How can we win in the kitchen when it comes to fuelling our bodies for those workouts?
How can we win in the kitchen when it comes to fuelling our bodies for those workouts?
We often focus on how we can win on the bike, but how do we win in the kitchen? How do we win in giving our bodies the fuel it needs to perform, train, and recover from the training sessions we are asking of it?
One question I’m often asked by the riders I coach is “What should I be eating during, and around my training sessions and races?” The answer is, of course, different every time. It would be like asking, what kit should I wear today? - well, it depends on what the weather is like! There isn’t a ‘go-to’ winning recipe or a simple answer that fits all. But in general, your diet should be balanced and based on whole, unprocessed foods which should include complex carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
The question should be: “what foods do I need to fuel my body with to get the most out of myself during and around my training sessions and races?” Your fuelling strategy should be specific to what sessions you have on any particular day. Do you have a long endurance ride? A short interval session? A strength session? A run? A recovery ride? A complete rest day? A race? These are all things you need to keep in mind when thinking about your nutrition strategy. This shouldn’t be a one-off thought process, but instead a way of living day to day, a ritual. The more you begin to understand how your body uses fuel to perform and recover, the better your results will be, and the more consistent you are with the food that fuels those workouts. This, in turn, will see more wins in your workouts and races. Attention to nutrition should be an everyday part of your training routine.
So, nutrition basics, and how to apply them to fuel your workouts….
1. Carbohydrates - The super fuel for workouts and recovery! Carbs fuel your workout, restore your liver glycogen pre, post and during rides. They set you up for the training you do. You can use carbs in a strategic way around sessions. They are a critical fuel source and one that we can’t train without. The presence of simple carbs in your mouth, stomach, and bloodstream let the brain know that it doesn’t have to worry about fuel availability. Give your body what it wants, and needs and it will perform the way you want and need it to. The presence of carbohydrates sends signals to the brain that it is ‘ok’ to keep spending energy at a fast rate (which means higher effort, which means faster performance). Eating the right carbs at the right times can be a game-changer in how you perform and in how you recover.
2. Proteins - Regardless of workout intensity you should always be having some protein after any workout. Not just in your toughest sessions, but after every session and every day. Every time you get on your bike, or you go for a run your putting your body and immune system under stress, give it what it wants and help it recover. Most of you already know that 30-45’ post-workout window is when protein is absorbed best after a training session. If you want to recover from sessions and adapt to training, you need to have good quality proteins in your diet, and you need to time having that protein when it matters most. As a rule, you also should never go more than 4hrs without a good hit of protein. So if that ride is going to take you over 4hrs... that’s right, you need to be thinking about how you can get a bit of protein on the bike or at the cafe stop.
3. Fat - Fat is our friend! …. I’m not talking about the ugly fat in junk food. I’m talking about healthy fats. Having healthy fats in your diet is crucial for those all-important hormones. Fat is an important part of cell membranes and has many physiological benefits to support performance. Fat helps us stay healthy, balances our hormones and optimises training adaption.
1, 2, 3 - simple right? If you can take away those three important points, your already on your way to giving yourself a massive head start when it comes to training adaption and performance. Food is fuel. When you fuel right, you can complete those training sessions and recover from them. Healthy relationships with food, create fast, happy consistent riders on the bike! Enjoy!
