Ask the Sports Nutritionist

Which individual supplements should I take? 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...
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Metabolism – Overeating in the Evening? I feel like I can’t control my night-time eating?  Is this as bad as I think it is? Can you hear it?  The “JAWS” music playing in the background.  There’s something sneaking up on you…A METABOLISM KILLER! AAAAAAAAAH! Over-Eating in the Evening.  That’s right.  It may not sound...
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During the summer, I got in the habit of weighing myself before and after training to monitor my fluid losses.  When it was hot, I lost 35-40 oz. per hour – this seems like too much to try to drink while riding.  What are your thoughts?  Great job with weighing yourself to monitor fluid...
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It seems like I’ve read about an optimal ratio of carbs and protein while training.  What is it and is it important?  Yes, there is a recommended carb to protein ratio for training nutrition, and it’s 4:1 (grams).  With this ratio, digestion of the fluid or food is not impeded in the stomach like...
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What are your carbohydrate recommendations for the night before a big ride or race?  It‘s important to think about the timeline of digestion in this scenario. It only takes refined carbohydrates ~15-60 minutes to be digested and hit the bloodstream. Then, they‘re stored. If your glycogen stores are not fully replenished, they can be...
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With regular sports drinks and gels or energy bars, I can’t seem to get the right amount of sodium and potassium.  Any tips for adding it?  It’s difficult to get the 400+ milligrams sodium and 100+ milligrams potassium per hour needed per hour during intense training with standard sports drinks and bars.  First, take...
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I like to have salad dressing with my dinner salad, but would like to know what is the best choice. Maybe you’ve been extra good and you’re eating large salads at dinner, paired with a healthy protein.  This is GREAT! – unless you’re adding a lot of regular-calorie dressing to your large salad.  ...
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Every Holiday Season, I seem to put on weight.  This year, I’m really trying to maintain within 5 lbs of my summer racing weight.  Any tips? Yes, here are my Top 5 Tips for Avoiding Holiday Pounds: The “Holidays” are really only a few days.  Enjoy food, friends, and family on these days, but...
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Be Proactive rather than Reactive – Be in control I seem to have a problem when it comes to controlling my eating schedule.  Can you help me out? Although it would be great if we only ate when we were hungry and stopped when we were full, most people struggle with daily “cravings,” emotional eating,...
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Sleepiness in Athletes James’ Question: Is it usual to get really sleepy a couple of hours after a ride? I’ve recently started riding at the weekends (though I’m a long-time commuter and spinning fan). A typical example would be a two or three hour ride, in which I drink 500ml of energy drink, with...
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Question: I cramped badly during a recent cycling race.  I never cramp on training rides no matter how long they are.  What is the best nutrition plan for race so I can avoid this happening again? Kelli’s Answer: First of all, there are many reasons why you might cramp during a race, and they...
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Question: I drink a lot of milk, but after reading an article of what they put in there I’m scared of how much I take in.  Should I cut down or eliminate milk? Kelli’s Answer: In the United States, it is perfectly legal to inject cows with an artificial hormone to increase milk production. ...
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