Tactical Nutrition for Intense Prolonged Drills

I've been asked what is the right nutrition plan in cases of being engaged in prolonged intense drills such as during training camps (boxing or marshal art), long conditioning sessions involving strength and endurance, triathlons, long distance biking, strength conditioning involving split routines as well as military, firemen or law enforcement drills. In all these cases the main goal is to nourish the body in a way that maximizes its capacity to resist fatigue and recuperate. The key for reaching this goal is proper applications of functional meals that keep the body in a fight or flight mode and at the same time supports the neural, hormonal and muscular systems for a long lasting performance.

There are two kinds of functional meals: pre-workout meals and post-workout recovery meals. In order to be effective, each functional meal must be designed to fit the body's specific biological needs before and after physical exercise. Since I've already addressed the topic of recovery meals and how to take advantage of the biological window of opportunity right after exercise to maximize muscular growth and recuperation, there is no need to repeat myself and cover this very topic again. Nonetheless, it's important to note that when it comes down to prolonged physical drills, the size of the meal and its nutritional composition is critically important.

Let's start with pre-workout meals. A pre-workout meal must be fast assimilated and easily digested. It should be also low glycemic to avoid an insulin spike and hypoglycemia later on. For an endurance athlete, a bowl of oatmeal an hour before exercise is fine, but there are better functional meals than oatmeal, for that matter. Ideally a pre-exercise meal should provide the body with all essential amino acids, together with other cofactors including immunosupportive and insulin stabilizing nutrients. Obviously, a pre-exercise meal should be all natural and low glycemic. A high quality chemical-free low glycemic protein shake can do the job. A combination of amino acids, together with hormonal supportive and immunosupportive nutrients, help support the neural, hormonal and muscular systems during the upcoming drill, and thus can be more effective than just carbs coming from oatmeal or other grains.

As for post-exercise recovery meals, the plan is a bit tricky. The first post-exercise meal should provide fast assimilating proteins, cofactors and optimum amounts of slow releasing carbs. Carbs are necessary to immediately inhibit muscle breakdown and also for the finalization of IGF1 and G1+ actions in the working muscle. Now here comes the tricky element: the second and third recovery meals should be low glycemic, if possible sugar free to avoid insulin resistance, hypoglycemia and undesirable fat gain. Therefore, the second and third recovery meals should be made with minimum carbs and should be incorporated after the initial recovery meal, every one to two hours, or during breaks between training sessions.

Following is my personal regime:

Pre-exercise meal: Warrior Diet Meal Replacement – No Sugar Added – 4 tbsp – 1 serving.

Post-exercise recovery meals:
1st recovery: Warrior Milk mixed with Warrior Whey 1/1 – all together 4 heaping tbsp. An hour later:
2nd recovery: Warrior Meal Replacement (No Sugar Added) mixed with Warrior Whey – 3/1 – 4 heaping tbsp all together. An hour later:
3rd recovery: Same as 2nd recovery meal.

Note: If the drill lasts for the whole day, I would increase the gap between the recovery meals from one hour to two hours and if needed, add another recovery meal, i.e. four meals instead of three.

Related article: Recovery Meals - The Key for Maximizing Muscle Gain