Start Strong: How to Eat Like an Athlete with Dr. Clay Moss

Dr. Clay Moss isn't your typical physician. Outside of being an absolute tank, he's a resident in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at USF Health, and uses his medical training to investigate, advocate, and educate — championing preventative strategies over short-term fixes. 

We sat down with him to noodle on the best nutrition tips, uncover how athletes fuel their performance, and explore practical strategies anyone can use to eat smarter, recover faster, and feel stronger every day. 

Disclaimer: Dr. Clay Moss is a licensced physician, but he is not your doctor. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. 

Nutrition Foundations for Peak Performance

When it comes to fueling your body for optimal performance, there’s a lot of conflicting information online — and understandably so. New research often overturns previous findings, and social media can amplify advice from unqualified sources. With that in mind, here are the core nutrition principles Dr. Clay Moss recommends following:

Focus on Protein

"The recommended daily allowance for protein is extremly low at 0.8 grams per kilogram," says Moss, mentioning that for someone like him at 190 pounds, that would only be about 65 grams of protein a day. "Even for someone who's sedentary, that's extremely low." Instead, Moss recommends aiming for 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight — meaning, if you your goal weight is 180 pounds, aim for 126 to 180 grams of protein per day.

Great. Eat more protein. But it isn't always that simple, is it. To help reach your target protein goals, Moss suggests focusing on your protein first when preparing meals. "Make each meal planted around a high quality protein source, and then build the rest of the plate around it."

Timing Carbohydrates

Carbs get a bad rap, but for athletes they're one of the most important macronutrients. "I actually fell into the 'carbs are bad' mindset for a while, too," says Moss. "While everyone's physiology is different, if you're doing real training, carbs are usually your friend."

Carbohydrates — including fiber, starch, and sugar — are broken down into glucose, which fuels muscle contraction during exercise. Simple carbohydrates digest quickly, making them useful immediately before and after training, while complex carbohydrates  digest more slowly and provide more sustained energy throughout the day.

"You don't want to overdo carbs, but it's important to figure out the timing and dosage that matches your training," Moss explains. "Once you understand how your body handles carbs — whether you function better with a higher- or lower-carb diet — you can time your intake around the work you're putting in. Fuel the training with carbs, and keep non-training time more protein-focused." 

Hydration

"Hydrate with intention," says Moss, suggesting that everyone should start their day with water and electrolytes. "Then, for training sessions, have a plan. You need fluids, sodium, and some carbs for longer trainining sessions — not just a bottle of plain water."

Moss notes that most people who train regularly can benefit from some sort of electrolyte supplementation. However, it's important to consider your training intensity, duration, and enviroment. "In the heat or humidity, or during continuous training lasting an hour or more... those athletes need considerably more electrolytes than the average person." 

Supplements: Helpful or Hype?

"I'm a big fan of supplementation," says Moss, "but you can't out supplement a bad diet." But once your diet is locked in, it's hard to know which supplements are worth your time and hard earned cash. Fear not, here are the basic supplements Dr. Clay Moss recommends to aid most athletes:

Creatine

"It's the single most proven supplement we have... and extremely safe," says Moss. "It increases your phosphocreatine stores, which essentially speeds up ATP recycling." ATP is the energy your muscles use, but your muscles only have enough for 1-3 seconds of maximal effort before they need to regenerate it. Creatine helps replenish ATP more quickly, allowing you to push a little harder and a little longer.

In short, a creatine supplement (like Purist® creatine plus) supports short bursts of intense effort, helps maintain lean muscle mass, and promotes muscle cell hydration. "In practice, that looks like an extra rep or two — and over time, that adds up," says Moss.

A standard dose is 3 to 5 grams, but Moss mentions that higher doses of 15 and even 20 can be used for memory, cognition, and neuroprotection. Moss, who's been taking this supplement for 10 years, also recommends daily use. No need to cycle on and off (unless you want to see how you feel without it), and no need to only take it on days when you train. He says, "Take it consistently every day."

Whey Protein

With supplementation, often times you can get lost in the weeds — with hundreds of pills and powders on the market touting various benefits. "But sometimes you just gotta go back to the basics," says Moss. The basics? Protein powder.

While there are a variety of dairy-based and plant-based protein powders, our powder of choice is whey. Whey protein is fast digesting, and this makes it ideal for post-workout fuel. While everyone is different, we recommend looking for whey isolate like Purist® grass-fed whey protein isolate. This form of the protein is fast acting and low in lactose, making it a better choice for anyone who's lactose-sensitive.

Electrolytes

When we sweat, we lose sodium — sometimes noticed as crystal-like formations on our forehead and clothing — which can affect performance. "It impacts blood pressure regulation, cramping risk, and how you feel the rest of the day," says Moss. He recommends looking for a 2:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio in electrolyte powders — like what Purist® hydration provides. "For longer workouts, those who train five or more days a week, and heavy sweaters, look for a 4:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio to properly replenish."

Steps to Increasing Athletic Performance

Here are simple, actionable steps from Dr. Clay Ross to help you perform at your best:

1. Step 1: Improve sleep quality for recovery
2. Step 2: Eat high-quality, nutrient dense foods
3. Step 3: Hit your protein goals
4. Step 4: Supplement effectively
5. Step 5: Prioritize strength training

Takeaway

Even before you step foot into the gym, your routine can either set you up for success or failure. Prioritize protein and whole-foods in your diet, time your carbohydrate intake to support your effort and recovery, and be sure to hydrate with electrolytes when your training session goes long or hard. And when it comes to choosing supplements, stick to the clinically studied basics like creatine, whey protein, and electrolytes. Now that you're properly fueled, let's see what you can do.

Rosie Borchert is a NASM-CPT, former Nike Volleyball coach, and writer whose work has appeared on BarBend, Tonal, ABC, Netflix, and Amazon Studios. If anyone would like to hire her to play beach volleyball, snowboard, binge watch TV, or go climbing, please get in touch.

This article was reviewed by Ashley Boyer, ACE-CPT, for accuracy.