Fueling for Performance
July 23, 2009
What to eat prior to runs of 90 minutes or more. Information excerpted from Food for Fitness by Chris Carmichael
Why eating well is essential
- starting exercise with full glycogen stores will improve performance and increase the amount of time you can exercise before fatigue sets in
- eating carbohydrates during exercise helps spare glycogen stores by providing blood sugar for your brain and muscles to use
- eating soon after your endurance workout accelerates the recovery process, enabling you to more quickly replenish depleted energy stores before your next training session
There are no perfect combinations of foods that work for everyone, each person digests, absorbs and metabolizes food differently. But there are guidelines that will help guarantee success
Nutrition before training:
You need to time your pre-exercise meal so most of the food is out of the stomach, broken down and absorbed before your exercise starts
- Simple sugars are absorbed fastest
- Next, low-fiber complex carbohydrates
- Last, high-fiber carbohydrates
- Foods high in fat and protein stay in the stomach the longest
Based on this, avoid high fat and protein foods the closer you get to your training or race time. Ideally, you should try to eat your last meal at least two and a half to three hours before exercise.
Choose foods that are easy to digest, not heavy on fat or calories, your pre-exercise meal should be:
- High in carbohydrates (70-80% of calories)
- Moderate protein and fiber (10-12% of calories)
- Low in fat (less than 15% of calories)
Good foods include:
Pasta, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, fruit and yogourt, eggs and toast, smoothies with hemp or rice protein added
Numerous studies have shown that eating between .5 and 2 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight between one and four hours before competition or training will maximize the available fuel during exercise. Make sure to reduce the calorie and carbohydrate count the closer you get to your exercise time.
Example
- One hour prior to training, .5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight
- Four hours prior to training -2 grams of carbs per pound of body weight
Below are some examples of a meal that a 170-pound athlete might use prior to exercise. Note that you would eat only one of the meals listed, as opposed to eating the pancake breakfast three to four hours prior, then the bagel sandwich one or two hours later. If you have the three or four hours before training begins, eat the larger meal; then an hour before top off the tank with a sports drink and bar.
Lunch meal Three to Four hours before (great for evening training)
- Tuna salad pita sandwich
- 2 cups fruit salad
- 30 mini pretzels
- Orange juice muffin with honey
- Skim milk or low-fat soy milk
Morning meal three to four hours prior to training
- Shake – banana, skim milk or soy milk, 1 banana, vanilla and cinnamon
- whole wheat toast or 5 small whole wheat pancakes
- maple syrup
- 12 ounces fresh orange juice
Morning meal Two to Three hours before
- whole grain bagel
- peanut butter
- jelly
- banana
- 12 ounces fresh juice (apple-cranberry is great)
- Powerbar Endurance Sports Drink (12 ounces)
Lunch meal Two to Three hours before
- Chicken/Tuna/Tofu salad sandwich with spinach
- Muffin or cornbread
- ½ small cantaloupe
- Banana and berry smoothie with milk and yogourt
One hour before, choose one of the following (50-75 grams carbohydrates):
- 1 cup vanilla yogourt+1/2 cup grape nuts cereal + 2 tbsp raisins
- 1 cup vanilla yogourt + 1 cup fresh fruit
- 1 cup juice + 1 banana
- 1 slice banana bread + 1 cup skim milk
- 1 energy bar + 8 ounces sports drink
- Smoothie: 2 cups skim milk or soy milk + 1 ½ cups mango or berries+2 tbsp soy protein
- 1 ½ cups multi-grain cereal + 1 ½ cups skim milk or soy milk
- 1 bagel + 1 banana + 1 tbsp nut butter
What to eat before early morning competition or training
Primarily carbohydrate with a touch of protein to help you feel a little more full and satisfied, any of the above meals recommended for 60 minutes prior to exercise are perfect for workouts less than 90 minutes, especially if you take some carbohydrate while training. If your morning workout will be over 2 hours it’s best to wake up early and eat a more substantial breakfast between 90 and120 minutes before training.
Ellen’s Pecan-Crusted French Toast
July 16, 2009
from Skinny Bitches Kim Barnouin & Rory Freedman
Serves 6 (or 1-2 after a long weekend run)1-1/2 cups soy or rice milk
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons chickpea flour or brown rice flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil, or more as needed for cooking
6 to 8 slices vegan whole wheat or whole wheat raisin bread
Pure maple syrup for topping
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy or rice milk, corn starch and cinnamon. Whisk in the chickpea or brown rice flour. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Place the pecans in another shallow bowl.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Once slice at a time, dip the bread in the milk mixture, turning to soak both sides. Dip one side in the pecans, pressing to coat. Arrange the bread in the skillet (you might have to do more than one batch), pecan side down. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the pecans are well-browned. Carefully turn the bread, and continue cooking until the second side is browned, 2-3 minutes.
Serve immediately with maple syrup.