FIRING UP THE DRAGON: Gleaned from Prez’s Archives

Water, water everywhere: (What every fire-breathing dragoness needs to know about hydration)

• By the time her thirst mechanism kicks in she is already becoming dehydrated
• Even mild dehydration can slow down her metabolism as much as 3%
• Lack of water is the #1 trigger of her daytime fatigue
• 8-10 glasses of water per day could significantly ease her back and joint pain
• A 2% drop in her body water can trigger fuzzy, short-term memory and difficulty focusing
• Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases her risk of colon cancer, breast cancer and bladder cancer
• Her body thrives on proper hydration and she should aim for 1.5 litres per day (and Master Fire-Breathing Dragon coaches need this, too!)

Fire-breathing power for paddling:  (Why carbs for those fire-breathers?)

• Her body runs most efficiently when she eats a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats BUT carbs are the first energy source her body uses to perform exercise
• Unless she consumes carbohydrates, muscle glycogen stores will become depleted, resulting in muscle fatigue
• She knows that complex carbohydrate snacks release energy slowly and  are essential to sustain optimal energy levels
• She definitely needs to consume carbs the night before race day
• Her best sources:
  • whole grain pasta
  • whole grain cereals
  • legumes
  • fresh fruit
  • starchy vegetables

Buffing up the Dragon’s muscle mass: (Quality protein for those fire-breathers)

• Quality protein sources are essential to repair and build muscle, grow tissue and control metabolism for her great body
• Most of  her body’s proteins are continually broken down and protein cannot be stored for later use, like fat or carbs, so she needs to replenish daily
• The more active she is, the faster her proteins break down
• The best high protein foods for the dragoness are “complete proteins” – low in saturated fat and contain high amounts of quality protein that can be more easily utilized by her body
• Her best sources:
  • eggs
  • fish
  • fowl
  • kidney beans
  • lean red meat
  • low fat dairy (cottage cheese, yoghurt, milk)
  • soy products
  • nuts and seeds
  • hemp seeds
  • quinoa
  • whey protein shakes / smoothies

• Recipe for Prez’s Power Smoothie

• • 1 cup juice or milk
  • 1 scoop of 100% whey protein powder
  • 2 tbsp hemp seeds or ground flax seeds
  • ½ cup yoghurt
  • ½ banana
  • ½ cup granola or muesli
  • 1 cup frozen berries

Training session survival with the Master Fire-Breathing Dragon coach: (How a fire-breathing dragoness can ensure she’ll still be breathing fire after training)

• Prior to major fire output:
  • 30-60 minutes prior to exerting major fire breathing power she needs to eat a small carbohydrate rich snack that includes protein (eg. yoghurt and fruit)
  • She should drink approximately 500 ml of fluid 2 to 3 hours before, and 250 ml just before the master fire-breather demands maximum output

• During major fire output:
  • She needs to consume small amounts of fluid throughout

• Recovering from major fire output:
  • Within 30 minutes of completing training she should down a carbohydrate rich snack with some protein (one of her best choices:  chocolate milk – it contains the perfect balance of carbs, protein and calories for post exercise glycogen resynthesis and storage)
  • She still needs to focus on hydration and replacing her depleted electolytes by drinking plenty of fluid (sport drink), eating a banana, etc.

Fab foods for determined dragonesses: (What to eat to build that fire breathing power)

• Leafy, green vegetables – especially kale, collards, spinach and broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Pink grapefruit
• Berries
• Soybean products
• Fibre
• Ground flaxseeds
• Garlic
• Legumes
• Wild salmon
• Nuts and seeds – especially walnuts, almonds, pecans and pumpkin seeds
• Green tea
• Plain yoghurt
• Whole grains
• Honey