By: Klean Team Sponsored Run Coach & Athlete Stacey Gross
The days are getting longer, and the weather is starting to feel more like spring every day which means it’s time to get outside to train.
Whether you took the winter off to rest from the fall race season or your focus was base building indoors, here are a few tips for how you can transition to training outdoors.
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By: Heidi Harris, RD-N, CD-N, LD-N
What You’ll Learn: In this blog we will discuss how sleep and athletic performance may be related and how healthy sleep hygiene can help power your peak performance.‡
Powering Peak Performance Through Sleep:
We’ve all likely heard the phrase, “Get a good night’s rest.” This isn’t just an empty platitude, there’s significant meaning behind this saying. Sleep is an overall healthy component of any lifestyle as it helps promote healthy wellness, hormone metabolism and even immune support.1 But, did you know that sleep and athletic performance go hand-in-hand? Physical activity has long been touted for its ability to help promote sleep quality. But, it works both ways, sleep also has been shown to help support athletic performance.2‡
Despite these benefits, research shows that many athletes fail to obtain the recommended amount of sleep which can threaten performance. Obstacles such as training schedules, travel, stress, academic demands and even over-training can affect proper sleep.2 Want to learn how you can help support your healthy sleep hygiene? Keep reading to find our why your inner athlete may want a new bedtime routine to power your peak performance through healthy sleep.‡
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Created by Leslie J. Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN+
(biography click here)
Bone broth is known to be full of nutrients, healthy fats and amino acids. If you’re looking for a tasty recipe to sip on it’s own or incorporate into your meal planning, keep reading!
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By: Heidi Harris, RD-N, CD-N, LD-N
What You’ll Learn: In this blog, we will talk about why it’s important to support your hydration during the colder winter months and discuss how to support your hydration during winter fitness.‡
Winter Fitness at its Finest:
As athletes, we know how important it is to stick to our exercise training and fitness goals. Exercising in the winter can really be a challenging time, filled with many obstacles we wouldn’t otherwise experience during the warmer weather months. Getting the motivation to go exercise in the cold temperatures can be a challenge, from dealing with that cold air burn in your lungs to starting your workout in darkness – because let’s be honest, it starts getting dark at 3:30pm.‡
One way to help your winter fitness be a success is by supporting your hydration. It’s a common misconception to think dehydration may only be a risk during the summer months. While, it may not feel like it, athletes may also run the risk of dehydration during the colder weather months because of not being properly hydrated. Hydration is an important part of any fitness routine, even during the winter months and especially when exercising in colder temperatures. Keep reading to find our why your body needs to be properly hydrated before winter exercise and how you can help support your hydration before your next workout.‡
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By: Heidi Harris, RD-N, CD-N, LD-N
What You’ll Learn: In this blog, we will identify what Threshold Training is, discuss the different energy zones and which nutrients help fuel your workout in each zone.
Before We Begin:
Hello! My name is Heidi. I’m a Registered Dietitian, certified strength training and conditioning coach and certified SpinPower® instructor. Today, I want to talk with you about a common theme in both strength training and endurance exercises like cycling, running and swimming: Threshold Training. We’ll focus on nutrients to help fuel you as an athlete to your next level of optimal performance.‡
What is Threshold Training?
You may have heard of threshold training if you’ve ever researched strategies on preparing for a long-distance run, bike ride or maybe even a 500 meter freestyle swim. Threshold training is all about making small, gradual gains that lead to great outcomes and individualized improvements to help you accomplish your training goals.Threshold training is a type of individualized training program that utilizes five different training zones and a personalized threshold to help athletes yield greater athletic progress and performance without running the risk of over-exercising.1
By Retained Advisor Leslie J. Bonci, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN+
(biography click here)
Winter can be beautiful with crisp, cold air and snow, but before you venture outdoors, make sure you are properly fueled. Your winter gear is more than just external equipment (hat, gloves and coat, it is also recommended to check your internal equipment (food and fluid).
So how can you winterize to optimize?
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Created by Karlyn Grimes, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD+
(biography click here)
Thus far, Klean’s Nutrient Timing series has focused on the peri-exercise time period, but this is only a small fraction of the day. To perform optimally, nutrient timing cannot be ignored during the remaining daily hours. Research has shown that small, frequent fueling and dietary supplement sessions throughout the day maximize subsequent exercise training and performance.1 In other words, nutritional support for sport has no end, and there never appears to be a disadvantage associated with fueling at any time surrounding an exercise bout. Let’s dig in to some vital daily fueling guidelines.‡ Continue reading …
Created by Karlyn Grimes, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD+
(biography click here)
When training sessions or competition are successfully completed, the real work begins. Refueling and rehydrating should be the top priority so the body can favorably adapt to training demands, prepare for future sessions and progressively improve. Ultimately, optimal post-exercise nutrition will largely depend on the type of exercise, and the intensity, duration and frequency of the exercise bouts.2 This portion of the Klean Nutrient Timing series will focus mainly on repletion during the two hour post-exercise ‘anabolic window’ while the final part of the series will address daily nutrient timing strategies that will further support physiological training adaptations and performance yield.‡ Continue reading …
We’re excited to introduce one of our newest Klean Team athletes, Alexis Johnson – 3x Crossfit® Games competitor, avid athlete and inspiration to many. Achieving peak performance is a process that requires true commitment. Alexis’ story proves just that. We hope you enjoy this and follow along as she continues on her journey.
The first thing you should know about me is that I love to work out, for the sake of working out. I train because I love being in the gym, becoming a better version of myself each and every day, surrounded by others doing the same. This love unexpectedly led me to qualifying for my first CrossFit® regionals (the stage before the CrossFit® games) in 2014. Since then, I have trained competitively, and competed at the CrossFit® Games three times (2016, 2017, and 2019).
Let me back up a few years and give you the whole story. As a kid, I did gymnastics. I wasn’t extremely competitive, but I still spent 4 hours per day, 5 days a week, in the gym. I wouldn’t have it any other way – I loved working toward new skills that, at first, felt unattainable. But after my senior year of high school, I wanted a “normal life,” or so I thought.
Created by Karlyn Grimes, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD+
(biography click here)
Now that we know what and when to eat prior to exercise, it’s time to keep the fuel tanks stocked and the bodily engines primed to go the distance. Recommendations for fueling during exercise will vary based on pre-exercise feedings, glycogen status, and planned exercise intensity and duration. Additionally, it should go without saying that all guidelines are subject to trial and error. It is crucial that athletes experiment during training so they can adjust their food and fluid intake based on gut tolerance, and find their perfect intra-exercise nutrient timing routine.
