Sports nutrition determines 40% of your results. Yet 70% of beginners neglect meal timing and lose energy needlessly. This guide explains what to eat, when and why to maximize performance and recovery without overcomplicating things.
🎯 What you'll learn: Meal timing before/during/after • Carbs vs proteins • Optimal hydration • Common mistakes • Simple 7-day nutrition plan
Why nutrition changes everything ⛽
Your muscles are like engines: without fuel, no performance. Nutrition shouldn’t be guilt, but strategy. Every meal feeds your body — and your Bivora avatar reflects that too.
The winning equation: energy (carbs) + repair (protein) + health (vitamins) = explosive progress.
⏱️ Three key moments
1. Before exercise: Top up your batteries ⚡
Timing & composition of your pre-workout meal determine comfort and energy.
- 2–3h before: Full meal (rice, pasta, chicken, veg) — time to digest.
- 30–60min before: Fast snack (banana, energy bar, white bread) for a quick energy surge.
- 5min before: Light hydration — avoid heavy meals that weigh you down.
2. During exercise: Refuel (efforts > 60min)
For long sessions, maintain steady energy intake:
- Every 15–20min: 30–60g carbs (isotonic drink, gel, dried fruit).
- Hydration: 200–300ml water every 15–20min depending on heat.
- Pro tip: Test during training, never on race day.
3. After exercise: Repair & progress 🏗️
The 0–2h post-exercise window is critical — muscles need recovery materials.
- Protein: 20–30g (eggs, fish, yogurt, legumes).
- Carbs: 40–60g to restore glycogen — crucial if you train again soon.
- Electrolytes: Sodium & potassium (banana, salted yogurt).
📋 Your typical plate (and it's tasty)
Pre-morning session breakfast 🌅
30–60 minutes before your run or session.
- Banana or honey toast
- Cup of coffee or tea (light)
- Glass of warm water
Total: ~30g carbs, quick digestion ✓
Post-morning session lunch 🥗
Ideally within 90 minutes after finishing.
- 150g protein (chicken, fish, eggs)
- 200g starchy carbs (rice, pasta, sweet potato)
- Mixed vegetables
- Olive oil or dressing
Total: optimal protein-carb-fiber balance ✓
⚠️ Common pitfalls
- Too heavy before: pancakes, fries, cakes = indigestion. Stay light.
- Too sugary without context: candies spike then crash. Reserve for long efforts.
- Skipping recovery: a session without post-exercise nutrition = slowed progress and accumulated fatigue.
- Fruit juice alone: lacks protein — pair with a protein source.
💡 Integrate with Bivora
Log your meals in Bivora and observe correlations between nutrition and performance — you'll see what works for you.
FAQ — Nutrition
What to eat before a session?
2–3h before: full meal (carbs + protein). For short sessions, a light snack works.
What to eat after?
20–30g protein + 40–60g carbs in the 2h post workout.