It is also important to hydrate your body. Ideally, you will want to start hydrating hours before you start your training and then continue to drink water throughout exercise, ideally containing some Skratch powder.

When to Eat During Training: When it comes to endurance training, you will need to replenish your body with a fuel source along with staying hydrated. Studies have shown that athletes need to consume carbohydrates throughout training if they are active for longer than hours.

The studies have shown that adequate carbohydrate intake for endurance athletes training for hours would be 30 grams of carbs per hour, 60 grams of carbs per hour for training hours, and 90 grams of carbs per hour if you are training longer than 2.

As you can see, the longer you train, the more carbohydrates you will need. Be warned though, once you start approaching 90 grams per hour, you have a higher risk of digestive problems. Studies have also found that high-quality carbohydrates boost physical performance.

High-quality carbs are what fuels and sustains an endurance athletes energy levels. High-quality carbs have been found to provide muscles with energy needed for endurance training.

Protein also plays an important role during training as it can help prevent muscle breakdown. Try to stay below five grams of protein per hour of training to help reduce the chance of digestive upset.

What to Eat During Training: To help support your muscles and energy levels during training, you can snack on things like grass-fed jerky for protein, and whole-foods bars made with fruits and whole grains for carbs.

Bananas and other low-fiber fruits like melons can also make a good carbohydrate fuel source. When to Eat After Training: After training is when your body really needs to refuel and replenish those depleted glycogen stores.

Eating after intense exercise is also essential for proper muscle as well as tissue recovery. To help support muscle recovery through muscle protein synthesis and to replenish glycogen stores, it is important to eat a protein-rich meal with some complex carbohydrates as soon as you are finished training.

Ideally, your meal should contain grams of protein after endurance training. Studies have found that endurance athletes can achieve total muscle glycogen resynthesis within 24 hours when consuming an average of grams of carbohydrates over that time frame.

Since glycogen resynthesis tends to be at its peak within the first two hours after training, you can boost glycogen resynthesis by consuming 0. What to Eat After Training: A great way to get both protein and carbs is to make a nutrient-dense post workout shake which contains:.

Drinking this immediately after training will help support both muscle recovery and provide your body with the carbohydrates it needs to support those depleted glycogen stores.

It also makes a really easy and convenient way of getting your carbohydrates and protein in without having to make a meal immediately after training.

You will also want to enjoy a balanced meal about two hours after training to continue to help replenish and nourish your body. Nourishing your body with optimal nutrition on non-training days is just as important as it will help to support your muscle recovery and nourish your body with what it needs to be in tip-top shape.

Be sure to consume at least three balanced meals each day with two nutrient-dense snacks in between. Meals should have a balance of complex carbs, clean protein, and healthy fats. Snacks can include things like two hard-boiled eggs with a side of fruit, or a half of an avocado sprinkled with sea salt.

Nutrition plays such a critical role in how well your body performs when it comes to endurance training, and nutrient timing can be such a useful tool in helping your body function at its best. Try implementing these tips and time your meals and snacks appropriately to get the most out of your training.

Many athletes are surprised at how much better they feel before, during, and after training with just a few adjustments to when and what they eat. Type your email…. Shayne holds a bachelors degree in Health Science in Professional Development and Advanced Patient Care, is a licensed physical therapy assistant in Massachusetts, a USA Cycling Level 1 expert level certified Coach, a USA Cycling Power Based Training Certified Coach, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified Coach, a US Military Endurance Sports USMES affiliated Coach, and USA Olympic Committee Safe Sport certified.

Eating carbs at certain times does not appear to improve weight loss on low-calorie or ketogenic diets. However, timing carb intake around workouts can benefit athletes and people who exercise heavily. Athletes and people who exercise multiple times a day may improve their performance by eating carbs before a workout and speed up recovery by eating them afterward.

Still, for the average person, timing seems to be less important than choosing high-quality, complex carbs and watching your total calorie intake. While avoiding carbs can be helpful for some people, this does not mean that all carbs are unhealthy.

Here are 11 reasons not to fear healthy carbs. Carbs are controversial, but no matter where you fall in the debate, it's hard to deny they play an important role in the human body. This article…. Not all carbs are created equal. Carbs from whole, fiber-rich foods are generally healthy, while added sugars and refined carbs are extremely….

When it comes to gaining lean muscle, what you eat matters. This article takes a look at the top 26 muscle building foods. Some diets are more radical than others, but all have the same goal: to expedite and maintain weight loss. Read on to learn about calorie and carb….

Ketosis is a metabolic state that can be caused by a low-carb or ketogenic diet. Here are 10 signs and symptoms that you're in ketosis. Carb loading is a nutrition strategy used to boost exercise performance.

Here's how to do it, including common mistakes. While they're not typically able to prescribe, nutritionists can still benefits your overall health. Let's look at benefits, limitations, and more. A new study found that healthy lifestyle choices — including being physically active, eating well, avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol consumption —….

Carb counting is complicated. Take the quiz and test your knowledge! A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic?

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By Ryan Raman, MS, RD — Updated on June 10, Types of carbs Carb intake timing Bottom line Many people consider carbs an important part of a balanced diet, while others believe that they should be limited or avoided entirely. Share on Pinterest.

Different types of carbs. Is there a best time to eat carbs? The bottom line. Share this article. Read this next.

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However, the ISSN refers the reader to the latest Institute of Medicine Guidelines for Macronutrient intake as a source of more general information [ 1 ]. The purpose of this collective position statement is to highlight, summarize, and assess the current scientific literature, and to make scientific recommendations surrounding the timed ingestion of carbohydrates CHO , protein PRO , and fat.

The enclosed recommendations are suitable for researchers, practitioners, coaches and athletes who may use nutrient timing as a means to achieve optimum health and performance goals.

This position stand is divided into three primary sections: pre-exercise, during exercise and post-exercise. Each section concludes with several bullet points that highlight the key findings from each of the areas. Nutritional considerations prior to exercise have traditionally examined the administration of CHO to maximize endogenous glycogen stores [ 2 — 6 ] and maintain serum glucose levels during endurance exercise [ 4 , 7 ].

More recently, studies have begun to provide data supporting the contention that pre-exercise ingestion of CHO, amino acids, PRO, and creatine Cr prior to resistance training are effective modalities for enhancing exercise training adaptations [ 8 — 12 ] and decreasing exercise associated muscle damage [ 12 , 13 ].

As glycogen levels diminish, exercise intensity, and work output decrease [ 14 ], and frequently muscle tissue breakdown and immunosuppression ensues [ 16 , 17 ].

Due to the well-established connection between negative body changes and the depletion of glycogen stores, the concept of CHO loading is likely the oldest form of all the nutrient timing practices.

Traditional CHO loading studies utilized a glycogen depletion phase typically lasting 3 — 6 days prior to increasing CHO intake [ 2 — 5 , 18 ]. Maximal levels of glycogen storage, however, may be achieved after just 1 — 3 days of consuming a high-CHO diet while minimizing physical activity [ 2 , 4 ].

Serum glucose levels increased during exercise in the high-CHO condition with no changes evident in the low-CHO condition. Finally, post-exercise glucose levels were also significantly greater for the high-CHO condition when compared to the low-CHO condition, suggesting that individuals subjected to the high-CHO condition were better able to sustain blood glucose levels.

Another study by Bussau et al. Research involving the ingestion of single high CHO feedings has also demonstrated the promotion of higher levels of muscle glycogen and an improvement of blood glucose maintenance euglycemia , though changes in performance have been equivocal [ 14 , 19 — 22 ].

In a study completed by Coyle et al. In contrast, Febbraio et al. Earnest et al. compared the effects of the pre-exercise ingestion of honey low-glycemic , dextrose high-glycemic and a placebo over a kilometer time trial in a crossover fashion.

In general, research involving CHO ingestion within an hour prior to exercise demonstrates equivocal results regarding changes in performance, but studies have routinely shown the ability of CHO ingestion to maximize glycogen utilization and promote CHO oxidation.

Hawley and Burke [ 22 ] summarized several studies that administered some form of CHO within one hour prior to exercise: one study reported a decrease in performance [ 23 ], three studies reported an increase in performance [ 24 — 26 ] and five studies reported no effect [ 21 , 27 — 30 ] Additional File 1.

The authors concluded that the effect on the net PRO status breakdown vs. synthesis was greater when the supplement was ingested before exercise.

They speculated that the increased serum amino acid levels present when tissue blood flow levels were significantly increased, likely led to an increase in PRO synthesis [ 9 ].

In this case the authors concluded that a pro-anabolic response was found when the whey PRO was ingested both before and after resistance exercise, but no differences were found between the two administration times [ 31 ]. Findings from these studies suggest that ingestion of amino acids and CHO, or whey PRO, before resistance exercise can maximally stimulate PRO synthesis after completion of the exercise bout [ 9 , 31 ].

Many studies have explored the use of pre-exercise PRO and CHO ingestion in preventing acute exercise-induced muscle damage [ 13 ], as well as the damage that may occur during prolonged periods of regular resistance training [ 8 , 10 — 12 , 32 ].

Although the authors reported that the level of the muscle damage marker creatine kinase had increased and maximal force production of the muscle was reduced, the administration or timing of the nutrients did not appear to alter these markers of muscle damage [ 13 ].

On both exercise days, the supplement was ingested 30 min prior to beginning the exercise bout. Additionally, multi-nutrient supplementation significantly increased serum levels of both growth hormone and free and total testosterone during and after the exercise bouts [ 12 ]. These latter findings suggest that pre-exercise ingestion may also create a favorable anabolic hormone environment.

In another study involving unilateral resistance training, pre-exercise supplementation of whey PRO and leucine resulted in greater increases in maximal strength [ 11 ]. One study compared the pre-exercise and post-exercise ingestion of 1. The authors found that PRO supplementation significantly increased strength and lean mass when compared to placebo, but no differences were found between the two forms of PRO [ 32 ].

Individuals consuming the protein supplement experienced greater increases in body mass, fat-free mass, strength, serum levels of IGF-1, and intramuscular levels of IGF-1 mRNA, myosin heavy chain I and IIa expression, and myofibrillar protein content [ 10 ].

Collectively, the last two studies mentioned provide additional support for the concept that ingesting PRO before and after exercise can promote a greater training adaptation than consuming only an isoenergetic CHO placebo [ 10 , 32 ].

A study by Cribb and Hayes [ 8 ] used two different feeding strategies to determine the impact of nutrient timing, in regards to an exercise bout, for changes in strength, muscle hypertrophy and body composition. Significantly greater increases in lean body mass, 1 RM strength, type II muscle fiber cross-sectional area, and higher muscle Cr and glycogen levels were found when the supplements were consumed immediately before and after workouts [ 8 ].

In summary, ingestion of amino acids or PRO, either alone or in combination with CHO, in close temporal proximity to a bout of resistance exercise, appears to significantly increase muscle PRO synthesis [ 9 , 31 ].

Furthermore, adopting this strategy during a resistance training program results in greater increases in 1 RM strength and a leaner body composition [ 8 , 10 — 12 , 32 ].

Depletion of glycogen is associated with increased levels of muscle tissue breakdown and suppression of the immune system [ 16 , 17 ].

Much like the consideration of pre-exercise nutrient supplementation, a majority of the literature which has examined the impact of nutrient administration during exercise has focused on aerobic exercise [ 33 — 36 ], with a lesser emphasis on nutrient administration during resistance exercise [ 37 — 41 ].

The initial research which dealt with nutrient administration during exercise scrutinized the optimal delivery of CHO in an effort to sustain blood glucose.

Widrick and colleagues [ 35 ] had participants complete 70 km of self-paced time trials under four different conditions: 1. high glycogen low glycogen CHO administration maintained blood glucose, while blood glucose declined significantly under the non-CHO conditions.

Results from this study suggest exogenous CHO delivery during training is not as important if baseline glycogen levels are high, and if glycogen levels are low, CHO ingestion during endurance exercise will likely improve performance.

In a similar investigation, nine trained athletes consumed both a CHO and a non-CHO control solution while completing a 90 min bout of high-intensity intermittent running [ 34 ].

The CHO solution was 6. When CHO was ingested the participants were able to run significantly longer when compared to the control condition, providing additional evidence that CHO availability may be important for continued exercise performance [ 34 ].

An additional study highlighting the importance of CHO delivery during endurance exercise was completed by Febrraio et al. in [ 33 ]. This study, like several in this investigative field, utilized trained cyclists as participants. Blood glucose appearance and disappearance, and time trial performance was greater in the CC and PC trials when compared to the PP condition.

The authors concluded that pre-exercise ingestion of CHO improves performance only when CHO ingestion is maintained throughout exercise, and ingestion of CHO during min of cycling improves subsequent time trial performance [ 33 ].

Similarly, a study by Fielding et al. reported that more frequent intake of CHO These findings conflicted with those of Burke et al. Lastly, a study investigated the ability of a consumed CHO-gel preparation to maintain blood glucose levels and enhance performance during a high-intensity intermittent run in soccer players [ 45 ].

As with previous studies that have used CHO solutions, the CHO-gel promoted higher levels of blood glucose and facilitated improved performance in the intermittent bout of running when compared to the placebo [ 45 ]. In summary, the weight of evidence suggests that the ingestion of CHO during endurance type exercise is a well-established strategy to sustain blood glucose levels, spare glycogen [ 6 ], and potentially promote greater levels of performance.

The interested reader is encouraged to consult the following reviews [ 15 , 46 — 49 ]. A fairly novel area of research has examined the impact of mixing various forms of CHO in an effort to promote greater levels of CHO oxidation during prolonged exercise.

It is well accepted that peak rates of CHO oxidation are commonly around 1 gram of CHO per minute or 60 grams per hour [ 15 , 48 ]. An increase in exogenous CHO availability, and subsequent oxidation, will result in improved maintenance of blood glucose and less reliance on liver and muscle glycogen stores.

Indeed, findings from this research team have regularly reported enhanced CHO oxidation rates, from 1. It should be noted that fructose is not as often used as a CHO supplement due to the potential for gastrointestinal upset.

The addition of PRO to CHO during exercise has also been investigated as a means to improve performance and facilitate recovery. During each session, participants consumed either a placebo, a 7. While the CHO only group increased time to exhaustion A study by Saunders et al. Cyclists exercised to exhaustion on two different occasions separated by 12 — 15 h.

During exercise, all participants ingested a 7. CHO intake levels were the same for each group, although the total caloric intake was different due to the energy supplied by the added PRO.

PRO balance was negative during the CHO condition, but these findings were partially reversed protein balance was still negative, but to a lesser degree when PRO was added to the supplement.

The authors concluded that combined ingestion of PRO and CHO improves net PRO balance at rest, as well as during exercise and post-exercise recovery [ 36 ]. Delivering nutrients during single bouts of resistance exercise has been used to determine their impact on changes in muscle glycogen [ 40 ], mitigation of muscle damage [ 13 , 37 ], and promotion of an anabolic response [ 38 , 39 , 41 ].

Over the course of an estimated 40 min resistance training workout using the lower body, 1. The authors concluded that CHO supplementation before and during resistance exercise can maintain muscle glycogen stores and enhance the benefits of training [ 40 ].

Nutrient feedings during exercise have also been researched for their ability to offset muscle damage after intense resistance training [ 37 ]. The authors concluded that the suppression of PRO breakdown and cortisol levels may help to promote accretion of muscle PRO with prolonged periods of resistance training and supplementation.

Their final study examined the influence of a 12 week resistance training program in combination with CHO and EAA supplementation. Serum insulin and cortisol, urinary markers of PRO breakdown, and muscle cross-sectional area were measured [ 41 ].

Similarly, a study by Beelen et al. CHO administration becomes even more important when muscle glycogen levels are low at the onset of exercise [ 35 , 42 ]. Many nutritional interventions have been considered to enhance recovery from exercise.

The body of published research supports the practice of ingesting nutrients to enhance performance for both endurance and resistance training athletes. There is also sound evidence which supports the value of post-exercise nutritional supplementation as a means of improving the recovery of intramuscular glycogen, providing a positive stimulation for acute changes in amino acid kinetics and improvement of the net PRO balance, as well as enhancing the overall adaptation to resistance training.

Athletes who ingest 1. within 30 minutes after exercise have been shown to experience a greater rate of muscle glycogen re-synthesis than when supplementation is delayed by two hours, largely due to a greater sensitivity of muscle to insulin [ 61 ].

Additionally, both solid and liquid forms of CHO promote similar levels of glycogen re-synthesis [ 15 , 62 , 63 ]. Moreover, different forms of CHO have different effects on insulin levels, with fructose ingestion being associated with lower levels of glycogen re-synthesis than other forms of simple carbohydrates [ 64 ].

If an athlete is glycogen-depleted after exercise, a CHO intake of 0. Similarly, maximal glycogen re-synthesis rates have been achieved when 1. Consequently, frequent feedings of CHO in high amounts over the 4 — 6 hours following exercise is recommended to ensure recovery of muscle and liver glycogen [ 15 , 49 ].

Several studies have suggested that adding PRO to CHO supplementation after exercise may help to promote greater recovery of muscle glycogen and attenuate muscle damage. Ivy and colleagues [ 69 ] instructed cyclists to complete a 2. While glycogen replenishment did not differ between the two CHO conditions low CHO [ Both authors concluded that ingestion of either CHO preparation resulted in greater restoration of muscle glycogen when compared to a placebo.

Furthermore, the availability of essential amino acids EAA following exercise, especially the branched-chain amino acids, have been reported to influence recovery by optimizing PRO re-synthesis as well as glycogen re-synthesis rates after exercise [ 61 , 69 , 70 , 72 — 74 ].

As these studies suggest, the ingestion of CHO 1 — 1. A single bout of resistance training modestly stimulates PRO synthesis, but also further stimulates PRO breakdown resulting in an overall negative PRO balance after exercise [ 75 , 76 ]; an effect which shifts PRO balance more towards neutral as training status progresses [ 76 ].

Infusion or ingestion of amino acids increases amino acid concentrations at rest or after resistance exercise [ 77 ]. In addition, providing CHO in combination with amino acids immediately before or after exercise may further increase amino acid availability and post-exercise PRO synthesis [ 73 , 78 ].

Consequently, increasing the concentration and availability of amino acids in the blood is an important consideration when attempting to promote increases in lean tissue and improve body composition with resistance training [ 77 , 79 ].

Ingestion of a large dose of CHO g alone and within 1 h after resistance exercise causes marginal improvements in overall PRO synthesis while maintaining a negative net PRO balance [ 78 ]. While no studies have found CHO to be detrimental, it is not the ideal nutrient in isolation to consume after resistance exercise.

Its inclusion, however, is an important consideration regarding stimulation of glycogen re-synthesis and enhanced palatability [ 69 , 72 ]. The EAAs, however, in dosages ranging from 6 — 40 grams have routinely been shown to play a primary role in promoting muscle PRO synthesis [ 74 , 80 ], though adding CHO to them may enhance this effect [ 9 , 81 ].

Regarding post-exercise timing, ingestion of amino acids after resistance exercise has been shown at many different time points to stimulate increases in muscle PRO synthesis, cause minimal changes in PRO breakdown and increase overall PRO balance [ 74 , 75 , 80 ].

Unfortunately, the optimal time point for supplementation has not yet been demonstrated. Similar changes have been found in studies that have administered amino acids alone, or with CHO, immediately, 1 h, 2 h and 3 h after exercise [ 9 , 74 , 79 , 81 ].

Levenhagen et al. They reported significantly greater levels of PRO synthesis when the nutrients were ingested immediately before the exercise bout.

In summary, the optimal dosage and ratio of EAAs and CHO necessary to optimize protein balance is not currently known. A summary of relevant findings is provided in Table 2 Additional File 2. In an attempt to stimulate greater adaptations associated with resistance training researchers have investigated the impact of administering varying combinations of CHO and PRO after 1 — 3 h post-exercise each exercise bout over the course of training [ 8 , 10 , 32 , 84 — 91 ].

The collective findings of these studies support the rationale for post-exercise administration of CHO and PRO to facilitate greater improvements in strength and body composition. Additionally, PRO source may be an important consideration as studies have suggested that whey PRO may exhibit a faster kinetic digestive pattern when compared to casein PRO [ 92 , 93 ].

Furthermore, this faster kinetic pattern for whey PRO is responsible for greater increases in PRO synthesis upon ingestion, with little to no impact over PRO breakdown. Casein PRO, on the other hand, releases its amino acids at a slower rate from the gut.

This kinetic pattern results in little control over PRO synthesis, but a powerful attenuation of PRO breakdown. When both of these milk PRO sources are compared using area under the curve analysis, results suggest that casein may be responsible for a greater overall improvement in PRO balance when compared to whey [ 92 , 93 ].

Cr is a popular dietary supplement that has been heavily researched for its ability to increase performance and facilitate positive training adaptations [ 94 , 95 ]. For example, Tarnopolsky et al.

Changes in fat-free mass, muscle fiber area, 1 RM, and isokinetic strength improved in both groups, but were not different among groups. Another study had participants resistance train for 11 weeks while consuming daily one of the following: 1 0. Supplementation in the first three groups resulted in greater increases in 1 RM strength and muscle hypertrophy when compared to CHO only, but no differences were found among the groups ingesting Cr in conjunction with either CHO or PRO [ 85 ].

In contrast, two published studies have suggested that the addition of Cr may be responsible for greater increases in muscle hypertrophy. The first study had participants complete heavy resistance training for 10 weeks while ingesting one of the following isoenergetic groups: 1 1.

Similarly, Kerksick and colleagues [ 88 ] had participants complete 12 weeks of resistance training while ingesting a blend of whey and casein PRO, with or without Cr. While all groups saw increases in strength and muscle mass, those groups ingesting Cr with the PRO blend experienced greater gains in body mass and fat-free mass.

Though these findings are somewhat mixed, the available data does provide support that adding Cr to a post-exercise regimen of CHO and PRO may help to facilitate greater improvements in body composition during resistance training [ 84 , 85 , 88 , 90 ].

The addition of CHO may increase PRO synthesis even more, while pre-exercise consumption may result in the best response of all [ 9 ]. The scientific literature associated with nutrient timing is an extremely popular, and thus ever-changing, area of research.

Upon reviewing the available literature, the following conclusions can be drawn at this point in time:. whey and casein exhibit different kinetic digestion patterns and may subsequently differ in their support of training adaptations. However, including small amounts of fat does not appear to be harmful, and may help to control glycemic responses during exercise.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. aspx ]. Bussau VA, Fairchild TJ, Rao A, Steele P, Fournier PA: Carbohydrate loading in human muscle: an improved 1 day protocol.

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high glycemic index carbohydrate gel ingestion during simulated km cycling time trial performance. Febbraio MA, Keenan J, Angus DJ, Campbell SE, Garnham AP: Preexercise carbohydrate ingestion, glucose kinetics, and muscle glycogen use: effect of the glycemic index.

Febbraio MA, Stewart KL: CHO feeding before prolonged exercise: effect of glycemic index on muscle glycogenolysis and exercise performance. Hawley JA, Burke LM: Effect of meal frequency and timing on physical performance.

Brit J Nutr. Foster C, Costill DL, Fink WJ: Effects of preexercise feedings on endurance performance. Med Sci Sports. Okano G, Takeda H, Morita I, Katoh M, Mu Z, Miyake S: Effect of pre-exercise fructose ingestion on endurance performance in fed men.

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Chryssanthopoulos C, Hennessy LC, Williams C: The influence of pre-exercise glucose ingestion of endurance running capacity. Br J Sports Med. Devlin JT, Calles-Escandon J, Horton ES: Effects of preexercise snack feeding on endurance cycle exercise. Hargreaves M, Costill DL, Fink WJ, King DS, Fielding RA: Effect of pre-exercise carbohydrate feedings on endurance cycling performance.

McMurray RG, Wilson JR, Kitchell Bs: The effects of fructose and glucose on high intensity endurance performance. Res Quart for Exerc and Sport. Tipton KD, Elliott TA, Cree MG, Wolf SE, Sanford AP, Wolfe RR: Ingestion of casein and whey proteins results in muscle anabolism after resistance exercise.

Candow DG, Burke NC, Smith-Palmer T, Burke DG: Effect of whey and soy protein supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. Febbraio MA, Chiu A, Angus DJ, Arkinstall MJ, Hawley JA: Effects of carbohydrate ingestion before and during exercise on glucose kinetics and performance.

Nicholas CW, Williams C, Lakomy HK, Phillips G, Nowitz A: Influence of ingesting a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution on endurance capacity during intermittent, high-intensity shuttle running.

Widrick JJ, Costill DL, Fink WJ, Hickey MS, McConell GK, Tanaka H: Carbohydrate feedings and exercise performance: effect of initial muscle glycogen concentration. Koopman R, Pannemans DL, Jeukendrup AE, Gijsen AP, Senden JM, Halliday D, Saris WH, van Loon LJ, Wagenmakers AJ: Combined ingestion of protein and carbohydrate improves protein balance during ultra-endurance exercise.

Baty JJ, Hwang H, Ding Z, Bernard JR, Wang B, Kwon B, Ivy JL: The effect of a carbohydrate and protein supplement on resistance exercise performance, hormonal response, and muscle damage. Haff GG, Koch AJ, Potteiger JA, Kuphal KE, Magee LM, Green SB, Jakicic JJ: Carbohydrate supplementation attenuates muscle glycogen loss during acute bouts of resistance exercise.

McConell G, Snow RJ, Proietto J, Hargreaves M: Muscle metabolism during prolonged exercise in humans: influence of carbohydrate availability. Fielding RA, Costill DL, Fink WJ, King DS, Hargreaves M, Kovaleski JE: Effect of carbohydrate feeding frequencies and dosage on muscle glycogen use during exercise.

Burke LM, Claassen A, Hawley JA, Noakes TD: Carbohydrate intake during prolonged cycling minimizes effect of glycemic index of preexercise meal. Patterson SD, Gray SC: Carbohydrate-gel supplementation and endurance performance during intermittent high-intensity shuttle running.

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Jentjens R, Jeukendrup AE: High exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates from a mixture of glucose and fructose ingested during prolonged cycling exercise. Jentjens R, Moseley L, Waring RH, Harding LK, Jeukendrup AE: Oxidation of combined ingestion of glucose and fructose during exercise.

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Ivy JL, Res PT, Sprague RC, Widzer MO: Effect of a carbohydrate-protein supplement on endurance performance during exercise of varying intensity. Saunders MJ, Kane MD, Todd MK: Effects of a carbohydrate-protein beverage on cycling endurance and muscle damage.

Saunders MJ, Luden ND, Herrick JE: Consumption of an oral carbohydrate-protein gel improves cycling endurance and prevents postexercise muscle damage. Getting enough fluids and balancing electrolytes are also essential for peak performance.

Military guidelines recommend 3—4. Drinking water with meals and snacks, and paying attention to fluid intake during and after exercise can help maintain hydration.

To monitor fluid loss, Service Members can weigh themselves before and after exercise—and rehydrate accordingly. Another way to monitor hydration is by checking urine color. Generally, the lighter the urine color, the better.

Service Members should aim to tailor their hydration to sweat rate, type and length of activity, environment heat, humidity, cold, altitude , equipment and clothing, and opportunity and availability to drink. For optimal fluid balance, Warfighters likely need to increase intake with heat or humidity, heavy clothes or equipment, increased intensity, or exerising longer than an hour.

By the time someone feels thirsty, they might already be dehydrated, so encourage a drinking schedule. Rehydration is an important focus of the recovery phase, so encourage drinking immediately after a training, mission, or event.

Electrolytes nutrients such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are important for muscle function. Loss of electrolytes through urine and sweat can make dehydration worse than just fluid loss alone.

Individual sweat rates for men and women can vary between 0. Electrolyte loss can be significant depending on training status, sweat rate, how much you eat, genetics, and prior heat exposure.

For optimal performance and recovery, a Service Member should consume foods and fluids that contain electrolytes before, during, and after exercise. Service Members can get enough sodium by eating salty snacks or meals, adding salt to foods, and drinking beverages that contain sodium.

Replenishing electrolytes is crucial for complete hydration. In general, consuming up to mg of caffeine amount in oz coffee approximately 30—60 minutes before an endurance event can improve performance.

When using caffeine to boost performance, use it strategically, according to individual caffeine tolerance. Caffeine content varies, and not all product labels include caffeine content. For extended or sustained operations, re-dose every 3—4 hours as needed. Caffeine intake should not exceed mg in 24 hours or mg for sustained operations.

High-intensity workouts lasting about an hour require only a small amount of additional fuel and fluid for peak performance. Fuel : A carb-rich meal or snack of about — calories.

Tip: Avoid foods high in fat full-fat dairy or fiber raw veggies to prevent stomach upset. To replenish fuel stores glycogen , replace fluids and electrolytes, and repair damaged tissue. Tip: Measure your starting weight before you eat, dress, or exercise.

Tip : Check your post-exercise weight and calculate change in weight. Adjust timing and amount of carbs to match schedule, activity, and preference. Tip: Choose foods low in fat and fiber to prevent stomach upset. Avoid new or unfamiliar foods the day of an event, race, or mission.

Experiment during training instead. Fuel : For exercise up to 2. Choose from easily digestible carbs, such as fruit, grains, and sports drinks. Tip: Try different types or brands of sports drinks to find what works best for you. Or make your own. Fluid : 20—24 fl oz sports drink or water per pound lost during exercise; or drink until urine is pale yellow.

Fuel : Choose a meal containing carb-rich foods and 15—30 grams protein. Or eat a snack if the next meal is more than 2 hours away. Tip: Replace more water and sodium than was lost.

Look for moderate or high sodium options at your dining facility. To prevent dehydration by replacing fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat, and to provide carbs to refuel muscles and maintain blood sugar levels. To restore fuel glycogen , replace fluids and electrolytes, and repair damaged tissues.

Fluid : 16—32 fl oz per hour water, sports drink, or a mixture of both. Fuel examples at least 1 — 2 per hour :.