When it comes to fueling endurance events, like long-distance running, triathlons and other distance events, there are many important nutritional factors to consider. From adjusting daily energy and carbohydrate intake to how to properly recovery, and more.
Daily Energy Needs – More Training Means More Calories
Perhaps the most important element is meeting your daily energy (aka calorie) needs. Participation in distance endurance sports requires hours of training and energy expenditure. As the duration and intensity of endurance training increases, the total daily calories needed to fuel that training increases, too. Failure to eat enough calories day after day can lead to fatigue and even injury over time.
For endurance athletes, the majority of daily calories should come from nutrient-rich foods like whole grains, lean proteins, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. Together, these foods deliver a proper mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fats to fuel your training and refuel your body afterwards. The need for increased calories, and in turn more food, requires an increase in meal frequency. Endurance athletes should plan to eat five to six meals and/or snacks per day.
Carbohydrates – The Primary Fuel for Endurance Sports
While carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are all important nutrients, carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for working muscles.. Carbohydrates are especially valuable for endurance training or competitions lasting longer than 60 minutes. For short training sessions, lasting less than one-hour, consuming carbohydrates during activity typically isn’t needed.
After you eat carbohydrate-rich foods, the body stores it as glycogen in your muscles and your liver. There is some glucose in the blood stream, as well. It’s recommended to eat carbohydrate-rich foods prior to exercise so that you start long-distance activity with glycogen-filled muscles and have a steady stream of fuel while you train. There’s only one issue. Unlike fat, the body doesn’t have the capacity to store unlimited amounts of carbohydrates. Once your glycogen stores are used up, they are gone. Carbohydrate depletion can be linked to fatigue and reduced performance, making daily carbohydrate intake crucial to achieving optimal performance.
How to Determine Daily Carbohydrate Needs
Endurance athletes need adequate carbohydrates to maximize performance and training gains. However, the amount of carbohydrate the body needs can vary throughout training cycles. Daily carbohydrate recommendations are based on the duration and intensity of the exercise.
Use the following guide to help you understand your daily carbohydrate needs:
- Moderate exercise (1 hour/day): consume 5 – 7 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, per day
- Moderate to high intensity exercise (1 – 3 hours/day): consume 6 – 10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, per day
- Ultra-endurance athletes/extreme daily activity (4 – 5 hours): may need to consume up to 8 – 12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, per day. An eight-ounce glass of milk and a cup of plain, whole milk yogurt both supply around 12 grams of carbohydrates.
How Many Carboydrates Should You Consume During Endurance Exercise?
Just like calculating your daily carbohydrate needs, how much you need during exercise depends on the duration and intensity of the activity. Use the following guidelines to help you understand how much carbohydrate to consume during your exercise session or event.
- Activity lasting 1 – 2.5 hours: 30 – 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, consumed every 10 – 15 minutes to spare carbohydrates stores in muscle (glycogen)
- Activity lasting > 2.5 hours: 30 – 70 grams of carbohydrate per hour or up to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, if tolerated
During exercise, it is best to vary the sources of carbohydrates. Absorption and utilization of carbohydrates is maximized when your body gets a combination of sugar sources. For example, eating too much fruit can lead to an overconsumption of fructose, or fruit sugar. That can lead to gastrointestinal distress during your activity. When selecting products, check the sources of carbohydrates to see if they contain both glucose and fructose. Try to consume a combination of both sugar sources, to reduce your chance of developing gastrointestinal distress.
Refueling With Carbohydrates AFTER Excercise
Your refueling meal or snack should also contain carbohydrates. A post-exercise balanced meal will allow you to refuel the body and replenish stored carbohydrates (glycogen) within a 24-hour period. If recovery time between training sessions or competition is less than four hours, a more aggressive carbohydrate refueling strategy will be needed. If you need to refuel quickly after exercise, a snack that contains both carbohydrates and protein is best. A great example would be chocolate milk as it contains the ideal ratio (3:1) of carbohydrates to protein. Something quick and easy, like a smoothie or a shake, can deliver a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fluids.
There are many nutrition strategies on how to properly fuel and refuel for endurance training and competition . For additional help building a strong, individualized nutrition plan that supports your training efforts, consider consulting with a local sports dietitian.
