Power Porridge

Nutrition cross-country skiing

For a new personal best in your next cross-country skiing event

Whether skating or classic style, leisure sportsman or top athlete: cross-country skiing is one of the most popular and attractive endurance sports in winter. However, anyone who wants to perform at their best on the cross-country ski slopes needs more than just perfect conditions, serious training, top equipment and excellent technique: the more ambitious a cross-country skier is, the more central the specific sports nutrition becomes! A correctly chosen, carefully coordinated nutritional strategy determines whether a cross-country skier can maintain his or her top performance right up to the finish line - or whether lactate in the legs or an energy hole in the middle of a competition forces the athlete to slow down or even give up. For maximum performance in the cross-country ski run, the following points should be observed:

In advance: Filling up glycogen stores
Long cross-country training sessions in the cold as well as challenging competitions lasting more than 90 minutes wear out the body. Filled glycogen stores therefore form the crucial basis for reaching one's goal. Carboloading with a highly concentrated carbohydrate drink the day before a competition or a long training session is of great benefit. Ideally suited: CARBO LOADER, a sports drink specially developed for replenishing glycogen stores. Also important: a balanced breakfast based on slowly available carbohydrates such as oatmeal, porridge or graham bread. POWER PORRIDGE provides a tasty, quickly prepared and long-lasting meal before hard training or running.

Liquid supply during exercise
Anyone who is exercising over a longer period of time would do well to compensate for the loss of fluids and electrolytes with sports drinks. High-quality sports drinks provide the body with electrolytes and energy in addition to liquid.

• Generally speaking, COMPETITION is the drink of choice for endurance activities, as it is acid-free and only mildly flavoured. It is extremely well tolerated even at high dosages.
• In contrast, LONG ENERGY 10% scores with a protein addition of 10%, making the drink ideal for intensive strength-focused endurance training or very long activities.
• For those disliking cold drinks in winter: sports drinks such as COMPETITION or SPORT TEA are also suitable for hot water preparation and consumption.
• Cross-country skiers who want to train with reduced calories may do without energy-containing sports drinks and prefer our low-calorie electrolyte drinks such as ELECTROLYTES or LOW CARB BURNER instead. These are very suitable for fat metabolism training.

Energy supply during competition: observe blood sugar curve
Carbohydrate products based on glucose and sucrose, so-called fast sugars, quickly enter the bloodstream and cause a rapid insulin response during their metabolisation. Even though rapid availability is desirable, a regular supply is necessary to avoid blood sugar fluctuations. The following tips will help you to maintain constant blood glucose levels:

• Drink regularly from your sports drink is particularly important in the cold! The body also loses a lot of fluid through breathing in cold conditions. In order to cover the increased energy requirement caused by the cold, the COMPETITION sports drink can also be prepared in higher concentrations. This will provide sufficient energy, even if the drinking volume is slightly less than in hot weather conditions.
• During competition it is recommended to use LIQUID ENERGY GELS, as these gels do not require chewing and therefore do not hinder breathing as much. Furthermore, due to the high sugar concentration the gels practically cannot freeze, unlike bars.
• OAT PACK or CEREAL ENERGY BARS are recommended for amateur athletes who don't fight for seconds and like to eat solid food on the cross-country ski slope. These tasty bars provide long-lasting energy. Although they remain easier to chew than most bars, even at sub-zero temperatures, they should still be worn close to the body.
• An alternative to bars or gels is offered by the POWER GUMS fruit gums, which are relatively cold-resistant and therefore easy to chew, convenient and can be taken in portions. Besides 58 g carbohydrates they also contain 150 mg caffeine (approx. 1 ½ cups of coffee) per 10 pieces.

Tips for ambitious competitors
With increasing exercise duration, fatigue increases and the ability to coordinate and concentrate decreases. However, in a technically demanding sport such as cross-country skiing, clean and economical technology is of great importance, especially at high intensity and increasing competition duration. Therefore, it is recommended to take the ACTIVATOR 200 Caffeine Shot shortly before the start or, depending on the duration of the race, at the latest towards the last hour of competition: The drinking ampoule contains 200 mg caffeine in free form as well as from guarana, mate and green tea.

Fast regeneration
Immediately after the competition it is important to think about the next training session! A high-quality regeneration supplement supplies the body with fluid and electrolytes, fills the glycogen stores and helps to regenerate the muscle damage caused by exertion. Ideally suitable: PRO RECOVERY. The highly professional regeneration product with protein and carbohydrates is lactose-free and contains no artificial sweeteners. To be prepared with water.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

Related articles
Nutrition in winter sports

Nutrition cross-country skiing

For a new personal best in your next cross-country skiing event

Whether skating or classic style, leisure sportsman or top athlete: cross-country skiing is one of the most popular and attractive endurance sports in winter. However, anyone who wants to perform at their best on the cross-country ski slopes needs more than just perfect conditions, serious training, top equipment and excellent technique: the more ambitious a cross-country skier is, the more central the specific sports nutrition becomes! A correctly chosen, carefully coordinated nutritional strategy determines whether a cross-country skier can maintain his or her top performance right up to the finish line - or whether lactate in the legs or an energy hole in the middle of a competition forces the athlete to slow down or even give up. For maximum performance in the cross-country ski run, the following points should be observed:

In advance: Filling up glycogen stores
Long cross-country training sessions in the cold as well as challenging competitions lasting more than 90 minutes wear out the body. Filled glycogen stores therefore form the crucial basis for reaching one's goal. Carboloading with a highly concentrated carbohydrate drink the day before a competition or a long training session is of great benefit. Ideally suited: CARBO LOADER, a sports drink specially developed for replenishing glycogen stores. Also important: a balanced breakfast based on slowly available carbohydrates such as oatmeal, porridge or graham bread. POWER PORRIDGE provides a tasty, quickly prepared and long-lasting meal before hard training or running.

Liquid supply during exercise
Anyone who is exercising over a longer period of time would do well to compensate for the loss of fluids and electrolytes with sports drinks. High-quality sports drinks provide the body with electrolytes and energy in addition to liquid.

• Generally speaking, COMPETITION is the drink of choice for endurance activities, as it is acid-free and only mildly flavoured. It is extremely well tolerated even at high dosages.
• In contrast, LONG ENERGY 10% scores with a protein addition of 10%, making the drink ideal for intensive strength-focused endurance training or very long activities.
• For those disliking cold drinks in winter: sports drinks such as COMPETITION or SPORT TEA are also suitable for hot water preparation and consumption.
• Cross-country skiers who want to train with reduced calories may do without energy-containing sports drinks and prefer our low-calorie electrolyte drinks such as ELECTROLYTES or LOW CARB BURNER instead. These are very suitable for fat metabolism training.

Energy supply during competition: observe blood sugar curve
Carbohydrate products based on glucose and sucrose, so-called fast sugars, quickly enter the bloodstream and cause a rapid insulin response during their metabolisation. Even though rapid availability is desirable, a regular supply is necessary to avoid blood sugar fluctuations. The following tips will help you to maintain constant blood glucose levels:

• Drink regularly from your sports drink is particularly important in the cold! The body also loses a lot of fluid through breathing in cold conditions. In order to cover the increased energy requirement caused by the cold, the COMPETITION sports drink can also be prepared in higher concentrations. This will provide sufficient energy, even if the drinking volume is slightly less than in hot weather conditions.
• During competition it is recommended to use LIQUID ENERGY GELS, as these gels do not require chewing and therefore do not hinder breathing as much. Furthermore, due to the high sugar concentration the gels practically cannot freeze, unlike bars.
• OAT PACK or CEREAL ENERGY BARS are recommended for amateur athletes who don't fight for seconds and like to eat solid food on the cross-country ski slope. These tasty bars provide long-lasting energy. Although they remain easier to chew than most bars, even at sub-zero temperatures, they should still be worn close to the body.
• An alternative to bars or gels is offered by the POWER GUMS fruit gums, which are relatively cold-resistant and therefore easy to chew, convenient and can be taken in portions. Besides 58 g carbohydrates they also contain 150 mg caffeine (approx. 1 ½ cups of coffee) per 10 pieces.

Tips for ambitious competitors
With increasing exercise duration, fatigue increases and the ability to coordinate and concentrate decreases. However, in a technically demanding sport such as cross-country skiing, clean and economical technology is of great importance, especially at high intensity and increasing competition duration. Therefore, it is recommended to take the ACTIVATOR 200 Caffeine Shot shortly before the start or, depending on the duration of the race, at the latest towards the last hour of competition: The drinking ampoule contains 200 mg caffeine in free form as well as from guarana, mate and green tea.

Fast regeneration
Immediately after the competition it is important to think about the next training session! A high-quality regeneration supplement supplies the body with fluid and electrolytes, fills the glycogen stores and helps to regenerate the muscle damage caused by exertion. Ideally suitable: PRO RECOVERY. The highly professional regeneration product with protein and carbohydrates is lactose-free and contains no artificial sweeteners. To be prepared with water.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

Related articles
Nutrition in winter sports

Marathon nutrition

Important nutrition tips for running a marathon

Basic nutritional recommendations for marathons

The nutrition strategy before and during a marathon is basically a very individual matter, especially for longer running distances. Nevertheless, there are important guidelines to follow in order to get through the competition optimally. Special attention should be paid to the following three parameters:

• Fluid balance: Drink regularly and according to your thirst.
• Energy: Use easily digestible carbohydrates as the main source of energy, approx. 60-80 g per hour. Sports drinks and energy gels are particularly practical during marathons.
• Electrolytes/salt balance: Preferably use sports drinks and additionally take electrolytes (salt capsules) if the race lasts more than three hours. Especially, if pure water is drunk and warm temperatures prevail.

» The graphic marathon nutrition illustrates what runners need to pay attention to when it comes to nutrition within a marathon.

No experiments in competition!
Prior to use during competitions, we recommend testing all products in advance during training under competition-specific stress. Because even though optimal digestibility of the products is a central development component of SPONSER®, there are always individual and situational factors that have to be considered. Many an elite athlete has had to learn the hard way in this regard. Rule number one is therefore: No nutritional experiments on the day of competition or immediately before!
Ideally, your nutrition concept should be tested during long runs. Experienced athletes start them in a sober state and start later with the competition specific energy supply (after about one hour). Like this strategies, ingestion and tolerance can be tested under realistic conditions.

BEFORE COMPETITION

Activation of NO metabolism
Formerly a secret tip, the so-called nitric oxide activation has spread in recent years thanks to broad scientific support. In addition to professionals, this concept is also used today by numerous ambitious amateur athletes. The activation of the nitric oxide metabolism (NO) aims, among other things, at increased oxygen availability and improved blood flow. The most efficient products are NITROFLOW PERFORMANCE² and RED BEET VINITROX.

Carboloading
The longer the competition, the more the body's limited carbohydrate reserves and absorption capacity become the performance-limiting criteria. As a rule, marathon runners therefore benefit from carboloading prior to a marathon. Efficient carboloading means filling the body's various carbohydrate stores to the maximum. Study results suggest that one to two days of carboloading before competition is the adequately efficient. However, large amounts of food on the eve of a competition often lead to an unpleasant feeling of fullness or even digestive problems, and are therefore not recommended.
Consequently, in addition to a generally carbohydrate-rich diet immediately before the competition, we recommend taking the specially developed CARBO LOADER on pre-race days. CARBO LOADER is a highly concentrated, carbohydrate-electrolyte drink without free fructose. Ideally, one portion should be taken after each main meal.

The advantages of such a carboloading are:

• Maximally filled glycogen stores.
• No feeling of fullness and less flatulence.
• Practical handling: CARBO LOADER, especially in a portion bag, can be easily taken at any location.

Electrolytes
The electrolytes balance should be maintained before the race start. A little extra salt during the last meals is a suitable measure in this respect. Ideally, you should take one or two salt capsules (SALT CAPS) or dissolve ELECTROLYTE TABS in a water bottle. If you want to take carbohydrates at the same time, take a sports drink (COMPETITION®).

Breakfast and last hour before competition
The last meal should preferably be eaten about 3 to 4 hours before the start. It should be easy to digest (as little fibre as possible!) and rich in carbohydrates. POWER PORRIDGE is ideal as such a pre-race breakfast. It is also advisable to drink regularly (but not excessively) until the start of the competition. Ideally not only water, as it does not contain electrolytes. It is recommended to take half a tube of LIQUID ENERGY GEL with some water about 5-10 minutes before the start.

IN COMPETITION

Energy
For almost all marathon runners, carbohydrates are the main source of energy in competition. However, their absorption capacity is physiologically limited. As a rule of thumb: Consume between 60-80 g carbohydrates per hour or approx. 1 g carbohydrates per kg of body weight.
Provided that carboloading has been carried out, you should start taking 60-80 g carbohydrates per hour (gels/drinks) about 30 to 60 min into your run. Without previous carbolading, carbohydrate ingestion should be started at the latest starting from 30 min run duration. In principle, it does not matter whether the energy intake is achieved through sports drinks or gels. Intake intervals of 15 to 20 minutes would be ideal. If too much energy is absorbed, this can lead to flatulence or digestive problems.

Fluid and electrolytes
Not only fluid but also electrolytes are lost through sweat. Therefore, it is important to drink regularly right from the start and to pay attention to the feeling of thirst, which is the most reliable indicator according to scientific findings. For nutritional and physiological reasons, we recommend taking COMPETITION®, LONG ENERGY or ULTRA COMPETITION carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks. The advantage: These sports drinks provide the body with valuable electrolytes, fluids and, of course, the necessary energy in hypotonic form. The drinks are also acid-free, provide a broad carbohydrate spectrum and are only discreetly flavoured, which makes them optimally tolerated.

Practical implementation
In practice, it is rarely possible to carry your own drinks during a marathon. Organizers rarely make an individual catering zone available, as it is known in professional sport. For this reason, we recommend carrying some LIQUID ENERGY GELS (attached to the running belt) in order to standardise energy and electrolyte absorption. As a rule of thumb: 1- 1.5 LIQUID ENERGY gel tubes or 60 to 80 g carbohydrates distributed over one hour. Ingest the major part preferably shortly before arriving at the refreshment stand in order to cover the concomitant fluid requirements with water.
The choice of gels (LIQUID ENERGY PLUS, BCAA, PURE, or SALTY) is individual and can be varied at preference. The LIQUID ENERGY SALTY gel is a good change in heat - not least from a taste point of view. It contains more salt, tastes spicy-salty and less sweet. With increasing competition duration, high temperatures and a tendency to cramp, we recommend the use of SALT CAPS as an additional electrolyte source (approx. 1-2 caps per hour).

Performance Optimizer
If you tend to cramp with increasing competition duration or in general, you can use the MUSCLE RELAX shot as a remedy. The pickle juice-like, sour-sharp drinking solution activates neurosensory receptors and helps to normalise muscle function.

AFTER COMPETITION

Fast regeneration pays off
The regeneration phase begins immediately after the finish line and is particularly decisive. The faster, the better for the body, even if there is usually no feeling of hunger at this point.

The following three factors are central to your rapid regeneration:

• Replenishment of glycogen stores through easily digestible carbohydrates.
• Rehydration with fluid and electrolytes.
• Restoration/repair of the muscles with protein.

Elite athletes consume a professional regeneration drink with a protein content of approx. 20 to 30 g within 30 minutes after passing the finish line in order to cover all important elements easily and efficiently. PRO RECOVERY, RECOVERY SHAKE or WHEY ISOLATE 94 are used most frequently. The RECOVERY DRINK (combined with a flask AMINO 12500) has also proven itself in practice thanks to its practical portion size.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences FH
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

Nutrition tips Swiss Epic

Which nutrition strategy is recommended for Swiss Epic?

On a multi-day event like the Swiss Epic, certain conditions that influence nutrition change almost daily. Factors such as weather, acclimatisation, training status, body weight and individual biological variability are too varied to permit universally binding nutritional recommendations. In addition, the diet must be adapted to the objective: Is it about winning or is it simply about comfortably finishing? And, last but not least, the general conditions and catering options on site must also be incorporated into the nutrition strategy. For these reasons, it is not possible to provide generally valid nutrition rules in quantity and order for the Swiss Epic mountain bike race or similar long-distance endurance events.

Of course, there are certain basic rules and measures that remain roughly the same. One conceivable nutrition strategy could be the following:

Before the start
• The two days before the competition: Carbo loading with CARBO LOADER, 4 x 1 portion per day each
• 3 to 4 hours before the start: POWER PORRIDGE, portion size according to your own feeling of satiety.
• Up to 1 hour before the start: LONG ENERGY sports drink and one / a few bites of HIGH ENERGY BAR, depending on the individual feeling of hunger and thirst, also depending on whether you are able to eat at all at this moment.

During competition
• Drink sufficiently, adapted to the situation and according to your feeling of thirst. Recommended drink is the mildly flavoured, acid-free LONG ENERGY sports drink.
• During competition it is recommended that you take some easily digestible solid food every 3 to 5 hours. However, this must be tested under similar conditions beforehand! For example, half a bar, but also a few bites of white bread or a ripe banana are useful to maintain gastrointestinal activity. To a certain extent, the ULTRA PRO drink can also be taken instead during long periods of endurance activities (1 sachet every 3 to 4 hours). This may already be sufficient for one-day events.
• For competitions lasting several days, something «solid» between the teeth is highly recommended, as solid food supports digestion. What and how much varies from person to person. A few easily digestible bites (white bread, banana, pretzels, energy bars, or similar) every few hours are enough, the rest can be taken in liquid form.
• If warm food (such as pasta, boiled potatoes, rice, etc.) is offered on site, make sure you try to use it. Also POWER PORRIDGE would be a valuable warm catering, if the possibility exists.
• Our OAT PACKs are recommended as very long satiating bars. These are based on oats and contain nuts, which increase the total energy content, but also puts a little more strain on the digestion. In contrast to the HIGH ENERGY BAR, OAT PACKs are also suitable for competitions in the cold because they are not as hard as the finely ground HIGH ENERGY BARs. However, the HIGH ENERGY BAR is the ideal solution for one-day competitions.
• If performance drops and/or tiredness occur, LIQUID ENERGY gels with caffeine are recommended (approx. ½ tube or 1 sachet, followed by some gulps of water or sports drink). An ampoule of ACTIVATOR with caffeine can also help in this situation; the caffeine's effect lasting about 2-4 hours.
• Especially during long competitions, the LIQUID ENERGY SALTY is very well received. This energy gel contains more salt and tastes sweet and salty, thereby offering a welcomed taste alternative.
• En route, it is important to estimate the situational needs correctly. In the case of cold/weakness, it is advisable to consume more carbohydrates in the form of gels or sports drinks. If stomach problems become noticeable, suitable solid food, oat bars or white bread should be eaten. Pure water is not recommended if diarrhoea occurs! In such a case it is advisable to eat and drink salty.
• Most important during very long events is keeping enough flexibility and listen to one's own desires. Experience has shown that even the most popular drinks/foods can quickly put you off if exertion lasts for several days.
• Furthermore, particularly with events lasting several days and high intake of (usually) carbohydrate-rich sports food, a sudden appetite for salt, protein and fat appears. This usually happens at a stage when the body has already reduced exercise intensity (partly from exhaustion) and can therefore tolerate such food. In this situation one can tolerate a lot of «normal» food in a reasonable amount: dried meat, sausages, chips, nuts, cheese or whatever else the organizer offers. However, fatty foods are of course unsuitable for daytime events and for strictly performance-oriented goals. During long exercise bouts and low intensities, however, one should and may listen to one's body desires, even if a food may be somewhat more difficult/slower to digest. Specific hunger for a certain food is usually a good indicator that it also can be tolerated.

Recovery after competition
• For occasions where you do not want to take too many different products with you, it is a good idea to use the ULTRA PRO as a regeneration drink. Also conceivable: LONG ENERGY Berry in double concentration (60-80 g + approx. 500 ml water). Like this, there is no need for additional recovery products. It is recommended to drink a portion within 30 minutes after finish arrival and possibly a second one, if there is no main meal within 90 minutes.
• On multi-day events, it makes sense to take another portion of CARBO LOADER or a portion of ULTRA PRO before going to bed in order to start the next day with energy stores refilled.

Rough nutrient dosage guideline

Carbohydrates
Approx. 60-80 grams per hour, during long-term endurance up to slightly more than 100 g/h can be absorbed and metabolised.

Liquid
Depends on and varies strongly according to the situation, 0.4 to 1 litres per hour advised. Note: with drinking volume also the ingested energy content changes, which has to be considered with the intake of other energy sources accordingly.

Protein
Basically not necessary, but some studies point to an increase in performance and recovery if protein is already taken during performance. Approx. 20 g protein every 3 to 4 hours for events lasting 6 to 8 hours or longer. Ideal for this: ULTRA PRO or AMINO 12500. The ULTRA PRO drink can be considered an alternative to solid food, but must be prepared with water immediately before consumption and cannot be mixed several hours in advance. On shorter occasions it is easier to add/take some protein directly in the sports drink or swallow capsules/tablets such as AMINO EAC or BCAA.

Fat
Fat intake only plays a role at endurance duration beyond approx. 10 hours, when performance intensity is very low and fat can be digested. It can be neglected and should not intentionally used in a one-day event as it may quickly act negatively, if exercise intensity becomes too high.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ