The Complete Meal Guide for Cyclists and Athletes

Jun 22

4 min read

The secret to a nutritional balance that maximises performance

This article is for athletes and anyone serious about their sport who wants to improve their performance.

Food is the foundation of performance. Eating the right way makes energy supply, muscle repair and recovery from fatigue more efficient.

Here I explain everything from basic nutrition to a sample daily menu and tips on snacks.

It's based on general guidance from registered dietitians, and designed to be easy to follow at home.

1. The basic principles of an athlete's diet

The ideal athlete's meal combines a staple, a main dish, side dishes, dairy and fruit.

This gives you a good balance of the five main nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals).

Staple (mainly carbohydrate): Your energy source. Rice, bread, noodles, rice balls and so on. Stored in muscle as glycogen, it supports endurance and explosive power.
Main dish (mainly protein): The building material for muscle, bone and blood. Meat, fish, eggs and soy products.
Side dishes (vegetables, mushrooms, seaweed): Vitamins, minerals and fibre. Essential for staying healthy and recovering.
Dairy: Calcium and protein.
Fruit: Vitamin C and sugar for recovery.

Daily energy target: It depends on your sport and training load, but for growing juniors or during hard training it can be 3,000 kcal or more.

Adjust around 50–70 kcal per kg of body weight.

Timing matters:

Before exercise: Eat a carb-focused meal 2–3 hours before. One hour before, stick to easily digested food.
After exercise: Within 30 minutes, have carbohydrate plus protein to restore glycogen and promote muscle building (the golden window).
Three days before a race: Eat more carbohydrate to load up on glycogen.

2. The role of key nutrients and how to get them

Carbohydrate (sugars): The main energy source, and more important the harder you train. If you don't get enough, protein is broken down instead, causing muscle loss.
Protein: Repairs and builds muscle. Aim for 1.2–2.0 g per kg of body weight (towards the top end during hard training). Combine animal and plant sources.
Fat: For hormone production and endurance energy. Avoid excess and choose good oils (fish oil, olive oil).
Vitamins and minerals: Iron (oxygen transport), calcium (bones), magnesium (energy metabolism) and more. Get them from vegetables, fruit and dairy.
Fluids: Dehydration hurts performance badly. Think about electrolytes (salt) too.

3. Sample daily menu (about 3,000 kcal, training day)

Breakfast (refuel and start the day)

Nutrition point: Carbohydrate for morning energy, protein to maintain muscle, and fruit and dairy for vitamins and calcium.

Lunch (prepare for afternoon training)

Nutrition point: A protein-rich main dish plus vegetables for balance. Low-fat chicken breast is an athlete staple.

Dinner (focus on recovery)

Nutrition point: Make sure you hit your total protein for the day, and eat vitamin-rich vegetables for antioxidants and faster recovery.

Snack ideas (before, after and between sessions)

Before training (1–2 hours before): A rice ball and a banana, or a jam bun with 100% fruit juice.
After training (within 30 minutes): Milk and a rice ball, a protein shake and castella sponge cake, or amazake with yoghurt.
Other: Cheese and crackers, kinako toast, yokan and so on.

Daily snack target: Around 200–600 kcal depending on training. Mainly carbs and protein, low in fat.

4. Tips by sport and goal

Endurance (marathon etc.): More carbohydrate (7–10 g or more per kg of body weight). Prioritise loading before races.
Strength (weight training): 1.6–2.0 g of protein per kg. Refuel quickly after training.
Junior athletes: Allow for growth with enough energy, calcium and iron. Never restrict unreasonably.
When cutting weight: Keep protein up while adjusting total calories. Use vegetables for volume.

5. Practical tips and recipe ideas

Cooking tips: Keep it simple: mainly steaming, grilling and simmering. Go easy on salt and use oil in moderation.
Easy high-protein dishes:
- Stir-fried chicken breast and vegetables (spicy miso style).
- Tuna and sweetcorn sandwich with vegetable soup.
- Egg and vegetable champuru rice.
Recovery: Make a point of eating citric acid (citrus fruit) and antioxidants (green and yellow vegetables).
Needs vary a lot from person to person, so talk to a registered dietitian or coach about your weight, sport and condition.

Let food support your sporting life

Simply keeping each meal balanced and well timed can make a big difference to your training results.

Try out these menus and keep a record of how your condition and performance change.

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