Nutrition Advice from HIGH5 Sports Nutrition
We developed the HIGH5 Advanced Nutrition Guides so you can use sports nutrition correctly and perform at your best. They are sports specific and cover every major event distance. Below is our step-by step guide to Sportive Nutrition.
If you want some background information or to check out guides for other sports then you can do so here.
Breakfast
Breakfast should be light and high in carbohydrate, cereals, toast and porridge are good examples. In the period 60 – 90 minutes before the start of your ride you should start your caffeine loading program. You should drink the following amounts of EnergySource X’treme based on your bodyweight:
40kg: 425ml
50kg: 550ml
60kg: 650ml
70kg: 750ml
80kg: 750ml + 1 x EnergyGel Plus
90kg: 750ml + 2 x EnergyGel Plus
Carbohydrate and fluids during
How much you are able to drink during your ride will depend on the weather conditions and your sweat rate. The special 2:1 formulation in EnergySource means that in hot conditions you can drink up to 1000ml per hour. If the weather is cold and you drink less than 800ml per hour, you need to increase your carbohydrate intake, by taking EnergyGel:
800ml or more: no gel
750ml: 1 x gel per hour
400ml: 2 x gel per hour
Your first gel each hour should be EnergyGel Plus (contains caffeine) to keep the caffeine level in your body topped up during longer events. Any remaining gels taken in that hour should be standard EnergyGel (no caffeine) otherwise your overall caffeine intake will be too high. You will not need to eat or drink anything else even during a longer event.
Sensitive to caffeine?
If you have a medical condition or do not wish to use caffeine for another reason, then simply switch each of the products detailed above with the non-caffeine equivalent from High5 and ignore the section on caffeine loading before your event.
Anti-cramp strategy
The American College of Sports Nutrition states that:
“Muscle cramps are associated with dehydration and electrolyte deficits and muscle fatigue.”
Adding ZERO Neutral Tabs to your drink boosts the electrolyte content and provides magnesium. This might be a good strategy in hot conditions.
After
Drink 400ml Protein Recovery as soon as you finish. Eat a balanced meal one to two hours later.
Good luck!