The Core Nutrition Principles to Fuel Performance

Fueling your performance is a juggle - it requires quality sleep, good stress management, appropriate training regimens, and of course, nutrition. Our US Dietician, Maddie, shares the need-to-know pillars of nutrition to get the most out of your training sessions.

Eat enough calories 

The most important thing you can do to support your training is ensuring you are eating enough! It sounds simple, but without adequate calorie intake performance will suffer. Not only does inadequate calorie intake lead to fatigue, but it can even lead to muscle break down. You can stay on top of your intake by planning your meals ahead of time, keeping snacks like trail mix in your bag for a convenient nutrient dense pick me up, and even keeping around nutritious ready to eat meals like the Huel Ready to Drink bottles for your extra busy days.

Timing your meals and snacks

Eating before, after, and sometimes during your session is an important part of exercise. 

Before exercise, avoid foods that do not sit well in your stomach. This is going to be different for everyone, but generally speaking it’s wise to avoid eating super fatty or fiber rich foods within an hour of a training session. 

According to the Sports Nutrition Care Manual, those engaging in endurance events that last longer than 60 minutes, consuming 30-60g of simple carbohydrates during every hour of the race or training session, are recommended. For those participating in events longer than 2 and a half hours, 90g of carbohydrates per hour is recommended. 

After your training session, be sure to replenish your glycogen stores and support muscle protein synthesis by consuming a meal that includes a serving of carbohydrates and protein. You can aim for getting 15-30g of protein and 1-1.2g of carbohydrates per kilogram body weight in your post workout meal. Some great sources of protein are things like yogurt, soy milk, tofu, chicken, eggs, that can be paired with carbohydrate sources like fruits, crackers, rice, tortillas, etc. 

Adequate Carbohydrate and Protein intake 

Carbohydrates are essential for fueling your performance by providing immediate energy as well as replenishing your glycogen stores. Glycogen is a form of carbohydrates stored in our muscles and our liver to provide our body with the energy it needs to sustain performance. 

The amount of carbohydrates you need depends on your specific training, but generally speaking it should be anywhere from 5-10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day. Choosing easily digestible carbs is important during training, but for your day to day intake opt for complex carbohydrates like whole grains, oats, lentils, etc.

Meeting your daily protein requirements is an important aspect of performance, as protein is essential for muscle repair. Depending on a variety of factors such as training status, training period and other circumstances, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends that athletes consume 1.4 to 2.0g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Ideally you want to consume sources of complete protein, or combine sources of incomplete protein. Complete protein means a source of protein that provides all the essential amino acids (examples include milk, soy products, quinoa, etc.). You can also combine protein foods to get all the essential amino acids, for example rice and beans. Or if you’re looking for a convenient post workout meal, give our Black Edition Ready-to-drink a try - complete with all the essential amino acids.

Hydration

Dehydration occurs when your body fluid loss is 1-2% or more of your body weight. The only weight we lose during a training session is water weight, therefore you can measure the amount of body fluid loss you experience by weighing yourself before and after your training session. This can help you determine if you are drinking enough fluid during your sessions, and adjust accordingly. Another easy way to tell if you are adequately hydrated is by looking at the color of your urine- if you are hydrated, your urine will be a pale yellow color.

For most types of exercise, if the event is under 1 hour long, water is likely a suitable option to stay hydrated. During longer sessions, a sports drink that provides both carbohydrates and electrolytes can be useful to maintain hydration and assist with fueling.

The environment you are exercising in also plays an essential role in hydration. If it is a hot or humid day, you may need additional electrolytes to keep hydrated.