S.M.
L.,
I am a registered dietitian and nutrition coach for www.fitness4diabetics.com. Below is an article I wrote for some of our cyclists who are training for 50 and 100 mile endurance rides. You can use this same information for your daughter but you may want to reduce the portions some. I don't know much about ZBars in particular, but just make sure they don't upset her stomach or cause any other problems. As the article below states, try new foods during training, not on event day. Good luck!
S.
www.fitness4diabetics.com
NUTRITION 101
Whether you are a weekend warrior or an elite endurance athlete, good nutrition is essential to your health and overall performance. Essentially, the rules are the same for athletes and non-athletes when it comes to healthy eating. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are the nutrients that give us calories. It is important to make the healthiest choices among these nutrients and to get a variety of them in our diet. Here is a summary of these nutrients:
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of fuel. Because of this reason, carbohydrates are digested very quickly and need to be replenished on a regular basis. Carbohydrate is stored in our muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. Muscles store about 300-400 grams (1200-1600 calories) of glycogen and about 75-100 grams (300-400 calories) of glycogen stored in the liver. The amount of carbohydrate you burn during exercise will vary depending on the length and intensity of your activity. Carbohydrates come from starches, grains, fruit, milk and sweets. Best carbohydrate choices are 100% whole grains (breads, cereals, and crackers), beans, fruits and low-fat milk. About 50-70% of your calories should come from carbohydrate.
Protein
Proteins are the building blocks of our body. Protein is responsible for muscle building and repair, hair and nail growth, and immune function. Adding protein to a meal or snack slows down the digestion of carbohydrate, which may help control hunger and blood sugar levels. Good sources of protein are lean beef and pork, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese and cottage cheese. Soy, nuts and peanut butter are sources of vegetable protein. Milk and yogurt also contain protein, but in the diabetes world, they are considered carbohydrates rather than proteins. About 15-25% of our calories should come from protein.
Fat
Fat, like carbohydrate, is a source of energy, but is more of a longer burning fuel. Think of carbohydrate as the “kindling”, or fast burning fuel and fat as the “log”, or slow burning fuel. Fat also slows down digestion, but more so than protein does. Other functions of fat include body insulation, cushioning of organs and storage and transport of vitamins A,D,E, and K. Fat has more calories per gram than carbohydrate and protein. Eating too much fat can lead to weight gain, and depending on the type of fat, high cholesterol. Best sources of fat include olive oil, avocados, fish oils (omega 3), flax and flaxseed oil, nuts and seeds. Steer clear of saturated and trans fats as they raise cholesterol levels. Less than 30% of calories should come from fat.
NUTRITION BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER YOUR EVENT
The tips below are to give you basic guidelines. During training you should be experimenting with different foods, food combinations, and timing of meals and snacks to see how your body and blood sugar respond. Everyone is different and tolerates foods in a different way. DO NOT try a new meal or food combination on the day of your event!
Before exercise
For adequate energy, eat a balanced meal about 3-4 hours before your event of at least 50% carbohydrate, moderate protein, and little fat. Drink 16-20 oz water or a sports drink at this time also.
Pre-exercise meal examples:
• 3-4 oz grilled chicken, 1-2 cups brown rice or pasta, 1 cup green beans or salad
• Sandwich on wheat bread or bagel with 3-4 oz turkey, mustard, lettuce and tomato, fruit
• 2 slices wheat toast or bagel with 1 TBS peanut butter, fruit
• Energy bar of your choice and Gatorade
Up to 30 minutes before the event, have a carbohydrate snack such as a piece of fruit, graham crackers, low protein energy bars or low-fat granola bars. Drink about 5-10 oz of water or a sports drink.
During exercise
Your needs during exercise are mainly carbohydrate for energy. Adding some protein may help control muscle breakdown and some individuals find protein improves performance. Again, be sure to experiment with protein in training. Be sure to limit fats during exercise because they slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrate into your blood stream. Fat also keeps food in your stomach longer, which can make your feel queasy and heavy. Eat 30-60 grams of carbohydrate each hour after the first hour. Drink 5-10 oz fluid every 15 minutes. You may need more fluid in very hot and humid conditions. Some portable carbohydrates include energy bars, dried fruit, bananas, fruit snacks, crackers (animal, graham, gold fish).
After exercise
After exercise, the goal is recovery. Up to 2 hours after your event (and especially up to the first 45 minutes) is the best time to re-fuel as your body is ready to absorb nutrients faster. This meal should be a combination of carbohydrate and protein with very little fat. The carbohydrates are needed to replenish glycogen stores and protein is used for muscle repair.
Post-exercise meal examples:
• Energy bar and sports drink
• Low-fat yogurt and fruit
• Cereal and low-fat milk, fruit
• Smoothies or protein shakes
• Chicken or turkey sandwich on wheat bread and fruit
• 3 oz chicken, 1-2 cups rice or pasta, carrots, salad
• Whole wheat tortilla, ¼ cup cheese, 3 oz lean ham, fruit
Be sure to being rehydration after exercise. Drink about 20-24 oz fluid for each pound lost during exercise.
