Nutrition for Optimal Performance - Part 1

Whether you are a competing athlete, a weekend sports player or a dedicated daily exerciser, the foundation to improved performance is a nutritionally adequate diet.

Within the functional fitness industry, the general recommendations are that athletes should, “eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.” More specific dietary recommendations are based on the Zone Diet, which was developed over 30 years ago by Barry Sears, a biochemist (note, not a dietician or nutritionist) and the Paleo diet which removes nearly all sources of carbohydrates (pure sacrilege in a performance nutritionists eyes).

Whilst the functional fitness industry recommendations may benefit some populations, prescribing this ‘one size fits all’ approach does not account for individual nutrition requirements associated with current nutritional status, overall health, medical conditions, age, gender and socio-economic status. It also fails to include adequate amounts of arguably, one of the most important sources of fuel we need to sustain physical activity, which is glucose from carbohydrates. Cue the Keto and Paleo warriors…

WODS, ENERGY SYSTEMS AND FUEL

WODs exclusively focus’ on sustained efforts of power; they often have minimal rest periods, so the emphasis is to maximise power output for as long as possible. This is imperative for any athlete who is training or competing regularly.

Such intense training puts a high demand on continuous glucose energy production - the predominant fuel source used in high-intensity, short-bursts of activity such as a WOD (as shown in Figure 1). Athletes are also exposed to high-power cardiorespiratory activities

, placing even more demand and need for glycogen utilisation, making the availability of these substrates crucial for optimal performance.

In short, as exercise intensity increases, so does the need for carbs as a fuel source. Therefore, low or minimal carbohydrate intake may hinder glycogen replenishment, thus hindering the performance of following sessions or competitions.

In this two-part series, I will be discussing the nutrition considerations for optimal performance in order of importance. As a disclaimer, these considerations are just guidelines which can help you in your initial journey. However, if you really looking to level up your performance, it is worth investing in a performance nutritionist who can provide personalised nutrition advice.

STEP 1: GET THE BASICS RIGHT FIRST

Too often I have individuals come to me having tried and failed to create sustainable, long-term habits. Why? Because they start sweating the big stuff before they have achieved the fundamentals. I can't stress how important it is to get the basics right first before you start adding complexity.

First things first, take a look at the basics below. If you are doing all 6 of these, great! You can move on to step 2. If you’re not, make these behaviours HABITUAL first. If you really want to prioritise your health and optimise your performance, make these simple habits non-negotiables.

The Basics

• At least 4 feeds per day....

• 3 anytime meals 1 snack + optional shake every day

• Focus on eating a protein source at every meal

• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables at each meal

• Keep to a consistent meals meal structure and try to eliminate going long periods without eating or grazing

• Aim for a minimum of 2.5 litres a day of water over the day

Once you are doing the above consistently… and by consistent, I mean doing them at least 90% of the time, only then should you move onto the complex stuff.

STEP 2: CALCULATE YOUR CALORIC NEEDS

Understanding the number of calories that you need to fuel your workouts is the single biggest factor which will help you to improve your performance.

Many people don’t know how much they should be eating, and often eat too little, which eventually takes its toll on their performance. If you are not sure how many calories you should be eating, head over to our free pH calorie and macro calculator: https://phnutrition.co.uk/calorie-calculator

TIP: Individuals will typically underestimate their energy expenditure instead of overestimating, putting them at risk of underfunding and sup-optimal performance. If you track your movement via an app or watch, I would suggest finding a summary of your weekly energy expenditure and using it when inputting your activity into the calculator. If you don’t track, I would suggest tracking for at least 7 days to find out your average energy expenditure.

Remember that all calorie calculations are estimates, and they may need adjusting depending on the phases of training.

STEP 3: UNDERSTAND YOUR MACROS TARGETS

Below are the typical ranges I recommend my athletes adhere to. This will vary from individual to individual.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates power your cells, in particular, they power the contraction of your muscle cells, which is vital when you are performing any kind of exercise, especially functional fitness and strength training.

Guidelines

There are no specific established guidelines for daily carbohydrate intake for athletes whose primary mode of training is functional fitness, however current evidence suggests 4-7 g/kg/bw depending on the phase of training. This would vary depending on the individual.

Considerations

• Across the day, focus on consuming wholegrain and wholemeal sources

• Before a workout, reduce fibrous carbs to prevent gastrointestinal discomfort such as bloating

• During sessions lasting 60+ minutes, consume fast-release carbs such as Soreen and sweets to help replenish depleted glycogen stores.

Protein

Unquestionably one of the most important macros for ompitmising performance in the gym. Its main function is to help repair and grow muscle but is also very important for immune support.

Guidelines

Considerations

• Aim for 4-6 protein-rich meals throughout the day, with a protein content of each meal equating 20-30g

• Quality is important, so aim to get most of your protein from whole foods.

• Make protein consumption a priority post-workout

• Consuming protein prior to your training can also kick start the recovery process

Fats

Fats are essential to our health, as they regulate our hormones which control many processes in our bodies.

Guidelines

The current recommendations are to aim for 0.8-1.0 g/kg/bw.

Considerations

• Replace saturated fast with unsaturated sources

• Lower fats pre-workout: fats slow down the absorption of other nutrients such as carbohydrates making the unideal before training

What next?

Get started with these first three steps, but don’t rush them. In the same way that we approach training from a “what is an appropriate level of stimulus for me now?” perspective, we want to approach our diet and nutrition in the same way.

We are the product of our habits, not what we do for short periods.

In my next post, I will be discussing the importance of nutrient timing, workout nutrition and supplements. In the meantime, if you have any questions or want to work with me, drop me a message on Instagram @harrietrenkin or email me at harriet@phnutrition.co.uk.