Sports Nutrition

Helping you perform better

Benefits of Nutrition in Sport

Eating correctly supports both physical and mental health, helping your levels of fitness, concentration and focus when competing.

Poor nutrition can have an adverse effect on performance, so it’s vitally important you fuel your body with the right amount of fluid and nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats to reach your full potential when competing.

A nutritional diet can aid recovery post training, matches and when injured.

Remember as levels of physical activity increase so does the demand for food and fluid.

As an individual it’s important you understand your own dietary requirements as they can differ from individual to individual, see what works for you in terms of a balanced diet and always seek medical advice if concerned about any conditions relating to your general health.

Good practice is to eat and drink regularly throughout the day to make sure your fully nourished to provide you with good energy levels.

Tips & Guides

Nutrition and Diet is specific to the individual. Please use this information as a guide and references only. If you have any intolerances or digestive issues you should contact your GP and discuss any worrying condition.

Carbohydrates

TYPES OF CARBOHYDRATES

HOW THEY ARE USED…

• Carbohydrate is the fuel that powers your body
• Energy source for brain and nervous system
• Stored as glycogen (energy) in your muscles
• If carbohydrate is not used it stores as fat

NOTE: You get Carbohydrates from whole grains, sweet potatoes, quinoa, beans, porridge etc. Avoid
processed food, white bread, white pasta, white rice, mashed potato, sweets, packaged snacks and
fizzy juice.

Slow-Releasing Carbohydrates

• Found in unprocessed whole foods
• Energy is released slowly in your body
• Keep you feeling fuller for longer
• Full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals and fibre

Wholegrain bread
Wholegrain Pasta
Brown Rice
Sweet Potatoes
Whole Oats
Grains
Beans

Fast-Releasing Carbohydrates

• Absorbed quickly in your body
• Provides immediate source of energy that lasts a short period of time
• Elevates your blood sugar which can cause weight gain and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes
if you are inactive
• Removed nutrients

White Bread
White Pasta & Rice
Bagels
Breakfast
Cereals
with high sugar
content
Mashed Potatoes
Sweets
Packaged Food &
Snacks

Fats

FATS

HOW THEY ARE USED…

• Necessary component for our body in limited amounts
• Protects our vital organs by providing insulation
• Fats keep the body warm
• Transports vitamin’s in our bodies
• Consuming good fats in moderation will have long term health benefits.

Good fats help to develop strength, power and speed.

Vitamin K – Vitamin D – Vitamin E – Vitamin A

GOOD FATS

GOOD FATS ARE:

Beneficial to the heart heath and improves our cholesterol
Provides the essential fatty acids that your
body needs, but cannot make

Nuts
Avocados
Eggs
Oily Fish (mackerel, salmon, tuna)
Virgin Olive Oil
Olives
Soya

BAD FATS

Raises bad (LDL) cholesterol and lowers good
(HDL) cholesterol our cholesterol.
Clogs arteries that block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and brain.

Meat Fats
Butter
Cheese
Mayonnaise
Ready Meals
Cookies
Doughnuts
Chocolate
Pies
Cakes
Crisps

How to replace BAD Fats with GOOD Fats

• Instead of margarines try spreading avocado or organic peanut butter on bread
• Avoid packaged foods when possible. Instead cook at home from scratch!
• Choose the fat free or low-fat options e.g. light mayonnaise
• Try healthier cooking methods like oven baking, grilling and steaming
• When cooking with oil, measure out the amount needed with a spoon instead of free pouring from the bottle

TOP TIP
Try cooking with coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil

Proteins

PROTEINS

FACT
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products are complete protein sources that provide all nine essential amino acids.

HOW THEY ARE USED…

Broken down into amino acids

Builds, maintains and replaces the tissues in your body
Important for developing strength and aiding recovery
Protein is constantly being used in the body, and since the body doesn’t
store protein, it is important that we eat protein little and often

TIPS

Think Lean Protein

Avoid full fat milk & instead use semi-skimmed/skimmed milk (less bad fat)

Stick with lean chicken/ turkey breast (avoiding the skin or visible fat) rather than darker meats.

Enjoy plenty of oily fish such as salmon or mackerel for a healthy dose of lean protein &
heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids

Choose low-fat cheeses like the essential protein
rich cottage cheese.