Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
182 lines (126 loc) · 6.9 KB

the-energy-plan.md

File metadata and controls

182 lines (126 loc) · 6.9 KB

The Energy Plan

What is the energy plan?

The Energy Plan shows us how to use food as fuel to meet the demands of your life, choosing meals and snacks that leave you bursting with energy for work and play. It’s a fundamental shift on how you think about nutrition – to proactively fuel your body to meet the day’s demands – not just eating what you are used to based on old habits.

The performance plate

Each of the meals we eat each day can positively or negatively affect our energy levels and the results from our training. Performance plates provide a simple solution to following the right principles at the right times. Athletes, like most performers, don’t need to be weighing food or counting calories at each meal. Ensuring these principles are followed for each meal delivers what they require with minimal effort.

Building the plate

It's a four-part process.

  1. Maintenance Maintenance foods, in the form of protein, is the first step to building every meal. Muscles are constantly breaking down and rebuilding over a 24-hour period, and protein is the best aid for this.

    • 0.75gkg (sedentary), 1.2-1.6gkg (endurance/light training), 1.6-2.0g*kg (resistance/heavy training)

  2. Fuelling Low-GI carbohydrates, come next, and how much is required (or whether it’s required at all) depends on the training demands and goal.

    • elite levels: 2-3gkg (rest day), 3-6gkg (light/heavy training), 6+g*kg (increases with endurance type comp day)

  3. Protection Protection foods, in the form of micronutrients from vegetables and fruit, as well as healthy fats, are the third component of the performance plate.

    • avoid trans fat, reduce/avoid saturated fats, increase unsaturated (omega3)

  4. Hydration Hydration is the fourth and final element; the amount required is likely to increase pre- and post-training, to prepare and rehydrate.

Main meals

These meals are the foundation

  1. The fuelling plate The fuelling plate is used as a before (fuelling) and after exercise (recovery)

    • 1 portion of maintenance (protein)
    • 1 portion of fuel (carbohydrate)
    • 1 portion of protection (vegetables/fruits and healthy fats)

  2. The maintenance plate The maintenance plate is used when energy requirements are lower. Larger serving of protein with a larger serving of vegetables

    • 1.5 portions of maintenance (protein)
    • 1.5 portions of protection (vegetables)
    • 1 portion of healthy fats

Extra: the competition plate

- 1 portion of maintenance (protein)
- 2 portions of fuel (carbohydrate)
- 1 portion of protection (vegetables/fruits and healthy fats)

Snacks

These snacks are the supporting structure. They shouldn't replace meals or cause spikes in blood sugar nor provide unnecessary calories. They should serve a function

  1. The fuelling snacks (carbohydrates / proteins)

    • pre-training (1-2 hours before) and post-training (refuel and repair before the next meal)
    • Examples: salmon open sandwich, low-fat yogurt with banana and nuts, oats and berries

  2. The maintenance snacks (protein based)

    • support muscle growth / repair (including overnight, post training)
    • increase protein intake / requirements during a training programme or energy deficit
    • hunger offset between meals
    • Examples: seeds, nuts, low-fat yogurt, edamame, protein shake

Training principles

  1. Endurance/aerobic
    • lower intensity, uses fat primarily for energy
    • intensity increase crosess the lactate threshold (more carbs used)
  2. Strength/resistance
    • muscle contractions cause tears, muscles break and increase in size
    • stimulate also bone growth
    • more muscles, better fat burning
  3. Intermittent/concurrent
    • both strength and endurance (example: HIIT)

What to eat before workout depends on whether the objective is to adapt (improve endurance adaptations, such as fat burning) or to perform (ensure sufficient energy supply) to maintain intensity.

Pre-training

- Performance
    - 2-4 hours before (allow digestion)
    - 1-3g*kg carbs
- Adaptation
    - train low
    - supplement with high-gi carbs for high duration

Post-training

- Refuel glycocen (1g*kg, up to four hours, depends on intensity)
- Repair (0.3g*kg protein, 20-30g)
- Rehydrate
- Rest

Building blocks

Protein 1 portion = palm of hand

Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Eggs, Salmon, Tuna, Halibut, King prawns, Tofu, Tempeh, Quinoa, Buckwheat, yoghurt (low-fat)

Beans (e.g. kidney, black, pinto)*, Lentils*, Chickpeas* (incomplete)

Carbohydrates 1 portion = 1 cupped handful

Oats, Muesli, Rice (wholegrain, basmati or wild), Wholewheat pasta, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Lentils, Sweet potato, Spelt, Barley, Bulgur, Freekeh, Rye or wholegrain bread

Vegetables 1 portion = 2 handfuls

Broccoli, Spinach, Beetroot, Onion, Romaine lettuce, Avocado (half), Rocket, Green beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, Bok choi, Asparagus, Mushrooms, Courgettes, Carrots, Peas

Fruits 1 portion = 1 handful

Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Apples, Pears, Kiwi, Melon, Cherries, Pomegranate, Oranges, Peaches, Passionfruit

Fats 1 portion = 1 thumb

Extra virgin olive oil, Seeds (e.g. chia, flax, sunflower), Nuts (e.g. walnut, almond, macadamia, pistachio), Avocado (half), Oily fish

Planner

  • Medium day:

    • supports general fitness, single-session training

    • 2x fuelling meals, 1x maintenance, 2x snacks (one fuel, one maintenance)

    • Morning training:

      • have a fuelling snack before training, fuelling meal dinner night before
      • breakfast: fuel
      • am snack: fuel/maintenance
      • lunch: fuel
      • pm snack: fuel/maintenance
      • dinner: maintenance

    • Afternoon/after work training:

      • training after "pm snack"
      • breakfast: maintenance
      • am snack: fuel/maintenance
      • lunch: fuel
      • pm snack: fuel/maintenance
      • dinner: fuel/maintenance

  • Low day:

    • fuelling at lunch
    • 1x fuelling meals, 2x maintenance, 2x snacks (maintenance)

  • High day:

    • increase muscle mass / weight gain / double training
    • 3x fuelling meals, 2x fuelling snacks

Start using medium days. Add high days as training demands increase and low days for fat loss / rest days.

Strategies

  • manage your environment/temptations/distractions
  • slow down meals, sip on water
  • eat for satisfaction, not fullness
  • minimise distractions
  • eat at home
  • make sensible choices when eating out
  • monitor progress/changes
  • monitor energy level and training outcomes

Signs of progress

  1. more energy: feel more energetic throughout the day; less reliant on caffeine
  2. sleep better; get to sleep quicker and have better sleep quality; feel more refreshed upon waking
  3. better mood; feeling happier and more positive
  4. satisfied after eating; not ‘full’ after eating or hungry all of the time
  5. clothes fit differently
  6. fitness has improved; feel stronger during your training sessions
  7. more productive