Optimal Training Nutrition: A Strategy that Leads to Optimal Performance

Source: Coach Al Lyman, CSCS

When you consider how, what, and when you eat daily, how do you know that you are doing what you should be to be sure your nutrition strategy is effective?

• Is your weight stable?


• Do you experience strong training performance?


• Do you experience rapid recovery from training?

These are the KEY questions we all need to ask ourselves first, before considering anything else.

Though there are general guidelines which apply to all of us, the real deal is that we each are an experiment of one.

What are some of the basic universal guidelines we should all follow?
Here are some of them:

• Most of what you eat should be REAL food (primarily fruits, veggies, lean proteins)


• Real foods provide key nutrients and quality proteins that are key to good health and performance, and will lead to better recovery and lower BF


• You should consume these real foods in appropriate amounts and at the RIGHT times


• Eating well after training (in the 30 min "window" in particular) and also minimizing late night eating, are very important


• You need to get carbohydrate from the most appropriate sources and time that intake appropriately


• Carbs should be complex (low-glycemic!). The one period of time when it may be appropriate to consume simple carbs is right after a training session.


• DURING training intake of carbs is very important to minimize depletion and improve recovery from training

Your ability to execute an optimal nutritional strategy is directly tied to your emotional state! Awareness is key!

• How you FEEL can dictate how you eat! Create an emotional and physical environment that supports healthy eating!

What are the common pitfalls that many endurance athletes experience? Do these apply to you?

• Too-few calories (and not optimal make up of calories) during post workout period.


• Day time fasting to lose weight (always leads to late night binging (a.ka. back end loaded daily eating), low energy, poor adaptation to training, higher BF


• Too low quality protein consumption daily


• Quality protein is KEY for recovery and adaptation to training, and for maintaining optimal BF


• Too-low fat consumption, and not enough "good" fats, i.e. Omega 3


• All-carb diet generally leads to low strength levels, poor adaptation to training, and higher BF percentages


• Too much highly processed foods and fat, i.e junk food snacks


• "Good" fats are very important and often lacking


• Junk foods provide 0 nutrients, too much processed sugar, and lead to high BF and poor performance

EATING WELL IS SIMPLE, BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.

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