What is common between F1 races and a session of long and gruelling workouts? Obvious choices will be speed and sweat. But if we move beyond the obvious, we can arrive at another answer—pit stops. Yes, very few people are aware that pit stops are the quintessential elements of our sessions when we do intensive workouts that last for more than an hour.
But 34-year-old Nishant Verma learnt the lesson the hard way. It did not take him much time to start his New Year resolution. He is a fitness freak and exercises regularly. But the young banker from Delhi took the notch of his fitness programme a bit higher and started his high-intensity workouts from the first week of January.
His fitness routine which included an array of programmes like cardio, weight-trainning, free hand among others lasted for around two hours. After a week he gave up. “I am not a person that gives up easily. However, these sessions left me drained out,” says Verma. Later he learnt that he was not taking the necessary break or ‘pit stops’ during his work out sessions which prevented his body from taking the much needed rest during the process.
While exercising, the body acts like a fuel tank. As we keep working out, the fuel decreases and with higher intensity and longer duration, the cursor in the fuel tank hovers dangerously near the empty sign. It is during this crucial time that our body and mind starts sending signals of fatigue and exhaustion. This is when the most-necessary pit stop comes in.
According to experts, the fuel or the food that we take during long interval workouts should be simple and easily digestible carbohydrates that helps the body to maintain energy and prevent fatigue.
It is essential to refuel in every 45-60 minutes during a long session of exercise. It is recommended to have 30-60 grams of carbohydrate (120-240 calories) per hour. Remember that for optimal performance, we also need to provide the body with fluids and electrolytes. If the fitness session is less than 90 minutes, but of a high intensity, you may want to drink something with electrolytes instead of plain water. Most favoured food items for ‘pit stops’ are bananas, oranges, energy bars and drinks with electrolytes. They not only provide the much needed hydration, but also restore energy levels and fight fatigue during exercising.
But, it is always wise to remember that ‘less is more’ while exercising. Even though there might be a great desire to quench thirst during the process, it is always best to limit water consumption to 150 ml. It is advisable to sip water rather than drinking, as this sends a signal of ‘feeling full’ to brain although the amount sipped is always less than drinking directly from the bottle.
According to a report published by the American College of Sports Medicine, “Adequate food and fluid should be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain blood glucose concentration during exercise, maximize exercise performance, and improve recovery time. Athletes should be well hydrated before exercise and drink enough fluid during and after exercise to balance fluid losses.”