 Poster: A snowHead
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Am I alone in finding, despite being fit, my energy levels decline after lunch? Having just returned from a weeks' skiing I noticed (and it unhelpfully was pointed out to me!) that I get slower and my concentration goes following a couple of post-lunch runs.
I don't drink alcohol lunchtime, just fizzy water and eat things such as a big bowl of soup/bread and chips or cheese macaroni that sort of thing and sometimes have and espresso. Perhaps I should carry some energy bars (do these actually help?).
As I'm about to go off to Les Arcs next weekend it would be nice to try and stay the course of the day with everyone else without my brain cells closing down on me! Any suggestions?
Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a porper for diner. A flask of oriental tea, fresh ginger, lemon and honey for the lift. Failing that try one of Marley's finest, it will make or break the day. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Beverley, Id try skipping the chips and just have the soup and bread, sounds like your body wants to have a nice lie down and a kip to digest the starch. Keep the lunches light and snack more through the day if you dont already. Have a good time in LA
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Beverley, has to be tarteflette for lunch, good ballast as well as food.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David@traxvax, I'll second that. Also tastes like heaven.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frosty the Snowman, David@traxvax, Cheese is the 'EARWAX of the DEVIL'.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, Eh, didn't quite catch that.
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'DRINK is the REFRESHMENT of the DEVIL'
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Hic hic ......SPEAK UP
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I find that my energy levels are bad in the morning before lunch despite having had a good breakfast. After lunch, I think I tend to ski better.
Maybe just my imagination though!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Beverley, I agree with you ~ about 3pm I find I flag and get grumpy when skiing because in the UK I don't usually eat anything mid afternoon so wasn't bothering on the slopes, despite all the extra calorie burning with the cold / exercise - now started eating a Lion bar about then and do feel a lot better. Lion bars seem better than Mars or Marathon as a bit less of a 'sugar shock', but that's probably just a personal thing... Probably best to get them here and take them out, though - not always available in france. I can't really see the point of expensive energy bars for skiing, think chocolate works just as well - but that could just be an excuse!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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The mid afternoon slowdown may be caused by too many fast digested carbs at lunchtime leading to a blood sugar roller coaster. Try a reasonably meaty salad instead.
BTW if you think some "complex carbs" like potatoes or pasta are slow release, check out the http://www.glycaemicindex.com/.
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dont forget to drink lots of fluids too (and not alky drinks!)
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You know it makes sense.
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David@traxvax, Frosty the Snowman, you are mad. IMHO, of course.
neilswingler, you are right. IMHO, of course.
SMALLZOOKEEPER, you are the DEVIL!
Sounds like a carbohydrate issue to me. I have a mild, non-medication blood sugar swing issue. If I eat "things such as a big bowl of soup/bread and chips or cheese macaroni that sort of thing" sorts of things I go right to sleep.
Then again, I now like a large breakfast pre-skiing, a snack (cheese, ham, etc. !no carbs! ) around 11.30, skiing through the continentals lunch hour(s) and a large, gastronomique and lardy lunch around 2.30 (or 3.00) when all the freshies have been trashed finishing with a short ski down the home run to home (and beers).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Beverley, I don't drink alchohol with lunch either, I don't drink alot at altitude full stop really.
Like most on here, a big breakfast in the morning, a small lunch (with a soup in Austria, I just can't resist!) and then the normal evening meal with a beer or two. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Beverley, As a vegetarian I often end up with the same kind of lunch....there's just not much else to choose from! The energy dip is most noticeable if you have a soup/chip combo! There's just no substitute for chocolate when you get that way....keep some in your jacket pocket. I'm not talking a whole mars bar here....I always carry something like those single wrapped toblerone chunks, stuff one in your mouth on the way up the chair lift and you'lll be buzzing again by the time you get to the top. Chocolate is great for this not just because it tastes nice and is sugary but because it contains caffeine and other feel good drugs!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have just found mini lion bars, kit cats etc at lidl in BSM they are great value tho half the time my kids eat 'em all before we ever get out.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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olpanije, Welcome to Snowheads 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks everyone. Some good ideas here.
I do have a decent breakfast - muesli/porride/bread/jam etc., but have realised I don't stop between breakfast/lunch/home run. I also don't get a great nights' sleep on holiday either - strange beds/too much wine late at night, though I'm not a party goer.
Will try and add some breaks in my day and then have a lighter lunch. Will also pack some small choc bars as well.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Beverley,
You may have provided your answer above, a lot of people are a bit sleepier in the afternoon this will be exacerbated by a poorer nights sleep the night before. Lots of food, wine and altitude are not a great recipe for a good nights sleep. A heavy meal at lunch will probably exacerbate the problem, upping the expressos may help a little.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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David@traxvax, cant beat a good Tartiflette!!!!!
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| Quote: |
mini lion bars, kit cats
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Whats the point in "mini" anything when it comesto food. Who cares if a nosebag at lunch makes you feel a little tired. Ski through it. Hot Tartiflette on a cold day mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
My lunch of choice is a large bowl of veggie soup and a hunk of bread
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Lightweight
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Lightweight |
Ooh you are awful....but I like you!
(says he, weight somewhere 90-95kg).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
weight somewhere 90-95kg
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ha, point proven
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I agree with David Murdoch, on the carb issue - too many make me hungry and sleepy as well - and all the foods you mention Beverley, for breakfast are serious carbfest stuff. Try more cheese / ham / eggs / bacon? Paninis / pizzas for lunch have some carbs, but are mainly cheese and ham and I find better for energy and to feel less hungry. not sure where my Lion bars fit into this though..
If I only eat carbs for breakfast, I feel ravenous in an hour. I have pate on toast, or Taramosolata on toast or Thai noodles with prawns and chilli. Fab! But there again, I am a bit odd and don't imagine you'd get far asking chalet hosts to cook this!
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SkiBod, If Beverley is getting tired after lunch, I am not sure that the problem lies in Carbs at breakfast. The foods that she mentions are the 'low GI' carbs which are recommended to keep you going. You need some carbs for exercise after all.
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You know it makes sense.
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T Bar, Bread, is not low GI. White bread raise blood sugar faster than sugar.
For me, lunch is the killer. I can get away with croissants for breakfast (I think the long fast preceding breakfast lessens the effect of the sugar hit).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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neilswingler,
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T Bar, Bread, is not low GI. White bread raise blood sugar faster than sugar.
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No, but the porridge and Muesli are and if the problem was to much carb at breakfast you would expect the problems to come before lunch rather than after.
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Poster: A snowHead
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neilswingler,
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can get away with croissants for breakfast (I think the long fast preceding breakfast lessens the effect of the sugar hit)
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All the fat in croissants probably balances out the carbs?
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If Beverley is getting tired after lunch, I am not sure that the problem lies in Carbs at breakfast
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I suppose the point i was making was that if I only eat carbs (and breakfast is the usual meal to do it), I get really hungry, so you need to balance it with protein / fat. Agreed probably bit of a non-sequitur with the original lunch point, but maybe if you get your blood sugar swinging up early in the day with too much carbs and no slower burning protein / fat, the hit of a major carb lunch could be worse? Send blood sugar right up to crash again? Agreed, porridge is a better carb than white bread and jam, but muesli is a bit of an unknown quantity ~ check out the sugar levels on some like original Alpen ~ enough to keep you hyper... until you reach the all time low about an hour later..... need to put your Afghan slippers on and start making your own... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sausage, bacon n eggs for breakfast.. bung in plenty of fruit, orange juice and water.. you wont go far wrong with that ..
lay off the bread based stuff.. your not designed to eat vast lumps of dough, no matter how nice they look when cooked up..
same with lunch, try to lay off the pizzas n chips as much as poss..
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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CANV CANVINGTON, re pizza, I'd agree the Pizza Hut anglo-american variety are a real stodgefest,but thin crust french ones with lots of lovely cheese and meaty toppings and a nice salade verte? tres bien!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Beverley, Another thing I wondered about following the comment
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too much wine late at night, though I'm not a party goer.
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is whether it could also be dehydration? Can't remember the exact statistics, but if you are even a very little dehydrated it really affects stamina and can contribute to fatigue. If you are drinking more wine than you are used to in the evening and then relying on fizzy water at lunch (which because it is fizzy I personally can never drink as much of as still water) plus the exercise, altitude, and dry, freezing conditions, maybe you also need to drink more? I always take water out with me and drink water at lunch (or Coke if I feel in need of lots of sugar!) and STILL don't feel I drink enough or anywhere near as much as I do at home.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Pete1909, Hadn't read yours when I submitted mine.... Ha Ha Ha!
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Beverley I have a similar problem with my energy levels - except that it persists all the time not just on the slopes. Even at home/work I have to "keep eating" between regular meals in the sence of nibbling a handful of trail mix/cereal bars/piece of fruit around about every 30 mins.
On the slopes I have to up the caloric intake right across the board, including breakfast, lunch & dinner (each of which HAVE to include a highish proportion of protein) and the snacks. Otherwise I feel crap and don't last between breakie and lunch, let alone into the afternoon....
Chocolate (ideally dark choc with no less than 70% cocoa solids) is one of the best "top ups" coz of the protein it contains as well as carbs, which means it's slower to digest and doesn't cause quite the sugar spikes that pure sugar sweets can do. Try also the chewy sports bars (basically protein and gloucose in hard form), muslie bars. Also try combining hard energy food with sports drinks like Gatorade/Loucozade.
Also experiment with how often you need to top up on the slopes - Mr Manda's stomach can't tolerate a lot of snacking and so he tops up only once between breakfast and lunch, but I can't function without a nibble every other minute - normally a chunk of chocolate every lift.
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A few good points raised here I think , also some dubious ones! I am an Insulin diabetic ( 28 years ) so I do know wabit about food intake and energy levels. I also run a lot for general fitness and masochistic enjoyment , so here is my 2 pence worth.
Carbs vary in thier uptake. GI is a guide, but only that - your uptake and use of a carbohydrate wuill be affected by your fitness, your hydration and your general metabolism.
A big meal does several things - it can give you a lot of carbs , but they need to be digested this takes a blood supply and energy - so a lighter lunch with plenty of low GI carbs is a good thing , small spag bols, tartiflette or soup ( especially soups with carbs in like pasta/grains) are good . Soup is good because it is warm, liquid and often has salts in to help keep your electrolyte balance up. Drink plenty fluids , dehydration dramatically affects your performancs. If you are not going to the toilet several times a day on a ski day ( a pain I know ) you are not drinking enough .
Caffiene is good, it helps your body convert fat to energy, fat is not a great energy source for most of us, it takes a lot of training for a human to metabolise fat effectively ( People like Paula Radcliffe have developed thier metabolism by training so they can do this - they would never do a marathon at the speed they do without it) Most mortals can only rely on 30 mins to 1 hours energy from glycogen stored in our muscles during an endurance activity like skiing, after that your body is trying to burn fat and that is not an efficient system in most of us - so using snacks / snack stops is a sensible way to keep your blood sugar up ( plus hydration). I dont like using a lot of "isotonic" drinks - I think the bottled ones are not "balanced" - very high sugar levels. But diluting the powdered versions down to suit is a better option , but remember cold drinks ( from bars or camelbacks) are not always a great idea - they chill your stomach and cool you down - a warm drink is better. What snack you use is up to you, chocolate is nice , but oat based is pobably better, but I find it the "edibility" property more important - my fave is my father-in-laws scottish tablet ( a type of fudge) endllesly enjoyable and eatable!
One thing to do in the evening is to load up again on carbs - your body has to restore muscle glycogen overnight so you have to give it something to work with - rice , spuds, pasta, sponge pudding, tarts - whatever, make sure you eat your dinner! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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This works for me...
Breakfast: carbs - ideally porridge - or cereals; nuts for fat and protein; an egg on toast for protein+carbs plus a feeling of 'fullness'; fruit coz I love it; water+tea for hydration.
Lunch: medium size meal, e.g. small spag bol, nothing rich or greasy like chips, no extra bread or a dessert.
Mid-afternoon: optional choccy bar.
Dinner: anything goes - a big one!
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On my most recent trip I found it better to eat a double breakfast (e.g., cereal and toast), then skip lunch altogether and finish an hour earlier than normal. The same amount of skiing without that nasty sleepy feeling.
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FAQ
