Optimal training nutrition
v/ Martin Kreutzer
Timing is everything if the meals surrounding your training, have to create a foundation for a successful training session. Get an insight to the special requirements during longdistance training.
Unless you are heading for a light jog or swim in the morning, I´ll emphasize the intake of a preexercise meal, which bursts your muscles with energy. To avoid digestive problems, you should aim at finishing the meal, at least two hours before you start. This is of particular importance if you are planning on putting the hammer down. Chose products you know your digestive system can tolerate. It can be yogurt with muesli, rye bread with egg, a portion of fruit or what fits you best.
Fill up with fluid and energy during training
Going for shorter training sessions, under one hour, you don´t need to focus on any notable requirements for nutrition. Only exception is during extreme heat, where it would be reasonable to drink fluids even during shorter sessions. An energy deficit might occur if you missed out on your pretraining meal. In that case you might bring some quick energy to your training.
The situation changes when the training session is longer. Now things like dehydration, and lack of calories begins to affect the performance negatively and that will effect the training. The way to prevent a decline in performance is to drink half to a whole litre an hour split into 3-4 portions. Generally, the weather, your intensity and body size will affect how much you need to drink. A lightweight guy, training at modest intensity will do fine with half a litre an hour. In contrary if you are a big guy, training in warm conditions, with high intensity, the need will be closer to two litres a hour.
A good way to check your current needs is to weigh yourself before and after a long training session. Based upon your fluid intake and any possible weight loss, you can see how much fluid you need to replace every hour. Another small test is to check your urines colour. If it looks concentrated you are not drinking enough, and in contrary if you have to go often and the fluid is clear as water, then you are drinking too much.
Besides fluids energy might become a limiting factor during longer workouts. The best way to cover the bodies´ energy needs is to add carbohydrates to your drink. Don´t use table sugar. Go for modern energy drinks instead. The energy drink should be mixed in a 6-8% concentration, which is equal to 70-90 g of powder in one litre of water.
After training you have to focus on refuelling your body. Make a habit out of getting your Postexercise meal, at the latest, one hour after the training session has ended. The purpose of this meal is to start your bodies recovery processes, which in the end is decisive for the way your training develop into a regular fitness incline. If you neglect to eat this meal, then it might take several days for you to recover, while a perfectly timed meal gives you maximal recovery during the first 24hours. Make sure to get both carbohydrates and proteins from your recoverymeal. Both components are of equal importance.
A meal consisting of both protein and carbohydrates is:
- A bowl of oat meal or muesli with milk
- Two slices of bread with lean meat, cheese or fish topping.
- A smoothie with fruit and yogurt.
- A regular hot meal with meat and potatoes (or, rice/pasta/bread)
Resumé: The timing and the way you put together the meals that surround your training are decisive for your performance. Pay attention to special needs, especially during demanding long distance training.
