What foods build muscle and improve body composition?

Building muscle requires two things working simultaneously: a consistent resistance training stimulus and adequate nutritional support — specifically, enough protein and total calories to support muscle protein synthesis. Most sports dietitians recommend 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for those focused on muscle development.

Meal timing also matters: distributing protein intake evenly across meals — rather than concentrating it at dinner — maximizes muscle protein synthesis throughout the day. Square Fare builds this distribution into each client's weekly meal plan, hitting protein targets across every meal based on the specs their dietitian provides.

What should you eat for endurance training and marathon preparation?

Endurance nutrition is one of the most periodized areas of sports dietetics — what you eat changes significantly based on where you are in your training cycle. High training volume weeks require more carbohydrates for glycogen replenishment. Taper weeks shift the balance. Race week requires specific carbohydrate loading protocols. A registered sports dietitian maps your nutrition to your training periodization — and Square Fare's weekly menu cycle means these adjustments can be made week to week, so your meals evolve alongside your training program.

What foods are good for recovery and injury prevention?

Recovery nutrition is often the most underinvested area in an athlete's protocol. Inadequate carbohydrate intake depletes glycogen, increasing fatigue and injury risk. Inadequate protein slows muscle repair. Inadequate micronutrients — particularly iron, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium — have documented effects on bone health, immune function, and exercise performance.

Square Fare sources protein from D'Artagnan and Fortune Fish, the same suppliers serving NYC's Michelin-starred restaurants, and produce from Riviera and local tri-state farms — ensuring the nutritional quality of every meal supports the recovery demands of serious training.

Energy availability and the risks of underfueling

One of the most common and underdiagnosed problems in active individuals is relative energy deficiency — eating too little to support both training demands and basic physiological function. Symptoms include persistent fatigue, poor performance, frequent illness, stress fractures, hormonal disruption, and mood changes. A sports dietitian assesses energy availability specifically — not just calorie intake — and builds a nutrition plan that supports training demands without triggering the physiological consequences of underfueling.

Frequently asked questions:

Do I need a sports dietitian if I'm not a competitive athlete?

No — sports nutrition applies to anyone who trains regularly and wants to see better results from that training. If you're lifting weights, running, cycling, or doing any form of consistent exercise, what you eat directly affects your performance, recovery, and body composition.

How much protein do I actually need?

For most people doing consistent resistance or endurance training, 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day is the evidence-based range for optimizing muscle protein synthesis and recovery. This is significantly more than general population recommendations. Square Fare can hit any protein target your dietitian sets.

How does Square Fare support periodized sports nutrition?

When a sports dietitian refers a client to Square Fare, they share periodized specs — heavier carbohydrate weeks during high training load, adjusted targets during taper or recovery phases. Square Fare updates the meal plan to match, so the nutritional strategy evolves alongside the training program.

Can Square Fare accommodate pre- and post-training meal timing?

Square Fare prepares meals to each client's nutritional specifications. Your sports dietitian can provide timing recommendations — and the meals are ready in two minutes, which makes pre- and post-training fueling genuinely practical.