It’s that time of year…
…training holiday time! Who else cannot WAIT to see some sunny miles?! Especially with this constant veil of grey we seem to live in in the UK right now, talk about perpetual winter…
Anyway. The thrill of a little trip for a week or two, with your bike and perhaps your wetsuit and your running shoes, can be a great way to get some time away from work – and perhaps family life too! – but it is also really easy for these opportunities to turn into a week’s worth of burn out instead of a week’s worth of productive fitness and fun. One reason, is how we all fall apart when it comes to the nutrition element of our training holidays. So. Stop packing your bike box for one second and let’s make sure you’ve got everything else packed properly too!
Let’s start with the basics…
First, and probably the biggest thing we fail to recognise, is the significant uptick in your energy expenditure. Training camps often involve back-to-back sessions, often sessions which push you a little further than you would maybe do on your own or at home with your normal routine, which dramatically increases your caloric needs. TRAINING HOLIDAY IS NOT THE TIME TO TRY TO LOSE WEIGHT. This is a week when you really need to be paying attention and listening to those hunger cues to make sure you’re prepped for each session and well recovered from each.
While macros are important, if you’ve been working on your intentional eating strategies, you’ll probably naturally notice an uptick in carbohydrate intake. However, if you’re not quite there yet, make sure when you ARE honouring hunger, that you try and spend some of that hunger on an increased carbohydrate consumption to fuel your higher intensity sessions.
…and what about travelling with your normal products?
Travelling with your normal range of products can be challenging; decant protein and carbohydrate drink powders instead of taking bigger bulky packs with you and make sure you don’t skimp on your usual gels and chews for your activities. Travelling with your usual whole food sources can be more challenging and this is where you need to think about the environment where you’re going first.
- Shopping Options: Take a look at your nearest supermarkets and shopping facilities when you arrive and perhaps before you go, to assess what you’ll be able to grab and keep in your room or apartment. Also consider whether you’ll be able to cook your own food or whether you’ll be more restricted to hotel breakfasts and restaurant dinners.
- Portable Nutrition: Opt for portable, travel-friendly nutrition options. Energy bars, dried fruits, nuts, and powdered protein can easily be packed in your luggage and don’t require refrigeration. These can serve as convenient snacks or post-workout recovery options. Also remember that a lot of popular training destinations will have a whole host of cool new dried fruits and snacks to try, so have fun investigating those aisles of your local shops!
- Hydration: Hydration is key, especially in unfamiliar climates that may be hotter or more humid than what you’re used to. Consider packing electrolyte tablets or powder to add to your water, ensuring you stay well-hydrated and maintain electrolyte balance. You may want to consider bigger bottles or hydration packs if you’re heading to places where cafe culture isn’t overly big or where you’ll be out in the wilderness for extended periods of time.
- Dining Out Smartly: It’s a holiday. And what’s one of the best things about holidays? The food! Make sure you use your meal times as key opportunities to fuel up AND enjoy local delicacies, new things and opportunities to share some fun and stories with your training pals. But consider how good you are with alcohol and how that will affect your recovery from the day and your prep for tomorrow…have a good time, but not at the expense of the fun you came for in the first place!
Nutrition through the day.
One of the biggest things to consider is how you’re going to logistically fit your additional energy needs in through the day, along with what you’re going to eat without your usual standby supermarkets and supplements.
- Pre-Workout Meals: Start your day with a carb-rich meal to stock up on energy. Oatmeal, whole grain bread, bananas, or a local equivalent can provide the fuel you need for the day’s activities. Make the most of exotic fresh fruits that always taste so much better on a fresh holiday breakfast table! Top with local granola or muesli mixes and nuts and big dollops of greek yoghurt.
- During Training: During longer sessions, keep energy levels up with small, easily digestible snacks like energy gels, banana slices, or energy bars or those different varieties of dried fruits we talked about. And never under-estimate the power of savoury snacks like snack packs of crackers or crisps if you can carry them.
- Post-Workout Recovery: Post-training nutrition is crucial. Aim for a mix of carbs and protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout to aid muscle recovery. Portable protein shakes, local dairy products like yogurt, or a simple sandwich can be effective, but really, make sure you just get a decent hydration level in and SOMETHING to eat ASAP. This will set you up for a more balanced and effective recovery over the course of the evening.