PE · My World Quest — full scheme of work · pioneer
Fuel to Perform: Nutrition and Sport
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For grown-ups
Companion summary
Imagine your muscles as a high-performance engine — what fuel would you choose to make it run fastest? Elite athletes like footballers and sprinters plan every meal around their training sessions and match days. Your body actually stores carbohydrates as glycogen, and that reserve can power roughly 90 minutes of intense exercise before it runs low. When you finish, try tracking what you eat on a training day versus a rest day and spot the differences.
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What would you eat before a marathon?
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Imagine you are about to run 42 kilometres. A friend says, 'Eat a big, juicy steak an hour before the race.' Another friend says, 'No — eat a large bowl of pasta the night before.' Who is right, and why? Think about this for a moment before you read on. Your gut feeling is probably a clue that different foods do very different jobs in your body — and timing matters just as much as the food itself.
💭 Think about this
Which food would you choose to eat the night before a big race, and what is your reason?
✨
What would you eat before a marathon?
✨🎯🌟💫
Imagine you are about to run 42 kilometres. A friend says, 'Eat a big, juicy steak an hour before the race.' Another friend says, 'No — eat a large bowl of pasta the night before.' Who is right, and why? Think about this for a moment before you read on. Your gut feeling is probably a clue that different foods do very different jobs in your body — and timing matters just as much as the food itself.
💭 Think about this
Which food would you choose to eat the night before a big race, and what is your reason?
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The Athlete's Fuel System
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The Athlete's Fuel System
Your body runs on nutrients — chemical substances in food that give you energy and help your body work properly. For sport, three s (nutrients needed in large amounts) matter most: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
**Carbohydrates** are your body's fastest and most efficient energy source. When you eat bread, rice, pasta, oats, or fruit, your body breaks them down into glucose (a simple sugar). Glucose is stored in your muscles and liver as . During exercise, your muscles burn glycogen first. If glycogen runs low — a state athletes call 'hitting the wall' or 'bonking' — performance drops sharply. This is why endurance athletes prioritise carbohydrates.
**Proteins** are made of amino acids and are the building blocks of muscle. Exercise causes tiny tears in muscle fibres. Protein repairs and rebuilds those fibres, making them stronger — a process called . Foods rich in protein include eggs, fish, chicken, legumes, and dairy. Protein is not a primary fuel during exercise, but it is critical for recovery afterwards.
**Fats** are a slow-burning, high-capacity energy store. During low-intensity or long-duration exercise (such as a steady jog), your body increasingly uses fat as fuel once glycogen levels begin to fall. Healthy sources include nuts, avocado, oily fish, and olive oil. Fat also helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) that support overall health.
**Timing matters.** Research in sports nutrition shows that *when* you eat is almost as important as *what* you eat:
- **Before exercise (2–3 hours prior):** Eat a carbohydrate-rich meal that is moderate in protein and low in fat and fibre to avoid digestive discomfort. Example: porridge with banana.
- **During prolonged exercise (over 60–90 minutes):** Consume easily digested carbohydrates — gels, sports drinks, or fruit — every 30–45 minutes to maintain blood glucose.
- **After exercise (within 30–60 minutes — the ''):** Combine carbohydrates to refuel glycogen with protein to start muscle repair. Example: chocolate milk, a tuna wrap, or rice with chicken.
**** is part of nutrition too. Even mild dehydration (losing 2% of body weight in fluid) can reduce strength, concentration, and endurance. Athletes should drink water regularly throughout the day, not just during exercise.
Worked example
Scenario: Priya is a 14-year-old 1500 m runner. She has a race at 2 pm on Saturday.
— Friday evening: Priya eats a large bowl of pasta with tomato and vegetable sauce. This tops up her glycogen stores (carbohydrate-loading for the next day).
— Saturday 11 am (3 hours before race): She eats porridge with banana and a glass of water. Carbohydrate-rich, low fat, low fibre — easy to digest.
— Saturday 1:45 pm (15 min before race): She sips a sports drink to maintain blood glucose without feeling full.
— Saturday 2:10 pm (within 20 min of finishing): She drinks chocolate milk (provides both carbohydrates to refuel glycogen AND protein to begin muscle repair) and eats a small banana.
— Saturday evening: A balanced meal of grilled chicken, sweet potato, and salad gives sustained protein for overnight muscle repair.
Result: Priya's muscles are well-fuelled for the race, and her body has the protein it needs to recover and grow stronger before her next training session.
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Test Your Nutrition Knowledge
Try it yourself
Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Think about what you have just learned about nutrients, timing, and sport.
1. Which macronutrient is the body's fastest and most efficient source of energy during high-intensity exercise?
2. A weightlifter wants to support muscle repair after a heavy training session. Which nutrient should she prioritise in her post-workout meal?
3. A cyclist is 90 minutes into a 3-hour race. His glycogen stores are running low. What should he consume to maintain his performance?
4. Why is a high-fat, high-fibre meal a poor choice one hour before a sprint competition?
5. Marcus drinks very little water on the day of a football match. Research shows that losing just 2% of body weight in fluid can affect performance. Explain TWO ways dehydration is likely to affect Marcus during the match.
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Lock It In
Carbohydrates are your primary fuel — top up glycogen before and during exercise.
Protein repairs and builds muscle — eat it within the recovery window after training.
Timing your nutrition around exercise is just as important as choosing the right foods.
1. A swimmer has a 200 m butterfly final at 10 am. Which pre-competition breakfast plan is BEST?
🌱 Reflect
Think about your own sports or physical activities. Is there one change to your eating or drinking habits — based on today's lesson — that you could try this week? What would that change be and why?
