By JuanPa, creator of TrainingForever · With the experience of Marc Bañuls, coach with more than 15 years of experience · Updated on 16/10/2026
Rapid response: during the tapering lowers the load, so the key is to adjust the energy while eating well and, in tests of more than 90 minutes, fill the glycogen reserves the previous days. The positioning of ACSM recommends for the loading of carbohydrates 10–12 g per kg of weight per day during the 36–48 hours before the competition (Thomas, Erdman and Burke, 2016). Nothing new on the day of the race: everything you eat must be tested in trainings.
Introduction to nutrition during tapering
Tapering is a crucial phase in the preparation of any athlete who seeks to maximize their performance in important competitions. During this period, the training load is gradually reduced to allow the body to recover and be optimally prepared for the event. However, for tapering to be truly effective, it is essential to pay attention to nutrition. In this section, we will explore what tapering is, its importance, and the nutritional goals that should guide athletes during this stage.
Definition of tapering and its importance
The term "tapering" refers to the systematic reduction of the volume and intensity of training in the days or weeks prior to a competition. This approach allows the body to recover from the stress accumulated during intensive training, thus optimizing physical and mental performance. The importance of tapering lies in its ability to improve strength, speed and endurance, while minimizing the risk of injury and exhaustion.
Nutritional objectives during tapering
Nutrition during tapering should be carefully adjusted to support optimal body recovery and preparation. The main nutritional objectives to guide this stage are as follows:
- Maintaining the energy balance: Although the training load decreases, it is crucial not to drastically reduce caloric intake. The body needs energy to repair tissues and replenish glycogen reserves. Adjust calories according to exercise reduction, but make sure they are sufficient to meet basic and recovery needs.
- Optimising carb load: Carbohydrates are the main source of energy during high intensity exercise. During tapering, it is recommended to increase carbohydrate consumption to maximize muscle and liver glycogen stores. This translates into improved performance during competition.
- Ensure adequate protein intake: Proteins are essential for repair and muscle growth. During tapering, maintaining adequate protein intake helps preserve muscle mass and facilitates recovery. Incorporating high-quality protein sources, such as lean meats, fish, eggs and legumes, is essential.
- Maintain hydration: Hydration is a key component of sports performance. During tapering, it is important to continue with adequate fluid intake to maintain water balance and support body functions. Water should be the main drink, supplemented with electrolytic drinks if necessary.
- Controlling fat intake: Although fats are an important source of energy, their consumption should be moderate during tapering. Prioritizing healthy fats, such as those found in avocado, nuts and olive oil, can contribute to a balanced diet without compromising performance.
Good practices
Optimizing nutrition during tapering is crucial to maximize performance on the day of the competition. This training load reduction period requires specific dietary adjustments to ensure that the body is properly prepared. Below are some good practices that will help you adjust your nutrition effectively during this critical phase.
Adjustment of macronutrients
During tapering, it is essential to adjust macronutrient intake to meet reduced energy needs while maximizing glycogen storage. Here are some guidelines:
- Carbohydrates: As you lower the training load, it is important to maintain or even slightly increase the carbohydrate ratio in your diet. This helps maximize muscle glycogen stores, which is essential for performance in endurance sports. For tests of more than 90 minutes, ACSM recommends a load of 10–12 g of carbohydrates per kg weight per day during the 36–48 hours prior (Thomas, Erdman and Burke, 2016).
- Proteins: Although energy demand decreases, protein intake should be kept constant to support muscle repair and maintenance. A consumption of 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is generally adequate.
- Fats: Fats should represent about 20-30% of your total calorie intake. It opts for healthy sources such as avocados, nuts and olive oil, which provide essential fatty acids without overloading the digestive system.
Adequate hydration
Hydration is a critical component of performance preparation. During tapering, it is vital to maintain an optimal hydration state to facilitate recovery and performance. Here are some tips:
- Regular liquid consumption: Make sure you drink water throughout the day, not just during training sessions. There is no daily figure valid for everyone: monitor the color of urine and weight in the morning, and in long sessions weigh before and after (Sawka et al., 2007).
- Electrolytes: Consider the inclusion of electrolyte drinks, especially if you train in warm climates or sweat a lot. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium are essential to maintain water balance and prevent muscle cramps.
Importance of vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals play crucial roles in energy metabolism and muscle function. During tapering, make sure your diet is rich in these essential micronutrients:
- Iron: Essential for the transport of oxygen in the blood, iron is crucial for athletes. Include lean meats, legumes and spinach in your diet.
- Calcium and vitamin D: Important for bone health, especially in high impact sports. Make sure you consume dairy products, fatty fish and get enough exposure to the sun.
- Antioxidants: Nutrients such as vitamins C and E help fight oxidative stress induced by exercise. Citrus fruits, berries and nuts are excellent sources.
Common errors
Optimizing nutrition during tapering is crucial to maximize sports performance. However, it is easy to make mistakes that can compromise the benefits of this period of burden reduction. Below, we explore some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them to ensure that your tapering is effective.
Excessive calorie reduction
One of the most frequent errors is to drastically reduce calorie intake. During tapering, the training load decreases, which can lead to the false impression that less energy is needed. However, it is essential to maintain adequate calorie intake to support muscle recovery and maintain active metabolism.
Reducing too much calories can cause fatigue, weakness, and a compromised immune system, which could negatively affect performance on the day of the competition. Instead of making severe cuts, focus on adjusting portions slightly and prioritizing nutrient-rich foods that provide the necessary energy without excess empty calories.
Ignoring hydration
Hydration is an essential component of any sports nutrition plan, and its importance does not decrease during tapering. Athletes can often neglect fluid intake by reducing the intensity of training, which can lead to inadvertent dehydration.
It is vital to maintain adequate hydration to facilitate digestion, regulate body temperature and optimize the transport of nutrients. Make sure you consume enough water and consider including electrolytic beverages if your pre-tap training has been particularly intense. A good practice is to monitor the color of urine as an indicator of hydration, looking for a clear tone as a sign of an optimal state.
drastically changing the diet
During tapering, some athletes make the mistake of making significant changes to their diet in the hope of improving performance. However, this approach can be counterproductive. drastically changing food types or macronutrient composition can cause digestive problems and affect energy and mental focus.
It is advisable to maintain a consistent diet that has already been shown to be effective during workouts. If you want to make adjustments, do it gradually and well in advance to see how your body responds. Introducing new foods or supplements in the last week before a competition can be risky and should be avoided.
Remember that each athlete is unique, and what works for one may not be ideal for another. It is crucial to customize your nutritional focus during tapering to meet your individual needs and maximize your performance.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your tapering not only prepares you physically, but also optimizes your nutritional status to achieve maximum performance. At TrainingForever, we are committed to providing you with the tools and knowledge necessary to make each phase of your training a success.
Custom nutrition strategies
Tapering is a critical phase in the preparation of any athlete, where reducing the volume of training is combined with a strategic nutritional approach to maximize performance. In this section, we will explore how to customize nutrition during tapering, taking into account the particularities of different sports and training levels.
Considerations for different sports
Each sport has its own energy and nutritional demands, which means that tapering strategies must be adapted to these specific needs. The following are some key considerations for different disciplines:
- Endurance sports: In disciplines such as marathon or long distance cycling, the focus during tapering should be on maintaining glycogen reserves to the maximum. This is achieved through a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, brown rice and sweet potatoes. In addition, it is crucial to avoid the temptation to drastically reduce calorie intake, as the body still needs energy for muscle recovery and maintenance of basic functions.
- Sports of strength: For weightlifting or bodybuilding athletes, the focus is on maintaining muscle mass while reducing fatigue. Here, proteins play a fundamental role. A constant protein intake is recommended, distributing protein throughout the day to optimize muscle synthesis. Foods such as chicken, fish and legumes are excellent options.
- Equipment sports: In sports such as football or basketball, where the combination of endurance and explosiveness is key, it is important to balance the intake of carbohydrates and proteins. A mixed approach that includes carbohydrates for fast energy and proteins for muscle recovery is ideal. In addition, proper hydration is essential to maintain performance during workouts and matches.
Adaptations according to the level of training
An athlete's level of training also influences how nutrition should be customized during tapering. Here are some strategies according to the level of experience:
- Beginners: Beginner athletes may not be used to the necessary nutritional adjustments during tapering. It is important to educate them about the importance of maintaining a balanced diet that supports reducing the volume of training. Emphasis should be placed on the importance of not falling into the trap of excessive calorie reduction, which could lead to reduced performance and increased risk of injury.
- Intermediate: Athletes with intermediate experience can benefit from a more detailed approach to macronutrient periodization. Here, meal planning that aligns with specific training sessions can be beneficial. For example, increase carbohydrate intake before an intense training session and prioritize proteins on rest days for recovery.
- Advanced: Elite or advanced athletes usually have a deeper knowledge of their nutritional needs. However, during tapering, it is crucial to adjust strategies based on performance and recovery data. The use of supplements, such as branched chain amino acids (BCAA) or electrolytes, can be considered to optimize recovery and performance.
In short, customizing nutrition during tapering is a complex but essential task to maximize performance. By considering the specific demands of each sport and the individual needs based on the level of training, athletes can optimize their preparation and ensure optimal performance on the day of the competition.
Load of carbohydrates: how to do it the previous days
| Moment | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Race week | Regular meal adjusted to the lowest volume; no new diets. |
| 36–48 h before (tests > 90 min) | 10–12 g of carbohydrates per kg body weight per day (ACSM). |
| Previous meal | 1–4 g of carbohydrates per kg, between 1 and 4 hours before (ACSM). |
| Always | Foods already tested; low in fiber and fat if digestive discomfort occurs. |
Orientation: It's a coach's work pattern, not a medical prescription. Attach it to each athlete and consult a healthcare professional if there is severe or persistent pain.
‘The load of carbohydrates is tested. The ideal is to try it before an important long run to know how the stomach responds and not improvise the week of the race." — Marc Bañuls, coach with more than 15 years of experience
The training part is on how to plan the weeks before a race.
How much to reduce the volume and how long the phase should last is explained in tapering: how to reduce the load before your race.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many carbohydrates do you have to take before a race?
For tests of more than 90 minutes, the ACSM recommends 10–12 g per kg weight per day during the previous 36–48 hours, and 1–4 g per kg in the meal of 1 to 4 hours before.
Do we have to carry carbohydrates for a 10K?
In tests of less than 90 minutes it is usually not necessary; a normal diet rich in carbohydrates is sufficient the previous days.
What not to eat before a race?
Nothing you haven't tried in practice. If you have digestive discomfort, reduce fiber and fat the previous days.
How long should the tapering last?
Tapering, or period of reduction of the training load before a competition, is crucial to maximize performance. The optimal duration of the tapering can vary depending on the sport, the level of training of the athlete and the nature of the event. Usually, tapering can last between one and three weeks.
The main objective of tapering is to allow the body to recover completely from intense training, while maintaining an adequate level of activity so as not to lose physical form. During this period, it is essential to adjust the training load gradually, reducing both volume and intensity, but maintaining the frequency of sessions to preserve muscle memory.
Is it necessary to adjust protein intake?
Yes, adjusting protein intake during tapering is essential to support muscle recovery and prevent muscle mass loss. During this period, although the training load decreases, the body still needs adequate nutrients to repair and strengthen muscle tissues.
The general recommendation is to maintain or even slightly increase protein intake during tapering. This is because, while total energy expenditure may decrease, the process of muscle recovery and adaptation remains a priority.
Table of protein intake recommendations:
| Type of Athlete | Recommended Protein Ingestion (g/kg body weight) |
|---|---|
| Endurance athletes | 1.2 - 1.4 |
| Athletes of force | 1.6 - 2.0 |
It is important to remember that each athlete is unique and nutritional needs may vary. Therefore, in TrainingForever we recommend working with a sports nutritionist to customize the diet according to the individual needs and specific objectives of the athlete.
In short, tapering is a critical period that requires adjustments not only in training, but also in nutrition. By optimizing the intake of protein and other key nutrients, athletes can make sure they reach the competition in their best physical and mental form.
Sources
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Nutrition and athletic performance (ACSM/AND/DC position). Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-68.
- Bosquet L, Montpetit J, Arvisais D, Mujika I. Effects of covering on performance: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(8):1358-65.
- American College of Sports Medicine; Sawka MN, et al. Exercise and fluid replacement (position stand). Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377-90.
