Caffeine and runners - Many runners enjoy a caffeine-lift either as a morning eye-opener, during daily coffee breaks, before training run, and during competitive events. Questions arise about caffeine: should I use caffeinated gels during long runs? What about caffeine in sport drinks? Does coffee enhance performance, or is it dehydrating?
Chocolate and runners - What is the whole story on chocolate? Is it little more than an alluring form of refined sugar, saturated fat and empty calories? Or does chocolate have positive qualities that might be beneficial for athletes? Here are some nuggets of information about chocolate. You decide whether or not the health benefits of eating chocolate are greater than the health costs.
Fast food and runners - Fast foods are here to stay, and thankfully many of today's quick-service restaurants offer some healthful, low-fat options. Athletes can actually choose a decent sport diet at most places if they make wise choices. Here is a list of best bets for fast-foods-that-fuel at quick-service restaurants.
Fueling for cold weather running - Some athletes complain about cold weather. If that is your stance, remember that exercising with proper nutrition (and layers of dry clothing) offers the opportunity to chase away the chills. Because food provides the fuel needed to generate this heat, the right sports diet is particularly important for runners and other athletes who are exposed to extreme cold.
Recovery nutrition for runners - The sports supplement industry is bombarding us with commercial recovery foods and fluids. But how important is proper nutritional recovery? This article explains how to perform better by planning your recovery diet and have the right foods and fluids readily available to adequately replace calories, carbohydrates, protein, fluids and sodium.
Fueling for an ultramarathon - If you are an endurance athlete who is training for an ultramarathon, you need a food plan. Performance starts with fueling, not training! This article provides nutrition tips for ultramarathoners athletes as well as ordinary runners and walkers who want ultra-energy.
Beans and runners - Remember this jingle: "Beans, beans, the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot"? The embarrassment associated with tooting explains why many athletes shy away from beans and also legumes. But far more than being a musical fruit, beans can be a nutrient-rich bonus for a sports diet.
Drinking plan for endurance runners - Overhydration can be as dangerous to your health as underhydration. So what does a sweaty athlete need to know about staying adequately hydrated without stomach sloshing? Have a drinking plan to minimize too much or too little water, consume "real" foods during long runs, and have fun.
Carbohydrates and runners - Carbohydrates seem to be a source of confusion for athletes and fitness exercisers alike. Due to trendy diet books, many active people do not know what to eat. They just think they should avoid pasta, bagels, juice, bananas and sugar - even if these foods are non-problematic for them.
Nutrition to prevent muscle cramps - If you have ever experienced the excruciating pain of a severe muscle cramp, you may fearfully wonder if it will strike again. You may also wonder if nutrition imbalances are at the root of the problem and if diet changes would be the simple solution.
Save money by making your own Gatorade - Nothing beats the fresh air and solitude of covering big swaths of ground in nature's gymnasium. And when running and sweating, nothing feels better going down than a cold sports drink. But here's the thing - those drinks are not cheap.
Nutrition on the road - The bigger gas stations and those closer to a main highway or busy towns have far better offerings than the small town gas station's shelves stocked with just a few bags of pork rinds and some candy bars. Here are some tips that can help you eat reasonably well from a gas station or vending machine while traveling to your running event.
Vegetables and runners - Many runners understand that fruits and veggies are good for their health and better than vitamin pills, but they cannot figure out how to enjoy them more often - or how to get inspired to learn to like them. Sound familiar? Maybe this article will help you boost your intake of these healthful sports foods.
Sugar and runners - It is no secret we have an innate preference for sweet foods, starting with all-natural breast milk. Kids, more than adults, enjoy sweetness. Hungry athletes, in particular, tend to enjoy sweet stuff, too.
Oats and runners - Is oatmeal beneficial for athletes? Are steel-cut oats better than quick-cooking oats? Which type is best? Does oatmeal really "stick to your ribs"? Let's take a look at what you might want to know about this popular sports food.
