If you're training for endurance races it's important to fuel your body during your workout! I recently biked across Vermont (NY border to New Hampshire); which was 90.6 miles and took me 8 hours to complete. Read on for my suggestions on what snacks to have on hand for any endurace sport!
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist and am going through my own journey with food, exercise, body image, etc. Everything I talk about is from my own experience and what I have learned when talking with a nutritionist about my body and exercise in particular. If you have any questions about how to properly fuel yourself for endurance sports, eating disorder recovery, or health in general, I would definitely recommend reaching out to a professional.
So with that disclaimer out of the way, from what I have heard, the recommended dietary guidelines for endurance athletes are to consume about 60-90 grams of carbohydrates per each hour of activity. This would be equivalent to eating 2-3 servings of carbs every hour or breaking it up into smaller one serving portions every 20 or 30 minutes.
A single serving of carbs looks like: a banana, a pouch of fruit snacks, a packet of energy gel like GU, an ounce of pretzels, a cup of juice, a fourth a cup of raisins or other dried fruit, a slice of bread with a tablespoon of jam or honey, and so on. A two-three serving of carbs would be something like a CLIFF bar, a peanut butter banana tortilla wrap, a serving of pretzels and hummus, and so on.
SPLIT Nutrition’s PB&J pouches
Like a PB&J sandwich but without the bread, SPLIT nutrition’s nut butter and jam packs are squeezable boosts of carbs, healthy fats, protein, and some sweetness great for a long ride. I also love having these on camping trips to add to my oatmeal in the morning!
CLIFF Bars
Super packable, digestible...my personal favorites are the Sierra Trail Mix and Crunchy Peanut Butter (though I haven’t tried a lot of their flavors). Other granola bar brands I love are Larabars (peanut butter chocolate chip) and KIND bars.
Bananas
Potassiummm! Tasty, easy to eat on the go, and helps those muscles function, are bananas not the best packable power fruit?
Hummus and Pita
Carbs + protein + healthy fats = hell yes. Besides hummus and pita bread, I also like to eat hummus with pretzels, or in an avocado and hummus tortilla wrap for an easily digestible lunch.
Juice & Electrolytes
Get those salts and nutrients in! Juice and energy drinks are a great addition to water to add some extra vitamins and salts as you’re working through the day. I’m not a huge fan of most energy drinks, so I’ll just have regular juice like orange or cranberry. I also love Propel’s pink lemonade electrolyte packets that I can mix into any water bottle.
Chocolate
Dark chocolate is great for a caffeine boost, some sugar sweetness, a bit of carbs, and even some iron to help fuel your workout! Pack a few squares or a small bar if you need some extra motivation to get up that hill or a sweet treat when you finish.