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Gaby Villa

I enable endurance athletes to overcome lack of energy and gut upset so that they can fuel their bodies with confidence and race to their full potential. Subscribe to my weekly 'Fuelling with Purpose' newsletter to receive endurance nutrition insights directly in your inbox.

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Fuelling With Purpose — 1 April 2025

💡 Fuel forThought From gut issues to victory: The strategy behind a backyard ultra win Last week, Patto from the Backyard Ultra Podcast sat down with IntensEAThlete and Fuel To Thrive Academy graduate Mitch McInnes, who recently became the last one standing at the I’m Still Standing Backyard Ultra in Sydney. Mitch McInnes Mar 25 · Backyard Ultra Podcast 51:54 In this episode, Mitch shares what it really took to hit 40 yards (a new PB!) and take the win, something he had been chasing for a...

💡 Fuel forThought Introducing Fuel For Thought! A new section in the newsletter where I share ideas and reflections that come up in my work with athletes, from real-life training questions to patterns I keep seeing again and again. These insights are grounded in evidence, but they’re also shaped by practical experience, the kind you don’t always get from textbooks. Why I talk more about carbohydrates than calories If you’ve been reading my newsletter or following my content for a while,...

🚀 Endurance highlights 1️⃣ Sticky science: How honey might help your muscles recover 🍯 This study looked at whether honey could help reduce muscle inflammation caused by overtraining. Over six weeks, 42 military graduates went through tough physical training. They were split into two groups: one took a honey supplement daily, and the other had a placebo. The researchers measured markers of muscle inflammation before and after the trial, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and creatine kinase...

🚀 Endurance highlights 1️⃣ Carb confusion: Is more always better? The endurance nutrition world is currently split between two extremes: On one end, some elite athletes are pushing carbohydrate intake beyond 120g per hour, while others advocate for a very low-carb, high-fat (keto) approach. This article by Alex Hutchinson takes a deep dive into the latest research on how many carbs endurance athletes actually need. The science has evolved from the long-standing 60g per hour recommendation to...

🚀 Endurance highlights 1️⃣ Can caffeinated ice slushies help you perform better in the heat? Heat can be a major performance limiter for endurance athletes, and strategies to keep the body cool are always a hot topic (no pun intended). Ice slushies are already a popular strategy to help lower core temperature before and during exercise, but could adding caffeine take it a step further? AI-generated image created with ChatGPT's DALL·E This new study, led by my swimming coach and professor at...

📢 Quick reminder This week, I’m hosting a brand new live masterclass, "Unstoppable Endurance: The Proven Nutrition Strategy for Success." If you’re ready to fuel smarter, race stronger, and finally eliminate gut issues and energy crashes, this is your chance to learn the exact fuelling framework I use with all my clients to help them perform at their best. Two live sessions to choose from: Tuesday, February 25 @ 9:00 AM AWST (in a couple of hours!) Wednesday, February 26 @ 5:30 PM AWST Secure...

📢 Exciting Announcement: Free Masterclass Alert! I’m hosting a brand-new FREE masterclass, and I’d love for you to join me! 💡 Unstoppable Endurance: The Proven Nutrition Strategy for Success📅 Two live sessions to choose from:📍 Tuesday, February 25 @ 9:00 AM AWST📍 Wednesday, February 26 @ 5:30 PM AWST If you’re ready to fuel smarter, eliminate gut issues, and perform at your peak, this masterclass is for you! I’ll be breaking down the exact strategies my clients use to fuel with confidence,...

Hello Reader! I know you've been putting in the miles, pushing your limits, and striving for that next personal best. But sometimes, despite all the hard work, something feels off. Maybe it's that unexpected energy crash mid-race or the nagging gut issues that throw off your rhythm. It's frustrating, and I get it. What if I told you there's a way to overcome these challenges? A method to fuel your body so effectively that you power through your runs with consistent energy and finish stronger...

🚀 Endurance highlights 1️⃣ Beer and exercise: What does the research say? Beer is often part of post-race celebrations and social gatherings among athletes, but how does it actually impact performance and recovery? This systematic review explored the effects of beer on exercise outcomes, highlighting both potential benefits and drawbacks. The research suggests that low-alcohol beer (<4%) may be a better choice for post-exercise rehydration compared to standard beer, as higher alcohol content...

🚀 Endurance highlights 1️⃣ Diet quality of ultramarathon runners taking part in UTA 2023 This recent study looked at the diet quality of runners participating in different distances at UTA 2023 and found some interesting trends. While the sample was relatively small—just 26 runners across four race distances—the findings highlight a key takeaway: many ultra-runners aren’t fuelling in a way that truly supports their training and racing demands. Carbohydrate intake was lower than recommended,...