Fuelling for Performance: Getting the Basics Right

If you want better energy, stronger training sessions, and faster recovery, fuelling matters just as much as the training itself.

In clinic, I see a lot of athletes doing the hard work ~ turning up, training consistently, pushing their bodies ~ but missing the basics when it comes to nutrition.

The result is often flat sessions, slow recovery, recurring niggles, or the sense that performance has plateaued for no obvious reason.

Good sports nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be matched to workload. Below are the general fuelling ranges I use every day with athletes as starting points. They’re evidence-based guidelines, not rigid rules, and they work best when adjusted to the individual.

Daily Fuelling: The Big Picture

Carbohydrates (Energy & Glycogen)

~3–6 g/kg per day for general training
~6–10 g/kg per day for large training volumes or endurance preparation

Carbs fuel your training and refill muscle glycogen. When intake is too low for the workload, performance and recovery suffer — even if calories look “adequate” on paper.

Protein (Repair & Adaptation)

~1.2–2.2 g/kg per day depending on sport and goals
For many people, 1.5–1.6 g/kg is a solid starting point

Protein supports muscle repair, immune function, and adaptation to training. More isn’t always better — consistency and timing matter just as much as total intake.

Fats (Hormones, Satiety & Balance)

~0.75 g/kg per day as a baseline
Up to ~1.0 g/kg if higher calories are needed

Fats support hormonal health and help keep meals satisfying, particularly during higher training loads.

Calories (Context Matters)

~1500–3000 per day depending on body size, gender, training volume, and goals
~3000–5000+ per day for high-volume training, racing phases, or weight gain goals

Calories are not the enemy, chronic under-fuelling is.

Timing Matters: Fuel Around Training

Before Training

Nothing to ~30 g carbohydrate if the session is 1 hour or less
~30–50 g carbohydrate for strength training lasting 1–1.5 hours
~15–50 g carbohydrate if training exceeds 1–1.5 hours
Fasted training: limited to 1–2 sessions per week, used intentionally — not as a default

During Training

≤1 hour: nothing, or a carbohydrate mouth rinse
1–2 hours: ~30 g carbohydrate per hour
2–4 hours: ~30–60 g carbohydrate per hour
4+ hours: ~60–90 g carbohydrate per hour (this needs to be practised for gut tolerance)

After Training

Aim for a 3:1 or 4:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio as soon as practical
For strength sessions, a 2:1 ratio is often sufficient
Start around 1 g/kg carbohydrate in the post-training meal
Shorter sessions may only require ~40–50 g carbohydrate post
For heavy training days, eat every 2 hours to restore glycogen effectively

📥 You can download these guidelines here.

The Takeaway

Carbohydrates provide energy.

Protein supports repair and adaptation.

Fats help with hormones, satiety, and overall balance.

And timing your intake around training can significantly change how you feel, perform, and recover. Once the fundamentals are in place, fine-tuning becomes much easier, and performance tends to follow.

If training feels hard all the time, recovery is slow, or energy is inconsistent, fuelling is one of the first places worth looking.

Want Clearer Guidance On How To Fuel Your Training?

If you’re training regularly and want more structure around what to eat, when to eat, and how to fuel for performance and recovery, my Fuelling for Fitness course walks you through it step by step.

It’s a 7-week, self-paced sports nutrition program with clear education, meal plans, recipes, and practical tools designed to teach you how to: