One might think eating is easy. However, often enough many food-related theories contradict themselves. With so much ambiguity there’s no wonder some people make poor choices when it comes to eating healthy.
Eating well is an art!
Don’t know what to eat?
Are you tired of not knowing what to eat anymore? Let’s see what are the reasons for it.
- Old, traditional beliefs may not always be based on the most current information. Nutrition is constantly evolving as a science.
- Social media is a powerful tool that can help spread valuable knowledge. Still, it can also be a space for misinformation since everyone is free to post and interpret studies however they think fit without necessarily having a specific study background.
- The food industry is often criticised for marketing foods that are high in empty calories and overly processed. Therefore even though choosing healthy options becomes a challenge, making informed choices about what we eat is essential for our overall well-being.
- Having too many food options and insufficient time and information can lead to confusion about dietary choices.
- Everyone has unique nutritional needs based on their metabolism and experience. Therefore it’s better to determine your unique nutritional needs, rather than following someone else’s recipe.
There is hope!
If a few years ago it felt like we were in uncharted territory, the tide is now slowly turning!
I notice an encouraging shift towards personalised nutrition for sports enthusiasts as well as I often see healthy and easy-to-make delicious meals on Instagram. Not to mention you can now tailor your diet to take your sporting performance to the next level!
With so many renowned specialists in food such as Jessie Inchauspé known as the Glucose Goddess, or Neely Quinn it is honestly a joy to eat well!
How can good nutrition improve your climbing?
- It improves your energy levels
- It decreases pump
- You recover faster
- It puts you in a good mood
- You will likely be feeling less emotional and moody
- It improves your focus
Better food, better flexibility – did you know?!
I bet not many of you know there is a connection between nutrition and flexibility. And on a second thought, why not?
It makes sense that if the body is not receiving enough nutrients, it’s going to prioritise important aspects for survival over less important aspects such as ligaments, tendons, and fascia.
Not only vital for overall health, vitamins such as C, D, A, and B support flexibility and help soft tissues to achieve a full range of motion.
That being said, it’s not surprising that some women experience stiffness before or during menstrual cycles due to water retention and a lack of vitamins.
A pro climber’s diet?
Some climbers prefer sweet breakfasts while others stick to savoury ones. Good or bad, everyone has their habits and responds differently to various types of food.
Luckily nutrition doesn’t have to be a complex thing to sustain. Moderation, avoiding alcohol, and excessive consumption of sugar especially when you’re not working out, can be more than enough to promote a healthy lifestyle and performance.
However, keep in mind there will always be exceptions!
Want to know what pro climber Alexander Megos eats for dinner?! Check out this video:
While rockstars such as Alex Megos, Alex Honnold, and Tommy Caldwell follow mainly a vegan/vegetarian diet, Magnus Midtbø doesn’t shy away from eating a Big Mac and still keeps climbing hard!
What is the best diet for climbing?
Answered by no nutritionist ever! And they’re right to do so: understanding the fundamental principles of maintaining a healthy diet is very important.
Factors such as metabolism, training intensity, genre, age, and body composition, as well as genetics, can have a significant impact on your dietary needs and require personalised adaptation.
But wait, there is more… I went and asked a professional a few questions about it!
I met Luis Romzar a few years ago while climbing in Siurana, Catalonia, Spain.
Not only does he have a solid background in rock climbing, but he seriously got into Ashtanga Yoga some years ago as well. On top of that, at the time he was studying nutrition.
So obviously when I started writing this article I thought about him as the perfect person to ask about nutrition for climbers.
In Q&A conversation with Luis Romzar
Q: Hi, Luis! Would you give our readers more about you: as a climber, how you transitioned to yoga, and what motivated you to become a nutritionist?
A: Hello! Well, you described me very well! I have been climbing since 2011 and I managed to complete some ninth-grade routes in 2018.
Around that time, I also finished my nutrition studies, and ever since I have dedicated myself to accompanying climbers from all over the world to achieve their goals.
I have become a nutritionist because contributing a grain of rice to all people’s projects is an incredible feeling.
As for Yoga, in 2020, due to a lot of pain in my body, I started practicing Ashtanga yoga and since then I haven’t stopped.
Now I could say that I am an Ashtangi who climbs! 😂
In 2023 I published my book Nutrition for Climbing. More than a book for me, it is a manual in which I put everything I know about nutrition.
Simply and practically: I teach people how to eat before, during, and after climbing.
Various topics are also addressed, such as the physiology of climbing, problems related to diet and exercise, climbing diet, what to eat and how to eat, food and the menstrual cycle, hydration, and knowing food.
The book concludes with a collection of diverse recipes to motivate and stimulate your taste buds.
Furthermore, it includes insightful interviews on nutrition with accomplished climbers such as Alberto Ginés, Dani Andrada, Daila Ojeda, Urko Carmona, and Patxi Usobiaga, among others.
Q: How important is what we eat before, during, and after our climbing sessions to maximise performance?
A: The food we eat at any of these times will have an impact on our bodies. However, it does not always translate into sending or not sending, or in performance such as doing more or less pull-ups.
The difference can also be an improvement in our relationship with food, in the improvement of our concentration, or in the physical and mental well-being that correct nutrition produces.
Q: Is it important to have a personalised nutrition plan? If so, why?
A: For me, this is the main aspect of a plan working. To have it personalised. Each person has a different pace of life, a certain energy expenditure, personalised training, food preferences, and eats a certain number of meals…
Furthermore, each person may have different problems when eating that must be taken into account so that they can follow the nutritional plan.
Q: I know that there are specific foods that are better than others for specific types of training. For example, should we change our eating habits when doing Power Endurance training versus Low-Intensity training?
A: I think within the climbing community there is a lot of work to do before changing what you eat when you have high and low training.
- First, one has to start by losing their fear of a certain group of foods such as carbohydrates or fats
- Learn to include all types of fruits, vegetables, cereals, quality fats, and an adequate supply of proteins
Only after changing these behavioral patterns and improving a climber’s relationship with food, I would start adapting their food to a specific training.
Q: What are typically the first significant changes in climbing performance when switching to a nutrition plan designed for your specific needs?
A: Have energy in your daily life, send or improve your training, and realise that you don’t have to be hungry to climb hard.
Q: Are diets sustainable? As a nutritionist and climber, what is your approach to diets?
A: The word “diet” has earned a bad reputation, since it has always been seen as something that has a start and end date, usually to achieve the goal of losing weight.
But in reality, diet refers to one person’s choice of what they eat today, what they ate yesterday, and what they plan to eat tomorrow, and is not necessarily linked to losing weight.
When you learn to eat in a way that is balanced with your energy needs and you have a good relationship with food, you can maintain your way of eating or “diet” for a long time, because these become your habits.
- Fruits and vegetables should always be there
- Whole grain products and legumes should always be there
- Quality fats will always be there, even if you consume more or less quantity at different times of your season
- Proteins may change, you can switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet but everything else is not going to change
From my point of view, the base can be maintained for a long time, even if the ingredients change. Just like on a pizza. 😂
Q: Can you give a basic example of a nutrition plan for an average normal climber?
A: For example, a powerful breakfast for a good day of climbing and one I am a big fan of is oat porridge with almond drink, walnuts, an ounce of chocolate, banana, and strawberries, and a tablespoon of honey. After this, I eat a toast with a scrambled egg and tomato.
Q: Is a sweet breakfast better than a salty one on a climbing day or is it a matter of personal preference? Why do you choose to eat sweet foods first instead of salty foods?
A: The only difference is the person’s preferences. For example, I like sweet things first and then salty things. It could also be a sweet breakfast of porridge or a savory breakfast with toast.
We can have two options for our meal in the area. The first option is white rice with egg, raisins, and cherry tomatoes.
Alternatively, we can have one or two fresh cheese sandwiches with honey, fruit, and dates on the side.
Q: What should we eat between climbing attempts?
A: Whatever it is, ideally it should provide energy without leaving us feeling heavy and it should be easily digested.
Q: Last but not least: is there a relationship between good food and good mood?
A: Of course! For example, some studies corroborate that consuming more fruits and/or vegetables is associated with a lower risk of depression in both adults and children. (Faezeh Saghafian, 2023)
Bonus question: How do a climber, a yogi, and a nutritionist combine?
A: You have forgotten the most important thing of all…being a father for 6 months! 😂
The truth is that it is difficult to combine all this with climbing. Going rock climbing requires many hours, and right now I don’t have that.
So the only thing left for me is to practice Ashtanga very early before the family gets up and one day go to the climbing gym.
But the time will come to climb more, now I am very motivated to spend time with my son and my work.
Basic nutrition plan for climbing
After conducting my research and interviewing Luis, I somehow managed to come up with a basic climbing nutrition plan:
Diversify your eating
Eating the same is boring and it might not bring you the nutrients you need. Learn to know foods and which combinations work well together.
Put many colors on your plate and organise the way you eat.
Eating the right foods at the right moment will not only contribute to a healthier lifestyle and performance in the climb but it will also save you from snacking.
When your body gets what it needs, you will be less likely to crave unhealthy snacks throughout the day.
Fuel for gains
Fuel for sustainable training, optimal recovery, growth, tissue repair, and remodeling. How to make gains in strength, endurance, and performance possible:
Macronutrients
Complex carbohydrates (whole foods, fruits, vegetables), healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil), and plenty of fiber-rich foods.
Proper hydration
Essential for optimal performance and recovery, especially during intense climbing sessions. You want to ensure you’re adequately hydrated before, during, and after climbing.
The colour of your urine is a good indicator if you’ve paid attention to your fluid intake: if it’s too dark it’s usually a sign of dehydration.
If it’s almost white you’ve been drinking too much water.
A safe way to properly hydrate is to consume water with electrolytes on hot summer days.
Electrolytes are vital for basic life functions and they consist of sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, and bicarbonates.
Pre and Post Climbing Nutrition
Ideally have a balanced meal or snack consisting of one-quarter proteins, one-quarter carbohydrates, and one-half vegetables.
This will provide sustained energy during your climb.
After climbing, it’s important to replenish your glycogen stores and support muscle recovery by consuming a combination of carbohydrates and proteins.
Supplements
Certain supplements can be beneficial based on individual preferences and needs.
For instance, whenever you are going through a training cycle your body requires additional support so collagen and creatine are a good idea.
Similarly, you can try protein powder if you want to cut down on meat or if you are vegan and you need a more convenient way to get all the necessary nutrients by supplementing.
All in all, as long as they’re NSF-approved supplements can be a great option for you.
Food quality
Complete nutrition is important. However, how healthy your food is, and the source it comes from are also very important!
Just as a vampire would avoid garlic, avoid ultra-processed foods and empty calories!
Disclaimer: personal preferences, needs, health issues, and training cycles may require specific needs and adjustments. That’s why it’s better to see a nutritionist and decide together.
Climbing nutrition specifics for women
It’s important to acknowledge the unique needs of women in climbing. The fact is that women undergo different physical and mental changes during their menstrual cycles.
Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to some aspects of nutrition and climbing. As for training, there is still not enough research on whether training needs to be adapted according to it.
From my experience, when it comes to it, my advice as a woman and a climber is to take it easy if you experience the following:
- Have you noticed any changes in your relationship with food, such as cravings, mood swings, water retention, and fatigue?
- Do you feel more soreness than usual and joint stiffness?
- When training do you feel like it feels harder than usual to try hard?
- When trying hard do you feel your body more vulnerable than usual, especially your joints?
- Are these patterns repeating themselves every month?
Doing some medical investigations such as blood tests, and checking your thyroid and estrogen levels, as well as vitamin D can be very beneficial to your health and useful to tailor your nutrition.
Bonus podcast on nutrition for climbers
Nutrition podcasts with top nutrition advice for climbers. Get a better understanding of how food influences the way you feel, carbohydrate timing, the connection between fat loss and climbing harder, intuitive eating, and much more.
Now find the nutrition plan that works for you
To wrap it up, I believe there is no right or wrong. Being inquisitive, trying out new things, and paying attention to your body can assist you in determining what works best for you.
We’d love to know what changes (if any) you’ve experienced after switching diets and nutrition plans.
Please let us know in the comment belows.
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