Maximising Your Nutrition for Strength and Endurance

Whether you're looking to build power endurance for CrossFit metcons, develop strength endurance for longer lifting sessions, or enhance aerobic stamina for running and cycling, understanding nutrition for strength and endurance is essential - and it's often the missing piece that separates good athletes from great ones.

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I’ve seen time and time again that dialling in your nutrition can be the difference between hitting a new PR and hitting a wall mid-session. Modern endurance training demands different types of endurance capacity, with nutrition aligned to maximise each event or training opportunity.

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Nutrition for Strength and Endurance Across All Disciplines

To optimize nutrition for strength and endurance, we need to get specific about the different types of training, because each one places completely different demands on your energy systems and requires tailored nutritional strategies:

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• Power Endurance: High-intensity output between 2-10 minutes (CrossFit metcons, typically involving ski, running, bike or rowing intervals)

• Strength Endurance: Sustaining force over extended periods. An example includes high reps of barbell cycling, or circuit training utilizing EMOMs or AMRAPs.

• Aerobic Stamina: Anything over 30 minutes. Think of long-duration, moderate-intensity performance (running, cycling, swimming).  Typically, it’s a Zone 2 workout.

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Endurance athletes need a strategic approach that considers different energy demands. Your body must be able to produce powerful, explosive energy while also sustaining long, demanding sessions.

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Key Macronutrients for Strength and Endurance

Let’s break down what you need to consider for your high-performance menu.

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Carbohydrates – Primary Endurance Fuel

Carbs often get a bad reputation, but when planning your nutrition for strength and endurance, they’re your best friend! Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy, especially for high-intensity endurance work like “chipper” metcons, extended cycling sessions, and sustained running efforts.

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• Power: Focus on quick release carbs 1-2 hours before training

• Strength: Combine quick and complex carbs.

• Stamina: 24-72 hours prior to your session, begin to load up on complex carbs, while making sure you have quick release carbs ready intra-workout.

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Treat your carb choices like rocket fuel! But choose wisely based on the workout’s demands; some carbs are processed more quickly while others require more time to digest, and there is a time and place for both 

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Carb Cheat Sheet:

• Quick release carbs: Bananas, dates, fruits, rice cakes, gummies, energy drinks and gels

• Complex carbs: Sweet potatoes, oats, rice, whole grains

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If you've ever "hit the wall" mid-session, chances are you run out of carbohydrate fuel. Prioritizing quality carb sources ensures your energy systems stay topped up.

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• Pre-training: Have a balanced meal 2–3 hours before training with complex carbs and protein.

• During longer sessions: Quick-digesting carbs (like banana or dates) mid-session will help maintain energy levels.

• Post-training: Quick carbs paired with protein replenish glycogen and aid muscle recovery.

Protein – The Building Block of Endurance Strength

If carbs are fuel, protein is the repairman. After intense strength and endurance training, your muscles need protein to recover and adapt. This is crucial for improving both absolute endurance capacity, and muscular resilience across all training types.

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Unlike carbs, the body doesn’t store protein - your muscles act like ‘protein sensors’, and, if they sense a low protein supply, they won’t grow or recover effectively.

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When planning your nutrition for strength and endurance, aim for 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Good sources include lean meats, eggs, dairy, and plant-based options like lentils, beans, and tofu.

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• Power Endurance Athletes: Important to have optimal protein intake everyday to minimise muscle damage from intense efforts

• Strength Endurance Athletes: Protein timing becomes critical for sustained muscular adaptation

• Aerobic Stamina Athletes: Consistent protein intake is critical for optimal recovery

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Did you know? We can only digest and absorb 30-40 grams of protein at a time. 

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My top tip? Spread your protein intake throughout the day to maximise muscle protein synthesis. Strategic meal timing can significantly impact your endurance performance and recovery.

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Fats – For Hormones and Long-Duration Energy

Healthy fats support hormone production, joint health, and energy systems crucial for your longer-term nutrition for endurance. While fats shouldn’t dominate your pre-session meals (as they digest slowly), they play a vital role in different types of performance.

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• For Aerobic Stamina: Fats become increasingly important as primary fuel during longer, moderate-intensity efforts.

• For Power/Strength Endurance: Fats support hormone production and recovery between high-intensity sessions

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Incorporate fat sources like avocado, olive oil, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds into your daily intake — especially around lower-intensity training days or rest days.

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Micronutrients: The Hidden Performance Limiters

While macronutrients (big nutrients) get most of the attention when planning your nutrition for strength and endurance, micronutrient (small nutrient) deficiencies can quietly sabotage your performance. For example, half of all adults consume less than the recommended amount of magnesium and a third are deficient.

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This is particularly concerning for endurance athletes, as magnesium plays a crucial role in energy production, and preventing cramps during longer training sessions.

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• Magnesium: Essential for muscle function, lost through sweat and chronic stress.

• Vitamin D: Critical for bones and muscle repair; third of adults are deficient!

• Iron: Vital for oxygen transport to muscles (animal sources are more easily absorbed).

• B-Vitamins: Essential for energy metabolism and nervous system function. B12, B6, and folate help convert food into usable energy during endurance activities.

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Even with a "healthy" diet, many strength and endurance athletes are operating with suboptimal micronutrient levels. Focusing solely on macronutrients, while ignoring micronutrients, is like having a high-performance engine but using poor-quality oil – everything might seem fine until performance starts to decline.

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Practical Application: Include nutrient-dense whole foods like leafy greens (magnesium, iron, B-vitamins), fatty fish (vitamin D, B12), and a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. 

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Moreover, I would strongly advise having your vitamin D and magnesium levels tested, especially if you train indoors frequently or get limited sunlight.

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Hydration: The Fountain for Strength and Endurance

Proper hydration is critical for all nutrition for strength and endurance strategies. Being dehydrated by as little as 2% can impair endurance performance significantly and reduce mental clarity.

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• Pre-Session: Start hydrated and sip 400-600ml 2-3 hours before training

• Intra Session: Aim for 150-250ml every 15-20 minutes for sessions over 60 minutes

• Post-Session: Replace 125-150% of fluid losses

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For sessions over 60 minutes or in hot conditions, include electrolytes to maintain sodium balance and prevent cramping.

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Supplements: Helpful Additions to Nutrition for Strength and Endurance

While whole foods should always be your foundation, certain supplements can enhance your nutrition for strength and endurance when used strategically:

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• Creatine Monohydrate: Proven to improve power endurance and high-intensity repeated efforts. I recommend this to ALL endurance athletes. 3-5g per day, added to water

• Protein Powder: Always a convenient post-session recovery option. Ensure your muscles can confidently grow with a clear ‘protein is available’ signal

• Electrolytes: Essential for longer sessions, especially in the summer heat or during multiple daily training sessions

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Periodizing Your Nutrition for Strength and Endurance

Just like training, your nutrition should be periodized based on your goals and training phases:

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• Base Building: Focus on developing metabolic adaptability with varied fuel sources

• Competition Prep: Refine race-day nutrition strategies and practice fuelling protocols

• Recovery Phase: Emphasize nutrient density, protein, and clean-eating.

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Different training blocks require different nutritional emphasis, and understanding how to match your food to your training demands is important for optimal adaptation

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Strategic Optimisation

Your body is unique, and you need to listen to it carefully. Are you constantly hitting walls during longer sessions? Struggling with power endurance? Having difficulty recovering between training days?

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Are you interested in learning more about how nutrition can positively impact all your training goals? Let’s get in touch!.

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Not sure where to start?

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Tracking your nutrition, energy levels, and performance can help identify what’s working and what’s not. Remember, it’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency, quality, and fuelling your body to perform at its best across all types of fitness demands.

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Are you interested in learning more about how nutrition can positively impact all of your training goals? Let’s have a chat!

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