Fitness · 7 min read
Nutrition And Movement: Fuelling Your Body For An Active Lifestyle
Most adults under-fuel their training and over-fuel their rest days. This is the high-level nutrition framework I use with clients who want to feel stronger and recover better — not athletes, just people who are actively living.
Vincent-Adocta Awuuh · September 10, 2024
For non-athletes, the daily energy and protein targets are simpler than the fitness internet suggests. A reasonable starting point: 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, distributed across three or four meals; carbohydrate scaled to training load (more on session days, less on rest days); enough fat to support hormone production (about 0.8–1 g per kilogram); and plenty of fibre and micronutrient-dense vegetables on top.
Pre-training, your job is mostly to avoid two failure modes — being hungry and being heavy. A small carbohydrate-led snack 30–90 minutes before (banana, oatcakes with peanut butter, a small bowl of porridge) covers most general-fitness sessions. Heavier resistance training or longer endurance work benefits from a more structured pre-meal 2–3 hours out.
Post-training, the recovery window is broader than the old "30-minute anabolic window" myth suggested — current evidence puts it closer to 2–3 hours. Aim for 20–40 g of high-quality protein paired with carbohydrate within that window. If you are training fasted in the morning, prioritise getting that meal in within the first hour.
Hydration matters more than supplements. Most adults are mildly dehydrated by the time they reach a gym; aim for clear-to-pale-straw urine through the day. Add electrolytes only when sessions are long, hot, or sweat-heavy.
Three things I do not recommend without a clinical reason: high-dose isolated protein supplements (whole foods first), pre-workout stimulants for everyday training (sleep is the better lever), and elimination diets that cut whole food groups without a confirmed need. If you are training while managing a condition — diabetes, PCOS, IBS, hypertension — the right way to combine the two is in a structured plan, not from a generic article.
