Nutrition Notes

Here are the notes from a presentation that I recently gave on endurance nutrition.  While these are general guidelines and recommendations, specific numbers that apply to individuals can be calculated during exercise testing with calorimetry.  


Calorimetry lets us measure how many calories as fat, carbohydrate and protein one burns with any given exercise intensity.


Here are my nutrition guidelines for endurance events:

Nutrition Notes

Pre-Exercise

The closer to the start of exercise, the smaller amount of food needed

Choose rapidly digestible, low fiber foods (gels, liquids applesauce)

During Exercise

Energy intake for sustained high-level activity

Intake should match expenditure for maximum carbohydrate use or race pace

30-60g carbohydrate per hour

Recovery

Replace used up muscle glycogen

Prepare for the next training day/race

0.5g carbohydrate per pound of body weight & 0.16g protein per pound of body weight

Race Day Plan

24 Hours to Go

Carbohydrate-load: 2.5 minute threshold effort followed by 30 seconds at VO2max

10g/kg carbohydrate (5g/lb) over next 24 hours

Carbohydrate should be low glycemic and low fiber

3 hours to go

Last solid meal.  Meal should be mostly low glycemic carbohydrate

Protein should be 10% of total calories

2 hours to go

4-6% Carbohydrate solution (4-6 grams of carbohydrate per 100ml water)

30 minutes to go

High glycemic index snack (gel, applesauce)

Race Time

Fluid consumed to limit sweat loss to 1% of body weight

Carbohydrate if racing for more than 1 hour