Meb's Nutrition Has Him Fitter and Faster than Ever
by: Generation UCAN (Sponsored Post)
August 30, 2012
4th place at the Olympics. 1st place at the Marathon Trials. A PR at the New York City Marathon. Meb Keflezighi's last 10 months would be a career highlights list for most runners. At age 37, Meb's fitter and faster than he's ever been and it hasn't come from an increase in mileage. It's how he fuels his body that's taken Meb's fitness to the next level.
"Nutrition is very crucial," says Meb, who just announced he'll be running the NYC Marathon in November along with U.S. Olympic teammates Ryan Hall and Abdi Abdirahman. "When you're 25, you can get away with eating anything. I'm definitely more aware of my nutrition now than I was before."
Since he's been using Generation UCAN's revolutionary sports nutrition before and after workouts and races, Meb's enjoyed a series of impressive performances and an amazing level of fitness at a point in his career when many expected him to slow down.
"I've been using UCAN ever since I won the New York City Marathon in 2009," says Meb. "I haven't used anything else for my recovery since. After New York when I was doing a lot of appearances and wasn't able to train as hard, it helped keep me lean. People were saying ‘you look lean' and asking me how many miles I was running and I said ‘not much.' People thought I was running a lot of miles, but it was really my nutrition. The results speak for themselves."
Meb's marathon time of 2:11:06 at the London Olympics was 23 seconds faster than his silver medal time in 2004. At the Olympic Trials in January, he ran his marathon PR of 2:09:08, which came just 69 days after he ran a PR in New York. Both performances came despite having to cut his training short due to injuries.
"I only had 4 weeks of 100+ miles a week before the Olympics. In an ideal world I'd like to have 8 to 10 weeks or more of 100 miles a week. I didn't lift any weights before the Trials or Olympics because of (various injuries). You can only push your body so far, but you have to have the proper nutrition behind it to be able to keep coming back day-in-day-out."
How Does UCAN Work and What Makes it Unique?
UCAN is Meb's go-to sports nutrition, but what makes it so special? It's SuperStarch - the unique energy source in UCAN's powdered drink mix. SuperStarch is a slow-burning, complex carbohydrate that's derived from non-GMO corn starch cooked with heat and water. It delivers time-released glucose to the muscles and brain, rather than the spike and crash in energy that occurs with sugar-based sports drinks, energy gels and bars, and high carbohydrate foods. SuperStarch is unique to UCAN and provides steady, long-lasting energy, enhanced fat burn, and efficient recovery.
Steady Energy Without a Crash
"We've always thought of energy as being like we need sugar, we need it now, we need it rapidly," says Dr. Cathy Yeckel, PhD, a researcher at Yale University. "This turns everything on its head. The SuperStarch gives little bits of energy over time and keeps the system stable, preventing the need for frequent re-dosing."
UCAN delivers steady fuel without relying on frequent consumption of sugar. By stabilizing blood sugar for 2-4 hours, SuperStarch allows runners to take in far fewer calories during longer distances and still have plenty of energy. By consuming less and cutting sugar intake, athletes using UCAN have found that they no longer have to worry about stomach issues.
"When I ran Boston in 2010, I used UCAN before the race and ran awesome on that course," says Meb of the race in which he ran his 3rd fastest marathon time.
Burn More Fat For Fuel
SuperStarch also helps runners get lean by allowing them to burn more fat for fuel during workouts. This occurs because SuperStarch keeps insulin levels stable. Insulin is a hormone that tells the body to store fat, and most carbs and sugars cause an insulin spike and inhibit fat burn.
"SuperStarch represents a major advancement and is legitimately the most exciting development in sports nutrition this century," says Dr. Jeff Volek, PhD, a top nutrition kinesiologist at the University of Connecticut and a low-carb advocate. "It's unique in that it provides a carbohydrate source without blocking the body's ability to burn fat."
Efficient Recovery
For runners putting in heavy mileage, recovery after a workout is just as important as fueling before a run. UCAN keeps the body's energy system stable throughout training and in the recovery period, allowing you to use the right fuel at the right time to spark recovery for the next training session.
"Besides the issue in my foot because of my injury, my body wasn't sore at all as I trained for the Olympics, which is kind of hard to imagine," says Meb. "In the past, I wouldn't even be able to sit. Going downstairs and upstairs was a struggle for me. UCAN definitely does its job. I really look forward to it after my intense workouts. During my cool down, it's the first thing that goes into my body."
How to Use UCAN
UCAN comes in single serve packets and should be consumed 30 minutes before a workout for steady energy and enhanced fat burning, and within 30 minutes post-workout for efficient recovery and continued fat burn. One packet mixes with 8-12 ounces of cold water. All 5 of the flavors have 30g of Superstarch, electrolytes (sodium and potassium), no added sugars or caffeine, and are gluten-free. The chocolate and vanilla flavors contain an additional 13g of whey protein and are ideal for post-workout recovery. To optimize the benefits of UCAN, avoid combining it with energy products and foods that spike blood sugar.
From Olympic runners, to pro football players, to everyday gym-goers trying to stay fit, Generation UCAN is the sports nutrition that will help you get the most out of your body - just ask Meb.
"When I won New York and saw the packet Generation UCAN, I said how appropriate is that," recalls Meb. "This represents a new generation where you believe you can do things."
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