The most common reason that athletes struggle with endurance performance is poor nutrition. This can be for many reasons, including the wrong foods selected or simply needing more calories (or enough of the right calories) daily. In this article, we'll look at some of the best ways to fuel your body during training and racing so you can perform as well as possible without feeling heavy and sluggish during workouts or long runs.
You are what you eat and must fuel your body for sustained performance.
- Eat a balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, protein, and fat. A well-rounded diet will help improve overall health while providing the energy needed to sustain endurance exercise. Carbohydrates provide quick energy to fuel your body during workouts or races; protein helps repair muscles after training sessions; fats provide essential fatty acids (EFAs) that aid in muscle recovery and nutrient absorption.*
- Eat small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals a day--this helps keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the day.* Eating enough calories each day is important so that training doesn't interfere with normal growth processes or lead to weight loss due to insufficient caloric intake.*
Carbs are your friend - so long as you choose the right ones.
Carbohydrates are your friend. They're the most important energy source for endurance athletes and should make up between 50% to 70% of your daily calories.
Carbs are not the enemy regarding endurance nutrition - how you choose them matters! Refined carbs (like white bread and pasta), sugars, and sugary drinks can lead to weight gain over time as they're quickly converted into fat stores in the body. Instead, opt for complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, which provide more sustained energy throughout exercise because they're digested slower than simple sugars or refined starches like white pasta that digest quickly, causing blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, leaving you feeling tired just an hour after eating them.
Remember about protein and fat, which can help you improve endurance performance.
Protein and fat are also important for . Protein helps to build and repair muscle tissue, which improves recovery after exercise. It's also a good energy source for your body, so it can be used as an alternative fuel source during long workouts or races where you don't have time to eat enough carbohydrates (like when running a marathon).
Fats provide essential fatty acids that aren't made by the body but are still necessary for optimal health; these include omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil or flaxseed oil, which have been linked to improved heart health; monounsaturated fats such as those found in nuts and avocados; and polyunsaturated fats like those found in olive oil or salmon (these last two help reduce inflammation).
Drink plenty of water, but not too much to hurt your stomach.
If you're exercising in a hot environment, drink more water. Drink less if it's cold outside, and you're not sweating much. The same goes for working out indoors: if the air conditioning is on a high, it's okay to drink more water than usual because your body will use the extra fluid to cool itself down. Please don't overdo it, however! Drinking too much can lead to stomach issues such as cramps or bloating, so make sure that when drinking during exercise, keep track of how much fluid enters your system by checking out our handy chart below:
If you have a sensitive stomach during training, try making small changes in what and how much you eat throughout the day to see if that helps with digestion during exercise.
For example:
- Eat smaller portions more often (instead of three large meals).
- Avoid foods that may cause digestive issues, like milk products, beans and legumes (peas), corn, or spicy foods. If these foods do not agree with your body, avoid them altogether until after training.
If these suggestions do not help, then talk to your doctor or nutritionist about other options, such as taking probiotics or prebiotics regularly before working out so they can help improve the health of your gut flora, which will result in better absorption of nutrients from food sources consumed throughout daily life activities including workouts!
Endurance nutrition is important!
To perform at your best, you need to fuel your body properly. This means eating the right foods at the right times for endurance athletes.
For example:
- You need to eat enough calories and nutrients to maintain healthy energy levels throughout the day or race (and not crash).
- You should eat enough protein and carbohydrates (but only a little) since these are essential building blocks for muscles and other body tissues that help us run faster/longer/harder than ever!
You must eat a balanced diet, including many fruits and vegetables. And you should eat foods that contain healthy fats, such as nuts and olive oil. Finally, you should drink plenty of water—and avoid sugary drinks like soda.
Conclusion
You may think that it's much information to take in, but the truth is that endurance nutrition is simple. It's all about fueling your body with the right foods and fluids at the right time. The key thing to remember here is to experiment with what works best for your individual needs. There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes down to eating for performance!
