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Source: Brad Kearns
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Note: The author is affiliated with Cytomax products mentioned below. We decided to publish this piece as there is some good information available in the article. Trifuel does not receive any compensation for publishing articles.

For many triathletes, now is the most crucial training period of the year as they prepare to culminate their seasons with an ironman distance event. While big mileage and key workouts are the primary focus, the importance of proper nutrition is right up there.

Workouts are crucial for success in endurance sports - elite cyclists and triathletes know that long workouts (often 7 hours+) are the cornerstone of their training program. The same is true at whatever level you compete. A primary performance factor for sustained endurance workouts is maintaining adequate caloric intake and energy levels. It is easy to deplete sugar levels and experience the dreaded symptoms of bonking - fatigue, dizziness, apathy, and a dramatic reduction in performance.

Cytomax Pre-Formance is a nutritionally balanced meal formula designed for consumption before and during sustained endurance workouts - the perfect fuel to consume to prevent bonking and digestive difficulties that come from consuming too much sugar during exercise.

You need 400 calories per hour

Scientific studies and reports from elite athletes indicate that 400 calories per hour is the magic number during extended exercise to prevent bonking and maintain high energy levels. Your ability to digest and utilize this amount of calories is severely compromised while you are exercising. Most of your blood is in your extremities and your digestive system is not functioning well due to exercise stress.

For this reason, consuming significant amounts of solid food is highly problematic (even if it's healthy). Even worse are commercial energy bars laden with processed sugars like high fructose corn syrup. Many athletes experience gas, bloating and blood sugar swings when consuming processed sugars during exercise (and it's hard to get that goop off your top tube!). Even the popular energy gels can be problematic. While gels can be very useful to pick you up during long workouts, they should not be relied on exclusively. Consider that 400 calories per hour means consuming a dozen or more gels on a long ride!

The best way to successfully digest 400 calories per hour is through liquid food that contains a balance of calories and is low in sugar, like Cytomax Pre-Formance. This is particularly true in long races, where the faster pace often causes your favorite training "foods" to become highly problematic for your system to digest. When you mix Cytomax Pre-Formance in a water bottle, you have a thick, nutritionally balanced liquid meal that is easy to digest during sustained exercise.

Cytomax Pre-Formance consists of complex carbohydrates and complete whey proteins - less than 2% of the calories come from simple sugar and less than 2% from fat. You can mix 4-6 scoops of Cytomax Pre-Formance into a single water bottle, delivering a balanced meal of 520 to 780 calories (130 per scoop). This thick mixture is meant to be sipped gradually over a period of hours to provide energy and sustain blood sugar levels.

Consuming carbohydrate calories in the form of complex starches and Cytomax's patented alpha-l-polylactate helps buffer lactic acid production in your muscles and provides long-lasting energy instead of a quick sugar spike. The protein in Cytomax Pre-Formance will help protect muscle tissue from exercise-induced breakdown - up to 15% of your energy for exercise comes from protein. If you don't consume any, you'll break down muscle to get it.

I find the best results come when most of my calories are from Cytomax Pre-Formance, supplemented with a couple natural energy bars like Platinum Performance or Organic Food Bar and a couple gels towards the end of the workout. In July of 2001, I rode my mountain bike across the Sierra from Auburn, CA to Lake Tahoe (82 miles, 13,000' climbing) - a 12 hour effort - consuming only Cytomax Pre-Formance (~2,400 calories worth) Cytomax energy drink, a handful of energy gels, a bag of almonds and two candy bars at Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Go easy on your stomach and obtain most of your calories in low-sugar liquid form when you go long. Cytomax Pre-Formance gives you exactly what you need for stable blood sugar levels, sustained energy and enhanced endurance performance.

Please understand the difference between Cytomax the energy drink and Cytomax Pre-Formance. Cytomax the drink is for hydration, electrolyte balance and moderate caloric needs during exercise. Cytomax Pre-Formance is a food source. Even though it's a liquid, it provides for your caloric needs, not hydration.

Brad Kearns is a former national champion and #3 world-ranked professional triathlete and noted author, speaker and coach in the multisport world. His Bradventures.com offers healthy nutritional products and unique, holistic personal coaching services. Please visit Bradventures.com for details or email info@bradventures.com. Ask about a special free gift for TriFuel.com referrals!