performance FAQs

There are numerous countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including the northernmost countries of Africa, some of Southern Europe, Turkey and the Aegean islands. The Mediterranean Diet is not one specific diet, but represents a set of dietary choices that is common in this region of the world. More...

It really is dependent upon your goal. If you are a recreational exerciser or simply working out for fitness, weight loss, etc., then the timing of pre- and post-workout feedings is not crucial. More...

It depends on your sport. If you are an endurance athlete, you want a significantly higher carbohydrate (CHO) to protein (P) ratio than most other athletes – somewhere in the range of 2-4 grams of CHO to 1 gram of protein with relatively low fat. More...

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most widely used supplements to improve sports performance, muscle size, strength and power. Loading Creatine has been a point of controversy and clarity on this issue will be provided here. More...

No – your body will let you know when you are over-training but you have to “listen” to it. More...

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10) is a naturally occurring compound found in our body’s cells that is intricately involved in energy production More...

To gain weight you need to eat more calories than you burn so that the extra calories are deposited into your body tissues, with the majority More...

The most commonly used muscle gain supplements that actually work are considered safe for the vast majority of people. These supplements More...

Yes, you don’t need to drink in excess, you simply need to make sure you start your activity completely hydrated and replace More...

The quick answer is yes because the vast majority of the mixture would be water and the small amount of Kool-Aid (KA) mix would be fairly insignificant More...

Yes, or at least very close. Coffee, as I am sure you know from making it or watching it being made, is almost all water and it enters the body More...

The simplest and safest answer is ~ 1 gram (g) of protein per pound of body weight for all athletes during intense training. Exercisers and athletes More...

If you are deficient in any of the essential nutrients involved in developing and building muscle the answer is yes. Our recommendation is that everyone, More...

Protein is responsible for rebuilding your muscle tissues after exercise and also plays a minor role in producing energy under more extreme More...

Depends on how much you are eating now. If you are eating Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein and resistance training intensely, then yes More...

If you feed yourself properly, including taking a multivitamin/mineral daily, you would only add muscle by performing high intensity More...

You need to use the bodybuilding formula of feeding the muscle while starving the body fat. Meaning, eat correctly and enough including protein intake More...

The right answer is to restructure your diet but within the total calories appropriate for your overall body composition goals (e.g. weight/fat loss, or muscle gain). More...

Yes, and it’s very common among athletes, especially bodybuilders and people new to weight training but it requires daily food planning and supplementation More...

Once you know how many calories you are allowed daily to achieve your goal, you want to spread them out as much as you can. More...

Not unless you drank or ate too much before the exercise and then continued drinking. Drinking too much of any fluids before exercise More...

Yes, as long as the muscle soreness was caused by exercise or some unaccustomed activity that did not injure the muscle to a point where it can't More...

The formula for gaining weight is to consume more calories than you burn so the extra calories are stored in the body as lean body mass (LBM) such More...

Probably, and there is certainly no downside to adding higher levels of vitamins and minerals that are part of our body's antioxidant systems to your More...

Carbohydrate loading is a protocol that endurance athletes, and often bodybuilders, use to fill their body's glycogen (carbohydrate/energy) stores in order More...

At this point in science, most athletes probably wouldn't because uncontrolled creatine (Cr) supplementation generally leads to a weight gain of both More...

Power athletes need more protein than non-athletes/exercisers but about the same as other hard-training athletes. The easiest and safest formula More...

Yes and it's to consume ~55-70% of your total daily calories from carbohydrates (CHO) such as pastas, rice, breads, cereals, etc. The longer your More...

No, they are counterproductive in every way for endurance athletes. Not only will you compromise performance but you will also not recover More...

Generally, yes. During any activity lasting more than an hour, it can be helpful to continued performance and hydration to take in fluids containing More...

Depends on how much protein you consume from food and your training goals. All healthy athletes can attain their protein requirements from More...

Depends on the athletes physiological state (health and potential contraindications) and what he/she decides to use, but in general health and fitness More...

Most professionals use the simple and safest formula for figuring out an athlete's protein needs and that's ~ 1gm of protein per pound of body weight More...

It depends on how close you are to the weight you need to be in order to wrestle in your desired weight class. If you don't need to lose weight More...

You need to pay attention to your desired weight year-round by weighing regularly and adjusting your daily calories according to undesired weight More...

Overall daily food planning, including meal timing around the activity/event, is the most common miss or mistake athletes make related to nutrition More...

Yes, and the most important thing you can do is to make sure your energy systems are full by not just eating the right combination of foods More...

For the vast majority of athletic events (exceptions being ultra-endurance, where carbohydrate intake would be higher by percentage of total More...

No, as long as you ate correctly before the game; otherwise to help pick up energy because of a lack of pre-game planning, you could eat a More...

Eat your normal big whole food pre-game meal right before you go to bed and then consume your pre-workout shake 30 minutes before your More...

Depends on where you are going, what you are going to do and how long after you eat will you be participating in physical activity. More...

The best pre-game meal is one that can be completely digested before the event but also fill your energy stores close to their full potential so that More...

It's the length of the continuous activity that often dictates a slightly different diet than what all athletes need to do to be successful. Therefore, More...

A pre-workout shake consisting of high carbohydrate, moderate protein and low fat (see below for timing and ideal formula). But you better make sure More...

Immediately after the match, you should consume the same training/workout formula you consumed 30 minutes before your match, and then More...

If you are not consuming your largest meal consisting of ~60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fat ~2-3hrs before your event followed by a small More...

You should be consuming ~60-70% of your total daily calories from carbohydrates (CHO) such as pastas, rice, breads, cereals, etc. More...

No, in fact most of them are not, especially at the lower weight classes. In the heavy weight divisions you will see very large people who appear More...

You should consume the same training/workout formula you consumed 30 minutes before your game immediately after the game, and then 1-1.5hrs More...

If your weight is off-setting your performance, meaning that at a lighter weight you may be able to move faster and more efficiently in your sport More...

The most significant difference would be the loading of your energy systems. The speed skater’s energy system that needs to be fully loaded is the creatine phosphate More...

All athletes including volleyball players have special nutrition needs that are similar in order to maximize their playing potential. But it's the length of the More...

Your overall diet should consist of ~60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fats with meals spread evenly throughout the day and properly around More...

All athletes including combat sport competitors have special nutrition needs that are similar in order to maximize their fighting potential. But it's the length More...

As an athlete you should certainly be on a healthy athletic-type diet that helps you maintain your performance and desired physique. But as far as More...

Absolutely, and you should if you want to recover from your game properly. It makes no difference what time it is when it comes to an athlete's More...

Depends on how much total weight, including fluids, was lost and how long after weigh-in you have before the match/game. Generally speaking, More...

The day before and the day of the interval ride, eat full meals ~every 3-4hours consisting of ~60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fats just as an athlete More...

Because of having to maintain low body fat, gymnasts are commonly short on the daily requirements of many of the vitamins and minerals and therefore, More...

The day before and on the ride event day, eat full meals ~every 3-4hours consisting of ~60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fats. The pre-ride meal More...

You need to eat like an athlete in order to keep your energy systems full before all training and climbing events and allow the body to recover More...

Depending on your sport (not your age) and body weight, 55-70% carbohydrates, 15-30% protein, 10-25% fats. The longer or more endurance More...

About 55-70% of your total calories in your pre- and post-exercise meal should come from carbohydrates (CHO) such as pastas, fruits, rice, breads, More...

Aging athletes need about the same amount of protein as other hard-training athletes. The easiest and safest formula for figuring out the protein More...

Anytime you are exercising in warm or hot climates for long periods of time, like endurance sports, soccer and especially when covered in football gear, More...

Always space your full meals ~ 3-4hours apart. The pre-activity meal will be your biggest of the day and should be consumed 2-3hrs before the event, More...

An athlete's total daily calories are determined by personal statistics (height, weight, age, sex and daily activity) and the body composition goal, which More...

The day before your competition the food plan should be structured so that every meal is a full meal consumed ~ 3-4hours apart consisting of ~60% carbohydrate More...

The day of the competition consume full meals ~every 3-4hours consisting of ~60% carbohydrate (rice, potatoes/yams, breads, fruits, etc.), 20% protein More...

Basically the same foods as adult athletes. It's harder to get them to eat properly but just as important, especially during their growth years. A young athlete needs to be on a nutrition plan More...

Rest up for the match and do whatever you need to do to make sure you make weight without compromising your health. If you are only 1 or 2LBS from making weight on the day of certification, More...

Yes, and most importantly make sure they are hydrated before the start of the activity. Adolescents tolerate heat less efficiently than adults because they have less surface area and their sweat glands More...

There are special hydration demands for all athletes and they are the same. See below. General Fluid Requirements More...

Yes, proper hydration is important for all sports and especially in continuous activity sports like rugby and lacrosse. Additionally in sports like lacrosse, uniforms can increase the sweat loss, More...

Probably not during your training or event, unless you did not hydrate properly before and/or you will be very active in the water longer than 60 minutes. Otherwise 3-6 oz of fluids every 15 minutes More...

All depends on how you hydrate before the activity and how long you will be continually active in the water. Therefore if you properly hydrate before and you don't exceed 60 minutes of activity, More...

Hockey players have the same hydration needs as other hard-training athletes. The use of heavy uniforms increases sweat loss even when played in a cold environment, and therefore hockey athletes More...

Exercising in warm temperatures is only part of the hydration equation, meaning you may not need to drink during your activity if it doesn't last longer than 60 minutes and you are hydrated properly before More...

Assuming you hydrated properly before the match, you should consume ~3-6oz every 15 minutes (or as possible) of fluids during the activity. Additionally, since tennis matches can exceed 60 minutes More...

No more than any other active person, unless you were under water too long (more than 2 hours) and unable to rehydrate and/or not hydrated properly before the dive. Divers should be fine following More...

Runners certainly need to consume more fluids than sedentary people. Below are the athletic hydration guidelines runners need to follow: More...

Yes, proper hydration is important to all athletes. If you are not properly hydrated, you will not perform to your potential, even if exercise is only a few minutes long. So obviously, the longer the task More...

Hydration recommendations for football players are the same as all athletes, but football players need to pay strict attention to the guidelines when practicing or playing in hot weather in full uniforms, More...

Yes, all athletes have hydration needs that are not the same as non-athletes. Performance is negatively affected before thirst is triggered. The sensation of thirst occurs when the water deficit is ~2% of More...

The hydration needs of a volleyball player are listed below; most importantly, pay attention to the pre and during exercise/game instructions, especially during all day tournament play: More...

Hydration recommendations for combat sport athletes are the same as all athletes, but combat athletes need to pay strict attention to the guidelines when practicing or playing in hot environments, which More...

All athletes need to follow the guidelines listed below if they want to maximize performance and recovery (and pay strict attention to pre and during exercise/event recommendations): More...

If you're an athlete, follow the guidelines shown below and you will be hydrated perfectly. You can't trust your thirst. The sensation of thirst occurs when the water deficit is ~2% of body mass. Performance can More...

Yes, all athletes have hydration needs that are not the same as non-athletes. Performance is negatively affected before thirst is triggered. The sensation of thirst occurs when the water deficit is ~2% of More...

No matter your sport all athletes have hydration needs that, when met, can optimize training and game outcomes. If you are not properly hydrated, you will not perform to potential, even if exercise More...

All the ideal athletic hydration guidelines are listed below: General Fluid Requirements More...

You need to do all you can do to achieve full hydration comfortably BEFORE you start play, meaning follow the directions below but do it throughout the night before and day up to the game, at a slower pace More...

We recommend you bring and use both as shown below so that you can hydrate properly before the activity and best replenish your fluid, glucose and electrolyte losses during the activity to maximize performance More...

The night before your competition the food plan should be structured to contain high calories (but not too filling) made up of ~55-60% carbohydrate (pasta, rice, potatoes/yams, breads, fruits, etc.), 15-25% More...

The sugars in sport drinks are there for a purpose but are unnecessary for non-exercisers. Sport drinks are used for achieving proper hydration and replenishment of compounds lost or used during More...

It truly depends on if you properly hydrated before the game and the length of your event. In other words, if you hydrated properly before a 1-hour game, you would need no more than ~ 3-6oz of fluids every More...

It's not so much that it can increase hydration as opposed to water; it's the fact that sports drinks contain other things important to maintaining performance during longer events. When we lose fluids, especially during exercise More...

The half-life, which is the time required by the body to metabolize or inactivate 1/2 of a substance activity, for caffeine (doses lower than 4.50mg/lb) ranges from 2.5 to 10hrs. Meaning, caffeine More...