Preparing for UTTN, by Guillaume Klein

You are about to embark on your new sports season by participating in one of the events of the Ultra Trail Tour Nancy on June 4 and 5, 2022.

Step 1

Alongside training, nutrition is a fundamental part of the performance pyramid, and above all, it is the foundation of daily eating habits that will best prepare the body, particularly for long-endurance events.

Here are 10 tips for a healthy diet and lifestyle:

The objectives:

• Regulate energy levels and satiety.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Have a strong and resilient immune system.

A basic rule:

Eat raw, unprocessed foods, mostly sourced from organic and local agriculture.

“Taking care of your diet is something you do every day and over the long term; it is not a diet but a healthy lifestyle”

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Tip No. 1

Eat plenty of varied vegetables and a reasonable amount of fruit to get plenty of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, antioxidants, and fiber.

At every meal:

• A variety of seasonal vegetables (cabbage, green beans, Swiss chard, broccoli, spinach, fennel…), seasonal salads and raw vegetables (carrot, zucchini, cucumber, celery, beetroot, radish, endive…), fresh produce while avoiding canned foods, and favoring gentle steaming.
• Fresh seasonal fruit in appropriate amounts, 3 to 5 servings per day depending on physical activity, while avoiding fruit juices.

Tip No. 2

Consume high-quality carbohydrates in appropriate amounts to ensure balanced blood sugar levels, mainly around physical activity.

Carbohydrates to prioritize:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Dried fruits (apricots, figs, prunes…).
• Tubers (sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, parsnip…).
• Squashes (kabocha, butternut, pumpkin…).
• Whole or semi-whole grains and similar foods (brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, rolled oats…).
• Whole-grain bread (sourdough, wholemeal, multigrain, seeded…).

Carbohydrates to avoid:

• Refined grains (white rice, pasta, white bread…).
• White sugar.
• Fruit juices, sodas, energy drinks…
• Cakes, biscuits, pastries, viennoiseries…
• Dessert yogurt, dessert cream, ice cream…
• Puffed breakfast cereals.
• Industrial chocolate spread.
• Chips, savory snacks…
• Chocolate bars…

Tip No. 3

Ensure an adequate intake of varied, high-quality proteins to maintain muscle mass, while increasing the proportion of plant-based proteins.

• Animal proteins: meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products.
• Plant proteins: cereals and similar foods, legumes, seaweed, oilseeds, nuts, seeds, fruit, dried fruit, mushrooms…

“Limit your consumption of red meat and dairy products, and avoid processed meats”

Advice N°4

Add essential omega-3 fatty acids to optimize the body’s overall functioning (vegetable oils for seasoning such as rapeseed, walnut, camelina, flaxseed, hemp…; walnuts; flax, hemp, chia seeds…; fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon…).

Every day:

• At least 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin omega-3 oil (rapeseed, flaxseed, walnut, camelina…) from a first cold pressing, raw, as a dressing on food.
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of seeds (ground flaxseed, hemp, chia…) per meal.
• At least 30 to 60 g of a mixture of walnuts and almonds.

2 to 3 times a week:

• Fatty fish, preferably fresh or canned in glass jars, with a preference for sardines, mackerel, and anchovies, which contain fewer heavy metals than salmon or tuna.

To limit:

• Fatty meats (processed meats, fatty beef, pork, mutton, lamb…).
• Dairy and industrial fats (butter, margarine, fatty cheese, cream…).
• Processed foods (prepared meals, industrial pizzas, chips, cakes, biscuits, pastries, sweet spreads…).

Advice N°5

Avoid excess dairy products, which can cause inflammatory reactions in the intestines.

“Choose quality goat’s or sheep’s dairy products”

Advice N°6

Favor the consumption of gluten-free cereals and similar foods (rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, gluten-free oats, buckwheat, teff, fonio, sorghum…) while limiting foods containing gluten.

“Gluten (wheat, spelt, einkorn, kamut, barley, rye, oats…) is found in many food preparations: bread, pasta, cakes, pastries, pizzas, prepared meals, beer, sauces, dessert cream, chicory…”

Advice N°7

Load up on dietary probiotics and prebiotics to provide beneficial bacteria to the gut microbiota and strengthen immunity.

• Lacto-fermented vegetables, lacto-fermented cheeses and yogurts, olives, pickles, brewer’s yeast, miso soup, sourdough bread, onion, garlic, shallot, leek, kefir, kombucha…

Advice N°8

Chew food thoroughly and take your time over meals in a calm environment.

Advice N°9

Allow digestive rest periods by avoiding regular meals and snacking.

Advice No. 10

Ensure good hydration throughout the day with low-mineral-content water (low dry residue at 180°C), and around exercise, drink water richer in minerals.

Step 2

How can you best manage your nutrition during a long-endurance effort?

The objectives:

• Optimize the body’s functioning
• Promote digestive comfort during exercise

An individual strategy:

It is essential to provide the body with the right fuel because, just like a car, it powers our engine.
There are common rules for optimizing nutrition during a long-endurance effort as much as possible; however, each person has their own way of functioning.

Factors to consider when adjusting the organization and composition of the diet:

• The type and intensity level of the sporting activity
• Individual digestive tolerance and sensitivity
• Personal feelings, tastes, and cravings

A rule to follow when choosing energy sources:

• Healthy products with ingredients that are as simple and natural as possible

The different energy substrates:

• Energy bar
  • Suitable for long efforts, it is absorbed more slowly by the body and can contain a worthwhile amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
  • Consume products containing natural ingredients, with unrefined sugars with a moderate glycemic index, protein, fatty acids, and also vitamins and minerals.
• Energy gel
  • Very high in carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, it is quickly absorbed by the body, but during a long effort this is more of a disadvantage.
  • Indeed, it can cause blood sugar spikes, provides very few vitamins and minerals, and its acidity often causes digestive problems.
  • It is better suited to a short event that requires a faster supply of available sugars; however, it can be used occasionally during a long effort in the event of a major drop in energy or at the end of the event.
  • For proper absorption, the energy gel must be taken with water.
• Sports drink
  • It should be isotonic, meaning it has the same concentration as blood, to allow better absorption and prevent digestive problems and dehydration.
  • It should contain quality carbohydrates to provide the body with a regular, gradual supply of sugars.
  • A reasonable amount of unrefined sugars per serving, around 30g to 40g of carbohydrates per 500ml, is more than sufficient.
  • Vitamins and minerals to optimize hydration and carbohydrate utilization, support muscle function, combat the body’s acidity, and compensate for losses through sweat.
• Race and personal refreshments
  • Race and personal refreshments help break the monotony of gels, bars, and energy drinks.
  • During long efforts, it is recommended to consume savory foods and various preparations to provide a “meal snack” and supply the body with different sources of protein, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids (sandwich, sweet potato purée, rice, fruit, dark chocolate, nuts, dried fruit…).
• Proteins and BCAA
  • BCAA intake becomes worthwhile during prolonged exercise to compensate for insufficient protein consumption, providing an easily absorbed nutritional supplement.
  • This intake of branched-chain amino acids—Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine—supplements the protein consumed through food during exercise.
  • For athletes wishing to optimize their endurance, they help preserve carbohydrate stores and delay muscle and central nervous system fatigue.
  • A minimum intake of 1 g of BCAA 2.1.1 per hour of exercise (50% Leucine + 25% Isoleucine + 25% Valine).

In practice, how should you organize your energy strategy?

• Aim for approximately 30 to 90 g of carbohydrates per hour (exercise drink plus food intake), depending on requirements, individual tolerance, the intensity, and the nature of the exercise.
• Prioritize energy products with low- to moderate-glycemic-index sugars to avoid blood sugar spikes and provide a gradual supply of energy.
  Preferably, choose an energy bar that is higher in protein and essential fatty acids, and lower in carbohydrates.
• Take food at regular intervals (approximately every 20 to 30 minutes) to help regulate blood sugar levels.
• Toward the end of exercise, it is possible to consume carbohydrates with a higher glycemic index that are easily absorbed, partly to address glycogen depletion and maintain alertness, concentration, and performance until the end of exercise, and partly to minimize the body’s digestive workload.
  Indeed, digestion slows during exercise to optimize muscle and cardiac function.
• Regularly vary your energy intake with savory foods and homemade preparations to break the monotony of gels, bars, and energy drinks.
• Ensure good hydration throughout the exercise to compensate for losses caused by sweating and facilitate the absorption of the carbohydrates consumed.
  Alternate water and an energy drink in small, frequent sips, at a rate of 300 to 500 ml per hour depending on weather conditions and individual needs.

For an average intake of approximately 60 g of carbohydrates per hour of exercise:

• 1 energy bar + an energy drink containing 40 g of carbohydrates
• ¾ of a banana + an energy drink containing 40 g of carbohydrates
• 1 energy gel, 20 g + an energy drink containing 40 g of carbohydrates
• 30 g of dates + an energy drink containing 40 g of carbohydrates

 Beware of consuming too many carbohydrates:

Total food intake should remain within a certain range (30 to 90 g of carbohydrates per hour of exercise) to avoid overloading the body with too much carbohydrate, which would not be absorbed and could cause gastric problems or dehydration.

 Test during training:

It is important to train the gut to receive food during exercise, so you can test digestive tolerance and determine the amount of energy needed to fully optimize performance factors.

CONCLUSION

These explanations provide a general framework for managing energy intake during prolonged endurance exercise.
However, it is necessary to tailor it specifically to each person’s way of functioning in order to benefit from its positive effects on energy efficiency and digestive comfort.

Step 3

How should you manage the final week before the competition?

 

The objectives:

• Maximize energy storage in the form of glycogen (the body’s sugar stores)
• Promote digestive comfort and avoid gastric problems during exercise

Example of a pre-competition protocol:

 

 

1. Reduce daily carbohydrate intake (rice, pasta, quinoa, couscous, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread, oats, etc.) by one-third during the first 3 days of the week preceding the competition.
2. Do a short fasted workout on D-3 to take advantage of the metabolic window after exercise, having a breakfast richer in carbohydrates to begin the carbohydrate supercompensation phase and best support the replenishment of the new glycogen stores.
3. Increase daily carbohydrate intake (rice, pasta, quinoa, couscous, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread, oats, etc.) by one-third on D-3 and D-2.
4. During the last 3 days, reduce or eliminate according to individual sensitivity: foods rich in fiber (certain vegetables and fruits, certain raw vegetables, whole grains, whole-grain bread, legumes…); low-quality fats; spicy dishes; alcohol; coffee because of its stimulant and diuretic effect; foods rich in wheat gluten (bread, pasta, cakes, pastries, pizzas, prepared meals, beer, sauces, dessert creams, chicory…) while prioritizing gluten-free cereals and similar foods (rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, gluten-free oats, buckwheat, teff, fonio, sorghum…).
5. On the day before the event, do not overload the body; the reserves are already built up, so simply maintain a reasonable, usual food intake to avoid placing significant demands on the digestive system.
6. Throughout the week, make sure to stay sufficiently hydrated to promote sugar storage, as well as the proper circulation and transport of all the
   substances necessary for the proper functioning of the body (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, nutrients…).
   Also ensure a sufficient intake of protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements throughout the week.

Conclusion

This protocol provides a general framework to follow nutritionally during the week preceding the competition.

However, it is necessary to individualize it so that it can be specifically adapted to each person's way of functioning, as well as to the start time, nature, and intensity of the event.

Step 4

The final step is knowing how to avoid mistakes with your pre-race breakfast.

“Energy and digestion objective”

Competitions generally start in the morning, so breakfast will be the last meal.

The purpose of this breakfast is to provide the body with fuel to maintain energy reserves while promoting digestive comfort during exercise.

The reserves are already built up, so it is preferable to avoid overloading yourself with this last meal.

 

 Rules to follow:

→ Timing of intake

Food should be consumed at least 1.5 to 2 hours before the start of the event, to allow sufficient time for digestion.

• On the one hand, to guard against possible gastric discomfort.
• On the other hand, so that the blood is used for muscle function rather than the digestive organs at the start of the race.

→ Foods to avoid

• Fiber-rich foods (certain raw fruits, whole grains, whole-grain bread…) especially for people with intestinal sensitivity.
• An excess of fats, animal-based proteins, and dairy products, some of which require a longer digestion time and may cause digestive problems.
• Foods rich in wheat gluten and industrially prepared products (bread, cakes, pastries, sweet pastries, etc.), in order to limit potential inflammation in the intestines.

→ Foods to prioritize

• Foods rich in vitamins and minerals to prevent losses related to exertion.
• High-quality carbohydrates with a low to moderate glycemic index in reasonable amounts, to avoid insulin spikes and control blood sugar levels.
• Adequate amounts of high-quality protein and fats, primarily plant-based to facilitate digestion.

→ Test in advance

During training phases, it is essential to test and validate the nutrition strategy to be implemented for this final meal.

 An example of a pre-race “Muesli” breakfast:

Prepare and mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

• 50 g of gluten-free rolled oats.
• One ripe banana, sliced.
• 30 g of a mixture of nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts).
• 30 g of raisins.
• 20 g of organic hemp-based plant protein.
• 1 plain unsweetened soy yogurt.
• 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder.
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Quantities should be individualized according to each person's profile and individual needs.

To accompany this final meal, a hot drink such as an herbal infusion or tea is preferable to coffee, which can cause digestive problems in some people.

 Additional information:

Between the end of breakfast and the start of the event, consuming a waiting ration is not necessary; simply stay well hydrated with water.

However, stress can disrupt blood sugar levels.

For people prone to this issue, it is possible to use a waiting drink enriched with high-quality maltodextrin with a low dextrose equivalent (for example, cassava maltodextrin), and/or have a small, easily digestible carbohydrate-rich snack (for example, fruit purée with no added sugar) approximately 30 minutes before the start.

CONCLUSION

These explanations provide a general framework for nutritional planning for the pre-race breakfast.

However, it is necessary to individualize it so that it can be specifically adapted to each person's way of functioning, as well as to the start time, nature, and intensity of the event.

A healthy, sport-friendly snack

A meal that is an integral part of the organization and structure of all the day's meals.

The objectives:

 Distribute daily calorie intake.
 Have an energy intake suited to your needs before or after training.
 Avoid possible hunger pangs, snacking, and sweet cravings.

As with other meals, this food intake should be nutritionally balanced in order to provide a gradual energy supply while promoting digestive comfort.

In practice:

 A serving of fresh seasonal fruit and/or dried fruit to stock up on vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and antioxidants, and to balance the body’s acidity. Approximately 30 g of a mixture of nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts…) to provide quality proteins and fats, optimize the body’s overall functioning, and regulate satiety.
2 squares of dark chocolate containing at least 70% cocoa to enjoy a natural stimulant and obtain magnesium and antioxidants.

For this snack, avoid consuming high-glycemic-index and processed products as much as possible (chocolate bars, cakes, pastries, fruit juices, sodas, energy drinks…).

CONCLUSION

These explanations provide a general framework for implementing a healthy, sports-oriented snack from a nutritional perspective.
However, it is necessary to individualize it in order to adapt it specifically to each person’s way of functioning.

This content was published by our Ambassador Guillaume Klein (Personal Coach, Sports and Health Nutrition Expert / Ultra-Endurance Specialist)

• Nutriformation graduate, specializing in micronutrition and nutritional therapy
• Trained in sports nutrition by the Evonutri Academy of Positive Nutrition
• Ultra-trail coach trained by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Athletics League
• Sports dietitian and nutritionist for FC Metz’s professional team (since 2018)
• Sports dietitian and nutritionist at FC Metz’s training center (since 2019)
• Creator of the EPIC® method

Passionate about sport and an ultra-endurance athlete in running and ultra-cycling, Guillaume has been able to experience firsthand the benefits of a natural, balanced diet suited to his actual needs, along with specific, adapted training. Guillaume values quality products that meet athletes’ nutritional needs while also offering the most natural composition possible from a health perspective.

You too can benefit from his advice and find all our products on this website

If you would like more information or advice, please do not hesitate to contact Guillaume via his website www.naturenergy.live.