Why eating ISNT cheating - How focusing on good nutrition during workouts will improve your performance
When I first started working with one of my athletes, she found she struggled with longer workouts, particularly long bike rides, and was struggling with fatigue towards the end. A short conversation later and it quickly became clear that she had been brought up with the “Eating is Cheating” approach to nutrition and wasn’t taking on any nutrition during her workouts. This was impacting her ability to complete workouts and subsequently impacting her ability to perform to the best of her abilities.
In this blog post we’ll be exploring how adequately fueling workouts can lead to improved gains, and why we should be putting the “Eating is Cheating” mantra right into the garbage bin. We’ll be focusing here principally on fueling during workouts, as opposed to fueling before and after, something we’ll cover in a another blog post.
Why is nutrition during workouts important?
The key to understanding the requirement for fueling during workouts lies in understanding the way our bodies use various fuel sources. When exercising, athletes utilise 2 major fuel sources, fat and carbohydrate. As intensity increases, the balance between the 2 shifts more towards carbohydrate usage and away from fat utilisation however, the key factor here is that fat can be considered as being abundant all of us (even the leanest of athletes), whereas carbohydrates are not. This means that, no matter how lean you are, you can think of your fat resources as being effectively unlimited during a workout, whereas your carbohydrate stores will start to become depleted as your workout progresses. Whilst you still have plenty of fat stores to fuel you, the lack of carbohydrates significantly impacts your ability to do more intense work and, even at lower intensities, will impact your ability to keep going for longer. For some this may feel like hunger, but in many cases this carbohydrate depletion represents as a feeling of general tiredness and fatigue, and even as muscle tiredness. Athletes often then misinterpret this feeling as just being physically tired, rather than as being due to a lack of fuel.
What are the benefits of fueling during workouts?
Athletes that take on carbohydrates during their workouts are able to continue working for longer, and at higher intensities where appropriate. This means that they are able to do more work, and generate more stimulus for the body to adapt and get stronger. This can lead to significant performance gains. In the case of my athlete I described earlier, by introducing carb drink and gels during workouts she found she was suddenly able to complete workouts that she had been struggling with. She also found that she just felt better during workouts, everything felt a bit easier and a bit more manageable. Making hard workouts feel more manageable made the mental aspect easier, and allowed her to face hard workouts with less dread and more excitement.
The impact of good nutrition lasts long into the post workout phase as well. Any carbohydrates depleted during the workout need to be replenished before the body can begin to start recovering properly and then adapting to the work its done. This means that by not fueling adequately, the recovery phase is typically extended, and adaptation may be stunted. So, by depleting carbohydrates, not only do you reduce the amount of quality work you can do, you also reduce the impact of that work, by increasing recovery time and impacting adaptation, as well as delaying the time until you feel ready for your next workout.
To summarise the key benefits of taking on carbohydrates during workouts:
You can do more work
The work feels easier
Recovery and adaptation is better
You feel ready for the next workout sooner
What’s not to love there!
What about stomach issues?
For many, its a real struggle to take on fuel during workouts without suffering some form of Gastrointestinal (GI) distress, and this has led them to avoid taking on appropriate nutrition. There are 3 key aspects to consider when dealing with the issue of GI distress:
1) As we discussed previously, the biggest issue during workouts is the depletion of carbohydrate. Whilst fat is a critical fuel source, it is abundant in the body and will not become significantly depleted during workouts. Protein, whilst critical for rebuilding damaged muscles and adaptation, is not ustilised as a fuel source in all but the most dire of circumstances. Both fat and protein can be significantly more difficult for your body to break down and absorb than carbohydrate and are therefore best avoided during workouts. Quite simply, they aren’t required and can significantly increase the chance of GI distress. As such, to manage GI distress you should look to take on only carbohydrate and avoid gels, mixes, bars or solid fuel’s that contain significant levels of fat or protein.
2) Not all nutrition is built the same and not all athletes are built the same. Whilst for some Gel A might send them straight to the bathroom, for another this might absorb beautifully. The key is to experiment and find what works best for you and your own GI system.
3) The good news is that, just like the rest of our body, our stomachs are trainable and can learn to absorb more carbohydrates during workouts over time. As with training any other triathlon discipline, the key is building up slowly, and not biting of more than you can chew. Start by taking on small amounts infrequently during low intensity workouts and gradually increase the amount of fuel you can take on and the intensity of workouts.
How much should I be taking on?
Everyone is different however, for most of us, any workout up to an hour shouldn’t need additional carbs (provided a good amount is in the system to start with) but bear in mind taking on some carbs may help with recovery. For workouts over an hour, triathletes often aim to average around 60-90 grams of carbohydrates per hour of training, however, bear in mind there are ALOT of variables at play here, including duration, intensity and individual substrate utilization rates. It is important to note that every triathlete's carbohydrate needs may vary, and it is essential to experiment during training to find the optimal amount that works best for an individual.
A quick message about weight loss…
Some athletes may be looking to lose weight for a variety of different reasons. I’m certainly not going to get into the pros and cons of losing weight for performance here, that would make this a MUCH bigger post! What I will say is that, IF your target is to lose weight, the time to do that is NOT when your working out. As discussed above, restricting fuel during workouts will make you get tired more easily and reduce the amount of work you can do, and this can reduce your ability to lose weight as well as impacting your performance. If your going to diet, do it in the hours your not working out, and do it carefully.
Key Takeaways:
Take on carbs for any workout over an hour in duration, although it may also be beneficial for shorter workouts as well.
Experiment with different carb sources and find what works for you.
Avoid taking on protein or fat during workouts.
Build up intake slowly to build tolerance until you find the quantity that works for you.
Don’t diet during workouts!
When it comes to triathlon preparation, one thing remains clear: proper nutrition during workouts holds the key to unlocking an athlete's full potential. It enhances performance, aids in recovery, and paves the way for success in the demanding world of triathlons. So, as you dive into your training sessions, remember that nourishing your body is just as crucial as the physical exertion itself. Embracing a nutrition plan tailored to your needs will undoubtedly lead to increased performance.
Thank for taking the time to read this blog post. For more information on coaching and other services, check out www.firsttriathlon.co.uk. If you liked what you read and want more, please signup on the website to receive regular blog posts direct to your inbox, and don’t forget to share with your friends and fellow triathletes!
