Fueling for Optimal Performance

Summer is officially here, and the travel season is going strong! 

As an airline pilot, it’s only natural to want to get the most out of your days and nights so you can perform your best even when the weather is not the best.  While many pilots are extremely precise with their fueling plan, nutrition and hydration can often get neglected when the schedule is adjusted.

 

Numerous studies show that optimizing your nutrition and hydration can promote better cognitive performance and quicker reaction times.   If you’re struggling with where to start, this month’s newsletter and blog post will be just what you need to get started.

I’ve included tips around how to best fuel your body for your airline trips so you can get the most out of your nutrition to keep you alert and performing your best!

I have tailored this information into checklists and handouts you can easily save and refer to often.

As an airline pilot, proper nutrition and hydration before, during, and after flights is critical to getting the most out of your body’s performance. 

 

Carbohydrates, protein, and fat all play different roles in fueling performance, so it’s important to ensure you’re getting enough of each day. Plus, if your day is longer than usual, you’ll need to consider how to fuel yourself during the red eye flights or big changes in circadian rhythm so that you have enough energy to keep going.

 

Interested in learning how to fuel yourself optimally for your flights? Learn all about the role of the different macronutrients in aviation performance and how you can leverage strategic nutrition and hydration to perform your best each and every day.

 

You need a combination of macronutrients for optimal fueling.

Before going into what to eat before, during, and after your flight, it’s important to learn about macronutrients. Macronutrients, or macros, are nutrients that your body needs in large amounts for energy and optimal function.

The three macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Each plays an important role in fueling for aviation performance, so it’s crucial to make sure your nutrition plan includes all of them.

Carbohydrates

As an airline pilot, carbohydrates are critical to ensuring you have enough energy and brain power to make good decisions.  Most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose (sugar), which provides energy to your cells. The exception to this rule is fiber, which is not digested by humans. However, some fiber is fermented by the bacteria in your gut.

 

The main functions of carbohydrates include:

  • Providing instant energy. Glucose is the preferred fuel source for your brain, red blood cells, and central nervous system.  Did you know your brain needs at least 130 grams, each 1 gram equals 4 calories, or 520 calories in carbohydrates just to keep organs and brain functioning well?
  • Storing energy. Glucose is stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles. This is particularly important for those times when you do miss a meal. The body initiates energy from storage and provides fuel to the body once the glucose from your last meal is used up.
  • Promoting regular bowel movements. Eating enough fiber-rich carbohydrates helps keep your bowel movements regular.  You would be amazed at how many pilots tell me they are constipated!  (Carb restriction classic symptom)

Keeping you feeling full. Fiber-rich carbohydrates help keep you full between meals.

 

Eating enough carbohydrates is especially important for high-intensity performance like dodging thunderstorms or dealing with unruly passengers. Although protein and fat can provide the energy needed to perform physical activity, carbohydrates are the most efficiently used by the body. They are the only macronutrient that can be broken down quickly enough to supply energy for high-intensity needs.

 

Carbohydrate recommendations differ based on individual body weight and physical goals.

When I coach airline pilots I use the following formulas:

Body weight in pounds x 10 and Body weight in pounds x 12

These formulas provide an ample range of calories.

Next I divide the calories as follows:

Carbohydrates 40%
Protein 30%
Fat 30%

 

Carbohydrate-rich foods include:

  • Whole grains
  • Starchy vegetables (e.g., corn and potatoes)
  • Fruit
  • Pulses (e.g., beans and lentils)
  • Milk and yogurt

If you’re unsure how many carbohydrates you need to consume based on your individual needs, consider working with me for more personalized recommendations. 

Protein

Protein is important for airline pilots because it’s used to repair muscles, aiding in recovery. When protein is broken down, it is turned into amino acids. The main function of the amino acids from proteins is building and repairing. Amino acids are used to create new proteins (such as immune system cells and enzymes) in your body, as well as being used to build and repair muscle and tissues.  


There is also emerging evidence that higher protein intake helps reduce fatigue levels. I often provide instruction to my airline pilot clients about eating protein during late night flights (especially to my cargo pilots).

To maximize energy levels, I also recommend eating between 20 and 40 grams of protein per meal. And meals should be evenly distributed throughout the day (e.g., every three to four hours). Timing of fuel is important because it also keeps blood sugar and blood pressure stable.
 

Protein-rich foods include:

    • Poultry
    • Fish
    • Meat (e.g., pork or beef)
    • Eggs
    • Dairy
    • Pulses (e.g., beans and lentils)

Fats

Fats are important for airline pilots because they provide the body with energy, support cell function and aid in hormone production.

 

The main functions of fats include:

  • Storing energy. Your body’s fat stores act as an energy reserve that can be used when you’ve run out of glucose and glycogen.
  • Providing insulation to cells. Your body’s fat stores insulate and protect your organs.
  • Helping absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Fats help with the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K.
  • Forming part of the cell membrane. The cell membrane provides protection to the cell and serves as a barrier to prevent certain molecules from getting through, like germs!

There is currently a lot of interest in using high-fat diets (such as the ketogenic diet) but I don’t recommend it due to the issues around blood pressure.  High fat diets tend to be heavy in saturated fat which leads to high cholesterol and triglyceride numbers and elevated blood pressure.

Pre-Flight Fueling

Fueling up before a flight gives you the energy to perform at your best, plus lessens your risk of error and increases your ability to keep fatigue levels reduced.

It takes about four hours for carbohydrates to be digested and become part of your muscle and liver glycogen stores. Therefore, it’s best to consume your pre-flight meal at least two hours before report time. Since this gives your body plenty of time to digest, include all three macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) in the meal.

Some examples of pre-flight meals include:

  • Chicken sandwich on a bun with a side salad.
  • Egg burrito in a wrap with avocado and a banana.
  • Grilled fish, rice, and roasted vegetables.

Studies also show that having a light carbohydrate and protein snack (e.g., 25 grams of carbohydrate and 5 to 10 grams of protein) in between meals beneficial for reducing fatigue levels. It’s best to choose foods that are less processed and easy to transport.

Some examples of in flight snacks include:

  • Cereal with shelf stable milk box
  • Banana with yogurt
  • Jerky stick with cheese stick

During-Late Night Flight Fueling

Consuming calories during late night flights (when you’re used to sleeping) is a way to provide an external fuel source to your muscles and central nervous system. This is particularly important for long flights during which your glycogen stores become depleted and fatigue is experienced.

If your flight is during your normal sleeping hours, I developed a formula to help determine how many calories to take in.  Most individuals eat over the course of 15 hours a day so I use this as part of my formula.  Next I utilize a calorie count for all clients as mentioned above.  Let’s go through an example.

 Airline pilot flight JFK 1816 to MXP 0810
 (Flight from New York to Milan) 
Total flight time:  7.54 hours
 Time change from NY to Milan + 6 hours
 Pilot weight 250lbs; Daily calorie needs 250lbs x 12 = 3000 calories

Normal sleeping pattern for pilot:  9pm to 5am eastern time zone.  Therefore, the pilot is awake from 2100 to 0200 eastern time zone.  So, the pilot needs 3 hours of additional fuel.

Pilot calorie needs/15 hours feeding window = 3000/15 = 200 calories per hour x 3 additional hours = 600 additional calories for this flight or total calories for day:  3000+600 = 3600 calories

This will be useful for those of you that fly transcontinental and find yourself under or over fueled. Keep the formula in your notes area of your phone!  Or message me for help.

I also suggest during redeye or against circadian rhythm flights pilots eat more protein and fat than carbs. Protein fights fatigue and we all know how hard it is balancing flights over the ocean in the dark!

Post-Flight Fueling

One of the main goals of recovery between flights involves good sleep.  Therefore, I often recommend a small bedtime snack to help keep blood sugar stable so you can stay asleep.  Recall that during sleep your body is busy stimulating muscle repair and growth.

 

Pairing food groups is very important for blood sugar stability so choose a carbohydrate paired with protein.  Some of my favorite bedtime snacks include:

Here are some examples of easy post-workout meals:

  • 12 crackers and a cheese stick
  • Boiled egg with 12 crackers
  • Cottage cheese and ½ cup cherries
  • 1 Pita bread and hummus
  • Shelf stable milk box and 1 mini Kind bar

Hydration for Optimal Performance

Limiting dehydration during flight is one of the best ways to feel like total crap for the duration of your trip!  Your body is made up of at least 70% water and for each flight you lose about 14 to 20 ounces per hour.  Imagine that pilot on the Milan flight for 7.54 hours losing 140 ounces and fluid and not replacing any of it?  Ummm…hello no sleep, constipation, and a terribly scratchy throat. 

I understand how y’all don’t want to visit the lav so much.  In a uniform it’s even harder. I know.  But, if you don’t use your kidneys…one day you will lose them.  Over the last 3 years I’ve already worked with 3 pilots who had serious kidney issues. Don’t let that be you!

Improve your flight performance and recover by staying optimally hydrated.  The best way to limit dehydration during flight is to make sure you’re drinking enough fluids before you start flying. This means drinking enough fluids to maintain your body weight from the second you wake. To determine the minimum number of ounces your body needs, use this formula.

 Body weight/2 = minimum daily ounces of fluid
 *All fluid counts in this total (coffee, tea, water, juice, soda)

 

You can also promote hydration by drinking adding 300 to 500 mg of sodium based electrolyte to your water bottle.  Most flights provide pilots with a 32 ounce bottle in the flight deck. Take that bottle and insert your favorite electrolyte powder.  What if you don’t like electrolyte powder?  Orange juice can be added as an electrolyte.  Also, spacing fluid out throughout the day is very important. Your kidneys come to understand balancing the fluid coming in and out daily.  So, think about finishing ⅓ of your daily needs before lunch, dinner and bedtime. 

It’s important to note that when you’re flying, if you rely on thirst to tell you when to drink, it could be too late.  By the time you become thirsty, you’ve likely already lost a significant amount of fluid through sweat. 

If you want recommendations on electrolytes head to my past blog article for examples.

Final Thoughts

When you’re flying, you want and are expected to perform at your best.  By making sure you’re getting enough carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fluid before, during, and after your flight, you can ensure you’re fueling yourself optimally for performance.  And if you have individual questions, just send me a message and I will answer them!