Temps are dropping for my Midwest and Northeast clients, while many of my West Coast clients are heading to the slopes. That means it's time to chat about winter nutrition, so that you can stay well-fueled and hydrated and keep having fun wherever you choose to be active this season!
In this post, you'll learn how temperature and altitude affect your hydration and fueling needs. I'll also teach you four key strategies to keep you well-nourished and hydrated in winter conditions.
Want this info as a handy, 3-page PDF? Download my FREE winter nutrition guide!
Winter temps and altitude affect nutrition and hydration
Cold weather can increase risk of dehydration and underfueling during exercise, and high altitude (>8,000 ft) amplifies this risk further. These concerns apply to all active individuals, and particularly to endurance athletes given the duration of exercise.
Here's how this plays out:
Cooler temps reduce thirst, which may decrease fluid intake
If using sports drink, this can lead to lower carb/salt intake
You may struggle with logistical challenges, like nutrition freezing
This may lead to reduced intake of fluid, salts, and calories
Meanwhile, many things are going on to make your body lose MORE water
In the cold, blood flows away from the skin towards the center of the body to keep the organs warm, forcing the kidneys to filter more blood and make more urine (aka cold-induced diuresis).
At high-altitude, the kidneys react to drier air and control the thickness of your blood to carry oxygen, making more urine. With less oxygen available, your breathing becomes faster and shallower, leading to greater fluid loss.
Lastly, you still sweat in the cold, especially if bundled up.
Drier air causes sweat to evaporate faster, so you just may notice it less
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All of this means that you must individualize and practice cold and sport-specific fueling strategies so that you stay well-fueled and hydrated in the outdoors! Don't "wing it" this winter - come up with a plan so you can feel awesome and have fun doing what you do.
Four strategies to feel great this winter as an athlete
1. Start ALL sessions well-hydrated:
To estimate baseline daily hydration needs, take your body weight in pounds and divide by two to get number of ounces per day
Additionally, drink ~16-24oz if you have 2+ hours before exercise, or 8-16oz if you only have 1 hour before you start your session
If you're a heavy (sweat loss >1L/hr) and/or salty (sodium loss >1,000mg/L) sweater, consider pre-hydrating with sports drink or salty foods plus water before exercise
This is particularly important before long and/or hard sessions.
2. Fuel before ALL sessions, regardless of duration:
For exercise <60-75min:
Aim for ~30g carbs + 8-10g protein if you have 1-2hr before or >60g carbs as part of a balanced meal if you have 2-3 hr before
For exercise >60-75min:
60-90+g carbs + 8-10g protein if you have 1-3hr before you go, then take 20-30g carbs (e.g. a banana or gel) 10-15min before you start
Individualize your carb intake:
Consume 1-2g of carbs per kg of bodyweight as part of the recommendations above
3. Fuel/hydrate during longer sessions, even if not thirsty/hungry:
Do a sweat test in cold weather to individualize fluid goals during exercise.
Detailed instructions in this blog post
If you're not able to test, drink 12-28oz per hour for exercise >60min
For exercise lasting 1-3hr:
Aim for 30-60g/hr of carbs
For exercise >3hr:
Aim for 60-90g/hr carbs (plus 5-10g/hr protein for anything over 4-5 hours, and possibly some fat, as tolerated, )
Fuel/hydrate every 10-20min:
At altitude, it is especially important to take smaller sips and bites for better GI tolerance.
If GI issues occur, slow down but don't stop intake and slow your pace.
4. Don’t let your nutrition or hydration freeze:
Keep gels, chews, pouches, and bars close to your core
Instead of (or in addition to) the above sports products, try foods that are less likely to freeze (e.g. PB&J, waffle, cookies etc)
Carry sports drink instead of water, which has a lower freezing point
Higher calorie sports drinks may work better
Insulate your fluids (e.g. bladder under jacket, bottles in wool socks, insulated hose) and blow black into tube after drinking so it doesn't freeze up
Download my FREE Winter Nutrition Guide
For practical fueling examples with visuals as well as ALL of the above info in a handy three-page guide, download my FREE Winter Nutrition Guide! You will also be subscribed to my monthly newsletter, which contains practical nutrition tips, podcast highlights, nutrition Q&A, recipes, subscriber-only discounts, and more.
If you found this post helpful, my 7-part self-paced course Peak Performance for Endurance Athletes is now available and will teach you how to crush your health and athletic goals. Visit the course page to watch a free video preview and read detailed course FAQs.
Want more individualized nutrition support and/or additional resources?
Check out my 1:1 nutrition coaching and small-group coaching services
Book a free 10-min call to see if we're a good fit for 1:1 coaching
I also offer a library full of FREE nutrition resources and low-cost nutrition mini guides, and a podcast
Questions? Email me at claire@eatforendurance.com.
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