- Athletes must learn to dial in your fueling during the off-season.
- Strategies exist so that you can adjust your nutrition fueling to support seasonal adaptation.
- Certain products will help you stay hydrated and energized.
As summer approaches, some athletes are already beginning to prepare and train hard for their summer mini camps, while others are in-season or are starting their off-season training for their Fall sport start. Given all these changes, it is important to start thinking about how your fueling strategy might also need to change.
Summer fueling shifts ensure that you’re dialed in to changes in training as well as environmental challenges (such as high temperatures and humidity). If you haven’t begun your off-season plan, we’ve shared some strategies to help get you started.
Strategies for athletes to shift your nutrition fueling
1. Find YOUR fueling windows
Once you have established your new training schedule, identify the times you have available to eat. Do you have time for breakfast, or should you consider a pre-workout drink? Are there any late games or practices that will require you to have prepped dinner ahead of time? Do you need to pack snacks or extra hydration?
2. Stock up on fueling supplements
If there are products you rely on for energy, hydration, or recovery, make sure you’re stocked up. You don’t want to find out on a race day that your tub of electrolytes is empty!
3. Stay hydrated
For athletes, it is essential to stay well hydrated year-round, but with the warm weather summer brings, proper hydration becomes even more important.
Always carry a stainless steel or glass water bottle to sip on throughout the day. Feel free to add in some flavor with lemon juice, lime juice, mint leaves, cucumber slices, or Rebellious Infusions concentrate sweetened with monk fruit. When you’re losing a lot of fluids, however, water without electrolytes is not enough. Add electrolytes such as UCAN Hydrate, Thorne Catalyte, Celtic Sea Salt Electrolyte Powder, or try our new favorite—performance functional hemp-fueled water with electrolytes, Akeso Water (use the code AKESOFRIENDS5 to claim your $5 off + free shipping on a 12pk)!
When you’re extra active and want or need some hydration with sugar (but without all the colorings and chemicals), many of our athletes like rotating Skratch Labs Hydration Mix and COCO 5. Others use UCAN Livsteady 30-45 mins ahead for their carbohydrate fuel, and then they might add the no sugar electrolyte products above.
4. Establish a stress management practice
All perceived or real stressful changes you experience affect both mind and body—even when you are well prepared and trained. Incorporating activities such as a mindfulness practice and box breathing along with SportFuel’s favorite stress modulation tool—NUCALM—is essential for sports recovery and building resiliency. Consistency with your self-care routine will help you be able to respond versus react haphazardly to the inevitable changes of life.
Takeaways
Getting your fueling schedule down, staying hydrated, and managing stress are all key to optimizing performance and health. We have seen our athletes thrive and perform at their best just by making some subtle—but powerful—changes like those listed above.
If you have questions, or need help implementing certain lifestyle changes, let’s connect. Schedule your 20-minute free, exploratory consult.
