Nutrition is a critical component to athletic performance, and staying competitive
Nutrition can help enhance athletic performance. An active lifestyle and exercise routine, along with eating well, is the best way to stay healthy.
Eating a good diet can help provide the energy you need to finish a race, or just enjoy a casual sport or activity. You are more likely to be tired and perform poorly during sports when you do not get enough:
- Calories
- Carbohydrates
- Fluids
- Iron, vitamins, and other minerals
- Protein
Recommendations:
The ideal diet for an athlete is not very different from the diet recommended for any healthy person.
However, the amount of each food group you need will depend on:
- The type of sport
- The amount of training you do
- The amount of time you spend doing the activity or exercise
- People tend to overestimate the amount of calories they burn per workout so it is important to avoid taking in more energy than you expend exercising.
