Fuel up before you go: Athletes should consume 60-70% of their calories from carbohydrates. Filling your glycogen stores by eating carbohydrate-rich foods is essential before heading out for a long training session or race. Eating breakfast will help ensure that you don't dig yourself into a hole early. Starting off with a stable blood sugar level extends your muscle glycogen stores, eliminates hunger pains, and helps keep your head (and stomach) in the game.
- Consume 1-4 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight (1kg = 2.2046lbs), 1-4 hours before exercise.
- Avoid high fiber foods, gas-forming foods, and very salty foods.
- If you can’t “eat” your meal try a liquid meal like, Ensure or Boost, which empty faster from the stomach than solid meals and prevent nausea.
Hydrate before, during, and after you train or race. First, drink adequate fluids on a daily basis, 2-3 liters of water minimum. You know you are well hydrated when you are urinating frequently and it is pale yellow in color.
- Drink 16 oz of fluid prior to exercise.
- Train yourself to start drinking before you feel thirsty. Aim for 4-6 oz of a fluid every 15 to 20 minutes, under normal conditions. (Weighing yourself before and after training can help you determine your personal fluid needs per session. A drop of a pound or two is generally acceptable.)
- Extreme conditions - heat or high humidity. Aim for 32 ounces of fluid an hour.
- After the run, drink 16 oz for every pound that you lost.
Keep up with your energy needs during the exercise. Replenish carbohydrates as you burn them. Don't wait until you hit the wall! If you expect to train longer than 1.5 hours, plan to refuel during the training period.
- The less fit you are, the fewer shortcuts you can take. Eat every 30 minutes to replace the estimated calories you burn per hour. Practice this!
- Create a calorie buffer. Consume 0.5 g carb/kg/hr. Sports drinks contain 35-50 g per bottle (20 oz), banana (30 g), ¼ c. raisins (30 g), energy bar (20-50 g) or sports gels (25 g).
- Stay with foods you are used to eating as much as possible.
Speed up your recovery time by refueling after long training or races.
- Consume 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight within 30 minutes of exercise and additional 1.5 gm/kg within two hours.
- Consume carbohydrate and protein in a 4 gram-to-1-gram ratio. Add a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt to your post exercise meal. Including small portion of meat, poultry or fish at your next meal (3 oz) will also do the trick.
- High carbohydrate fluids are recommended for the initial feeding to promote rehydration.
- Particularly important for athletes training more than once a day to enhance recovery for the next workout.
Beware of hyponatremia (low blood-sodium concentration), particularly in events or races lasting beyond four to five hours. Consuming large volumes of sodium-free fluid, such as water, causes this condition. Hyponatremia can cause fatigue, nausea, confusion and even seizures. Substitute an electrolyte replacement drink for plain water on training or races lasting longer than 60 minutes.
Fuel up before you go: Athletes should consume 60-70% of their calories from carbohydrates. Filling your glycogen stores by eating carbohydrate-rich foods is essential before heading out for a long training session or race. Eating breakfast will help ensure that you don't dig yourself into a hole early. Starting off with a stable blood sugar level extends your muscle glycogen stores, eliminates hunger pains, and helps keep your head (and stomach) in the game.
- Consume 1-4 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight (1kg = 2.2046lbs), 1-4 hours before exercise.
- Avoid high fiber foods, gas-forming foods, and very salty foods.
- If you can’t “eat” your meal try a liquid meal like, Ensure or Boost, which empty faster from the stomach than solid meals and prevent nausea.
Hydrate before, during, and after you train or race. First, drink adequate fluids on a daily basis, 2-3 liters of water minimum. You know you are well hydrated when you are urinating frequently and it is pale yellow in color.
- Drink 16 oz of fluid prior to exercise.
- Train yourself to start drinking before you feel thirsty. Aim for 4-6 oz of a fluid every 15 to 20 minutes, under normal conditions. (Weighing yourself before and after training can help you determine your personal fluid needs per session. A drop of a pound or two is generally acceptable.)
- Extreme conditions - heat or high humidity. Aim for 32 ounces of fluid an hour.
- After the run, drink 16 oz for every pound that you lost.
Keep up with your energy needs during the exercise. Replenish carbohydrates as you burn them. Don't wait until you hit the wall! If you expect to train longer than 1.5 hours, plan to refuel during the training period.
- The less fit you are, the fewer shortcuts you can take. Eat every 30 minutes to replace the estimated calories you burn per hour. Practice this!
- Create a calorie buffer. Consume 0.5 g carb/kg/hr. Sports drinks contain 35-50 g per bottle (20 oz), banana (30 g), ¼ c. raisins (30 g), energy bar (20-50 g) or sports gels (25 g).
- Stay with foods you are used to eating as much as possible.
Speed up your recovery time by refueling after long training or races.
- Consume 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight within 30 minutes of exercise and additional 1.5 gm/kg within two hours.
- Consume carbohydrate and protein in a 4 gram-to-1-gram ratio. Add a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt to your post exercise meal. Including small portion of meat, poultry or fish at your next meal (3 oz) will also do the trick.
- High carbohydrate fluids are recommended for the initial feeding to promote rehydration.
- Particularly important for athletes training more than once a day to enhance recovery for the next workout.
Beware of hyponatremia (low blood-sodium concentration), particularly in events or races lasting beyond four to five hours. Consuming large volumes of sodium-free fluid, such as water, causes this condition. Hyponatremia can cause fatigue, nausea, confusion and even seizures. Substitute an electrolyte replacement drink for plain water on training or races lasting longer than 60 minutes.
This information was provided by Meredith Terranova, RD LD – www.eatingandlivinghealth.com
meredithbn@yahoo.com or 512-527-9578
ã2005, M. Terranova
