The Endurance Athlete Diet
Frank Overton
Performance nutrition and weight loss for cyclists, runners and multisport athletes is all about eating a balanced amount of these five ‘go fast’ macros in every meal:
- Carbohydrates 70%
- Vegetables ½ - 1 Cup
- Leafy greens - handful
- Protein 15%
- Fats 15%
As an endurance athlete, your performance relies not only on your training but also on your nutrition. To improve, it's essential to consume the right foods in the right amounts at the right time to fuel your body for recovery and your workouts.
To succeed in your athletic pursuits, follow the Endurance Athlete Diet: a well-balanced, nutritious diet consisting of 70% carbs, 15% protein and 15% fat. Try to include a serving of leafy greens and a serving of vegetables with every meal.
Prioritize whole foods, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Avoid sugar and eating foods out of a box or a bag.
Endurance athletes thrive on high carbohydrate diets. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source during endurance exercise. Complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, rice, whole grains, and fruits, provide sustained energy and help maintain blood sugar levels. Quinoa and farro are excellent as well.
Also incorporate vegetables such as beets, carrots, and squash, which contain natural sugars and provide sustained energy. Broccoli, asparagus and brussels sprouts are excellent vegetables to incorporate into your meals.
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, arugula and Swiss chard are also great sources of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables provide essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants that support overall health and athletic performance and are cheaper than taking a multivitamin supplement.
Next, focus on consuming lean proteins such as chicken, fish, and legumes to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. Adequate protein intake is essential for muscle growth and recovery.
Healthy fats, such as those found in avocado, nuts, and olive oil, are also crucial for endurance athletes. These fats provide long-lasting energy and help reduce inflammation in the body.
Finally, it's crucial to stay hydrated. Aim to consume at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day and replace lost electrolytes during exercise with sports drinks or electrolyte tablets.
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Road Racing Intervals
- Increase your functional and race-specific power output
- Includes Sweet Spot, VO2, Anaerobic, Threshold
Road Race In-Season
- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold
Foundation : 3 Weeks
- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals
Phil Gaimon's Strava PR Plan
- Perfect Plan for Those with Less Training Time, starts at 15 minutes per day
- VO2's, 1 minuters, Tabatas, threshold, suprathreshold, and even Sweet Spot
