). Understanding Pathophysiology (2nd ed.). New York: Mosby Inc.
Marieb, E. N. (2001). Human Anatomy & Physiology (5th ed.). United States of America: Benjamin Cummins.
NHMRC. (2005). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. Robert Garran Offices, Attorney-Generals Department. Canberra: Australian Commonweatlh.
Wahlqvist, M. L. (Ed.). (2002). Australia and New Zealand Food & Nutrition (2nd ed.). Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.
Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. R. (2008). Understanding Nutrition (11th ed.). Belmont CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Protein - The Rebuilder

I looked at "The Humble Carbohydrate" in the last entry so today I am focussing on PROTEIN.

Lean muscle mass, it is what gets us to the finish line or to the top of the hill (as theses legs from the 2010 Tour of Bright winners clearly show you)
 So Carbohydrate is the most basic form of energy and it is clear that athletes need to include a good amount of carbohydrate for their ENERGY REQUIREMENTS. But the next most important nutrient is PROTEIN.

When you break down protein you get Amino Acids - the building blocks of proteins. There are 20 different amino acids, 9 of which are the essential amino acids which must be supplied to the body in what we eat as our bodies cannot make these amino acids, or make them at the rate the body needs them. The remainder are the are the non-essential amino acids, which the body can make.

What does protein do in my body? 
  • It forms cell membranes  
  • It helps with chemical reactions in the body including the metabolism reactions
  • In the blood proteins have important roles such as carrying oxygen (you may have heard of haemoglobin...the oxygen carrying protein)
  • In the form of antibodies, protein help to get rid of bacteria and viruses from the system
  • Proteins in muscle help with muscle contraction and the movement of our muscles (pretty important as an athlete).
 IN REAL TERMS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Improved strength from muscle growth, improved recovery from exercise as tissues repair faster, improved immunity to fight disease (so less time away from training due to sickness), decrease in injuries, increase in manufacture of proteins for all purposes in the body and increase in development of lean muscle mass.

 
Different types of exercise require different amounts of protein.
 How much protein is enough?

Studying protein requirements is an interesting task in itself. Our diet needs to be looked at as a whole - NOT JUST PROTEIN OR CARBOHYDRATE

Our bodies are quite smart in being able to manufacture the things that may be inadequate and there are differences in requirements.A 25 year old bodybuilder, who effectively is causing muscle damage each time he pushes his boundaries with weight lifting - muscle repair is the key to “building” muscle, is going to have different requirements to say a 16 year old female dance student who trains in endurance type work for 6 hours a day. But there is a way to calculate your requirements.

The recommended daily amount is 0.8g per kg of body weight per day.....but HANG ON .. athletes need more! Are you an athlete? Do you participate in regular exercise? Then read on:

When we eat protein products, they are broken down into amino acids and theses amino acids top up the body’s pool of amino acids which will then be utilised to make those proteins used in the body, the excess amino acids are broken down to form energy (helping out the Humble carbohydrate) when glycogen stores are running low during exercise, the body will look to fat and a little bit of muscle for energy, which is why we need to rebuild with protein after exercise. If we overdo the protein, excess is just removed through waste, so too much protein is really a waste.
Your protein requirements will depend on the type of training you do. There is a constant stream of information and new studies stating particular requirements for protein.

As a general guide:-

Endurance – moderate to heavy training – 1.2-1.4 g/kg/day
Strength or power athletes (bodybuilders) 1.4-1.8 g/kg/day

So work out your daily requirement using the estimate above....An 80kg endurance athlete (hey that could be a cyclist) would need 96-112g of protein per day.

WHERE TO FIND PROTEIN IN "REGULAR" FOOD

Don't underestimate the amount of Protein
 in Dairy - Try to choose low fat dairy where possible


Approximately
1 large egg has 6 g of protein
85g of Mince Steak has 21grams of protein 
85 g of Roast chicken breast without skin has 26g
85g of Tuna has 25g of protein
1/2 cup of tofu ahas 10g of protein
1 cup of Baked beans has 14g of protein
200ml skim milk has 7g of protein
50g of peanuts (1 handful) has 12g
3 tbsp of boiled chickpeas has 12g


  

So this 263gram chicken breast fillet will give you
 approximately 78g of protein. It adds up quickly


MORE IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER

Studies have shown that a diet deficient in protein is associated with a loss of muscle mass, but a diets containing both a medium and a high amount of protein resulted in very similar increase in muscle. Therefore, excess protein has no real advantage.

 VEGETARIANS

Look to dairy products (low fat) and protein rich plant sources to meet your requirements.

Again when in doubt look at the labels,
 200g of this low fat yoghurt (Jalna in this case)
 will provide you with 10.6g of protein.


WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?
ESPECIALLY AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS

It can be considered "trendy" to use supplements and with promises such as "building muscle". "high quality protein" they seem like a good way to get your protein requirements

Before using supplements, try this exercise:- for a couple of days, calculate your protein requirements, and work out how much protein you are eating without supplements. You might find you are eating an adequate amount without using expensive supplements.

Protein supplements remain a controversial area. I will just say that inadequate protein intake has been associated with loss of muscle, and excessive protein whilst not being harmful offers no real advantage for health or performance.

Read the labels, here we can see that 100g of tuna has 24.0g of Protein.
 WARNING.- Be careful when reading the "serving sizes"
as sometimes they are a lot less (or more) than you might
personally eat in a serving


Studies have been inconsistent demonstrating that supplements are beneficial.

SO IN SUMMARY

Eat good quality protein such as that found in meat/fish/.chicken and dairy and plant proteins.

After your workout enjoy a post exercise snack, containing both carbohydrate and protein to maximise muscle repair and glycogen stores.

It might sound complicated, but just spend a few days looking at the contents of your food and you might be surprised to find that you are already on track to meeting your protein requirements


Next article I will look at FAT.....the good the bad and THE UGLY 

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Humble Carbohydrate

 
Carbohydrates are an important fuel for your day - Even more important for athletes and those who use a lot of energy.

Sports nutrition and low GI energy foods are easy to find in supermarkets and in sports stores

Energy for our body (Calories or kilojoules), is available in four forms:-

a) Carbohydrates (which contain 4 cal/17kJ per gram)
b) Proteins (which also contain 4 cal/17kJ per gram)
c) Fats (which contain 9 cal/37kJ per gram)****
d) Alcohol (which contain 7 cal/29kJ per gram)
****Fat is energy dense as it provides a lot of energy in a smaller amount of food.

The difference between each one is how it is processed when it enters the body and how quickly the energy is available for use.
Lets look at THE HUMBLE CARBOHYDRATE

The simplest form of carbohydrate is glucose and when the body consumes excess glucose, the excess is stored in the form of glycogen in the muscles and in the liver. HOWEVER we don't eat glucose and glycogen. It is when we eat carbohydrate rich foods that our body receives glucose for immediate energy and converts excess energy to glycogen for reserves. It is without question that the amount of glycogen stored in your muscles and liver has a direct effect on exercise performance.

• High muscle-glycogen concentration will allow you to train at optimal intensity and achieve better results

• Low muscle-glycogen concentration will lead to early fatigue, reducing the intensity of your training and this will be reflected in your race/performance results.

How much Carbohydrate should I eat?


Whether you are recreational or professional,
your diet will affect your performance
 The body uses Carbohydrate for energy and excess is stored in the muscle and liver as glycogen, BUT the liver and muscles can only store a limited amount so eating TOO MUCH carbohydrate which cannot be stored contributes to weight gain. Inadequate carbohydrate, will only look after immediate needs but not restock the liver and muscles with that valuable and fatigue resisting glycogen. Getting the balance right means reviewing your daily consumption to ensure that you have are consuming an optimum amount.

Once upon a time, carbohydrate recommendations were based on a percentage of your daily caloric needs and although sports nutritionists recommend that all regular exercisers and athletes consume a diet high in carbohydrate and low in fat the amount of carbohydrate consumed is based more on the level of activity of the individual.

So your daily carbohydrate intake will vary depending on your activity level.

General exercise – (up to 1 hr of daily exercise) 5-6g/kg body weight of carbohydrate per day.

Moderate exercise – (1-2 hrs of moderate to high intensity training) 6-8g/kg body weight

Endurance exercise (greater than 120 minutes of high intensity training) 9-10g/kg body weight

Extreme Exercise (greater than 4 hours of intense exercise eg: a cycling tour) 10+g/kg body weight

Training over 1 hour means you should have some carbohydrate intake DURING the exercise 30-60g per hour
KICK STARTING RECOVERY - During the 2 hour post-exercise period, consume 1g/kg body weight of moderate to high GI food.MOST IMPORTANT - But if you train twice a day, this is ESSENTIAL!

What does 30g of Carbohydrate look like?
2 slices of bread
1 average bread roll
3 weet bix
1.5 cups cooked lentils
600ml of Milk
2 tblsp of susteagen powder
2 medium apples
1 medium to large banana
1 cup of pasta
0.5 cups baked beans
0.75 cup of cooked rice
0.5 cup creamed rice
10 Jelly Beans
500ml sports drink
0.67 Power Bar
 * Check labels on your foods and ensure you use low fat varieties where possible

The Glycaemic Index

Carbohydrates are all different and will be absorbed and used at different rates and the effect of other items in your body, such as fat may slow down the absorption of the carbohydrate even more. The glycaemic index was developed to describe the effects of foods on your blood sugar levels by how quickly the carbohydrate is absorbed from your small intestine into your bloodstream, and this is found to make a difference to training and recovery.

Foods with a low GI (glycaemic index) will provide a glucose response for longer and a high GI will provide more of a rapid energy. To find out more about Glycaemic Index, refer to the Glycaemic Index website which is written by the University of Sydney and provides a range of information about the glycemic index of foods and what it means to you.

The most important thing to remember is that choosing low GI foods should NOT be confused with  low Carbohydrate foods, as an athlete, you want to keep your carbohydrate level high.

Considerations to be made on Carbohydrate Consumption


- Duration and Intensity of Exercise

Exercise lasting less than an hour


Provided you have enough glycogen stores and have eaten a meal with carbohydrate 2-4 hours before exercise, you should only require water and not require any further intake of carbohydrate. If you are racing though, you can delay fatigue by consuming carbohydrate during exercise to assist with the high intensity and delay fatigue.

Exercise over an hour

Racing and high intensity training increases the requirements
 for carbohydrates and increases the need to
 replenish the valuable muscle glycogen stores
IN the first hour of exercise, most of the carbohydrate energy comes from muscle glycogen (which you have looked after your stores by eating a good amount of carbohydrates in your daily diet). After an hour your muscle glycogen stores deplete rapidly and exercising muscles will use carbohydrate from another source, they will go to the bloodstream to grab any blood sugar (glucose they can find). After around 2-3 hours your muscles will be fuelled by blood glucose and fat...but have you ever hit the wall? This is your own fault......eventually blood glucose supplies dry up, blood glucose comes from amino acids and liver glycogen and once this runs out you just cannot keep going at the same intensity...you begin to feel tired, light headed and your muscles just don’t work any more....it just gets too hard to keep going and on the bike it is an effort to turn the pedals.


SO BEFORE fatigue sets in you need to take some action. Your muscles can take up around 30-60g of carbohydrate in an hour during aerobic exercise, so it is important to consume some energy during exercise. Medium to high GI foods are generally best as they move quickly into your bloodstream and therefore become available for these working muscles. Sports drinks and energy gels are a choice for many athletes to replenish energy stores.

A study in 2003, demonstrated that consuming a drink containing protein and carbohydrate improves endurance to a greater extent than carbohydrate alone. The study of cyclists showed they were able to exercise for 36% longer by consuming a carbohydrate/protein drink before exercising then every 20 minutes during exercise than just a carbohydrate drink. Other studies have suggested that consuming protein and carbohydrate during exercise improves recovery and results in less muscle damage. Most of these trials used a ratio of around 4:1 carbohydrate:protein. So for every 40g of carbohydrate, the drink would have 10g of protein. Check the labels of your foods to find items that will suit your requirements. You also need to find foods that don't cause you unnecessary discomfort. Bloating, nausea and headaches are some side effects caused by foods, so ensure you practice during training with the foods that you plan on using during racing to eliminate any unnecessary side effects 

After exercise

In cycling, the large muscles of the legs are working at a high intensity,
especially during racing


Factors that influence your recovery include:-

1. How much your glycogen stores were depleted. Were they good before you started and did you eat along the way?
2. Muscle damage
3.Your fitness

If you fully deplete your glycogen stores, they can take anything up to a week to fully restore. Ask a marathon runner, when they feel recovered enough to take on another one.

If your muscles get damaged from intense efforts, or heavy weights, glycogen storage may be delayed.

Finally as your fitness improves your body's adaptation to ensuring the glycogen storage levels are at optimum improves.

Within a few hours after exercise (without fail), you should begin your replenishment of the muscle glycogen stores. Think - a shake, or a sandwich, cereal, fruit, and if you have the milky options, your body is getting the protein which will help with muscle recovery too. A high carbohydrate meal eaten within 15 minutes of the end of a training session will accelerate the rate of glycogen storage by 300 per cent. You have a window of approximately 2 hours after training to replace carbohydrate to ensure that your muscles will accumulate glycogen.

I mentioned the benefits of chocolate milk in a previous blog post

IMPORTANT CARBOHYDRATE POINTS-

High Carbohydrate diet, will assist with muscle -glycogen storage which helps with endurance and delays fatigue.
Read about GI index to understand why some foods are better for stabilising glucose and therefore energy levels than others.
High workload/intense efforts require additional carbohydrate
Don't forget to "top-up" carbohydrates during longer training sessions, during races.
RECOVER faster by replenishing your muscle-glycogen storage.
Protein will assist with recovery and endurance
Although I haven't mentioned it here, carbo-loading (later topic) can improve endurance capacity by up to 20%.....it is that muscle-glycogen level AGAIN!


Carbohydrates can be found in many foods, not just those traditionally thought to be high carbohydrate foods. Foods containing theses ingredients as well as Lactose (milk sugar), Fructose (fruit sugar) are carbohydrate foods.
REFERENCES

DeCastella. R., Clews.W., (1996). Smart Sport - The Ultimate Reference Manual for Sports People. Paragon Printers.
Wahlqvist, M.L., (2...). Austyralia and New Zealand Food and Nutrition.
Whitney, E., Rolfes, S.R. (  2008  ). Understanding Nutrition 11th ed. Thomson Wadsworth
Bean, A., (2010). Sports Nutrition.


All photos courtesy of actionpactpix

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Calculate your energy/caloric requirements easily

We know a healthy diet will help you reach your goals
OK, it is the 1st of February and I know that losing weight is a big new years resolution and I have also tried to get some weight off since December 26th and so far it is going well.

Fundamentally to lose weight you need to reduce energy in and increase energy out BUT it is a known fact that you need to concentrate on energy in to get the results. As an athlete you may need different needs during competition phase as opposed to training so how much do you need to eat?

You can estimate how many calories you need a day in 3 easy steps:-

STEP 1:- Calculate your base metabolic rate (This is BMR - Not to be confused with your BMI)

WOMEN BMR = weight in kg x 22 (eg a 70kg women would be 70x 22)
MEN BMR + weight in kg x 24 (eg an 80 kg man would be 80 x 24)

STEP 2 - Workout how active you are - Your activity multiplier
The activity multiplier is based on your level of activity
If you are mainly inactive or sitting  then your activity multiplier = 1.2
Fairly active so you exercise 1-2 times per week and do some walking = 1.3
Moderately active so you exercise 2-3 times per week = 1.4
Very active meaning you exercise vigorously daily = 1.7

STEP 3 - Multiply your results from step one by your activity multiplier

If you are an 80kg male who rides a bike 3 times a week your result will be
80 x 24 = 1920 then multiply this x 1.4 = 2688 calories per day.

To convert to kilojoules, multiply your calorie requirement x 4.184 to get your kilojoule requirement
NOTE  - This is the most basic way of calculating your calorie requirement and may vary between individuals as "level of activity" is quite variable due to human nature and our level of reference. IN our peer group we may be the slug but actually be quite active.....

This calorie guideline will not mean you will lose weight, it is a guidlien on how many calories you need each day to maintain your weight. A healthy weight loss is around 1% of your weight per week as a maximum, so if you weigh 90kgs, you could aim to lose 900g per week.

BUT CALORIES ARE NOT JUST CALORIES:

 Energy (or calories) comes in three forms

1. Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates like pasta
2. Protein
Proteins like eggs
and 3. Fat

and then we have Vitamins and Minerals contained in foods which are important in considering whether the food is a good or a bad food...oh and there is Alcohol which is actually the 4th energy supplier, but as you may be aware, it is not an ideal source of energy.

My next post will talk about Carbohydrates solely and the benefits and drawbacks of Carbohydrates. If youhave any questions about them, contact me on judithdove@bigpond.com
As I have already mentioned I am not an expert, but I am studying to be a dietician and using my blog as a means of study...All information comes from a variety of text books, journal articles and from next week will be referenced.
Some of my text books......and other references, this is the tip of the iceberg and I havent bought this years books yet?

Friday, January 28, 2011

TDU - Womens events ( yes there were two)

Women's Cycling at the TDU

This year there were two events tied in with the TDU which were designed for Elite women. Two criterium races, the rendition homes series which was run in conjunction with the TDU. Although not a road tour, it is a step towards having womens events run in conjunction with this fantastic tour and it had a class field of elite Aussie women racing.

I only managed to get some pics of the first race and the pace was on, Peta Mullens told me after the event that it was fairly fast, but coming off the Melbourne Bay Crits and then the National Criterium Champs, I am sure that the pace was different here (it certainly has made me realise I need to work on my cornering for crit racing though!)

Full results after the two races are available here. In Brief Chloe Hosking won, South Australian rider Annette Edmonson was second and Victorian rider Nicole Whitburn finished in third place.

More pictures of the event can be found at Womens Cycling which is a fantastic website run by professional cycling photographer CJ Farquarson, who travels the world following women's racing.

I have included some of my pics here of race 1, I love watching women's racing as it is always so inspiring. Racing at an Elite level, theses girls are just so committed to training and racing.




Nicole Whitburn (in white) who eventually finishes third overall

AIS Development Squad rider

Fast Legs look just as daunting in womens racing











Tiffany Cromwell




Chloe Hosking wins and celebrates!

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The dreaded diary pages

A place to vent my cycling frustrations and get some motivation to keep training hard