Nutrition Made Simple

At Foundry, we believe nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective. Often, keeping things simple is the key to success. Over the next few weeks, we’ll share practical nutritional guidelines that anyone can follow to support their training and help them get the most out of their time in the gym.

Let’s begin with the basics.

The Foundations of Nutrition

When it comes to nutrition, attempting to follow the “perfect” diet from day one can often be more harmful than helpful. Especially if you’ve just come off the back of a festive period of indulgence, making drastic changes all at once can be overwhelming. Instead, taking a staged approach is much more productive, as it gradually introduces healthier habits over time.

At Foundry, we use a Food Pyramid system that serves as the framework for guiding your nutrition. It’s designed to help you understand where you are and how to build upon that foundation as you progress. We combine this with our Nutrition Made Simple traffic light system, which offers clear guidelines on what foods to focus on.

The bedrock of any nutritional programme is eating whole foods—those from the green list. These nutrient-dense foods form the foundation of a healthy diet. By prioritising these, you naturally cut out processed foods and avoid common irritants such as gluten and refined grains. Focusing on whole foods in the right quantities gives your body the nutrients it needs to perform well in and out of the gym.

Don’t Worry About Calories (At First)

If you’re new to healthy eating, you don’t need to dive into calorie counting immediately. At the start of your journey, the most important thing is to focus on getting nutrient-rich foods into your system while avoiding processed, calorie-dense foods with little nutritional value.

Start by ensuring you’re consuming adequate amounts of protein (more on this later), a wide range of vegetables, some fruit, and healthy fats such as those found in nuts, seeds, butter, and coconut oil. While calories are necessary and certainly do count, where those calories come from is just as significant as how many you consume.

As you understand your nutrition and your body’s needs, you can refine your intake by tracking calories and macronutrients. But in the beginning, focus on the quality of your food rather than getting bogged down by the numbers.

Keep a Food Diary

Keeping a food diary is one of the most effective tools for improving your diet. Tracking what you eat and how it makes you feel allows you to spot patterns in your nutrition and identify foods that might affect your performance or well-being.

For example, some foods may make you feel bloated or sluggish, while others boost your energy. Awareness of how your body reacts to different foods is crucial in developing a nutrition plan that works for you. After all, one size does not fit all regarding nutrition and getting in tune with what works best for your unique body.

Keeping Nutrition Simple

There’s no need to overcomplicate things when it comes to nutrition. Here are a few straightforward principles that can help support your training and optimise your gym performance:

Eat a balanced diet

Aim for variety in your meals, including plenty of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Prioritise protein

Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth, so include high-quality sources in your diet. Lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and nuts are all excellent options.

Fuel up before exercise

Eating a balanced meal or snack containing carbohydrates and protein before a workout will give your body the energy it needs to perform at its best.

Stay hydrated

Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, before, during, and after exercise to keep your body hydrated.

Choose healthy carbohydrates

Complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables provide steady energy for exercise and help maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Avoid processed foods

These foods are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and salt, which negatively impact health and gym performance.

Incorporate healthy fats

Foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish provide healthy fats that support overall health.

Be mindful of portion sizes

Overeating, even healthy foods, can lead to weight gain, which may hinder your performance.

Listen to your body

Pay attention to how different foods affect you. Everyone’s body responds differently, so adjust your diet to what works best.

The Foundry Food Pyramid

At Foundry, our Food Pyramid is the foundation for our nutritional advice. It’s not a strict diet but a set of principles that can be adapted to suit your individual needs. The green list represents foods that should form the bulk of your diet, the black list includes foods to eat in moderation, and the red list contains foods to avoid as much as possible.

While this framework is simple, the real challenge is applying these principles in a way that makes sense for your goals and body type. For example, while nuts are on the green list, eating 300g of cashews for dinner (which amounts to nearly 1,800 calories) isn’t advisable. Similarly, although sweet potatoes are healthy, consuming them in excessive quantities won’t necessarily help you reach your goals.

Ultimately, the key is common sense. When applying the principles of the food pyramid, you need to consider your goals, body type, and preferences. What works for one person may not work for another, so it’s important to remain flexible and pay attention to your body’s needs.

10 Simple Steps to Nutritional Success

Eat protein for breakfast

Starting the day with protein supports detoxification and immune system function and helps you make better daily food choices.

Focus on green list foods

At least 80% of your meals should come from the green list of nutrient-dense, whole foods.

Reintroduce grains carefully

If you find grains hard to digest, quinoa and wild rice are good options to reintroduce into your diet.

Have a cheat meal once a week

After an initial period of clean eating, enjoy a meal you love once a week. This can provide psychological relief while keeping you on track for the rest of the week.

Avoid snacking

Focus on getting everything you need nutritionally from your main meals. Snacking often leads to poor choices.

Eat three to four meals a day

A balanced eating schedule, such as breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon, and dinner, can help regulate hunger and steady energy levels.

No carbs on rest days

Reserve carbohydrates for days when you’re training hard. On rest days, stick to proteins, fats, and non-starchy vegetables.

Limit fruit

While fruit is healthy, too much can add unnecessary sugar. The more you train, the more fruit you can afford to eat.

Drink water, coffee, and herbal teas

Keep your drink choices simple, and avoid sugary or processed beverages.

Keep a food diary

Tracking what you eat is essential for identifying what works best for you and maintaining long-term success.

At Foundry, we understand that nutrition can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. By following our simple guidelines, using the Foundry Food Pyramid as a framework, and listening to your body, you can make sustainable changes that lead to better health and improved performance in the gym.

This isn’t about restrictive dieting; it’s about building a balanced, flexible approach to eating that supports your unique needs and goals. Let’s make nutrition simple, enjoyable, and effective so you can feel and perform your best daily.

We help our members with a nutritional programme that works for them. If you’re struggling, give us a shout at one of our personal training gyms in London, and we’ll help you work out a plan that suits you.

You may also find our nutritional e-books helpful to eating healthier.