Nutrition Pre Training, Intra Training and Post Training - What Should You Be Doing?

PRE-TRAINING NUTRITION

The same question I get asked a fair bit is, should I eat before training? My honest answer is, it depends. What are your goals? When did you last eat? Do you feel sick if you eat? Do you feel lethargic if you don't eat? How long is your session? Is it a high intensity session or was it just a 25 minute jog? If you are training for 45 minutes at a high intensity it can be useful but not crucial however, if you're training for 60-90 minutes at a high intensity, I highly recommend optimising your pre-training nutrition. General rule of thumb around timings and nutrients is as follows:

2-4 hours before:

This is usually a lunch if you're an afternoon trainer. This meal should have a good quality source of carbohydrates, good lean source of protein, moderate amounts of healthy fats and some colour (fruits or veg). Please note, do not forget to consume carbohydrates here! Even 4 hours before, this WILL affect your training.

30-60 minutes before:

This should be a carbohydrate rich snack and a small amount of protein depending on individual tolerance. If it's 30 minutes before, I would be focusing on quick absorbing carbohydrates such as a piece of fruit, fruit toast, crumpets, pikelets and honey or a high carbohydrate smoothie.

INTRA-TRAINING NUTRITION

Now, intra-training nutrition is not for everyone. What does intra-nutrition actually mean? Essentially, it refers to food (carbohydrates) being consumed during your training session to give you that boost of energy. When do you know whether nutrition during your training session is appropriate? Sessions or events that are less than 60 minutes typically do not require any additional carbohydrates outside of your pre-training and post-training nutrition. Sessions that are lasting more than 90 minutes would benefit from a small top up of carbohydrates. Something small like a banana, a few little lollies or a few rice cakes with a bit of honey at the 60 minute point. Everyone is very different therefore, the exact amount varies from person-to-person dependent on exercise duration and intensity, and individual gut tolerances. 

Events that last longer than 4 hours such as ironman, long distance trail running and ultra-marathons require a very individualised, unique fuelling strategy. In these long duration events, carbohydrates and hydration need to be carefully strategised. If you are undertaking these events, it is highly recommended to see an Accredited Sports Dietitian to develop and individualised plan. 

Multi-day events such as a CrossFit competition require strategic planning also. There are a few factors to consider when looking at competition nutrition. How long are your events, what is the time in between events, taste preferences, individual tolerance to particular foods and much more. Main point to take here, is ensuring you are topping your bodies carbohydrates in between workouts and aiming to get small amounts of protein in during longer periods in between workouts. How much and what type, should be discussed with an Accredited Sports Dietitian.

POST TRAINING NUTRITION

Your recovery meal should be your most important meal of the day! There are four golden rules in recovery nutrition:

• Refuel muscle glycogen (carbohydrate stores)

• Repair muscle (for function & development)

• Rehydrate (replace fluids lost through sweat)

• Rest (amplifies the recovery process)

Additional rule, ALWAYS add in some colour. Vegetables or fruit. If you are a numbers type of person and want to know the scientifically proven figures to go by, protein should be 0.4/kg and 0.8/kg of carbohydrates. To make it easier, it's a 2:1 ratio. 2 parts carbohydrates to 1 part protein.

Cravings can come from inadequate refuelling. This is a common mistake I see exercisers do. They will go train at the gym but not refuel correctly. Come 2-3 hours later, they are cravings all the palatable foods underneath the sun. This palatable food tends to be the food that won't serve you - the unhealthier foods.

Understanding the basics of sports nutrition alone will assist with your performance and recovery. If you require more specific strategy and potentially a plan, it is important to get the right advice from an Accredited Sports Dietitian.