Endurance Planet

Sponsor: Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the sidebar banner or click the Amazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show. Sponsor: This holiday season give the gift of health, wellness and elevated performance–whether to yourself or to a loved one. Just head to enduranceplanet.com/shop for a bunch of cool products and services we’ve come to love, use and endorse. Everything we offer is centered around helping you achieve the ultimate in health and performance. Also when you shop through endurance planet you directly help support the podcast so we can continue to provide you with great content always for free… The new year and new season is coming, why not give the gift of health and performance optimization! Dr. Tommy Wood is back on the show for another edition of Ask the Doctor, Tommy’s sixth time as our resident doc. You can find Tommy over at NourishBalanceThrive, and be sure to check out their Elite Performance Analysis quiz. On this show, we catch up with Tommy and he tackles the following listener questions: Tommy’s published Letter to the Editor in the Strength & Conditioning Journal, written in response to a point-counterpoint article: A Case for and Against a Ketogenic Diets in Athletes Point: Matthew Kavalek and Ryan Gannon Counterpoint: Mike T. Nelson Both sides made great points, but Tommy had some extra thoughts! Point: “the beneficial effects of a KD on aerobic performance are fairly well established” Wish that were true, but isn’t yet Probably due to the nature of the studies Louise Burke Race walkers Ketone ester in cyclists Recent Caryn Zinn study 5 cyclists on keto for 10 weeks All of them lost weight Peak power decreased All of them saw worse time to exhaustion But one had an increase in VO2Max Counterpoint: Metabolic flexibility is important Risk of “losing metabolic machinery” This is only really true if you look at PDH The rest of glycolysis is working just fine (FASTER study) Extra pyruvate either via PC to OA Or converted to lactate (Cori cycle) If wanting to boost PDH and maintain metabolic flexibility on keto, do HIIT Remember: For performance, some carbs are likely to always be important Keto for the sake of keto doesn’t make much sense from a performance standpoint Keto athletes still eat carbs!   Questions: Ironman athlete, 50-year-old female, with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) – LDL’s been high since 20s, on medications (Lipitor, Crestor), being advised a low-fat diet, training for Kona, having adverse effects from meds – what to do!?? Everything MUST be discussed with a doctor/cardiologist FH is a result of mutations that reduce the expression or function of LDL-R Reduces uptake of LDL into the liver Increased LDL levels When it comes to heart disease risk, LDL-P matters much more than LDL High LDL-P isn’t enough Need some damage to the artery for cholesterol to accumulate Most people have heterozygous FH Only one receptor mutation Increase in death from heart disease Highest risk is in the 20s-40s Once you reach your 60s, risk is the same Lower cancer risk Overall mortality rate is normal You have to die of something! Family tree mortality study in Holland Mortality risk and cause of death varied widely Lower in 19th Century Higher in 1950s Determined that environment was much more important than the mutation itself. Smoking, diet, exercise etc In those with hFH that have had a heart attack, their LDL is not higher than those who have not had a heart attack Have higher insulin and measures of insulin resistance. HbA1c is one of the strongest predictors of atherosclerotic risk in FH Glucose control, insulin, and insulin resistance appear to be better predictors of CVD risk in FH Much like in people without FH Angie has: “High HDL” Can be dysfunctional in the setting of high oxidative stress Normal triglycerides Likely has a Trig/HDL ratio <1, which means she has little evidence of IR Statins No clinical trials have shown efficacy of statins specifically in FH Statins have a poor ability to reduce CVD risk as primary prevention in women Some evidence that statins can impair adaptations to exercise May have a greater negative effect in males than in females Most interesting: Increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, especially in women Most studies show about a 50% risk increase Strategies Maximise expression of LDL-R Ensure proper thyroid function Adequate calories Says she’s hungry all the time Adequate insulin (carb cycling?) Manipulate PCSK9 Insulin sensitivity and *some* insulin Minimise inflammation Chris Masterjohn would suggest a Kitavan-style diet 20% fat, 10% protein, 60-65% carbs High-quality carbs (whole foods) Refined carbs can increase LDL-P number Probably need more protein for an athlete Others would say eat a low carb diet Minimises glucose influx and insulin levels I’m agnostic Eat whatever maximises performance while: Minimising inflammation Keeping HbA1c and markers of insulin/IR low In summary What causes heart disease in FH is what causes heart disease in everybody else LDL levels don’t matter on their own In the HUNT-2 study, overall mortality decreased with increasing total cholesterol in women Take this stuff to doctor to review and make decision! Ask for evidence that statins will reduce her risk of CVD as primary prevention in FH Discuss the linked papers Track advanced particles (LDL-P, Lp(a) etc) Carnitine can reduce Lp(a) Can also increase endurance performance Take Q10 if continuing on the statin Doses up to 600-1,000mg until muscle pain stops Also fat soluble vitamins Alternatives Ezetimibe and low-dose statin PCSK9 inhibitor? Identify and minimise sources of inflammation Ensure proper training and recovery   Husband needs advice for wife: References and guidance on how a natural eating lifestyle can help cure low serotonin and depression, and pros and cons of SSRIs like Prozac. Let’s initially say that the assumption that depression is due to a deficiency in serotonin is correct. SSRIs as the main treatment Revisit previous Ask the Doc (talked about serotonin and PMS) Paper by Rhonda Patrick and Bruce Ames Tryptophan shunted away from serotonin production in the setting of stress and inflammation Minimise those Exercise and insulin (carbs) both increase the uptake of large neutral amino acids (like the BCAAs) into the muscles, which reduces competition for tryptophan to enter the brain Vitamin D is required for the production of the TPH2 enzyme, which converts tryptophan to 5-HTP SUNLIGHT! Omega-3 fatty acids are needed at synapses in the brain to make sure serotonin signalling work properly Serotonin is important for mood However, the suggestion that depression is due to a serotonin deficiency is not that well proven In general, the benefit from SSRIs in depression is minimal Old studies comparing antidepressants to active placebos (usually atropine) showed very similar effects from both When compared to inert placebos ~40% reduction in symptoms from anti-depressants ~30% reduction in symptoms from placebo Though they haven’t been compared directly, the effect size of SSRIs smaller than or at best equal to that seen from: Meditation Exercise (aerobic, yoga etc) Diet SMILES trial 12-week trial in moderate and severe depression Whole food-based Mediterranean-style diet Remove sugar, fried foods, and processed grains Depression probably isn’t directly due to a serotonin deficiency BUT is tightly correlated to inflammation Genetic susceptibility Optimise vitamin D and some Omega-3s Reduce stress and inflammation High-quality diet has an effect size at least as large as taking SSRIs To get off SSRIs Strategies from Dr. Josh Turknett CHECK with psychiatrist CAN go cold-turkey (with permission) Need to believe that the other strategies are at least as good (if not better) than the pill A good trick is to try paired conditioning Taper down the drug (i.e. 50%) Take it with something else An action – meditation or exercise Vitamins (Vitamin D) Sugar pill (real placebo) Imagine getting that same mood boosting effect as you would from the full SSRI dose Taper again (25% or 0%) Placebo still works even if you know it is a placebo! Cure – Jo Marchant   Athletes in 50s experiencing twitchy legs in bed (restless leg syndrome). Struggling to relax muscles and can twitch violently every couple of minutes for what seems like forever. What’s the research say on drinking pickle juice before bed? The Swiss brand, Sponsor, is now selling shots of vinegar, pickle juice, magnesium & quinine to relax muscles – is there any science behind this tonic? Start by talking about exercise-associated muscle cramps This is what the Sponser supplement is designed to improve A large amount of the research has been done by Kevin Miller, Central Michigan University Initially thought that cramps were due to: Dehydration Electrolyte depletion Some combination of the two Mainly based on anecdotal studies and case reports Controlled trials have shown these are likely not the cause Pickle juice does reduce cramping Does so faster than it would take to replenish electrolytes or fluids Many doses (1-2ml/kg) of pickle juice have been shown to have negligible effects on sodium and potassium levels during exercise. Unlikely to be due to dehydration or electrolytes Another product – Hotshots Roderick Mackinnon and Bruce Bean Roderick won a Nobel prize for describing the structure of ion channels that contribute to nerve impulses Contains acid, ginger, cinnamon, and capsaicin The Sponser and Hotshot product both aim to do the same thing – desensitise certain pain receptors (Transient Receptor Potential or TRP channels) TRPV1 and TRPA1 Now thought that cramps are due to hyper-excitability of α-motor neurons Brainstem and spinal cord Basically get permanent contraction of the muscle Or a reflex movement without a significant stimulus Exciting the TRP channels (skin, tongue, oesophagus, stomach) dampens down the overall excitability of other nerves Use of capsaicin creams to reduce pain May be best to use a combination of TRPA1 and TRPV1 agonists? TRPV1 activators Garlic Capsaicin Clove Cinnamon Acetic acid Piperine (black pepper) TRPA1 Ginger Mustard and wasabi Acetic acid Green tea catechins Long term quinine for muscle cramps may increase death risk. Used for restless leg syndrome (I used to prescribe it!) Reduces leg cramps by about 25% BUT long term use (usually in the elderly) is associated with increased risk of death! For myoclonic jerks, as you get during early sleep, the evidence isn’t as good But the hyperexcitability of spinal nerves (or decreased inhibition from the brain) is thought to be part of it Similar mechanism of action to cramping 5-HTP may also help My tip: Brew a chai (green) tea with some chili and add apple cider vinegar! Or eat curries   A 37-year-old female runner with Ulcerative Colitis in need of advice. Took prednisone (steroid) for last flare, never lost the weight gained, a lot of bloating issues and cortisol belly, considering digestive enzymes, fermented foods. Not following a specific diet, still eating gluten and dairy. Will certainly have digestive issues and a different gut microbiota in UC Autoimmune Some evidence for elimination diets Specific Carbohydrate Diet May be better for Crohn’s, but some evidence in UC too Low FODMAP diet AIP I would trial one of these in that order, and re-introduce slowly over time. Dairy and gluten are two common culprits But good evidence for probiotics VSL #3 and E. coli Nissle 1917 (Mutaflor) Bio-Three (Streptococcus faecalis, Clostridium butyricum, and Bacillus mesentericus). This is a product that contains it. Probiotic-3 from Advanced Orthomolecular Research Mixed Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus strains. (i.e. D-Lactate free Bifido and Lactobacillus probiotic from Custom Probiotics) Bifidobacterium longum UC is associated with increased intestinal permeability and visceral fat May contribute to her bloated feeling Should improve as inflammation improves Elimination diet Probiotics Other anti-inflammatory approaches Soothing gut tonics – popular in our athletes Curcumin, Boswellia, Quercetin, Marshmallow GI-revive (DfH) Enteromend (Thorne) CBD Great data in animal models of IBD Some promising data in humans, including people we know and have worked with Difficult to get high-quality CBD due to extraction issues Elixinol is popular 15mg 1-4 times per day If you think you have gut issues – try NBT’s automated “Elite Performance Analysis” at NBT.AI More references (mentioned on show): https://enduranceplanet.com/ask-the-doc-how-fasting-affects-females-differently-causes-and-treatments-for-pms-why-hba1c-is-an-unreliable-marker-and-more/ https://enduranceplanet.com/dr-richard-maurer-decode-your-blood-tests-for-optimal-results-managing-insulin-cholesterol-thyroid-weight-fitness-and-more/ https://enduranceplanet.com/nikki-kimball-on-depression-a-fat-adapted-diet-and-ultrarunning/ The post Ask The Doc: Dr. Tommy Wood on Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Athletes, Restless Leg Syndrome, His ‘Elite Performance Analysis’ Test and Much More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Generation UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code “enduranceplanet” if you’re shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for a n added kick! Sponsor: This holiday season give the gift of health, wellness and elevated performance–whether to yourself or to a loved one. Just head to enduranceplanet.com/shop for a bunch of cool products and services we’ve come to love, use and endorse. Everything we offer is centered around helping you achieve the ultimate in health and performance. Also when you shop through endurance planet you directly help support the podcast so we can continue to provide you with great content always for free… The new year and new season is coming, why not give the gift of health and performance optimization! On this show: A little Kona talk. For more, catch our Kona recap podcast we recorded with Thorsten Radde hours after this year’s Ironman World Championships. The long run when training for a 50k trail run: how far? Using past marathon training as a gauge for how far your 50k long run can be. For 50k, something in the 25-26 mile range or 4-5 hours is a good idea for a long run. Back-to-back runs also work well for 50k training when it’s tough to get in long days. Using the bike as a tool in 50k training – add fatigue and stimulus without adding more wear and tear. Should a cyclocross athlete focus on run training to enhance bike racing? Cyclocross is heavily focused on skills and tactics, sprint run training can help. Speed training with cyclocross (not long running and MAF): Diagonals and short, hard run intervals, as well as explosive hill repeats. Incorporating a bike workout with Tabata run intervals on the treadmill. Plyometrics and drills! Heart adaptations to endurance training. What happens and should we be focused on getting a bigger pericardium? Or is there more to it? Changes in the left ventricle, cardiac muscle hypertrophy, chamber size, stroke volume, cardiac output, etc. Are these best achieved when young? How should teenage athletes maximize their participation in sports like soccer where running, speed and strength are important? Off-season for youth athletes – what to do, in particular for soccer-runners? Off Season Training For Youth Athletes Dr. Phil Maffetone on MAF Training for Youth Coaching kids with youth coach George Zack The MAF Method and how it relates to max HR – if at all. Different ways to find your aerobic training zones: MAF (180 Formula), lactate threshold testing, max HR, etc. Reasoning and pros and cons for these methods. White Paper on the MAF Method The post ATC 246: The Long Run for 50k Training (How Far?), Run Drills for Cyclocross, MAF vs. Max HR for Zones, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the sidebar banner (to the right) or click the Amazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show. On this show we catch up with pro runner Tina Muir, who’s had many life changes since we last spoke with her in 2016 (listen to that podcast here). If you don’t know Tina, she is a pro runner from the UK and living in Kentucky with her husband, who’s a running coach. Last year Tina reached new heights in her career by running in the World Championships for her home country, and just months later PR’ing in the marathon with a 2:36 (at CIM). In 2017, she decided to take a break from running to recover hear health, hormones and to start a family, which she’s done with immense success. You can read about Tina’s transformation on her blog here, and check out her fabulous podcast, Running 4 Real, here! Also, to learn about Tina’s strength training programs that she mentions on the show, click here. Topics covered: Taking a break from running – a REAL break with NO running! Realizing that sugar cravings meant something more – was still under-fueled and too lean for a very long time. Sugar cravings left once body was in better balance. Allowing the body to balance out and gain weight. Mentally dealing with the big changes that come with taking a break and putting your sport on hold to focus on health. The road to regaining a period and wondering, will it ever come back?! Keeping faith, mitigating stress and dealing with the waiting game. Wondering: Will I be able to get pregnant after all my body’s been through? The benefits of having no expectations when it comes to conceiving. I’m pregnant – now what? Returning to running AFTER becoming pregnant. Tips for running, strength training and working out while pregnant. Listening to your body and not being stubborn. And more! The post Tina Muir: Building a Healthier Mind and Body To Beat Amenorrhea and Start a Family first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Head to enduranceplanet.com/shop for a bunch of cool products and services we’ve come to love, use and endorse. Everything we offer is centered around helping you achieve the ultimate in health and performance. Also when you shop through endurance planet you directly help support the podcast so we can continue to provide you with great content always for free… Be sure to check out:  Sound Probiotics is the first pure probiotic plus prebiotic formulated specifically to improve the gut health and immunity of the competitive athlete, for those who train and race simply can’t afford to be sidelined by illness or GI issues, and EP fans save 10% and get free shipping on Sound Probiotics. Also on our shop page are the gold-standard supplements by Thorne Research. Whether for performance, improving or enhancing health, or all of the above, Thorne Research will have a formula that fits your needs and it’ll be backed by clinical research and 100% quality. For athletes we like everything ranging from Glutamine and Mervia, a powerful all natural anti-inflammatory, to multivitamins, B vitamins and digestive enzymes. On this show we catch up with Thorsten Radde, who’s coming to us from Kona, Hawaii, the morning after the 2017 Ironman World Championships. We go through the women’s race and men’s race in detail with the standout stories of the day, new records that were set, and the highs and lows, filling you in on everything you want to know about IM Kona 2017. Special mention to Matt Russell who was in a terrible bike crash during the race and is now recovering. To support he and his family during this time, please consider a donation to help. Check out further analysis of the IMWC over at Thorsten’s trirating.com. Lionel Sanders’ power file from the bike here. To hear our show talking about the SuperMoms of triathlon and how things could change to support their comeback after childbirth, click here. Women’s top 10 SWIM BIKE RUN FINISH 1. Daniela Ryf CHE 00:53:10 04:53:10 03:00:02 08:50:47 2. Lucy Charles GBR 00:48:48 04:58:19 03:08:09 08:59:38 3. Sarah Crowley AUS 00:53:07 04:57:51 03:05:37 09:01:38 4. Heather Jackson USA 00:57:58 04:53:55 03:06:19 09:02:29 5. Kaisa Sali FIN 00:57:53 04:59:50 03:01:34 09:04:40 6. Susie Cheetham GBR 00:57:54 05:03:28 03:09:26 09:16:00 7. Carrie Lester AUS 00:57:51 05:00:32 03:16:35 09:19:49 8. Liz Lyles USA 01:00:08 05:04:10 03:11:21 09:20:31 9. Annabel Luxford AUS 00:53:02 04:59:15 03:24:07 09:20:58 10. Jocelyn McCauley USA 00:54:31 05:04:34 03:16:42 09:21:08   Men’s top 10 SWIM BIKE RUN FINISH 1. Patrick Lange DEU 00:48:45 04:28:53 02:39:59 08:01:40 2. Lionel Sanders CAN 00:53:41 04:14:19 02:51:53 08:04:07 3. David McNamee GBR 00:48:40 04:28:55 02:45:30 08:07:11 4. Sebastian Kienle DEU 00:53:44 04:14:57 02:57:12 08:09:59 5. James Cunnama ZAF 00:49:09 04:21:03 02:56:46 08:11:24 6. Terenzo Bozzone NZL 00:48:41 04:26:20 02:53:48 08:13:06 7. Andy Potts USA 00:49:01 04:31:02 02:50:27 08:14:43 8. Patrik Nilsson SWE 00:48:34 04:29:01 02:55:51 08:18:21 9. Ben Hoffman USA 00:48:52 04:22:00 03:04:16 08:19:26 10. Boris Stein DEU 00:53:48 04:23:59 03:00:42 08:22:24  The post TriNews: 2017 Ironman World Championship Recap and Highlights first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Head to enduranceplanet.com/shop for a bunch of cool products and services we’ve come to love, use and endorse. Everything we offer is centered around helping you achieve the ultimate in health and performance. Also when you shop through endurance planet you directly help support the podcast so we can continue to provide you with great content always for free… Get started now on the path to optimizing your health and performance! Get your hands on the athlete’s secret weapon, PerfectAmino, which comes in powder or pill-form, and features all the essential amino acids in the exact ratios needed to ensure proper protein synthesis in the body. BodyHealth, the makers of Perfect Amino, also offers well-formulated natural vitamins and supplements to meet your other needs including their Body Detox, Healthy Sleep Ultra, Intestinal Cleanse, weight loss aids, and more. Sponsor: Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the sidebar banner (to the right of the page) or click theAmazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show. Announcement: If you want in on an epic experience with the EP crew, don’t wait, email us now at events@enduranceplanet.com! We have two teams for SoCal Ragnar on April 7-8, both ultra and regular distance, and we’re taking signups for Ragnar Cape Cod on May 11-12. On this show: Should you spend more time training your swim kick for the triathlon swim leg? Calf and quad cramping during the triathlon swim when in choppier waters. Some drills and benchmarks for developing your swim kick. Vertical kicking 500 kick sets, etc. Dr. Phil Maffetone will say he doesn’t promote long runs/LSD longer than 2-2.5 hours (or one needs to add walking time only), but Lucho will say otherwise. We explain the difference in philosophy. Slowing down to hold MAF heart rate is ok for training but not always recommended for racing. So, should we practice race pace and harder running in training where you disregard the heart monitor at some point, or not and stick to MAF? The role of dairy and athletic performance? Why would one go dairy-free and what are the benefits of eating dairy? Why you’d go dairy free: Dairy is usually one of the biggest GI offenders in athletes according to research, but that doesn’t mean we all should avoid it. You have to learn if you’re lactose intolerant or sensitive and have issues with dairy – some don’t, but many do. In this show with Dana Lis, PhD, we talked about FODMAPs. Lactose, found in dairy, is a FODMAP and one of the most common GI disrupters, along with fructans and fructose. Lactose combined with gluten was even more risky in their study.  Lactose in whey protein. Take home: Use an elimination diet to test is reaction to dairy and if it specifically causes you GI upset. If still not sure, and symptoms present, test your gut health for any dysbiosis, SIBO, leaky gut, etc. Many studies have shown benefits of dairy especially for athletes: JISSN position stand on protein with benefits of dairy. “Overall, research has shown that products containing animal and dairy-based proteins contain the highest percentage of EAAs and result in greater hypertrophy and protein synthesis following resistance training when compared to a vegetarian protein-matched control, which typically lacks one or more EAAs [86, 93, 147].” “In general, the proteins with the greatest leucine content include dairy (9–11%), egg (8.6%), and meat (8%), while sources low in leucine include plant-based proteins.” Tons of studies have shown the benefits of whey protein on performance. Go for clean dairy – organic, grassfed, etc. We love: Vital Proteins Collagen Whey and Collagen Peptides! Collagen Peptides are lactose-free. Also, dairy might not be your problem and it’s not always to be vilified – is it another variable for which dairy is getting the blame? We’ve discussed the benefits of minimizing ground contact time (GCT) when running in order to improve your running – we go more in depth on this aspect of training: Inverse relationship: As pace increases, GCT decreases. In this study, ground contact time was the only factor which correlated significantly with both running economy and maximal running speed. This study shows midfoot strikers have shorter GCT. Improve GCT by improving power & stiffness with: speedwork (strides, sprints), strength/plyos (focus on hips/glutes), biomechanics (foot plant – midfoot). Is there a cycling equivalent to running’s ground contact that could help someone improve their riding to be more efficient and faster? Posterior/ anterior cleat placement. Internal/ external cueing. Cadence. Muscularly, what muscles get used minimally during cycling that are needed for running? The difference is more in how the muscles are used. Concentric (cycling) vs eccentric (running). Gastroc and adductors are used more in running. Also there’s a big change along with change in incline. Uphill vs flat or downhill in running mainly. Using the data to determine goal race pace for a first marathon: Female athlete with a half-marathon PR of 1:33:35, training long runs between 8:00-8:25 pace with 135-140 HR, and ideally wanting to run it in the 3:25-3:30 range fora BQ, but unfamiliar with the distance – so what’s a reasonable goal? The post ATC 245: Train Your Swim Kick For Better Triathlons, Improve Ground Contact Time To Run Faster, Pro-Dairy or Dairy-Free, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Generation UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code “enduranceplanet” if you’re shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for a n added kick! With Kona right around the corner, on this show we feature professional triathlete Pete Jacobs, the winner of the 2012 Ironman World Championships. The year prior to that, Pete was second at Kona and the winner of Ironman Australia. After a hiatus, this year he’s toeing the line at Kona again. Today we’re going to hear Pete’s full story on the health issues he’s had, the ups and downs he’s had prior to and since his win in 2012, and how he’s made drastic changes (for the better) to his diet, lifestyle and training with the guidance of our very own Dr. Phil Maffetone. To find out more or connect with Pete, follow him on Instagram and Facebook, and check out his health & performance coaching website Live Your Own Fit, which is also on IG and FB. Topics covered with Pete: Pete’s background in triathlon and years as a pro. Pete’s approach to training and diet in those years leading up to the 2012 victory. Experiencing massive fatigue issues since 15 years old, but after the 2012 win, instead of a day or a few the fatigue would last a month or two. A vicious cycle: Feel good for 6 weeks, train hard, get fit, sign up for a race, then get to the race feeling burnt out again. Diet changes: In 2016 Pete removed meat with feet, dairy and all grains, and saw improvements (3rd at Ironman Cairns regional champs). But then got sick and never bounced back. Pete then turned to Dr. Phil Maffetone – what did Phil advise Pete do? From Phil’s advice: Pete cut out the carbs, rested and relaxed going into Ironman Arizona 2016. On very little race fuel (some honey) and sticking to a moderate heart rate he had one of the easiest Ironman’s he’d ever done in under 9 hours. From then, he started looking at the keto diet along with tons of research, podcasts, reading, trial and error to begin understanding his body better. Reintroduced meat this year and started training at MAF 95% of the time. Previously, training involved a lot of threshold efforts, but over 150 HR recovery would be slow, and often couldn’t get power. Blood glucose management & why fasting doesn’t work for Pete. Still would see fasting glucose goes high; helps to eat many smaller meals often. The build to Kona and making a comeback on the world stage this year. And much more! The post Pete Jacobs: Kona Ironman Champ On Repairing Metabolic Damage and Making a Comeback with Increased Focus on Health, Clean Eating & MAF first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Generation UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code “enduranceplanet” if you’re shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for a n added kick! Announcement: We got a team for the SoCal Ragnar SoCal ULTRA team in addition to our usual regular team, so that opens up more spots on the regular team and the ultra team too. The race is April 7-8, 2018. If you are interested in running for either the regular team or ultra team, please get in touch with us ASAP. We are seeing that spots fill fast. We’d love to see more of the ladies join us. Email events@enduranceplanet.com. We’re also planning on having an EP team at Ragnar Cape Cod May 11-12, 2018 too!This is a great opportunity for East Coasters who can’t make the trek to SoCal. If interested in being on this team, email events@enduranceplanet.com.   On this episode of Ask the Coaches, topics & questions covered include: Addressing veganism and vegan athletes: Some listeners want to know why Tawnee suggests vegans add meat and animal-based products back into their diets. Why she said what she did, why she’s not anti-vegan, but why she’s usually more pro-meat, looking at the research on diets, and why individualization + looking at how you feel/symptoms is key (there is no one diet for everyone). Head to the bottom of this post for Tawnee’s full report on the pros and cons of vegan diets for athletes and general population with links to relevant studies… On the coach-athlete relationship and trust: Struggling with how much to share with your coach, particularly when runs or workouts don’t go well. Should we always tell all such as the minor things like waking up exhausted and having terrible runs, or having to rearrange the week to plan training around other activities? When you hire a coach, understand what he or she if offering for the monthly fee you’ll be paying and levels of communication you get. What if you’re ashamed to admit a bad day or need to prioritize other things in life above training? What is the right balance between an athlete sharing everything about every workout vs. letting them deal with some of the day-to-day struggles of endurance training on their own? How do coaches build trust with athletes to be able to share anything, including the struggles? Coaching fees What are the different audio clips that make up the podcast intro? A listener sends a note to Lucho saying to get his Creatine from Thorne. We agree. Elaborating on what an off-season should look like and not look like. How does offseason differ from athletes at the pointy edge vs. middle-of-the-pack athlete? Identifying red flags in your offseason planning. When it’s ok to “work on weaknesses” and still get in reasonable training in the offseason. Mid-season breaks vs. offseason. Taking true time off doing NOTHING vs. general unstructured offseason exercise – which do you need? How many weeks should a rest break or offseason be? What if you have plantar fasciitis in the offseason? What to do? Still run? If you have Ironman and Oly races next year, you’re healthy, not burnt out and, and you’re a strong runner but weak swimmer, what are some good ideas for offseason training? Swim drills in the offseason. Long runs and double run days in the offseason?   Vegan pros and cons; research mentioned: Vegan “Pros” More animal deaths can be prevented with a vegan diet. A low-fat high-carb vegan diet can benefit health and weight if done correctly. Weight loss sustainable—without calorie restriction. https://www.nature.com/articles/nutd20173.epdf BROAD study: “This programme led to significant improvements in BMI, cholesterol and other risk factors. To the best of our knowledge, this research has achieved greater weight loss at 6 and 12 months than any other trial that does not limit energy intake or mandate regular exercise.” “A nutritive vegan diet canbe designed to achieve the dietary needs of most athletes satisfactorily.” Helps to supplement with creatine and Beta alanine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28924423 Cardio-metabolic benefits. “Plant-based diets may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease events by an estimated 40% and the risk of cerebral vascular disease events by 29%. These diets also reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes by about one half. Properly planned vegetarian diets are healthful, effective for weight and glycemic control, and provide metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, including reversing atherosclerosis and decreasing blood lipids and blood pressure.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28792455 Vegan “Cons” Risk of micronutrient and/or mineral deficiencies (usually due to poor meal planning); specifically risk for being low in: Iron B12 Omega-3s (EPA, DHA)—algae is the only way besides making it from ALA Calcium Vitamin A Zinc Iodine Even risking low calories! Much if not all of this can be solved with animal-based foods: pastured eggs, grassfed beef, wild salmon, organ meats, seafood—and these animal-based foods are all very bioavailable protein sources. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0192-9 Risk of low protein (and incomplete protein sources; most complete protein sources are animal-based). Also, higher protein proven again and again in research to benefit athletic performance. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-4-8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15212749 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167687 Vegetarian diets can lead to lower muscle creatine and lower muscle carnosine levels in consumers. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28924423 Research has shown vegan diets can be too high in omega-6 and not high enough in omega-3. This one is controversial though since many vegan diets done well are also lower fat and high Omega 6 is not a problem. But a junk food vegan diet, this may be a risk. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441942 Tend to be high carb—and this isn’t necessarily bad at all, if that works for you, but if you want to be a LCHF vegan, that gets really tough and leaves out a lot of options. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441942 Not sustainable for most—the argument it, you feel great at first (3-6 mo.) then it fades, and you keep trying but deficiencies add up and there’s a slow decline. This has happened with many athletes in particular. Soy is high in protein but possible side effects—mimics estrogen, has anti-nutrient saponins, GMO if not monitoring for that, etc. http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/whole-soy-story Even with plant-based diets, animals may be killed. Not as much as some anti-vegans claim, but it still happens. More resources: Denise Minger: What paleo can learn from plant-based diets Mark Sisson on vegan diets Research: Vegan diets: practical advice for athletes and exercisers The post ATC 244: On Vegan Diets For Athletes, Offseason Planning, Coach-Athlete Trust, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Head over to ep/com/shop to check out some awesome services we love and recommend for athletes. Like Inside Tracker, where athletes can get up to 30 biomarkers tested, learn the true state of your health, and use this information to better your health and performance by making the right diet tweaks for your needs and so on. Use code “enduranceplanet” for a 10% discount off your next Inside Tracker test. Also if you’re not already, you need to start shopping at Thrive Market, which is basically Costco meets Whole Foods meets Amazon. Sign up for an annual membership using our links here or on the shop page, and start saving on healthy food, personal care products and clean products for the home. Shop conveniently from your home computer or your smartphone. The membership is not something you will regret, take it from me. I’ve saved hundreds since becoming an member and have saved time too that I can invest back into the rest of my life and well-being. We catch up with Thorsten Radde of trirating.com featuring our Kona Preview and covering the latest and greatest in professional triathlon including: SuperMoms Many pro women are having babies, and with the points system it’s making it really hard to comeback and get to Kona. Is the current setup fair to these SuperMoms or could improvements be made? Thorsten explains some possible solutions and/or exceptions that could be made to make it more fair for moms to make their comeback in the pro ranks after they took time off for baby. Some of the recent SuperMoms: Rachel Joyce, Sonja Tajsich, Eva Wutti, Jocelyn McCauley, Kim Schwabenbauer, Liz Blatchford, etc. 70.3 Champs This year saw a bigger pro women field with the race split over 2 days. Is Kona next? Kona preview Qualifiers as of the final cutoff, Tawnee’s picks and Thorsten’s KPR. Defending champs and the big names who will be toeing the line at the Ironman World Championships this year. Also who will not be making an appearance? Sander’s shift towards Kona. The Raelert brothers. And more! New athlete tracker on Ironman.com site – finally a solid improvement? The post TriNews: SuperMoms of Triathlon, Kona Pro Field Preview, 70.3 Worlds, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Generation UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code “enduranceplanet” if you’re shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for a n added kick! On this episode with Tawnee and Lucho: Journal of Strength & Conditioning Study mention: Acute Effects of Plyometric and Resistance Training on Running Economy in Trained Runners. Bottom line: Plyos and strength training temporarily reduce running economy. Don’t plan your key run in the 24hr after your plyos and heavy strength training: For Tawnee: Do you wish you could not have said certain things that have now been proven incorrect or there is debatable evidence for some things you said early on on some of the podcasts? For Lucho, you said that you could do 5 quality speed sessions a week and felt great. Do you think this has to do with your background of being able to handle high mileage since most people couldn’t start training for 400 races and do 5 speed sessions a week with blowing an Achilles or hammy? MAF training for competitive Crossfit athletes? A CrossFit coach from Brazil who trains Guilherme Malheiros, a 17-year-old who was 2nd overall at the Reebok CrossFit Games 2017, wants to know: is MAF training and/or aerobic training appropriate for this athlete to better develop his “weak” aerobic fitness? Pros and cons to low-intensity running volume for strength athletes. Alternatives to MAF for strength-based athletes: Tempo runs Diagonals – 18-24 x 100m @ 80% on rest of jog/walk across field 3 miles max for long runs – done as rolling hilly fartlek, hills 80%, downs easy Following a new training plan and wondering – can you safely jump from 4 runs a week to 6 runs a week when transitioning from half-marathon to a 10k plan? The fear of losing fitness in the offseason – why this is playing with fire. Nutrition for a 23-year-old female athlete on low/carb keto: Experiencing a loss of muscle, energy and stamina, and wondering is more carbs will solve this problem. When adding back in carbs after being keto: Where to start? What are the best carb choices? Will the body tolerate them ok? The post ATC 243: Acute Effects of Plyos and Strength on Running Economy, Aerobic Training For Crossfit, Food Diary Pros and Cons, and Much More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the sidebar banner (to the right of the page) or click theAmazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show. We’re joined by pro triathlete Lesley Paterson, a 3x world champion in offroad triathlon, Ironman champ, pro mountain biker and endurance coach at Braveheart Coaching, along with her husband, Simon Marshall, PhD, who is a sports psychologist, exercise physiology professor, and the go-to guy for endurance athletes to train their brains and build mental toughness. This show will teach you to “build a better brain” and we cover concepts in their new book, The Brave Athlete – Calm The F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion, a book we highly recommend purchasing (and be sure to use so with our amazon link!). Also, to hear Lesley on Endurance Planet in 20176 where she candidly discusses her struggles with Lyme’s disease, click here. On this show we discuss: Introductions and about their new book, The Brave Athlete – Calm The F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion. Simon and Lesley team up to help athletes over at Braveheart Coaching. Laying out the framework and science on how our brain is structured, and how it affects and directs our thoughts, decisions and so on. Defining our chimp brain, the professor brain, and computer brain? Why are these parts of the brain important for athletes to be aware of, and what do they each control? Real-life application to how the chimp brain vs. professor brain works. How and why to manage your chimp brain. On self-identity, self-efficacy and negative perceptions we will feed ourselves, like “I wish I felt more like an athlete,” “I’m slow therefore I don’t qualify as an athlete” or “One day I’ll be….” How to fix these underlying identity issues in athletes and build more positivity and confidence in ourselves. Simon and Lesley’s take on social media, the pros and cons, and being able to broadcast yourself and/or compare yourself with others. Impression management, what that is and what we need to know. Exercise dependence – it’s a real thing, why does it happen and what are the criteria? In the book, they cite an article that says 52% of triathletes met criteria for exercise dependence, and runners at 25%. Some traits of exercise dependence and how do we know what we are doing is healthy and innocent enough vs. exercise gone too far and becoming unhealthy? If you are dependent, why is this potentially a bad thing and how should one deal with it? What is “symptom hypervigilance”? And much more! The post Simon Marshall, PhD, and Lesley Paterson: How To Be A Brave Athlete By Managing Your Brain first appeared on Endurance Planet.