In the Zone Multisport
Train your mind. Train your heart. Train your body.
Female Athletes and Weight Loss
By Trista Francis, ATC
Females face many challenges when it comes to reaching our full potential as an athlete. Whether we are training to reach personal goals or consistently place in age group categories, our challenges remain the same. These challenges include, full-time jobs, full-time Moms, post pregnancy weight loss, lack of menstruation (amenorrhea), weight gain, weight loss, Iron deficiencies, and Osteoporosis. Our bodies compared to males however, are also capable of many fascinating tasks from setting World Records to giving birth. This is a VERY broad spectrum. We need to be very smart when trying to fine tune our miraculous body to accomplish what we have set out to do.
As I have engaged in many various activities with groups of women from small Sprint Triathlons to climbing Fourteeners, I have noticed one thing. You eat to loose weight or you eat to train. With all of the fad diets available, I have learned from my activities in these groups that these diets can not sustain you during extended bouts of exercise. The body is not fueled properly for training, it is geared only toward weight loss. So how does this play into the roll of a female that is training hard but is not shedding excess body fat. Changing the diet from one that fuels to one that encourages weight loss, can hinder performance, yet excess body fat compromises performance and increases risk of injury.
The answer is not a simple one, but with some modifications to diet, those few extra pounds can come off and stay off. The first thing is portion control. Stress causes women to do one of two things; over eat or under eat. Amazing. Which are you? Recognizing how stress affects you is the first step. Portion control can also be lack of awareness of when your body is telling you it�s received what it needs. Secondly, the types of food you are consuming. The best foods to consume are whole foods in their most natural state and lean meats. Processed foods, lunchmeats, etc., are higher in fat, and sodium, aren�t as easily digested and lack nutrients. Fruits, vegetables, almonds, hard boiled eggs, skim milk, grilled chicken, dried fruit/nut mixes are a few examples of foods that are nutrient dense and easy to snack on. Thirdly, understanding the Glycemic Index of foods. We know that in order to fuel our bodies correctly we need protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Each of these play a role in exercise and recovery. Understanding there is a difference between carbohydrates is the key.
When you eat a high-carb meal or snack, the pancreas releases insulin to regulate the sugars in the blood. That insulin stays in the blood for up to two hours. Then you eat another high-carbohydrate snack. This elevated level of insulin for a period of time prevents the body from utilizing stored fat, and converts carbs and protein to body fat. When this happens, it then moves the fat in the blood to storage sites. This can be the reason some athletes despite serious training and a �healthy� diet are unable to loose body fat.
Some carbohydrates enter the bloodstream more rapidly that others. This produces an exaggerated blood sugar response and brings about all the negative aspects of high insulin. These rapidly digested carbohydrates are high on the glycemic index which is a food rating system developed for diabetics. Foods low on the glycemic index produce less of a rise in blood sugar and help avoid the craving for more sugary food that come with eating high glycemic carbs. Making wise carb choices can reduce cravings for sweet foods, reduce the insulin reponse, which will encourage your body to burn the fat that is stored rather than adding to those stores.
There is a time when carbohydrates with a high glycemic index are required in your diet. It is during and immediately following exercise. This is the ONLY way to completely replenish the depleted glycogen stores in the muscles and liver. Examples of these are sports drinks, gels, etc. Remember, as athletes, our first priority is to fuel properly.
As a women, you have been given many capabilities. You can achieve great things when knowledge and understanding are put into practice.
Glycemic Index of Common Foods
By Joe Friel
High Glycemic Index (80% or higher)
- Bread, french
- Corn flakes
- Grapenuts flakes
- Molasses
- Parsnips
- Pasta (rice)
- Potatoes, baked
- Potatoes, instant
- Rice cakes
- Rice Chex
- Rice, instant
- Rice Krispies
- Rice, white
- Tapioca
- Tofu frozen dessert
Moderate Glycemic Index (50-80%)
- All-Bran cereal
- Apricots
- Bagels
- Bananas
- Barley
- Beets
- Black bean soup
- Bread, pita
- Bread, rye
- Bread, wheat
- Bread, white
- Corn chips
- Corn, sweet
- Cornmeal
- Couscous
- Crackers
- Doughnuts
- Ice cream
- Mango
- Muesli
- Muffins
- Oatbran
- Oatmeal
- Orange juice
- Pea Soup
- Pineapple
- Popcorn
- Potato chips
- Potatoes, boiled
- Potatoes, mashed
- Potatoes, sweet
- Powerbar
- Pumpkin
- Raisins
- Rice, brown
- Rye crisps
- Soft drinks
- Taco Shells
- Watermelon
- Yams
