IRONMAN NUTRITION

Nutrition Guidelines for Endurance Events

Achieve your peak performance by properly fueling your body before, during, and after your race.

MARISA FRAZIER Personal Trainer and

Sports Nutritionist

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“The key to hydration is

urination”

Hydration

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Consequences of Dehydration:

• Increased heart rate and core body temperature—so workouts feel harder

• Decreased blood volume—less oxygen & nutrient-rich blood to muscles

• Increased risk for injury

• Muscle cramping

The color of your urine is an indication of your hydration status: pale, light yellow or clear urine is healthy. A darker yellow or cloudy color that resembles apple juice means your body seriously needs water.

Functions of Water:

• Cell structure and metabolism • Body temperature regulation • Joint lubrication • Fluid that supplies the brain and spinal

cord as well as the digestive system, transportation and waste removal

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Hydrating prior to activity is necessary to prevent excessive water loss. Even slight dehydration (<2% of body weight lost) can significantly decrease athletic performance.

How Much?

• Week Prior: meet normal fluid needs

• 1-4 Hours Prior: 2-3 cups of fluid (within those 4 hours)

• 10-20 Minutes Prior: 1 cup

What Kind?

• Water and sports drinks

• Juices and milk may be fine, but can cause GI distress for some

• Energy drinks are not recommended as they may speed up dehydration and contain excessive caffeine, sugar, etc.

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DRINKING DURING THE RACE • Begin taking in fluid immediately—don’t wait an

hour before you start drinking!

• Drink ½ to 1 cup (about 4 gulps) every 15 minutes

• Alternate between water and sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade). The sports drinks provide electrolytes and carbohydrates for sustained energy.

• Choose beverages that quickly empty the stomach—they absorb faster and are less irritating to the stomach (nausea, sloshing, etc.)

• Some of the best sports drinks for fast gastric emptying are Gatorade and Powerade!

• Some of the worst are fruit juices and soda (see the column at right to determine whether your drink meets the recommendations)

Factors Affecting Gastric Emptying

Concentration: 6-8% carbohydrate solution is optimal. Fruit juices, sodas, and some sports drinks can have 8-14% CHO.

Type of carbohydrate: a combination of glucose, fructose, and sucrose is ideal.

Temperature: cold beverages empty fastest

Intensity of exercise: moderate-intensity facilitates emptying, whereas high-intensity slows it down

To calculate the amount of carbohydrates (CHO): [Total grams of CHO / amount of fluid in drink (ml)] x 100%

DIY Sports Drink Recipe: 1 cup OJ, ½ cup sugar, 3/8 tsp. salt in 1,800 ml (7.5 cups) of water

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Water Recommendations for Athletes:

Rule of Thumb = 1ml water per kcal consumed daily

1 cup = 8 oz. = 240 ml For example, if you consume 2,400 kcal/day

= 2,400ml water / 240 = 10 cups (80 oz.). This is in addition to the water needed to

replenish water loss from activity!

Overhydration (hyponatremia)

Hyponatremia (dangerously low blood sodium) often occurs if an athlete sweats extensively and only drinks water as a fluid replacement.

Symptoms: headache, nausea, confusion, bloating, and puffiness of hands/feet. Severe cases can lead to vomiting, seizures, coma, and death.

• Avoid overconsumption of fluids before, during, and after exercise

• Sports drinks should be used for events that last longer than 60 minutes, or are performed in intense heat/humidity

• Consume extra sodium (electrolytes) in the days prior to prolonged exercise

• Body weight should NOT increase during exercise

Hydrating After Activity It can take 8-24 hours to fully rehydrate after strenuous activity. For each pound lost during exercise/training, replenish with 2 cups (16 oz.) fluid. Avoid chugging, though, as it can cause stomach cramps.

To calculate your hourly sweat rate… 1. Weigh yourself before and after your run (get out of your

sweaty shoes and clothes for an accurate weighing)

2. Multiply the amount of weight you lost by 16 to get your net sweat loss in ounces

3. Add the number of ounces of fluids you took in during the workout to get your gross sweat loss.

4. Divide this number by the number of minutes of your workout. This is your sweat loss in ounces per minute.

5. Multiply this number by 60. This is your hourly sweat rate in ounces.

EATING BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE RACE PRE-RACE

Endurance athletes should be regularly consuming a high-carb

diet, which will not change leading up to the race. A general rule is that endurance athletes should

consume at least 60% of their daily calories from carbohydrates.

1 day-1 week prior: eat low-GI, complex carbohydrates with fiber to store energy for race day. On the 3

days prior, eat up to 70% CHO.

4-24 hours prior: eat high-carb, familiar, easily digested meals &

snacks to “top off” glycogen stores.

1-3 hours prior: eat a small, easy-to-digest meal: high in CHO (but low GI), low fiber & fat. Liquid meals and fruit juices are fine, but

watch amounts.

<1-hour prior: don’t overdo it! It is not necessary to eat right before, but if you do, stick to a gel or about

20-60g CHO.

DURING THE RACE During endurance exercise, carbs provide energy to

delay fatigue. This is a time when you want to consume simple, high GI carbohydrates that will digest quickly. Avoid complex, fibrous foods during

activity because they will digest too slowly to be used.

• 30-60g of CHO per hour (at regular intervals) for events >90 minutes

• Start consuming CHO soon after beginning

• Rule of thumb: foods that contain a mix of sugars are ideal (glucose, maltodextrin, & fructose)

• Glucose, sucrose, maltodextrin, & starch are all absorbed at high rates (high GI). Fructose and galactose are absorbed slower, plus high levels of only fructose are associated with GI distress or cramping

• 1 cup serving of Powerade contains 19g CHO and a mix of high-fructose corn syrup and maltodextrin.

• 1 cup serving of Gatorade contains 6-8% sugar solution, 14g CHO, and a mix of sucrose, glucose, and fructose—ideal for absorption!

POST-RACE Immediately after:

consume 1.2 grams CHO per kg of body weight. Aim for fast-

acting, high GI foods. Consume protein in a 3:1 CHO: PRO ratio.

I.e.: 75g CHO: 25g PRO

This should be consumed within

30 minutes!

2 hours after:

consume 1.5 grams CHO per kg of body weight with protein.

4-6 hours after: eat a carb-rich meal with

protein and fat

Examples of “Feeding Schedules”

• 1 small pack of sport beans (25g CHO)

every 30 minutes

• 2 fig newtons (25g CHO) every 30 min.

• 4oz. of Gatorade every 15-20 min.

Remember to drink about 4 gulps (4-8oz.) of water or Gatorade every 15 minutes!

Sports Nutrition Foods: Pros & Cons

Pro: Easily accessible source of CHO

Pro: Easy to carry, consume, and digest

Pro: Can be used for recovery, especially with protein source

Con: Nothing magical about them in terms of performance benefits

Con: they tend to be expensive

Sports Gels (GU, Clif Shot, Hammer Gel)

Contain about 100 calories

(25g CHO) per pack. They are very slowly absorbed in

the body, and must have enough water to dilute and

lower osmolality.

Cheaper Alternatives

Squeezable applesauce

Graham cracker sticks

2 fig newtons

Gummy bears (yes, really!)

Small boiled, peeled potatoes

My top pick = Gatorade! It’s easily digested—perfect for providing CHO,

fluid, and electrolytes.

FRAZIER FITNESS

Personal Training and Wellness Coaching Website: http://www.frazier-fitness.com

Email: marisa@frazier-fitness.com

Written by:

Marisa Frazier With information from:

Williams, M., Anderson, D., & Rawson, E. (2013). Nutrition for Health, Fitness & Sport (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Exercise and Fluid Replacement. (2007). Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377-390. Retrieved from www.acsm.org.

The pictures in this document are not my own, and all rights are reserved for their respective copyright owners.

The medical and/or nutritional information on this document is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before engaging in exercise. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this document or any documents by Frazier Fitness.