Why Your Fuel Matters: Looking Beyond The Quick Fix
by guest writer, Lara Giusti, the Head Chef and Co-Founder of Veloforte
In the pursuit of performance, athletes often obsess over the details. We analyse training data, sleep, kit, race plans and recovery metrics, all in the hope of finding marginal gains. But one of the most important performance tools is often the simplest: fuel.
Fueling is not separate from training; it's part of training. The right fuel at the right time supports not just performance on the day but recovery, hormones, energy availability, mood, immunity, bone health and long-term wellbeing.
From a REDs perspective, this matters hugely. Low energy availability does not always come from obvious restriction. It can also come from long gaps between meals, under-fueling around training, delayed recovery nutrition, busy schedules, or relying on quick fixes instead of a consistent fueling foundation.
Sports nutrition has a place
Sports gels, bars, chews and drinks can be incredibly useful. During long sessions, races, travel days or busy training blocks, convenient and fast-acting fuel can help athletes meet their energy needs when whole foods are not practical.
For many athletes, sports nutrition can be the difference between fueling adequately and not fueling enough.
So the question is not whether sports nutrition is “good” or “bad”. The better question is: Does your overall fueling strategy support you consistently?"
That includes what you eat during training, but also what happens before and after. Are you starting sessions with enough energy available? Are you recovering properly afterwards? Are you eating regularly across the day? Are you meeting your needs, not just surviving the session?
The bigger REDs picture
You can technically eat “enough” across 24 hours and still spend long periods under-fuelled.
Within-day deficits
For example, an athlete might complete a morning session with little or no breakfast, delay recovery fuel, then eat more later in the day. On paper, total intake might look adequate. But for several key hours, the body may not have had enough energy available to support training, recovery, hormones and normal physiological function.
So fueling well is not just about avoiding a mid-session crash but about giving the whole athlete enough energy to function, adapt and stay healthy.
The shift towards ultra-processed fuel
Most sports gels and bars aren’t really ‘food’ in the traditional sense. They’re built using ultra- processed food (UPF) ingredients, designed for long shelf life, specific textures, and low cost. UPFs like maltodextrin, a fast-digesting carbohydrate are considered safe and can provide quick energy, but they’re designed for convenience and storage, not necessarily for long-term health or how our bodies naturally like to fuel.
Gut comfort matters
Many athletes experience gut symptoms during training or racing. Sometimes this is linked to intensity, nerves, dehydration, heat, or simply not having practised a fueling strategy enough.
Some athletes tolerate certain gels, bars or drinks really well. Others find that particular products, ingredients or textures just don't sit comfortably, especially when used repeatedly or under race-day stress. So it pays to pay attention to what your body tolerates.
If your fueling regularly causes bloating, cramping, nausea, urgency or discomfort, it may make it harder to eat enough, recover well and stay consistent. For athletes at risk of REDs, this can become a difficult cycle: under-fueling can affect digestion, poor digestion can make fueling feel harder, and reduced intake can further compromise recovery and health.
A good fueling strategy should be effective, practical and tolerable.
Energy highs and lows
Some sports fuels are designed to be absorbed very quickly, which can lead to sharp rises and drops in blood sugar. For some athletes, this can feel like an energy rollercoaster, especially if fueling isn’t consistent. This is where the day’s overall pattern matters.
Common under-fueling habits
Common under-fueling habits include: - Training fasted when it is not appropriate - Skipping breakfast before morning sessions - Delaying recovery food - Missing snacks between training and meal - Relying on caffeine instead of food! - Saving most food for the evening - Assuming hunger is the only sign of need
Energy availability is not just about what you eat at dinner but about whether your body has enough energy available when it needs it.
Recovery is fuel-dependent
Training provides the stimulus. Adaptation happens in recovery. But recovery requires energy!
Carbohydrate helps restore glycogen, protein supports muscle repair and fats support hormones and overall health. Micronutrients support everything from bone formation to immunity and overall energy availability allows the body to prioritise adaptation, rather than simply coping.
When athletes under-fuel, the body has to make choices. It may downregulate processes that are not immediately essential for survival, including reproductive function, bone turnover, immune function and aspects of metabolism.
That is why recovery nutrition is not an optional extra. It is part of the training process."
Feed your brain too
We often forget that the brain is the primary consumer of glucose during exercise. Artificial sweeteners, colours and flavours have been linked to cognitive "fuzziness" and mood swings. Some athletes find that simpler, more familiar foods sit better both physically and mentally, helping them feel more stable and clear during training or racing.
Low energy availability can also affect concentration, mood, motivation, and decision-making. So when we talk about fueling well, we are not just talking about muscles. We are talking about the brain, hormones, bones, immunity, and the whole athlete.
A food first approach (which does not mean food only!)
A food-first approach means building a foundation of regular, adequate, varied and enjoyable meals and snacks. That might include foods such as oats, toast, rice, pasta, potatoes, yoghurt, fruit, dried fruit, nuts, nut butter, eggs, fish, meat, tofu, beans, baked goods, smoothies and whatever else helps an athlete meet their needs.
The key point is that fueling should work with your body, not against it. What that looks like will vary between athletes, but finding a strategy that supports energy, recovery, and consistency over time is what matters most.
Food first does not mean food-only. It means building a fueling foundation that is regular, adequate, varied, and practical, then using sports nutrition intelligently where it helps. For some athletes, a banana and yoghurt might work before training. For others, a bar is more realistic. During a long ride or run, gels or chews may be the most practical option. After training, a smoothie, sandwich, recovery drink or proper meal could all do the job.
The best option is the one that helps the athlete fuel enough, tolerate it well, and stay consistent.
The bigger picture
Performance is built over time. While quick fixes can have a place, long-term progress depends on fueling strategies you can rely on day after day. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s finding an approach that supports both performance and health, so you can keep showing up and getting the most from your training.
Ultimately, the best fueling strategy is one that helps athletes train, recover, adapt, and stay healthy. Because the goal is not just to perform today, but to protect the body that makes performance possible.
Your fuel matters because you matter. The goal is not perfection, and it is not about avoiding sports nutrition altogether. It is about choosing fuelling strategies that support your body, your training and your long-term health, so you can keep showing up, recovering well and seeing how far you can go."
