Nutrition for ADF and Police applicants

Nutrition sorts the Professionals from the Amateurs.

When we think about what you're attempting to achieve, let's not only think about getting enlisted, let's think about a long and successful career serving and protecting others in the ADF or Police. If we adopt that mindset and then start to think about food, we don't just want to think about the next session or getting enough fuel onboard for the PFA; we want to fuel a career. ​

Professionalism starts behind closed doors when no one is watching, all the little things that go into becoming that professional that makes everything look easy and exceeds expectations, that professionalism can start at your next meal! The truth is specifics between individuals of ‘what to eat’ will vary based on training phases, taste preference, current work circumstance, circadian rhythm, genetics, location, season; the list goes on. We want to move beyond 'what' to eat to get through and look at how you're eating.

Below are professional principles that can help you achieve your optimum, they aren’t some secret sauce but a formula that if applied consistently become the backbone of your performance, recovery, health and career. 

1. Fuel the body first, and performance will follow. There are so many different pre-workouts, supplements, cheap and nasty 'convenient' solutions out there but when was the last time you heard a solider on operations call into a 7Eleven grab a Slurpee and then crack on with their day. The reality is real food is what you will eat when in combat and real food is how we are going to fuel your career. The short term becomes our focus when fuelling your training and recovering appropriately. If you want to last the distance, we need a consistent release of glucose into the bloodstream, that involves low GI carbohydrates not a surge, overstimulation and then the inevitable crash. Swap the can of V for some muesli or a sandwich.
   Thinking longer-term means Protein for recovery to allow amino acids into the muscle cell and lower GI carbohydrate to ensure that amino acid doesn't get broken down to use for energy. Working with some individuals we can see that caffeine, for example, can have performance-enhancing effects however in others it can lead to over-arousal and decreases inaccuracy, this is where that individual approach to the specific ‘what to eat’ is best. Think about it though, a professional prepares adequately, nutrition is a part of that, don’t make it an afterthought or let convenience be the decision-maker, your body and performance deserves better. 
2. Hydrate - while this may not always be a luxury when you are in operation, there is no point in training yourself to be dehydrated, as little as 2% dehydration has been proven to impact performance. Let your body be your guide, clear urine is the golden rule! Not a mate that told you 3L minimum. Everyone is different and smashing 3L of water before bed and being kept up half the night visiting the loo won’t help anyone tomorrow. Consistent sips throughout the day and making your water bottle a non-negotiable like your phone and keys! Water is by far the best fluid to be consuming, for some individuals who are heavy sweaters we may need to consider electrolyte replacement however this isn’t a suggested starting point.
3. Keep well - give yourself your best chance, immunity and optimal function require adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, all of these increase in need as you increase your level of exercise and metabolise nutrients at a higher rate. The added benefit of the anti-inflammatory effects of vegetables enhances recovery between exercise sessions. If you're not getting 5-6 serves of veggies in per day, you're letting yourself down. Think about the professional that’s well hydrated and eating enough vegetables per day compared to the individual who isn’t, who would you put money on to have a healthier and more successful career?
4. Eat consistently; you are training yourself like an athlete, training around full or part time work can be pretty challenging at time. However, long periods without food will prompt the body to break down fat and muscle for energy. To maintain and continue to build your functional muscle mass, we need to supply the body with adequate nutrients consistently. Five meals throughout the day, typically three main meals and two snacks is sufficient for most professionals.  
5. Last but not least, listen to your body. We are living in the land of consumption and every marketing message wants us to be eating, drinking and  consuming more. The reality is you may have been full a few mouthfuls earlier than the finish of the plate. Use your next meal to learn the difference between satisfied and full, respond to your hunger without waiting until you can't function, eat until you feel satisfied but not overwhelmed. Do this and the other four principles consistently, you'll feel the difference, professionals do. 

Below is a typical day for a male close to 90kg, high muscle mass, limited fat mass, and performing multiple exercise sessions per day:

Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, 2 x multigrain, avocado, spinach, nuts
Snack: a handful of nuts, fruit
Lunch: Tuna, cheese & salad sandwich (2 x multigrain). Optional tub of yoghurt
Snack: 1-2 cups minestrone soup with chicken added. 
Dinner: Grilled Lean Red Meat, 2 Jacket potatoes, 3-4 serves non-starchy veggies.
Supper (optional): Glass skim milk + 2 squares dark chocolate 

If you feel that you are in need of some professional guidance on how to shift your mindset from eating to fuelling then don't hesitate to reach out to TBG's Dietician Sean Cornish, who is dedicated to assisting our next generation of ADF and Police applicants.