How to Use Nutrition to Manage Stress

Tanya Jones Digestive Health, Endurance Sport, Food for Runners, Gut Health, Nutrient Timing, Nutrition Tips, Omega-3s, Performance, Running Performance, Stress Management, Training, Vitamins & Minerals Leave a Comment

I feel like we have all had an experience or two where you’re out there having a great ride or run and suddenly, you’re out of energy, or feeling crampy and nauseous or in a worst-case scenario looking desperately for somewhere to go the bathroom wishing you had a roll of toilet paper in your pocket.
Fear of these scenarios happening can lead us to limiting how much we eat pre-workout as well as not taking in enough nutrition during our training sessions or race. This is so unfortunate because we know we need to nourish our bodies for the workout that we are doing but even more importantly to support our recovery so we can make the adaptations we are working so hard for as well as set ourselves up well for our next workout.

Training Your Gut for Athletic Performance

Tanya Jones Digestive Health, Endurance Sport, Food for Runners, Gut Health, Nutrient Timing, Nutrition Tips, Performance, Running Performance, Training 3 Comments

I feel like we have all had an experience or two where you’re out there having a great ride or run and suddenly, you’re out of energy, or feeling crampy and nauseous or in a worst-case scenario looking desperately for somewhere to go the bathroom wishing you had a roll of toilet paper in your pocket.
Fear of these scenarios happening can lead us to limiting how much we eat pre-workout as well as not taking in enough nutrition during our training sessions or race. This is so unfortunate because we know we need to nourish our bodies for the workout that we are doing but even more importantly to support our recovery so we can make the adaptations we are working so hard for as well as set ourselves up well for our next workout.

Hydration and Athletic Performance

Tanya Jones Endurance Sport, Food for Runners, Hydration, Nutrition Tips, Performance Leave a Comment

We have a tendency to think that if we are using liquid fuel options that that counts as hydration, and I suggest that you keep your fuel and hydration separate. An important consideration is, if the concentration of fuel that you take in, has a higher concentration than your bloodstream, you will not be able to absorb it, leading to lack of energy, cramps and eventual digestive distress. So, you want to make sure that you are hydrating as well as fueling.

Adaptogens: How they can support your performance through perimenopause and beyond.

Tanya Jones Adaptogens, Endurance Sport, Female Hormones, Food for Runners, Menopause, Performance, Perimenopause, Supplements 2 Comments

The time when perimenopause begins is also a time in life when there are many other stressors that compound the stress effect. This is a time when many women have kids that are teenagers, or maybe a little bit younger, and they are going through things that put pressure on you. Your parents are getting older and may require more care and time. You may be at an important place in your career and of course you also have performance goals and expectations for your sport. All of these extraneous stressors compound and complicate some of the issues that you’re having with hormone fluctuation during perimenopause and the effects carry over into menopause.

Let’s discuss adaptogens that help mitigate those stresses on our body and our body’s response to stress.

Top 10 Nutrition Tips for Endurance Athletes

Tanya Jones Endurance Sport, Food for Runners, Nutrient Timing, Nutrition Tips, Performance 1 Comment

We know that nutrition is important to our endurance sport journey, but I’ve found that for some reason it can be the last thing we really focus on. The gains from a good nutrition plan aren’t always as drastic as doing a hard run or bike where the sweat rolling off your chin makes you feel like you’re working in the right direction, towards your goals. But what I have found for myself and many of my athletes is the nutrition can make or break your training and performance more than any structured training plan.

How to Train for a Half or Iron Distance Triathlon

Tanya Jones Endurance Sport, Performance, Training, Triathlon Leave a Comment

As we start preparing for a new season of racing, I thought it would be a good idea to put together some thoughts on how to train for half and full distance triathlons. This should give you an idea of what is expected, what’s reasonable, and what’s necessary to get through your first half or full distance event.

Sleep and Athletic Performance

Tanya Jones Brain health, Performance, Running Performance, Sleep Leave a Comment

Sleep is an essential component of our health and well-being. There are significant impacts on physical development, emotional regulation, cognitive performance, and quality of life when we don’t sleep well. Sleep is also an integral part of the recovery and adaptive process between training sessions. We work so hard during training so shouldn’t we put that same effort into sleeping as well?

Nutrition, Cognitive Sports Training and Performance

Tanya Jones Antioxidants, Brain health, Cognitive Training, Mental Imagery, Mindfulness, Omega-3s, Performance, Running Performance, Self-talk 2 Comments

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that cognitive sports training can also play a role in sports performance enhancement. Cognitive sports training encompasses a broad range of mental tasks designed to improve various aspects of athletic performance. We’ve all had those moments when you didn’t think you could run one more step or lift one more rep but somehow you almost always area able to do so. So much of our sport performance is psychological, so it makes sense to support that aspect of your training as well.

Using Your Cycle as a Guide for Sport Performance

Tanya Jones Female Hormones, Hormone Cycle Training, Nutrient Timing, Performance, Running Performance, Training Leave a Comment

Have you noticed that your menstrual cycle affects your workouts, your hunger levels, and your sleep? I sure have, and as an athlete and sports nutritionist, I wanted to understand how best to train and nourish my body during each phase to achieve optimal training results. Understanding your cycle will allow you to adapt your training and eating to support your sport and athletic performance. In this week’s blog post, I will discuss how to do this based on the role of each hormone and when it is dominant.

The Gut Biome and Sport Performance

Tanya Jones Digestive Health, Food for Runners Leave a Comment

We know that how you train and nourish your body plays a huge part in how well you adapt and ultimately perform. But did you know that those factors also affect your gut microbiome, and why should we worry about that? Well, your gut microbiome influences sleep, mood, body composition, absorption of nutrients, inflammation, our immune system and so much more. You work really hard during training and want to make advantageous adaptions to improve sport performance, and supporting your microbiome is an integral part of that.