What we eat on training days, without the spreadsheet

There's a version of training-day eating that involves apps, scales, and a lot of arithmetic. Some people enjoy that, and that's fine. This post is for everyone else.

What follows isn't a meal plan. It's a rough shape for the day that we find easy to stick to, and easy to adjust.

Before you train

If you're training within an hour or two of waking, a small snack is usually enough: toast, a banana, yogurt, whatever sits well. If you train later in the day, a normal lunch a few hours before tends to be plenty.

The main thing is not to arrive starving or uncomfortably full. You'll learn which one you lean toward pretty quickly.

After you train

We aim for a proper meal within a few hours, built from three parts:

• Something with protein. Eggs, beans, fish, chicken, tofu, lentils, Greek yogurt.
• Something starchy. Rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, oats.
• Something with colour. Whatever vegetables or fruit are in the fridge and need using up.

That's it. A bowl of rice with fried eggs and frozen peas counts. So does a jacket potato with beans.

Drinking enough

Keep a glass or bottle somewhere you'll see it. Drink when you're thirsty, and a bit more if it's hot or you've been sweating a lot.

What we skip

We don't track every gram, and we don't buy special training-day products. If you have specific goals, a medical condition, or a history of a difficult relationship with food, a registered dietitian can give you advice that fits you. This is just how we keep things simple.