What you put in your body directly impacts your performance, and these nutrition tips for athletes will help you feel your best in your workouts and recovery.
Whether you want to PR a lift, move through a WOD efficiently, quickly recover from a long run, or finally know what it feels like to have a second (or even a third!) gear in a workout, what you eat can either get you there…or keep you from achieving your goal.
Although personalizing your approach with an experienced coach is the best way to go, you can follow some general rules to see and feel immediate results.
So, what should you eat and when to optimize your performance? What else do you need to keep in mind? Here are some quick tips and tricks you can put into practice right now.
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Top Nutrition Tips for Athletes
If you're new to using nutrition to optimize your athletic performance, focus on one tip at a time. Then, add new habits as you build confidence.
1. Time Fat Intake Intentionally
Fat slows down the digestion of the other foods you eat it with, so keeping it limited right before and right after your workout will ensure your body uses protein and carbs efficiently.
2. Eat Your Carbs
Carbs are the fuel to your fire. Stick to quick-digesting, high GI carbs right before and right after training or competing—this gives your body immediate fuel to use for performance and recovery. Eat higher fiber, higher volume carbs farther from your workouts—no one likes doing burpees with broccoli in their stomach.
3. Prioritize Protein
Keep protein steady throughout your day. Although we recommend whole foods first, a protein shake is a great option if you are cutting it close and need a little pick-me-up before your workout. Learn more about protein powder options here.
4. Timing Matters
Try to eat a meal or larger snack 1-2 hours before your workout, a pre-workout snack 30-45 minutes out, and get in a post-workout meal 2-4 hours after training. Get more guidance here.
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5. Food Helps with Recovery
Don’t be afraid to add a post-workout snack or shake (protein + a quick digesting carb) ASAP after a workout. This will kickstart the recovery process and is especially important if you complete multiple workouts in a day or train early in the morning and don’t have time for a solid pre-workout meal.
6. Eat Enough
Know how much you need! Our Free Macro Calculator will help you determine how many calories and macros you need each day based on your body, training, and goals. Meal timing matters… but it won’t impact your performance as much as eating enough based on your goals.
7. Tackle Tracking
Keep tabs on your overall intake and be consistent. Once you know how many macros you need to reach your goals, track your intake and ensure you’re being consistent each day. We love MacrosFirst (and you can grab a 50% off discount with our Nutrition Coaching Plus membership). If you have to choose where to put your efforts, start with overall intake before stressing about timing.
We consider an “athlete” anyone who trains on purpose. If you make a point to move your body each day, you’re an athlete, and dialing in your nutrition will help you operate at your best. If you have any questions about fueling for performance or want a personalized plan from a pro, a WAG coach has your back.
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