Performance Nutrition Planning for Wrestling
Diet and nutrition are generally the most overlooked part of our training as wrestlers, especially at the youth, high school, and college levels. Wrestling is an energy-demanding sport, and from lifting to practice to conditioning to competition, we push our bodies hard. Most of us find that we get tired at some point during our training, can’t find the next gear, or fail to perform due to lack of energy and strength. All of these faults boil down to whether or not we are eating for performance and being strategic, knowledgeable, and smart about our diet. Unless you’ve been to a nutritionist, most of us have very little knowledge on how to eat for performance.
This page explains the different parts of performance nutrition including what to eat when, why different foods should be eaten at different parts of the day depending on your training, and how to eat strategically to get the most out of your training as well as teach you the science and mechanics behind performance training concerning metabolism, heart rate ranges, energy expenditure, and digestion timing in an easy-to-understand format. Finally, you will be guided through an easy-to-follow 11 step process to build your own performance nutrition plan and taught how to adjust your plan for a quick, safe, and efficient weight cut.
Performance Nutrition: Understanding the Science
Metabolism & Macros
The first thing you need to know about performance nutrition is how your metabolism functions in terms of energy expenditure, macro usage, and heart rate ranges. First, there are three macro-nutrients which act as the main drivers for most of our body’s functioning: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Protein breaks down into building blocks, called amino acids, which are then used to form almost every structure in our body. Without them, our bodies literally deteriorate from the inside out. Carbohydrates are our body’s main source of energy and act as a fuel source for our muscles to perform actions. Fats are a secondary source of energy in our bodies and also help with the health and protection of our internal organs. When each of these three macros is digested, they produce a certain amount of energy in the form of calories for our body to use. Protein produces 4 Calories/gram, carbohydrates also produce 4 Calories/gram, and fats produce the most with 9 Calories/gram.
Each of these three macros is metabolized at different times for different functions. Protein is continuously metabolized to provide amino acids for our muscles and other organs. Carbohydrates and fats, on the other hand, are metabolized at different times by turning on different metabolic pathways depending on our heart rate and energy demand. During normal daily functioning or during a low-intensity workout when your heart rate is under 140 beats per minute, your body mainly burns carbohydrates in the primary metabolic pathway called glycolysis. During a medium-intensity workout when your heart rate is between 140 and 155 beats per minute, your body mainly burns fat in the secondary metabolic pathway called lipolysis. During a high-intensity workout when your heart rate is above 155 beats per minute, your body will burn both fats and carbohydrates by turning on both metabolic pathways of glycolysis and lipolysis.
You can see how it would be beneficial to eat different foods depending on the intensity of the training you are about to do. For example, if you know practice is going to be a light but high-paced drill, your heart rate will most likely be in the 140 to 155 beats per minute range and it would be to your advantage to eat fats before your workout. However, there are a few things left to consider when planning how to eat for performance concerning meal timing and digestion limits.
Meal Timing and Digestion Limits
Meal timing is important to understand because each of the three macros is digested and metabolized into available energy at different rates. Protein is digested at 3-10 grams/hour depending on the type of protein. Lean protein like chicken and turkey are digested at a faster rate than fatty protein like beef. Fats produce a slow energy output after 15 minutes and become fully digested after 3 hours at which point the energy is fully available. Carbohydrates have different digestion times depending on the type of carbohydrate, either simple or complex. Simple carbohydrates, like fruits and sugar, are digested quickly and provide full available energy after only 15 minutes, but that energy must be used within 30 minutes or it will be reabsorbed and stored. Complex carbohydrates, like oats, provide a slow release of energy after 15 minutes and become fully digested after 3 to 6 hours depending on several factors like having other food in your system and the normal rate of your metabolism.
Each of these digestion rates can fluctuate depending on a couple things. First, if you are eating multiple macros together in a single sitting, each of the macro’s digestion rates will decrease slightly and take longer. Second, if you haven’t been consistently working out or eating semi-healthy, your metabolism may be somewhat slow and your digestion rates will be slower as well.
The last thing to consider before preparing to build your own nutrition plan concerns your body’s digestion limits. First, contrary to popular belief, many studies show that our body’s ability to synthesize protein into our muscles maxes out at 25 grams of protein, and the rest sits in our digestive system. If we eat too much protein in a single siting, the truth is we end up pooping most of it out, everything but 25 grams to be exact. Because we digest protein at 3-10 grams/hour, the fastest we can digest 25 grams of protein is in 2 ½ hours. Branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s), on the other hand, are the amino acids from already broken down protein and does not require further digestion, meaning it is readily available to repair your muscles or be used in other organs. I recommend supplementing BCAA’s along with your diet to help keep a steady supply of protein building blocks for your muscles and body to use. Second, concerning carbohydrates, our body can only hold up to 240 grams of carbohydrates between our muscles and liver at a time, and any excess carbohydrates are transformed into stored fat. This is a continuous limit that carries over from day to day and can be very easily tipped over if we don’t utilize the carbohydrates we eat. However, keep in mind that our body burns carbohydrates even when we are not exercising just for survival, but it is also important to be strategic about our carbohydrate intake when it comes to performance and training.
Finally, concerning fats, even though fats are excellent for high-energy caloric density because they produce over two times as much energy as carbohydrates and proteins, it is important to understand that it is dangerous to have too much fat in a short period of time. When fat is broken down, the broken down components called fatty acids float through your bloodstream until they are either transformed into protection for your organs or used up again as energy through the secondary metabolic pathway. If too much fat is digested in a short period of time and not utilized quick enough, the broken down components of fatty acid will build up in your blood stream and can cause numerous adverse effects.
Putting it Together
Understanding how your metabolism functions and how your body utilizes the energy you get from each food will help you make smart, knowledgeable, and strategic decisions about your performance nutrition plan as well as how to stay healthy and perform your best in training and on competition day. The table below outlines the important concepts and numbers for each of the three macros and acts as a guide for you to move into the next section and build your own performance nutrition plan.
Build Your Own Performance Nutrition Plan
Now, if you’re ready to move forward with your own Performance Nutrition Plan, there are two options:
Choose 1 of 3 Pre-Built Performance Nutrition Protocols tailored for Weight Loss, Maintenance, or Lean Gain
Use the 11 Step Guide to Build a Customized Performance Nutrition Plan by following easy-to-understand formulas and calculations.
Option 1: Choose a Pre-Built Protocol
If you’re not too thrilled about the idea of calculating your own nutrition plan, don’t worry I got you covered! Each of these three protocols has already been calculated and tailor-built for either weight loss, maintenance, or lean gain. These calculations are based off an average workout program’s caloric burn for adults between 18 and 35 years old. I advise adjusting each plan according to your own specific needs, and if your training goals change you can always come back and switch to one of the other protocols.
Choose 1 of 3 Pre-Built Performance Nutrition Protocols: Weight Loss, Maintenance, or Lean Gain
Option 2: Follow 11 Step Guide to Build a Customized Performance Nutrition Plan
Using the table and knowledge from the previous section, you can now build your own performance nutrition plan tailored towards your unique goals and preferences. This guide leads you through 11 easy-to-follow steps that will help you calculate each component necessary to build an effective plan. The only requirement is a basic understanding of algebra, but even if your algebra is a little rusty, I help you through and explain how to successfully complete each step. To complete the calculations, all you need to know is your weight, height, average heart rate during your workouts, and how long your workouts generally last. Although it is not necessary, if you want to be super detailed with your plan, you can complete the calculations for different workouts to create a more fine-tuned nutrition plan. Let’s begin!
Step 1: Calculate your weight in kilograms
Weight in kilograms = Weight in lbs. x .454
Step 2: Calculate your height in centimeters
Height in centimeters = Height in inches x 2.54
Step 3: Calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate)
Your BMR is the amount of calories your body burns per day just to stay alive. It’s what your body would burn in calories if you were to do nothing all day and just lay down in one spot. Because men and women burn calories at different rates, there are two separate calculations. Use the calculations from Step 1 and 2 to calculate your BMR. If you’re a little rusty with your algebra, calculate A, B, and C first then plug those answers into the main equation.
Male BMR = 88.362 + A + B - C
A = 13.397 x Weight in kilograms
B = 4.799 x Height in centimeters
C = 5.677 x Age in years
Female BMR = 447.593 + A + B - C
A = 9.247 x Weight in kilograms
B = 3.098 x Height in centimeters
C = 4.330 x Age in years
Step 4: Calculate your Caloric Burn
This calculation determines how many calories you burn during a workout. If you vary the intensity of your workouts, you may need to calculate multiple Caloric Burns if your heart rate and workout duration are significantly different between workouts. This will help you adjust your plan for different training days. Again, if your algebra is a little rusty, calculate for X, Y, and Z first. Add those results together then subtract 55.0969. Then, divide that number by 4.184. Finally, multiply by the duration of your exercise in minutes.
Male Caloric Burn = [(X + Y + Z - 55.0969)/4.184] x Duration of exercise in minutes
X = 0.6309 x Average heart rate in beats per minute
Y = 0.1988 x Weight in kilograms
Z = 0.2017 x Age in years
Female Caloric Burn = [(X + Y + Z - 20.4022)/4.184] x Duration of exercise in minutes
X = 0.4472 x Average heart rate in beats per minute
Y = 0.1263 x Weight in kilograms
Z = 0.074 x Age in years
Step 5: Add your BMR to your Caloric Burn
To start fine-tuning your plan to your own specific wants and needs, you need to know what caloric intake would be required for maintenance given your BMR and Caloric Burn during your workouts. To calculate this, just add these two numbers.
Total Caloric Intake for Maintenance = BMR + Caloric Burn
Step 6: Subtract 500 Cal for weight loss, keep same for maintenance, or add calories for lean gain
If you’re looking to lose weight quickly and safely, subtract 500 Cal from your Step 5 result. A 500 Cal deficit is shown to be a stable and maintainable decline for losing weight over a longer period of time. If you’re looking to maintain, keep the Step 5 result the same. If you’re looking to gain size and mass, add calories to this number based off how much bigger you intend to get. 3500 extra calories per week is a great benchmark for a lean gain.
Step 7: Calculate carbohydrate intake
As carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the body and are the most flexible in a diet, first decide how many grams of carbohydrates you want to eat in a day. For weight loss, this number should be no higher than 75 grams. For maintenance, between 100-150 grams. For lean gain, above 150 grams.
Calories from Carbohydrate Intake = (Grams of carbohydrates x 4)
Step 8: Calculate protein intake
Protein is a critical component to both your training goals and normal body function, and you should eat between 65-100% of your bodyweight in grams of protein (150 lbs=150 grams). This percentage varies depending on your training goals and the intensity of your training. The more intense the training, the more protein is required. If you’re calculating different caloric intakes for different training days, aim for this number to be closer to 100% of your bodyweight in grams of protein for your harder training days.
Calories from Protein Intake = (Grams of protein x 4)
Step 9: Calculate fat intake
Fat is a secondary energy source in the body which is used during times of medium to high exertion.
Grams of Fat Intake = (Step 6 answer - Step 7 answer - Step 8 answer)/9
Step 10: Figure out meal timings based off when you plan to train
WHEN you eat is just as important as what you eat. Each macro (protein, carbohydrate, fat) is digested at different rates, and if you’re really looking to get the most out of the food you eat to push your body to new heights, you need to consider the timing of your meals to your training. Use the table from the previous section as a guide to help you plan when to eat what.
A few tips to consider:
Try to eat simple carbohydrates within 30 minutes (45 minutes maximum) of beginning your workout
Keep a steady stream of protein throughout the day to help maximize the amount of protein synthesized into your muscles and body
If you’re working out in the morning, it is beneficial to have complex carbohydrates the night before so that they will be fully digested and ready to be used for energy during the morning workout
Because fats provide a consistent stream of high energy over a 3-hour period, they are good for immediate energy 15 minutes before a workout or as a long-term energy source 3 hours before
Step 11: Create 3 meal ideas for each meal of the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack if you choose)
With your macro calculations in mind and considering how you plan to time your meals, it’s finally time to start planning your meals! I recommend coming up with multiple ideas for each so that you don’t get bored eating the same thing over and over again. Also, I encourage eating a minimum of 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and maximum of 5 meals (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner) per day. Eating too many times in a day slows down digestion and spikes insulin levels, making it difficult to perform at a high intensity. Eating too few times causes your meals to be either large in volume or not adequate for the nutrition plan, which can also hinder your ability to perform at a high intensity.
To help you make your meal plan, here is a list of foods for each of the 4 categories (protein, simple carbs, complex carbs, fats) to help you get started. Add in low-carbohydrate greens (Peppers, Salad Greens, Broccoli, Spinach, Asparagus, Mushrooms, Onions) as you see fit. These do not count towards your macros or caloric intake, so eat as much as you prefer. Read your labels and fill in your nutrition plan calculations accordingly. This food list is not comprehensive, and if you find a food that fits into your plan, feel free to add it in!
Adjustments for Weight Cuts
The final aspect to consider for your performance nutrition plan is how to make built-in and strategic adjustments for the few days prior to weigh-ins for a weight cut. The most effective strategy for weight cutting and the strategy used in this guide utilizes a three-day weight cut leading up to weigh-ins on the morning of the fourth day. It works most effectively when you have already been following a semi-healthy nutrition plan and have been working out fairly consistently. The strategy involves adjusting your macros to promote fat burning and maintain lean muscle mass through influencing your body’s metabolic pathways.
This weight cut strategy is outlined in length in The 3-Day Weight Cut Protocol for Wrestling which includes a comprehensive nutrition plan and exercise protocol for each of the three days. This E-Book can be downloaded from the store and utilized as part of your Performance Nutrition Plan as your go-to weight cut guide leading up to competition.
Final Thoughts
As you progress through your training and either change weight, change your training goals, or change the intensity of your training, you may need to come back and recalculate your plan or choose a different Pre-Built Protocol so that you can keep your body running at maximum productivity. Finally, if you have any questions about any part of this guideline or want help with the calculations for your own custom plan, feel free to reach out and I’ll help you through the process!