NUTRITION: Protein for Performance

Nutritionist and Personal Trainer, Lottie Thompson writes about the importance of protein in our diets.

“Consuming protein will ensure the development is efficient, and that those improvements can be seen court-side.”

Protein is essential for growth, maintenance and repair of muscles, both in an athlete and those who don’t undertake regular exercise. With the stimulus of exercise comes an increased requirement for protein, and the timings of protein consumption is something that is regularly discussed in the nutrition world! Whether you are a meat-eater, vegetarian or vegan, it is possible to fulfil your individual requirements with a wide variety of foods – variety is the spice of life after all!

When we exercise, our muscle fibres ‘tear’, and the success of the following repairing process is how we see improvements in performance. Whether those improvements are speed, strength or power, consuming protein will ensure the development is efficient, and that those improvements can be seen court-side.

You may see a lot of discussion about when to have your protein, with a lot of fitness enthusiasts talking about the post-workout ‘anabolic window’, where your body maximises the muscle recovery response. However, there is plenty of research refuting this, and instead claiming that no harm will come if you wait until your next meal, but equally if you feel the need to supplement, then a quick and easy shake can do the job. It should, however, be emphasized that consuming nothing offers no advantage and perhaps even a disadvantage, so the realistic and more appropriate window is a couple of hours – generally, you’re going to time your workout either side of a meal, so this shouldn’t really be an issue!

It stands to reason that protein will be required at some point, but it is not necessary to be obsessive over post-workout, but pre-workout timing and composition can be a different matter. Energy is essential to fuel your workout, and having an element of protein is important. However, having a dense, protein packed meal 1hr before you train or play could be detrimental – the body will not have digested it and this could lead to bloating, as well as your body not reaping the benefits of the meal. A light meal, snack or shake, with easily digested carbohydrates and protein, is much more effective – your body quickly breaks down the carbs for energy, and the protein supports your muscles during the workout, starting protein synthesis during rather than just after your workout. This helps to maintain a positive ‘protein balance’, so you’re not using more than you’re creating so to speak. Think of net protein balance like your ‘gains account’: if it is largely positive, you will build and improve muscle over time; if it’s negative, you will break down muscle over time. Building and repairing the muscle will help improve speed, agility and power – all essential on-court gains!

The interval nature of netball could mean that we can discuss protein consumption within a game. Pretty simple – it’s unnecessary to consume protein within a 1 hour game (give or take quarter breaks) or training session, if you can begin to get into good habits consuming the right amount of protein before training, and refuelling yourself afterwards. Unnecessary, but if that works for you and you feel your performance benefits from drinking something such as BCAAs for example (Amino Acid supplements i.e. protein), then crack on. You’ve probably seen these being plugged by fitspos, and with good reason. But logistically, if you consume them for your pre-workout, they will be put to use during your workout – anything consumed within the workout needs to be digested and absorbed into the muscles, so will likely get to work towards the end of your workout or afterwards (when you are likely to consume something anyway!). 

I will always revert to something being functional. Am I desperate as an individual for that <5% decrease in muscle breakdown within my workouts? Is that really my goal? Or am I happy to learn how to get my pre and post-workout nutrition right to support my goals and still reduce muscle breakdown (and performance) anyway, without having to drink something other than water while I work? 

A NOTE FROM THE COACH

“As someone that is passionate about caring for the environment, I often find it difficult to find a protein supplement that is good to me as well as caring for the planet. When I found I VIVO LIFE, I was overjoyed by their ethical values and the actions they take to help make the world a better place, and what’s more their protein tastes AMAZING, isn’t powdery and is completely natural so there are no chemicals in sight. I have since filled my cupboards with a range of their products to help support my performance on the court with a Vegan Diet.”

Our favourite Post-Workout Smoothie

In a high speed blender add:

• 200ml Plant Milk
• 1 scoop of VIVO LIFE Perform (Strawberry and Vanilla flavour)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp Peanut Butter
• 1 cup frozen Strawberries