Sports nutrition is an essential part of every athlete’s fitness programme and overall health. Without the right fuel and nutrients for your body, your performance can be affected. Sports nutrition is a way of enhancing your abilities and your potential through eating the right foods and taking on the right liquids.

We can connect you with expert dieticians and sports nutrition experts in your area. As everyone’s nutritional needs differ, a personal trainer can help you assess which foods and nutrients work best for your sport and your goals. We can also help you understand the basic ideas behind sports nutrition and get you started on the way to peak condition.

Whether you’re looking for anything from a suitable bodybuilding diet to a sports nutrition plan suitable for playing regular soccer, contact us free of charge - we can help.

Sports nutrition – what are your goals?

It’s important to decide what your goals are for your sports nutrition programme. For example, you may want to build muscle and bulk for a bodybuilding regime, or you may want to keep your weight low and energy levels high for long-distance running. You can even find sports nutrition programmes specifically designed for rehabilitation after an injury.

All sports nutrition advice from a personal trainer is based on scientific research and evidence – meaning that you’re sure to be getting the best advice available. Sports nutrition isn’t only about what you take for your breakfast and evening meal. A good diet plan will also help you understand which foods and liquids are best to take before, after and even during exercise for maximum energy efficiency. This can also help you recover far quicker between sports and fitness sessions.

Sports nutrition – what should you consider?

You can read more about our guide to healthy eating here. However, a well-designed sports nutrition programme should include education and training on the following areas:

• Carbohydrates – the main fuel for our bodies. Carbohydrates can be simple (sugars etc.), or complex (brown rice, grains etc.). These should make up around 57% of your diet.
• Fats – though essential to your diet, there are “good” and “bad” fats. Fats should make up around 30% of your diet.
• Proteins – our muscles and tissue are built with protein, so consuming it can help you both build and repair muscle. 13% of your diet should be made up of protein.
• Minerals – such as iron and zinc are essential for many aspects of body function.
• Vitamins – again, these are essential for a well functioning body.
• Water and hydration – your body needs regular hydration or the transport of vitamins and minerals and other crucial functions can fail.
• Fibre and roughage – indigestible fibre is needed for a healthy digestive tract.
• Daily energy requirements – women and men usually require different amounts of calories per day, and the amount also differs depending on your size and sports nutrition goals.
• Nutritional supplements – in many cases, you may need to supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals in the form of tablets or liquids. You can find great value deals in our online store.

Sports nutrition – personal training

Just as every individual has different nutritional needs, so does every sporting activity. Endurance sports, for example, require high carbohydrate intake, whereas weight training may mean eating more protein and fats. A sports nutrition expert will take the time to understand you and your lifestyle, as well as your goals for the future. They can then work with you to develop a personalised action plan covering every aspect of your diet, including finding the right nutritional supplements.

Contact us free of charge to find out how we can connect you with a sports nutrition expert in your area, or even arrange an online course.