Achieving Your Best: Ten Ways to use Fuel to get a PR!

Cassie Dimmick, MS, RD, LD, CSSD

 

  1. Eat a healthy athlete’s diet on a daily basis

Follow a moderate to high carbohydrate, moderate protein, and low fat diet 90% of the time. What you put in your mouth every day will affect your performance in both training and on race day, so you need to give yourself fuel that will provide the energy you need to give every workout your all.

 

  1. Stay well hydrated

Athletes need to take in about half their body weight in fluid ounces of liquid every day. If you go into your workouts dehydrated or overhydrated, you will not perform as well.

 

  1. Take in carbohydrates and fluid before exercise

To have enough glycogen (energy from carbohydrates) and utilize fat effectively, you need to eat a low fat, high carb meal or snack 30 minutes to 3 hours before exercise. Also, you need to take in about 8 ounces of fluid before exercise to make sure you are well hydrated to start and to help your stomach absorb nutrients. 

 

  1. Train your body to utilize fuel while exercising

You must train your gut just like you train your heart and muscles when you are getting ready for an event. Knowing what to consume and practicing it will help your GI system absorb and tolerate calories and fluid.

 

  1. Use your diet to help attain or maintain an athletic body fat percent

You will perform better if you are at an athletic body fat percent, which is optimally about 6-10% for males and 12-18% for females. Nutrition is the main determining factor in body fat loss, so no matter how much you exercise, you need to focus on eating the correct type and amount of food to achieve your goals.

 

  1. Know what works for you

Everyone responds to exercise differently, so you may have to experiment with several fuel and fluid options. Contact a nutrition professional that specializes in sports nutrition if you have trouble finding something that your body can handle.

 

  1. Practice your fuel and hydration before race day

Get all the kinks worked out before your event so your fuel will not be an issue on race day. Know what beverages and fuel will be offered and practice with those. Have a schedule based on the water stops and practice the timing while training. Also, practice what you will eat the day before and the morning of the race.

 

  1. Carbohydrate load for events that last three hours or more

Six days before the event, you should carbohydrate load. Carb loading is based on body weight and is specific for endurance events only, but will significantly improve your performance on race day.

 

  1. Follow your plan on race day, but be flexible when you need to

Do not do anything new on race day. You should have your plan ironed out and all you have to do is follow it. However, don’t be scared to make small adjustments if necessary.

 

  1. Don’t fall for supplement marketing schemes

Some sports supplements are beneficial for some people, but all supplements are not beneficial for all people. Do your homework before you put something in your body that you may not need.

 

If you want to have more energy, get lean and perform at your best, contact me for a personalized and detailed sports nutrition plan!

www.AchievingYourBest.net

cassie@AchievingYourBest.net