In the first two parts of this three part series, I spoke about how I group foods into three general categories..."gold”, “silver” and “bronze”. In my last post, I listed some foods that would fall into each of those categories ("Dr. Paul's Nourishment For Optimal Performance - Food List”) to help athletes understand that certain foods may contribute to athletic success (or failure) more than others. This categorization is not meant to objectify food but simply provide “real-life” connections between “what” you eat and your athletic performance on any given day. In this final post of a 3 Part Series, let's discuss how this directly affects your performance output and recovery on those all important "Training Days" and "Race" days.
Training Day
One of the most important meals of the day is the one you eat within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning. This turns “off” the protein breakdown pathway and turns “on” the protein building pathway. Choose a carbohydrate to protein ratio of 2:1 such as a peanut and banana rice cake sandwich, an egg white omelet whole wheat wrap, steel cut oats with a scoop of vanilla whey protein, or a whey protein, banana and greek yogurt smoothie. You only need about 150-200 kcals at this meal. Occasionally, it is a great idea to forgo eating in the morning prior to an early morning workout to “kick-start” your body’s fat burning machinery. Research shows that athletes who abstain from eating in the morning prior to exercise increase their muscles ability to burn body fat! And you do not sacrifice your performance if you follow this regimen either so it’s a win-win situation – lower your body fat and enhance your performance.
Immediately after your workout within 30 minutes, eat a carbohydrate to protein ratio of 4:1 and consume fluid to replace water and electrolyte loss during exercise. This is a good time to let your “sweet tooth” take over, just don’t over-do it! I suggest a peanut butter and honey rice cake sandwich with a glass of chocolate milk (yummy!), a handful of nuts/seeds and dried fruit, a turkey wrap, a whey protein banana-fruit and juice smoothie, or an energy bar that has a 4:1, which includes almost all of them. As I mention above, this is my top recommendation for athletes; eat and drink the right combination of foods and fluids immediately after exercise to increase their overall performance the following days.
Race Day
Follow the same pre-race preparation as above for Training Day, but try to consume your last small meal 3-4 hours prior and then stay hydrated in between. Most importantly is to eat a quick infusion of carbs and protein (4:1 ~200kcals) right after you complete each race (within 15-30 minutes is best). These carb to protein (4:1) mini meals right after exercise helps promote muscle growth and repair, replenishes energy stores and bolsters the immune system so you are ready for the next race.
