Nutritional timing for athletic performance
Recommended per day
1 litre of water per 50lb of bodyweight
1g of protein per 1lb of bodyweight
1g of carbohydrate will provide 4kcal of energy
At least 5 different portions of fruit and veg per day, the more colours in your diet the better.
Before training
Hydration - drink 450ml up to 2 hours before. Kidneys need 60-90 minutes to process excess liquid, so this will be excreted before the event/activity, leaving you hydrated without excess water. Too much excess fluid taken immediately before an activity may cause 'sloshing' in the stomach.
Drink 110-225ml, 5-10 minutes before activity. This will be available to replace sweat.
Energy - 1g of carbohydrates will provide 4kcal of energy. Around 2 hours before exercise you should be consuming a balanced meal of roughly 400/500 calories to provide you with enough energy to complete your training session. You should be aiming for low-glycemic foods such as brown rice, brown pasta for a slow releasing energy release.
During training
Hydration - ideally try to take small sips of water every few minutes. This will keep you fully hydrated during your training. You should be aiming to consume up to litre of water per hour of exercise. If exercising at a hard pace for longer than 60 minutes you will benefit from drinks containing a small amount of sugar. A 4-8% solution of sugar in water. As glycogen stores are depleted, there is greater reliance on blood sugar levels, these drinks can provide this fuel and will enhance endurance and performance.
After training
Arguably the most important phase of nutrition timing.
Hydration - continue to drink your water and rehydrate. Also during exercise and sweating the body loses minerals (electrolytes) such as potassium and sodium that help your body function properly. Sports drinks are designed to leave the stomach quickly to replace these minerals.
Recovery - the body can only consume between 20-30g of protein at any one time depending on bodyweight. I recommend a fast acting whey protein to be taken immediately after exercise, or at least within 10 minutes of completing exercise. I recommend this as your body is in a state of muscular shock it will not be able to break down and absorb any solid protein in a quick enough time. After showering and getting home your body will have relaxed into a more restful state, a balanced meal of protein, carbs and veg would be ideal. High glycemic carbohydrates will replace glycogen stores in your muscles providing adequate energy for recovery. Vegetables will also provide the essential links to react the chemical reactions to facilitate the synthesis of carbohydrates and protein.
Writter - Connor Doherty
For more info on nutrition or taylor made specific diet plans please contact me on connordoherty@bodytorque.org.uk
