Day hiking in the summer often requires little more than water and a good pair of shoes.听Traversing the same trails in the winter is different. It calls for a whole separate set of skills鈥攁nd gear鈥攖o avoid slipping and post-holing. From footwear to yummy snacks, here are听some听recommendations from professional and experienced athletes that will help you brave the elements.

Appalachian Gear Company All-Paca Technical Tee ($80), Patagonia Nano Puff Insulated Hoodie ($249), and Marmot Windstopper Convertible Glove ($60)

Jennifer Pharr Davis, Professional Hiker

The key to staying warm on a winter hike is loading up on lightweight layers, says Davis, who holds the record for the fastest thru-hike听of the Appalachian Trail. 鈥淚 just began wearing an 听from Appalachian Gear Company, and it has kept me warmer than traditional merino,鈥� she says. Alpaca fiber is odor resistant, lightweight, and naturally helps wick moisture from the body.

Davis usually carries a in her pack. 鈥淚ts weight-versus-warmth ratio is really awesome, and it makes a great pillow when I鈥檓 tucked into my sleeping bag at night,鈥� she says. The jacket is water-repellent and made from 55 percent post-consumer recycled content.

The final, crucial layer: a听good pair of gloves. 鈥淔or me, the hardest part about winter hiking and camping is keeping function and dexterity in my fingers. I have 听so the circulation to and feeling in my extremities goes pretty quickly in cold weather,鈥� Davis explains. Marmot鈥檚 听keeps her fingers functional鈥攁nd easily accessible when it comes time to pitch a tent or open an energy bar.

听听

Nalgene鈥檚 Wide Mouth HDPE听Bottle ($7)

Andrew Skurka, Professional Backpacker

When winter comes around,听Skurka, author of , swears by bottles that can hold hot liquids for tea and act as a hot water bottle at night. Nalgene鈥檚 one-liter fits the bill. Its large opening also makes it easy to pour in melted snow or fish out used tea bags.

La Sportiva Crossover 2.0 GTX Running Shoe ($190) and Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters ($85)

Gavin Woody, Ultrarunner and Triathlete

When Woody tackled the first recorded attempt of the 132.4-mile Mount听Rainier Infinity Loop in 2016, he needed a comfortable shoe that could听be fitted with听a crampon and would be warm enough to handle freezing summit temps. The 听was perfect, and he continues to wear the shoe when he wants to move fast on winter trails, especially when paired with snowshoes or some toe warmers tucked in for high ascents.

While the shoe鈥檚 integrated gaiter sheds a decent amount of snow, it鈥檚 not waterproof. So听when Woody is in deep powder, he throws on Outdoor Research鈥檚 . Made with waterproof nylon and Gore-Tex, the gaiters feature a fitted design and a front tab to keep them secure.

听

Kahtoola Microspikes ($70)

Donna Kreuger, Hike Leader with Olympia Mountaineers in Washington

Kreuger knows you can鈥檛 trust trailhead conditions in the Pacific Northwest. 鈥淚n our area, it may be bare and wet at the parking lot, but 3,000 feet up, there may be snow or ice that make a benign trail treacherous,鈥� she says. That鈥檚 why Kreuger carries in her pack from October through May. 鈥淚 have good boots, but if I start slipping, it is quick and easy to put on the microspikes and descend safely,鈥� she says, adding that she鈥檒l also carry snowshoes for deeper snow. According to Kreuger, other brands and crampons don鈥檛 fit as well or feel as solid. But after four seasons with Kahtoola鈥檚, she confirms: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very durable, easy to get on and off, and stay in place well.鈥�

Huma Gels ($2.25 each)

Kel Rossiter, Mountaineer

According to Rossiter, owner and lead guide for the Vermont-based听company 国产吃瓜黑料 Spirit, is a refreshing change in the tired category of energy gels. 鈥淏y this point in life, I鈥檝e eaten enough of the standard, slightly gummy, and rather synthetic-tasting Gu and PowerGel brands that I can鈥檛 even open one without dry heaving. Humas are much tastier, with real fruit puree and chia seeds,鈥� says Rossiter. Another bonus: they don鈥檛 freeze in cold weather, so you won鈥檛 break a tooth听on your first bite.

REI Co-op Rainier Full-Zip Rain Pants ($90) and Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles听($170)

Wesley Trimble, Program Outreach Manager for the American Hiking Society

Trimble, who has hiked all 54 of Colorado鈥檚 fourteeners听and the Pacific Crest Trail,听dons over a midlayer for an ensemble that keeps him toasty but is less cumbersome than ski pants. Since rainpants don鈥檛 have the built-in snow protection of听ski pants, Trimble suggests adding gaiters听to keep the inside of your boots dry.

His other must-have item: trekking poles, to help with balance and safety. 鈥淭he biggest factor for winter hiking is having a larger snow basket for the pole,鈥� he says. Trimble recommends the Black Diamond , which feature a cork grip and interchangeable tips.

听

Carhartt Fleece Neck Gaiter ($15)

Jessie Krebs, Wilderness Guide

As head instructor of听the outdoor-survivalist , Krebs has been through her fair share of gear. One of the most versatile things in her pack is a fleece neck gaiter (or two听or three). 鈥淚 can use it as padding to keep a water bottle or other items warm, to kneel or sit on and protect body parts from the snow, or to prevent a cold winter wind from sneaking down the collar of my jacket,鈥� she says. Sleeping with two on鈥攐ne over the eyes, nose, and ears, and the other around the neck and mouth鈥攎inimizes the amount of exposed skin without feeling claustrophobic, she says. Most fleece gaiters will do, but she likes 听for their听durability and low price point.

Petzl Reactik听Headlamp ($85)

Dylan Bowman, Ultrarunner

When the days get shorter, Bowman heads out with the , which features reactive lighting听that听automatically adjusts听brightness based on how far out you鈥檙e looking. 鈥淭he headlamp is great for early-morning training during the short days of winter, and it鈥檚 small enough to throw in my pocket after sunrise,鈥� Bowman says. Another bonus: the lock function prevents it from turning on and draining听in your pack.

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Learning to push through discomfort, and maybe even a little pain, is practically nonnegotiable for anyone who signs up for a race or commits to a tough training plan. Most athletes pop over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers before or during a race or game to help blunt tenderness, stiffness, and fatigue. 鈥淚鈥檇 say about 75 percent of endurance athletes across all sports take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before and during competition,鈥� says Jason Barker, founder and clinical consultant of the online .

But rather than turn to things like aspirin and ibuprofen鈥攚hich up your risk of , , or while competing鈥攖ry one of these all-natural ways to soothe soreness in the days leading up to your goal race or when that pain starts to creep in halfway through.

All-Natural Supplements

Curcumin

Derived from turmeric root, this powder targets a number of inflammatory molecules and enzymes, all of which can contribute to pain, Barker says. The powder鈥檚 ability to hit all these pathways at once is what makes it so effective. Studies have found that the herb helps , reduces stress and soreness in , and and inflammation in those who suffer from arthritis.

Adding the spice to your meals won鈥檛 be strong enough, and curcumin alone is poorly absorbed, so look for a supplement with black pepper in the formula. Take 500 milligrams before and after exercise, kicking that up to 1,000 milligrams around race day or long training days.

Omega-3 Oils

Omega-3 fatty acids slow down the army of inflammation-causing chemicals in your body, which reduces discomfort and lessens swelling. Many studies report that omega-3s have comparable effects to NSAIDs, Barker says.

Skip the fish oil supplements. They typically contain omega-6 and omega-9 acids, which in surplus can create inflammation. Look for a pure omega-3 supplement in your pharmacy or natural foods store. Barker recommends 2,000 to 3,000 milligrams daily to limit pain and inflammation.

Marijuana

The science on how marijuana affects healthy, active adults is still in its infancy. But Jordan Tishler, a Harvard-trained holistic care doc and expert in medical applications of cannabis, says that 鈥渃ertainly it could be used to reduce, if not totally eliminate, the implementation of NSAIDs in training.鈥� Legal cannabis may be useful after competition for the treatment of pain, because of its powerful anti-inflammatory effect, or during training (like ultramarathoner Jenn Shelton and triathlete Clifford Drusinsky do) to help you push a little further without focusing on the discomfort brought on by your workout, Tishler says.

Possible benefits aside, limit its use to the days around race day rather than during the race itself. While cannabis has been shown to let people train longer and harder, found that, for some athletes, THC could diminish strength and speed immediately after consumption.

Mental Tools

How well do mental strategies work on pain? Research is unclear鈥攕ome experts believe you may be able to marginally influence pain tolerance, while others have seen these strategies positively affect athletes in competitive races. What鈥檚 clear is that there鈥檚 certainly no harm in trying these techniques. 鈥淚 believe that mental tools are powerful enough to help athletes deal with pain,鈥� says Brooke Thompson, a sports psychologist at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina.

The experience of pain is largely a psychological one, she says. While there鈥檚 a level of inherent physiological discomfort that comes with any type of hard effort, every person鈥檚 mind deals with that pain uniquely. You can theoretically train your brain to relate to pain differently so that it weakens the physical sensation.

Suffer More So You Can Build Tolerance

Being caught off-guard by discomfort is public enemy number one. Not only does it cause alarm, but it may also elevate your pain experience by throwing your nervous system into overdrive and triggering rapid breathing and increased heart rate, Thompson says. To avoid that, prepare your body for what to expect. 鈥淎thletes can expose themselves to increasingly stronger pain stimuli to build up a tolerance,鈥� she says. Train on terrain, at elevation, and in conditions that match or even exceed race day as much as possible to acclimate your brain to suffering. As you do that, your body will begin to build a greater pain threshold and anticipate when standard discomfort might roll around鈥攍ike in your quads at mile 12 or in your bad knee after a few hills.

Stay Mindful, Then Positive

Don鈥檛 ignore what your body tells you in the middle of a tough effort. Acknowledge the feelings鈥攇ood or bad鈥攂ut stay objective about what they really mean. There鈥檚 pain鈥攁 warning sign that injury is on the horizon鈥攁nd there鈥檚 discomfort鈥攏ormal, expected, and controllable whenever you ask your body to push its own limits. 鈥淢ost successful athletes don鈥檛 hold on to their thoughts; they realize the mind is irrational, and they know they鈥檒l feel better soon and that they鈥檝e pushed through this before in their training,鈥� Thompson says.

Once we do acknowledge the pain, how we describe it can have tremendous consequence on our performance. 鈥淥ur thoughts directly influence our bodily functions,鈥� Thompson says. 鈥淩esearch shows positive thoughts help reduce pain and increase pain tolerance, while negative thoughts can lead to pain catastrophizing鈥攖hat鈥檚 thinking the pain will never go away鈥攚hich is related to increased pain experiences.鈥�

Breathe

鈥淒eep breathing can help alleviate pain sensations, because it helps relax the body and increases blood flow and oxygen to your muscles,鈥� Thompson says. Try an equal ratio of inhalation and exhalation of slow, diaphragmatic breaths.

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Similar to how you meticulously plan your increase in miles or speed, it鈥檚 critical that you develop a routine to help your mind productively transition into race mode. Doing so gradually lets your mind adjust to the fact that a competition is on the horizon and fight off the inevitable anxiety that鈥檚 headed your way. 鈥淲hen it comes to the mental component of a competition, it鈥檚 very rare for an athlete to be able to switch it on like a light switch,鈥� says Joel Fish, director of the in Philadelphia. 鈥淢ost athletes need a pattern of routine that helps the body and the mind signal that it鈥檚 getting time to compete, habits that note the countdown is getting closer to actual race day.鈥�

Here鈥檚 what that pattern should look like.

Six Months Out

Sit down and write two training plans: physical and mental. Having a map of how your mileage will ramp up from now to race day helps you feel more in control over this behemoth undertaking, and the same goes for a mental game plan, says Chris Carr, sport and performance psychologist at in Indianapolis. Plus, people who write down their goals are more successful at achieving them than those who let the plan swirl around their mind, . Plan to work your way up to practicing visualization, mindfulness, and diaphragmatic breathing four times a week each by the one-month-out mark.

Part of creating that plan is also penciling it into your calendar, the same way you would with weekend long runs or rides. 鈥淥ne of the key components of mental toughness is the ability to maintain balance in your life,鈥� says Carr.

Why is it so important to launch into this now? Visualization and breathing techniques help keep motivation high and pain low on race day, but your brain can鈥檛 tap into these strategies for the first time under the duress of a marathon. You have to start training your mind early on, just like your body.

Two Months Out

The next step: attach a psychological tool to each trigger, whether that鈥檚 something like a cue word, breathing rhythm, or even a certain song on your playlist. Don鈥檛 lock yourself into a single solution quite yet. Use your training runs and rides to play with the pairings. 鈥淲hen it comes to the mental game, you don鈥檛 need to go hard鈥攖hat will just increase anxiety and frustration. You need to reflect and slow down, to be mindful of and play with obstacles that arise,鈥� Fish says.

One Month Out

This is where most people start to freak out. The race is close enough that you can smell the masochism you鈥檙e about to endure, and you will inevitably feel underprepared. You鈥檙e definitely not鈥攖rust the training and know that 鈥渢he last month to the last week before competition is where anxiety naturally peaks,鈥� Fish says.

Since you鈥檙e at your psychological worst, put it to use: go for a dress rehearsal and try leveraging all your mental tools with your biggest roadblocks, he suggests.

Once you鈥檝e nailed your dress rehearsal (which you will), get back to basics: ditch your tracker, head out for a run or ride tech-free, and remind yourself why you chose to start this sport in the first place.

鈥淭his question brings us back to the most powerful motivator: the one that comes intrinsically, or from within,鈥� says Greg Chertok, sport psychologist at in New York. 鈥淲hen we participate in an activity for the inherent pleasure of doing so鈥攚hether to feel good, to be healthier, or for the enjoyment of the sport鈥攚e gain feelings of self-control and autonomy.鈥�

Once you get back to why you love to race, incorporate that inherent focus into your monitored runs, and challenge yourself to maintain concentration on the 鈥渞ight鈥� things as you get closer to race day, Fish adds.

One Week Out

With a week remaining, your goal is to normalize stress: 鈥淧hysiologically, excitement and anxiety are very similar activations of our sympathetic nervous system and have the same physical symptoms鈥攔apid heartbeat, muscle tension, racing thoughts,鈥� Chertok says. When you feel these and your mind shoots straight to the negative, . Trade 鈥渘ervous,鈥� 鈥渘auseous,鈥� and 鈥渟haky鈥� for 鈥渆xcited.鈥� Make a list of words associated with the potential positives of stress, like 鈥渞un faster鈥� or 鈥渄eeper focus,鈥� and read this list before you head out on a training ride. 鈥淥ur bodies really do respond differently to the content of our internal dialogue,鈥� Chertok says.

Don鈥檛 be afraid to get practical. Sit down and . Chertok suggests dividing it based on mileage, terrain, sport, history of energy levels鈥攚hatever makes sense to you. 鈥淚nstead of viewing the competition as one overwhelming event, you view it as block by block or mile by mile. It鈥檒l feel more manageable beforehand, and in the race, you can mentally check off each part to keep up momentum and motivation.鈥�

Chertok points out that the closer you get to race day, the level of the stress hormone cortisol elevates, both in pros and amateurs. The difference is that rookies tend to view the presence of stress as detrimental or problematic鈥攚hich can actually lead to greater levels of stress and poor decision-making鈥攚hile the elite view that same stress as energizing, helping them focus and perform optimally. 鈥淗aving a bad reaction to stress is what causes athletes to suffer,鈥� he says.

One Day Out

Some people like to be alone and get into the competition headspace, but don鈥檛 underestimate the power of friends and family. Socializing can act as a distraction, helping you relax and disengage from the pre-race nerves, says Fish.

Since this isn鈥檛 the ideal time to grab beers with your buddies, Chertok suggests inviting friends and family over for a big feast. It鈥檒l keep your mind off the impending race听while simultaneously checking off a huge .

And you need to do tonight as well as in the morning鈥攍aying out clothes, charging headphones, packing a post-race bag, setting multiple alarms, making a pre-race snack. 鈥淎thlete or not, checklists help us feel both competent and accomplished, and a checklist of even small things gives you the impression鈥攚hether false or authentic鈥攖hat you鈥檙e capable,鈥� Chertok says.

Five Minutes Out

Think of something funny. Laughing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which directly counterbalances your sympathetic nervous system, that fight-or-flight response currently on overdrive thanks to all your nervousness, Carr explains.

It鈥檚 simple, but take a breath. Anxiety can prompt a chaotic start, Chertok says. It tenses your muscles and shortens your breathing, limiting the amount of oxygen available for your brain to think clearly, which in turn could lead to dumb decisions that might waste precious energy early on. You know the plan to get you from start to finish. All you have to do is calm down enough to stick with it.

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Your fruit isn鈥檛 so fresh. Take the apple. That one on your desk has likely been sitting in storage for months (tasty). So, to keep it looking fresh, it鈥檚 been treated with diphenylamine (DPA), a pesticide that doesn鈥檛 kill insects or fungal growths, but is designed to prevent fruit from developing brown or black patches.

This past March, the European Union issued what seemed, to many unaware of its proactive stance, like a very surprising statement. It would ban the importation of all apples containing the chemical, costing U.S apple growers $20 million in annual export sales. If Europe鈥檚 so worried, why aren鈥檛 we?

Introduced in 1962, DPA has been evaluated for safety several times, and subsequently deemed . It does, however, have the potential to break down into carcinogenic nitrosamine after sitting on shelved apples for months post-harvest, according to by the Environmental Working Group. (Since the 1970s, the government has regulated products to prevent human exposure to nitrosamines.)

In a study by the pesticide鈥檚 manufacturers, researchers found three unknown chemicals on apples treated with DPA, but couldn鈥檛 determine whether any were nitrosamines. This unanswered question drove the European Commission to first ban DPA use on fruit grown within its own 28 member nations鈥攁nd now to outlaw the import of any apples and pears containing more than 0.1 parts per million of DPA.

鈥淣obody has been able to identify any real risk from DPA, but Europe is trying to be on the prudent side,鈥� says pesticide expert Carl Winter, a food toxicologist at the University of California鈥揇avis. The Environmental Protection Agency, on the other hand, green-lights DPA residue of up to ten parts per million鈥攁 hundred times the new European standard.

But while Europe changed its stance, the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues, and international regulatory group, hasn鈥檛 altered its regulations either, also setting them at ten parts per million.听

Both the EPA and Codex鈥攄epending on who you ask鈥攈ave consistently set careful standards for the safety of chemicals. And what we end up eating often contains much lower concentrations than the standards allow. A 2011 study by Winter鈥檚 team found that our typical exposure to DPA is 208 times lower than the established acceptable level.

Of course, there鈥檚 a catch: the EPA can license a chemical that hasn鈥檛 met all the requirements鈥攕uch as those for comprehensive disease-testing鈥攐n the condition that the manufacturer follows up on its data after approval. But two separate studies from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Government Accountability Office found that the EPA uses this conditional registration process more often than necessary, and doesn鈥檛 always review the follow-up data, which means pesticides have been approved without confirming that they pose no real risk.

And there are factors that the EPA overlooks. It doesn鈥檛 require testing against many of the more subtle and sensitive diseases, like hormone disruption and learning disabilities (many of which have been linked to pesticide exposure). It doesn鈥檛 account for exposure to multiple pesticides at once (such as in air and water). And it often doesn鈥檛 change regulations to reflect new studies鈥斺�攗ntil that ten-year review date comes up, says Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist at the NRDC.

To ever call pesticides safe is likely a misnomer. 鈥淧esticides are literally designed to kill organisms,鈥� Sass points out. 鈥淲hat the EPA regulates is safety when used according to the label, not safety against all human diseases and effects.鈥�

Unfortunately for consumers, while there鈥檚 a suggesting that pesticide exposure can increase the risk of birth defects, respiratory illnesses, and cancer, there are far fewer studies analyzing the effect of merely eating chemical-covered produce.

A 2011 British meta-analysis did find that organic produce has slightly more vitamins and antioxidants than chemical-covered versions (), and a 2013 study in . But, explains Sass, exposure levels are too low, and people too diverse, for us to really test the health effects of eating organic fruit and vegetables alone.

Back to the big question: should the U.S. follow in the EU鈥檚 footsteps? Possibly. Many Americans鈥攊ncluding 鈥攂elieve Europe鈥檚 decision should prompt the EPA to revisit the pesticide鈥檚 safety. But, as Winter explains, since all growers outside Europe follow the international standard of ten parts per million, doing so would have a huge impact on international trade.

Regardless of the U.S.鈥檚 actions, do keep eating those apples. 鈥淭he health benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables far outweigh any potential risks from these chemicals,鈥� says Ruth MacDonald, a registered dietitian who chairs the Food Science and Human Nutrition department at Iowa State University. If you have the financial means and the drive to buy organic, go for it鈥攂ut don鈥檛 stop eating apples just because they have pesticides on them.

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All athletes follow (or at least are aware of) the same nutritional guidelines: drink a protein shake within an hour鈥攁t most鈥攁fter working out. It鈥檚 the same token of advice we鈥檝e been hearing for years. But does it still hold true? It may be time for the rules of protein鈥攏amely, quality and timing鈥攖o be rewritten.

The workout window still stands, but not quite as rigidly as before.

The first two hours after a workout are still the most important, but not just because of protein. 鈥淲hen you exercise, your reserve of protein, carbohydrates, and amino acids are depleted while your hormones鈥攃ortisol, testosterone, and growth hormone鈥攕pike,鈥� says Richard Kreider, director of the . Low nutrient pools and high hormones put your body in the optimal position to synthesize protein and carbs, speeding recovery and encouraging muscle growth, he explains.

But a in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition revealed that the window is influenced more by your pre-workout meal than the workout itself. Researchers found that timing your pre- and post-exercise meals to be within three to four hours of one another was more important to muscle growth and recovery than any post-workout window alone.

鈥淣ot only does this support that the window is substantially wider than previously believed, but other research has shown that muscle is sensitized to protein intake for at least around 24 hours post-workout,鈥� says study author Brad Schoenfeld, a certified strength and conditioning specialist who directs the Human Performance Lab at CUNY鈥檚 in New York. 鈥淭his doesn't mean that there is no benefit to ingesting protein sooner, but you will continue to see benefits of consuming protein long after the workout is finished.鈥�

Whey has long been held as the gold standard. It releases a higher level of amino acids faster than all other proteins, triggering protein synthesis鈥攚hich turns on the muscle-building effect, explains Jacob Wilson, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and director of the at the University of Tampa.

But other sources are making strong cases for recognition. A from University of Texas Medical Branch found that a blend of soy, casein, and whey prolongs the delivery of nutrients after a workout, enhancing muscle recovery and growth better than whey alone can. And a 2013 study in Nutrition Journal found that rice protein was just as effective as whey in trimming fat and increasing lean body mass, muscle mass, strength, and power.

There may be merit to these results鈥攂ut the research is still in its infancy, whereas the benefits of whey are long-established, amplifies Wilson. As for protein powders themselves, their main advantage over whole food is unarguably one of convenience. Time constraints shouldn鈥檛 mean you鈥檙e not going to get proper protein and carbohydrates throughout the day, and shakes offer a solution, offers Kreider.

Except for their isolates, protein powders are, in essence, derived from whole foods, adds David Grotto, a registered dietitian and author of . That said, on a diet of shakes, you鈥檒l miss out on other nutrients鈥攍ike fiber and iron鈥攖hat are found only in whole foods and that might be critically important to the body and even to aiding recovery, he explains.听

The bottom line? The advice for optimal protein quality and timing is, in fact, a mix of old and new thinking. Post-workout protein and daily protein need to be working hand in hand, says Kreider. And, as far as what to eat, stick to a fast-digesting protein shake after a workout and high-quality whole-food proteins鈥攍ike lean chicken, eggs, Greek yogurt, soy milk鈥攚ith every meal and, in smaller amounts, with every snack, recommends Grotto.

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Can a green smoothie transform your life? After watching 56 minutes of Powered by Green Smoothies, I had to say yes. In the new documentary by Sergei Boutenko, ten ultrarunners and CrossFitters kept their typical training and racing regimen unchanged but added a quart of green smoothies鈥攑acked with leafy greens and fruit鈥攖o their diet every day for six weeks. The result: Those who could follow the program experienced quicker recovery and significantly less soreness.

And we鈥檙e not talking just one less day of feeling sore: One participant ran a 100-miler and was logging 15-20 miles after only ten days off, instead of his typical month of recovery. Another runner found that he could run farther than a marathon without ever hitting that wall most people have to grind past鈥攁nd he felt so good the next day that he went for a 10 mile run.

So how is this possible? 鈥淲hen you do any endurance activity, your body releases free radicals which damage your cells and cause oxidative stress,鈥� says Matt Ruscigno, MPH, RD, an endurance athlete and leading expert on vegetarian nutrition, co-author of . Phytochemicals鈥攚hich include all compounds abundant in plant-based foods, like antioxidants, beta-carotene, and vitamins鈥攈elp fight these free radicals, lowering inflammation, which reduces soreness and recovery time.

Lower inflammation may account for some of the smoothie鈥檚 benefits: Many of the CrossFitters in the documentary had existing injuries like sore shoulders and elbows, but after adding the green drink to their diet, their trouble spots started to fade and they were even able to do workouts their injuries normally prevented them from doing. And, when they stopped drinking smoothies after the six weeks, most of their aches started up again.

Depending on the athlete鈥檚 pre-documentary diet, the benefit could also simply come from the extra calories smoothies provide, says Lona Sandon, RD and certified fitness instructor, assistant professor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. 鈥淎 lot of CrossFitters tend to follow a high-protein, low-carb diet so they鈥檙e often shorting themselves on adequate carbohydrates鈥攗ndermining their energy stores鈥攁nd on fruit鈥攁nd all their beneficial nutrients,鈥� she says. And while runners know to carbo-load, many are still restrictive with their energy intake, and an extra 200-400 calories could give them a surprising boost, she adds.

The extra carbs probably account for one of the most interesting results of the documentary: The CrossFitters saw more improvement from their baseline endurance test than the runners did. Almost all the runners added an extra 200 meters to their original 12 minute lap test鈥攚hich could make or break first place in a race鈥攂ut the CrossFitters significantly improved the number of kettle bell swings, pull-ups, and sprints they could get through compared to six weeks before. Extra energy would allow the CrossFitter鈥檚 muscles to work longer before fatiguing, Sandon explains.

And while athletes may benefit from the vitamins and antioxidants of smoothies, keep it to whole food: High-dose supplements can actually hinder some benefits of high-intensity training, says Sandon. In fact, found that after a grueling 11-week training program, athletes who had taken a high dose of antioxidants鈥攕pecifically vitamin C and E鈥攅very day saw fewer biomarkers of beneficial fitness gains than athletes who trained sans supplements. This supports past research showing that high doses of inflammation-fighters actually lowers your body鈥檚 ability to produce beneficial compounds on its own and lower inflammation naturally, Sandon explains.

But are smoothies the best way to go? 鈥淪moothies are a great way to get a lot of nutrients at once, because you鈥檙e blending more whole foods than you could eat in one sitting,鈥� says Ruscigno. And you don鈥檛 need to drink a whole quart鈥攚hich is four cups鈥攖o gain the perks: 鈥淓veryone could benefit from more fruits and vegetables in their diet, so even a 10-ounce smoothie still provides more fruits and vegetables than most people eat in a day.鈥� If you already packing enough carbs and calories to support your training regimen, you might not see as big of a boost though, he warns.

And you don鈥檛 have to drink pure kale to see results: 鈥淢ost of my participants weren鈥檛 big smoothie drinkers, so I started with 60 percent fruit, 40 percent leafy greens,鈥� says Boutenko. 鈥淏ut within 6 weeks, their taste buds adjusted and by the end they were requesting more vegetables in the mix.鈥�

To see how else green smoothies affected the endurance athletes, check out the documentary at .

The post Can a Green Smoothie Change Your Life? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Improving your time means more than just training better鈥攊t also means eating smarter. Here’s the challenge, though: whittling your body to a lean fighting machine without shortchanging yourself of sufficient calories and proper nutrients.听

For this, we’ve been particularly impressed with the ($25). Written by two endurance athletes鈥�Matt Fitzgerald, who is also a running coach and 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor, and Georgie Fear, a registered dietician and personal trainer鈥攅ach recipe was specifically created to help endurance athletes become faster while also maintaining optimum health. 鈥淢ost people, especially athletes, need to not just eat healthy foods more often, but also a greater variety of good foods,鈥� Fitzgerald says.

The ideal pre-race meal is high in carbohydrate, relatively low in other nutrients, and easy on the stomach, he adds. Our top choices? Racing Weight鈥檚 Greena Colada Smoothie and Oat Bran with Cherries & Almonds. Both recipes鈥� unique, tasty ingredients ensures you鈥檙e eating a rich variety of clean-burning fuel. Plus, both are easy to prepare, even for the kitchen-challenged. Fitzgerald advises eating the oat bran and/or smoothie two to four hours before your workout to ensure you鈥檙e properly fueled but not overly full.

Oat Bran with Cherries & Almonds

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 陆 cups oat bran
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries
• 2 tablespoons almonds, slivered
• Milk (optional)

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Add oat bran and cook uncovered until the mixture begins to thicken (5-10 minutes). Stir periodically to keep oat bran from sticking to pan.
3. While oat bran is cooking, cut each cherry in half and remove pit with a paring knife.
4. Season oat bran with salt, vanilla, and sugar. Stir to blend.
5. Remove from heat and divide between two bowls. Top with cherries and almonds and a splash of your favorite milk, if desired.

Greena Colada Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 14-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice (unsweetened)
• 录 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 cup baby spinach, loosly packed
• 1 serving protein powder (optional)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

The post WATCH: How to Make the Perfect Pre-Workout Meal appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There鈥檚 a reason we associate delicious ribs with warm afternoons and sunny skies: The blanket of snow covering your grill can kill any hankering you had for barbecued bones in the winter.

Leave it to a master griller to find a way to shake up the summer specialty. In his new cookbook , due for release in May, Steve Raichlen gives us a recipe for not just an oven-roasted rack, but also one that trades the traditional pork ribs for a rack of lamb.

Lamb ribs are more tender than beef, and more flavorful than pork, so with the right seasoning this meat offers a mean alternative to your conventional rack. And even if you鈥檙e not a fan of lamb, you鈥檒l like these ribs because it鈥檚 not the choice of meat that matters鈥擱aichlen鈥檚 cocoa-brown sugar rub is so delicious, you鈥檒l never want to eat any kind of meat without it again.

The cocoa and brown sugar surprisingly don鈥檛 overpower the ribs with sweetness, but instead give the rack a deep, rich flavor that melts in your mouth. With a touch of piment d鈥橢spelette鈥攁 Basque chile powder鈥攖he rub has just the right amount of spice, and the salt brings out the flavors of the lamb. And while you could certainly cook them on the grill, the oven allows the rub to sizzle and seep into the meat over two hours without requiring any extra work from you.

The recipe actually comes from Raichlen鈥檚 stepson, Jake Klein, chef-owner of . Some of the ingredients may be a little hard to find鈥攜ou鈥檒l probably have to preorder lamb ribs from your grocery store, or find a rack at Greek, Middle Eastern, or halal meat market鈥攁nd Raichlen gives instructions on how to skin the ribs yourself. But if you stick with it, your hard work will be generously rewarded on the first bite.

Ingredients

• 4 racks of 鈥淒enver cut鈥� lamb ribs, each about 1 pound
• 2/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 1 tbsp piment d鈥橢spelette听 or hot paprika
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275掳F
2. Place a rack of ribs meat side down on a baking sheet. Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of the rack by inserting a slender implement, such as the tip of an instant-read meat thermometer, under it; the best place to start is on one of the middle bones.
3. Using a dishcloth, paper towel, or pliers to gain a secure grip, peel off the membrane.
4. Turn the ribs over and, using a knife, score a crosshatch pattern on the meat side, making cuts about 陆 inch apart and 录 inch deep.听 Scoring helps render the fat and crisp the meat.
5. Repeat with second rack of ribs.
6. Place the brown sugar, salt, cocoa powder, piment d鈥橢spelette, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir to mix, breaking up any lumps in the sugar with your fingers.
7. Sprinke the rub on the ribs on both sides, rubbing it onto the meat.
8. Line a baking sheet with alumimum foil to facilitate cleanup. Place a wire rack on top of the foil and arrange the ribs, meat side up,听 on top.
9. Bake the ribs until sizzling, browned, and very tender (about 1.5-2 hours).
10. Transfer the rack of ribs to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
11. Cut into individual ribs and serve with favorite barbecue sauce.

The post Watch: Cocoa-Brown Sugar Lamb Ribs appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Overhaul your standard gorp with this mix from former Ironman triathlete turned fitness and nutrition guru Mark Sisson.

Whether you鈥檙e climbing, paddling, or hiking, one thing is fairly certain: You probably have trail mix in your pack. And that鈥檚 a good thing. Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit pack a lot of calories, making gorp perfect for keeping you fueled without weighing you down.

Your standard trail mix is easy to make and carry, but simple nuts and fruit can get old real quick. And those delicious packaged mixes? They鈥檙e often loaded with sodium and sugar. Skip the store bought stuff and spice up your snack with this recipe from fitness coach Mark Sisson, from his e-book, The Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook.

鈥淏y making your own mix, you can control what ingredients go in and how much sugar is added,鈥� says Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD. Sisson鈥檚 recipe keeps it natural with unprocessed sweeteners like honey and coconut oil鈥攁 plant-based saturated fat that can also help protect your heart, Kimball says.

Nuts, seeds, and unsweetened dried fruit are packed with healthy fats and oils, but trail mix is still calorie-dense, so stick with 录 cup per hour, advises Kimball. While a fist-full may not seem sufficient to satisfy your hunger, Sisson鈥檚 recipe calls for baking the mix鈥攅nhancing the richness of the nuts and giving you more gratification per serving.

The real thumb-licker of this recipe? The touch of autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Baked Autumn Trail Mix

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup each raw walnuts, almonds, and pecans
• 1/2 cup each raw pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup or less raw honey
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried听cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coarsely chop nuts and mix with seeds, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Spread on a cookie sheet or rimmed baking pan lined with parchment paper.
4. Toast in the oven for听3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to be sure the nuts and seeds are merely toasted, not burned.
5. Take pan out of the oven. Drizzle the honey and sprinkle the salt over top.
6. Toast in oven for another 4 minutes, stirring often.
7. Remove from oven. Add dried fruit and mix thoroughly.听

Servings: 12-14

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