The competition season is coming and that means some hefty preparations.
Without comparing your own performance too much to others, we all still want to outdo ourselves and get the best out of ourselves. In this way, it does not matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced athlete. Every athlete has this ambition.
To achieve it, everyone, at whatever level, must prepare to the best of their ability.
But good preparation depends on zó many different factors, so how do you do it?
First, by focusing on the fundamental basics, of course. That includes working out enough and eating healthy.
But today we will focus on a specific component in preparation. Namely, sports nutrition for endurance athletes.
Even more specifically, we'll look at which energy bars, gels and sports drinks are most efficient for various purposes. But also at what times: vBEFOREr, during, and after your sports activity.
Sports Nutrition
A healthy basic diet is obviously necessary for your body to get all the nutrients it needs. Think of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, moisture and dietary fiber. When this basic nutrition is good, you automatically possess a better foundation for optimal sports performance.
But in addition to these basic foods, there is another branch of nutrition that can improve your performance. And that is sports nutrition.
When practicing endurance sports, the majority of athletes frequently use energy bars and energy gels.
Why?
First of all, because endurance sports athletes consume a lot of energy and fuel and that needs to be replenished efficiently. A general rule for carbohydrate intake is 60 grams per hour. Energy bars, gels and sports drinks play a crucial role in this for many an athlete.
However, a number of things must be taken into account. Namely, it is important when using energy bars that they contain little fat, protein and fiber (only a few grams). After all, these slow down the absorption process of carbohydrates.
For example, for 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, you can use the following combinations:
- 2x gel and a little sports drink
- 1x gel and a bottle sports drink
- 1xbar and half a bottle of sports drink
So you must keep in mind that carbohydrates take time to be absorbed by your body. Therefore, it is essential to start supplementing early so that you are prepared in time for your race or exercise.
Secondly, it is smart to already have a considerablevóbefore a race to experiment with different sports foods and test which ones work best for you. The reason for this is that 30-70% of athletes experience gastrointestinal problems while using certain bars and gels. And you definitely want to avoid that during your race! However, bodily reaction varies from person to person and from sports nutrition to sports nutrition.
It should be mentioned here, by the way, that gastrointestinal problems can also be completely independent of food intake and can develop as a result of "race day" nerves.
Thus, the intake of fiber, fats and highly concentrated carbohydrate drinks from sports foods can lead to such problems in any case.
Tip of the day: so pay attention and test beforehand what works for you!
Third, it is important to make clear distinctions for yourself. Some athletes prefer taste, while others prefer efficiency and nutrients. Of course, many brands try to find a golden mean and balance here.
Because the supply of sports nutrition is very large and therefore the choice may be more difficult, our ASW colleagues have put the different sports nutrition products side by side, compared them, and categorized them by purpose, best time of intake and effect. This makes it easier for you to choose which sports nutrition best suits your needs.
Before exercise
Before starting your exercise, the Dutch Nitrate Extreme is an excellent choice. This is a functional sports drink made from natural ingredients and is designed for intense efforts. Use this drink only before your workout. This is because Dutch Nitrate Extreme has a high dose of nitrate which has a stimulating effect on muscle strength, endurance and sprint capacity.
An alternative is Victus Sport Energy Water Pre-Ride. Energy Water improves your energy level, stamina and concentration and combats exhaustion. The energy comes mainly from natural caffeine (200 mg), which is equivalent to three cups of coffee. Take this 15 minutes before your activity and you are ready to go!
While exercising
The NeverSecond C30 Energy Gel delivers 30 grams of carbohydrates for quick absorbable energy. It can be taken with or without water. The taste is less strong and it has a thin viscosity that reduces the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort even during heavy and intense races.
An alternative is the High5 Energy Gel. This gel is incredibly popular among many endurance athletes. It is perfect for replenishing carbohydrates (23 grams) during your effort and the energy boost is already felt 2 to 5 minutes after ingestion.
Besides energy gels, it is also possible to take a solid bar during your exercise, if you prefer that over liquid intake. This can be done with Maurten's Solid Energy bar. This is a back-to-basic bar and focuses on efficiency and less on taste. At 44 grams of calories per bar, it makes a performance chewable oat and rice-based bar. Perfect for quick and light carbohydrate-rich, low-fiber fuel.
After exercise
With a whopping 12 grams of protein in a 35-gram bar, recovery bars from Pandy fantastic foods for recovery. In addition, it tastes very good and the Pandy bar contains only 1.1 grams of sugars and only 131 kcal.
A vegetarian alternative is the PowerBar Protein Soft Layer protein bar that provides 10 grams of high-quality protein and, above all, is incredibly tasty. In addition, it contains only 138 kcal per bar.
Would you prefer no sugars, fats and lactose or other allergens at all? Then choose the Victus Sport Nutrition Water. With 21.37 grams of protein, 26 electrolytes, vitamins & minerals, 10 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of BCAAs, it is the perfect sports nutrition for faster and better muscle recovery and preventing injuries and fatigue.
Questions?
If you still have questions about sports nutrition and which ones are best for you as an athlete? Don't hesitate to stop by the store or contact us online!
