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Nutrition for Endurance Events: Fueling Your Performance

Posted August 21, 2023 by Maria Bossard, Summa Health Wellness Center Fitness Specialist

Woman drinking from water bottle

‘Tis the season for outdoor endurance sports! While gearing up with the best apparel, shoes and playlist is essential, don't overlook the power of nutrition. Learn how to properly fuel your body with carbohydrates, fluid and electrolytes during endurance activities that last longer than an hour.

Muscle Glycogen: Your Energy Source

Understanding Muscle Glycogen and Energy Utilization

During exercise, your muscles rely on muscle glycogen as a primary energy source. As your activity intensity increases, your body's oxygen consumption rises, leading to faster depletion of muscle glycogen. Higher intensity activities deplete glycogen more rapidly.

Pre-Activity Carbohydrate Intake

To optimize your energy levels, consume a balanced meal rich in carbohydrates 1-4 hours before your activity. However, understand that this alone may not sustain you throughout the entire exercise. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recommends focusing on carbohydrates, electrolytes and fluids for optimal fueling.

Optimal Fueling for Peak Performance

The NSCA provides valuable guidelines to help athletes reach their peak potential. While including protein is important, prioritize carbohydrates, electrolytes and fluids for fueling before and during endurance events. After the activity, fats and fibrous foods play a crucial role in your overall daily nutrition.

While carbohydrates are vital for energy, protein supports muscle recovery and growth. It's advisable to include protein in your nutrition plan, but at a moderate level. Avoid consuming fats and fibrous foods immediately before or during a race or training session. However, they are essential for recovery and daily nutrition post-activity.

Hydration and Electrolytes: Performance Essentials

The Importance of Hydration in Endurance Performance

Staying hydrated is a cornerstone of successful endurance performance. Hydration ensures your body maintains sufficient total body water, enhancing overall efficiency and preventing dehydration-related issues.

Recognizing Dehydration

Dehydration poses significant risks, including elevated internal body temperature, increased heart rate and decreased performance. Regardless of environmental temperatures, prolonged fluid restriction during exercise can lead to these negative outcomes.

Achieving Optimal Hydration and Key Electrolytes

During activities exceeding 45 minutes to 1 hour, proper hydration becomes critical. Carbohydrates and electrolytes require fluid for effective digestion and absorption. Consistent intake of fluids and electrolytes ensures balanced hydration and minimizes the risk of cramping, lightheadedness and other complications.

Sweat loss during exercise leads to the depletion of essential electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride. Replenishing these electrolytes is crucial for preventing issues like cramps, heat stress and irregular heartbeats. Incorporate electrolyte-rich products into your hydration strategy.

Strategic Hydration during Races and Training

Planning Your Hydration Strategy

A well-thought-out hydration plan is essential for race events and training sessions. Familiarize yourself with the location and offerings of hydration stations along your route. Plan when and what you'll consume and have contingencies in case your preferred options are unavailable.

Make the most of hydration stations during races. Know their locations and what they provide—whether it's water, electrolyte drinks, fruits, or energy gels. Strategically time your refueling stops to ensure consistent energy and hydration throughout the event.

Customize your hydration approach based on your preferences. If carrying a water bottle isn't ideal, plan your route to pass by water sources or hide water bottles ahead of time. Personalize your strategy to ensure you're comfortably hydrated throughout your activity.

Proactive Fueling: The 45-Minute Rule

Embrace the 45-minute rule: refuel with carbohydrates, fluids and electrolytes every 45 minutes during endurance activities. By staying ahead of your nutritional needs, you maintain optimal energy levels and performance, avoiding the need to play catch-up.

Tailoring Nutrition for Optimal Performance

Nutrition's Impact on Endurance Training

Proper nutrition is a cornerstone of achieving peak endurance performance. It not only enhances your ability to perform at your best but also ensures you maximize the benefits of your training.

A successful training plan extends beyond mileage and time considerations. It includes nutrition as a vital aspect to determine what your body can tolerate before, during and after exercise. Practice different approaches to find your ideal balance.

Practicing Nutrition

Experiment with various nutrition strategies during training sessions to understand your body's preferences and requirements. Tailor your approach to optimize your endurance performance and overall well-being.

Anticipate, Don't React: Staying Ahead of Nutritional Needs

Stay proactive in meeting your nutritional needs. Preemptively fuel your body before it signals hunger or thirst. A well-prepared nutrition plan ensures you're always performing at your peak and enjoying your endurance activities to the fullest.

Elevate Your Performance with Proper Nutrition

Don't underestimate the impact of proper nutrition on your endurance journey. Fueling your body with the right nutrients ensures peak performance and enjoyable training sessions. Embrace the sunshine and take charge of your nutrition for unbeatable results. Reach out to our fitness experts at the Summa Health Wellness Center for personalized training, guidance and additional insights!

Remember, consistency in following an optimized nutrition plan is key to achieving your endurance goals. Stay proactive, stay hydrated and watch your performance soar!


About the Author

Maria Bossard, Summa Health Wellness Center Fitness Specialist

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Do rehydrate:

Rehydrate your body with about 16-24 oz. of fluid for every pound lost.  

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During race dos and don'ts:

You woke up early and followed our tips for what to eat before a race. Now your race has started – see what to eat and drink during a marathon. We’ll see you at the finish line!  

Do: include about 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour.

Some examples include:

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Pre-race dos and don'ts:

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Obesity has been deemed a disease of worldwide epidemic proportions. In the United States, obesity directly affects 40% of the adult population and an additional 30% are considered overweight. Obesity is now ranked as the second-highest cause of preventable deaths in the United States. The rate at which obesity has worsened over the past 20 years is alarming, and there is now a growing amount of national attention focused on the problem.

When talking about obesity, it is very…

5 Ways to Make Healthy Eating a Piece of Cake

Eat healthy. Exercise. Lose the extra holiday L-Bs. These are some of the most common goals many of us try to accomplish each year. But, it’s just about the time of year when these all-too familiar New Year’s Resolutions start to fall by the wayside.

Life can get in the way, temptations arise and we can default to old habits. So this year, let’s try something different. Instead of listing the same goals year after year, let’s put to practice lifestyle…

Are short workouts effective?

As a general goal, it is recommended that we get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, more if you’re looking to lose weight. However, some people find it hard to carve out those 30 minutes every day. Some may only have time for a short 10-minute workout. So, is it still worth exercising even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time?

Studies have shown that short workouts throughout the day are just as beneficial as long continuous ones.

 

In this…

How to Successfully Manage Your Diabetes During the Holidays

The holidays can be tough for anyone on a diet with all the celebrating, snacking and treats. Those with diabetes have to be especially careful around the holidays because gaining weight or rising blood sugar could be dangerous to your health.

If you slip into bad eating habits and they extend well into the New Year, you can do long-term damage to your body. Just a little preparation can go a long way towards keeping your weight and blood sugar down – check out these…

Here's the scoop on intermittent fasting

This recent weight loss trend places more of an emphasis on WHEN you eat than WHAT you eat (but keep in mind that both are important for success). Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating.

Depending on the type of intermittent fasting pattern you choose, your fasting time may be a few hours or a whole day a few times per week. During the fasting periods, you eat either very little or nothing at all.

Here are some of the…

What Does A Fast Food Meal Do To Your Body?

It’s quick, fast, and cheap; it also tastes really good! Americans spend roughly $50 billion on fast food each year. With the availability of food “on-demand” more and more people are opting for prepared foods, whether through a drive thru or delivered to your door.

But have you ever felt not-so-great after eating fast food--maybe a little tired or bloated? Did you notice you became hungry again pretty soon after eating? That’s because although most…

Battle it Out: Artificial Sweetener v. Sugar

The sweeter things in life are present at most celebrations...weddings, birthdays, work promotions, new baby, office parties...you get the idea. But if you are like many Americans trying to cut back on your refined sugar intake for health reasons and/or weight management, you may think opting for sugar replacements might be a healthier choice.

When it comes to real sugar (sucrose) versus artificial sweeteners, like the ones found in diet sodas and ‘zero-calorie”…

Myths vs. Facts: Binge Eating

According to the American Psychiatric Association, eating disorders affect millions of Americans, mostly women between 12 and 35 years old. There are three main types of eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder (BED). The focus of this blog post will be on BED.

BED is the most common eating disorder in the US. It can be characterized by recurring episodes in which large quantities of food are consumed (more food than most people would consume over the same…

Sugar: It may be an Addiction

Most of us know that too much sugar is not good for our overall health. But what you may not know is that growing research is showing what’s bad for the body may also be bad for the brain.

A recent study published in Scientific Reports found that a group of men between 35 and 55 who consumed more than 67 grams of sugar daily from sweetened foods and beverages were more likely to develop anxietydepression, and other common mental disorders after 5 years, compared with men with a lower daily sugar intake. In no way does this imply that excess sugar causes mental disorders in the general population; rather this was a select study which also found no similar correlation for the women who participated in the research.

What are macros?

Paleo, keto, macros, carbs, complex carbs, clean eating, plant-based...we could keep going but I think you get the idea. With so many buzzwords out there, it can be difficult to analyze which ones would be a good addition to your weight loss journey or can help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Let’s explore one of these nutrition buzzwords: Macros.

Macros are short for macronutrients. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates and fats and make up the caloric content of food.

Controversial Use of E-cigarettes and Vaping- A "Heated" Debate

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) first entered the US market around 2007.  Wells Fargo Securities analysts now claim that these products have grown into a $4.4 billion industry. These products have many names including e-cigarettes, vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, and e-pipes among others. Most use a heating mechanism to turn liquid into a vapor that is then inhaled as an aerosol. E-cigs differ from traditional cigarettes because they do not “burn” or contain the 7,000 chemicals present in traditional combustible cigarettes. The tobacco industry continues to develop and market new nicotine delivery devices and without question the controversy over these products is still a heated debate.

Carbs: The Good, the Bad and the Yummy

Atkins, paleo, low-carb, no carb, how do you choose? If weight loss is a priority for you, or if you are just looking to eat healthier, there is an abundance of diets, meal plans and fads out there.

But what exactly are carbohydrates (carbs) and why are some of them so “bad” for us? Below is a breakdown of the types of carbohydrates, what they do to our bodies, which ones we can eat and those to avoid.

The Gift of Heart Health

When you think of February, you may think of Valentine's Day, chocolate and flowers. February also marks American Heart Month, a great time to commit to a healthy lifestyle and make small changes that can lead to a lifetime of heart health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. But the good news is it's also one of the most preventable.

Making heart-healthy choices, knowing your family health history and the risk factors for heart…

Medical Nutrition Therapy or Nutrition Education?

Medical Nutrition Therapy or Nutrition Education?

Obesity currently affects 34% of all Americans. It contributes to many other conditions, including Type 2 Diabetes, GERD, Sleep Apnea, Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, Joint Disorders, and a variety of cancers. Improving or eliminating obesity often can improve or cure these conditions, including Type 2 Diabetes.

A registered dietitian can approach obesity through either medical nutrition therapy or nutrition education.

Medical…

Eating-Mindfully

We eat for many reasons beyond hunger, which is why learning to eat mindfully helps you maintain or even lose weight if desired. As we celebrate Healthy Weight week this week, here are ten tips that provide some food for thought.

1. Reject the Diet Mentality.Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you false hope of losing weight quickly, easily and permanently. Get angry at the lies that have led you to feel as if you were a failure every time a new diet…

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