Wondering if anyone can help, a few issues ago RW had an article regarding nutrition which I found really helpful, extracts were taken form a sports nutrition book. I decided there and then that I wanted to purchase said book, however I failed to note down it's title or author. It has recently sprung to mind again and I have been looking through my RW mags and can I find it? Definite no!!! I can't even remember exactly what the article was about and am sure it was not that long ago. I have looked through the past 4 issues twice each and am still none the wiser. Can anyone help OR can anyone offer a good running nutrition book?
Thanks
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THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SPORTS NUTRITION : How to eat for maximum performance
By Anita Bean
The essence of Carmichael's philosophy is "periodisation." You both train and eat according to breaking down the year into four segments, very broadly as follows:
1. Foundation: endurance training (long and slow) and resistance training (weights). Fairly low calorie intake.
Lasts 3-4 months.
2. Preparation: step up speed and power work. Increasing calorie intake. Lasts 2 - 3 months.
3. Specialisiation: your peak performance period, towards which your training year is oriented. Short workouts at near maximum pace, explosive. Actual competition is focus. Maximum calorie intake. Lasts 2-3 months.
4. Recovery: extra days off, different sports, reduced training load. Reduced calorie intake. Lasts a month or so.
Basically, if your focus was on the summer (for events), then your year would be foundation from Nov to Feb, prep from March to May, spec from June to Aug, and recovery in Sept. Then the cycle starts again. You can, of course, run races at any time of the year but your training will be set up to deliver the best results during the specialisation period.
Anyway, Carmichael is very specific in the advice he gives out (calorie counts, specific menus, recipes, etc.) and I have to say it's pretty clear, sound advice. Works for Lance, that's for sure (and he trains a lot of runners too, by the way). And the book IS written with the fit adult who works out, rather than the professional athlete in mind.
The nutrition advice is very much period-dependent (for instance, an athlete of my weight -- about 10 stone) -- ranges from 1,800 calories or so during the preparation period to nearly 3,000 during specialisation when training and competition is more intense.
Good book. Like all nutrition books, you have to use it sensibly and incorporate some things while not becoming a slave to it, but I have to say that I have taken more from Carmichael than any but one or two other similiar titles. Hope this helps.
You'll find it excellent, obviously, from the perspective of a cyclist although I made the point that the book is written with both runners and cyclists in mind because of the likely interests of the readership on this board. Actually, Carmichael does a good job of distinguishing between the required training loads (and differing physical demands) of the two and explaining why they are what they are. Plus, as you can imagine, there are some interesting anecdotes about Lance's own use of the Carmichael nutrition programme.
With nutrition being a particular interest of mine, I am fairly widely read on the subject and I have to say Carmichael's approach is highly intelligent and presented in a way that's neither evangelical nor extreme. The relationship between excercise and food intake that's at the core of the book is, to my mind, what makes it work so well...it's not the usual "fast solution isolated from any kind of reality." What also works is that Carmichael writes with a lot of respect for people who do what I presume most of us do...work hard and are prepared to put in the effort without looking for shortcuts.
I'd say buy it. I think you'll find it actually has as much of an impact on the way you train and approach sport/fitness/exercise as it does simply in terms of what you eat.
just a thought
)
Thinking about doing the Diploma in Lifestyle Personal Fitness Trainer next
Thanks WW, will check that one out, I was planning on a distance learning route too but not sure re: general nutrition with sports element, or one with sport as main focus.
I think what is difficult is that those of us who are motivated to "stick with the programme" often (unintentionally) make others feel inadequate by comparison. I get endless criticism for running/gym/working out/eating properly as if I do it for reasons of pure ascetism. Apparently the notion that I might a). be interested in, and b). moreover, enjoy fitness and related subjects is a complete non-starter, totally beyond anyone's ability to comprehend.
I usually just smile and say somehting like who'll be laughing when she's 95 and still able to run for the bus!!!