The Athlete's Plate Poster

Match Your Plate to Your Training Day

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🟢 EASY DAY / REST DAY

What	How Much
Vegetables & Fruit	HALF the plate
Grains & Starches	One QUARTER
Protein	One QUARTER
Fat	Add healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil)

Examples: Salad + grilled chicken + small roll | Stir-fry with mostly vegetables + rice + tofu | Soup + half sandwich

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🟡 MODERATE TRAINING DAY

What	How Much
Grains & Starches	One THIRD
Protein	One THIRD
Vegetables & Fruit	One THIRD
Fat	Moderate amounts

Examples: Pasta + chicken + side salad | Rice bowl + beef + broccoli + fruit | Sandwich + soup + apple

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🔴 HARD TRAINING DAY / RACE DAY

What	How Much
Grains & Starches	HALF the plate
Protein	One QUARTER
Vegetables	One QUARTER
Fat	Light (don't overdo fat before hard sessions)

Examples: Big pasta + bread + chicken + small salad | Double rice + chicken + veggies | Pancakes + eggs + banana + OJ

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Why It Matters

Your body is a car. On easy days, you're cruising in the city — you don't need a full tank. On hard days, you're racing on the highway — fill up completely.

Day Type	Carb Priority	Why
Easy	Lower carb, more vegetables	Less glycogen burned, focus on nutrients
Moderate	Balanced	Maintaining energy stores
Hard / Race	Maximum carbs	Glycogen is your primary fuel source

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The Snack Plate

Before Practice (1-2 hours):

• Focus on CARBS with a little protein
• Bagel + PB | Banana + granola bar | Toast + honey

After Practice (within 30 min):

• CARBS + PROTEIN in a 3:1 ratio
• Chocolate milk | PBJ | Greek yogurt + granola

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Key Rules

1. Easy days ≠ diet days. You still need to eat. Just adjust the proportions.
2. Hard days require BIG plates. If your plate looks small on a hard day, add more carbs.
3. Race day = hard day plate. Fuel for performance, not appearance.
4. Listen to hunger. If you're still hungry after one plate, have seconds.

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Poster from aspireperformancerd.com — print and post in your locker room