Nutrition and endurance

Zurah · 05-20-2008, 01:38 PM

Hi all,

I need some advice on nutrition. Recently I took up judo for a number of reasons, among which was the desire to develop more strength and coordination for dancing. I was wrong, it seems, because I’m now a lot more tired at the end of the day, and I can’t face the thought of drilling, or even just freestyle dancing. Admittedly, it’s only been a couple of weeks, and I guess it will take a while before my body adjusts to new demands, but still, I’d like to hear recommendations on nutrition and/or supplements I could take to improve energy and endurance levels. Incidentally, I don’t eat red meat, and I’ve had minor problems before with haemoglobin levels going a bit down, so I worry about that.

Jane · 05-20-2008, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zurah

Hi all,

I need some advice on nutrition. Recently I took up judo for a number of reasons, among which was the desire to develop more strength and coordination for dancing. I was wrong, it seems, because I’m now a lot more tired at the end of the day, and I can’t face the thought of drilling, or even just freestyle dancing. Admittedly, it’s only been a couple of weeks, and I guess it will take a while before my body adjusts to new demands, but still, I’d like to hear recommendations on nutrition and/or supplements I could take to improve energy and endurance levels. Incidentally, I don’t eat red meat, and I’ve had minor problems before with haemoglobin levels going a bit down, so I worry about that.

Congrats on starting Judo!

Are you eating enough? Staying hydrated? On your cycle? Getting the right amount of sleep? Eating a wide variety of foods? It could be a lot of things.

Hopefully it's only using different muscles in a new way and it's taking time for your body to adjust. Always ask your doctor if you think something is wrong, like your haemoglobin levels. You and your doctor know your body and situation best. I'd stay away from supplements though unless they are perscribed by your doctor, most are just a waste of money IMO and some even can interfere with other things you might be taking.

Best of luck!

belly_dancer · 05-20-2008, 08:01 PM

yeah.. is there an easy way to do whatever that bloodtest is that checks if you are anemic???? like an over the counter type test??
or wait... I heard healthcare is great in Spain... so definitely get your iron level tested...
how many hours a week have you committed to this new judo thing???
if it is only one or 2 & you are already in decent shape, I would be worried...
but if it is one or two hours PER DAY.... then your body is probably just adjusting.....
keep us posted & good luck!

Farasha Hanem · 05-21-2008, 04:34 AM

These ladies have some very good advice, although I am of a different opinion than Jane when it comes to vitamin supplements. However, don't take anything over-the-counter without consulting your doctor.

You say you don't eat red meat? That's good; I do eat some red meat, but not very often (but that's just me). Do you eat fish or chicken, or are you completely a vegetarian? Chicken and fish are excellent sources of protein; I also eat beans and rice together. Combined, these dishes make a complete protein (however, use brown or whole grain rice, because white rice is stripped of important fiber and nutrients). Peanut butter is also a good protein, although nuts, and the right vegetable and grain combinations, are also good sources of protein. I eat chicken and a wide variety of seafood; so is peanut butter, but since it's a bit high in calories, don't overdo. PB is good on celery, and on plain, unsalted rice cakes.

Good luck to you in your judo, dancing, and personal sustainability; hope some of this advice helps.

Ladies, if my post seems a little off grammatically, I apologize. I had an accident at work and am on prescription pain killers and a muscle relaxant that is making me absolutely loopy. I'm sorry if I'm being incoherant tonigt.

adiemus · 05-21-2008, 05:28 AM

I'm not keen on supplements either, but my GP has prescribed me iron pills because I do have low iron levels even though I eat red meat and don't have tea!
Do you have enough complex carbohydrates? These are things with low glycaemic index like bran muffins, wholewheat bread, potatoes etc - they provide longer term and slower release of glucose which is then converted by isulin to what your body can actually use. Sometimes we eat fructose or sucrose in the form of fruit and sweets that only provide short and quite rapid release of glucose into the bloodstream, which gives an initial boost of energy but not the longer slower release that we need.
Also think about your protein levels - you may need to up this for a while and have yoghurt or cheese to ensure you have enough to repair the muscles that you'll be developing through your exercise.
Most over the counter vitamin and mineral supplements do actually end up going down the toilet because the body can't store them and we should get the majority of the requirements from the food we eat - some, such as vit A and so on are dangerous to have too much of, and have adverse health consequences.

Zurah · 05-26-2008, 01:21 PM

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Belly_dancer, the Spanish health care system is indeed excellent in many respects, however, I can't say the same for the doctors' bedside manner, at least from my experience, which is why I decided to wait until June if the problem persisted, which I'm glad to say it hasn't... I'm feeling a lot better and stronger now, and I'm keeping all the food tips in mind (I have generally good eating habits, eat plenty of fiber, white meat, and a decent amount of veggies, but there's definitely room for improvement). Wishing you a quick recovery from your accident, Farasha.

05-20-2008, 01:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Zurah Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Spain Posts: 648	Nutrition and endurance Hi all, I need some advice on nutrition. Recently I took up judo for a number of reasons, among which was the desire to develop more strength and coordination for dancing. I was wrong, it seems, because I’m now a lot more tired at the end of the day, and I can’t face the thought of drilling, or even just freestyle dancing. Admittedly, it’s only been a couple of weeks, and I guess it will take a while before my body adjusts to new demands, but still, I’d like to hear recommendations on nutrition and/or supplements I could take to improve energy and endurance levels. Incidentally, I don’t eat red meat, and I’ve had minor problems before with haemoglobin levels going a bit down, so I worry about that.

05-21-2008, 04:34 AM	#4 (permalink)
Farasha Hanem Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: In the heartland of the USA Posts: 615	These ladies have some very good advice, although I am of a different opinion than Jane when it comes to vitamin supplements. However, don't take anything over-the-counter without consulting your doctor. You say you don't eat red meat? That's good; I do eat some red meat, but not very often (but that's just me). Do you eat fish or chicken, or are you completely a vegetarian? Chicken and fish are excellent sources of protein; I also eat beans and rice together. Combined, these dishes make a complete protein (however, use brown or whole grain rice, because white rice is stripped of important fiber and nutrients). Peanut butter is also a good protein, although nuts, and the right vegetable and grain combinations, are also good sources of protein. I eat chicken and a wide variety of seafood; so is peanut butter, but since it's a bit high in calories, don't overdo. PB is good on celery, and on plain, unsalted rice cakes. Good luck to you in your judo, dancing, and personal sustainability; hope some of this advice helps. Ladies, if my post seems a little off grammatically, I apologize. I had an accident at work and am on prescription pain killers and a muscle relaxant that is making me absolutely loopy. I'm sorry if I'm being incoherant tonigt. Last edited by Farasha Hanem; 05-21-2008 at 04:40 AM.

05-21-2008, 05:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
adiemus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 977	I'm not keen on supplements either, but my GP has prescribed me iron pills because I do have low iron levels even though I eat red meat and don't have tea! Do you have enough complex carbohydrates? These are things with low glycaemic index like bran muffins, wholewheat bread, potatoes etc - they provide longer term and slower release of glucose which is then converted by isulin to what your body can actually use. Sometimes we eat fructose or sucrose in the form of fruit and sweets that only provide short and quite rapid release of glucose into the bloodstream, which gives an initial boost of energy but not the longer slower release that we need. Also think about your protein levels - you may need to up this for a while and have yoghurt or cheese to ensure you have enough to repair the muscles that you'll be developing through your exercise. Most over the counter vitamin and mineral supplements do actually end up going down the toilet because the body can't store them and we should get the majority of the requirements from the food we eat - some, such as vit A and so on are dangerous to have too much of, and have adverse health consequences. __________________ He wahine, he taonga- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

05-20-2008, 08:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
belly_dancer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: central coast, California Posts: 569	yeah.. is there an easy way to do whatever that bloodtest is that checks if you are anemic???? like an over the counter type test?? or wait... I heard healthcare is great in Spain... so definitely get your iron level tested... how many hours a week have you committed to this new judo thing??? if it is only one or 2 & you are already in decent shape, I would be worried... but if it is one or two hours PER DAY.... then your body is probably just adjusting..... keep us posted & good luck!

05-26-2008, 01:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
Zurah Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Spain Posts: 648	Thanks for the advice, everyone! Belly_dancer, the Spanish health care system is indeed excellent in many respects, however, I can't say the same for the doctors' bedside manner, at least from my experience, which is why I decided to wait until June if the problem persisted, which I'm glad to say it hasn't... I'm feeling a lot better and stronger now, and I'm keeping all the food tips in mind (I have generally good eating habits, eat plenty of fiber, white meat, and a decent amount of veggies, but there's definitely room for improvement). Wishing you a quick recovery from your accident, Farasha.