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.
Fuelling With Purpose — 28 October 2025
💡 Fuel For ThoughtNew podcast episode: Fuelling smarter on the Running Matters PodcastI recently joined Paul Hadfield on the Running Matters Podcast to chat all things endurance nutrition, from heat adaptation and gut health to caffeine, electrolytes, and the myths that keep runners stuck. We dug into practical strategies for racing in the heat, the role of protein in ultra events, how to train your gut to handle fuel at race pace, and why proper fuelling starts long before race day. One of my favourite parts of the conversation was exploring how fuelling shapes your mindset. We unpacked the role of glucose in the brain and why low carbohydrate availability can drive foggy thinking, negative self-talk, and decision fatigue.
If you love the science behind smarter fuelling (and a few good laughs about hot races, caffeine timing, and trail snacks), you’ll enjoy this one. 🚀 Endurance Highlights1️⃣ The science behind how much the human body can endureWith the recent Backyard Ultra World Championships, many of the questions about the limits of human endurance revolved around fuelling, how much can the body really sustain before it runs out of energy? This new article by Alex Hutchinson, summarising research published in Current Biology, explores just that. The study followed 14 world-class ultra-endurance athletes using isotope-labelled water to precisely measure calorie burn during extreme events like multi-day ultramarathons and FKTs. The findings revealed that while elite athletes can burn far beyond the proposed limit of 2.5 times their resting metabolism for short periods, the body can only sustain this output over time if calorie intake matches calorie burn. For ultra-athletes like Kilian Jornet and Kristian Blummenfelt, even their exceptional performances hover around this limit on a yearly average. In other words, the ceiling for human endurance isn’t about willpower or fitness alone, it’s about how much energy your gut can absorb and convert into usable fuel. 2️⃣ Nutrition strategies to improve sleep qualityThere is no doubt that adequate sleep is essential for recovery and optimal performance, yet many athletes struggle to get enough of it. This new scoping review explored how nutrition can play a role in improving sleep quality and quantity among elite athletes. The researchers reviewed 12 studies and found that some foods and supplements show real promise. Kiwifruit, tart cherry juice, and regular dairy intake stood out as the most effective natural options for improving sleep quality and duration. Other strategies, such as tryptophan-rich proteins, probiotics, and balanced calorie intake, may also help, particularly when athletes are not already consuming enough energy or protein. Interestingly, those already eating high-protein diets (>2.5 g/kg) may see little added benefit from extra pre-sleep protein. Factors like training load, energy intake, gut comfort, and personal preferences all shape what works best. Identifying the right pre-bed routine, whether that’s a protein snack, kiwifruit, or simply better meal timing, can make a meaningful difference to recovery and overall performance. 🕵🏻♀️ Retail Finds*This week's product review: Trail Brew (updated formula)Carb drink mixes are a convenient way of meeting your energy and hydration needs. Features & benefits
Things to keep in mind
Final take This can be a suitable drink if you have higher sodium needs. The flavour is pleasant and an unflavoured version is also available. As with most carbohydrate mixes, it is best to use with other fuel sources to reduce the likelihood of flavour fatigue, especially if you're planning to use it over very long hours. *Thanks to Matt from Trail Brew who sent me this and other samples for me to review and try. 👩🏻🍳 Kitchen CreationsI'm committing to sending the most valuable endurance nutrition newsletter. I want to make sure that every piece of content you receive has information that is helpful for you and your journey to achieving your personal best. Happy fuelling! Gaby | Endurance Nutrition Specialist p.s. I personally read and answer your email replies. PLUS whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you optimise your performance:
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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.
💡 Fuel For Thought Why science still backs carb-Loading for endurance performance You’ve probably heard that carb-loading makes you feel heavy or sluggish before a race. Maybe you’ve even cut back on pasta or rice the night before because you didn’t want that weighed-down feeling. But the thing is that extra “weight” isn’t slowing you down, it’s fuelling you up. When you increase carbohydrate intake in the 1–3 days before a race, your muscles ramp up glycogen storage, your body’s most...
💡 Fuel For Thought The science (and art) behind world-class backyard ultra fuelling The Backyard Ultra World Championships are underway, and I’m working with four Intenseathletes competing among the best endurance runners on the planet. Each of these athletes has their own physiology, mindset, and strategy, yet when you look closely at their race plans, there’s a clear pattern. Their nutrition approaches may be unique in detail, but they’re built on the same core principles. And these lessons...
💡 Fuel For Thought Eating big in a world obsessed with small Picture this: you’re sitting down with your well-earned bowl of pasta after a long run, and around you, everyone’s comparing notes on their latest diet: intermittent fasting, low-carb, pre-holiday "detox". You twirl your fork and quietly wonder: am I doing something wrong? Nutrition can feel overwhelming when you’re an endurance athlete living in a world that celebrates eating less. Your energy needs are significantly higher than...