Nutrition for Exercise and Performance
What this domain tests
Nutrition for Exercise and Performance tests fueling before, during, and after training, hydration, carbohydrate and protein timing, and supplement caution. Questions often use an athlete’s body mass and session duration to test practical calculations.
Core rules
- Pre-exercise carbohydrate: roughly 1–4 g/kg 1–4 hours before training, depending on timing and tolerance.
- During exercise: about 30–60 g carbohydrate per hour for sessions over 60–90 minutes; up to 90 g/hour with multiple transportable carbohydrates for longer endurance events.
- Post-exercise: about 1–1.2 g/kg carbohydrate plus 0.3 g/kg protein to support glycogen and repair, especially when recovery is short.
- Protein: 1.2–2.0 g/kg/day for most active adults; distribute across meals.
- Hydration: about 5–7 ml/kg four hours before exercise; 400–800 ml/hour during exercise, adjusted for sweat rate; electrolytes matter for long or hot sessions.
- Supplements: assess safety, legality, and evidence; refer for medical clearance when needed.
Worked example
A 70 kg endurance athlete has a 2-hour event. Pre-event carbohydrate at 2 g/kg = 140 g, consumed 2–3 hours before. During the event, target 60–90 g/hour, so 120–180 g total. Post-event carbohydrate at 1 g/kg = 70 g with about 0.3 g/kg protein = 21 g. The reasoning ties grams to body mass and duration rather than using a fixed snack for everyone.
Traps that cost marks
Prioritizing protein over total energy and carbohydrate, recommending large carbohydrate loads immediately before exercise without tolerance testing, overhydrating to hyponatremia, and endorsing supplements without evidence or scope checks.