Athletes' diet: practical fuel for performance

What you eat matters every time you train, compete, or recover. The right mix of calories, carbs, protein and fluids helps you get stronger, recover faster, and stay consistent. This page gives clear, useful advice you can use today—no fancy diets, just simple choices that work.

Macros and timing that actually help

Calories: match your training. If you're doing heavy training or trying to build muscle, eat more. If you need to lose fat while keeping muscle, create a small deficit of 200–500 kcal. Protein: aim for about 1.2–2.0 g per kg of body weight per day. That keeps muscles repairing and growing. For a 75 kg athlete, that’s 90–150 g daily. Practical sources: 100 g chicken breast ≈ 30 g protein, one cup Greek yogurt ≈ 20 g.

Carbs: your main fuel. Endurance and high-intensity work need 3–7 g per kg daily depending on volume. Before a tough session, eat 30–60 g of carbs in the 1–3 hours beforehand—think oatmeal, banana, or toast with jam. During long sessions (over 60–90 minutes), aim for 30–60 g carbs per hour from sports drink, gels, or easy snacks. Post-workout, have 20–40 g protein plus 0.5–1.0 g/kg carbs within two hours to refill glycogen and speed recovery.

Fats: keep them steady at about 20–35% of daily calories. They’re essential but don’t overload before intense workouts—fat slows digestion. Hydration: start hydrated. A simple rule—drink 300–500 ml around 2 hours before training, and sip 150–250 ml every 15–20 minutes during long sessions. Add electrolytes if you sweat a lot.

Smart snacks, recovery, and real-food examples

Need quick, practical snack ideas? Try these: Greek yogurt with berries and honey, a banana with peanut butter, whole-grain toast with avocado and egg, a small turkey sandwich, or a smoothie with milk, frozen fruit and a scoop of protein powder. For on-the-go energy: dates, rice cakes with jam, or a sports gel work well during long workouts.

Recovery meals should be simple: grilled salmon or chicken, sweet potato or rice, and a big serving of veggies. Sleep matters—growth and repair happen in deep sleep. If you use supplements, stick to basics with good evidence: creatine (3–5 g/day) for power and strength, whey protein for convenient meeting of protein targets, and vitamin D if blood tests show you’re low. Avoid gimmicks and high doses without a pro's input.

Match food to training, focus on real whole foods, and make small, consistent changes. Want quick recipes or snack lists? Check related posts on breakfasts, healthy snacks, and recovery techniques to find ideas that fit your routine.