What are endurance sports?

Endurance sports can be practiced outdoors, but also in the gym. For example, a good spinning class of more than an hour also falls under endurance sport, or cardio training. Just like a round on the exercise bike, treadmill, rowing machine and cross trainer. For endurance athletes, the use of these devices is extremely suitable to improve the general condition and train different muscle groups. During endurance sports you burn a lot of calories and this continues even after your training. As a result, your body needs a lot of energy to recover, supplemental nutrition for endurance sports can help you with this.

Nutrition for endurance athletes

Just like with other sports, it also applies to endurance sports that a healthy diet is the basis. Therefore, eat plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole-grain products, such as whole-wheat pasta, couscous and brown rice, but also meat, fish, legumes, nuts, eggs and dairy. Furthermore, fats, preferably soft or liquid, are also recommended, as is sufficient fluid. In order to train and recover well, it is therefore important to eat and drink well before, during and after a training or competition. In addition to this basic diet, supplements for endurance athletes can help you with this.

Various types of endurance sports and nutrition

We have already mentioned different types of endurance sports above. There are also different levels, degree of intensity and the duration of a training or competition can also differ greatly. The best endurance sports nutrition to eat before, during or after exercise therefore differs per situation. For example, other foods are suitable for running than for cycling, for example. If you want to take sports seriously, a well-thought-out training and nutrition plan suitable for the specific endurance sport should not be missing. So don't go crazy straight away, but let yourself be informed in advance. You can think of guidance from a personal trainer or nutrition coach. They know which endurance sports nutrition is best for you.

The moment of nutritional intake

In any case, it is important for every endurance athlete that the last meal is eaten 1 to 2 hours before exercise and that this meal preferably contains a lot of slow carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are your energy supplier and therefore important food for endurance athletes. During exercise, the blood transports oxygen and nutrients to the muscles so that they can convert it into energy. If you eat too close to exercise, the blood goes to your stomach because it is there to digest food. As a result, the process of transporting nutrients and oxygen through the blood to your muscles cannot be used optimally, causing your performance to deteriorate.

Endurance Supplements

In addition to this meal, you should also drink plenty of fluids during training or competition. Studies show that there is still too little to drink during training and competitions. This is not good for performance. Water and sports drinks with added minerals (electrolytes) and fast and slow carbohydrates are ideal as supplements for endurance. These carbohydrate sports drinks can be used 30 to 60 minutes before you start a training or competition to bring the glycogen stores up to standard.

carboloading

Another option is carbohydrate loading. The so-called carboloading, mainly a well-known process in endurance sports. In endurance sports, this means that you take extra carbohydrates a few days before a competition to ensure that the glycogen stores in the muscles are loaded to the maximum. Ready to be used as energy. One of our endurance supplements that you can use for this are the Carbo Energizers from Performance Sports Nutrition.

Restoring muscle nutrition

After a solid workout, your body is screaming for nutrients. Your muscles must be able to recover and that also costs energy. In the first two hours after training, glycogen production rises from the normal 5% to as much as 8% per hour. If you eat carbohydrates in those two hours, the glycogen level will be back to the level before your training within ⅓ day and your body is ready for the next training. This is therefore the food to recover your muscles. If you don't do this, recovery can take 1 to 2 days: a significant difference. In addition to carbohydrates, it is important for endurance sports to take proteins . All your body cells and tissues, including your muscle tissue, consist largely of proteins. Heavy training or a tough competition creates small tears in the muscles that need to be repaired. Protein supports this recovery and is therefore the perfect endurance sports nutrition, but do this in combination with sufficient rest!