Nutrition Periodisation for Strength Athletes

Welcome to the latest edition of the Fueling Greatness Newsletter. Each week, I aim to decode the “science to application” of nutrition and related fields to help you optimise your performance, body composition and well-being. Be at the cutting edge of this knowledge, and subscribe to my newsletter.

In this week’s Fueling Greatness newsletter, I will take a deep dive into the fascinating concept of Nutritional Periodisation and specifically focus on how this can support strength athletes.

As a strength athlete, you likely already know that proper nutrition is essential for achieving your full potential and optimising your performance. However, did you know that periodising your nutrition plan can be just as important as periodising your training plan?

Read on, where I will explore the latest evidence-based knowledge and practical applications of periodised nutrition for strength and power athletes. I will discuss the key concepts, strategies, and recommendations for adjusting your nutrition plan to match your training load, body composition, and competition goals. I will also cover the role of macronutrient intake, supplementation, water intake, and menstrual cycle phase in optimising your performance. By the end of this newsletter, you will clearly understand how to integrate periodised nutrition into your training plan and achieve your full potential as a strength athlete.

It’s a pretty technical topic and highly nuanced, but don’t worry, I will keep this fairly simple. Let’s dive in!

Periodising nutrition is just as important as periodising training

Periodising nutrition is a crucial component of any strength athlete's training plan. Just like you adjust your training program to match your goals, you should also adjust your nutrition plan to support your training. By periodising your nutrition plan, you can optimise your performance, improve your recovery, and achieve your full potential as a strength athlete.

One of the key benefits of periodising nutrition is that it allows you to match your nutrition plan to your training load. Having more energy to support your workouts during high-intensity training phases would be preferential, so to do that properly, you must increase your carbohydrate intake. During low-intensity training phases, you need more fat to support your recovery, so you should consider increasing your healthy fat intake. By adjusting your macronutrient intake based on your training phase, you can ensure that you are fuelling the work required and getting the right nutrients at the right time to support your training and performance goals.

Another benefit of periodising nutrition is that it allows you to adjust your nutrition plan based on your body composition goals. If you are trying to build muscle, you need more protein to support lean muscle growth. As we discussed recently, you must be in an energy deficit to lose body fat, so you must adjust your macronutrient intake accordingly. By periodising your nutrition plan based on your body composition goals, you can ensure that you are progressing towards your physique goals whilst also optimising your performance.

Adjusting macronutrient intake based on the training phase

One of the key components of nutritional periodisation is adjusting your macronutrient intake based on your training phase. It would be best if you had plenty of energy to support your workouts during high-intensity training phases, and the overwhelming scientific evidence tells us that you should increase your carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for high-intensity exercise, and they are essential for maintaining energy levels and preventing fatigue during intense training sessions. By increasing your carbohydrate intake during high-intensity training phases, you can ensure that you have enough energy to perform at your best.

It would be best if you likely had more fat during low-intensity training phases to support your recovery. Adequate fat intake, interestingly, is an important nutrient for muscle recovery and growth and essential for maintaining hormonal balance and overall health. Body composition focused athletes often under-eat fat when reducing energy intake. Optimising your fat intake during low-intensity training phases can support your recovery and ensure you get the nutrients needed to optimise your performance.

Protein is a crucial macronutrient

One of the most important macronutrients for strength athletes is protein. Protein is essential for muscle recovery and growth and supports Muscle Protein Synthesis and other adaptations in response to strength training. When you lift weights, you create small tears in your muscle fibres. These tears must be repaired for your muscles to grow and strengthen. Protein provides the building blocks your body needs to repair these tears and build new muscle tissue.

Research has shown that strength athletes need more protein than sedentary individuals to support muscle recovery and growth. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that strength athletes consume between 1.2 and 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. However, recent studies have suggested that even higher protein intakes may be necessary to optimise muscle growth and recovery. Some experts recommend consuming up to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily for strength athletes.

Supplement strategically

One of the key strategies for optimising your performance as a strength athlete is to use supplements strategically to support your training goals. Supplements can provide a convenient and effective way to enhance your performance, improve your recovery, and support your body composition goals. For example, caffeine is a popular supplement used before high-intensity training sessions to improve focus, increase energy levels, and delay fatigue. Creatine is another popular supplement used during muscle-building phases to support muscle growth and improve strength.

When using supplements, choosing high-quality products from reputable manufacturers is important. Please be sure to look for supplements that have been tested for purity and potency, and avoid products that contain unnecessary fillers or additives. It is also important to follow the recommended dosages and timing guidelines. Some supplements, such as caffeine, should be used in moderation and not consumed too close to bedtime, as they can interfere with sleep.

Adjusting water intake based on the training phase

One of the key components of nutritional periodisation for strength athletes is adjusting your water intake based on your training phase. During high-intensity training phases, you need more water to support your workouts and prevent dehydration. Dehydration can lead to decreased performance, increased fatigue, and impaired recovery. By increasing your water intake during high-intensity training phases, you can ensure that you are properly hydrated and able to perform at your best.

During low-intensity training phases, you may not need as much water, as your body is not under as much stress. However, it is still important to maintain adequate hydration levels to support your recovery and overall health. Dehydration can lead to headaches, fatigue, and other negative side effects, so drinking enough water throughout the day is important.

Considerations for females

One important aspect of nutritional periodisation for female athletes is adjusting their nutrition plans based on their menstrual cycle phase. During the follicular phase (days 1-14), estrogen levels are higher, which can increase insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate utilisation. This means that female athletes may benefit from higher carbohydrate intake during this phase to support their energy needs and optimise their performance.

During the luteal phase (days 15-28), progesterone levels are higher, which can increase fat utilisation and decrease insulin sensitivity. Although the research evidence is far from conclusive, female athletes may benefit from higher fat intake during this phase to support their energy needs and optimise their performance.

Conclusion

By understanding the principles of nutritional periodisation, you can tailor your nutrition plan to meet the specific demands of your training phase and achieve your full potential as a strength athlete.

From adjusting your macronutrient intake to match your training load and competition goals to considering supplementation, water intake, and the menstrual cycle phase, there are many strategies you can use to optimise your performance and achieve your body composition goals. You can develop a personalised nutrition plan that meets your needs and goals by working with a qualified nutritionist or dietitian specialising in sports and exercise nutrition.

Take-Home Messages

1. Periodising nutrition is just as important as periodising training for strength and power athletes.

2. Nutrition plans should be adjusted to match the athlete's training load, body composition goals, and competition goals.

3. Macronutrient intake should be adjusted based on the athlete's training phase, with higher carbohydrate intake during high-intensity training phases and higher fat intake during low-intensity training phases.

4. Protein intake is important for muscle recovery and growth.

5. Supplements can be used strategically to support training goals, such as using caffeine before high-intensity training sessions or creatine during muscle-building phases.

6. Water intake should be adjusted based on the athlete's training phase, with higher water intake during high-intensity training phases and lower water intake during low-intensity training phases.

7. Female athletes should consider adjusting their nutrition plans based on their menstrual cycle phase, with higher carbohydrate intake during the follicular phase and higher fat intake during the luteal phase.

8. Periodised nutrition can help athletes achieve their full potential and optimise their performance.

That’s it for today! I hope you found this of interest and value.

Have a great week, and see you next week for another edition of Fueling Greatness, in which we will continue to explore key topics in sport and exercise nutrition and unpack the “science-to-application” to help you achieve your performance, body composition and well-being goals.

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Best regards,

Dr Laurent Bannock