Hello Runner,
Welcome back to your weekly moment of endurance nutrition!
Happy Weekend!
Are you all right? I hope so!
All set for Christmas? Do you know it hasn't hit me yet that it's Christmas in less than a week? I don't know why, but it happens to me every year!
My week was pretty quiet; I took it easy in training and at work. I needed a mini break.
I'm going back to Barcelona next week, so I want to make the most of the time I have left in Brazil.
I decided to tackle a somewhat controversial subject. I've been wanting to talk about it for a while, and there's nothing better than talking about ‘eating clean’ before Christmas!
You've probably seen a lot of nutritionists, coaches, and even influencers (without qualifications, demonizing entire food groups) talking about clean eating on social media.
But the question that remains is: Does eating clean go hand in hand with performance? Can eating clean hurt your performance?
Let's take a look.
INSIGHTS
Energy Needs, Whole Foods, and REDs
First, athletes/runners have higher energy expenditure than the general population, so they are at greater risk of under-fueling.
Therefore, when an athlete or a runner begins to solely focus on ‘clean eating’ or only eating food they deem to be ‘healthy’, some major health concerns can arise.
→ I’m not saying that whole foods are bad!
They are super important for a healthy diet and should not be removed. You who read my newsletter know that I always emphasize the importance of whole foods.
But an athlete’s body requires a certain amount of energy to keep up with energy output, e.g., exercise and daily movement.
When these energy needs aren’t met for prolonged periods of time, it can lead to low energy availability and relative energy deficiency in sport (REDS).
This can cause serious health and performance implications, such as:
Increased fatigue
Impaired performance
Reduced training recovery
Muscle loss
Recurrent injuries
Suppressed immune function
Nutrient deficiencies
Hormonal imbalances
Reduced libido
Decreased bone density
Gastrointestinal issues
Mood changes
Social isolation
Believe me, I've seen athletes and sportspeople suffering with REDS, and it's not nice. And some of them took a while to recover.
Eating clean or not?
You're probably thinking: OK, I realize that most of the time I won't be able to eat clean because I need energy to train. Yes, you're right
If you expend a lot of energy during your workouts, it's going to be very difficult for you to replace all that energy with whole foods, because you'll need to eat large amounts to replenish that energy.
Think about your gastric capacity (how much food your stomach can accept). Every runner has their own capacity.
→ This is why the inclusion of some ultra-processed foods can help close this gap in energy intake, which can be very difficult to reach from whole foods alone for many athletes.
If you read last week's newsletter 👇
You learnt that it's OK to include ultra-processed foods in the diet to help with the athlete's energy requirements.
When you see a health professional talking badly about ultra-processed foods and saying that athletes should stay away from these foods, know that they may be contributing to someone under-fueling.
Which can lead to severe health (and performance) consequences.
Track of the week 🎧️
This week's Track of the Week is great for listening to while cycling or running in zone 2 or 3.
I've chosen the track Holy Ghost (Martin Solveig Extended Remix) by Omah Lay, Lekaa Beats, and Martin Solveig.
If you’ve been underfueling or are experiencing any of these symptoms and need support, get in touch with me by answering this email!
I couldn't finish this newsletter today without telling you to enjoy your Christmas dinner and lunch. Eat everything you like, after all, Christmas only comes round once a year!
Wishing you a great weekend and a very Merry Christmas 🎅🏻🎄🎁
Here’s to health and good runs⚡️
Ana Paula Alonso