OPTIMIZE PERFORMANCE. ACCELERATE RECOVERY.

Meeting your caloric, macronutrient, vitamin and mineral

needs will ensure that you not only lead a longer & healthier
life but will also increase sport performance & recovery!

As an athlete, your dietary needs are

different than the average person!
Nutrient
Water

Fuel Yourself:
Your body burns calories even
when you are doing nothing in
order to maintain important
functional processes (such as
temperature regulation and
digestion). When you exercise,
your body burns more calories
so that it can produce the
energy required to drive your
muscle
contraction
and
afterwards in order to repair
muscle damage.
Think of
consuming
calories
like
putting gas in your car: you
need to put in at least as much
as you use!

Role in Performance

Quick Tip

Water aids in the

transport of important
molecules like sugar and
oxygen to different parts
of your body

Drink fluids before,

during and after
your competition to
stay hydrated!

Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are used

as energy for your
muscles and food for
your brain

Choose whole grain

products over more
processed food

Fats

Fats provide energy

during lower intensity
work outs and are
needed for the uptake of
fat-soluble vitamins
(like vitamin A or E)

Eat healthy fats: if a

food label says it
contains saturated
or trans fats, try to
avoid it

Protein

Required for muscle

growth and repair as
well as proper metabolic
functioning

If you dont have

time to cook a big
meal, try eating a
handful of nuts or
seeds

Skipping a meal because youre in a hurry is extremely detrimental to your body: it is forced
to use energy stores for every day functioning that you would otherwise use for performance.
Your body will already be in a negative energy balance prior to training and it will be very
hard for your body to replenish the huge quantities of lost energy.
On the run? Grab these and go.

Trail mix with dried fruit

Peanut butter on an apple
Canned tuna with whole grain crackers

Regular instant oatmeal with fruit

Whole grain cereal with milk
Low-fat Popcorn

CARBOHYDRATES: FRIEND OR FOE?

Carbohydrates (CHO) are your bodys main source of energy. Carbohydrates are stored in your
muscles and liver as glycogen, a branched chain of glucose molecules. In the muscle, glycogen is
used as the main fuel source during high intensity (>70%) activity. Glycogen in the liver is released
to maintain constant blood glucose levels. It is essential that athletes have a diet that is high in
carbohydrates to ensure that they have adequate amounts of glycogen stores to fuel their body
during exercise (both for training and competition). Sugars in certain foods are absorbed more
quickly than others, allowing for rapid uptake of CHO in the bloodstream. These are referred to as
high glycemic index (GI) foods).

Did you know?

Your brain can only use glucose as an energy source.

This means that when blood glucose levels are low and
liver glycogen has been depleted, your body must
divert energy away from your muscles in order to
convert fats or protein into glucose for your brain.

Training
Intensity

Daily CHO
Consumption

A 55 kg athlete
would consume

Moderate

5-7 g CHO/kg body

weight (BW)
7-12 g CHO/kg BW

275-385g CHO

Heavy

385-660g CHO

Food Source
Medium Banana

CHO(g)
27

Whole Wheat Spaghetti (1cup)

37

Brown Rice (1cup)

46

Whole Wheat Bread (1 slice)

13

Dried Figs (1cup)

95

Carbohydrates are essential macronutrients to consume if you want to perform your

best. In order to optimize your performance for competition follow these guidelines of
when and what to eat for the most advantageous carbohydrate consumption:
When?
How much?
What kind?
Days leading up to
8-10 g CHO/kg BW
Normal kinds of meals with larger servings of CHO
competition:
than typical.
3-5 hours precompetition

4-5 g CHO/kg BW

Mixed food that is a higher proportion of CHO than

protein or fat to minimize risk of upset stomach.

1 hour pre-competition
During competition
(>60 mins)

1-2 g CHO/kg BW
1.2-1.7 g/min

Low G.I. foods such as whole-grain cereal with milk

Mixed CHO such as carbohydrate gels consisting of
glucose and fructose polymers.

Post-Exercise

1.0-1.5 g/kg BW in
30 minute intervals
for 4-6 hours

High G.I. foods, such as fruits or a sports drink if

appetite is suppressed

PROTEIN: BUILDING BLOCKS OF MUSCLE

Proteins are complex molecules that make up some of the most
important compounds in our body. Proteins can form structural
complexes such as the contractile proteins in muscle cells or can
be used as enzymes to catalyze important metabolic reactions
taking place within cells.
Luckily, our body is able to synthesize much of the protein that
we need from common building blocks. We need only consume
small amounts of some of the very basic constituents called
essential amino acids to ensure adequate protein intake because
our body cannot make them itself. As a North American, it is
likely that you are already consuming more than adequate
amounts of protein in your diet.
Proteins that contain all the essential amino acids that we require
in our diet are referred to as complete proteins.

Protein consumption is extremely variable and the type of training that

you do highly influences the amount of protein that you should be
consuming because of the different demands placed on the body.
Training Type
Average Adult
Endurance
Strength
Ultra-Endurance*

Daily Protein Consumption

0.8 g/kg BW
1.2-1.4 g/kg BW
1.6-1.7 g/kg BW
Up to 2.5 g/kg BW

A 55 kg athlete would consume

44 g
66-77 g
88-93.5 g
<137.5 g

*During extremely long bouts of high-intensity exercise, protein will be used as <5% of the fuel source for the body.

Immediately post-exercise, an athlete

should consume 20-25 g of protein with
your
consumption
of
high
G.I.
carbohydrates and 8-10 g of essential
amino acids.
A turkey sandwich would be a good way to
ingest sufficient amounts of protein, essential
amino acids, and carbohydrates.
Food Source

Protein (g)

Peanuts (1 cup)

38

Flank Steak (1.5oz)

28

Chickpeas (1 cup)

15

Canned Tuna (3oz)

22
13

Refried Beans (1 cup)

FATS: DONT FALL FOR THEIR BAD RAP!

Fats are a required macronutrient in the human diet: they do in fact serve a positive purpose
in the body. Fat is stored as adipose tissue, which insulates and protects vital organs, is the
site of hormone production (like testosterone and estrogen), and is required for the
absorption
of
important
fat-soluble
vitamins
like
vitamin
A
and
E.
Fats are used as the primary fuel source by the body
during activity of lower intensities, but fats and
carbohydrates are used in combination to produce
energy. Fats are slower at yielding energy than
carbohydrates and require that carbohydrates be
utilized to initiate the cycle used by the body to
produce energy from fats. The increased time to
produce energy is why carbohydrates are the
dominant fuel source for the body when exercising
above 70% exercise intensity.

Did you know?

Studies directly linking saturated
fats to adverse health effects are
lacking, so theyre not as bad as
once thought!

Fats to Avoid

Fats to Consume

Fats to Consider

Trans Fats

Unsaturated Fat

Saturated Fat

Found in
hydrogenated foods
like margarine, fast
food, commercially
prepared baked goods

Usually found in
plant products like
olive oil, nuts, and
avocados, but also
found in fish products

Usually found in
animal products like
butter, cream and
red meat

Fats: Tips and Tricks

Make sure you read food labels to check

for trans fats
Choose to eat foods that are a rich source
of healthy fats like fish or avocados
these are high in omega-3 fatty acids
Consuming fats during exercise is not
recommended as it has not been shown
to enhance performance
Aim for a diet with 20-35% fats

Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids good for your brain! Consumption of unsaturated fats
has been linked to enhanced cognitive function and memory. They have also been found to
reduce inflammation and mitigate the negative effects of omega-6 fatty acids, which can
cause inflammation and may augment many diseases.

VITAMINS & MINERALS: IS SUPPLEMENTATION NECESSARY?

Vitamins and minerals each play important role in your body when it comes
to functions like metabolism, as well as growth and development. Vitamins
and minerals are found in a variety of food sources and each has a specific
position in the body. Your body cannot synthesize vitamins or minerals,
with the exception of vitamins K and D, so it is important that you consume
adequate amounts in your diet.
Vitamin /
Mineral
Vitamin B
complex
Vitamin C
Calcium
Vitamin D

Function in Body

Recommended
Dietary Intake (RDI)

Roles as chemical messengers in

brain, reparation of muscle and
tissue damage,
Antioxidant that eliminates
cancer causing free radicals,
boosts immune function
Structural component of bones
and teeth, also required for
muscle contraction
Required for absorption of
calcium, boosts immune function

There are 8 different B

vitamins, each with a
different RDI
Women: 75 mg/day
Men: 90 mg/day

Vitamin E

Antioxidant that eliminates

cancer causing free radicals

Iron

Important molecule involved in

red blood cell formation and
oxygen transport
Important for fluid and
electrolyte balance as well as
muscle contraction

Sodium

Iron deficiency can seriously

decrease muscle and body
functioning.
If you feel
fatigued, are pale, and have
poor temperature regulation,
check with your physician
before
taking
iron
supplements.

1000 mg/day
5 g / day

15 mg/day
Women: 18 mg/day
Men: 8 mg/day
1500 mg/day

Sources
Dark leafy green vegetables,
nuts, meat, whole grain
bread, fortified cereal
Strawberries, oranges, red
and green peppers
Milk and dairy products like
milk, yogurt and cheese, also
fortified cereal, spinach
Fish and liver oils, fortified
milk products.
*Body can synthesize in
sunlight
Fortified cereals, nuts &
legumes, sunflower seeds,
vegetable oils
Meat, fortified cereals, beans,
legumes, eggs
Foods that salt has been
added to: meat, crackers,
nuts, processed foods

Female athletes have to pay

special attention to ensure
adequate iron intake to maintain
bone mineral density due to iron
loss from menstruation

Helpful hint: consuming vitamin C at the

same time as iron will allow your body
to absorb iron more readily!

Did you know?

if you are a vegetarian, you need to consume ~ 3x the

amount of iron as a non-vegetarian!

Studies have shown that athletes

who meet their required daily
energy intake by consuming
enough
calories
will
also
consume sufficient amounts of
vitamins
and
minerals.
Supplementation is typically
NOT necessary!

WATER: DONT WAIT UNTIL YOURE THIRSTY

Water is one of the bodys major components; in fact, you are comprised of between 55-60% water. You
should be concerned about your hydration levels because water is a major component of blood, which
transports important nutrients to your bodys cells (which also have water in them). Water in your cells
provides a medium for important biochemical reactions to take place that enable you to provide energy to
power your body. Water also plays a key role in regulating your bodys internal temperature, which can
increase by a significant amount when youre exercising.
So why is hydration so important ?
As an elite athlete, not only are you
performing high intensity activities longer
which means youre sweating for long
periods every day, but you actually sweat
more than the average person. Most people
sweat about 1-2 L/hour, but a trained
athlete can be typically sweating up to
4L/hr! If youre exercising for 2 hours per
day then that is a huge amount of water lost.
Water does not exist as pure water as we
know once it is inside of your body. It exists
as a mixture containing lots of body bits and
pieces in solution, known as electrolytes.
Your body needs to maintain a certain
concentration of these electrolytes in order
to function optimally. Electrolytes are also
lost through sweat and therefore must be
replenished in order to maintain hydration
levels. One of the major components is
sodium. Other minerals like chloride and
potassium are important, too.

Hydration: Tips & Tricks

Drink lots of fluids 3-4 hours BEFORE you
exercise about 5-7 ml/kg BW. If by 2 hrs
before you havent peed, drink another 3-5
ml/kg BW.
If youre thirsty, youre already 2%
dehydrated Drink up!
If youre exercising for longer than 60
minutes, drink a 6-8% CHO solution every
~15 minutes
After competition, consume 1.5 L of fluid
containing 0.5 0.7g/L sodium for each kg
of body weight lost during exercise (NOT
plain water)

Am I hydrated?

A good way to tell is to

check
your
urine
colour! If it is below a 3
on the colour chart to
the left, youre likely
hydrated. If it is a 4 or
higher, then you are
probably dehydrated!
Remember though that
vitamins and minerals
can alter the colour of
your pee, and that you
need to look at your
urine on its own (in a
clear cup will do); NOT
after its mixed with
the toilet water! Its
best to check first thing
in the morning!

SAMPLE MEAL PLAN: TAILORED FOR THE ENDURANCE ATHLETE

Female (BW: 55 kg)
Total Caloric Intake
(approximate)
Breakfast

Snack

Lunch

Serving Sizes:
Tips & Tricks
2 hands cupped together
approximates 1 cup of food:
use for cereal, soup, and
salads
1 hand cupped together
approximates a cup of
food: use for pasta, rice,
spaghetti sauce, and potato
salad
The palm of the hand
approximates 3 oz: use for
cooked meats like chicken
breast or a hamburger
2 thumbs together
approximates 1 tbsp: use
for peanut butter, salad
dressing, or margarine

Snack

Dinner

Dessert
Total Calories

2600 Calories (kcal)

-250 ml skim milk
-1 package regular instant oatmeal
-1 banana
-2 poached eggs
-1 slice whole wheat toast
Calories: 520
-1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt with 1
sliced peach
-12 oz orange juice
Calories: 350
-100 g grilled chicken
- 2 cups spinach
-1/2 cup sliced carrots
-1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
-5 cherry tomatoes
-1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar &
olive oil dressing
-1 oz cheddar cheese
Calories: 430
-2 cups of mixed carrots, red and
green peppers, and broccoli
-1 tablespoon nonfat ranch dressing
-12 oz grapefruit juice
Calories: 340
-2 cups whole wheat spaghetti
-1/2 cup marinara sauce with 1 cup
ground turkey
-1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
-steamed asparagus (6 spears),
green string beans (1 cup),
cauliflower (1 cup)
-grilled zucchini (1/2 cup)
-1 tbsp butter
Calories: 740
-2 chocolate chip cookies
Calories: 170
2550 Calories

Keep in mind
Adequate amounts of rest and proper nutrition are a huge part of any training program!

References
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