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- Fuel Your Performance
Nutrition…It’s All about the Right Balance
Fuel Your Performance
Like a car which runs best on a full tank of gas, your body needs the right kind of "nutritional fuel" for peak performance. It's important to fuel your body with a healthy balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water.
Healthy Eating Tips for Athletes
- Eat a variety of foods. Because different foods have different nutrients, you must eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need to keep your body in peak condition. For example, oranges have vitamin C and carbohydrates, but no iron or protein. Beef provides iron and protein, but not vitamin C or carbs.
- Eat regular meals and snacks. Skipping meals will weaken your performance. Eating regular meals and healthy snacks is the best way to fuel your body for athletic events.
- Eat enough calories. Calories fuel your body for exercise and replace energy that is used up during competition. Cutting calories or carbs keeps you from performing your best. Exercise and athletic training demands extra energy, and it is essential to meet your body's energy needs if you want to compete at full strength.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Athletes need more fluids than non-athletes. Do not wait until you are thirsty to start drinking water, because thirst means that you are already dehydrated. Remember to drink even more in hot weather.