SoK Sports Nutrition Class Notes
Aug. 26th, 2009 12:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
callistotoniAgain, all of the following came from Refr Fiachson (aka Viking Food Guy ;-) ). Leon and Kara and anyone else, I can make copies of his handout and bring it to Leohtulf's practice sometime if you'd like. :-)
OK, here are my big take-aways:
SCA heavy fighting is anaerobic, rather than aerobic. We'll come back to this.
Taking a step back, during exercise the body first burns something called ATP. The body's cells store about 20 sec. of this stuff. After 20 the body has to make more ATP from glucose. The liver stors glycogen so it can be broken down into glucose. Your body can only stor enough glycogen for 1.5-6 hours of sustained exercise.
More insulin increases the chance of low blood sugar. Low blood sugar is bad. Simple carbohydrates stimulate insulin production. During exercise, your body burns carbs first, then fat, then protein.
I'll quote what I think is the most important point here: "The nature of fighting as practiced in the SCA usually invloves anaerobic exercise, meaning short bursts of activity rather than sustained effort over long periods of time...This means that you aren't likely to burn off your glucose/glycogen reserves ans start burning fat or protein. If insulin levels are too high, you will burn through your carbs too ffast and risk low blood sugar.
...What this means for food requirements is complex/low glycemic carbohydrates 2-3 hours before the start of fighting, so that blood glucose levels are sufficient, while keeping insulin levels low".
His main concern was that people eat too much in the way of refined carbs, such as white bread, and too much sugar. The best breakfast for a fighter would be 60-70 % low glycemic carbs (e.g. whole grains), 20 % protien, and 10% fat.
Frumenty would be a period answer to this. Frumentry is cracked what, bulger, or barely cooled in water or milk, then you add beaten egg. Another answer would be whole grain oatmeal (not the "quick" kind) with milk/cream and a touch of honey or fruit. Yogurt and whole grains with a little honey (as opposed to sugar) would work too.
The second big point was that most commercial sports drinks assume aerobic exercise rather than anerobic, which means they have too much sugar to meet the needs of SCA fighters and puts them at risk of low blood sugar crashes. Instead, VFG suggested drinks that replace fluids and some additional glucose he suggested secongemin (sp?) or oxymel, which is water boiled with vinegar and honey and cooled. He also suggested barely water with a bit of honey.
After one is done fighting, then it's OK to have some high glycymic foods like carrots, watery fruit, or white bread to get some extra glucose for recovery (and bananas, if one is not trying to be period).
VFG said that the main source of his info for sports nutrition came from Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness, by David Musnick and Mark Pierce. I urged him to come up with a pamphlett with period recipes that are suitable.
I also wonder if a pain perdue made with whole grain/low glycemic bread and honey would work...
OK, here are my big take-aways:
SCA heavy fighting is anaerobic, rather than aerobic. We'll come back to this.
Taking a step back, during exercise the body first burns something called ATP. The body's cells store about 20 sec. of this stuff. After 20 the body has to make more ATP from glucose. The liver stors glycogen so it can be broken down into glucose. Your body can only stor enough glycogen for 1.5-6 hours of sustained exercise.
More insulin increases the chance of low blood sugar. Low blood sugar is bad. Simple carbohydrates stimulate insulin production. During exercise, your body burns carbs first, then fat, then protein.
I'll quote what I think is the most important point here: "The nature of fighting as practiced in the SCA usually invloves anaerobic exercise, meaning short bursts of activity rather than sustained effort over long periods of time...This means that you aren't likely to burn off your glucose/glycogen reserves ans start burning fat or protein. If insulin levels are too high, you will burn through your carbs too ffast and risk low blood sugar.
...What this means for food requirements is complex/low glycemic carbohydrates 2-3 hours before the start of fighting, so that blood glucose levels are sufficient, while keeping insulin levels low".
His main concern was that people eat too much in the way of refined carbs, such as white bread, and too much sugar. The best breakfast for a fighter would be 60-70 % low glycemic carbs (e.g. whole grains), 20 % protien, and 10% fat.
Frumenty would be a period answer to this. Frumentry is cracked what, bulger, or barely cooled in water or milk, then you add beaten egg. Another answer would be whole grain oatmeal (not the "quick" kind) with milk/cream and a touch of honey or fruit. Yogurt and whole grains with a little honey (as opposed to sugar) would work too.
The second big point was that most commercial sports drinks assume aerobic exercise rather than anerobic, which means they have too much sugar to meet the needs of SCA fighters and puts them at risk of low blood sugar crashes. Instead, VFG suggested drinks that replace fluids and some additional glucose he suggested secongemin (sp?) or oxymel, which is water boiled with vinegar and honey and cooled. He also suggested barely water with a bit of honey.
After one is done fighting, then it's OK to have some high glycymic foods like carrots, watery fruit, or white bread to get some extra glucose for recovery (and bananas, if one is not trying to be period).
VFG said that the main source of his info for sports nutrition came from Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness, by David Musnick and Mark Pierce. I urged him to come up with a pamphlett with period recipes that are suitable.
I also wonder if a pain perdue made with whole grain/low glycemic bread and honey would work...
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no subject
Date: 2009-08-26 08:01 pm (UTC)happy to share period recipe if you want more :)
no subject
Date: 2009-08-26 08:16 pm (UTC)(Turns that level of brain to the consort job!)
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Date: 2009-08-26 08:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-26 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-26 09:09 pm (UTC)Ohhhh Me me me me me!
Date: 2009-08-26 09:15 pm (UTC)Practice at Brian's Sunday :-)
no subject
Date: 2009-08-26 10:39 pm (UTC)Pain perdu, esp if you made it with a few extra egg whites might be a good choice. Honey and sugar metabolize the same for me - I don't know about other people.
I've made oxymel and sekanjabin before, they're both pretty good. On the other hand, Barley Water has been a complete fail for me. It's best with a metric ton of lemon juice in it (which is oop, as far as I've been able to find out) and even then it's pretty hard to like.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 04:37 am (UTC)