68: Losing Weight During Race Season? What These Sports Dietitians Think

If your stomach always seems to betray you on race day, your gel might not actually be the problem.GI issues can come from how hard you're racing, what you ate the day before, dehydration, caffeine, nerves, travel, hormones, or even how you're carrying your fuel. In this episode, we’re breaking down the surprisingly long list of things that can send your gut sideways—and what you can do before race day to lower the odds of an emergency porta-potty stop.In this episode, Hanna, Mary, and I dig into why athletes experience nausea, reflux, cramping, loose stools, and other GI problems during endurance events and how we troubleshoot them with our athletes. We talk about everything from pre-race nerves and racing harder than you train to carb loading, fiber, caffeine, hydration, travel, hormones, and underlying physiological issues.Most importantly, we explain why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Your best defense is practicing your strategy, paying attention to patterns, and creating a race-day plan that works for your gut.What You'll LearnWhy your race pace—not your sports nutrition—might be behind your GI issuesHow nerves and adrenaline can completely change your appetite and ability to tolerate foodWhy B and C races—or full race-day simulations—can expose fueling problems before your A raceHow to practice fueling during hard efforts instead of always taking nutrition during recovery periodsWhy carb loading can backfire when fiber, fat, or fructose gets too highThe surprisingly important connection between coffee, caffeine, and your pre-race bathroom scheduleWhy dehydration can wreak havoc on your gut during longer endurance eventsHow travel, time zones, late race starts, and disrupted routines can change your digestionWhy blindly copying a pro athlete’s caffeine or electrolyte strategy can be a recipe for troubleWhen persistent GI problems may have nothing to do with nutrition—and when it’s time to involve your healthcare teamResources MentionedPrecision Hydration sweat testing  Previous carb-loading episode FREE Carb Loading 101 Guide https://alexlarsonnutrition.myflodesk.com/carb-loadingIf you’re experiencing chronic GI issues and can’t figure out what’s causing them, consider working with our team or another sports dietitian experienced in endurance nutrition:  https://alexlarsonnutrition.com Connect with Me:Instagram: @alexlarsonnutritionWebsite: alexlarsonnutrition.comDon’t Forget to Subscribe!Click that follow button to stay updated on future episodes packed with actionable insights and expert advice for endurance athletes.Have Questions or Suggestions?Send me a message, and I might cover it in a future episode!This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.You can learn more at alexlarsonnutrition.com. This Episode is Brought to You By Carb Culture ShopGrab your merch from the shop with saying that endurance athletes just get!This episode is brought to you by Thorne. Shop Thorne Supplements and get 15% off  https://www.thorne.com/u/alexlarsonnutrition