Demystifying Sports Nutrition: Straightforward Tips & Expert Secrets
- By Mario Fraioli
- Published Sep. 6, 2011
- Updated Mar. 15, 2012 at 5:09 PM UTC
You Need To Eat Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel for our brains and muscles, so endurance athletes need to eat them. Period.
“Humans can store plenty of fat and protein but our carb storage is very low, and it’s stored locally and not shared,” says Benardot. “So, we tend to run out of glycogen carbohydrates quickly with the muscles that use it the most.”
Austin doesn’t let her endurance athletes’ carbohydrate intake drop below 50 percent of their total daily calorie intake, no matter what. Brown recommends that 60 to 65 percent of calories come from carbs. Applegate gets more specific and assigns amounts based on training: For a runner averaging 55 to 60 miles per week, she recommends seven grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight. Her suggestion increases to eight, nine or 10 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight for triathletes.
FILED UNDER: Nutrition TAGS: Antioxidants / Carbo Loading / dietary supplements / dieting / perform / race fueling / Recovery Nutrition / sports nutrition
Mario Fraioli
Mario Fraioli is a senior editor at Competitor magazine. A cross-country All-American at Stonehill College in 2003, he now coaches the Prado Women's Racing Team in San Diego and was the men's marathon coach for Costa Rica's 2012 Olympic team. His first book, The Official Rock 'n' Roll Guide To Marathon & Half-Marathon Training (VeloPress, 2013) is available in bookstores, running shops and online.