Do you really need to 'refuel' during your exercise?

Sunny Blende, a sports nutritionist, once described ultramarathons as “eating and drinking contests, with a little exercise and scenery thrown in.

- Alex Hutchinson

(Justin J Wee/The New York Times)

”Marathons, too, have come to resemble mobile buffets, with fuelling stations almost every mile. And top cyclists and triathletes are now scarfing down more sugary drinks and gels than ever in search of a performance edge. It’s enough to make some casual athletes wonder whether they should pack some calories every time they lace up their trainers or head to the gym.

This growing focus on mid-exercise fuelling is based in part on research showing that elite athletes can digest calories more rapidly than previously thought. But whether the rest of us should emulate this approach is less clear, according to running coach and sports nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald. In fact, he said, “the topic raises fundamental questions about the purpose of fuelling in training.”

Before you rethink your workout nutrition plan, Fitzgerald and other experts recommend considering three key variables: How long you're exercising, how hard you're pushing and what your goals are.