FUELING YOUR SUCCESS
5 essential nutrition tips from coach natasha
As your coach and qualified nutritionist, I see firsthand how powerful the right nutrition can be—not just for reaching your fitness goals, but for feeling strong and energetic every single day.
You train hard, you push your limits, and you show up for yourself. Now, let’s make sure your diet is working just as hard for you. Here are my top five, non-negotiable tips for optimizing your nutrition, performance, and recovery.
1. Food is Our Fuel (Don't Hit the Wall!)
This is the most common mistake I see: under-eating.
If you are consistently training but not providing your body with enough total energy, you are setting yourself up for a plateau. Your body can't recover, it can't build muscle, and your performance in the gym will suffer. Think of your food as the premium fuel your high-performance engine needs.
For the vast majority of the year, we should be aiming to eat our maintenance calories. Stop guessing! Use a reliable TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator online to get an estimate of your maintenance calories, and use that as your foundation.
2. Protein is the Foundation of Every Meal
If you want to talk about recovery, repair, and building lean muscle tissue, you have to talk about protein. It is the absolute cornerstone of a high-performance diet.
Actionable Target: Aim for a daily intake of 1.6 – 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.
Make it a non-negotiable to include a quality protein source at every single meal. This includes options like lean meat cuts, eggs, Greek yoghurt, tofu, lentils, or a scoop of protein powder. Hit your protein target, and the rest becomes so much easier.
3. Carbohydrates Before Training: Power Your Performance
While protein builds and repairs, carbohydrates are your body's primary and preferred energy source. They are what allow you to crush a heavy set of squats or sprint through your conditioning work.
Timing Matters: Approximately 45–30 minutes before your training session, focus on easily and quickly digesting carbs. We want these to hit your bloodstream fast to top off your energy stores.
Easy Pre-Workout Carbs: A piece of fruit (banana is great!), a muesli bar, crumpets, toast with jam or honey, or even a couple of lollies or sugar packets. Don't fear the quick sugar here—it is being immediately put to work!
4. Hydration Matters More Than You Think
You can't out-train poor hydration. Even a minimal drop—as little as 2% dehydration—can significantly affect your strength, focus, and overall athletic performance.
Your Daily Goal: Aim to drink 2.5 – 3 litres of water consistently throughout the entire day.
If you are a heavy sweater, or if you are training in the heat, consider adding electrolytes to your water. Electrolytes are essential minerals that help regulate nerve and muscle function, and replacing them is key to sustained performance.
5. Consistency Beats Perfection Every Time
It's tempting to search for the latest superfood or the 'perfect' macro split, but here is the truth: consistency and sustainability are the only things that truly move the needle.
No single mistake will derail your progress, just as no single ‘perfect’ day will make you an elite athlete. What matters is what you do daily.
Focus on the Core Habits:
Eating enough total calories (Tip 1).
Prioritising adequate protein (Tip 2).
Timing your training carbohydrates (Tip 3).
Drinking enough water (Tip 4).
Your nutrition doesn't need to be perfect; it needs to be something you can sustain for the long haul. Focus on these small, high-impact habits, and watch your performance soar.
Ready to apply these tips? If you have questions about structuring your meals or hitting your protein targets, just ask me next time you're in the gym! I also provide personalised services for an extra cost.
— Natasha, Coach & Qualified Nutritionist, Altona Bay Training