I do get quite a bit of questions about exactly what I eat on those days when I'm training long. A 5k swim, followed by a 5:00 ride and a 1:00 brick are not exactly workouts you'd want to go into empty!
While I've written posts including sample days of what I eat on days when I've got shorter workouts, I've not detailed a long day's meals as of yet.
So, here it is!
Keep in mind that I will have had yam or sweet potato with dinner the night before to top off my glycogen stores in both the skeletal muscle and liver... Also, water is consumed throughout the day, to ensure I don't get dehyrdated.
7 am breakfast
My signature smoothie (chilled, plain green tea, banana, raw almond butter, egg protein, whizzed in the blender). I also like adding cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. One the side- some baked yam with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, indicated for endurance athletes who follow TPD. Black espresso.
8AM- 90' masters swim. I bring a water bottle with a gel mixed into it to sip between sets. As those of you who've been reading my blog for a while already know, the carbohydrate gel is the sole non Paleo food in my own diet that I use for racing and training.
9:30 AM- banana, eaten at the pool, post swim.
I live just round the corner from the pool, so I have the advantage of going home for my next feeding.
10:00 AM- more yam, a runny egg, some avocado and/or olive oil and a bit of sliced turkey...
10:30 AM
Five hour bike ride with high wattage intervals, followed by one hour brick run done at ironman race pace.
One gel every 30 minutes. Since I weigh 52 kg and I adhere strictly to the rule of thumb of 4 kcal/kg bodyweight/hour of endurance exercise lasting upwards of 90 minutes, I consume one PowerGel every thirty minutes, each of which is 110 kcals. This puts me at just slightly over the necessary 208 kcals that I personally need per hour.
If I were doing a longer, more aerobic ride, I might bring along more yam with salt and almond butter on it, as well. However, at higher intensity, so much blood is diverted away from the GI tract in order to deliver to the skeletal muscle, eating solids would end in undigested food sitting in my stomach and a very delayed emptying of calories from the gut into the blood.
4:30 PM
HOMEBREW! If you don't know what it is, read The Paleo Diet for Athletes. It's a homemade, Paleo recovery drink made with fruit, protein, glucose and some salt. I also like to add a bit of L Glutamine to help further with the recovery process.
Now comes the time of the post workout window for which I receive a LOT of questions. Many of my clients previously tended to over think this before working together to sort it.
TPD for Athletes teaches us that the recovery window time should equal that of the workout time, and during that, there is a gradual shift from eating the higher glycemic and starchier foods, back to typical Paleo meals.
I'll get questions like "how many grams of CHO should I eat in the second hour of recovery" or "what if my body is telling me to eat something salty and nothing else sweet?".
I can tell you, based on six years of racing with great results as a top age group, PALEO, ironman athlete, that you should absolutely let your body guide you, after you've had your recovery drink.
I usually want protein, fat and salt. Here is just ONE example of what that might be:
5:30 PM-
grass fed burger (No bun, obviously), salad & yams
And, not surprisingly, since I'll have expended several thousand calories that day through training, I'll be hungry again before too long...
7:30 PM
Sea bass, spinach with garlic and oil, more salad, an orange... and yams on the side to prep for the next day, if my coach has another big day in store for me!
- I get in exactly the right balance of calories, in the proper Paleo macro nutrient ratio. How can I tell?
- I sleep wonderfully
- My training and racing continue to improve and get stronger
- I am rarely ill
- I easily maintain my lean body weight
- I have great, constant energy levels
Wondering how to do it for yourself? You've got to approach it as an experiment. Read the books, arm yourself with knowledge and know that you've got to use your self as the test for what works FOR YOU and what does not. You CAN sort it out while remaining PALEO and you'll be all the more fit, healthy, lighter, faster and stronger!
Works wonderfully for me Nell! My friend had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on her ride at a half Ironman and she bonked half way through. I had energy all day! Thanks.
Posted by: Sheryl P | August 24, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Im not surprised. When are people going to get it that PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY and BREAD are not foods to be eaten for training.... or EVER!!
Glad youre doing so well with Paleo!! :)
Nell Stephenson
BS USC EXSC, ACSM H/FI
www.nellstephenson.com
www.shop.nellstephenson.com
blog: http://stephenson.typepad.com/train_with_nellie/
training plans: http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/training-plans/nell-stephenson.aspx
twitter: nellstephenson
book: http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Diet-Cookbook-Breakfasts-Beverages/dp/0470913045
Posted by: Nell | August 24, 2011 at 01:05 PM
Nell - your food looks LOVELY!!!
Questions:
These are not Paleo questions so let me know if you'd like me to ask them elsewhere:
1. What socks do you recommend for running? I'm getting some crazy blisters while running.
2. How do protect yourself from the sun? I'm doing some longer runs/swims and my skin is taking a beating.
Thank you Nell for all you do for us here. Your recipes and tips are incredibly helpful.
Posted by: CK | August 24, 2011 at 03:59 PM
No prob.
For running:
I ALWAYS buy my running shoes a full size bigger than normal footwear. You can also try bodyglide to lube your feet and/or Injinji socks (each toe is separated!).
Sunscreen:
Try mixing your own out of ascorbic acid (vitamin c crystals) with water and spraying it on. Use enough to make a concentration of 10%. Alternatively, you can mix the crystals with aloe gel. Remember, while we obviously dont want to fry ourselves in the sun, SOME is GOOD for us; we NEED the Vitamin D!
Hope that helps.
Nell Stephenson
BS USC EXSC, ACSM H/FI
www.nellstephenson.com
www.shop.nellstephenson.com
blog: http://stephenson.typepad.com/train_with_nellie/
training plans: http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/training-plans/nell-stephenson.aspx
twitter: nellstephenson
book: http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Diet-Cookbook-Breakfasts-Beverages/dp/0470913045
Posted by: Nell | August 24, 2011 at 08:33 PM
Hey Nell! This is exactly what I was about to ask you! I have some similar long weekend sessions like this and I'm realizing that I don't think I'm taking in enough calories. On Sunday I did a 70 mile ride with 10 mile brick run (faster than half marathon pace) then a 2.2 mile open water swim later in the day. While I felt great on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I was just smashed. The diet you laid out makes a lot more sense than what I did and it really helped me- thank you. Plus, I love yams/sweet potatoes!
On your aerobic rides do you just slice a sweet with some almond butter and carry it in a plastic baggie, or is there a special way you do it? During an ironman race, do you stick with entirely gels then entire race, or so incorporate any solid food? I used to have a Clif bar on the bike, but no longer will, and am wondering if I should do all gels or a mix of a sweet potato and gels?
Sorry for the long comment!
Posted by: chuck | August 24, 2011 at 08:46 PM
I just put the yam in a zippy bag and add a bit of salt and some almond butter or even some whole walnuts. Yes, its messy, but SO good.
Alternatively, Ill bring along some of my leftover PALEO BAKED YAM FRIES, which taste SO decadent when youre growing tired of the sweet of the gels.
Nell Stephenson
BS USC EXSC, ACSM H/FI
www.nellstephenson.com
www.shop.nellstephenson.com
blog: http://stephenson.typepad.com/train_with_nellie/
training plans: http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/training-plans/nell-stephenson.aspx
twitter: nellstephenson
book: http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Diet-Cookbook-Breakfasts-Beverages/dp/0470913045
Posted by: Nell | August 25, 2011 at 08:26 AM
Hi Nell.
I am surprised to see that you are an advocate of Powerbar gels. You seem to worry about the smallest amount of dairy or grain being in anything you eat,yet you feed yourself large amounts of Powerbar gels which contain Sodium Benzoate which has been linked to causing cancer.
The gels are also made on equipment which also processes milk and soy.
I have copied and pasted here just one lot of ingredients (powerbar gel apple flavour)
Ingredients
C2 MAX CARBOHYDRATE BLEND (MALTODEXTRIN, FRUCTOSE), WATER, POWERBAR ELECTROLYTE BLEND (SODIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM CITRATE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE), NATURAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, GREEN TEA EXTRACT AND CAFFEINE FROM TEA, SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS).
MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES MILK AND SOY.
It would seem that most sports gels contain similar ingredients. I myself use High5 or Torq products they all advertise that they are all natural.
I would like to know your take on this.
Posted by: David | September 10, 2011 at 03:46 AM
Hi, David!
Thanks for this; Ill be doing a blog post on the topic.
Thanks for the idea stay tuned.
Sent from my iPhone
Nell Stephenson
BS USC EXSC, ACSM H/FI
www.nellstephenson.com
www.shop.nellstephenson.com
blog: http://stephenson.typepad.com/train_with_nellie/
book: www.wiley.com/buy/9780470913048
training plans: http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/training-plans/nell-stephenson.aspx
twitter: @nellstephenson
Posted by: Nell | September 11, 2011 at 05:02 PM
Super cute! My little man would look so stylin' in those!
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