Want some quick pointers to get your nutrition on track?
Coming up are our top nutrition tips.
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In this video you'll see
I'm using products from products form Enervit,
and that's because they are our nutrition partner.
But there are of course other products available.
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Hydration, hydration is crucial
to maintaining endurance performance.
A drop of just 2% body weight from sweat loss,
which is one and a half kilos,
if you weigh 75 kg, will decrease your endurance capacity.
Double that and a bit, to 5%,
and you are looking at a whopping reduction
in performance of around 30%.
And I don't know anyone that can afford
to neglect that sort of statistic.
So, how should you hydrate?
Well, in the hour before exercise,
you should aim to consume around 500mls of fluid.
Ideally containing some sort of electrolyte
rather than water, as this is easier for your body
to assimilate into the bloodstream for it to be transported
to all of your organs and muscles.
Something like one of these Electro tabs in a bottle.
Whilst on the bike, you should continue to aim
for a minimum of 500mls per hour,
even in cold weather, as you are still generating heat
and moisture is also being lost from breathing
as the air is moistened it enters your lungs,
and subsequently expelled as we exhale.
You should also note, the sweat rate,
and salt content of you sweat,
vary wildly from person to person.
So there is a little trial and error
in creating the correct hydration strategy.
It is however just as important as training correctly,
or as having your bike set up correctly too.
And finally, you should rehydrate with a fluid
close to room temperature after training.
This is to avoid discomfort that could shock your stomach,
especially with cold fluids.
You should also go to bed well hydrated.
And it has often been said over the years
that unless you're waking up in the middle of the night
for a wee, you probably under-hydrated.
I do think that's a little extreme.
I'd prefer a good nights sleep,
but it is a guide to go on.
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Timing of nutrition.
One of the best ways to ensure
that you are optimally fueled,
is to eat your meals at the correct time.
So, around three hours before exercise
within 30 mins after exercise
and then once every 2-3 hours between snacks and meals.
This is primarily to ensure
consistent blood sugar levels
and to avoid significant insulin spikes.
Both of which will help maintain good energy levels
throughout the day, not just during training,
but also for your normal daily tasks.
Don't leave long gaps between top-ups,
if you out riding, you should look consume subsistence
every 20 mins, in the form of carbohydrate.
Something quick and easy, like any of these products here
or something that you've made at home,
to help prevent palate fatigue
if undergoing a large volume of training.
This is great opportunity to come up with
lots of different recipes.
Personally I always preferred mixing
natural products and sports products
when racing and training.
Savory flapjacks, sandwiches, wraps and energy jellos.
Its' up to you to come up with something good.
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Consistency of diet.
There is no point in being good for one week of the month,
or two days of the week.
To really benefit from a good nutrition program,
you need to be consistent in your approach.
You simply won't see the benefits
after each and every single meal,
but together, as part of the bigger picture
you will over time see the results
and improvements that you're looking for.
Changing a nutritional strategy can be a little bit like
trying to turn an oil tanker.
You may not notice the effects straight away,
but over time, the inputs do add up,
and sure enough, you can make positive changes.
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Don't obsess or punish you.
It's good to keep context around you diet,
if you slip up one day, overindulge
and pig out a little, don't worry.
But also, be careful not to back that up
with another bad day.
One day in the grand scheme of things,
isn't too bad, and you can then use this as motivation
to continue on a strong run of dedicated eating
that will benefit your riding, rather than inhibit you.
If you aren't sure of how much you're eating on a day
and would like to learn a little more,
keep a food diary for the next seven days.
Note the times of day that you eat,
the quantity of food you eat,
and how much you drinking.
Becoming mindful of the calorific content of a meal
or a day in your life, can be one of the most
empowering approaches to a well thought out nutrition plan.
But, it can be quite surprising what you
sub-consciously are consuming already.
Perhaps you under-eat and find it hard
to fuel those tough workouts.
Don't create an unhealthy emotional attachment to food.
It is good to understand the value
of what you're eating and separate that away from
how it makes you feel, whilst or after you're eating it.
If you thought of eating, as going to the petrol station,
you'd be much less inclined to over-eat.
Cause what happens when you over-fill a car?
It gets wasted, spills over
and in the case of the human body, is then stored as fat.
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Sports nutrition, like all things in life
there is a time and a place for everything.
And that includes purposefully designed
performance minded nutrition products.
That doesn't mean to say that you should
heavily rely on these products all the time,
but it does mean that they have a place within your diet.
These products have specifically been designed
for ease of use and absorption.
Whether that's an on the bike carbohydrate drink,
or bar, designed to top up your glycogen levels,
or a post ride supplement that's designed
to repair your muscles.
These products should be used to supplement
hence the supplements, an otherwise
well varied and balanced diet.
Have you ever kept a food diary?
Do yo have any nutritional surprises
that you would like to share with us?
Let us know down in the comments.
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