4R's Nutrition Formula for Peak Performance & Recovery

4R's Nutrition Formula for Peak Performance & Recovery

Physical exercise-induced adaptations take place as a result of acute-to-chronic changes at the metabolic, cellular, tissue, and system level. During physical exercise, several molecular modifications are involved within the muscle cell processes of ATP synthesis and degradation, to the point that the relationship between energy production and consumption (myocellular ATP/ADP ratio) represents a key point in the occurrence of muscle fatigue, which is characterized by an acute reduction in force and power in response to contractile activity. 

The fundamental differences between an athlete's diet and that of the general population are that athletes require additional fluid to cover sweat losses and additional energy to fuel physical activity.

With regard to the timing of meals and snacks, common sense dictates that food and fluid intake around workouts be determined on an individual basis with consideration for an athlete's gastrointestinal characteristics as well as the duration and intensity of the workout. For example, an athlete might tolerate a snack consisting of milk and a sandwich 1 h before a low-intensity workout but would be uncomfortable if the same meal was consumed before a very hard effort.


Before exercise: 

Eating before exercise, as opposed to exercising in the fasting state, has been shown to improve performance . The meal or snack consumed before competition or an intense workout should prepare athletes for the upcoming activity and leave the individual neither hungry nor with undigested food in the stomach. Accordingly, the following general guidelines for meals and snacks should be used: 

  • at least 4 h before exercise, individuals should drink approximately 5-7 mL·kg−1 body weight (∼2-3 mL·lb−1) of water or a sports beverage
  • Carbohydrate: approximately 200 to 300 g of carbohydrate for meals consumed 3-4 h before exercise

🍌  What to Eat (Examples)

  • Pre-match meal: Brown rice + grilled chicken + broccoli
  • Snack (1–2h before): Banana, rice cakes with honey, fruit smoothie


During exercise: 

Current research supports the benefit of carbohydrate consumption in amounts typically provided in sport drinks (6%-8%) to endurance performance in events lasting 1 h or less, especially in athletes who exercise in the morning after an overnight fast when liver glycogen levels are decreased. 

Providing exogenous carbohydrate during exercise helps maintain blood glucose levels and improve performance.For longer events, consuming 0.7 g carbohydrates·kg−1 body weight·h−1 (approximately 30-60 g·h−1) has been shown unequivocally to extend endurance performance. Carbohydrate intake should begin shortly after the onset of activity; consuming a given amount of carbohydrate as a bolus after 2 h of exercise is not as effective as consuming the same amount at 15- to 20-min intervals throughout the 2 h of activity. 

The intent of drinking during exercise is to avert a water deficit in excess of 2% of body weight. Consumption of beverages containing electrolytes and carbohydrates can help sustain fluid and electrolyte balance and endurance exercise performance. The type, intensity, and duration of exercise and environmental conditions will alter the need for fluids and electrolytes. Beverages containing 6%-8% carbohydrate are recommended for exercise events lasting longer than 1 h.



After exercise:

4 R’s Framework for recovery

The 4R’s framework divides the nutrition intervention into four interrelated scenarios that follow the post-exercise time course in order to optimize the exercise-induced adaptations and recovery. 

🥤 1. Rehydrate: Restore Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

Goal: Replace fluids and electrolytes lost during sweat to maintain blood volume, muscle function, and thermoregulation.

  • Combat sports athletes may lose 1–2% of body weight through sweat — even more during weight cuts.
  • Recommended: Ingest ~150% of the fluid lost over 4–6 hours post-exercise.
  • Include sodium (20–50 mmol/L) to enhance fluid retention and carbohydrates (~6–8%) for glycogen resynthesis and better fluid absorption.

Rehydration is essential to restore plasma volume and cardiovascular function and prevent delayed performance deterioration, especially when sessions are close together.


🍚 2. Refuel: Replenish Muscle and Liver Glycogen

Goal: Restore depleted glycogen stores for energy, support immune function, and improve readiness for subsequent bouts.

  • Muscle glycogen is the primary energy substrate in most combat sports (especially in BJJ and MMA rounds).
  • Carbohydrate intake: 1.0–1.2 g/kg/h during the first 4 hours post-exercise.
  • Frequent intake (every 30–60 mins) improves glycogen resynthesis rates.
  • Adding protein (0.2–0.4 g/kg) can also support glycogen storage and muscle repair.

Refueling within the anabolic window (0–4 hrs) optimizes energy restoration and immune system function. This is crucial for back-to-back training or competition days.


🥩 3. Repair: Support Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) and Recovery

Goal: Stimulate MPS to repair microdamage, promote adaptation, and reduce muscle soreness.

  • Protein intake: 0.3–0.4 g/kg per meal, spaced every 3–5 hours, especially within 0–2 hours post-exercise.
  • Prefer leucine-rich sources like whey, milk, eggs, and lean meats.
  • Include anti-inflammatory nutrients to support repair:
    • Omega-3s (e.g. fish oil)
    • Tart cherry, turmeric, quercetin
    • Creatine monohydrate

The ingestion of protein and selected nutrients post-exercise enhances MPS and reduces inflammation, which is vital in sports with frequent physical trauma like striking or grappling.


😴 4. Rest: Facilitate Rest, Sleep, and Hormonal Balance

Goal: Promote full-body recovery by minimizing systemic stress and maximizing rest-based adaptation.

  • Sleep is the most powerful recovery tool for cognitive, metabolic, immune, and neuromuscular restoration.
  • Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep, with pre-sleep strategies:
    • Casein protein (30–40g) before bed to support overnight MPS
    • Sleep hygiene: screen time reduction, consistent sleep schedule
  • Psychological recovery also matters: mindfulness, journaling, and active recovery sessions (e.g., mobility work) can reduce perceived stress and improve allostatic resilience.

Recuperation is the foundation of the allostasis model — the ability to adapt to repeated stress (training) and maintain internal balance. Without adequate rest, even the best rehydration or nutrition cannot offset chronic stress or overtraining.

🍌 Post-Match Meal Ideas

  • Chicken quinoa bowl + leafy greens + olive oil dressing
  • Whey protein shake + banana + peanut butter
  • Salmon wrap + tart cherry juice

Little Extras:

  • Tart cherry juice: shown to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation.
  • Omega-3s: help combat exercise-induced inflammation.

 

 

Bonus Insight: Allostasis Model

The 4R’s  framework is rooted in “allostasis”, not just recovery of one system, but coordinated adaptation across immune, endocrine, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems. 

Allostasis is a scientific concept that means "achieving stability through change." It describes how the body actively adapts to stressors (like intense training, injury, or competition) to maintain balance and function.

If homeostasis is like keeping water in a glass perfectly still, allostasis is about constantly adjusting to keep the glass from spilling while walking, running, or getting bumped — it's dynamic stability.

Combat athletes face frequent physical and psychological stress — training, matches, injuries, weight cuts, etc.

Allostasis explains how the body uses energy, hormones, immune responses, and brain signals to adapt and recover.

But if this stress happens too often without enough recovery, the system becomes overloaded — this is called allostatic load.


⚠️ High Allostatic Load Leads To:

  • Poor performance
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Increased injury risk
  • Burnout or mood issues

In summary, optimising nutrition before and after matches is essential for performance, recovery, and long-term resilience.

Applying the 4R framework — Rehydrate, Refuel, Repair, and Recuperate — supports glycogen restoration, muscle repair, inflammation control, and systemic recovery. Incorporating evidence-based strategies such as timely carbohydrate intake, leucine-rich protein sources, and recovery-enhancing compounds like tart cherry, turmeric, and quercetin may reduce soreness and accelerate return to peak condition.

Recovery is not passive — it is a strategic part of the training process.


References:

  1. Bonilla, D. A., Pérez-Idárraga, A., Odriozola-Martínez, A., & Kreider, R. B. (2020). The 4R's Framework of Nutritional Strategies for Post-Exercise Recovery: A Review with Emphasis on New Generation of Carbohydrates. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(1), 103. 
  2. O'Connor, E., Mündel, T., & Barnes, M. J. (2022). Nutritional Compounds to Improve Post-Exercise Recovery. Nutrients, 14(23), 5069. 
  3. Kerksick, C. M., Arent, S., Schoenfeld, B. J., Stout, J. R., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C. D., Taylor, L., Kalman, D., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Kreider, R. B., Willoughby, D., Arciero, P. J., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Ormsbee, M. J., Wildman, R., Greenwood, M., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Aragon, A. A., & Antonio, J. (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 33.
  4. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 41(3):p 709-731, March 2009. 
  5. Bell, P.G., et al. (2014). The effects of montmorency tart cherry concentrate supplementation on recovery following prolonged, intermittent exercise. Nutrients, 6(11), 8291–8301.
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