Muscles run primarily on glycogen, found in carbohydrates, which come from plants. They provide the
brain with glucose, helping athletes stay focused and alert during training sessions and competitions. Diets containing animal products often impair performance due to their higher fat/lower carbohydrate content; fat cannot produce energy quickly enough to meet increased energy demands, particularly during exercises relying on fast-twitch muscle activity, and such diets cause fatigue and lack of motivation as a result (Figure 1). Protein is also a highly inefficient fuel source, making carbohydrates the ideal primary energy source for optimised performance. Protein intake should remain high enough to promote muscle growth and repair, though not at the expense of carbohydrate intake. [1][2]
Figure 2. Plant-based foods and their benefits compared with animal products.
Our athlete’s diet consists of a variety of plant-based foods, protein shakes (e.g. soya/pea protein) and performance/recovery-boosting fruit juices; these contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds like flavonoids (reduce recovery time and inflammation) and L-Citrulline (relieves post-exercise muscle soreness). [10][11][12][13]
This diet allows our athlete to stay lean whilst optimising muscle growth and repair, allowing greatest efficiency. [14]