Nutrition for Performance
Fuel running, cycling, HYROX and strength sessions with sensible carbohydrate, protein, hydration and recovery strategies.
LANGTONS PRACTICAL COACHING GUIDE
Nutrition for Performance: what matters most
Training quality depends on more than willpower. Carbohydrate availability, adequate overall energy, fluid and recovery all influence how well you perform and adapt. Your plan should match the session: a 30-minute easy run needs a different approach from a two-hour hard ride.
1. Match carbohydrate to training demand
Carbohydrate is an important fuel for moderate- to high-intensity exercise. Sports nutrition consensus guidance commonly suggests around 3–5 g/kg/day for light training, 5–7 g/kg/day for moderate programmes, and more for very high-volume endurance work [1]. These are broad athlete ranges, not mandatory targets for every gym client. Start with the demands of your actual training and your total energy needs.
2. What to eat before exercise
For a demanding session, a familiar carbohydrate-rich meal 2–4 hours beforehand is often practical. A smaller snack 30–90 minutes before may help if you are hungry. Choose easily digested foods and adjust fibre and fat to gut tolerance. For a short, easy workout after a normal meal, special fuelling may not be necessary.
3. Do you need fuel during training?
For sessions under about 60 minutes, water and normal meals are often sufficient. During sustained endurance exercise lasting 1–2.5 hours, sports nutrition guidance commonly recommends around 30–60 g carbohydrate per hour; longer events may benefit from higher intakes with gut training [1, 2]. These are performance options, not requirements for every participant. Test gels, drinks or foods in training — never for the first time on race day.
4. Recover with carbohydrate, protein and rest
After training, eat a normal meal containing carbohydrate and protein. For strength-focused clients, Langtons uses a daily protein range of 1.5–2.0 g/kg as a practical target for healthy resistance-training adults [3]. When two hard sessions are close together, prompt carbohydrate replacement becomes more important; when the next session is tomorrow, a normal balanced eating pattern may be enough.
See the protein guide for meal distribution and timing →
5. Hydration: avoid both under- and overdrinking
Begin reasonably hydrated, drink according to conditions, duration, thirst and your personal sweat losses, and replace fluid after exercise. Heavy sweaters or long events may need sodium-containing foods or drinks. Do not force excessive water intake: overdrinking during prolonged exercise can cause dangerous low blood sodium [4].
6. Race-day practice
For HYROX, running or cycling events, practise your pre-event meal, timing and any during-event carbohydrate in training. Keep a short log of what you ate, how your stomach felt and your session quality. The best strategy is one you can execute consistently.
Fuelling by session type
| Session | Practical approach | Main priority |
|---|---|---|
| Easy 30–45 min workout | Normal meals; water as needed | Consistency |
| Hard 60–90 min session | Carbohydrate-containing meal beforehand; consider fuel depending on intensity | Training quality |
| Endurance 90–150 min | Practise ~30–60 g carbohydrate/hour where useful | Maintain energy and gut comfort |
| Strength session | Adequate daily protein and energy | Progressive training and recovery |
Recipes to put the advice into practice
Chicken & rice training bowl
Ingredients: 260 g cooked chicken breast; 350 g cooked white rice; 200 g mixed vegetables; 10 g olive oil; soy sauce (reduced salt)
Method: Cook vegetables in oil, add sliced cooked chicken and heat through. Divide with rice. Use reduced-salt sauce to taste.
Banana & yoghurt recovery bowl
Ingredients: 170 g plain skyr; 120 g banana; 40 g oats; 15 g honey; 100 g berries
Method: Slice banana, combine with skyr, oats and berries, and drizzle honey over the top. Eat after training when convenient.
Pre-run toast & banana
Ingredients: 2 slices white toast (80 g); 20 g jam; 120 g banana; water
Method: Toast bread, spread with jam and eat with banana around 1–3 hours before a run, adjusting the portion and timing to gut tolerance.
Post-session tuna pasta
Ingredients: 160 g dry pasta; 220 g tuna in spring water (drained); 200 g passata; 100 g spinach; 10 g olive oil; herbs
Method: Boil pasta until cooked. Warm passata with oil and herbs, stir in tuna and spinach, and toss with pasta. Divide into two servings.
Nutrition figures are illustrative estimates per serving, not laboratory analyses. They vary with brands, cooking losses and exact portion sizes. Check labels, allergies and food safety; individual needs vary.
Common questions
Do I need a sports drink for every workout?
No. For shorter sessions, water and normal meals usually suffice.
Should I train fasted to burn more fat?
Fasted training may change fuel use during a session but is not automatically better for long-term fat loss or performance. Prioritise training quality and sustainable energy balance.
Evidence & further reading
Sources underpin the general recommendations above. Practical Langtons coaching examples are not endorsements or prescriptions from the NHS or NICE.
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM (2016) — Nutrition and Athletic Performance
- Jeukendrup AE (2014) — A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise
- ISSN — Protein and exercise position stand
- Exercise-associated hyponatremia consensus statement (2015)
- NHS — Water, drinks and hydration
Written by Langtons Health & Fitness · November 2026 · General nutrition education, not personalised medical advice. References should be checked periodically. If you have a medical condition or prescribed diet, consult your clinician or a registered dietitian.