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Proper Nutrition For Performance At The Track


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I'm a huge nut when it comes to keeping your body performing well at the track (I can't afford performance parts to make me faster...teehee)

 

Does anyone have a daily meal plan they stick to at the track? Easy to prepare, easy to carry, easy to digest, best for energy?

 

I used to have yogurt with granola and berries in the AM (sometimes eggs with veggies when I have my toyhauler)

smoothie with kale and banana, Maca powder and protein powder at lunch,

carrots and hummus. peppers, almond butter or nuts as a snack throughout the day.

Coconut water and water for hydration.

 

I have some recent dietary restrictions so looking for some more options.

 

What do you eat?

 

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My experience is hydration is more important than the kind of food I consume at the track. I had episodes of dizziness and fatigue after I forgot to drink water after each session. pH 9.5 water and potassium pills (you will have to eat a lot of bananas to intake the same quantity of potassium than some of those pills) have the best impact on my performances.

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My experience is hydration is more important than the kind of food I consume at the track. I had episodes of dizziness and fatigue after I forgot to drink water after each session. pH 9.5 water and potassium pills (you will have to eat a lot of bananas to intake the same quantity of potassium than some of those pills) have the best impact on my performances.

 

This has been my experience too - water and salt/potassium are most important for me, especially on a hot day, but I do need to eat enough to maintain my energy level, and sometimes I find that difficult.

 

My husband has been experimenting with some Hammer Nutrition products made for bicyclists that are all powders and gels and are each formulated specifically for before, during and after heavy exertion. I don't have the discipline for that myself but I do notice that at the end of a very fatiguing race day/race weekend, he has more energy at the end than I do. He also can take in some weird gel substance instead of a meal mid-day and is less affected by that during his next race than if he had some sort of heavy or filling food (like, say, a racetrack cheeseburger). I certainly can't eat much before a race and that is why I have to carefully manage a good breakfast (tough on a race morning) and some small snacks through the day, otherwise I tend to eat very little and then start feeling a bit drained about mid-afternoon.

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Thanks guys.

 

I carb load the night before (or a few days before) a trackday. Gnocci with veggies and tuna (brain food) seems to help with my energy and concentration.

 

We tried an experiment one snowboard trip. Every night we had a different style of food and 5 of us noted our energy levels the next day. Chicken salad gave us the least amount of energy and pasta was the best. There are many other variables here but that is what we concluded.

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If you ever feel lethargic on a track day, get your adrenal glands looked at. :)

 

I'm not surprised you did well with pastas. It's a staple of pro (and amateur) cyclists for a reason. People who cut carbs out of their diets end up with ketosis which can be dangerous and lead to long term health problems - plus, I'd hate to be riding a motorcycle while going through it.

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If you ever feel lethargic on a track day, get your adrenal glands looked at. :)

 

I'm not surprised you did well with pastas. It's a staple of pro (and amateur) cyclists for a reason. People who cut carbs out of their diets end up with ketosis which can be dangerous and lead to long term health problems - plus, I'd hate to be riding a motorcycle while going through it.

I have had them looked at and my thyroid (slightly low) and was given a specific diet to follow that is easier for my body to digest. I have low iron as well so food choices are a BIG part of my life. I have seen a massive difference over time.

 

From a convenience perspective, I cook out of my toyhauler and save a lot in propane by cooking Gnocchi as opposed to pasta because you save about 10 minutes of propane time. Its quick and you can leave the ingredients your trailer for a long time without refrigeration, along with canned tuna, garlic, and onions.

 

I'm looking for a list of foods I can mindlessly go and get each time for a trackday and make it a habit. BANANAS are on that list :P

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Hydration for sure, and electrolytes. Some also drag after eating a big lunch, so smaller meals over larger ones something to consider.

 

Dr. Price's hydration mix has worked well for me, and keeping a bit of food going in (small amounts/snacks during the day) so the blood sugar doesn't drop. Biggest drop I get is mid afternoon, and that's helped by following the above. I stay away from sugary stuff, and all diet stuff.

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