Eat to Compete

It’s no surprise that professional athletes care a lot about their nutrition and what they are putting into their bodies. Some people may not realize how much preparation and importance there is in what professional athletes do to make sure their bodies are prepared for an event. This blog will talk about why nutrition is such an important key element for athletes and how it can be the difference maker for them.

It is very important to note that good nutrition is something that everybody can benefit from, but for athletes, nutrition is one of the most important things for them to ensure they are performing to their best ability. Ask yourself the question, am I taking my nutrition seriously? Most athletes at the amateur level will say no. This is a key factor in why most athletes don’t succeed at a higher level. There is no definite statistic that shows what percentage of people make it to a pro level across all sports collectively, but for example, only % 1.6% of athletes makes it to the NFL. Becoming a professional athlete is one of the hardest things to do, and there is a lot that goes into it. There are physical attributes that go into making it to the pro level of a certain sport, and there are mental aspects that go into it as well. If you take your nutrition seriously and put in the work, then one day there may be a possibility for you to take that next step.

When it comes to nutrition for athletes, it is a very complicated process. Nutrition is different for all athletes and differs from person to person depending on their body types and what their sport is. For example, for a professional track and field runner, nutritional needs will be different from those of a professional football player. This is because their sports require different things from their bodies.

A professional football player’s nutrition has to focus on proteins and vitamins. This is to help their bodies maintain a level of performance they need to play at a top level. This is compared to an Olympic-level sprinter whose nutrition focuses on Proteins and carbohydrates. There is a difference between what both athletes will look like; there may be some similarities between the two, but it makes a huge difference in the long run.

One nutritional aspect to look at is the caloric intake difference in different athletes. On average, a professional male soccer player will intake 3,000-3,500 calories in a day. Compared to a professional defensive end in the NFL who intakes 9,000 calories a day. Both athletes can compete at the top level of their sports while having very different nutritional needs.

Overall, nutrition is one thing that everybody can benefit from, but there are different levels of nutrition that make athletes different from ordinary people. There is a level of science that goes into how athletes can perform at the top level for a long time, and nutrition is one of the key elements that allows them to succeed. Look at how your nutrition is and ask yourself if you can do better and remember that good nutrition is what fuels success for athletes.