Bean Anita - The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition

BLOOMSBURY SPORT

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK

29 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, Ireland

This electronic edition published in 2022 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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First published in Great Britain 1993

This edition published 2022

Copyright 2022, 2017, 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1996, 1993 Anita Bean

Illustrations David Gardner, 2021

All images Getty Images

Ninth edition 2022

Eighth edition 2017

Seventh edition 2013; reprinted 2013, 2014 and 2015

Sixth edition 2009; reprinted 2010, 2012

Fifth edition 2006

Fourth edition 2003

Third edition 2000; reprinted 2001

Second edition 1996; reprinted 1997 (twice), 1998, 1999, 2000

First edition 1993; reprinted 1994, 1995

Anita Bean has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work

For legal purposes the constitute an extension of this copyright page

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ISBN: 978-1-4729-7694-9 (PB)
ISBN: 978-1-4729-7696-3 (eBook)
ISBN: 978-1-4729-7696-3 (ePDF)

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CONTENTS

This book is the culmination of my work as a sports nutritionist and writer for more than 30 years and would not have been possible without the support and help of many brilliant people. First and foremost, thank you to my husband, Simon, for always being there and backing me all the way. Thank you also to my two daughters, Chloe and Lucy, who provide me with inspiration and motivation.

I am very grateful to the many scientists who have provided expert feedback on this book: Professor Graeme Close, Liverpool John Moores University; Professor James Morton, Liverpool John Moores University; Professor Andrew Jones, University of Exeter; Professor Neil Walsh, Liverpool John Moores University; Dr Oliver Witard, Kings College London; Dr Lewis James, Loughborough University; Dr Jamie Pugh, Liverpool John Moores University; Dr Adam Collins, University of Surrey; and James Fern, University of Bath;

Thank you to the wonderful editorial team at Bloomsbury: publisher Charlotte Croft, senior editor Sarah Skipper, copy editor Lucy Doncaster, proof-reader Nicky Gyopari, designer Seagull Design, cover designer Amanda Keyte, head of marketing Lizzy Ewer, senior publicity manager Katherine Macpherson and senior marketing executive Alice Graham.

Nutrition has always played an important role in my running career and without a doubt has been a key factor in helping me achieve my best performances. In the early days of my career, there was very little reliable information about sports nutrition. Like most runners, I had to work out for myself what to eat before races, the timings of my food intake, how much fluid to drink to prepare for races and also what to take onboard during longer races such as the marathon. This was done mostly by trying out different things rather than having a definite plan. Sometimes I was finding it difficult to get my blood sugar levels right to race well. On occasion I also felt like Id taken on too much fluid too close to the start of shorter races. Earlier in my career I found it more difficult to recover between tough workouts too. Without some expert advice, it can definitely be very hard to optimise your nutrition strategies.

Ive known Anita for many years and have always found her advice invaluable. Learning how to fuel my training has meant that I could train harder and recover quicker and that was critical at times when I was training up to 100 miles a week or when I was doing intense interval sessions in preparation for championships. Without good nutrition, sports people are much more likely to get injured or pick up illnesses. Its a such a shame when athletes who are motivated to train hard dont achieve their goals due to their nutrition being inadequate.

Anita is absolutely brilliant at translating complex science into easily understandable advice for athletes. This book is such a fantastic resource to me. It contains a huge amount of information that is backed up by science. It is also very practical and displays the wealth of knowledge that Anita has. Ive been able to gain fantastic advice from this book and I think it will be an absolute must for all aspiring athletes who want to enjoy their sport and achieve their optimal performances.

Jo Pavey

World, European and Commonwealth medalist and five-time Olympian

It seems extraordinary that this book is now in its ninth edition. Since the first edition, it has undergone many revisions and updates as the science of sport and exercise nutrition has evolved over the years. When it was first published in 1993, sports nutrition was in its infancy and there was little reliable nutrition information available to athletes, coaches and nutrition practitioners. Since then, our knowledge of how nutrition influences sport and exercise performance has grown enormously, new guidelines have been developed and high-quality research continues to be published. There is now overwhelming evidence that diet significantly influences performance and recovery. Having advised hundreds of athletes over the past 30 years, I have seen first-hand how important diet is in supporting any training programme and helping athletes reach their goals.

The aim of this book has always been to translate the science of sport and exercise nutrition into practical information that athletes can understand and use. It provides evidence-based facts and recommendations in an easy-to-digest format, not opinions or anecdotes. All the information is backed with scientific studies, which are referenced in the text and listed at the back of the book. I am happy to report that, over the years, this book has remained a trusted reference and practical handbook for athletes, trainers, coaches, sports scientists, nutritionists and dietitians.

So, whats new? This ninth edition includes brand new chapters on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), gut health, immunity and recovery from injury. I have added research updates and findings from hundreds of sports nutrition studies around the world. Since the last edition, there has been a huge rise in interest in plant-based diets, with many athletes now reducing meat or switching to a vegan diet for health, ethical, environmental or performance reasons. As a result, research on the benefits of plant proteins has increased dramatically. The thinking around hydration, race fuelling and the management of gut problems has also evolved.