When it comes to making 2025 your year when it comes to performance, we think you should think small; not big. Whilst it can be tempting to look at how a complete overhaul in your training or nutrition plan will suddenly make you hit that PB, it’s small, stackable habits than can actually be what makes all the difference.

Here, our Performance Nutritionist Monica gives her top tips when it comes to easy habit hacks to integrate into your life that will truly help to give you that all-important edge.

#1 Fuel Up / Switch It Up

It may seem basic, but ensuring that you’re eating enough calories to adequately fuel your body for training and competition can make all the difference to both performance and recovery. Keep an eye on how much you’re taking on board as well as your energy expenditure; it may be that a few extra hundred calories of the right kind (ie. protein, carbohydrates, both) will make sure your body truly has what it needs to perform at its peak. Make this easier by varying your meals to keep it interesting; no one wants bland day in, day out!

#2 Hit Your Protein Targets

Knowing how much protein your body needs for optimal recovery each day is key to supporting muscle growth and repair, helping you perform at your peak. Choose high-quality proteins to give your body the amino acids they need to build muscle and aim to include 20-30g of protein in every meal. Hitting those targets each day can make all the difference to how your body feels when training next comes knocking.

#3 Micronutrients - Small But Mighty

Don’t forget about micronutrients when it comes to your daily eating habits. Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables each day may seem obvious, but keeping  your diet varied with a whole host of different food-based vitamins and minerals is key to supporting overall health and wellbeing. Aim to include a fruit or vegetable (or both!) with each meal and don’t overlook smoothies; a simple way to pack in a rainbow of fruit and veg.

#4 Top-Up Your Vitamin D

Vitamin D and calcium are crucial to taking good care of your bones and many of us, especially during the winter months when natural sunlight hours are lower, will be deficient in this powerhouse of a vitamin. Taking a daily Vitamin D supplement will keep deficiencies at bay, with a 2000IU dose as found in the Nutrition X Vitamin D 3+ K2 supplement optimal. Alongside this, aim to take on board at least 1200mg of calcium per day to support bone health. Two glasses of milk, a Greek Yoghurt, cottage cheese and green leafy vegetables are all great options.

#5 Support Your Gut

Help your gut microbiome, and as a result reduce chances of performance-limiting gut issues, with foods naturally rich in probiotics. You can find these in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and kombucha. Taking a daily probiotic such as the Nutrition X Probiotix Daily Probiotic will also boost your gut health and support healthy digestive system function; particularly beneficial for endurance athletes where gut-related performance issues often rear their head.

#6 Incorporate Anti-Inflammatories 

Making anti-inflammatory foods a staple in your diet can help to make sure you’re giving your body the recovery support it needs to be able to hit the ground running. Intense training can lead to microscopic tears in muscles and oxidative stress, which, whilst essential for growth, can also trigger inflammation that can hinder recovery and lead to injuries over time. Incorporating foods rich in antioxidants can help to combat this inflammation, such as Omega-3 rich fatty fish, turmeric, berries, chia seeds, colourful vegetables and leafy greens.

#7 Make Hydration Your Hero

Dehydration can severely impact performance yet staying well hydrated is, in reality, super simple for any athlete. Making sure you’re well hydrated each day is important for overall health and wellbeing, aiming for ~35ml/Kg body weight of fluid per day. On training days, pay special attention to hydrating before, during and after training. Using electrolyte-rich isotonic drinks such as HydraFuel when engaging in prolonged, high-intensity activities are a great way of maintaining good hydration levels, as well as replenishing key electrolytes lost through sweat to keep performance-limiting cramps at bay.

#8 Prioritise Sleep

Make this year the year of solid sleep! Sleep is vital for muscle recovery, cognitive function and injury prevention, making it one of the most important recovery techniques you can possibly focus on when it comes to supporting athletic performance. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night and consider naps during the day if your training volume is high.