RMI Expeditions Blog

Mountain Climbing has a high requirement for energy. Quality nutrition is a key component of training success. In this conversation with Registered Dietician Sally Hara of Kirkland, Washington, I had a chance to ask some of the questions which often come up in training for mountaineering.  John Colver: How much protein do I need? Sally Hara: Most athletes require 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (1 kilogram is equivalent to 2.2 pounds). Ultra-endurance athletes may require up to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is typically not difficult for an athlete to get if he or she is eating a balanced, nutrient-dense diet and is responding appropriately to hunger cues. An ounce of meat, fish, poultry, or cheese contains about 7 grams of protein. Other good sources of protein are 1 to 2 tablespoons of nut butter, one egg, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, and 1/2 cup cooked legumes. A slice of bread, 1/3 cup of pasta or rice, or 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal can contain about 3 grams of protein each - check the nutritional label to be sure. JC: How much water should I drink? SH: The general recommendation for daily fluid intake is about 64 to 80 ounces per day. This includes all fluids consumed, not just water. When you factor in endurance exercise, an athlete’s fluid needs will increase. Although specific needs may vary depending on duration and intensity of the exercise, the ambient temperature and humidity, altitude, and individual differences between athletes, the following are general recommendations appropriate for most athletes. • 2 to 3 hours before exercise? Drink about 20 oz. water or sports drink • During exercise? Drink 6 to 12 oz. every 15 - 20 minutes • After exercise? At least 20 oz. after exercise, with continued regular hydration for the remainder of the day. Ideally, enough to replace water lost via sweat, urine, and respiration. Consume 24 oz. for every pound of body weight lost during exercise. *Source: ADA. Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance, 2009 JC: How often should I eat during a normal day? SH: To optimize metabolism and both physiological and psychological performance (including mood, focus, and efficiency), I recommend eating every three to four hours. Serious athletes sometimes need to eat at least every two hours because of their high metabolism and energy needs. Spreading food intake throughout the day helps ensure that your brain and body will have enough energy to function properly during the day. Eating at regular intervals helps prevent overeating at the end of the day caused by extreme hunger. It seems paradoxical, but eating frequently can actually help regulate body weight better than skipping meals and snacks. If a person is in tune with their natural hunger and fullness signals, the best advice is simply to eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re satisfied. Unfortunately, people who have a history of dieting often are disconnected from these signals because they have a history of ignoring them. If you are truly hungry, eat high-quality, nutrient-dense food. Hunger is a signal that your body is asking for more energy. Just respond to hunger with the most nutrient-dense food available. JC: How do I know when I’m getting the correct mix of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fat) to enable my best performance? SH: This is one issue a sports dietician can help you determine. Most athletes think they need much more protein than they actually do, and many vastly underestimate their need for carbohydrates. While protein is necessary to build and repair muscles and other tissues, carbohydrate is the preferred fuel for exercise (even for strength training). Protein is building material, carbohydrates are fuel. The more you work out, the more fuel you need. JC: Do I have to eat breakfast? SH: For optimal health and performance, yes. When we wake up in the morning, our glycogen stores are significantly depleted, because that is our primary energy source when we sleep. JC: What do you eat before a morning training session? SH: Usually a light but balanced meal or snack is best; something that contains mostly carbohydrate and a little protein for longer workouts is ideal. The size of the meal depends on the duration and intensity of the workout. Yogurt with granola or fruit can work well. Including a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates provides both an immediate energy source (simple carbs) and one that is digested more slowly, giving you more energy over time (complex carbs). An example of a meal that serves this purpose could be oatmeal with soymilk and raisins. JC: Should I eat before a workout? What can I eat and how soon before the workout? SH: Yes. I recommend a snack with carbohydrates (fruit, granola bar, smoothie, etc.) within two hours prior to exercise. If you will be training for over ninety minutes, it is also good to include a protein source (peanut butter, yogurt, meat, soy products, etc.) to help stabilize your blood sugar for a longer period of time. How close to your workout you eat depends on you. Some people can eat a three-course meal five minutes before intense exercise, while others can barely tolerate a small yogurt two hours before the workout. This is very individual. JC: What should I eat after a workout and how soon after? SH: The most important requirements for recovery are carbohydrates, fluids, and electrolytes. The perfect recovery snack is chocolate milk - it offers all of this plus a little protein. There are other options, of course, but the focus should be on carbs and hydration. A small amount of protein may also be helpful for post-exercise recovery, but the bulk of your post-exercise meal should be made up of carbohydrates. Remember to eat something within one hour after exercise to get a jump on replenishing your glycogen stores. JC: Should I take a multivitamin? SH: In theory, we should be able to get all of our vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. Even if there is a slightly higher nutritional need in endurance athletes, the increased amount of food necessary to meet energy demands should contain the additional vitamins and minerals needed as well. That said, not everyone has a perfect diet, so a basic multivitamin may not be a bad idea. There is no need to overspend on specialized vitamins, however. For instance, those little packets with four to six vitamin pills in them are mostly a marketing ploy. JC: I don’t eat fish - should I take fish oil supplements? SH: Fish oil supplements are an excellent idea. The omega-3 fatty acids in these supplements have multiple documented benefits, including cholesterol balance, anti-inflammatory effects, and mood stabilization. A good substitute for vegetarians would be flaxseed oil. JC: What type of beverage should go into my water bottle when I’m exercising - something with electrolytes? SH: For anyone exercising over sixty minutes, I recommend a sports drink containing both electrolytes and carbohydrates. Since you should be fueling as you go, this is a convenient way to take in the recommended carbohydrates. Alternatively, you could fill the bottle with an electrolyte-only drink and eat solid foods as an energy source. It really depends on the sport and whether or not you typically eat while training. Either way, fluids and electrolytes are both important to have in your sports bottle. JC: How does alcohol affect my performance? SH: It’s all about timing and moderation. Alcohol is a known diuretic and can lead to significant dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. If you have an occasional beer, rehydrate before turning in for the night and limit yourself to one to two drinks per day. Alcohol is a known toxin that can hinder liver functions, including the ability of the liver to produce blood sugar from glycogen (for fuel) during exercise. JC: How much fiber do I need? SH: The current recommendation is about 30 grams of fiber per day. Consuming whole grains most of the time and getting at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day will likely provide this amount of fiber easily. JC: What if I don’t have much time to cook? SH: This is a big problem in our society. Some strategies could include cooking once a week and freezing several meals that you can easily heat up later. One great tool for athletes is a slow cooker. You can chop meat, vegetables, and spices, put them in a slow cooker for eight hours, and you’ll have wonderful meals. Personally I enjoy curries, chilies, stews, soups, and even baked potatoes. It’s easy, safe (you can leave it on all day), inexpensive ($50 to $100), and nutrient dense, as the cooking method used does not leach vitamins or minerals, nor does it destroy nutrients with excessive heat. JC: For vegetarians, are there specific things to know about eating for athletic performance? SH: The basic needs for vegetarian athletes are the same as for other athletes. What differs is the source of some of the nutrients (especially protein, iron, B12 and calcium). A great resource for this is the book The Vegetarian’s Sports Nutrition Guide, by Lisa Dorfman, RD, CSSD. Vegetarians should pay particular attention to getting enough protein, but it’s not that difficult to do. The main sources of protein for vegetarians are legumes (such as dried beans, peas, and lentils), soy products, and (for non-vegans) milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs. The good thing about vegetarian protein sources is that most also contain carbohydrates, which are an athlete’s best friend. Iron, one of the nutrients that all vegetarians must be aware of, is found abundantly in animal products but sparsely in plant products. Some good sources of iron for vegetarians include dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables. Iron absorption is increased by eating foods containing vitamin C together with iron-rich foods in the same meal. JC: If I am a vegetarian, how can I get enough vitamin B12? SH: Vitamin B12 is found only in animal products. Lacto-ovo vegetarians can get B12 from dairy products and eggs. Vegans (who eat only plant products) need to supplement their diet with B12 either by including nutritional yeast, foods that have been fortified with it (like some soy milks), or by taking a B12 supplement. The recommended intake of B12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms daily. Inadequate B12 can result in a condition called macrocytic anemia, in which you will be overly tired and have difficulty training and recovering from exercise. JC: How do I know if I’m getting enough iron? SH: Iron deficiencies are common in endurance athletes, especially runners. There is controversy over why this occurs. Iron plays a key role in transporting oxygen to the muscles. This increases the need for iron in endurance athletes. Athletes who overtrain will often develop iron-deficiency anemia despite consuming what should be adequate iron, because a body that is in a stressed state from overtraining makes the iron unavailable. If you have a history of iron deficiency (determined by simple blood tests your doctor can order), taking an iron supplement routinely is a good idea. If this doesn’t fix the problem, you may need to examine your training and nutrition habits. Certainly, making sure to include iron-rich foods (especially red meat, which is very high in iron) is very important. - John Colver                    John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle.

The question of how to build strength for mountaineering can be answered in many ways. First, consider what kind of strength is needed when climbing. We need strength in our legs to carry ourselves up and down the mountain; we need strength in our back and shoulders to carry our backpack over uneven and variable surfaces; we need general body strength to tackle the everyday tasks such as setting up camp, digging tent platforms, or even to use an ice axe to arrest a fall. This strength can best be described as overall core strength.   One way to think of core strength is to consider our body’s ability to move functionally through a wide range of motion in a variety of directions with and without resistance. Many activities will develop this, ranging from certain gym classes and circuit training, to activities like dance, yoga, and weight training. These are all activities that can be done for a few minutes a day or for an hour or two several times a week. If you have an activity that meets all of these goals, I encourage you to continue to use it.     If you are looking for an all-around core strength activity that you can do anywhere, then look no further than the Daily Dozen. This workout can be done anywhere and with no equipment; you can even do it in your pj’s in the kitchen while you’re waiting for the coffee to brew! The Daily Dozen is a key workout of my book Fit By Nature and I use it routinely in my training sessions around Seattle. As a special resource for the readers of RMI's Weekly Mountaineering Training Series, you can download an excerpt from Fit By Nature that gives a detailed description of the Daily Dozen with accompanying photographs:     Download the Daily Dozen Description here.   Often, the question comes up: “Is twelve minutes of training sufficient?”  In reality, if you do 12 minutes each day, it adds up to almost an hour and a half per week of core strength training. However, if you prefer to make it a longer workout, you can simply run through the Daily Dozen two or three times. You can even combine it with other exercises to make it an all-around workout. For instance, in between each exercise, you can walk a set of stairs or do a short run.     What is important is to make your core strength training work for you. Remember the key concepts of moderation and consistency; this means that it’s better to train more often at a moderate intensity than it is to try and do all of your strength training in one big session once a week.   - John Colver                          John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle.

Hey everyone, this is JJ Justman with the Mexico Adventure team. We are happy to report that we are back at basecamp here on Orizaba. The mountain today, Orizaba, said no. It's always a little bit unfortunate. It's always a bummer when you don't summit. But we made it to within about 1,500 feet of the summit. Actually made it a good way on the glacier but we had rock hard, bulletproof ice. It's something I've never seen here before and pretty rare on all the mountains I've been on. We could hardly even penetrate our crampons. It was that firm. So my gut was telling me the obvious. Orizaba said no to reaching the top. It's something I never really share with my team before a summit climb, but I did have to let them know that while we were on Ixta, here on Orizaba, that same day unfortunately, a climber who was non-guided, slipped and fell. And she did not make it. So when you hear things like that, and you have the conditions that we had, it's a pretty easy decision to make. Even though it's disappointing not reaching the top, we are back down safe and sound and you know what, we can come back when Orizaba is in better shape, better conditions and give her another shot, but the team is real happy. We made the summit of Ixta, and that definitely still has us smiling and we're definitely glad to be down here. So we're gonna pack up camp and head back down to Dr. Reyes' and we'll have a good meal down there and definitely have a celebration. So thanks for tuning in. Everyone here says hello and we will hopefully see you on the mountain. Bye. RMI Guide JJ Justman

Hello RMI Blog, This is JJ Justman. We are done resting and relaxing in the town of Puebla, and are now at our camp on Orizaba at 14,000’. A nice little spot everyone is guiding out our tents making sure they do not blow away in the wind. We do have a little bit of a breeze, but the weather is beautiful. They are calling for a bit of a cold front tonight so it might be chilly, but we are planning on waking up early and going for the summit of Orizaba tomorrow morning, most likely at 2 o’clock in the morning we will be walking on out. The team is doing great, we are well rested, well fed, and we are looking forward to see what Orizaba has to offer. Stay tuned we will give you a call tomorrow to let you know how everyone is doing. Everyone on the team says, “Hello!” RMI Guide JJ Justman & Team

Its not just about climbing mountains. Mountain adventures, especially international adventures, provide an opportunity to experience the whole enchilada. Seeing that we are in Mexico...no pun intended. And speaking of enchiladas and Mexico...today the team spent the day enjoying the local culture of Puebla. Everyone made the summit of Ixta yesterday. And everyone deserved a great day of rest, which mainly included enjoying the authentic cuisine of Puebla. I always said, "you've never eaten Mexican food, until you've eaten in Puebla". For breakfast we enjoyed scrambled eggs covered in mole sauce. For lunch we devoured tacos pastor. And now, we are preparing for dinner at one of Puebla's famous restaurants, where we will sample all of the mole sauces that have made this region famous. No, it's not all about climbing. However, tomorrow the team is looking forward to our next mountaineering objective... Pico de Orizaba. Stay tuned... RMI Guide JJ Justman

Hello RMI blog. This is JJ Justman. I am extremely happy to report that the entire team, 100%, got up Ixta this morning! We actually had an early day. We were on the summit early enough to watch the sunrise. We had just a gorgeous day to climb. Everyone's doing very, very well. Just was one heck of a team to climb. Lot of fun and I can't say enough great things about this group. So we are back at camp, we're going to get some hot drinks and then we're going to pack up camp. And we'll be heading to Puebla this evening. So we're certainly tired, we need a little hydration, a little food, but everyone is doing great. And I would like to pass the phone over to one of our team members they'd like to say something to those of you who are following our blog. Hey guys. This is TA Loeffler calling. Had an amazing morning climbing Ixta this morning with JJ and company. This climb, when you put together the two days of climbing with big loads to high camp and then getting up to the summit. Boy did we see a gorgeous sunrise! Popo in front, sending off a plume. And it's pretty surreal to get to the top of the 7th highest peak in North America. And I'm just really proud of everyone on the team. Hello to everyone out there in RMI land and it's great to share a summit with RMI once again. RMI Guide JJ Justman

On The Map

Hello everyone this is JJ Justman with the RMI Mexican Volcanoes adventure team. We are very happy to report that the entire team is up at high camp on Ixta. We are now at 15,300'. It's a long day carrying heavy packs to get up here, but it is definitely well worth it. I'm looking towards the summit right now. We just have a couple thousand feet to go. So we're getting our tents secured down and guyed out. And we're also working on a little bit of a hot drink as well as a dinner for this evening, which is gonna include some homemade sausage with a little bit of Ramen soup, and cheese quesadillas. Stay tuned tomorrow. I'll definitely give a call in. The weather right now is beautiful. We're keeping our fingers crossed that it's going to remain the same and wish us luck and we'll touch base hopefully with some great news tomorrow. Everyone's doing great and they all say hello. Bye. RMI Guide JJ Justman

On The Map

Hello everyone following the RMI blog. This is the Mexican Volcanoes adventure checking in for the day. Our team made it up here. We are officially on Ixta. We're at the lower hut, had a good day getting up. The weather is absolutely beautiful. Good view of Popo, which is a little bit of a smoking volcano right now in the distance. And a great view of Ixta, which is our objective for the next couple of days. But in the mean time, our group is packing gear and getting everything set. We looked at the tents, everything's in order. So now my job is cut out for me. We're going to do a little bit of cooking here and feed the team. For starters, we're going to go with a tortilla soup, but before that we have a little bit of chips and homemade salsa. And then for our main course, we're having a little carne asada. That was a special recipe given to me by RMI Guide, Dan Windham. Looking forward to making a good dinner tonight, getting our bellies full. We're at 13,000' right now so we are officially acclimatizing. So we're going to have a good evening down here on the lower slopes of Ixta and then tomorrow we are going to move up to High Camp on Ixta. We'll check back in and let you know how everything's going, but all is well. Thanks for following along and we will touch back with all of you tomorrow. Take care. Bye. RMI Guide JJ Justman

On a personal fitness level, time sometimes seems elastic to me: if I have plenty of time to train, I'll sit around and lolly-gag; tell me I only have a couple of months to get prepared and I'll be up at 5 a.m. training like a prizefighter.    The question of, "Will I be ready?" will ultimately be answered only on the climb. However, we can stack the odds in our favor by creating a tracking system that gives us a snapshot of where we are in the preparation process.   A simple method is to make a graph depicting where we are today and where we need to be for the climb. For this example, I used a January Expedition to 22,841' Aconcagua in Argentina if I started training in October:   This allows me to see: 1. What I'm capable of today (see my post "Setting A Baseline" if you need help with this). 2. What I need to accomplish on my target date.  3. Where I should be during the process.  My experience is that progress is rarely a straight line on a graph and you may be ahead or behind at any given point; but you can see generally what you've achieved and identify what work remains to be done throughout the training period.    So, what if you're running short on time to prepare? This happens often. If the goal is ambitious, we may need to intensify our focus and really adopt the mindset of an athlete.    Some training recommendations if you are short on time to prepare: • Try to establish a sensible progression and use the entire time you have rather than "front load" your training (which could create setbacks or injury).  • If you do have an aggressive training plan, be sure to focus on rest and recovery as well as quality nutrition.  • Make your training as specific as possible: Mountain climbing and hiking are perfect. Cross country skiing, running, Stairmaster, and cycling are all also good. Focus in on these activities to benefit the most from your training.  • Embrace the adventure and focus on the process more than just the result; it's easy to expend a lot of energy thinking only of the summit. By focusing on enjoying my training and doing the best I can each day, I find I enhance my training experience and my overall experience on the climb. Take some time this week to sit down, pull out a pencil and paper, and graph out the training progression you need for your climb. It will give you a clear picture of not only where you need to be for your climb, but also where you need to be in three months, in one month, and even next week. Keep this graph in a convenient place and pull it out every once in a while to check in on yourself. It can be helpful to establish specific, repeatable benchmarks to revisit during your training to measure your progress. Check out RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer's ideas on using benchmarks.   - John Colver    _________                      John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX  brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle. Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!

Hello everyone at RMI. This is JJ Justman calling in with the Mexico Volcanoes adventure team. We had a great day today getting out of Mexico City and arriving in La Malinche where we had our first acclimatization day. For those you don't know a little bit about La Malinche, it's an old volcano, it's non-glaciated. It's actually known as the Weeping Woman. La Malinche is one of Cortez's mistresses. It's a beautiful peak here, standing at 14,640'. Today, our team made it up to 14,000'; had a great trail side lunch. And we returned back down to our cabanas, where we are showering up and getting ready for a great dinner down here in camp. Tomorrow the plan is waking up a little bit early and heading out the door and getting to Ixta. But before we do that, we'll have a little bit of shopping to do, some last minute items for our dinners and breakfasts, but everyone is doing really well. The weather here is absolutely beautiful. We had great views of Ixta, Popo, Orizaba, and of course La Malinche. Knock on wood we're hoping the weather stays, because it was nice to get a little bit of a suntan today and hopefully tomorrow we'll get even a little more sun. We'll touch base and let you know how everything is going. Thanks for following along. RMI Guide JJ Justman

On The Map