Client Goals

In this topic, we focus on the importance of nutrition and the impact of physical activity. You will learn:

• about using nutrition as fuel
• nutrition for training and refuelling including when, what, and how much to eat
• advantages of being fit

Nutrition provides the human body with nutrients for overall wellbeing. Food acts as the fuel that is utilised for energy throughout the day. When it comes to fuel, the body is like any other machine. It needs the appropriate fuel to function and carry out the task at hand. To optimise and improve performance:

• Give it the right fuel (adequate food sources)
• Provide it with proper maintenance (keep it moving and get regular health check-ups)
• Regularly test its physical capabilities (keep active and challenged with physical activities)

The following elements are key:

• The body must have adequate food consumed for the activity being performed, ensuring there are optimal muscle glycogen and full liver glycogen stores to be used for energy through training.
• Stay hydrated throughout the day and during physical activity.
• Regularly challenge the body through exercise to prompt a change.
• Ensure ample time for the body to rest and complete recovery of the worked-out muscles.

When working with clients and discussing nutritional aspects to support their training, it is important to have a solid grasp of:

• Body composition
• Goals
• Intensity and duration of exercise
• Frequency
• Nutrients available

With that in mind, let’s look further into eating for performance.

Fuel utilisation

Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins all provide the body with energy for exercise. Carbohydrates and fats provide the majority of energy, with protein as a repair type fuel. The higher the intensity of the exercise, the greater the fuel supply made from carbohydrates to meet the increased demands. When carbohydrate levels run low, the body turns to other sources of fuel including fats but also proteins.

Typically, their order of service is:

1. Carbohydrate
2. Fat
3. Protein

Carbohydrate stores are of extreme importance to all athletes as this fuel source is the most readily available and provides a greater quantity of energy.

Fat, along with carbohydrates, is typically the main energy source called upon during training. Fat is stored in the adipose tissue within the body, so it is not readily available. The body has to metabolise it into a transportable form and then transport it from the adipose cells and into the contracting muscle cells before it can be utilised as a fuel source.

Fat as a fuel source is desirable for many people, but using protein in significant amounts is not. When an intense activity is performed with low glycogen stores, protein can contribute up to 15% of energy. It is important to be aware that protein never plays the lead role in energy provision, as even a small increase over the usual contribution can have harmful effects over time.  ​

The following diagram approximates the usage of the 3 different fuel sources during different exercise types and intensities.

Why are carbohydrates so important for exercise?

A common thought is that once carbohydrates run out while exercising, the body turns to fat as fuel. While there is truth to this statement, it is important to be aware that the fuel used ultimately depends on what is available in the system.

Generally speaking, because our body already obtains plenty of fat, the pre-exercise meal doesn’t require much, if any, fat. This would mean that the fat used as energy is the fat that is already stored in the body. Being mindful that the body does not use much protein during exercise, there shouldn’t be a focus on protein in the pre-exercise meal either. This leaves carbohydrates as the first access to energy to be used by the body for exercise.

Carbohydrates should be the majority of the nutrients eaten in a pre-exercise meal. The amount and type of carbohydrates will be dependent on the duration and intensity of the session (e.g., 30 min jog vs half marathon) and the time available before the session to digest and absorb the food (complex CHO vs simple CHO).

What is the role of protein when fuelling for exercise?

Every time a muscle is used against a force, it causes damage through micro-tears. This process is referred to as the ‘tear and repair theory’. For a muscle to grow, it is ‘damaged’ by training and then, during the healing process, it repairs to a bigger and stronger version than before training. The volume of repair is relative to the intensity of training performed. The body uses protein as a fuel source to repair the damage and build a little extra protection against future stress. This can be seen physically as muscle growth.

If protein is used as a fuel source for other metabolic processes, there will be a risk of insufficient protein levels available for damage repair and growth.

Long-distance runners stress their muscles continuously, even long after their glycogen stores are depleted. Serious runners understand this and include high amounts of protein in their diets to try and offset losses. This is why it is important to have a thorough understanding of the client's goals.

Watch

The following video provides an engaging summary of the process of muscle growth via the tear and repair theory and the role of protein.

Fuel for goals

A client’s personal goals can determine the types of macronutrients used as fuel throughout the day and before training. There may be a need to adjust the initial fuel requirements to adapt as their activity and performance improve and their personal goals change.

Let’s look at some common client goals and tips for fuel.

Performance

If the client has an exercise performance goal and wants to focus on building strength and endurance, step one is to ensure they always have adequate carbohydrates before training. A high-intensity exercise regimen cannot be performed effectively without carbohydrates. Any training goal with a performance element must include CHO in the pre-exercise window. Removing CHO effectively ensures that performance is below average and a performance deficiency will become evident as soon as carbohydrate (CHO) depletion occurs. Continuing to exercise will begin to feel tough and the results won't come. The loss of muscle through protein breakdown will lead to long-term reductions in muscle performance, the absolute opposite of the desired goal.

Glycogen, found only in the liver and the muscles, is the term given to the stored form of carbohydrates. It is a valuable fuel source for the body. However, it must be converted into easily metabolised food to be used as an efficient energy fuel source.

Body composition, weight loss

Moderate-intensity cardio, with no CHO in the lead-up, will result in weight loss. However, this is only if the client can maintain the exercise for a suitable amount of time (upwards of 40mins) and work at an intensity that results in sufficient calorie expenditure to support their weight loss journey. This might be difficult without the extra power from CHO. By restricting CHO before exercise, the exercise will undoubtedly feel tougher, and clients are less likely to stick with the fitness programme. Typically, under these conditions, if clients do stick with it, a good portion of the weight they lose will be muscle. This is not ideal.

Weight loss and performance

Many clients will have goals of both weight loss and performance. These clients must manipulate their diet by eating like a weight loss client away from exercise and ensuring they have enough CHO availability around training time. Before reducing CHO intake with a client, revisit their goals and the amount of physical exercise performed to help your client to achieve their weight loss and performance goals. Remember to follow the scope of practice and keep advice general, or refer to the appropriate health professional for personalised nutrition advice.

Pre-workout fuel

The pre-workout meal is all about fuelling up to prepare the body with sufficient energy for the upcoming training activity. What and how much is eaten in this meal depends largely on how much time each individual has available for digestion and absorption, their body size, their goals, and the duration and intensity of the exercise session.  

Carbohydrates

If the exercise session is of meaningful intensity, you must fill up muscle and liver glycogen stores by consuming carbohydrates. 100-200g of predominately complex carbohydrates in the 4 hours before exercise is recommended. This number depends on the client's body size and the duration of the activity.

A complex carbohydrate-based meal will ensure a gradual release of glucose and avoid an immediate and rapid insulin response. This will allow enough time for the food to clear the gut and reach the liver and muscles.

It is important to think about the timeframe of when to eat a pre-workout meal. If the meal is consumed too many hours before an exercise (e.g., 6 hours), the body will start chewing through glycogen reserves before the exercise begins. Alternatively, if the meal is consumed too close to a workout activity, there will not be enough time for the food to clear the gut before the training resulting in the fuel not yet being available and will likely cause discomfort (stitch) and possibly the feeling of nausea. As it gets closer to the time of exercise, or if there is a fast turnaround between exercise bouts, stick to moderate/high GI carbohydrates to ensure they clear the gut quickly. If it is within an hour of exercise, it may be best to stick to liquid forms like Up and Go and sports drinks.

Here's an example of how to fuel with CHO pre-workout.

Breakfast: 7 am

• 1 cup of oats with trim milk and a medium banana (85g). 2 pieces of wholegrain toast with jam (45g).

Snack: 9 am (allowing 2 hours for digestion)

• pottle of yoghurt, an apple and a muesli bar (50-60g)

Training: 11 am

TIPS

Be practical. If the exercise is early in the morning, most people will not have much appetite and may only feel like a small snack. In this case, adjust the consumption of carbohydrates to include them in the meal the night before and before the workout. A quick-absorbing carbohydrate snack (at least 50g) in a liquid form may be best, e.g., a low-fat smoothie, a banana, or juice. Remember to consider the length of the session. A small snack will be fine if it is a light jog for 30 minutes.

Protein

Protein does not need to play a major role in the pre-exercise meal as it is not one of the main fuels used during training. This is mainly due to protein acting as a ‘repair fuel’ rather than an ‘energy fuel’. Protein is very satiating (filling), so including protein in a pre-exercise meal may prevent eating the required amount of carbohydrates needed to perform well for the whole session.

Avoid protein levels from getting too high in the pre-event meal when discussing protein intake. ​

Fat

Aim to keep fat to a minimum in the pre-exercise eating window. While fat is a desirable fuel to use during aerobic exercise, we generally have plenty stored, so there is no need to worry about loading up before exercise. Fat also slows the absorption rates of other nutrients (sometimes we need this, sometimes we don’t) which may interfere with the fuel storage process for carbohydrates. Be mindful that both fat and fibrous foods before an exercise may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Food to eat pre-exercise

So what should you eat pre-exercise?

It has been suggested that low GI carbohydrates are most beneficial to consume before exercise (approximately 2-4 hours prior). Low GI carbohydrate consumption has significant benefits during this time due to the greater glycogen storage from the gradual release of blood glucose. However, it is important to be aware that many low GI foods are also rich in fibre, and fibre can cause stomach discomfort in the lead-up to the activity. What athletes can tolerate in the lead-up to exercise is highly individual and should be practised in training before trying out in a competition.

Note some of the following foods would not be considered to be low GI. Be aware that the carbohydrates in the list are paired with small amounts of protein to ensure the total CHO delivery is high and the absorption is somewhat slow.

The following foods are suitable to eat 3-4 hours before exercise:

• Crumpets or multi-grain toast with jam or honey 
• Baked potato + cottage cheese filling + glass of milk
• Smoothie with fresh fruit, yoghurt and oats.
• Baked beans on toast
• Breakfast cereal with milk (oats, Weet-bix)
• Bread roll with meat/salad filling + banana
• Fruit salad with fruit-flavoured yoghurt
• Pasta or rice with a sauce based on low-fat ingredients (e.g. tomato, vegetables, lean meat) 

The following snacks are suitable to eat 1-2 hours before exercise:

• Liquid meal supplement, Up & Go etc.
• Flavoured milk or fruit smoothie
• Sports bars/muesli bars (those with high carbohydrates and limited protein and fat)
• Breakfast cereal with milk (cornflakes, Nutri-grain etc.)
• Fruit-flavoured yoghurt
• Fruit (all, but especially bananas)

The following foods are suitable to eat if there is less than 1 hour before exercise and it is advised for this food to be consumed for energy usage during a long event:

• Sports drink
• Carbohydrate gel
• Cordial
• Sports bars
• Jelly lollies

The Glycaemic Index (GI) of foods should increase the closer it gets to exercise. Higher GI food clears the gut quickly, avoiding undigested food sitting in our stomach as the activity starts. Having it in liquid/gel form further is also an option.

Refuelling during exercise may be required when training/competing continuously for over 75 minutes. Carbohydrates should be ingested at a rate of 30-60g/hour for every hour after the first 75 mins. Initially, this could be in the form of a mouth rinse or gel, but in subsequent hours (during long events) solid food may be tolerated by some athletes. Whether liquid or solid, these should be simple carbohydrates (sports drinks are often the best option for providing fluid and nutrients). Half a bottle of Powerade provides nearly 30g of CHO and electrolytes to replace sodium lost in sweat. Food with moderate to high GI will ensure glucose clears the gut and gets to working muscles quickly. This also helps avoid stomach discomfort (stitch).​

Fuel post-workout

Straight after a workout is a vital time to replenish muscle stores of glycogen and aid the repair and regeneration of tissue broken down in training. It helps to have these meals organised in advance as hunger can come on quickly after a workout and if this isn’t previously planned, it can lead to poor food choices.

Carbohydrates

It is recommended to have approximately 1-1.2g/kg of carbohydrates within 30-60 minutes post-exercise completion. If more activity is planned later in the day, this can be followed with carbohydrate snacks/meals throughout the rest of the day.

Any GI is ok (this is a window for high GI carbohydrates). For example, a 65 kg woman would need to eat around 65-70g of carbohydrates within 30-60 mins of exercise completion (e.g. a smoothie with 200 mL of flavoured yoghurt, 400 mL trim milk, a banana, and small handful of berries).

If exercise is completed late in the day or evening, some athletes will forgo large intakes of carbohydrates, particularly if there is plenty of time to restore glycogen stores before the next day's workout. However, this is not recommended if an early session is planned for the next day.

Protein

Some protein should be included in post-training meals. This can help to restore muscle glycogen levels, repair muscle tissue, and may help encourage gains in lean body mass. 

20-30g in post-event meals (100g of lean meat yields between 25-30g of protein) is sufficient.

There is no evidence that eating more protein equates to more muscle mass. As with many aspects of physiology, the body will only take on what it can use or store. The rest is simply removed from the body. In terms of convenience, protein supplements such as whey protein shakes may be easiest to consume post-training. When consumed alongside simple carbohydrates, the carbohydrates and protein will enter the muscle together facilitating better muscle glycogen replenishment.

Fat

Fat has a slow absorption rate and will slow the absorption of other nutrients such as carbohydrates and protein. The human body already has plenty of fat stored within, so refuelling with fat is unnecessary. Generally, athletes should keep fat intake to a minimum (especially around training). Fat is not recommended within 2 hours before, or after exercise.

Food to eat post-exercise

The focus of post-exercise nutrition is multi-dimensional. The goals are to:

• Replenish muscle and liver glycogen (carbohydrate) stores
• Replace fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat (weighing before and after training will help establish the required volume)
• Enhance repair and synthesis of muscle, red blood cells, and other cellular components as part of the repair and support the immune system in handling the damage and challenges caused by the exercise bout

A proactive recovery means providing the body with all the nutrients it needs quickly and practically. The quantity and makeup of food/fluid consumed will be determined by:

• The amount of fuel utilised
• The extent of muscle damage and sweat losses incurred
• Whether enough stimulus was presented to increase muscle protein needs (i.e., amount of exercise-induced micro-damage)

In the immediate post-exercise period, athletes are encouraged to consume a carbohydrate-rich snack or meal that provides approximately 1-1.2 g of carbohydrate per kg body weight. This is advised to occur within the first hour of finishing (as this is when rates of glycogen synthesis are greatest). What meal or snack is suitable for consumption depends on several factors, including the athletes' daily carbohydrate allowance, how well they can tolerate food post-event, and the time before the next training session.

Carbohydrate-rich recovery snacks suitable to eat within 1-hour post-training (50g CHO portions):

• 700-800ml sports drink
• 2 sports gels
• 500ml fruit juice or soft drink
• 300g of creamed rice
• 2 slices toast/bread with jam or honey or banana topping
• 2 cereal bars
• 115g (1 large or 2 small) fruit breakfast muffins, fruit buns or scones
• 300g (large) baked potato with salsa filling
• 100g pancakes + 30g syrup
• "Banana dog" - 1 large banana wrapped in white bread.

Resistance and endurance athletes will benefit from consuming approximately 15-25g of high-quality protein in the first hour after exercise to promote an increase in muscle repair/rebuilding. Consuming food sources of protein in meals and snacks after this “window of opportunity” will further promote protein synthesis, though the rate at which repair/rebuilding occurs is far less! Adding a source of carbohydrates to this post-exercise snack will further enhance the training adaptation by reducing the degree of muscle protein breakdown.

Protein snacks suitable to eat within 1-hour post-training (total of 50g CHO + protein):

• Up & Go Energise
• 300g creamed rice
• 250-300ml milkshake or fruit smoothie
• Large glass of low-fat flavoured milk
• 1-2 sports bars (check labels for carbohydrate and protein content)
• 4-5 Weet-bix with milk (or a large bowl of other low-fat cereal).
• 1 large or 2 small cereal bars + 200g carton fruit-flavoured yoghurt
• 220g baked beans on 2 slices of toast
• 1 bread roll with cheese/meat filling + large banana
• 300g (bowl) fruit salad with 200g fruit-flavoured yoghurt
• 2 crumpets with thick-spread peanut butter + 250ml glass of milk
• 300g (large) baked potato + cottage cheese filling + glass of milk

Eating after night training

One exception to the suggested meals to be consumed post-training is if the individual is training at night, especially for a weight loss goal or for the need to maintain a very low body fat percentage. In these instances, it may not be sensible to consume a large number of carbohydrates before bed as provided there is ample time to refuel glycogen stores before the next day's training, it is advisable to stick to a higher protein, lower carbohydrate meal such as meat and salad.

Protein suitable to eat within an hour of late-night training (approximately 20g of protein):

Animal foods

• 80g of cooked lean beef/pork/lamb

• 80g skinless cooked chicken
• 100g of canned tuna/salmon or cooked fish
• 600 ml of milk/glass of Milo
• 400g of yoghurt
• 600ml flavoured milk
• 4 eggs

Plant based foods

• 240g of tofu
• 8 slices of bread
• 400g of baked beans
• 120g of nuts
• 4 cups of pasta/3 cups of rice
• 1.5 cup cooked lentils/kidney beans

Fitness levels

Fitness levels can contribute to the overall results achieved by an individual. The fitter a person is, the greater the rate of fat being used as a fuel source. Let’s compare the impact of fuel and fitness between these 2 types of individuals.

Fit

A fit person’s body becomes accustomed to the regular needs of fuel needed to keep their body going. For example, when a fit person goes for a run, their body knows (from previous training) that they will be running for a certain duration. The body will then, at a certain point in training, start to utilise fat to preserve carbohydrate stores to support the usual fitness activity performed. Therefore, carbohydrates and fats are used together to fuel aerobic activity for this person.

Additionally, a fit person has improved cardiovascular ability and greater blood flow. This will aid more oxygen delivery to working muscles to support higher intensities while still utilising the aerobic energy system (compared to their unfit counterparts). Therefore, they'll continue to be able to use fat as a fuel source.

Unfit

Unlike the fit individual, if this person starts to run, their body is ill-prepared to deal with this. The body doesn't know the plan is to run for some time (as this is not yet a regular occurrence), so it uses carbohydrates as its primary fuel source (even at moderate intensities). This shows the importance of regular exercise. In this scenario, carbohydrate stores run out quickly and fatigue sets in after a shorter period.

A great way for an unfit person to teach their body to use more fat as a fuel source during exercise is to start a regular (daily) steady-state aerobic exercise regime. Over several sessions, the body will learn to access fat stores better to try and preserve carbohydrate stores.