avatarKatie Johnson

Summary

Intra-workout nutrition is a critical component for athletes engaged in long or intense training sessions, providing energy, preventing muscle breakdown, and maintaining hydration and mental focus.

Abstract

The article "Fueling Your Fitness: The Power of Intra-Workout Nutrition" emphasizes the importance of consuming the right nutrients during workouts, especially for those lasting over an hour or involving high intensity. It outlines how intra-workout nutrition helps sustain energy levels, minimize muscle protein breakdown, ensure proper hydration and electrolyte balance, and enhance mental focus. The piece suggests that while not everyone requires intra-workout nutrition, certain athletes like marathon runners, cyclists, and high-volume weightlifters can benefit significantly. Key components include fast-digesting carbohydrates, electrolytes, amino acids, and optionally, caffeine. The article also provides practical tips for timing, personalization, and experimentation with intra-workout nutrition strategies.

Opinions

  • The author believes that intra-workout nutrition is often overshadowed by pre- and post-workout nutrition, yet it is crucial for optimal performance, particularly for endurance and high-volume training.
  • There is a consensus that consuming carbohydrates during workouts can replenish glycogen stores and prevent fatigue, with a recommendation to start with 30g of carbohydrates per hour and potentially increase up to 120g.
  • The article suggests that BCAAs may not only benefit bodybuilders but also endurance athletes by reducing muscle breakdown and mitigating the effects of cortisol.
  • The author advises that proper hydration and carbohydrate intake are essential for maintaining mental focus and preventing the symptoms of hypoglycemia during extended workouts.
  • Personalization of intra-workout nutrition is emphasized, with the recommendation to consult with a coach or dietitian and to experiment to find what works best for the individual athlete.
  • The author provides affiliate links to specific products as examples of what they recommend, while also noting that intra-workout nutrition is highly customizable.

Fueling Your Fitness: The Power of Intra-Workout Nutrition

Part 2 of 3

Photo by Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash

If you’ve read part 1 of this nutrition series, you already know that what you eat before working out can have a huge impact on the quality of your training.

Although pre-workout and post-workout nutrition often steal the spotlight, we can’t sleep on the importance of intra-workout nutrition. For some athletes, this is a lesser-known yet equally crucial component of a well-rounded fueling regimen.

In this article, we’ll delve into what intra-workout nutrition entails, who needs it, and how it can impact your exercise performance and overall fitness goals.

Who Needs Intra-Workout Nutrition?

Intra-workout nutrition helps with maintaining energy levels and preventing muscle breakdown during training. Unlike pre- and post-workout nutrition, not everyone needs to implement intra-workout nutrition.

Certain types of athletes need additional nutrients during activity to sustain either very long or very intense training. If your workouts are over 60 minutes, are very intense, or if your volume is high (doing 2-a-days or training for 2+ hours per day), you need to fuel those workouts.

For example, athletes like marathon runners, long-distance cyclists, and triathletes regularly train for hours at a time. They’re primarily training aerobically, which means their body burns both fat and carbohydrates to keep them going.

Our bodies (even lean bodies) have enough stored fat to keep the energy-production process going, but we have limited carbohydrate storage. Thus, it is essential to stay “topped up” on carbohydrates by consuming nutrition during workouts.

Athletes who lift weights and have a high training volume, like bodybuilders and Crossfitters, may also benefit from intra-workout carbs. The data to support this isn’t as strong as it is for endurance athletes, but the general consensus is that it may enhance performance and probably can’t hurt anything, so why not?

Why is Intra-Workout Nutrition Important?

  • Sustaining Energy Levels

Maintaining consistent energy levels throughout your workout facilitates optimal performance. When you exercise, your body relies largely on glycogen (stored carbohydrates) for fuel. Consuming fast-digesting carbohydrates like glucose or maltodextrin during your workout can help replenish glycogen stores and stave off fatigue.

When you hear an athlete say they “bonked” or “hit the wall,” this is usually code for “my body ran out of carbohydrates.” And 9 times out of 10, it’s avoidable with a smart nutrition strategy.

  • Minimizing Muscle Breakdown

During intense workouts, your body may start breaking down muscle protein for energy. This is a counterproductive process for those aiming to build muscle and strength. Consuming branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), during your workout might help reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle protein synthesis, leading to better gains over time.

People usually associate BCAAs with bodybuilding, but some research indicates that they can benefit endurance athletes, too. This is because BCAAs might mitigate cortisol’s effects and preserve muscle during long bouts of catabolic activity.

  • Hydration and Electrolyte Balance

Sweating during exercise leads to fluid and electrolyte loss, potentially causing cramps, dizziness, and decreased performance. Intra-workout drinks and food products often include electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and magnesium) to help you stay hydrated and maintain optimal muscle function.

Some people lose more sodium via their sweat than others do. Precision Hydration has a free online test you can take to help you determine what kind of sweater you are and how much fluid, fuel, and sodium you should consume during workouts.

  • Mental Focus and Alertness

Intra-workout nutrition also supports your mental state during exercise. Consuming the right nutrients can help enhance focus, concentration, and alertness.

Some intra-workout supplements contain caffeine or other stimulants that can improve your cognitive function and provide that extra push you need to complete your workout with intensity.

However, nothing beats adequate hydration and carbohydrate consumption for keeping your mind sharp and your spirits high during your activity.

When I’m writing race plans for my athletes, I include a blurb about looking out for the warning signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar.) If you’re doing a long or intense workout and find that you’re feeling grouchy, sluggish, foggy, disoriented, bad attitude, etc., you need to make sure that #1, you’re hydrating and #2, you’re taking in carbs.

Oftentimes when someone feels like giving up toward the end of a race, or they want to stop running and walk instead, it’s not from a lack of physical conditioning. It’s from improper fueling.

Key Components of Intra-Workout Nutrition

This concept is not common knowledge, but your stomach is a muscle that you can train. You will have to practice eating during workouts. It may not be comfortable initially, so start conservatively with minimal amounts of fuel. Also, liquids are easier to ingest and process, so you may want to start with a carb-rich sports drink.

All that is to say — the first component of intra-workout nutrition is training your gut.

Here are the more tangible key components:

  • Carbohydrates: Fast-digesting carbohydrates like dextrose, maltodextrin, or glucose are excellent choices for filling up glycogen stores and providing a quick energy boost. A combination of 2 or more types of carbs enhances absorption and reduces GI discomfort.
  • Electrolytes: Incorporate beverages or supplements that contain electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium to maintain proper hydration and muscle function.
  • Amino Acids (optional): BCAAs, as well as essential amino acids (EAAs), can be consumed to prevent muscle breakdown and support muscle growth.
  • Caffeine (optional): For an extra mental boost and increased alertness, caffeine can be a suitable addition. Be cautious about dosage to avoid anxiety and gastrointestinal distress, which can both occur with over-consumption of caffeine.

Intra-Workout Nutrition Tips

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to intra-workout nutrition. The advice I’ve provided here is based on best practices according to long-standing research.

The product links above are mainly to serve as examples of what I like and recommend to my athletes. But intra-workout nutrition is endlessly customizable. Experiment with the following in mind:

  1. Timing Matters: For workouts lasting over 60 minutes or containing a fair bit of intensity, start consuming your intra-workout nutrition 15–30 minutes into your workout and repeat every 30–45 minutes. Start with 30g of carbohydrates per hour and gradually try increasing that amount — the more you can take in, the better. Some people can tolerate up to 120g of carbs per hour with no ill effect. 90g per hour is the sweet spot for most people.
  2. Personalize Your Strategy: Intra-workout nutrition needs can vary depending on your workout intensity, duration, and goals. Tailor your approach accordingly. Consult with a coach or dietitian when possible.
  3. Experiment and Adjust: Not everyone will respond the same way to intra-workout nutrition. I have athletes who can cram McDonald’s cheeseburgers down their throats during long runs (much to my chagrin), and athletes who can barely stand to take a sip of Gatorade. Experiment with different combinations, brands, etc. and monitor your performance and recovery to find what works best for you.

Figuring out a fueling plan that makes you feel strong, energetic, and satiated is worth the time and experimentation it will take. If you’ve read this far and want a little help with your own intra-workout nutrition, leave me a comment and I’ll be happy to give you a rough plan to start with.

Thanks so much for reading! If you enjoyed this article, follow me and click the little envelope so you get email updates when I post new stories.

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, and none of this is medical advice. Also, I have linked to some products to give examples- some of these are affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you buy something, but it won’t cost you anything extra.

Nutrition
Running
Fitness
Bodybuilding
Workout
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