How does nutrition affect athlete performance?

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Roger Wolfson is a retired physical educator who continues to help people reach their health and fitness goals. A huge part of his approach involves educating people about proper nutrition.

For today, Roger Wolfson asks the question “How does nutrition affect athlete performance?”

While it is obvious that sports nutrition plays a significant role in the performance of athletes, in order to maximize its benefits, one has to have a clear grasp of at least the basics of it. For instance, knowing the roles of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will help a person know the kind of meals he or she needs to prepare when in training and competition.

Without enough fluid and carbs, athletes will get exhausted pretty quickly. Without adequate protein, Roger Wolfson explains that athletes’ muscles won’t recover and develop to their full potential.

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It’s also important to note that athletes include vitamins and minerals in their nutrition plan, vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin D and calcium for their bones, antioxidants to boost the immune system, and iron to prevent fatigue.

If people take a step back and look at the bigger picture, they’ll notice just how similar the diet of an athlete in training and competition is to a generally healthy diet.

Finally, Roger Wolfson mentions that in order to maximize the effects of the nutrition plan, athletes need to know the size of the portions of proteins, carbs, fats, and the rest of the meal.

What kind of sports are you involved in? How does your nutrition change from training to your off days? Do you feel any difference in your performance? Feel free to share your thoughts with Roger Wolfson in the comments section below.