by Food and water are fuels in all aspects of life. From providing energy to handle the daily grind to giving us nutrients we need to recover and grow stronger, what and how much we eat matters throughout our lives. The importance can be seen during long training hours when you can no longer maintain your workouts due to low blood sugar or being a heat casualty.
The fastest way to end your training day is to show up dehydrated and under-fueled. Fuels and hydration before, during and after long training days will keep you in the game, but how much do we need?
If you aim to serve in challenging military training programs, you need optimal nutrition, hydration and recovery as you prepare for the rigors of military physical testing and training. What you eat and drink is the most important, but often overlooked, aspect of building your ability to cope with long days and nights of physical and mental stress. Understanding and estimating your daily caloric needs depends mainly on your age, gender and activity levels. Adequate caloric intake not only fuels your workouts but also aids recovery, ensuring your training is effective and sustainable.
When you’re preparing for military training, you’re not just an athlete. Your regime will probably push you to the limit: cardio drills, strength training, long marches with heavy loads and obstacles that will test every muscle and sinew. Therefore, your caloric needs are much higher than the average person. Here’s how you can determine how much food and water you need each day to maintain high activity levels:
Basal Metabolic Rate and Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to maintain basic physiological functions at rest. BMR will give you a good start and a middle ground for how many calories you burn each day while living. There are various calculators available online to help you estimate this based on age, gender, weight and height — like the ones at Calculator.net. I prefer this one because it conveniently shows you the level of activity you could add to your day and adjusts the total calories needed for each day.
For example, if you are a 25-year-old male who weighs 180 pounds and stands six feet tall, your BMR might be around 1,839 calories per day. However, if you exercise daily or have a physical job, the calories needed to maintain weight and performance will be up to 3,173 calories per day.
If you want to calculate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) based on your BMR, here’s how you can do it. Factor in your activity level, which can be categorized as sedentary (x 1.2), moderately active (x 1.55) or very active (x 1.725). Since you’re preparing for something as intense as military training, you’ll likely fall into the “very active” category. Multiplying your BMR by an activity factor — typically around 1.725 for very active people — will give you an estimate of your TDEE.
Using our earlier example, this comes to about 3,105 calories per day. As you can see, the online calculators and the popular BMR/TDEE factors give similar estimates of a person’s total calories needed to perform at their best (and maintain a healthy body weight).
If you were trying to lose weight, you would reduce those total calories by 500 per day for a pound of weight loss each week. You could add 500 calories to those scores to gain one pound of mass each week. So you need to think about how much activity you add to your day to determine how much you need to eat to gain or lose weight.
As stated, these are field calculations, and real world situations may deviate from these numbers. Your actual caloric needs can fluctuate based on the intensity and duration of your training session. It is advisable to keep a weekly food diary, track your food, water and caloric intake, and note your energy levels, sleep quality and overall performance. I use a food scale from Bigger Goods that creates a food label for the food you weigh.
If you get tired constantly or if you struggle to complete workouts, it could be a sign that you need to increase your caloric intake. If you don’t do this, you’re just guessing, and when it comes to your future professional opportunities, you can’t afford to skip the assessment and guess.
The quality of calories is as important as the quantity. Good food choices are always the best choice. Aim for a balanced diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. Avoid ultra-processed foods because you need good fuel for high-intensity workouts, and endurance training will deplete your glycogen stores, resulting in higher carbohydrate quantity and higher quality intake. At the same time, supplementing with solid proteins helps with recovery and muscle growth, which is essential for the strength and endurance needed in military operations. Good fats will also be a solid caloric and energy boost, especially as the days turn to night and the energy needs for thermal regulation (body temperature) increase.
Hydration cannot be overstated. Even mildly dehydrated individuals can impair their physical performance and cognitive function, both of which are critical in training and on the field. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, not just during your workouts. When sweating profusely, add electrolytes as cramping and the potential for heat-related illnesses will follow quickly every hour in the heat without water and salt. The quickest way to end your military training is without proper hydration / electrolyte replenishment. You could also die if the heat injury becomes heat stroke.
Long, hard training days burn a lot of calories every day, especially if you’re constantly exposed to cold air and cold water. Adding calorie-dense foods at the end of the day or during snack breaks is essential to sustain performance. Food like peanut butter, nuts, avocados and protein bars will help, and supplements like protein shakes can be useful but should not replace whole foods. However, in most military training programs, supplements are not allowed. Think of supplements as tools in your nutritional arsenal, not as a foundation during your training prep time. Real food should be the go-to option, especially during military selection training.
Finally, consult with a nutritionist familiar with athletic and military needs to customize a plan specific to your body and training goals. While online calculators and generic advice are helpful starting points, a professional can offer insights tailored to your unique physiology and regimen. The important thing is not to miss out on vital nutrients by making food choices. A nutritionist can help you avoid that costly mistake.
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