Fuel First: The Pre & Intra-Training Carb Playbook

This playbook is for lifters, gym-goers and recreational athletes who train hard but still feel flat halfway through a session. You've probably been told sugar is toxic, that "clean" granola beats cereal, and that carbs are something to fear when you want to get leaner. So you train under-fuelled, your output drops, and you wonder why the work isn't paying off. Fuel First gives you seven practical plays for the hours before and during training. Each play tells you when to use it, walks you through the steps, and shows a worked example. You'll learn why carbohydrate availability is one of the biggest levers on your training quality. You'll see when fast-digesting carbs like cereal, sports drinks and yes, lollies, are the smart choice, and when fruit, rice or oats fit better. You'll also get a simple way to match your fuel to the session, so you aren't guessing or eating the same bowl of "healthy" food every time. The core idea is context. Whole foods bring fibre, micronutrients and fullness, and they have a place. But right before and during a hard session, you want fuel that digests fast, sits well in your gut and gets used by your muscles. Both approaches work. The skill is knowing which to pick and when. Taylor Ryan runs TSD Nutrition Coaching and works as a sports dietitian. She helps clients build performance, lose fat without misery and get stronger by putting fuel first. She also deals daily with the "sugar is toxic" comments. The advice here is the same advice she gives her coaching clients, with the noise removed.