Climbing techniques – a plan to raise your game: Week 2 – nutrition and weight management (part 2)

In the last post I set the scene by helping you to ascertain your BMR and PAL to calculate how many calories you need to eat, and how to adjust that number for weight gain or weight loss.

In this post I’ll go into a little bit more detail about protein, carbohydrates and fat.

Protein

Protein is essential for the growth and repair of your cells. As regular climbers, we need more protein than sedentary people. Aim for between 1.2g and 1.8g for each kg of your body weight. I weigh 75 kg, so I need between 90 g and 135 g of protein per day.

Protein can be found in lots of foods, but there are 8 ‘essential’ amino acids that must be provided from your diet. Animal proteins contain large quantities of these, while nuts, pulses and cereals contain smaller amounts. It is wise to eat from both groups.

Steak, chicken and fish are all excellent choices and should feature extensively in your diet. If you are a vegetarian you can substitute with soya and quorn.

I usually eat red meat once or twice per week; fish at least 2 – 3 times; and chicken almost every day.

If you feel your diet is lacking in protein, you can use supplements. Personally I don’t rate them at all. I used to be a keen body builder when I was younger, and as such I experimented with all manner of supplements. I thought they were rubbish! However, everyone is different and what didn’t work for me might be perfect for you.

Carbohydrates

Many recent diets have tried to vilify carbohydrates, but they are a really important component of a healthy diet. Choosing the right carbohydrates in the right quantities is the key.

Traditionally carbohydrates were classified into simple or complex, based on their sugar unit count. Nowadays we usually try to focus on the glycaemic index (GI), which describes the how the body reacts to carbohydrate.

Foods with a high GI cause the body to experience a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. This rapid rise in blood sugar gives you a high, which is quickly followed by a crash. Raised insulin levels have also been linked to obesity and diabetes.

Low GI foods release energy more slowly, with a much smaller rise in blood sugar levels.

You can find a list of low GI foods here:

• http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/
• http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/DIET/gi_diet/glycaemic_index_tables.htm

Personally, when it comes to carbs, I try to eat little or no bread (especially white bread). I eat basamati rice which has a much lower GI score than white rice, and wholemeal pasta as opposed to regular pasta. I keep portion sizes low and try to always include some protein in the meal too (this can lower the GI score of the meal).

Fat

Just like protein and carbohydrates, your body needs fat. The trick is to know what type and how much to eat.

Here are the main types of fats:

Saturated fats

These are usually solid fats as opposed to liquid. Primarily found in animal fats and palm or palm kernel oil derivatives, they can raise cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. Try to keep these to a minimum (no more than 10% of your daily calorific intake).

Trans fats

These are really harmful. They are formed artificially where liquid fats are converted into solid fats. This process is called hydrogenation. Trans fats have had a lot of bad press recently, so thankfully are slowly being replaced in the foods that we eat.

Steer clear of processed foods and read the labels to make sure you eat as little of these as possible. Ideally try to eat none.

Monounsaturated fats

These can actually lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels, lowering your chance of cancer and heart disease. They can be found in:

• Olive oil
• Rapeseed oil
• Avocados
• Soya oil
• Peanuts, almonds and cashews
• Peanut butter
• Sunflower and sesame seeds
• Mayonnaise

Mediterranean diets are usually rich in these foods, which probably explains why they have some of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.

Polyunsaturated fats

These can also reduce your risk of heart disease, though not as effectively as monounsaturated fats. Aim to keep these to no more than 10% of your daily intake of calories.

You can find these oils in:

• Sunflower oil
• Corn oil
• Safflower oil
• Sunflower oil margarine
• Nuts and seeds

Omega 3 fatty acids

These have numerous health benefits, but as athletes they are great for speeding up recovery from workouts and reducing inflammation and joint stiffness. You can find Omega 3 fatty acids in:

• Sardines
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Fresh (not tinned) tuna
• Trout
• Herring
• Walnuts and walnut oil
• Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil
• Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
• Rapeseed oil
• Soya oil
• Sweet potatoes

You don’t need much of these foods to get the required level. One 140g portion of oily fish per week will do the trick.

On top of your protein, carbohydrate and fat requirements, you also need a good supply of vitamins and minerals. Sticking to the recommended 5-a-day of fruit and vegetables, and making sure you have a good mix rather than just sticking to the same one or two will ensure you meet your body’s requirements.

I have only really brushed the surface in this article. As with the last post, the source of my information is Anita Bean’s excellent “Food for Fitness”, which I can’t recommend enough.

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Your comments, as always, are most welcome.