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gravel cyclist

Unveiling the Secrets of Endurance: A Conversation with Anna Gibson

Unveiling the Secrets of Endurance: A Conversation with Anna Gibson

Unveiling the Secrets of Endurance: A Conversation with Anna Gibson

Follow @nutritionalrevolution on Instagram

Two humans. No sleep. Same old fueling plan? 🍼⁠ ⁠

Two humans. No sleep. Same old fueling plan? 🍼⁠
⁠
@sarahsturmy races gravel and mountain bikes at the pro level. Right now she's in the fourth trimester. Her words on the image say it better than I can.⁠
⁠
Here's what the numbers look like.⁠
⁠
📊 Breastfeeding raises daily energy needs by about 330 calories in the first 6 months, and about 400 in months 6 to 12 (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 to 2025).⁠
💧 Total water needs rise to about 3.8 liters a day while breastfeeding (IOM 2005). That counts water from food too.⁠
🚴 Those numbers are for non-athletes. Add training back in and the gap gets big, fast.⁠
⁠
⚠️ So here's the trap. You're tired. Your appetite is all over the place. You want your body back. Undereating feels like a plan. It's not. Low energy availability is linked to impaired recovery, mood, and bone health (Mountjoy et al. 2023). A new mom returning to training is right in that risk zone.⁠
⁠
✅ What we focus on with postpartum athletes:⁠
🔹 Eat on a schedule, not on hunger cues that sleep loss has scrambled⁠
🔹 Protein at every feed (yours, not just the baby's)⁠
🔹 A water bottle everywhere you nurse⁠
🔹 Fuel every ride once training comes back, even the "easy" ones⁠
🔹 Labs. Ferritin is often low after birth. Check it, don't guess.⁠
⁠
Your body just did the hardest endurance event there is. Fuel it like one.⁠
⁠
💬 Comment READY to work with us 1:1 on a return to racing plan built around your body right now.⁠
⁠
📚 References⁠
USDA & HHS. (2020). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, Table 5-2.⁠
IOM. (2005). DRIs for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate.⁠
Mountjoy M, et al. (2023). Br J Sports Med, 57(17), 1073-1097. PMID 37752011⁠
⁠
#postpartumathlete #fourthtrimester #postpartumfitness #breastfeedingathlete #momathlete #womenwhoride #womenscycling #femaleathlete #REDS #underfueling #sportsnutrition #endurancenutrition #gravelcycling #mtb #ultrarunning #fuelforperformance #enduranceathlete #nutritionalrevolution

The night-before pasta party is tradition. It's al

The night-before pasta party is tradition. It's also about 24 hours too late. 🍝⁠
⁠
Topping up glycogen takes roughly 36–48 hours of high-carb eating. For races over 90 minutes, that means about 10–12 g of carbs per kg of body weight per day, for the two days before.⁠
⁠
Lower fiber and lower fat makes that volume possible without feeling stuffed. And test it before a training race first.⁠
⁠
Comment FUEL and I'll send you our race fueling guide.⁠
⁠
📚 References in the first comment.⁠
⁠
#carbloading #racedaynutrition #endurancenutrition #gravelcycling #marathontraining #ultrarunning #triathlon

There's no single "right" number of carbs per hour

There's no single "right" number of carbs per hour. It depends on how long you're out there.⁠
⁠
Under 45 minutes, you don't need any. Between 1 and 2 hours, up to 30 g/hr. 2 to 3 hours, up to 60. Past about 2.5 hours, well-trained guts can handle up to 90 g/hr, but only with a glucose + fructose mix and practice.⁠
⁠
The mistake I see most: athletes jump straight to 90 on race day because a pro does it. Your gut needs training too. Add about 10 g/hr each week on long sessions and see how you feel.⁠
⁠
Save this for your next race plan, and send it to the friend who still races on one gel.⁠
⁠
Comment FUEL and we'll send you our race fueling guide.⁠
⁠
📚 References in the first comment.⁠
⁠
#endurancenutrition #racefueling #carbsperhour #gravelcycling #ultrarunning #triathlontraining #marathontraining #sportsnutrition

You asked, so here's part 2. 🍌⁠ ⁠ The 8–12 g/kg ca

You asked, so here's part 2. 🍌⁠
⁠
The 8–12 g/kg carb range is for athletes training 4–5 hours a day. Most of you need far less on a normal day.⁠
⁠
The window that matters most: the first 4 hours after a hard effort when you're going again within 8 hours. That's when we push about 1–1.2 g/kg of carbs every hour. Real food works. So does a smoothie.⁠
⁠
If your next hard session is 2 days away, your normal meals will get you there.⁠
⁠
Comment RECOVER and I'll send you our recovery guide for back-to-back race days.⁠
⁠
📚 Refs: Thomas, Erdman & Burke 2016, Med Sci Sports Exerc; Burke et al. 2011, J Sports Sci; Gonzalez, Fuchs et al. 2017, Nutrients; Fuchs, Gonzalez & van Loon 2019, J Physiol.⁠
⁠
#recoverynutrition #endurancenutrition #glycogen #gravelcycling #ultrarunning #triathlon #sportsnutrition

Racing this weekend? Screenshot this. ⏱️⁠ ⁠ Most f

Racing this weekend? Screenshot this. ⏱️⁠
⁠
Most fueling mistakes happen before the start line: a carb load that begins too late, bottles mixed at 5am, a new breakfast on race morning.⁠
⁠
For races over 90 minutes, the carb load starts about 48 hours out at 10–12 g/kg a day. The day before is about familiar food and getting your kit sorted. Race morning is a carb-rich breakfast 1–4 hours before, a gel just before the start, and nothing new.⁠
⁠
This is the same timeline we build for every athlete we coach, adjusted for their race, their gut and the forecast.⁠
⁠
Comment READY to work with us 1:1 on your next race.⁠
⁠
📚 References in the first comment.⁠
⁠
#raceweek #carbloading #racedaynutrition #endurancenutrition #gravelracing #ultrarunning #marathontraining #triathlon

Cold rides mute thirst by up to 40%. 🌡️⁠ ⁠ Here's

Cold rides mute thirst by up to 40%. 🌡️⁠
⁠
Here's the trap. In the cold you pee more AND you feel less thirsty. Both at the same time.⁠
⁠
🔬 Kenefick et al. 2004 had people walk at 50% VO2max in 4°C air vs 27°C. Cold cut thirst by up to 40%. The hormone that holds onto water (vasopressin) dropped too, even when they were already dehydrated.⁠
⁠
💧 Why you pee more: cold clamps down skin blood vessels. Blood shifts to your core. Your kidneys read that as extra fluid and release it (Freund & Sawka 1996).⁠
⁠
⚠️ So frequent pee stops don't mean you're topped off. They mean fluid is leaving.⁠
⁠
✅ Drink on a schedule. Keep sodium in your bottles. Weigh in before and after to see your true losses.⁠
⁠
💬 Comment READY to work with us 1:1 on a cold weather hydration plan built on your numbers.⁠
⁠
📚 References⁠
Kenefick RW, et al. (2004). Med Sci Sports Exerc, 36(9), 1528-1534. PMID 15354034⁠
Freund BJ, Sawka MN. (1996). Influence of cold stress on human fluid balance. National Academies Press. NBK232870⁠
⁠
#hydration #wintercycling #coldweatherriding #winterrunning #hydrationplan #electrolytes #sportsnutrition #endurancenutrition #exercisephysiology #gravelcycling #cyclocross #ultrarunning #enduranceathlete #cyclingtraining #gravelracing #cyclinglife #sweattesting #nutritionalrevolution #fuelforperformance

Peeing more on cold rides? You're losing water. 🥶⁠

Peeing more on cold rides? You're losing water. 🥶⁠
⁠
That extra stop isn't a sign you're "well hydrated." It's your body dumping fluid. Here's the physiology. 👇⁠
⁠
🌡️ Cold makes the blood vessels in your skin clamp down to hold heat. That pushes blood toward your core. Your body senses more fluid in the middle and tells your kidneys to let some go. This is called cold induced diuresis (Freund & Sawka 1996).⁠
⁠
🧠 The hormone that tells your kidneys to hold water is vasopressin (ADH). In the cold, it drops. Kenefick et al. 2004 found it fell even when athletes started out dehydrated.⁠
⁠
💧 Your thirst goes quiet too. Cold cut thirst by up to 40%, at rest and during exercise (Kenefick et al. 2004). And cold, dry air pulls more water out with every breath.⁠
⁠
⚠️ Put it together. You pee more. You feel less thirsty. You breathe off more water. Early studies found blood and plasma volume dropped as urine output rose (reviewed in Freund & Sawka 1996). That's a recipe for starting the second half of your ride behind.⁠
⁠
Losing more than 2% of your body weight in fluid is linked to worse performance (Sawka et al. 2007, ACSM). That still applies at 35°F.⁠
⁠
✅ What to do:⁠
🔹 Drink on a timer, not on thirst⁠
🔹 Keep sodium in your bottles to help you hold onto fluid⁠
🔹 Use warm fluids in an insulated bottle so you actually drink it⁠
🔹 Weigh in before and after rides to see your real losses⁠
⁠
Cold doesn't cancel your hydration plan. Stick to it.⁠
⁠
💬 Comment READY to work with us 1:1. We'll build a winter hydration and fueling plan off your actual sweat and sodium numbers.⁠
⁠
📚 References⁠
Freund BJ, Sawka MN. (1996). National Academies Press. NBK232870⁠
Kenefick RW, et al. (2004). Med Sci Sports Exerc, 36(9), 1528-1534. PMID 15354034⁠
Sawka MN, et al. (2007). Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39(2), 377-390. PMID 17277604⁠
⁠
#hydration #coldweatherriding #wintercycling #winterrunning #hydrationplan #sportsnutrition #endurancenutrition #exercisephysiology #electrolytes #sweattesting #gravelcycling #gravelracing #cyclocross #ultrarunning #enduranceathlete #cyclingtraining #cyclinglife #nutritionalrevolution #fuelforperformance

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