Nutrition before exercise
Before taking part in any sporting activities, it is important to eat carbohydrate-rich foods, to top up your body’s carbohydrate stores. Additionally, sports nutrition products can be used. If you need a quick energy boost just before taking part in sporting activities, then sports nutrition products are ideal. This is because sports nutrition products can be easily digested by your body. They make energy immediately available for your body, enabling you to perform well when running, cycling or playing football, for example.
Nutrition during exercise
During exercise, it is also important to replenish your carbohydrate stores through carbohydrate-rich nutrition. There are various forms of sports nutrition, ranging from bars to chews and from sports drinks to liquid gels. These are specifically developed to be easy to carry and quick to consume.
For avid athletes, it is important to top up their energy levels during exercise. Especially during endurance sports, such as running or cycling, it is important to have sufficient carbohydrates (energy) continuously available. In team sports, such as football or hockey, sports nutrition products are also vital for optimal performance. Taking a gel at half time helps to top up your energy stores, so you can give it everything you’ve got in the last part of the match.
Sports nutrition products for endurance sports
It is best for avid athletes to take 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during periods of intense exercise. Particularly when the exercise lasts longer than 60 minutes, for example when cycling, on a long run, or playing a football match. Top athletes or highly experienced athletes can even train their gut to take in higher amounts of carbohydrates, around 90-100 grams per hour. They can achieve this by combining energy gels and sports drinks.