When I was growing up, I wasn’t a huge magazine addict but I do remember a few subscriptions that I had. My interest started with Mad Magazine, and then moved on to Waterski, MuscleMag, and a couple other sports related type mags. The last magazine I can remember buying would have been around 8 to 10 years...
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Fiber It’s best to add fiber slowly (to reduce gas and bloating) if you are not used to eating very much. Add only about 5 grams of fiber per day for an entire week. Then, if comfortable, add another 5 grams the following week until you have reached 30+ grams of fiber per day (for example:...
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I’m not sure if it’s been just plain good luck, or if being extremely conscious of taking in good whole foods is the reason…but I’ve been running on healthy and haven’t had a cold for longer than I can remember. In fact, it has been at least a couple years or more since I...
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I am extremely proud to introduce our newest contributor at Loving the Bike. Kassidy is my 11 year old daughter and will be writing posts about once a month. She is a great little writer and I hope you (and your kids) enjoy what she has to offer. - Darryl For my first post on...
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Just one of the many things I love about being out cycling is surrounding myself with nature. Biking past lakes, over creeks, alongside canola fields or sugar cane fields make being out there on the bike, even better. But as I passed by a cute little fox yesterday on my ride, I got to...
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Reading Labels Within the “Total Carbohydrate” section of a nutrition label, you’ll find Total Carbohydrates, Dietary Fiber (sometimes further defined as soluble & insoluble), and Sugars. Pay attention to the total fiber per serving (no need to log soluble vs. insoluble) – your goal is 30+ per day. Of note, when you subtract the total fiber and sugar from the...
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For many cyclist, we are slowly nearing the end of another beautiful riding season. Whether you live in a place that the season is nearly over or never ending, this is the perfect time to take your cycling to the next level. Come on, I know you’re thinking about it. You’ve been riding and...
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Last week I was out on ride….no surprise there. It was a beautiful day with little wind and 100% sunshine, so I stayed out as long as I could. I got out far enough to know that I’d be arriving home with at least 110kms behind me and I was very happy about that. On the...
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Cycling itself may be art in motion, but the concept of bike related art seems to really be catching on. The design and craftsmanship that goes into a bike is reason enough to celebrate, and the handmade bike shows that happen around the World each year are a fantastic way to show off some...
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Pita Chips Do you sometimes crave chips or pita chips? It seems like buying a bag of pita chips is a healthy alternative to regular potato chips……they are a better choice, but with many of them being made from enriched flour why not avoid them and make your own. They are so easy to...
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Let me tell you right now that today’s post has absolutely nothing to do with cycling. I’ve had a few close calls in the past, but for the first time…after doing cycling blogs for the past six months, I’m deviating from what this blog is all about. The reason? Because I am way overdue...
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The battle stems back to when I first took up waterskiing. That was over 20 years ago, so this fighting goes back a couple decades. The ongoing combat, of course, is with my opponent “The Wind”. My arch rival, my nemesis, my fiercest adversary. Growing up in Saskatchewan you learn to deal with a...
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I generally eat pretty healthily and stay relatively fit but I wonder if I’m getting enough vitamins and minerals. Is there a product (available in the UK) that contains the right mixes of daily vitamins and minerals and if not, which individual supplements should I take to compliment a healthy lifestyle. (ps… I don’t want to take so many pills that I rattle!)
Kelli’s Answer:
Thanks for the question! First a disclaimer: It’s always important to talk to your personal health care provider about supplements -some should not be taken due to medication interactions and individual conditions.
Now, my general recommendations:
Although a healthy and balanced diet is most important, I do believe that most people, and athletes especially, need a good multivitamin/multimineral, extra vitamin D, and fish oil (or another source of DHA/EPA omega-3s) in addition to healthy foods. Mostly, I recommend this because our soils have been over-farmed (which decreases the amount of nutrients in our foods), our waters are polluted (which is one reason we can’t eat as much seafood as we’d like), and our ability to get outside and get sunlight year round has decreased with more time spent inside and at a desk. And, there’s a lot of exciting research that supports higher levels of vitamin D supplementation than previous recommendations.
Generally, I recommend these daily supplements:
Additionally, individual athletes may need extra iron, probiotics, calcium, etc. But, these 3 pills are a good place to start for most healthy athletes.
As you look for supplements, the keys are to find ones that 1) have what they claim they have (no exaggerated claims) and 2) don’t have anything that’s harmful. You don’t want lead or other dangerous heavy metals, and I try to stay away from colorings, flavorings, and unnecessary additives. Since this industry is not really regulated, it can be hard to find good brands that have support from a 3rd party expert. I often www.consumerlab.com, a completely impartial 3rd party site that tests supplements and reports on their ingredients. They don’t have every brand, but it can be a good starting point. I hope this helps!
Please send us your questions for our Expert Sports Nutritionist, Kelli Jennings to “Ask the Sports Nutritionist“. Kelli Jennings is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for healthy eating, wellness, & sports nutrition. For more information go to www.apexnutritionllc.com.
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