Health and Nutrition
Nutrition for Sports Performance
Diet & Performance
Considering the range of activities encompassed by the sport of running and the variation in the characteristics of the individuals taking part, it is not surprising that the nutritional requirements do vary. For non-competitive activities, and for the individual who exercises for recreational and health reasons, the daily diet forms part of a lifestyle which may be quite different from that of the competitive athlete, but the nutritional implications of exercise participation apply equally, albeit to different degrees. The same basic principles apply to the jogger whose ambition is to complete a specific challenge and to the Olympic athlete who seeks to explore the limits of what they can achieve.
Two distinct aspects of nutrition for sports performance must be considered. The first is the diet in training which must be consumed on a daily basis for a large part of the year. The training diet is aimed at ensuring an adequate supply of energy and nutrients to meet the training demands promoting recovery after exercise, maximising the physiological and biochemical adaptations to the training, and minimising the risk of illness and injury. The second important aspect is the diet in the immediate pre-competition period and during competition itself, where special nutritional strategies might be necessary to ensure optimum performance.
Knowing about Nutrition
What we eat affects how we perform, but athletes are often confused about nutrition.
This lack of knowledge about foods can be translated into poor eating habits.
Some talented athletes fail to realise their true potential because of poor diet.
Whatever your level of performance, it makes no sense to train hard and to neglect the role of nutrition.
Nutrition Strategies for Peak Performance
Two main aspects of diet need attention
- Everyday eating: the training diet
- Special strategies: the competition diet
Athletes are often more concerned about what they should eat before a race, but the training diet may be more important in helping maintain a consistent training program and reducing the risk of illness and injury.
