Planning & Setting Up for Success
Success is every athlete’s end goal. But by spending all their time and efforts perfecting their craft, athletes sometimes leave out important habits.
More often than not, a proper diet is usually the first thing to be ignored. A steady nutrition plan can help optimize rigorous training habits and promote overall health. There’s no set plan for everyone, but there is one thing that a good plan should be set around: the 3 macronutrients.
3 Macronutrients
Carbs, Fats, and Proteins will always set the foundation of any meal plan. Then comes the most common follow up question, “What should I eat?” Before you decide on what you should eat, there needs to be a plan of action to follow. Set a nutritional goal that will go hand in hand with your training
Fried/greasy foods, sugary snacks, carbonated drinks, and foods that cause late night cravings should be cut out first.
After that, begin with your macros. Start by getting your proteins: chicken, fish, beef, etc. Then, move on to carbs: pasta noodles, potatoes, rice, and other grains. Healthy fats for athletes will include, but are not limited to: chia seeds, avocados, nuts, and yogurt (which doubles as a probiotic to improve digestion).
An athlete’s body is a high performance machine, so treat it as such.
Plan it Out
Now that you have your food prepared, write out a plan and log your activity. Tracking everything can be overwhelming at times, but there are apps to help you stay on track to hit your goals.
Do your best to log everything you eat and set alarms or reminders on smart devices to make sure you’re eating on time and around your busy schedule.
We also recommend using resources that help you see what percentage of macros you should be consuming. Each athlete is different, so someone who needs to lean out will have much different macro percentages than the person who needs to increase weight. Not sure what your goal should be? Contact us today so we can help.
Re-evaluate
After sticking to your plan for a month or two, it’s time to re-evaluate. Where are you now compared to where you started? Did you hit your goals? How are you feeling? If you hit your goals and you feel great, then job well done and set another goal!
If you didn’t hit your goals because you strayed too many times, it’s time to get back on track. Just like practice and workouts, consistency is the key! Find out where you strayed and correct the issue to ensure success.
There will be sacrifices involved in getting to where you want to be, but it will all be worth it. Using the excuse of not having time isn’t going to cut it. Make time! You know your body better than anyone else so make a plan and go attack your goals.
Find What Works For You
To not get overwhelmed, break it down as much as you can. Stick to your macros, but realize that’s only a piece of the puzzle. Set realistic goals. Your performance in sport will give you the best and most immediate feedback, not just your weight on the scale.
You don’t have to be miserable to be successful so have fun with your diet. Stick to good habits and watch the results come. I can’t reiterate it enough: there isn’t one plan that works for everyone. Find what works and what doesn’t work for you.
If you’re interested in getting a DST nutrition plan customized to YOUR goals, click here and we’ll help keep you accountable!
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