An Endurance Athlete’s Survival Foods

Endurance Athletes Survival Foods

I started obstacle racing 2 years ago after wanting to be like Lara Croft, show reeling an impressive collection of action moves and having a body good enough to wear shorts as tiny as hers……. 2 years on, I still cannot pull stunts like she does, nor do I wear short shorts, I also have 2 major hiccups; my boobs aren’t big enough and my hair is short and blonde. Oh well, it was worth a try.

I am, however, fitter, faster, slimmer, leaner and healthier than I have ever been.

As I push my mind and body to the limit with each race and event, I am constantly searching for something bigger and better in order to push myself further.  My first race was 5k and now I take part in ‘death race’ style events that last over 40 hours, running through the countryside, sleep deprived and completely self-sufficient.

Superhero products to make you awesome.

Anyway, less about me, you want to hear about BULK POWDERS™ superhero products and how they can help you during training, events, races and day-to-day life.

I am a sucker for research and stats, and when doing my 12+ hour events, I am always on the hunt for foods that provide the most amount of clean calories versus weight and space, that are convenient to carry, easy to eat and tasty.

Here are my BULK POWDERS™ superhero survival products , whether you are climbing a mountain, running an ultra-marathon, trekking or even stuck in the car all day for work.  If these products are nearby, you won’t go hungry and you will stay fuelled with clean goodness.

Nut Butters

BULK POWDERS™ offer 9 types of nut butter!!! This is my idea of heaven!

Peanut Butter (both smooth and crunchy), Cashew Butter, Triple Nut Butter and Pistachio Butter are all 100% natural with no additives.  That’s 100% nuts for your money, unlike most nut butters available in the supermarkets which have added salt, sugar, palm oil and other nasty naughties.

Stats

Each 100g provides between 46 – 56g of fat,19 – 29g of protein and 564 – 616 calories.

These pots of delight can be eaten on anything, with anything and even straight out the tub. Favourite companions are oat cakes, apple, porridge and I have even encountered peanut butter and gherkins – I’ve got to admit, it worked for me!

5 more options of Nut Butters are Cinnamon Hazelnut Butter, Cinnamon Almond Butter, Vanilla Almond Butter, Dark Chocolate Almond Butter and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter. These are great for on the move as they contain ingredients that add flavour and interest and once again can be eaten from the pot – ESPECIALLY the Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter!!!! – think Nutella but healthier.

Suggestion

During my events, I spread a thick layer of nut butter on dried apple slices and pack them into small zip top food bags.  The bags are waterproof (ish) and when you are in need, you can just squeeze the apple slice into your mouth, with no need to touch the food if you have dirty hands – voila!

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds provide an extraordinary amount of calories in comparison to the amount of space they take up.

I use BULK POWDERS™ Whole Almonds, Whole Cashew Nuts, Whole Brazil Nuts, Walnut Halves, Whole Macadamia Nuts and Sunflower Seeds for a a mid morning snack. I also grind them down and add them to porridge and smoothies for extra calories, fat and protein.

Stats

Per 100g provide between 48 – 74g of fat, 9 – 21g pf protein and an astonishing 573 – 736 calories per 100g.

Suggestion

Pack these in a small zip top food bag during an event or adventure.  This way, once you have eaten them, you only have to carry the empty bag. I measure my bags into 60g portions so I know how much nutrition I am getting with each portion.

To add even more excitement to your nuts and seeds, add BULK POWDERS™ New Active Seasonings™.

Pop the nuts and seeds in a food bag + a pinch or two of Active Seasoning + fasten bag + shake = a party in your mouth!

Active Seasonings™ is available in Lemon & Herb, Garlic & Herb, Mixed Seasoning, Peri Peri, Tandoori and Smoke & Spice.

Fruits

I meet quite a few people that fuel their endurance events with energy gels, energy drinks and bars. After 12+ hours of fuelling this way, the tummy can become sensitive to high volumes of sugar and the tastebuds can dread the next sugary processed snack.

I find that by fuelling with whole foods, my blood sugar remains stable and I can enjoy my food (I alternate 2 savoury snacks with 1 sweet snack every 2/3 hours).

Dried Whole Apricots, Dried Cranberries and Dried Goji Berries are great as they are calorie and carbohydrate rich providing you with instant energy and a morale boost.

Stats

100g will provides between 51 – 82g of carbohydrates and 217 – 330 calories.

Suggestion

Eat dried fruit with a handful of nuts to stabilise blood sugar and sustain the fruit’s energy release for longer.

Foods

As a vegetarian, I have not tried these products, however I didn’t want to miss out those who would prefer to gnaw down on some meat.  Plus, having something savoury in your food survival kit will give you a much needed morale boost with an intake of salt.

The beauty of High Protein Biltong, Beef Jerky and Fish Jerky is that they are dehydrated and vacuum packed, which makes them easy and light to carry and being dried means they are preserved to ensure a long shelf life.

Stats

Each 100g provides between a whopping 58 – 80g of protein.

Suggestion

Rip that bad boy packet open and get eating!

These are also great for camping, added into scrambled eggs to add flavour and diversity.

Extra Backup Supplements

A small bag or tub of Green Tea Extract Powder and Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is never far away from me.

I use Green Tea Extract Powder every morning in hot water with lemon to kick start my day and my metabolism.  Being a powder, it gets straight into my system and also makes it easy to travel with.  In situations with no hot water, I have drunk it in cold water to give me a quick energy and antioxidant boost.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil has the highest calorie and fat content of most foods!  I have heard that some endurance athletes eat coconut oil straight from the tub with a spoon! I have yet to do this on an adventure, however I have done so at home.  Admittedly, it’s not the culinary delight you might hope for, but it does provide instant sustainable energy, enormous health benefits and is great in an ‘emergency’ to keep cravings and hunger at bay.

It is rich in lauric acid which is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral and can be used in many ways.

Stats

Per 100g provides 900 calories per 100g and 100g of fat!

Suggestion

Pop the coconut oil in a small zip top bag and use in emergencies if you run out of food or need instant energy to see you through the next leg of your event.  Using a food bag means it can be squeezed into your mouth with no spoon required.

It’s not quite the same as a delicious energy bar or energy drink but provides way more fuel and health benefits than anything else!

Whether you are a world adventurer or a 9 – 5 office worker, these foods will fuel your busy day, keep your body full of vitamins and minerals and provide you with enough energy to tackle any task thrown at you – whether it be climbing Mont Blanc or whizzing around on your office chair making your latest comedy Instagram video ; )

About the author:

Laura Try is an Obstacle Course Racer for Team Muddy Kit OCR.  She is in the planning process of an enormous endurance challenge that will be announced soon.  Follow her on Twitter @LTFactor.

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