All activity requires energy, which the body gains through food. Endurance exercise expends a tremendous amount of calories, presenting an increased need to restore the body's energy supplies. Aerobic endurance athletes, such as swimmers, cyclists and triathletes, consistently register the highest average caloric needs of any sport, requiring as many as 6,000 calories a day.
Total Calories
The average, moderately active adult needs about 17 calories per pound of body weight each day. Most athletes need about 19 calories per pound of body weight. Endurance athletes, on the other hand, need as many as 23 calories per pound of body weight. A 150-lb. runner would then need about 3,450 calories each day. Your caloric needs may be even higher if you are trying to gain weight or are preparing for a competition.
Carbohydrate Calories
Carbs play a special role in the aerobic endurance athlete's diet because of this nutrient's ability to provide energy and restore depleted glycogen in the muscles. Aerobic endurance athletes who train for 90 minutes or more each day should strive to consume as many as 3.5 to 4.5 g of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. This equates to about 2,100 to 2,700 calories from carbohydrates each day for a 150-lb. athlete.
Protein Calories
Aerobic endurance athletes also face increased protein requirements because of this nutrient's ability to fuel muscle contraction and build new muscle tissue. Aerobic endurance athletes need as much as twice the amount of protein as the average adult, and should strive to consume about .7 g per pound of body weight each day. This amounts to just over 400 calories of protein a day for a 150-lb. athlete.
Fat Calories
Fat is a significant source of energy and there is little cardiovascular risk associated with a diet too high in fat for endurance athletes. Diets composed of as much as 35 to 50 percent fat have been found to enhance endurance performance. Endurance athletes should strive to consume about 35 percent of their calories from fat. This equals a little more than 1,200 calories of this nutrient each day for a 150-lb. athlete.
Water, Vitamins And Minerals
While water, vitamins and minerals do not provide calories, endurance athletes need to consume more of these substances than the average adult. Endurance athletes who experience profuse sweating on a daily basis need as much as three to four gallons of water each day to replace fluids. A diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables can help you achieve all the vitamins and minerals you need, and you should pay special attention to consuming plenty of vitamin C, all the B vitamins and the minerals iron and calcium.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle (editors); 2008
- "Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- ExRx.net: Protein
- "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise"; Effect of Dietary Fat on Metabolic Adjustments to Maximal VO2 and Endurance in Runners; D.M. Muoio, J.J. Leddy, P.J. Horvath, A.B. Awad and D.R. Pendergast; January 1994
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