A Day On An Elite Athlete's Plate: Tom Eastham
Introducing Tom Eastham, elite athlete from our second Grenade Team competing at Turf Games. Tom shares with us his approach to nutrition and outlines the meals and snacks that he eats on a normal training week in order to optimise performance š„šŖ
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Thereās a real science behind hard training and getting the results you desire. Usually, the missing ingredient in this is nutrition and recovery. This includes sleep and hydration.
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First and foremost, planning what you are going to eat in advance, whether itās a day or a week before, is key to staying on track š I try to plan exactly what I am going to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in-between. If youāre not prepared, you are tempted to grab whatever is at hand instead of what is nutritious!
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When youāre training hard, the biggest mistake is not fuelling yourself optimally.
I have three decent meals a day and two snacks!Ā My focus is to get as much protein and vegetables as possible at each meal. When I have an early morning training session, I start off with black coffee and essential amino acids, which I sip on during the workout. This ensures I do not lose muscle during a session, especially when training in a fasted state šŖ
The most important ingredient after a training session, and especially because I havenāt eaten yet, are carbs and protein, ideally within two hours after training. For performance purposes, and to maintain strength and power output, the main focus is carbs. They are necessary to replenish oneās glycogen levels. However, if oneās focus is weight loss, less carbs are needed. Depending on the day, I usually have overnight oats soaked in protein powder and almond milk which I top with berries for antioxidants, and nuts and seeds for some healthy fats š
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For lunch, I make sure to include loads of starch, veggies and protein. Because like most people, I am busy and look for ways to save time, so I usually make enough dinner the night before to have leftovers the next day. Recently, I have been loving a chilli with brown rice, mixed greens and protein (beef or chicken). Another staple is grilled chicken breast with potatoes and vegetables š„¬
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Three of four hours later, I am ready for my mid-afternoon snack. Temptation is around us all the time so this is where planning comes in handy. I always reach for a Grenade Protein Bar (Cookie DoughĀ is a favourite) and a piece of fruit š«š„These are easy to throw in your bag when youāre on the go. Other options include corn cakes with nut butter, hard boiled eggs, and chopped up carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. Again, my focus is always on a balance of protein, carbs and fat in every meal.
Come to dinner, I load my plate with vegetables and salad. For some healthy fats, Iāll include either some avocado, olive oil, goatās cheese, or nuts and seeds š„š„¦ Of course, protein is essential, whether its grilled fish, chicken or steak. Carbs will be reduced at this time and I will have either a small amount of rice or potato, or some pasta.Ā
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A couple squares of dark chocolate does the trick for dessert. Into my evening routine, I include a herbal tea, like chamomile, which acts as a cue that is it time to unwind and get ready for sleep š“
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My meals donāt really change unless I train at lunch time in which case I will have most of my carbs at lunch and dinner, and breakfast would be less carb heavy. The key is balance and making sure you get carbs, protein, fats and veggies in. Food is fuel and essential for optimising performance š
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