A strong nutritional plan is vital for achieving and maintaining optimal health. Performance nutrition is a nutritional plan that incorporates three components that affect cognitive and physical performance. This program is popular in the Army due to its impact on soldiers’ activity, nutrition, and sleep.
NeuroForce1 provides training and nutritional guidance to help you reach your health goals. We work closely with accomplished athletes in multiple sports to ready them for competition, as well as people looking to simply improve their health. Read our article below and learn what components go into strong performance nutrition.
Pre-Training Performance Nutrition
There’s not one ideal meal that you should eat before you work out. Instead, it’s recommended that you focus on 5 things to charge up before a workout. Focus on these:
- Low-fat
- Moderate in carbs and protein
- Lower fiber
- Includes fluids
- Made up of familiar foods that you enjoy
Be careful not to overdo the portion size before you workout. You should exercise at least three to four hours before you eat. It’s also recommended that you exercise one to three hours after eating a small meal or snack.
Nutrition During Your Workout
Exercise is catabolic; meaning it breaks down nutrients as you workout to use energy. It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced athlete or a newcomer, it’s important that you’re keeping your body hydrated during a workout. You don’t need to eat during a workout that’s an hour or less, but for longer high-intensity exercises, eating 50-199 calories every half hour of carbohydrates. Foods such as low-fat yogurt, raisins, and bananas are excellent sources for low-carb snacks.
Post-Training Performance Nutrition
After your workout, it’s important that you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. To stay properly hydrated, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you drink two to three cups of water after your workout. During a workout, you’re going to burn off a lot of carbohydrates. Carbs are the main fuel for your muscles when you exercise. So, you’ll need to recharge yourself with foods that contain carbs and protein to help you recover.
Benefits of a Performance Nutrition Regimen
The most obvious benefit to maintaining a healthy diet paired with exercise is how you feel. If you’re new at exercising, then at first it will be hard, but it’s worth it. You’ll start to build confidence in yourself and as you continue with your program, you’ll perform better and better. Additionally, it will improve your body composition and overall strength.
Another advantage of keeping up with a performance nutrition plan is how it will help you sleep. According to a study from John Hopkins Medicine, moderate exercise increases the amount of slow-wave sleep you get. Moreover, it’s shown to decrease sleep complaints and insomnia in patients as effectively as sleeping pills. Moreover, it’s a perfect time for your body to digest and break down the carbs and protein you ate so your body effectively recovers.
NeuroForce1 is Your Source for Optimized Metabolic Efficiency
Whether you’re an accomplished athlete or just starting a program, nutrition plays a heavy role in our exercise regimen. When you partner with NeuroForce1, you will be given comprehensive support and guidance with our 6, 8, and 12-week nutrition plans. Whether you’re looking to shred some pounds or start eating healthier, we’ve got you covered.
Visit our Nutrition page and learn about NF1’s incredible plans.
