The Sports Nutrition Pyramid
Do you remember the old nutrition pyramid? It was the US government’s symbol for healthy eating.
Thankfully, that confusing graphic was replaced by MyPlate, the USDA’s current symbol for healthy eating.
This Sports Nutrition Pyramid (below) is not to be confused with the USDA’s food pyramid. This pyramid helps athletes to understand what components make up a solid sports nutrition plan, and how they should be prioritized. It answers the question of where to start when athletes want to improve their athletic performance with better nutrition.
Image inspired by Asker Jeukendrup, Sports Nutrition scientist.
As you can see, the foundation of the pyramid is a balanced, adequate diet. What exactly does that mean?
Eating an appropriate amount of calories
Getting enough servings of fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains
Consuming adequate amounts of ALL of the vitamins & minerals
Drinking adequate fluids throughout the day
It doesn’t matter which supplements you take or how perfectly timed your meals are if you aren’t eating enough calories to fuel your level of activity. With adequate amounts of calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients, you will have more energy, recovery more quickly, and have stronger performances. But, more can be gained by going up a level once this base is established.
The second level of the pyramid is the timing of meals & snacks. This can include several different things:
Eating every 3-4 hours to maintain energy levels & prevent muscle breakdown
Eating a pre-workout snack to provide fuel for your workout
Fueling during a workout at appropriate intervals to provide fuel to the working muscles in order to maintain intensity of training
Eating a post-workout snack to replenish muscle glycogen stores, repair & rebuild muscle, and rehydrate
Once your diet is balanced & adequate and you are timing your meals & snacks appropriately, you can consider supplements. If you aren’t filling the bottom of the pyramid first, no amount of protein powder or creatine is going to magically improve your nutrition or performance. However, for athletes who have really dialed in their nutrition, there are some well-researched, safe supplements that may be beneficial.
Unfortunately, many athletes assume that the place to start is at the top. The idea of eating adequate calories or enough fruits & vegetables doesn’t seem as sexy or important as taking the supplement the guy at GNC is selling.
So before you buy another supplement, evaluate your diet. Is it balanced? Is it adequate? If you don’t know, reach out to a sports dietitian!
Hi, I’m Anna!
Welcome to the Nutrition with Anna blog! Sharing recipes, sports nutrition tips, & inspiration to eat foods that fuel your lifestyle and athletic goals without rules or restrictions.