{"id":22854,"title":"Nutrition for optimal performance - Part 2","description":"Part 2 of this two part series by performance nutritionist Harriet Renkin touches on important subjest such as; nutrient timing, workout nutrition and supplements","content":"<p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Nutrition for Optimal Performance\u00a0- By Harriet Renkin - Part 2<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><br \/><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Part two of this two-part series on nutrition for optimal performance explores the importance of nutrient timing, workout nutrition and supplements. If you haven\u2019t yet read part 1, I would highly recommend reading it first as each aspect is considered in order of importance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><br \/><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">STEP 4: NUTRIENT TIMING<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Timing your nutrition around when you train extends beyond pre and post-workout. To get the most out of your session, you want to be making sure you are fueling yourself across the day. Much of this can be achieved by following the basics discussed in Part 1 but, below are some additional considerations that can help.<\/span><\/p><p><br \/><\/p><p><em><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Considerations<\/span><\/em><\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Eat three regular meals and 2-3 snacks<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Don't go longer than 3-4 hours without a meal or snack<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Reduce the size of your meal as you get closer to your training window<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Solids and liquids are just as effective - this is a personal preference<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Listen to your body and become aware of your hunger cues\u2026 if you are hungry, that is probably a sign you should eat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><br \/><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">STEP 5: WORKOUT NUTRITION<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">What you eat (and don\u2019t eat) around and within your workout can make or break your session. If under fuel, you will underperform. Equally, if you don\u2019t consume the right types of foods, you may also under-fuel, thus underperform, or encounter other consequences such as gastrointestinal discomfort. Therefore, it is important to consider the following: When should I eat and what should I eat?<\/span><\/p><p><br \/><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Pre-workout Nutrition<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Working out on an empty stomach is definitely not going to result in optimal performance, so make sure that you fuel yourself correctly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Ideally, you want to eat around 20-30% of our total daily carbs before training and 20-30% after the training session<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">As you edge closer to your training session, you want to opt for fast-release carbs as opposed to low-release<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Stay away from fibrous foods and high-fat products to avoid GI discomfort. This varies with some individuals being able to tolerate fibre around training<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Stay hydrated<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/ojzgqpzoryhmwo4zdspohs36m7fpsqtp5azz1ajozgb10rdz.jpg\" alt=\"ojzgqpzoryhmwo4zdspohs36m7fpsqtp5azz1ajozgb10rdz.jpg\" \/><br \/><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Intra-workout Nutrition<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">If your workout lasts for more than one hour, it might be helpful to you to consume carbs and protein during your workout.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Consume fast-digesting carbs with small amounts of fast-digesting protein (such as Whey).<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">For 60-120 min sessions focus on liquid-based carbs and protein<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">For longer sessions (120+ min) use a mixture of glucose, fructose and protein<\/span><\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">You need to practice and train the gut for this<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Stay hydrated throughout the whole session via water and electrolytes (in hot or humid climates)<\/span><\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/vs4yvggbjig1bihc62t06tzwifrbijzgiqeodfhj07wwnbc2.jpg\" alt=\"vs4yvggbjig1bihc62t06tzwifrbijzgiqeodfhj07wwnbc2.jpg\" \/><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Post-workout Nutrition<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">After any type of workout, it\u2019s important to have a snack or meal to kick start the recovery process. Recently trained muscles are extra sensitive to carbohydrates, so it\u2019s the ideal time to consume carbs to refuel your muscles as this sensitivity gradually decreases over the following 3-6 hours.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">This meal wants to be balanced with protein, carbohydrates and fats<\/span><\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Higher intensity and longer duration = more carbs<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Start to include some fibrous fruit and vegetables in this meal<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Make sure you are replenishing lost water and electrolytes (if super sweaty). This will hugely improve recovery.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Liquid or solid forms are just as effective.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/gj5rhjqwzvx528bfpc26lon9ahtodadwr9zqkty4ptrjedif.jpg\" alt=\"gj5rhjqwzvx528bfpc26lon9ahtodadwr9zqkty4ptrjedif.jpg\" \/><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">STEP 6: SUPPLEMENTS<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Supplements, as it says in the name, should be supplementary to your diet. They are the last thing that should be added to your diet after you\u2019ve made sure you\u2019re eating enough calories, enough of each macronutrient, and you\u2019re also eating at the right times and choosing good quality foods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">The supplement industry is extremely saturated making it difficult to decipher what you should and should not take. This is made more challenging by the people trying to sell them, including sponsored influencers trying to make a pretty penny. Let\u2019s get one thing straight, just because your favourite influencer takes it, does not mean you should. In fact, you may be doing more harm than good. Remember, we are all unique, which means we also have unique nutritional requirements. Additionally, some supplements hold a toxicity level which can have consequences on your health, if exceeded. Before you start throwing your money at these supplement companies, consider why you might need (or not need) to supplement.<\/span><\/p><p><br \/><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">R<\/span><em><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">easons for supplementation<\/span><\/em><\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">If you omit certain foods or food groups from your diet e.g. vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">If you have a diagnosed deficiency. If you are unsure, talk to your doctor about getting some blood tests. Self-diagnosis can lead to further complications\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">They provide performance-enhancing benefits. See below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">You cannot obtain a nutrient from your diet. This only really applies to Vitamin D which comes from direct sunlight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><br \/><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Performance-enhancing Supplements<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence. Below, I have included the supplements, supported by evidence, to have performance-enhancing effects, which can be taken alongside (but not replace) a healthy, balanced diet.\u00a0<\/span><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/hzdngq3vqix4rjcmcnkg31np3nwb26khoetwnglakknb7wte.png\" alt=\"hzdngq3vqix4rjcmcnkg31np3nwb26khoetwnglakknb7wte.png\" \/><strong><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">WRAP UP<\/span><\/strong><\/p><ul><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">When it comes to improving your health or performance, a food-first approach is always favoured. Most nutrients can be obtained by a healthy, balanced diet, therefore supplementation is rarely required.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Understanding how much you need to be consuming to support your goals is essential for success; both undereating and overeating are consequential on performance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">In addition to food and supplements, there are many behaviours and habits we can create to optimise performance, including eating three regular meals, knowing what to eat around workouts, and getting adequate sleep and recovery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><li><p><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">Get the basics right first, and the level of everything you do will rise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><br \/><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">To learn more about nutrition for optimal performance, follow @<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/harrietrenkin.nutrition\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\"><u>harrietrenkin.nutrition<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\"> and <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ph_nutrition\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\"><u>pH Nutrition<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\"> for daily nutrition nuggets. If you would like to find out more about the services I offer and how I can help you, visit my <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harrietrenkinnutrition.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\"><u>website here<\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family:Arial;\">.<\/span><\/p>","urlTitle":"nutrition-for-optimal-performance-part-2","url":"\/blog\/nutrition-for-optimal-performance-part-2\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/nutrition-for-optimal-performance-part-2\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/theprogramtraining.co.uk\/blog\/nutrition-for-optimal-performance-part-2\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1669795997,"updatedAt":1669834936,"publishedAt":1669834936,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":46678,"name":"The Program Training"},"tags":[{"id":2003,"code":"nutrition","name":"Nutrition","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/nutrition\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ozicbz1rgbbfabuj5zslxsrph5fbdidamvguegq4szqqy5i3.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ozicbz1rgbbfabuj5zslxsrph5fbdidamvguegq4szqqy5i3.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ozicbz1rgbbfabuj5zslxsrph5fbdidamvguegq4szqqy5i3.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Nutrition for optimal performance part 2","metaDescription":"Nutrition for performance blog. 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