Engineered for performance | Angus Armstrong’s high-energy diet

Since switching from high jump to pole vault at the suggestion of his high school coach, Angus Armstrong has burst onto the national stage as one of the young stars of his sport.

Just days after his 18^th birthday, he became the youngest male to win the pole vault title at the Australian athletics championship where he vaulted 5.35m, an age record which still stands.

Since then he has continued to push himself, improving his training and continuing to break personal bests to earn a place at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Armstrong has applied his knowledge of good food to refine what he eats to support his training, and continues to seek assistance to learn ways of eating that he both enjoys and suits his training demands.

“Food is fuel,” he says, “So it’s going to have an impact on your performance.

“Like most athletes I try to keep it healthy. I also find it important to keep it interesting, so I try to vary my carbs, proteins and fats as often as I can.”

Armstrong emphasises the importance of varying his diet in order to optimise his energy for the training demands ahead of him, ensuring peak athletic performance.

“I have one or two options I rotate for breakfast, and tend to stick to higher carb options around training to make the best use of them.

“On days where I train in the morning, I go for the high-energy combo of peanut butter/banana/honey on toast and coffee.

“If I’m not training until the afternoon, for breakfast I’ll likely have two eggs, some cheese and whatever chutney I have in the fridge for some flavour. This provides a different kind of energy, but it tastes just as good.”

Lunch and dinner remain fairly consistent regardless of training times, says the pole vaulter.

“For lunch I’m often on the move, so I try to keep it simple but still get all the nutrients I need and pack some rice or bread, cold meats or tuna and some avocado for good fats along with a random assortment of veggies.

“Dinner follows a similar macronutrient template to lunch, but I may make it a little more interesting and change flavours with a funky salad or curry sauce.”

If he is still looking for a little more energy, Armstrong says he’ll turn to a healthy snack like fruit or a muesli bar if he’s still hungry after meals, or his fall back for energy is a bowl of cereal, “I do love a bowl of cereal no matter the time of day.”

Away from food he uses to fuel training, Armstrong says he enjoys trying new cuisines and dishes while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.