The Athlete’s Plate:

Hard Training/Race Day

The Plate Method is a simple way to plan your meals to help you reach your performance and/or training goals.

 When training intensity and duration have increased even more, we focus more on carbohydrates as that is our major source of energy.  Hard training or competition day, depending on the sport, is when we have at least two workouts per day that are fairly high intensity or if duration of workout is longer than 2-3 hours.

Follow these 5 steps to eat meals with the Plate Method

1. Divide an 8 or 9-inch plate in quarters and fill ¼ of the plate with fruits and non-starchy vegetables.

These include:

Artichoke                                      Asparagus                               Peppers

Beets                                              Broccoli                                    Radish

Brussels sprouts                          Carrots                                    Tomatoes

Cauliflower                                   Cucumber                              Zucchini

Green or yellow beans              Salad greens                          Apples

Oranges/ Tangerines                Onions                                     Bananas 

Sugar snap peas                        Tomatoes                               Grapes

Berries (any)                                Mushrooms                            Peaches

Dried fruit (any)                          Pineapple                               Kiwi

Melon (any)                                                                                  

Choose fresh or frozen produce in a variety of colors to get a variety of vitamins and minerals to help fight inflammation, assist with recovery and support a healthy immune system.

2. Fill ½ of your plate with Grains and Starches 

Grains and Starches include:

Pasta                                          Rice or farro                                Potatoes

Cereals or granola                  Polenta                                        Oats

Sandwich Breads                    Tortillas or wraps                      Fig Bar cookies

Pancakes or Waffles               Bagel or English muffin          Quinoa, beans or lentils

This plate may need to contain more easily digestible carbohydrates such as white rice and white pasta vs whole grain to prevent stomach issues as fiber takes a longer time to pass through the GI system and may cause GI distress during exercise (when eaten before exercise).

3. Fill the last ¼ of your plate with a lean protein source 

Beef, loin or round cuts                Beef jerky                    Cheese

Chicken, no skin                             Eggs                             Fish 

Turkey, no skin                                Nut Butter                   Whey Protein

Tofu or edamame                         Low fat dairy: Greek yogurt, yogurt, milk or cottage cheese

As intensity increases, we still need enough protein to help rebuild, repair and recover.

4.  Hydration is always important.   Make sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout entire day.  See page 1 for recommendations. 

5.  Make sure to always include healthy fats such as: olives and olive oil, nuts and nut butters, seeds, fatty fish, avocado.  Healthy fats are increased slightly to accommodate inflammation and to help meet elevated calorie needs.