What Fuels a Pro Athlete?
Arizona Cardinals Justin Pugh reveals the 1 item that is part of his nutrition game plan.
Optimal Performance Series for Endurance Athletes
Read our four part series on optimizing your performance as an endurance athlete from guest blogger, Damon McCune, ABD, MS, RDN, LD
Optimal Performance Series for Endurance Athletes | Part 1
Part 1: Training Strategies Damon McCune, ABD, MS, RDN, LD, Founder of Allied...
Optimal Performance Series for Endurance Athletes | Part 2
Part 2: Resistance Training Damon McCune, ABD, MS, RDN, LD, Founder of Allied...
Optimal Performance Series for Endurance Athletes | Part 3
Part 3: Race Day Damon McCune, ABD, MS, RDN, LD, Founder of Allied Performance, LLC,...
Optimal Performance Series for Endurance Athletes | Part 4
Part 4: Recovery and Transition to Offseason Damon McCune, ABD, MS, RDN, LD, Founder of...
Pre-Workout Nutrition
Timing snacks and meals that include the most effective nutrients to fuel your body before a workout.
Focus on foods low in fat and fiber.
Eat a combination of foods high in carbs and moderate in protein.
Length and intensity of workouts matter.
Experiment to figure out what works best for you.
6 am workout? Fuel up the night before and eat something small in the morning.
What to Eat
Pre-Workout
Turkey and swiss sandwich, apple, chocolate milk
PB&J with banana slices
Low fat Greek yogurt with berries and a small salad with chicken
Hydrate with 16-20 ounces of fluid
Post-Workout
Refuel, repair and rebuild with this guide on the amount of carbohydrates, protein and fluids needed after a workout.
The Performance Enhancing Plate
Learn which foods should be included in meals and snacks on both heavy and light workout days, including the benefits they provide.
Recipes
Simple, delicious recipes loaded with high-quality protein and other essential nutrients.
Cheddar and Mushroom Breakfast Squares
Baked Ziti
Fruit and Oat Smoothie
Confetti Quesadillas With Cilantro Yogurt Dip
Chocolate milk: nature’s sports drink
You want to maximize your performance, we want to help! Read on below, or check out this scientific research overview on the benefits of milk for sports recovery.
Replace fluid loss
A study comparing hydration responses of several drinks found that gradually drinking milk restored fluid balance better than water or a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink. The nutrient package of milk, the fact that milk is released more slowly from the stomach compared to water or a traditional sports drink comprised of carbohydrates and electrolytes and the higher calorie content and presence of dairy proteins (casein and whey) in milk are thought to contribute Seery S and Jakeman P. Br J Nutr. 2016;116(6):1013-21.
Improve future endurance performance with carbohydrate-protein supplementation
Two studies found that cyclists and runners who drank low-fat chocolate milk after a workout saw a stronger activation of muscle repair and rebuild, along with better subsequent performance, immediately following and again two hours after exercise than those who drank a carbohydrate containing beverage with the same amount of calories.
Ferguson- Stegall L, et al. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(5):1210-24.
Lunn WR, et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012;44(4):682-91.
