Most Inflammatory Foods (part 2): Alcohol

sarah cuff Avoiding Injury, Brain health, Heal Injury, Heart Health, Inflammatory Foods, Performance, Run Faster, Run Recovery, Run Stronger 4 Comments

In part 1 of this Most Inflammatory Foods series, I covered processed oils. In part 2 here, I will cover alcohol – admittedly not a ‘food’ but it does contain calories. The body can make some limited energy from these calories but they are empty – that is, there is no nutritional value found in them and the processing of …

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.

Most Inflammatory Foods (part 1): Processed Oils

sarah cuff Avoiding Injury, Heal Injury, Inflammatory Foods, Performance, Run Recovery, Run Stronger, Running Performance Leave a Comment

Generally speaking, I prefer to highlight the foods and beverages that are beneficial to building optimal health and strength. In doing so, I hope that by including more of these foods we might, by default, crowd out the less than optimal choices. However, this ‘soft’ approach, as useful as it can be in some situations, doesn’t fully educate or bring …

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.

The Latest on Tart Cherry, Vitamin D and Coffee

sarah cuff Run Recovery Leave a Comment

When new studies are published that reinforce what I’ve been recommending for a while,  I must admit I always get excited… Especially when the roundup involves tart cherry. You and I both know there’s no one singular magic formula for recovering faster and feeling less pain post-run… But if there WAS, I swear it’d be tart cherry juice. I’ve seen it …

Sports Nutrition Products: Opt for the Right Option

kinseygomez Ergogenic Aids, Run Recovery, Supplements

These days, attempting to fuel yourself with healthy food products often feels more challenging than one might expect. How do you know which sports nutrition products are the best fuel for performance and recovery? I know I want to only use products that will enhance my running and help build me up into a stronger runner. It becomes especially challenging when …

The Latest on Tart Cherries, Omega-3s and Beer

sarah cuff Ergogenic Aids, Food Trends, Run Recovery, Running Performance Leave a Comment

One of my favourite places to find the latest on sports nutrition research is the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN). Today I thought I’d do a quick roundup of studies published recently that either provide further confirmations on the benefits of foods I’ve been advocating for a while now; or offer a new nutritional insight in …

Fat-Loading for Race Performance (part 3)

sarah cuff Ergogenic Aids 36 Comments

There are many ergogenic aides available to runners to help them achieve optimal performance on race day. For those participating in endurance events lasting longer than 2 hours, one such technique you may wish to try is fat-loading. The purpose of fat-loading is to teach the body to burn its own fatty acids as fuel (to a greater extent than it already …

Pre-Run Nutrition (plus shortcuts)

sarah cuff Food for Runners, Nutrient Timing, Supplements 2 Comments

There are so many pieces that must come together in order to have a great run (and especially a great race) – including following a run training plan that works for you, getting enough sleep and maintaining an overall healthful nutrition plan full of antioxidant rich and anti-inflammatory foods. While you most likely have a training plan and know how much …

Recipe: Bonk Proof Coffee (the runners take on Bulletproof Coffee)

emmajanecutfield Beverages, Food Trends, Omega-3s, Recipes for Runners 2 Comments

While acute amounts of cortisol from complimentary stress can be beneficial, elevated or chronically high cortisol is not a runners friend. For support in finding lasting energy, that’s low stress on the body, and entirely plant based, try this recipe for our “Bonk Proof” coffee… This recipe was inspired by my desire to reduce my total caffeine intake, and nourish my …