7 Nutrition Tips for Sport Performance

How you fuel your system has a huge impact on your physical performance!

​You want to ensure that you have a body that:

A) Holds sufficient energy for the activity
B) Is able to recover from the demands placed upon it

Here's 7 ways in which you can adjust your nutrition to do exactly that:

1. Base your diet around whole foods from natural sources (e.g. organic meats, wild fish, eggs, lots of fruit & veg). Being healthy & supplying your body with the macro & micronutrients it needs is the foundation - everything else is the icing on the cake.
 
2. Stay hydrated - 2-3 litres water per day at least (potentially more on the day of the event/game). 
 
3. Eat 1.5-2g of protein per kg of bodyweight each day (multiply your weight by 1.5-2). This will ensure muscle growth & recovery. 
 
4. Day before the event/game, opt for a carb-heavy meal (pasta, rice, lots of veg) - this ensures that glycogen (energy) stores are topped up.
 
5. 30-60 mins pre-activity I'd suggest consuming some kind of fast-absorbing carb source (e.g. fruit, cereal bar) & caffeine (although probably not if your event is in the evening, as this may interfere with your sleep quality). The fast absorbing carb source provide a quick energy boost & caffeine has been shown to improve performance during endurance events.
 
6. Post-activity, It's important to take on board a protein source (e.g. protein shake, chocolate milk) to aid muscle repair & recovery, a carbohydrate source to replenish energy stores, & plenty of water (ideally with electrolytes). 
 
7. Lastly, supplement creatine. Doing so boosts your 'ATP-PC' energy system - the system that your body uses for short, max. effort activity (e.g. sprinting). Basically, creatine helps you sprint at max. effort for a lil longer, plus it’s been shown to be super beneficial for brain function, so it’s a win-win.