Tag: athlete

Top 5 Supplements for Runners

Published on by Wholistic Running

Most runners want to run at their optimal performance and do everything they can to run faster, recover quicker and prevent injuries. What you eat is an important part of this equation and specific supplements may help you perform at your best. Here are a few supplements science shows that may actually help athletes increase their performance. Click on any of the included links to get 15% off your order.

1. B-12

B-12 is an underrated supplement for athletes. Many runners are deficient in this supplement including those that eat meat. B-12 is vital for producing red blood cells and increasing blood volume. This helps enhance your muscles oxygen carrying capacity which enhances performance, optimizes recovery and increases energy levels. We recommend a sub-lingual B-12 such as Hammer’s Xobaline.

2. Omega-3’s

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for optimal health. They specifically help athletes reduce inflammation which can reduce pain and enhance recovery. We recommend getting your omega-3’s from plant-based sources such as flax, hemp or chia seeds.

3. Iron

According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the top nutrition disorder worldwide.  Iron is important for red blood cell production and increasing blood volume. Sufficient iron levels help you run more efficiently, breath easier and perform optimally. We recommend getting blood tests, specifically your ferritin levels, to see if you are deficient in iron.

4. Turmeric

Turmeric has been proven to reduce inflammation thus speeding up recovery. How quickly you recover between runs is an important part of your training program. You can put dried turmeric in your dishes or fresh turmeric in smoothies. Tissue Rejuvenator from Hammer is a effective supplement containing turmeric that helps speed up recovery.

5. Beets

Beets are scientifically proven to enhance athletic performance because of their high levels of nitrates. We suggest putting beets in a smoothie before your run or race but be sure to consume it 2-3 hours beforehand. Fully Charged is another product you can use that contains high levels of nitrates from beets.

***Consult your physician before taking new supplements

Happy Running,

Lindsey Hintz, M.S. Nutrition for Sports Performance

Are You Eating Enough Protein? Plus Plant-Based Diet Tips

Published on by Wholistic Running

Many people are switching to a vegan or whole foods plant-based diet for health, environmental, animal rights, performance enhancement or additional reasons. As long time plant-based elite athletes for over 14 years and certified in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell plus an M.S. in Plant-Based Nutrition for Athletes, we wanted to share our tips on how to successfully become and stay plant-based.

Torre Washington Fruit_mini
Long term vegan and pro bodybuilder Torre Washington

This series of blogs will focus on the common mistakes people make on a diets with real solutions on how to thrive on a whole foods, plant-based vegan diet.

Mistake #1: “But Where Do I Get My Protein From?”

Whether you eat a vegan diet or not, you may worry about if you eat enough protein. In reality, most Americans consume too much protein. What’s the medical definition of protein deficiency? It’s called kwashiorkor and you probably never heard of it because it doesn’t happen very often. People do not fail on a vegan diet from a lack of protein. Instead, people sometimes fail on a vegan diet because they do not eat enough calories especially if they are very active.

From the Physican’s Committee for Responsible Medicine: “An average women needs about 46 grams of protein per day; the average man about 56. If a person were to eat nothing but broccoli for a day, a 2,000-calorie diet would provide a whopping 146 grams of protein. Yes, green vegetables are loaded with protein. A person eating only lentils would get even more—2,000 calories’ worth of lentils pack 157 grams. Of course, no one would eat only broccoli or only lentils, and it is much better to combine foods—beans, grains, vegetables, and fruits—to get complete nutrition. The point is that plant-based foods clearly provide abundant protein. The average American actually consumes too much protein, according to the CDC, with most people getting nearly double the amount they actually need.”

So, instead of focusing on eating enough protein on a plant-based diet, focus on eating lots of whole plant foods. Yes, you get to (and HAVE to) eat lots of food! What other ‘diet’ tells you to eat LOTS of food? Plants are nutrient dense and mostly low in calories which is super helpful for most Americans since they eat too many calories and then gain weight. If you are not consuming enough food and therefore calories on a plant-based diet, you will feel tired and weak in the long run. Instead, focus on eating LOTS of whole plant foods and you will get plenty of protein, macro & micro nutrients and feel amazing.

Concerned about going plant-based and not being strong enough as an athlete? Don’t worry. There are many professional bodybuilders, weightlifters and endurance athletes that are long time vegans.

Also, when you go plant-based, you do not need to worry about ‘complete proteins’ or ‘protein combining’ which are scientifically proven myths. There are many sources out there for plant-based recipes that are abundant in protein. A good place to start is Forks Over Knives which offer lots of 100% plant-based recipes.

If you are still concerned about getting enough protein, it’s easy to get additional plant-based protein from supplements such as Hammer Nutrition’s Vegan Protein which has 20 grams of protein per serving. Get Hammer Protein for 15% off HERE.

Finally, if you are interested in a plant-based nutrition coach, Lindsey Hintz , M.S. in Plant-Based Nutrition, is the best out there. If you are interested in a plant-based coach for sport, I’ve had tremendous success as a coach for over 7 years and love helping athletes of all levels succeed.

Look out for more blogs from us soon with more tips on how to lose weight, gain energy and thrive on a plant-based diet. Sign up for our newsletter HERE

Plants for the win,

Damian Stoy & Lindsey Hintz

Easy, Quick Ways to Improve Your Running

Published on by Wholistic Running

All runners want to get better and for some that means running faster and others it means running farther, injury-free or with more joy. Whatever your goals are, we at Wholistic Running are here to help. Here are two suggestions you can do today that are easy and can have tremendous benefits to your running and health. Continue reading “Easy, Quick Ways to Improve Your Running” →

Want to be a Plant-Based Athlete?

Published on by Wholistic Running

As a plant-based athlete on the prestigious list of ‘Greatest Vegan Athletes‘, I can attest to the power of a plant-based diet. It has allowed me to run 40 ultra marathons (mostly 50 and 100 mile races) without a significant injury for over 12 years. Eating plant-based has helped my performance, reduced injuries and gives me tremendous energy. A plant-based diet has not only helped me but countless other athletes as and this is why Wholistic Running offers Nutritional Consulting and Online Coaching to help you perform and feel your best. –Damian Stoy, founder of Wholistic Running

Damian & Lindsey are both certified in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell. Lindsey has an M.S. in Holistic Nutrition for Athletes and is a top-level runner. If you want to learn from the best, find out more about Lindsey and Damian and how they can help you today!

 

 

 

From chronically injured runner to 100 miler ultra runner

Published on by Wholistic Running

I use to suffer from many chronic running injuries and had several doctors and physical therapists tell me:

“Give up running.”       “Running is bad for you.”      “You aren’t designed to run.”

I sure am glad I didn’t listen to them. Since then, I have run over 40 ultra marathons (mostly 50 or 100 mile races) winning 8 of them.

A greater accomplishment is the fact that I ran injury-free for over 11 years after suffering from those chronic injuries. I do specific things that prevent serious injury because I do not want to go back to the days when I was injured and couldn’t run. My passion is sharing how I overcame those injuries and how to stay injury-free with as many people as possible.10500512_10154308742355584_8044031842047266675_n

Shin splints, runner’s knee, IT band pain, muscle strains and foot pain were just some of the injuries I use to suffer from. Worst of all, I had tendonitis in both knees for two years when I was in college. I was in pain all the time and some days I could barely walk. I went to some of the best doctors and physical therapists and nothing seemed to help. So I gave up running completely.

Two years of not running led to depression and a decline in health. I decided there had to be a solution, a better way. I started researching, read lots of books and found out that if I modified and practiced my running technique, I could maybe run again. It sounded unbelievable and I was very skeptical. But I went out and modified my running technique, running for the first time in over 2 years. To my surprise I was able to run with minimal pain. As the days went past, I was able to run more and more with less and less pain. I was hooked.

Since then I have learned extensively about how to run injury-free as well as increase performance. I have experimented with many concepts and lots of trial and error. Now being a competitive ultra runner and injury-free for over 11 years, I have found what works really well for me and my passion is sharing it with others.

Here are my top tips for injury-free running and greater performance:

1. Listen to your body

Yes, I sometimes have minor tweaks and pains when I train and after 50 or 100 mile races. The important thing is to not let these become injuries that stop you from running. The key is listening to your body. Do NOT ignore these pains. They are a signal from your body that you need to back off, rest AND correct whatever is wrong such as your running technique.

2. Improve your running technique

The major factor that allowed me to overcome chronic injuries was modifying my running technique. In the past I was inefficient and ran with a high impact technique that beat up my body, though I had no idea at the time. For you to correctly modify your technique, do lots of your own research and try different concepts. I highly recommend seeking out a technique specialist to help you with your technique. At a minimum, video yourself running so you can see exactly how you run. Too many runners tell me they don’t heel strike, don’t have imbalances or misalignment issues but most often they do.DSC_0630

3. Improve your nutrition

What I eat greatly enhances my overall health, keeps my energy levels very high and helps me to recover incredibly fast. Again, the key is listening to your body and finding out what works best for you. I have tried just about everything out there and the ‘diet’ that works best for ME for performance, recovery and increased energy is a whole foods, plant-based diet (WFPB).

4. Train smarter, not harder

I am a firm believer in quality over quantity. Training with this philosophy can prevent burn out, decrease injuries and running will be more enjoyable. You will also be more likely to reach your long term goals. Every run you do should have a purpose. Get rid of the junk miles that do not serve a purpose. Cyclic and periodization training are very valuable for reaching long term goals.

There are many good training programs out there. However, most do not focus on injury prevention. I highly recommend looking for a running coach like myself that specifically focuses on injury prevention as well as performance.

5. Other important factors

Cross training and runner specific strength training are beneficial but in my opinion NOT as important as the factors I discuss above. Your foundation should be overall health, an efficient technique and proper training. Strength and cross training will build upon your foundation but too many runners rely on them exclusively for injury prevention.

Damian Stoy is a professional runner, coach, nutritional consultant and founder of Wholistic Running. He offers online coaching and nutritional consultations for runners all around the world.

Important news for you!

Published on by Wholistic Running

We at Wholistic Running hope you had a great summer with lots of happy running. Many of the athletes we coach had very successful races this year. Some had other goals including weight loss and overcoming injuries. Those athletes met their goals and often exceeded them which we couldn’t be more happy about.14358883_1021595644606309_755421722838087340_n-1

Lindsey and I only coach a handful of athletes at any given time in order to offer the most comprehensive and individualized attention that runners require no matter what level they are at. We love helping beginning to competitive runners reach their goals! Our athletes often exceed their goals with not only our knowledge and attention but by inspiring them to go beyond what they believe is possible.

Next week we will be increasing the prices of our 1, 3, and 6-month coaching packages. Right now we have a couple of coaching spots available where you can lock in our current price. Athletes that we currently coach will pay the same price they have paid in the past.

You may use your coaching package now OR in 2017. You may also purchase packages as gifts for friends and family. Don’t miss out! To view our current packages, click HERE.

Happy Running,

Lindsey & Damian

Performance smoothie recipe and discount

Published on by Wholistic Running

Lindsey and Damian’s Performance Smoothie

16 oz water
1 scoop Hammer Fully Charged
1 T chia seeds
1 scoop Hammer Vegan Protein
1 banana
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries

fc (1).jpgFully Charged is brand new and will help you train and race harder no matter what activity you do. Plant-based REAL ingredients will keep you going faster and stronger.

Get 15% OFF your entire order of Hammer products including Fully Charged by clicking…

HERE

 

How to Run Your Best

Published on by Wholistic Running

We at Wholistic Running take a comprehensive approach to helping runners perform their best. This includes biomechanics improvement, detailed training plans and nutritional coaching. Too many runners are not reaching even close to their potential because of the way they eat.

Lindsey and I are passionate about nutrition and helping others lose weight, increase energy and improve their health. I wrote an article in the June edition of Trail Runner magazine featuring 3 of the world’s best ultra marathoners and what they eat. You can check it out HERE. Just like these world class athletes, Lindsey and I are advocates of whole foods, plant-based diets for health and performance. We are both certified in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell and Lindsey has her Master’s in Holistic Nutrition as well.

So what do we recommend? We encourage and teach others that eating healthy is a lifestyle and not a diet. We share recipes that include lots of fresh fruits, veggies and other whole foods including nuts, seeds, quinoa, rice, beans and grains.

How about you? Do you eat as healthy as you would like? If not, make a commitment to a whole foods, plant-based lifestyle and you will be amazed at the benefits. If you would like help doing this, check out our Nutritional Coaching page for more info.

Happy Running,

Damian & Lindsey