No matter what sport you play, if you want to maximise your performance, then it’s important that you eat the right things.
Eating well will depend on the sport you play and what you are looking to achieve. If you are looking to build muscle and “bulk out”, it’s likely that your diet will need to be more protein-rich.
For other sports, a low-fat diet may be more beneficial.
One things that the diet of most athletes has in common, however, is that it is usually well-balanced. There are specific food groups that are important for all athletes, no matter what sport you play and then it is usually a case of tweaking the percentage of each of those food groups depending on what you are training for and when you have an event or a match coming up.
Four of the main food groups that athletes should include as part of a balanced diet include:
Fruits and vegetables
No matter what sport you are involved in, fruits and vegetables should make up a fairly substantial portion of your diet. Fruit and vegetables provide a lot of the vitamins and minerals your body needs, but in addition, they are also a good source of carbohydrates, fibre and antioxidants. Fruit in particular has good water content to help with hydration and digestion.
Some of the best fruit and vegetables for athletes include:
- Broccoli
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Peas
- Apples
- Pears
- Bananas
- Blueberries
If you are looking for some inspiration, check out these great articles and do more with your fruit and vegetables:
Grains
Whole grains are one of the most important aspects of an athlete’s diet. Whole grains should be prioritised over white and refined grains due to their higher content of fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Like fruit and vegetables, whole grains are a great source of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fibre which help with high-intensity activity and recovery. Carbohydrates are an important element of an athlete’s diet as they provide energy which is important both during training periods but also in matches, races, and events.
Some of the best sources of carbohydrates from whole grains include:
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole wheat pasta
- Brown rice
If you want to get more whole grains in your diet, check out this great article and learn 3 ways to incorporate whole foods into your diet.
Proteins
Complete protein sources are those that include all of the essential amino acids your body is unable to produce itself. Amino acids serve as building blocks for several vital functions in your body, such as cell structure, muscle maintenance, and chemical reactions.
Protein helps athletes across multiple disciplines to increase muscle mass as well as help with recovery, repairing muscles after training, matches, or races. An athlete’s diet will typically be protein-rich and protein can be found in a number of food sources including:
- Poultry
- Lean red meats
- Beans
- Eggs
- Fish
As well as consuming protein through food sources, many athletes will top up their protein levels by consuming protein shakes. Whether it’s a post-gym boost or part of your regular diet, protein shakes are a great way to boost your protein intake. This is especially true for vegetarians and vegan athletes who struggle to meet their daily protein requirements.
Dairy
Dairy is the fourth food group that makes up a significant portion of an athlete’s diet. It is a food group that is packed with calcium, protein, potassium, as well as carbohydrates. Dairy can help with energy production as well as muscle contraction and recovery. It is not uncommon to see athletes drinking milk as a recovery drink.
Great sources of dairy for athletes include:
- Milk
- Cheese
- Yoghurts
- Fortified plant-based beverages
How much do professional athletes eat?
It’s often surprising just how much professional athletes actually consume. With strict training plans and hours spend in the gym, they need to replenish their bodies and ensure they are eating enough calories to replace the energy they are burning through.
How much professional athletes eat depends on the sport and their training programme. In the lead up to an Olympic Games, for example, athletes may increase their intake as their training programme intensifies.
The recommended daily calorie intake for men is approximately 2,800 per day and for women it’s 2,300. For professional athletes, this simply won’t cut it when it comes to getting enough calories.
In an interview on The Tim Ferris Show, LA Lakers superstar LeBron James discussed his daily diet, specifically talking about game-day.
LeBron started his day with an egg white omelet with smoked salmon, and gluten-free pancakes with berries.
For lunch, he had whole wheat pasta, salmon, and vegetables.
Right before the game, he had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
At halftime, he had sliced apples with almond butter on top.
Right after the game, he immediately downed a protein shake. He uses a plant-based protein powder with almond milk, along with some fruit, in the shake. He stays away from whey protein or animal products for the first hour after a game to give his body a chance to properly recover.
For dinner, LeBron had chicken parm with a rocket salad and a “beautiful” glass of cabernet (LeBron is a wine lover — especially Bordeaux and Cabernet).
LeBron’s daily calories intake, especially on game day, will far exceed the recommended daily intake and for good reason. It’s important to prepare your body in the best way possible for a game and then ensure you fuel it with the necessary food to recover post-game.
LeBron continues to be one of the world’s leading athletes and his Lakers side are priced at 16.00 with Betway Sports to lift the NBA title in 2022-23.
LeBron’s diet is not unfamiliar to many professional athletes and whilst you might not want to emulate the calorie intake of some of the world’s leading athletes, following the types of food they eat before, during and after a game can help you to prepare you body, no matter what sport you are playing.
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