Fueling Tips

Proper fueling for endurance athletes means more than just replacing calories: it also involves consistent and adequate electrolyte and fluid replenishment. Fluids and electrolytes are more consumed by athletes for a number of different reasons and an electrolyte imbalance can seriously impact overall athletic performance. If you’re wondering what electrolytes are and why you might need them, all of your questions will be answered in this article!

Caffeine is the world’s most widely used psychoactive drug and by far the most common stimulant to date. Most of us are familiar with the stimulating effects of caffeine, but for endurance athletes in particular, caffeine is often used to boost energy and performance. However, the science behind caffeine supplementation in endurance athletes is muddled, as we often hear contradicting thoughts on the drug. If you are curious about the effects of caffeine and whether or not to supplement with it, then this article is for you!

For less adventurous eaters, you may feel more inclined to eat crickets if they were presented as flour. Thankfully, cricket flour is becoming one of the most popular ways of integrating insects into your diet. Cricket flour, or cricket powder, is made 100% from crickets and has been labeled as a superfood while being a sustainable product. If you’re confused as to why you should be using cricket flour, what it is, and how you can use it, this article will address all of your questions!

It’s no secret that nutrition is paramount to running. Whether you’re preparing for a big race or keeping in shape during the off-season, your nutrition has a huge impact on performance, and there’s no way to outrun a bad diet. Here are 5 tips for ultra runners to help get your nutrition right for your next event!

At Näak, we took on the challenge of creating the only energy bar you’ll ever need. Made with natural ingredients and no preservatives or refined sugar, Näak energy bars are everything you wished for! Their nutritional value and physical characteristics are designed to meet the energy needs of ultra endurance athletes looking to redefine what is possible in sport. What makes our bars so unique? Read on to find out why so many athletes are turning to Näak!

Athletes are no longer just making a plant based diet work for their training; they’re thriving on it. This lifestyle is starting to pick up momentum as endurance athletes are adopting a plant based diet for a variety of reasons, including health, environment, and performance. Additionally, when a plant-based diet is coupled with entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, you get the world’s ultimate sustainable superfood diet! Insects, particularly crickets, provide many of the essential nutrients that plants lack.

Fasting diets have become increasingly popular over the last several years, with the promise of weight loss and performance benefits. They have especially gained traction among dieters and bodybuilders looking to lose weight, with an increasing number of endurance athletes practicing it to increase fat oxidation capacity in their muscles. However, there are varying schools of thoughts and opinions on the matter: while some may swear by fasting, others call it a waste of time and energy. If you ever thought about how this diet could possibly help or harm your performance, keep reading to learn more!

Do you think it’s possible to complete an ultra distance race on a low-carb, high fat diet? If you responded no, think again! Although this concept may seem strange as most endurance athletes rely on a heavier carb diet during races, focusing on fat as a fuel source is a viable alternative. Despite the fact that our bodies naturally prefer to feed on carbohydrates, dietary fats are able to provide energy to the brain and the body in a safe way. While this method of approach is possible, everybody is different and what works for some may not work for others. The only way to determine what works best for you is through trial and error.

If you’re curious as to how your body is able to adapt to utilize more fat and less glycogen stores during a race, then this article is for you!

Whether you are preparing for an ultra marathon or keeping in shape during the off-season, your diet has a huge impact on performance. Maintaining the perfect balance between training and nutrition can be overwhelming, especially with all of the misinformation out there on how to fuel your body. To help, we’ve narrowed down the top mistakes you might be making in terms of nutrition, and how to fix them. If any (or all) of these common mistakes sound familiar, read on to learn why and how to avoid them for good in order to improve your athletic performance!

Näak is providing seven-day nutrition plans geared towards our athletic community! This meal plan is composed of foods that are not only nutritious but also make use of non-perishable and shelf-stable food items. All of the meals are cricket and plant-based powered to promote sustainability and accessibility. As well, this diet includes adequate amounts of protein to help minimize muscle loss during this period of time. If you are planning on practicing indoor exercises, post-workout snack options are provided.

Whether you are a recreational athlete, a physically active person, or an elite endurance athlete, it is important to recognize the impact nutrition has on health and performance. Sustainable daily nutrition will improve exercise performance, prevent injuries due to fatigue, provide energy during endurance training, facilitate maintenance of an optimal body weight, and enhance overall health. So what should this look like in terms of macronutrient breakdown and meal composition? Let us tell you!

With the spread of COVID-19, maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle might seem like a far-fetched idea. The Näak team wants to help the athletes and adventurers community to keep spirits high during this time by providing useful nutrition and exercise tips for a sustained energy.