Place · Level 3
Weekly Meals · From Mechanism to Plate
知道了铁要配维生素 C、要避开茶，知道了钙和铁要错开，知道了色氨酸和镁有助睡眠——但这些机制怎么变成你桌上的三餐？这一岛把一周七天的早中晚拆开，每一餐都标注背后的机制逻辑。不是食谱书，是机制到餐盘的翻译器。
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Story path
- 1This isn't a recipe bookThis isn't a recipe book
- 2Breakfast blueprintBreakfast blueprint
- 3Lunch & dinner · protein distributionLunch & dinner · protein distribution
- 4Snacks & timingSnacks & timing
- 5Chinese-table specificsChinese-table specifics
- 6Training vs rest daysTraining vs rest days
- 7Supplements in your daySupplements in your day
- 8DisclaimerDisclaimer
Chapter 1
This isn't a recipe book
This isn't a recipe book
First, what this island does and doesn't do.
It doesn't: give you gram-precise meal plans (that's individualized dietitian work); require you to copy everything; guarantee weight loss/muscle gain/lipid improvement.
It does: translate mechanism knowledge scattered across dozens of stories — iron absorption, calcium timing, tryptophan-5-HTP-melatonin axis, omega-3 and inflammation, creatine and training, fiber and microbiome — into plate examples you can directly understand. Each meal notes why it's built that way, so you can generalize.
Core principles (through the week):
1. Protein at every meal: 20-40g, distributed across meals better than one big dose (per-meal leucine threshold ~2.5-3g)
2. Vegetables/fruit at every meal: diverse colors, fiber and polyphenols
3. Quality staples: whole grains/legumes/tubers replacing some refined white rice/flour
4. Good fats: olive/rapeseed oil, nuts, fish; less animal fat and palm oil
5. Iron + C pairing: plant iron with vitamin C foods
6. Separate calcium and iron: high-calcium meals and high-iron meals at different times
7. More carbs on training days: fewer on rest days; calorie deficit mainly from carbs
8. Lighter dinner: but don't skip it; tryptophan + Mg + complex carbs aid sleep
It doesn't: give you gram-precise meal plans (that's individualized dietitian work); require you to copy everything; guarantee weight loss/muscle gain/lipid improvement.
It does: translate mechanism knowledge scattered across dozens of stories — iron absorption, calcium timing, tryptophan-5-HTP-melatonin axis, omega-3 and inflammation, creatine and training, fiber and microbiome — into plate examples you can directly understand. Each meal notes why it's built that way, so you can generalize.
Core principles (through the week):
1. Protein at every meal: 20-40g, distributed across meals better than one big dose (per-meal leucine threshold ~2.5-3g)
2. Vegetables/fruit at every meal: diverse colors, fiber and polyphenols
3. Quality staples: whole grains/legumes/tubers replacing some refined white rice/flour
4. Good fats: olive/rapeseed oil, nuts, fish; less animal fat and palm oil
5. Iron + C pairing: plant iron with vitamin C foods
6. Separate calcium and iron: high-calcium meals and high-iron meals at different times
7. More carbs on training days: fewer on rest days; calorie deficit mainly from carbs
8. Lighter dinner: but don't skip it; tryptophan + Mg + complex carbs aid sleep
Chapter 2
Breakfast blueprint
Breakfast blueprint
Breakfast is the most neglected meal of the day, and the easiest one to optimize with mechanism knowledge.
Why it deserves attention: after a night's sleep you have been fasting for a dozen hours or more. Liver glycogen is largely drawn down, and the muscle balance has tipped toward breakdown — protein is being taken apart for fuel faster than it is being put back. Breakfast does three things: protein flips the muscle-synthesis switch back on, carbohydrate refills liver glycogen, and vitamins and minerals stock the cofactors the day's metabolic enzymes will need.
Breakfast formula: protein (20-30g) + complex carbs + vitamin C/iron + good fat.
Seven days of concrete examples, with the pairing logic behind each, are on the depth page.
One practical reminder: if you're supplementing iron, don't have milk, yogurt or coffee at the same breakfast — calcium and polyphenols both inhibit iron absorption. Separate iron-rich meals or supplements from dairy and coffee by 2 hours.
Why it deserves attention: after a night's sleep you have been fasting for a dozen hours or more. Liver glycogen is largely drawn down, and the muscle balance has tipped toward breakdown — protein is being taken apart for fuel faster than it is being put back. Breakfast does three things: protein flips the muscle-synthesis switch back on, carbohydrate refills liver glycogen, and vitamins and minerals stock the cofactors the day's metabolic enzymes will need.
Breakfast formula: protein (20-30g) + complex carbs + vitamin C/iron + good fat.
Seven days of concrete examples, with the pairing logic behind each, are on the depth page.
One practical reminder: if you're supplementing iron, don't have milk, yogurt or coffee at the same breakfast — calcium and polyphenols both inhibit iron absorption. Separate iron-rich meals or supplements from dairy and coffee by 2 hours.
Seven breakfasts, with the reasoning
Mon: Oat porridge (40g oats + 250ml milk + 2 walnuts + handful blueberries)Mechanism: oat beta-glucan lowers LDL (EFSA authorized claim); milk protein 8g; walnut ALA; blueberry anthocyanins
Tue: 2 slices whole-wheat toast + 2 boiled eggs + tomato/avocado slices + 1 kiwi
Mechanism: egg whole protein leucine ~1.4g each; avocado MUFA; kiwi vitamin C boosts non-heme iron absorption
Wed: Mixed-grain congee (adzuki/mung bean/millet/brown rice) + 50g dried tofu + dressed spinach (sesame oil + vinegar) + 1 orange
Mechanism: legume resistant starch and fiber; dried tofu is concentrated plant protein; spinach non-heme iron + orange vitamin C (2-3x absorption); vinegar lowers GI
Thu: 200g Greek yogurt + 10g chia seeds + strawberries/raspberries + 10 almonds
Mechanism: Greek yogurt protein ~10g/100g; chia ALA and fiber; almond vitamin E and magnesium
Fri: 300ml soy milk + 1 veg-meat bun + 1 boiled egg + 5 cherry tomatoes
Mechanism: soy milk isoflavones and protein; bun provides carbs; tomato lycopene (fat-soluble, better absorbed with egg fat)
Sat (training day): oats + 1 scoop whey + 1 banana + 1 tbsp peanut butter + milk
Mechanism: pre-training carb+protein combo; banana potassium and fast carbs; peanut butter fat slows gastric emptying
Sun: tofu pudding (light sauce) + half whole-wheat sesame bun + 1 egg + cucumber salad
Mechanism: tofu pudding calcium (coagulant) and protein; cucumber water and fiber; watch sodium — go light on sauce
Chapter 3
Lunch & dinner · protein distribution
Lunch & dinner · protein distribution
The core of lunch and dinner isn't which dishes you cook but how protein is distributed and how iron and calcium are kept apart.
Protein distribution: muscle protein synthesis has a per-meal ceiling. About 2.5-3g of leucine in one sitting (roughly 25-40g of quality protein) pushes the synthesis switch as far as it goes; eating more at that meal does not push it further. So 100g of protein spread over three meals beats 80g at one meal and 10g at the other two.
Iron-calcium separation: calcium and iron enter intestinal cells through the same transporter (DMT1), so arriving in the same meal means competing for the same door. A high-calcium meal cuts iron absorption roughly in half. So put the high-iron foods at lunch (red meat, liver, blood products, or spinach with vitamin C) and the high-calcium foods at dinner (tofu, dairy, dried small fish, sesame).
Seven days of lunches and dinners, each annotated with the pairing logic, are on the depth page.
Protein distribution: muscle protein synthesis has a per-meal ceiling. About 2.5-3g of leucine in one sitting (roughly 25-40g of quality protein) pushes the synthesis switch as far as it goes; eating more at that meal does not push it further. So 100g of protein spread over three meals beats 80g at one meal and 10g at the other two.
Iron-calcium separation: calcium and iron enter intestinal cells through the same transporter (DMT1), so arriving in the same meal means competing for the same door. A high-calcium meal cuts iron absorption roughly in half. So put the high-iron foods at lunch (red meat, liver, blood products, or spinach with vitamin C) and the high-calcium foods at dinner (tofu, dairy, dried small fish, sesame).
Seven days of lunches and dinners, each annotated with the pairing logic, are on the depth page.
Fourteen lunches and dinners
Built on a Chinese home table:Mon lunch: brown rice + tomato scrambled eggs + steamed sea bass + garlic broccoli
Sea bass DHA/EPA; broccoli vitamin K and sulforaphane; lycopene + egg fatMon dinner: mixed grain rice + mapo tofu (small amount beef) + kelp salad + seaweed egg soup
Tofu calcium + protein; kelp iodine and fucoidan; nori B12 (trace) and minerals
Tue lunch: buckwheat noodles + shredded chicken cucumber cold noodles + 1 marinated egg + edamame
Buckwheat rutin; chicken protein; edamame complete-ish proteinTue dinner: millet congee + steamed salmon + sautéed spinach (garlic) + steamed pumpkin
Salmon omega-3; spinach iron + folate; pumpkin beta-carotene
Wed lunch: rice + green pepper shredded pork (lean pork) + tomato egg soup + water spinach
Lean pork heme iron + zinc; green pepper vitamin C boosts iron absorptionWed dinner: sweet potato + shrimp tofu hot pot + wood ear salad + sautéed romaine
Sweet potato beta-carotene and fiber; shrimp zinc + protein; wood ear soluble fiber
Thu lunch (training day): beef bowl (beef slices + onion + rice) + miso soup + avocado salad
Beef creatine + heme iron + zinc; post-training carbs + proteinThu dinner: whole wheat pasta + chicken breast + tomato sauce + parmesan + lettuce salad
Chicken breast protein; tomato lycopene; cheese calcium
Fri lunch: 15-20 dumplings (pork cabbage/chive egg) + cold dish
Dumplings = carb+protein+fat in one; go light on dipping sauce saltFri dinner: purple rice congee + clear stewed ribs (skim fat) + sautéed zucchini + dried tofu salad
Ribs protein + minerals (nutrition is in the meat, not just broth); purple rice anthocyanins
Sat lunch: curry chicken (thigh + potato + carrot + onion + curry powder + a little coconut milk) + brown rice
Curry curcumin (with black pepper, bioavailability up 20x); chicken thigh protein + ironSat dinner: steamed cod + lotus root rib soup (skimmed) + Chinese broccoli + mixed grain rice
Cod DHA; Chinese broccoli calcium + vitamin K; lotus root fiber
Sun lunch: hot pot (clear broth) — lean beef slices, fish fillet, tofu, various vegetables, small amount of glass noodles
Hot pot can be healthy: clear broth, more veg/protein, fewer processed balls; vinegar+garlic dip, less sesame pasteSun dinner: vegetable congee + steamed egg custard + cucumber salad + small amount spiced beef
Light dinner; steamed egg custard easy-to-digest protein; spiced beef protein + iron
Chapter 4
Snacks & timing
Snacks & timing
Snacks aren't mandatory. They help in four situations: around training, when meals are more than 5 hours apart, when the day's protein total falls short, and when you need help getting to sleep.
Around training: 1-2 hours before, eat carbohydrate with a little protein and keep fat and fiber low so nothing is sitting in your stomach mid-session. The famous 30-minute window after training is a myth, but getting 20-30g of protein plus carbohydrate in within 1-2 hours genuinely aids recovery.
The bedtime snack has a mechanism worth spelling out: tryptophan is the raw material for serotonin and melatonin, but to get into the brain it must compete with several other amino acids for the same transporter, and it normally loses. A small amount of carbohydrate releases a little insulin, insulin ushers those competitors into muscle, and the transporter frees up for tryptophan. That is why the classic combination is warm milk with two whole-wheat crackers, not milk alone. Magnesium and glycine work by a different route, quieting the nervous system.
The concrete choices for each slot, plus creatine and iron-supplement timing, are on the depth page.
Around training: 1-2 hours before, eat carbohydrate with a little protein and keep fat and fiber low so nothing is sitting in your stomach mid-session. The famous 30-minute window after training is a myth, but getting 20-30g of protein plus carbohydrate in within 1-2 hours genuinely aids recovery.
The bedtime snack has a mechanism worth spelling out: tryptophan is the raw material for serotonin and melatonin, but to get into the brain it must compete with several other amino acids for the same transporter, and it normally loses. A small amount of carbohydrate releases a little insulin, insulin ushers those competitors into muscle, and the transporter frees up for tryptophan. That is why the classic combination is warm milk with two whole-wheat crackers, not milk alone. Magnesium and glycine work by a different route, quieting the nervous system.
The concrete choices for each slot, plus creatine and iron-supplement timing, are on the depth page.
Concrete choices, slot by slot
Pre-training (1-2 hours): carbs + small protein, low fat/fiber (avoid stomach upset)1 banana + 1 boiled egg1 slice whole-wheat bread + peanut butterLow-sugar oat energy bar
Post-training (30-60 min): 20-30g protein + carbs; the window isn't the mythical 30 minutes, but refueling within 1-2 hours post-training does aid recovery
1 scoop whey + bananaChocolate milk (protein:carb 3:1 to 4:1)Chicken breast sandwich
Afternoon snack (if hungry):
Small handful nuts (20-30g, mixed walnut/almond/cashew)Greek yogurt + blueberriesApple + peanut butterEdamame1-2 boiled eggs
Before bed (if needed):
200ml warm milk + 2 whole-wheat crackers (classic tryptophan + carb combo)Chamomile tea + small handful almonds (almonds have Mg; chamomile has mild sedative effect)2 kiwis (Taiwan study: eating kiwi 1 hour before bed improved sleep, possibly via serotonin precursors and folate)Tart cherry juice (natural melatonin source; weak evidence but harmless)
Timing creatine and iron supplements
Creatine users: 3-5g/day, timing doesn't matter much (fasted or with meals), but taking with carbs may slightly increase creatine retention (insulin promotes creatine transport). No loading phase needed, but loading (20g/day × 5 days) saturates faster.Iron supplements: if prescribed, best timing is fasting, every other morning (hepcidin rhythm: alternate-day dosing absorbs better than daily, Moretti 2015), with vitamin C (100mg tablet or glass of OJ), separated from calcium/coffee/tea/milk by 2 hours. If stomach upset, take with a small amount of food.
Chapter 5
Chinese-table specifics
Chinese-table specifics
Chinese eating has its own strengths and its own traps; you can't simply drop a Western template on top of it.
The strengths are real: far more vegetable variety and quantity than Western diets; rich soy products (tofu, soy milk, dried tofu, yuba); steaming, boiling, stewing and stir-frying all in use, not everything deep-fried; congees and soups supplying water and fiber.
The traps are real too — the four biggest:
1. Too much white rice and flour — one bowl of rice is ~200kcal of pure refined carbohydrate with a fast glucose rise. Swapping 1/3 to 1/2 for mixed grains is the simplest upgrade
2. Sodium overload — soy sauce, oyster sauce, doubanjiang, pickles, cured meats; a single dish can hit 1000mg of sodium
3. Too much cooking oil — 1 tbsp = 120kcal; guidelines recommend 25-30g/day and many people reach 40-50g
4. The soup myth — bone broth has almost no calcium (<2mg/100ml) and milky-white soup is emulsified fat; the nutrition is in the meat, not the broth
One safety note: ingredients in medicinal soups and Chinese herbs interact with medicines and supplements (ginseng with hypoglycemics, ginkgo with anticoagulants). If you take medication, don't self-prescribe.
The full eight traps, snack swaps and takeout tactics are on the depth page.
The strengths are real: far more vegetable variety and quantity than Western diets; rich soy products (tofu, soy milk, dried tofu, yuba); steaming, boiling, stewing and stir-frying all in use, not everything deep-fried; congees and soups supplying water and fiber.
The traps are real too — the four biggest:
1. Too much white rice and flour — one bowl of rice is ~200kcal of pure refined carbohydrate with a fast glucose rise. Swapping 1/3 to 1/2 for mixed grains is the simplest upgrade
2. Sodium overload — soy sauce, oyster sauce, doubanjiang, pickles, cured meats; a single dish can hit 1000mg of sodium
3. Too much cooking oil — 1 tbsp = 120kcal; guidelines recommend 25-30g/day and many people reach 40-50g
4. The soup myth — bone broth has almost no calcium (<2mg/100ml) and milky-white soup is emulsified fat; the nutrition is in the meat, not the broth
One safety note: ingredients in medicinal soups and Chinese herbs interact with medicines and supplements (ginseng with hypoglycemics, ginkgo with anticoagulants). If you take medication, don't self-prescribe.
The full eight traps, snack swaps and takeout tactics are on the depth page.
Eight traps, snack swaps, takeout tactics
Strengths of Chinese eating:Far more vegetable variety and quantity than Western diets (leafy greens, nightshades, mushrooms, roots)Rich soy products (tofu, soy milk, dried tofu, yuba, fermented tofu)Diverse cooking methods (steam, boil, stir-fry, stew) — not all deep-friedFlexible family-style or individual servingCongees/soups provide water and fiber
Traps in Chinese eating:
1. Too much white rice/flour: one bowl rice ~200kcal pure refined carb, high GI. Swapping 1/3 to 1/2 for mixed grains (brown rice, millet, adzuki, oats) is the simplest upgrade
2. Sodium overload: soy sauce, oyster sauce, doubanjiang, MSG, pickles, cured meats — one dish can hit 1000mg Na. DASH target <2300mg/day, ideal 1500mg. Use vinegar, lemon, garlic, ginger, spices to replace some salt/soy
3. Too much cooking oil: 1 tbsp oil = 120kcal. Chinese dietary guidelines recommend 25-30g/day (~2-3 tbsp) but many hit 40-50g. Use oil sprayer, non-stick pan, steam/boil instead of some stir-fries
4. Too-refined breakfast: white congee + mantou + pickles = high GI, high Na, low protein. Add egg/milk/soy
5. Soup myths: bone broth has negligible calcium (<2mg/100ml), lots of purines and fat; nutrition is in the meat, not the broth. Milky-white soup is emulsified fat, not nutrition
6. "Like nourishes like": no scientific basis. Eating kidney doesn't nourish kidneys; eating brain doesn't nourish the brain (it's high cholesterol)
7. Medicinal soups/tonics: many herbs interact with drugs/supplements (ginseng with hypoglycemics, ginkgo with anticoagulants) — don't self-prescribe
8. Banquet/takeout: triple overdose of oil, salt, sugar. At banquets, eat more veg and protein, less soup and sauce; takeout: choose steamed/boiled, eat half the rice
Snack swaps:
Cookies/cake → nuts/fruit/yogurtMilk tea → unsweetened tea/black coffee/sparkling waterChips → edamame/nori/baked sweet potatoSausage/cured meat → boiled egg/chicken breast/dried tofu
Takeout tricks:
Choose steam/boil/stew > stir-fry > deep-fryRequest less oil and saltEat only 2/3 of the riceAdd a side of blanched greensDon't drink noodle soup (all the sodium is in it)
Chapter 6
Training vs rest days
Training vs rest days
Eating shouldn't be identical every day. Training days and rest days ask the body for different things.
Why: strength training digs a hole in muscle glycogen and, at the same time, leaves a batch of micro-damage in the fibers that has to be repaired. Glycogen is refilled with carbohydrate; repair is done with amino acids. So the extra 200-400 kcal on a training day should come mainly from carbohydrate, not from fat or from even more protein — protein just stays steady every day, because it is not a 'training-day only' nutrient.
Rest days run the other way: carbohydrate comes down, protein does not. Muscle repair happens over the day or two after training, so a rest day is precisely a construction day.
The most important thing during a cut is not protein — it's training intensity. The single biggest factor in keeping muscle through a calorie deficit is continuing to lift close to the weights you were lifting; raising protein is the second layer of insurance.
The g/kg numbers for each phase, and the specific cutting and bulking setups, are on the depth page.
Why: strength training digs a hole in muscle glycogen and, at the same time, leaves a batch of micro-damage in the fibers that has to be repaired. Glycogen is refilled with carbohydrate; repair is done with amino acids. So the extra 200-400 kcal on a training day should come mainly from carbohydrate, not from fat or from even more protein — protein just stays steady every day, because it is not a 'training-day only' nutrient.
Rest days run the other way: carbohydrate comes down, protein does not. Muscle repair happens over the day or two after training, so a rest day is precisely a construction day.
The most important thing during a cut is not protein — it's training intensity. The single biggest factor in keeping muscle through a calorie deficit is continuing to lift close to the weights you were lifting; raising protein is the second layer of insurance.
The g/kg numbers for each phase, and the specific cutting and bulking setups, are on the depth page.
The numbers for each phase
Training days (strength or HIIT):Calories: 200-400 kcal above rest, mainly from carbsCarbs: 4-6 g/kg (77kg → 300-460g), concentrated around trainingProtein: 1.6-2.2 g/kg (77kg → 125-170g), across 3-4 mealsFat: 0.8-1 g/kg, relatively lowerPre-training 1-2h: carbs + protein, low fat/fiberPost-training 1-2h: 25-40g protein + 0.5-1g/kg carbsCreatine: 3-5g (every day, not just training days)
Rest days:
Calories: maintenance or slight deficit (if cutting)Carbs: 2-3 g/kg, mainly from whole grains/tubers/legumesProtein: keep 1.6-2.0 g/kg (rest days still need protein for repair)Fat: 1-1.2 g/kg
Cutting phase notes:
Calorie deficit 300-500 kcal/day (not >700)Protein up to 2.0-2.4 g/kg (protect muscle)Keep training intensity (this is the #1 muscle preserver, not protein)Don't drop carbs too low (<100g/day hurts training and thyroid)HMB 3g/day has A-grade evidence for muscle preservation during cuts (Wilson 2013)Keep taking creatine (still works during cuts, arguably more important)
Bulking phase notes:
Calorie surplus 200-400 kcal/day (no dirty bulk >500, too much fat gain)Protein 1.6-2.2 g/kg (more protein won't automatically build more muscle)Carbs 5-7 g/kg (training fuel)Sleep 7-9 hours (muscles grow in sleep, not in the gym)
Weekly training/rest example:
Mon/Wed/Fri train → higher carbs these daysTue/Thu/Sat light activity → moderate carbsSun rest → lower carbsProtein stays consistent daily
Remember: supplements are Tier 3. Get training intensity, total protein, sleep, and total calories right first — then supplements matter. Conversely, supplements can't fix inadequate training or poor sleep.
Chapter 7
Supplements in your day
Supplements in your day
If you take supplements, this scene is about slotting them sensibly into a day.
Why timing matters at all comes down to three principles:
Fat-soluble ones travel with fat. Vitamin D3, K2 and fish oil are fat-soluble and absorb better taken with a meal that contains fat.Things that compete for the same door get separated. Calcium and iron compete for the same intestinal transporter, so calcium goes at dinner and iron in the morning on an empty stomach. Polyphenols in tea and coffee also suppress iron absorption and need the same separation.Anything that touches alertness is judged by how long it acts. Caffeine has a half-life of about 5 hours, so a late-afternoon dose eats into that night's deep sleep; B vitamins go in the morning; sleep aids go before bed.
The full daily timetable (with doses), and the list of things not worth taking daily, are on the depth page.
Three hard reminders: fill the gaps first, then go goal-specific; supplements do not replace diet, training or sleep; if you have a medical condition or take medication, ask a doctor or pharmacist before adding anything, and pregnancy, lactation and children only under medical guidance.
Why timing matters at all comes down to three principles:
Fat-soluble ones travel with fat. Vitamin D3, K2 and fish oil are fat-soluble and absorb better taken with a meal that contains fat.Things that compete for the same door get separated. Calcium and iron compete for the same intestinal transporter, so calcium goes at dinner and iron in the morning on an empty stomach. Polyphenols in tea and coffee also suppress iron absorption and need the same separation.Anything that touches alertness is judged by how long it acts. Caffeine has a half-life of about 5 hours, so a late-afternoon dose eats into that night's deep sleep; B vitamins go in the morning; sleep aids go before bed.
The full daily timetable (with doses), and the list of things not worth taking daily, are on the depth page.
Three hard reminders: fill the gaps first, then go goal-specific; supplements do not replace diet, training or sleep; if you have a medical condition or take medication, ask a doctor or pharmacist before adding anything, and pregnancy, lactation and children only under medical guidance.
The daily timetable, with doses
Morning (with breakfast):Vitamin D3 2000-4000 IU (absorbs better with fat-containing meal)Vitamin K2-MK7 100-200 mcg (partner with D3, directs calcium to bone)B-complex (if taken, morning with meal; B vitamins can affect sleep)Omega-3 fish oil 1-2g EPA+DHA (with meal reduces fishy burps)
30-60 min pre-training:
Caffeine 3-6 mg/kg (77kg → 230-460mg, ~1-2 black coffees)Beta-alanine 1.6g (if doing 1-4 min high-intensity intervals; take chronically with creatine)
Post-training or with meal:
Creatine 3-5g (any time; slightly better with carbs)
Between meals / fasting:
Iron supplement (if needed): every other morning on empty stomach, with vitamin C, separated from calcium/coffee/tea by 2 hours
With dinner:
Calcium 500mg (if dietary intake low; separated from iron, dinner works)Magnesium 200-400mg (glycinate/threonate; dinner or before bed)
30-60 min before bed:
Glycine 3g (improves sleep quality, Yamadera 2007)Ashwagandha KSM-66 600mg (if high stress/cortisol, Chandrasekhar 2012)Melatonin 0.5-1mg (if jet lag or sleep onset issues; low dose more effective than high)
Not worth taking daily — and the principles
Not recommended daily:Multivitamin (if diet is balanced, most don't need; MVM trials don't reduce all-cause mortality)Vitamin C (>100mg/day easily from food; supplements don't prevent colds, may slightly shorten duration)BCAA (useless if protein is adequate)Glutamine (no extra benefit for healthy trainees)Fat burners (caffeine is the only active ingredient; just take caffeine)
Key principles:
1. Fill gaps first (D3, omega-3, Mg if deficient), then goal-specific
2. Supplements don't replace diet, training, sleep
3. With disease or medications, ask doctor/pharmacist before adding anything
4. Pregnancy/lactation/children: only under medical guidance
Chapter 8
Disclaimer
Disclaimer
This island is nutrition education, not an individualized dietary prescription.
Portions here reference a 70-80kg adult male; your needs vary by weight, age, sex, activity, metabolic rateIf you have diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, CVD, GI disease, or other chronic conditions, you must discuss dietary changes with a doctor or registered dietitianPregnancy, lactation, children, adolescents, and elderly have different nutritional needs requiring individualized guidanceIf you have food allergies or intolerances (lactose intolerance, celiac, FODMAP sensitivity, etc.), exclusions should be guided by a doctor/dietitianSupplement suggestions are general information, not medical advice; those on medications must pay special attention to drug-supplement interactionsWeight goals (bulking/cutting) should be adjusted with your training program and body feedback; don't blindly chase numbers
This atlas philosophy: know what and know why. This island doesn't give you a menu — it gives you the ability to understand menus. Once you grasp the mechanisms, you can make better choices in any restaurant, any supermarket, any home kitchen.
Portions here reference a 70-80kg adult male; your needs vary by weight, age, sex, activity, metabolic rateIf you have diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, CVD, GI disease, or other chronic conditions, you must discuss dietary changes with a doctor or registered dietitianPregnancy, lactation, children, adolescents, and elderly have different nutritional needs requiring individualized guidanceIf you have food allergies or intolerances (lactose intolerance, celiac, FODMAP sensitivity, etc.), exclusions should be guided by a doctor/dietitianSupplement suggestions are general information, not medical advice; those on medications must pay special attention to drug-supplement interactionsWeight goals (bulking/cutting) should be adjusted with your training program and body feedback; don't blindly chase numbers
This atlas philosophy: know what and know why. This island doesn't give you a menu — it gives you the ability to understand menus. Once you grasp the mechanisms, you can make better choices in any restaurant, any supermarket, any home kitchen.
References · 7
- U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 (9th ed.). www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf
- Shoba, G., et al. (1998). Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Medica, 64(4), 353–356. 10.1055/s-2006-957450
- Kreider, R. B., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. 10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
- Moretti, D., Goede, J. S., Zeder, C., et al. (2015). Oral iron supplements increase hepcidin and decrease iron absorption from daily or twice-daily doses in iron-depleted young women. Blood, 126(17), 1981–1989. 10.1182/blood-2015-05-642223
- Wilson, J. M., Fitschen, P. J., Campbell, B., et al. (2013). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB). Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10, 6. 10.1186/1550-2783-10-6
- Yamadera, W., Inagawa, K., Chiba, S., Bannai, M., Takahashi, M., & Nakayama, K. (2007). Glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep quality in human volunteers, correlating with polysomnographic changes. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5(2), 126-131. 10.1111/j.1479-8425.2007.00262.x
- Chandrasekhar, K., Kapoor, J., & Anishetty, S. (2012). A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of Ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 34(3), 255–262. 10.4103/0253-7176.106022