Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Sports Drink

I am studying Holistic Sports Nutrition and I also study lots of thinks on my own and I test what I study as well. So what I learned about sports drinks freaked me out a little bit.
Basically a sports drink it is complex carbs(laboratory created), little bit of simple sugars and salt. Studies show that complex carbs (sugars) do not satisfy us, simple sugars do (simple sugar from fruits), and salt do not hydrate us, in fact salt dehydrate us. See, try drinking sea water to see if you survive? You will dehydrate. The only sodium that the body absorb is organic sodium from plants. With the been said, complex sugars (laboratory created) that does not satisfy you and salt that makes you thirsty you can drink commercial sports drink ALL day long that you will never be satisfied and always be thirsty.... as a Hydration system not good, but as money making machine is great isn't it?
You can test your self if you want, try to overeating in fruit, is nearly impossible because the simple sugar in fruit will fill you up.
What I do for sports drink? I either make apple and celery juice or I soak a few dry fruits in a jar over night, the sugar and electrolytes from the dry fruit will mix into the water due to the osmotic pressure. I did that with dates, figs, or goji berries so far and both worked great. You can also blend bananas with water or use coconut water (raw of course).
For example, on my 100 mile last sunday, we were riding at 24 to 26 mph all I had was water and my electrolyte drink and some bananas. I felt really good, it was 90 degrees out side and a few people cramp. I didn't. Even on my swim later on I had no cramp :). I did a bunch of Ironmans with those sports in all of them I cramp LOL the very first Ironman that I didn't use (used coconut water) I did not cramp!
If you want more info on that Dr Douglas Graham have a book called Nutrition and Athletic Performance and he explain that in deep!

Feel Good and GO RAW!
RW

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Diet

Yesterday I mesuare my body fat % and it was the lowest ever! So I decide to talk about diet here today!
I went to many nutritionist before in Brazil and USA, tried many differents diets and approaches like, high protein low carbs, high fat, lots of supplements etc, read a bunch of books and none of them gave me the result I wanted, expect the ones that talk about raw food diet, but I see as eating the way we were supposed to instead of a diet!
Any modification on the food such as heat, adding, etc makes the food different and it is either unrecognized by the body or really hard to digest causing lots of stress! Some people might say: "we were intent to eat meat" and my answer will be with a few questions: if we are intent to eat meat, can you chase an animal, kill it and eat right at the spot? With blood and everything? If you can maybe you were intent to eat meat.... I know I can't! Also, how come meat is so hard to digest and make our PH acid wicth is danger for our life? Also can you eat meat with no salt, and spices to have a better taste?
The truth is every animal in this planet know how to reconize the foods that they were desing to eat, just look around nature and how animals eat!
So, I got to a 4.5% body fat eating a raw vegan diet! I eat 80% carbs, 10% protein and 10% fat, and I am stronger and faster than ever! Think about it! Detox your mind and body from all the bad marketing around and eat the way you were intent to and reach maximum health! Remember it is not a diet, it is eating the way we were desing to! Also not being sick or not being overweight does not means that you are healthy!

My last few days my food intake has being a lot simple! Lots of fruits and a few veggies! For example, Sunday I did a 100 mile ride, and that day I had:
Breakfast orange, banana and papaya smoothie
During the ride 5 bananas and raw sugar, plus my electrolyte drink (will talk about this in another post)
Lunch 2 mangos, and orange juice
1 hour later raw garden of life protein mix with water
Swim workout than after mangos
Dinner spinach and strwberries salad

Feel good and GO RAW!
RW