Are you fuelling right for your training sessions?

When training for an endurance event, generally a distance over 42.2km for a run and 100km for a bike ride you are more than likely going to see on your training plan an AM and PM session. Both these sessions are equally as important as each other so how you fuel for each is just as important to how you perform and how you recover.

Do you need breakfast?

Fuelling for a morning training session doesn’t start an hour or two before the training session it starts the night before. Consume a carbohydrate/protein rich meal that will leave you with stored glucose, which will help power you the next day. The morning of your training depending on time you can start with a bowl of porridge and stewed fruit, which has slow releasing fuel or even coconut and chia pancakes topped with maple syrup and coconut yoghurt. Alternatively if your session is less than an hour, you can fuel on water or an electrolyte drink alone, no need for additional carbohydrates as you are well stocked from the night before.

Make lunch count

One of the most important meals of the day, missing lunch can leave you with low blood sugar and hitting the wall and that’s even before you have attempted your next training session. A well-prepared lunch will have you energized and by passing the vending machine come the 3pm snack attack. Ensure lunch is packed with proteins such as tofu, tempeh, nuts and hearty vegetables; broccoli, kale, bok choy and good fats; avocado and nuts (almonds, walnuts and Brazil).

Keep hydrated

Your body is about 70% water and your brain 90% so the importance of drinking water is more than just for thirst. You need water to function properly. Drinking water increases energy and relieves fatigue, suppresses your appetite, flushes out toxins, improves skin complexion and helps keep joints lubricated and muscles more elastic.

Snack often

And no we are not saying snack on chips, chocolate and donuts. Frequently topping up carbohydrate glycogen stores throughout the day will benefit any afternoon training session. A handful of nuts, rice crackers with avocado and hummus, fruit (dried and fresh) around 3pm will curb that hunger and eating a raw energy bar 30-60 minutes before the next training session will give you that boost you need to perform.

Refuel within 30minutes of exercise

There is enough science out there to prove the optimal time to replenish your body with carbohydrates and protein is within the 30-60minutes-post exercise window. We don’t always have access to the ideal carb:protein recovery fuel such as scrambled tofu with a side of sautéed greens so this is where you see exercise recovery drinks and smoothies come into their own. The key is to get in as many nutrients as possible within 30 minutes of completing training; this applies to both AM and PM sessions.

Its a simple formula

Food and hydration are two of the major contributing factors to energy and performance. How do you ensure you fuel well for double training sessions?