How Do You Tailor Nutritional Advice for Athletes?
Ever wondered how top nutrition experts design meal plans that maximize athletic performance? In this post, leading Nutritionist and Exercise Physiologist delve into how to focus on female athletes' unique needs, while an Accredited Dietitian reveals how to boost a soccer player's energy with carbs. With insights from three top professionals, discover actionable strategies to elevate any athlete's diet. The final takeaway ties it all together by tailoring nutrition to each athlete's specific goals.
- Focus on Female Athletes' Unique Needs
- Boost Soccer Player's Energy with Carbs
- Tailor Nutrition to Athlete's Specific Goals
Focus on Female Athletes' Unique Needs
As a nutritionist, I specialise in tailoring advice for female athletes, focusing on their unique nutritional needs. Women face distinct challenges such as hormonal fluctuations, iron deficiencies, and the risk of low energy availability, all of which can impact performance, recovery, and long-term health. I prioritise iron-rich, animal-based foods to prevent deficiencies, particularly during menstruation when the risk is higher. Additionally, I recommend adjusting diets around the menstrual cycle, increasing energy intake during the luteal phase to meet the body's demands.
Bone health is another key focus, with emphasis on calcium, vitamin D, and collagen from animal-based sources to support strong bones and joints. For athletes concerned about energy levels, I work to prevent low energy availability by ensuring their caloric intake supports both training and daily life. This holistic, science-backed approach helps optimise performance, reduce injury risk, and support long-term health.
I specifically helped an Olympic medalist diver to recover from her spinal stress fractures and increase her bone density.
Boost Soccer Player's Energy with Carbs
When giving athletes nutrition tips, it's super important to look at what they need. Think about the sport they play, how tough their training is, their body goals, and what they like to eat. If you check out what the already eat, how they train, and how they're doing, you can spot what to fix and make a food plan that's just for them.
I had this kid who plays soccer. I helped out. They were super tired all the time and couldn't play their best. I looked at what they ate and saw they needed more carbs to keep up with their hardcore workouts. We added some good stuff like whole grains, fruits, and veggies to their plates; they got way more energy and started to nail it in their games.
Aside from tweaking the big nutrients, getting hydration right, planning food with exercise, and nailing the timing for nutrients after a workout is key. I hand out handy advice, food schedules, and keep cheering on the athletes to help them reach their top game even when they're not playing.
Tailor Nutrition to Athlete's Specific Goals
For athletes, we think about first their goals. Are they looking to run a marathon or a 5K? Fueling and training while fueling is going to look different for these individuals. We also look at their body type and current health. Are they overweight currently? Are they looking to build muscle? This is going to decide if we are in a calorie deficit or not.
