When most people think about getting fitter, stronger, and faster, their focus is all on working out. The barbells, the sweat, the calories burned, the grind… and apparently, the harder the better.
But here’s the reality most people miss: training is only half the picture. The other half, the half that determines whether your body adapts, recovers, and grows stronger, happens outside the gym. It’s the other 23 hours of the day! It’s how you fuel, hydrate, and rest that truly makes the change.
In this blog post, I want to share some of the tips and tricks that have helped me stay active for over 20 years, not just active, but also injury-free, continually progressing, and still getting fitter, faster, and stronger as I approach 40.
If you take this advice seriously and get it right, you won’t just survive your sessions, you’ll thrive in them for years to come.
1. Start With Hydration
When you wake up in the morning, your body is already dehydrated. You’ve gone 6–8 hours without fluid, probably mouth-breathed all night, and that impacts everything from early morning energy to all-day concentration to muscle performance.
The first thing you should do each morning is replenish your electrolytes. Before starting the kettle or coffee machine, fill a large glass with water. Water is beneficial, but it alone isn’t enough; you also need sodium, potassium, and magnesium to restore balance. Adding a pinch of salt and some fresh lemon, or using an electrolyte mix, will help your body function optimally.
Tip: Make hydration a morning ritual. Drink water before coffee and aim for steady intake across the day.
2. Protein: The Recovery Essential
Protein isn’t just about building muscle; it’s about repairing the damage you create in training and keeping your body in a state of recovery.
Here’s what matters:
- Spread it out. Aim for protein at every meal, not just at dinner.
- Make post-workout protein a priority. The window after training is when your body is primed to absorb and use protein to rebuild muscle tissue. A whey isolate shake, a chicken and rice meal, or even eggs on toast all work. (A shake is often the easiest option, especially if you find solid food causes digestive distress straight after training, but don’t overthink it at this stage.)
- Quantity matters. As a general rule, aim for around 1.6–2.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day if you’re training consistently. For example, if you’re a female who weighs 70 kg or more, you’ll want at least 112g of protein per day, ideally up to 154g. That looks like ~3 eggs, 2 servings of 120–150g of cooked lean meat, 200g of yoghurt, and a protein shake per day.
3. Micronutrients: Quality As Well As Quantity
One thing that really needs reinforcing in 2025 is that nutrition is not just about macros (protein, carbs, and fats), but also about micronutrients. Vitamins and minerals from whole foods are the fuel for recovery, energy, and immune health.
Eating for performance means focusing on both quality and quantity:
- Plenty of colourful vegetables and fruit for antioxidants and fibre.
- Whole grains and legumes for sustained energy.
- High-quality protein sources for complete amino acid profiles.
- Healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, avocado, salmon) for hormone balance and recovery.
Think of it as nutrient saturation; the more variety and quality in your diet, the more your body has to work with when it comes to adapting to training.
4. Performance Enhancers for the Tired and Weary… Caffeine!
Used right, caffeine can become a weapon in your training toolkit. A strong cup of coffee before training, or a clean pre-workout supplement with amino acids and electrolytes, can give you better focus, reduce fatigue, boost fat burning, and even help you push harder in both lifting and conditioning exercises.
Too much caffeine wreaks havoc on sleep, can trigger unnecessary anxiety, dehydrates you, and disrupts long-term energy and recovery. Most importantly, if it affects your sleep, it affects your results, and without quality sleep, no supplement can save you.
The key most “professionals” forget to mention is moderation. In moderation, caffeine is a game-changer. Overused, like anything, it has the opposite effect.
So use it wisely! And let it work for you, not against you.
Tip: Aim for caffeine earlier in the day. Have it before your workout, not after. Put that morning coffee or pre-workout juice to work for you.
Bonus Tip: Smart Supplementation for the Extra 1%
Supplements don’t replace a good diet, but they can give you an edge. Here are a few worth considering (after you’ve nailed the basics above), and the ones I’ve already mentioned, I’ll sum up a little simpler here again:
- Creatine Monohydrate → Proven to improve strength, power, and recovery. Take daily (3–5g).
- Electrolytes → Essential for hydration and performance, especially in hot weather or long workouts.
- Caffeine → A performance booster that improves focus and endurance. Best taken as coffee or a measured pre-workout formula.
- Whey Protein Isolate → Fast-digesting protein to hit your daily targets and accelerate post-training recovery.
- Omega-3s → For joint health, reducing inflammation, and supporting recovery.
- Vitamin D → Especially important in winter months when sun exposure is low.
The Final Thought
Your training is only as good as your recovery. You can’t out-train poor hydration, under-fuelling, or nutrient gaps.
So remember:
- Start your day with a big glass of water and consider electrolytes.
- Prioritise protein at every meal, especially after a workout.
- Load your plate with nutrient-rich, high-quality foods: lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, quality carbs, and healthy fats.
- Use smart supplements like creatine, whey, and caffeine to give you an edge, but never as a replacement for the basics.
The secret to thriving in your sessions isn’t just how hard you work in the gym; it’s how well you fuel and recover outside of it.
So let’s go. Get up. Get after it. BECOME EXTRAORDINARY.