FRB special report
Neely Quinn: Nutrition Therapist

1.  You said in a recent interview in DPM that breakfast is
      the most important meal of the day.  What makes a great
      breakfast for climbers?

I can't stress how important it is for people to eat in the morning after a long fast during the night.  If we don't eat in the morning, our blood sugar can get very low.  It's difficult to make up for that huge dip in blood sugar if you don't start eating until lunchtime.  You start to feel sluggish, tired, weak, shaky, sometimes nauseous, grumpy or spacey, or some combination of all of those symptoms.
People who climb a lot – 2 or more times per week – need a ton of protein to heal and rebuild the muscles that they're constantly breaking down.   A good breakfast for these people is anything that includes high quality protein like eggs, meat, fish or beans; good carbohydrates like vegetables or whole grains; and good fat like avocado, nuts and seeds, coconut oil or olive oil.  You may be wondering why I didn't mention dairy or soy in there anywhere.  Both dairy and soy can be pretty difficult to digest and can contribute to anything from skin problems to bloating.  If you can tolerate them, they can be an ok source of protein or fat.
The main goal at breakfast is to include enough protein and fat to slow down the rise in blood sugar that is caused by carbohydrates, especially the sugary kinds, like cereals, bars, waffles, or any bready product that isn't made from a whole grain.  What about fruit?  I think fruit is a good source of nutrients and fiber, but the fruits we love are pretty high in sugar.
Here's a good example of a balanced breakfast for a 120 lb moderately active female climber who is trying to maintain her weight:

- 2 large eggs scrambled together with 2 cups spinach, ½ cup chopped mushrooms, and 1/4 diced onion in 1 tbs olive oil.
- one quarter avocado and some high quality salsa on top of the scramble -1 slice whole grain toast with 1/4 tbs organic butter or coconut oil spread.
- small handful blackberries.

That's actually around 580 calories, which might seem like a lot, but it's better to have your biggest meal in the morning if you can stomach it.  That way you have the rest of the day to use those calories up (as opposed to trying to burn them off after dinner in your sleep) and it keeps you fueled until lunch so you don't go for the doughnuts staring you in the face at work mid-morning.

I want to add that when I suggest any food, my hope is that people will choose to buy organic and humanely raised products whenever it is possible.

2.  Can you give us an example of a week of breakfasts, please.
     (ie., suggest a week's worth of ideal breakfasts for climbers)

This all depends on people's preferences, food sensitivities and budget, but I'll do my best.  Most people end up eating the same thing for breakfast most mornings, but here are 7 breakfast ideas.  It's good to keep your diet diverse so you get as many different nutrients as possible.

Monday: Breakfast burrito – eggs, green peppers, spinach, salsa, avocado, beans and cheese in a whole grain wrap. 

Tuesday: Whole oats (not instant) topped with coconut milk, nuts and seeds, half a banana, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  For protein, some people cook an egg into their oats, but you could also just cook up some bacon or sausage, or have a hard boiled egg on the side.

Wednesday: Running late, so need a quick breakfast – whole grain toast slathered with almond butter and a plum.

Thursday: Small, whole grain bagel sandwich with egg or sausage or smoked salmon, tomato, sprouts, and cream cheese or humus.   

Friday: Whole grain cereal (very low sugar and high fiber) with almond, hemp, coconut or cow's milk (not skim).  Whole fat plain yogurt (cow's or coconut) with nuts and seeds and berries.     

Saturday: Going out to climb, so need to fuel up.  Big scramble – eggs, ground turkey, kale, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and beans all cooked in olive oil, coconut oil or butter, sprinkled with a bit of cheese if you like.  Buckwheat groats on the side or mixed in (just prepare whole buckwheat or any whole grain like you would rice).  

Sunday: Going to climb again...   Leftovers!  Even if it's high quality pizza, it's going to be better than just a bar.  Chicken stir-fry, leftover Thai food, sushi, burgers - as long as it has a good amount of protein, some good fats and complex carbs, you're good. 

3.  Are eggs really so important for a well-rounded breakfast?
     What do you suggest for egg substitutes?

I do tend to recommend that people eat eggs in the morning.  That's because it's easier for people to eat eggs and veggies when they wake up than, say, cod and veggies for some reason.  We're brought up to think that eggs are normal breakfast food.  Whatever kind of protein source you are willing to eat in the morning is fantastic – steak, pork, tempeh, chicken, beans, salmon, buffalo burgers - whatever. 

Vegetarians and vegans have to be very aware of how soy, whey, seitan and other meat substitutes are affecting your digestion.  If you're going to eat soy products, try to eat fermented foods like tempeh - they're easier for your body to digest and assimilate.  If your lifestyle truly limits you to protein powders a lot of the time – look into hemp, rice or pea protein powders, which can be easier to digest.  I don't suggest any of the egg substitutes in a carton – they often are full of unrecognizable ingredients and preservatives.  It's way better to eat an egg than something that just sort of looks like an egg.  

What about the cholesterol in an egg, you might be wondering?  Well, cholesterol consumption only causes dangerous blood cholesterol levels in a small handful of people due to a genetic issue.  They're finding that the real culprits in heart disease are things like sugar, free radicals & inflammation, hydrogenated oils, and a diet low in fruits and veggies. 
You can find more info on all that at pubmed.com if you're interested. 

4.  How much do you suggest to eat for a full day of climbing?   

How much you eat for a full day of climbing is completely dependent upon your size, your gender, your age and whether you are trying to gain, lose or maintain your current weight.  If you are interested in knowing how many calories you should be eating, though, you can talk to a nutrition practitioner or go online to places like myfitnesspal.com or livestrong.com.  Personally, when I'm climbing, I get very hungry, and when I'm hungry I eat.  I've noticed that some people hardly eat while they're climbing. 
Just remember that if you're burning a lot of calories by trying your boulder problem 27 times in a row or climbing a bunch of routes in a day, you don't want to be starving yourself in the process.  Your body performs best when it's fueled properly – if it's not, it starts to consume protein (muscle), which is not what we want.  If you absolutely can not eat much during a long day of climbing, eat a big, protein-rich meal with lots of colorful veggies and good fats before you start and when you're done - it will help you recover.  

5.  What do you suggest to drink during breakfast? 
     I've heard it said that you don't want to dilute your
     digestive fluids by drinking a fluid during a meal. 
     Is this true?  Does it make any sense to not drink
     a fluid, like milk, water, wine, etc. during a meal?   

The fact is that we should be washing our food down with saliva, which is produced when we chew, which is something we should all do more of when we eat.  Some cultures find Americans' habit of shoving our food down our throats laughable.  Having said that, I think that a lot of people don't think to drink anything at all unless they're eating.  So, I say, if you're going to drink while you eat, drink water as opposed to your other options, which are often filled with things like sugar, nasty preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, poisonous dyes, or alcohol. 

Does drinking while eating dilute your digestive juices?  For some people, yes.  For others, no.  It depends on how much of those digestive juices you personally have in your stomach and how well your stomach is mixing things up.  Everyone is different, so if you suspect that drinking water might be causing you some digestive problems, stop drinking it during meals (but drink it between meals!) and start chewing more for a while and see if anything changes.   

6.  What about supplements? 
     What do you suggest to the climber who wants to maximize
     his climbing or training pertaining to supplements?

I am not a big pusher of supplements.  They're not going to make much of a difference if your diet is crappy, if you're not getting enough sleep or drinking enough water, or if you're doing a lot of drugs or drinking a ton of alcohol.  You need to start with all of those things first and then if you still aren't getting the results you desire, start tweaking one or all of those things.  THEN look to supplements if you still are unsatisfied.  However, I think there are some nutrients, like vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids, that very few Americans are going to get enough of from diet and lifestyle, and most people should be supplementing those.  They alone might help your body be less inflamed and thus let you train and climb harder.

I truly do believe that food should be your first priority when you're trying to get stronger.  I've seen it happen in myself, my boyfriend and a bunch of clients - when you clean up your diet and eat a lot of high quality veggies, protein, nuts and seeds, and some fruit, you get stronger.  If you've already done that and you want to get even stronger and be able to recover more quickly, you could consider taking l-glutamine, an amino acid, or the branched-chain amino acids, l-leucine, l-isoleucine and l-valine.  But amino acids are found in the meat we eat, too.   

7.  What about lunches?  What is a good lunch for a long climbing day?

It's totally possible to pack a big, balanced lunch in to a remote area.  Whatever you do, it's important to bring enough food.  Bring a protein and veggie-packed sandwich or two in a light tupperware, a couple of Lara bars (or some other bar with very few ingredients), and some carrots.  Or you could bring leftovers from the night before, which are often already in a tupperware, and some hearty trail mix.  I've brought everything from leftover Thai food to sweet potatoes and coconut milk to climbing areas.  Cheese, almond butter, and dark chocolate are a good source of dense calories, which is what you want when you're hiking and climbing all day.

If you're in a place where you can have access to a cooler at lunchtime, I see no reason why you shouldn't bring everything you love to eat - condiments and all.  For instance, in Rifle I get to eat huge, fresh salads with meat, avocado and dressing for lunch.  Actually, I think that's why I like that place so much.       

8.  Do you suggest any supplements for lunch time - like GU's or      Gatorades or energy bars?  What are the best energy drinks
     or energy bars for climbing?      

GU is for bikers and long-distance runners (those of them who want to eat nasty preservatives, that is).  Gatorade used to be for bikers and long-distance runners until they put a whole bunch of sugar in it to make it more appealing to kids in the 80's.  We don't need to eat high sugar, low-nutrient, easy-to-open, pre-packaged foods like bikers and runners do because between 20 minute pitches or 10 second attempts on a boulder, we can actually eat real food.  They, on the other hand, don't have the time, the stomach, or the cooler full of food to stop and make a sandwich while they're out doing their thing.  We have almost no excuse to eat GU or drink Gatorade.  You may as well eat gummy bears or drink a Coke!  The only time I can see a climber needing GU is if they're doing a quick push up a big wall and they're trying to travel lightly.
Energy bars can be ok, and by ok I mean sub optimal.  Most of them are full of HIGHLY processed foods, tons of sugar, GMO's, synthetic minerals and vitamins that your body may not even recognize, and they can be difficult to digest.  I suggest the bars that are just nuts and fruit, like Lara Bars or the new Clif Bars while you're out climbing if you need to resort to a bar. 

9.  How much water should a climber drink a day?
     (for a typical full day of climbing)       

Water is VERY important to us as climbers.  Some elite climbers try to drink a gallon of water a day because they swear it helps them recover, which is pretty useful when you're climbing on consecutive days.  Water helps flush out the gunk in our bodies that we create when we work so hard.  It helps us to stay alert, to keep us feeling satiated so we don't over eat, it keeps our joints lubricated, and it hydrates our cells for proper function.  All of these things are good for climbers, and yet most of us don't drink enough. 
I don't like to give people a generalized number of liters to drink per day because everyone is different, but I will:  You should drink between 2 and 4 liters of water per day, whether you're climbing or not.    

10.  What about dinners?  What are some great ideas for
       meals for a climber who climb 3 or 4 or 5 days a week?

It's all the same philosophy - eat lots of vegetables, some good fats, maybe some whole grains, and high quality protein at dinner.  Try to fill half of your plate with vegetables every time you eat a meal.  Seriously.    

11.  Can you  suggest a week's worth of dinner ideas
       for a very active climber?

This is really going to depend on people's tastes and food sensitivities, so I'll say this:  Vary your protein sources throughout the week, eat a lot of vegetables and some fruits, and if you need to, eat some whole grains.  Good fats are incredibly important, so don't go with the non-fat variety of anything - it doesn't fill you up, so you get hungry soon after eating it.  An example of a good dinner for a non-vegetarian person would be:

A large salad made up of chard, kale, lettuce, cabbage, green onions, tomatoes, avocado, olives, cucumber, basil, some nuts and seeds topped with an appropriate serving of chicken breast, olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and some salt. 

Make it a big salad.  This kind of meal has SO many nutrients in it, especially if everything is organic - vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C, lycopene, etc.  And if you have some of the greens already chopped up in the fridge and the chicken already made in bulk from the day before, this salad can take you 5 minutes to whip up.  A vegetarian might substitute the chicken for some tempeh and beans.
Some awesome recipes can be found at: marksdailyapple.com/category/recipes/.

12.  What about drinking wine or beers after dinner?  
       Do you recommend it?  If so, why?

It's not something I can say I recommend or don't recommend to everyone.  Some people are more affected by alcohol than others, and some alcoholic drinks are better than others.  Red wine is very high in certain anti-oxidants, and some of the longest living people drank Mead regularly.  I would just encourage people to be open to the idea that alcohol may affect your climbing negatively. 

If you drink alcohol regularly and you: are having trouble sleeping, experiencing drastic spikes in your blood sugar, get red and blotchy skin after you drink, or feel tired and sluggish in the morning, try not drinking for a couple of weeks and see if you feel any better.  Also, many people are sensitive to gluten (no, it's not just a fad), and beer is made with gluten grains most of the time.  

13.  What if someone is a vegetarian? 
       What do they need to eat to make sure they're getting a
       good, balanced diet?

I've touched on this throughout the interview, but I'll add that vegetarians need to be conscious of how much protein they're getting, since it is what creates much of our immune system, our neurotransmitters, and our connective tissue, among many other things.  Some people add soy, whey, seitan, beans and other products to their diet for protein, but when you compare animal sources of protein with plant sources, the amount of protein they each contain gram for gram is disparate.  For instance, a 100 g (about 3.5 oz) serving of top round steak contains about 32 g protein while the same amount of cooked firm tofu contains about 10 g.  A 100 g serving of roasted chicken breast contains about 31 g protein while the same amount of black beans offers only about 9 g.  100 g (which is about 5 slices) of cheddar cheese yields about 25 g, and 100 g (a little less than a half cup) of humus gives you about 8 g.   You get the picture.
If you're a vegetarian or vegan, I suggest that you eat complex carbohydrates, good fat, and clean protein at every meal and snack.  And if you want to make sure you're getting the protein you need, you might want to supplement with hemp, rice, pea, soy or whey powders, depending on which of them your digestive system can tolerate.   

The numbers I listed above were taken from the USDA's HUGE food database, which can be found at: nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/. 
You should check it out and get to know what you're eating if you haven't already.   

14.  Please summarize some of the most important  nutrition
       ideas for a very active climber who wants to maximize his
      climbing time?

1. Limit your sugar (I mean added sugars - fructose, high fructose corn syrup,
    cane sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.) intake as much as you
    possibly can. 
2. Eat organic, clean food.

3. Eat lots of vegetables and some fruit.
4. Consume at the very least 30% and up to 90% of your body weight in grams
    of protein per day.  If you weigh 100 lbs, you'd eat at the very least 30 g 
    and up to 90 g of protein per day. 

5. Eat enough food.
6. At every meal or snack, make sure you're not just going for sugary foods.
    Eat complex carbs, protein and good fats.

7. Drink plenty of water - 2 to 4 liters per day.
8. Remove hydrogenated fats, weird preservatives, fake sugars, and
    food dyes from your diet - they are poisonous.

9. Eat whole, not processed, foods. 
10. Consider spending more money on food than you do normally. 
      Remember that food is the thing that sustains life (and water, of course)
      - it's not supposed to be cheap.

15.  Neely, please tell us about your training and schooling.

I received my BS in psychology and zoology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.  I wanted to be a primatologist back then.  When I realized that monkeys don't necessarily want to be studied, I decided that food and healing were my calling, so I attended Seven Bowls School of Nutrition, Nourishment and Healing in Longmont where I received my certificate as an Integrative Clinical Nutrition Therapist.  It was an intense 3 and a half years of full time, year-round school with an internship during the last year.  In that time I learned about nutrition from a functional medicine perspective, Western herbal therapy, traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese herbal therapy, the energetics of food, intuitive counseling, guided imagery, homeopathy, cooking and much more. 

I've been seeing clients since 2005.  I help people with things like blood sugar balancing, fatigue, achieving athletic goals, weight management, thyroid issues, food sensitivities, skin problems, infertility, cardiovascular disease, neurotransmitter balancing and many other common issues.  I work with people one on one or in groups, I give talks to groups about various nutrition topics, and I write a little.  

I'm pretty obsessed with the pursuit of nutritional knowledge, so I read a whole lot and I attend seminars and webinars regularly.  I hope to go back to school some day - I'm just not sure yet which school would teach me everything I want to know!   

16.  How can people contact you if they want to learn more
       about eating wisely?

If you'd like to contact me, go to my website at: foodasmedicinecounseling.com
or email me at: neelyquinn@gmail.com