It's that time of year again . If you are like most of us , who's New Years resolutions are already on the backburner, this is your chance to refocus. March is National Nutrition Month, which to us means a time to celebrate our commitment to making informed food choices, creating sound eating habits, and making a commitment to prioritize our health.

This year's theme is "Eat Right: Bite-by-Bite ", and is a slogan that we like, because we can interpret it in a variety of ways.

For some, th is slogan may help remind you that every small change you have made, or are continuing to make, will have cumulative health benefit s- one bite at a time. This week you might start a new habit of eating one piece of fruit for a mid-morning snack. Next week you could add veggies to your lunch sandwich. As for the weeks that follow that, the choice is yours as to what your next bite by bite change might be.

For others, "bite-by-bite" can be a mantra that reminds us that good nutrition does not have to be all or nothing, and should never be restrictive. If you are currently struggling with your relationship with food, or if the thought of eating certain food s is overwhelming, this manta can help remind you that a few bites of ANYTHING is not a big deal.

Regardless of your interpretation of this month's slogan, simply recall that intent + practice = progress. And, progress can always occur , regardless of your starting point.

In order to be successful with any goal, whether they include improv ing your physical or mental health, or improve your athletic performance, they must be both realistic and sustainable. Our interpretation of this years National Nutrition Month slogan is not to go to any extr emes, and instead to make small improvements to better our health, one step at a time.

If you need some guidance deciding where to start, you might find this week-by-week guide established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics helpful in fram ing your goals. Reminder: depending on how you perceive the slogan, not every goal may be applicable or appropriate , and with that in mind we have given it our Nutrition Energy slant (in italics)!

 

Week 1: Eat a variety of foods everyday!

 

-Include foods from different food groups

-Be present while eating: take time to enjoy your food.

-Try a new food/intimidating food

- Understand what portions are needed by your body (try to get back to listening to hunger and satiety)

 

Week 2: Plan (some of) your meals!

 

-Make a grocery list that includes foods for different meals and snacks

-Bring your own lunch to school/work (*Or challenge yourself to eat out if that is something you have been unable to do!)

-Find convenient options at your favorite restaurants that meet YOUR individual needs when you do not have time to cook

-Make /Pack snacks available for busy days

 

Week 3: Learn New Skills!

 

-Learn about food safety and food prep

-Use cooking methods that help reduce food waste

-Try new spices to discover new flavor pairings

-Bring out those small kitchen appliances and do something new

 

Week 4: Consult a registered dietitian nutritionist

 

-Receive personalized nutrition advice to help continue your goals

-Thrive through the trans-formative power of food and nutrition

 

Of course this is only a guide from which you should take what you like and adapt what you need to help you improve your health, performance and overall life. Use this framework to make your own 4-week progress plan to better health!

You train your body to endure hours of strenuous exercise. You train Your mind to block out every aches and feeling of fatigue. Like a well-oiled machine, you are primed to achieve your best finish yet. You cruise through the first half of the race, and everything is going as planned. But, as you approach mile 16, your stomach flips. Like a knife through the body, you are in an immense amount of pain. Your time goals are now on the back-burner, and your only focus is getting through this race. What went wrong? Chances are, yo u forgot to train a critical component...your gut.

 

First, lets take a step back and discuss what went wrong in this all too familiar situation. During exercise, blood is redirected away from the intestines, in order to supply oxygen to working muscles. With less blood going through the digestive system, an untrained gut is more likely to cause you distress with any significant fueling. In an attempt to avoid this problem, people often solely rely on gels and liquids. But, eventually the idea of sucking down yet another sticky, molasses textured, overly sweet gel feels not on unbearable, but may potentially make the situation worse. Instead, follow these helpful tips on how to train your gut, and make your next race the best one yet!

 

Step 1: Fit for Fuel

 

As previously mentioned, our body redirects blood to working muscles during exercise. When we are less trained, the body requires an even greater volume of blood to be sent to our muscles. But, as we become more trained, we become more efficient and less blood is shunted from the gut to prioritize the muscles. So, by improving your cardiovascular fitness, you can maintain a certain level of blood circulation to the gut, and thus are more likely to be able to tolerate carbohydrate ingestion during exercise.

 

Step 2: Start Slow

 

During a race, it's optimal to consume 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour. Since most people's gut will not tolerate that amount right off the bat, it's important to utilize your training time to not only build up your endurance and muscles, but also your ability to digest food while training, in order to maximize performance on race day. During your slow runs, try experimenting with small amounts of carbohydrate sources including sports drinks, gels and chews as well as pretzels, crackers, bananas. As tolerance builds, you can increase the amount of carbohydrates ingested per hour, until you hit the suggested range.

 

Step 3: Start Early

 

During the early stages of training your gut, be prepared to experience some discomfort. Please try to be patient, as until your body is used to ingesting and digesting during exercise, and therefore needs time to adjust. For this reason . We encourage you to begin experimenting with condition ing your gut as early into your training as possible. During this adaptation period, your running performance may be affected. Thus, we want to go through this process when the runs are less critical to race day performance.

 

Step 4: Find Your Success

 

Nutrition is an individualized process. While some people can eat just about anything on a run, others have to find what works best for them. When training the gut, it is best to avoid foods that are high fiber, fat, and fructose, since they can trigger gastrointestinal distress. We also recommend avoid ing foods that contain large amounts of artificial sweeteners. Double check if your gels, bars, or other snacks contain possible irritants. , train to gut to tolerate bread, pretzels, bananas, and other easily digestible carbohydrate foods.

 

Step 5: Stick to the Game Plan

 

Race day is not the time to experiment. Trying a different breakfast, energy bars, sports drink, snack, or gel might cause some unwanted gastrointestinal distress during the race. It is therefore critical to find what works for you during training, and keep it consistent on race day. Don't break what isn't broken.

 

In the end, if you are one of many who believes they cannot tolerate foods , gels or sports drinks while running /training/racing, you are definitely not alone. With running season coming up, NOW is the perfect time to start experiment ing with training your gut. For a more individualized approach, don't hesitate to make an appointment at Nutrition Energy.