As we head into the winter, many in the northern hemisphere have started, or are beginning to take their off-season break after a year of training and racing. Following this break, many will begin their preparation for the next season. Much of this off-season preparation will involve a change in the intensity and volume that contrasts with in-season training with additional sessions spent cross training (e.g. strength training). As a result, some may ask, “does my fueling and nutrition need to be adjusted for this difference in intensity, volume, and type of workouts?” This two part blog will cover off-season fueling and considerations when approaching your fueling during this period. In part 1, we will chat with Carbs Fuel athletes for insight into how they fuel during their off-season training. In part 2, we will interview sport nutrition professionals to provide further insight and guidance on how you should approach off-season fueling and nutrition.
Still prioritizing fueling in the off-season
We asked professional cyclists Cécile Lejeune (CCB p/b Levine Law Group Cycling) and Alex Wild (Cyclesport.com) how they approached fueling in the off-season compared to the race season. For Alex, the off-season is no different from the race season. “Fueling is related to the length and intensity of the session. For spins (90 min or less I don't fuel) where as I will scale it up to roughly 75g/hr for 2 hours, 100g/hr for 3 hours, and 125g/hr 4 hours. For higher burn sessions like a 4 hours at intensities over endurance (4,000kJ in 4 hours), I will practice the upper limits of fueling for race day as it is a similar situation.” Cécile’s approach is similar where, “during the off-season, I try to stay away from a calorie deficit as much as possible, while still fueling my rides…”. However, “...the focus shifts from performing on singular days (races) to stringing together blocks of work to build strength and endurance.” Thus, she does not “...have those very high carb days” compared to the race season where she ensures “to include days when I am fueling my workouts as I would race day (100g+/h of carbs).” The approach is no different for elite and professional runners Mimi Smith and Adrian Macdonald (On). Similar to Alex, Mimi's fueling requirement in the off-season is dictated by the demands of the workout regardless of the time of season. Likewise for Adrian, he “...tries to fuel in a way to get the most out of each run or workout.”
Switching it up in the off-season
When it comes to the form of carbohydrate that these athletes consume during their off-season workouts, they will incorporate other forms of fuel beyond just gels and drink mixes. Alex does not “shy away from a good gas station haul on those longer days either” and Cécile consumes “...different forms of carbohydrates to keep things interesting, like bananas, homemade snacks or coffee shops cakes…”. There is also something to be said about the mental component of fueling exclusively with gels and drink mixes and the desire for variety. For Adrian, he “ends a race season with an ultra marathon where I'm stuffing myself with Carbs Fuel gels and drink mix for 15 hours or more. I come away from those races not wanting to even think about eating a gel or drinking a bottle of drink mix. So, I will usually not use them much or at all during the off-season.” On the other hand, Alex will “mostly rely on gels even in training but will mix in drink mix if I know how much I will drink and carrying capacity is a concern” and Cécile still uses “...gels and drink mix, especially on days when I am doing a workout.” In a similar vein, Mimi’s fuel choice is guided by the demands of her workout and less so on the part of season she is in. Her preferred fueling method is fluid during really fast hard workouts and gels on long runs. However, she stays away from solids given the associated challenges while running. As you can see, there are a lot of variations and influences on fuel choice. Finding the type of fuel that allows you to effectively fuel is important and should be considered so that you can perform well, even in the off-season.
Fueling cross training
Alex, Cécile, and Mimi also provide insight into fueling their cross training (activities outside their primary sport). A key take-away is that they all share the same philosophy: if they cross train, the sessions are short enough such that they can rely on their pre and post session fueling to provide the energy they need for the workout and for recovery. Of note, Cécile does fuel any other form of physical activity the same way as when she’s on the bike if the intensity level is similar. However, if these athletes are doing two sessions in a day, either back to back or during opposing ends of the day, they will fuel between sessions in addition to fueling within their initial workout to ensure they are ready for the second session. For Alex, he “will do my ride first and get in a good meal right after. If I am finishing at home it will be some sort of protein with rice and veggies. If on the go or pre riding a course I will have 2 bananas and a protein/carb mix after to get me home or to somewhere I can get real food in.” Cécile will “make sure to have a snack or a meal after the first [session], and some more food before the next.” For Mimi, and this may be relatable to those who have jobs that prevent flexible eating and training schedules, she relies on her breakfasts and lunches if the sessions are on the opposing ends of the day. However, she may still use a small apple sauce or the Sport Drink Mix before/after a session to fuel back to back sessions. Despite sessions being shorter, fueling is still key. However instead of fueling within a cross training session, you may choose to rely on your pre-workout meal or snack to fuel that session if the intensity and duration is less demanding.
Fueling in colder weather
The off-season is also typically associated with colder weather, especially if you live away from the equator. For some, this changes their fueling strategy. Adrian mentioned that “if it's cold out it can be difficult to eat at a bar on a run.” So, choosing easy to consume fuel types is important. But, if he does “bring [a bar], I'll try to keep it close to my body so it doesn't freeze.” His post-workout fueling choices may also change as well. For example, “if it's hot I might switch from post run hot oatmeal to cool overnight oats or cereal.” For others like Alex, he appreciates the simplicity of a gel regardless of the weather and will always fuel with gels regardless of the weather. Discovering the types of fuel that are easy to consume in different weather conditions will also help to ensure that you are lowering the barrier to properly fueling your sessions. This gives you the best chance to execute and feel good during and after those sessions.
Summary
Despite the off-season being associated with changes in training behavior, fueling workouts is still incredibly important to maintain consistent performance throughout the year. This is to ensure that the quality of your training remains high, even if the training may involve lower intensities and volumes. While it is true that you will be utilizing relatively less carbohydrates during these lower intensity sessions, the absolute amount of carbohydrates that you use may be equivalent, if not higher if the volume/total amount of work is greater than your typical interval sessions during the race season. See our previous blog where we outline just how much carbohydrates you use during a training or race session. In short, you should not be fueling less during your workouts in the off-season. Rather you should approach fueling no differently than in any part of the season. However, you may look to change and vary the types of fuel you use to allow you to effectively fuel through the off-season. In part 2, we will hear from sport nutrition professionals and how they recommend fueling and exploring fueling strategies during the off-season.
