Stacy Sims - Fuel For What You’re Doing: Rethinking Fueling and Hydration
There are a lot of options for fueling and hydration products on the market. But beyond taste and marketing lies efficacy: is the product doing the job you need it to do when you need it to do it? There are also some misconceptions and myths that, while generally accepted, are not actually based in physiological fact. And muddying the waters further are the inherent physiological differences between men and women. If you’ve ever been confused standing in front of a sports drink display, you’re not alone.
Enter Stacy Sims, an Environmental Exercise Physiologist and Nutrition Scientist specializing in sex differences of heat and/or altitude stress, recovery, genetics, and nutrition to moderate adaptive responses for performance. Stacy is a Senior Research Fellow at The University Of Waikato and author of ROAR, which helps women understand and work with their physiology for better performance.
That’s not to say that there’s no information in here for men. Stacy passionately explains the why’s and when’s of fueling, hydration and more for both men and women. This episode will help you re-evaluate your fueling and hydration strategy to provide more optimal results.
3:37 What is your background in endurance sports?
4:35 What prompted your interest in Nutrition Science and Environmental Exercise Physiology?
5:25 What was your mission with Osmo, what is your mission now with Nuun and what is the history of the sports drink industry?
6:59 Has the sports drink industry been geared more towards palatability than osmolality?
8:55 Have you discovered that it’s better to separate fueling and hydrating altogether?
10:55 How does this play into recovery & post-workout drinks?
12:45 What would be a good fuel strategy during a marathon or long run?
14:36 How do you feel about all natural gels?
16:01 Why are you not a fan of electrolyte pills or salt tabs?
18:34 Does cramping have anything to do with dehydration or potassium deficiency?
19:43 How should a runner determine how and when to hydrate as well as to take electrolytes?
21:57 How do women’s hydration needs vary throughout the stages of their menstrual cycle?
23:49 How should a woman who is having her period leading into a race alter her hydration strategy?
24:40 What do you mean by “Women are not small men” and how do men’s and women’s protein and carb requirements differ?
27:30 Are you not a proponent of oral contraception for high performance female athletes?
29:04 What would you suggest to female athletes as a safe alternative to the pill?
30:07 What is your take on the popular high fat / low carb diet in general and for men vs. women specifically?
33:01 Do women need carbs as endurance athletes?
33:36 Does sugar actually inhibit one’s ability to use fat as fuel?
35:01 Out of all the different types, which sugars are best?
36:39 What about honey?
37:06 What are the best solid foods to use to fuel for training and competition?
38:28 How does ambient temperature affect how people process different foods?
38:41 What should people consume post-run, especially post-workout or post-long run to facilitate glycogen repletion, fluid balance and overall recovery?
40:16 How has your partnership with Nuun been so far and what’s in the works with them?
43:08 What is the new product Nuun just released?
47:50 The Final Kick Round
Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel
Dr. Stacy Sims - The University of Waikato profile
"No Sweat": Nina Stachenfeld OCP research article
Book: Becoming a Supple Leopard - Kelly Starrett
We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top.
The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use.
If more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, it means I can reach out to and get through to the top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!
--
Thank you to our sponsors for supporting Run to the Top