Whether you are just starting to exercise, or you’ve been training for years, it’s important to consider nutrition to see best results. This workshop will cover pre-exercise, during exercise, and post-exercise nutrition & hydration strategies.

1. SPORTS & EXERCISE
NUTRITION
Montana University SystemWellness Program
Spring 2016

2. Fueling Exercise
■ Good nutrition =
– Ability to exercise harder & longer
■ Burn more calories
– Feeling better during exercise
– Faster recovery
– Better results
– Improved health
– Important for both the casual exerciser &
serious athlete
■ Pre-exercise, during exercise, and post-exercise
nutrition all play important roles

3. Fueling Exercise
■ Optimal hydration =
– Delayed fatigue
– Improved mental acuity
– Less cardiovascular stress
– Improved ability to regulate body heat
– Improved recovery

4. Macronutrients
■ Carbohydrates
– Provide immediate fuel as blood glucose
■ Primary energy source during high intensity exercise
– Stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen
■ Protein
– Building/repairing muscle requires a ready supply of amino acids
– Ideal intake more about timing than about eating large amounts
■ Fat
– Important fuel source during exercise
■ Primary energy source during longer, low intensity exercise
■ Substrate utilization depends upon duration and intensity of exercise
– Moderate aerobic activity burns a combo of fat & carbohydrate

5. Disclaimer
■ Highly individual
■ Practice!
■ Don’t try something new on race day

6. Specialized Sports Foods
■ Drinks, gels, gummies, bars, etc.
■ Used for:
– Convenience
– Lack of appetite
– Lack of time
– Taking out the guesswork
■ Consider sports foods for exercise > 1 hr

7. Pre-Exercise
■ Goals: Provide easily digested energy for a workout
■ Ideal: Carbohydrate-rich, include protein
– Low fiber, low-fat
– 3:1 carb to protein ratio suggested
■ Dependent upon type & intensity of exercise
– Cardio
■ “Jiggle” factor
– Resistance training

8. Pre-Exercise
■ Time for food to settle
– 3-4 hours
■ Full meal
– Oatmeal w/almonds + skim milk + banana
– Tuna melt + fruit + yogurt
– 1-2 hours
■ Snack
– Piece of fruit w/string cheese
– ½ bagel w/1Tablespoon peanut butter
– 30-60 minutes
■ Sports drink or food
■ Piece of fruit

9. Pre-Exercise
■ Early morning exercise
– Something small
■ 6 oz. juice, cereal, milk, piece of fruit
– Fasting cardio?
■ After work exercise
– Breakfast
– 1st lunch
– 2nd lunch
– Exercise
– Dinner

10. Carb Loading
■ Endurance events lasting > 90 minutes
■ Greater proportion of the diet from carbs, not just extra
calories
– Make room for carbs by reducing fat
■ 3-5 grams carbohydrate per lb. body weight
– 150 lb. person = 450–750 grams carbohydrate (1800-3000
calories)
– Expect 2-4 lb. water weight gain
■ 1 oz. glycogen stores 3 oz. water

11. During Exercise
■ Goals:
– Maintain blood glucose, hydration, and electrolyte balance
– Optimize performance
■ Carbohydrate based foods every 60-90 minutes during extended
exercise sessions
– Variety of carbohydrates
– Sports foods, bananas, raisins, pretzels
■ 100-250 calories per hour after the first hour
– Plan it out during endurance events

12. During Exercise
■ Hydration
– Exercise lasting < 1 hr – water is best
– 4-6 oz every 15-20 minutes during exercise
– Hot conditions, intense exercise, long duration exercise –
sports drink/electrolyte replacement
■ Carbohydrate
– 13-18 grams per 8 oz (240 mL)
■ Sodium
– Helps body retain fluid and stimulates thirst
■ Potassium

13. Hydration
■ Goal: Balance fluid intake with sweat losses
■ Sweating
– Lowers core body temperature via evaporation
– 1-4 lbs/hour – highly variable
– Depends upon:
■ Intensity of exercise
■ Heat/humidity
■ Heat acclimatization
■ Genetics
■ Gender
■ Body size
■ Training
■ Clothing

14. Hydration
■ Dehydration
– Symptoms: headache, fatigue, thirst, dizziness, muscle
cramps, weakness, increased heart rate
■ Hyponatremia
– Low blood sodium caused by over-hydration
– Life threatening condition
– Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, headache, puffiness,
weight gain
– Slower athletes at greater risk

15. Hydration
■ Amount and color of urine good indicator of hydration
– Pale yellow is optimal
■ Weigh naked before and after exercise for most accurate
estimate of water lost
– Drink 13-16 oz for every pound lost
– Excess fluid loss is considered >2% of body weight
■ High sodium losses?
– Salty foods prior + salt to sports drinks

16. Post-Exercise
■ Goals: Refuel, Repair, Replete
– Replace glycogen
– Restore sodium & potassium
– Provide protein to repair damaged tissue and stimulate
new muscle growth
– Support impaired immune system, reduce inflammation
■ Even 100 calories post-exercise shown to reduce soreness

17. Post-Exercise
■ 15-60 minutes post-exercise is best for refueling
– Cardio – within 30 minutes
– Resistance training – within 2 hours
– No appetite? – Liquid meal
■ Best refueling: carbohydrate + protein
– 3:1 ratio
■ Chocolate milk
■ Apple w/string cheese
■ Trail mix w/pretzels

18. Post-Exercise
■ Rehydrate
– Top priority after cardio!
– Sip fluids over time
■ Body may need 24-48 hours to replace fluid losses if
significant
– Replace electrolytes + fluid losses
■ Sodium: soup, vegetable juice
■ Potassium: fruits & vegetables

19. Protein supplements
■ Unnecessary if dietary protein intake adequate
– 0.5 – 0.8 grams per lb. body weight
■ Powders
– Whey most popular
■ Digested quickly
■ Relatively inexpensive
– Alternatives: milk, powdered milk

20. ErgogenicAids
■ No supplements can compensate for a lousy diet!
– Caffeine
■ 2-6 mg/kg have shown effectiveness
– Decreases perceived exertion
– 150 lb person = 136-409 mg caffeine
■ 1 cup drip coffee = 95-200 mg
– Creatine
■ Important for high-intensity workouts
■ Some evidence for increasing total body mass, lean mass, short-
term intense exercise performance, improved recovery, strength
gains with exercise
■ Non-responders
■ Holds water – will gain water weight
■ Many exercise supplements have little to no research evidence of
effectiveness or long term safety

21. Questions?
www.wellness.mus.edu
montanamovesandmeals.com
www.facebook.com/MUSWellness
wellness@montana.edu