Sports training and nutrition

The day-to-day diet and eating habits of individuals who frequently train or participate in sport is very important in terms of performance level and progression.

Scientific developments and new discoveries about how different food types work within the body mean that athletes can now tailor their diets to help them excel in their particular sport.

Whether you are a professional or amateur athlete, if you wish to optimise your performance level and guarantee continuous improvement, a healthy and well-planned diet could help you to do so.

There is no magic food or shortcut which is going to provide the body with all of the vitamins and minerals it needs, so it is important to maintain a balanced diet which incorporates a variety of food groups and nutrients.

Many athletes and sports enthusiasts spend a lot of time planning meals which could help to optimise their performance, but very few individuals actually possess the specialist knowledge needed to develop an appropriate and effective nutritional strategy. If this sounds like something you would be interested in doing but are unsure of where to start then this is where the ‘know how’ of a qualified sport nutritionist could be of benefit.

Sport nutrition is essentially the study of the science behind food and how it can benefit or impair sporting performance and fitness. As we have discussed throughout this fact-sheet, what an athlete eats and drinks prior to training, whilst training and during competitions can have reverberating effects on their body composition and ultimately performance and recovery.

If you do choose to consult a sport and exercise nutritionist, they will apply their knowledge to create a diet programme which is going to help maximise your sporting performance as well as improving overall health and well-being.