4 energy and recovery tips

1. Fuel your training
Anyone doing a high volume of training needs to feed their body with enough carbohydrate to fuel their workouts, sufficient protein to help with muscle repair and recovery and essential fats necessary to maintain good health. It’s generally recommended that the three primary food groups are consumed in the following proportions: 50-60% carbohydrate, 20-25% protein and fat. If you’re training over long distances/times, you're best advised to plan your nutrition strategy.

2. Avoid dehydration
Dehydration can adversely affect the performance of even the best athlete. Although drinking water is better than nothing, most athletes are best advised to use energy drinks to fuel their workouts – drinks that additionally contain electrolytes to replace those lost through sweating and carbohydrates to supply energy. Some drinks available on the market also can contain a small amount of protein – useful as discussed in point 4 below.

3. Recover effectively
If you’re doing a lot of exercise, it’s vital to optimize recovery by getting the right nutrients inside your body straight after training. This will help to replace lost energy and facilitate damaged muscles to recover and repair faster.

4. Don’t neglect protein
Did you know that an athlete in heavy training can need as much protein as someone trying to build muscle? Put simply, your muscles are being torn down during training and need the right fuel for repair and recovery. Many serious performers train day after day without rest and risk muscle damage getting worse and worse eventually leading to injury. To combat the effects of this heavy training, it’s recommended that such athletes eat around 1.5-2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight a day