Whether you're an endurance athlete, a weekend warrior, or simply someone looking to boost your daily energy levels, understanding the role of nutrition in stamina and endurance is crucial. This article delves into the essential dietary strategies and specific foods that can help you maximize your athletic performance, sustain energy throughout the day, and leave fatigue behind.
Understanding Endurance
Endurance refers to the ability to sustain a given activity for a prolonged period of time. Any aerobic exercise lasting one hour or more counts as an endurance activity. Popular endurance events include running, swimming, and cycling, whether in single-activity formats like ultra runs or multi-sport events like triathlons.
Endurance isn't just for athletes. Many everyday tasks rely on endurance, such as walking your dog, cleaning the house, and performing physically demanding jobs.
The Importance of Nutrition for Endurance
It takes a lot of energy to power through endurance events and even daily activities. This energy comes from nutrition. Getting the proper nutrition for endurance is important whether you are an elite or recreational athlete. The connection between food and endurance is complex and significant. What you consume can have a big impact on your energy, physical endurance, and overall stamina.
No One-Size-Fits-All Diet
An endurance diet is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Events vary, as do athletes and your everyday personal training clients. Factors to consider include body weight, environmental conditions, and nutrient timing, just to name a few. Each client will have different needs for different events. Finding the best solution may involve starting with basic nutrition recommendations. If they don’t supply the desired results, modify them as needed. Finding the best diet for endurance is often a trial-and-error process.
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Macronutrient Needs for Endurance Athletes
Macronutrients are the basic components of the food we eat: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Eating macros in proper ratios fuels your endurance. A healthy adult eating pattern includes the following ratios:
- 45-65% of calories from carbs
- 20-35% of calories from fat
- 10-35% of calories from protein
Adjust these ratios based on the goal of the physical activity. For example, an endurance athlete would increase their carb percentage to improve muscle glycogen stores. A strength athlete would consume a higher protein intake. This would better support building more muscle mass.
Carbohydrates: The Primary Fuel Source
Carbs come in different forms: simple and complex. Simple carbs, also known as simple sugars, have one to two sugar molecules. These include glucose, dextrose, or fructose. Simple carbs break down quickly in the body. Foods with simple sugars include fruits, milk, vegetables, table sugar, candy, and soft drinks. They supply energy but lack fiber, vitamins, and other key nutrients.
Complex carbs have three or more sugar molecules. You'll find these in foods like beans, whole grains, whole-wheat pasta, potatoes, corn, and legumes. Most carbs should come from complex sources and naturally occurring sugars. Processed carbs and refined sugars should be limited or avoided.
The general rule is to increase carbohydrate intake by up to 70% of total daily calories. This helps support the high volume of glucose needed for that level of physical activity. Each carb has 4 calories per gram. Endurance athletes should eat 8 to 10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day. This will depend on the duration of their endurance event.
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For endurance training lasting 4 to 5 hours, endurance athletes should consume 10 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, an endurance runner who weighs 70 kg and competes in an endurance event lasting 4 hours or more should consume a minimum of 700 grams of carbohydrates daily. In comparison, a power athlete would consume fewer carbs (around 4 to 5 grams per kilogram of body weight). A power athlete's focus would be more so to increase protein intake.
Oats are a staple in many endurance athletes’ diets, runners especially. Complex carbs, in particular, are digested slowly and provide long-lasting energy. Most of the carbs you eat should come from these foods. Whole-grain pasta offers extra proteins that come from the grain, vitamin E, and polyphenols that can improve endurance. This is a much better way to carb-load than turning to the breads and pastas that have been bleached and stripped of their natural benefits.
Protein: Building and Repairing Muscle
Many people focus only on carbs for endurance exercise. However, protein intake for endurance athletes is equally important. The purpose of protein is to build and replenish lean muscle tissue. Protein also acts as a source of energy in times of caloric deficits.
There are two different types of protein: animal-based and plant-based. Animal-based protein, as the name implies, is protein that comes from animals. It can come from the animal’s body, such as a cut of beef or fish filet. Or it may be a protein food they produce, like cow’s milk or an egg. This type of protein is considered a complete protein because it contains all nine essential amino acids. Animal-based protein sources include beef, fish, chicken, eggs, and milk.
Plant-based protein is protein that comes from plants. This type of protein can come from the plant’s leaves and roots, or from a fruit or nut produced by the plant. Plant-based protein is considered an incomplete protein because it doesn't have all essential amino acids. Plant-based protein sources include almonds, oats, broccoli, chia seeds, quinoa, hemp seeds, and peanut butter.
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Protein has 4 calories per gram. Protein intake for a normal healthy adult is around 0.8 grams/kg/day. Endurance athletes should eat protein at 1.4 g/kg/day. Athletes taking part in longer endurance events need more protein than those running shorter distances. For example, endurance athletes weighing 70 kg would need to consume 98 grams of protein daily to support their endurance exercise. Athletes who take part in strength or power sports will consume up to 2.0 g/kg/day.
Endurance athletes on a plant-based diet will have an increased protein requirement. This is due to a plant-based diet consisting of incomplete proteins. Six ounces of lean chicken breast gives you 54.5 grams of protein and five percent of your daily iron needs, according to the USDA.
Fats: Essential for Energy and Hormone Balance
Endurance athletes need healthy fats in their diet. Roughly 30% of one’s daily calories should come from fat when involved with endurance exercise. Dietary fat has six major roles in the body:
- Supply energy
- Help manufacture and balance hormones
- Form cell membranes
- Form the brain and nervous system
- Transport fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K)
- Supply two fatty acids the body can't manufacture (linoleic acid and linolenic acid)
There are many types of fat, some good and some not. The most significant types are triglycerides, fatty acids, phospholipids, and cholesterol. Of these, triglycerides are most commonly found in food. Fatty acids break down further into saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Endurance athletes need to minimize the amount of saturated fat consumed. Most fat calories should be in the form of monounsaturated fatty acids.
When adding fat to your diet to keep up with the demands of endurance training, focus your fat intake on healthy fats. This includes fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, or tuna), avocado, seeds (sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds), nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds, or cashews), olive oil, eggs, ground flaxseed, and beans (kidney, navy, or soybeans).
Important Micronutrients for Endurance Athletes
In addition to the three macros, endurance athletes also benefit from some specific micronutrients. Two to consider are vitamins C and D. Vitamin C is perhaps best known for boosting immunity. But it also serves other important purposes. One is that it is an antioxidant, protecting the cells against free radical damage. Another is that it supports wound healing. According to a 2017 study, vitamin C also helps athletes recover during the competitive season. Citrus fruits and potatoes are high in vitamin C. So are peppers, broccoli, strawberries, and kiwi.
Vitamin D is important for bone health. Weak bones mean more fractures and breaks. A 2020 study also ties adequate vitamin D levels with improved athletic performance. Taking a cod liver oil supplement is one way to get more of this nutrient. Orange juice and dairy are also high in vitamin D.
Iron is an especially important nutrient when it comes to improving endurance. Iron supplementation has been shown to help improve endurance performance, according to a February 2019 clinical trial in The Journal of Nutrition.
Hydration: The Unsung Hero of Endurance
We lose water throughout the day. It escapes our body through normal respiration, sweating, and urinary output. When we exercise, we lose more. Staying hydrated is more than about satisfying thirst. The top reasons for proper hydration, which are especially important for clients taking on endurance events, include:
- Promotes heat dissipation
- Improves performance
- Detoxification at the cellular level
- Regulation of blood pressure
- Promotes mental clarity
- Keeps joints and muscles lubricated
- Improves digestive process
Endurance athletes need to watch their hydration throughout the day, especially during workouts. As little as a 1-2% reduction in body weight due to water loss can result in decreased athletic performance.
Water intake guidelines are provided by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Current guidelines are 2.7 liters (91 ounces) of water per day for women and 3.7 liters (125 ounces) daily for men. This includes water consumed both from beverages and food.
When your client is taking part in endurance activities, they need to up their intake. Here are some recommendations to follow:
- 2 hours before beginning endurance training: 20 ounces
- During endurance exercise: 10 ounces every 20 minutes
- After endurance exercise: 24 ounces for every pound of body weight lost
Replacing Electrolytes
In addition to water loss through sweating, we also lose electrolytes. When we sweat, we lose sodium, chloride potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These electrolytes serve important roles in supporting bodily systems. There are many electrolyte drinks on the market. These can help replace lost nutrients. Many exist in the form of a sports drink. The problem is that these drinks can also be high in sugar and calories. One of the best ways to replenish electrolytes after a long endurance training session is by eating whole foods.
Here are a few options to consider:
- Sodium - chocolate milk, bagel with peanut butter, soup
- Chloride - olives, seaweed, celery
- Potassium - banana, sweet potato, dried fruits, avocado, kale, peas, beans
- Calcium - milk, yogurt
- Magnesium - whole grains, leafy vegetables, nuts, lentils, peanut butter
Nutrient Timing for Optimal Performance
Achieving peak performance requires having nutrients available when you need them. This can be accomplished by developing a nutrient intake plan. And this plan should provide nutrient timing guidelines. Timing the intake of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and water is essential to endurance success. It involves laying out what to consume before, during, and after endurance training and endurance events.
- Before endurance training:
- Consume 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight 2 hours prior
- Consume 20 ounces of water 2 hours before the start of endurance training
- Carbohydrate loading should only occur leading up to an endurance event
- During endurance training:
- Consume 10 ounces of fluid that have electrolytes and a 5% concentration of carbohydrate every 20 minutes
- After endurance training:
- Consume 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kg body weight within the first 30 minutes post-exercise
- Consume 15 to 25 grams of protein within the first 30 minutes post-exercise
- Consume 24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost
Superfoods for Enhanced Stamina
Incorporating superfoods into your diet will help enhance stamina naturally and provide prolonged energy throughout the day. Superfoods are nutrient-dense foods that can greatly boost stamina and energy levels. Consuming these superfoods may assist you in being active and conscious throughout the day.
Some of the greatest superfoods for enhancing stamina include:
- Quinoa
- Chia seeds
- Oats
- Bananas
- Almonds
- Salmon
- Sweet potatoes
- Leafy greens
- Berries
- Lean meats
- Beans and lentils
- Greek yoghurt
- Eggs
- Maca root
- Green tea
- Dark chocolate
- Tuna
- Coconut
- Pumpkin seeds
- Wheat germ
Incorporating these superfoods into your diet can assist you in maintaining and increasing stamina, increasing energy levels, and supporting overall well-being.
Smart Snacking for Sustained Energy
Smart eating is critical for sustaining stamina throughout the day. Snacks, when done correctly, can assist in maintaining your energy levels between meals and prevent the dreaded energy drop.
Some smart snacking strategies that support sustained stamina include:
- Balanced nutrients
- Complex carbohydrates
- Protein
- Healthy fats
- Fibre
- Hydration
- Portion control
- Timing
- Avoiding processed sugars
- Snack planning
- Variety
- Pre- and post-exercise snacks
- Fruit and nut combos
- Homemade options
- Listening to your body
A tiny apple with almond butter, a handful of mixed nuts and seeds, Greek yoghurt with berries, whole-grain crackers with hummus, or a veggie and protein-packed smoothie are all good snacks for endurance.
Lifestyle Tips to Boost Stamina Naturally
Along with eating the right foods, these habits can help maintain high energy levels:
- Eat Small, Frequent Meals: Prevents energy dips by keeping blood sugar stable.
- Avoid Sugary & Processed Foods: They cause energy crashes.
- Exercise Regularly: Improves endurance and oxygen utilisation.
- Get Enough Sleep: 7-8 hours of rest helps the body recover.
- Manage Stress: Practice yoga, meditation, or deep breathing.
Foods to Avoid or Limit
- Alcohol: While very small amounts of alcohol may have little effect, larger amounts have shown to hurt endurance performance by decreasing power output. It also has a diuretic effect.
- High-Fiber Foods Before Exercise: Foods high in fiber, such as vegetables, digest very slowly and sit in the digestive tract for a long time.
- Saturated Fats: Endurance athletes need to minimize the amount of saturated fat consumed.
- Sugary and Highly Processed Foods: Avoiding sugary and processed meals is important because they cause energy crashes.