s2/e32 Understanding "The Athlete Plates" with Cortney Berling, RD, MPH (@eatwell.runbetter)

Athlete Plates

Sports dietitian Cortney Berling introduces the concept of "Athlete Plates," a tool designed to help athletes tailor their nutrition to their training intensity. These plates are structured to adjust the proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables based on whether the day is easy, moderate, or hard in terms of physical activity 1. Cortney emphasizes that while the plates provide a general guideline, they allow for personalization, enabling athletes to adjust their meals according to their specific needs and activities 2.

The biggest thing that changes on these plates, as our duration or intensity of our runs go up, the carbohydrate portion gets bigger and bigger and bigger on the plate.

--- Cortney Berling

This approach helps athletes maintain optimal energy levels and supports overall health 3.

   

Meal Adjustments

Adjusting meal composition is crucial for athletes to meet their training demands. Cortney Berling explains that athletes can scale their meals by increasing or decreasing portions based on their daily workload 4. For instance, a sandwich on an easy day might become a bagel sandwich on a long run day, highlighting the importance of adding rather than subtracting nutrients 4.

You can easily just add more rice, add, if you're having lasagna, add a little bit more, add another piece of garlic bread to that meal.

--- Cortney Berling

This flexibility ensures that athletes are adequately fueled without the stress of rigid meal plans 5.

   

Rest Nutrition

Rest day nutrition plays a vital role in recovery and maintaining training effectiveness. Cortney Berling advises athletes to listen to their bodies, as hunger levels can remain high even on rest days due to previous exertions 6. Ignoring these hunger cues can lead to overtraining and injury, emphasizing the importance of intuitive eating 6.

You always want to listen to your body. That is going to trump the athlete plate every single time.

--- Cortney Berling

Understanding that recovery is an ongoing process, athletes should not restrict their intake based on a lack of activity but rather focus on replenishing energy stores 7.