Empirical Cycling Podcast Perspectives #41: Macros, Determining Energy Needs, Nutrient Timing, with Tim Podlogar
Mar 18, 2026
Tim Podlogar, exercise physiologist and performance nutritionist who has worked with WorldTour teams and teaches endurance nutrition, breaks down how to estimate energy needs and set macro targets. He covers nutrient timing, glycogen loading, on-bike fueling strategies, protein and fat targets, weight regulation, and practical food choices for big training loads.
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Set Endurance Protein Around Two Grams Per Kilogram
- Aim for ~2.0 g/kg/day protein for endurance athletes, scaling up toward 2.5–3.0 g/kg in extreme cases, to support high training volumes.
- Use high-quality sources (whey, poultry, fish, dairy) and include vegan isolates when needed to meet targets.
Fat Intake Is Flexible Focus On Essentials
- Fat needs are poorly defined; focus on essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins rather than hitting a strict grams-per-kg target.
- Tim typically avoids going below ~0.8 g/kg and increases fat in high-energy phases up to ~1.5–2.0 g/kg if intake is large.
Combine Grams Per Kg Rules With Energy Budget
- Use grams/kg evidence for glycogen restoration but plan it within total energy budget: 1.2 g/kg/h post-exercise for ~4 hours and 10–12 g/kg for glycogen supercompensation.
- Adjust on-bike vs recovery carbs so daily totals allow full glycogen restoration.