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UK Military Nutrition Advisory Service

Each individual will be rowing for a total of 11 hours per day, 4 hours on and 4 hours off for approximately 50 days. All food will be carried on the boat, and there will be no re-supply during the event. A source of fresh water is available. Recommended energy intake is a minimum of 5,500 to 6,000 kilocalories (kcal) per person per day. This is based on calculated rates of energy expenditure during light rowing and other relevant whole-body endurance sports. Recommended foods: Norwegian freeze dried foods, US Flameless Ration Heater (known as the MRE heater) & accompanying ready meals, plus high energy snacks (see below for details).

Foods to carry

Composition of food: This type of whole body exercise will be reliant on two main sources of fuel: carbohydrate and fat. If you are all fit and healthy you will all have large reserves of fat (whatever your body shape / weight), but you have limited stores of carbohydrate in your body. Running low on carbohydrate will prevent you from performing any more than a very low level of exercise. To perform any type of strenuous exercise, your body relies very heavily on carbohydrates. It is important, therefore, that you base your diet around carbohydrates as much as you can, bearing in mind the weight issues outlined below.

Weight

Weight for weight, carbohydrate and protein provides less energy than fat. One gram of carbohydrate supplies 17 kJ (4.1 kcal) of energy, whereas 1 gram of fat provides 39 kJ (9.3 kcal) of energy. For this reason foods that are relatively high in fat are often favoured for expeditions in which the weight of the food is critical. This applies mainly to when food is being carried or hauled (e.g. on sledges) for long distances, and every gram counts. It may not be as critical as this for you since the food is being transported on the boat, but given you are carrying food for 4 men for 50 days, you may consider weight to be an issue. Carbohydrate- based foods also tend to be bulkier than high fat ones, so they will take up more space.

You have the advantage of being able to rehydrate dried foods, so choose high-energy, carbohydrate-based food products wherever possible. If you need to reduce weight / space at any stage, substitute higher fat products. The Norwegian freeze dried meals are recommended. These are high calorie (600 kcal).

Good sources of carbohydrate include:
Breakfast cereals (e.g. instant oats)
Dried fruit
Bananas
Baked beans
Fruit Juice
Pasta: Noodles etc
Rice
Bread, sandwiches
Potatoes

Suitable high energy products include:
Chocolate bars
Chocolate drink powders,
Energy bars,
Biscuits

Other tips

Take some flavourings with you to add to main meals to give a bit of variety e.g. chilli, garlic, curry powders and sauces.

UK military personnel consuming dehydrated rations for extended periods are known to favour instant oats, milk chocolate, cream of chicken, oxtail, french onion, and golden vegetable soups, and the main meals: pasta carbonara, potato and beef, chicken balti, and chicken with noodles. The sort of things they like to add to dehydrated rations include noodles, flavourings e.g. chilli, energy bars, energy drink mixes, and pepperami sticks.

You may wish to take a one-a-day multivitamin / mineral supplement.

Heating food

You may want to consider a heating system such as the US Flameless Ration Heater (known as the MRE heater), as the hexamine system might not be used easily in a boat in windy weather. These are extremely lightweight pockets which heat meals placed inside them by means of a chemical reaction, and they are very effective. They also remove the need for cooking pans, but they currently do not heat water to boiling point hence they cannot be used for making drinks like tea (coffee and other hot drinks are possible). These can be purchased in the UK together with ready meals. We can provide supplier information if required.

Foods to avoid

Alcohol: Even in small amounts alcohol impairs your co-ordination, your reaction speed, and your judgement. It also causes the body to become dehydrated. Even a moderate degree of dehydration can cause a significant decrease in physical performance.  Wait until you cross the finish line!
Contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not have a dehydrating effect other than in large quantities (probably about 300 mg and above - this equates to 3-4 cups of coffee in one sitting).

Drinking

Try to monitor your urine output (i.e. rough amounts / frequency of urination), and try to use a container during your rest periods to enable you to perform a urine test: check the colour and amount. If you are well hydrated your urine will be light in colour and there will be lots of it. If you are dehydrated your urine will be darker in colour, it may smell, and there will be less of it. Drink water or preferably an isotonic sports drink e.g. Lucozade Sport, Gatorade or similar. You can carry these drinks in powder form and add them to water. The sugars and electrolytes these drinks contain mean they are very effective in promoting fluid uptake by the body, and in sustaining physical performance. Remember to drink regularly during both the exercise and rest periods, particularly if the weather is warm. However, if you are urinating often you may be drinking too much.

The body generally adapts well to food and fluid intake during exercise, but it needs time, so prepare yourselves by practising with food and fluids during training, and don't wait until the event itself to try something new - this is important.