How to select fuel for training and race day

[article in Chinese below]​
Choosing food for your body (fuel) can be a complex process, both in training and again on race day. So, our own Sport & Exercise Nutritionist, Marewa Sutherland, has put together some tips to help you out.
It's important to remember that there are many differentials to consider such as gender, size, muscle mass, fitness level, training conditions and of course sport of choice, so what works for one person may not be best suited to you. This is intended as a general guide. So, keep an open mind as you read through Marewa's suggestions and try out a few to see what works best for you (before race day!).  

Training: Less than 1 hour 
If we are training for less than one hour, our muscles generally have enough glycogen (aka fuel) on board so refueling isn’t of high importance and water will keep you nice and hydrated. The exception being if it is a high-intensity session, or during a heavy phase of your training e.g. leading up to an event. Then you will benefit from either using a good electrolyte sports drink such as PURE Electrolyte Hydration or a readily available source of carbohydrate such as PURE Fluid Energy Gels, chews or lollies. The reason you need quick sugar is because we need to match the fast rate that your muscles are using it. The end result, you will be able to put more into your efforts/session and see enhanced training adaptations at the end of it.  You will also benefit from a faster recovery and be ready to roll by the time the next session comes around.
Sports drink is a fantastic choice because its quick to drink, hydrates you while providing quick carbs and key electrolytes to your muscles. If you prefer to use other sources of carbohydrate, check they contain electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium to help prevent cramping and fatigue. Short and hard sessions are also a great time to test out supplements before race day as you will quickly get the idea of how certain products/brands sit with you. 

Training / Events: More than 1 hour  
If your session is upwards of one hour then you need to look at incorporating a nutrition strategy into the mix. Again, this is where a varied approach can be taken by mixing up food choices depending on the session. The general rule of thumb is that we require between 30 – 60g of carbohydrate per hour during endurance training.  
The larger your body mass, or the longer your event, you may require up to 90g carbs per hour to keep up with your bodies rate of consumption. This can make things complex, and no one wants to have to pull out the calculator half way through a run to work out the grams of carbohydrate per half of muesli bar they just ate! Remember it is just a guide to encourage you to get to know the nutrition panel on the back of the fuel you train and race with.  

• Starting with hydration, a sports drink such as PURE Electrolyte Hydration should definitely be on your shopping list and you need to be aiming for 500 – 750ml per hour of exercise to stay properly hydrated. Not only will the hydration and electrolyte aspect prevent fatigue, you will also automatically get about half the amount of carbohydrate your muscles need per hour.
• Longer sessions also provide a perfect opportunity to test out race day food choices and supplements. Remember race day is not the time for this so experiment during training!
• Real food should not be overlooked in training (or racing) and you may just surprise yourself with the results you get from using it as fuel. I get so many clients who report stomach issues or fatigue they have experienced race after race, only to find switching to real food instantly solves the missing piece of the puzzle.
• A good place to begin is to choose foods that are low in fat, protein and fibre. This means they will be high in carbohydrate and faster to digest so won’t hang around in your stomach for too long. Examples tend to be more refined foods such as white breads, bars or spreads.

Tip: If you're choosing a packaged food, check the 100g column on the label and aim for options with <10g (10%) fat total and <5g (5%) of fibre.  

Endurance Training / Events: More than 3 hours 
In addition to the information above, during longer events (3 hours plus) you may also want to include small amounts of protein or fat into your nutrition to support extended muscle use and combat hunger. Options are not limited to sweet foods and savoury ideas like pizza breads or baked potatoes can be a welcomed change for the taste buds.  

'Real' food suggestions: 

Carbohydrate (low fat, fibre and protein)

• White or fruit bread, bagels, pikelets or loaves
• Honey or jam type spreads
• Muesli bars
  
• Carbohydrate (plus fat and protein)
• Pizza
• Baked potatoes (bacon, ham or cheese fillings) 
• Sandwiches with Nutella or Peanut butter (better still, both!)

These are just suggestions and is not a limited list of potential race day food. The idea is to give you guidance and suggestions to help you navigate around the supermarket aisles as you prepare for your big day.  Good luck! 

選擇適合你的運動營養餐單
無論是在訓練中還是在比賽當天，為自己選擇適合的運動營養食物向來不是容易的事情。以下這篇文章專程邀請了我們自家的運動營養學家Marewa Sutherland為你提供一些建議。
 
當然，每個人性別和體質不同，如體型，肌肉質量，健身水平，訓練條件，還所選擇的運動項目，所以這只能視作為參考。請保持開放的心態，嘗試出最適合自己的運動飲食配方。
 
訓練：少於1小時
如果訓練少於1小時，你的肌肉一般都有足夠的糖原（即能量），所以只要補充水份即可。但如果是高強度及重度訓練，那你便應該選用電解質運動飲料（如PURE Electrolyte Hydration）或現成的碳水化合物（例如PURE Fluid Energy Gels 或其他咀嚼物如糖果），因為你需要快速補充運動中肌肉失去的糖份。能令你投放更多能量去運動，加強訓練的適應力，讓你加快復原，為下一次訓練作好準備。
 
運動飲料是一個好極的選擇，因為它能快速飲用，為你提供水分的同時亦為肌肉快速提供碳水化合物和電解質。如果想找尋其他含碳水化合物的選擇，請記得要檢查它們是否含有鈉、鎂、鉀和鈣等電解質，以防止痙攣和疲勞。想要快速了解哪類產品/品牌適合自己，短而重度的訓練便是在比賽前測試補充品的好時機。
 
訓練：超過1小時
如果訓練時間超過1小時，那麼你便需要混合營養的配方。根據不同訓練和個人需要，可以選擇的飲食組合多的是，而一般法則是在耐力訓練期間每小時需要攝取30-60克碳水化合物。
你的體重越大，或你的訓練時間越長，所需要的碳水化合物可高達每小時90克，以跟上你的身體消耗率。這部份會有點複雜，沒有人會想在訓練中途刻意去計算已吸收的碳水化合物克數！所以請記住，這只是一個指引，來鼓勵你了解多些你訓練和比賽時所需的營養。
 
•從補充水份開始，運動飲料如PURE Electrolyte Hydration便應當放在你的購物清單中，並且你每小時運動需要500-750毫升以保持足夠水份。水份和電解質方面不僅可以防止疲勞，還可以自動補充大約一半肌肉所需的碳水化合物。
 
•較長時間的訓練也提供了一個絕佳的機會來測試比賽的食物選擇和補給品。記住比賽日不是做測試的好時機，請在訓練期間進行。
 
相關文章：The Lowdown on Gels
 
•雖然訓練或比賽時你會吸收很多補給品，但食物都不容忽視。我曾經收到很多客人在比賽後胃部不適或疲勞的報告，當他們把營養補充品換成真實食物後，問題便立即解決了。
 
•食物方面要選擇低脂、高蛋白質和纖維的食物，因為它們碳水化合物含量高，消化速度也快，所以不會在胃裡停留太久。例子白麵包或穀物棒。
 
提示：如果你選擇包裝食品，請檢查標籤上的100g的欄目，並選擇<10g（10％）總脂肪和<5g（5％）纖維的食品。
 
耐力訓練：超過3小時
除了上面的資訊，在3小時以上的訓練，你還需要補充少量的蛋白質或脂肪，以支持長時間運動的肌肉使用和抵抗飢餓。選項不只限於甜食，也可以選擇披薩或烤土豆。
 
真實食物建議：
 
碳水化合物（低脂，纖維和蛋白質）
• 白或水果麵包，硬麵包圈或班戟
• 蜂蜜或果醬類型
• 穀物
• 碳水化合物（含脂肪和蛋白質）
• 比薩
• 烤土豆（培根，火腿或奶酪餡料）
• Nutella或花生醬三明治
 
這些只是建議，祝大家好運！