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Endurance Planet episodes

January 15, 2021ATC 323: Get Those Glutes Firing, The Single Most Important ‘Rule’ To Success with High Volume MAF Training, Low Libido Problems, and More
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Introduction
Tawnee recommends listening to this podcast with Michael A. Singer, author of The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself (help support the podcast by using this link!)
Previous episode mentioned: ATC 315: Preconception and Postpartum Fitness Guidance, and ‘Rapid Fire’ With Lucho: Altitude Masks, Run Power Meters, and More!
Peter asks:
“Get those glutes firing?”
Hello Endurance Planet Fam!
What are Lucho’s favorite workouts to activate and strengthen the glutes. I got a weak ass!!
What the coaches say:
There is a big difference between activation and strength
Activating glutes would include anything dynamic (i.e., deep squat jump, walking lunges)
Dynamic vs. Nondynamic
Dynamic implies explosion
A nondynamic example would be a squat without the jump
It’s hard to strengthen the glutes without activating other muscles (e.g., hamstrings, quads, hip flexors)
Bands are useful for activation
Specific examples that Lucho uses to target his glutes:
Powerband around his knees with a wide-stance squat
Donkey kicks
High elevated glute bridges with a powerband
20 lbs ankle weighted donkey kicks
Walking lunges, Bulgarian split squats, and RDLs
More examples from the coaches: banded monster walks and side step-ups (watch the patella tendon)
True glute power would include heavy-loaded glute brides with an Olympic bar
Low back pain or tight hips are signs of glute weakness
Work on range of motion through the hips
Start with gentle moves (e.g., bridges)
Aamir N. asks:
“All the time to train — how to approach MAF?”
Hey, I am a big fan of your podcast and have been following MAF for a while now. I have a question regarding training. I currently have all the time in the world to train. My time permits me to just train and sleep all day without any problem. If i am following MAF, I need some help to design an optimum plan for Ironman distance triathlon for a time rich athlete. As i mentioned that time is not a problem for me, I would like to train high volume (20 hours + ). I would be grateful if you help me out with a high volume Ironman plan usin MAF. Thanks a lot!!!!
What the coaches say:
What sport is your weakness? Make that your priority.
Start at a very manageable load.
If you have unlimited time, don’t try to fill it with training. What did the past 3 years look like in regards to training? Start with where you are.
Because you have time, you can gradually and intelligently add volume
You want one month of ~40 good workouts. Don’t get the most out of every workout.
Pay attention to data, how you feel, and listening to your body.
For runs, increase frequency, not necessarily duration.
An appropriate long bike ride would be anything over your race distance.
Use the winter as a time to focus on a different area.
The coaches encourage you to listen to more resources from Dr. Phil Maffetone, and really learn how to listen to your body.
Put limits to your training.
Build confidence by starting out with a manageable load.
Consistency over a long period of time is key.
Craig asks:
“Libido drops when injured – why?”
Since we can talk about poop, periods and other personal issue here I was wondering how injury affects libido. Whenever I get injured my libido drops big time. But shouldn’t it be the opposite? If I’m not training as much shouldn’t I have more energy? Or does not working out/training lower your hormone levels which include sex drivy hormones? Or is it that you are so miserable that that mood is what is affecting your hormones? And Lucho, hopefully next year your wife will let you put up Christmas lights as early as this sunny socal man! Thanks & Happy New Year
What the coaches say:
If you’re in a continuous sympathetic state (i.e., high stress) it can be more difficult to become aroused.
Talk to your doctor and check your hormones; test hormones (e.g., testosterone, DHT) when you’re completely rested.
Lifting weights is a testosterone booster.
Athletes are usually more in tune with their bodies.
DUTCH Test
Inside Tracker
The post ATC 323: Get Those Glutes Firing, The Single Most Important ‘Rule’ To Success with High Volume MAF Training, Low Libido Problems, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 10 min
January 01, 2021HPN 24: GI Stool Tests vs. Endoscopy/Colonoscopy, PPI Risks, Sports Nutrition for IBD/Colitis, and New Study Shows Eggs With Yolk Out Perform Egg Whites Only
Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by UCAN, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN now has a few new flavors of energy bars for you to try—salted peanut butter, chocolate almond butter and cherry almond—and new energy powders enhanced with your choice of plant-based pea protein or whey protein, each option packing 20g protein per serving! EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount.

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Welcome to episode 24 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach who you can find over at wildandwell.fit.
On this episode:
Introduction
New study: Randomized control trail – “Whole Egg Vs. Egg White Ingestion During 12 weeks of Resistance Training in Trained Young Males”
Purpose: Compare the effects between whole eggs and egg white ingestion during 12 weeks of resistance training on body composition, muscular strength, and anaerobic power in resistance-trained young males. A secondary purpose was to examine systemic hormonal responses.
Motivation: Whey and casein are routinely used in exercise nutritional studies; however, it is relatively unknown what effects protein-based whole food products have on the physiological adaptations from RT. Whole eggs (containing yolk) are considered a high-quality protein food source because of their amino acid profile and their digestibility.
Sample size:
15 resistance-trained young males were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups
Group 1 – ate 3 whole eggs immediately after a resistance training session
Group 2 – ate 6 egg whites immediately after a resistance training session
12 weeks of whole-body undulating periodized resistance training 3 sessions per week
Tested: Knee extensor muscle mass, lean body mass and body fat percentage, muscular strength (knee extension, handgrip strength), Wingate (cycle ergometer), and serum concentrations of hormones were assessed.
Conclusion: Postexercise whole egg ingestion increases knee extension and handgrip strength, testosterone, and reduces body fat percentage compared with postexercise egg white ingestion, despite no group differences in muscle mass, in resistance-trained young males. Therefore, whole egg ingestion may be preferable if increasing muscular strength or improving body fat percentage is the focus during a RT program.
Why they think this was the conclusion: Calories, cholesterol, and micronutrients! Egg yolks contain various nonprotein components that may modulate the anabolic response, such as vitamins, minerals, phosphatidic acid, palmitic acid, DHA, and micro RNAs. Other nutrients ingested with protein will influence the nitrogen utilization of the protein intake. On a whole-body level in resting subjects, incorporation of dietary nitrogen into peripheral proteins was highest when fat was ingested concurrently. Dietary cholesterol, independent of total daily protein intake, was positively associated with RT gains in muscle performance. Potentially, the higher cholesterol and saturated fatty acid intake (in the egg yolk) may have modulated the serum testosterone concentration changes.
Kat B. asks:
Paleo-based endurance nutrition
Hi Tawnee and Julie,
Thank you so much for all of the work the two of you do as well as the entire Endurance Planet Team. Over a year ago I was diagnosed with a GI based autoimmune disease (ulcerative colitis) and I have been working with a functional medicine doctor to get to the root cause and am finally back to feeling like myself and almost symptom free. Given the craziness of 2020 I was furloughed from my job, and headed out to CA to spend some time with my parents. I took my bike with me but left my HR monitor at home (by accident). I focused on listening to my body, riding when it felt right, I took the time to enjoy rides with friends and ditch my competitive nature most days. My rides were based more on time than mileage, and it really helped me to find my love of cycling again. Due to my IBD I currently follow a paleo based diet, and find that grains and high sugars cause me to flare up and I feel sluggish for a few days. I want to get back to riding longer distances, as well as returning to Ironman training but I seem to be hitting a bit of a wall with the nutrition component. I know that nutrition has always been my weak point. I was in RED-S after my ironman, my periods were almost gone, I had an ankle fracture 6 months after finishing, my IBD was getting worse and most of the doctors I saw just wrote me off (that’s a whole other story). I really want to work back in a smart way, but I am finding it difficult to navigate the world of portable nutrition that is not overly packed with sugar or grains. As of right now I tend to eat RX bars or lara bars when on the bike or trails, but on some of my longer rides I end up with sugar fatigue, and feel supper foggy the next day. Just wondering if you have any suggestions for good nutrition sources when riding or running for a paleo based athlete.
Thank you again for all of your help and great advice!
What the coaches say:
Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) as a resource for “safe” carb sources and other fuel choices. From their website:
Avoid anything with these: agave, spirulina, amaranth, arrowroot, barley, buckwheat, most beans/bean products, NO GUM, chocolate, corn, dextrose, sprouted grain breads, FOS (read labels), fructose (as in added fructose in commercial products), guar gum, gums, hemp, inositol, inulin, maple syrup, millet, molasses, oats, Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, natural peanut butter, Pectin (check labels on jams, jellies), plantains, whey protein powders, quinoa, rice, seaweed, seed butters/flours, all things soy, sweet potatoes, wheat, xantham gum, yams, yucca,
Ok to use: almonds/almond flour+ butter, apples, avocado, bacon, bananas, berries, brazil nuts, butter, butternut suqash, cashews, aged cheese, everything from coconuts, cranberry juice, dates (but not date sugar), eggs, ghee, ginger, grape juice, grapes, homemade SCD yogurt, honey, mac nuts, meats (Epic bar?), melon, homemade orange juice, some aged cheeses in moderation but not processed cheese, peanuts and PB, canned fruit in own juice no sugar added, raisins in moderation, saccharine, walnuts.
Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain recipes: https://againstallgrain.com/category/recipes/scd-recipes/
As much as you can do so, make homemade nutrition! (e.g., Grain-free, sugar-free banana bread.)
*UCAN – Being a corn-derived starch fuel source, but also a special unique low glycemic carb to manage blood sugar, Tawnee was curious if there’s any evidence of UCAN either aggravating symptoms or helping IBD athletes. Tawnee reached out to UCAN and received a couple of anecdotal reports:
From a young high-level triathlete (just accepted his pro card):
UCAN started in 2013 for him. 2011 and 2012 he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Couldn’t find anything that worked for him. Stuff he was using before was really bothering him and making it worse. Tried GU, Hammer, a whole bunch of things. Worked with sports nutritionist – Dr. Krista Austin. UCAN is not the only thing he consumes during workouts, but pretty close to it. The ulcerative colitis is under control now. UCAN before the race, before a long run or long rides. “With colitis, I can’t eat a ton of stuff before.” UCAN does a decent job of being a meal replacement.
Here’s another example from someone who only just recently started using UCAN after we had a conversation about how it might help her with her colitis:
“I am loving the UCAN products!!! I have been using the protein drink every morning before my training. I’ve noticed a HUGE difference in my energy levels during the day plus way less stomach issues… overall a massive win so far. In addition, I’ve noticed I’m less grumpy after long days (big win especially for the husband)Also the UCAN carb drink for runs seems to be working really well. My husband and I went hunting over the weekend which included a ton of hiking plus my daily run miles. UCAN made it possible. I couldn’t eat much at hunt camp because of the flare-up but I could rely on UCAN for energy.”
You don’t want to push the sugar intake since that is contributing to inflammation. You need to change the way you train now that you have a diagnosis and a way of eating that you know is benefitting your body. Think about the long game, don’t push the sugar and grains just to hit a PR or extend an already long ride — try to find your sweet spot that combines everything you love about ironman and keeping your health solid
Hire a health coach or sports nutritionist to help you navigate the complexities.
Bri asks:
Help me figure out the right tests to heal my messed up gut!
Hi gals,
I have some major gut issues that I suspect might be something related to SIBO, candida, leaky gut, maybe even IBS?—who knows!— but when I talked to my doctor, they wanted to send me straight to a gastroenterologist for an endoscopy and colonoscopy. I hear you often talk about functional stool tests like GI MAP, which I’ve browsed online and what seems to be what functional medicine doctors recommend. However all that looks very expensive and not covered by my insurance unlike the gastro and those tests which will be covered. So can you explain to me if I am wasting my time with an endoscopy and colonoscopy for my issues? Or is there value to these tests in the quest to diagnose gut dysbiosis and figure out a healing plan. What are the differences? Also, second question: I was prescribed a PPI some time ago for reflux, and some of my (amateur) research online is now leading me to believe this may be doing more harm than good for my gut issues. Can you elaborate if I am onto something here?
Background: I am 33 years old, longtime runner now turned ultra runner. I also do some CrossFit on the side. I don’t have an eating disorder, and feel like I have a healthy relationship with food, but I am very stressed with life stuff and more so this year with COVID—and as a result my gut symptoms are a lot worse, which is why I’m reaching out for some expertise. After (sometimes even during) my run workouts I have pretty bad loose stools or diarrhea, undigested. (Sorry TMI!) I also feel bloated a lot of the time especially after eating. I am worried that I stay so lean because I am not digesting food that well (5’6 125lbs) and quite frankly sometimes I feel like I”m wasting money buying high-quality meats and organic produce! I am willing to invest in my health in 2021…. so if you think I do need these stool tests and a functional doctor I am ready to budget for that and get this figured out, because at this point, it’s just making life miserable.
Thanks for any advice and any directions you can point me in.
What the coaches say:
Endo/Colon: Not a bad idea to do it if insurance covers it. Good to check the box on these and make sure nothing abnormal is found. But if nothing comes back as being wrong, yet you have symptoms, don’t give up! These tests do not show everything and often you need to go deeper, on a more microscopic level, with the functional labs.
Endoscopy: CAMERA goes through the stomach and the beginning of the small intestine. Endoscopy will miss candida and SIBO for example. The endoscopy doesn’t tell us too much about the microbial ecosystem in the small intestine.
Colonoscopy: Also a CAMERA to view the inside. Things like colon cancer screening, tissue changes + a lot of prep like clearing your bowels the whole day prior.
These tests can show some stuff like: celiac, h. pylori infection, gastritis (stomach inflammation), gastroenteritis (inflammation intestine), ulcers, polyps (abnormal growths of tissue projecting from the colon wall), colon cancer, and esophagitis.
Endo/Colon does not detect microbial infections, dysbiosis, etc. — basically what is GROWING in your microbiome on a MICROSCOPIC level.
The stool testing difference:
What do these tests look for?
Digestive function. How is gut working, absorption, etc.
Intestinal Inflammation.
Immune function.
State of microbiome (ecosystem). What’s living in there, who’s living in there, how many of them are living in there (both good & bad guys), imbalances, etc.
Infections and pathogenic organisms that may be present.
Conditions:
Just a short list: Chronic low B12, skin conditions, autoimmune conditions, food intolerances, etc… all these can be addressed via gut stool test.
Chronic constipation and/or diarrhea, also run a SIBO breath test.
Hashimotos, you really should check on candida as they often go hand in hand. Candida (yeast/fungi) overgrowth is super tricky to detect and heal.
GI MAP
It is a qPCR test, confirms the presence of DNA material for each tested microorganism + assigns a quantity.
(This is similar to the current COVID PCR test—detects RNA genetic information even in extremely small amounts.)
With GI MAP, if certain markers grow to pathogenic or opportunistic levels this can lead to clinical symptoms and chronic inflammation.
So a GI MAP, in theory, can help pinpoint the ROOT cause of one or multiple of the following:
(acute) nausea, vomiting, loose stools, bleeding, mucus, abdominal pain;
(chronic) gastritis, bloating, constipation, abdominal discomfort, belching, gas, chronic bad breath and undigested food in the stools.
GI MAP also looks at *healthy* flora and if those are low that can contribute to imbalances.
Example of markers on GI MAP and/or GI Effects:
Cal Protectin – inflammation measure, helps with assessing whether Chrons/Colitis (i.e. IBD) vs. IBS; autoimmune component, cancer risk, and so forth. Cal Protectin ranges shed insight of certain risks.
Secretory IgA– immune defense, if this is low more likely to have problems. (I often see low in athletes who aren’t feeling well.)
Anti-gliadin – gluten sensitivity or celiac risk
Elastase-1 – pancreatic enzyme; “marker for identifying pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Clinical indications for assessing PE1 include diarrhea; weight loss or other possible symptoms of maldigestion; diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome; diabetes; celiac disease or other malabsorption disorders; cystic fibrosis; aging; low bone density; inflammatory bowel disease; obesity; and gallstones”
Lactobacillus/bifido – the good “guys” we want in abundance especially athletes.
Short-chain fatty acids – a product of colonic bacterial degradation of unabsorbed starch and non-starch in food (fiber). The primary fuel for a healthy microbiome, e.g. Butyrate a primary energy source for colonocytes
Why stool testing with a functional doc/health coach can really get you far:
Depending on the severity, healing the gut could take several phases including test, re-test, and adjusting supplements. You want to work with someone who will be by your side on this journey!
Going the functional route with a functional med doc is usually going to land you into a more holistic assessment and protocol with more of a whole-body approach and natural healing protocol with herbal supplements and vitamins rather than prescription meds/pharmaceuticals. Meds have their place when necessary and indicated, but things like dysbiosis and imbalances can often be healed without the use of Rx that could introduce side effects.
Reasons why stomach acid may be low:
Chris Kresser’s article How to Cure GERD without Medication
Eating too fast, distracted, in a stressed-out state.
Sight, smell, anticipation, and chewing of food
High Stress
The release of HCL depends on the stimulation by the parasympathetic nervous system
If SNS is on it shunts blood away from the whole digestive tract, stomach and intestines both
Chronic overeating or eating one huge meal a day
Will exhaust the pancreas eventually
NSAID/medication use
H Pylori flourishes in this environment, and it further lowers stomach acid. Even worse heartburn and GERD symptoms
How to increase stomach acid: Where to go from here?
Reduce stress – 3 slow deep breaths before eating
Chew!
Acid: Betaine HCL, with pepsin
600mg — if it doesn’t produce a warming sensation take one more and continue to increase the amount until you feel the warming sensation
Zinc
The production of HCL depends on sodium and zinc
DGL – deglycyrrhizinated licorice after every meal and before bed
Healing herb – repairs the mucus lining of the stomach
Lower Esophageal Sphincter
Avoid Mint – relaxes the sphincter
Coffee
Alcohol
Garlic/onions/raw tomatoes/chocolate
Fatty and spicy foods
NSAIDs
Acid blockers no longer than 2 weeks
PPI is likely doing you more harm than good.
Talk to your provider to see if you can slowly and safely come off your PPI.
IFM resource: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/gut-alternatives-ppis-h2-blockers/
“A significant number of researchers have independently linked PPIs to adverse health problems such as bone fractures,4 chronic kidney disease,5 and pneumonia,4 among others.”
Fracture risk and anemia risk!
Also may contribute to bacterial overgrowths, IBS development, reduced resistance to infection, IBD flares, cancer, reduced absorption of nutrients in food > nutrient deficiencies (B12, iron, calcium, zinc, Mg)
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4110863/
The post HPN 24: GI Stool Tests vs. Endoscopy/Colonoscopy, PPI Risks, Sports Nutrition for IBD/Colitis, and New Study Shows Eggs With Yolk Out Perform Egg Whites Only first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 21 min
December 18, 2020ATC 322: Proper Pushups and Shoulder Health, Longest Brick Before Ironman (Also- Brick Options and Timing), Plus: Combining BQ Hopes With 140.6 Training
Sponsor:
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Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by UCAN, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN now has a few new flavors of energy bars for you to try—salted peanut butter, chocolate almond butter and cherry almond—and new energy powders enhanced with your choice of plant-based pea protein or whey protein, each option packing 20g protein per serving! EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount.

Introduction
Previous episode mentioned: HPN 23: Recovered From Amenorrhea? How to Maintain Hormones, Why It’s Important To Keep Your Period, and Mindfully Monitoring The Phases of Your Cycle with Complementary Training and Fueling Practices; Plus – Inside Tawnee’s Recent Bloodwork!
Pushups, form & shoulder health
We’ve had a lot of people write in about doing burpees these days but also people with “questionable” shoulder health so let’s discuss a few basics to be mindful of when doing push-ups, especially those with or prone to impingement. Here is one article to reference with video and blog that has great cues: http://www.yorkvillephysiotherapy.com/video-blog/pub:38/Shoulder-impingement-rehab-via-pushup
Pushup modifications: Knee pushups may not be the best at preparing you to do a pushup the correct way. The incline pushup is a superior modification because it is more specific to the muscle recruitment needed to do a regular pushup.
Having elbows out at 90 degrees is not proper form; you want them to be around 60 degrees.
Jason asks:
Longest brick before IM?
Happy Holidays! COVID sucks! Y’all rock! I’m catching up on shows now that I’m commuting again. Also, now that my deployment to the Middle East is cancelled, I’m registered for IMFL’21! Here’s my question: for the recreational, just want to ‘complete with a smile’ type triathlete (in the past, ~14-15 hour finish time), what’s the longest brick you recommend before an IM and how many weeks before the race would you attempt it? Thanks! Keep on being awesome!
What the coaches say:
At some point, doing more isn’t better. For an athlete that has done multiple Ironmans, they can get away with doing shorter brick workouts.
If you’re 20 to 25 weeks out, why not do a one-hour bike ride and then a 15-16 mile run; this will mentally prepare you for later on in training.
4-8 weeks prior to the race, you could do a long bike workout followed by an hour run. Or you can do a short bike followed by a long run. You can also replace volume with “intensity.”
Take your average weekly training, and add 50% of that to your final peak phase (before your taper).
Practice nutrition.
Mimic meals similar to what you’ll have the night before the race.
Nutrition on the bike is going to affect your run.
Mike asks:
Training for IM + BQ Hopes
I’ve just started listening to the show since April and love it.  So much good advice that applies to so many people.  Like many, my year was a bit messed up due to Covid 19. In Spring I was scheduled for IM Tulsa. Obviously halfway through training, the race was cancelled and moved to 2021.  I am somewhat questioning even if that will go.  Since April this year I have mainly been focused on running, which is my favorite of the three sports.  August was able to run a trail 50k. September ran a last man standing and 38.5. October did a 12-hour timed race and ran 42 miles in 9 hours.  Stopped at 9 because I felt good and wanted to continue to feel good. And then in November I will run a 50 miler, trying for under 10 but a finish would make me happy. Plan is to start swimming after Thanksgiving and get back on my bike for IM Tulsa 2021 which is at the end of May.  Have not done much of either since April. However, the main goal originally for 2021 was to BQ at a November race. I love running and I use triathlon for the crosstraining and I believe it has helped me become more durable.
Background….. I am 49 and turn 50 in March. 6′ and 180. I am a long time runner (40 years).  Ran some marathons in my 20’s.  Ran sub 4 but nothing special.  Did not really know much about maximizing training and nutrition back then.  Ran in my 30’s but no racing until late 30’s then suffered my first injury when I was 42 (IT Band).  Since then it still crops up occasionally. Could not run as much as I want from 42-45 so finally decided to start biking and swimming.  Did Ironman Boulder in 2018 and suffered through the heat.  Temps got over a 100.  Time was 15:40. Triathlon, PT and training smarter has helped me become more durable with my running, as the IT Band does not bother me as much.  My goal for IM Tulsa was to knock a couple hours off of the Boulder time. The Boulder race was all about preserving energy just to finish so was very conservative since it was my first Ironman. Last year I ran a 5:47 mile, 19:48 5k, 1:37 half marathon.  Since the Pandemic and finding the show I have been cutting back on speed work getting ready for the ultras that I have been doing this fall. My MAF is usually around 8:30 – 8:45 and I use a range of 120-135. So my times have come up a little, still a sub 6 mile and a sub 21 5k.  These are solo TT times. Not a strong cyclist or swimmer. IM swim is around 1:20, and bike around 15-17mph for an IM race.
Finally a Question….
How can I structure my Ironman Training in early 2021/ spring to complete Ironman but also set myself up for the BQ attempt in November?
My structure for IM Training is as follows. 2 bikes – 1 interval or tempo ride and 1 long, swim – interval/tempo and 1 long. 3 runs – 1 interval, 1 tempo, 1 long.  Sometimes I include extra biking because I feel it is my weakest.  Both bikes have a short brick usually as well. I know speed work for running is not necessary for IM trainng but I enjoy it. My goal for the BQ training was to establish volume through Jun/July and then 16 week program following the 3 key workouts of 1 interval/1 tempo / and 1 long run. So should I do more long runs than what a typical IM plan would have? Or don’t change much and just turn my focus to the BQ in June…..is it enough time?  Any thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated. Thanks for all you guys do.
What the coaches say:
Post-Tulsa, maintain movement and active recovery.
The first week after the race, you will want to get in the pool. In the second week, start biking. After the end of that second week, do a 2-3 mile jog. If you’re feeling good after all that, you can start training again.
Don’t rush back into hardcore training; give yourself a true rest break.
The coaches recommended Joel Friel’s philosophy for the periodization and Jack Daniel’s philosophy for the running.
The post ATC 322: Proper Pushups and Shoulder Health, Longest Brick Before Ironman (Also- Brick Options and Timing), Plus: Combining BQ Hopes With 140.6 Training first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 18 min
December 04, 2020Sock Doc 11: Is Adrenal Fatigue a Myth or Misnomer? A Deep Look At What’s Really Going on To Get You Relief
Sponsor:
Special announcement: Take Advantage of InsideTracker’s BEST DEAL of the year and Take Control of your health and wellness with $200 off Ultimate Plan, their most comprehensive package. Use Code: GIFTFROMEP at InsideTracker. This sale is only offered for a limited time so act now.
It couldn’t be better timing to grab this deal — Our friends at InsideTracker have launched their new and improved InnerAge 2.0, an ultra-personalized nutrition system focused on optimizing your health span, and EP listeners get 10% off their InnerAge package here. InnerAge 2.0 is different from our biological age, and instead uses biomarkers to assess our health and age from the inside, something we have the power to influence, change and control! You can purchase the InnerAge 2.0 package on its own, and you’ll test a specific set of biomarkers linked to longevity and wellbeing plus get a custom dashboard and individualized recommendations on how to best lower your InnerAge (because let’s face it, we all want to be maintain our youth!), or upgrade one of InsideTracker‘s various other eligible packages to include this InnerAge 2.0 feature! The InnerAge 2.0 can be added to the gold-standard Ultimate package by InsideTracker offering you the most amount of biomarkers that’ll serve you on your journey to bettering health, nutrition, and performance. Right now for a limited time you get $200 off the Ultimate Plan with code: GIFTFROMEP at InsideTracker.

Sponsor:
Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the ads on the sidebar banner or the Amazon search bar (to the right of the page); or click the Amazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show!

Welcome back to another episode featuring Dr. Steve Gangemi, aka The Sock Doc. Steve is a holistic alternative health care doctor who runs a practice in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Learn more about his practice at drgangemi.com and visit his many resources at sock-doc.com.
On this episode:
The Sock Doc wears Xero Shoes for his trail runs
Adrenal fatigue may not be the best term to use
But if you have pain, inflammation, fatigue, or endocrine-type problems, it is probably affecting your adrenal glands
Hans Selye’s concept of biological stress
General Adaptation Syndrome
Eustress means beneficial or “good” stress
Distress means negative or “bad” stress
Certain stresses can affect the adrenal glands
In the Sock Doc’s practice, he’s seen that the adrenal glands are typically secondary issues (rather than the primary issue)
Adrenal fatigue is an intricate problem; theoretically, it actually stems from the brain (HPA axis)
“H” in HPA stands for the hypothalamus
“P” stands for pituitary
The brain, to the pituitary, to the adrenals
Adrenal glands are circadian rhythm-based
Ideally, the adrenal glands are secreting the most amount of cortisol between 6 to 8 am with a big drop off at 12 pm, then slowly dwindles down
If you push yourself too hard – mentally, physically, emotionally – most likely you have an ailment telling yourself you’re pushing too hard
Your feet are a great representation of your health
Breathe by James Nestor (please help support the podcast by using this link!)
Previous episode: Lawrence Van Lingen: Discover Your Inner Ability – Run Better, Move Better, Breathe Better, Feel Better
And so much more!
The post Sock Doc 11: Is Adrenal Fatigue a Myth or Misnomer? A Deep Look At What’s Really Going on To Get You Relief first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 15 min
November 20, 2020ATC 321: Core Conditioning After Kids, Nutrition and Pace Planning For Run Relays, and Periodizing for MTB Stage Races and Run PRs
Sponsor:
Special announcement: Go to info.insidetracker.com/earlyaccess to be the first to hear about InsideTracker’s BEST DEAL of the year… it’s coming soon!
In the meantime, have you heard? Our friends at InsideTracker have launched their new and improved InnerAge 2.0, an ultra-personalized nutrition system focused on optimizing your health span, and EP listeners get 10% off their InnerAge package here. InnerAge 2.0 is different from our biological age, and instead uses biomarkers to assess our health and age from the inside, something we have the power to influence, change and control! You can purchase the InnerAge 2.0 package on its own, and you’ll test a specific set of biomarkers linked to longevity and wellbeing plus get a custom dashboard and individualized recommendations on how to best lower your InnerAge (because let’s face it, we all want to be maintain our youth!), or upgrade one of InsideTracker‘s various other eligible packages to include this InnerAge 2.0 feature!
Want to go all in? The InnerAge 2.0 can be added to the gold-standard Ultimate package by InsideTracker offering you the most amount of biomarkers that’ll serve you on your journey to bettering health, nutrition, and performance. Use our link here (also in the shop page) or the code “enduranceplanet” for a 10% discount.

Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by UCAN, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN now has a few new flavors of energy bars for you to try—salted peanut butter, chocolate almond butter and cherry almond—and new energy powders enhanced with your choice of plant-based pea protein or whey protein, each option packing 20g protein per serving! EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount.

Maggie asks:
Mom of 4, Need help with core!
Hi guys, I recently started listening to your podcast the past couple weeks after I signed up for an Ironman 70.3. I’ve always been fairly athletic but I’ve been busy with having babies and my career. My kids are currently 10,8,4 and 2 and I had c sections with all of them. I’ve always had pretty strong abs but I’m sure my core is pretty whacked after having kids. After having to telework with my four kids at home during Covid, I decided I needed to do something for myself hence the jump into an Ironman. My question is, what core exercises should I be doing to improve my running posture and swimming and how often? After hearing Lawrence van Lingen on your podcast, I started following him and his exercises as well. Thank you for any advice you may have!
What the coaches say:
Listen to these past shows:
Jill Miller: Prevention and Healing of Diastasis Recti During Pregnancy and Postpartum and the Crucial Role of Proper Breathing
ATC 315: Preconception and Postpartum Fitness Guidance, and ‘Rapid Fire’ With Lucho: Altitude Masks, Run Power Meters, and More!
Consciously work on correcting your posture and having the strength to support it. How is your posture when you’re not running? Don’t worry about running posture until you fix your posture outside of sport.
First: ASSESSMENT
DR (diastasis recti): Greater than 2-finger width separation or there is a bulge at the linea alba, a DR is present. Be sure to also note the depth of the DR.
Stress urinary incontinence
Ribcage – widened? flared out? Can your ribcage stay in place when your arms move (e.g., holding an arm width foam roller arms sticking straight out to overhead)?
Unnaturally tucking pelvis and gripping buttocks to overcompensate and attempt to stabilize?
Postural changes: Increased laxity from hormones during pregnancy/breastfeeding result in postural changes including:
increased flaring of the rib cage
increased lumbar
lordosis
increased thoracic kyphosis
anterior pelvic rotation
widening of the pelvis
flattening of feet
Core strength is not about having six-pack abs; it’s about how the inner workings of the transverse abdominous, diaphragm, pelvic floor, and the psoas major (the things we cannot see).
Second: BREATHING
How is your breathing? That is at the foundation and teaches you how to activate and function well.
Katy Bowman’s resources (please use the links below to help support the podcast):
Katy Bowman book: Diastasis Recti: The Whole Body Solution to Abdominal Weakness and Separation
Katy Bowman book: Move Your DNA
Free online core class with Katy Bowman
Exercises to improve posture:
An example of a specific exercise to do for running posture: Sit on your butt with your legs in front of you and move your arms really fast, exactly how you would in running (this forces your posture to come into alignment)
Jumping rope
Use a variety of open- and closed-chain exercises
Work in multiple planes of motion
Use loaded and unloaded conditions
Use stable and unstable positions
Work unilateral and bilateral (e.g., single-leg deadlifts)
While there is no magical set of exercises, but some basic core exercises can include:
Bird dog
Bridges
Med ball trunk rotation
Superman
Pikes
Farmer carry/suitcase carry
Sources:
Considerations for the Postpartum Runner
Implementing Core Training Concepts into Strength Training for Sport
Megan asks:
Training for SoCal Ragnar (fingers crossed it happens!)
Hi endurance planet!
I hope the fall is treating you all well! Quick ATC questions…pending Ragnar Socal 2021 occurs…what the best way to train? The leg(s) I’m expecting are 20-21 miles in total broken up into 3 runs. 34 (almost 35yo Female). Stats are basic: marathon times 3-3:10, half around 1:30, 5k 19ish, 4miler (my stronger of the short runs) around 24. I’m used to running doubles most days and peaked my MAF run volumes this fall for constant 70-80+ mile easy run weeks (rescued a Siberian husky to help!). I’m not deloading from the volume with the hopes of putting together a strong build to April 9. Suggestions? Course specific work? I live in the Cincinnati/Northern KY area – we have a lot of bridges and some hills but not anything gnarly like Colorado. Last piece is fueling- to be honest Im really fat adapted and have run several marathons 3:00-3:10 on just water and grit to finish. I can appreciate in a race like this I might benefit from a fueling strategy. I do have a jar of unopened UCAN (lol).
What the coaches say:
Our 2015 Ragnar Recap episode (link below) goes into detail on training, nutrition, race plan/pacing and more!
Ragnar Recap: Lucho, Tawnee and Brock Share Everything Plus A How-To Guide To Ultra Team Relays
Fat adaptation is not a reason to not fuel for these events. Fueling benefits performance.
Eat the biggest portion of your food right after the run.
Keep hydrated.
Enjoy the experience!
Training wise: You don’t have to change anything.
A good 10k training program would be perfect; it would address volume and speed.
You might want to lean towards dropping volume and mixing in different types of intensity until ~10 weeks out.
The racecourse is not flat.
In the final 8 weeks before, brush up on steep downhill training.
Bring enough warm clothes.
Michael asks:
How to improve as a cyclist…. from running?
I’m a longtime fan of the show. I’ve adapted my training/racing countless times from new information and ideas discussed on the podcast. Thank you! For 2021, my focus will be racing mountain bikes with the goal “A” race being the Breck Epic Stage Race, which features six days of racing over a total of 240 miles and 40,000 feet of climbing. I’ll have several other “B” and “C” races including gravel, cyclocross, and mountain bike, but I’d also like to be able to hop into some local trail running races (mostly 10Ks). Question… How, when, and what type of runs can I incorporate into my cycling specific training plan that keeps me competitive in shorter trail runs and also benefits my overall cycling progression? My Breck Epic preparation will follow a model of Prep, Base 1-3, Build 1-2, Peak.
In general…
Mondays: Aerobic Endurance, Weights
Tuesdays: OFF or recovery
Wednesdays: Muscular Force, Weights
Thursdays: Aerobic Endurance
Fridays: Muscular Endurance, Weights
Saturdays: OFF (family duties)
Sundays: Long Aerobic Endurance with some Race Pace
Which days of the week could I add some running? Should the runs be bricks or keep them seperate? What type of runs (hill repeats, track intervals, tempo, etc.) would have the most direct benefit to mountain biking? Do I need to reduce the running during the Build phases prior to the Breck Epic? PS I have nearly 15 years of endurance training and racing including everything from Ironman, 100-mile ultramarathons, and 200-mile bike races. Looking forward to hearing your expertise.
What the coaches say:
For now, your run intensity should match your bike intensity to exploit the most out of your base training.
3 weight sessions a week is plenty of intensity.
In the prep phase, you should do easy running.
Tuesday could be an easy 3-mile run.
On Monday you could add a run before the bike (always put the run before the bike).
During Build 1, 2, and Peak, the running needs to shift.
You have a ton of time. Don’t extend the Base 1-3 out to 10 weeks each. Skew towards Base 1 or 2.
Thursday or Monday could be your long run day (e.g., steep hill repeats and tempos).
Running doesn’t directly help you be a better cyclist.
Weight training should include periodization as well.
Christopher Kelly took an all MAF approach for the BC Bike Race.
Have benchmarks for yourself.
Take a 10k program (the quality days) and mesh it into your training.
If you have to compromise a session, have it be your weights.
Do a double periodization since you have so much time.
The post ATC 321: Core Conditioning After Kids, Nutrition and Pace Planning For Run Relays, and Periodizing for MTB Stage Races and Run PRs first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 8 min
November 06, 2020HPN 23: Recovered From Amenorrhea? How To Maintain Healthy Hormones, Why It’s Important To Keep Your Period, and Mindfully Monitoring The Phases of Your Cycle with Complementary Training and Fueling Practices; Plus – Inside Tawnee’s Recent Bloodwork!
Sponsor:
Our friends at InsideTracker have launched their new and improved InnerAge 2.0, an ultra-personalized nutrition system focused on optimizing your health span, and EP listeners get 10% off their InnerAge package here. InnerAge 2.0 is different from our biological age, and instead uses biomarkers to assess our health and age from the inside, something we have the power to influence, change and control no matter our biological age! You can purchase the InnerAge 2.0 package on its own, and that’ll get you a very carefully selected set of specific biomarkers linked to longevity and wellbeing along with a personal, custom dashboard and individualized recommendations on how to best lower your InnerAge (because let’s face it, we all want to be maintain our youth!), or upgrade one of InsideTracker‘s various other eligible packages to include this InnerAge 2.0 feature!
Want to go all in? The InnerAge 2.0 can be added to the gold-standard Ultimate package by InsideTracker offering you the most amount of biomarkers that’ll serve you on your journey to bettering health, nutrition, and performance. Use our link here (also in the shop page) or the code “enduranceplanet” for a 10% discount.

Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by UCAN Superstarch, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN now has a delicious almond butter that contains the signature SuperStarch–that’s it, nothing else added, and it tastes fantastic! EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount.

Welcome to episode 23 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach who you can find over at wildandwell.fit.
On this episode:
Intro:
Tawnee & Julie discuss Tawnee’s recent InsideTracker blood test with her InnerAge 2.0 results – a brief analysis of findings by Tawnee and Julie.
This study and this Inside Tracker blog as it relates to elevated levels of AST and ALT (liver enzymes) in those who exercise heavily. Did Tawnee’s difficult weight workout affect her results? Other factors with AST and ALT, and also the importance of looking at trends (and what Tawnee’s trends show over the past 10+ years of blood tests).
Inside Tracker is recommending her AST be 10-24 and ALT 6-16.
Does a slightly high creatine kinase (CK) also support the too-hard exercise theory?
“Physical exercise or strenuous sporting activities can increase blood creatine kinase (CK) levels… CK levels respond to marked changes in the amount and intensity of exercise. Thus, CK levels may increase significantly after unusual and eccentric types of exercise. This primarily applies to strength and speed-strength exercise stress (4)…. Marked increases in CK activity in the blood are often associated with an increase in aminotransferases; here, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST)—because of its higher muscular activity—shows a stronger response compared with glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) remains unchanged (3).” Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4904530/
Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) vs AST/ALT as cited in the Inside Tracker blog: “While GGT is more specific to overall liver health … ALT and AST are also found in significant quantities in skeletal muscles. When muscle is damaged, such as in response to exercise, AST and ALT are released from the muscle and their concentration in the blood increases … Creatine Kinase, an enzyme found in our muscles, is another marker of muscle damage that follows the same pattern as AST and ALT after strenuous exercise.”
Why Tawnee is not worried about her cholesterol results:
Previous Endurance Planet episode on Steps to Healthy Cholesterol Levels
The bigger picture: Tawnee eats a super clean diet, her HDL:TG ratio is 1.09 (low risk is <2), HDL is over 69 (over 50 ideal for women), CRP is <1 (0.3), LDL:HDL ratio should be under 3:1 and hers is 1.8. No homocysteine on this test but last year it was 6.2 and <7 is ideal. Also, Tawnee’s blood sugar levels/glycemic control this year have generally been fantastic.
LDL-C doesn’t tell the whole story so Tawnee would want to look at LDL-P and apoB to understand more. LDL-C over 160 is considered high risk, hers was 130.
Interesting from recent Robb Wolf’s podcast, Healthy Rebellion Radio: “new paper.. really interesting machine learning looking at the relationships between LDL cholesterol and diabetes risk. People with low LDL are at an exceptionally higher risk for type 2 diabetes and poor glycemic control. Now, what wasn’t entirely clear was is having higher cholesterol levels protective of this? That wasn’t entirely sussed out, but it’s one of these things where we have this narrative where it’s like, “Oh, man, the lower the LDL cholesterol, the better,” and that’s not necessarily the case.”
Tawnee’s InnerAge 2.0 is 31.6 (her biological age is 35.6). There are 14 markers are used to calculate inner age for females (18 markers for males). For females it includes:
Albumin (Serum protein)
Basophils % (Immune cells)
DHEAS (Sex hormone)
Eosinophils % (Liver enzyme)
GGT (Liver enzyme)
Glucose (Blood sugar)
Hemoglobin A1c (Blood sugar)
LDL (Cholesterol transporter)
Lymphocytes (Immune cells)
Monocytes % (Immune cells)
RDW (Red blood cell width)
Triglycerides (Fats for energy storage)
TIBC (Iron-binding capacity)
BMI (Body mass index)
Adriana asks:
Planning your training (and nutrition) around a period
I have recovered from amenorrhea (thank you for your awesome advice, it definitely helped me along the way!) and now want to make sure my period stays healthy and normal, and that I can plan my training with my cycle to maximize my training with my hormones. Of note, I’m 29 years old, 5’5 135(ish) lbs, and it took awhile for my period to normalize but now it’s pretty steadily 26-28 days per cycle and I do feel worse in the 4-5 days before it starts. I’m mainly a runner but starting to get into more triathlon training — I’ve done plenty of marathons and not sure how long I’ll take it with triathlon but would like to eventually do an Ironman.
Also, I am not on any special diets but am wondering if there’s a style of eating that complements each phase of the menstrual cycle that you guys would recommend, like should we give into all the sweet/carb cravings before we start our period or would lower carb low sugar help alleviate PMS like symptoms?
Thanks for your work especially for the ladies out there!
What the coaches say:
For starters, refer back to this EP podcast Tawnee recorded with Dr. Stacy Sims a number of years ago for a lot of wonderful, specific details and advice: The Everything Guide for Female Athletes – How to Navigate Your Menstrual Cycles, the menopause Years, Cortisol and Stress, Nutrition Needs, and More
Primer on periods and phases: Follicular phase (Days 1 to ~14)
Low hormones. You feel stronger and exercise feels easier. Women also access carbs more easily during this time. A good time for HIIT.
Week 1: Anti-inflammatory foods to help with the added inflammation of menstrual week:
Fish, fruits, veg, nuts and seeds, herbs, ginger tea
Week 2: Our extroverted, go get ‘em week! Can make some serious “gains”
An increase in protein would be beneficial to support your added intensities
Luteal phase (Days ~14 to 28-40ish/end of cycle)
Build to the high-hormone phase, PMS, and generally not able to perform as well. Reduced reaction time, coordination off (hormonal related joint laxity). Women burn more calories during this time (5-10% increase in metabolism).
Progesterone is catabolic, and with both hormones high, it’s harder to access amino acids. So an increase in protein here would be helpful!
Lower total body sodium; be sure to preload your long workouts and salt your food!
Week 3: Get in protein, especially before a workout. Go into workouts fueled. For the longer sessions, eat carbs during a workout. Eat more resistant starches to help with your gut bacteria and hopefully, alleviate any constipation that an increase in progesterone and estrogen can cause
Week 4: PMS; hormones are at their peak. Avoid fried foods, processed foods, and anything that you know causes inflammation in your body. Increase antioxidant-rich foods and calories because you’re building a new organ (endometrial lining).
Watch for luteal phase defect (short second phase). This can be more common in endurance athletes and/or those who’ve recovered from amenorrhea and shows that progesterone levels may not be optimized, can be tied into overtraining, underfueling and/or other hormonal things like low thyroid. Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12972877/
There are too many nuances to female physiology and cycle to draw blanket conclusions on how we should fuel. No one size fits all. And the research is rather inconclusive and/or contradictory and lacks the quality type of RCT that we want.
“Despite many years of interest in this subject, the current research does not allow to draw unambiguous conclusions about the impact of the changing level of sex hormones during individual phases of the menstrual cycle on the exercise capacity of women.”
Interesting new study showed: Naturally occurring fluctuations in the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone does not affect the whole body PFO and FATmax in young eumenorrheic women measured during a graded exercise test. The menstrual cycle phase does not affect the peak fat oxidation rate during a graded exercise test. Natural physiological fluctuations in estrogen do not increase peak fat oxidation rate. FATmax is not influenced by the menstrual cycle phase in healthy, young eumenorrheic women.
What previous studies have shown:
That elevated estrogen increases the reliance on fat as oxidative fuel during endurance exercise and that progesterone counteracts that. Consistent studies have shown that whole-body fat oxidation was higher at submaximal intensities during ML compared to MF.
What this study shows:
Yet, these findings are not supported in this study conducted in young women with naturally fluctuating sex hormones do not support these previous findings.
High hormone phase (luteal phase):
Traditional knowledge shows us that we have a harder time utilizing carbs/glucose so intensity may feel more difficult.
Higher oxidation of lipids and lower oxidation of carbohydrates in the luteal phase during submaximal efforts at an intensity higher than 50% VO2max have also been demonstrated in other studies [61, 62, 63].
Overall recommendation:
Don’t overthink it–the main goal is to get in enough calories overall and not dip into prolonged periods without fuel (e.g. IF) and/or a chronic hypocaloric diet trap. This is always goal #1. Eat to train, don’t train to eat!
Cheryl asks:
Gaining weight & your period
Hello Tawnee and Julie! (Lucho won’t want this one. Sorry, Lucho)
Thank you for putting out high quality podcasts. I actually went back and listened to all of the ones I could find. I think I’ve picked up tidbits from all of them! I really enjoy the addition of HPN and look forward to each new episode. That’s where my question is directed today. I’m a 41 year old female competitive runner. I also dabble in IM and enjoy that at well. For running, my main focus is the marathon, and my PR is 2:53. I love running fast endurance events. I work with an endurance coach and my training fluctuates between MAF, Daniels, and honestly probably every other method that’s out there. We keep it interesting. So, I haven’t menstruated since Dec 2017. I‘m 5’6” and currently weigh 110-112. My weight hovered between 120-125 for over a year and a half before I made a concerted effort to drop weight for my OT attempt. I did not menstruate when I was at 125 and obviously not now that I’m much lower. I have a few questions that I don’t think have been directly answered on the podcast before. If they have, I apologize and please point me to the correct show.
First, should I care that I haven’t menstruated?
I’ve had multiple (probably around 5) DEXA scans since 2018 and my bone density is great. I keep monitoring it because I know that is one of the biggest concerns with not menstruating. I also have two beautiful children and am not looking to have anymore. Also of note, is that I’m not hungry. Getting down to this weight was a challenge, but now that I’m here it just feels natural. I get full and don’t want to eat anymore. What else should I be concerned about? The rest of my questions are contingent upon the answer to the first.
If I should care, how do I begin to healthily gain weight?
Again, I greatly appreciate your podcasts and I’ve learned so much from all of them. Thank you for brightening my days and making all of us better athletes and humans.
What the coaches say:
Every woman wants to have their period; it is a great marker for overall health, energy, mood, cognition, sex drive, sleep, etc.
Higher levels of progesterone promote more restful sleep via an increase in GABA., also aids in lowering anxiety and restlessness
Low hormones also inhibit sleep quality, sexual health/libido, and can contribute to increased anxiety, stress, etc. Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31403123/
There are important potential long-term health complications to be aware of for women with amenorrhea; they include a higher predisposition to heart disease and cognitive diseases in later years of life. Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6374026/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8375531/
“A lower daily fat intake and lower percentage of total energy from fat were associated with increased injury risk among competitive female runners.” Source: http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-5-1
Stress fracture is associated with low energy balance and amenorrhea. Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16089273?dopt=Abstract
A good DEXA scan doesn’t necessarily mean that bone health is good, too.
From Anya, “Great to know that she does not currently have clinical osteopenia, but what we don’t know (maybe she does if she had a DEXA prior to the onset of amenorrhea) is the change in bone density that may have occurred. If she started with relatively higher T scores (Z scores are better when looking at bone density because it is matched to your age group, bone DEXA scans are read as standard deviations from the norm), then they may still look “normal” but the bone is not being remodeled optimally.”
They may look “normal” but her bones aren’t remodeling optimally. Most likely her estradiol is low which is needed to inhibit bone breakdown. Low estrogen, lots of bone breakdown
If you cannot eat more then you need to reduce your training.
You have to want it, and you have to go out of your way to make it happen. It will be uncomfortable.
UCAN Almond Butter (see link at the top of the page).
The post HPN 23: Recovered From Amenorrhea? How To Maintain Healthy Hormones, Why It’s Important To Keep Your Period, and Mindfully Monitoring The Phases of Your Cycle with Complementary Training and Fueling Practices; Plus – Inside Tawnee’s Recent Bloodwork! first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 29 min
October 23, 2020ATC 320: How Much Mg To Reduce Soreness? Plus: Extreme Cold Weather Training Tips (and Cautions), and Feeling Burnt Out Yet Motivated
Sponsor:
Our friends at InsideTracker have launched their new and improved InnerAge 2.0, an ultra-personalized nutrition system focused on optimizing your health span, and EP listeners get 10% off their InnerAge package here. InnerAge 2.0 is different from our biological age, and instead uses biomarkers to assess our health and age from the inside, something we have the power to influence, change and control no matter our biological age! You can purchase the InnerAge 2.0 package on its own, and that’ll get you a very carefully selected set of specific set of biomarkers linked to longevity and wellbeing along with a personal, custom dashboard and individualized recommendations on how to best lower your InnerAge (because let’s face it, we all want to be maintain our youth!), or upgrade one of InsideTracker‘s various other eligible packages to include this InnerAge 2.0 feature!
Want to go all in? The InnerAge 2.0 can be added to the gold-standard Ultimate package by InsideTracker offering you the most amount of biomarkers that’ll serve you on your journey to bettering health, nutrition, and performance. Use our link here (also in the shop page) or the code “enduranceplanet” for a 10% discount.

Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by UCAN, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN now has two new flavors of energy bars for you to try—salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter—and new energy powders enhanced with your choice of plant-based pea protein or whey protein, each option packing 20g protein per serving! EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount.

Study mention (followup to ATC 319):
Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Muscle Soreness and Performance
“In this double-blind study, subjects were matched to a treatment group (Mg) (n 5 11) or a placebo (Pla) (n 5 11) group based off-dietary recall analyses. Subjects in the Mg group consumed 350 mg·d21 (total of 10 days) of Mg glycinate, whereas Pla consumed matched placebo (350 mg·d21 of maltodextrin).”
“Before examining performance or perceptual responses, it is important to establish the Mg intake levels of the subjects. Results from dietary recall analyses indicated that only 2 of 22 individuals met or exceeded current gender- and age- specific RDA (males: 400 mg·d21, females: 310 mg·d21) (16) with 50% of subjects consuming less than 50% of current RDA (Table 1). The most important findings from this study were Mg significantly reduced muscle soreness and improved perceptual measures linked with performance and recovery (perceived recovery status). Actual performance approached significance for total RTF. In addition, although some subjects did not benefit, no subject responded negatively to Mg supplementation.”
David asks:
Hi, big fan of the show. I have a question for Lucho about clip on aero bars. We are currently looking at getting my wife a new aero road bike for cannondale.. The problem is the handle bars are shaped to be aero and have a flat profile instead of a typical round profile. This renders her clip on aero bars that she uses for the occasional triathlon useless. Do you know of any clip on aero bars or adapters that fit the new aero shaped handle bars that have been appearing on new bikes? Thanks for your help.
What the coaches say:
There are no clip-ons specifically made for those bars.
The fit has to be really close because carbon bars can be too delicate for clamps.
Slowtwitch thread
Contact Aero Clip-On Bar Clamp (specifically made for Giant’s aero bars)
The coaches recommend that you take it to a professional or get whole new bars.
Or, if your wife is an occasional triathlete don’t worry about the aero bars.
Shalane asks:
Hi Tawnee (and Lucho),
I’m a new listener to the podcast and am really liking it so far. I’ve got a COVID-era question for ask the coaches. I’m hoping that Lucho in particular may have some creative suggestions for this one. I’m curious to get your ideas on ways to accomplish speed work outside the gym during cold weather. I live in interior Alaska. It gets really cold here in the winter. That’s part of the reason I love living here, but it does present some unique challenges, especially now with the increased risk in occupying indoor public spaces. I have a background in rowing, running and Nordic skiing. The skiing is my primary sport, I do winter ultras in AK and the lower 48. In the summer I run and bike while in the winter it’s mostly skiing. Generally I’ll ski down to about -10F and then switch over to running when it gets colder because running is just easier for temperature regulation.
I like, and am with experienced with, outdoor exercise in the cold but doing sub-zero speed work is difficult for two reasons:
1) Temperature regulation becomes difficult if your intensity is changing- You could carry extra layers to put on between intervals, but this means removing mitts and poles and stopping completely to take clothing on and off. Doesn’t sound like a big issue, but it’s a real PITA, can be dangerous and takes fartlek type stuff off the table. Also if you get the layering wrong and start to sweat, things can go downhill in a hurry.
2) Increasing your intensity such that you’re gulping sub-zero air hurts. While I definitely do this in races, I’m sure it can be detrimental in the long term.
I’d like to be able to do speedwork (running or skiing will do) about one day a week… something like 80/20. I’m a flexible person and the majority of my training/exercise is dictated by logistics, what I feel like doing that day and outdoor temperature. Some winters we can stay in the double digits below zero for long stretches of time. Historically I’d go to the gym for a day or so per week during a cold snap but don’t see myself doing that this year. I’ve done a few virtual running races already this year and see some in my future with skiing. Historically I’ve found it difficult to break out of my “forever pace”, which is about 15 beats sub MAF. It’s usually what I default to when out for a run/ski and being able to break out of this pace-rut is (to a lesser degree) an issue when doing these virtual races. Also I’d like to be able to finish stronger in my races. When ski racing with others I’ll generally try to start pulling away 2 miles from the finish, because my sprinting ability (tired or not) tends to be comparatively weaker.
Some ideas I’ve considered to incorporate speedwork in the cold:
Use dogs- Canicross is my favorite option. I’m not sure how much of a thing this is in the lower 48, but it can be really fun. Doing 6 minute miles at MAF behind a few eager huskies is pretty exhilarating. This would be running, not skiing. This seems sort of analogous to treadmill work and I can do it without having to breathe too hard. That said, while it might help the pace-rut issue, I’m not sure it would actually make me any faster.
Buy a treadmill/erg/ski erg- I don’t want to do this. I’d have to heat my garage to have a place to store and use it ($$), and I’d rather just be taking it easy (or burning my lungs) outside. You need to get out there enjoy those 3 hours of daylight in winter!
Ditch the subzero speedwork- Substitute extra weight training/plyometric sessions at home when it’s cold.
Chillout- Do speed work when temps allow, keep doing subzero MAF… or sub MAF.
Do you have other suggestions for what I could be doing? Indoor is okay, I’m just not into spending the money on equipment I don’t think I’ll use once we have a vaccine. That’s it! I appreciate you taking the time to read to this. If you have questions I’m hoping they’re addressed below. Thanks again for doing what you do!
What the coaches say:
Lucho does not run in weather that is under 30 degrees, but it also depends on the type of workout and if there is wind.
It comes down to whether or not you’ll be able to achieve the purpose of the workout.
Canicross will use more peripheral and central nervous system work, which is not necessarily what you need.
Substitute with weight training and plyometrics are great options.
Doing speed work when the temperature allows is a good option, depending on when your race is.
If the race is 20 weeks out, yes.
If the race is 12-16 weeks out, you’ll want to get in some faster running.
Stay close to home if you’re going to do any intensity.
Keep your legs overdressed and if you need to cool off, cool off your upper body.
Put a mask on for the cold air.
Fuel appropriately.
Your ability to finish a race stronger is going to depend on your endurance (in the most basic sense). Pace yourself. Lucho recommends strong tempo workouts; for example, 2 x 20 minutes. Or a hill fartlek, pushing it on the uphills, cruising on the downhills (this is considered a form of strength work, and will play into your ability to finish a race fairly strong).
Maximize what you can do, not what you can’t do!
Acute cold exposure can lead to immunosuppression via an increase in cortisol from the adrenals; however, with regular training that risk factor is attenuated.
Shawn asks:
Greetings Endurance Planet!!!
Ok, here is my question and I’ll provide information about myself below. I’ve been enjoying hitting the heavy weights lately, and my running has taken a bit of a back seat. Maybe I’m just burnt out on running? I don’t know. My wife has recently started running and she always wants me to run with her, so I am running three times a week with her. Usually two 3 mile runs and a 4 or 5 mile run on the weekend at about 10:20-30 average pace which is a Heart Rate of about 125 – 130 for me. It’s a very slow and easy effort for me. My question is, can I still maintain fast running while only doing these 3 slower runs, plus my 3 hours of heavy weight lifting per week ? I’m also starting to do two Zwift sessions for 30 minutes on the bike for intensity. (1 x Jons mix and 1 x Emilys mix). So basically a tempo ride and an interval ride. I’m enjoying this style of training and it seems to work better for me as far as sleeping and hormones go. Shorter and more intense workouts seem to agree with me more than long distance running or cycling but I still want to remain competitive. I do a 5k trail series every year, a couple sprint triathlons and usually a couple half marathons per year. I ALMOST ALWAYS win my age group and often podium over all in these events. I want to remain competitive and even get a bit faster at the 5k distance, especially on the trails. However, I also LOVE having a strong body for both practical reason and for vanity. Let’s face it, who doesn’t want a nice body? The 5k trail series starts in March and I would love to place top 5 for the overall season points. This means I need to run about a 6:50 average pace on the trails. I run 7:20ish – 7:40ish right now pending on the terrain and elevation gain. Do you think really hard bike sessions plus the easy runs will get the job done? Or do I need to fit in a 4th run and do 400’s? Up until recently I was running 5 -6 days a week with very little weight lifting and cycling. This was 20-30 miles per week. Right now, I’m just over it, but I know come spring I’ll want to do well in this series. There is also a sprint triathlon series I’m interested in, and obviously those bikes will help with that. Am I just wanting too much? Seems like short course racing and strength is my passion and DNA, but I want to help my wife and run with her too. Thanks for your help!!
What the coaches say:
You’re running enough that the bike will have a crossover.
You have plenty of aerobic fitness, but you could benefit from 5k specific work. Lucho recommends 100-200 meter hill intervals/repeats.
Complimentary work to the weight workouts would be 7-19 second maxed out, hill intervals.
Don’t worry about threshold workouts.
Do a fourth run! Make this run in conjunction with your weight lifting. Do the heavyweights first, then head out shortly after and do the hill sprints.
Listen to your body and these feelings of burnout.
The post ATC 320: How Much Mg To Reduce Soreness? Plus: Extreme Cold Weather Training Tips (and Cautions), and Feeling Burnt Out Yet Motivated first appeared on Endurance Planet.
59 min
October 09, 2020HPN 22: The Rise of Health & Nutrition Coaching — An Inside Look at Our Process and Tips for Coach-Client Success
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Sponsor:
Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the ads on the sidebar banner or the Amazon search bar (to the right of the page); or click the Amazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show!

Welcome to episode 22 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach who you can find over at wildandwell.fit.
On this episode:
Intro:
Tawnee and family are in Montana; podcasting live with Julie!
It’s great to be able to share a run with a friend.
If you’re interested in running Ragnar SO CAL with the Endurance Planet team, please email: [email protected]
Cary asks:
Health and nutrition coaching
Hello and thank you SO much for the podcast and insight! I have an in-depth question so thanks in advance for your patience. I am 36 years old and have been running and participating in sports for most of my life. I have run a marathon and a few half marathons, dabbled in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Crossfit and general weight lifting and have always wanted to get into triathlon. Endurance sports make me happy and I really enjoy them.
I have a high stress job, which requires me to sit in a car most of the day and wear gear that is not great for posture and mobility. My work causes decent levels of chronic stress with bouts of acute, adrenaline induced stress sprinkled in there. I injured my back during a crossfit workout years ago, but have “treated” it with rest and static stretching… I know, I know *eye roll* but it is still a chronic issue.
A few months ago, I (irresponsibly) began ramping up my running, started swimming, and regularly mountain biking all at once. While doing this, I cut my calories in an effort to lose some weight but took it too far, and crashed really hard. I lost my libido, almost entirely, was extremely fatigued, and very emotionally “jacked up” for lack of a better term. Additionally, I strained my soleus, rested it, changed my shoes, started running again and now am experiencing pain in my hip. It seems there is always something wrong or something new popping up.
I say all that to say: After listening to your podcast and doing some serious googling, I have realized I have done a lot wrong and need to revamp the way I am living and training to actually get healthy. I am seeing a PT and committed to sorting out whatever is going on mechanically. I am getting bloodwork done to see what’s going on inside this body of mine. Lastly, I am completely open minded to get myself back to a place where I am healthy enough to train. I have no lifestyle, dietary or fitness convictions that I am unwilling to change OTHER than my job, which I cannot quit or change.
So here is my question:
Presented with a mess of a human, like me, what would your course of action be to evaluate and “fix” a person like me? From developing baseline health markers, fitness markers, treatment plans, stress management, and dietary suggestions. I don’t expect you to give me answers as you would a paying client, more of suggestions on a strategy to get healthy. What tests to have done, what kind of coaches, therapists, doctors to seek out, books to read, articles, websites, podcasts…. There is SOOOOO much information it is overwhelming. Love the work you’re doing and thank you again!
What the coaches say:
“Lasting meaningful change needs to be driven by self-acceptance.” Language matters – you’re not broken.
The foundation here, first and foremost, is mindset; catch yourself when you’re going down a negative path.
Switch your mindset from “I have to do this,” to “I get to do this!” Reframing is important; practice, practice, practice.
Use setbacks as a tool to come out stronger.
Reflect on things that were/are going right.
Questions that Julie asks her clients, “When was the last time you felt well? What did that look like?”
Own your strengths!
A sports coach will help you perform better (and may work on the psychology side of things). But there is also space for a nutrition coach that can complement the whole package. A nutrition coach will work with individuals to:
Simplify and break things down step by step.
Builds a trusting relationship with the client.
Personalize strategies.
Julie outlines examples of small changes:
Drink a glass of water before drinking your coffee in the morning.
Higher protein breakfast.
Do 10 pushups at noon every day.
You want a coach that will hear, see, and support you.
You’re already started doing the right steps – getting bloodwork done, seeing a PT, emailing Endurnace Planet!
Reach out to a supportive coach/therapist that can meet you where you’re at, and support you along the way.
Dan asks:
Nutrition and diet
Hi, Long time listener, first time writer. I really love the show and community you’ve built! Hope you’re finding some safe places on the van life.
Before my question, some info about me. I’m 33, male, 6’1, 160 (I’m pretty skinny; my tri friends say I have the same build as Jan Frodeno although certainly nowhere near the skill or talent…), former D1 athlete in college, recently got into Triathlon (I have extensive experience running and biking; starting from pretty much scratch with swimming) after a long time playing competitive ultimate frisbee. I signed up for IM140.6 Coeur d’Alene in June 2021, my first full-distance IM. My goal is to finish in 11 hours or under although I’m not trying to qualify for Kona or get like a sub-9. I would be thrilled to swim a 1:30. My half marathon best (self-tested) is 1:24, marathon just over 3:00. FTP is about 275.
My question is about nutrition and diet. I’m 99% vegetarian (my wife is a vegetarian and doesn’t allow meat in the house) and in general eat really healthy – salads, stir fries, lots of fruits and veggies in everything from the weekly CSA box, I never eat fast food, supplement work outs with recovery shake, etc. I do like sweets and ice cream at a moderate indulgence. I drink coffee everyday and craft beer a few times/week. I’m not anal about counting calorires to make sure I get enough, I just try to eat when I’m hungry. In general I think I’m performing OK – my Triathlon coach (who is also a 3-time Kona qualifier), is satisfied with my progress. I’m training at this stage about 15 hours/week with no real problems with cramping or anything like that. I guess my question is how do you know what is the best diet/nutritional intake for me? I’ve never really done a test (i.e. eliminating XX for some amount of time) but I’m not sure if like eating too many carbs (i love good bread and pasta) or dairy, or something else may be having an adverse affect that I’m not aware of. How can you discover what you don’t know? Is there a good way to test different kinds of diets for Ironman training in case something might work better for me? I’ve definitely lost weight since starting training and I don’t have much more to lose. I don’t care about body image or looks, I just want to make sure I’m giving myself what I need to perform. I also do all of the cooking in my house so I can adjust things as needed. Really love the show and hope you, John, and the kiddo are doing well!
What the coaches say:
Restrictive diets should be reserved for people with food sensitivities or allergies.
Julie suggests trying to form the habit of eating meat outside of the house or talking with your wife.
Have a designated meat pan so there is no cross-contamination.
Training for an Ironman takes up a lot of time. Tawnee suggests having an open conversation with your wife, meet her where she is at, and see if there is an amicable agreement that can be made. What is her comfort level, what is yours?
Sounds like you’re relying too much on carbs.
If meat is totally non-negotiable, you can eat out. Examples include:
Canned fish (e.g., salmon and sardine – with the bones).
Buy a premade chicken.
Another possible idea could be to get your own mini-fridge to put the meat.
DUTCH Test (for hormonal health), GI Map (for gut health), Organic Acid Test (for nutrient status). Education is a huge part, and working with someone (e.g., functional doctor, nutrition coach) to help you navigate these pieces can be key.
You may have to be a carnivore during an Ironman year, then switch back to being a vegetarian.
Previous episode on B12
Books mentioned on the show (if you’d like to support the show and purchase these books, use the links below):
Range by David Epstein
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
The post HPN 22: The Rise of Health & Nutrition Coaching — An Inside Look at Our Process and Tips for Coach-Client Success first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 10 min
September 25, 2020ATC 319: Practical Ways To Recover Better (Especially For Masters Athletes), How To Know How Fat Adapted You Are, and More!
Sponsor:
Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the ads on the sidebar banner or the Amazon search bar (to the right of the page), or click the Amazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show!

Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by UCAN Superstarch, the fat-burning fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN now has two new flavors of energy bars for you to try—salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter—and new energy powders enhanced with your choice of plant-based pea protein or whey protein, each option packing 20g protein per serving! EP fans get 15% off UCAN, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount.
Tawnee’s UCAN Porridge recipe
Ingredients:
1 serving/pack UCAN Tropical Orange
1 scoop of your favorite protein powder* (e.g. Tawnee likes Mt. Capra’s Deep 30 Strawberry Splash** for this recipe)
1/2 cup(ish) shredded coconut
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup(ish) non-dairy milk
Liberal shake of Ceylon cinnamon***
Dash of Himalayan salt (to taste)
Directions:
In a regular-size cereal/soup bowl, mix the dry ingredients first breaking up any clumps from the powders. Add non-dairy milk, mix well, and let chia seeds absorb (at least 5 minutes). Add more milk if the porridge is still too dry or clumpy and/or if you prefer a more “soupy” bowl. Garnish with any fruit, nuts or seeds. No extra sweetener is needed unless desired.
*A vanilla flavored protein powder goes great with the tropical orange UCAN powder.
**Mt. Capra offers goat milk whey protein for those who may be sensitive to cow’s milk dairy.
***Ceylon cinnamon, specifically, is shown in research to help lower and regulate blood sugar.

On this episode:
Anonymous asks:
Are you fat-adapted?
I’m a new listener. How does someone know if they are fat-adapted? I’m in my mid-40s and started running two years ago. I’ve done a few half marathons and have maintained a good base by running 20-25 miles a week. Long runs are around 10 miles. I’ve noticed a few improvements like being able to run faster in Zone 2, but I’m not sure if I’m fat adapted. If so, does that mean I need more healthy fats in my diet? Thank you. Keep up the great work, and keeping everyone motivated during this time.
What the coaches say:
Start with this show featuring Dr. Phil Maffetone on “Are You a Fat Burner”
Revisiting some concepts we covered with Dr. Maffetone in that previous episode, including:
Overall diet and the quality and quantity.
Metabolic lab testing.
MAF pace improvements and HR control.
Blood glucose monitoring. Generally avoiding big spikes or prolonged elevated blood glucose post-meal, and big crashes or hypoglycemia.
Field “Bonk Test.”Build up to a 2hr aerobic run, or 2-3hr aerobic bike done in a fasted or semi-fasted (fat as fuel) state with no bonk and no post-workout “hangry” effect. (Tawnee is hesitant to tell athletes to go out and do this test.)
Steady energy and how you feel when you wake up in the AM after an overnight fast.
A balanced diet of protein, fat, and <200 grams of carbohydrates (as long as overall calories are adequate!)
Don’t look at just the numbers! The coaches are not fans of constant monitoring of food or diet logging
Heavily relative to what type of training you’re doing
Tawnee can make the case for a female athlete who needs more like 300-400g carbohydrates a day depending on what type of training she is doing
Lucho uses the example of an athlete being fat-adapted if they do a 5-hour bike ride, and consume 20-30g of carbohydrate an hour
Eat to train, don’t train to eat!
You will get better the more you improve your aerobic fitness, economy, and daily diet.
The coaches don’t think you need to be striving for this state of ultimate fat adaptation. Balance is key.
If you’re working on MAF and not seeing any improvements, that may be a sign that your diet needs some adjustments.
Dr. Phil Maffetone’s books (if you’re interested in supporting the podcast check out these links below):
Endurance Training and Racing
Health and Fitness
Multiple people ask:
On recovery
What can athletes do to mitigate soreness after resistance training?
What the coaches say:
Don’t think that soreness is necessarily wrong!
DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) is a product of effort, load, and range of motion.
There are a lot of different kinds of strength training (i.e., injury prevention and muscle mass maintenance versus powerlifting).
If you’re struggling with DOMS you don’t need to touch weights.
Functional movement needs to be addressed before adding weighted exercises.
Fantastic bodyweight exercises: pullups, pushups, burpees, hill intervals, step-ups, Bulgarian split squats, and RDLs.
Study: Acute Effects of Static Stretching on Muscle Strength and Power
“The rolling prescription should involve 1–3 sets of 2–4-second repetition duration (time for a single roll in one direction over the length of a body part) with a total rolling duration of 30–120-second per set.”
This prescription should be beneficial in achieving an increased range of motion.
Preventative steps one could take to mitigate DOMS:
Amino acids- Perfect Amino, or your amino of choice, best taken PRE exercise (carb optional). Studies show that “Delivery of amino acids (amino acid concentration times blood flow) was significantly greater in PRE than in POST during the exercise bout and in the 1st h after exercise.” Taken with carbs like UCAN may even be a more powerful remedy to feel invincible.
Post-workout protein rich in leucine – 0.4-0.6 g/kg immediately post-workout
Study: “The high protein intake (HPI) did not significantly improve recovery compared with MPI (p > .05). However, comparison of within-treatment change shows 1) the HPI provided a moderate beneficial effect (d = 0.66), attenuating the loss of afternoon knee extensor peak isometric torque (PIT) (-3.6%, d = 0.09) compared with the moderate protein intake (MPI) (-8.6%, d = 0.24). And 2) the HPI provided a large beneficial effect (d = 0.83), reducing perceived fatigue over the eight-hour recovery.”
Allow enough sleep! Sleep helps with growth hormone release which is essential to recovery.
Have this drink first thing in the morning! Tawnee’s drink includes 30 oz of RO (reverse osmosis) water, drops of Trace Minerals, Himalayan salt, and a couple of slices of lemon.
Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil put on after a hard workout or if you feel a niggle coming on.
Compression gear – plenty of research to show how it can aid in recovery (maybe not as much in performance though).
Tart Cherry Juice. Listen to a previous episode with Dr. Tommy Wood explaining the benefits.
Potential benefits of tart cherry: help muscle soreness and DOMS
Can help with sleep and aids in insomnia relief
A powerful antioxidant
Naturally occurring melatonin
Contrast water therapy – a combination of cold and hot, end on cold. Icing may be waste of time while ice baths may feel good for recovery, but could inhibit gains and muscle growth/adaptation.
Avoid excessive booze of 3+ drinks (but 1-2 likely fine)
Study: “A low dose of alcohol does not impact skeletal muscle performance after exercise-induced muscle damage”
Avoid NSAIDs for pain relief due to stress on kidneys and liver, as well as GI issues with prolonged use (i.e., could be doing more harm than good!). And may even hinder adaptation and growth! Try curcumin instead, check out Thrive Meriva on Fullscript. At least 200mg of curcumin may help with soreness, and in this case, might be best to take it after exercise.
Fullscript, an online dispensary with professional, high-quality supplements from a verified distributor, including Thorne products like Meriva.
The post ATC 319: Practical Ways To Recover Better (Especially For Masters Athletes), How To Know How Fat Adapted You Are, and More! first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 5 min
September 11, 2020HPN 21: Fall Seasonal Food Guide (Try These 5!), Plus: The Latest Publications on Vegan Diets, Bone Density and Iron Deficiency for Female Athletes
Sponsor:
Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. So let’s make sure you’re not running yourself into any deficits—this list is a good place to start:
Magnesium Bisglycinate
Stress B Complex
Vitamin D/K2 drops
Multivitamin Elite
Prenatal
Meriva
L-Glutamine
Bio-Gest
Go ahead, click on each supplement if you’re curious to learn more about how these supplements may serve you. Maybe one of these or one of Thorne’s targeted bundles for sleep, stress, or performance, will complement your needs and round out your diet this season.
Thorne is always available to you on our Shop page, and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast!

Welcome to episode 21 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach who you can find over at wildandwell.fit.
On this episode:
Intro:
Julie went on a solo backpacking trip! The calorie-dense foods that she eats during a trip like this include:
Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese (if you’re interested in supporting the podcast check out these links)
Epic and Larabars
Almond butter packets
Trail mix
Pasta dishes with collagen
Cans of oysters and sardines
Tawnee and family have been enjoying Banza chickpea pasta
Patagonia makes camping/backing food now!
Tawnee tried their lemon herb mussels
Our Seasonal Eating Guide Part 3, Fall!
For our past food guides click the links below:
Pt 1 – Winter 2020
Pt 2 – Summer 2020
Pt 3 – Fall (This episode!)
Pt 4 – Spring 2021 (To come)
Blackberries
The best flavor quality is at full maturity (you can tell the berry is at its full maturity when the color changes to a dull black).
They lose flavor and nutritional value every day after being picked, but most berries are frozen on the same day of harvest which retains a lot of their nutritional value.
One of the highest levels of antioxidants.
One cup is 50% of Vitamin C and 30% of fiber.
Phytochemicals are compounds that are known to help fight chronic disease.
The rich color of blackberries comes from a phytochemical called anthocyanins
Anthocyanins act like antioxidants that may help the brain from oxidative stress and reduce the effects of conditions like dementia.
Interesting Fact: they are being studied for their ability to inhibit tumor growth
Study: Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Different Types of Berries
Storage tip from the Seasonal Food Guide: if you’re unable to eat the berries with 48 hours, freeze them on a tray and then transfer to a plastic freezer bag to minimize clumpage.
Gently wash with a spray bottle when you’re ready to use them. Keep them refrigerated, highly susceptible to mold and spoilage. Store in the fridge with a paper towel over them to reduce moisture.
Parsnips
Parsnips are low FODMAP but can be higher glycemic index however they have a low glycemic load (with any blood glucose concerns just test your individual response).
Can be a great alternative to those sensitive to certain carbs or needing to avoid grains, but not wanting to go low carb; and they are lower in sugar than carrots.
Parsnips are incredibly high in insoluble fiber, which prevents the release of ghrelin and keeps you fuller longer.
For every 1 cup of parsnips, there’s roughly 24 grams of carbs and about 6-7 grams of fiber!
Parsnips are also high in folate (great for pregnant people), Vitamins C & E (antioxidant superheroes), and potassium.
Their stalks and leaves contain a sap that can be irritating and hazardous to the skin and is best avoided.
Paleo Parsnip-Orange Saute Recipe By Tawnee
Ingredients:
5 parsnips, washed & peeled
2 carrots, washed & peeled
1 sweet onion
1 navel orange*
½ head small green cabbage (about 2 cups)
½ cup fresh parsley
3 tbsp coconut oil
Salt, to taste
Optional: Coconut Aminos, to taste
*For more orange essence, use 2 oranges.
Directions:
Wash all veggies. Peel the parsnips and carrots. Then chop parsnips and carrots into about half-inch cubes (halve twice then chop). Chop the rest of the veggies next. Cut onions into 1-inch slices, and cabbage to 1-inch squares. Coarse chop parsley, and cut orange up into slices, leaving skin on. Heat a large pan or Dutch oven on the stovetop to medium-high heat, and melt a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil. Add the parsnips and carrots first and lets them cook for about 5 minutes, then add onion. After about 10 minutes add the cabbage and more coconut oil. Maintain a medium heat and don’t let the veggies burn or get too browned (stir often and, if needed, add more oil to prevent burning).After 20 minutes squeeze in the juice of ¾ of the orange (or juice of 1 ½ oranges if stronger flavor is desired) and add the parsley. Cut the remaining orange into small chunks, remove skin, and set aside. At 30 minutes turn off the heat, add the remaining orange chunks and stir in. Let the sauté set for another 5-10 minutes before serving.
Optional: Serve with Coconut Aminos to drizzle onto the parsnip sauté.
This goes great with pastured poultry or grass-fed beef. I served it with herbed turkey meatballs and it was a good match.
Ok, but is there a caveat to parsnips?
“Parsnip, a root vegetable, has been indicted. Only this time, a common food has been shown to contain substantial amounts of potentially harmful substances. They are called psoralens and can damage genes, cause skin reactions in sunlight and become potential cancer-causing agents after exposure to sunlight, according to scientists from a United States Department of Agriculture laboratory in College Station, Tex.
“When the parsnip was peeled, psoralens in the vegetable were reduced by 30 percent, but were still present in worrisome concentrations, the scientists reported in the Aug. 21 issue of Science. Cooking the parsnip did not change the concentration of psoralens. ‘It is apparent that consumption of moderate quantities of this vegetable by man can result in the intake of appreciable amounts of psoralens’ the researchers concluded. ‘Parsnips and other psoralen-containing food plants may present some toxicological risk to man.’”
Tawnee’s take on this: don’t worry about it too much; moderation is key.
Brussels Sprouts
Their name comes from Belgium.
The majority are grown on the central coast of California where the cooler airs create the perfect conditions.
All parts of the plant are edible, but if you have any gut issues, you may want to cook them for better digestion.
Peel away the skins to make crispy baked brussels sprouts chip
Can roast or steam them
Slice them thin for a salad
Cut top to bottom and roast or steam or stir-fry or grill them
Julie’s favorite recipe is Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic (bonus points when I have bacon to toss in).
Even though one of the more hated vegetables, chefs have begun to make them popular; the varieties are less bitter and sweeter than they used to be (same goes for kale and artichokes).
What to look for? On and off the stalk. Compact heads with no sign of dulling or wilting and the sprouts should be bright green.
Storage tips: keep in the fridge for 2 weeks if on the stalk, and 1 week if not.
Affordable food with high nutrition – vitamin C,K, folate, manganese, copper, choline, vitamins B1, B6, and potassium.
Have a brussels sprouts cookoff!
Mushrooms
They are fungi, not a plant.
Can be found year-round but abundant in the fall.
If you get into wild foraging do your research and do so with caution as many mushrooms are not edible.
We encourage you to try different varieties! Tawnee was getting a mushroom chef’s sampler from her local CSA when she still lived in a house.
Tawnee prefers the taste for cremini and portobello over the white button. Shiitake and chanterelles are also great.
Buy firm and dry mushrooms, not those that are slimy, wrinkling, or have any moisture damage.
Best to store in a paper bag with paper towels (not in plastic containers like the ones sold in stores).
Salt later in cooking to avoid them getting too tough.
Mushrooms may have prebiotic properties:
One type of mushroom extract may act as a prebiotic to benefit the gut in helping to overcome obesity
Modulation of the gut microbiota is one of the promising tools to tackle obesity. Chang and colleagues have recently shown that an extract of the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, a traditional remedy in Asia, can reduce obesity in mice by modulating the gut microbiota, thereby exerting a prebiotic effect.
Can have a beneficial effect on immune function and even help against respiratory infections.
You also see companies like Four Sigmatic making the adaptogenic properties of some mushrooms (like reishi mushrooms) more widely available. These mushrooms help fight stress and have many other health benefits.
Ginger
Hawaii is the top US producer. But can be grown in colder climates. Top global producers are China, Nepal, India, and Nigeria
Will lose its potency over time; store in a resealable plastic bag with all the air pushed out in your crisper
Preparation tip – try pealing with a teaspoon! It’s supposed to be easier to get in the nooks without losing any flesh.
Ginger tea is Julie’s favorite! Slice unpeeled ginger into coins, bring water to a boil, and let the ginger steep for 10-20 minutes (add honey or lemon if you want).
Julie brings Gin Gins on adventures in case her stomach gets upset. She also recommends adding ginger to cookies, homemade bars, or granola to help prevent/manage stomach upset during endurance days.
One of the ten most commonly used natural alternative medical treatments in the United States and is suggested as a possible alternative to pharmaceuticals for reducing pain and/or inflammation.
Evidence supports the use of ginger to aid recovery from muscle-damaging exercise and for longer durations of intake (>2 days), as a single-acute dose had no effect on pain perception following low-moderate cycling [187].
Summary: ginger can be beneficial for alleviating intense muscle exercise induced pain
Can help with dizziness and nausea. This article suggests trying to take 1g of ginger before the swim to see if it helps with post-swim dizziness. Can also help turn your appetite back on after a hard workout/race.
Study reviews:
Connecting Energy Availability and Iron Deficiency with Bone Health: Implications for the Female Athlete
Purpose of the study: to discuss the effects of iron deficiency (ID) and anemia in combination with low energy availability (LEA) and the implications for female athletes bone health
LEA – the inability to consume a sufficient amount of calories to support health and energy expenditure, which is associated with a dietary intake below 30ca/kg of fat-free mass (FFM) compared to the optimal 45cal/kg of FFM (For Julie, that is the difference of 1,000 calories).
Athletes can easily expend over 3,000 calories/day
ID makes LEA worse because of alterations to an athlete’s metabolic efficiency, which can increase energy expenditure.
Eumenorhic athletes had higher blood glucose, T3, estrogen, and reaction time compared to amenorrheic
Hormones and the timing of nutrients:
Hepcidin is a hormone that is produced and released from the liver and degrades ferroportin, the channel responsible for iron efflux from the cell; this action traps iron within the cell, which makes it unavailable for use in muscle for oxidative phosphorylation and bone marrow for hemoglobin production.
Hepcidin is elevated after exercise and can result in decreased iron absorption with a slowing of iron efflux from the liver and spleen (i.e., after exercise, hepcidin is elevated for up to 6 hours which makes it hard to absorb iron).
If you’re struggling with low iron levels you may want to find a different time to supplement with iron.
Recommendations:
Take your iron supplement with vitamin C for the best absorption.
But avoid taking your iron supplement with calcium and caffeine.
Don’t take your iron with coffee! An hour before coffee seems to work well for Julie.
Need to eat more than you think to meet your energy requirements
Iron is a necessary component of thyroid hormone synthesis; t3 and t4 which both influence bone growth.
Bones! Peak bone density ages 25-35
LEA equals not enough food, equals not enough nutrients, equals not enough iron, and oxygen for bone health.
Increased chance for injury, hormonal disturbance, and poor bone development early on
Need to eat more than you think to meet your energy, macro and micro, requirements
“LEA can result in a decrease to the RMR, t3, GH, and IGF1 which can result in menstrual disruption and poor bone health. It is apparent from the available literature that ID can potentiate the adverse effects that endocrine and menstrual disruption can have on bone health.”
Bone remodeling is sensitive to energy availability and hormonal signaling through HPA.
Estrogen both stops bone tissue breakdown and stimulates new bone tissue.
Thyroid tie in:
Iron necessary for thyroid hormone synthesis
ID can impede optimal thyroid function
Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can negatively affect bone remodeling.
The development of ID may exacerbate a state of LEA and low T3 in high-performing female athletes.
Both ID and depressed T3 are problematic because T3 and T4 influence bone growth and development during childhood as well as maintenance in adulthood.
Take home: Start monitoring young female athletes early on don’t wait till too late
Female Vegan Athletes:
Nutritional Considerations for the Female Vegan Athlete
Summary: “macro and micronutrient needs can certainly be met on a meat-free diet, but understanding how to execute a nutritionally sound vegan diet is key.” And: A vegan diet without supplementation will generally not supply all needed nutrients.”
A vegan diet may be part of a pattern of disordered eating
No high-quality studies examining long-term effects of the vegan diet as it pertains to athletic performance; most research is mixed in with vegetarianism.
A well-planned vegan diet seems to be as adequate for performance as an omnivorous diet, but a vegan diet without supplementation will generally not supply all needed nutrients
Iron: vegans need 1.8x higher than omnivores or 32mg/d
Essential amino acids are lower in some foods: leucine, lysine, and methionine.
Food recommendations:
Leucine -corn, spirulina, black beans, rice, soy, lentil, pea, oat, and quinoa.
Lysine – lentil, black bean, mycoprotein, quinoa, pea, and soy.
Methionine – quinoa, hemp, rice, corn, spirulina, wheat, and oat.
Intake of leucine in a vegan diet should be approximately double that of a diet including animal proteins, and particularly for individuals who partake in total body strength exercises, older athletes, and those with muscle-wasting conditions.
Current evidence suggests that an anabolic response from plant proteins may be lower than that of animal proteins, but very few studies currently exist on the subject, and none examine specifically the effect of plant proteins on the muscle growth of female athletes. Some data on soy and wheat-based proteins demonstrate that they are more easily converted to urea than milk-based proteins, which may account for the potential of these plant proteins to be less anabolic. It is not understood exactly why this happens, but one hypothesis is that in sub-optimal EAA conditions, the body sends free amino acids to the liver, leaving them unavailable for muscle synthesis.
Vitamin D: According to Shuler et al., musculoskeletal benefits such as fracture prevention start at circulating vitamin D levels of about 40 ng/mL, with athletic benefits capping at 50 ng/mL.
Sun or lichen sources may be good options here
Overall:
Great attention is needed especially in the beginning of embarking on a Vegan diet.
May need to eat more pasta and bread to meet energy needs as an endurance athlete
You need nearly double the iron and leucine
Eat a variety and combination of plant protein sources and be aware of your calorie intake to ensure you’re meeting your energy needs
Manage training load
The post HPN 21: Fall Seasonal Food Guide (Try These 5!), Plus: The Latest Publications on Vegan Diets, Bone Density and Iron Deficiency for Female Athletes first appeared on Endurance Planet.
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