Q. What is a good diet for an athlete?

All athletes have individual requirements depending on age, sex, height, weight. food preferences, beliefs, health conditions, training load, etc. However, here are some general tips that all athletes should consider including in their nutrition plan.

·       Eat a wide variety of nutritious foods from all 5 food groups (wholegrains, vegetables / legumes, fruit, dairy and alternatives, meat and alternatives.

·       Aim for each main meal to contain 1/3 plate carbohydrates, 1/3 plate protein, 1/3 plate vitamins / minerals / fibre.

·       Carry a drink bottle during the day – aim for ~2 x 750ml water during the day and an extra ~750ml for each training.

·       Support training sessions by fuelling with nutritious carbohydrates (e.g. fruit, muesli, oats, wholemeal crackers, rice) and including protein afterwards to assist recovery (milk, yoghurt, smoothies, eggs, tuna, nuts).