A 60-minute lifting session and a four-hour bike ride put very different demands on your body, so why would you fuel them the same way? We break down pre-, intra-, and post-workout nutrition for strength and endurance athletes, including carb-to-protein ratios, how many grams of carbs per hour you actually need, hydration and sodium, and why the “post-workout window” is really more of a big, open garage door.

Sugar-free electrolytes might sound like the perfect solution—but in most cases, they don’t make much sense. Before you buy into the hype, it’s worth understanding what electrolytes actually do, when you need them, and why the ‘sugar-free’ promise isn’t the advantage it seems.