
Sports nutrition for endurance athletes in Australia-5 top tips to implement
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Have you got a triathlon, ultramarathon, Hyrox or an endurance event coming up?
If that's a yes, how well prepared are you? We get you may be taking into account sleep, training and diet, but sometimes to reach that 1% mark in your training or in your competitions, you need to go the extra distance.
While you may not always be able to squeeze in that extra distance or PB, you can become even more disciplined with your diet. Dive in with us today as we discuss how to level up your sports nutrition for endurance.
Sports Nutrition defined
You're probably already aware of what nutrition is, but how familiar are you with sports nutrition? Nutrition for endurance sports Australia is a discipline linked to this particular aspect of fitness.
It synchronises the optimisation of various processes through diet to support training and performance. Sports nutrition is all about optimising not just food but also supplements to be in line with your training strategy.
As an endurance athlete in Australia, you should focus on three areas: training, psychology, and nutrition. Think of this like a pyramid, with training and nutrition at the base.
But when it comes to sports nutrition, you want to dial in your specific fuel needs based on your body type, fat percentage, caloric needs, timings, radio hydration, performance goals, and recovery.
Nutritional requirements defined
On average, your diet should be similar to that of the general public, with your energy intake split across carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Here are the percentage ratios to give you a good rule of thumb about what to have:
- Carbohydrates 45-65% (the primary source of energy for endurance activities)
- Protein 15-25% (Major support in muscle recovery and repair)
- Fats 20-35% (An essential form of supply of energy in long durance)
- Micronutrients (specific supplements and minerals to boost your performance- more on that later)
Note: To know exactly how much nutrients you need, you should speak to a nutritionist to help you. They can help tailor your plans according to your body weight, training volume and preferences.
Nutrition for endurance sports Australia-5 top tips
In addition to all of the above, here are 5 top tips to try out when it comes to sports nutrition:
1.Alway stay fuelled
Okay, we get it. Our first point may seem a little bit patronising. But you'd be surprised at just how many athletes don't fuel up prior to and after their training. A lot of research has shown that intense bouts of aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, cycling, and more, can decrease one's appetite.
Endurance sports often change the state of hormones that impact hunger, discouraging eating. Therefore, you'll always want your energy intake to cover the total amount you consume, reducing an energy deficit as much as possible.
But endurance athletes often need at least 2-3 times more than the standard human to sustain their training. So always take note of your training and lifestyle and fuel yourself accordingly!
2. Have the right hydration strategy in place
Next, you must have the right fluid intake. It's more than just drinking water; you must find the right balance between hydration and overhydration. While we can't specifically state how much you should be having as factors like body weight, temperature, sweat rate, sweat rate, sodium content, intensity, kidney function, and more can influence - you need to get your water intake right. Here are some simple tips to get you started:
- Drink high quality mineral water steadily and throughout the day, irrespective of training.
- Always consume more fluid than lost to restore the balance
- Look at the colour and smell of your urine- if it's dark and smelly you could be dehydrated.
- Start with a hydration plan of 400-800 ml an hour while training and steadily adjust as required.
Pro Tip: If you're training daily, try to have an electrolyte daily to ensure you get enough nutrients into your body. They have essential minerals such as sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Taking one a day can help with muscle contraction and fluid balance across several hours, helping your performance.
To help you stay hydrated and ensure your body is getting the right nutrients and fuel, try Go Nutrition Electrolytes. Our electrolytes can help sustain, enhance performance and accelerate your recovery. Having a tasty watermelon flavour, they're fast-friendly electrolytes for Australia and a refreshing type of fuel.
3. Don't neglect your micronutrients
As an endurance athlete in Australia, pay extra attention to your micronutrients. Often, endurance athletes neglect some of their most important micronutrients, such as calcium, iron and magnesium. Try to add more fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts to your diet to ensure you're making the most out of them. Here are examples of some of the food that contains them:
- Lentils (iron)
- Beef (iron)
- Spinach (iron)
- Tofu (magnesium, iron and calcium)
- Almond (magnesium and calcium)
- Bananas (magnesium)
- Avocado (magnesium)
These are just a few of the many foods that contain these minerals! However, as an athlete who often requires eating more than necessary, you might need to find additional ways to get sufficient intake of these.
Pro Tip: Whenever possible try to get blood tests at least 3-4 times every season (especially if you're training for an important event). Receiving key biomarkers for your performance can indicate if you have sufficient vitamin D, iron, magnesium and calcium in your bloodstream.
4. Time your nutrition well
The timing of when and what you eat can have a major effect on how you perform during training and competition. Often, it's a constant push-and-pull, a balance between keeping it simple and overeating.
Many athletes prefer to eat small meals six times a day to keep them full and satisfied, as opposed to sticking to three to six-hour windows without eating. Often, this can cause extreme hunger and spike energy crashes.
5.Try Carb loading
If you've been an endurance athlete for some time, you're probably no stranger to carb-loading. On the contrary, if you're not, let's recap. Carb loading is all about increasing your carbohydrate load a few days before a high-intensity endurance event that lasts 90 days or longer.
Loading up on complex carbs like rice, pasta, bread, sweet potatoes, and more can help you maximise your glycogen stores and ultimately improve stamina.
Note: We can't advise specifically on the best way to carb load, as each athlete responds to it slightly differently. That's why it's important to adapt the strategies based on your needs and preferences. Ideally, you should seek the advice and help of a sports dietician.
Wrapping up sports nutrition for endurance athletes
Overall, when preparing for an event or training, you need to have your nutrition on point! To ensure that you're on top of your nutrition for starters, always make sure you're putting enough back into your back rather than going out.
Moreover, have the right hydration strategy and ensure you're getting enough vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients, such as electrolytes. Time your nutrition well and, whenever possible, carb load before a big event.
Are you looking to push that a little bit harder in training?
Try our creatine. Formulated according to proven scientific research, it can help you sustain longer on the track, trail, or road.
If you've got an ultramarathon or another high endurance event lined up-, check our post on the right supplementation to take