7 principles of Fueling like an athlete

Now I’m not a nutrition coach, but I do appreciate the value of smart eating.

So I’ve made a short list of some nutrition guidelines to follow, if you want the foods you consume to support your training, and not leave you feeling flat and defeated.

My recommendation would be to choose 3 things that you’d like to work on, and keep a running log in your head each meal as to whether or not you checked that box. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to eat sensibly, most of the time.

Here goes:

1. Eat like an adult, most of the time

Prioritize whole foods

Minimize ultra-processed stuff most days

2. Protein at every main meal

Aim for 1 palm-sized portion of protein per meal

Check out this protein calculator so you know how much you should be aiming for.

Examples: chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, legumes

3. Carbs are not the enemy

If you train hard, you need carbs

Include carbs around training (before and/or after)

Examples: rice, potatoes, fruit, oats, bread, granola

4. Don’t fear fats, just don’t drown food in them

Include healthy fats daily

Oils, nuts, seeds, avocado, fatty fish

5. Hydration is key

Start every single day with 500ml water

Clear/light yellow urine = good enough benchmark

Add electrolytes if sweating a lot

6. Eat consistently, not perfectly

Regular high quality meals > “being good”

One off-day doesn’t matter. It’s about your bigger dietary picture

7. Base supplements

Supplements are optional and not a replacement for good nutrition.

You may already get some of these in your diet, but perhaps not in the quantities you need.

Think of them like an insurance policy to ensure all your bases are covered.

Examples: Whey protein, Creatine, Multivitamin, Magnesium, Fish oil

Nail these, and you’ll be fuelling like an athlete.