Nutrition for the endurance athlete - Part I - Pre-workout

I have a friend who is a triathlete in both winter and summer, and she suggested this idea for a blog: nutrition for endurance athletes. My friend trains for Ironman triathlons in the summer and the Winterlude triathlon in the winter so she knows it can be difficult to stay fueled while doing an endurance sport that involves running or skiing. Cycling is a little easier because you can carry food with you on board but it is still difficult to eat while riding hard.

Keeping in mind that each individual responds differently to foods and the timing of food consumption, endurance athletes may find these guidelines for everyday eating - that is eating for training - helpful.

Guidelines for everyday – recommended proportions of macro-nutrients:

Carbohydrates  60% - Choose good quality carbs:

Low-medium Glycemic Index (GI) food to produce a sustained source of energy.

Whole foods, not processed – lots of green leafy veg and colourful fruits and vegetables and whole grains

Protein  20% - beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, cold water fish, free-range chicken

Fats 20% - olive oil, flax seed oil, coconut oil, avocados, avocado oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds

Water – Bodyweight in kg divided by 8 = no of cups per day

Add 2 cups of fluid per hour of exercise (optimal)

Ideally you should eat 2-4 hours before an event, leaving enough time for food to digest and leave you feeling not too full and not too hungry. I find 1-2 hours works well for me. Roughly 2.5 g carbohydrate/ kg of body weight is recommended about 3 hours before exercise. My standard pre-workout meals are oatmeal in the morning or spaghetti later in the day, depending on when I'm training.

Pre-workout meal suggestions

• Sandwich/bagel/wrap containing chicken, fish, cheese, egg or peanut butter and salad
• Potato with skin on, with beans, cheese, tuna, coleslaw or chicken
• Pasta with tomato-based sauce and cheese and vegetables
• Chicken with rice and salad
• Vegetable and tofu stir fry with noodles or rice
• Rice salad
• Mixed bean stew with potatoes
• Chicken and vegetable casserole
• Cooked oatmeal with milk
• Yogurt
• Vegetable omelet

You may need to snack right before the event. I sometimes have a pre-workout energy drink mixed with fruit juice and water. Some other suggestions include:

• Fresh fruit
• Dried fruit
• Smoothie
• Yogurt
• Energy bar made of nuts, seeds and dried fruit
• Cereal bar or oatmeal cookie
• Fruit load or raisin bread
• Diluted fruit juice

Studies have shown that low GI meals produce higher blood sugar and fatty acid levels during the latter stages of exercise, which is clearly advantageous for endurance sports. 

In part II of this series, I will look at the best foods and drinks to consume during exercise.