💡 Fuel For Thought

The gap your training plan can't fix

Last week, a clip of fitness influencer Joe Wicks went viral. In a podcast interview, he mentioned running a marathon with no water, no food, and no bathroom break, and suggested: "We probably don't need as much nutrition as we've been told". The clip has since been deleted, but the damage lingers.

What bothered me most wasn’t the claim itself. It was the footnote. He briefly added that this doesn't apply to elite runners, as if fuelling is a privilege you have to earn, and the rest of us are just being dramatic. I've watched athletes feel embarrassed for carrying gels on a long run. I've seen runners second-guess their fuelling mid-race because somewhere along the way, eating became something you justify rather than something you plan. That footnote feeds exactly that shame.

Yes, our bodies are remarkable. We can survive, and sometimes even finish, a marathon without fuel or water. But surviving isn't the goal. Performing is. Recovering is. Showing up to next week's training is. Completing a marathon while underfuelled and dehydrated isn't a sign of discipline; it's a sign that your body was forced to compensate. And it will. Whether that shows up as a slower second half, GI distress, a months-long energy slump, or something more serious, the body keeps score.

If you've ever felt self-conscious for being the one who actually eats on a long run, that's not a problem to fix. That's a decision to protect.

🚀 Endurance Highlights

1️⃣ Energy availability, perceived effort and pacing

Nutrition doesn't just fuel the body, it also shapes how the brain interprets effort, regulates fatigue, and makes pacing decisions during prolonged exercise. In this recent narrative review, the authors propose that endurance performance is better understood as a neurocognitive-metabolic process, one where nutrition and psychology are deeply intertwined rather than separate levers.

The review pulls together evidence across several areas. When athletes aren't taking in enough energy, exercise tends to feel harder, focus drops, and the ability to sustain effort declines, often before there's any obvious physical reason for it.

Carbohydrate availability sits at the centre of this: it supports energy production in the muscles, but also feeds the brain processes that drive motivation, manage fatigue, and keep effort on track. Hydration, mental fatigue, and caffeine all play into this, too, influencing how athletes pace themselves in ways that go beyond simply having enough fuel in the tank.

This research reframes fuelling as influencing the entire performance system, not just the working muscles. It can show up as poor pacing, flat motivation, or decisions that don't reflect training. The authors advocate for integrating individualised fuelling strategies with perceptual monitoring, treating RPE not just as a training tool but as a signal of nutritional state.

2️⃣ Is this expensive supplement sabotaging your fuelling?

The use of external ketones as a performance supplement has been gaining attention, unfortunately, the evidence doesn't seem to back the hype. This 2026 study was the first to examine what happens when ketone monoester supplements are taken alongside 120g of carbohydrate per hour, a popular fuel target among many elite athletes.

Ketones appear to be blunting the availability and reducing how efficiently the carbohydrate you've worked hard to consume is absorbed. Researchers found that adding the ketone supplement lowered blood glucose, reduced the rate at which ingested carbohydrate was oxidised by around 9 g per hour, and dropped carbohydrate oxidation efficiency from 75% to 67%.

The study is small and limited to trained males, but it adds to a growing body of evidence that ketone monoesters don't offer a metabolic or performance advantage when carbohydrate fuelling is already optimised.

🕵🏻‍♀️ Retail Finds*

This week's product review: PF 60 Energy Chew Bar vs Fry's Turkish Delight

Here's another regular food vs sport-specific product comparison

Final take

Both products offer advantages. The PF bar is more carb-dense with a simpler ingredient list, making it a reliable choice across conditions. Turkish Delight is a budget-friendly option, though its chocolate coating can soften or melt in warmer temperatures, something to keep in mind on hot training days or during races.​​

👩🏻‍🍳 Kitchen Creations

​Download the recipe​​​

Tuna and olive rice Here's a carb-dense recipe with a nice balance of flavours and textures. You can skip the garlic to make it low FODMAP.

I'm committing to sending the most valuable endurance nutrition newsletter. I want to make sure that every piece of content you receive includes information that helps you on your journey toward achieving your personal best.

Happy fuelling!

Gaby | Endurance Nutrition Specialist

🏃🏻‍♂️ Want to work together?

When you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

1. ​Take the FREE Endurance Nutrition Audit. Not sure if your fuelling strategy is working? This quick 3-minute audit will reveal exactly where you stand and what adjustments could help you perform at your best.
2. ​Book a FREE strategy call. Need expert advice on your next best step? Let’s chat! In this commitment-free call, I’ll help you identify key areas to improve and map out a fueling approach tailored to your endurance goals.
3. ​Join the Fuel To Thrive Academy. Ready to take action? My signature program gives you the ultimate fuelling roadmap to unlock your full potential in sport and life, with proven strategies that have helped endurance athletes fuel smarter, perform better and break records.