May 31, 2025

Scaling Your Diet with Training Intensity – A Practical Blueprint

Aligning Nutrition with Training Intensity – Part 2

You’re training hard—but is your nutrition scaling with it?

In Part 1, we laid the groundwork: understanding energy needs, protein targets, hydration, and the role of carbs and fats across different training intensities. Now, in Part 2, we turn those principles into practical application—so you can fuel smarter, recover faster, and train with precision.

Carb Cycling: The Core Strategy Behind Adaptable Nutrition

Most athletes train differently throughout the week. Some days are intense—long runs, heavy lifts, brutal circuits. Others are focused on recovery or skill work. Yet many people eat the same every single day.

That’s like wearing the same jacket in both a blizzard and a heatwave.

Carb cycling solves this mismatch. It lets you adjust your carbohydrate intake to match the demands of each day. This strategy supports performance on hard days, promotes better recovery, and prevents unnecessary fat gain or hormonal dysregulation on low-output days.

Note: Carb cycling is a fine-tuning strategy—it works best when your baseline calories and protein intake are already on point.

Basic Carb Cycling Overview

Day Type

Carb Intake (g/kg)

Focus

High-Intensity Day

5–7g/kg

Fuelling hard training, glycogen replenishment

Moderate Day

3–5g/kg

Supporting performance and recovery

Rest / Recovery Day

1.5–3g/kg

Gut health, hormone support, micronutrients

On lower-carb days, increase healthy fats slightly (30–35% of total calories) and emphasise food quality—vegetables, fibre, and micronutrient density.

Why You Must Periodise Your Nutrition

You already periodise your training—adjusting reps, load, volume, and rest across a week or block.

So why eat like every day is the same?

Nutritional periodisation is about matching food intake to training output. High-output days demand aggressive fuelling. Lower-output days provide a window to reduce intake, enhance digestion, and focus on recovery without overfeeding.

Let’s break it down.

Low Intensity Days

(e.g. walking, mobility, light gym work 2–3x/week)

  • Calories: Maintenance or small deficit
  • Carbs: 2–3g/kg, from whole foods
  • Protein: ~1.4g/kg (consistent across all days)
  • Fats: Higher (~30–35%) to support hormones and satiety
  • Hydration: Water + sea salt is sufficient
  • Micronutrients: Focus on gut health, food variety, organ meats, fermented foods

Sample Low Day Meal Plan

Meal

Example

Breakfast

Eggs, sautéed spinach, avocado

Lunch

Salmon, roast carrots, small rice portion

Dinner

Chicken thigh, broccoli, lentils, olive oil drizzle

Snacks

Greek yogurt, berries, a few squares of dark chocolate


Moderate Intensity Days

(e.g. 3–5x/week strength training, team sport sessions, CrossFit)

  • Calories: Maintenance or small surplus
  • Carbs: 3–5g/kg, focused around training window
  • Protein: 1.6–2.0g/kg/day, spread across 4–5 meals
  • Fats: Moderate (25–30%)
  • Hydration: Add 300–500mg sodium pre-session
  • Micronutrients: B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, iron (especially for menstruating women)

Tip:

Doing long sessions or double session days? Add 15–30g fast carbs intra-workout (e.g. electrolyte drink, banana + salt, cyclic dextrin).

High Intensity Days

(e.g. advanced hypertrophy, double session days, long endurance, competition prep)

  • Calories: Planned surplus
  • Carbs: 5–7g/kg or more
  • Protein: 2.0–2.2g/kg if cutting or training multiple times daily
  • Fats: Don’t drop below 20% of intake
  • Hydration: Electrolyte blend tailored to sweat loss
  • Micronutrients: Prioritise magnesium glycinate, zinc, iron, vitamin D

Recovery Red Flags

  • Resting HR creeping up
  • Strength drop-offs
  • Low mood or poor sleep
  • Libido or cycle disruption

If these show up, review your energy intake, recovery, and stress.

How Nutrition Talks to Your Hormones

Food isn’t just fuel—it’s a signal. The macronutrients you eat—and when you eat them—directly affect your hormonal environment.

Here’s how the key players respond:

Hormone

Function

Nutrition Insight

Insulin

Transports nutrients into cells

Most sensitive around training—prime time for carbs

Leptin

Regulates metabolism & appetite

Drops with chronic deficits → strategic refeeds can restore it

Ghrelin

Increases hunger

Balanced meals + carbs help regulate appetite

Cortisol

Stress hormone; catabolic

Blunted by carbs around training; worsened by fasted lifting


Female Athlete-Specific Nutrition Timing

Female physiology responds differently to training stress and dietary restriction—especially during hard training blocks, fat loss phases, or cycle-related fluctuations.

Context Matters: While many women experience heightened sensitivity to under-fuelling or prolonged low-carb diets, this varies widely. Factors like genetics, training load, psychological stress, and current hormonal health all influence how the body responds.

Some women tolerate lower carbs well during the follicular phase, while others require consistently higher carbohydrate intake to preserve menstrual function, energy levels, and mood. The key is to track your biofeedback—including cycle regularity, sleep quality, mood, and training performance—to guide individualised adjustments.

To maintain performance, metabolic health, and hormonal balance, it’s important to align your nutrition with your menstrual cycle.

Nutrition Across the Menstrual Cycle

Cycle Phase

What’s Happening

Nutrition Strategy

Menstruation (Days 1–5)

Low oestrogen and progesterone; fatigue possible

Emphasise iron-rich foods; keep carbs moderate; focus on hydration and comfort foods.

Follicular (Days 6–14)

Oestrogen rising; insulin sensitivity improves

Lean into higher-intensity training; lower-carb days often well tolerated.

Ovulation (~Day 14)

Peak strength, energy, and coordination

Prioritise protein intake and ensure post-training recovery is dialled in.

Luteal (Days 15–28)

Progesterone rises; insulin sensitivity declines

Slightly increase carbs and sodium to support energy, sleep, and emotional stability.

Tip: During the luteal phase, aim for 10–15% more carbohydrates and slightly higher sodium intake. This can help manage cravings, reduce sleep disruptions, and maintain training quality.

Amenorrhea: A Red Flag, Not a Trophy

If your menstrual cycle becomes irregular—or disappears altogether—it’s a clinical red flag signaling energy deficiency or excessive stress. It’s not a sign of discipline or "being shredded."

In this case, act promptly:

  • Pause calorie deficits
  • Return to maintenance calories for several weeks
  • Incorporate weekly refeeds to restore leptin and thyroid signaling
  • Ensure dietary fats are ≥30–35% of total intake
  • Seek lab work (T3, oestrogen, LH, FSH, cortisol) if symptoms persist

Your cycle is a monthly health progress report. Losing it means your body is in survival mode—not in a state that supports growth, recovery, or long-term athletic success.

Refeeds: Your Metabolic Reset Button

When you’re in a sustained deficit or doing high-output training, your body adapts in survival mode—reducing metabolic rate, increasing cravings, and impairing performance.

Refeeds are structured high-carb, high-calorie days that help:

  • Replenish glycogen
  • Support hormonal signalling (e.g., leptin, thyroid activity)
  • Reduce cortisol
  • Improve performance and recovery

Important Clarification: The term “metabolic reset” is a convenient shorthand, but the hormonal effects of refeeds—like increased leptin or T3—are short-lived unless accompanied by adequate weekly energy intake and recovery. Refeeds are best seen as a performance and compliance tool, not a full hormonal reboot.

When to Refeed:

  • 4+ weeks into a cut
  • <12% BF (men) or <20% (women)
  • Low mood, flat muscles, poor recovery, menstrual irregularities

Refeed Protocol

Target

Guideline

Duration

1–2 days every 7–14 days

Calories

~15–30% above maintenance

Carbs

5–7g/kg (up to 10g/kg for endurance athletes)

Protein

1.6–2.2g/kg (keep stable)

Fats

15–20% of intake (lower to prioritise carbs)

Carb Sources

White rice, bananas, bagels, sourdough, rice cakes

Sodium/Water

Slightly increased—glycogen holds water

Female Note: Women are more sensitive to long-term low-carb diets. Use 1-day refeeds every 5–7 days in lean phases to preserve hormonal balance and avoid thyroid down-regulation.

Carb Loading – Done Right

Carb loading is not just eating pasta the night before an event. Done right, it enhances glycogen stores, especially for:

  • Long endurance events
  • Powerlifting meets
  • Intense hypertrophy sessions

Protocol: 24–48 Hours Pre-Event

Variable

Guideline

Carbs

6–10g/kg/day

Fibre

Lower to reduce gut stress

Fat

Reduce slightly to make room for carbs

Sodium + Water

Keep high for glycogen storage & hydration

Note: Individual glycogen storage capacity varies (typically 300–800g in trained athletes). If you're new to carb loading, start on the lower end (~6g/kg) and test your approach during training, not before a competition.

Overloading carbs beyond your digestive tolerance can lead to GI discomfort, bloating, and water retention. Don't force high intake—listen to your gut and taper up if needed.

Example: Powerlifting Squat Meet (Saturday)

  • Thursday PM: 5–6g/kg carbs, taper fats
  • Friday: 7–8g/kg carbs, low-fibre focus
  • Saturday AM: White rice + jam + whey shake 2 hrs before lifting

Carb Cycling vs Refeeds – What’s the Difference?

Carb Cycling

Refeed

Day-to-day adjustment

Periodic (1–2 days) strategic increase

Ongoing fuel management

Short-term recovery/hormonal reset

Matches output

Counters metabolic slowdown

Used in training blocks

Best in calorie deficits/cutting


Athlete Profiles: Practical Use Cases

Tom – 80kg Lifter (Cutting Phase)

Goal: Preserve lean mass while dropping body fat
Cals: ~2,200/day (cutting), ~3,300 on refeed
Macros:

  • High days: 350g carbs, 160g protein, 55g fat
  • Low days: 150g carbs, 160g protein, 75g fat

Supplements:

Carb Strategy:
🟥 4x high (~350g) • 🟨 2x mod (~250g) • 🟩 1x low (~150g)

 Caution:

  • LUNA may cause drowsiness—avoid mixing with other sedatives.
  • Oyster Extract contains shellfish—check for allergies.

Sara – 60kg Endurance Athlete

Goal: Maintain output & hormonal balance
Cals: ~2,800 (high), ~2,100 (rest), refeed every 10 days
Macros:

  • High: 480g carbs, 120g protein, 60g fat
  • Low: 200g carbs, 120g protein, 80g fat

Supplements:

Carb Strategy:
🟥 3x high • 🟨 2–3x mod • 🟩 1–2x low

Caution:

  • Iron-containing products (Vitality/VITA) should be used only if needed—test iron/ferritin first.
  • Lion’s Mane: Rare allergen risk—start low to assess.

Jess – 65kg CrossFit Athlete (Cutting Phase)

Goal: Cut body fat, retain high-intensity output
Cals: ~2,000/day, ~2,500 on refeed
Macros:

  • High: 250g carbs, 140g protein, 65g fat
  • Low: 130g carbs, 140g protein, 80g fat

Supplements:

  • PYRO – thermogenic/metabolic support (pre-WOD)
  • Magnesium Bisglycinate – recovery & sleep
  • Elevate D3 – hormone balance
  • Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil – inflammation control
  • LUNA – nighttime recovery
  • VITA – micronutrient support on low-intake days

Carb Strategy:
🟥 5x high • 🟨 1x mod • 🟩 1x low

Caution:

  • PYRO contains stimulants—avoid late use; not suitable for pregnancy, high BP, or stimulant sensitivity.
  • LUNA may cause sedation—don’t mix with alcohol or other sleep aids.

Markus – 90kg Powerlifter (Lean Mass Phase)

Goal: Build muscle, minimise fat gain
Cals: ~3,900/day (lean bulk)
Macros:

  • Training: 630g carbs, 180g protein, 85g fat
  • Rest: 400g carbs, 180g protein, 110g fat

Supplements:

  • FUEL  – performance & cognitive drive
  • Magnesium Bisglycinate – muscle function
  • Elevate D3 + Oyster Extract – testosterone & immune health
  • Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil – recovery & joint support
  • VITA – optional during high volume or travel

Carb Strategy:
🟥 4x high • 🟨 1–2x mod • 🟩 1x low

Caution:

  • FUEL contains stimulants—don’t stack with other high-stim products.
  • Oyster Extract: Shellfish allergen risk.

Weekly Nutrition Strategy

Colour-code your week based on training intensity. Adjust macros, meal timing, and supplements to support performance and recovery.

Color

Day Type

Carbs

Supplements

🟥 Red

High intensity

5–7g/kg+

Carbs, electrolytes, zinc, creatine

🟨 Yellow

Moderate intensity

3–5g/kg

Magnesium, B-complex, pre/post nutrition

🟩 Green

Rest / Low output

1.5–3g/kg

Gut support, vitamin D3, collagen


Rest Day Hack:

Front-load your carbs earlier in the day. This keeps glycogen topped up, improves sleep quality, and prevents night-time overfeeding.

Common Athlete Nutrition Mistakes

  1. Training like a beast, eating like a yogi
  2. Over-prioritising protein, under-eating carbs
  3. Thinking hydration = just water
  4. Using rest-day macros on high-output sessions
  5. Staying stuck in “cutting vs bulking” mode, instead of fuelling performance

Summary: Train with intent. Fuel with purpose.

Nutrition isn’t static—it must scale with your effort.

  • Low days → focus on digestion and micronutrients
  • Moderate days → support output with carb timing
  • High days → aggressive fuelling and precision hydration
  • Refeeds → break plateaus and preserve hormones

Nutrition should anticipate the demands of your next session, not just replace what you burned in the last. Smart training starts with purposeful nutrition and ends with intentional recovery.

Written by Chris Simon