A question that I often get is, ‘To reach my goal, should I focus on nutrition or on training?’. It’s an interesting question and the answer isn’t always straightforward.
Whether you’re an athlete, a fitness enthusiats or someone trying to gain or lose weight, nutrition plays a critical factor in achieving your goals.
Energy balance
When we talk about nutrition, one key concept to understand is ‘energy balance’. For the body to function, it needs some energy and the unit we use to measure energy is the calorie. Whatever you do – whether you’re moving around or simply resting in bed – your body is burning calories. Even at complete rest, your body requires energy to perform basic functions, that is what we call the basal metabolism. The more you move the more calories you’ll need.
The flip side of this is that your body has to get its energy from somewhere, and that source is food. To lose, gain or maintain a certain weight, you need to balance those two parts: the energy you take in and the energy you use.
If you consume more calories than you burn in your day to day life, you will gain weight, if you consume less calories than what you use, you will lose weight.
From this perspective, you can see why nutrition is crucial in sports where weight matters – whether it’s because of weight categories or because excessive or limited mass can impact performance. Adjusting your nutrition to fit your goals is essential for achieving the results you’re aiming for.
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Food as a fuel
From a macro point of view, we have seen that the amount of calories you consume is directly linked to the total available amount of energy, and that it will dictate your weight.
However, the body does not use all sorts of food the same way. Certain activities will require more fat, more sugar or more protein. So depending on your sport, activities, and period of the day (are you recovering, preparing to train, other?) you might need different building blocks.
To quickly sum up
Carbohydrates provide a quick source of energy and are crucial for relatively short high-intensity workouts. Fats serve as a long lasting energy source they are primarly used during long and lower-intensity activities. Proteins are used as building blocks and are essential for recovery.
Not all calories are equal…
Energy balance is a key concept and weight management will eventually translate into this equation. However, nutrient-dense food like fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains will provide the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function optimally. This will have an impact on how you feel, your level of energy, your mood and your recovery.
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The Goal of Training
Unfortunatelly, no real results can be achieved from a single training session. Change takes time.
When you train, no matter the sport or activity, your goal is to accumulate quality work over time. This accumulation leads to compounded results, and ultimately, progress.
The key here is quality work. And this is where nutrition plays a crucial role that is often overlooked. It allows to set your body up for success by putting it in the best condition for an effective training session. Over time, this translates to better results.
To be clear, nutrition won’t magically improve your technique, but showing up properly fueled and hydrated (an well-rested – but that’s a topic for another article) allows you to perform optimally during your session. The more high-quality sessions you have the more likely you are to reach your goals and perform at your best.
Post-training nutrition is just as important. Refueling your body with the right nutrients after a session helps facilitate recovery. Faster and more effective recovery means you can train more frequently, increasing the total amount of quality work you can do—bringing you one step closer to your goal.
Speaking from experience, there’s nothing more frustrating than going to a training session on an empty stomach, dealing with belly issues from eating too much too close to the session, or regretting the heavy meal you had the night before. You might be in the right place, but in the wrong condition—unable to push the intensity and perform. Sure, that session is better than nothing, but it could have been so much more productive if you had fueled your body correctly.Subscribed
Key take away
- Nutrition is critical for weight management, affecting energy balance through calorie intake and usage
- Quality nutrition supports optimal performance during training and faster recovery
- Proper fueling ensures you can perform at your best and stay consitent over time
- A balanced approach to food and hydration sets the foundation for long-term success!