#27 – How to Tune Up Your Diet Before the Holidays

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woman hiker with backpack and gaiters in desert

Has your nutrition completely derailed and jumped the tracks in 2020?

If you notice yourself carrying a bit more weight around these days, you're not alone.

There's nothing like a global pandemic to get us all stress eating and glugging wine.

I'm definitely not immune to this. I've run two ultramarathons in 2020, and I actually somehow managed to gain a few pounds through all that training.

The good news is that it's never too late to get back on track.

So in today's episode, I'm going to show you how to calculate the right daily intake of calories and macros for your lifestyle. And also how to track your eating with a phone app so that you don't explode your brain doing too much math.

Ready? Let's do this!

Links/Resources Mentioned

Episode Sneak Peek

  • [2:40] A little about my own struggles with good nutrition and health habits.

  • [6:11] Quick disclaimer. What I can and can’t teach you about sports nutrition as a personal trainer. How and when to get more specialized help.

  • [7:30] The benefits of diet tracking. Why some athletes gain weight during endurance training. Tracking vs. intuitive eating. Why you shouldn’t track your food intake every day of your life. Which diet tracking app to use.

  • [11:14] How to calculate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Why it’s important to know how many calories you’re eating and burning. The dangers of underfueling. How many calories to eat if you want to maintain weight during training and if you want to lose weight.

  • [14:59] Why tracking calories is not enough to ensure a healthy diet, and what else to track. Intro to macros.

  • [15:33] So many people are afraid of carbs, but here’s why they’re actually really important for endurance athletes. Simple vs. complex carbs. Why a low carb keto diet doesn’t work for many athletes. How to know how many carbs you need each day.

  • [20:20] Everyone loves protein, but what does it really do for us? Understanding the nine essential amino acids and the importance of complete proteins. The best sources of protein for athletes. How many protein grams to eat each day.

  • [22:57] Why so many GenXers and Baby Boomers fear fat. What the nutrition guidelines got wrong about fat. The benefits of healthy dietary fat. How to avoid trans fats and get more healthy fats in your diet. The best sources of healthy fat. How many fat grams to eat each day. Using fat as an energy source.

  • [28:07] To supplement or no? Why you can probably get by fine without expensive supplements, unless recommended by your doctor. How to choose high-quality supplements.

  • [30:33] Additional resources for tuning up your diet.

This episode is brought to you by Mountain Fit

If you want to level up your fitness game and tackle bigger adventures, check out my online master class Mountain Fit: Self Coaching for Mountain Athletes. In this course, you’ll learn all the skills and tools you need to become your own outdoor fitness coach. If you’re hooked on adventure, learning how to train is one of the best investments you can make in your future. So stop wasting time and money with trainers who don’t understand our sport, and learn how to get in the best shape of your life with Mountain Fit!

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