Most of you know it's the Olympics season, this means that the hype to understand what made the athletes be able to perform in these kinds of competitions. Being a successful athlete takes a lot more than the commitment of training. It is also about rest and recovery.
The key to a good recovery lies in good sleep and a great nutrition plan. Here is what Olympians eat to perform and recover in the most optimal way. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that athletes focus way more on the calorie intake rather than the calorie outtake. It's also important to mention that these diets vary between sports; a short distance runner will have a different diet than a weightlifter.
The expert Arj Thiruchevalem believes that 8,000 calories a day for athletes in sports like boxing, wrestling and lifting. He used the example of a water polo player who could not keep his weight up throughout his training camp. These is what he would eat:
This diet helped him perform well throughout his camp and even gain a little bit of weight. After he finished the Olympics he went back to a less calorie intense diet and lost about 12 kg.
Differing from marathon runners where nutrition is key before race day. Arj also says that the old myth of having to take enormous amounts of carbohydrates before race day is not necessary. He states that getting ready for a marathon starts about a week before and ends till you finish the race. He mentions the breakfast before the race should be light and that a runner should try to consume most of his carbs through drinks like NUUN, Gatorade or Protein Shakes. During the race it is important to keep glucose levels up to keep performing accordingly.
Now we will give you some specific tips of how much food you should be eating even if you are not performing at an olympic level.
So make sure to remind your clients how important nutrition is for a speedy recovery and optimal performance.