Level Up: What to eat to get stronger
What you eat matters. If you are taking your training even semi-seriously then you should be thinking about what you are eating too. Formula 1 cars don’t run on diesel from the supermarket and nor should you as an athlete. Food and nutrition are crucial to support training, improve recovery and ensure you enjoy life!
We want to advocate for eating to be healthy as the priority. For those of you, like us, who want to perform at our best that means we need to eat aligned to our goals. Big run tomorrow? - make sure we’ve enough carbs in, maybe even above our normal caloric needs. Training strength three times a week? - without enough protein it will be wasted, so make sure you’re eating enough protein.
Anything we can help with then feel free to message us if you’re not sure and we will help.
Foods in simple terms
Protein - is the building block of your body, responsible for muscle repair and growth. It also plays a role in hormone production and enzyme function. Think construction material for your body. Eating protein from whole food sources can also really help with keeping you feeling full for longer (satiety). Try foods like lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, and tofu.
Carbohydrates - are your body's primary energy source, fueling your workouts and daily activities. They have a bad wrap on some social media sites but with carbs you’ll be slow, lethargic and probably a bit grumpy. Try to get your carbs from rounded sources like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Fats - are essential for many bodily functions like hormone production, cell function, and the absorption of certain vitamins. Healthier fats are those from real foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish
Micronutrients - are vitamins and minerals that your body needs in smaller amounts, but they're just as crucial for optimal health. Most people absorb these through eating a whole food varied diet, think eat the rainbow.
Ready to fuel your performance goals? Here are the fundamental principles to guide your nutrition for performance & enjoyment
Nutrition is one of those hotly debated topics that polarises social media,is full of overstated facts or worse complete misinformation. A quick search will show you many of these opinions, some are worth a laugh. At Formula we believe in peeling back to basics, so here are our simple principles which we recommend people focus on to begin with:
Balance first. Life is for living, not worrying about what you are going to put in your mouth. We recommend you try and find a pattern that works for you. From meal prep to tracking one week a month or 5 days a week
Prioritise Protein. That’s really it. Eat enough protein to support recovery and muscular development. Most of us don’t eat enough.
Timing is mostly talked about for “optimisation” which is great… If you are going to be a professional athlete. For us, timing is about not getting too hungry before or after training and then eating off track as a result. Regular balanced meals for the win.
Carbs for fuel. Carbs get a bad wrap from many a fad diet. The reality is that they make your nutrition sustainable, enjoyable and carbs are crucial for fuelling your training.
Convenience is king, so whether you order it or make it the temptation to go off plan are so much higher when you are already hungry. Having meals ready to go is a game changer. Meal prep is the way.
BONUS - Tracking & accountability might seem less critical but in our opinion these are key to achieving the other principles & doing so with a balanced approach overall. Track occasionally to check-in or track 5 days a week. Whatever it is, find what works for you. Just be kind to yourself and check the facts.
Balance, life is for living, convenience is king. We may have written too many cliches in this one. If you take anything from us today, leave with this Find ways to make small choices that push you closer to your goals.
And if that has you hungry to transform your athletic performance?
Explore our tailored strength training programs designed for athletes of all levels. Start your journey to a stronger, healthier, and more powerful you today!
