I had a great question asked by a reader who is planning a fast hike, the Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon, in Arizona, US.  ( hope she gets to send some photos to me I can post).

Angela asked  for suggestions for fueling after a race and what to use during an event, whilst staying with a Raw food Diet

Raw food Diet

I am going to say of course the answer is based on my own personal preference and incomplete knowledge of an each individuals requirements.
I often am amazed at the difference in people and their requirements for nutrition.

My training Buddy is like a camel and hardly drinks at all on a
run and his favorite training food is white bread and peanut paste ( with the crusts cut off and fig newtons)

Apart from the obvious need to replace the expended carb and liquid requirements there is an emotional tie to foods consumed and the place it has in the physiology of the individual.
Try telling a person who has grown up with the physiology of a filling meal at the end of the training day is steak and eggs and a bloated belly , that you can get the same nutrients from a meal of   fruit and vegiees, you not only have to shift the perception of what constitutes a nutritionally dense meal but also the psychologically embedded feeling of feeling full and satiated.

I will address the issue from a place of “filling the tank “from a plant based source, this is easier if you have the right mind set.
Now I am not saying the fundamentals of fueling a body are not to be applied but in my experience the more I have consumed a plant based water rich and nutritional dense diet I am not needing to bomb myself with huge “stick to the ribs” meals.

There is a debate that I come across all the time about the amount of fruit you should have in your diet and some are almost have zealot fervor in the avoidance of fruit and the role it plays in the calorie intake of a diet .

As I say you are an individual and you will be different then your neighbor that’s what makes the world a fascinating place,

so you will adjust to your own likes and dislikes, for me I eat a lot of  in season local fruits but only at certain times, will I only take fruit on board as a refuel, and I have more then the 10% fat ratio that The 80-10-10 diet suggests.

I do eat a lot of bananas, but at the same time I consume a lot of greens, such a celery, lettuce, and eat a heap of the cherry Tomatoes from my garden .

I have more on the subject at  The TRuth about Fruit

I have been an athlete for many years and I used the gels and goo’s for their ease and instant energy gains,but now do not bother with them
An interesting study has shown that by just having in your mouth a carb rich liquid it stimulates the the body to access more fuel sources.

For me this shows the ability to use natural high concentrate sugar foods instead of manufactured product I am a great fan of dates, I do not do it myself but I have heard of  people putting dates in a water bottle and let them sit for a while and that releases the sugars into the water.

Though what I reckon is a super food, and is still largely ignored and that is Chia seed

Chia seed is an ancient seed that has been used by tribesmen for a source of energy and sustenance for many years. As a crop it is disease and bug resistant and does not require huge amounts of chemical growth stimulants.

You can put the seed into a water bottle is becomes quite glutinous but is easily digested and a great energy source.  You can mix it with fruit juices  if you want, I am not a big juice fan so I just stick with water.

I like to grind the seed to a flour type consistency then spread it in a dehydrator  and use it as slices. I put a mix I make up of soaked almonds ( any nut that is your fancy) that I put through the grinder with dates which forms a paste that I use as a spread or I roll into balls and coat with sesame seed by tossing them into a bag with the seed so they are covered.

I find these will travel okay in a reusable plastic bag in a bum bag or cycle shirt pocket you can get to easily.

It is something I have found, that the more water rich and nutrient dense food I have as a plant based raw food diet I do not require as much extra water as I used to and do not have any real big flat spots in my energy levels.

I am not a marathoner or do do many events over the 3 hour mark so I am not able to give a first hand account of sustained energy for longer distances though there are many long distance endurance athletes out there on a plant based diet.

So happy trails,  let me know what is your Favorite  food to go is ,and as always leave a comment or send me an email if you have something to ask

Related posts:

1. Raw Food and The Fad Diets
2. The Consciousness of Barefoot Running
3. Carl Lewis diet for fitness