Fueling for training

guest — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:24:38 GMT

Athletes of all sports and abilities commonly ask me what they should eat before, during and after a competitive event:

When should I eat the pregame meal: 2, 3 or 4 hours beforehand?

How many gels should I take during a marathon?

What’s best to eat for recovery after a soccer game?

The same athletes who worry about event-day fueling often neglect their day to day training diet. Hence, the real question should be: “What should I eat before, during and after I train?” After all, you can only compete at your best if you can train at your best.

As you prepare for each workout, remember you should be training your intestinal tract as well as your heart, lungs and muscles. To get the most out of each workout, you need to practice your pre-, during- and post-event fueling as well as your sports skills. Then, come day of the competition, you know exactly what, when and how much to eat so you can compete with optimal energy and without fear of bonking nor intestinal distress.

For help with personalized advice on optimizing your training diet, find a local sports dietitian by using the referral network at www.SCANdpg.org. (SCAN is the Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition Dietary Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association.) Alternatively, many active people have found my Sports Nutrition Guidebook to be very helpful.

Fuel wisely and enjoy training faster, stronger and longer.

Nancy

Blog Posts From Active Expert: Nancy Clark RD CSSD Tagged With pre-event_eating

Fueling for training