Pack a Snack

Snacking is a huge topic in the news and among clients (Is eating more snacks better? Should I eat between meals? Is 5 small meals better than 3 large meals?) I recommend that clients eat when they're hungry, which often includes eating several snacks throughout the day, especially if you're very active or you're an athlete. 

Packing snacks to bring to work or school is a great way to ensure you don't get stuck buying something over-priced from the school or work cafeteria or the vending machine (where the healthy pickings are slim). 

Knowing which foods to pack as a healthy snack can save you money, provide you with more nutrients and fuel your body throughout the day. This is especially true for active people and athletes, who need more calories than the "average" person. Our bodies utilize nutrients better when we spread them throughout the day and timing meals and snacks to fuel activities and help our bodies recover can improve performance. 

Comparing the Numbers

The USDA reports:

• fruit roll snacks are about 82 calories and 28 cents per portion
• bananas are about 100 calories and on average, about 18 cents per portion

Although fruit rolls/snacks and other foods of this variety can seem like a good deal because they often go on sale and may have health claims such as "100% fruit" or "An excellent source of vitamin C!", bananas and other fruits are often just as budget-friendly and contain more nutrients (that aren't necessarily advertised) to fuel your body than snack foods. 

Pre-packaged foods aren't ALWAYS a bad choice, but if you can build a more complete, nutrient-dense snack with foods from several food groups, you'll stay fuller for longer and your body will be getting more vitamins, minerals and fiber. 

The easiest way to choose a filling nutritious snack is to follow this formula:

1. Complex carbohydrates

 
Complex carbs are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. 

Common examples include: apples, bananas, carrots, whole grain crackers, whole grain bread, potatoes, brown rice, raisins, granola, whole grain cold cereal or oatmeal and legumes/beans (chickpeas, black beans, peas, etc.)

2. Protein

Protein sources are dairy foods, meat and poultry, and nuts and seeds.

Common examples include: yogurt (Greek yogurt has more protein!), milk, cheese, lunch meat, chicken, hard boiled eggs, almonds or other nuts.

How much protein do you need? You're probably getting enough, but make sure you're getting some as part of your snacks!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends making small swaps to your normal grocery cart by looking at the foods you "always" eat each week and trying to make a swap for a more nutritious option. For example, you can swap out those fruit snacks for a piece of fruit or swap that chocolate chip fiber bar for some nuts or whole grain cereal. 

Source: National Dairy Council

Again, your snack bar (or other favorite portable snack) may be satisfying and tasty, but you should set a goal to get more variety in your diet.

Remember, eating snacks and meals with more variety, from more than one food group, is going to provide you with the most nutritional "bang for your buck" - you're going to be getting more nutrients and feel more satisfied with, for example, and apple paired with some nuts vs. if you just ate the apple by itself.

The protein and healthy fats in the nuts help hold you over for longer and the carbohydrates in the apple give your body a quick source of energy. 

10 portable snack ideas to throw in your backpack/bag/purse:

1. Almonds/mixed nuts (~1/4 cup) with an apple
2. String cheese and grapes
3. Greek yogurt with berries and 1/4 cup granola
4. Cheese and whole grain crackers
5. A cup of milk and whole grain cereal
6. Peanut butter* and celery with raisins
7. Nut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread or crackers
8. 2 hard boiled eggs and an apple
9. 1/3 cup oatmeal cooked with milk and 1/2 Tbsp peanut butter
10. Beef jerky and carrots

*You can portion peanut butter into small containers if you don't want to bring the whole peanut butter jar to work/school.

Ask the Dietitian: What snacking questions do you have? What are your favorite snacks?

I love plain Greek yogurt with berries and flax seeds. If I don't want to bring a lunch bag or don't have access to a refrigerator to keep it cool, I opt for a piece of fruit and nuts or a tablespoon or 2 of peanut butter. 

It's Pancake Lover's Day!

It's Pancake Lover's Day! I love pancakes. I make mine high protein and low carb. Sometimes sweet and sometimes savory. Here's a roundup of a few favorite blog recipes...

Shelly's Bruschetta Pancakes
Ricotta Pancakes with No Sugar Added Chia Jam
Savory Onion Ricotta Mini Pancakes with Smoked Salmon
Shelly's Variety Pancakes Bites
Shelly's Sand Dollar Churro Pancakes
Shelly's Ricotta Pancake Breadless Sandwiches
Shelly's Pistachio Pancakes
Shelly's Baked Raspberry Pancake (Clafoutis)
Shelly's Blueberry Cannoli Pancakes (IHOP healthified)

Find even more here and here.

The other day I was thinking about a movie I watched when I was a kid on one of those old metal projectors (am I dating myself?!) it was the late 70's (I graduated High School in 1989) anyway... I loved it... and because you can find EVERYTHING now on the Internet. I found it and watched it. It's sort of Halloweeny. Winter of the Witch. A single mom and her son move into a creepy old house with a witch that makes magic psychedelic pancakes. Anyway if you have 22 minutes and nothing to do. Not sure why they felt the need for us to watch it in elementary school but this may explain things about me ;)

Will the Real Pumpkin Flavor Please Stand Up?

Now that the temperatures are dropping (in the Midwest, at least), and the days are getting shorter, many people are breaking out their long sleeves and hanging fall decorations as pumpkin spice everything returns to store shelves. You can find everything from pumpkin spice lip gloss and body lotions to pumpkin spice chocolate candies,yogurt, boxes of cereal, and yes, even POTATO CHIPS...and it doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon.

This blog isn't about to knock the pumpkin spice trend - this post is actually going to be an Ode to Pumpkin and Pumpkin Pie Spice. It's time to take a step back and discover the real food flavors of pumpkin (a squash) and pumpkin pie spice (a blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg) - flavors that often get overlooked when they're doused in sugar and disguised in baked goods. We're not saying we don't enjoy a giant slab piece of pumpkin pie during the holidays, we just want you to enjoy more pumpkin without the blood sugar spike.

Enjoying a seasonal treat once in a while is fine- referring to the previous post on Enjoying More Whole Foods - you want to choose foods that are as close to their original source or minimally processed most of the time, to avoid all the preservatives and additives (sweeteners, dyes) companies add to pre-packaged products.

Remember, pumpkin is a vegetable, so to enjoy pumpkin and reap all the nutritional benefits from this dark orange squash, choose fresh pumpkin (in squash form) or add pumpkin puree to your favorite sweet OR savory recipes. Many of the "pumpkin spice" products found in the store may not actually contain any pumpkin, and are often disguised with sugar to hide the fact that pumpkin is a vegetable that doesn't actually taste like a pumpkin spice latte (sorry). 

PUMPKIN SPICE

"Pumpkin spice" or "Pumpkin Pie Spice" doesn't actually contain pumpkin - it's really just a blend of warming spices usually found in pumpkin pie recipes. You can find pumpkin pie spice in the store, or make your own mix of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, mace and nutmeg. 

PUMPKIN - THE SQUASH 

Pumpkins are actually a type of winter squash (vegetable), and they come in many varieties. All winter squash (including pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, etc.) are great sources of fiber, potassium, Vitamin C, beta-carotene (turns to Vitamin A in our bodies) and carotenoids (may help reduce inflammation).

We don't have to wait until Thanksgiving to eat pumpkins - a can of pumpkin puree is the easiest way to incorporate pumpkin into your diet. Pumpkin puree (not "canned pumpkin pie", which has added sugar!) can be added to oatmeal, chili, baked goods, meatloaf, lasagna, pancakes, Greek yogurt...you name it.

A quarter (1/4) cup canned pumpkin puree is nutrient rich: at only ~20 calories, a serving contains over half your recommended intake of Vitamin A, loads of carotenoids, and is a great way to include extra vegetables and fiber into some of your favorite recipes. 

Pumpkin seeds, in particular, are an excellent plant-based source of zinc, which helps with wound healing and immune system function. 

A small handful (~1/4 cup = 170 calories, 40% Magnesium DV, 35% Phosphorous DV, 15% Zinc DV) of pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are a healthy snacking choice - you can add them to your morning oatmeal, smoothies, toss them on your salad or add them to trail mix. These little seeds are colorful, crunchy, and full of healthy fats that may help reduce inflammation. 

Here's a great idea for Pumpkin Spiced Energy Bites - These bites are a great snack for before a workout!

Recipe from Food and Nutrition Magazine, by LAUREN O'CONNOR, MS, RDN

Makes about 20 bite-sized energy balls/bites
Ingredients

Tasty!

• 1 cup organic oats
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2-3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
• 3 large dates, pitted
• 1 Tbsp raisins
• 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed)
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon (or to taste)
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla
• optional: 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

1) Process oats, 1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut, pumpkin puree, dates, raisins, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla in food processor until well-blended and firm

2) Scoop into bite-sized pieces and dust with coconut flakes and cinnamon

3)  Place in container and refrigerate

Quick tip: Energy bites freeze great - make a large batch, place them in a ziploc bag in the freezer and grab them at your convenience before a workout. 

What are your favorite seasonal recipes?

Flavors of Fall: Pumpkin Spice Protein Muffins

The first day of Fall is just days away but we're still in the high 90's in my 'hood so it's hard to get into the spirit. Oh how I want to. I'm longing to wear my favorite hoodie on a crisp morning walk. We had one day of rain last week I was so thrilled I roasted butternut squash and made a casserole for dinner. I want to use the oven more but uggh heating up the house is not appealing. I did make a batch of pumpkin spice muffins yesterday because they are done in 12 minutes. I can handle that. Especially for these. I have another version I make but I didn't have some of the ingredients so I adapted. I think I might even like this one better with the addition of chai spices.

Shelly's Pumpkin Spice Protein Mini Muffins

1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix
2 Tablespoons Big Train Spiced Chai Fit Frappe Protein Powder
1 scoop (1/4 cup-ish) Vanilla Protein Powder
Pinch salt

Mix egg, milk, syrup, pumpkin and oil and combine thoroughly. If you are watching your fat grams you could ax the oil and sub NSA applesauce but 1 T of oil for the whole batch is not a lot and I think they are tastier with it and doesn't compete with the pumpkin flavor. In a separate bowl, mix pancake mix, protein powders and salt. Tip dry into wet and stir till combined. Pour into a non stick 12 cup mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with Pam.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or till toothpick inserted comes out clean. Makes 12 moist, delicious, mini muffins.

Cooks Note: No Spiced Chai Protein? Get some. No seriously, it's a yummy shake or warm drink in the winter but then you can make my granola and yogurt dip too. Really can't wait to get it 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice and 1-1/2 -ish T of extra Vanilla Protein will work. But... really get the Spiced Chai, it's soooo good.

Optional: You can add cheese filling. I usually do about 1/2 the batch with filling and half I leave plain. Allow muffins to cool slightly. Using a drinking straw poke a little hole in the center of each mini muffin and pipe filling inside. The filling really makes them like a healthier version of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Muffins but those suckers are 420 calories a piece (most often paired with a 380 cal Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte) ouch?! that's no snack. P.S. Mine are about 40 cals.

Shelly's Cheese Filling

1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 teaspoon Sugar Free Jello Cheesecake Pudding Mix, dry
2 teaspoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup

Mix till well combined. Spoon into a piping bag or a snack sized baggie that has the corner snipped off. Seal baggie with tape. Pipe into mini muffins. This is plenty for 12 mini muffins. If you don't want to pipe it you can always slice them in half and smear it in the middle. Leftover filling is also great smeared on sliced apples.



More low carb, sugar free or no sugar added, weight loss surgery friendly recipes and tastes of Fall can be found on my Fall Pinterest Page.

National Cheeseburger Day - 6 Low Carb Recipes to Celebrate

It's National Cheeseburger Day and while I tend to choose leaner protein sources most of the time. I love me a gooey cheeseburger. One of my favorites is a place called Burger Lounge, here in Temecula (several in Southern California) and they will wrap it in lettuce. Since I choose not to eat bread post weight loss surgery, it's a great low carb option (albeit a little messy.) I'm thankful most every place I've asked will accommodate. Try it. I think without the bread you get to taste and enjoy all the yummy stuff even more.

You can also get all the great taste of a cheeseburger in one of these favorite recipes from the blog...

Shelly's Top Hat Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders (Winner of Wolfgang Puck's Oscar Contest)
Shelly's Bacon Cheeseburger Bites
Shelly's Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
Shelly's Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Eggs
Shelly's Cheeseburger Tortilla Pizza
Shelly's Bacon Onion Cheeseburger Mini Meatloaf

Choosing More Whole Foods

It's no surprise that athletes, especially professional athletes, expend a great deal of energy during their days, often practicing every day, more than once per day. To fuel this high level of activity, athletes have much higher caloric needs, which equates to a proportional increase in the amount of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats athletes need to consume at each meal, usually meaning portions at meals and more snacks throughout the day. Bigger athletes, such as football players, need even more calories - with reports of NFL lineman eating up to 10,000 calories a day.

Eating a balanced diet year-round,  containing a mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats is what keeps the best athletes healthy, continuing to train hard and perform to the best of their abilities.

In fact, by emphasizing a balanced plate containing plenty of antioxidant and phytochemical-rich vegetables and fruits, an athlete can help fight off inflammation, promote recovery and enhance performance, plus whole grains and starches to fuel our muscles and protein to encourage muscle repair and growth. Real food diets are embraced by the best athletes, who often find that better nutrition through choosing whole foods and balanced meals, leads to better performance over time.

One example of an athlete who has taken a 100% plant-based whole foods stance to his diet is Chicago Bears defensive lineman David Carter. A recent article written for USA Today reports on how he eats ~10,000 calories on a 100% plant-based (vegan) diet, meeting his high energy needs through 5 meals and several snacks throughout the day, heavily relying on whole grains, vegetables, legumes (beans) and fruit to be able to meet his nutrition goals and compete at the NFL level.

A photo posted by David Carter (@the300poundvegan) on Jun 25, 2014 at 10:21pm PDT

While adopting a plant-based diet may work for some athletes, others may not want to or see the benefits in giving up animal products. Every athlete is different and working with a registered dietitian can help you meet your needs based on your own goals, but for most people, adding more whole foods versus relying on processed or pre-packaged foods will have performance and health benefits.

There are many benefits to adopting a more whole foods, plant-based diet, but you don't need to go full-on vegan or vegetarian to reap the benefits of eating more vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Adding in lean meats, poultry, low-fat dairy and fish to a diet high in plant-foods is a great option for most people, especially athletes. Even Houstan Texans defensive end JJ Watt has reported eating more "whole foods" to properly fuel his body, claiming he's "not a supplement guy". If athletes start to fuel their body with more real foods, they'll soon realize they don't need extra supplements to optimize their performance. 

What does eating more "whole foods" mean?

Eating more whole foods means including more foods found in their natural state in your diet, instead of eating pre-made or pre-packaged foods, fast food, boxed foods with confusing ingredient labels, etc.

Some good examples of real food snacks are: 

peanut butter + whole grain bread
string cheese (look for part-skim mozzarella)
chocolate milk
peanut/almond butter on a banana or crackers
Greek yogurt with granola
hummus and pretzels
hard boiled eggs
popcorn
trail mix (buy some or make your own  - see below "recipe!")

Formula for trail mix:

3 cups nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, pistachios)
1 cup seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried soy nuts)
1 cup cereal or granola (Kashi, Total or honey granola)
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries/craisins)
Optional mix-ins: mini chocolate chips, coconut flakes, banana chips, oyster or Goldfish crackers, M&M's, popcorn
Quick tip: Portion the trail mix into snack-size bags to prevent over indulging. All those nuts are full of healthy fats and nutrients, but these snack mixes can also pack a calorie punch.

Source: Greatist

Check out their site for more awesome snack mix ideas! 

Choosing more whole foods doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here are some tips for eating more whole foods:

• Think about adding more foods instead of eliminating food groups entirely. For example, think about ways to add a vegetable or fruit to every meal instead of thinking about eliminating "junk food" from your diet. If you make a conscious effort to "eat a handful of nuts as a snack" to get those healthy fats in your diet, your daily vending machine snack will naturally be eliminated. 
• Cook more of your own food and bring your lunch. If you're eating out a lot, you're most likely not getting the most nutritious food OR the most bang for your buck. You'll realize how much food you get for your money when you start to pack your lunch or make  dinner at home most days instead of going out for fast food. Invest in a quality, insulated lunch box to bring lunch and snacks to work or school. Making extra dinner the night before is a great way to have a healthy meal to bring for lunch the next day.
• ...speaking of leftovers...Do a little "food prep" on Sunday. If you wash, peel and cut up vegetables and fruit before the work or school week starts, you're more likely to pack a healthy snack. If you cook chicken breasts, assemble some salads, cook grains, and make extra of a new recipe, you'll have healthy options to choose from throughout the week. 
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. This motto doesn't always apply, as there are plenty of healthy, whole-food choices in the center aisles (whole grains such as oatmeal, rice, dried and canned beans, etc.) BUT, this is a great idea in terms of choosing the fresher, whole foods such as vegetables and fruit, meat and dairy and frozen fruits and vegetables, which are usually found on the perimeter of the store. 
• Have a plan when you shop! Think of all the foods you'll eat over the next week and make a list. When you go shopping without a list, sometimes those boxes Mac and Cheese makes it's way into your cart simply because it was 10-for-$10. Making a list might require you to think about what meals you want to make for the week ahead. If you notice a lot of the foods you're eating throughout the week are coming from packages (snack bars, microwave meals), think of a substitution for some of those items. 
• Reduce your consumption of sweetened beverages. I know, I know, you hear this ALL the time, but it's true! If you're spending money on soda, sports drinks, etc., that's a lot of money you could be spending on produce and other whole foods, where you'll be getting more nutrients for the same calories (or less!)
• Choose 100% whole grains - look at the nutrition facts label of your bread. The first ingredient shouldn't be enriched bread flour. 100% whole grain bread will usually label itself as such on the front of the bread, and the first ingredient on the ingredients list should be wheat flour or whole wheat flour. Other whole grains include: brown rice (vs. white rice), oatmeal, whole grain cereal and granola, etc. 

Oatmeal with berries or granola with yogurt are great breakfast options.

A big thing to remember is: Don't stress about eating 100% whole foods or healthy food, all the time. The point of choosing healthy foods is to fuel your body to feel better, work harder and be healthier. If you're always worried about choosing the right foods, you're giving yourself a lot of unnecessary stress, which can be just as hard on your body as unhealthy food options. Make an effort to choose healthy options most of the time, and make those packaged favorites or less healthy foods "sometimes" foods. Contact a Registered Dietitian near you to talk more about how to choose healthy foods to meet your own goals, fuel your activities and to enhance sports performance.

Any tips for adopting a whole foods diet?
Any favorite websites or cookbooks for whole food recipes?

Feel free to comment with any "ASK THE DIETITIAN" questions!

Potluck and Tailgate Tips from the Dietitian

For many, the end of summer signifies the start of Football season. This means getting together with friends for potlucks or tailgating before the game to eat delicious food and cheer for The Green Bay Packers  your favorite sports team.

We don't usually think of "healthy" when we think of our favorite potluck or tailgating foods (burgers, brats, creamy or cheesy dip and chips), but that doesn't mean you can't lighten up some of your game day favorites to bring a healthier twist to those traditional favorites. 

This definitely doesn't mean pack a salad and miss out all the good food. We've gathered a few tips on enjoying a healthier gameday potluck or tailgate:

Check out the entire selection of foods before you load up your plate.

Often times, we jump in the food line with the "little bit of everything" approach, which leaves our plate overflowing with delicious food, maybe even going back later to grab second helpings of the foods we really liked. Instead, walk through the line and scope out which foods are available and choose a couple favorites.

A potluck is a great time to enjoy those "sometimes" foods, and you should always allow yourself to enjoy those foods once in a while. Choose mostly healthy sides (fresh fruit, vegetable tray, baked chips, salsa), and choose small portions of those "sometimes" foods you don't eat very often. 

Bring your own healthy recipe/side and swap out ingredients in your favorite recipes. 

Simple Swaps: 

Use your favorite sauces on chicken drumsticks instead of wings. You'll get a more satisfying meal with less fat. 

Chicken brats instead of traditional brats for less calories and fat.

Substitute some or all of the mayo in potato salad with Greek yogurt for less fat and more protein.

Use ground chicken breast in sloppy Joe's instead of beef. 

Salsa or guacamole have less fat and pack a big nutrient punch along with flavor over a queso chip dip

Use whole wheat noodles in your pasta salads and add extra vegetables for added nutrients and fiber.

This recipe for North Caroline Barbeque is traditionally made with pork, but can be lightened up using this easy recipe for pulled chicken breast, which is great on sandwiches (with a whole wheat bun, side of baked beans, coleslaw, and roasted corn). 

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Easy Crock Pot North Carolina Chicken Barbecue Recipe

For the Crock Pot Pulled Chicken:
Adapted from TheKitchn's recipe for BBQ Shredded Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large  boneless, skinless chicken breasts (~2 lbs.)
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp pepper

Directions

Place chicken breasts in crock pot, add spices and cover with chicken broth. Set crock pot on low for 5-6 hours or cook on high for 3-4 hours, until chicken pulls apart and comes to internal temperature of at least 165. 

When chicken is cooked, let cool and shred with 2 forks OR beat whole chicken breasts using kitchen stand mixer with paddle attachment. 

Now that you have shredded chicken, you can add a vinegar-based barbecue sauce, like this one from AllRecipes.com:

Ingredients

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Combine the white vinegar, cider vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. The recipe recommends mixing ingredients ahead of time to allow the flavors to blend. 

This recipe makes more than enough to cover the chicken, so make sure to store the extra sauce in a covered container in your refrigerator. 

Enjoy!

What are your favorite game day eats?
Any traditional recipes you have transformed over the years to be a little healthier?

Marathon Week Nutrition

We're gearing up for the Sioux Falls Marathon next weekend, which means most athletes registered for the races are going to be reducing their mileage (tapering) and eating more carbohydrates (carbohydrate-loading). You've made it!

This is a great time to look back at all those summer training runs and feel confident that you put in all those sweaty miles in the heat to be able to cross that finish line on race day. In honor of the race being ONE WEEK away (no pressure), we're going to be  talking a little bit about race week nutrition for marathon runners.

Most of the information applies to runners for all distances, and the Sioux Falls Marathon website has some great videos on Steps to running your first 5K, which have great tips for runners of all abilities, but especially for those who want to start running, or have signed up for their first race. 

Source: Sioux Falls Marathon

Hitting the Wall

In the world of athletics, we hear a lot of information about protein, but runners need to be making carbohydrates a priority, especially in the days leading up to a big race. 

Carbohydrates are our muscles' preferred fuel source. When you eat carbohydrates, your body stores it as energy in the form of glycogen. When you're a distance runner, your muscles use up this energy. 

Have you ever hear of a marathon runner hitting the wall? "Hitting the wall" is a term to describe the sudden feeling of fatigue, lack of energy and feeling that you can't even take one more step when a runner has used up all of their stored carbohydrates, often around mile 20 of the marathon. This is why you often hear people say, "The race is half over at mile 20" because those last 6 miles can often feel like an eternity if you haven't taken the proper steps to ensure your glycogen/energy stores are filled and ready to push you to mile 26.2. 

Source: Buzzfeed

I'm sure the new runners are panicking at the thought of hitting that 20 mile mark now. Don't worry! There are a couple steps during this week to make sure you're getting in some good nutrition to fuel your muscles on race day. 

Carbs are King

Most runners think of carbohydrate loading as eating a huge bowl of pasta in the days leading up  to a race. We're not here to tell you that that's not a good strategy - if you've been eating pasta for every meal leading up to all your long runs, you probably don't want to change a good thing. 

A good rule to follow is: "Don't try anything new in the days leading up to a race!" For many runners, a big pasta meal, especially the night before the race (the traditional "carb loading meal"), is probably not going to digest fully before you start the race, so you may feel bloated and heavy while you're running. Instead, start thinking about your nutrition plan after your last long run, the week before the race. After you've finished this run, you're in the taper phase, so your runs over the next couple days should be easy - you've already put in the work, so pushing yourself too hard isn't going to help you gain any extra fitness. During the week leading up to your race, many runners feel like they can't back off the running - they may feel bloated or gain a couple pounds during the week, but just know that tapering is helping your body store the energy it is going to need to fuel your muscles during your big race. The extra weight is from your body storing glycogen (energy) and water, so sit back and try to relax. 

• 3 days before your race (mid-week) is a great time to ramp up your carbohydrate intake to about 3-4 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. 

For a better visual, let's think about what our plate might look like on a "normal" day, with 45-65% of our calories coming from carbohydrates: 

United States Olympic Committee Sport Dietitians and the University of Colorado (UCCS) Sport Nutrition Graduate Program.

The normal plate is great for every day and easy training days. Our carbohydrates come from vegetables and fruits, which should fill up half of our plate, and the rest from whole grains and quality starches, such as brown rice, whole grain pasta, potatoes and sweet potatoes, etc. 

In the 3-4 days leading up to a marathon, we're going to want to make carbohydrates the majority of our plate, which we can do by increasing the amount of carbohydrates we are eating at each meal and snack. This doesn't necessarily mean increasing our portions at each meal to add in an extra piece of bread, but making an effort to cut down on the protein and fats and aim to have carbohydrates make up ~70% of our daily intake. 

Compared to the above plate, this is a better visual of what your plate might look like in the several days leading up to race day: 

United States Olympic Committee Sport Dietitians and the University of Colorado (UCCS) Sport Nutrition Graduate Program.

As you can see, we've really increased the amount of grains and starches, so maybe instead of your daily salad for lunch, you choose a sandwich instead, or instead of an egg for breakfast, you have a peanut butter and banana sandwich so you're just making sure to make the majority of your plate carbohydrate-rich.

Keep in mind that this week is not an excuse to eat whatever you want. Carbohydrate loading is the combination of reducing your activity level and increasing your carbohydrate intake - not eating a full pasta or pizza dinner each night. We also can't push protein and healthy fats to the side. Your plate should be balanced with quality carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits and healthy fats, which is what we should be aiming to include in most of our meals every day.

Don't Try Anything New

You want to remember the above rule - to "not try anything new" in the week before the race. If you've eaten the same meal the day before every long run during your training, you probably want to stick with eating that same meal the day before your race. If you haven't really kept track of what you eat, stick with eating foods that you're familiar with or bland foods you know won't upset your stomach the day before the race. 

In contrast to the common carb-loading strategy of eating a huge pasta dinner the night before your race, we recommend eating your last larger meal for lunch the day before your race, and keeping dinner on the light side. Keep carbohydrate intake high on the day before the race, but if you're going to have your pasta dinner, try having it for lunch instead to ensure you have time to digest and feel good on race morning. 

Some examples of this meal include: pasta with red sauce and chicken breast with a side salad, rice and stir-fried vegetables and tofu or chicken, a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and onion and an apple.

Race Morning 

The morning of the race is your chance to top of your glycogen stores with a quality carbohydrate-rich meal. It is recommended to wake up several hours before the race, if possible, to eat ~150 grams of carbohydates. You want to make sure you've tried eating on some of your training runs to know how your body will react to eating before running. Some of the most common go-to breakfasts include carbohydrates and a little bit of protein and fat to hold us over until the race starts: bagel with peanut butter and a banana, granola with milk and fruit, yogurt with fruit, granola bar and an apple. Whatever you choose, make sure it's something you've tried before a long run and you know will agree with your stomach. 

Source: RunnerUnleashed.com

This breakfast should be substantial enough to get you to the starting line without being hungry, but not so large that you feel heavy and stuffed when you start running. 

If you've followed your training plan, tapered, and loaded up your plate with plenty of healthy carbohydrates in the days leading up to the race, you should feel confident that you've done everything in your power to cross that finish line. 

Again, if you're running the half marathon, this information is going to apply to you, too, just on a smaller scale. Marathon runners are going to have a larger intake of total calories, but the percentages of carbohydrates can still apply to those running the half marathon next weekend.

Any race week tips?

Favorite carbohydrate-loading meals?

Stories of hitting the wall? 

Questions for the Registered Dietitian?

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