There's no doubt that what you eat plays a large role in how you perform. Because of this reality, it's crucial that you have a customized diet based on the demands of your sport and your individual needs. Creating a customized meal plan to maximize your athletic performance may seem
like a daunting task, but it's actually easier than you might think. By following a these simple steps, you can create an effective diet plan that gets results no matter what sport you compete in.
Step 1: Determine Your Resting Energy ExpenditureYou probably already know your height and weight in inches and pounds, but you'll need to convert those measurements to centimeters and kilograms to determine your resting energy expenditure (REE). Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your kilogram weight and multiply your height in inches by 2.54 to get your centimeter height. From here, you can plug these numbers into the following formulas, one for women and one for men, to find your REE calories.
So, for example, a 23-year-old female weighing 135 pounds who is 5' 8" feet tall would insert those numbers and come up with the following total:
655 + (9.6 x 61.4) + (1.85 x 172.7) - (4.7 x 23) = 1,672 REE calories
Step 2: Determine Amount of Calories You Need Each DayNow that you know the amount of calories you need at rest, the next step is finding out the low and high range of calories you need each day. To get these limits, multiply your REE calories by anywhere from 1.0 and 2.5. This will give you a range of energy intake that you can use to guide food intake depending on how active and demanding your life is.
Step 3: Calculate How Much Fat, Carbs, and Protein You NeedFor an athlete in training, I suggest starting by breaking up your caloric intake into 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fat. By multiplying these percentages by your upper and lower limits, you can find out how much of your total calories should be made up of each type. From there, divide your carb calories by 4, your protein calories by 4, and your fat calories by 9 to determine how many grams of each you need. For the example above, this would come out to 523 grams of carbs, 314 grams of protein, and 93 grams of fat at the upper calorie limit. Many athletes turn to whey protein to meet their protein requirements while not overdoing it on carbs and fat. If you do this, make sure that the whey protein powder you choose has no fillers, preservatives, or other unhealthy ingredients.
Other ConsiderationsWhen creating your ideal athlete diet plan, how much and how intensely you work out will determine whether your caloric intake should be at the upper or lower limit, or somewhere in between. For more ways to customize your diet plan, sign up for our mailing list and get access to our free web tools. Our custom formula calculator factors in your age, weight, height, gender, as well as the number of hours you exercise, the type of exercise, and your weight-management goals.
Step 1: Determine Your Resting Energy ExpenditureYou probably already know your height and weight in inches and pounds, but you'll need to convert those measurements to centimeters and kilograms to determine your resting energy expenditure (REE). Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your kilogram weight and multiply your height in inches by 2.54 to get your centimeter height. From here, you can plug these numbers into the following formulas, one for women and one for men, to find your REE calories.
- Female: 655 + (9.6 x kg) + (1.85 x cm) - (4.7 x age)
- Male: 66 + (13.7 x kg) + (5.0 x cm) - (6.8 x age)
So, for example, a 23-year-old female weighing 135 pounds who is 5' 8" feet tall would insert those numbers and come up with the following total:
655 + (9.6 x 61.4) + (1.85 x 172.7) - (4.7 x 23) = 1,672 REE calories
Step 2: Determine Amount of Calories You Need Each DayNow that you know the amount of calories you need at rest, the next step is finding out the low and high range of calories you need each day. To get these limits, multiply your REE calories by anywhere from 1.0 and 2.5. This will give you a range of energy intake that you can use to guide food intake depending on how active and demanding your life is.
Step 3: Calculate How Much Fat, Carbs, and Protein You NeedFor an athlete in training, I suggest starting by breaking up your caloric intake into 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fat. By multiplying these percentages by your upper and lower limits, you can find out how much of your total calories should be made up of each type. From there, divide your carb calories by 4, your protein calories by 4, and your fat calories by 9 to determine how many grams of each you need. For the example above, this would come out to 523 grams of carbs, 314 grams of protein, and 93 grams of fat at the upper calorie limit. Many athletes turn to whey protein to meet their protein requirements while not overdoing it on carbs and fat. If you do this, make sure that the whey protein powder you choose has no fillers, preservatives, or other unhealthy ingredients.
Other ConsiderationsWhen creating your ideal athlete diet plan, how much and how intensely you work out will determine whether your caloric intake should be at the upper or lower limit, or somewhere in between. For more ways to customize your diet plan, sign up for our mailing list and get access to our free web tools. Our custom formula calculator factors in your age, weight, height, gender, as well as the number of hours you exercise, the type of exercise, and your weight-management goals.