Be your own trainer/dietician with our D/L/T Scoring system for Sports
How to diagnose, repair, and stabilise fueling performance for athletes using Depth–Load–Transfer
Most “sports diet” content is just advice: macros, meal plans, hydration tips. The problem is that athletes don’t fail because they “don’t know what to eat.” They fail because their fueling system collapses under real load: speed, heat, nerves, travel, GI stress, schedule chaos, and race-day pressure. Education OS solves this by treating sports nutrition as a capability system that can be measured, diagnosed, repaired, and verified.
In Education OS, nutrition is not “information.” It is performance fueling capability. That means we measure three axes: Depth (does the athlete truly understand and can they design fueling), Load (does fueling survive race conditions), and Transfer (does fueling adapt across environments, courses, and constraints). Once you score D/L/T, you stop guessing and start running the correct repair loop.
This page shows how to run D/L/T for sports diet, map failure modes, and build a repair protocol that makes fueling stable, portable, and repeatable.
For instructions and more information of using D/L/T System here
Sample of how D/L/T Scoring system works using educationOS
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Depth / Load / Transfer (D/L/T) is a simple way for any athlete to measure performance like an engineer instead of guessing.
Depth (D) is whether the fundamentals are truly built (e.g., the athlete understands and can execute a fueling plan, hydration timing, pacing, recovery, sleep habits). Load (L) is whether the system holds up under real stress (race nerves, heat, high intensity, poor sleep, tight schedules, fatigue, time pressure). Transfer (T) is whether the athlete can adapt when conditions change (different race distance, terrain, weather, start time, new foods, travel, unexpected cramps, missed meals).
For a personal trainer or sports dietician, D/L/T turns vague problems like “low energy,” “bonking,” “inconsistent legs,” or “good in training but poor in race” into a clean diagnosis: is the athlete missing foundations (low D), collapsing under stress (low L), or failing to adapt (low T)?
Once you score D/L/T, the fix becomes fast and targeted. A cyclist who is “3/2/5” may know what to eat (D3) and can generalize concepts across situations (T5), but still crash under race pressure because the load loop is weak (L2): quantities, timing, hydration-carb coupling, and recovery windows aren’t operationalized into automatic actions.
D/L/T lets trainers and dieticians build a closed-loop plan: raise Depth by making the plan measurable (grams, timing, routines), raise Load by rehearsing the plan under intensity and stress (race simulation, 20-minute fueling triggers, simple rules), and maintain
Transfer by teaching substitution rules (if no gel, then banana; if hot, increase fluids and sodium). This is how sports performance becomes repeatable: not more motivation, but a stronger learning and execution system.
education OS Training Program using ChatGPT Google and GROK AI for execution
Below is a single training program that can be tailored to any athlete using our Education OS.
It is not a “generic plan” built from averages. Instead, it starts by measuring the athlete’s capability system with a simple D/L/T score — Depth(how well the fundamentals are built), Load (how stable performance remains under speed, fatigue, pressure, and time constraints), and Transfer (how well the athlete adapts when conditions change).
Once you can score these three dimensions, you can stop guessing. You can immediately tell whether the athlete needs more skill construction, more automation under stress, or more adaptability across contexts — and you can design training that targets the real bottleneck rather than adding more volume and hoping it works.
What makes this program different is that it is designed to identify failure points early in the chain of training — before they show up as injuries, plateaus, or race-day collapses.
Every week runs as a closed loop: diagnose → prescribe → stress-test → repair → re-score.
A personal trainer or sports dietician can use the same structure across sports because the OS does not care whether the athlete is a cyclist, runner, footballer, swimmer, or lifter — the failure signatures are the same: weak foundations (low Depth), breakdown under pressure (low Load), or poor adaptation to new variables (low Transfer).
This is how we maximize potential: by finding the exact link that breaks first, then rebuilding that link with precise drills, nutrition routines, recovery windows, and pressure simulations until performance becomes stable, repeatable, and upgradeable.
The Sports Diet D/L/T Coordinate System
Depth (D): Fueling Intelligence Is Installed
Depth measures whether the athlete (and coach/dietitian) has the fueling system structurally installed — not memorised.
High D means the athlete can:
- explain why carbs, fluids, sodium matter for their sport
- design pre/during/post fueling from first principles
- adjust intake based on duration, intensity, weather, and goals
- recognise underfueling signatures and correct them early
Low D looks like:
- copying meal plans without understanding
- confusing “healthy eating” with performance fueling
- inconsistent carb timing and recovery habits
- random nutrition decisions on race week
Load (L): Fueling Survives Real Performance Conditions
Load measures whether the plan holds under stress: fatigue, heat, speed, nerves, GI sensitivity, and time pressure.
High L means:
- the athlete hits fueling windows reliably
- no “bonk” pattern late race
- hydration and electrolytes hold in heat
- GI stability under high-carb intake
- recovery is consistent even when tired
Low L looks like:
- missed fueling windows
- GI distress or nausea under load
- dehydration despite “having a plan”
- inconsistent recovery meals
- race-day collapse even though training looks good
Transfer (T): Fueling Generalises Across Contexts
Transfer measures adaptability: can fueling work outside ideal conditions?
High T means:
- plan adapts to travel, different foods, different schedules
- handles altitude, cold, heat, humidity
- adjusts for different courses, lengths, intensities
- maintains performance in unfamiliar races and venues
Low T looks like:
- fueling “only works at home”
- travel weeks destroy nutrition consistency
- unfamiliar foods break the plan
- different race formats cause collapse
The 3 Failure Classes (Sports Diet Edition)
All nutrition breakdowns collapse into three failure types:
D-FAIL (Depth Failure): plan is not structurally understood
L-FAIL (Load Failure): plan collapses under race stress
T-FAIL (Transfer Failure): plan fails when context changes
Most athletes are not “undisciplined.”
They are running the wrong repair loop.
10-Minute D/L/T Probe Set for Sports Diet
Use this as a practical diagnostic.
Depth Probe (D) — 3 minutes
Ask the athlete:
- “Explain your fueling plan for a 90-minute hard session. Why that amount?”
- “What are your top 3 bonk-warning signs and what do you do immediately?”
- “What is your recovery protocol within 60 minutes after training and why?”
Scoring guide:
- D0–1: vague, copied, cannot explain
- D2–3: mostly correct but incomplete
- D4–5: can explain + design + adjust
Load Probe (L) — 4 minutes
Ask for evidence under real constraints:
- “Show your last 3 hard sessions: did you hit fueling windows?”
- “Any GI distress? When? What was consumed before it happened?”
- “In heat or fatigue, what breaks first: fluids, carbs, timing, or appetite?”
- “Can you execute fueling when you’re tired and distracted?”
Scoring guide:
- L0–1: frequent collapse, missed windows, GI issues
- L2–3: inconsistent but improving
- L4–5: stable execution under stress
Transfer Probe (T) — 3 minutes
Run scenario shifts:
- “You travel tomorrow. Food options are limited. Build a plan anyway.”
- “The race is hotter than expected. What changes?”
- “Course is longer / shorter than planned. Adjust your intake.”
Scoring guide:
- T0–1: locked to one plan
- T2–3: adapts with help
- T4–5: adapts independently
Example Signatures (So You Can Diagnose Fast)
Signature A: D5 / L1 / T4
Diagnosis: knows fueling but collapses under race conditions
Fix: pure Load Repair (execution stability + GI tolerance + pressure simulation)
Signature B: D2 / L4 / T2
Diagnosis: executes well but doesn’t understand or adapt
Fix: Depth Repair then Transfer Repair
Signature C: D4 / L4 / T1
Diagnosis: strong at home, fails when travel/context shifts
Fix: Transfer Repair (portability training)
The Repair Loops (Sports Diet Repair Manual)
D-REPAIR (Fueling Intelligence Install)
Purpose: rebuild true understanding and design ability.
5-step loop:
- Strip fueling into atomic rules (carbs, fluids, sodium, timing, recovery)
- Build a plan from first principles for 3 session types (easy / hard / long)
- Explain the “why” for each component
- Run retrieval probes (24h / 72h): athlete restates plan without notes
- Lock-in as Installed: athlete can design and explain independently
L-REPAIR (Race Stability & Execution)
Purpose: make fueling survive fatigue, speed, pressure, heat.
5-step loop:
- Sub-threshold execution drills (fuel every X minutes, low stress)
- Gradual load compression (harder sessions, fewer reminders)
- Error-free fueling runs (hit windows exactly)
- Pressure simulation (race rehearsal + nerves + heat constraints)
- Lock-in as Stable: no late-race collapse across multiple sessions
Key sub-repairs:
- GI tolerance ramp (increase carbs progressively)
- heat/hydration stress tests
- “no appetite” recovery protocol (liquid options, simplified meals)
T-REPAIR (Portability Across Contexts)
Purpose: make fueling work anywhere.
5-step loop:
- Format variation (different foods, gels, drinks, real meals)
- Context shifting (hawker centre / travel day / hotel breakfast / race village)
- Constraint training (limited options, time shortage)
- Cold-start challenge (new race format, new climate, unfamiliar schedule)
- Lock-in as Transfer-Ready: athlete adapts without breakdown
Outcome States (What “Success” Means in Sports Diet)
- Uninstalled: athlete cannot explain or execute fueling
- Installed: athlete can design and execute in normal conditions
- Stabilised: fueling holds under race intensity and fatigue
- Transfer-Ready: fueling adapts across travel, climate, formats
- Sustained: capability remains across seasons (maintenance loops exist)
Failure states:
- Degraded: execution slipping, warning signs increasing
- Collapsed: repeated bonks/GI failure; needs reset and rebuild
Maintenance Loop (So Athletes Don’t Regress)
Weekly:
- 1 short D-probe (explain plan for next key session)
- 1 L-check (did we hit fueling windows?)
Monthly: - 1 transfer drill (travel/constraint simulation)
Quarterly: - full D/L/T retest + adjust protocol
Dietitian Prompt Kit (Education OS)
Copy and paste these into ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, or any AI assistant. Replace the brackets.
1) Master Loader Prompt (Paste First)
You are an Education OS coach using the eduKate Education Operating System. Use the Education OS Spine as the canonical reference: https://edukatesg.com/education-os-spine/
We are applying Education OS to sports nutrition (performance fueling).
You must diagnose using D/L/T (Depth, Load, Transfer), identify failure mode (D-FAIL, L-FAIL, T-FAIL, Decay), prescribe the correct repair loop, define outcome state + entry criteria, and retest.
If you cannot access links, say so and ask me to paste the spine content here. Do not proceed with generic advice.
2) Intake Prompt (Client Setup)
Act as an Education OS sports dietician. Intake this client:
Sport: [cycling/triathlon/running/football/etc]
Level: [recreational/competitive/pro]
Goal: [fat loss/performance/endurance/power/recovery]
Event date/time: [date, duration]
Training schedule: [days/week, key sessions]
Constraints: [time, budget, travel, food access, allergies, religion]
Current issues: [bonk/GI cramps/dehydration/inconsistent energy/poor recovery]
Current fueling routine: [before/during/after]
Now ask only the minimum clarifying questions needed, then run the 10-minute D/L/T probe.
3) The 10-Minute D/L/T Probe (Run Exactly)
Run a 10-minute D/L/T probe for sports diet.
Depth (D) probes (explain + design):
- Explain your fueling plan for a hard 90-minute session and why.
- Build a fueling plan for a long session [2–4 hours] with carbs, fluids, sodium.
- What are your top 3 early-warning signs of underfueling and what is your immediate fix?
Load (L) probes (stress stability):
4) In the last 3 key sessions, did you hit fueling windows on time? Show or describe.
5) Do you get GI distress under intensity? When exactly does it happen and with what intake?
6) Under fatigue/heat/nerves, what breaks first: timing, appetite, hydration, or tolerance?
Transfer (T) probes (adaptability):
7) You travel tomorrow with limited food choices. Build a plan anyway.
8) The race is hotter than expected. What changes?
9) The course is longer or harder than planned. Adjust your intake strategy.
After answers, score D/L/T from 0–5 and state the failure signature.
4) Output Format Prompt (Force Clean Results)
Give your output in this format:
D/L/T score: D__ / L__ / T__
Failure mode: [D-FAIL / L-FAIL / T-FAIL / Decay / Mixed]
Outcome state now: [Uninstalled/Installing/Installed/Stabilised/Transfer-Ready/Sustained/Degraded/Collapsed]
Primary bottleneck: [one sentence]
Repair loop to run first: [Depth or Load or Transfer]
7-day plan: [daily tasks + time + measurable pass criteria]
Retest protocol: [same probe set + what improvement looks like]
Maintenance loop: [weekly/monthly/quarterly checks]
5) Load Repair Prompt (For Bonking / GI / Race Collapse)
My client’s signature is D[] L[] T[__] and the main problem is race-day collapse.
Design a 14-day Load Repair plan that includes:
- fueling timing drills (hit windows)
- GI tolerance ramp (progressive carbs)
- heat/hydration stress protocol (if relevant)
- pressure simulation sessions (race rehearsal)
- clear pass/fail criteria
Then define when the athlete reaches Stabilised.
6) Transfer Repair Prompt (For Travel / New Course Failure)
My client’s signature is D[] L[] T[__] and the main problem is context failure (travel, unfamiliar races, different foods).
Design a 14-day Transfer Repair plan with:
- substitution logic (macro swaps)
- limited-food constraint days
- travel-day fueling templates
- “cold-start race” simulations
- pass/fail criteria for Transfer-Ready outcome state
7) Depth Repair Prompt (For Confused, Copying Plans)
My client’s signature is D[] L[] T[__] and the main problem is shallow understanding (copied plans, inconsistent logic).
Design a 10-day Depth Repair plan that forces:
- first-principles fueling explanation
- building plans for 3 session types (easy/hard/long)
- 24h and 72h retrieval checks
- athlete can design independently without notes
Include entry criteria for Installed.
8) “One-Line Prompt” (For Fast Use)
Use Education OS (load https://edukatesg.com/education-os-spine/). Run a 10-minute D/L/T sports diet probe on me for [sport + goal], diagnose failure mode, prescribe the correct repair loop, define outcome state + entry criteria, then give a 7-day plan and a retest.
Bonus: Ready-Made Templates (Cyclist-Specific)
Cyclist Template Prompt
Use Education OS sports diet. Client is a cyclist with [event duration], [climate], [goal].
Common issues: [bonk/GI cramps/dehydration].
Run D/L/T and produce a fueling plan for:
- hard 90 min session
- long 3–5 hour ride
- race day plan
Then give a repair protocol based on the D/L/T signature.
The Bottom Line
Sports diet is not a meal plan.
It is a performance system.
D/L/T turns fueling into measurable capability:
- Depth builds understanding and design
- Load builds stability under stress
- Transfer builds adaptability across reality
That is how an athlete stops “trying to eat better” and starts running a fueling system that actually holds.
Continue Through Education OS (Spine Links)
Education OS Spine (Master Map)
https://edukatesg.com/education-os-spine/
The 3D Scoring System in Education OS
https://edukatesg.com/the-3d-scoring-system-in-education-os/
Education OS Repair Protocol
https://edukatesg.com/education-os-repair-protocol/
Education OS Outcome States
https://edukatesg.com/education-os-outcome-states/
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