We know that there are a number of VERY important factors when it comes to training performance. Total energy intake, sleep, and hydration status all have the potential to make or break a good workout. However, digestibility and gastrointestinal comfort is a variable that is often overlooked when it comes to peri-workout nutrition.
Believe it or not, there are people (particularly in the bodybuilding scene) who have to consume an uncomfortable amount of food in order to maintain or increase their bodyweight. For these individuals, combining a stomach full of fibrous whole grains, fruits, and vegetables with an intense leg session does not equal a good time! Therefore, it is prudent to be mindful of your food choices in the peri-workout window, because no one wants their love for RDLs being ruined by regurgitated vegetables!
Once an individual’s daily nutrient requirements are achieved, they don’t necessarily gain bonus points for consuming MORE micronutrient-rich foods. This is especially relevant for those with high energy demands, as achieving essential nutrient targets should arguably be easier than those consuming less energy. Therefore, when an individual is confident they are nailing the fundamental basics of consuming sufficient micronutrient-rich foods, THEN they can seek out alternative options to meet their remaining energy requirements. Further to this, being strategic for when they consume EDNP (energy dense, nutrient poor) foods can be advantageous. For example, consuming the majority of wholegrains, fruits, and vegetables on the outskirts of the day (breakfast and dinner) and consuming more carbohydrate and energy-dense options in the peri-workout window (e.g. processed cereals, juice, dried fruit etc.)
We aren’t opposing the fact that brown rice and pumpkin are more NUTRIENT-rich than rice cakes with honey or Gatorade and jelly beans… but the latter may enrich your training performance and more effectively satisfy acute energy demands. Also, keep in mind that just because a food type is relatively devoid of nutrients, it does not necessarily mean it is “bad for you”. When performance and energy demands are high, nutrition is a balancing act.