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But there’s no one-size-fits all solution for every endurance athlete, or even every workout beyond these concepts—that’s because the intensity and duration of your workout is a key factor in determining what your body needs to perform at your best.
What works for a low intensity, long duration workout won’t be the ideal fueling strategy for a high intensity, shorter duration workout; beyond this, your own personal constitution will further dictate your choices. To help you find a constructive starting point to build your pre-workout fueling strategy, here are three basic levels and some guidelines to work with:*
Extended duration activity lasting longer than three hours requires a different balance of fuel altogether. You’ll want to train your body to use fat as fuel, so you won’t burn through your stored carbohydrate (in the form of muscle glycogen) as quickly. If you’ve trained well for these longer duration workouts, your body should be burning up to 70% fat for energy, relying far less on pre-workout and stored carbs. (You’ll still need carbs for fuel, but the carbs you use for these long duration workouts will be ones you consume along the way—not before you go).
Example workouts: Long hikes or walks; half Ironman and Ironman; long bike rides; adventure races; full days of physically demanding work
If your workout lasts between one and three hours, and you’re working at a lower intensity than level one (but still pushing yourself), your body can use a broader spectrum of macronutrients comfortably. You’ll still want carbs to make up about 60% of your pre-workout fuel, but a little fat and protein can help extend the burn-time of that fuel so you can go further. The less strenuous the activity (long hikes, endurance cycling), the more flexibility you have to play with this ratio, up to a 3:1:1 split of carbs-to-protein-to-fat.
Example workouts: half marathon or marathon; power hiking; intense cycling;
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Usually, these workouts are an hour or less. The more intense your workout, the more important it is that what you eat before you begin be digestible, otherwise you risk causing unnecessary digestive stress, which will slow you down. Simple carbohydrates—found in foods like dates (which are an excellent source of instant-energy glucose)—should make up about 90% of your preworkout meal, because that’s what your body will burn during this type of workout.
Example workouts: 5 to 10K/3 to 6 mile run; soccer, hockey, or basketball; dance
Protein 10%
5% 3%
7%
35%
Fat 70%
90%
60%
Carbohydrates 20%
* Adapted from Thrive: the Vegan Nutrition Guide/The Thrive Diet (Da Capo Press (US)/Penguin (Canada) thriveforward.com

MAKE FOR PRE-WORKOUT
Recipe makes 1 servings | Takes 40 minutes to prepare
Quality fats give our bodies energy. Coconut oil and the omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts and seeds fuel our bodies from the inside out and keep our minds sharp for the demands of day-today life. Coconut oil contains a medium chain triglyceride that is easily digested prior to exercise
(similar to a carbohydrate), but sustains energy well, due it to being a fatty acid.
W H AT TO U S E
1½ cup butternut squash, peeled and cube
1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
¾ tsp salt
1 tbsp raw pecans, chopped
1 tbsp raw pistachios, chopped
¼ tsp dried chili flakes
H O W TO U S E I T
1
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2
Bring a pot of water to boil, add the butternut squash cubes and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
3
Meanwhile, combine ¾ Tbsp of coconut oil with the cumin, chives and ¼ tsp ofsalt. Toss immediately with the butternut squash. Place the mixture in an oven safe dish.
4
In a bowl, combine the pecan, pistachios, red chili flakes, ½ tsp of salt and the remaining 1/4 Tbsp of coconut oil. Sprinkle the mixture over the butternut squash.
5
Bake for
25 minutes.
6
Serve hot if possible, and aim to consume 1 – 2 hours before workout.
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MAKE FOR PRE-WORKOUT
Recipe makes 8 servings (8 bars) | Takes 2.5 hours to prepare
Healthy, on-the-go bars can be hard to find as most varieties are packed with unhealthy oils, whey protein, and other compromising additives. These coconut bars are great in bar form or rolled into energy bites (one-inch bite-sized balls) and are great for throwing in your bag to snack on throughout the day or enjoy before a moderate intensity workout.
W H AT TO U S E
½ cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup raw cashews
¼ cup raw almonds
½ cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
H O W TO U S E I T
1
Add the dates, cashews and almonds to the base of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade.
2
Pulse until the dates and nuts form a sticky crumb.
3
Add the coconut and pulse to combine.
4
Remove from the food processor and combine mixture into a large ball.
5
Place ball between two sheets of parchment paper and press down to form a rectangle half-inch thick.
6
Cover and place in the fridge to harden for about two hours.
7
Remove and slice into eight bars.
8
Wrap individual bars in plastic or parchment paper, store in fridge.
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MAKE FOR PRE-WORKOUT
Looking for the perfect pre workout snack that is loaded with healthy, energy filled carbohydrates and anti-inflammatory ingredients? This is a nice change to spice up your daily routine and add a little something different. Containing a combination of carbohydrate forms, this mini meal is ideal for an hour prior to higher intensity exercise or training workouts. Serve with celery and cucumber sticks, apple or pear slices, and baked or dehydrated root vegetable chips.
W H AT TO U S E
2 medium yams
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Sprinkle of Sea Salt
1 inch piece fresh ginger
1 inch piece fresh turmeric
1 orange, juiced
¼ lemon, juiced
Raw pumpkin and sunflower seeds
H O W TO U S E I T
1
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2
Peel and cut yams into one-inch cubes and place in an oven safe dish. Mix with coconut oil and season with sea salt.
Cook for 20-25 minutes or until yams are soft.
3
While yams are in the oven, peel and finely grate the ginger and turmeric (if you can’t find fresh turmeric, powdered will do).
4
Squeeze the juice from the orange and the lemon into a small bowl.
5
When yams are cooked, add the turmeric, ginger and the orange and lemon juices
6
When the yams have slightly cooled, put them in a food processor or blender and mix until completely smooth.
7
Serve garnished with pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds.
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Thrive Foods, Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide, and Thrive Fitness
(In Canada: Whole Foods to Thrive, Thrive Diet, and Thrive Fitness)
USA: Da Capo Press | Canada: Pengiun