How Much to Eat When Training Indoors

As we saw in the first part of this series of content, we must remember that indoor training generates greater muscle fatigue. The change in the training environment (temperature and humidity) has direct implications on glucose consumption and, therefore, on glycogen consumption. Energy needs will depend on the intensity and duration of the session, so the "standard" recommendations must be adapted to this type of training.

To do this, prior to exercise, we must start with full glycogen stores, for this we must consume from 0,5 g to 2 g of carbohydrates per kg of weight (depending on whether the session will be low or high intensity) the hours before training. For a not very intense session, the intake of the sports drink mentioned in the previous point and a snack rich in carbohydrates would be enough. For a more intense session, carbohydrate intake in the preceding hours should be higher. It is also recommended to make these intakes accompanied by a source of protein.

During exercise, the standard recommendations are valid taking into account that what needs to be modified are the time intervals, for example, for a light intensity session of less than 1 h the consumption of approx. 30 g/h of carbohydrates would be enough, so the sports drink recommended above would be enough. But when we talk about more intense sessions of more than 1 hour, the recommendations that apply are those of a carbohydrate consumption of 60 to 90 g/h, which are recommended in outdoor training of more than 2 – 3 hours. In these cases, in addition to the corresponding sports drink, additional energy is required in the form of carbohydrates that we can obtain via bars, gels or hypertonic drinks (high in carbohydrates). With these carbohydrate intakes, we will not only maintain performance, but we will also meet the objective of optimizing physiological adaptations, improving recovery and maintaining the health of the immune system.

After exercise, recovery begins, this phase being a determining and fundamental factor in sports performance, and often underestimated or forgotten. To have a complete recovery, reference is usually made to the 3 R's: Rehydration (discussed above), Replenishment and Repair.

As for Replenishment, it refers to the recovery of glycogen expended during the training session, which as we have already mentioned, is normally higher than in an outdoor session. To do this, the intake of carbohydrates after exercise is essential, so taking advantage of eating carbohydrates in the same phase of "cool down" or immediately after exercise is the best option. Of course, we have to take into account that more is not better, that is, that the rate of glycogen resynthesis has a certain speed, so if we ingest a greater amount of carbohydrates than recommended, we can saturate this resynthesis and slow down the recovery process. That is why we have to be clear about the recommended ratios ranging from 0,8 to 1,5 g of CHO/kg weight/hour. The values of 0,8 – 1 g/kg/h are the most standard and common, reaching up to 1,5 g/kg/h for the most intense and long-lasting sessions or in professional athletes.

When we talk about Repair, we refer to repairing structures, that is, mainly muscle structures damaged during training. In order to repair these muscle structures we need a new nutrient, in this case, protein. We must try to ingest a protein of rapid assimilation, high in essential amino acids and leucine. For this, whey protein, known in English as Whey, is one of the best options since it meets all these characteristics. As for the amount of it, it is a little the same as what has been mentioned for glycogen resynthesis, where more is not necessarily better because absorption, metabolism and protein synthesis are also limited. Therefore, for optimal recovery, the intake of 0,3 – 0,4 g of protein/kg body weight is recommended.

As a summary of recovery, we have to take into account that shorter and/or lighter sessions require lower amounts of liquid, carbohydrates and proteins, while in more intense and/or long-lasting sessions the requirements are greater. Therefore, normally with the intake of a recovery shake the needs of lighter sessions would be practically covered, while for those that are more intense we must either increase the amount of recovery or complement the standard intake with more liquid, food and mineral salts.

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