Can you adapt your diet to your daily jogging or weekend hike? Absolutely, and it’s even essential, according to Annabelle Pagano-Paoli, sports dietitian and ultra-endurance athlete. Because it is not only the activity that counts, but the intensity at which it is practiced. And this intensity is your body — and your breath — which will bring it to light.
How do you know at what intensity you practice physical activity?
The first indicator to take into account is heart rate. “The higher your heart rate, the higher the intensity“, explains the specialist. Clearly, if you speak without effort, you are at low intensity (like during a walk). If you only manage to get out a few words, it is a moderate intensity (quiet running). And if speaking becomes impossible, you are at maximum effort, like during a sprint.
Instructions for adapting your posture to your effort
More intense effort means greater energy expenditure. And to respond to this, your diet must be adapted. “The higher the intensity, the more the body uses carbohydrates as fuel“, recalls Annabelle Pagano-Paoli. To avoid depleting your reserves, you must therefore increase your intake of complex carbohydrates.
This is the basis of a balanced plate. It is divided into three parts:
- ¼ protein: meat, fish, eggs, legumes or vegetable proteins;
- ¼ complex carbohydrates: rice, pasta, semolina, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, etc.;
- ½ vegetables, cooked or raw, your choice.
But this distribution is not fixed: it varies according to the duration and intensity of the effort.
- For a gentle 30-minute walk: no need to upset the plate;
- For a 3 hour hike: needs change. We reduce the portion of vegetables to increase the starchy foods (½ plate);
- For a sprint or intense cardio session of 45 minutes to 1 hour: it is crucial to replenish your carbohydrate reserves immediately afterwards.
What about protein?
They must be consumed in the same quantity, regardless of the effort. But if you train 4 to 6 times a week, you need to monitor them closely. “A sedentary person needs 0.83 g of protein per kilo of body weight per day, while an athlete may need between 1 and 2 g“, specifies the dietitian.
Eat before or after sport?
Meals must respect a digestion time to avoid discomfort during exercise. “One hour before a gentle activity, and three hours before a more intense sport“, estimates the expert.
What if your session is scheduled more than 4 hours after the last meal? “Plan a small energy snack, such as compote or fruit paste, 20 minutes before the start of moderate or intense exercise“, she advises. Objective: preserve your glucose reserves. Likewise, after exercise, if the next meal is still far away, plan a recovery snack:
- Proteins to repair muscle fibers (yogurt, dairy products, etc.);
- Fruits to restore carbohydrate reserves.
Hydration, the key action that we forget
Finally, it is essential to drink 1.5 L of water per day. “To which you will add 500 ml per hour of physical activity“, recommends the dietitian.
And to know where you are, forget the apps: look at the color of your urine in the morning. “The darker they are, the more dehydrated you are“, alerts Annabelle Pagano-Paoli.
To properly distribute your water intake, she recommends the following distribution:
- A large glass of water when you wake up;
- 500 ml in the morning;
- 2 to 3 glasses during lunch;
- 500 ml in the afternoon;
- 2 to 3 glasses with dinner;
- A little drink at bedtime.
“Consistency makes all the difference, especially when performance or endurance is at stake“, she concludes.